NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 4 New Articles Added 11/6/06

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Monday, October 23, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Manning catching fire

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
This should be a tough NFC East divisional game, with these two teams playing for second place in the division on Monday night. If the Giants can get a win on the road against the Cowboys, they could easily be 6-2 at the midway point of the season, as their next two games are against weaker opponents. A victory would give them three divisional wins and a huge advantage in any tie breaking scenario.
The Cowboys need a win at home, as the next three games are on the road. The Cowboys are 1-1 in the division and a win would help them keep pace with the Eagles and give them a leg up on the Giants.

When the Giants have the ball
Rushing: The Giants' offensive line is doing a good job of opening up running lanes and giving the Giants' running backs creases to run through. The line is also doing an excellent job of allowing the fewest negative rushing plays in the NFL. Establishing the run early in games should help take some pressure off Eli Manning.
Tiki Barber is coming off a career game vs. the Falcons, rushing for 185 yards on 26 carries. Fellow running back Brandon Jacobs is finally getting a chance to contribute to the offense and has done a solid job of running the football. The Giants are averaging 151 yards a game, placing them tied with Dallas for fourth in the NFL in rushing.
The Giants will have trouble running the ball inside on the Cowboys' 3-4 defense, because of the presence of nose tackle Jason Ferguson. Ferguson cannot be blocked by one blocker and will require a constant double team, potentially freeing up inside linebackers Bradie James and Akin Ayodele.
The Cowboys are giving up less than four yards on first down and will need to stop the run early in the game, forcing Manning to throw. This game will be a good test for both teams, as the Giants run the ball extremely well and the Cowboys are only giving up 67 yards a game.

Passing: Eli Manning has struggled passing the ball early in games and has been part of the problem for the Giants slow start to games. Manning was a dismal 6-of-12 for 60 yards in the first half against the Falcons, with two interceptions and no touchdowns. The Giants' coaching staff needs to find ways for him to improve those numbers, perhaps with a quick, controlled passing attack like they use in two-minute situations where Manning excels.
With Tiki Barber running the ball so well, this should set up play action pass that will hold the Cowboys' linebackers and let the Giants' receivers get open behind them on dig routes. Jeremy Shockey is finally back from the ankle injury that has hampered him this year. He was Manning's favorite target vs. the Falcons and caught a touchdown pass.
The Cowboys need to get a good jam on the Giants' receivers and disrupt Shockey at the line of scrimmage. Cowboy's defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will need to mix in his coverages to help take away the run and provide good coverage on the Giants' receivers. Do not look for Zimmer to bring pressure with dogs or blitzes, as Manning is completing 67 percent of his passes with five touchdowns when teams try to blitz him.

When the Cowboys have the ball
Rushing: The Cowboys want to establish the run, as it will keep the pressure off quarterback Drew Bledsoe and will keep the Giants' offense off the field. Julius Jones and Marion Barber are becoming a good one-two punch, with Barber being the tougher of the two and able to grind out the tough yards. Both backs are averaging over four yards per carry.
The Cowboys like to use the wham play, which is an inside trap they will use on Giants' tackles Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield, who are aggressive at getting upfield. These two players will have to recognize the formation the wham comes out of and be ready to spill any blocks to the linebackers.
The Giants had down a nice job of stopping the run up until the Falcons game, and it was really one long run that hurt their rushing defensive stats. Robbins and Cofield will need to do a good job of holding up the Cowboys' center and guards, and keeping them off Giants' linebackers Brandon Short and <A href="http://sports-att.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2842" a Antonia Pierce<>.

Passing: The Cowboys' pass offense revolves around one person -- quarterback Drew Bledsoe. If the Cowboys' offensive line can give him time, Bledsoe can find his receivers. Bledsoe is averaging just over 200 yards a game, with an average completion of 5.9 yards per pass attempt.
The Cowboys will use play action to get the ball down the field with two- or three-man routes, keeping in a back or tight end to help on the pass rush. Terry Glenn is still Bledsoe's favorite target with 25 catches for 337 yards, and three touchdowns. Terrell Owens is getting better and was able to catch three touchdowns vs. the Texans. Giants' defensive coordinator Tim Lewis has done a good job of getting his players ready to play these last two weeks, and he has a big challenge this week. Lewis will look to the Eagles game for ideas on how to frustrate the Cowboys' passing game. The Giants will play more man to man coverage, with safety help over the top of Glenn and Owens. This will let the Giants' pass rush work the Cowboys offensive line to get pressure on Bledsoe. Lewis will mix in some corner blitzes and all out pressure to test the Cowboys' pass protection.

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Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Monday, October 23, 2006
<TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 7px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>

</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Manning catching fire

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
This should be a tough NFC East divisional game, with these two teams playing for second place in the division on Monday night. If the Giants can get a win on the road against the Cowboys, they could easily be 6-2 at the midway point of the season, as their next two games are against weaker opponents. A victory would give them three divisional wins and a huge advantage in any tie breaking scenario.
The Cowboys need a win at home, as the next three games are on the road. The Cowboys are 1-1 in the division and a win would help them keep pace with the Eagles and give them a leg up on the Giants.

When the Giants have the ball
Rushing: The Giants' offensive line is doing a good job of opening up running lanes and giving the Giants' running backs creases to run through. The line is also doing an excellent job of allowing the fewest negative rushing plays in the NFL. Establishing the run early in games should help take some pressure off Eli Manning.
Tiki Barber is coming off a career game vs. the Falcons, rushing for 185 yards on 26 carries. Fellow running back Brandon Jacobs is finally getting a chance to contribute to the offense and has done a solid job of running the football. The Giants are averaging 151 yards a game, placing them tied with Dallas for fourth in the NFL in rushing.
The Giants will have trouble running the ball inside on the Cowboys' 3-4 defense, because of the presence of nose tackle Jason Ferguson. Ferguson cannot be blocked by one blocker and will require a constant double team, potentially freeing up inside linebackers Bradie James and Akin Ayodele.
The Cowboys are giving up less than four yards on first down and will need to stop the run early in the game, forcing Manning to throw. This game will be a good test for both teams, as the Giants run the ball extremely well and the Cowboys are only giving up 67 yards a game.

Passing: Eli Manning has struggled passing the ball early in games and has been part of the problem for the Giants slow start to games. Manning was a dismal 6-of-12 for 60 yards in the first half against the Falcons, with two interceptions and no touchdowns. The Giants' coaching staff needs to find ways for him to improve those numbers, perhaps with a quick, controlled passing attack like they use in two-minute situations where Manning excels.
With Tiki Barber running the ball so well, this should set up play action pass that will hold the Cowboys' linebackers and let the Giants' receivers get open behind them on dig routes. Jeremy Shockey is finally back from the ankle injury that has hampered him this year. He was Manning's favorite target vs. the Falcons and caught a touchdown pass.
The Cowboys need to get a good jam on the Giants' receivers and disrupt Shockey at the line of scrimmage. Cowboy's defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will need to mix in his coverages to help take away the run and provide good coverage on the Giants' receivers. Do not look for Zimmer to bring pressure with dogs or blitzes, as Manning is completing 67 percent of his passes with five touchdowns when teams try to blitz him.

When the Cowboys have the ball
Rushing: The Cowboys want to establish the run, as it will keep the pressure off quarterback Drew Bledsoe and will keep the Giants' offense off the field. Julius Jones and Marion Barber are becoming a good one-two punch, with Barber being the tougher of the two and able to grind out the tough yards. Both backs are averaging over four yards per carry.
The Cowboys like to use the wham play, which is an inside trap they will use on Giants' tackles Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield, who are aggressive at getting upfield. These two players will have to recognize the formation the wham comes out of and be ready to spill any blocks to the linebackers.
The Giants had down a nice job of stopping the run up until the Falcons game, and it was really one long run that hurt their rushing defensive stats. Robbins and Cofield will need to do a good job of holding up the Cowboys' center and guards, and keeping them off Giants' linebackers Brandon Short and <A href="http://sports-att.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2842" a Antonia Pierce<>.

Passing: The Cowboys' pass offense revolves around one person -- quarterback Drew Bledsoe. If the Cowboys' offensive line can give him time, Bledsoe can find his receivers. Bledsoe is averaging just over 200 yards a game, with an average completion of 5.9 yards per pass attempt.
The Cowboys will use play action to get the ball down the field with two- or three-man routes, keeping in a back or tight end to help on the pass rush. Terry Glenn is still Bledsoe's favorite target with 25 catches for 337 yards, and three touchdowns. Terrell Owens is getting better and was able to catch three touchdowns vs. the Texans. Giants' defensive coordinator Tim Lewis has done a good job of getting his players ready to play these last two weeks, and he has a big challenge this week. Lewis will look to the Eagles game for ideas on how to frustrate the Cowboys' passing game. The Giants will play more man to man coverage, with safety help over the top of Glenn and Owens. This will let the Giants' pass rush work the Cowboys offensive line to get pressure on Bledsoe. Lewis will mix in some corner blitzes and all out pressure to test the Cowboys' pass protection.

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Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Monday, October 23, 2006
Take 2: Giants vs. Cowboys

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>New York at Dallas Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Giants and Cowboys. Now they're back with a second look.

The Cowboys are tied for fourth in the league in rushing (with the Giants), averaging close to 152 yards per game. They need to get that same kind of production out of their backs this week against a good Giants' run defense.
The Cowboys interior offensive linemen need to come off the ball and get a good push on Giants DTs Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins, while working up to the second level to get MLB Antonio Pierce, who has been flying around and making plays in the run game.
The Cowboys are a downhill guard-to-guard, inside running team, and need to win inside if they are going to have any success running the ball. The inside running game this week might be better suited for Marion Barber than Julius Jones, as Barber is a tough inside runner who can move the pile.
? In the past few weeks, the Giants have found their pass rush and it could not have come at a worse time for Drew Bledsoe and the Cowboys. The Cowboys' offensive line will need to protect Bledsoe from the Giants' front four of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Robbins and Cofield, who can all rush the passer.
They also must be prepared for the Giants' blitz package that will bring pressure up the middle in the A-gaps. Bledsoe is only completing 56 percent of his passes when teams blitz him, and he has a tendency to throw interceptions when under duress.
? The Cowboys must run the football on first and second down, and if they have to pass, they should utilize the short to medium passing game to get the ball out of Bledsoe's hand quickly before the rush gets to him. This will get the Cowboys into third and short or medium, an area the Giants' defense is having trouble with.
The Cowboys are converting on 42.7 percent of third downs, while the Giants' defense is allowing opposing teams to convert on 50 percent of third downs. Bledsoe has been completing 63 percent of his passes on third down, with three sacks and three interceptions.
? The Giants are the second best offense the Cowboys' defense will have faced this season (Eagles), and it will be a good challenge for them. First, the Cowboys need to stop the running game of the Giants because Tiki Barber is having a great year.
The Giants are averaging 151 yards per game, while the Cowboys' defense is giving up only 67 yards per game. The Cowboys' 3-4 defense will create problems for the Giants and should not give Barber too many running lanes to run through. They need to stop the Giants' running game on first down and get them into long-yardage situations. Eli Manning is only competing 56 percent of his passes on third down, while the Giants' offense is converting 42 percent of their third downs.
? Manning is having a great year and has looked more comfortable in the pocket than he did last year. He has done a great job of bringing his team back in the second half of games. It has been in the first half of games that Manning and the offense has struggled.
It is always important to start fast and finish strong, but Manning has been starting slowly. In the first quarter, he is completing only 46 percent of his passes with one touchdown compared to four interceptions. The Giants need to hand the ball off to Barber and give Manning some easy short throws until he gets in rhythm.
? The Giants' defense has stepped up its level of play since coming out of the bye with a solid pass rush, and good coverage downfield has led the Giants to move up in total defense the last two weeks. They will need to balance taking away the run with providing safety help on Cowboys' receivers Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens.
The Giants need to keep playing man coverage, which their corners are more suited to play, than the soft zone they were playing earlier in the season. Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis will need to mix in a two-deep zone with some two-deep man coverages that will force Bledsoe to hold the ball, letting the rush get to him.
? Hopefully for the Cowboys, the Giants will not take a page out of the Eagles' game plan and come with some all out pressure up the middle, but do not count on it. The NFL is a copycat league and look for Lewis to bring pressure up the middle with a zone dog and all out blitzes.
He needs to keep Bledsoe off balance and force him to make poor decisions with the ball. His corners will have to keep the Cowboys' receivers in front of them and not give up the big play down the field.

Special Teams
With these two teams evenly matched in a lot of areas, the game could come down to field position and special teams. The Cowboys have the edge in punting with Mat McBriar. McBriar has a net punt average of 41.8 yards, with seven punts inside the opponents' 20 yard line. He has had 14 punts of over 50 yards. The Giants are only averaging 5.6 yards per punt return, but have only had nine opportunities to return punts, which could explain their lack of return yardage.

Matchups
? Dallas WR Terrell Owens vs. New York CB Corey Webster
? Dallas LOT Flozell Adams vs. New York DE Osi Umenyiora
? Dallas RB Julius Jones vs. New York MLB Antonio Pierce
? Dallas SS Roy Williams vs New York TE Jeremy Shockey
? Dallas QB Drew Bledsoe vs. New York pass rush

Scouts' Edge
This game is going to come down to field position, turnovers and who gives up the least big plays. The Cowboys' defense has always given Eli Manning problems and this year should be no exception. It will be up to the Cowboys' defense to slow down the Giants' running game and force Manning into long-yardage passing situations. This game will be a challenge for both teams. If the Giants can find a way to win on the road, they will be back in the hunt for the division title.

Prediction: Cowboys 24, Giants 20

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Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Monday, October 23, 2006
Take 2: Giants vs. Cowboys

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>New York at Dallas Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Giants and Cowboys. Now they're back with a second look.

The Cowboys are tied for fourth in the league in rushing (with the Giants), averaging close to 152 yards per game. They need to get that same kind of production out of their backs this week against a good Giants' run defense.
The Cowboys interior offensive linemen need to come off the ball and get a good push on Giants DTs Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins, while working up to the second level to get MLB Antonio Pierce, who has been flying around and making plays in the run game.
The Cowboys are a downhill guard-to-guard, inside running team, and need to win inside if they are going to have any success running the ball. The inside running game this week might be better suited for Marion Barber than Julius Jones, as Barber is a tough inside runner who can move the pile.
? In the past few weeks, the Giants have found their pass rush and it could not have come at a worse time for Drew Bledsoe and the Cowboys. The Cowboys' offensive line will need to protect Bledsoe from the Giants' front four of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Robbins and Cofield, who can all rush the passer.
They also must be prepared for the Giants' blitz package that will bring pressure up the middle in the A-gaps. Bledsoe is only completing 56 percent of his passes when teams blitz him, and he has a tendency to throw interceptions when under duress.
? The Cowboys must run the football on first and second down, and if they have to pass, they should utilize the short to medium passing game to get the ball out of Bledsoe's hand quickly before the rush gets to him. This will get the Cowboys into third and short or medium, an area the Giants' defense is having trouble with.
The Cowboys are converting on 42.7 percent of third downs, while the Giants' defense is allowing opposing teams to convert on 50 percent of third downs. Bledsoe has been completing 63 percent of his passes on third down, with three sacks and three interceptions.
? The Giants are the second best offense the Cowboys' defense will have faced this season (Eagles), and it will be a good challenge for them. First, the Cowboys need to stop the running game of the Giants because Tiki Barber is having a great year.
The Giants are averaging 151 yards per game, while the Cowboys' defense is giving up only 67 yards per game. The Cowboys' 3-4 defense will create problems for the Giants and should not give Barber too many running lanes to run through. They need to stop the Giants' running game on first down and get them into long-yardage situations. Eli Manning is only competing 56 percent of his passes on third down, while the Giants' offense is converting 42 percent of their third downs.
? Manning is having a great year and has looked more comfortable in the pocket than he did last year. He has done a great job of bringing his team back in the second half of games. It has been in the first half of games that Manning and the offense has struggled.
It is always important to start fast and finish strong, but Manning has been starting slowly. In the first quarter, he is completing only 46 percent of his passes with one touchdown compared to four interceptions. The Giants need to hand the ball off to Barber and give Manning some easy short throws until he gets in rhythm.
? The Giants' defense has stepped up its level of play since coming out of the bye with a solid pass rush, and good coverage downfield has led the Giants to move up in total defense the last two weeks. They will need to balance taking away the run with providing safety help on Cowboys' receivers Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens.
The Giants need to keep playing man coverage, which their corners are more suited to play, than the soft zone they were playing earlier in the season. Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis will need to mix in a two-deep zone with some two-deep man coverages that will force Bledsoe to hold the ball, letting the rush get to him.
? Hopefully for the Cowboys, the Giants will not take a page out of the Eagles' game plan and come with some all out pressure up the middle, but do not count on it. The NFL is a copycat league and look for Lewis to bring pressure up the middle with a zone dog and all out blitzes.
He needs to keep Bledsoe off balance and force him to make poor decisions with the ball. His corners will have to keep the Cowboys' receivers in front of them and not give up the big play down the field.

Special Teams
With these two teams evenly matched in a lot of areas, the game could come down to field position and special teams. The Cowboys have the edge in punting with Mat McBriar. McBriar has a net punt average of 41.8 yards, with seven punts inside the opponents' 20 yard line. He has had 14 punts of over 50 yards. The Giants are only averaging 5.6 yards per punt return, but have only had nine opportunities to return punts, which could explain their lack of return yardage.

Matchups
? Dallas WR Terrell Owens vs. New York CB Corey Webster
? Dallas LOT Flozell Adams vs. New York DE Osi Umenyiora
? Dallas RB Julius Jones vs. New York MLB Antonio Pierce
? Dallas SS Roy Williams vs New York TE Jeremy Shockey
? Dallas QB Drew Bledsoe vs. New York pass rush

Scouts' Edge
This game is going to come down to field position, turnovers and who gives up the least big plays. The Cowboys' defense has always given Eli Manning problems and this year should be no exception. It will be up to the Cowboys' defense to slow down the Giants' running game and force Manning into long-yardage passing situations. This game will be a challenge for both teams. If the Giants can find a way to win on the road, they will be back in the hunt for the division title.

Prediction: Cowboys 24, Giants 20

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Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

All Sunday games

posted: Monday, October 23, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

I like the big scoring weeks, like this one and Week 6, better than Week 5. This is different than saying a Broncos or Ravens game is boring (and when they play each other, look out, it really is). Why? Well, when fantasy games are 55-50, like Week 5, kickers and Hank Baskett decide things. I'd prefer to have 110-107 games, like this week. More fun. And more realistic.

Nothing wrong with defensive battles in real life, but in fantasy, gimme the points.
OK, without further ado, the week in fantasy football with one game to go.
Buccaneers 23, Eagles 21: OK, the way things have gone with Philly teams the last few years -- OK, for 23 years -- the fact that Matt Bryant hit the kick didn't really surprise me. I know Bryant's career best was 50 yards. Earlier in the game Bryant nailed a 44-yarder, which seemed improbable since he hadn't hit any of his three previous kicks from more than 40. His season long was 28. So it makes perfect sense that he'd convert a 62-yarder. Seems like a long one, right? Um, yeah, the league record is 63. Matt Bryant. MATT BRYANT!
MVP: Philly's big 1-2 combination of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook were tremendous, but give the running back the nod for honors. It's quite an accomplishment to top 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game, which Westbrook hadn't done before. McNabb gets credit for a 52-yard scoring pass in the final minute, but in reality, it was a screen pass that the running back broke. McNabb entered the week with 150 fantasy points, a 49-point lead on the next guy (Marc Bulger). He just extended the lead.
LVP: So much for that Bruce Gradkowski momentum, though he probably wasn't a real popular play this week. What about Joey Galloway? How many wide receivers have been as inconsistent as this guy? In three games this season he's had zero or one reception. He also has a 9-catch, 161-yard day and another game with 110 yards and a score. Odd.
Interesting: Tampa Bay wasn't exactly a scoring machine entering the game, and they added no offensive touchdowns here. So Bryant entered the day ranked 33rd in fantasy points. That's right, two Colts kickers were ahead of him, and nearly two Falcons. So if there was an unlikely fantasy hero, it was one owned in 1.9 percent of leagues. Even with the six byes, he wasn't owned. But he kicked a 62-yarder. Of course.
Falcons 41, Steelers 38 (OT): Tremendous offensive game with nearly 900 yards between the teams. So much for Pittsburgh being able to contain Michael Vick. Would you have guessed there would be nine touchdown passes and two receivers would haul in three each? Nah, me neither. Kudos to the Falcons for pulling out the win. Apparently the absence of Joey Porter was pretty important this week, after all. And the fact Vick aimed to throw more. Could've warned us, not that it would have mattered. Who would have believed this?
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger was well on his way, with another accurate performance. He threw three touchdown passes, then got his bell rung and got carted off the field. So we must present Vick with the honors. How unlikely was this? Vick had thrown three touchdown passes in five games, and none in the last three. So naturally, against the world champs, known for defense, he adds four more. Don't tell me you saw it coming. You didn't. Hopefully Roethlisberger can play next week, because he's playing well.
LVP: It's hardly an "I told you so" statement but the reason I waited to include Willie Parker in the Power Rankings (see Wednesday's blog) was exactly for this reason. Big game, defense primed to stop him, and he runs 20 times for 47 yards and fails to catch a pass. Warrick Dunn wasn't much better, really, but at least he scored.
Interesting: Hines Ward and Alge Crumpler each caught three touchdowns. Crumpler hadn't scored since opening week, and Ward entered the game with two scores. Stick with your top players, this is another example. Even when they lose their shoes, they can perform in socks.
Patriots 28, Bills 6: I had given up on the Bills already, but I did expect them to at least put up a fight at home. They didn't. I'm not giving up on Willis McGahee, but this is discouraging. Two field goals? At home? And they outgained the Pats. Not good at all.
MVP: Not a lot of yards from Corey Dillon, but he got the important ones, scoring on two touchdown runs in the first quarter, and neither was a gimme (eight and 12 yards). I didn't think Laurence Maroney was a particularly good play, and 29 yards later it appears that was wise. Of course, had he scored on that kickoff return, rather than take it 74 yards, it would have been a better day!
LVP: Lee Evans caught one pass. The first time he faced the Patriots, he had two. Not good at all, though in fairness, Evans came real close to scoring a touchdown in this game. But he didn't.
Interesting: Doug Gabriel caught a Tom Brady touchdown pass, reminding fantasy owners that he could be the No. 1 option, but it's also possible that deep threat Chad Jackson, the rookie from Florida, could be that guy long term. Jackson entered the game with four receptions, and left with five. But it was a 35-yard score.
Bengals 17, Panthers 14: Not a bad statistical effort for either quarterback, as Carson Palmer bounced back with 240 yards and two scores, and Jake Delhomme did about the same thing. But was either guy really all that good? Doesn't matter, they got fantasy owners 17 and 15 points.
MVP: Steve Smith might just win his game's award each week. Another eight receptions, 126 yards. Of course, T.J. Houshmandzadeh reached the same fantasy total with half the yards, but a touchdown.
LVP: The Bengals managed to give 26 carries to their workhorse running back, but the Panthers weren't as kind to DeShaun Foster. He averaged more yards per carry than Rudi Johnson, but had 42 fewer yards. Johnson delivered a 101-yard effort, and the 10-12 touches Chris Perry were promised didn't happen. Two rushes, three receptions.
Interesting: The wind couldn't have been much fun to play in, but Palmer has failed to get his team 20 points in the last three games. This isn't Daunte Culpepper being immobile or hurting, but that's two more sacks, and Palmer's nearly at last year's total.
Chiefs 30, Chargers 27: An impressive game for a few Chiefs who weren't exactly in good graces for fantasy owners. Larry Johnson ran for only 62 yards the previous two weeks, but more than doubled that total and scored twice. Forgotten tight end Tony Gonzalez caught a 57-yarder early in the game, and finished with 138 yards. His season total for yards entering the game was 187. And Damon Huard either will lose the starting job next week or next season, we still can't tell from these Trent Green rumors, but he threw two touchdown passes on fantasy benches. Huge win for the home team, while the road team's vaunted defense got shredded.
MVP: Let's give the love to Gonzalez, who had been doing nothing for fantasy owners. LaDainian Tomlinson was again a star, throwing a touchdown pass, catching one and totaling nearly as many yards as Johnson, but nobody would have sat these running backs. I know people who were giving up on Gonzo.
LVP: Nobody really. I'm not pleased that Michael Turner was again an afterthought, because I was forced to play him in one league, but that's my fault for not having more depth (and drafting Shaun Alexander and Domanick Davis in that June draft with my first two picks).
Interesting: In some leagues, like one I am in, a missed extra point can really cost a fantasy owner (minus 10 points in that league). Lawrence Tynes ultimately won the game with a 53-yard field goal, but hit the upright and missed a one-pointer. Entering the game only three extra points had been missed this season (Indy, Minnesota, Jets). Stick with Tynes, he's normally worth it.
Packers 34, Dolphins 24: I picked correctly on this one, figuring the struggling road team at least had the pieces in place to knock off the brutal home team. Of course, nobody expected that if one of the quarterbacks would throw for 414 yards it would be Joey Harrington. And he still lost. Daunte, just take the rest of the season off and heal for 2007. Your team is officially toast.
MVP: Dan Marino never threw as many as 62 passes in a regular season game, but Harrington did it. This is why stats can be misleading. Quarterbacks don't often throw for 414 yards unless they're trailing by a lot. Exactly. Don't get too excited about Harrington in fantasy.
LVP: Three options here. The Packers are the easiest team to throw on, sure, but Ronnie Brown has now played seven games, and in three of them he had more receiving yards than rushing yards. That's not good. Chris Chambers was invisible again, netting 29 yards. I say he's tied with Greg Jennings, a very popular play this week, who caught only one pass for 14 yards. At least Brown got double digit fantasy points.
Interesting: Favre was efficient in getting two touchdowns and zero interceptions, with Donald Driver scoring, but the Packer star was Ahman Green, who came back after a few missed weeks to rush for 118 yards and break a 70-yarder for a score. His previous long rush was 14 yards. Good for those people who waited on him, and activated him.
Jets 31, Lions 24: The Lions rarely win, so maybe people aren't noticing, but Jon Kitna entered the day tied for fifth among quarterbacks (with Rex Grossman, by the way) and had another good day. Kevin Jones was ninth among running backs, and he had another good day. And Roy Williams was seventh for wide receivers, and yes, well, at least he scored. And the team lost. Again.
MVP: I'd like to say I'm sold on Leon Washington, but it's hard to tell if he's finally become an every week back. Washington got 20 carries, Kevan Barlow 12, and they combined for three touchdowns. Washington did the real heavy lifting, though, and now has a pair of 100-yard games in three weeks. He should be the main guy. Next week at Cleveland, I'd play him. I remain intrigued at just how consistent the underwhelming Barlow is; with his 49 yards here, he raised his season best for the second straight week, and still has yet to reach 50 yards rushing in a game, despite scoring five times! His longest run of the year is 11 yards, in the opener. Ugh.
LVP: Not much really, though Laveranues Coles was expected to do big things, but Justin McCareins scored the touchdown (his first of the year) and Jerricho Cotchery got the yards.
Interesting: Mike Furrey is always going to be capable of a game like this, with 109 yards and a touchdown, but in fantasy it merely buys him more weeks as a misleading fantasy play. In five of the first six games, he scored in only one of those games, and never topped 82 yards. Be careful.
Texans 27, Jaguars 7: C'mon, how does a defense that good get punctured by an offense that bad? How does dog house entrant Wali Lundy, only playing because Ron Dayne wasn't, rush for 93 yards and a touchdown. David Carr doesn't get picked, and is sacked only once? Horrible. Not sure I'll rely on the Jags again anytime soon. Of course, they go to Philly next week. Not sure how I feel about that.
MVP: Carr threw a pair of touchdown passes, but I can't imagine he was a real popular play, since the last time Jacksonville played it shut out the Jets 41-0. And Lundy was playing more by default than anything else, and if fantasy owners were going to choose a Houston running back, it was going to be Samkon Gado, the announced starter. Andre Johnson gets the nod with another 100-yard day and a score.
LVP: There were conflicting reports about Byron Leftwich on Sunday morning, but I didn't care, I called him a definite sit an hour before game time. Leftwich threw for 125 yards, which is horrible considering the opponent. However, I did expect big things from the Jags' running backs. Fred Taylor did fine, getting 84 yards, Maurice Jones-Drew did little, but at least he scored.
Interesting: Houston ran for 34 yards last week, and no Texans back had topped 60 yards in a game this season. So, of course, the backup running back, really the No. 3 back, does it Sunday. I still wouldn't start Lundy next week unless desperate.
Broncos 17, Browns 7: The big news out of Denver for this one was about Jake Plummer, with reports that Jay Cutler could see playing time in this game, and ultimately get more and more and take over the starting job. Plummer wasn't real good in beating the Browns, but this was the most passes he had attempted, the most completed, but his worst completion percentage. Still, we didn't see Cutler. And we won't the next two weeks with the Colts and Steelers coming. Where do these rumors come from anyway?
MVP: It's time for fantasy owners to stop whining about Tatum Bell. No, he hasn't had that really big game yet. But he ran for 115 yards in this one, the third time he topped 100 yards, and more importantly, he never lets you down. In every game he's reached 69 yards or more.
LVP: Look, the Broncos had allowed one touchdown all season. Why would you have played Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow and Reuben Droughns? None topped three fantasy points. This might have been a shutout had Plummer not gotten picked off in the fourth quarter in his own territory.
Interesting: Don't read into who Plummer threw his touchdown pass to. Rookie Brandon Marshall hadn't caught a pass all season. Javon Walker (107 yards) and Rod Smith (69 yards) are still the main guys. Also interesting is Joe Jurevicius, who just seems to score a lot, doesn't he?
Colts 36, Redskins 22: I was stunned that the game was close at halftime, but then Peyton Manning stopped messing around and tossed three third-quarter touchdowns. Why was Mark Brunell still in the game late? I don't know. Maybe Joe Gibbs does. Washington his the bye week at 2-5, and I'll bet Brunell remains the starter when they resume, but should he? Even in trash time Sunday, I would've liked to have seen Jason Campbell play a bit. Why does this matter in fantasy? Well, it will affect Clinton Portis and Santana Moss.
MVP: Manning was very efficient and pretty much toying with the Redskins in the third quarter, and both his main wide receivers scored and ended up with nearly 200 yards. No worries here.
LVP: While Moss did little, it was Portis who was advertised as a terrific play against a defense that hasn't been able to stop the run. Maybe having a Booger to man the line makes all the difference. That's Anthony McFarland (known as Booger), by the way. Portis had his worst game of the season.
Interesting: Indy is likely to keep this running back partnership while they're winning, but Joseph Addai looked much better than Dominic Rhodes, who ran for two yards per carry. Addai nearly reached 100 yards on fewer rushes.
Raiders 22, Cardinals 9: I didn't think it was going out on much of a limb to predict the Raiders would win this one, but I do admit to being surprised at how they did it. Matt Leinart looked very good against the Bears, but couldn't find the end zone against the Raiders? Yuck. I had Leinart outside the top 10 this week at the position, but still, he should have been better.
MVP: OK, this is the third straight week Randy Moss has done something noteworthy in fantasy, and this was his best week. It could have been much better, since he had a few drops as well. He's now scored in three of the last four weeks. Andrew Walter, for those watching, also had his best game.
LVP: Neither running back did anything. Well, LaMont Jordan literally did nothing, because he didn't play. That was the main warning on Sunday morning's Fantasy Focus, even though he was listed as probable. Doesn't it seem odd the Raiders would list him as active, but then not play him? Anyway, what was Edgerrin James listed at? How about the biggest bust of the season, but in what seemed a fortuitous matchup, he keeps busting you.
Interesting: In five games, Jordan topped 71 yards only one time. He probably could have done real well in this game, as Justin Fargas ran for 66 yards and Zack Crockett added 44 more on only eight carries.
Vikings 31, Seahawks 13: This one was tied at the half and ultimately turned on the Matt Hasselbeck knee injury early in the second half, so if you had Seattle winning, don't feel bad, the injury changed the game. Think about it, how many teams could win with Seneca Wallace at quarterback and Maurice Morris running the ball? The teams that lost Super Bowls this decade often stunk the next season, but a good reason why was injuries. Why? I don't know. Bad luck. But give the Vikings credit, even though one touchdown was on a 95-yarder and the backup running back threw another touchdown. It all counts.
MVP: Chester Taylor now owns the longest run in Vikings history, and hey, it all counts. Taylor might have had an otherwise ordinary day, since he ran for 74 yards on his other 25 carries, but, who's counting. Taylor hadn't scored since Week 1, and this was his best fantasy game of the year.
LVP: How badly do Seahawks fans want Alexander back? Morris goes for 49 yards on 17 carries, and that's with a 27-yarder. Hey, it's still more than Edge managed.
Interesting: Darrell Jackson caught a 72-yarder from Hasselbeck, but if Seattle's top quarterback has to miss games, that has to affect Jackson and the other wide receivers. What a shame for Jackson owners. More info on Hasselbeck in the next day or two. OK, best of luck in the Monday night game. I have at least two or three leagues riding on Monday results, but hey, I'd be watching anyway.

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

All Sunday games

posted: Monday, October 23, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

I like the big scoring weeks, like this one and Week 6, better than Week 5. This is different than saying a Broncos or Ravens game is boring (and when they play each other, look out, it really is). Why? Well, when fantasy games are 55-50, like Week 5, kickers and Hank Baskett decide things. I'd prefer to have 110-107 games, like this week. More fun. And more realistic.

Nothing wrong with defensive battles in real life, but in fantasy, gimme the points.
OK, without further ado, the week in fantasy football with one game to go.
Buccaneers 23, Eagles 21: OK, the way things have gone with Philly teams the last few years -- OK, for 23 years -- the fact that Matt Bryant hit the kick didn't really surprise me. I know Bryant's career best was 50 yards. Earlier in the game Bryant nailed a 44-yarder, which seemed improbable since he hadn't hit any of his three previous kicks from more than 40. His season long was 28. So it makes perfect sense that he'd convert a 62-yarder. Seems like a long one, right? Um, yeah, the league record is 63. Matt Bryant. MATT BRYANT!
MVP: Philly's big 1-2 combination of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook were tremendous, but give the running back the nod for honors. It's quite an accomplishment to top 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game, which Westbrook hadn't done before. McNabb gets credit for a 52-yard scoring pass in the final minute, but in reality, it was a screen pass that the running back broke. McNabb entered the week with 150 fantasy points, a 49-point lead on the next guy (Marc Bulger). He just extended the lead.
LVP: So much for that Bruce Gradkowski momentum, though he probably wasn't a real popular play this week. What about Joey Galloway? How many wide receivers have been as inconsistent as this guy? In three games this season he's had zero or one reception. He also has a 9-catch, 161-yard day and another game with 110 yards and a score. Odd.
Interesting: Tampa Bay wasn't exactly a scoring machine entering the game, and they added no offensive touchdowns here. So Bryant entered the day ranked 33rd in fantasy points. That's right, two Colts kickers were ahead of him, and nearly two Falcons. So if there was an unlikely fantasy hero, it was one owned in 1.9 percent of leagues. Even with the six byes, he wasn't owned. But he kicked a 62-yarder. Of course.
Falcons 41, Steelers 38 (OT): Tremendous offensive game with nearly 900 yards between the teams. So much for Pittsburgh being able to contain Michael Vick. Would you have guessed there would be nine touchdown passes and two receivers would haul in three each? Nah, me neither. Kudos to the Falcons for pulling out the win. Apparently the absence of Joey Porter was pretty important this week, after all. And the fact Vick aimed to throw more. Could've warned us, not that it would have mattered. Who would have believed this?
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger was well on his way, with another accurate performance. He threw three touchdown passes, then got his bell rung and got carted off the field. So we must present Vick with the honors. How unlikely was this? Vick had thrown three touchdown passes in five games, and none in the last three. So naturally, against the world champs, known for defense, he adds four more. Don't tell me you saw it coming. You didn't. Hopefully Roethlisberger can play next week, because he's playing well.
LVP: It's hardly an "I told you so" statement but the reason I waited to include Willie Parker in the Power Rankings (see Wednesday's blog) was exactly for this reason. Big game, defense primed to stop him, and he runs 20 times for 47 yards and fails to catch a pass. Warrick Dunn wasn't much better, really, but at least he scored.
Interesting: Hines Ward and Alge Crumpler each caught three touchdowns. Crumpler hadn't scored since opening week, and Ward entered the game with two scores. Stick with your top players, this is another example. Even when they lose their shoes, they can perform in socks.
Patriots 28, Bills 6: I had given up on the Bills already, but I did expect them to at least put up a fight at home. They didn't. I'm not giving up on Willis McGahee, but this is discouraging. Two field goals? At home? And they outgained the Pats. Not good at all.
MVP: Not a lot of yards from Corey Dillon, but he got the important ones, scoring on two touchdown runs in the first quarter, and neither was a gimme (eight and 12 yards). I didn't think Laurence Maroney was a particularly good play, and 29 yards later it appears that was wise. Of course, had he scored on that kickoff return, rather than take it 74 yards, it would have been a better day!
LVP: Lee Evans caught one pass. The first time he faced the Patriots, he had two. Not good at all, though in fairness, Evans came real close to scoring a touchdown in this game. But he didn't.
Interesting: Doug Gabriel caught a Tom Brady touchdown pass, reminding fantasy owners that he could be the No. 1 option, but it's also possible that deep threat Chad Jackson, the rookie from Florida, could be that guy long term. Jackson entered the game with four receptions, and left with five. But it was a 35-yard score.
Bengals 17, Panthers 14: Not a bad statistical effort for either quarterback, as Carson Palmer bounced back with 240 yards and two scores, and Jake Delhomme did about the same thing. But was either guy really all that good? Doesn't matter, they got fantasy owners 17 and 15 points.
MVP: Steve Smith might just win his game's award each week. Another eight receptions, 126 yards. Of course, T.J. Houshmandzadeh reached the same fantasy total with half the yards, but a touchdown.
LVP: The Bengals managed to give 26 carries to their workhorse running back, but the Panthers weren't as kind to DeShaun Foster. He averaged more yards per carry than Rudi Johnson, but had 42 fewer yards. Johnson delivered a 101-yard effort, and the 10-12 touches Chris Perry were promised didn't happen. Two rushes, three receptions.
Interesting: The wind couldn't have been much fun to play in, but Palmer has failed to get his team 20 points in the last three games. This isn't Daunte Culpepper being immobile or hurting, but that's two more sacks, and Palmer's nearly at last year's total.
Chiefs 30, Chargers 27: An impressive game for a few Chiefs who weren't exactly in good graces for fantasy owners. Larry Johnson ran for only 62 yards the previous two weeks, but more than doubled that total and scored twice. Forgotten tight end Tony Gonzalez caught a 57-yarder early in the game, and finished with 138 yards. His season total for yards entering the game was 187. And Damon Huard either will lose the starting job next week or next season, we still can't tell from these Trent Green rumors, but he threw two touchdown passes on fantasy benches. Huge win for the home team, while the road team's vaunted defense got shredded.
MVP: Let's give the love to Gonzalez, who had been doing nothing for fantasy owners. LaDainian Tomlinson was again a star, throwing a touchdown pass, catching one and totaling nearly as many yards as Johnson, but nobody would have sat these running backs. I know people who were giving up on Gonzo.
LVP: Nobody really. I'm not pleased that Michael Turner was again an afterthought, because I was forced to play him in one league, but that's my fault for not having more depth (and drafting Shaun Alexander and Domanick Davis in that June draft with my first two picks).
Interesting: In some leagues, like one I am in, a missed extra point can really cost a fantasy owner (minus 10 points in that league). Lawrence Tynes ultimately won the game with a 53-yard field goal, but hit the upright and missed a one-pointer. Entering the game only three extra points had been missed this season (Indy, Minnesota, Jets). Stick with Tynes, he's normally worth it.
Packers 34, Dolphins 24: I picked correctly on this one, figuring the struggling road team at least had the pieces in place to knock off the brutal home team. Of course, nobody expected that if one of the quarterbacks would throw for 414 yards it would be Joey Harrington. And he still lost. Daunte, just take the rest of the season off and heal for 2007. Your team is officially toast.
MVP: Dan Marino never threw as many as 62 passes in a regular season game, but Harrington did it. This is why stats can be misleading. Quarterbacks don't often throw for 414 yards unless they're trailing by a lot. Exactly. Don't get too excited about Harrington in fantasy.
LVP: Three options here. The Packers are the easiest team to throw on, sure, but Ronnie Brown has now played seven games, and in three of them he had more receiving yards than rushing yards. That's not good. Chris Chambers was invisible again, netting 29 yards. I say he's tied with Greg Jennings, a very popular play this week, who caught only one pass for 14 yards. At least Brown got double digit fantasy points.
Interesting: Favre was efficient in getting two touchdowns and zero interceptions, with Donald Driver scoring, but the Packer star was Ahman Green, who came back after a few missed weeks to rush for 118 yards and break a 70-yarder for a score. His previous long rush was 14 yards. Good for those people who waited on him, and activated him.
Jets 31, Lions 24: The Lions rarely win, so maybe people aren't noticing, but Jon Kitna entered the day tied for fifth among quarterbacks (with Rex Grossman, by the way) and had another good day. Kevin Jones was ninth among running backs, and he had another good day. And Roy Williams was seventh for wide receivers, and yes, well, at least he scored. And the team lost. Again.
MVP: I'd like to say I'm sold on Leon Washington, but it's hard to tell if he's finally become an every week back. Washington got 20 carries, Kevan Barlow 12, and they combined for three touchdowns. Washington did the real heavy lifting, though, and now has a pair of 100-yard games in three weeks. He should be the main guy. Next week at Cleveland, I'd play him. I remain intrigued at just how consistent the underwhelming Barlow is; with his 49 yards here, he raised his season best for the second straight week, and still has yet to reach 50 yards rushing in a game, despite scoring five times! His longest run of the year is 11 yards, in the opener. Ugh.
LVP: Not much really, though Laveranues Coles was expected to do big things, but Justin McCareins scored the touchdown (his first of the year) and Jerricho Cotchery got the yards.
Interesting: Mike Furrey is always going to be capable of a game like this, with 109 yards and a touchdown, but in fantasy it merely buys him more weeks as a misleading fantasy play. In five of the first six games, he scored in only one of those games, and never topped 82 yards. Be careful.
Texans 27, Jaguars 7: C'mon, how does a defense that good get punctured by an offense that bad? How does dog house entrant Wali Lundy, only playing because Ron Dayne wasn't, rush for 93 yards and a touchdown. David Carr doesn't get picked, and is sacked only once? Horrible. Not sure I'll rely on the Jags again anytime soon. Of course, they go to Philly next week. Not sure how I feel about that.
MVP: Carr threw a pair of touchdown passes, but I can't imagine he was a real popular play, since the last time Jacksonville played it shut out the Jets 41-0. And Lundy was playing more by default than anything else, and if fantasy owners were going to choose a Houston running back, it was going to be Samkon Gado, the announced starter. Andre Johnson gets the nod with another 100-yard day and a score.
LVP: There were conflicting reports about Byron Leftwich on Sunday morning, but I didn't care, I called him a definite sit an hour before game time. Leftwich threw for 125 yards, which is horrible considering the opponent. However, I did expect big things from the Jags' running backs. Fred Taylor did fine, getting 84 yards, Maurice Jones-Drew did little, but at least he scored.
Interesting: Houston ran for 34 yards last week, and no Texans back had topped 60 yards in a game this season. So, of course, the backup running back, really the No. 3 back, does it Sunday. I still wouldn't start Lundy next week unless desperate.
Broncos 17, Browns 7: The big news out of Denver for this one was about Jake Plummer, with reports that Jay Cutler could see playing time in this game, and ultimately get more and more and take over the starting job. Plummer wasn't real good in beating the Browns, but this was the most passes he had attempted, the most completed, but his worst completion percentage. Still, we didn't see Cutler. And we won't the next two weeks with the Colts and Steelers coming. Where do these rumors come from anyway?
MVP: It's time for fantasy owners to stop whining about Tatum Bell. No, he hasn't had that really big game yet. But he ran for 115 yards in this one, the third time he topped 100 yards, and more importantly, he never lets you down. In every game he's reached 69 yards or more.
LVP: Look, the Broncos had allowed one touchdown all season. Why would you have played Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow and Reuben Droughns? None topped three fantasy points. This might have been a shutout had Plummer not gotten picked off in the fourth quarter in his own territory.
Interesting: Don't read into who Plummer threw his touchdown pass to. Rookie Brandon Marshall hadn't caught a pass all season. Javon Walker (107 yards) and Rod Smith (69 yards) are still the main guys. Also interesting is Joe Jurevicius, who just seems to score a lot, doesn't he?
Colts 36, Redskins 22: I was stunned that the game was close at halftime, but then Peyton Manning stopped messing around and tossed three third-quarter touchdowns. Why was Mark Brunell still in the game late? I don't know. Maybe Joe Gibbs does. Washington his the bye week at 2-5, and I'll bet Brunell remains the starter when they resume, but should he? Even in trash time Sunday, I would've liked to have seen Jason Campbell play a bit. Why does this matter in fantasy? Well, it will affect Clinton Portis and Santana Moss.
MVP: Manning was very efficient and pretty much toying with the Redskins in the third quarter, and both his main wide receivers scored and ended up with nearly 200 yards. No worries here.
LVP: While Moss did little, it was Portis who was advertised as a terrific play against a defense that hasn't been able to stop the run. Maybe having a Booger to man the line makes all the difference. That's Anthony McFarland (known as Booger), by the way. Portis had his worst game of the season.
Interesting: Indy is likely to keep this running back partnership while they're winning, but Joseph Addai looked much better than Dominic Rhodes, who ran for two yards per carry. Addai nearly reached 100 yards on fewer rushes.
Raiders 22, Cardinals 9: I didn't think it was going out on much of a limb to predict the Raiders would win this one, but I do admit to being surprised at how they did it. Matt Leinart looked very good against the Bears, but couldn't find the end zone against the Raiders? Yuck. I had Leinart outside the top 10 this week at the position, but still, he should have been better.
MVP: OK, this is the third straight week Randy Moss has done something noteworthy in fantasy, and this was his best week. It could have been much better, since he had a few drops as well. He's now scored in three of the last four weeks. Andrew Walter, for those watching, also had his best game.
LVP: Neither running back did anything. Well, LaMont Jordan literally did nothing, because he didn't play. That was the main warning on Sunday morning's Fantasy Focus, even though he was listed as probable. Doesn't it seem odd the Raiders would list him as active, but then not play him? Anyway, what was Edgerrin James listed at? How about the biggest bust of the season, but in what seemed a fortuitous matchup, he keeps busting you.
Interesting: In five games, Jordan topped 71 yards only one time. He probably could have done real well in this game, as Justin Fargas ran for 66 yards and Zack Crockett added 44 more on only eight carries.
Vikings 31, Seahawks 13: This one was tied at the half and ultimately turned on the Matt Hasselbeck knee injury early in the second half, so if you had Seattle winning, don't feel bad, the injury changed the game. Think about it, how many teams could win with Seneca Wallace at quarterback and Maurice Morris running the ball? The teams that lost Super Bowls this decade often stunk the next season, but a good reason why was injuries. Why? I don't know. Bad luck. But give the Vikings credit, even though one touchdown was on a 95-yarder and the backup running back threw another touchdown. It all counts.
MVP: Chester Taylor now owns the longest run in Vikings history, and hey, it all counts. Taylor might have had an otherwise ordinary day, since he ran for 74 yards on his other 25 carries, but, who's counting. Taylor hadn't scored since Week 1, and this was his best fantasy game of the year.
LVP: How badly do Seahawks fans want Alexander back? Morris goes for 49 yards on 17 carries, and that's with a 27-yarder. Hey, it's still more than Edge managed.
Interesting: Darrell Jackson caught a 72-yarder from Hasselbeck, but if Seattle's top quarterback has to miss games, that has to affect Jackson and the other wide receivers. What a shame for Jackson owners. More info on Hasselbeck in the next day or two. OK, best of luck in the Monday night game. I have at least two or three leagues riding on Monday results, but hey, I'd be watching anyway.

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Oct. 23, 2006, 2:30 PM
Looking ahead: Kitna, Wallace and Harrington

By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games





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Each Monday afternoon, the Fantasy Scout takes an early look ahead to the coming week and beyond. We give you the early lowdown on players to watch and consider emerging trends that will affect your fantasy strategy, even before the "Monday Night Football" game!
Player Spotlight
The Lions have won only one game, and much of that can be blamed on a defense that can't seem to stop anyone. Their quarterback, Jon Kitna, however, is a curious subject. He doesn't play well enough to lead the team to victory, yet he doesn't play badly enough to be considered the team's major problem. A switch to Josh McCown or Dan Orlovsky wouldn't be an improvement at this point, and Kitna is playing well enough to keep the Lions competitive, even if they often lose in the end.
I have been calling Kitna erratic for weeks and have expected him to lose his job as the Lions search for a switch that will help their outlook. But Kitna has continued to be "good enough to lose with" for the Lions, while posting good fantasy numbers in the process. Kitna is turnover-prone and often makes questionable decisions under pressure. He throws passes into tight coverages and takes big hits while ignoring the pass rush until the last possible second. Yet, just like he did in the past with Seattle and Cincinnati, Kitna makes enough plays to keep him on the field. For what he lacks in arm strength and pure ability, Kitna tries to compensate with steely confidence and a fiery approach. And his refusal to be intimidated or listen to criticism has led to him delivering another respectable fantasy season overall. He is fifth in ESPN leagues in QB scoring, and has registered double-digit fantasy points in five consecutive games.
Kitna totaled 19 fantasy points against the Jets on Sunday, and has thrown six TD passes in his past three games. Kitna has a bye in Week 8, so you might realize that you actually miss him from your lineup. He won't lead the Lions to more than a few wins this season, but Kitna continues to play well enough to keep his job and will remain a quality fantasy starter while he does. Maybe he's not doing much in the NFL win column, but Kitna can certainly take your team to the postseason in fantasy football.
Injury Fallout
It is unclear how much time Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will miss with a knee injury, and fantasy owners should start considering how Seneca Wallace might look as a starter in his place. Wallace was erratic after replacing Hasselbeck in Sunday's loss at Minnesota. He threw two interceptions and fumbled twice, losing one. He had no run support and was pressured heavily, and missed his intended targets badly on a few occasions. But with at least a full week of work with the first-team offense, Wallace, who has played well in the preseason before, could keep the offense playing respectably, even if he won't match Hasselbeck's production. Wallace is undersized at 5-11, 196 pounds, and must use his athletic ability to move around and find open receivers.
But he can be accurate and he does throw a good deep ball when he can break the pocket and buy time to find his receivers. Wallace lacks the experience and classic build to be a regularly efficient passer. But the Seattle passing game won't necessarily sputter regularly under his guidance. Wallace will try to buy time with his feet and will continue to look for Darrell Jackson often, while not hesitating to look for Deion Branch downfield. Fortunately, Wallace has two outstanding receivers who will get open all over the field and help him. Jackson and Branch will help Wallace by catching many more underneath throws and making important possession grabs for Wallace. While Wallace won't be anything more than an adequate fantasy starter, if that, don't assume the numbers of his best two receivers will drop in a major way. Look for Jackson and Branch to step up, help Wallace keep the chains moving, and use their considerable skills to occasionally break loose for some good gains. Don't send Jackson and Branch to your bench just yet.
Preparing for Changes
We all seemed to think that Tom Brady would see his production fall without Deion Branch, and it has overall. Yet many of us got locked into thinking that the Patriots would become a two-headed rush monster, with Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney leading the way. As much as I like Maroney, though, and still expect him to become a star at some point, it's becoming more apparent that he isn't dependable yet, and Brady is going to have to find reliable options at wide receiver in order to keep opposing defenses from keying on the run game. That process evolved more on Sunday, when Brady began to use tight end Benjamin Watson more efficiently, while continuing to make Doug Gabriel his preferred big-play man.
But rookie receiver Chad Jackson, who finally appears to be healthy, is the guy who truly could become a focal point of the passing game very soon, and the Patriots haven't made it a secret that they intend to get him more involved offensively. Jackson caught a 35-yard TD pass on Sunday, and with his good size and speed, he could be primed to become a top target for Brady. The New England passing game finally might be starting to come together again, so get Jackson and Gabriel on your roster if you still can. Keep in mind that in his best years recently, Brady spread the ball well among a few targets. He appears to be on the brink of re-establishing the passing game with the trio of Jackson, Gabriel and Watson. The New England air game is about to take off again, and Brady's numbers could start to rise again in the near future, while more running room opens up for Dillon and Maroney.
Reality Strikes
While Joey Harrington did throw for 414 yards, he was intercepted three times by the Packers, and he's a risky start in any matchup. Chris Chambers caught only two passes for 29 yards and was not a factor in a matchup that was seemingly made for him to produce good numbers. Ronnie Brown was held to only 59 rushing yards. While matchups often make some players good starting choices, some players shouldn't start for you even if they do have a favorable matchup. Harrington should be used only if you are desperate, as the yardage totals didn't fully reflect how badly Harrington played for much of the day. Chambers scored a late desperation TD against the Jets the week before, but he continues to disappear on a frequent basis. You can't trust Chambers in any matchup, it seems, and you should bench him until he starts to improve. Brown has played well enough overall to keep him in the starting lineup and should add some more TDs in the weeks ahead. Wes Welker has yet to catch a TD pass, and while rookie WR Derek Hagan is showing some promise, he should be added to your roster only as a reserve. There doesn't seem to be a fully reliable fantasy starter on the Dolphins roster right now. Brown and TE Randy McMichael are providing adequate production, but after the Dolphins could manage only two offensive scores against Green Bay, it's apparent that none of their top offensive players can be relied on. Harrington and Chambers should stick to your bench unless you are desperate. Harrington would have finished with much worse numbers against a more respectable defense. His 30 points in the past two games might be the biggest illusion of all in ESPN leagues.
Scout's Notebook
? Houston's Wali Lundy rushed for 93 yards and a TD in Sunday's upset victory over Jacksonville, but his hold on the starting RB job is anything but firm. Lundy ran well as the Texans milked their lead against a surprisingly tired Jaguars defense, but it will take more than just one good outing for him to remain the primary ball carrier. Lundy is a small and quick back who isn't afraid of contact, but he lacks the strength and power of Samkon Gado, who will still get some carries. Lundy isn't elusive or cut out to be a regularly featured RB. If his play starts to slip again at any time, Gado finally could get his chance to take over the top spot on the depth chart for good. ? Keep an eye on Pittsburgh rookie WR Santonio Holmes. The Steelers really are pushing him to become much more involved in the passing game, even while he makes some mistakes. Holmes has caught seven passes for 149 yards in his past two games. The Steeler coaches certainly have been designing more plays for him in recent weeks, and he is getting more looks downfield. The Pittsburgh QBs won't hesitate to throw to him when he gets a step or two behind a defensive back.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/21/06)

Oct. 23, 2006, 2:30 PM
Looking ahead: Kitna, Wallace and Harrington

By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games





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Each Monday afternoon, the Fantasy Scout takes an early look ahead to the coming week and beyond. We give you the early lowdown on players to watch and consider emerging trends that will affect your fantasy strategy, even before the "Monday Night Football" game!
Player Spotlight
The Lions have won only one game, and much of that can be blamed on a defense that can't seem to stop anyone. Their quarterback, Jon Kitna, however, is a curious subject. He doesn't play well enough to lead the team to victory, yet he doesn't play badly enough to be considered the team's major problem. A switch to Josh McCown or Dan Orlovsky wouldn't be an improvement at this point, and Kitna is playing well enough to keep the Lions competitive, even if they often lose in the end.
I have been calling Kitna erratic for weeks and have expected him to lose his job as the Lions search for a switch that will help their outlook. But Kitna has continued to be "good enough to lose with" for the Lions, while posting good fantasy numbers in the process. Kitna is turnover-prone and often makes questionable decisions under pressure. He throws passes into tight coverages and takes big hits while ignoring the pass rush until the last possible second. Yet, just like he did in the past with Seattle and Cincinnati, Kitna makes enough plays to keep him on the field. For what he lacks in arm strength and pure ability, Kitna tries to compensate with steely confidence and a fiery approach. And his refusal to be intimidated or listen to criticism has led to him delivering another respectable fantasy season overall. He is fifth in ESPN leagues in QB scoring, and has registered double-digit fantasy points in five consecutive games.
Kitna totaled 19 fantasy points against the Jets on Sunday, and has thrown six TD passes in his past three games. Kitna has a bye in Week 8, so you might realize that you actually miss him from your lineup. He won't lead the Lions to more than a few wins this season, but Kitna continues to play well enough to keep his job and will remain a quality fantasy starter while he does. Maybe he's not doing much in the NFL win column, but Kitna can certainly take your team to the postseason in fantasy football.
Injury Fallout
It is unclear how much time Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will miss with a knee injury, and fantasy owners should start considering how Seneca Wallace might look as a starter in his place. Wallace was erratic after replacing Hasselbeck in Sunday's loss at Minnesota. He threw two interceptions and fumbled twice, losing one. He had no run support and was pressured heavily, and missed his intended targets badly on a few occasions. But with at least a full week of work with the first-team offense, Wallace, who has played well in the preseason before, could keep the offense playing respectably, even if he won't match Hasselbeck's production. Wallace is undersized at 5-11, 196 pounds, and must use his athletic ability to move around and find open receivers.
But he can be accurate and he does throw a good deep ball when he can break the pocket and buy time to find his receivers. Wallace lacks the experience and classic build to be a regularly efficient passer. But the Seattle passing game won't necessarily sputter regularly under his guidance. Wallace will try to buy time with his feet and will continue to look for Darrell Jackson often, while not hesitating to look for Deion Branch downfield. Fortunately, Wallace has two outstanding receivers who will get open all over the field and help him. Jackson and Branch will help Wallace by catching many more underneath throws and making important possession grabs for Wallace. While Wallace won't be anything more than an adequate fantasy starter, if that, don't assume the numbers of his best two receivers will drop in a major way. Look for Jackson and Branch to step up, help Wallace keep the chains moving, and use their considerable skills to occasionally break loose for some good gains. Don't send Jackson and Branch to your bench just yet.
Preparing for Changes
We all seemed to think that Tom Brady would see his production fall without Deion Branch, and it has overall. Yet many of us got locked into thinking that the Patriots would become a two-headed rush monster, with Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney leading the way. As much as I like Maroney, though, and still expect him to become a star at some point, it's becoming more apparent that he isn't dependable yet, and Brady is going to have to find reliable options at wide receiver in order to keep opposing defenses from keying on the run game. That process evolved more on Sunday, when Brady began to use tight end Benjamin Watson more efficiently, while continuing to make Doug Gabriel his preferred big-play man.
But rookie receiver Chad Jackson, who finally appears to be healthy, is the guy who truly could become a focal point of the passing game very soon, and the Patriots haven't made it a secret that they intend to get him more involved offensively. Jackson caught a 35-yard TD pass on Sunday, and with his good size and speed, he could be primed to become a top target for Brady. The New England passing game finally might be starting to come together again, so get Jackson and Gabriel on your roster if you still can. Keep in mind that in his best years recently, Brady spread the ball well among a few targets. He appears to be on the brink of re-establishing the passing game with the trio of Jackson, Gabriel and Watson. The New England air game is about to take off again, and Brady's numbers could start to rise again in the near future, while more running room opens up for Dillon and Maroney.
Reality Strikes
While Joey Harrington did throw for 414 yards, he was intercepted three times by the Packers, and he's a risky start in any matchup. Chris Chambers caught only two passes for 29 yards and was not a factor in a matchup that was seemingly made for him to produce good numbers. Ronnie Brown was held to only 59 rushing yards. While matchups often make some players good starting choices, some players shouldn't start for you even if they do have a favorable matchup. Harrington should be used only if you are desperate, as the yardage totals didn't fully reflect how badly Harrington played for much of the day. Chambers scored a late desperation TD against the Jets the week before, but he continues to disappear on a frequent basis. You can't trust Chambers in any matchup, it seems, and you should bench him until he starts to improve. Brown has played well enough overall to keep him in the starting lineup and should add some more TDs in the weeks ahead. Wes Welker has yet to catch a TD pass, and while rookie WR Derek Hagan is showing some promise, he should be added to your roster only as a reserve. There doesn't seem to be a fully reliable fantasy starter on the Dolphins roster right now. Brown and TE Randy McMichael are providing adequate production, but after the Dolphins could manage only two offensive scores against Green Bay, it's apparent that none of their top offensive players can be relied on. Harrington and Chambers should stick to your bench unless you are desperate. Harrington would have finished with much worse numbers against a more respectable defense. His 30 points in the past two games might be the biggest illusion of all in ESPN leagues.
Scout's Notebook
? Houston's Wali Lundy rushed for 93 yards and a TD in Sunday's upset victory over Jacksonville, but his hold on the starting RB job is anything but firm. Lundy ran well as the Texans milked their lead against a surprisingly tired Jaguars defense, but it will take more than just one good outing for him to remain the primary ball carrier. Lundy is a small and quick back who isn't afraid of contact, but he lacks the strength and power of Samkon Gado, who will still get some carries. Lundy isn't elusive or cut out to be a regularly featured RB. If his play starts to slip again at any time, Gado finally could get his chance to take over the top spot on the depth chart for good. ? Keep an eye on Pittsburgh rookie WR Santonio Holmes. The Steelers really are pushing him to become much more involved in the passing game, even while he makes some mistakes. Holmes has caught seven passes for 149 yards in his past two games. The Steeler coaches certainly have been designing more plays for him in recent weeks, and he is getting more looks downfield. The Pittsburgh QBs won't hesitate to throw to him when he gets a step or two behind a defensive back.
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Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Oct. 23, 2006
Engel: Week 7 wrapup

By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games





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Here's a quick-hitting recap of key performances and news from the seventh week of the NFL season, complete with in-depth fantasy analysis.
Silent Cats: The Texans usually seem like a good team to exploit for fantasy points, but that simply wasn't the case in their surprising rout of the Jaguars. Houston controlled time of possession (33:30 to 26:30) and executed a methodical, yet effective, offensive attack. Byron Leftwich tried to play through an ankle injury, and was mostly ineffective, with only 14 completions for 125 yards. Reggie Williams was a non-factor (no catches, one rush for eight yards), and while Maurice Jones-Drew scored on a one-yard run, he totaled only 68 yards from scrimmage. It was a surprisingly limp performance by the Jacksonville offense. The Jaguars need a fully healthy Leftwich to open the offense up, because the team has often been conservative in the past with backup David Garrard at the controls. Leftwich's passes clearly lacked the normal zip and accuracy. If he continues to battle injury problems or plays at less than full health, the Jaguars' offense will continue to sputter and the defense will spend too much time on the field.
Tony Gonzalez re-appears: Many of us had given up on Gonzalez to the point where I was getting questions asking if he should be benched in favor of less accomplished types like Alex Smith and Benjamin Watson. But instead of leaving Gonzalez in to block, the Chiefs finally turned him loose in a classic AFC West shootout with the Chargers. Gonzalez caught six passes for 138 yards, with a long catch of 57 yards. But Gonzalez did not score and still has only one TD catch this year. Gonzalez showed his fantasy owners he can still be a key part of the Chiefs' offense and remains capable of busting out with a big performance at any time. Most players at tight end aren't reliable for regularly outstanding numbers. So there should be more quiet outings for Gonzalez in the weeks ahead. But he could post good numbers at any time, especially in divisional matchups, which often tend to be high-scoring. Don't depend on Gonzalez for regularly above-average production based on one game, but don't cut him loose or give up on him, either. Build your team around running backs and wide receivers, and look to Gonzalez for the occasionally good outing as a welcome bonus.
Starry Steel: Just when he seemed to be in top playing form again, Ben Roethlisberger was knocked out of Sunday's game at Atlanta in the third quarter. He had thrown three TD passes and was not intercepted, displaying his classic confidence, poise and accuracy. Charlie Batch, however, continued to throw well after Roethlisberger left the game in the third quarter, throwing for 195 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. Hines Ward proved he is fully healthy and a must-start fantasy player again, catching eight passes for 171 yards and three TDs. Rookie Santonio Holmes finished with 91 receiving yards, and Nate Washington and Heath Miller both caught scoring passes. Whether Roethlisberger can return to the lineup for Pittsburgh's next game or not, it's clear the passing game is finally starting to click again. Willie Parker was held to 47 rushing yards, but look for more good performances ahead, as the revived air game will open up a lot of running room for Parker. Ward is healthy, Holmes is getting more looks, and Washington has become dependable. Look forward to more good numbers from the Pittsburgh QBs, don't bench Ward, and keep your eye on Holmes and Washington for more improvements.
Vick's breakthrough game? We have been waiting a long time to see such impressive totals from Michael Vick. He threw a career-best four TD passes in an unlikely shootout with the Steelers. Three of his scoring passes went to his favorite target, TE Alge Crumpler. Although he was intercepted twice and held to a ho-hum 40 rushing yards, Vick's totals against a usually impressive defense demand we stand up and take notice. And that's just what opposing defensive coordinators will do. They'll respect Vick's throwing arm, and should give extra attention to Crumpler until Atlanta's wide receivers prove they can make as many important plays as Crumpler. That won't happen any time soon, and Vick will see different looks in the weeks ahead, and his outstanding success might be short-lived. Congratulations to all the Vick owners who benefited from his outing, but I'd be surprised to see him match that TD total again this year. He has only one good pass-catcher, and until his receiving corps improves, you won't see another three or four-TD pass game from Vick in a long time.
Leon is for real: He might not be able to carry 25 times per game. He might have to share some carries with Kevan Barlow. But Leon Washington has clearly emerged as the Jets' No. 1 RB, and he will continue to get 15-plus carries per game, because there isn't a more talented RB on the New York roster. Until this week, Washington had seemed like a risky flex option, as he could break the occasional long run, and his one 100-yard game had come in garbage time in a loss to the Jaguars. But Washington erased any doubts that he will make the most of every carry in a win over the Lions. He rushed for 129 yards and scored twice, including a five-yard run that indicated the Jets will be willing to use him in the red zone at times. Washington is not only speedy, he is very strong for a smaller RB and can break tackles. He is looking like a lock as a flex player and bye week replacement, especially when the matchup is right.
Ahman Green reborn? The Packers' top RB entered Sunday's game without any major concerns about his health for the first time in recent memory. And when he ripped off a 70-yard run in the fourth quarter, Green appeared to make a statement that he can still be the explosive runner the Packers want and need to support Brett Favre. But I'm not about to suddenly buy into any Green rebirth. While a bye week rest appears to have done him some good, Green still looked like a shell of his past self for most of the day, gaining some tough yards, but rarely making tacklers miss like he used to do a few years ago. You can't take away Green's one long run. But I'll need more than one long TD jaunt against a tired, overrated defense to convince me Green is an every-week starter again. I hope he stays healthy, but I still believe his best years are behind him.
Chester Taylor busts out: There should be no doubt that Minnesota's No. 1 RB is a fine fantasy RB after a stellar performance against Seattle. Until this week, a scrappy Seahawks front seven had defused most opposing runners. But Taylor was not to be denied, in his most determined effort of the season. Taylor kept breaking tackles and shaking off defenders, turning seemingly negative runs into positive gains on several occasions. Eventually, Taylor wore the Seahawks down and delivered the message that he has arrived as one of the better RBs in fantasy football. His 95-yard scoring run in the third quarter was the centerpiece of his clear breakthrough performance. Taylor finished with 169 yards on 26 carries, as he continually frustrated the Seattle front seven. Taylor is a must-start player who seems to be getting better as the season goes along.
Sinking Seahawks? Seattle is already without Shaun Alexander, now it seems they have lost Matt Hasselbeck, arguably one of the best QBs in the NFC. Maurice Morris has been mostly ineffective as a replacement for Alexander. Backup QB Seneca Wallace has looked good in the preseason before, but was an instant bust after replacing Hasselbeck. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble which turned into a Minnesota TD. Wallace overthrew his receivers and wasn't accurate at all. The once-mighty Seattle offense is on very shaky ground. Fantasy owners can only hope Alexander returns soon, because he can certainly take some pressure off the young, but often confident Wallace. If Hasselbeck doesn't miss a considerable period of time, he'll still get the ball to Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch often. But without both Hasselbeck and Alexander, the Seahawks might not be much more potent than the Raiders offensively.
Cardinal hangover: We thought the Cardinals might come out fired up to blow through the winless Raiders after their unforgettable collapse against Chicago. But the gloom lingered for Arizona, and even affected Matt Leinart, who was pressured often, threw no TDs, and was intercepted twice. With no threat of a running game, the Raiders came after the rookie QB very aggressively, and limited his time to locate his best receivers. Not even the usually-hapless Raiders, who seem to be weekly sacrifices for opposing running backs, were a good matchup for Edgerrin James. He finished with only 34 rushing yards, with a long run of nine yards. Until the Cardinals can find a way to breathe at least a little life into the ground game, or Larry Fitzgerald returns, opposing defenses can simply focus on containing the Leinart/Anquan Boldin connection. With little support other than Boldin, Leinart will struggle at times behind a shaky offensive line, without a real running game. He might have shocked the Bears early last Monday, but he hasn't been effective overall in the last six quarters he has played. Leinart should continue to improve if the Cardinals can make their offense less predictable around him. Changes soon in Indy? Dominic Rhodes ended up with more carries than Joseph Addai (13 to 11) in Sunday's win over Washington. But Addai received many more important touches and was on the field for long stretches when the Colts were in the midst of building their lead. Addai outrushed Rhodes, 85 yards to 26. He looked very good at times, picking his holes quickly and making tacklers miss. Addai challenged the Washington defense enough to help Peyton Manning open up the passing game more. It's not overwhelmingly obvious in the boxscore, but it's apparent the Colts are gaining more confidence in their rookie RB, and he could take over the starting job in the near future.
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Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Oct. 23, 2006
Engel: Week 7 wrapup

By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Here's a quick-hitting recap of key performances and news from the seventh week of the NFL season, complete with in-depth fantasy analysis.
Silent Cats: The Texans usually seem like a good team to exploit for fantasy points, but that simply wasn't the case in their surprising rout of the Jaguars. Houston controlled time of possession (33:30 to 26:30) and executed a methodical, yet effective, offensive attack. Byron Leftwich tried to play through an ankle injury, and was mostly ineffective, with only 14 completions for 125 yards. Reggie Williams was a non-factor (no catches, one rush for eight yards), and while Maurice Jones-Drew scored on a one-yard run, he totaled only 68 yards from scrimmage. It was a surprisingly limp performance by the Jacksonville offense. The Jaguars need a fully healthy Leftwich to open the offense up, because the team has often been conservative in the past with backup David Garrard at the controls. Leftwich's passes clearly lacked the normal zip and accuracy. If he continues to battle injury problems or plays at less than full health, the Jaguars' offense will continue to sputter and the defense will spend too much time on the field.
Tony Gonzalez re-appears: Many of us had given up on Gonzalez to the point where I was getting questions asking if he should be benched in favor of less accomplished types like Alex Smith and Benjamin Watson. But instead of leaving Gonzalez in to block, the Chiefs finally turned him loose in a classic AFC West shootout with the Chargers. Gonzalez caught six passes for 138 yards, with a long catch of 57 yards. But Gonzalez did not score and still has only one TD catch this year. Gonzalez showed his fantasy owners he can still be a key part of the Chiefs' offense and remains capable of busting out with a big performance at any time. Most players at tight end aren't reliable for regularly outstanding numbers. So there should be more quiet outings for Gonzalez in the weeks ahead. But he could post good numbers at any time, especially in divisional matchups, which often tend to be high-scoring. Don't depend on Gonzalez for regularly above-average production based on one game, but don't cut him loose or give up on him, either. Build your team around running backs and wide receivers, and look to Gonzalez for the occasionally good outing as a welcome bonus.
Starry Steel: Just when he seemed to be in top playing form again, Ben Roethlisberger was knocked out of Sunday's game at Atlanta in the third quarter. He had thrown three TD passes and was not intercepted, displaying his classic confidence, poise and accuracy. Charlie Batch, however, continued to throw well after Roethlisberger left the game in the third quarter, throwing for 195 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. Hines Ward proved he is fully healthy and a must-start fantasy player again, catching eight passes for 171 yards and three TDs. Rookie Santonio Holmes finished with 91 receiving yards, and Nate Washington and Heath Miller both caught scoring passes. Whether Roethlisberger can return to the lineup for Pittsburgh's next game or not, it's clear the passing game is finally starting to click again. Willie Parker was held to 47 rushing yards, but look for more good performances ahead, as the revived air game will open up a lot of running room for Parker. Ward is healthy, Holmes is getting more looks, and Washington has become dependable. Look forward to more good numbers from the Pittsburgh QBs, don't bench Ward, and keep your eye on Holmes and Washington for more improvements.
Vick's breakthrough game? We have been waiting a long time to see such impressive totals from Michael Vick. He threw a career-best four TD passes in an unlikely shootout with the Steelers. Three of his scoring passes went to his favorite target, TE Alge Crumpler. Although he was intercepted twice and held to a ho-hum 40 rushing yards, Vick's totals against a usually impressive defense demand we stand up and take notice. And that's just what opposing defensive coordinators will do. They'll respect Vick's throwing arm, and should give extra attention to Crumpler until Atlanta's wide receivers prove they can make as many important plays as Crumpler. That won't happen any time soon, and Vick will see different looks in the weeks ahead, and his outstanding success might be short-lived. Congratulations to all the Vick owners who benefited from his outing, but I'd be surprised to see him match that TD total again this year. He has only one good pass-catcher, and until his receiving corps improves, you won't see another three or four-TD pass game from Vick in a long time.
Leon is for real: He might not be able to carry 25 times per game. He might have to share some carries with Kevan Barlow. But Leon Washington has clearly emerged as the Jets' No. 1 RB, and he will continue to get 15-plus carries per game, because there isn't a more talented RB on the New York roster. Until this week, Washington had seemed like a risky flex option, as he could break the occasional long run, and his one 100-yard game had come in garbage time in a loss to the Jaguars. But Washington erased any doubts that he will make the most of every carry in a win over the Lions. He rushed for 129 yards and scored twice, including a five-yard run that indicated the Jets will be willing to use him in the red zone at times. Washington is not only speedy, he is very strong for a smaller RB and can break tackles. He is looking like a lock as a flex player and bye week replacement, especially when the matchup is right.
Ahman Green reborn? The Packers' top RB entered Sunday's game without any major concerns about his health for the first time in recent memory. And when he ripped off a 70-yard run in the fourth quarter, Green appeared to make a statement that he can still be the explosive runner the Packers want and need to support Brett Favre. But I'm not about to suddenly buy into any Green rebirth. While a bye week rest appears to have done him some good, Green still looked like a shell of his past self for most of the day, gaining some tough yards, but rarely making tacklers miss like he used to do a few years ago. You can't take away Green's one long run. But I'll need more than one long TD jaunt against a tired, overrated defense to convince me Green is an every-week starter again. I hope he stays healthy, but I still believe his best years are behind him.
Chester Taylor busts out: There should be no doubt that Minnesota's No. 1 RB is a fine fantasy RB after a stellar performance against Seattle. Until this week, a scrappy Seahawks front seven had defused most opposing runners. But Taylor was not to be denied, in his most determined effort of the season. Taylor kept breaking tackles and shaking off defenders, turning seemingly negative runs into positive gains on several occasions. Eventually, Taylor wore the Seahawks down and delivered the message that he has arrived as one of the better RBs in fantasy football. His 95-yard scoring run in the third quarter was the centerpiece of his clear breakthrough performance. Taylor finished with 169 yards on 26 carries, as he continually frustrated the Seattle front seven. Taylor is a must-start player who seems to be getting better as the season goes along.
Sinking Seahawks? Seattle is already without Shaun Alexander, now it seems they have lost Matt Hasselbeck, arguably one of the best QBs in the NFC. Maurice Morris has been mostly ineffective as a replacement for Alexander. Backup QB Seneca Wallace has looked good in the preseason before, but was an instant bust after replacing Hasselbeck. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble which turned into a Minnesota TD. Wallace overthrew his receivers and wasn't accurate at all. The once-mighty Seattle offense is on very shaky ground. Fantasy owners can only hope Alexander returns soon, because he can certainly take some pressure off the young, but often confident Wallace. If Hasselbeck doesn't miss a considerable period of time, he'll still get the ball to Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch often. But without both Hasselbeck and Alexander, the Seahawks might not be much more potent than the Raiders offensively.
Cardinal hangover: We thought the Cardinals might come out fired up to blow through the winless Raiders after their unforgettable collapse against Chicago. But the gloom lingered for Arizona, and even affected Matt Leinart, who was pressured often, threw no TDs, and was intercepted twice. With no threat of a running game, the Raiders came after the rookie QB very aggressively, and limited his time to locate his best receivers. Not even the usually-hapless Raiders, who seem to be weekly sacrifices for opposing running backs, were a good matchup for Edgerrin James. He finished with only 34 rushing yards, with a long run of nine yards. Until the Cardinals can find a way to breathe at least a little life into the ground game, or Larry Fitzgerald returns, opposing defenses can simply focus on containing the Leinart/Anquan Boldin connection. With little support other than Boldin, Leinart will struggle at times behind a shaky offensive line, without a real running game. He might have shocked the Bears early last Monday, but he hasn't been effective overall in the last six quarters he has played. Leinart should continue to improve if the Cardinals can make their offense less predictable around him. Changes soon in Indy? Dominic Rhodes ended up with more carries than Joseph Addai (13 to 11) in Sunday's win over Washington. But Addai received many more important touches and was on the field for long stretches when the Colts were in the midst of building their lead. Addai outrushed Rhodes, 85 yards to 26. He looked very good at times, picking his holes quickly and making tacklers miss. Addai challenged the Washington defense enough to help Peyton Manning open up the passing game more. It's not overwhelmingly obvious in the boxscore, but it's apparent the Colts are gaining more confidence in their rookie RB, and he could take over the starting job in the near future.
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Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Oct. 23, 2006, 12:01 PM
FFL: Chat Wrap

By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>Douglas Columbus Ohio: Would a s. jackson for carson trade be a good move with only kitna on my roster now, portis and jordan are my other backs. thanks
Scott Engel: (11:01 AM ET ) Good morning everyone!
I think Kitna is good enough for you to win with, while you can't depend on Jordan and need to keep Jackson - don't make the deal
Steve - Fincastle, Virginia: Can we expect Daunte Culpepper back anytime soon or is Joey Harrinton entrenched as the Dophins QB?
Scott Engel: (11:02 AM ET ) I wouldn't expect Culpepper back anytime soon, and I would be careful about when you use Harrington
Matt (Tiger Town, MI): Whats the status of Big Ben, I finlly got a good week out of a QB and would love to have one healthy for once.
Scott Engel: (11:03 AM ET ) Nothing for sure yet. It's too early to tell. Most injuries aren't clear by Monday morning.
marc (DC): How hurt is Greg Jennings? Also is Jacksonville's Defense a safe bet for the rest of the year? Thanks a ton!
Scott Engel: (11:05 AM ET ) Too eraly to tell on Jennings, as it's only the morning after. Jax's D is obvioulsy not safe - they are up and down
Brian (Rochester, NH): When is Chad Johnson going to play like we all know he can?
Scott Engel: (11:06 AM ET ) When the line starts giving Palmer better protection. That might take a few more weeks
Bill, Pittsburgh: I'm shopping for WR because I'm really hurting at the position. I have some offers for one of my RBs. In what order do you like these guys for the rest of the year Driver, Glenn, Coles or Chad Johnson. Thanks
Scott Engel: (11:07 AM ET ) Coles, CJ, Glenn, Driver - Coles has been th emost dependable overall so far, so don't overlook that fact
Jason (Orlando): Why can't the Dolphins seem to get Chambers the ball? He faced double coverage as the no.1 WR all last year and still put up big numbers. Is it time to bench him?
Scott Engel: (11:09 AM ET ) He did not put up big numbers consistently last year - he inflated his final numbers with some big late games - you should rotate him in and out of the lineup depending on the matchup
Chris (Franklin Park, NJ): Hi Scott: Too early to tell for Hassleback too? Thanks
Scott Engel: (11:10 AM ET ) Yes - you won't get much answers on a Monday morning on injuries, especially in a case like Hasselbeck, when he hasn't even been tested yet. Rumors have said two or more weeks, but those re completely unconfirmed
Luke (Nashville): Scott Chester Taylor or Portis the rest of the year? Thanks
Scott Engel: (11:11 AM ET ) I would stick with Portis when he is healthy and if he avoids injuries
Mark (Philly, PA): Is there any hope for Edge? I drafted him in the 2nd round thinking I got good value. Amazingly he does not even seem like a top 20 back now. Maybe the schedule gets better or Minnesota trades Zona Hutchinson?
Scott Engel: (11:13 AM ET ) Hutchinson has a seven-year deal. No dice. And if Edge can't run on the Raiders, I see little hope for him the rest of the way
Matt (Detroit Rock City): What kind of QB do you think I could get with Ronnie Brown as bait, Palmer maybe? Right now I'm stuck with Big Ben, Carr and Brunell
Scott Engel: (11:15 AM ET ) You can't target a specific player in trade - target a specific team or two in your league that has a clear RB need and has good QB depth that appeals to you - the guy who has Palmer may not need a RB, so scout other rosters instead of just thinking about who you might want. You have to identify a compatible trade partner, not just a player
Jesse (Boston): What was up with Jordan yesterday?
Scott Engel: (11:16 AM ET ) His back tightened up on him in pregame warmups, even though he was not inactive
GC (West Hartford, CT): WIth the Skins at 2-5, do you think there is a chance they will eventually shut down Portis? I do not want to be left with one of my best backs on the bench come playoff time. Should I trade him if this is the case?
Scott Engel: (11:17 AM ET ) I wouldn't create worries where there aren't any - there is no word of that happening
Kyle (Ardmore, PA): If someone were to tell me Vick would throw for 4 TDs against Pitt then I would have asked them what they were smoking. Is Vick now more than a matchups guy? How would you rank him compared to Delhomme & Leinart.
Scott Engel: (11:19 AM ET ) I think defenses will now respect him more as a thrower and pay more attention to Crumpler. Vick's other receivers won't get the job done, and he will still eb up and down. I think Delhomme will be more dpendable and Vick and Leinart might perform on a similar level the rest of the way
Sam (STL): Scott! My league is in uproar. Managers are calling a trade that moved Ronnie Brown, Delhomme, and A. Bryant for Holt and S. Alexander unfair and want it overturned. I thinks its a fair trade. Your thoughts?
Scott Engel: (11:20 AM ET ) If Alexander was healthy, it would be unfair, but it's not. I'm with you.
GM (TX): Just traded S. Moss and R. Bush for Maroney and J. Horn. Good Deal?
Scott Engel: (11:22 AM ET ) I think Bush and Maroney will perofrm evenly, and Moss and Horn are both not dependable - I don't think either side made out clearly better
Kyle (MD): I desperately need a QB and have offered Boldin, Maroney, and Trent Green (cleared to practice now) for Bulger and K. Johnson. Fair trade?
Scott Engel: (11:24 AM ET ) I think if you can afford to part with Boldin, and the other team could use Maroney, it's certainly fair
Jay, TN: Wali Lundy, resurgence in Houston for the rest of the year, or still a committe with Gado and Dayne?
Scott Engel: (11:25 AM ET ) Dayne is out of the picture - but Lundy has to sustain the success, or Gado could pass him soon
Keith, Philly: What kind of WR receiver can I look for when dealing Leon Washington? Randy Moss, Berrian?
Scott Engel: (11:27 AM ET ) One outstanding game won't get you Berrian - maybe Moss, though. See which other teams have RB needs and who they have - just don't target who you want - making a deal is about findinga team that has the need for what you are offering
dan (Minn): Is phillip rivers surpassing tom brady as a weekly play now or should I make the determination on who starts based on matchups? Thanks
Scott Engel: (11:28 AM ET ) Right now, I'd go with Rivers, but Brady could start to play very wella gain as Chad Jackson improves
Rob(Revere,MA): Is hines ward for real again or is Atlanta just that bad of a pass defense?
Scott Engel: (11:30 AM ET ) That was a statement game for Ward. he is clearly healthy now, and looking like a must-start player again
Joe C (Rocktown, NJ): Will Jamal Lewis ever play like he did a few years ago?
Scott Engel: (11:30 AM ET ) No - his line isn't as good, and he doesn't run with the same authority and busrt anymore
Tim (Indy): Smart move to pick up Lundy and trade him while his value is high?
Scott Engel: (11:32 AM ET ) I don't think his value is too high yet - it will take more than one game. Everyone else in your league could be thinking about getting him off waivers, too.
Bill(Mass): I got offered Bledsoe and D. Jackson for Brees and Moulds. My WR's now are Walker, Wayne, Glenn and Mould's and my QB is McNabb(yet to have his bye). What do you think?
Scott Engel: (11:33 AM ET ) I think Brees will be more dependable than Bledsoe, and your WR crew is strong enough - just make sure you get a good one-week sub for McNabb
Chris (Philadelphia): Will Grossman get me Tatum Bell?
Scott Engel: (11:34 AM ET ) Maybe not after his awful performance against the Cards - but if he rebounds next week, his trade value should rise again
Lloyd (PA): Peyton Manning is my team's QB and I dropped my back-up Carr to pick up Joe Horn. So now I have no back-up QB. I was thinking of picking up Vince Young in the hopes that at the end of the season, if Manning is sitting, than I would have a descent QB to use. The only other QB I would want would be Huard or Green. Do you think Young will produce in the future?
Scott Engel: (11:36 AM ET ) I don't think you should be depending ona rookie QB in the weeks of your fantasy playoffs - you should get Carr back or get both Huard and Green
Philip, TX: I've been offered a trade where I give up Javon Walker and get Chad Johnson, should I take it?
Scott Engel: (11:37 AM ET ) I think Johnson will eventually score more, so I would do it
Jon(Ossian, IN): I was offered Grossman for Green. Good Trade?
Scott Engel: (11:39 AM ET ) If its Trent Green, yes - you have no health worries with Grossman - but it might not be deemed fair by your league, because no one knows if and when Green will return
Nate (NJ): What can we expect from Branch with Hasselbeck out?
Scott Engel: (11:40 AM ET ) He'll catch more balls and make less big plays as the passing game becomes miore conservative
Jordan (NY): Drop Big Ben (I have Delhomme) for a bye-week TE (for Cooley) or play without a TE? I have no one else to drop as my worst bench players are Jennings and Maroney and Delhomme is off next week.
Scott Engel: (11:42 AM ET ) Never leave yourself with an open lineup spot - drop Roethlisberger then just get the next-best one-week sub for Delhomme the following week
Mike, Atlanta: Drop SEA DEF and pickup MINN? With Hasslebeck and Alexander out I don't see how they can move the ball.
Scott Engel: (11:43 AM ET ) I think Wallace can be steady enough in regular play, but Minnesota has a stronger line and will play in lower-scoring games
jerod Texas: Where was Maroney yesterday? I was expecting a big day.
Scott Engel: (11:44 AM ET ) He's struggling with his inside running - I think sharing carries is huring him, as he needs regular work to get into a rhythm
Tim (NJ): What was the deal with Galloway? Did he get shut down or injury? Is just a match-ups guy?
Scott Engel: (11:45 AM ET ) Not every receiver has a good game every week. B epatient with Galloway and he will rebound.
Tony (NJ): Whos a better keeper, Leinart or Rivers? I currently start Bulger and want to tarde one of my backups.
Scott Engel: (11:46 AM ET ) I like Rivers better because he will be more dependable in the shorter term. You could start Rivers now or later with great confidence. Leinart might be less consistent
Greg (Lansdale): How reliable is Dunn for the remainder of the season- his O-line keeps dropping. Trade him while his stock is high or ride the wave??
Scott Engel: (11:48 AM ET ) I have no real issue with the way Dunn is performing. Keep him and don't mess with success
Eric NYC: Should I just give up on Ruben Droughns, yesterday was painful to watch...
Scott Engel: (11:48 AM ET ) I would bench him until he starts to look like he is in better health, but I would not cut him
Tim (Indy): I just traded Brady and F. Taylor for Plummer and Rudi Johnson. I am now banking on Grossman, but I thought this deal made sense for me. Was I right?
Scott Engel: (11:50 AM ET ) I think Rudi should score more than Taylor, so eventually, the deal will work out in your favor as long as Grossman stays healthy
Matt,MPLS : Doesn't Dunn peter out in the second half of the season? His last three years second half stats are dismal compared to his first half stats.
Scott Engel: (11:52 AM ET ) That's a valid point, as he is a smaller back. But every year is different, and I wouldn't trade a guy on past numerical trends. I'm sure the Falcons are aware of it and will use Jerious Norwood to keep him fresh
Tim (Towson): Hey Scott. Since Week 1, my QB rotisserie (Warner, Pennington, Brunell, Leinart) has gotten me no more than 1 touchdown each week. I'm planning on starting Leinart this week (@GB) and then Losman the next few (GB, @IND, @HOU) until Trent Green hopefully returns. Is this a plan that can win, or am I better off trading for a top-10 QB?
Scott Engel: (11:54 AM ET ) I don't think you need a top QB - just a dependable one - trading for a Brees or Rivers should ease your concerns
Julie (Petoskey, MI): I don't mind Brad Johnson's schedule during playoff time (except Chicago) - but gotta get to the playoffs! Only have Johnson and Gradkowski - should I off Gradkowski and pick up Huard or Frye to use for a few weeks? I know - sad QBs!
Scott Engel: (11:55 AM ET ) No matter who Johnson plays, he will be conservative - I'd cut Johnson and get Huard and rotate him with Gradkowski
Paul (Mpls): Do you see Alexander coming back in wk8/9 and providing a great second half? I'm still in the top 8 (playoffs) of my league and think I could wind up with the championship
Scott Engel: (11:56 AM ET ) It all depends on how much more quickly his foot heals - we won't know for at least another week
Paul (Mpls): Should I drop Chambers at this point? I really thought he would have a breakout year. R. Smith, C Jackson and C Henry are all available.
Scott Engel: (11:58 AM ET ) None of those guys will outperform Chambers the rest of the way - I would only start Chambers when the matchup is right, though.
Ross DC: buzzer beater! Should I trade F Taylor for Kitna? My other RBs: CTaylor, JJones, TBarber. My other QB: Pennington. Thanks!
Scott Engel: (11:59 AM ET ) It might not get Kitna for you - be prepared for the other guy to ask for another player - Kitna ranks fifth among ESPN QBs
Willis (Penn): Will Travis Henry have a good rest of the season or were the last 2 weeks a one time deal?
Scott Engel: (12:00 PM ET ) He's for real and running well - I wouldn't worry about him losing his job.
Thanks a lot everyone!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Oct. 23, 2006, 12:01 PM
FFL: Chat Wrap

By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>Douglas Columbus Ohio: Would a s. jackson for carson trade be a good move with only kitna on my roster now, portis and jordan are my other backs. thanks
Scott Engel: (11:01 AM ET ) Good morning everyone!
I think Kitna is good enough for you to win with, while you can't depend on Jordan and need to keep Jackson - don't make the deal
Steve - Fincastle, Virginia: Can we expect Daunte Culpepper back anytime soon or is Joey Harrinton entrenched as the Dophins QB?
Scott Engel: (11:02 AM ET ) I wouldn't expect Culpepper back anytime soon, and I would be careful about when you use Harrington
Matt (Tiger Town, MI): Whats the status of Big Ben, I finlly got a good week out of a QB and would love to have one healthy for once.
Scott Engel: (11:03 AM ET ) Nothing for sure yet. It's too early to tell. Most injuries aren't clear by Monday morning.
marc (DC): How hurt is Greg Jennings? Also is Jacksonville's Defense a safe bet for the rest of the year? Thanks a ton!
Scott Engel: (11:05 AM ET ) Too eraly to tell on Jennings, as it's only the morning after. Jax's D is obvioulsy not safe - they are up and down
Brian (Rochester, NH): When is Chad Johnson going to play like we all know he can?
Scott Engel: (11:06 AM ET ) When the line starts giving Palmer better protection. That might take a few more weeks
Bill, Pittsburgh: I'm shopping for WR because I'm really hurting at the position. I have some offers for one of my RBs. In what order do you like these guys for the rest of the year Driver, Glenn, Coles or Chad Johnson. Thanks
Scott Engel: (11:07 AM ET ) Coles, CJ, Glenn, Driver - Coles has been th emost dependable overall so far, so don't overlook that fact
Jason (Orlando): Why can't the Dolphins seem to get Chambers the ball? He faced double coverage as the no.1 WR all last year and still put up big numbers. Is it time to bench him?
Scott Engel: (11:09 AM ET ) He did not put up big numbers consistently last year - he inflated his final numbers with some big late games - you should rotate him in and out of the lineup depending on the matchup
Chris (Franklin Park, NJ): Hi Scott: Too early to tell for Hassleback too? Thanks
Scott Engel: (11:10 AM ET ) Yes - you won't get much answers on a Monday morning on injuries, especially in a case like Hasselbeck, when he hasn't even been tested yet. Rumors have said two or more weeks, but those re completely unconfirmed
Luke (Nashville): Scott Chester Taylor or Portis the rest of the year? Thanks
Scott Engel: (11:11 AM ET ) I would stick with Portis when he is healthy and if he avoids injuries
Mark (Philly, PA): Is there any hope for Edge? I drafted him in the 2nd round thinking I got good value. Amazingly he does not even seem like a top 20 back now. Maybe the schedule gets better or Minnesota trades Zona Hutchinson?
Scott Engel: (11:13 AM ET ) Hutchinson has a seven-year deal. No dice. And if Edge can't run on the Raiders, I see little hope for him the rest of the way
Matt (Detroit Rock City): What kind of QB do you think I could get with Ronnie Brown as bait, Palmer maybe? Right now I'm stuck with Big Ben, Carr and Brunell
Scott Engel: (11:15 AM ET ) You can't target a specific player in trade - target a specific team or two in your league that has a clear RB need and has good QB depth that appeals to you - the guy who has Palmer may not need a RB, so scout other rosters instead of just thinking about who you might want. You have to identify a compatible trade partner, not just a player
Jesse (Boston): What was up with Jordan yesterday?
Scott Engel: (11:16 AM ET ) His back tightened up on him in pregame warmups, even though he was not inactive
GC (West Hartford, CT): WIth the Skins at 2-5, do you think there is a chance they will eventually shut down Portis? I do not want to be left with one of my best backs on the bench come playoff time. Should I trade him if this is the case?
Scott Engel: (11:17 AM ET ) I wouldn't create worries where there aren't any - there is no word of that happening
Kyle (Ardmore, PA): If someone were to tell me Vick would throw for 4 TDs against Pitt then I would have asked them what they were smoking. Is Vick now more than a matchups guy? How would you rank him compared to Delhomme & Leinart.
Scott Engel: (11:19 AM ET ) I think defenses will now respect him more as a thrower and pay more attention to Crumpler. Vick's other receivers won't get the job done, and he will still eb up and down. I think Delhomme will be more dpendable and Vick and Leinart might perform on a similar level the rest of the way
Sam (STL): Scott! My league is in uproar. Managers are calling a trade that moved Ronnie Brown, Delhomme, and A. Bryant for Holt and S. Alexander unfair and want it overturned. I thinks its a fair trade. Your thoughts?
Scott Engel: (11:20 AM ET ) If Alexander was healthy, it would be unfair, but it's not. I'm with you.
GM (TX): Just traded S. Moss and R. Bush for Maroney and J. Horn. Good Deal?
Scott Engel: (11:22 AM ET ) I think Bush and Maroney will perofrm evenly, and Moss and Horn are both not dependable - I don't think either side made out clearly better
Kyle (MD): I desperately need a QB and have offered Boldin, Maroney, and Trent Green (cleared to practice now) for Bulger and K. Johnson. Fair trade?
Scott Engel: (11:24 AM ET ) I think if you can afford to part with Boldin, and the other team could use Maroney, it's certainly fair
Jay, TN: Wali Lundy, resurgence in Houston for the rest of the year, or still a committe with Gado and Dayne?
Scott Engel: (11:25 AM ET ) Dayne is out of the picture - but Lundy has to sustain the success, or Gado could pass him soon
Keith, Philly: What kind of WR receiver can I look for when dealing Leon Washington? Randy Moss, Berrian?
Scott Engel: (11:27 AM ET ) One outstanding game won't get you Berrian - maybe Moss, though. See which other teams have RB needs and who they have - just don't target who you want - making a deal is about findinga team that has the need for what you are offering
dan (Minn): Is phillip rivers surpassing tom brady as a weekly play now or should I make the determination on who starts based on matchups? Thanks
Scott Engel: (11:28 AM ET ) Right now, I'd go with Rivers, but Brady could start to play very wella gain as Chad Jackson improves
Rob(Revere,MA): Is hines ward for real again or is Atlanta just that bad of a pass defense?
Scott Engel: (11:30 AM ET ) That was a statement game for Ward. he is clearly healthy now, and looking like a must-start player again
Joe C (Rocktown, NJ): Will Jamal Lewis ever play like he did a few years ago?
Scott Engel: (11:30 AM ET ) No - his line isn't as good, and he doesn't run with the same authority and busrt anymore
Tim (Indy): Smart move to pick up Lundy and trade him while his value is high?
Scott Engel: (11:32 AM ET ) I don't think his value is too high yet - it will take more than one game. Everyone else in your league could be thinking about getting him off waivers, too.
Bill(Mass): I got offered Bledsoe and D. Jackson for Brees and Moulds. My WR's now are Walker, Wayne, Glenn and Mould's and my QB is McNabb(yet to have his bye). What do you think?
Scott Engel: (11:33 AM ET ) I think Brees will be more dependable than Bledsoe, and your WR crew is strong enough - just make sure you get a good one-week sub for McNabb
Chris (Philadelphia): Will Grossman get me Tatum Bell?
Scott Engel: (11:34 AM ET ) Maybe not after his awful performance against the Cards - but if he rebounds next week, his trade value should rise again
Lloyd (PA): Peyton Manning is my team's QB and I dropped my back-up Carr to pick up Joe Horn. So now I have no back-up QB. I was thinking of picking up Vince Young in the hopes that at the end of the season, if Manning is sitting, than I would have a descent QB to use. The only other QB I would want would be Huard or Green. Do you think Young will produce in the future?
Scott Engel: (11:36 AM ET ) I don't think you should be depending ona rookie QB in the weeks of your fantasy playoffs - you should get Carr back or get both Huard and Green
Philip, TX: I've been offered a trade where I give up Javon Walker and get Chad Johnson, should I take it?
Scott Engel: (11:37 AM ET ) I think Johnson will eventually score more, so I would do it
Jon(Ossian, IN): I was offered Grossman for Green. Good Trade?
Scott Engel: (11:39 AM ET ) If its Trent Green, yes - you have no health worries with Grossman - but it might not be deemed fair by your league, because no one knows if and when Green will return
Nate (NJ): What can we expect from Branch with Hasselbeck out?
Scott Engel: (11:40 AM ET ) He'll catch more balls and make less big plays as the passing game becomes miore conservative
Jordan (NY): Drop Big Ben (I have Delhomme) for a bye-week TE (for Cooley) or play without a TE? I have no one else to drop as my worst bench players are Jennings and Maroney and Delhomme is off next week.
Scott Engel: (11:42 AM ET ) Never leave yourself with an open lineup spot - drop Roethlisberger then just get the next-best one-week sub for Delhomme the following week
Mike, Atlanta: Drop SEA DEF and pickup MINN? With Hasslebeck and Alexander out I don't see how they can move the ball.
Scott Engel: (11:43 AM ET ) I think Wallace can be steady enough in regular play, but Minnesota has a stronger line and will play in lower-scoring games
jerod Texas: Where was Maroney yesterday? I was expecting a big day.
Scott Engel: (11:44 AM ET ) He's struggling with his inside running - I think sharing carries is huring him, as he needs regular work to get into a rhythm
Tim (NJ): What was the deal with Galloway? Did he get shut down or injury? Is just a match-ups guy?
Scott Engel: (11:45 AM ET ) Not every receiver has a good game every week. B epatient with Galloway and he will rebound.
Tony (NJ): Whos a better keeper, Leinart or Rivers? I currently start Bulger and want to tarde one of my backups.
Scott Engel: (11:46 AM ET ) I like Rivers better because he will be more dependable in the shorter term. You could start Rivers now or later with great confidence. Leinart might be less consistent
Greg (Lansdale): How reliable is Dunn for the remainder of the season- his O-line keeps dropping. Trade him while his stock is high or ride the wave??
Scott Engel: (11:48 AM ET ) I have no real issue with the way Dunn is performing. Keep him and don't mess with success
Eric NYC: Should I just give up on Ruben Droughns, yesterday was painful to watch...
Scott Engel: (11:48 AM ET ) I would bench him until he starts to look like he is in better health, but I would not cut him
Tim (Indy): I just traded Brady and F. Taylor for Plummer and Rudi Johnson. I am now banking on Grossman, but I thought this deal made sense for me. Was I right?
Scott Engel: (11:50 AM ET ) I think Rudi should score more than Taylor, so eventually, the deal will work out in your favor as long as Grossman stays healthy
Matt,MPLS : Doesn't Dunn peter out in the second half of the season? His last three years second half stats are dismal compared to his first half stats.
Scott Engel: (11:52 AM ET ) That's a valid point, as he is a smaller back. But every year is different, and I wouldn't trade a guy on past numerical trends. I'm sure the Falcons are aware of it and will use Jerious Norwood to keep him fresh
Tim (Towson): Hey Scott. Since Week 1, my QB rotisserie (Warner, Pennington, Brunell, Leinart) has gotten me no more than 1 touchdown each week. I'm planning on starting Leinart this week (@GB) and then Losman the next few (GB, @IND, @HOU) until Trent Green hopefully returns. Is this a plan that can win, or am I better off trading for a top-10 QB?
Scott Engel: (11:54 AM ET ) I don't think you need a top QB - just a dependable one - trading for a Brees or Rivers should ease your concerns
Julie (Petoskey, MI): I don't mind Brad Johnson's schedule during playoff time (except Chicago) - but gotta get to the playoffs! Only have Johnson and Gradkowski - should I off Gradkowski and pick up Huard or Frye to use for a few weeks? I know - sad QBs!
Scott Engel: (11:55 AM ET ) No matter who Johnson plays, he will be conservative - I'd cut Johnson and get Huard and rotate him with Gradkowski
Paul (Mpls): Do you see Alexander coming back in wk8/9 and providing a great second half? I'm still in the top 8 (playoffs) of my league and think I could wind up with the championship
Scott Engel: (11:56 AM ET ) It all depends on how much more quickly his foot heals - we won't know for at least another week
Paul (Mpls): Should I drop Chambers at this point? I really thought he would have a breakout year. R. Smith, C Jackson and C Henry are all available.
Scott Engel: (11:58 AM ET ) None of those guys will outperform Chambers the rest of the way - I would only start Chambers when the matchup is right, though.
Ross DC: buzzer beater! Should I trade F Taylor for Kitna? My other RBs: CTaylor, JJones, TBarber. My other QB: Pennington. Thanks!
Scott Engel: (11:59 AM ET ) It might not get Kitna for you - be prepared for the other guy to ask for another player - Kitna ranks fifth among ESPN QBs
Willis (Penn): Will Travis Henry have a good rest of the season or were the last 2 weeks a one time deal?
Scott Engel: (12:00 PM ET ) He's for real and running well - I wouldn't worry about him losing his job.
Thanks a lot everyone!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Edgerrin James, RB, Cardinals
13 carries, 34 rushing yards, 0 TD
Things don't seem to be getting any better for James, who suffers the misfortune of running behind one of the weakest offensive lines in football this season. And while his Week 7 performance probably doesn't bother his fantasy owners any more than any of the six before it, it should, because it's a lot more troubling. This was the first game for the Cardinals under new offensive coordinator Mike Kruczek, who, by the way, was previously the team's quarterbacks coach. One week is hardly the ideal representation of what Kruczek's impact will be on the offense, but now James owners have to worry not only about his terrible yards-per-carry average (2.7) but also about his season low in touches (14) -- 11 fewer than in any of the previous six weeks -- in the first game of the Kruczek era. Go ahead and say it's because the Cardinals played from behind all day, but folks, this team has lost each of its past six games by a combined 52 points, yet James averaged 24.4 rushing attempts in Weeks 2-6, a rather healthy total. Maybe things go right back to normal for him in Week 8 at Green Bay, or perhaps the bye week helps fixes things for him and the team, to a point. But it seems like the more time James has to get acclimated to the Arizona offense, the further he gets from actually being acclimated. I can't see him returning to form as more than a No. 2 fantasy option, and until he has that standout game, he'll be a concern against stronger opponents.

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Edgerrin James, RB, Cardinals
13 carries, 34 rushing yards, 0 TD
Things don't seem to be getting any better for James, who suffers the misfortune of running behind one of the weakest offensive lines in football this season. And while his Week 7 performance probably doesn't bother his fantasy owners any more than any of the six before it, it should, because it's a lot more troubling. This was the first game for the Cardinals under new offensive coordinator Mike Kruczek, who, by the way, was previously the team's quarterbacks coach. One week is hardly the ideal representation of what Kruczek's impact will be on the offense, but now James owners have to worry not only about his terrible yards-per-carry average (2.7) but also about his season low in touches (14) -- 11 fewer than in any of the previous six weeks -- in the first game of the Kruczek era. Go ahead and say it's because the Cardinals played from behind all day, but folks, this team has lost each of its past six games by a combined 52 points, yet James averaged 24.4 rushing attempts in Weeks 2-6, a rather healthy total. Maybe things go right back to normal for him in Week 8 at Green Bay, or perhaps the bye week helps fixes things for him and the team, to a point. But it seems like the more time James has to get acclimated to the Arizona offense, the further he gets from actually being acclimated. I can't see him returning to form as more than a No. 2 fantasy option, and until he has that standout game, he'll be a concern against stronger opponents.

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Oct. 23, 2006, 1:49 PM
Week 7: Patience with Leinart

By Jason Langendorf
ESPN Fantasy Games





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Football followers are as fickle as my kids:
Daddy, I don't want chicken for dinner. But we had chicken just last week and you ate it. I didn't like it. But you told me you did. No, I didn't. But you had three helpings. Uh-uh. Well then. Um, OK.
And so it is with Arizona QB Matt Leinart and his fans/critics. First, one of the most prolific quarterbacks in college football history gets poked and prodded by personnel men during the summer evaluation process, to the point that they simply have to find something wrong with him. Then, the BMOC-turned-draft bridesmaid sours more opinions with a brief holdout and fails to beat out QB Kurt Warner for the Cardinals' starting job. No wonder the pretty boy fell to No. 10.
<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8><SPACER width="8" type="block" height="1"></TD><TD width=300 bgColor=#ecece4>FIVE DEFENSES WITH INJURIES TO TARGET
5. Jaguars: I haven't seen the tape yet, but I'm guessing no DT Marcus Stroud, DE Reggie Hayward or LB Mike Peterson helped Houston.
4. Falcons: How did Atlanta stop RB Willie Parker with no DT Rod Coleman or DE John Abraham? I dunno, but I like RBs Rudi Johnson and Kevin Jones the next two weeks anyway.
3. Bills: They looked solid against the Pats, but they couldn't afford to lose DT John McCargo, rookie or not. There's just no depth inside. 2. Redskins: CB Shawn Springs is back, but an injury to CB Carlos Rogers means the Kenny Wright Cook-off continues. 1. Lions: DT Shaun Rogers is overrated? Really? Detroit run D before Sunday: 94.3 rushing yards allowed per game. Against the lowly Jets: 221 yards and three TDs.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

But when Warner cracks, Leinart has a solid starting debut. And after a for-the-ages follow-up performance against Chicago, all lingering doubts about his readiness are eradicated. Leinart, after all, is no typical rookie. He is different. He is exceptionally polished. He has played in big games before. He is unfazed by pressure. He can leap tall buildings in a single bound, cure the common cold and rid my TV dial of the Lifetime channel with a twitch of his nose.
Then comes Oakland. Leinart spits the bit against an unfathomably bad Raiders team, and of course ... it's to be expected. One week he has the whole of the NFL kingdom at his feet, the next he's a pauper in the streets. But Leinart is a rookie, after all. He was bound to come back to earth/hit the wall/get exposed. Look, this is the NFL we're talking about. The National Football League. You aren't in southern California anymore, kid. That's not Texas/Notre Dame/Oklahoma out there. (Mandatory chuckling in the booth ensues.)
OK, stop. Just stop it. And I'm not just talking to you TV color analysts, who are now inducing actual physical pain on viewers. Writers, sports-talk DJs, fans, scouts, anyone who pays a modicum of attention to the NFL seems possessed by the urge to rush to judgment -- and then completely ignore that first verdict while rushing to a new one. Too many things happen every week in the NFL that don't make sense, but we aren't willing to throw up our hands once in a while and say, "Well, we just don't know." Much better to make a statement, no matter how ill-informed, than to have nothing to say at all. Better to be a flip-flopper than a wishy-washer.
Well, I'm here to tell you: I don't know. No one does. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure I have an idea about plenty of things, including this Leinart fella. I know the wretched track record of rookie NFL quarterbacks. I realize Arizona's offensive line can neither protect nor run block well enough consistently to give any passer sufficient time in the pocket or put him in favorable game situations. I have a handle on Leinart's tools and experience, and I even believe proof of his leadership and heart and nerve are all but indisputable. I get the impression he had problems when the Bears bagged their Cover 2 and played more man-to-man late in Week 6. I'd also say the Raiders, who play a great deal of man-to-man and have an emerging cover stud in CB Nnamdi Asomugha, were a deceptively tough matchup for Leinart at this stage of the game. I'd surmise that he'll have far more luck, at least in the short term, against teams that play zone and don't blitz and allow him to rely on his head more than his legs and arm.
But it's all educated guesswork. And lest you think I'm a closet Cardinals fan/critic (yeah, I wrote about 'em in this space not long ago), here are some others that we were -- and are -- equally clueless about: QB Michael Vick, RB Larry Johnson, San Diego's defense, QB David Carr, WR Mike Furrey, TE Tony Gonzalez, QB Mark Brunell (again). And that was just Week 7.
The point is this: Don't overreact to what you think a single game tells you. Take it in, process it, file it away. Start your stars every week and approach everything else with caution. In other words, Miami QB Joey Harrington (414 yards against Green Bay) probably isn't ready to start reeling off 400-yard games willy-nilly. But with a human turnstile at cornerback and the NFL's worst pass defense after six weeks, the Packers safely can be deemed a strong fantasy matchup for opposing quarterbacks and pass-catchers.
Unless, of course, your quarterback happens to be Leinart. See, the Cardinals travel to Green Bay in Week 8. And the Packers (wouldn't you know it?) favor man-to-man schemes in the secondary. My head hurts. I must lie down now.
O-LINE OBSERVATIONS
The so-called "Hutchinson Bowl" vindicated Minnesota's decision to lure OG Steve Hutchinson away from Seattle with a boatload of cash in the offseason. The Seahawks have more problems than a Pro Bowl guard could solve on his own, but the thrashing of QB Matt Hasselbeck (knee) and a total of 53 rushing yards on 21 carries illustrates just how far Seattle's offense has fallen since last season. RB Maurice Morris, who doesn't get downhill nearly as well as injured RB Shaun Alexander and lacks his power, will struggle as long as opponents keep getting penetration. ... Washington's play-calling baffles me. The Redskins have a big, strong offensive line, an elite feature back and a quarterback who'd have trouble throwing from the back line at the county fair dunk tank. Yet against Indianapolis in the first half Sunday, QB Brunell dropped back 16 times while the Redskins had just 11 rushing attempts (including a 6-4 pass-run ratio on first downs). Washington never trailed by more than a TD before the third quarter, but coordinator Al Saunders kept putting the game in Brunell's hands. And when the Redskins did run, Portis curiously was sent wide more often than up the gut. That isn't the way to beat an undersized, speedy Colts defense. Similar matchups await, but Portis won't have it any easier if Washington doesn't get more aggressive -- especially if QB Jason Campbell eventually replaces Brunell.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 23, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Oct. 23, 2006, 1:49 PM
Week 7: Patience with Leinart

By Jason Langendorf
ESPN Fantasy Games





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Football followers are as fickle as my kids:
Daddy, I don't want chicken for dinner. But we had chicken just last week and you ate it. I didn't like it. But you told me you did. No, I didn't. But you had three helpings. Uh-uh. Well then. Um, OK.
And so it is with Arizona QB Matt Leinart and his fans/critics. First, one of the most prolific quarterbacks in college football history gets poked and prodded by personnel men during the summer evaluation process, to the point that they simply have to find something wrong with him. Then, the BMOC-turned-draft bridesmaid sours more opinions with a brief holdout and fails to beat out QB Kurt Warner for the Cardinals' starting job. No wonder the pretty boy fell to No. 10.
<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8><SPACER width="8" type="block" height="1"></TD><TD width=300 bgColor=#ecece4>FIVE DEFENSES WITH INJURIES TO TARGET
5. Jaguars: I haven't seen the tape yet, but I'm guessing no DT Marcus Stroud, DE Reggie Hayward or LB Mike Peterson helped Houston.
4. Falcons: How did Atlanta stop RB Willie Parker with no DT Rod Coleman or DE John Abraham? I dunno, but I like RBs Rudi Johnson and Kevin Jones the next two weeks anyway.
3. Bills: They looked solid against the Pats, but they couldn't afford to lose DT John McCargo, rookie or not. There's just no depth inside. 2. Redskins: CB Shawn Springs is back, but an injury to CB Carlos Rogers means the Kenny Wright Cook-off continues. 1. Lions: DT Shaun Rogers is overrated? Really? Detroit run D before Sunday: 94.3 rushing yards allowed per game. Against the lowly Jets: 221 yards and three TDs.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

But when Warner cracks, Leinart has a solid starting debut. And after a for-the-ages follow-up performance against Chicago, all lingering doubts about his readiness are eradicated. Leinart, after all, is no typical rookie. He is different. He is exceptionally polished. He has played in big games before. He is unfazed by pressure. He can leap tall buildings in a single bound, cure the common cold and rid my TV dial of the Lifetime channel with a twitch of his nose.
Then comes Oakland. Leinart spits the bit against an unfathomably bad Raiders team, and of course ... it's to be expected. One week he has the whole of the NFL kingdom at his feet, the next he's a pauper in the streets. But Leinart is a rookie, after all. He was bound to come back to earth/hit the wall/get exposed. Look, this is the NFL we're talking about. The National Football League. You aren't in southern California anymore, kid. That's not Texas/Notre Dame/Oklahoma out there. (Mandatory chuckling in the booth ensues.)
OK, stop. Just stop it. And I'm not just talking to you TV color analysts, who are now inducing actual physical pain on viewers. Writers, sports-talk DJs, fans, scouts, anyone who pays a modicum of attention to the NFL seems possessed by the urge to rush to judgment -- and then completely ignore that first verdict while rushing to a new one. Too many things happen every week in the NFL that don't make sense, but we aren't willing to throw up our hands once in a while and say, "Well, we just don't know." Much better to make a statement, no matter how ill-informed, than to have nothing to say at all. Better to be a flip-flopper than a wishy-washer.
Well, I'm here to tell you: I don't know. No one does. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure I have an idea about plenty of things, including this Leinart fella. I know the wretched track record of rookie NFL quarterbacks. I realize Arizona's offensive line can neither protect nor run block well enough consistently to give any passer sufficient time in the pocket or put him in favorable game situations. I have a handle on Leinart's tools and experience, and I even believe proof of his leadership and heart and nerve are all but indisputable. I get the impression he had problems when the Bears bagged their Cover 2 and played more man-to-man late in Week 6. I'd also say the Raiders, who play a great deal of man-to-man and have an emerging cover stud in CB Nnamdi Asomugha, were a deceptively tough matchup for Leinart at this stage of the game. I'd surmise that he'll have far more luck, at least in the short term, against teams that play zone and don't blitz and allow him to rely on his head more than his legs and arm.
But it's all educated guesswork. And lest you think I'm a closet Cardinals fan/critic (yeah, I wrote about 'em in this space not long ago), here are some others that we were -- and are -- equally clueless about: QB Michael Vick, RB Larry Johnson, San Diego's defense, QB David Carr, WR Mike Furrey, TE Tony Gonzalez, QB Mark Brunell (again). And that was just Week 7.
The point is this: Don't overreact to what you think a single game tells you. Take it in, process it, file it away. Start your stars every week and approach everything else with caution. In other words, Miami QB Joey Harrington (414 yards against Green Bay) probably isn't ready to start reeling off 400-yard games willy-nilly. But with a human turnstile at cornerback and the NFL's worst pass defense after six weeks, the Packers safely can be deemed a strong fantasy matchup for opposing quarterbacks and pass-catchers.
Unless, of course, your quarterback happens to be Leinart. See, the Cardinals travel to Green Bay in Week 8. And the Packers (wouldn't you know it?) favor man-to-man schemes in the secondary. My head hurts. I must lie down now.
O-LINE OBSERVATIONS
The so-called "Hutchinson Bowl" vindicated Minnesota's decision to lure OG Steve Hutchinson away from Seattle with a boatload of cash in the offseason. The Seahawks have more problems than a Pro Bowl guard could solve on his own, but the thrashing of QB Matt Hasselbeck (knee) and a total of 53 rushing yards on 21 carries illustrates just how far Seattle's offense has fallen since last season. RB Maurice Morris, who doesn't get downhill nearly as well as injured RB Shaun Alexander and lacks his power, will struggle as long as opponents keep getting penetration. ... Washington's play-calling baffles me. The Redskins have a big, strong offensive line, an elite feature back and a quarterback who'd have trouble throwing from the back line at the county fair dunk tank. Yet against Indianapolis in the first half Sunday, QB Brunell dropped back 16 times while the Redskins had just 11 rushing attempts (including a 6-4 pass-run ratio on first downs). Washington never trailed by more than a TD before the third quarter, but coordinator Al Saunders kept putting the game in Brunell's hands. And when the Redskins did run, Portis curiously was sent wide more often than up the gut. That isn't the way to beat an undersized, speedy Colts defense. Similar matchups await, but Portis won't have it any easier if Washington doesn't get more aggressive -- especially if QB Jason Campbell eventually replaces Brunell.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 6 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 6 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Oct. 24, 2006, 2:50 PM
Carroll: Roethlisberger, Hasselbeck updates

By Will Carroll
ESPN.com





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Slow week, huh? No time for an intro, so let's get right to the injuries:
Matt Hasselbeck was lucky when his knee got rolled up. If you watch the video, he was turned, taking the brunt of the force on the outside of his leg. That force taxed his medial collateral ligament, and if you're going to sprain your knee, the MCL is the one you'd pick, if forced. Even when completely ruptured, the current medical convention is not to repair it, as was done in Daunte Culpepper's case. OK, bad example. The sprain was described by Mike Holmgren as a Grade II, so the given three-week time frame is, if anything, a bit conservative. According to doctors from Kerlan-Jobe, one of the top orthopedic hospitals in the country, Hasselbeck's knee shouldn't pose any problem when he comes back, especially if braced. "It will, of course, affect his mobility but should not affect his drop-back or passing ability." I won't be surprised if we see Hasselbeck on the practice field as early as next week.
Concussions are cumulative. Ask any boxer. Ben Roethlisberger has just suffered his second significant concussion in less than four months and neither was of the "bell rung" variety. Roethlisberger was down on the ground for better than five minutes; for part of that time he appeared to be either unconscious or what one doctor I spoke with called "altered." (That's a fancy word for what my high school football coach Bob Newton called "knocked goofy.") Under the guidelines of the Cantu scale, one of three major concussion recovery guidelines and the one I prefer with the 2001 revisions, Roethlisberger should miss at least two weeks, and that's only if he did not actually lose consciousness. If he did, he should miss a month. On top of that, these words in the guideline probably matter more: "consider terminating season." The NFL and the Steelers in particular do some good work in trying to treat and prevent concussions. Now it's time to see if they'll use what they've learned. No matter how long Roethlisberger is out, Charlie Batch is a must-have handcuff or a nice bye-week pickup in most leagues.
Speaking of concussions, Trent Green has been cleared to practice. Instead of a red jersey, Green is likely to have Secret Service protection and air bags during his first week of practice. This isn't going to be an immediate comeback. Green said as much himself this week, pointing to a couple weeks down the road without noting that he's only been cleared for non-contact drills. The problem is that when football players get on the field, even with restrictions, they have a tendency to just want to play football. On top of that, coaches see players playing and wonder why they can't just play in games. Assuming Green can make it through practices this week without any setbacks, I believe that he'll be cleared to take contact the following week. That would put him on pace for a return in the Nov. 5 game. Damon Huard's play doesn't appear to be a factor here, so we'll all be watching Green's results for guidance on when he'll be back in fantasy rosters.
I don't think it's letting the cat out of the bag when I tell you that teams lie about injuries. I don't think it's mean or even intentional in most cases. Coaches are the ones that give info out to the media, translating and spinning all at once despite an obvious lack of comfort with the material. Most reporters don't cover injuries either, making their questions a bit tangential in many cases. You don't go to press conferences for straight answers. Why discuss this when looking for a return date on Larry Fitzgerald? Because my sources were better than anything given out by the team. A Grade II strain of the hamstring takes a certain amount of time to heal, and then the player has to return to his previous level of function. Given the information we had on Fitzgerald, which didn't include any evidence of him healing faster or slower than normal, it's no surprise to see that he won't be back until after the bye. "But he's questionable," I can hear you saying. I'll point back to the first sentence and tell you that in the unlikely event that Fitzgerald sees the field this week, he'll be a decoy.
The Redskins took the loss in last week's game to the Colts, but the game may be even more costly due to injuries. While everyone saw Santana Moss go down hard with a hamstring strain, it appears to have looked worse than it was. MRI showed that the strain was a mild one, a Grade I+ strain according to one source. That means that there's no significant tearing in the muscle, meaning that if he responds to treatment, Moss could play this week. Muscle strains, especially to the hamstrings of muscle-bound guys like Moss, can be recurrent, so this is definitely something to watch for. However, the lead is buried here because the more significant injury occurred with Clinton Portis. Portis left the game with what looked like a bruise, but replays showed that someone's knee came down on Portis' leg in such a way that his ankle was compromised. Portis now has been diagnosed with one of the most dreaded conditions for a runner -- the high ankle sprain. Portis was seen coming back to Washington in a walking boot, so keep an eye on this. High ankle sprains can linger and take more than a month to heal completely. I'm told that Portis doesn't think this is too serious, but last I checked, none of his characters have been doctors. If you don't have Ladell Betts handcuffed, now might be the time to do it. Both have the bye week to heal.
Greg Jennings is one of the first guys that Antonio Freeman told me about and the first one to really pay off. Jennings came into Green Bay, a place Free knows pretty well, and immediately established himself as Brett Favre's No. 2 option. Now, Jennings is down with a moderate ankle sprain and looks to be out for this week's game. Jennings is a complete WR, so he's not one of the speed guys that could have this ruin a month. The Packers are very short of receivers now, so look for them to go to more TE routes and rely on Ahman Green and Noah Herron to take the load. Jennings should be back quickly and without long term effect, though you'll need to look elsewhere on Sunday.
It took about 10 seconds for me to fire out an e-mail to "The Fantasy Show" producers after watching LaVar Arrington go down in Monday night's game. It only took that long because my laptop was charging and I had to walk over to the desk. Arrington is done for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon and you could see from the reactions of the trainers and Arrington himself that there was no question what the injury was. When the Achilles pops, it's very clear. If you look down at your own heel, you can clearly see where the Achilles is, pressing against the skin at the back of the lower leg. When it ruptures, it's simply not there, usually retracting due to the muscular tension. If you squeeze the Achilles (put your thumb on the tendon and fingers over the shin), the foot will drop slightly, the test to confirm an Achilles rupture. Arrington will have the tendon reattached surgically and should return next year. There's a high return rate for this surgery, though it is tough for an aging player to come back from any injury. This will force some reshuffling for the Giants LB corps, something that should affect their run defense. Watch this in matchups, especially over the next few weeks.
I have no idea what happened to Gary Baxter. Usually, if I see an injury, I can get a pretty good idea what happened. With the Browns CB, watching it on tape over and over still has me stumped. Baxter went down while he was backpedaling and you can see his left leg buckle, but he grabs his right knee. Tests showed that he ruptured both patellar tendons, something I can only recall seeing once. Wendell Davis, a WR for the Bears, did a jump stop on the legendarily bad Philly turf and -- as anyone that remembers it will tell you -- suffered an immediate and visible rupture of both tendons. The mechanism of injury for these two couldn't be more opposite, but the result is much the same. Baxter had been suffering with various injuries, something that could factor in here. He'll have surgery and will miss at least a year and even then, it's not clear he'll ever recover enough to return to his previous level. Once again, the Browns become a very good matchup play if your QB or WR is heading to Cleveland.
The Raiders have enough troubles without adding injuries to the mix. LaMont Jordan was the one player that was worth a fantasy play. Instead, Jordan was an active zero, not taking a carry or touching the field after shaking off the trainers in warm-ups. The back spasms reported late last week appear to be lingering enough to keep Jordan off the field. Since they were aggravated by catching passes, it probably affects Jordan more than most RBs, who aren't as involved in the passing game.
The team will work on getting the pain-spasm cycle under control early this week, so look to see if Jordan is full-go once practice gets going. Any limitation would force him out of most fantasy lineups. His loss will also affect Randy Moss, since teams won't need to respect the run. At this stage, the Raiders are a fantasy wasteland -- you don't even want your guys going against their unnoticed defense.
At least Chargers LB Shawne Merriman isn't using his time under steroid suspension to take care of other business. His suspension, reportedly for the use of deca-durabolin, is impossible to excuse. Deca is one of the steroids that has been in use for decades and one that is easily detectable even by primitive testing, let alone the sophisticated procedures used in pro sports. The "tainted supplement'" excuse doesn't hold, especially given the NFL's policy of approving supplements. I'm sure the Washington Post article claiming that nandrolone was found in several supplements will be brought up, but all those supplements were pulled from the market more than a year ago. The Chargers' defense drafted Luis Castillo after he tested positive at the NFL combine, so there appears to be something of an organizational problem, one that the Chargers should be forced to address.
Instead of wondering aloud how the team will deal with a linebacker shortage, I wonder how the NFL gets away with a steroid scandal without the same outrage baseball takes for steroids. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is comparable to Merriman in terms of early-career achievement; Howard was the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year (and this year's home run champ), while Merriman was the 2005 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year (and also made the Pro Bowl). If Howard tested positive, what would the reaction be? I doubt the headline would be "Phillies short of first basemen." Bumps and Bruises: Shaun Alexander will begin practicing this week, but he will not play until the team gets to Oakland in two weeks. ... No one is talking much about a report that Laurence Maroney was one of several players in line for X-rays after this week's game in Buffalo. According to every source I spoke to, there's nothing wrong with Maroney. ... In a bad week for ACL injuries, Mike Doss blew his out and his season is done. The Colts are hoping Bob Sanders will be back soon. ... The Colts head to Denver this week, where the ACL goblin nailed Matt Lepsis. His season is done. O-line problems might keep Jake Plummer on the field longer. His mobility is an asset that Jay Cutler can't match. ... Donte' Stallworth will be back at practice, Eagles sources tell me, but they're waiting to see if he can get through the week without a setback for his chronic hamstring. ... Ben Roethlisberger wasn't the only QB knocked around this weekend. Charlie Frye also took a concussion, so watch this situation. Sacks are a massive indicator for future injury to QBs. ... Daunte Culpepper is out until after Miami's bye, but the knee is fine, according to team sources.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 6 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 6 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Oct. 24, 2006, 2:50 PM
Carroll: Roethlisberger, Hasselbeck updates

By Will Carroll
ESPN.com





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Slow week, huh? No time for an intro, so let's get right to the injuries:
Matt Hasselbeck was lucky when his knee got rolled up. If you watch the video, he was turned, taking the brunt of the force on the outside of his leg. That force taxed his medial collateral ligament, and if you're going to sprain your knee, the MCL is the one you'd pick, if forced. Even when completely ruptured, the current medical convention is not to repair it, as was done in Daunte Culpepper's case. OK, bad example. The sprain was described by Mike Holmgren as a Grade II, so the given three-week time frame is, if anything, a bit conservative. According to doctors from Kerlan-Jobe, one of the top orthopedic hospitals in the country, Hasselbeck's knee shouldn't pose any problem when he comes back, especially if braced. "It will, of course, affect his mobility but should not affect his drop-back or passing ability." I won't be surprised if we see Hasselbeck on the practice field as early as next week.
Concussions are cumulative. Ask any boxer. Ben Roethlisberger has just suffered his second significant concussion in less than four months and neither was of the "bell rung" variety. Roethlisberger was down on the ground for better than five minutes; for part of that time he appeared to be either unconscious or what one doctor I spoke with called "altered." (That's a fancy word for what my high school football coach Bob Newton called "knocked goofy.") Under the guidelines of the Cantu scale, one of three major concussion recovery guidelines and the one I prefer with the 2001 revisions, Roethlisberger should miss at least two weeks, and that's only if he did not actually lose consciousness. If he did, he should miss a month. On top of that, these words in the guideline probably matter more: "consider terminating season." The NFL and the Steelers in particular do some good work in trying to treat and prevent concussions. Now it's time to see if they'll use what they've learned. No matter how long Roethlisberger is out, Charlie Batch is a must-have handcuff or a nice bye-week pickup in most leagues.
Speaking of concussions, Trent Green has been cleared to practice. Instead of a red jersey, Green is likely to have Secret Service protection and air bags during his first week of practice. This isn't going to be an immediate comeback. Green said as much himself this week, pointing to a couple weeks down the road without noting that he's only been cleared for non-contact drills. The problem is that when football players get on the field, even with restrictions, they have a tendency to just want to play football. On top of that, coaches see players playing and wonder why they can't just play in games. Assuming Green can make it through practices this week without any setbacks, I believe that he'll be cleared to take contact the following week. That would put him on pace for a return in the Nov. 5 game. Damon Huard's play doesn't appear to be a factor here, so we'll all be watching Green's results for guidance on when he'll be back in fantasy rosters.
I don't think it's letting the cat out of the bag when I tell you that teams lie about injuries. I don't think it's mean or even intentional in most cases. Coaches are the ones that give info out to the media, translating and spinning all at once despite an obvious lack of comfort with the material. Most reporters don't cover injuries either, making their questions a bit tangential in many cases. You don't go to press conferences for straight answers. Why discuss this when looking for a return date on Larry Fitzgerald? Because my sources were better than anything given out by the team. A Grade II strain of the hamstring takes a certain amount of time to heal, and then the player has to return to his previous level of function. Given the information we had on Fitzgerald, which didn't include any evidence of him healing faster or slower than normal, it's no surprise to see that he won't be back until after the bye. "But he's questionable," I can hear you saying. I'll point back to the first sentence and tell you that in the unlikely event that Fitzgerald sees the field this week, he'll be a decoy.
The Redskins took the loss in last week's game to the Colts, but the game may be even more costly due to injuries. While everyone saw Santana Moss go down hard with a hamstring strain, it appears to have looked worse than it was. MRI showed that the strain was a mild one, a Grade I+ strain according to one source. That means that there's no significant tearing in the muscle, meaning that if he responds to treatment, Moss could play this week. Muscle strains, especially to the hamstrings of muscle-bound guys like Moss, can be recurrent, so this is definitely something to watch for. However, the lead is buried here because the more significant injury occurred with Clinton Portis. Portis left the game with what looked like a bruise, but replays showed that someone's knee came down on Portis' leg in such a way that his ankle was compromised. Portis now has been diagnosed with one of the most dreaded conditions for a runner -- the high ankle sprain. Portis was seen coming back to Washington in a walking boot, so keep an eye on this. High ankle sprains can linger and take more than a month to heal completely. I'm told that Portis doesn't think this is too serious, but last I checked, none of his characters have been doctors. If you don't have Ladell Betts handcuffed, now might be the time to do it. Both have the bye week to heal.
Greg Jennings is one of the first guys that Antonio Freeman told me about and the first one to really pay off. Jennings came into Green Bay, a place Free knows pretty well, and immediately established himself as Brett Favre's No. 2 option. Now, Jennings is down with a moderate ankle sprain and looks to be out for this week's game. Jennings is a complete WR, so he's not one of the speed guys that could have this ruin a month. The Packers are very short of receivers now, so look for them to go to more TE routes and rely on Ahman Green and Noah Herron to take the load. Jennings should be back quickly and without long term effect, though you'll need to look elsewhere on Sunday.
It took about 10 seconds for me to fire out an e-mail to "The Fantasy Show" producers after watching LaVar Arrington go down in Monday night's game. It only took that long because my laptop was charging and I had to walk over to the desk. Arrington is done for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon and you could see from the reactions of the trainers and Arrington himself that there was no question what the injury was. When the Achilles pops, it's very clear. If you look down at your own heel, you can clearly see where the Achilles is, pressing against the skin at the back of the lower leg. When it ruptures, it's simply not there, usually retracting due to the muscular tension. If you squeeze the Achilles (put your thumb on the tendon and fingers over the shin), the foot will drop slightly, the test to confirm an Achilles rupture. Arrington will have the tendon reattached surgically and should return next year. There's a high return rate for this surgery, though it is tough for an aging player to come back from any injury. This will force some reshuffling for the Giants LB corps, something that should affect their run defense. Watch this in matchups, especially over the next few weeks.
I have no idea what happened to Gary Baxter. Usually, if I see an injury, I can get a pretty good idea what happened. With the Browns CB, watching it on tape over and over still has me stumped. Baxter went down while he was backpedaling and you can see his left leg buckle, but he grabs his right knee. Tests showed that he ruptured both patellar tendons, something I can only recall seeing once. Wendell Davis, a WR for the Bears, did a jump stop on the legendarily bad Philly turf and -- as anyone that remembers it will tell you -- suffered an immediate and visible rupture of both tendons. The mechanism of injury for these two couldn't be more opposite, but the result is much the same. Baxter had been suffering with various injuries, something that could factor in here. He'll have surgery and will miss at least a year and even then, it's not clear he'll ever recover enough to return to his previous level. Once again, the Browns become a very good matchup play if your QB or WR is heading to Cleveland.
The Raiders have enough troubles without adding injuries to the mix. LaMont Jordan was the one player that was worth a fantasy play. Instead, Jordan was an active zero, not taking a carry or touching the field after shaking off the trainers in warm-ups. The back spasms reported late last week appear to be lingering enough to keep Jordan off the field. Since they were aggravated by catching passes, it probably affects Jordan more than most RBs, who aren't as involved in the passing game.
The team will work on getting the pain-spasm cycle under control early this week, so look to see if Jordan is full-go once practice gets going. Any limitation would force him out of most fantasy lineups. His loss will also affect Randy Moss, since teams won't need to respect the run. At this stage, the Raiders are a fantasy wasteland -- you don't even want your guys going against their unnoticed defense.
At least Chargers LB Shawne Merriman isn't using his time under steroid suspension to take care of other business. His suspension, reportedly for the use of deca-durabolin, is impossible to excuse. Deca is one of the steroids that has been in use for decades and one that is easily detectable even by primitive testing, let alone the sophisticated procedures used in pro sports. The "tainted supplement'" excuse doesn't hold, especially given the NFL's policy of approving supplements. I'm sure the Washington Post article claiming that nandrolone was found in several supplements will be brought up, but all those supplements were pulled from the market more than a year ago. The Chargers' defense drafted Luis Castillo after he tested positive at the NFL combine, so there appears to be something of an organizational problem, one that the Chargers should be forced to address.
Instead of wondering aloud how the team will deal with a linebacker shortage, I wonder how the NFL gets away with a steroid scandal without the same outrage baseball takes for steroids. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is comparable to Merriman in terms of early-career achievement; Howard was the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year (and this year's home run champ), while Merriman was the 2005 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year (and also made the Pro Bowl). If Howard tested positive, what would the reaction be? I doubt the headline would be "Phillies short of first basemen." Bumps and Bruises: Shaun Alexander will begin practicing this week, but he will not play until the team gets to Oakland in two weeks. ... No one is talking much about a report that Laurence Maroney was one of several players in line for X-rays after this week's game in Buffalo. According to every source I spoke to, there's nothing wrong with Maroney. ... In a bad week for ACL injuries, Mike Doss blew his out and his season is done. The Colts are hoping Bob Sanders will be back soon. ... The Colts head to Denver this week, where the ACL goblin nailed Matt Lepsis. His season is done. O-line problems might keep Jake Plummer on the field longer. His mobility is an asset that Jay Cutler can't match. ... Donte' Stallworth will be back at practice, Eagles sources tell me, but they're waiting to see if he can get through the week without a setback for his chronic hamstring. ... Ben Roethlisberger wasn't the only QB knocked around this weekend. Charlie Frye also took a concussion, so watch this situation. Sacks are a massive indicator for future injury to QBs. ... Daunte Culpepper is out until after Miami's bye, but the knee is fine, according to team sources.
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Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 6 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 6 New Articles Added 10/22/06)

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Ready for Romo?

By Scott Engel
ESPN.com





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552>The Tom Brady era began in New England when Drew Bledsoe was benched, and it seems like Bledsoe's run as a starter in Dallas could be over as well. But no one is expecting Tony Romo to come in and lead the Cowboys to Super Bowl glory, and it's even questionable how useful he will be as a fantasy starter and how stable the Dallas offense will be under his guidance.
There have been no official announcements from Bill Parcells, but the talk coming out of Dallas is that when Bledsoe was benched after a mostly nightmarish first half on Monday night, that he won't get his job back, and Romo will likely start Dallas' next game at Carolina on Sunday night. The switch had long been rumored, but now it seems like the Cowboys have no choice but to make the change. An immobile veteran behind a shaky offensive line, Bledsoe was a sitting target for ferocious opposing pass rushers, especially the aggressive Giants' front line.
Bledsoe was an inconsistent fantasy starter, because for all his weaponry, he didn't have the mobility to buy extra time in the pocket, and his decision-making was very questionable for such an experienced passer. At no time was his thought process more confounding than when he threw an interception near the goal line late in the first half that cost Dallas a chance to take the lead. Fantasy owners of the Giants defense, however, watched with glee as CB Sam Madison picked him off en route to an 18-point night for the unit in ESPN leagues.
Fantasy owners must wonder what to expect from Romo as a regular starter. His very first pass was one of three interceptions he threw, but he also tossed two TD passes, one to Terrell Owens. Fantasy owners shouldn't completely pre-judge Romo based on his performance on Monday. He was thrown into a difficult situation in which his team was already on its heels, and he has not had the proper preparation with the first-team offense yet. Romo has looked good in the preseason, but regular season play is certainly different, and even if Romo does succeed, it should take some time.
Don't assume that Romo will fail as Dallas' starter because he was erratic in what seemed like a no-win situation on Monday night. Given some time, say a game or two to settle in as a starter, he should at least be respectable for fantasy purposes. He has two very good wide receivers, a quality running game, and he can buy more time to throw with his feet than Bledsoe can. All it will take for Romo to play at least adequately is some in-game reps. As we have seen from players like Damon Huard and Charlie Batch this year, backup quarterbacks aren't necessarily downgrades. And in the case of the Dallas QBs, a more mobile and promising passer could be an upgrade. If Bledsoe does somehow remain the starter, it might not be for long. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
A switch to Romo could also mean a change in the production of the Dallas receivers. If anything, the move could be a big positive for Terrell Owens. Yes, Owens has been partly to blame for some of his disappointing outings this season. He has been slow to adjust to the new offense and has been covered well at times. But in many instances when he was open, Bledsoe simply didn't have the time to get him the ball, or made a questionable read. Owens' three TDs against Houston last week were much a product of playing a weak opponent, but you bet Romo will lean heavily on Owens to help him move the ball. Owens will make the most of an opportunity to tell his new QB that he can be his main target, and Romo might honor Owens' calls to get the ball more. Now is a good time to trade for Owens, given the switch. But Bledsoe also had a longtime, on-field relationship with Terry Glenn, and Romo doesn't have that same comfort level with Glenn. Romo could lock onto Owens more and Glenn could be targeted less. As for tight end Jason Witten, there are no guarantees a QB change will help his production. He likely will be needed to stay in and block, as the Dallas offensive line still needs all the help it can get.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Julius Jones, RB, Cowboys
13 carries, 30 rushing yards, 0 TD
More support from the running game than what was given on Monday will be needed if Romo is to succeed as a starter if he gets the job. Jones was not much of a factor Monday night, as the Giants jumped ahead early and Jones quickly became a non-factor. Jones saw a string of three consecutive 100-yard games come to an end, as the New York defensive line dominated and stuffed the run when Dallas wasn't throwing the ball. Don't get down on Jones after the bad outing, though. Opposing defenses likely won't pay extra attention to him as Romo should be able to keep defenses honest right from the beginning as a starter. And Jones has proven he can roll up some good numbers despite Dallas' QB problems. You can look for Jones to quickly get back past the 20-carry mark, as the Cowboys might lean on him initially to take some pressure off their inexperienced new starter. Romo will need Jones to play well to avoid regularly adverse passing situations, and he'll likely get the needed production. But Jones only has two TD runs this season, and even if he rebounds quickly from his off night, Marion Barber III will remain a threat to take his goal-line carries.
</TD><TD width=15><SPACER width="15" type="block" height="1"></TD><TD class=rightcell vAlign=top width=195>TOP LINES
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD class=stathead align=middle bgColor=#555555 colSpan=6>Week 7</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>

</TD><TD colSpan=5>Joey Harrington, QB, Dolphins: His numbers don't fully reflect how truly erratic he was against a bad Green Bay defense</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>passYDS</TD><TD>passTD</TD><TD>INT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>414</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>2</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>3</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>-3</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>20</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>

</TD><TD colSpan=5>Tiki Barber, RB, Giants: Brother Ronde has more TDs, but you can't sit this yardage machine</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>ATT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>27</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>114</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>32</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>12</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>

</TD><TD colSpan=5>Mike Furrey, WR, Lions: Despite another promising outing, he's not dependable and remains a risky option</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>9</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>109</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>13</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>16</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>

</TD><TD colSpan=5>Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins: Has scored in two consecutive games, and is re-emerging as a scoring threat</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>4</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>42</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>5</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>12</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



Surfin' the Scoreboard

Names Makin' News
? Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck will miss at least three weeks with a sprained right MCL. Seneca Wallace will start in his place. Meanwhile, RB Shaun Alexander (foot) is targeting a Nov. 6 return. The Seattle Times reports that Alexander is healing well, but needs more time to rest.
? Aaron Brooks still is not ready to return from a pectoral injury. Andrew Walter (hamstring) has been cleared to play and will remain the starter for the Raiders at QB.
? While rumors persist about a QB switch for the Broncos, the Denver Post reports that Jake Plummer will remain the starting QB. The Broncos are 5-1, and Mike Shanahan appears reluctant to make a change with the team winning games.
? The Houston Chronicle reports that Wali Lundy is not guaranteed to start against Tennessee. But even if Samkon Gado starts, Lundy could still see the majority of the carries. ? Monday Box | Friday Box | Karabell's Blog




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Hache Man · Oct 24, 2006