The Fantasy Sports Zone
"Diamonds in the Rough"
(fantasy sleepers)
Players you should watch and some you might want to play now!
Nine weeks completed and the well is not dry yet. With many teams getting set for a second half push, there are going to be plenty of new faces making a greater impact down the back stretch and this Sunday we just might have a few.
This Week's Gems....
In Arizona....
With Kurt Warner returning to form last Sunday, this week the Seahawks defense will have to bring their "A" game to slow down the savvy veteran. One important stat to note from Warner's five touchdown performance last Sunday was the teams 28 rushing attempts and 149 yards rushing by Chris Wells and Tim Hightower. When the old man gets it going early, the running game opens up. The Seahawks defense has not been exactly stellar and could be a great opportunity for "Beanie" Wells to seperate himself a bit from Hightower. For 2009 Wells is averaging over four yards per carry and has 310-yards thus far this season. Against a defense that is ranked 12th and allows 4.4 yard per carry, he could be very productive.
In New York....
So far 2009 has been a bit topsy-turvy for the Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, but in his last two starts he has passed for over 400 yards, thrown three touchdowns with no turnovers, and has a passer rating over 100. This Sunday he'll face a Jaguar's defense that struggles to pressure the quarterback (eight sacks in 2009) and with time, he could be very successful throwing the ball. The Jets do a decent job of protection and with Cotchery and Edwards flanked out wide, look for Sanchez to spread the defense and air it out against the leagues 26th ranked pass defense (15 touchdown passes allowed).
In New Orleans...
Fantasy owners have yet to see much this season from running back Reggie Bush, but a lot of that could change on Sunday when the Saints travel to St. Louis. This season against some of the leagues notable pass catchers out of the backfield, the Rams defense has struggled. The Saints running back has yet to see consistent touches this season, with 16 being his high back in week three. Since that time Bush has averaged a pedestrian 6.4 touches per game, but Sunday could paint a very different picture especially for PPR owners. Expect the electric Bush to see 6-8 targets out of the backfield and at least 5-8 carries in this contest and to break free at least once for six in this contest.
Despite the Monday night numbers, fantasy owners don't be fooled by the 2009 Steelers, they are a passing team. Ranked 5th in the league, this version of the Steelers offense is led by Big Ben and the pass. One player worth noting as fantasy seasons gear up for the stretch run is rookie wideout Mike Wallace. The rook had a solid Monday night and could be a gamer down the stretch. The Steelers now throw the first, run second, and as a result Wallace has managed to score in three of his last four games. With eight targets against the Broncos on Monday expect to see more of Wallace as a focal point in the vertical game.
Check back every week for more fantasy Gems!
By David Ortega
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