FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

September 21st, 2010, Tuesday


David’s Daily Digest

My Fantasy Notes:

FAVRE AND COMPANY GROUNDED AGAIN
Through the first two weeks of the season quarterback Brett Favre and the Vikings passing game have barely left the ground. The Vikings passing game ranks 24th overall and Favre has already committed five turnovers. The absence of wide receiver Sidney Rice, injuries to wideout Percy Harvin, and the lack of any sort of playmaker at the wideout spot has left the passing game something to be greatly desired. On Sunday the Dolphins did a number on Minnesota at home limiting the Vikings to just 10 points and just 73 receiving yards to their receivers.
My Fantasy Read:
Until the Vikings make some big changes and adjustments, or add a big time receiver, or get healthy in a hurry, this offense and Brett Favre could struggle greatly in the coming weeks. It was about this time last year that Favre started to play like a three-time NFL MVP, but he just doesn’t have the horses this time around to recapture quite the same magic.

BUSH SUFFERS LEG INJURY MONDAY NIGHT
The Saints pulled off a nail-biter Monday night with a late game-winning field goal, but the victory came at a great expense. The Saint’s running back Reggie Bush who double-duties as the team’s primary punt returner, suffered a leg injury that will have him sidelined for a significant amount of time. The injury is a fracture of his upper fibula and could have the Saints tailback on the sidelines for as long as six weeks.
My Fantasy Read:
With Reggie on the shelf for a while expect to see more Pierre Thomas who hasn’t exactly shone, but has been dependable averaging nearly 60 yards on the ground and about five catches per game. He’ll become more of a featured back in the Saints attack, especially in the red-zone.

KOLB WAS EXPECTED TO START SUNDAY
So hold that thought, because it has already been announced earlier today Mike Vick will get the start this Sunday. Against the Lions Vick was vintage passing for 284 yards, rushing for another 37 yards on the ground, and tossing two scores.
My Fantasy Read:
Vick look very sharp, throwing some very tight spirals and long balls leading to scores. He seems to have his quickness and throwing arm back and a more mature Vick seems poised to succeed. He’s not quite elite, but in deep leagues right now he appears to be a viable option especially in Andy Reid’s west coast offense. Kolb is downgraded to a nice hand-cuff for Vick.

JACOBS ASKS TO BE TRADED?
There’s not a lot more you can say about what took place Sunday night on the Giant’s sideline other than ridiculous. In a heated tantrum, Giant’s running back Brandon Jacobs flung his helmet in frustration. That’s nothing too shocking or surprising as some player will from time to time display such emotion, the difference here is Jacob’s helmet ended up 10 rows into the stands filled with hostile Indy fans. Nevertheless the incident was quite the spectacle and as a result it now appears Jacobs could find himself heading out of town or at least in head coach Tom Coughlin’s doghouse for the time being.
My Fantasy Read:
It certainly doesn’t look good for Jacobs in New York if he is looking for a trade (which he denies). With his recent antics, he won’t be earning any more consideration for playing time and will remain the back up behind Ahmad Bradshaw. Until the Jacob’s ship gets righted, Bradshaw looks like a dependable RB2 option averaging 4.5 yards per carry and over 90 yards of offense per game.

FSH: SUNDAY MORNING GAMETIME

September 19th, 2010, Sunday

Sunday Morning Gametime

Last weekend’s NFL games were nothing less than fantastic with great plays, big upsets, and fantastic finishes. Leading the highlight reel from a week ago were some fantasy favorites like quarterback Peyton Manning (433 passing yards), running back Chris Johnson (142 rushing yards) with a couple of newcomers joining the party; rookie Arian Foster (231 yards rushing) and receiver Hakeem Nicks (3 touchdowns). Week two of the NFL promises to be everything and more that fantasy owners enjoyed last weekend. With some key matchups today that favor some big performances, fantasy owners will have plenty to salivate over.

Kickoff is just hours away, so taking a look ahead at the games, here’s what I will be watching…

Sunday Games:

The Rams will roll into the black hole this afternoon and face a hostile Raider Nation and soft Raider’s run defense. Last week the Raiders had trouble stopping the Titan’s running game (allowed and could struggle this week again. With Ram’s running back Steven Jackson gauging the defense for 4-5 yards at a time, I will be keeping my eye on Ram’s wide receiver Danny Amendola who was targeted 9 times last week.

The Vikings offense struggled in week one against the defending champions and looked very rusty in doing so, but with the extended time to work Favre and company should click today at home. The talk has been wide receiver Greg Camarillo stepping up as his go to, but I will be keeping my eye on wideout Bernard Berrian; it’s time for him to step up.

The Bengals swept the AFC North division a year ago (not an easy feat) and today will host the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens looked stout last week against the Jets, but only 10 points in week one my eyes will be on the Bengal’s offense. With Owens and Ochocinco, Palmer and company should have no problem scoring more than 10 points.

The Manning bowl will provide me with some interest, as poorly as the Colts run defense played last week I am not expecting a whole lot of improvement. I will be keeping my eyes on the Giants backfield (Bradshaw and Jacobs), whom should do well against a defense that was shredded for over 200 yards on the ground.

My Survivor Picks

This year we will be testing our fantasy skill in the Next Generation in Fantasy Football. Suicide Fantasy Football, it’s the newest craze in the game. It’s survival of the fittest and exactly that, a survivor league. In a 35-team league, we currently stand in 11th place. Here were our picks from a week ago and a look at our picks for this Sunday:

Last Week:
Donovan McNabb (7pts)
Matt Forte (32pts)
Carnell Williams (9pts)
Jeremy Maclin (10pts)
Jabar Gaffney (9pts)
Zach Miller (4pts)
Joe Nedney (6pts)

QB-Michael Vick: He is ready to make his first start since 2006. His legs look back and he still has the arm and weapons to go downfield.

RB-Ahamd Bradshaw: The Colts run defense looked bad and without safety Bob Sanders they will struggle against Giant’s run game.

RB-Rashard Mendenhall: The Titans run defense allowing over 5.0 yards per carry. Good matchup for Steeler run game.

WR-Greg Jennings: The Packers offense started slow last week, this week without Grant, Rodgers-to-Jennings should be big.

WR-Nate Washington: Nate has good chemistry with his quarterback and with defense focused on stopping the run, will have lots of single coverage today.

TE-Chris Cooley: Chris showed good chemistry with McNabb last week, expect to see him heavily targeted (9 targets last week) again this week.

PK-Nick Folk: The Jets offense is still a work in progress and is likely to struggle in the red-zone against Belichick; expect more kicks than thrills (TDs).

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

November 24th, 2009 10:30pm PST

David's Daily Digest

[My Take]

More football news and happenings from around the league; here’s the latest I am hearing, reading, and following with my take on things and how they will impact the coming fantasy week……

Player Notes From Across My Wire...

Brandon Jacobs is a go for Thursday….

The Giants running back has not been having quite the season fantasy owners had hoped for, but good news for Thursday night. Jacobs looks like he'll be a go and facing the Broncos he's going to have a great matchup. Jacobs has only rushed for 656 yards this season and three touchdowns, but the Broncos run defense over the past four weeks has been horrid allowing nearly 170-yards per game.

Warner bruised, but not broken….

The Cardinals quarterback suffered a mild concussion on Sunday against the Rams, but it sounds like he'll be a go for Sunday. Warner was knocked out of the game just before the end of the first half, but not before he rang up over 200-yards passing and two scores. This season Warner has passed for over 2,700 yards and 20 touchdowns, but he'll be facing a much improved Titan's defense (four sacks Monday night against Texans).

Cartwright looks fit to start Sunday….

With Clinton Portis already ruled out and Ladell Betts being injured on Sunday against the Cowboys, Cartwright becomes the man in D.C. Last Sunday Cartwright was effective out of the backfield catching seven passes and totaling 140 yards. He'll start Sunday against the Eagles, but should be a safe play in PPR leagues.

Rookie quarterback Matt Stafford unlikely….

With Stafford not practicing in a short week, it's highly unlikely fantasy owners will see him on Thursday against the Packers. Not only is this bad news for owners with Stafford coming off a huge 400-plus yards passing and five touchdown effort, but his absence will greatly affect the performance of wide receiver Calvin Johnson (if he plays). Without the rookie, Megatron (less than 100 percent) will be a very risky play against the Packs 7th ranked pass defense.

Check back with "Your Fantasy Sports Home" for more Football to digest....

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

October 12th, 2009 11:30pm PST

David's Daily Digest
[My Take]

More football news and happenings from around the league; here’s the latest I am hearing, reading, and following with my take on things and how they will impact the coming fantasy season……

Player News From Across the Wire...

Mark Sanchez, QB, New York Jets
Mark Sanchez had another rocky game on Monday night, completing just 12-of-24 passes for 172 yards, adding both a touchdown and interception, in New York's 31-27 loss in Miami.
My Fantasy read on Sanchez: The rookie has been roughed up a bit his last two outings, but Monday night he should plenty of posie and resolve leading the Jets to a late go ahead score. He's not ready to be an everyday fantasy starter (more like a decent QB2), but he's definitely a keeper in dynasty leagues.....

Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins
Young signal caller Chad Henne was rock-solid for the Dolphins on Monday night, completing 20-of-26 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns, as Miami edged the Jets 31-27 on Monday Night Football.
My Fantasy read on Henne: Henne looked superb down the stretch and really showed he had a big arm and great accuracy with some of his throws. It may be a bit premature to make any definitive claims, but the Fish may have found their QB of the future....

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Matt Hasselbeck reported no ill effects on Monday after playing through the later stages of a rib injury on Sunday, according to the Seattle Times.
My Fantasy read on Hasselbeck: It's hard to deny that this guy is not only gutsy, but ver good with four touchdowns passes last Sunday. Looking ahead Hasselbeck should be a fantasy starter, so long as his health holds up.....

Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants
Brandon Jacobs said on Monday that he expected to produce more in 2009 than he has so far, and that "frustration is very much upon me," according to the New York Daily News.
My Fantasy read on Jacobs: It's no surprise to see the running game off to a slower start. Teams are going to stack the line until they see Eli and Giant's passing game beat them consistently, so Jacob's frustration may not last much longer. Expect a big second half from the big diesel.....

Derek Anderson, QB, Cleveland Browns
Despite his dreadful Week 5 performance, in which he completed just 2-of-17 passes for 23 yards, Derek Anderson will remain the Browns' starting quarterback, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
My Fantasy read on Anderson: The Browns really struggled with strong winds and dropped balls, Anderson's numbers were horrible. The best thing about last Sunday, he can't do any worse, we just don't know how much better he can be or if he will be.....

Kyle Boller, QB, St. Louis Rams
It has been revealed that Rams quarterback Kyle Boller suffered a "mild" concussion on Sunday, and will undergo testing on Tuesday to determine his availability for Week 6, according to the Associated Press.
My Fantasy read on Boller: After Bulger's relief appearance, it's more than likely back to the bench for Boller. He won't offer any value as a fantasy quarterback sitting on the sideline, but with fragile Marc it may just be a matter of time before he's back under center......

Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions
MLive.com reports that Calvin Johnson's knee injury is not "significant."
My Fantasy read on Johnson: From the initial reports it wasn't believed to be a serious injury. Expect to see Megatron back on the field in week 6....

Roy Williams, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Roy Williams (ribs) says he will be able to resume playing in Week 7, according to the Dallas Morning News.
My Fantasy read on Williams: With the bye week coming up, that should give Williams plenty of time to rest and heal. It should be noted that the recent play of Miles and Williams inconsistency could lead to fewer targets down the road; something worth watching......

Check back with "Your Fantasy Sports Home" for more Football to digest....

FSH: SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NOTES

August 16th, 2009 10:57pm PST


Sunday Night Football Notes

Ahmad Bradshaw: No Wind Means More Fire

A nice compliment to Jacobs….
With fantasy drafts well under way, a name that could get lost and forgotten in the shuffle this preseason could the New York Giants new, but not so new back-up running back Ahmad Bradshaw.

For the past two seasons it has been the “Earth, Wind, and Fire” show in the Meadowlands, but the show has often lacked quite the same pyrotechnics that we may be accustomed to seeing in 2009. With a backfield that included Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Bradshaw, the Giants running game was at the top of the league in 2008 chewing up over 2,500-yards on the ground.

Often over-shadowed by his counter-parts (Jacobs & Ward), Bradshaw was easily the more unheralded contributor of the group. He did not grab all the spotlihg

The hidden gem in Bradshaw, who was limited to just 67 of the teams 502 carries, was his big-play ability. Last season Bradshaw broke off a long run for 77-yards and had over four carries of 20-yards or longer. His 1-out-of-every-16.75 ratio of long runs ranked higher than Adrian Peterson’s 1-out-of-every-18.15, DeAngelo William’s 1-out of every 18.2 carries, and Chris Johnson’s 1-out-of-every-27 carries.

With Derrick Ward signing with the Buccaneers in the offseason, the sometimes fragile Brandon Jacobs (8 games missed the last two seasons) is not likely to be expected to carry the load on his own. The vacancy of the number two spot is most likely going to be filled by Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw is a homerun hitter and would appear to be a great complimentary change-of-pace back-up option in the Giant’s backfield.

What to Expect….

As Jacob’s primary backup the last two seasons, Ward had collected 182 carries in 2008 and 125 attempts in a crowded 2007 backfield. With the health of the big-horse (Jacobs) always a concern, I wouldn’t expect to see the Giants increase his touches in 2009. Bradshaw has playmaking skills and gives the offense that big play threat defenses will need to be concerned about.

The Giants shifty back has shown in the past he can be a reliable ground gainer. In Week 16 of 2007 against the Bills, Bradshaw finished the game with 17 carries for 151-yards and a score. He was also very pivotal in the postseason during the team’s championship run and win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

The Fantasy prognosis for Bradshaw in 2009 looks very good. In a system that supports a heavy run game (502 attempts in 2008), not only will Jacobs reach his quota, but Bradshaw playing the role as the primary back-up should see his fair share of work.

Bradshaw’s explosiveness and great burst of speed make him a threat to break it every time he touches the ball. In two seasons the Giant’s number two runner has ran the ball 90 times for 545-yards for a career average of over 6-yards per carry. If Bradshaw sees the same type of work as the previous number two he’s got a shot to be another 1,000-yard runner for the G-men.

Jacobs is going to command a lot of attention on draft day for most fantasy leagues, for those owners looking to add quality depth, take note and put it on the board. Ahmad Bradshaw is likely to be undervalued in many leagues and has the upside to be a great RB3. He’s not going to sneak up on anybody as a true sleeper, but he’s a good bet to out perform many expectations and could help win many fantasy leagues this season.

That’s my take and I’m sticking to it.


By David Ortega

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