FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

Wednesday Edition
November 21st, 2012  

David’s Daily Digest

Henne Takes Over Starting Duties in Jacksonville
Chad Henne blew up last week for big numbers against a very good Texans defense, now the named starter the rest of the way he’ll have a chance to earn the gig full-time in 2013. The football gods must be smiling down on Henne at the moment with a week 12 matchup against the Titans 26th pass defense. The Titans allow the 6th most fantasy quarterbacks , a good matchup for Henne to continue his hot hand.

Avery Limited, but Looks Like He Will Play Sunday
The Colts receiver Donnie Avery is returning from a concussion suffered on Sunday. With his early return to the practice field, all signs for the moment point toward his playing this week against the Bills. Avery has been the team’s predominant number two receiver much of the season, but his numbers and targets have fallen a bit over the past several weeks. The Bills rank 18th versus the pass and allow the 12th most fantasy points to wide receivers, including 13 touchdowns this season; a good matchup for Avery to rebound.

Thursday Night Could be Lloyds Night
With two of Tom Brady’s favorite targets (Gronkowski & Hernandez) OUT and limited for Thursday night, wide receiver Brandon Lloyd could be next up on the Patriots rotation. Lloyd and Brady have been off just a bit this season, but Lloyd continues to see his share of balls; second on the team with 82 targets. In Lloyd’s last two games he’s seen a total of 13 targets, a slight drop from what he was getting earlier in the season. With limited weapons tomorrow night for Brady, Lloyd could be a strong flex option.

Kaepernick to Start Versus Saints
The Niners are sticking with their healthy quarterback Colin Kaepernick; he will get the start this Sunday against the Saints. Kaepernick had the hot hand and arm on Monday night completely dismantling the Bears defense and with the Saints up next, fantasy owners should expect more. The Saints defense is allowing the most fantasy points to quarterbacks, including 21 touchdowns this season. With his mobility, Kaepernick is a double threat and lock to produce solid fantasy numbers; could be waiver wire pick up of the week.

The Chief Wide Reciever Bowe Limited
Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (neck) was limited in practice, but looks to be on track to play Sunday barring any setbacks. With the Chiefs matching up with the Broncos on Sunday, this is not good news for Bowe or fantasy owners. Bowe is likely to see a lot of the Broncos cover corner Champ Bailey, fantasy owners should not expect a big day; he’s nothing more than a flex option at best.


By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: SUNDAY MORNING GAMETIME

Sunday Edition

September 30th, 2012 

Sunday Morning Gametime

Some quick fantasy notes for Sunday week 4, who to play and who should stay (on your bench);

I like Cedric Benson a lot today against one of the league’s worst run defenses (Saints). The Packers like to throw the ball quite a bit, but look for Ced to tote the rock near 20 times today on the Frozen Tundra.

Fred Jackson is starting today for the Bills, but is expected to share carries with C Spiller. Coming off the knee injury and only part-time today, if you have a better options leave Jackson on your bench.

The Seahawks defense looked beastly Monday night sacking quarterback Aaron Rodgers 8 times in the first half. Today matched up against the Rams offensive line that has already allowed 12 sacks in three games; expect another solid outing for the Seahawks D. Start them

Tom Brady and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd are off to a bit of a slow start, but gradually this connection has been looking better and better. I am expecting a possible breakout game for Lloyd today; either way he’s a good play and should deliver at least one score today.

The Niners wide receiver Michael Crabtree has been quietly steady this season, leading the team with 19 receptions in three games. He has yet to score a touchdown this season, but facing the Jets without Darelle Revis, that could change. I like Crabtree in your lineup today, he’ll deliver five catches for plus-80 yards and a score.

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: FANTASY FIVE

Monday Edition

September 10th, 2012 

FSH Fantasy Five

Week 1 Quarterbacks

There were plenty of surprises and nice turn-ins by a few of the Fantasy regular, but these five were the performances I found most interesting on Sunday. I am not saying these were the best, but there’s no question their numbers had an impact in fantasy and on the field.

Mark Sanchez, NYJ (266 yards passing, 3 touchdowns)

The San-chise is back? Maybe it’s too early to be crowing anyone, but what a nice turn-around for the former Trojan after a dismal showing throughout the playoffs; or was that the plan?

My Fantasy Read: Sanchez had a break-out Sunday against the Bills, but it’s far too small a sample to weigh in that he’s come of age. This should be a make or break year for Sanchez and he’s off to a good start, but before you start selling his stock high we’ll need to see more return.

Robert Griffin III, WASH (320 yards passing, 2 touchdowns)

Does anyone want to give Mike Shanahan any credit for knowing what he is doing. Sure his tenure in Washington thus far has been tumultuous at best, but nice call with the selection of the kid with the dreads. RGIII looked nothing like a raw rookie dicing up the Saints defense on Sunday.

My Fantasy Read: The rookie sure didn’t play like one, taking his Redskins on the road and traveling to New Orleans to knock off last seasons’ NFC South Division winner. The feat and performance on Sunday was quite impressive, but it may be a little too early to coronate RGIII. Early as it may be, it’s not too early to say he’s worth starting in week two against the Rams.

  

Tom Brady, NE (236 yards passing, 2 touchdowns)

Tom Terrifc was every bit just that completing 23 of 31 passes as he and the Patriots sailed to an easy 34-13 road win over the Titans.

My Fantasy Read: Once he and his deep threat Brandon Lloyd get more in sync, expect Brady to start posting not just big, but huge numbers. Brady has plenty of weapons, but he’ll need the presence and effectiveness of Lloyd to retain his place near the top of the QB fantasy world.

Jay Cutler, CHI (333 yards passing, 2 touchdowns)

With his new toy in place, Cutler made wide receiver Brandon Marshall feel right at home hooking up with his former and re-united teammate nine times. Cutler also made mince meat of the Colts secondary connecting on 21 of 35 passes.

My Fantasy Read: Cutler was brilliant and quite deadly with his big arm. Now that he has a big time receiver and a couple of big targets he’s going to be a top 10 fantasy QB every week. In week two, he could have trouble facing the Packers pass rush, but when they don’t get there he’s going to make them pay. He’s a worthy start every week.

Peyton Manning, DEN (253 yards passing, 2 touchdowns)

How long was he out anyway? Peyton Manning sure didn’t show much rust Sunday night facing the Steelers defense, as a matter of fact he showed a lot of sharpness and poise. Manning was efficient and accurate as ever completing 19 of 26 passes (73% completion) and completely picking apart the Steelers secondary.

My Fantasy Read: Like any fantasy play it’s always good to consider the matchup, but Manning at this point looks like a safe solid play week in and week out. The Broncos O-line did a pretty good job of protection and with the next matchup in doors (at Atlanta), Manning should feel quite comfortable facing the Falcons secondary next Monday. 

One Final Thought

Not to slight any quarterbacks in week one, but one more that deserves a quick mention is Matt Ryan (ATL). Against the Chiefs Ryan shined with 299 yards passing and three touchdowns. A quick read, this was no fluke; with the weapons he now has in Atlanta, Ryan is poised to put up big numbers. 

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: SUNDAY MORNING GAMETIME

December 4th, 2011 Sunday

Sunday Morning Gametime

My quick notes:

Who to Watch

Tonight’s Sunday night matchup between the Saints and Lions could end up being a much closer track meet than what saw last Monday between the Saints and Giants. Matthew Stafford has shown this season he has the talent to run with the big dogs, but he’s also got the horses. The Saints are 27th against the pass and could have a lot of matchup problems with some of the Lions big targets. I like Stafford to break out of his funk and play well on the road.

The Cowboys have been rolling along the past several weeks and a big reason has been the consistent play of quarterback Tony Romo. On the road today, he’ll have a chance to continue his winning ways and solid play when the Cowboys meet the Cardinals in Arizona. The Cards rank 25th against the pass and allow more than 250 yards in the air; Romo should be solid today.

Despite the notion that “he can’t” I would suggest sticking with your instincts and keep Tebow in your lineup. He’s on the road today to take on Minnesota, and while the Broncos have been predominantly a running team, I expect to see a few more balls in the air. This could be the week where we see more of Tebow the passer and not just Tebow the playmaker. Either way facing the leagues 29th ranked pass defense could mean for a big game for Tebow.

Who to Avoid

It looks like Rams quarterback Sam Bradford (game-time decision) is sitting on the fence and with AJ Feeley taking first team snaps this week in practice, this could be a situation well worth avoiding all together. The Rams are on the road today and face a daunting task when they travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers.

The Cardinals Beanie Wells is coming off a career game, so the tendency is to stick him in your line-up. While the Cowboys have not been stout versus the run, they have good speed on the defensive side and could be playing most of this game from out front. Wells will become less of a factor if the Cards have to play catchup; Wells could be risky so you may want to look at better options if available.


My Picks Today

My “Four Horsemen”

I stepped away for a while, but today I am feeling good about quite a few players, so let’s take another shot at our four riders for week 13;

Matthew Stafford; the kid has been struggling some, but I look for a bounce back performance tonight against a Saint team that will have to bring pressure and could leave a few Lions in single coverage. Stafford should go for a nifty 300 with at least two touchdowns tonight.

Reggie Bush; if you play PPR then this is your man for Sundya. Taking on the Raiders, Bush should be the focus out of the backfield and in space. The Raiders run defense is ranked 27th and will have trouble slowing down Bush; he’s also a threat to grab a number of passes out of the backfield. I expect at least 125 yards of total offense with 4-5 grabs and a trip to the end-zone.

Brandon Lloyd; despite the possible change at quarterback today, I still like Lloyd. He is the Rams best weapon and whether it’s Feeley or Bradford, he’ll see more than his share of targets; averaging double-digits since becoming a Ram. The 49ers boast a stingy defense, but they do surrender over 240 yards per game and have allowed 15 passing touchdowns. I expect Lloyd to grab a number of passes with at least one trip to the end-zone.

Aaron Hernandez; The Colts are well of aware of the Patriots tight ends, but they won’t be able to cover both. Gronkowski has been the focus over recent weeks, but with Hernandez coming off consecutive seven target games I expect to see Brady look his way a little more often this Sunday. Hernandez has not a big game since week one, but could turn in a huge day today against the Colts; six catches, 85 yards and a score.

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

October 21st, 2011 Friday

David’s Daily Digest

Fantasy Notes:

Is it Tebow Time in Fantasy?
The consensus in Denver may suggest yes it is Tebow time, but if you are a fantasy owner with options you may want to steer the conservative route for the moment. After watching quarterback Tim Teebow inject some life into the Broncos offense two weeks ago, it’s not a long stretch to think he could have a big impact this week in Florida. There will be a lot of pressure going back to Florida so his passing numbers could suffer a bit, but he’s a gamer and will more than likely make it up with his legs. He’s probably better served on your bench for now, but if you had Kyle Orton and need a spark this week too, maybe it is Tebow time.

Carson Palmer unlikely to Start
After six months with a TV clicker in his hand it would be a stretch to expect quarterback Carson Palmer to walk right on the field and have a huge positive impact. This is likely why the Raiders appear to be pulling back the reigns a bit. The most recent update is suggesting that Palmer is not expected to start against the Chiefs on Sunday. This makes great sense with a week 8 bye coming up, the extra time would allow Palmer to get closer to football shape, learn the system and quickly develop some rapport with his receivers. He could be a good stash, but fantasy owners won’t likely see any return on this investment for several weeks.

Where does Brandon Lloyd rank now?
With Sam Bradford iffy for Sunday, I still wouldn’t worry too much about wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. The former Bronco is familiar with McDaniels system and should be on the field plenty against the Cowboys. The Rams aerial attacking has been lacking all season and Lloyd is definitely a huge upgrade. It’s a lot to ask for a huge game out of the gate, but Lloyd should be good for a decent outing and might even find the end-zone against the Cowboys secondary (especially if Bradford plays).

Is Kyle Boller Fantasy worthy?
There are too many available options ahead of Kyle Boller to consider if you need a quarterback this week in fantasy. With the Carson Palmer ERA on hold for the moment, the Raiders are going to try and not let Boller lose their matchup with Kansasy City this week, so they will likely be featuring a heavy-run game-plan. Running back Darren McFadden (must-start) and Michael Bush (a good flex option) should see plenty of action on Sunday.


By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: THE SUNDAY FANTASY REPORT

March 5th, 2011 Saturday

The Sunday Fantasy Report

The 2010 season featured quite a few players that rose to the top of fantasy stardom as well as a handful of studs that took advantage of their short stint on the main stage. And while fantasy owners will be closely dissecting the performances of 2010, there may be a few names that escape their attention merely due to lack of playing time or shortened season due to injury. There’s no scientific approach when it comes to evaluating talent for your fantasy draft, but one thing owners must do is make sure they are overturning every stone and not overlooking any stud possibilities…..

Let’s Not Forget in 2011

These are the Players Fantasy Owners Should Remember in 2011

When you start looking back at 2010, there are a few names that may get overlooked simply because it wasn’t there best season statistically, but even so you need to be sure you are looking closely at all of their numbers.

Quarterback Eli Manning would fall into this category; last season the younger Manning tossed 25 interceptions leading the Giants to a 10-6 record. What fantasy owners must pay attention to, although his pick numbers were up considerably, he did pass for 4,000 yards for the second consecutive season and throw 31 touchdowns (4th in the NFL) on 539 passing attempts (8th most in the league). Eli also threw 27 touchdowns in 2009; so while he might be overlooked for his error-prone 2010 campaign, he’s got a lot of upside as a passer.

Shortened season……

Players that were limited in 2010 season, but need to be looked at as early possible fantasy picks would include the Packers tight end Jermichael Finley , the Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens, the Rams wide receiver Donnie Avery, and the Redskins running back Ryan Torain.

Finley is clearly a star on the rise, but an early season injury ended his 2010 campaign prematurely after just four games. Finley was leading the team with 21 receptions, 301 yards receiving, and already had two 100-yards receiving games in his first three starts (before being knocked out in week four). His premature exit in 2010 should not deter owners from looking at Finley early; he has the talent to be a top three tight end in 2011. Owens is not likely to be back in Cincinnati in 2011, so depending on where he lands, he should be watched. In 14 games in 2010, Owens lead the Bengals with 983 yards and 9 touchdowns; he clearly has plenty left in the tank, but can he find a new home to flourish? The Rams Donnie Avery missed all of the 2010 season, but with his blazing speed he will return in 2011 as one of the teams’ most talented wideouts. Torain (742 yards rushing) started just eight games in 2010, but it was enough to convince head coach Mike Shanahan that he’s their best running back heading toward 2011. With the exit of Portis, the door is wide open for Torain to lead the ground game next season.

Taking a back seat….

A couple of names who could see their fortunes change in 2011 and not necessarily for the better could include the Colts tight end Jacob Tamme and the Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola.

With Dallas Clark going down in 2010, opportunity knocked for tight end Jacob Tamme (67 receptions, 4 touchdowns) and he answered. With Clark on track to return in 2011, Tamme’s fantasy stock is going to take a huge hit; he figures to fall down the food chain considerably next season. Like Tamme the Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola (a PPR favorite in 2010) could see his weekly targets diminished greatly with the return of Avery and Mark Clayton in 2011.

A questionable future of promise…

With so much change taking place in the Mile high country, after a career year the Bronco’s wide receiver Brandon Lloyd could appear to be a fantasy stud in flux. With Orton the designated starter and the possibility of Tim Tebow becoming a start, some owners will question his stock value in 2011. There’s no question Orton starting makes Lloyd look like a top fantasy receiver heading into next season; but remember in the team’s final three games with Tebow under center Lloyd led the team with 14 receptions, 263 yards receiving, and two touchdowns (projected over 16 games: 75/1,402 yds/10-TDs).

In New Orleans the Saints said good-bye to tight end Jeremy Shockey and fantasy owners are saying hello to tight end Jimmy Graham. The Saints number two tight end in 2010, Graham is expected to emerge as the team’s number one and could become a fantasy favorite. His 31 catches and five touchdowns in just five starts last season give owners plenty of reason to think he’s got a lot of promise in 2011; and with Brees throwing him the ball that doesn’t hurt either.

Noteworthy fantasy players…

The Raiders Michael Bush is not going to carry any fantasy owners to a league title, but his strong play down the stretch in 2010 could earn him enough work in 2011 to remain fantasy relevant; as long as he can take care of his off-the-field issues. The Patriots have always been known (in recent times) as a Tom Brady passing team and not much of a running team. In 2010 running back BenJarvous Green-Ellis led the club with 13 rushing touchdowns and 1,008 yards rushing. As long as Brady continues to have success moving the ball, Green-Ellis will remain fantasy relevant especially in touchdown heavy fantasy leagues. After finishing the 2010 season with over 1,000 yards rushing, 51 receptions, and 9 total touchdowns, for running back Matt Forte fantasy owners it would be safe to say the Mike Martz experiment was a success. Forte only figures to get much better in his second season as part of the Martz plan in Chicago.

A couple of players that did not have a great 2010 campaign, but did enough to keep fantasy owners eyes open included the Titan’s wide receiver Kenny Britt, the Texans’ tight end Owen Daniels, and the Bills running back Fred Jackson.

Britt started the 2010 season a little bit in the doghouse, but used his talent and skill to slowly work his way out. It wasn’t a great campaign for Britt, he was still able to showcase lots of promise and possibility with a couple of big games and finishing with nine touchdowns. If the team can find stability at quarterback Britt has the ability to play like a top notch fantasy receiver. Daniels’ recovery from surgery the prior season took much longer than expected, but in the second half of 2010 he started to show signs of health. In his last four games Daniels caught 22 passes for 271 yards and two scores; 2011 could be his return to form. The Bills drafted running back C.J. Spiller in the 2010 draft and it seemed the fantasy world forgot about Fred Jackson. Despite the arrival of new talent to compete with in the backfield, Jackson churned out a pretty good 2010 season; he led the team with 927 yards rushing and five rushing touchdowns. With Spiller keeping company, Jackson’s ceiling may be limited, but he still figures to remain a productive running back in fantasy.

Just my take

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

February 9th, 2011 Wednesday

David’s Daily Digest

More Fantasy Notes:

The Most Notable Fantasy Players of 2010

The 2010 season was filled with a lot of fantasy studs that seeming came out of the woodwork, when most might have thought the cupboard was bare. There were those that blew the doors off from the get-go and then there were those players that caught on mid-season to turn heads. In the end, the 2010 fantasy season was great showcase for some superstars to come in 2011 and

WR-Brandon Lloyd
The Broncos big play threat broke out in 2010 setting career highs in receptions (77), yards (1,448), and touchdowns (11). He was the teams’ best and most reliable receiver making one acrobatic play after another. His 2011 fortunes could be in question with the talk of change at quarterback, but regardless he should still be a top 20 receiver next season.

RB-Arian Foster
The Texan’s running back started fast and finished strong leading the NFL in rushing (1,616 yards rushing) and total offense (2,220 total yards). Foster scored 18 total touchdowns in 2010 and showed great versatility with 66 receptions. As a true feature back in the Texans’ west-coast style system, Foster figures to be a strong top 5 fantasy running back in 2011.

RB-Jamaal Charles
After a breakout campaign in 2009 with 1,100 yards rushing, the Chiefs starting tailback backed it up with a huge 2010 season. Charles turned it up a notch this past year rushing for over 1,400 yards, catching 45 balls for another 468 yards and scoring eight times to lead the team.

QB-Josh Freeman
The Buccaneers’ young arm developed into quite the team leader and big passer in 2010. In his second year Freeman took the reins and led the Bucs to a 10-6 record. The 2nd year quarterback passed for nearly 3,500 yards and threw 25 touchdowns; he also scrambled for another 360 yards starting all 16 games in 2010. Freeman elevated his play this past season and will undoubtedly be a solid number two fantasy quarterback (possibly low end number one in deeper leagues) in 2011.

QB-Joe Flacco
With his new toys this past season the Ravens young quarterback (Flacco) continued his progression improving his numbers in yards (3,622 yards), touchdowns (25), and passer rating (93.6). The Ravens didn’t quite accomplish what they had hoped for when they added all their new toys, look for them to continue to look for ways to improve. As the team keeps finding ways to improve, Flacco will continue to get better and his numbers will keep rising. He’ll be a top 10 fantasy quarterback in 2011.

WR-Mike Wallace
The Steelers big play receiver emerged as a bonafide elite fantasy receiver in 2010, finishing the season with 60 receptions for 1,257 yards receiving with 10 touchdowns. After a nice rookie campaign, the former Ole Miss Rebel rose to the forefront as the Steelers best weapon. With a great rapport with his starting quarterback Wallace will be a legit top 10 fantasy receiver in 2011.

Check back for more of my digest and more notes on the most notable fantasy players in 2010.

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: SUNDAY MORNING GAMETIME

January 30th, 2011, Sunday

Sunday Morning Gametime
(afternoon edition)

Super Bowl XLV Countdown

Injury notes

The Steelers are looking like a team that may have a few concerns as the Big Dance approaches. Following their big win against the Jets in the AFC Championship the Steelers realized their victory may have come at a significant cost with the possible loss of rookie center Maurkice Pouncey. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pouncey is listed as doubtful and is not expected to play in the Super Bowl.

The Steelers could also miss defensive end Aaron Smith who remains questionable for the Big Dance. Smith suffered a triceps injury that has sidelined him most of the season, but the team is hopeful he can play on February 6th. Even is Smith is healthy enough to go, he’d likely split time with Ziggy Hood who has played exceptional in his spot.

The Steelers have a few other notables listed, but no one appears to be in any danger of missing Super Sunday. Troy Polamalu (Achilles), Bryant McFadden (groin), and Emmanuel Sanders (toe) all practiced on Friday and are listed as probable. The biggest concern here would be Polamalu, who was relatively quiet in the AFC Championship; when he is healthy and plays well the Steelers defense has thrived.

The only noteworthy injury at this point for the Packers leading up to Super Sunday is linebacker Eric Walden’s ankle. He sat out of Saturday’s practice to rest the sore ankle, but is fully expected to be ready and would start opposite Clay Matthews Jr.

Fantasy Player Notes

With the Big Show looming ever so closer now (less than a week away), it time to start dissecting matchups and taking a closer look at some of the players that could rise up in the big stage and make a huge contribution.

The Packers passing attack goes four deep at the wide receiver position making all four (Jennings, Driver, Nelson, & Jones) viable plays for Super Sunday. Another pass receiving option that could become a huge factor during the course of the game would be tight end Andrew Quarless.

In last year’s shootout between the Steelers and the Packers, then starting tight end Jermichael Finley was a significant factor in the passing attack. Finley finished the game with nine receptions including a touchdown and against the Jets (tight end) Dustin Keller grabbed eight passes. Quarless is no Finley, but at 6’4” and 250-lbs he can be a very effective redzone target.

The Steelers are not consider to be a passing team, but they will have plenty of weapons should they need to go to the air. One of their lesser known weapons that could make a name for himself on Sunday is rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. The kid is second on the team with five catches for 74 yards in the playoffs and has as many targets as Mike Wallace (10). With coverage rolling toward Wallace, Sanders could find a few openings.

Looking Ahead to 2011

Later today in Hawaii many football fans are going to have a chance to see a lot of next season’s fantasy studs showcase their talents. Names that are making their first appearance in the pro bowl and that should be catching the attention of fantasy owners would include;

RB-Arian Foster,…he led the NFL in rushing (1,616 yards rushing in 2010) in just his second year and scored 18 total touchdowns (16 rushing, 2 receiving). Foster also added 66 receptions and 604 yards receiving making him a very attractive overall top fantasy pick in 2011.

RB-Jamaal Charles….following his impressive 2009 season the Chiefs starter came back with a huge 2010 campaign to earn his first trip to the Pro Bowl. Charles finished 2010 with 1,935 total yards (1,467 rushing, 468 receiving) of offense with eight total touchdowns (5 rushing, 3 receiving); he will be a 1st round fantasy pick in 2011.

WR-Brandon Lloyd…..he makes his first appearance to the Pro Bowl this season finishing 2010 with career highs in receptions (77), yards receiving (1,448 yards), and touchdowns (11). He will be an interesting fantasy draft pick, since his quarterback situation could change.

TE-Marcedes Lewis…he emerged as a viable and legitimate redzone scoring threat catching 10 touchdown passes in 2010. Lewis also finished his 2010 campaign with career highs in all three categories; receptions (58), yards receiving (700), and touchdowns (10). He will be a highly rated fantasy TE next season.

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: SUNDAY MORNING GAMETIME

January 2nd, 2011, Sunday

Sunday Morning Gametime

Today’s injury notes

The Eagles are looking more and more like they will sit quarterback Michael Vick today against the Cowboys. Vick has been knocked around pretty good the past couples of weeks. IF Vick does start, it would not surprise to see him give way to back up Kevin Kolb at some point.

After looking good in practice this week, head coach Mike Tomlin is leaning toward letting the Steeler’s playmaking safety Troy Polamalu play in Sunday’s matchup against the Browns according to ESPN.

The Brown’s running back Peyton Hillis is expected to be active and should start today, although he faces a very difficult matchup against the Steelers number one ranked run defense. Hillis only rushed for 41 yards in the earlier matchup this season.

Quarterback Brett Favre has finally been cleared to play for the Vikings, but his chances of getting on the field still look “iffy” at best. Favre has hardly practiced in weeks and the Lions have one of the best young pass rushers in rookie Ndamukong Suh; but then again would it surprise anyone if he played?

The Falcons wide receiver Roddy White practiced in full on Friday, so he is expected to play and start today against the Panthers. Even if the Falcons focus on the ground attack today, White should still effective; caught eight passes in the first matchup this season.

Reports are indicating that Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez will start today against the Bills, but is not likely to play no more than a few series. Sanchez has been banged up a bit over the past couple of weeks, so it makes sense for the team to rest him up for the post season.

Today’s Matchup

With an excellent matchup on his schedule it looks like running back Shonn Greene won’t get an opportunity today to take advantage. The Bills have one of the league’s worst run defenses this season, but Green won’t get a shot at them; he’s been declared inactive today.

The Giants are in a must-win game today and with no Steve Smith or Hakeem Nicks, it looks like it will be wide receiver Mario Manningham against the Redskins 31st ranked defense. Manningham has 12 cathces and three touchdowns in his last two starts.

The Bills won’t have to face Darelle Revis or Antonio Cromartie today, both have been declared inactive; start wide receiver Stevie Johnson. Johnson is having a breakout season with 77 receptions, over 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns.

The Broncos will likely take a cue from the Bengals last week and attack the Chargers secondary with wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. In the two Tebow starts, Lloyd has 9 catches for 190 yards and a touchdown.

With no Andre Johnson in the lineup, wide receiver Jacoby Jones figures to pick up the slack in the Texan’s passing attack. Last week with Johnson out, Jones turned in a 5 catch 115 yards receiving day.

The Raiders won’t have any questions about who they will give the ball to today against the Chiefs. With no McFadden in the lineup, running back Michael Bush figures to see a heavy load today. Bush is averaging just a tick under four yards per carry, but does have seven rushing touchdowns this season.

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

December 22nd, 2010 Wednesday

David’s Daily Digest

Fantasy Notes:

AARON RODGERS RETURNS, BUT A BIG RISK
With this being championship weekend in most fantasy formats, now is not the time to be taking chances. The exception may be when you are talking about a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers; you just might have to roll the dice. This is exactly what the Packers may be facing this week as well with their playoff hopes hanging in the balance. Rodgers makes his return after missing one game because of a concussion suffered in week 14. His return is good news for Green Bay, but he will be facing one of the league’s toughest pass rushes (Giants). Rodgers has thrown 23 touchdowns this season, but he has also been sacked 27 times.
My Fantasy Read:
Rodgers when healthy is among the best quarterbacks in the league, but with two concussions already this season another hard hit could easily land him back on the bench. He’s a risky play against the Giants (42 sacks) this week, but one that is well worth it.

JACOBY FORD SEEING MORE ACTION
The Raiders speedy receiver has shown big play capability throughout the season and last Sunday against the Broncos was just another example. Ford took an end around run 71 yards to the house to help elevate the Raiders to a 39-23 win. Ford’s workload has been somewhat up and down this season but last week the rookie was targeted five times, caught three balls for 47 yards to go with his long touchdown run.
My Fantasy Read:
Ford is starting to see a steady diet of looks and touches each week. He has only 22 catches this season, but seven are for 20 yards or more. He has three total touchdowns this season and is averaging nearly 19 yards per catch. As explosive as this kid is (two pass plays over 45 yards, 71 yard touchdown run) he can only get better.

BRANDON LLOYD SHOULD BE A SAFE PLAY
The Tebow experiment is well under way and while it may not have been a complete success, it was not all that bad, especially for Brandon Lloyd fantasy owners. Tebow only threw 16 passes in the game, but the good news for owners five went to Lloyd. The Broncos’ top receiver would finish Sunday with four catches for 79 yards and a very fortunate 33 yard touchdown reception.
My Fantasy Read:
With Tebow under center Lloyd is not going to scare any opposing fantasy owners, but still he should remain a safe play this week against the Texans 32nd ranked secondary. With a game under his belt, expect Tebow to put the ball in the air a few more times this Sunday and we know where he will be looking (Lloyd).

JONATHAN STEWART COULD STRUGGLE THURSDAY
The Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart has been running ragged over the past several weeks averaging 115 yards rushing per game over his last four. Stewart has also been seeing plenty of work with 78 carries in his last four games. Last Sunday against the Cardinals was his best game of the season with 137 yards on 27 carries.
My Fantasy Read:
Stewart has been hot of late, but he has also been facing some of the bottom half ranked run defenses; Cards-30th, Browns-25th, Seahawks-21st. Thursday night he’ll face the league’s best run defense (Steelers) that has not allowed a single 100-yard rusher this season. The Patriots BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ 87 yards in week 10 is the best any runner has done this season against the Steel-Curtain.