FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

November 13th 2017

Monday Evening Edition

Sunday’s Lineup Killers (Week 10)

There are weeks when your fantasy studs perform big and there are weeks where they give you what you need to survive, then there are the weeks, where you wish that Sunday could start all over. Those are the days, your studs become lineup killers and these were some from Week 10;

QB-Tyrod Taylor; The Bills starter had a rough outing on Sunday completing just 9 of 18 passes for 56 yards with a pick before being benched. Taylor had just completed a nice three game run before his struggles on Sunday. Going forward he’s still a QB2 in most formats, until further notice.

RB-Doug Martin; The Buccaneers running back struggled to find any openings on Sunday rushing for just 51 yards on 20 carries (2.55 yards per carry). The good news for owners, Martin saw 20 carries and hopefully there won’t be too many more of these games ahead.

RB-Jordan Howard; The Bears running back finished as the No.47 fantasy RB for the week totaling just 54 yards rushing on 15 carries. It was not a good day for Jordan, but his 15 carries were a low number since week 2. Fantasy owners can expect that to change going forward with better results.

WR-Marvin Jones Jr; The Lions wide receiver was held to just one catch for 22 yards receiving on 2 targets. All were season lows for Jones and coming after a three game run where he averaged better than 6 catches and over 100 receiving yards per game. Look for Jones a solid WR2 to bounce back next week against the Bears.

TE-Jack Doyle; After four straight weeks with at least 6 receptions and 44 yards receiving and averaging double-digit fantasy points, the Colts tight end laid an egg on Sunday. Doyle finished with just 2 catches for 9 yards. It was a tough day for owners, but it was just one game.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

November 5th 2017

Sunday Morning Edition

Sunday Morning Gametime

(Week 9)

Last Minute Updates

No Jeremy Hill today for the Bengals, which means we’ll see even more of Joe Mixon today against the Jaguars. Giovani Bernard could see more field time, but he’s not

Leonard Fournette is inactive today and Chris Ivory will start. Going up against the Bengals today, look for TJ Yeldon to get plenty of play.

Wide receiver Pierre Garcon was added to the Injured Reserve this week. With his absence, specifically this weekend, with Jamison Crowder also OUT receivers Ryan Grant and Terrelle Pryor will see a bundle of targets. Grant is the favorite today playing out of the slot.

Trending this morning

In DFS, running back Lamar Miller is trending upwards with my start selections. I like his matchup and with the loss of Watson under center, I believe the offense may lean with the run today.

A sleeper play this week, that shouldn’t really be a sleeper play if you’ve been awake over the past several weeks is Saints receiver Ted Ginn Jr. Ginn has made some big plays this season and recently has put up nice numbers; last 3 weeks, 13 catches, 275 yards receiving, and a touchdown.

Final Thoughts

I have the Colts offense flying under the radar this week, but I like Brissett with Mack, Doyle, and Hilton in a stack for DFS, or at least a couple of these guys sprinkled in your lineups. The Texans defense is full of leaks and this is a matchup that could reap many rewards.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

November 5th 2017

Sunday evening Edition

My Perfect Lineup Week 9

(NFL.com)

Week 9 has begun and it’s time to roll out my Perfect Lineup for this Sunday, but first let’s see how my team looked last week. From the top to the bottom, here’s what we did; QB-Wentz (finished 8th in PPR scoring), RB-Bell (finished 17th), RB-Howard (15th), WR-Green (finished 22nd), WR-Allen (32nd), TE-Gronkowski (4th), PK-Elliott (11th), and D/ST-Bengals (8th). Overall it was not a great day.

Looking ahead, here we go with week 9;

QB-Drew Brees; you have to love Brees at home where he is always tough and the Bucs have big problems this season versus the pass.

RB-Adrian Peterson; the Cards are going to have to become a run first team and we’ve seen what Peterson can do. The Niners are not good against the run, a big day for Peterson awaits.

RB-DeMarco Murray; the Titans running back has had extra time to heal up coming off the bye and the Ravens defense has not been shut down against the run. Murray has only one 100-yard game this season, will be looking for his 2nd today.

WR-Dez Bryant; the matchup today with the Chiefs could be a high scoring affair. Even with Elliott in the lineup today, I think Dez is going to be involved in the plan to attack a secondary that has struggled mightily this season.

WR-Michael Thomas; just going to ride the coattails of Drew Brees with this one. Thomas is the team’s leading receiver and if Brees has a big game, there’s a good chance he’ll be a big part.

TE-Jack Doyle; the Colts tight end is coming off a big game, but has also emerged as a big part of the offense. This could be another big day for Doyle.

PK-Harrison Butker; the Chiefs-Cowboys today, could be a shootout. I happen to think the Chiefs may stumble a couple of times in the red-zone today, allow a few extra opportunities for Butker.

D/ST-Cardinals; the Niners appear to be in rebuild, no Pierre Garcon, questions in the backfield, and CJ Beathard has to know, he’s not the guy. Although it’s a road game for the Cards, I like to defense to have a big game today.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

November 4th 2017

Saturday Late Night Edition

Week 9 Strong Plays

Looking over Sunday’s matchup, here’s a quick rundown of a few of the lineups I am liking very much;

Jared Goff, QB;

I’m not expecting big numbers here, but I do like Goff’s matchup against the Giants. Goff has been steady this season, but not spectacular, and the Giants defense has not been good versus quarterbacks; allow 6th mos fantasy points. This could be a good bounce back week for Goff

DeMarco Murray, RB;

It has not been Murray’s year this season, as the Titan’s running back has only one 100-yard rushing game this season. Fortunately for Murray and the Titans, this week’s opponent is the Ravens; have allowed 2nd most rushing yards this season.

Devin Funchess, WR;

With Kelvin Benjamin shipped off to Buffalo, the Panthers receiver Devin Funchess is in line for a larger role and more targets this Sunday. The Falcons have been pretty good against receivers this season, but I like Funchess and believe this is an opportunity for him to step up and separate.

Jack Doyle, TE;

The Colts tight end is coming off a huge Sunday last week (12 receptions, 121 yards, and a score) and I am feeling good about his chances to continue the momentum against the Texans; allow 6th most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

October 30th 2017

Monday Evening Edition

Sunday’s Heroes

(Week 8)

It was one of the most exciting games of the season, watching Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson duel with Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Fortunately for the Seahawks, they had Russell. There’s little doubt, his Sunday performance single-handedly won matchups for fantasy owners and may have scored some cash for DFS players.

Wilson played brilliantly on Sunday completing 26 passes for 452 yards and throwing 4 touchdowns; he also added a couple of scrambles and runs for another 30 yards. It was an epic performance good enough for the win and enough to move Wilson into the No.4 fantasy QB slot.

Not-the-Usual-Suspects

QB-Andy Dalton; the Red Rifle returned to action on Sunday and played very well in the Bengals week 8 win over the Colts. Dalton completed 17 of 29 passes for 243 yards tossing two touchdowns.

RB-Jerick McKinnon; the Vikings running was big on Sunday with 20 touches leading to 50 rushing yards, 6 receptions for 72 yards receiving and a rushing touchdown. McKinnon showed off his versatility and likely earned himself more touches going forward.

RB-Lamar Miller; in a game that was highlighted with the pass (8 passing touchdowns total), Miller flew under the radar posting a solid line; 54 rushing yards, 3 receptions for 19 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown.

WR-Paul Richardson; the Seahawks receiver was golden on Sunday hauling in 6 passes for 105 yards and two scores. This probably came out of nowhere, but Richardson now has 5 receiving touchdowns on the season and should be on fantasy radars.

WR-Robbie Anderson; the Jets receiver was targeted just six times and turned in a line of 6/104/1. It was his best stat line across the board for the season. This was his third straight game scoring in double-digit fantasy points; he should be on fantasy radars throughout the bye weeks.

WR-Jamison Crowder; thus far this season Crowder has been a disappointment, but on Sunday he shined and showed fantasy owners what he can do. The Redskins receiver tallied 9 catches for 123 receiving yards. It was his first double-digit scoring performance (in PPR) and likely not his last.

WR-JuJu Smith-Schuster; the Steelers young receiver was given opportunity and he cashed it in a big way. JuJu caught 7 of 10 targets for 193 yards, including a blistering 97 yard touchdown. It was his first big game of the season and will definitely lead to more opportunities going forward.

TE-Jack Doyle; the Colts tight end worked his way into the Top-10 for fantasy TEs with his Sunday performance; 12 grabs for 121 receiving yards and a touchdown. Doyle’s workload had been trending in this direction, he’s a safe TE1 going forward.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

September 30th 2017

Saturday Evening Edition

My Week 4 Injury Takes

RB-Carlos Hyde; the Niners running back is dealing with a hip injury and is a game-time call. He’s practiced all week in limited fashion, so there’s a chance he plays, but given the nature of the injury and the concern there seems to exist, Hyde could be a real risky play. I would lean with other options, if available.

WR-JJ Nelson; the Cards receiver is questionable, but expected to play on Sunday. After his donut last week with only three targets, he’ll be a risky play and hard to trust. I would prefer to see him back to 100 percent before inserting him back in my lineup.

WR-John Brown; the Cards are saying Brown will play, but after sitting two games he’s a wait and see option. I like him going forward and will watch him this week with a close eye.

WR-Julio Jones; the Falcons wide receiver was removed from the team’s injury report on Friday. It will be all systems go for the playmaking receiver on Sunday. He’s my top ranked wideout for week 4.

WR-Doug Baldwin; the Seahawks receiver returned to practice on Friday, but there’s no questions he still not back to 100 percent. He’s likely to play this week, but I’m not looking for much from Baldwin. I’ll be sitting him and hoping he gets through the week with no setbacks.

WR-Michael Crabtree; the Raiders receiver has been downgraded to doubtful and should be removed from your lineups this week. With Crabtree likely out, wide receiver Amari Cooper gets a bump in value in a tough Week 4 matchup.

RB-CJ Prosise; the Seahawks running back is doubtful for Sunday as expected. It will be Chris Carson and likely JD McKissic according to head coach Pete Carroll. The Seahawks backfield is a muddled situation and Carson is really the only back this week that carries any value.

WR-Amari Cooper; the Raiders receiver was removed from the team’s injury report. That’s good news for Cooper, but for owners the bad news is his recent dings have had little to do with his recent struggles. He’s going to be mid-WR2 this week with a tough matchup against the Broncos.

RB-Jalen Richard; the Raiders passing catching back was removed from the team’s injury report. With the likely absence of Crabtree this week, Richard could see even more play in the passing game. He’s a low-end flex this week.

RB-Melvin Gordon; the Chargers starting running returned to a full practice on Friday. He’s still dinged up, but will be a go on Sunday. He’s my No.11 fantasy RB this week.

WR-Mike Williams; the Chargers rookie wide receiver has been ruled out for week 4. The rookie is close as there was some thought he may play. Even when he does return to the field this season, at least in the early going he’s going to be nothing more than a stash until owners see what he can do.

TE-Delanie Walker; the Titans tight end was removed from the team’s injury report. Walker should be ready to roll on Sunday against the Texans, he’s my No.5 fantasy TE this week.

RB-Matt Forte; the Jets veteran running back has been ruled out for Sunday. With Forte shelved, running back Bilal Powell will start and likely see a larger share of the workload this week. Even with Forte out, Powell is considered a low-end flex at best.

RB-Rex Burkhead; the Patriots running back entered the regular season with a lot of hype, but recent injuries have really derailed his opportunities. He is listed as doubtful, although he did return to practice Friday, so he’s close to returning. Right now Burkhead is merely a stash in deeper leagues.

WR-Kenny Golladay; the Lions rookie receiver is listed as questionable for Sunday after missing the team’s last two practices. And while he has not been ruled out, owners should go ahead and avoid. Golladay hasn’t done much since his fast two score start in week one.

TE-Jack Doyle; the Colts tight end has been removed from the team’s injury report. He’s the No.17 fantasy tight end in PPR and my No.16 this week. He’s not your starter, but worth rostering as a bye week fill (if the matchup is right).

RB-Duke Johnson; the Browns running back is off the team’s injury report and is a viable flex option this week. He’s my No.29 fantasy RB in PPR.

WR-Kelvin Benjamin; the Panthers receiver has been removed from the team’s week 4 injury report which is good news for owners. Benjamin has a great matchup this week against the Patriots, but he also did last week against the Saints before exiting early. He’s a borderline flex option this week, but as long as he remains in the game he’s got potential to haul in some passes. He could be a boom or bust this week.

WR-Jamison Crowder; the Redskins receiver is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, but he did practice on Saturday; a good indication he’ll be available Monday, Crowder was quiet last week in a game where Cousins passed for over 300-yards; it’s hard to trust him at the moment until we see something. He’s a WR3/WR4 for week 4.

TE-Jordan Reed; the Redskins tight end is listed as questionable although the sense is he plays. Just the same like last week, if you can plan it have back up tight Vernon Davis loaded in your holster in case Reed is a scratch.

That’s My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

September 25th 2017

Monday Evening Edition

Week 3 Sunday Lineup Killers

If you were counting on your big guns to deliver on Sunday, boy were you disappointed in a big way. Fantasy championships are lost this way. Well that may be over-dramatizing things a bit, but if your guys played like this it definitely didn’t help your cause;

The biggest egg laid yesterday in fantasy had to come in the days finale; the Sunday night game between the Raiders and the Redskins. The Raiders did have to travel across the country for this meeting and it looked like quarterback Derek Carr never left the plane; he only passed for 118 yards and threw two interceptions killing most DFS lineups. Fantasy owners can count on Carr bouncing back and he’ll have to quick; up next is the Denver defense.

Like Carr, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (what I considered a borderline QB1/QB2 in Week 3) killed any DFS lineup you played him in. Rivers was the mad bomber on Sunday, but the only problem was several of his long darts went to the other side. Rivers was turnover happy last season, so fantasy owners may want to slow their roll with him for the time being.

Derek Carr: 19 of 31, 118 pa yds, 1 Td, 2 Int

Philip Rivers: 20 of 40, 237 pa yds, 3 Int

Well, we thought he would be the featured back in New England and with 12 carries (most on the team) on Sunday he may be; he’s just part of an offense that features the pass. Without a rushing touchdown on Sunday Gillislee was a big flop finishing with just 31 rushing yards. In this offense, with Gillislee there are going to be Sundays like this. He’s a boom or bust better suited for standard leagues.

And just like Gillislee, Broncos running back CJ Anderson is better suited for the ground game. Anderson has never been a heavy volume pass catcher, just 4 catches leading into the contest, so when he’s held in check on the ground (as he was on Sunday) his numbers will disappoint. Fortunately for owners, the Broncos line has improved, so we should see this turn of event too often.

For those of us that expected a heavy workload for Titans running back Derrick Henry, not only did that not come to fruition (just 13 carries), but it you say DeMarco Murray too you were equally disappointed.

Mike Gillislee: 31 ru yds

CJ Anderson: 36 ru yds, 2 rec, 7 rec yds

Derrick Henry: 54 ru yds, 10 rec yds

There were a couple of big disappointments at the receiver spot in week 3 and amongst the notables were a couple of Raiders Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. The pair combined for just 2 catches and 13 receiving yards; not exactly what the fantasy doctor ordered. These two should get things turned around, but fantasy owners may have to be patient with a week 4 meeting against the Broncos coming up.

Jamison Crowder: 6 rec, 52 rec yds, 1 Fum

Alshon Jeffery: 4 rec, 56 rec yds

Amari Cooper: 1 catch, 6 rec yds

Michael Crabtree: 1 catch, 7 rec yds

Sunday week 3 was not a good day for tight ends, several starters came up short in disappointing fashion including the Packers Martellus Bennett; just 3 catches for 12 yards. Bennett has been targeted 21 times in three games, but the majority of his routes are short patterns and safety valves not producing much for owners. He may have been considered a bottom half TE1, but until the Packers move him downfield more,he’s just a TE2 with a low ceiling.

Martellus Bennett: 3 catches, 12 rec yds

Kyle Rudolph: 1 catch, 4 rec yds

Jack Doyle: 2 rec, 16 rec yds, 1 Fum

Coby Fleener: 1 catch, 21 rec yds

Hunter Henry: 0 catches, 0 targets

That’s My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

September 23rd 2017

Saturday Late Night Edition

Who are you Starting & Sitting (Week 3)

Start or Sit

(Sunday’s Games)

Javorius Allen (start) Just like last week, Buck Allen is a start for Week 3 against the Jaguars. He may not do too much treading on the ground, but his pass catching skills will help his value this week. Allen is expected to pick up the load if running back Terrance West is limited or slowed.

Tyrod Taylor (sit) The Bills quarterback has an awful matchup this week facing the Broncos No Fly Zone defense. The Denver defense hasn’t been exactly seal tight, but they seen some pretty good skill position players at the receiver spot (like Dez Bryant and Keenan Allen), something Taylor is lacking. Sit the Bills quarterback.

Kelvin Benjamin (start) The Saints are in town and that means lots of yards all around. The Saints have allowed an avalanche of yards passing and rushing in their first two games. Time for Benjamin owners to reap the rewards of this matchup. Start the Panthers wide out.

Jordan Howard (sit) The Bears starting running back is off to a slow start this season and things may not get any better on Sunday. Howard will line up against the Steelers 8th ranked run defense that allow just 3.3 yards per tote. Sit him.

Ameer Abdullah (start) In what should be a matchup filled with a lot of points on both sides, I really like Abdullah to see a fair amount of carries and overall touches in this matchup. The Falcons allow 5.4 yards per carry, start Abdullah.

Jack Doyle (start) The Colts tight end is the No.13 fantasy TE currently. With a matchup against the Browns defense that’s allowed the most receptions and 3rd most receiving yards to opposing tight ends, expect Doyle to improve his ranking.

Jacquizz Rodgers (sit) The Vikings defense allows the 6th fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs and overall they are ranked 11th against the run allowing just 3.1 yards per carry. I don’t like Rodgers in this matchup, sit him.

Mike Gillislee (start) The Patriots running back played more of a featured role last week with 18 carries and a score. The Texans will be tested in the air by quarterback Tom Brady and his bunch, which should open up a few running lanes for Gillislee. He’s sure to get one of those easy scores as well.

Jermaine Kearse (start) The Jets receiver has been busy through two weeks, ranked as the No.7 fantasy WR. Kearse has been targeted 14 times in two games and figures to see a steady diet of targets on Sunday against the Fins; a defense that’s allowed a 73% efficiency rate for opposing receivers.

Brandon Marshall (sit) The Giants number 3 receiver has been non-existent through two weeks and shouldn’t be trusted at this point. Marshall has caught just two passes and looks completely out of sync with quarterback Eli Manning right now. Sit him.

Derrick Henry (start) Let me start with, sit DeMarco Murray. The writing's on the wall for this one anyway. Even if Murray is active, he is likely to play second fiddle. Henry ran like a beast last week totaling 92 yards on the ground and he should get the Lionshare Sunday against the Seahawks 23rd ranked run defense that allows 5.2 yards per carry.

Jeremy Hill (sit) The team axed their Offensive Coordinator and head Coach Marvin Lewis has to be feeling the heat. Expect a lot of changes, including the usage of or lack of usage for running back Jeremy Hill. There are whispers this week we could see more of the rookie running back Joe Mixon. Hill’s a risky play, pass on him this week.

Hunter Henry (start) The Chargers tight end finally got some work in week 2 and turned in a nice stat line of 7/80/0. Henry caught all seven of his targets last week and could be just as busy Sunday against a Chiefs defense that’s allowed the 6th most receiving yards against opposing tight ends. Start Henry.

Samaje Perine (start) Starter Rob Kelley has been ruled out, so the rookie will get the nod. Start him. The Raiders are ranked 19th versus the run, allowing 4.8 yards per carry. Perine should get plenty of run in the backfield Sunday night.

That’s My Take.

~David Ortega