FSH: FOOTBALL DIARY

December 26th, 2009 10:45pm PST

Football Diary

Dear Diary

Championship Weekend

For many fantasy leagues this is the biggest weekend of the fantasy season; Championship Weekend. There is no more tomorrow and no room for error. Fantasy owners will need to check those critical matchups for this weekend as well as check the injury reports; you have to know who's in and who's out.

With one obstacle left to hurdle, this is not the weekend to get careless. A couple of quick injury notes;

Sit (injured)

DeAngelo Williams (ankle)

Devin Hester (not expected to play)

Pierre Garcon (out for Sunday)

Michael Turner (did not practice)

Justin Fargas (doubtful for Sunday)

Leonard Little (unlikely to play)

Start

Jonathan Stewart (expected to start)

Larry Fitzgerald (practiced Friday)

Austin Collie (Garcon is out)

Albert Haynesworth (will start)

Fantasy Notes:

The Niners running back Frank Gore has been the hot foot the last couple of weeks. In his last two starts Gore has ran for 274 yards on the ground and added five receptions and a touchdown. He should find plenty of holes on Sunday against the Lions 24th ranked run defense.

The Dolphins running back Ricky Williams has had a great 2009 campaign for fantasy owners with 13 total touchdowns this season. In his past two games Williams has managed to find pay-dirt while averaging over 100-yards of offense. He should be another solid start this Sunday against the Texans run defense (ranked 17th) that allows over four yards per carry and has surrendered 14 touchdowns on the ground.

The big news in Indy is the absence of Pierre Garcon this weekend. With the Jets cover corner Darrelle Revis likely to blanket Reggie Wayne, Garcon figured to be a good play on Sunday. Now all of that will fall to rookie wide receiver Austin Collie who has managed to score in three straight games; Sunday could be four.

10 Things on My

Sunday Watch-List

1. With a new quarterback under center and the 30th ranked pass defense, can wide receiver Terrell Owens have a big day?

2. Can Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles make it three straight 100-yard games; he faces the Bengals 3rd ranked run defense.

3. Who will run for more yards on Sunday, the Raiders Michael Bush or the Browns Jerome Harrison?

4. The Packers Aaron Rodgers has been hot and cold the past couples of weeks; can he get warmed up this week in Lambeau against the Seahawks 29th ranked pass defense.

5. The Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has been on fire the past couple of weeks; can he keep the torch burning against the Dolphins 23rd ranked pass defense.

6. Can the Ravens 6th ranked pass defense slow down the big arm of the Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

7. With DeAngelo Williams sidelined, can Jonathan Stewart follow up his second start this season with another 100-yard effort?

8. With the playoffs approaching, can Kurt Warner and the Cardinals passing game get back in sync; he has not passed for over 300 yards in five games.

9. Will the Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis shutdown the Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne?

10. Can the Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo keep the Cowboys on the right track and notch a second win in December?

Check back every week for more "Football Diary"

FSH: FOOTBALL TALK

December 22nd, 2009 9:37pm PST

FOOTBALL TALK

Looking under the hood of

Week 15

Do what you do best!....

Even though they may not have anything left to play for in the regular season, it may make great sense for Philip Rivers and the Chargers to keep doing what they do best. Over the past two and a half months only the Colts have been as good and no one's been better than Rivers. The Chargers have rattled off nine straight wins and look like a formidable opponent for everyone heading into the post season. Why? It's very simple, Rivers has masterd the art of the vertical game. In his last nine starts Rivers has thrown 18 touchdowns and passed for 263-yards per game. He has been unbeatable as a starter (17-0) in December and appears poised to lead San Diego deep in the playoffs. Fantasy owners would agree Rivers should keep doing what he does best.

If it ain't Broke don't fix-it....

The Colts have been in this precarious position once before and to put it simply, "don't fix things if they ain't broke." The Colts offense led by Peyton Manning has been not only outstanding, but at times this season it has been dominant. Manning is the epitome of consistency and every week he seems to be in a class of his own, finding ways to keep winning. While the Colts remain unbeaten they have not been perfect, but when Manning (33 touchdowns in 2009) passes for 300 yards every game (nine times this season) they are awful tough to beat. With two games left and a chance for an unbeaten season, the Colts really want to keep riding that winning feeling right into the post season. Rest may seem like a good idea, but when you have an offense and a Peyton Manning firing on all pistons while tamper with that formula. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.; let your players play.

Expect the Eagles to keep soaring.....

The Eagles and Donovan McNabb may be one of the few favorite fantasy offenses left this season with great incentive to go out this weekend and keep doing what they do best. McNabb was banged up a bit early in the season, but since has begun to take flight with his explosive Eagles offense (28.5 points per game/ranked 2nd). One of the keys has been the explosive DeSean Jackson (8 touchdowns) and McNabbs favorite red-zone target tight end Brent Celek (7 touchdowns). The Eagles are now using a full rotation of receiving opitons; last Sunday against the Niners McNabb completed passes to eight different receivers. With Brian Westbrook expected to return to action this week, there's really no reason to expect anything different from Andy Reid's offense. It should be all about passing and scoring once again as McNabb will look to soar on Sunday against the Broncos.

More fantasy Notes

The Texans quarterback Matt Schaub appears to be just warming up. With consecutive 360-yard passing games and three touchdowns to just one pick, Schaub looks like a lock to have a big passing day against a Dolphins secondary (ranked 23rd against the pass) that surrendered three touchdown passes to the Titans last Sunday.

The Niner's offense in recent weeks has managed to get back to the basics and hand the ball to running back Frank Gore. With 41 carries in his last two starts Gore has ran for 274 yards on the ground and scored once. With the Lions (ranked 24th against the run) and Rams (ranked 27th against the run) next on the schedule Gore looks to finish strong in 2009.

The Dolphins running back Ricky Williams has been making the most of his oppoprtunity as the team's featured running back with Ronnie Brown on IR. Williams is averaging nearly 100 yards per game over his last six games and has scored six times. With the Texans (ranked 17th against the run) up next Williams looks to be a very good start in Week 16 for fantasy owners.

Quietly and before anyone could forget about him the Chargers superstar receiver Vincent Jackson is back at it doing what he does so well. The playmaking wideout has put together back to back 100 yard receiving games while snagging 12 balls along the way. This past Sunday against the Bengals he was a one man wrecking creew catching two passes for scores. Although the Titans are healthy and playing well, because of his 6'5" frame, Jackson is always a tough matchup and a must play.

Very much under the fantasy radar, the Packers tight end Jermichael Finley has been a solid go to receiver for the past several weeks. In his last three games Finley is averaging a cool 74 yard receiving with a total of 21 receptions. The tight end also has three touchdowns over the same span and looks to continue to be the Packers go-to target over the middle. Next week he'll have a very good matchup against the Seahawks 29th ranked pass defense.

By David Ortega

Check back every Tuesday for more “Tuesday (Football) Talk”

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

November 19th, 2009

David's Daily Digest

[My Take]

More Football news and happenings from aroudn the league; here's the latest I am hearing, reading, and following and my take on things and their fantasy impact this coming Sunday...

Player News and Notes from Across the Wire...

Brown Placed on the IR.....

With Brown on the injured reserve the Dolphins turned to running back Ricky Willams Thursday night and he delivered. As the featured back in the Wildcat and the running game Williams eclipsed the century mark and scored three times in the team's big week 11 road win. This could become a common reoccurrence.

Raiders Finally Bench Russell....

This was probably a move best made during training camp, but better late than never. Despite all his ability and potential Russell has been a disaster. In nine starts this season Russell has 14 turnovers with a passer rating of 47.7.

Bills want Shanahan....

This comes as little shock with the recent firing of Dick Jauron. There's no doubt Shanahan's influence could create a few fantays studs with players like Jackson, Owens, and Evans, but his demand for full control could be a huge stepping block.

No Westbrook for Now....

The good news is there appears a chance that Eagles running back Brian Westbrook can make a full recovery. The bad news for fantasy owners is it does not appear Westbrook will be returning anytime soon. In fact it's more likely that if he continues playing, he won't play again until next season (just speculation).

Broncos offense in bad shape...

When Orton went down on Sunday, so did the team's chances to win. After a fast start against the Redskins, the Broncos offense struggled badly and failed to score a single point in the second half. Backup quarterback Chris Simms was not sharp and played very poorly passing for only 13 yards in relief on Sunday. With Orton questionable the Bronco's options are not looking very promising.

Check back everyday for more of David's Daily Digest...

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH)

November 18th, 2009 11:30pm PST

The Fantasy Sports Zone

"Diamonds in the Rough"

(weekly fantasy sleepers)

Players you should watch and some you might want to play now!

10 weeks down and there are still more fish to fry. With the second half push underway we are already seeing new faces and some old familiar ones set to make huge impacts down the back stretch. Keep your eyes open on Sunday when the gridiron diamonds shine most bright...

This Week's Gems....

In Miami....

It's really no surprise calling Dolphins running back Ricky Williams a gem, so far this season he has been a solid backup, but hardly worth starting in most cases. Well all that changed when starter Ronnie Brown went down and was placed on IR. Williams is now king of the jewels this week and facing a 25th ranked Panthers run defense that allows over four and half yards per carry can only mean big things this Thursday night. He's going to be a waiver wire favorite this week in those leagues where he is still available.

In Cleveland....

It hasn't been very often this season that the Browns offense (ranked 32nd) enjoys a favorable matchup being ranked as one of the worst, but that could be the case Sunday. The Browns will be playing at of all places Detroit, one of the leagues worst defenses ranked 31st. One of the areas the Lions struggle with the most is the pass and in particular the deep ball. Well the Browns have a talented kid in wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi. He leads the team with 358 receiving yards and nearly 18 yards per catch. He and Quinn will need to get on the same page if they are to take advantage of a Lions secondary that have allowed 20 passing touchdowns this season.

In Buffalo...

Considering there are a few tough matchups this week for some quarterbacks facing tough defenses, some owners may have to look elsewhere for relief. An unlikely candidate that could strike lightning this week is the Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Just named the starter this week he faces the leagues 26th ranked pass defense that has allowed 16 touchdowns and only sacked the quarterback eight times (last in the NFL). With time any quarterback in the NFL can be a star, but give them Lee Evans and Terrell Owens and good things may happen.

Worth watching for now....

Even coming off a huge week 10 performance, it may be a little too premature to sell the farm and jump on the Jason Avant bandwagon, but it's not a bad idea to keep watch of this kid in Philly. The Eagles are loaded with weapons from Jackson to Celek, to Maclin, putting Avant near the bottom of the feeding chain.

Despite all of this what will work heavily into his favor are a couple of things, he's experienced, he familiar with the offense, and after last Sunday he's clearly capable of having a big game. One reason to pull in the reigns for a moment; this was week 10 and the first time we had heard from Avant since week two. The biggest reason to keep your eye on Avant is the Eagles pass happy offense; 57 pass plays last week and without Westbrook this could become the trend.

Keep checking for more of them gridiron gems every week…

FSH: TUESDAY (FOOTBALL) TALK

November 18th, 2009 10:30pm PST

FOOTBALL TALK

What to Make of Week 10

The Colts defense could be in trouble

With Tom Brady making minced meat of the Colts secondary on Sunday night, you know opposing offensive coordinators were taking notes. With Joe Flacco (12 touchdowns) and Matt Schaub (17 touchdowns) next on the teams slate, the Colts look hard pressed to keep their unblemished record in tact. In the teams last two games the secondary has allowed 686 passing yards and four touchdown passes

LT and San Diego Charging Fast

After falling to the Broncos on Monday night about a month ago, the Chargers have reeled off four straight wins and are now tied with Denver at 6-3. Their most recent win on Sunday over the Philadelphia Eagles will set up a Sunday showdown with Denver at Invesco Field. The Chargers have been using a potented passing game led by quarterback Philip Rivers who has thrown nine touchdown passes during the streak.

Looking Under the Microscope

It's hardly rocket science figuring this one out, but last week when running back Ronnie Brown went out with injury his backup Ricky Williams stepped in. For most of the year it has been a one-two punch with Brown (648 yards, 8 touchdowns) landing most of the big blows. With Miami missing one phin, Williams powered the running game with 20 carries and 102 yards on the ground. As early as Wednesday afternoon it was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter that Brown was placed on the injured reserve.

With Brown out, Williams nows moves into the number one position and for some fantasy owners a huge stroke of luck. Williams is hardly a second rate back and this season has shown he's got pleny left. When he gets the carries Ricky is averaging more than five yards a pop and his seven touchdowns show he's still got a nose for the goal line. This Thursday owners will get a big taste of what Ricky Williams will be cooking in the second half of the season when he faces the Panthers 25th ranked run defense.

More Fantasy Notes

With Clinton Portis ailing it appears fantasy owners can place their bets on the Redskins backup running back Ladell Betts. Last Sunday starting in place of the injured Portis, Betts carried the ball 26 times for 114 yards and a score. With Portis again highly doubtful and the Redskins traveling to Big D, expect to see more of Betts doing the same against a shaky Cowboys run defense. Although the Boys are ranked 10th against the run, they are allowing more than four yards a carry and Betts looks like he could be a beast heading into this one.

Over the past couple of weeks the Cardinal's potented passing attack has been getting healthier. With Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner now starting to look more in sync the passing attack looks unstoppable. In the past two weeks Fitz has caught 16 passes for nearly 200 yards, while Warner has averaged 300 yards passing with seven touchdowns. Add to the mix a healthy Boldin (eight catches on Sunday) and the Cardinals are ready to fly away with the West.

Check back every week for more “Football Talk”

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (STUDS AND DUDS)

October 28th, 2009 8:37pm PST

Earners and Bums

(Studs & Duds)

Don ‘Shula’ Lombardi

“The Collector”

(courtesy of the Fantasy Football Gang)

As the season continues to progress fantasy owners are more and more likely committed to and locked in with their big-name fantasy studs like; Andre Johnson, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Adrian Peterson. With each passing week the concern is always knowing what players are making the grade and paying their dues.

Back again this week to tell it like it is “The Collector” setting the records straight and letting fantasy owners know which players are earning their keep and which are just bumming us out.

Here were the Studs (Earners) and Duds (bums) for Week 7;

The Earners (Studs)


(Min 16 fantasy points)

These are not your normal every-week fantasy starters, but as well as these studs are playing they just might need to be. Fantasy owners need to keep watch of these “Earners” and in some cases get them in the lineup quick!

As often as the Texan’s quarterback Matt Schaub keeps cashing in, he’s going to find his name added to another list very quickly titled “Weekly Stud.” Against a very tough Niner’s defense Schaub passed for 264 yards and added two more touchdowns to his league leading total of 16. (22 fantasy points)

It seems the Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo had lost some of his fantasy appeal, but on Sunday against a very good Falcon’s pass rush he may have just gotten some of it back. Romo was solid completing 21 of 29 passes for 311 yards passing and three touchdowns. The Cowboy’s quarterback was also fleet of foot scrambling his way for another 31 yards. (33 fantasy points)

With the Jets Leon Washington going down on Sunday, open the door for rookie running back Shonn Greene. The kid from the University of Iowa toted the rock 19 times for 144 yards on the ground and cashed in twice for scores. (26 fantasy points)

Some of you may have thought he was on his way out, but it looks like Dolphins running back Ricky Williams still has plenty to do before he leaves the game. Against the Saints Williams only needed nine carries to rumble 80 yards and find the end-zone three times. (27 fantasy points)

After watching his breakout performance in week six, no one expected Miles Austin to complete a repeat in week 7. That is exactly what Austin did this past Sunday catching six passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. (29 fantasy points)

Finally breaking out in 2009 as the Bear’s number one receiver, Devin Hester turned in a solid afternoon on Sunday against a pretty good Bengal’s secondary. Hester caught eight passes, scored a touchdown and recorded his first 100-yard receiving day in 2009. (16 fantasy points)

After his performance on Sunday, Niner’s tight end Vernon Davis will be officially move to the “starting fantasy tight end” list. Against the Texans Davis caught seven passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns. With the quarterback change in the bay area, this could become a regular occurrence for Davis; having a productive afternoon. (27 fantasy points)

Players not quite earning their way to this honorable mention, but drawing some looks this past week include; Hakeem Nicks (80-yds, 1-Td), Sidney Rice (10 catches, 136-yds), Chris Wells (77-yds, 1-Td), Lee Evans (75-yds, 1-Td), and Darren Sproles (99-yds, 1-Td)

The Bums (Duds)

(Less than 5 fantasy points)

These are your week 7 fantasy studs that did not live up to the hype and may require a second look before submitting your lineup in week 8.


All that money they spent to get quarterback Matt Cassel may not have been well spent when you look at his numbers from Sunday. Cassel only completed 10 of 25 passes for 97 yards and threw three interceptions. (five fantasy points)

On Monday night against a tough Eagles defense running back Clinton Portis was very ineffective on the ground. Portis carried the ball just 14 times and managed just 43 yards in a game that the Redskins fell behind quickly. (four fantasy points)

The Niner’s running back Frank Gore coming back from an ankle injury that forced him to miss a couple of games, couldn’t shake the rust on Sunday against the Texans. A relatively ineffective runner, Gore netted just 47 yards of offense on 13 carries and two receptions.

The Cowboys ferocious pass rush on Sunday disrupted the Falcons air attack and limited the number of looks that went in Tony Gonzalez’s direction. The tight end caught just four passes for 37 yards against in week 7. (three fantasy points)

One of the Bear’s best pass receiver’s continues to struggle out of the gate. Tight end Greg Olsen managed four receptions on Sunday, but could only muster 24 yards. (two fantasy points)

The Jet’s second year tight end Dustin Keller was expected to be a key component to the passing game, but over the past couple of weeks he’s look more like a forgotten piece. Keller managed just one catch for 26 yards against the Raiders on Sunday. (two fantasy points)

So much for Roy E. Williams filling the shoes of T.O.; it looks like Miles Austin wears that size. While Williams continues to disappoint with just one grab for 16 yards on Sunday, owners need to consider keeping him on the bench.

More Duds that may or may not be starting in your lineups every week, earning at least a mention for their poor production last week include; Eli Manning (3-Ints), Jay Cutler (3-Ints), Terrell Owens (13-yds), Braylon Edwards (14-yds), and Kellen Winslow (9-yds)

By David Ortega


Check back for more weekly “Earners and Bums”

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (SUNDAY HEROES)

October 25th, 2009 10:37pm PST

The Fantasy Sports Zone

Week Seven
“Sunday’s Heroes”

Week Seven in the NFL…

It was another weekend of great gridiron action with more of Sunday’s gladiators batting brilliantly. With all of the games now concluded, it’s time to recognize those warriors that once again rose above the rest.

The Packer’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers was efficient and effective against a poor Brown’s defense. Rodgers completed 15 of 20 passes for 246 yards through the air and threw three touchdowns.

In San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis continues to turn heads with his great play. On the road against the Texans Davis caught seven passes for 93 yards and scored three times.

The Dolphin’s running back Ricky Williams posted a strong day on the ground rushing for 80 yards on nine carries and scored three touchdowns. He also added a couple of catches for 12 yards.

The Panther’s running back DeAngelo Williams turned in a solid effort Sunday against the Bills. Williams carried the ball 16 times for 89 yards and a score. He also added five grabs for 50 yards in the losing effort.

Against the lowly Rams, wide receiver Reggie Wayne was his reliable self making grabs for the Colts. Wayne caught seven passes on the day for 83 yards and a score.

The Packer’s wide receiver Donald Driver did not have many grabs on the day, but did make the most of his opportunity. Driver made two grabs on the day for 84 yards, including a 71-yard catch and run for a score.

The Charger’s quarterback Philip Rivers was a solid fantasy play on Sunday completing 18 of 30 passes for 268 yards in the air. Rivers also tossed three touchdowns in the win.

These were just a few of Week Seven’s Gridiron Gladiators. Check out the rest of Sunday’s Heroes from today’s action;

Sunday’s Heroes

300-Passing Club

Name,Team................Comp Att Yds TD Int Rate
Brett Favre,MIN...............34 51 334 0 1 76.8
Jake Delhomme,CAR.........27 44 325 0 3 55.6
Tony Romo,DAL...............21 29 311 3 0 141.6
Tom Brady,NE.................23 32 308 3 2 107.3

100-Rushing Club

Name,Team............Att Yds Avg TD
Cedric Benson,CIN......37 189 5.1 1
Ryan Grant,GB...........27 148 5.5 1
Shonn Greene,NYJ......19 144 7.6 2
Steven Jackson,STL.....23 134 5.8 0
Thomas Jones,NYJ......26 121 4.7 1

100-Receiving Club

Name,Team.............Rec Yds Avg TD
Miles Austin,DAL............6 171 28.5 2
Vincent Jackson,SD........5 142 28.4 1
Sidney Rice,MIN...........11 136 12.4 0
Owen Daniels,HOU.........7 123 17.6 1
Chad Ochocinco,CIN......10 118 11.8 2
Wes Welker,NE............10 107 10.7 1
Jeremy Shockey,NO.......4 105 26.2 0
Devin Hester,CHI...........8 101 12.6 1


Check back every week for more “Sunday Heroes”

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (CARRYING THE LOAD)

October 9th, 2009 10:37pm PST

THE FANTASY FIXX

Carrying the Load: Week Five

With so many teams employing the dreaded running back by committee, it becomes difficult to determine if there are any featured backs left and even trickier to decide is if either committee-back is truly worth a weekly start. These are never easy questions to answers, but with a little research, the proof is always in the numbers.

While his numbers have not been solid this season, make no mistake at least for the time being Kevin Smith is the featured running back in Detroit. His 93 touches ranks fourth this season and his three rushing touchdowns have kept him a decent fantasy start this season.

Running out of option in your backfield, consider a back like Ricky Williams. Over in Miami, while Ronnie Brown takes the brunt of the load running the ball, Williams is still seeing his fair share of work with 61 touches this season.

Thus far is this early season, we haven’t seen the production you would expect from an elite runner, but there’s no question Steven Jackson is getting all the chances to breakout. Through the first four weeks this season he leads all running backs with 103 plays. He’s had some good production this season, but faces a stiff test against the Vikings on Sunday. One important thing to note; if he stays healthy and keeps getting the rock, he’s eventually going to get numbers and better later than sooner.

The Busy man….

Last Sunday in his first start as a rookie running back Glenn Coffee saw plenty of opportunity with 31 touches. In his past two games Coffee has been the primary option in 57 plays and this week could see him featured as much against the Falcons 25th ranked run defense. Coffee has only averaged 64 yards on the ground the past two weeks, but Sunday he’ll see a defense that is allowing 4.7 yards per rushing attempt.

It’s still unknown if running back Jamal Lewis will be available on Sunday, but backup Jerome Harrison is seeing plenty of action in his absence. In Harrison’s past two starts for the Brown’s he’s had a total of 59 plays and totaled 237 yards of offense. With Lewis a big question mark, Harrison is in line to see plenty of work against the Bills 27th ranked run defense.

Despite the recent success of Raven’s running back Willis McGahee (7 total touchdowns) coming off the bench, normal starter Ray Rice continues to carry most of the load and be a safe option. This season Rice has seen 73 plays in four games and is averaging 107 yards of offense per game. With his six yards per carry average ranking him near the top in the league and 16 receptions this season, Rice’s great versatility makes it easier for the Ravens to put the ball in his hands.

Their time could be coming…

With his first career start expected this Sunday against the Patriots, rookie running back Knowshon Moreno looks primed for his time to come now. Normally splitting carries in the Denver backfield, Moreno has been limited to 64 plays in four games. With starter Correll Buckhalter sidelined, it appears the rookie is in line to see an increase in his workload this week.

It’s no secret that the Chiefs running back Larry Johnson has fallen for favor with fantasy owners, but despite his unimpressive start this season, something should be noted. Johnson ranks in the top 10 this season with 82 plays and in his last three starts he’s averaged 23 plays. If L.J. has anything left, he’s getting plenty of opportunity to show it and Sunday he’ll face the Cowboy’s 18th ranked run defense.

It hasn’t been a great start this season for running back Ryan Grant with only 257 yards rushing and a 3.8 yards per carry average. For the moment nothing has been attributed to his slow start, other than just not finding the holes. He may not be seeing the creases just yet, but Grant is getting plenty of opportunity to look with 78 plays this season. So long as the Packers keep feeding Grant the ball, he should eventually produce.

The Most Utilized

Plays included running or catching the ball, as well as being the intended receiver of a pass. Here is the breakdown for fantasy running backs logging the most work (plays) and staying busy this season;

Through four weeks:

Top-30 Running backs (Plays)

Rk Player Team………………….Plays
1 Steven Jackson, RB, STL..……103
2 Fred Jackson, RB, BUF ……….…95
3 Cedric Benson, RB, CIN…….…..94
4 Kevin Smith, RB, DET………..….93
5 Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN….….92
6 Chris Johnson, RB, TEN………..90
7 Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAX.89
8 Matt Forte, RB, CHI……………...87
9 Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG……..86
10 Larry Johnson, RB, KC..…….….82
11 Ronnie Brown, RB, MIA………..80
12 Ryan Grant, RB, GB..………….…78
13 Clinton Portis, RB, WAS………..78
14 Steve Slaton, RB, HOU………….75
15 Ray Rice, RB, BAL..………………73
16 Glen Coffee, RB, SF…….……….69
17 Julius Jones, RB, SEA………….69
18 Michael Turner, RB, ATL………67
19 Joseph Addai, RB, IND.…………66
20 Jerome Harrison, RB, CLE……66
21 Knowshon Moreno, RB, DEN...64
22 Thomas Jones, RB, NYJ………..64
23 Darren McFadden, RB, OAK.….61
24 Leon Washington, RB, NYJ…...61
25 Ricky Williams, RB, MIA.……….61
26 Reggie Bush, RB, NO…………….59
27 Darren Sproles, RB, SD………….59
28 Tim Hightower, RB, ARI………..57
29 Willie Parker, RB, PIT……………56
30 DeAngelo Williams, RB, CAR…54

Check back every week for more “Fantasy Fixx”