FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

December 16th, 2011, Friday

David’s Daily Digest

Fantasy Notes:

Trends for your Championship run…

Ryan Grant’s stock on the rise…With running back James Starks currently slowed down with a bad wheel (ankle), even if he plays Grant figures to see the bulk of the work load on Sunday against the Chiefs 26th ranked run defense. Grant is coming off his best game of the season and looks to be strong bet to find pay-dirt for his second consecutive game and a nice chunk of yardage.

McGahee should be on your radar….depsite coming off a tough 34-yard rushing effort against the Bears in week 14, the Broncos running back Willis McGahee has eclipsed the century mark in two of his last three starts. On Sunday he’ll face the league’s 13th ranked run defense that was pummeled a week ago for 170 yards by the Redskins running game. Fantasy owners should look for McGahee to gash the Pats for some good numbers on the ground and at least one trip to the end-zone.

AJ Green ready to come alive…..after a quiet week 14 with just five catches for 59 yards, the Bengals rookie receiver looks primed to have a big game on Sunday against the Rams. Even with the leagues 8th ranked pass defense the Rams secondary was lit up a week ago by the Seahawks Tarvaris Jackson; 21 of 32 for 224 yards. Green is a much greater talent that what the Rams faced a week ago and seems to be the hot target for quarterback Andy Dalton; 18 targets in the last two weeks with many more on Sunday.

Garcon could be the man on Sunday…..while the Colts will be searching for their first win of the season at home on Sunday against the Titans, I am expect to see Dan Orlovsky to continue to heavily seek out Colts receiver Pierre Garcon. In the last two games that Orlovsky has started Garcon has caught 14 passes for 196 yards with two touchdowns on 24 targets. With Reggie Wayne on the other side, Garcon should once again be the man in the Colts passing attack.

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

October 7th, 2011 Friday

David’s Daily Digest

Fantasy Notes:

Ryan Grant Cleared to Play
The James Starks (210 yards rushing) ERA could be put on hold for a bit with running back Ryan Grant cleared to play Sunday against the Falcons. For the better part of this young season Starks has looked like the dominant runner, until the old Grant showed up in week 3 (92 yards on 17 carries). Last week Grant was held out of action with a bruised kidney injury, but this Sunday he makes his return. His return and presence will affect Starks playing time, so fantasy owners should be advised if rolling with Starks.

Hernandez on track to Play Sunday
The Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been practicing and appears to be ready to return to action this week; it was noted that Hernandez has been moving around the team facility without a limp. With the Patriots offense ranked number one in passing if Hernandez (14 receptions, 2 touchdowns) is active on Sunday, he is a must play against the Jets.

Manning’s Fire Keeps Growing
While big brother is sidelined this season with injury, the Giants quarterback Eli Manning is doing his best to carry the family name. In the past three weeks Manning has thrown eight touchdowns with just one pick. With the league’s 14th ranked pass defense (Cardinals) coming to town, Manning is looking to keep his fire burning.

Bradshaw Could see a big load on Sunday
The Giants are likely to be without running back Brandon Jacobs on Sunday when they face the Cardinals, with Jacobs out Ahmad Bradshaw is expected to see a larger work-load. Bradshaw is averaging better than five yards per carry, but has not carried the ball more than 15 times in any game this season; this Sunday that could change.

Daniels Figures to see More Action
With the Texans missing Andre Johnson this week against the Raiders, someone will have to step up in the passing game; tight end Owen Daniels. Daniels has been relatively quiet this season, although he does have 10 receptions over the past two weeks and has scored three times this season. On Sunday Daniels will face the Raiders 22nd ranked pass defense.

Garcon Could Be a Nice Play in Week 5
The Colts offense is beginning to show some signs of life and one of its most lively components is wide receiver Pierre Garcon. In the past two weeks Garcon has seen a total of 18 targets and has benefitted greatly; 218 yards receiving with two touchdowns. This week the Colts will face the Chiefs 15th ranked pass defense and Garcon figures to see plenty of chances in the pass game; he could be a nice flex in week 5.


By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

October 1st, 2011 Saturday

David’s Daily Digest

Fantasy Notes:

Austin close, but will miss Sunday
We already knew that Austin would be sitting this Sunday against the Lions, but its good news for fantasy owners to hear that he is getting close. Austin said he could play in week 5, if the Cowboys had a game. The bad news with him sitting, the boys will be short-handed again and could see a lot of the same (as we saw on Monday night) from their make-shift receiving corp; not good for quarterback Tony Romo fantasy owners.

Vick expecting to Play on Sunday
The Eagles dynamic quarterback announced earlier this week he will be on the playing field this Sunday despite all of his recent injuries; should fantasy owners be worried? The Niners are stingy against the run this season, so the Eagles will have to throw, but fortunately for Vick fantasy owners they do not do a great job at getting after the quarterback (they are OK). Also, an anemic 49er offense will allow the Vick and the Eagles to be patient with the run and pass.

Newton coming down to Earth?
It’s funny, after his astronomical start this season, the prospects of Cam Newton continuing his electrifying play look more and more difficult with each week. After his struggles last week (even though the Panthers won) against the Jaguars last Sunday, he will be facing a tough Bears defense (8 sacks this season) that could present a lot of problems for him in the pocket. With players like Urlacher and Briggs bringing the heat, Newton could be looking at a long day; owners may want to reconsider their options.

McNabb looking to get out of the Gate
The Vikings are 0-3 and quarterback Donovan McNabb has only thrown two touchdown passes in his three starts. If things don’t turn around soon for McNabb, he will soon find himself holding a clip-board on the sideline. Fortunately for McNabb and the Vikings they will get the Chiefs (ranked 30th against the pass) defense on Sunday, that have allowed 13 pass plays of 20 yards or more. This won’t guarantee a huge fantasy day for McNabb (look for other options), but success in the air could compliment a big day from the Vikings ground game.

Starks gearing up to start against the Broncos.
The Packers will be without running back Ryan Grant on Sunday when they host Denver, but they will have James Starks who will likely be the featured back in their ground game. Before fantasy owners jump on board the Starks bandwagon, they had better take a look at last Sunday’s matchup between the Broncos and Titans; CJ2K was limited to only 21 yards on 13 carries. Johnson may be feeling the hangover from his hold-out, but then Starks is no CJ2K. Starks should still produce decent numbers (65-75 yards on the ground), but if you are looking for a big game, you might want to look elsewhere.

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: WATERCOOLER CHAT

September 28th, 2011, Wednesday

Watercooler Chat

Waiver Wire

The wide receiver position in fantasy leagues does not appear to be exceptionally deep this season, so if you are in search of help you may have to look high and low. Normally when looking high you might find depth with teams like the Saints and Patriots, but with both turning to their tight ends more in 2011, searching low may be the way to go.

One of the low places to look could be in Seattle where the Seahawks saw the return of their premiere wide out Sidney Rice. There is some concern at the quarterback position for fantasy owners with (Tarvaris) Jackson under center, but in Rice’s first game back he was targeted 10 times and caught eight passes for over 100 yards. Remember Jackson and Rice have some familiarity playing together in Minnesota and tat already appears to be apparent with two connecting often on Sunday. Rice may struggle to turn in those big games from week to week, but he looks to be a safe WR3 or flex with plenty of upside.

Another struggling passing game where owners may find some light could be in Minnesota with wide receiver Michael Jenkins. The former Falcon was never the go-to receiver, but he is showing lots of potential with the Vikings and is quickly becoming (Donovan) McNabb’s favorite target (17 targets this season ties for team lead). Surprisingly Jenkins is showing sure hands this season nabbing 15 of those targets and with his great speed he has big play capability. He’s a fantasy diamond in the rough, but if you are desperate for help he’s a low risk, high reward as a WR3 or flex play.

“Take of the Week”

There’s no question that if he’s available on the waiver wire, one of this weeks’ best take (out) is Packers running back James Starks. After a disappointing performance last Sunday against the Bears, Starks could be in line for a prime start against the Bronco’s shaky defense. The latest news reports are indicating running back Ryan Grant (bruised kidney) could miss week 4, if he misses that could open the door to a big game for Starks.


Watch List

With the loss of stud receiver Kenny Britt, the Titans have a big void to fill in their passing attack. This week the time inked a deal with former Rams receiver Donnie Avery. Now I am not saying Avery is the answer and will fill that void, but if Avery is healed from his past knee injuries, once he returns to football shape he could give the Titan’s their big-playmaker and deep threat they lost with Britt’s injury. And with a savvy veteran like (Matt) Hasselbeck under center, Avery’s fantasy status could also benefit.

Time for the ”dump”

The Raiders are playing good football at the moment, showing lots of balance with a strong ground game and steady passing attack. With all that is going well in Oakland, there seems to be a missing component or contributor to the success; wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. DHB has hardly been in the mix and even with all the great speed he possesses, he just can’t seem to get out of the starting gate. In three weeks DHB has only caught five passes and was only targeted three times last Sunday (finished with one catch). As the Raiders continue to roll and get better, the more likely it appears DHB will be left behind. If you invested any confidence in Heyward-Bey this summer, now may be the time to part ways and look elsewhere for help at receiver.

Just My take.

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: PLAY OR PASS

September 8TH, 2011 Thurssday


PLAY OR PASS


Saints versus Packers

There’s not a whole lot of thinking required in tonight’s matchup for fantasy owners. When you have two of the league’s premier offenses taking the field; you have to start just about everyone don’t you?

That may be par for the course, but for the most part it is true. There’s not a whole lot of down side to starting any Packer or Saint in tonight’s marquee matchup. When you look at both offenses, they stock a lot of weapons and plenty of ammo.

Both quarterback Drew Brees and quarterback Aaron Rodgers are locks in fantasy lineups with expectations of big games for both. Their targets may differ slightly, but both will have plenty of options to choose from.

PLAY

It doesn’t take a genius to dissect the strong plays for tonight, so I will keep it simple.

For the Saints, rookie running back Mark Ingram should enjoy a productive night with the absence of defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (now in Philly). Even Pierre Thomas could be effective catching a few balls out of the backfield, while taking a couple from inside the five. Wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jimmy Graham will see plenty of targets tonight and should post strong numbers for fantasy owners.

The Packers boast plenty of playmakers with wide receiver Greg Jennings and tight end Jermichael Finley leading the way. Rodgers will have no trouble spreading the ball around to his many weapons, so do not forget wide out Jordy Nelson who came up big last season in the playoffs.

PASS

Stay away from both defenses; both the Saints and Packers will rack up yardage and post big numbers on the scoreboard. Wide receiver Lance Moore is out, so make sure he’s on your bench. Packer’s wide receiver James Jones has been banged up and could be a little rusty, it also doesn’t help that he has slid behind Driver and Nelson on the depth chart.

The Saints don’t have a great run stopping defense, but then again the Packers are not known to run the ball very well (ranked 24th in 2010). Neither Ryan Grant nor James Starks appear to be a leading candidate, expect to see both receive an equal share of touches tonight. What that means for owners, low productivity and likely no rushing touchdowns.

Just my take.

By David Ortega

FSH: SUNDAY NIGHT FANTASY FOOTBALL HEADLINES

December 13th,　2009　9:37pm　PST
　

Sunday Night FF Headlines

Who is now making Fantasy News?

Keep track of which players are making noise
[fantasy points based on traditional scoring]
　
QB-Matt Schaub has huge day against Seahawks...
The Texans quarterback lit up the dome on Sunday in front of the home crowd. Schaub was spectacular completing 29 of 39 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns to take down the Seahawks 34-7. (24-fantasy points)

RB-Ray Rice runs through Lions defense....
The Ravens second year running back Ray Rice trampled through the Lions run defense for big yards, including a 59 yard touchdown dart. Rice shredded the defense for a total of 219 total yards and two touchdowns to lead the Ravens. (31 fantasy points)

RB-Ryan Grant has big day on the ground.....
The Packers used a 62-yard run by running back Ryan Grant to start fast and behind his 20 carries for 137-yards were able to hold off the Bears. Grant also added a second touchdown to cap off his Sunday effort. (25-fantasy points)

RB-Chris Johnson continues on his run for the record.....
The Titans running back continues his assault toward the record books. On Sunday against the Rams Johnson broke free for 186 total yards (117 rushing/69 receiving) and two touchdowns. For the season Johnson has eclipsed 2,000 yards of offense (2,017). (35-fantasy points)

WR-Brandon Marshall sets the record in a loss....
The Broncos wide receiver did all he could to try and help his team pull off the upset, but despite his great effort they came up short. In the loss Marshall did manage to set an NFL record with 21 receptions and finished the game with 200 yards receiving with two touchdowns. (32-fantasy points)

WR-Andre Johnson is simply unstoppable....
The Texans receiver Andre Johnson was an unstoppable force on Sunday hauling in 11 catches for 193 yards and single-handly endng any chance for the Seahawks to stay competitive. Johnson also added a pair of scores to sink the opposition. (31-fantasy points)

Notable IDP Fantasy Newsmakers…

The Redskins rookie linebacker Brian Orakpo had his best day as a professional recording four sacks on sunday against the Raiders. Orakpo also finished the afternoon with six total tackles and a forced fumble.

The Texans fourth year defensive lineman Mario Williams was a disruptive force on the field Sunday recording two sacks to go along with six tackles.

The Colts linebacker Gary Bracket turned in a solid performance on Sunday and was instrumental down the stretch in the Colts win over the Broncos. Brackett finished the day with 12 tackles and a sack to lead the defense.

By David Ortega

Check back every Sunday for more "Sunday Night FF Headlines!"

FSH: TUESDAY (FOOTBALL) TALK

November 11th, 2009

TUESDAY FOOTBALL TALK

What to Make of Week 9

Chambers has a new home

It did not take long for Chris Chambers to go from the unemployed to starting in Kansas City. Almost as fast as he was released by San Diego was Chambers claimed by the Chiefs. Once he cleared, the team released wide receiver Bobby Wade and Chambers was quickly inserted into the lineup. Following his impressive debut as a Chief, their is great room for improvement. Chambers only caught three passes and was only targeted four times. It just makes you wonder what might happen once he and his quarterback are in sync.

Broncos Offense has lost its air

It does not take a rocker scientist to see the Broncos offense has no passing attack. The days of the dink-and-dunk are over in the Mile High City if you can not go downtown. The Broncos' passing attack ranks amog those with the fewest big pass plays. In the last two weeks, although the offense has racked up 373 yards in the air, their longest pass play has been a 23 yard toss to a tight end. In the two games the offense has only scored 10 points. Unless Orton and company ignite a little life and get the passing attack off the ground, no air will mean no wins and few fantasy points.

Looking Under the Microscope

Chiefs offense could be on the rise with the arrival of some needed hands. With the acquisition of Chris Chambers (3 catches, 70 yards) and the emergence 1st year receiver Lance Long (seven receptions), and add stud receiver Dwayne Bowe the Chiefs would appear to have their passing attack in place. If these three can develop some chemistry and consistency, quarterback Matt Cassel could suddenly rise from the doldrums of the fantasy doghouse as evident on Sunday; 262 passing yard and two touchdowns. With the Raiders up next, look for Cassel to continue his rise.

More Fantasy Notes

Both Cardinal's running backs Tim Hightower (75 yards) and Chris Wells (72 yards) ran the ball extremely well on Sunday. Two things can be taken from this account, both backs will see plenty of work going forward and the Bears run defense can be had (allowing 119 yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry).

Another notable from Sunday was Packer's running back Ryan Grant. The Pack's ball carrier kind of gets lost in the shuffle playing in the shadow of the team's potent vertical game. On Sunday Grant rushed for 96 yards on 21 carries raising his season total to 621 (ranks 9th in the NFL). This season Grant is averaging just over four yards a carry with four rushing touchdowns.

FSH: SUNDAY NIGHT FANTASY FOOTBALL HEADLINES

November 8th, 2009

9:37pm PST

Sunday Night FF Headlines

Who is now making Fantasy News?

Keep track of which players are making noise

[fantasy points based on traditional scoring]

QB-Kurt Warner throws five touchdowns.....

The Cardinal’s quarterback was fabulous on Sunday completing 22 of 32 for 261 yards passing with five touchdowns in the teams big week 9 road win over the Bears. (40 fantasy points)

QB-Josh Freeman throw three touchdowns in win..…

Making his first start rookie quarterback Josh Freeman completed 14 of 31 passes for 205 yards with three touchdowns. Freeman also added 20 yards rushing. (26 fantasy points)

RB-Frank Gore is fantasy stud in week 9….

The Niner’s running back was dynamic with 15 carries, seven receptions, 158 total yards, and a rushing touchdown in the team’s loss to Tennessee. (21 fantasy points)

RB-Maurice Jones-Drew has big day in win …

The Jaguars multi-purpose running back was huge on Sunday totaling 134 yards and scoring a touchdown in the team’s win over Kansas City. (18 fantasy points)

RB-Ryan Grant is solid in week 9 loss……

The Packers running back carried the ball 21 times on Sunday gaining 96 yards on the ground and scoring one touchdown in a losing effort. (15 fantasy points)

WR-Robert Meachum makes a few grabs on Sunday..…

The Saint’s wide receiver was finally a big part of the passing game on Sunday catching five balls for 98 yards and a touchdown in the team’s week 9 come from behind win. (15 fantasy points)

Some IDP Fantasy Newsmakers…

LB-Stephen Cooper collecting ball carriers…

The Charger’s linebacker was busy on Sunday wrapping up opposing ball carriers all afternoon. Cooper finished the game with 13 total tackles, including seven solo.

DL-Jonathan Babineaux gets to the quarterback…

The Falcons defensive tackle founds his way to the opposing backfield several times, disrupting the opposing offense all afternoon. Babineaux recorded two and a half sacks to go along with 10 total tackles.

LB-Shawn Merriman plays lights out…

The Charger’s pass rushing linebacker found his groove on Sunday in the meadowlands. Merriman broke out with two sacks, including a game clincher in the closing moments.

By David Ortega

Check back every Sunday for more “Sunday Night FF Headlines!”

FSH: MONDAY MORNING HUDDLE

October 26th, 2009 10:27pm PST

[Late Night Edition]
Monday Morning Huddle

So What I Saw in Week 7

The Colts continue to Roll!!….

With the previous week off, it didn’t take long for Peyton and company to get rolling against the Rams. Manning was highly efficient and very effective completing 23 of 34 passes and converting 8 of 12 third downs (66 percent) against a very poor Rams secondary. The Colts offense appeared unstoppable at times rolling up 391 total nets yards and 24 firstdowns. Manning was the ring leader of this scoring circus passing for 235 yards and tossing three touchdowns on the afternoon leading Indy to a huge 42-6 win.

The Saints not just good….

Not only can the Saints go marching in, but they have plenty of resiliency to come marching back. On Sunday after trailing huge to the Dolphins in the first half 24-3, the Saints and Drew Brees finally got things going with a late score in the first half to cut the lead. After struggling with turnovers and ineffective passing, Brees and the offense caught fire in the second half. Running back Mike Bell dominated the action on the ground with 80 yards rushing (all in the second half) and Brees passed for 194 yards in the second half and added three scores (1 pass, 2 rush). The come from behind victory preserved the Saints perfect record and leave them as the only undefeated team in the NFC at 6-0.

Worst of the Worst

After getting blown out on Sunday by 36 points and dropping their 17th straight game, the Rams have earned the title this week as the worst team in the league. The Rams offense ranks 26th overall this season with 277 yards per game and 29th in the turnover ratio at minus seven. Their defense has not faired much better ranked 30th overall. This season the defense is allowing over 30 points, 136 yards on the ground, and nearly 250 yards passing per game. The Rams have been outscored 60-211 this season, more than earning the moniker “Worst of the worst.”

Jury is still Out

Chargers are not done yet

Like a year ago, the Chargers find themselves in a bit of a hole sitting three games behind the division leading Denver Broncos. Before anyone decides to write off the 3-3 team from San Diego, coming off a huge win on Sunday they are in the same position they were a year ago when they came back to win the division. While the Broncos look very good this season, the biggest difference this year is there are a lot of games left to be played. Denver may have a stronghold on the AFC West the jury is still out before crowning a division champion.

10 Things I Remember From Sunday
(Week 7)

1. Carson Palmer looks like the new sheriff in the North throwing five touchdowns against the Bears on Sunday.
2. Very quietly on Sunday the Packer’s running back Ryan Grant turned in a huge performance rushing for 148 yards and a touchdown.
3. The career of Alex Smith may have been resurrected on Sunday against the Texans passing for over 200 yards and three touchdowns in one half.
4. Despite an inept passing game and a questionable offensive line running back Steven Jackson continues to rack up numbers on the ground.
5. The Vikings don’t appear to be too concerned about over-working their 40-year old quarterback. On Sunday Favre threw the ball 51 times.
6. The Falcons passing game was slowed down on Sunday by a ferocious Cowboys pass rush. The defense sacked Matt Ryan four times, had several hurries, and forced three fumbles.
7. The Raiders run defense was filled with some huge holes on Sunday. The Jets ran all over Oaklandss defense totaling over 300 yards on the ground and nearly six yards per run.
8. The Niner’s rookie receiver Michael Crabtree (5 catches) made his debut on Sunday and surpassed Heyward-Bey’s season total for receptions in one afternoon.
9. The Cardinal’s secondary looked dominant on Sunday night limiting the Giants to 19 of 37 passing, caused three picks and defended 11 passes.
10. Even on another continent and half way across the world, Brady and the Patriots can still dominate; it helps too that they played the Buccaneers.
    

Remember to check back for more "Monday Morning Huddle!!

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”

FSH: MONDAY NIGHT MATCH-UP

October 5th, 2009 4:37pm PST


Monday Night Matchup

VS

Ah Sweet Revenge!!

It took nearly two seasons in the making, but it’s finally upon us. Brett Favre will finally meet his former team the Green Bay Packers and have yet another opportunity to set an NFL record.

In his first 18 seasons of action, Favre has managed to cast aside to the defeated pile all 31 other NFL teams. Tonight he’ll have a chance to face that elusive 32nd NFL team and win will put his name in the NFL books as the only quarterback in history to defeat every team in the league.

We may not have ever imagined that we’d see this, but as soon as the Packers let Favre walk out the door, you know many of us not just Brett were looking forward to this day. While this is merely just one game of a 16-game schedule for both team, there’s little doubt there will be plenty of emotion and motiviation on the field.

A night of revenge for Favre or an evening of affirmation for Aaron Rodgers, regardless the outcome of this one matchup will hardly prove one or the other, but you can bet it will entertaining and provide plenty to talk about tomorrow!

Monday Night's Fantasy Notes:

Packers:
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (four passing touchdowns) is off to a slow start this season, but with wideouts Greg Jennings (eight receptions) and Donald Driver (two touchdowns) expect the passing game to attack the leagues 4th ranked pass defense. Running back Ryan Grant (206 yards rushing) has also been very quiet this season, but he’ll have a tough time finding any holes against the leagues 9th ranked run defense if the passing attack can’t get started early.
Vikings:
The Vikings will feature perhaps the leagues very best football player let alone running back Adrian Peterson (Leads NFL with 357 yards rushing). The Packers (ranked 23rd against the run) will try to slow down “All-Day” with eight and nine man front and Viking quarterback Brett Favre (five touchdowns to one interception) may have to take a few more chances downfield. Favre has started to play much better coming off his first 300 yard passing game this season. His ball has more zip these days and wideouts Sidney Rice (nine receptions), Bernard Berrian (102 receiving yards), and Percy Harvin (two touchdowns) could see more action tonight.

Prediction: Vikings 28, Packers 23.

Remember to check back each week for "Monday Night Matchup"

FSH: SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NOTES

July 26th, 2009 7:37pm PST

Sunday Night Football Notes

Fantasy Football Strategy: Risk vs. Reward

.

Brady will top the list of risky picks in 2009….
With the clock counting down to most fantasy drafts that will likely start in early august, fantasy owners must now start to consider their drafting strategy. Sure, you know the names and numbers, but if fantasy consistency will take you a long way.

In 2009 Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is going to head a list of risky fantasy candidates that owners must decide when is not too early to pull the trigger and take the risk. Last season, many fantasy owners saw their season’s hope flush down the proverbial toilet when Brady went down with injury in week one. Now fully recovered is he worth taking with a high draft position?

What about other quarterbacks like Carson Palmer (threw 26 touchdowns in 2007) and Matt Hasselbeck (threw 28 touchdowns in 2007) who will be returning from injury? With the quarterback position only requiring one starter in most leagues, it’s likely these two can be snatched up as high valued back-ups.

At other positions this option won’t be as likely. In the backfield, owners are looking for two solid plays and running back Steven Jackson may be one of those risk and reward picks this season. He will be valued as a low end RB1 or high-end RB2 by some, but could have a huge upside. Jackson appears to be a fantasy option that should get plenty of opportunity to hit his numbers. This is what fantasy owners must look for when considering making one of those risky draft selections.

By the same token, when you look at a player like Cutler going to Chicago; he lacks the same kind of skill set he had in Denver. The risk is his value could dip greatly with less production this season and it could cost an unlucky owner a high draft position to learn this fate. The former Bronco still has all his tools and there’s no doubt he will make his teammates better, but can he elevate their play to the same level where he was a top five fantasy quarterback.

Let’s not overlook the Antonio Bryant’s of the world. Just a year ago, out of nowhere Bryant turned in a spectacular season (83 receptions, 1,238-yards, 7 touchdowns) considering where he came from (did not play in 2007). In 2009 however, he could be looking at Byron Leftwich or Luke McCown thowing him the ball. A couple of names that hardly put fear in any defenses and ones that won’t offer a lot of appeal come fantasy draft time.

While there is some payoff along the risk and reward trail, for some fantasy owners’ consistency can pave its own way as well. Quarterbacks like Peyton Manning offer security due to their reliability and of course, consistency (4,000-yards passing, 27 touchdowns in 2008).

Lets not forget, the less than flashy players like Ryan Grant (312 carries in 2008) and Eddie Royal (91 receptions last season), while they won’t go overlooked on anyone’s draft list, they could offer as much value in a higher slot than many are projecting, simply because of the consistency factor and favored situation they will play in this season.

Consistency and safe bets can carry an owner a lot way, but winning in any fantasy league will require a little of both. So pick your poisons carefully and good luck this season.


By David Ortega

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