FSH NOTEBOOK: MY WEEKLY SURVIVAL

December 30th, 2010, Thursday

My Weekly Survivors

It looks like we picked the worst time to have a bad week in our season long chase for a Suicide fantasy football championship. With the season winding down and fewer chances to make a move to the top last week was one to forget.

Week 16 did not go so well with a few of our picks tanking big time. With Marion Barber returning to the field last week, Tashard Choice saw very few touches and totaled only two points. On Monday night Marques Colston turned in one of his quietest games with just two catches for 21 yards (two points). Ben Watson kept our hard luck with the tight ends going another week with a poor fantasy outing last Sunday against the Ravens (2 points). The only highlights of our week 16 team picks were quarterback Matt Schaub (16 points) and place kicker Neil Rackers (11 points).

This week we enter the season finale with all hopes of a run at the top now a distant memory. With one lineup left to submit a lineup and currently residing in the 8th spot, a top five finish still looks possible. This week will offer some unique challenges with the possibility of some players sitting (resting), but like every week we’ll just have to dig a little deeper to find this week’s stars on Sunday.

Here are my picks for week 17….

QB-Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers still have a lot left to play for, so Big Ben should be a busy man on Sunday making plays. In their first meeting versus the Browns back in week 6, Roethlisberger passed for 257 yards and tossed three touchdowns. The Steelers have won five of their last six and a win on Sunday will deliver a division title; expect Big Ben to play a big part.
(Projected: 20 fantasy points/ 250 yards passing, two touchdowns, 25 rushing yards)

RB- Shonn Greene, New York Jets
The Jets have clinched a playoff berth, but have no shot at the division. With Sunday’s meeting with the Bills having very little impact on their playoff seeding it sounds like several Jets could be rested; including LaDanian Tomlinson. With LT likely to see the bench on Sunday it could be a very productive day for running back Shonn Greene (766 yards rushing in 2010).
(Projected: 17 fantasy points/ 105 yards rushing, 2 catches, 10 yards receiving, one touchdown)

RB-Ryan Matthews, San Diego Chargers
The Chargers’ running back is healthy again, running well, and has seen his most extensive action of this season over the past three weeks. Mathews is averaging 16 touches per game in his last three games and 3.9 yards per carry. With Mike Tolbert ruled out is should be all Mathews against the Broncos’ 31st ranked run defense.
(Projected: 17 fantasy points/ 85 yards rushing, 3 catches, 30 yards receiving, one touchdown)

WR-Mario Manningham, New York Giants
The Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham has been on fire over the past couple of weeks and could be even bigger with Hakeem Nicks not expected to play this Sunday. Manningham has posted consecutive 100 yard receiving games and this week he’ll face the Redskins 31st ranked pass defense in week 17; he looks like a good bet to make it three straight.
(Projected: 17 fantasy points/ 7 catches, 110 yards, one touchdown)

WR-Jacoby Jones, Houston Texans
The Texans have the sixth ranked passing offense in the league making their receivers look very attractive in week 17 against the Jaguars 26th ranked pass defense. With Andre Johnson inactive last week, wide receiver Jacoby Jones got the nod to start and turned in strong performance with five catches for 115 yards. If Johnson sits, Jones looks to be a good play against a weak secondary. If Johnson decides to go, he would be the preferred play here.
(Projected: 14 fantasy points/ 4 catches, 85 yards, one touchdown)

TE-Kellen Winslow Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Winslow leads the team in catches this season with 63 and is coming off a big Sunday with seven grabs and two scores. With the Bucs still in the post season hunt, quarterback Josh Freeman will be sure to look his way often. In their first matchup this season against the Saints, Winslow did not total a lot of yards, but was targeted 10 times and caught 7 passes. He figures to be busy in the rematch.
(Projected: 14 fantasy points/ 6 catches, 80 yards, one touchdown)

PK-Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts rank 3rd in the league in scoring this season averaging just over 27points per contest, but at home in their last two games have totaled 69 points. With the Titans in town this Sunday, the Colts look like a good bet to post another 30 point effort. Vinatieri has been gold this season making 23 of 25 field goals and he is perfect at home on 13 tries.
(Projected: 12 fantasy points/ three field goals, three extra points)

Last week’s results

(Week 16 Points=41, Total Season Points=1,192, 8th place)
QB-Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
RB- Tashard Choice, Dallas Cowboys
RB-Mike Tolbert, San Diego Chargers
WR-Santana Moss, Washington Redskins
WR-Marques Coltson, New Orleans Saints
TE-Ben Watson, Cleveland Browns
PK-Neil Rackers, Houston Texans

FSH NOTEBOOK: FANTASY WATCH

December 25th, 2010, Saturday

Fantasy Watch

Dallas Cowboys versus Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald: Fitz Looks Ready To Fly

The Cardinal’s wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is not having one of his typical super campaigns this season, but he is still on his way to 90 catches and well over 1,100 yards receiving this season. Even with all the changes his team has gone through at the quarterback position this season, Fitz still has 78 receptions, but only five touchdowns. Saturday’s matchup against the Cowboys 28th ranked pass defense could help change that.

Fitzgerald is still seeing plenty of balls in his directions this season (153 targets) and nothing should change this Saturday against the Cowboys secondary that has allowed 31 passing touchdowns allowed in 2010 (tied for most in league). Another concern for Dallas when trying to cover Fitz will be the yards after catch; the Cowboys have allowed 52 pass plays of 20 yards or more this season. There’s no question Fitz will have plenty of chances to make some catches, but will the Cowboys be able to keep him contained and wrapped up?

Sunday’s projections against the Cowboys.
(9 receptions, 115 yards passing, two touchdowns)

Jason Witten: Sure Handed Witten Keeps Rolling

The Cowboys’ tight end Jason Witten has been a hot fantasy play for owners and a big red-zone target for the Cowboys over the past several weeks. In his last four games Witten has seen 34 passes thrown his direction and has managed to snag 32 of them. Witten has also become a touchdown magnate over the past three games, scoring in all three (four touchdowns total).

The Cardinal’s pass defense is ranked 24th in the league and have allowed 18 passing touchdowns this season; including five to tight ends. With Witten being a much more utilized pass receiving option, the Cards’ secondary will have their hands full.

Sunday’s projections against the Cardinals.
(7 catches, 90 yards receiving, one touchdown)

Jon Kitna: Kitna Keeps Up Steady Play

The Cowboys’quarterback Jon Kitna has been playing very well over his past three games throwing five touchdowns against two interceptions. Kitna is also completing over 68 percent of his passes in his past three starts and has thrown for 714 yards. With the cardinals struggling against the run this season, the Cowboys are likely to spend a lot of time on the ground, but that should set up some deep shots off the play action.

Kitna executes a very good play fake and should be able to catch a few safeties flat footed on Saturday. Kitna has thrown 13 touchdowns in eight starts this season and shouldn’t need to rely much on his arm this week against Arizona, but he’ll still take his shots. The Cards’ secondary has allowed 48 pass plays of 20 yards or more and with only 26 sacks this season; expect Kitna and his receivers to be looking for the occasional big play downfield.

Sunday’s projections against the Cardinals.
(20 of 30 passing, 240 yards passing, two touchdowns, 20 yards rushing)

Tashard Choice: Cowboys Running Back Could Be Choice

The Cowboys’ running Tashard Choice could be the ball carrier of choice this coming weekend against the Cardinals. In the team’s last three matchups Choice has seen his workload increase (46 touches) and he has managed to find the end-zone in three of his last four contests. Since his touches have increased Choice is averaging 4.1 yards per carry and has totaled 217 yards from scrimmage in his last three games.

The Cardinal’s defense (ranked 30th) does not do a good job stopping the ground attacked allowing 145 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry. This season the Cardinal’s defense has been toasted for 16 rushing touchdowns and have allowed 16 runs of 20 yards or more. In their last two games opponents have ran the ball out of the backfield 67 times and opposing runners have gain 282 yards on the ground. Expect the Cowboys to run the ball considerably Saturday night and Choice to get his share of carries.

Sunday’s projections against the Cardinals
(15 carries, 65 yards rushing, 3 catches, 20 yards receiving, one touchdown)

Just my take.

By David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: MY WEEKLY SURVIVAL

December 22nd, 2010, Wednesday

My Weekly Survivors

Last week was kind of a funny week for my fantasy squad; just about everyone scored which is always good, but most of my team didn’t do much else. With the exception of the Buccaneer’s wide receiver Mike Williams (15 points) and the Cowboys quarterback Jon Kitna (21 points) there was not a lot to cheer about. Williams dialed in on my numbers with 6 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, while Kitna was a little better passing for over 300 yards with two touchdown tosses.

My duds included Brian Westbrook (8 points) who managed to salvage his performance with a late touchdown, but his 30 total yards hurt. Ronnie Brown (9 points) was not much different scoring once and total just 42 yards. My Achilles heel this season has been and was once again the tight end spot; Owen Daniels (4 points) caught just four passes for 45 yards.

This week it’s time to get serious, with just two weeks left I must concede any shot at the top two spots (trail by more than 100 points) unless there is a colossal meltdown. My fantasy team is locked in at number six and I still have a shot at third place (just 50 points back), but I need a two big weeks. I have very few big guns left, but this week I will be shooting from the hip and swinging for the fences.

Here are my picks for week 16….

QB-Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
The Bronco’s secondary is amongst the worst in the league and have allowed 25 touchdowns this season; 7th worst in the league. One reason for the Broncos woes in coverage, they lack any kind of pass rush; just 18 sacks this season. If given time Schaub can be as good as any quarterback in the league. With a weapon like Andre Johnson to throw to, Schaub is in line for a big passing day on Sunday.
(Projected: 25 fantasy points/ 325 yards passing, three touchdowns)

RB- Tashard Choice, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys’ running back Tashard Choice has been seeing a steady diet of work over the past couple of weeks and has totaled 169 yards in his last three games. With Barber returning to action this Sunday and Jones looking “iffy”, Choices looks like the safe bet in the lineup this week. Choice has also scored a rushing touchdown in three of his last four games.
(Projected: 14 fantasy points/ 65 yards rushing, 3 catches, 20 yards receiving, one touchdown)

RB-Mike Tolbert, San Diego Chargers
The Charger’s running back has a good matchup on the road this week in Cincinnati against the league’s 22nd ranked run defense; the Bengals are allowing 4.6 yards per carry and have yielded 13 rushing touchdowns this season. Tolbert continues to be the favorite out of the Chargers’ backfield; he’ll see plenty of touches and should be able to find pay-dirt on the road. Tolbert has 11 rushing touchdowns this season and has scored in four of his last five games.
(Projected: 15 fantasy points/ 85 yards rushing, 1 catches, 10 yards receiving, one touchdown)

WR-Santana Moss, Washington Redskins
The Redskins will travel to Jacksonville in week 16 and should be licking their chops against the leagues’ 27th ranked pass defense. Even with the change at quarterback last week, it didn’t seem to bother the offense; 286 net yards passing, four touchdowns. Wide receiver Santana Moss also remained a hot commodity in the Redskins passing game (23 targets last two weeks) with 8 receptions for 72 yards and two scores last weekend against the Cowboys. Moss could be looking at similar results this weekend against a defense that has allowed 26 passing touchdowns this season.
(Projected: 17 fantasy points/ 7 catches, 110 yards, one touchdown)

WR-Marques Coltson, New Orleans Saints
The Saints travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons on Monday night and if you’re thinking this one is going to be a barn-burner; you’ll probably be right. The Saints wide receiver Marques Colston (7 touchdowns in 2010) leads the team with 126 targets this season and in his last two games quarterback Drew Brees has been calling his number quite often (24 targets). With such a huge matchup coming up this Monday, there’s little doubt Brees will be looking for his best receiver. Even if Colston only see’s eight to ten targets, you have to love his chances of collecting 70-90 yards and finding the end-zone.
(Projected: 15 fantasy points/ 6 catches, 95 yards, one touchdown)

TE-Ben Watson, Cleveland Browns
Ben Watson has been one of the more consistent options in the passing game for the Brown’s this season. Last week he and rookie quarterback Colt McCoy enjoyed one of their best games together; Watson caught seven passes for 92 yards. This week the two will face a Raven’s defense that has had its’ struggles against opposing tight ends.
(Projected: 14 fantasy points/ 6 catches, 80 yards, one touchdown)

PK-Neil Rackers, Houston Texans
The Texan’s offense has averaged over 23 points per game over their past seven games and this season Rackers has made 22 of 25 field goal attempts this season. This weekend they travel to Denver to face the Broncos who give up more points (29.6 pts per game) than any other team in the league; Rackers will be busy on Sunday.
(Projected: 9 fantasy points/ two field goals, three extra points)

My Previous starts

Week 1 (Total points-77)
QB Donovan McNabb (WAS)
RB Matt Forte (CHI)
RB Carnell Williams (TB)
WR Jeremy Maclin (PHI)
WR Jabar Gaffney (DEN)
TE Zach Miller (OAK)
K Joe Nedney (SF)

Week 2 (Total points-68)
QB Michael Vick (PHI)
RB Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG)
RB Rashard Mendenhall (PIT)
WR Nate Washington (TEN)
WR Greg Jennings (GB)
TE Chris Cooley (WAS)
K Nick Folk (NYJ)

Week 3 (Total points-87)
QB Tony Romo (DAL)
RB Darren McFadden
RB Ray Rice (BAL)
WR Austin Collie (IND)
WR Dez Bryant (DAL)
TE Brent Celek (PHI)
K Lawrence Tynes (NYG)

Week 4 (Total points-58)
QB Eli Manning (NYG)
RB Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX)
RB Frank Gore (SF)
WR Mark Clayton (STL)
WR Brandon Marshall (MIA)
TE John Carlson (SEA)
K Jeff Reed (PIT)

Week 5 (Total Points-72 points)
QB Drew Brees (NO)
RB Steven Jackson (STL)
RB Thomas Jones (KC)
WR Donald Driver (GB)
WR Calvin Johnson (DET)
TE Marcedes Lewis (JAX)
K Mike Nugent (CIN)

Week 6 (Total Points-83 points)
QB Peyton Manning (IND)
RB Ryan Torain (WASH)
RB LaDanian Tomlinson (NYJ)
WR Hakeem Nicks (NYG)
WR Kenny Britt (TEN)
TE Dallas Clark, (IND)
K Sebastian Janikowski (OAK)

Week 7 (Total Points-93 points)
QB Philip Rivers (SD)
RB Adrian Peterson (MIN)
RB Michael Turner (ATL)
WR Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)
WR Dwayne Bowe (KC)
TE Tony Gonzales (ATL)
K Matt Prater (DEN)

Week 8 (Total Points-82 points)
QB Kyle Orton (DEN)
RB Felix Jones (DAL)
RB Jamaal Charles (KC)
WR Brandon Lloyd (DEN)
WR Deion Branch (NE)
TE Tony Moeki (KC)
K Stephen Gostkowski (NE)

Week 9 (Total Points-79 points)
QB Aaron Rodgers (GB)
RB LeSean McCoy (PHI)
RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis (NE)
WR Steve Smith (NYG)
WR Patrick Crayton (SD)
TE Jacob Tamme (IND)
PK Mason Crosby

Week 10 (Total Points-78 points)
QB Joe Flacco (BAL)
RB LeGarrette Blount (TB)
RB Cedric Benson (CIN)
WR Roddy White (ATL)
WR Steve Johnson (BUF)
TE Brandon Pettigrew (DET)
PK Rob Bironas (TEN)

Week 11 (Total Points-73 points)
QB Matt Ryan (ATL)
RB Fred Jackson (BUF)
RB Peyton Hillis (CLE)
WR DeSean Jackson (PHI)
WR Percy Harvin (MIN)
TE Jermaine Gresham (CIN)
PK Dan Carpenter (MIA)

Week 12 (Total Points-55 points)
QB Matt Cassel (KC)
RB Chris Johnson (TEN)
RB Danny Woodhead (NE)
WR Santonio Holmes (NYJ)
WR Sidney Rice (MIN)
TE Heath Miller (PIT)
PK Matt Bryant (ATL)

Week 13 (Total Points-82 points)
QB Sam Bradford (STL)
RB Jonathan Stewart (CAR)
RB Arian Foster (HOU)
WR Terrell Owens (CIN)
WR Anquan Boldin (BAL)
TE Visanthe Shiancoe (MIN)
PK David Akers (PHI)

Week 14 (Total Points-91 points)
QB Jay Cutler (CHI)
RB Knowshon Moreno (DEN)
RB Tim Hightower (ARI)
WR Reggie Wayne (IND)
WR Mike Wallace (PIT)
TE Jason Witten (DAL)
PK Billy Cundiff (BAL)

Week 15 (Total Points-73 points)
QB Jon Kitna (DAL)
RB Brian Westbrook (SF)
RB Ronnie Brown (MIA)
WR Miles Austin (DAL)
WR Mike Williams (TB)
TE Owen Daniels (HOU)
PK Josh Brown (STL)

FSH: SUNDAY MORNING GAMETIME

December 12th, 2010, Sunday

Sunday Morning Gametime

Today’s injury notes

The Chief’s will be without their starting quarterback Matt Cassel today against the San Diego Chargers. Cassel suffered an appendectomy earlier in the week and did not make the flight with the team to the west coast.

The Raiders could be without their top cover corner Nnamdi Asomugha today when the team faces the Jacksonville Jaguars. Asomugha is listed as questionable as he is dealing with a lingering ankle injury.

The Bronco’s are set to meet the Arizona Cardinals later today, but they will be missing a couple of key players. Rookie wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has been ruled out with an ankly injury, while Bronco’s safety Brian Dawkins will also be sidelined today with a knee injury. Fullback Spencer Larson has also been ruled out of today’s contest with a hamstring injury.

The AP is reporting that the Eagles will be without cornerback Assante Samuel tonight when the Eagles meet the Dallas Cowboys. Samuel is nursing an knee injury and was not expected to make the trip with the team.

Today’s Matchup

The Bills are facing the Cleveland Brown’s today and their 20th ranked pass defense. Last week Fitzpatrick and company had a rough day throwing the pill against an aggressive Vikings defense. This week won’t be a whole lot easier, but look for the Bills to attack the Browns defense through the air with wide receivers Stevie Johnson and Lee Evans. The Brown’s have allowed 20 passing touchdowns this season and are allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete better than 60 percent of their passes.

The Arizona Cardinals offense has been awful over the past several weeks averaging just over 8 points in their last three games. Today the Cards will matchup with the Broncos 31st run defense and should be planning a lot of Tim Hightower on the ground. Last week against the Rams Hightower toted the rock 15 times for 81 yards. It’s a safe bet to expect similar and even better numbers for the Cards runner today.

The Packers offense is on a roll having scored at least 31 points in three of its’ last four games. Today quarterback Aaron Rodgers will face the Lions 16th ranked pass defense that has surrendered 21 passing touchdowns and allows over a 63 pass completion percentage. Wide receiver Greg Jennings (11 touchdowns) and Donald Driver (4 touchdowns) could be in line for a couple of big games.

With snow and wind in affect in the windy city (Chicago) today, an aerial shootout is highly unlikely for quarterbacks Jay Cutler and Tom Brady. The Bears have been running the ball and will be expected to stick with what works, so expect to see a lot of Matt Forte (748 yards rushing, 5 touchdowns) today against the Patriots.

Tonight’s matchup between the Cowboys and Eagles being played in the comforts of the new Cowboy’s stadium could end up being every bit of a shootout. The Eagles are scoring at a frantic pace, while under the new Garrett regime, the Cowboys offense is starting to click. With all the talk about Mike Vick and the passing game, today’s matchup could be a battle of the ground games between Tashard Choice and LeSean McCoy. Both versatile backs should see plenty of carries and both will get their fair share in the pass game as well.


By David Ortega

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

December 10th, 2010 Friday

David’s Daily Digest

Fantasy Notes:

TASHARD CHOICE IS THE MAN OF CHOICE
After turning in an impressive showing last when he rushed for over 100 yards, don’t be surprised if the Cowboys call Tashard Choice’s number often with Marion Barber banged up. Last Sunday Choice carried the ball 19 times and scored once on a 20 yard scamper.
My Fantasy Read:
Choice is making a hard case to be more involved with the offense and from the sounds coming from Dallas that just may be the plan. Choice will face a tenacious Philly defense, but also one that only ranks12th against the run. Even splitting carries Choice should be a safe play this week in most formats as the Eagles have allowed 239 yards on the ground in their past games, including one rushing touchdown last week.

MOJO IS A ONE MAN SHOW
The Jaguars are reverting to playing straight up smash mouth football and led by their running back Maurice Jones-Drew, they look like they can be successful at it. Last Sunday MoJo toted the rock 31 times on his way to 186 yards rushing; his highest total of his career). It was also his fifth straight game with over 100 yards rushing.
My Fantasy Read:
The Jaguars have won four of their last five with MoJo averaging 25 carries per game. It looks like head coach Jack Del Rio is putting all his eggs in MJD’s bread-basket; fantasy owners won’t have to worry about the touches slowing down.

JAMAAL CHARLES STILL RUNNING BIG
The league’s leading ground game is anchored by the legs of running back Jamaal Charles and last Sunday he continued his running ways. Charles tallied over 100 yards on the ground for the third time this season while catching a pair of passes for another 20 yards.
My Fantasy Read:
Even with splitting carries with running back Thomas Jones, Charles sees enough action to be a safe fantasy one running back. In his last three games he’s averaging 21 touches per game and 146 yards of offense.

TOM BRADY; THAT’S MR. PERFECT TO YOU
Monday night the Patriot’s field general treated the fans of New England and a national audience to something special as he put on aerial butt whooping. Brady completed 21 of 29 passes for 326 yards and tossed four touchdowns (second time in as many weeks) while posting a passer rating of 148.9. This season Brady has posted a rating of 100 or higher eight times, including a current streak of four straight.
My Fantasy Read:
Brady is quickly making many “I think Joe Montana is the best quarterback” fans nervous with his brilliant play. Needless to say Brady looks to be golden with the fantasy playoffs now underway. With matchups against the Bears, Packers, and the Bills up next, can his fantasy owners say “championship!”

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

October 21st, 2009 10:37pm PST

The Fantasy Sports Zone

“Diamonds in the Rough”

(Fantasy Sleepers)

Players you should watch and perhaps a few to nab!

With the free agent pool thinning just a little bit each week, it’s time to start looking back at some familiar faces to step up as well. Your fantasy sleeper is not just the unknown that no one has ever heard of, he’s also that guy that has been quiet for a while and drifted off everyone’s radar. We also can’t forget that stud that has yet to have his time to shine; could this be his week to breakout?

Week six weeks in the past and plenty of action lying ahead this coming Sunday, who will be lucky gems in week number seven or just damn good?


This week’s gems…

In Pittsburgh…..
There’s no question that the Steelers of 2009 are a passing team with 57 percent of their plays called being the pass. Roethlisberger has suddenly become another Tom Brady putting up ridiculous passing numbers and his wideouts are becoming more productive. One receiver that has yet to really take off has been rookie wideout Mike Wallace. At times Wallace has made some big plays, but he has yet to see a steady does of balls in his direction. Over the past two weeks he’s averaged just five targets in each game, but if the Steelers continue to have success in the air those numbers could grow. It’s very simple too, as long as this is the winning formula for head coach Mike Tomlin and his Steelers, expect this trend to continue and Wallace’s chances to get better.

In Chicago……
The production has not been there yet this season, but the numbers keep telling us that tight end Greg Olsen is on the verge of doing some big things and soon. Coming off the bye week Olsen caught five passes for 57 yards and a score; not a mammoth game, but a start. The key stat you won’t see in the box score were the 11 passes Cutler threw in his direction. Olsen is not at the level of a TE1 yet, but he has 36 targets thus far this season. Give him a little time, he’ll get there.

In Dallas……
With the Cowboys returning from their bye week you would expect the team to be healthy, but it’s sounding like Barber and Jones could still be less than 100 percent. With Barber (thumb) dinged, his touches could be limited and Jones apparently injury prone these days, Tashard Choice could actually be the running back of choice this weekend. The Cowboys number three running back has earned himself some added spotlight and even with the other two as healthy as they’ve been this season Tashard should see plenty of opportunity. In week five Choice rushed for 92 yards on just eight carries. He may not do that every week, but then again he looks like a favorite to see more than eight carries on Sunday.

In Atlanta……
It’s been a quiet season for the Falcons receiver Michael Jenkins, but this week he’s got a pretty favorable matchup with the Cowboy’s secondary (ranked 26th against the pass). With the front four not getting a lot of pressure on the quarterback the Cowboys have been little susceptible to the long ball;15 pass plays for 20 yards or more this season. With the defense keying on Roddy White, Jenkins could be a sleeper pick this week in some deeper leagues that could be thin at wide receiver.

In San Francisco……
Coming off a poor performance in week five, the Niner’s quarterback Shaun Hill could catch a break this weekend at home against the Texans. Facing the Texan’s front four that struggle to get to the quarterback (only seven sacks), Hill will have a full compliment of weapons with the return of running back Frank Gore and the arrival of wide receiver Michael Crabtree. This will be the best looking unit Hill has had to play with this season and against the leagues 20th ranked overall defense he could be in line for a nice game. Starting Hill could be a gamble, but looking for a bye week fill, he won’t be the worst option available.

Worth keeping your eye on for now….

With the 0-6 Tennessee Titan’s season all but over, you have to wonder at what point do you start planning for the future? In recent weeks it has become apparent that quarterback Kerry Collins has lost his effectiveness and with a young arm like Vince Young lying in wait, when do you turn over the reigns? We have seen two VY’s in the past, one that caught the league by storm and made plays and then one that was a complete train wreck. The difference this time around could be less pressure and more opportunity to develop and get better. When Young arrived he showed a lot of promise and ability to make plays. If given opportunity, he could be a fantasy football wildcard down the stretch.

With the arrival of wide receiver Michael Crabtree come the hopes of great things. This is a diamond that has a lot of potential to shine, but it also happens to be one that could shine bright right away. The feeling is Crabtree is a tremendous talent and a lock to be very good at this next level. The Niners aren’t going to waste any time, this Sunday the rookie is expected to start and everyone will get to see how talented he is right away. There’s going to be bumps in the road and some growing pains, but this jewel is a keeper and worth picking up now; playing right away could be a different story.

Remember to check back for more "Diamonds in the Rough!"

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (SUNDAY HEROES)

October 11th, 2009 10:37pm PST

The Fantasy Sports Zone

Week Five
“Sunday’s Heroes”

Week Five in the NFL…

It was another weekend of NFL action with Sunday gladiators batting brilliantly and bringing honor to the Gridiron. With all of the Sunday action concluded, we recognize those warriors that rose above the rest to stand tall once more amongst the defeated.

In San Francisco before a hostile crowd, Falcon’s running back Michael Turner found great success on the ground. Turner toted the rock 22 times for 97 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns.

On the road facing the St. Louis Rams, the Viking’s running back Adrian Peterson found some success of his own. Peterson only carried the ball 15 times, but he rushed for 69 yards and scored two touchdowns in the team’s victory.

The Cowboy’s running back Tashard Choice needed only eight carries Sunday to do his damamge. Choice gained 92 yards on the ground for a hefty 11.5-yards per carry average and scored on a 36 yard run to help the cause.

The Giant’s starting quarterback Eli Manning was perfect on Sunday against the Raiders and needed only 10 passes to do so. Manning was 8 out of 10 passing for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He also finished the game with a perfect passer rating of 158.3.

The Seahawk’s starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck made his return on Sunday and what a difference he made. Hasselbeck was nearly flawless completing 18 of 30 passes for 241 yards and four touchdowns to lead his team.

The Eagle’s quarter Donovan McNabb also made his return from injury on Sunday. With an extra week of preparation Mcnabb showed no signs of rust completing 16 of 21 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns. McNabb also added 30 yards on two scrambles to go along with his 157.2 passer rating.

Typically known as a running team, Steeler’s quarterback Ben roethlisberger is quickly changing the team’s identity. The big-time arm threw for 277 yards on 23 of 30 passing and also tossed three touchdowns.

The Bronco’s playmaking receiver Brandon Marshall scored a touchdown for his third consecutive game. Playing a big part in the Bronco’s win on Sunday, Marshall caught eight passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns.

The Seahawk’s top free agent acquisition from the offseason continues to come on strong lately. Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh caught five passes for 77 yards and scored twice to help lead his team.

The Cardinal’s wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald showed folks on Sunday some of what makes him great. Fitz caught five passes for 79 yards and scored two touchdowns to help the Cards win.

The Seahawk’s other receiver Nate Burleson continued to show why he is one of the leagues best at his position. Burleson caught six passes on Sunday for 98 yards and added two scores in the Seahawks victory.

In the weekly night cap, one of the Colt’s rookie receiver Austin Collie made huge contributions in the team’s win. Collie grabbed eight Manning passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns in the winning effort.


These were just a few of Week five’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
Matt Schaub,HOU..............35 50 371 2 1 96.3
Tony Romo,DAL................20 34 351 2 0 113.7
Kyle Orton,DEN.................35 48 330 2 1 96.7
Matt Ryan,ATL.................22 32 329 2 1 110
Peyton Manning,IND...........36 44 309 3 1 109.2
Kurt Warner,ARI...............26 38 302 2 0 109.8

100-Rushing Club

Name,Team.................Att Yds Avg TD
Cedric Benson,CIN..........27 120 4.4 1
Jamal Lewis,CLE............31 117 3.8 0
Ahmad Bradshaw,NYG......11 110 10 2

100-Receiving Club

Name,Team ................Rec Yds Avg TD
Miles Austin,DAL...........10 250 25 2
Roddy White,ATL...........8 210 26.2 2
Jeremy Maclin,PHI..........6 142 23.7 2
Kellen Winslow,TB..........9 102 11.3 2
Andre Johnson,HOU........8 101 12.6 2


Check back every week for more “Sunday Heroes”

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

September 25th, 2009 11:37pm PST

“Diamonds in the Rough”

(Fantasy Sleepers)

Players you should watch and few to grab!
Continuing with our weekly watch of potential breakout candidates, those that can stop the bleeding, and the gems needed to get you over the hump in your drive for a fantasy football championship, let’s take a look at what week three in the NFL may bring.

Now that we've entered the third week of the NFL some of this season's bumps and bruises are starting to take their toll. In places like Dallas and Philadelphia new faces are getting a chance to shine in the spotlight.

In Dallas….
Perhaps the biggest spotlight will shine in Texas in the house that Jerry built under his mammoth size suspended video screen. With normal starting running back Marion Barber likely to be sidelined, it's not back up Felix Jones folks should watch (we know what he can do), but rather the number three running back Tashard Choice. The Cowboys other choice in the backfield has shown ability in the past and with his good size, speed, and versatility fantasy owners can expect to see him featured in the team's gameplan as much as (Felix) Jones.

In Philadelpia…
With an ailing Brian Westbrook and the hapless Chiefs in town, we could see a couple of sleepers emerge from the Eagles offense alone. In week two quarterback Kevin Kolb put the ball in the air 51 times, while he won't follow that game plan this week he could still have equal success. Against a suspect defense and plenty of playmakers Kolb figures to be at least a decent fantasy insert.

Looking at the same matchup, a key factor to watch will be the health of running back Brian Westbrook (questionable). If Westy is limited or doesn't play, this could be a great opportunity for the rookie LeSean McCoy. The rookie runner has seen only limited carries, but facing a soft interior Chief's defense (ranked 21st against the run) he could find some running room. The versatile back should also see plenty of chances in the short passing game as the Eagles will try to get McCoy into open space. If this one goes one way in favor of the Eagles early, expect the team to feature more McCoy late.

Lastly the third spotlight on an Eagles offense that posted over 460-yards of offense in week 2 is wide receiver Jason Avant. Against the Saints last Sunday the Eagle's receiver was targeted 8 times catching seven of those for 79-yards. Avant also found the endzone last week and will have ample chances this week against the Chiefs defense to score.

Worth keeping your eye on for now…

Although this week is not a favorable matchup for the kid, with running back Jamal Lewis likely to be shelved this Sunday, rookie running back James Davis could see his first extensive action this week against the Ravens. We aren’t expecting a big game, but we think he’ll do some nice things and definitely be worth eying down the road.

After playing well in the Raven’s first two contests, former starting running back Willis McGahee has turned into a touchdown machine this season with four in his first two games. It’s Ray Rice who will be starting, but this could be a very good week to get McGahee into your lineup with the Ravens facing a questionable Brown’s run defense (ranked 31st).

Two more potential diamonds waiting to shine in Minnesota are wide receivers Percy Harvin and Sydney Rice. Harvin has already emerged as one of quarterback Brett Favre’s favorite receivers. Both Harvin (2 touchdowns) and Rice (leads team with 10 targers) appear to be main staples in the VIkes passing game and with the Niners (ranked 3rd against the run) in town, Favre may have to rely more on both this week.


Remember to check back for more "Diamonds in the Rough!"

FSH: WATERCOOLER CHAT

September 23rd, 2009 10:15pm PST

WATERCOOLER CHAT

The Weekly Wavier Wire

Wayne "The Wire" Bosco
(Courtesy of the Fantasy Football Gang)

Now that we have two weeks of NFL action in the books we can make a better read on who is managing to get their jerseys a little more dirty from week to week. According to our pal Wayne here are a few of week three's best waiver wire options;

Week Three

With Marion “the Barbarian” Barber ailing on the Cowboys sidelines, it sounds very possible he could miss action this week. Although he is practicing, back up running back Tashard Choice becomes an interesting and valuable option. If you have room on your roster, this kid could be the goods once he gets on the field. Don’t expect the Cowboys to rush Barber back out too quickly, if he sits Tashard is a great waiver wire choice this week.

The Steelers’s back up running back Rashard Mendenhall is climbing the stock charts this week with Fast Willie Parker still running in first gear. With the team looking to get the running game out of the gates, Mendenhall could see quite a few more carries in week 3. With the Steelers facing the Bengals this week, it could be a great opportunity for Mendenhall to make a little noise.

After two weeks working Josh McDaniels passer friendly offense, quarterback Kyle Orton is not exactly tearing down the house, but he has become more than just a serviceable fantasy QB2. Orton has passed for more than 500-yards and thrown two touchdowns. With a big time receiver like Brandon Marshall we know his touchdowns will increase, but at a pace to pass for 4,000-yards Orton is a steal off the wire.

With the great Wes Welker getting close to returning, don’t expect to hear a whole lot more of wide receiver Julian Edleman (ankle). The one game wonder is likely to take a back seat to the emerging Joey Galloway. When Welker does return, Galloway figures to be the non-starting mainstay in the offense and his five receptions in week 2 could be an indication of his growing involvement. The Patriots offense is typically a highly productive unit and Galloway looks like a solid candidate to benefit.

Another appealing option at the receiver spot is the Chicago Bear’s Johnny Knox. In only two short weeks we have already seen this kid can fly, but the chemistry he is quickly developing with his big arm quarterback is just the beginning of great things to come. He’s looked good so far and will get better, grab him if you can.


“Wayne’s Word”

If your roster is lacking quality depth or is weak at the receiver spot, two options fantasy owners need to jump on are; Steve (no the other one) Smith-NYG and Laurent Robinson-STL. In two games this season, both relatively unknown fantasy receivers have emerged as reliable pass receiving options in their respective offenses. Both look to be the odds on favorites to lead the clubs in receiving and could very well turn out to be PPR gold.

Playing the Fantasy GM

Don-Pietro "The GM" Zamboni

What do you do with these guys?

Always the growing concern of any fantasy GM, what do I do with my high pick when he’s not producing or I know his production is about to take a serious hit. It’s never an easy decision or easy balance, but there are always options. So what do you do with the LT’s, the Matt Forte’s, and the Laveranues Cole’s; let’s take a look;

The GM Game
Owners that drafted San Diego Charger LaDanian Tomlinson could be facing the toughest dilemma of all. In recent years while LT has produced (just not to his level), he has often come at a high cost. With the former NFL MVP sidelined and not practicing, what good will he do on your bench another week. His value has dropped, but it’s still early enough in the season for you to get something for him. Trade him now (but get good value) and avoid the headache.

Unlike the LT dilemma, Matt Forte’s 117-yards of offense and zero touchdowns are nothing to panic about just yet. He’s got a new quarterback and both are still feeling each other out and trying to find balance on offense. Fantasy owners need to exercise self-control and extreme patience. The good sign, Forte has 38 carries in two games and in week 2 he caught five balls. He will be involved in the offense and eventually produce.

The same can be said of Bengal’s wide receiver Chris Henry. Through two games the lanky wideout has just two receptions, but does have a touchdown. Quarterback Carson Palmer is still working his way back to his old form. As he gets better, so will his awareness and with Henry standing at 6’4” Palmer will find him. Henry is not an every week starter just yet, so patience again will be the key.

The same can’t be said for wide receivers Laveranues Coles and Lance Moore. Coles is really struggling this season in his new home with just three catches. His last two seasons in New York were average at best and after nine seasons in the NFL it appears his best days could be well behind him. Last season Moore emerged as a favorite in the Saints offense, but he’s been slow to heal with recent injuries and Colston’s healthy return has not helped. If you are carrying these two, you might need to check out this week’s waiver wire. Lastly in this addition of the GM game, running back Correll Buckhalter appears to be running on borrowed time. With Knowshon Moreno’s healthy return in week 2, Buck could be looking at his workload being lightened soon. Moreno appears to be the favorite in Denver, so it could be time to shelve Buck or if you didn’t draft the rookie trade Buckhalter to the guy who did. Everyone loves handcuffs.

Keep checking back for more football....

By David G. Ortega