FSH NOTEBOOK: TARGET PRACTICE

September 28th, 2011, Wednesday

Fantasy Football

Target Practice

In These Hands We Trust

In week 3 there were no hands better than the pair that comes with Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker. Against the Bills, Welker was targeted a league high 20 times in week 3 finishing the game with 16 catches and over 200 yards receiving. While Welker was raking in passes like crazy, Roddy White (Falcons) and Anquan Boldin (Ravens) were seeing many chances as well, but with a lot less success.

White only corralled 9 balls on 17 tries against the Buccaneers, while Boldin was less successful snagging only 7 of 14. The good news for owners, these two look like they have the confidence of their quarterbacks and should be strong candidates to rebound in week 4 with plenty more chances.

A couple of other receivers that have the confidence of their quarterbacks and could quickly become fantasy football household names include wide receiver Nate Washington (Titans), David Nelson (Bills), and Brandon Pettigrew (Lions).

Through the first three weeks of the season Washington (27 targets) and Nelson (27 targets) both rank in the Top 20. Pettigrew is not far off ranking fourth among tight ends with 22 targets. After last weeks’ breakout game against the Vikings with 11 receptions and 112 yards receiving, Pettigrew is quickly becoming a favorite of (Matthew) Stafford.

Top 10 in week 3

1. Wes Welker, Patriots (20 targets)
2. Roddy White, Falcons (17 targets)
3. Anquan Boldin, Ravens (14 targets)
4. Reggie Wayne, Colts (13 targets)
5. Andre Caldwell, Bengals (12 targets)
6. Eric Decker, Broncos (12 targets)
7. Andre Johnson, Texans (12 targets)
8. Michael Jenkins, Vikings (11 targets)
9. Calvin Johnson, Lions (11 targets)
10. 6 players tied at 10 targets

Radar Watch

If the Broncos can quarterback Kyle Orton to look downfield more, wide receiver Eric Decker could suddenly become a fantasy favorite. Decker was among the leaders in week 3 with 12 targets, but the results were only 7 catches for 48 yards. Like Decker, wide receiver Pierre Garcon is going to need more help from the quarterback position if he is going to improve on his 10 targets from week 3. Both look like diamonds in the rough just waiting to shine.

Tight end Todd Heap is healthy this season and was finally utilized a little more extensively in week 3 seeing 10 balls (targets) in his direction. Heap has shown lots of ability in the past, if quarterback Kevin Kolb can make more of an effort to get his tight end involved, Heap has the potential of being a fantasy gem going forward.

One of my waiver wire mentions this week is wide receiver Michael Jenkins (Vikings). He’s not going to suddenly break out of the gate in week 4, but his 17 targets are good indicator he’s one of McNabb’s favorite and will see a steady stream of passes in his direction every week.

My last mention here is Lions rookie wide receiver Titus Young. Last week he broke out with a nice 5 catch, 89-yard performance on seven targets. This week his 4 catches and 51 yards receiving might suggest a slight regression, but to the contrary Young was targeted eight times. As long as Young continues to see his share of throws, he’s going to get better; much better.

Top 10 through week 3 (unofficial)

1. Wes Welker, Patriots (43 targets)
2. Roddy White, Falcons (34 targets)
3. Andre Johnson, Texans (32 targets)
4. Reggie Wayne, Colts (32 targets)
5. Jason Witten, Cowboys (32 targets)
6. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins (31 targets)
7. Steve Smith, Panthers (31 targets)
8. Steve Johnson, Bills (30 targets)
9. Mike Thomas, Jaguars (30 targets)
10. Anquan Boldin, Ravens (28 targets)
11. Calvin Johnson, Lions (28 targets)
12. Darren Sproles, Saints (28 targets)

FSH NOTEBOOK: MONDAY MORNING HUDDLE

January 10th, 2011, Monday

Monday Morning Huddle
(Late Evening Edition)

If you happen to be as big a fan of football as I am then you had to enjoy this past weekend’s slate of games. I did not have a side in the Saints-Seahawks matchup, but I never expected to see the defending champs do down so soon. Even the night cap on Saturday caught me off guard, it was not much of an upset if any, but it was a surprise seeing the Jets roll into Indy and shut down Manning and the Colts. After one day of action last year’s two Super Bowl participants were gone.

Sunday brought about some eyebrow-raising as well, with both the Ravens and Packers handling their business in decisive fashion. Sure the Eagles playing at home made it close, but it was a game quarterback Michael Vick and company were pretty much scrambling all afternoon. The Aaron Rodgers led Packers came into Lincoln Field, grab control and took the lead never to look back. In Kansas City the Ravens defense needed a few plays, but once they awoke it was lights out for the Chiefs.

With the Seahawks winners over the Saints and the Packers coming out of Philly with the win, check your brackets folks, cause there will be some changes.

Top Stories

The Saturday Night Special At The Georgia Dome

For those of us still entertained with fantasy fever, this Saturday’s divisional round matchup between the Packers and Falcons promises to deliver plenty to cheer about. Remember these two teams squared off about a month and a half ago and gave fans plenty of fireworks to get excited about. This time around looks to be a lot of the same, but with the Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (28 touchdowns, 3,922 yards passing in 2010) playing so well, it’s hard to imagine the Falcons being able to limit the Green Bay offense to just 17 points. Back in week 12 against the Falcons Rodgers passed for 344 yards, but only threw one touchdown pass. In his last three starts, Rodgers is averaging 270 yards passing and has eight touchdown passes. Rodgers will still have plenty of weapons on the field, even with a dinged up Donald Driver (knee) and could be in for another big outing against the Falcons 22nd ranked pass defense.

While Rodgers figures to provide plenty of fanfare on Saturday, across the field on the other side the Falcons will be leaning heavily on their ground attack and running back Michael Turner (1,371 yards rushing in 2010). The more Turner carries the ball, the clock he eats, the less the Falcons’ secondary has to deal with Rodgers. In their first matchup the Falcons and Turner had a lot of success with 110 yards on the ground. Turner toted the rock 23 times and helped the Falcons not only win the time-of-possession battle, but the game. Turner (12 rushing touchdowns in 2010) also added a scoring run in the game and will be a strong bet to find pay-dirt once again.

Notables

There were several performances over the weekend worth noting for fantasy owners. In Baltimore wide receiver Anquan Boldin did not have a breakout game, but his five receptions were the most among the Raven’s wide receivers and one of his grabs came in the red-zone for a score. Boldin has had his up and downs this season, but could re-emerge as Flacco’s go-to receiver, especially in the red-zone.

The Packers rediscovered a ground game led by rookie running back James Starks, who set a Packer’s rookie post season record with 123 yards on the ground. Starks led all running backs over the weekend with 23 carries and looks in line to be the Packer’s featured ground gainer when the team travels to Atlanta. The Falcons (ranked 10th against the run) did a pretty good job against the run this season, but they will have their hands full with this kid on Saturday. Starks did not play in their first matchup this season.

Joe “Cool” (Flacco) was steady Freddy on Sunday once his offensive line made the necessary adjustments and allowed him time to throw. On the afternoon Flacco was dumped four times, but when he was not being hurried or hit he was completing passes (25 of 34) and throwing touchdowns (two on Sunday). Flacco passed for 265 yards on the day, often connecting with his tight end and when he didn’t have much downfield he was able to use his legs scrambling for another 26 yards on the ground. Flacco face his old nemesis the Pittsburgh Steelers in the matinee matchup on Saturday. The two teams split their two meetings this season and Flacco is 2-4 in his career against the Steelers; including 1-2 at Heinz Field

Just my thoughts.

Fantasy Spotlight

Although the Ravens offense struggled to put points on the board early they had little trouble moving the ball well against the Chiefs on Sunday. One of the biggest reasons the offense had so much success was quarterback Joe Flacco’s rediscovering his tight end Todd Heap.

The Raven’s tight end led all receivers over the weekend with 10 receptions for 108 yards receiving; both were season highs for Heap. Flacco targeted Heap early and found him often. On the day Heap was targeted 13 times and his 10 catches set a Raven’s post season record.

Heap enjoyed a very good Wild-Card weekend, but faces a stiff test next against the Steelers. In two games Heap only totaled three catches for 35 yards, including a donut in week 13 when he suffered a hamstring injury and left early. Now that he’s healthy, Heap figures to play a much bigger role in the passing game.

He’s our Fantasy Spotlight Player of the Week!

Diamonds in the Rough

WR-James Jones

Jones has explosive speed on the outside, but had an issue with focus and drops. The Falcons figure to roll their attention toward wide receiver Greg Jennings and with wide receiver Donald Driver ailing a bit and Jones could play a much bigger role Saturday night. This past weekend against the Eagles, Jones caught just one pass for nine yards, but it was good enough for a score. He also just missed on a big pass play for a long score when he dropped a sure pass that fell through his hands. Jones has too much talent and big play potential to overlook and he could be primed for a breakout game on Saturday against Atlanta.

WR-John Carlson

Did anyone remember who John Carlson was before Saturday’s breakout game against the Saints? Carlson didn’t post big yardage on Saturday in the Seahawks Wild-card round matchup with the Saints, but he pretty much made every catch count. Carlson nabbed just three passes for 17 yards, but two of those grabs were for touchdowns. The Seahawks tightend has become somewhat of a forgotten name in the fantasy world this season. He has only managed more than three catches in a game twice this season, but coming off an effort like this it could all change. Carlson was not heavily targeted, but his two scores were more than he had all season. On Sunday he’ll face a Bears defense that has struggled this season with opposing tightends; Carlson could be in for another surprising performance this weekend.

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (TARGET PRACTICE)

September 30th, 2010, Thursday

Fantasy Football

Target Practice

In these hands we trust

Through the first three weeks of football we have seen some familiar names making plays in the passing game, but what fantasy owners need to be watching besides the headlines are those players quietly and steadily getting ready to break out. Aside from the normal names we see, this past weekend there were a couple of players to suddenly steal some fantasy love; last Sunday against the Falcons it was the re-emergence of Saints receiver Lance Moore with a seven targets and a big day receiving (149 yards receiving and two scores), the Bronco’s receiver Jabar Gaffney suddenly became a very relevant consideration with a big day in Denver (12 receptions with 140 yards receiving) and 14 targets, and the Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams becoming a household name in Big D again with a very productive afternoon (117 yards receiving with two touchdowns) with his steady dose of six targets.

The Usual Suspects…

The usual faces thus far this season topping the list include Roddy White (41 targets) Brandon Marshall (37 targets), and Larry Fitzgerald (34 targets), but one surprise in this mix to watch, both T.O. (33 targets) and Ochocinco (34 targets) seemed to be getting their fair share of touches, so at some point the numbers will have to follow, right?

Some early season starlets…

Through the first three weeks of the 2010 season, 2nd year Colts’ receiver Austin Collie (31 targets) has emerged as Peyton Manning’s go-to receiver. Even when the injured Pierre Garcon returns, it’s hard to imagine number 18 not continuing to look his way. The Niner’s running back Frank Gore has been showcasing his versatility this season and leads all running back with 29 targets and 22 receptions.

Your Target watch….

We can easily see who has done what this season and why, but a few names that might be flying under the radar at the moment that you should keep your eye include; TE-Jermaine Gresham, WR-Michael Crabtree, and TE-Todd Heap.

Jermaine Gresham only has one touchdown and 99 yards receiving through the first three weeks, but quarterback Carson Palmer is looking his way too often for his numbers to stay dormant. With 21 targets, he’s going to see plenty of opportunity going forward to start making more of a difference.

The Niner’s offense is in flux at the moment, but Singletary will soon grab hold of the reigns and get this ship righted. Through the team’s first three games wide receiver Michael Crabtree has only six catches, but 19 targets. If this passing game is going to get off the ground, Crabtree will be a big part going forward.

With all the focus and attention centered on wide receiver Anquan Boldin, quietly tight end Todd Heap is one of his best pass receiving seasons of his career. He is currently on pace to put up close to career numbers in receptions and yards. With 22 targets already in this young season, he looks like a great bet to do just that.

Season Target Leaders...
(Unofficial numbers)

Top 20

1. Roddy White, ATL (41 targets)
2. Brandon Marshall, MIA (37 targets)
3. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI (34 targets)
4. Chad Ochocinco, CIN (34 targets)
5. Terrell Owens, CIN (33 targets)
6. Austin Collie, IND (31 targets)
7. Santana Moss, WAS (30 targets)
8. Miles Austin, DAL (29 targets)
9. Anquan Boldin, BAL (29 targets)
10. Frank Gore, SFO (29 targets)
11. Andre Johnson, HOU (29 targets)
12. Steve Smith, NYG (29 targets)
13. Calvin Johnson, DET (28 targets)
14. Dallas Clark, IND (27 targets)
15. Mark Clayton, STL (27 targets)
16. Malcom Floyd, SDC (26 targets)
17. Jabar Gaffney, DEN (26 targets)
18. Antonio Gates, SDC (26 targets)
19. Darrius Heyward-Bey, OAK (26 targets)
20. Reggie Wayne, IND (26targets)
    
    
    
    

    
    
    

FSH: TUESDAY (FOOTBALL) TALK

December 29th, 2009 9:37pm PST

FOOTBALL TALK

Looking under the hood of

Week 16

Ego's aside, the Vikings need to let Favre lead...

The proof is definitely in the pudding and if you cared to take a taste last night watching Monday night football, you would come to the same conclusion. The Vikings need to cater the offense around what Favre can do. In a methodical run first offensive approach the Vikings mounted no offensive threat; 82 total yards (53 rushing, 36 passing) and four first downs. In the second half the Vikings were a different team with more purpose led by Brett Favre. In the second half he led the team to 30 points, completing 21 of 31 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns. Another big stat; first half rushing, 14 carries for 53 yards and second half rushing, 19 carries for 70 yards and two scores.

So much for poor play in December....

The Cowboys entered the month of December being highly criticized for their so-called past failures during the holiday season. And the one player being most scrutinized for these shortcomings was their quarterback Tony Romo. After dropping their first two games in December the critics were relentless, and Romo was caught in the middle, but he could hardly be faulted for poor play. Since the two losses the Cowboys rebounded with impressive wins over the Saints and Redskins. When you look over Romo's play the past month, seven touchdowns, 300 yards passing per game, and no turnovers he's been as good as good gets. He's been as big a reason for the Cowboys success this season and being in their current position. In their Week 17 season finale they'll face the Eagles for all the marbles; NFC East Division title and a shot at the second seed in the NFC (a first round bye). So much for Romo's poor play.

Riding Warner into the post season.....

The Cardinal's head coach Ken Whisenhunt may be conservative by nature coming from his early coaching roots in Pittsburgh, but he's no gambler. It appears he likes the sure thing like the rest of us. Against the Rams he let his veteran quarterback Kurt Warner sling the rock early and often to build the early lead. In the first half Warner tossed the pigskin 23 times for 216 yards and connected on two scores to put the Cards out front 17-0 at the half. With the big lead Warner only needed 15 passes in the second half, conversely the ground game was quiet with 13 runs in the first half and got most of its work in the second half (16 run plays). We'd expect to see more of this formula going into the post season.

More fantasy Notes

"Late Season Heroes"

With the chance to play more, the Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart has the most of his opportunity. With starter DeAngelo Williams (ankle) sidelined, Stewart has started the last two weeks and totaled 315 yards on the ground with two rushing touchdowns. He's also added four receptions for another 30 yards and a score. With a meaningless season finale it's hard to imagine Williams suiting up if his ankle is less than 100 percent, against the Saints (who may rest some starters) Stewart could have another field day.

The Cowboys may have found that missing piece that will help their passing game stay off the ground in the post season. Over the past five weeks Austin has returned to that form that burst onto the scene in weeks 5 & 7. In his last five games the Cowboys big play threat is averaging over seven catches and 110 yards per game with a total of four touchdowns. He's easily Romo's favorite downfield threat.

Jerome Harrison has emerged as a late season hero with his big performances over the past two weeks. The Browns running back has rushed for over 430 yards in his last two games as the team’s starter and added four touchdowns. While his big numbers have come against poor run defenses, the totals are still staggering and enough to move him (if he's the starter in Cleveland) up the rankings some for next season.

Continuing his bounce back season the Ravens tight end Todd Heap has really come on the last couple of weeks as a big-time red-zone target. In his last two games Heap has been targeted four times in the red-zone and has scored on all four plays. For the season Heap has 51 receptions, 551 yards receiving, and six touchdowns; all big improvements from last season. Expect to see his number called again on Sunday against the Raiders.

There's no question that one of this season's biggest late season hero has been the Chief's running back Jamaal Charles. For those owners that were lucky to nab him just before the fantasy playoffs, they were able to ride his hot foot right through their league post season. In weeks 14-16 (most fantasy leagues playoffs); Charles averaged 19 fantasy points (399 yards rushing, 76 yards receiving, & two rushing touchdowns). Not a bad late run for a backup running back when the season started.

By David Ortega

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

FSH: SUNDAY NIGHT FANTASY FOOTBALL HEADLINES

December 27th, 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]

HENNE THROW FOR 300 YARDS.....

The Dolphins pretty much abandoned the run game and turned to the air with quarterback Chad Henne. The second year quarterback passed the ball 55 times completing 35 for 322 yards and a touchdown. (16 fantasy points)

STEWART HAS BIG DAY ON THE GROUND....

The Panthers second year running back Jonathan Stewart making his second consecutive start turned in another big effort. Stewart carried the ball 28 times for 206 yards rushing, including a 29-yard scamper for six. (27 fantasy points)

HARRISON RUNS THROUGH THE DEFENSE....

The Browns running back Jerome Harrison followed up his big Week 15 effort with another solid day on the ground on Sunday. Harrison rushed 39 times for 148 yards with a touchdown to lead the Browns. (20 fantasy points)

WILLIAMS HAS BIG DAY FOR BUCS....

The Buccaneers running back Carnell Williams ran well against the Saints run defense on Sunday gaining over 100 yards on the ground. Williams carried the ball a season high 24 times for his first 100-yard game since November of 2006. Cadillac also added a 23 yard scoring run. (19 fantasy points)

HEAP SCORES TWICE IN LOSS....

The Ravens tight end Todd Heap continues to be a big red-zone threat this season adding a couple of more scores in Week 16. Heap caught just two passes for 37 yards, but both were for touchdowns. Heap now has six touchdowns this season, including four in his last two games. (15 fantasy points)

Some IDP Fantasy Newsmakers…

SCHOBEL GOING OUT WITH BANG....

After announcing that he is probably going to retire after this season the Bills defensive end turned in one heck of a day on Sunday. Schobel finished with three sacks and two forced fumbles. Now this is the way to exit the game, in dominant fashion. The Bills host the Colts next Sunday in their season finale.

WOODLEY IS A DIFFERENCE MAKER....

The Steelers linebacker was instrumental making plays on Sunday in the defending champions big home win over the Ravens. Woodley recorded seven tackles with two sacks and a forced fumble to lead the defense.

By David Ortega

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

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (THE FOUR HORSEMEN)

December 13th, 2009 - 7:57Am PST

The FOUR HORSEMEN

Here are my four fantasy football riders for

Week 14.

Quarterback:

The Cowboys quarterback has played pretty well over the past couple of weeks (701 yards, five touchdowns last two games) and coming off a loss last week, he and the offense will look to get well fast. The Texas boys have so many weapons on offense. expect to see Romo air it out quite a bit today and find many of those weapons. (Prediction: 24 of 32 passing, 325 yards, three touchdowns)

Running back:

The Broncos have a tough matchup with the Colts today and one of the keys for a win will be ball control. Over the past month rookie running back Knowshon Moreno has come on as a reliable ground gainer and averaged nearly 90 yards per game wtih a five yards per carry average. Against the Colts today expect the offense to lean heavily on the ground attack and Moreno. (Prediction: 24 carries, 115 yards, one touchdown)

Wide Receiver:

No Harvin today will mean a huge day of work for Vikings receiver Sidney Rice. The Vikings tall wideout has easily become quarterback Brett Favre's favorite target and should be heavily targeted today. Look for Rice to put up big numbers today against a secondary that has struggled downfield some this season. (Prediction: 8 receptions, 165 yards, one touchdown)

Tight End:

The Ravens will play host to the Lions today and while the focus will likely be the run, keep your eye on Todd Heap. The Lions defense will struggle to keep the Ravens out of the red-zone, so look for Flacco to target his big tight end when the offense is in close. (Prediction: 6 receptions, 65 yards, one touchdown)

Check back every Sunday for next week's "FOUR HORSEMEN"....

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

June 8th, 2009 8:30pm PST

David's Daily Digest
[My Take]


My Take...

WR DERRICK MASON A QUESTION FOR TRAINING CAMP
My Fantasy Read: The Raven’s veteran receiver is questioning whether he will be ready in time for training camp. It’s never good when a player has doubts, but then Mason is as tough as they come. At his age, it’s probably best he doesn’t take any extra punishment during training camp. Expect him to be ready for the start of the season, but don’t expect the Mason of old. He’ll be consistent, but no better than a WR3 in most fantasy leagues.

RB EDGERRIN JAMES NOT LIKELY TO BE A SAINT SOON
My Fantasy Read: the former Cardinal’s running back is not generating much interest anywhere else and it appears the Saints will take their time. We still have training camps to get through, but the aging veteran running back is likely to have very little fantasy value in most fantasy leagues.

RB LERON MCCLAIN STILL EXPECTED TO GET CARRIES
My Fantasy Read: The Ravens leading running back last season will spend most of 2009 season opening holes for Ray Rice and company, but the newly improved Baltimore fullback is still going to merit some fantasy value. LeRon McClain is still expected to see a lot of short yardage carries as well as goal line totes. Last season the Raven’s runner punched the zone 10 times and he’ll get just as many opportunities in 2009, making him very fantasy relevant.

QB BRADY QUINN LOCKED IN TIGHT RACE
My Fantasy Read: Not exactly what Brady Quinn fans expected from the former 2007 1st round selection. Now entering 3rd season, Brady has yet to crack the starting lineup with any kind of separation. Locked in a closely heated battle with quarterback Derek Anderson, fantasy owners will have to be concerned if Quinn does not win the job outright. Entering his 3rd season in the league, he could see his fantasy stock drop considerably if he starts the season on the sidelines.

TE TODD HEAP BACK ON THE FIELD PRACTICING
My Fantasy Read: The former All-Pro tight end has become somewhat of a forgotten man in fantasy football over the past couple of seasons. Injuries have played a huge part in Heap’s demise, but recently it was reported he was practicing at full strength. While that appears to be good news, fantasy owners won’t relish over it too much. Over the past two seasons Heap has only caught 58 balls and has missed 10 games (all in 2007), although he was banged up often in 2008. His value has sunken to a new low and he’ll likely be overlooked by many in fantasy this season.


Check back with "Your Fantasy Sports Home" for more Football to digest....