FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

Sunday morning Edition
September 15th, 2019

Sunday Morning Gametime

Week 2 Matchups

The Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, threw 5 touchdowns in week 1. This week he is facing a Giants pass defense that allowed 4 passing touchdowns and 7 plays of 20+ yards (tied for most in the league) with zero sacks and ranks last in the NFL. I’m starting Lamar, especially in DFS.

The Seahawks signal caller, Russell Wilson is on the road this week against a Steelers pass defense that allowed 366 net yards of passing, recording just one sack while giving up three passing touchdowns and 7 plays of 20+ yards (tied for most allowed in the NFL). Start Wilson.

Kerryon Johnson played 50 snaps in Week one and recorded 18 touches totaling 62 yards of offense. In week 2 the Lions running back will get plenty of run against a Chargers run defense that currently ranks 31st in the league, allowing over 200 yards on the ground in week 1. Kerryon should be in lineups today.

A week 2 matchup against a Colts defense that allowed 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns to opposing running backs, could be good news for the Titans Dion Lewis. He could be in the flex conversation today, but proceed with caution. I am probably sitting Lewis; need to see more production.

The Bills receiver John Brown could be looking at another solid fantasy week facing a Giants secondary that allows the most fantasy points to opposing receivers. In week one, the Giants allowed 18 receptions off 22 targets for 341 yards. I have Brown in my lineups as a flex.

Week 2 could be a bounce back week for the Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. This Sunday he gets a Seahawks secondary that surrendered 6 pass plays of 20+ yards and 276 yards to opposing receivers in week 1. Start Juju, he gets back on track in Week 2.

The Redskins tight end Vernon Davis, could follow up his strong week 1 performance with another solid outing in week 2 against the Cowboys. The Cowboys defense allowed the 2nd most fantasy points to opposing tight ends in week 1, including 12 receptions for 124 yards receiving. Davis is a streaming option for me this week.

A sleeper play that the fantasy world is quickly waking up to, is the Raiders tight end Darren Waller. Playing on Monday, Waller was able to showcase some of his upside and in week 2, a showdown with the Chiefs could continue the trend. The Chiefs defense held the Jaguars tight ends in check in week 1, but did allow 8 receptions on 9 targets. Waller is a great DFS play and viable option in Season-long leagues.

That’s My Take
~David G. Ortega

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November 11th 2017

Saturday Morning Edition

Week 10 Fantasy Notes

With the start of Sunday’s games less than 24 hours away, here’s a rundown of notes for some of the Week 10 matchups;

GB @ CHI

The Bears running back Jordan Howard has been a beast of a runner this season racking up 662 yards rushing (ranks 5th) which include three 100-yard efforts, He’ll face a Packers defense that ranks 22nd against the run and allows the 4th most fantasy points to opposing running backs.

CLE @ DET

Normally not a team that runs much, but for the Lions this week they may be forced to lean even more on Matthew Stafford and their passing game. The Lions face the Browns number 4 ranked run defense, so look for Marvin Jones Jr and Stafford to play big in this one.

PIT @  IND

With the return of Martavis Bryant this week, the Steelers will be employing all of their Killer Bees; Ben, Bell, Brown, and Bryant. It’s a road game, but with the addition of JuJu Smith-Schuster it will be Big Ben and his JuJu-Bees on Sunday; look for big numbers from Roethlisberger.

NYJ @ TB

Across the board, this looks like a good matchup for the Jets offense. The Bucs defense has struggled this season and in particular against opposing wide receivers allowing the 2nd most receptions. In DFS and PPR formats and especially I’m all in with Jets receiver Robby Anderson; Sunday could be a big day.

MIN @ WAS

A couple of notes in this one, with Redskins tight end Jordan Reed not 100 percent with a big questionable tag for Sunday, Vernon Davis figures to see a more prominent role in the passing game. On the other side, the Vikings will have a healthy Stefon Diggs on the field. With Diggs healthy, his presence will draw some of the Redskins attention away from Adam Thielen; a week 10 favorite

HOU @ LAR

The Rams offense is rolling and with a home tilt against the ailing Texans, this week, the wheels will keep turning. All eyes on the defense will be focused on Todd Gurley, but facing a secondary that allows the 6th most fantasy points to opposing receivers, we could see Sammy Watkins heavily in the mix.

DAL @ ATL

The Falcons will play host to the Cowboys and their 15th ranked secondary that’s allowed 10 touchdowns to opposing wide receivers. With all the attention likely to be focused on Julio Jones, Sunday looks like a good day for Mohamed Sanu to find pay dirt.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

October 24th 2017

Tuesday Evening Edition

The Weekly Waiver Wire

(Week 8)

Last weeks waiver grabs weren't the best options to follow as Darkwa and Decker both fizzled big on Sunday. On the other hand, a pair of Jets McCown and Seferian-Jenkins paid some nice dividends in Week 7. McCown threw 3 touchdowns, while Seferian-Jenkins scored in his third straight contest. Our drop suggestion last week wasn't too far off either; Jonathan Stewart rushed for 48 yards on 14 carries for a 3.4 yards per carry average.

This week is another week and another chance to make up for past blunders or the opportunity for a few more..

Last week I had Josh McCown on the radar and in case anyone failed to snag him last week, he still remains a viable bye week filler and streaming QB option. Against the Dolphins on Sunday McCown passed for 209 yards with three scores, finishing the week as the No.6 fantasy QB.

The Vikings finally got a chance to see what they have in running back Latavius Murray. Given the opportunity to lead the backfield Murray toted the rock 18 times for 113 yards and a score. He'll face some tough treading this week against the Browns, but Murray is worth rostering and could be valuable rotating RB play in the future.

The Jaguars wide receiver Marquise Lee has quietly put himself into the fantasy conversation. Last Sunday he had an unassuming 4 catch for 72 yards day, but in his last two games he's been targeted 16 times for 9 receptions and 155 yards. In the PPR format, Lee can be a useful play as a bye week filler, having now strung two consecutive games with double-digit fantasy points. He's yet to score this season, so probability would suggest that could be coming soon.

My tight end pickup for this week is Vernon Davis. I play in a couple of deep leagues, so I made this move a week ago, but I'm sure in many leagues Davis is still available. Over the past three weeks Davis only been targeted 11 times catching 9 balls, but with his strength, speed, and athleticism he has totaled 221 receiving yards. The way he's being utilized in the pass game, he has fantasy value in the PPR arena. He's worth streaming for those lacking better options.

Sleeper Watch

My sleeper pick this week is wide receiver Demarcus Robinson. This may not be the best week to play Chiefs receiver, but it could be the best week to stash him for going forward. All I keep hearing from the popular online sources and broadcasters is “how much the Chiefs like this kid” and with Conley on IR, he now gets an opportunity. The subtle hints I like are, last week Robinson tied with the team lead in targets (8) and in week 6 he was 2nd with (5) behind Kelce and Hill. Keep your eyes on this kid.

That's My Take.

~David Ortega

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October 2nd, 2017

Monday Afternoon Edition

Monday Night Takes

After a wild weekend with some big surprises, tonight’s matchup has all the makings of another Prime-Time spectacle with the Redskins traveling to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. It promises to be a raucous atmosphere tonight, as it typically is at Arrowhead Stadium; and Monday night will surely amplify the excitement.

My Takes

Quarterback Kirk Cousins; the Redskins signal caller finally got things going in week 3 against the Raiders. It was a strong showing and solid performance by Cousins that helped lead the Redskins. Tonight he’ll be away from the comfy confines of home and take his show on the road into hostile territory. The Chiefs defense has held up pretty tough this season versus opposing quarterbacks, but they can be had; in week 2 the Chiefs did allow the second most fantasy points (24.8) to opposing quarterbacks. Cousins played great last week and will try to bring the same momentum into tonight, but road games are always tough. I’d expect Cousins to hang in there, but a big game is likely not on the slate; more like 16-18 fantasy points would be in line.

Running backs Chris Thompson & Samaje Perine; the main production tonight will likely come from the more versatile back of the two, Chris Thompson. Samaje (if Rob Kelley is out) is going to see a lot of the 1st and 2nd down work, but Thompson will be sprinkled in all facets and see heavy use in the passing game. Samaje is likely to find little running room against the Chiefs No.7 ranked run defense, owners may want to sit him tonight. Thompson on the other hand has been on fire and while many may believe it’s time for the flames to fan, I like him in the flex tonight. Thompson should see about a half dozen carries or so and get work 7-9 targets in the pass game.

Wide receivers Josh Doctson, Terrelle Pryor, & Jamison Crowder; I’ll run through these real quick; still waiting on Terrelle Pryor to arrive in 2017 and not expecting to see much tonight against Marcus Peters. Crowder is questionable for tonight, but even if he plays while he is a safe play currently his ceiling seems limited; averaging just 6.0 targets the first three weeks. Cousins does spread the ball around pretty good, but the sleeper tonight to watch is wide receiver Josh Doctson. Last week he only had 2 targets, but did connect on a long shot for 52 yards. As time passes, we may see him get more involved.

Tight ends Jordan Reed & Vernon Davis; Always the risk it seems, the play at tight end here is Reed (if he’s healthy). Reed has been a non-factor the first three weeks playing in 2 games. His numbers are not what we expect from a TE1, hyped as he was in the preseason. He’ll be looking to get things going tonight against the Chiefs who struggle with the TE spot. If Reed is out, insert Davis who fared well in week 3 with 5 grabs for 58 yards and a score.

Quarterback Alex Smith; the Chiefs quarterback had a modest week 3 and with the Redskins coming to town, that’s about what I’d normally expect for tonight. You’re probably not starting Smith tonight in smaller redraft leagues, maybe two QB leagues only. The Chiefs will lean on the run and short passing game, but will ask Smith to take a few big shots downfield. Smith has been good this season going downfield more often, so don’t be surprised if totals a bunch of yards, to compliment a few scores.

Running back Kareem Hunt & Charcandrick West; the key for the Chiefs is in the ground game or at least with their ball carrier, Kareem Hunt. Whether they have success running the ball or not, they will work to get the ball in the hands of Hunt. So far through three weeks Hunt has been electric, he’s in line for another 18-22 touches tonight. He’s my No.1 fantasy RB this week. West is nothing more than a handcuff. As long as Hunt is healthy, West won’t see enough work to be fantasy relevant.

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Chris Conley, & Albert Wilson; Head Coach Andy Reid likes to mix things up so much, it’s really hard to gauge where his receivers are. About the only relevant receiver in the Chiefs passing game is Hill. Niether Wilson or Conley can be trusted, only Hill with 22 targets through the first 3 weeks is startable. Tonight’s going to be a tough matchup, but count on Reid to move Hill around and get him the ball in space; despite the matchup, he’s my No. 14 fantasy WR.

Tight end Travis Kelce; Last week Kelce was nearly shut out. Fantasy owners don’t panic, last week was just an anomaly. Reid and his staff will make sure Kelce is involved tonight; i’d expect a bounce back game against the Redskins defense that struggles against tight ends. Kelce is my No.2 fantasy TE this week.

Tonight matchup with the undefeated Chiefs (3-0) and the (2-1) Redskins has the appearance of a great matchup and could be a barn-burner as likely as anything else. Either way, we are in for a good one with plenty of scoring and lots of fantasy implications. Are you ready for some Monday Night Football!

That’s My Take.

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

December 9th, 2016
Friday Night Edition

Friday's Fantasy Fixx

The Fantasy Playoffs are underway and unless you had the Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in your lineup last night, with players like Rob Gronkowski (Injured Reserve), Julius Thomas (OUT), and Gary Barnidge (no quarterback) your options may be limited on Sunday. Playing in a multitude of leagues as I do each year, this seems to be one of the dilemmas I am not able to escape this week.

Gary Barnidge has been fantasy irrelevant since the season started and with the return of quarterback Robert Griffin III, there's no guarantee this will change and the risk this week is too great. With Gronk sidelined, fantasy owners can only hope that tight end Martellus Bennett will rise to the TE1 we believed him to be. So far in Bennett's past three games this has not happened; just 6 receptions for 40 yards receiving. Even with quarterback Tom Brady under center, Bennett may be too risky to sit on until Monday night.

Some options that some may be looking at for Sunday are the Redskins number two tight end Vernon Davis. Even with starter Jordan Reed in the lineup Davis has been productive at times, but faced with a tough matchup agains the Eagles (ranked 4th for the fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends). With so much at stake this week, owners may be better served avoiding Davis.

A less than (but still) risky play this week could be the Rams tight end Lance Kendricks. By far Kendricks has been one of the teams leading pass receiving options, third on the Rams with 73 targets this season. And this week Kendricks faces the Falcons defense that has allowed the 5th most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. But like so many other options, Kendricks carries a lot of risk; just 2 catches for 13 yards last week. You have to like his matchup, but always the question "can you trust him?"

Probably my best option that I will lean on heavily this Sunday is the Niners tight end Vance McDonald. Now McDonald is coming off a week where the entire offense was completely ineffective and he only caught 2 balls for 9 yards. Prior to that McDonald had four straight games with at least 3 receptions and 46 yards receiving with two touchdowns. With the Jets coming to town and a defense that has allowed the 6th most fantasy points to opposing tight ends over the past four weeks, including three touchdowns McDonald is undoubtedly a strong play on Sunday.

That’s My Take

~David G. Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID"S DAILY DIGEST

December 3rd, 2016

Saturday Morning Edition

Fantasy Playoffs, Playoffs, Playoffs

We are not quite there, but we have reached the nitty-gritty! With one week left before the Fantasy Playoffs start in many re-draft leagues. I play in several myself and this week is pivotal for my post-season hopes.

A couple of early lineup moves in my PPR leagues I made this week leading up to Sunday; in the Thursday night game I inserted Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs and Vikings running back Jerrick McKinnon. These were not necessarily simple plays, especially McKinnon, but being in PPR leagues both plays worked out.

With options likes Davante Adams, Chris Hogan, and Kelvin Benjamin, I chose Diggs for his target probability; he saw 8.0 targets on Thursday night and caught all eight. Diggs did not accumulate much yardage, but his eight grabs posted double-digit fantasy points and saved me.

Like Diggs, McKinnon was a tougher choice with options like Ryan Matthews (OUT) and Rob Kelley (only 8 targets all season) available, and his five catches on six targets and touchdown reception came up big. I may still roll out Kelley, but I am sitting in a much better position with McKinnons 16.50 fantasy points.

Looking at more lineup help for this week, with Jordan Reed OUT this Sunday I will be inserted tight end Vernon Davis. Even with Reed in the lineup, Davis has managed to make some noise and become fantasy relevant even as the number two tight end. Since week 6, Davis has averaged 3.5 receptions and 59 yards (this includes a week 11 donut). With Reed in the lineup he’s a low end TE2, but this Sunday Davis should be considered a TE1.

With the lack of consistency for tight ends like the Packers Jared Cook (2 targets last week) and the Rams Lance Kendricks (4 times this season with two or fewer receptions), I am rolling with the Niners Vance McDonald. He’s not a huge upgrade over the other two this week, but his five previous starts with no fewer than six targets leading and recent four game run of 3.5 receptions and 60 yards per game average with two touchdowns make him a much safer play this week. He’ll get the Bears this week who have done a pretty good job versus opposing tight ends, but they have surrendered 5 touchdowns (tied for 5th most) making McDonald a nice red-zone threat this week.

That’s My Take

~David G. Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

October 22nd, 2016
Saturday Evening edition

Week 7 Fantasy Notes & Predictions

Tomorrow, week 7 kicks off early with another London matchup featuring the Rams and the Giants. I'm pretty sure Todd Gurley owners are starting to get a little restless. In six games this season Gurley has yet to top 100 yards rushing, but a new continent could be the difference tomorrow. The Giants have been pretty good this season against the run, but they do allow more than 3.8 yards per carry this season and have allowed the 11th most fantasy points to opposing running backs over the past two weeks. Perhaps maybe some jet-lag or overseas distractions could kick in and take their toll as well. With that said, I like Gurley to finally top the century mark and reach the endzone.

The Falcons will be playing host to the visiting Chargers and for quarterback Matt Ryan that will likely mean his 5th game with more than 300 yards passing in seven starts. Ryan leads all players in fantasy scoring and has been huge this season with 2,075 yards passing and 15 touchdowns in six games. The Chargers secondary have had their struggles this season allowing the 10th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and nearly 300 yards passing per game. Tomorrow could be another long Sunday on the road for the Bolts defense. With Ryan throwing for a bunch tomorrow, fantasy owners should keep their eyes on wide receiver Mohamed Sanu; could be a nice day for the Falcon wideout.

With Redskins starting tight end Jordan Reed expected to be sidelined again this week, fantasy owners looking for a plug and play option should consider Vernon Davis. Davis will get the start and facing the Lions defense he'll have a good shot at scoring against a defense that has allowed the 3rd most fantasy points to opposing tight ends and 7 touchdowns (most in the league). Davis is likely a boom or bust option for redraft leagues, but has great value in DFS.

The Buccaneers return from their bye to face the visiting Niners and with Doug Martin still sidelined, running back Jacquizz Rodgers will get the start. Rodgers carried the load in week 5 with 30 rushing attempts for 101 yards and added 5 receptions for another 28 yards receiving. This week he matches up against the Niners defense that has allowed 3rd most fantasy  points to opposing running backs, including 9 rushing touchdowns (2nd most in the league). Rodgers is a borderline RB1/RB2 this week and is in line for another productive Sunday. He's also a great value play in DFS.

That's my take for Week 7.

~David G. Ortega

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October 15th, 2016
Saturday Evening edition

Week 6 Fantasy Notes: Strong Plays?

Taking a look at the schedule for Sunday and reviewing some of the latest news and notes, I've come up with a couple of fantasy notes for Week 6.

There are reports already that running back James Starks is out for Sunday, making starter Eddie Lacy a posibly nice play for this week. Now the Cowboys present a tough matchup for Lacy (allow 4th fewest points to opposing running backs), but with no Starks to back him up he'll get plenty of chances and should get plenty of work. If no better options are available, Lacy should be in your lineup.

Since his return to the field, running back Chris Ivory has seen little action and only 21 touches in two games. Ivory is clearly the number two option as running back TJ Yeldon has emerged as more of the featured back in Jacksonville. Yeldon is averaging better than 16 touche in four games and is coming off his best performance in week 4; 71 yards rushing and 46 yards receiving. Yeldon has decent matchup on Sunday against the Bears and should be considering a low-end RB2.

One more note-worthy Sunday start is more of a sneaky play in tight end Vernon Davis. Starter Jordan Reed has already been ruled out and will miss action, opening the door for Davis. The former Niner tight end has not been utilized much this season, but could see considerable action this week. Davis is more of a week 6 flyer, but he has the talent and ability to make some noise for fantasy owners.

That's My Take.

~David G. Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

Friday Evening Edition

September 12th, 2014 

 

David’s Daily Digest

Week 2 Values

Diamonds or Coal

After one week you are already rethinking your fantasy football draft aren’t you? Well let’s not go into panic mode just yet. The season is young and we’re only one week in; there are plenty of fixes available and plenty of diamonds in the rough to find.

I was able to take in quite a few games last weekend and let’s just say I saw plenty and took notes. Players like Steve Smith (24.8 fantasy points*) in Baltimore and Jake Locker (23.4 fantasy points*) in Tennessee were pleasant surprises with their week one performances, as well as Arizona’s Carson Palmer (24.3 fantasy points*) and Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins (18.9 fantasy points*). These all were players that were likely taken later in drafts and not started in week one, but plays that could help your fantasy team in week two.

Diamonds…

A couple of more diamonds found from week one that could give your lineup a needed boost would include the Falcons wide receiver-return man Devin Hester. With his six targets in week one, Hester was clearly a part of the passing game and he took advantage of those opportunities; the speedster hauled in 5 passes for 99 yards. This kind of production could land Hester in your lineup this Sunday as a nice flex option.

This week the Niners will be at home to face a Bears defense that allowed over 190 yards rushing in week one. Starting running back Frank Gore should benefit from the week two matchup, but don’t expect the Niners to overwork the 31 year-old ball carrier. Rookie running back Carlos Hyde has been impressive and productive rushing for 50 yards and a score off seven carries in week one. The Niners will definitely run the ball on Sunday and Hyde should figure in nicely with double-digit carries; he should be a solid flex this week.

In week one the Cowboys defense had trouble keeping up with the Niners tight end Vernon Davis (two touchdown receptions in week one). This week former Niners tight end Delanie Walker will get his shot at the Cowboys secondary. Walker is coming off a nice week one performance (3 receptions, 37 yards receiving, and a touchdown) and could follow it with a solid week two. Fantasy owners looking for tight end help should insert Walker here.

Coal….

The Rams offense looked anemic in week one only producing 6 points. One of the reasons for the deficiency is their lack of a running game and absence of wide receiver Kenny Britt. There was some talk during the preseason suggesting Britt could make a rebound in 2014 and while we are only in week one, three targets and zero receptions is definitely not the start he or fantasy owners was looking for. Britt should not be owned until we see some presence of a receiver and consistency.

These are just my takes for week 2.

*standard one point PPR

~David Ortega

FSH NOTEBOOK: FANTASY FIVE

Saturday Editions

November 3rd, 2012  

FSH Fantasy Five

Week 9 Fantasy Picks (all positions)

With the following teams on bye; San Francisco, New England, St. Louis, and the New York Jets, fantasy owners still face some challenges with balancing their lineups. The most notable players out this week are Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, and Vernon Davis.

If you are looking for some possible fills or substitutions to complete your lineup for Sunday, these are some picks that could fill some of your 9 voids;

Pierre Thomas, RB

With Darren Sproles shelved for a while, the Saints will turn to running back Pierre Thomas to carry the bulk of the running game load. Thomas is a tough between the tackle runner and can be effective out of the backfield (15 receptions this season). Facing the Eagles defense that allows the 13th fewest fantasy points to running backs, Thomas (257 rushing yards this season) can still offer value as a nice flex play.

Mikel Leshoure, RB

The Lions have not had much of a running game this season, but Sunday against the Jaguars may be their best chance to get it out of the gate. Running back Mikel Leshoure has shown the toughness to take it inside and Sunday against the Jaguars 25th ranked run defense he could get a chance to break it outside. The Jaguars allow the 4th most fantasy points this season, so Leshoure looks like a good flex option this week.

Michael Vick, QB

There’s not a lot of evidence to support starting Michael Vick as he has been a turnover machine through the first half of the season, but if there was ever a game to start him Monday night could be the night. Vick is certainly still capable of playing big and he has an ideal matchup Monday against the Saints. The Saints defense Is a mess right now and ranks 30th in the league, they are also allowing the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Another note, Vick spent many seasons playing in the Georgia Dome, so the artificial surface should only help his cause.

Anquan Boldin, WR

The Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin has been steady this season leading the team in receptions (31) and receiving yards (453), but he has only posted one 100-yard receiving game this season. This week he will see the Browns 25th ranked pass defense that has allowed 15 touchdowns this season and allows the 4th most fantasy points to wide receivers. Boldin averages more than 7 targets a game, so expect to see as many if not more and a very productive output from the 10-year receiver. He’s a low WR2 or strong flex play this week.

Reggie Bush, RB

The Dolphins running back Reggie Bush has been held in check as of late scoring in double digit fantasy points just once in his last five games. This Sunday Bush will see the Colts 27th ranked run defense that allows the 7th most fantasy points per game to running backs. Bush will likely share carries with Daniel Thomas, but with his abilities out of the backfield he will have more value as a low-end RB2 in PPR leagues.

By David Ortega

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Monday Edition
October 29th, 2012  

David’s Daily Digest













MNF Quick Notes

With two of the leagues best defenses taking the field, tonight’s matchup will feature more defense than anything else, so expect fantasy points to be tough to come by.

These are my takes for tonight’s Monday Night Matchup.

Running back Frank Gore is going to have a tough go finding yards tonight against the Cardinals stout defense, but he should get plenty of touches tonight to be productive. Gore is averaging an impressive 5.8 yards per carry and has scored four times this season to go along with his 603 yards rushing. The 49ers ball carrier has three 100-yard rushing games this season and facing the Cardinals 21st ranked defense against the run, he could be in line for possibly another. Even if Gore doesn’t top the century mark, he’ll compile enough numbers with some grabs and a score to get the job done.

The Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is nearly impossible to stop, but tonight he lines up against the leagues number one pass defense. Consistency and pass protection will be key if Fitzgerald is going to be a factor tonight. It’s a tough start for Larry Fitz and based on how inconsistent the offense has played of late, it could be feast or famine tonight. The good news, in his last two matchups with the Niners Fitzgerald has enjoyed some success; in particular last season at home with Skelton under center he totaled 7 catches for 149 yards and a score. I’d expect Skelton to look Fitzgerald’s way early and often, the faster he gets involved the more things can open up for the offense.

One of the reasons and components that will help the Cardinals offense succeed tonight is the emergence of wide receiver Andre Roberts. Fitzgerald will get his looks and produce his numbers on the other side, but Roberts is going to help that cause by playing well on his side. Roberts is coming off a fine week 7 effort (7 rec, 103 yards, TD) and should get favorable coverage tonight to be a factor. A couple of grabs and some nice yards won’t propel him into any starting spots on fantasy rosters, but he could make a nice flex play going forward.

Other than their ground attack, the Niners offense doesn’t leave much to be desired. The Cardinals boast a pretty good secondary themselves ranked 4th this season. Alex Smith has regressed the past several weeks with just one touchdown and four picks in his last two starts. The Cardinals are going to bring pressure tonight and try to force Smith to make mistakes. Smith is capable of handling pressure and playing well, but the Niners are a running offense, so numbers by the air are few. Other than tight end Vernon Davis (no catches last week) and wide receiver Michael Crabtree (57 yards receiving in his last two games) who are notable “play at your own risk”, the Niners offense doesn’t boast any fantasy worthy plays at the receiver position at this time.

Since tonight will feature some great defensive play and outstanding IDP’s, it only makes sense to give a shout out to a couple of studs linebackers we will be seeing a lot of tonight. For the Cardinals Daryl Washington is have a great season leading the team with 62 combined tackles  and six sacks this season. On the 49ers sideline, NaVorro Bowman is having himself a great season as well, leading the defense with 67 combined tackles. Both must-play studs will be flying all over the field and at the center of all the action tonight. You will undoubtedly hear their names called a lot.

By David Ortega