FSH: SUNDAY MORNING GAMETIME

November 14th, 2010 Sunday

Sunday Morning Gametime

Quick Injury notes:

With week 10 set to kickoff in just a few hours a couple of notable injury updates to keep in mind today; wide receiver Sidney Rice was not activated off the PUP list yesterday by the 3pm deadline he will not be activated today for the Vikings-Bears game. On the other hand after missing some practice time this week due to migraine headaches, Adam Schefter of ESPN is already reporting Harvin will be active for today’s game.

Quarterback Vince Young took some snaps during Friday’s practice, but his availability is still questionable for today’s game. Head coach Jeff Fischer has been noted as saying Young will be a game-time decision, but some early reports are indicating it will likely be Kerry Collins starting. Even if Young feels good during warm-ups and gets the nod to start, fantasy owners should be concerned about his health getting through the game.

According to some reports the Redskins will likely have running back Ryan Torain in the backfield on Monday night against the Eagles. Torain looks on track to start according to Schefter, while Clinton Portis appears to be doubtful for the contest.

Player Watch

With fantasy leagues entering the stretch run before their playoffs season, one player of note that I like today and should be on most radars is tight end Marcedes Lewis. The Jaguars tight end has really emerged as a viable scoring threat this season with 7 touchdowns through the team’s first eight games. Today against the Texans he should have a great matchup against the leagues 32nd ranked pass defense. Tight ends have scored three times against the Texan’s defense in the last two games; look for Lewis to add to those numbers.

Sunday Games

Acouple of games today that I like to draw a lot of fantasy interest are the Bill-Lions matchup and the Colts-Bengals tilt. Both games should be filled with lots of fireworks and fantasy scoring.

The Lions have the leagues 22nd ranked pass defense and the Bills passing game led by quarterback Ryna Fitzpatrick has been finding new life over the past several weeks. Wide receiver’s Steve Johnson and Roscoe Parrish should be on most owner’s watch list with a heavy dose of targets the last few weeks, while Lee Evans always remains a threat to take one deep. Matching up against the Lions 27th ranked run defense running back Fred Jackson should be in line for some steady work as well.

The Lions have a few weapons of their own and even with quarterback Shaun Hill inserted in place of the injured Matt Stafford, wide receiver Calvin Johnson should remain a strong play. The Bills are the league’s worst run defense, so today should be a great day to start rookie running Jahvid Best.

If you own any Colts players, today should offer plenty of good matchups especially for Manning the passing game. Wide receiver Blair White could be a great sleeper pick here with Gonzales and Collie absent. Let’s not forget tight end Jacob Tamme, who has done a credible job replacing the injured Dallas Clark. Wide receiver Reggie Wayne will find his, but one receiver that should not be over looked is Pierre Garcon. Indy has plenty of options to go around.

The Bengals passing game has been up and down all season, but one constant I like is wide receiver Terrell Owens. He’s one of the league’s most targeted receivers and he’s having a solid season with solid numbers. In today’s matchup with the Colt’s 29th ranked run defense, Cedric Benson looks like a solid start; just hope the Bengals can stay with the run long enough to take advantage.

Either way, these are two mathcups by my estimation that should provide plenty of fantasy scoring and highlights.

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (TARGET PRACTICE)

November 12th, 2010, Friday

Fantasy Football

Target Practice

In These Hands We Trust

So far there no question that not only has wide receiver Terrell Owens been one of the pleasant surprises this season for fantasy owners, but since his arrival in Cincinnati he seems to be reinventing himself as media darling. Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but one thing we are seeing from Owens this season, more walk and less talk.

In the team’s first 8 games this season Owens has become the league’s most targeted receiver (prior to the start of week 10) with 99 targets. Over the past several weeks, T.O. and his quarterback Carson Palmer have found a nice groove resulting in seven touchdowns over the past five games. Owens has scored twice in each of his last two starts and with 55 receptions and 770 yards receiving he has become a weekly must-start. With the Colts (ranked 7th against the pass) up next in week 10, Owens is looking at another productive Sunday.

Along with Owens, another receiver that has emerged as a solid weekly start is wide receiver Steve Johnson. While any offensive player on the Buffalo Bills tends to be a risky play, this has been one risk that has been paying handsomely over the past several weeks.

In his last six starts Johnson has scored six times with 35 catches for 483 yards receiving. Quietly over his last three start he has become one of the most targeted wide outs with 34 (second only to Owens over the same span). More impressively Johnson had scored in five straight games. The streak was snapped last Sunday, but in that game he still caught 11 passes for 145 yards. He has quickly become quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s go-to receiver and should be in your line up this Sunday when the Bills face the Lions (ranked 22nd against the pass)

Radar Watch

In My sites

My Fantasy Notes:

Through the first eight weeks of the season, wide receiver Bernard Berrian has been relatively non-existent, but last Sunday he showed up with nine catches for 89 yards on 11 targets. The Vikings are expected to have all of their weapons (Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin) on the field Sunday. There’s no question the opposing defense will be looking to take away Rice and Harvin, so this is the perfect time for Berrian to start gelling with his quarterback. It may be a little too soon to jump on board, but Berrian is certainly worth keeping tabs on for now.

With camp marsh-mellow in complete disarray, there has been one silver lining worth noting an that has been rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant. When healthy he is a special player with tremendous talent and upside. Thus far this season he has had his ups and downs, but in his last three games he is averaging nearly nine targets per outing. Last week against the Packers he turned in a solid performance. Bryant had nine receptions for 86 yards and a score (4 touchdown receptions in 2010) on 10 targets. He’s looking more and more like Kitna’s favorite and is quickly becoming a steady play week in and week out. With his playmaking skill he’s worth noting and even starting in some of the deeper leagues.

Last week the fantasy world was introduced to a new name and one they will likely be hearing more of in the coming weeks. The Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford displayed last Sunday against the Chiefs, exactly how speed kills. Ford came up with some very timely and clutch receptions and in overtime he and quarterback Jason Campbell connected on a 47 yard strike that set up a game winning field goal. The reason no one had heard of Ford, before last Sunday he had only been targeted 8 times. Against the Chiefs, Campbell threw his way nine times and the two connected six for 148 yards. The word out of Oakland, the kid is going to see more action. Ford already looks like a player and it’s just a matter of time before we see more evidence; keep watching.

Weekly Target Leaders...
(Unofficial numbers)

Last week’s Top 10

1. Jacob Tamme, IND (17 targets)
2. Reggie Wayne, IND (16 targets)
3. Steve Johnson, BUF (14 targets)
4. Terrell Owens, CIN (14 targets)
5. Hakeem Nicks, NYG (13 targets)
6. Dwayne Bowe, KC (12targets)
7. Percy Harvin, MIN (12 targets)
8. Bernard Berrian, MIN (11 targets)
9. Tony Gonzales, ATL (11 targets)
10. Roscoe Parrish, BUF (11 targets)
    
    
    
    

FSH: FANTASY WATCH

November 10th, 2010, Wednesday

Fantasy Watch

Orton & Lloyd Keep the Pass Game Flying A Mile High

Through the first eight weeks of the season, quarterback Kyle Orton and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd have been two of the biggest surprises this season in the fantasy world. Even though Orton lacks the big arm and Lloyd has seemingly been resurrected from the abyss, the two are on the same page and flying a mile high.

Through the first half of the season, both Lloyd and Orton have been fantasy stars.

In his first eight games this season, Orton has passed for over 300 yards in five of those and his 12 touchdowns ranks him tied for 11th in the league. He ranks third overall this season with over 2,500 yards passing and is completing more than 60 percent of his passes. In traditional scoring leagues Orton has not scored less than 16 points in any game this season and has scored more than 20 points four times.

As well as Orton has played this season, his number one target this season Brandon Lloyd has been even better. Through the first half of the season, Lloyd leads all receivers in yards with 878 and carries a 20.9 yards per catch average. For the season he is averaging more than 100 yards receiving per game to go along with his four touchdown grabs.

The main ingredient to Lloyd’s success this season has been the chemistry he has found with his quarterback. Five times this season Lloyd has been targeted in double figures and his 79 for the year rank 7th in the league. His 42 receptions also make him an attractive option in PPR leagues.

Looking forward to the second half of the season, both Orton and Lloyd have proven they are worthy starters in most fantasy formats. With the Broncos passing offense ranked 3rd overall, fantasy owners should make sure these players are in their lineups going forward until further notice.

Just my take.

By David Ortega

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

November 10th, 2010 Wednesday

David’s Daily Digest

My Fantasy Notes:

PEYTON HILLIS GOES NUTS ON SUNDAY
The Cleveland Browns must be sending over thank you cards to Bronco’s head coach Josh McDaniels every Sunday for trading running back Peyton Hillis. Built in the same form as a Mike Alstott, Hillis has shown much more versatility and playmaking ability. Sunday was just another, ho hum one of those days with Hillis scampering his way to 184 yards rushing with a couple of scores against the Patriots.
My Fantasy Read:
If any doubt had existed about Hillis’ ability, he has certainly erased all of it and earned his way onto fantasy owner’s weekly starting lineups. With 644 yards rushing, 30 receptions, and eight total touchdowns this season Hillis is a must-start every week, including PPR leagues.

JAMES JONES BREAKS OUT AGAINST COWBOYS
With an ailing Donald Driver sidelined, wide receiver James Jones had the perfect opportunity to step up and shine. Jones did just that and cashed in nine targets on Sunday for 8 receptions, 123 yards receiving and a score. Jones could have had a second touchdown, but dropped the sure pass.
My Fantasy Read:
The Packers number three slot receiver has the talent and given the opportunity he can make plays. Sunday night was his second 100-yard game of the season. With time to heal through the upcoming bye week Driver should heal and return to action, but keep your eye on Jones down the stretch. As he continues to earn Rodger’s trust, he could see plenty more balls his direction even with Driver back.

BRETT FAVRE HAS A CAREER DAY IN WEEK 9
The Vikings and their fans have been waiting and maybe, just maybe they got what they have been waiting for all season; some Brett Favre magic. Trailing by 14 points late in the 4th quarter, Favre engineered two touchdown scoring drives, capped with an 25 yard scoring strike to his tight end Visanthe Shiancoe with just 27 seconds left in regulation. The score was enough to tie the game and send it into overtime, where Favre continued to work his magic and lead his team to the game winning field-goal by kicker Ryan Longwell. On the afternoon Favre set a career high with 446 passing yards and added a pair of touchdowns.
My Fantasy Read:
This may have been what Viking fans have been waiting for and it just may propel the team back into the playoff hunt, but it was hardly enough to convince any fantasy owner to jump aboard. It’s definitely a good sign, but Favre will need to string a couple of more games together before he can be considered a dependable fantasy start

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (THE FOUR HORSEMEN)

November 5th, 2010 Friday

The Four Horsemen

Last season I picked four players each week that I believed would provide fantasy owners with a solid day of fantasy scoring. It’s not an exact science I follow, nor do I count on any genies staring into crystal balls, but for me it’s a lot of fun.

I am riding again, of course a little late in the season, but again its fun for me; so saddle up!

We Ride Again

Quarterback:
We always start with under center and while 2010 has not been the off the charts season many of us thought he would have, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been consistent just not great. Through the eight weeks Rodgers has thrown 12 touchdowns this season, but he has also tossed nine picks. This evening at home against the Cowboys could be his 2010 coming out party. In eight games this season he has only thrown more than two touchdowns just once; tonight could change that.
(my projections: 335 yards passing, three touchdowns)

Running Back:
In the backfield I will be saddling up with running back LeSean McCoy. After watching Texan’s quarterback Matt Schaub and running back Arian Foster hook up last week nine times against the Colts defense, I am expecting Eagle’s head coach Andy Reid to steal a few of those plays out of the Texan’s playbook. Foster also ripped through the Colts defense for over 100 yards, so McCoy could be looking at a big Sunday.
(my projections: 95 yards rushing, 45 yards receiving, one touchdown)

Wide Receiver:
Positioned out wide this week, I will be putting my fantasy chances in the hands of Giant’s receiver Steve Smith; Mr. Consistency. Smith has averaged 7 receptions for 87 yards in his last three starts, while adding two scores. He’s one of quarterback Eli Mannings most reliable and most often targeted options in the pass game. Against a struggling Seahawk secondary, he should be a must play for fantasy owners.
(my projections: 8 receptions, 105 yards receiving, one touchdown)

Tight end:
At the tight end spot, it’s a tough week with byes playing havoc as well as injuries depleting the position, but one play I am on board with is tight end Greg Olsen. The Bears tight end will be lining up against a Bills secondary that has allowed 7 touchdowns to the tight end position. Olsen is not a highly utilized option in the Bear’s pass game, but he should be solid today with at least one score.
(my projections: 5 receptions, 65 yards receiving, one touchdown)