Fantasy Fever is a weekly piece that provides fantasy advice on lineup calls, sleepers, waiver-wire moves and rookie spotlights, along with the occasional ramble or four. Enjoy.
Start ‘Em
QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills
Owners may be wary that a groin injury to Stevie Johnson, as well as season-ending ailments to Roscoe Parrish and Marcus Easley, diminishes Fitzpatrick’s fantasy value. However, the emergence of receiver David Nelson (14 receptions, 149 yards, one touchdown) and tight end Scott Chandler (seven receptions, 79 yards, three touchdowns) should alleviate any apprehension one may harbor towards Fitzpatrick. Although I don’t believe Fitzpatrick’s fantastic start necessarily equates to the Buffalo QB as an unquestioned fantasy starter, a matchup against an assailable New England secondary that has surrendered an average of 381 yards per game should prove opportunistic. And in case the Buffalo field general warrants further assurance, the Pats conceded 416 passing yards to Chad Henne in Week 1.
Other starts: Cam Newton vs. JAC, Matt Schaub at NO
RB: Dexter McCluster, Chiefs
Make no mistake, Thomas Jones will get the bulk of the carries in the absence of Jamaal Charles. Still, McCluster has the higher fantasy value, especially in PPR leagues and those that account for special teams. Mentioned as a fantasy sleeper in this space last week, McCluster is an integral instrument in the ground (7.8 average on 12 carries) and air attacks (nine receptions) for Kansas City. Assuming the Chiefs will be behind in most of their remaining contests (a fairly fathomable presumption), McCluster will be featured in the majority of passing packages rather than the limited Jones. Factor in the lack of success from Jones in the second half of the 2010 season (2.81 average on 127 carries in his last nine games) and McCluster is your man.
Other starts: James Starks at CHI, Maurice Jones-Drew at CAR
WR: Deion Branch, Patriots
Despite ranking second amongst receivers with 15 receptions, Branch is only starting in 28.7 percent of FOXSports.com fantasy leagues. While the threat of Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski siphoning red zone opportunities may deter his lineup implementation in minds of owners, Branch’s 19 targets and 222 yards should offset this perceived deficiency. With Hernandez out this week, Branch may see more throws than normally allotted in his direction.
Other starts: Santana Moss at DAL, Johnny Knox vs. GB
TE: Brent Celek, Eagles
Michael Vick is projected to play, but in the chance that Mike Kafka is behind center, Celek’s role in the Eagle offense should be amplified. Even with Vick at the helm, Celek and the rest of the Philadelphia receiving corps will have a field day against a depleted Giant secondary. While he doesn’t retain the same value going forward as he did with Donovan McNabb or Kevin Kolb at QB, this week’s favorable matchup makes Celek a must-start.
Other starts: Todd Heap at SEA, Benjamin Watson vs. MIA
DEF: Detroit Lions
Amazingly, the Lions are owned in just 65.4 percent of leagues despite leading the NFC in interceptions (four) and holding opponents to a conference-low in QB rating (60.0) and points (11.5). Granted, facing a Chiefs squad sans Charles didn’t present the most formidable of foes, but the Lions own a fearsome front line and own a relatively manageable slate the rest of the season. And if you thought the Chiefs looked bad, wait til Ndamukong Suh unleashes hell on McNabb and the rest of the Minnesota offense.
Other starts: San Francisco at CIN, Philadelphia vs. NYG
Sit ‘Em
QB: Eli Manning, Giants
Already dealing with dwindling numbers at the WR position, the Giants lost Domenik Hixon to a knee injury and are facing the prospect of playing without Mario Manningham, who is undergoing concussion tests. Opposing the Philadelphia defense won’t help New York’s cause, as the Eagles have held their adversaries to 180.5 yards per contest in 2011. As quarterbacks have routinely posted extravagant passing games this season, other options are far more enticing than Manning this week.
Other sits: Sam Bradford vs. BAL, Tony Romo vs. WAS
RB: Cedric Benson, Bengals
Jordan Shipley’s season-ending injury and Jerome Simpson’s off-the-field issues should correlate to an increased workload for Benson. Alas, the Niners have confined rival running games to a league-low 2.5 yards-per-carry and 54.5-yards-per-game figures. Benson will be the focal point of the Cincinnati offense, but expect the Bengal back to fizzle on fantasy scoreboards on Sunday. In a related note, “Two Bengals busted for possible network distribution of marijuana” officially replaces the Miami Hurricanes scandal, Terrelle Pryor selected by the Raiders and Notre Dame failing to live up to preseason hype as the least surprising sports story of the year.
Other sits: Fred Jackson vs. NE, Shonn Greene at OAK
WR: Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
Keeping in mind the Dwayne Bowe Transitive Property (which states, “For every bountiful Bowe outing, a disappointing display must counter this action”), anticipate the wavering receiver to frustrate fantasy owners against a daunting San Diego secondary.
Other sits: Brandon Lloyd at TEN, Robert Meachem vs. HOU
TE: Chris Cooley, Redskins
Concerns on Cooley’s knee have intensified as the Washington tight end failed to record a reception in Week 2. Couple this with the rising worth of fellow Redskin Fred Davis (11 receptions, 191 yards, one touchdown) and Cooley’s fantasy forecast for the rest of the season is increasingly murky.
Other sits: Brandon Pettigrew at MIN, Marcedes Lewis at CAR
DEF: Chicago Bears
For Aaron Rodgers and Chicago owners, this is a lose-lose, as Rodgers won’t impose his usual fantasy-friendly stats against his Black and Blue rivals, but in that same breath, will inflict enough damage to make the Bears a risky play. Although the battle is in Soldier Field, shy away from Chicago in Week 3.
Other sits: St. Louis vs. BAL, Dallas vs. WAS
The Armageddon Head Scratcher of the Week
Granted, a movie based on a team of rag-tag drillers saving the world by detonating a nuke on an inbound asteroid should be taken with a grain of salt. However, there remain a few storylines that defy logic and reason that need to be examined with greater scrutiny. These preposterous plot points will be analyzed along with a questionable call from the previous week of football.
Almost simultaneously as he catches Ben Affleck with his daughter on the oil rig, NASA contacts Bruce Willis to inform him of the incoming asteroid, asking for his services to save Earth. This leads to the inevitable “rounding up the team” montage, where we find Affleck has inexplicably opened his own drilling company. This series of events is covered within five minutes of each other in the film. So, to recap: somehow we are supposed to believe that in the timespan Willis is taken to Cape Canaveral and briefed on the impending apocalypse, Affleck has also left the deep-sea drilling station, reached land, decided to embark upon his own entrepreneurial endeavor, acquired the necessary capital and overhead to initiate such an establishment, discovered and obtained an oil-laden property, and commenced drilling? Maybe I’m a Doubting Thomas, but something doesn’t add up.
Speaking of not making sense, was Luke McCown really the best option for Jacksonville to start the season? I understand the exile of David Garrard, as the team was worried the notoriously lethargic Garrard would poison rookie Blaine Gabbert’s work ethic, and perhaps the franchise was concerned about throwing Gabbert in front of the New York defense in Week 2. That said, wouldn’t the Jaguars have been better served cutting ties with Garrard at the beginning of camp and bringing in a veteran presence at QB? Not only would Gabbert have a suitable mentor and time to develop, but in the wildly winnable AFC South, the team could have still been competitive. Instead, Gabbert is swiftly thrown into the mix thanks to the incompetence of McCown. Baptism by fire is rarely a formula for success in the NFL, and in Gabbert’s case, don’t count on the first-rounder to buck the trend.
Waiver Wire Watch: Roy Helu, Redskins
After barely seeing the field in Week 1, the rookie out of Nebraska validated the preseason buzz that surrounded him in the preseason with Week 2's performance. When starter Tim Hightower needed a breather, Helu accounted for 74 yards on the ground on 10 carries and added another 38 yards off three receptions in Washington’s 22-21 victory over Arizona. Although still slated as a backup, Helu will become more prominent once fully assimilated into offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s system. As Hightower is currently on pace to receive a ridiculous 360 carries, expect the opportunities to start drifting in Helu’s direction.
The Real Debate
When word trickled out that Peyton Manning received a risky stem-cell treatment in Europe, it initiated a spirited discussion in the sports and health communities about the ethical and practical validity around such conduct. But while others argue the merits of such a surgery, the real debate should be this: why isn’t anyone discussing the extremely-evident tanking in Indianapolis? Curtis Painter’s performance in the preseason was unpleasant, but were we to believe 38-year-old Kerry Collins would instill a calm charisma in the huddle? Troy Smith, Brian Brohm or former Colt Jim Sorgi were better options than the geriatric Collins, which leads one to surmise Indianapolis is purposely shooting for the No. 1 pick in Andrew Luck. However, I wish the franchise would have a little more fun with their deliberate defeats. Despite his age, Collins is still a respected name in the NFL community. If you’re going down this route, make it a joke by bringing in JaMarcus Russell, Joey Harrington, David Carr or other flamed-out first-rounders. Better yet, if you’re looking for that “veteran presence” why not wrangle in Jeff George, if only to appease our man Jason Whitlock. Frankly, there’s still time.
Fantasy Flyer: Danario Alexander, Rams
With Danny Amendola still on the mend and Lance Kendricks failing to live up to his preseason exploits, Alexander is the only viable target in the Rams’ pass-happy scheme outside of Mike Sims-Walker. Alexander is still recovering from knee surgery, thus limiting his snap count. Yet with an abbreviated amount of action, Alexander was able to record three receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown on Monday night against New York. Few deep threats remain on the free-agent market, so for those in deeper formats, Alexander, who is owned in less than four percent of leagues, is worth the selection.
Any Given Sunday Pep Talk
Sometimes NFLers need a little inspiration, or even a kick in the behind, to get properly motivated. Luckily for us, Al Pacino will be reprising his Coach Tony D'Amato character to provide players the necessary pep talk to enable fantasy success. This week’s recipient: Chris Johnson.
“Well, you got your contract, hope you’re happy about that. Did I hear right, $30 million guaranteed? Whoooo, that’s a lot of bread! And I don’t blame ya for holding out, kid. The way teams cut ties with injured players or guys past their prime is criminal. Gotta get while the gettin’s good, I suppose.
“What I do blame you for is this despicable display you’ve put on the past two weeks. Holy Moses, a 2.3 average on 33 carries? That’s worse than Thomas Jones! I knew you wouldn’t be in prime pigskin shape, but from what I’ve seen, the only exercise you did in the offseason was late-night runs to McDonalds!
“In case you haven’t noticed, this team is built around your execution. You think Matt Hasselbeck is going to lead us to the Promised Land? The man’s turning 36 this week, plus, it’s MATT HASSELBECK! Kenny Britt’s a nice talent and all, but I only trust the man as far as I can throw ‘em, if you know what I mean. YOU were supposed to be our anchor, the foundation for this football squad. So you can imagine my disappointment when our supposed superstar gains a whopping 77 yards through TWO WEEKS! Hell, I’m amazed we even competed, let alone stole a W from Baltimore, with that putrid performance.
“So the way I see it, you got two choices. You can join the likes of Jevon Kearse, David Boston and Albert Haynesworth by failing to live up to your contract, or you can start leaving opponents in your wake like you did in 2009. You got a simple job, really: take the rock and run like hell. On occasions, we may even call upon you to help in the passing game, God forbid if it’s not too much to ask.
”You got the money, you got the fame, so time to leave all this cry-baby whining behind and just play. Do that, son, and I promise ya, all your troubles will turn around.”
Rookie Review: Daniel Thomas, Dolphins
Thomas has just two games under his belt, but the Miami back has already run a gamut of emotions with fantasy owners in 2011. Alongside New Orleans’ Mark Ingram, Thomas was targeted in training camp as one of the few rookies who could contribute in fantasy immediately. Alas, when August broke, the Kansas State product had reportedly lost the support of head coach Tony Sparano, as Miami elected to put their faith in Reggie Bush. But with Bush failing to do much on the ground in the first six quarters of the season, Thomas was implemented in Game 2 and answered with vigor, rushing for 107 yards on 18 carries. Thomas is projected to see most of the opportunities going forward, making the Dolphin rusher a valuable commodity on the waiver wire.
This Week in Kevin Walter
The early diagnosis on Walter’s injury from Week 1 had the Houston wideout sidelined for 10-to-12 weeks with a broken left shoulder. K-Walt must be laughing at these false forewarnings as he plans to return this week after missing just one game of action. Allegedly Walter wanted to play in Week 2, but with the miserable Miami secondary as opponents, the Texans believed a combo of Walter and Andre Johnson would have been simply unfair.
Walter’s 2011 Stats: One reception, 14 yards.
Walter’s Cornerback Body Count: One.
Gatorade Shower Goes to: Tony Romo, Cowboys
Leading a comeback with bruised ribs and a punctured lung? Man has some major cojones.
Personal Foul on: New York Giants
Thanks to your Paul Walker-esque acting on Monday night, I’ve had to listen to the futile diatribe on implementing a policy to police players faking injuries, with the argument always ending in a consensus of, “Well, there’s nothing you can really do about it,” from the panelists. Quick fix: if the game has to be stopped in order to attend to a player’s health, said athlete can’t return in that series. Now, if I can just have the last three days of my life back, I’d appreciate it.
