After watching Michael Vick and the Philadelphia offense operate at warp speed, I feel as though I participated in some global video game challenge.
Vick fired down the middle for DeSean Jackson on the opening play of the game and things went downhill for the Redskins after that. There’s no motivation greater than facing a team led by your former teammate who just inked a monster contract extension. Wow!
But, revel in it only for a moment if you were the beneficiary of this madness, as you still have work to do. It’s Week 11 and the chase for the playoffs is on. It’s time to shore up your bench with a possible plug-in starter or make a defensive play for somebody’s handcuff.
David Garrard, QB, Jacksonville
Garrard delivered in his presumed big spot against the Texans, although it took a 50-yard “Hail Mary” completion to Mike Thomas to put him over the top. He completed 24-of-31 attempts for 342 yards and two touchdowns. He’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in each of the past four games that he completed.
During this period, Garrard has thrown 11 touchdowns with four turnovers. He’s normally not much in the yardage department, as he passed for fewer than 180 yards in each of his first five starts. However, Garrard has passed for 260 and 342 yards in the Jaguars’ past two games. He’s a good spot start this week against the 23rd-ranked Cleveland pass defense.
Jon Kitna, QB, Dallas
The Cowboys showed signs of life under new coach Jason Garrett in Week 10 against the Giants. Kitna had plenty of time to stand tall in the pocket and deliver darts downfield to Dez Bryant. He completed 13-of-22 attempts for 327 yards and three touchdowns.
Kitna has thrown seven touchdowns against seven interceptions (one lost fumble) while averaging 269 passing yards per game. He’s surpassed 300 passing yards in two of the past three weeks.
• Fantasy owners should potentially look elsewhere at tight end this weekend. The Cowboys pulled Jason Witten back into blocking mode against the vaunted New York front in Week 10. The Detroit defense has piled up 25 sacks. Witten will need to block if Kitna is going to avoid meeting Ndamukong Suh.
Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay
Freeman completed 18-of-24 attempts for 241 yards with two touchdowns against the Panthers with one sack and a lost fumble. He added 19 rushing yards for the victorious Buccaneers. Freeman has averaged 236.5 passing yards in his past six starts with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also averaged 21.5 rushing yards during this period. The second-year quarterback has been efficient and does well to take care of the ball.
Vince Young, QB, Tennessee
Let’s see. A quarterback with a rocket arm and great mobility (even with a bum ankle) takes on the Washington secondary. I think we’ve seen this script recently.
Young completed 9-of-18 attempts for 92 yards with one touchdown, 14 rushing yards, one interception and one lost fumble. He wasn’t expected to play against the Dolphins, but Kerry Collins’ calf injury forced Jeff Fisher to make the move. Collins is out indefinitely, thereby putting Young back under center for the beginning of a glorious run on the schedule.
This week, Young takes aim at the Washington secondary that is still tired from doing windsprints (chasing Philadelphia receivers from behind). After Washington, Young faces the Texans, Jaguars, Colts and Texans again. When you make the championship game, you’re looking at a date against the Chiefs.
Tyler Thigpen, QB, Miami
If you liked watching Michael Vick sprint around on Monday night, then perhaps you’ll like the quarterback styling of Thigpen against Chicago. He’s a rambling, scrambling man, as you may recall from his time in Kansas City. Thigpen passed for 18 touchdowns and rushed for three more in 2008. He averaged 176 passing yards and 25 rushing yards per game.
With Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, Anthony Fasano and “Wildcat” Ronnie Brown in the mix, Thigpen will be a plug-in option down the line. It’s probably not this week, as the Bears are tied with New Orleans for the lowest number of touchdown passes allowed (six).
Keiland Williams, RB, Washington
Forget about the fact that Monday night’s game was a blowout and became a morbid curiosity after the first quarter (could the Eagles go Wilt Chamberlain on the Redskins?). Williams thrust himself into the mix for at least a share of the workload in Washington with a fantastic performance (139 total yards and three touchdowns).
He was on the radar in this column earlier in the season as a potential goal-line threat and receiver out of the backfield (he’d caught 14 passes prior to this week), and for the fact that Mike Shanahan likes to “Shuffle up and deal” his backfield. With Ryan Torain still affected by the hamstring injury and Clinton Portis’ status still unknown, we may see a lot of Williams against the Titans.
Willis McGahee, RB, Baltimore
McGahee ‘s presence continues to torture owners of backfield mate Ray Rice. He was a non-factor against Atlanta, but creeps into the mix far too often for Rice owners to get comfortable. This Week 11 matchup against Carolina smacks of a good flex opportunity for McGahee. The Ravens will be aggressive against young Tony Pike (or Jimmy Clausen, if cleared) and shorten the field.
Mike Goodson, RB, Carolina
Goodson was afforded the opportunity to start against the Buccaneers and ran well, producing a 100-yard game while adding three receptions for 13 yards. He lost a fumble, but still represented well from the flex slot. He faces a much stiffer test this week against the Ravens and Haloti Ngata. I’m not anticipating a huge follow-up effort, but his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield does help. Tony Pike will likely be under center for the Panthers.
Javarris James, RB, Indianapolis
James’ role in the long run is undetermined, but he’s done a tremendous job at the goal line in the past two weeks (three touchdowns). With the other members of this backfield injured or underperforming, James will continue to see chances. He carried the ball 12 times in Week 10, a dramatic increase from his four-carry Week 9 effort. James is getting comfortable and more familiar with Peyton Manning.
Jerome Harrison, RB, Philadelphia
I’ll take Harrison for the block. He demonstrated great burst against the dejected Washington defense, rumbling through the line for a 50-yard touchdown sprint as the onslaught continued. The pickup of Harrison is the defensive play to safeguard in the event of a LeSean McCoy injury. The presence of such potent downfield weapons (I believe I even heard Brent Celek’s name mentioned) opens the middle of the field. If Harrison reaches the second level, it’ll be difficult to stop him. Make the pickup now and stash him, just in case.
Danny Amendola, WR, St. Louis
Amendola posted a tremendous game as Sam Bradford’s No. 1 option out of the bye week. He caught seven of the eight passes thrown to him for 51 yards and a touchdown. Overall, Amendola is tied for 13th in the target column this season. He’s recorded 52 receptions for 430 yards and warrants a look-see against the Falcons this weekend.
Nate Washington, WR, Tennessee
Washington took advantage of the attention afforded teammates Chris Johnson and Randy Moss. He didn’t post a huge game against Miami, but did score for the second straight week. Washington caught three passes for 26 yards following his four-reception, 117-yard performance in Week 8. He’s most definitely a strong plug-in third receiver for Week 11 against the Redskins.
Mike Williams, WR, Seattle
Williams of the Seahawks clearly enjoys playing against the Cardinals. Remember, he caught 11 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting between these teams. Williams was targeted 17 times in the Seahawks’ blowout road win on Sunday, catching 11 of those targets for 145 yards. This was quite a rebound effort from Williams, who had caught three passes for 52 yards in the previous two games. He’s recorded three games with a double-digit reception total this season.
Mike Thomas, WR, Jacksonville
Thomas kept his “eye on the ball,” and hauled in the 50-yard “Hail Mary” pass to cap a wild 31-24 win over Houston. Thomas tied his season-high mark with eight receptions and 149 yards. He’s scored in back-to-back weeks and lived up to his Week 10 “ninja” hype. Thomas has caught four or more passes in seven of nine games. He’s averaged 4.6 receptions and 59.6 receiving yards per game. The Browns rank 23rd against the pass, surrendering 245.3 yards and 1.9 touchdowns per game.
Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants
Manningham needs to remember where “the sticks” are in future games instead of cutting off his route short of the first-down marker. Of course, he’s used to working deep downfield so it will take some time. Still, it’s hard to look beyond Manningham’s 10 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown, his third touchdown in the past four weeks.
Manningham caught a 44-yard pass in the loss to Dallas, his seventh game with a reception of at least 25 yards. He remains in the No. 2 role indefinitely with Steve Smith sidelined by a pectoral injury.
Lance Moore, WR, New Orleans
Moore caught a total of 18 passes in the three games prior to the Saints’ Week 10 bye and assumed a huge role following Reggie Bush’s injury (five or more receptions in five of his past seven games). He slides back into a secondary role with Bush’s return to the field, but the quality of his targets across the middle increases markedly. The Saints come out of the bye to face Seattle and Dallas. There will be ample opportunities for Drew Brees to pile up big numbers.
James Jones, WR, Green Bay
Jones earned his second 100-yard game in three weeks in the Packers’ blowout win over the Cowboys in Week 9. He’ll likely return to the third chair in Green Bay with Donald Driver expected to return from his quadriceps injury. Jones has been a hit-or-miss option for fantasy owners this season, as drops and fumbles have slowed his progress. He caught four passes for 107 yards in the first meeting between these teams.
Anthony Fasano, TE, Miami
Fasano stands as one of the top waiver pickups for Week 11 with Tyler Thigpen under center. Thigpen is receiving a crash course with the first unit on the short week and will undoubtedly look to his short and intermediate options frequently against the Chicago secondary . Fasano caught five passes for 107 yards and scored his third touchdown of the season against Tennessee. He’s caught three or more passes in four consecutive games.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England
Gronkowski dominated the Steelers on Sunday night as Tom Brady’s “Tight End of the Week.” Normally relegated to the role of red zone monster, Gronkowski benefited from the attention afforded Aaron Hernandez. He produced season-high marks in receptions (five) and receiving yards (72) with three touchdowns. Six of Gronkowski’s 19 receptions this season went for touchdowns.
