The Fantasy Football Geek Blog

Updates from August, 2010

• 

  Week 13 - Quick Hits and Misses: Get ready for the playoffs

  Brandon 12:41 pm on 11/30/2008 | 0 Permalink Reply
  

  Hopefully everyone out there had a great Thanksgiving! Sorry for not getting this post up earlier and for the fact that it’s pretty brief this week, but it’s been pretty hectic around here. Anyways, hopefully everyone’s team has already made the playoffs and this week doesn’t matter, but just in case, here are some quick Hits and Misses that might help you make some last minute decisions…

  Hits

  • Antonio Bryant, WR, Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints
  • Brandon Marshall, WR, Broncos @ New York Jets
  • Brett Favre, QB, Jets vs Denver Broncos

  (More …)

   

  Reply Click here to cancel reply.

  
  Name (required)

  
  Email (required)

   
• 

  Fantasy Football: Math Teacher's Best Friend?

  Matt 11:18 am on 11/26/2008 | 0 Permalink Reply
  Tags: learning, math, teaching

  Where some teachers would see a classroom full of students who have had difficulty learning math via traditional teaching methods, others see a great excuse to start a fantasy football league. The draft is handled basically the same way, but after that, the numbers are crunched much differently from the way lazy slobs like you and I do it. Instead of using a website to track their players’ performances, they look up the numbers in the newspaper and calculate it by hand. Screw something up in your multiplication, or forget to factor in a fumble, and your team is docked points. Seems like an awesome motivational tool to me.

  NECN has the full story, which included the video you can find after the jump. To tell the truth, I don’t blame the first teacher’s principal for being skeptical of the idea at first – my first thought was that the teacher seemed like the kind of guy who was mostly motivated by the prospect of getting to play fantasy football at work (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But it seems like it’s a genuinely effective teaching tool. Wonder if they’ll expand it into other fantasy sports after the season.

  And check out this website devoted to the use of fantasy sports for math education. Looks like this might really be catching on. There’s also a book for teachers and parents who want to give it a try.  (More …)

   
• 

  Hits and Misses: Turkey Day Edition

  Brandon 10:10 am on 11/26/2008 | 3 Permalink Reply
  Tags: brian westbrook (13), chris johnson (29), daunte culpepper (6), donovan mcnabb (26), julius jones (8), justin gage (6), kevin smith (9), kurt warner (31), lendale white (17), lorenzo booker, marion barber (19), maurice morris (6), steve breaston (8), terrell owens (21), tony romo (26)

  Happy Thanksgiving! For the Thanksgiving holiday, I figured I’d do an early Hits and Misses article around the games that will be taking place as you stuff your face (and wonder why Detroit is on TV every friggin’ Turkey Day!) Anyways, over the past few weeks, it appears to me that the perfect storm has been brewing…and that storm is what the Titans running backs are going to do to the Lions defense tomorrow. Last weekend Tennessee finally got a dose of reality against the Jets when they realized that they can’t rely solely on the arm of Kerry Collins to carry them to victory and that they’re going to need their running game performing at a high level if they want to go anywhere in the playoffs. Lucky for them, they play the worst run defense in the NFL, the Detroit Lions, so this could be a perfect time to get back to the basics. So let’s get into more from that game and the rest of the action that will be taking place while you try your hardest to ignore your family members… (More …)

   
• 

  The Wire: Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 13, 2008

  Brandon 10:20 am on 11/25/2008 | 1 Permalink Reply
  Tags: adam vinatieri (2), ahmad bradshaw (10), anthony gonzalez (5), de'ron mcclain, dustin keller (15), j.j. arrington (4), jeff garcia (7), Justin Fargas (17), kevin boss (12), mark bradley (4), matt cassel (26), maurice morris (6), michael jenkins (8), neil rackers, nick folk (3), peyton hillis (5), pierre thomas (20), rian lindell (3), Shaun Hill (10), ted ginn (7), tyler thigpen (11)

  Here’s a look at the players to target on your league’s waiver wire this week. This list is ordered by the percentage of ESPN leagues in which the player is available, but even if you’re not a ESPN user, it’s a decent indication of how likely you are to find the player on waivers in your league. We also note here how strongly we feel about this pickup with three categories: Instant Starter, Grab ‘n’ Stash, or Desperation Pickup.

  J.J. Arrington, RB, Cardinals (11.6% owned, Grab ‘n’ Stash) – Tim Hightower still has a hold on the “starter” designation, as well as the goal-line carries, but with the team passing the ball so much and Hightower running so ineffectively, it’s Arrington who could have the most value heading into the playoffs. If you’re a Hightower owner, you want Arrington on your roster for sure insurance if anything.

  Maurice Morris, RB, Seahawks (15.7% owned, Desperation Pickup) – He had a big game on Sunday, but with a short week ahead it could be Julius Jones that gets the bulk of the carries. You should not be relying on a player like Morris to get you into the playoffs, but maybe you are… (More …)

   
• 

  Week 12 Wrap-Up: King of the Cassel

  Brandon 2:29 pm on 11/24/2008 | 0 Permalink Reply
  Tags: adrian peterson (32), andre johnson (19), ashley lelie, brady quinn (14), chad pennington (11), clinton portis (22), daunte culpepper (6), derek anderson (9), donovan mcnabb (26), drew brees (25), ed reed, isaac bruce (3), jake delhomme (13), jay cutler (32), Justin Fargas (17), kerry collins (10), kevin walter (6), kurt warner (31), lee evans (8), leon washington (7), marc bulger (13), matt cassel (26), philip rivers (17), Randy Moss (21), ryan grant (21), terrell owens (21), thomas jones (20), Tim Hightower (15), Tom Brady (25), tony gonzalez (13), tony romo (26), trent edwards (5), trent green (2), tyler thigpen (11), wes welker (7)

  Tom who? It’s amazing the job that Matt Cassel (415 passing yards, 4 TD – one rushing, INT) has done this year to keep the depression in New England over Tom Brady’s injury to a minimum. To his credit, the games are a bit more exciting now and as long as they still make the playoffs, you have to give him props for playing his ass off and earning the big contract that is sure to come his way in the off-season. Anyways, let’s dive into the action that took place this weekend, starting with the big Patriots victory over the Dolphins…

  • New England 48, Miami 28: The second straight 400 passing yard performance from Cassel also paid dividends to the dynamic receiver duo, Randy Moss (8 catches for 125 yards, 3 TD) and Wes Welker (8 catches for 120 yards.) Over-shadowed by his team’s loss and the play of the opposing quarterback though, you can’t forget to mention the great effort from Chad Pennington (341 passing yards, 4 TD – one rushing, INT), who’s numbers were nearly as good. (More …)
   
• 

  Ask the Geeks - Week 12

  Brandon 3:20 pm on 11/22/2008 | 1 Permalink Reply
  Tags: chris johnson (29), ryan grant (21), thomas jones (20), warrick dunn (7)

  Here are our responses to the first question(s) for the week. Remember, you can always ask us questions by clicking the Ask the Geeks logo on the left sidebar (or this link).

  Shirley asks: Alright so I picked up Warrick Dunn but today I saw that he has a back injury and that he’s questionable for Sunday. If he becomes probable, I may have to grab him again. So in dropping Dunn, I picked up Ryan Grant who’s been doing relatively well lately. In addition to Grant who’s playing the Saints this week, I also have Chris Johnson and Thomas Jones who are playing each other. Which two should I start: Thomas Jones, Chris Johnson, or Ryan Grant? I’m leaning towards starting Grant and then one of the other two. Thomas Jones is going up against the strong Titans defense but Chris Johnson and the whole Titans running game has been struggling these past few games. I need help from my FF guru!

  Brandon’s take: Hey Shirley, I’m not sure how Ryan Grant was available in your league, but props to you on the great free agent pickup! You definitely want to start him this week against the Saints. In terms of your other two guys, the Jets and Titans have two of the best run defenses in the NFL and in my Hits and Misses post this week, you can see that I’m not especially high on either of the Titans running backs. By the way, Warrick Dunn practiced in full on Friday and is ready to start this weekend, so if you can still grab him, you might go with he and Ryan Grant. If you can’t get Dunn (don’t drop T.Jones or Johnson to get him!), than start Thomas Jones with Grant. Hope this helped!

  
   
• 

  Hits and Misses - Week 12: Peyton ready for a playoff run

  Brandon 3:45 pm on 11/21/2008 | 2 Permalink Reply
  Tags: aaron rodgers (30), antonio pittman (2), brett favre (34), brian westbrook (13), chris johnson (29), daunte culpepper (6), desean jackson (12), donnie avery (15), donovan mcnabb (26), greg jennings (12), jamal lewis (21), jason campbell (15), jericho cotchery (5), justin gage (6), kerry collins (10), kevin curtis (5), kris jenkins, ladainian tomlinson (31), lendale white (17), marshawn lynch (19), Matt Forte (25), matt ryan (19), maurice jones-drew (23), Peyton Manning (28), philip rivers (17), sammy morris (8), Shaun Hill (10), steve slaton (18), Tim Hightower (15), tony romo (26), vincent jackson (11), warrick dunn (7)

  Although the Patriots lost a close one to the Jets, last week ended up being a pretty good week for me in all areas of the fantasy football world. Not only did I win in nearly all of my leagues, but my predictions ended up with a stellar 19-4-5 record, led by great games from Turner the Burner, the Arizona passing game and DeAngelo Williams, along with sub-par efforts from Kyle Orton and Willis McGahee (even with Jake Delhomme doing his best to submarine me and one of my fantasy teams!)

  With the playoffs fast approaching though, and me still needing a win or two more to clinch the playoffs in a few leagues, let’s move on to my picks for this week. I’ll start with the man who should help many a fantasy team make the playoffs in week 12 by handing out a good ol’ fashioned beatdown to San Diego…Peyton Manning.

  Hits

  • Peyton Manning, QB, Colts: This weekend Indianapolis will head to San Diego to take on a Chargers defense that has been one of the worst in the league against the pass (possibly due to the absence of their top pass rusher in Shawne Merriman?) For all those managers who drafted Manning with a top pick in their league and have been disappointed so far (although the past few weeks he’s been pretty good), this game should serve as redemption. The Chargers are allowing 267 passing yards on average to an assortment of signal callers across the league…and this weekend they take on one that is slightly better than your “average quarterback.” I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect 300 yards and at least two scores from Peyton this week.

  (More …)

   
• 

  Desperation is a Stinky Cologne: Deep Sleepers for Week 12, 2008

  Matt 3:12 pm on 11/21/2008 | 1 Permalink Reply
  Tags: ahman green (2), jamarcus russell (12), justin gage (6), kerry collins (10), pierre thomas (20), ronald curry, sleepers (9)

  Attention, all ye 4-7 and 5-6 teams: The playoffs are officially here for you. Of course, this all depends upon your league’s settings, but chances are that if you’re even a smidge below .500 at this point, your only shot is to win out and pray that the tiebreakers work out in your favor. If you’re holding off on picking up a free agent because you’d have to drop that injured player who might be ready in time for the playoffs, it’s time to wake up and do what has to be done. Better to limp into the playoffs with a snowball’s chance in hell of winning than to miss the postseason entirely. (Owners of Carnell Williams and Selvin Young – I’m looking at you.)

  Here’s a look at some players who are owned in less than 50% of Yahoo and ESPN leagues and would make a decent play this week. The % owned statistic next to each player’s name is an average of all Yahoo and ESPN leagues.

  Quarterbacks

  Kerry Collins, TEN, 36% owned - Quick, name another MVP candidate who’s owned in just 36% of fantasy leagues. The Titans have been out to prove that they can win through the air, and this looks like another matchup that will lead them to pursue the same strategy. The Jets are tough on the ground but near the bottom against the pass, so expect lots of old-fashioned Vodka Collins action in this one. (More …)

   
• 

  Ocho Cinco benched-o

  Brandon 5:23 pm on 11/20/2008 | 0 Permalink Reply
  Tags: chad johnson (7), ocho cinco (8)

  In case you had the great (read: bad) idea of sneaking the man formerly known as Chad Johnson into your lineup for tonight’s game against the Steelers, think again. Ocho Cinco has been benched for violating an undisclosed team rule and should be sitting safely on your team’s bench as well. He’s been consistently mediocre at the position this season anyways, so this probably doesn’t matter to you, but just in case…

   
• 

  Guest Post: Week 12 RB Fantasy Rankings

  Josh 10:58 am on 11/20/2008 | 2 Permalink Reply
  Tags: ahmad bradshaw (10), clinton portis (22), joseph addai (16), marshawn lynch (19), Matt Forte (25), NFL (7), ryan grant (21), steve slaton (18), warrick dunn (7), willie parker (9)

  Editors’ note: The following post was written by a guest blogger, Josh from Pro Football 101.

  Must Starts

  1. Willie Parker vs. Cincinnati Bengals. Parker came back with a strong effort vs. the Chargers this past Sunday, and on Thursday he gets the Bengals. Got to love that matchup.

  In what could be frigid conditions at Heinz field Thursday night, look for the Steelers to get back to playing Pittsburgh Steelers football and pounding away on the ground. And as the line begins to gel together, this all bodes very well for Parker. 100 yards and two TDs.

  2. Matt Forte vs. St. Louis Rams. Ok, the game by the Bay (San Francisco) last Sunday convinced me that the Rams have officially mailed the season in.

  After a few nice efforts that led to upsets over Washington and Dallas, the bottom has fallen out and this defense has given up 40 and 35 points respectively in the first halves alone of each of the past two games.

  Look for the Bears to get back on track after the debacle in GB and for Forte to be a major focal point of the offensive attack. 100 yards and two TDs. (More …)

   
• 

  The Wire: Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 12, 2008

  Brandon 3:28 pm on 11/18/2008 | 1 Permalink Reply
  Tags: ahmad bradshaw (10), antonio pittman (2), brady quinn (14), deion branch (11), derrick ward (5), dustin keller (15), j.j. arrington (4), jeff garcia (7), justin gage (6), mark bradley (4), matt cassel (26), michael jenkins (8), peyton hillis (5), pierre thomas (20), ricky williams (16), Shaun Hill (10), tatum bell (3), ted ginn jr, tyler thigpen (11), warrick dunn (7)

  Here’s a look at the players to target on your league’s waiver wire this week. This list is ordered by the percentage of ESPN leagues in which the player is available, but even if you’re not a ESPN user, it’s a decent indication of how likely you are to find the player on waivers in your league. We also note here how strongly we feel about this pickup with three categories: Instant Starter, Grab ‘n’ Stash, or Desperation Pickup.

  J.J. Arrington, RB, Cardinals (1.8% owned, Grab ‘n’ Stash) – Rookie Tim Hightower just hasn’t gotten it done the past two weeks and we’re starting to wonder if he’s really starter-material. With Kurt Warner opening the field up dramatically with the passing game, Hightower should have all the room in the world to run the ball, but the numbers just aren’t there. On Sunday, J.J. Arrington was able to weasel some carries from Hightower (including a touchdown) and did fairly well with them. If Hightower continues to struggle, look for Arrington’s carries to increase steadily.

  Deion Branch, WR, Seahawks (9.2% owned, Grab ‘n’ Stash) – Branch finally played another game this season…and survived! He ended up the game with over 50 yards and as he gets more playing time, he should get more comfortable in the offense and put up decent numbers down the home stretch. He’s probably not worth starting right away, but you might pick him up and hide him on your roster to see what he can do. (More …)

   
• 

  Guest Post: Week 12 QB Fantasy Football Rankings

  Josh 3:05 pm on 11/18/2008 | 0 Permalink Reply
  Tags: aaron rodgers (30), drew brees (25), eli manning (19), jay cutler (32), kurt warner (31), matt cassel (26), NFL (7), Peyton Manning (28), Phillip Rivers (2), tony romo (26)

  Editors’ note: The following post was written by a guest blogger, Josh from Pro Football 101.

  Must Starts

  1. Drew Brees vs. Green Bay

  Once again, Drew Brees heads the list. This week the Green Bay Packers come to town in what should be a high-scoring affair. Brees has been a fantasy star the whole season and is on pace to break Dan Marino’s all-time passing record from 1984.

  And in this one, he gets his favorite short weapon back in the fold: RB Reggie Bush. This should open up the underneath passing game which in turn will open up the deep ball to Colston and Moore. Look for another stellar performance out of Brees and the offense. (More …)

   
• 

  Week 11 Wrap-Up: So much for that awesome Ravens defense

  Brandon 10:30 pm on 11/17/2008 | 1 Permalink Reply
  Tags: adrian peterson (32), andre johnson (19), anquan boldin (15), brandon jacobs (20), deangelo williams (17), donnie avery (15), earnest graham (10), frank gore (13), hines ward (3), j.j. arrington (4), jake delhomme (13), jamarcus russell (12), jonathan stewart (8), joseph addai (16), justin gage (6), kerry collins (10), kevin smith (9), kurt warner (31), kyle orton (24), ladainian tomlinson (31), lance moore (9), Larry Fitzgerald (18), marion barber (19), marques colston (8), matt cassel (26), matt ryan (19), michael turner (24), Peyton Manning (28), philip rivers (17), roddy white (22), Shaun Hill (10), t.j. houshmandzadeh (8), thomas jones (20), Tim Hightower (15), tony romo (26), trent edwards (5), tyler thigpen (11)

  Going into this weekend, the Baltimore Ravens were holding opposing team’s running games to a ridiculous 2.9 yards per carry. One week and a brutal beating by the defending Superbowl champs later, that number is up to 3.4 as they were manhandled in the trenches by Brandon Jacobs and crew. Let’s look at more from that contest and the rest of the action from week 11…

  • New York Giants 30, Baltimore 10: The G-Men continue to show that they’re the team to beat in the NFC as they hand out a pretty serious beatdown to one of the better teams in the AFC. The Ravens were the team that didn’t let up 100 yard rushers…and I guess they can take pride in the fact that none of the Giants running backs hit the century mark. However, if you combine the stats of the three-headed-monster that they employ in their backfield (Jacobs – 73 yards, 2 TD; Bradshaw – 96 yards; Ward – 41 yards), it’s pretty apparent that as a whole (210 yards!), New York was way too much for the Baltimore defense to handle. (More …)
   
• 

  Ask the Geeks - Week 11

  Brandon 10:59 pm on 11/15/2008 | 4 Permalink Reply
  Tags: lance moore (9), mark bradley (4)

  Here are our responses to the first question(s) for the week. Remember, you can always ask us questions by clicking the Ask the Geeks logo on the left sidebar (or this link).

  Shirley asks: I picked up Mark Bradley but am wondering whether I should start him over Lance Moore?  I’m starting Tyler Thigpen so I’m already going to get some points any Thigpen-Bradley connection.

  Brandon’s take: Hey Shirley, although I think Mark Bradley could make for an interesting play in the upcoming weeks, I don’t see how you can start him over Lance Moore. Even with Marques Colston back in action, Moore has obviously developed some good chemistry with Drew Brees and is a proven commodity. Over the course of their last three games, their stats are pretty similar, but before that, Moore was putting up numbers while Bradley was putting up goose eggs. Go with Moore until you see proof that he’s being phased out of the Saints game plan (which I don’t see happening this season!)

   
• 

  Hits and Misses - Week 11: Turner the Burner ready to blaze!

  Brandon 9:17 am on 11/14/2008 | 4 Permalink Reply
  Tags: anquan boldin (15), ben roethlisberger (21), bernard berrian (11), brandon jacobs (20), daunte culpepper (6), deangelo williams (17), derrick mason (8), earnest graham (10), gus frerotte (5), hines ward (3), jake delhomme (13), joe flacco (15), joseph addai (16), kurt warner (31), kyle orton (24), ladainian tomlinson (31), Larry Fitzgerald (18), Matt Forte (25), matt ryan (19), michael turner (24), roddy white (22), ronnie brown (17), sage rosenfels (4), steve breaston (8), steve smith (26), tyler thigpen (11), vincent jackson (11), willis mcgahee (13)

  Last week I came through with my second great feature pick of the season (I know, only two through ten weeks is a little embarassing!), as Vikings running back Adrian Peterson absolutely torched the Packers defense to the tune of 225 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. I ended up the week with a respectable 15-5-3* record, helped out by stellar, three-score games from Thomas Jones and Maurice Jones-Drew, along with a solid performance from Tony Gonzalez and a predictable, lackluster showing by Steve Slaton (could he be hitting the rookie wall?) Although the Jets passing game proved to be non-existant in their demolition of the Rams and Peyton Manning had a huge game against one of the better defenses in the league (ironically, his two best games this season against the Steelers and Ravens…go figure!), I still finished with some fairly good predictions and I hope to do the same this week. For week 11,  my sure bet is for Michael Turner “The Burner” to have a big game against a less than average Broncos defense in Atlanta this weekend, so get him in your lineup!

  * Hits-Misses-Pushes

  Hits

  • Michael Turner, RB, Falcons: I admit, I tried to come up with some clever saying here that some how involved the Broncos, Turner the Burner, and the game being a potential barn burner, but I couldn’t come up with some all that witty, so I ended up with the title you currently see on the post. Anyways though, continuing the trend (big games against bad defenses…poor games against good ones) that he has followed all season, you can expect big things from Turner this weekend as he takes on an Denver defense that is allowing 5.6 yards per carry. This should turn into a barn burner if all goes according to plan…and expect Turner to be right in the middle of the action. (More …)
   
• 

  Top 5 Starters at QB, RB and WR for Week 11

  Matt 5:29 pm on 11/13/2008 | 1 Permalink Reply
  Tags: top 5

  Quarterback

  1. Drew Brees – Marques Colston is officially back (finally), and Brees, who was pretty stellar even without him, is going to unleash the 6’5″ beast against everyone’s favorite target-practice defense for the past decade or so, the Kansas City Chiefs.
  2. Kurt Warner – He’s playing like an MVP, he’s got three of the best receivers in football at his disposal, and he’s matched up the Seahawks, who give up the second-most passing yards per game. What’s not to love?
  3. Jay Cutler – Atlanta has been pretty bad against the pass this season (11th-most yards per game), and Cutler has huge-game potential every time he steps on the field.
  4. Peyton Manning – The Colts have built up a head of steam and are ready to unleash their revitalized passing game on the Texans.
  5. Donovan McNabb – The Giants miraculously didn’t sack McNabb once last week, and he was able to throw for three touchdowns against the best defense in the NFC. That doesn’t bode well for Bengals fans this week. Assuming any of them show up. I wouldn’t blame them for staying home.

  (More …)

   
• 

  Should you start Romo right away?

  Matt 10:56 am on 11/13/2008 | 6 Permalink Reply
  Tags: pinkie, start/sit (3), tony romo (26)

  To be honest, what I’m really wondering is whether I should start Romo this week. But I’m sure I’m not alone on this one. There are thousands of owners out there who have had to make do with starting their backup for the past few weeks, and while they’re chomping at the bit to put Romo back in, they’re suspiciously eyeing Romo’s ailing pinkie – and Washington’s 8th-ranked pass defense.

  While the Cowboys don’t want to give the Redskins any help and thus aren’t likely to be completely forthcoming about Romo’s injury, we can read a bit into what Romo, his teammates, and the coaches are saying: (More …)

   
• 

  Sell High, Buy Low: Trade ideas for Week 11, 2008

  Matt 11:32 am on 11/12/2008 | 2 Permalink Reply
  Tags: buy low (5), Matt Forte (25), maurice jones-drew (23), Peyton Manning (28), sell high (5), steve breaston (8)

  The trade deadline approacheth! In many leagues, there are just a couple days left, so if you don’t know when yours is, check your league’s settings ASAP. The default deadline in Yahoo leagues is this Friday; in ESPN leagues it’s next Wednesday.

  This is your last opportunity to sell high on your overvalued players and buy low on your leaguemates’ undervalued players – let’s get to figuring out who those guys are!

  Sell High

  Maurice Jones-Drew - This season, MJD has been only been consistent in one way – he has great games against bad defenses (Indy, Denver, Detroit) and horrible games against good ones (Tennessee, Pittsburgh). He hasn’t shown any signs of being able to rise to the occasion against top-tier defenses this season. His schedule for the next four weeks: Tennessee, Minnesota, Houston, Chicago. Gulp. Houston would stand out as the lone opportunity for a big game in there, except for one little detail: Against the Texans in week 4, he contributed a whopping 49 total yards. In a high-scoring, 30-27 game.

  (More …)

   
• 

  The Wire: Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 11, 2008

  Brandon 3:28 pm on 11/11/2008 | 2 Permalink Reply
  Tags: benjarvus green-ellis (4), brady quinn (14), cedric benson (16), dustin keller (15), jerious norwood (3), joe flacco (15), kevin boss (12), mark bradley (4), michael jenkins (8), ricky williams (16), sage rosenfels (4), selvin young (5), steve breaston (8), tedd ginn (2), tyler thigpen (11)

  Here’s a look at the players to target on your league’s waiver wire this week. This list is ordered by the percentage of ESPN leagues in which the player is available; even if you’re not a ESPN user, it’s a decent indication of how likely you are to find the player on waivers in your league. We also note here how strongly we feel about this pickup with three categories: Instant Starter, Grab ‘n’ Stash, or Desperation Pickup.

  Mark Bradley, WR, Chiefs (2.4% owned, Desperation Pickup) – Over the past three games Bradley has really developed some good chemistry with quarterback Tyler Thigpen (see below) to the tune of 18 receptions for nearly 190 yards and two scores. While you probably don’t want him starting for your team come playoffs time, he makes a decent injury fill-in until that point.

  Tatum Bell, RB, Broncos (7.0% owned, Desperation Pickup) – With the team running out of options at tailback, the Broncos have signed Bell and with the injury to Selvin Young, he could see touches immediately. I still don’t like the Broncos running game though and wouldn’t recommend you use anyone wearing orange/blue/white in your RB1 or RB2 position at this point, but if you’re REALLY desperate… (More …)

   
• 

  Guest Post: Week 11 QB Fantasy Rankings

  Josh 2:51 pm on 11/11/2008 | 2 Permalink Reply
  Tags: ben roethlisberger (21), donovan mcnabb (26), drew brees (25), eli manning (19), Fantasy Starts, guest post (5), jason campbell (15), Matt Hasselback, matt ryan (19), Must Starts, Peyton Manning (28), Shaun Hill (10)

  Editors’ note: The following post was written by our new guest blogger, Josh from Pro Football 101.

  Must Start:

  1. Donovan McNabb vs. Cincinnati. These are the types of games that #5 relishes. No pressure, no problem. The Eagles, still fuming from their 36-31 loss to the Giants, will look to come out and put a hurtin’ on the Bengals. And since the Bengals can’t stop anyone on the ground or through the air, look for McNabb and his receivers – in particular DeSean Jackson – to do some real damage with the deep ball. 250+ yards and two, possibly three TDs.

  2. Peyton Manning vs. Houston. Not sure exactly what it is, but something just isn’t right with Indy’s running game this season. I’m not basing that statement off last week’s game, as no one runs well on Pittsburgh, but the Colts have yet to have a dominating effort on the ground in ‘08. This is making fantasy owners happy, though, as it’s forcing Peyton to do more with his arm. If Joe Flacco just lit up Houston this past weekend, then it’s scary to think what Peyton will do. 250+ yards and three TDs. (More …)