Squish (252)
e-roc (119)
Jeff (53)
Mal (45)
Tommy (45)
Ken (42)
Amir (37)
Tj (29)
Here are our waiver wire candidates for week eleven. As usual, you’ll find players who are either [Startable], a [Stopgap] to get you past a BYE or injury, [Worth a look] and spot on your bench, or [One-week-wonder]s who don’t warrant a roster spot, so you make your roster moves accordingly. You’ll also see the percent owned in parenthesis. This week we start off with a number of backup running backs who could have some immediate fantasy impact due to injuries to starters Michael Turner, Cedric Benson, Clinton Portis and Julius Jones.
Latest Updates: marc bulger RSS
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The Wire - Week 11: The Replacements
Brandon
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Brandon
For those hoping Rams wide receiver Donnie Avery would be a good breakout candidate this season with Torry Holt gone, you might want to adjust your expectations, as early injury troubles are going to set him back a bit. He’ll miss the entire preseason and possibly two regular season games with a stress fracture in his foot, begging the question: Who will Marc Bulger throw the ball to when the season starts? All I know is that I won’t care, as he won’t be on any fantasy football roster of mine!
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Guest Post: Week 14 QB Fantasy Football Rankings
Josh
Editors’ note: The following post was written by a guest blogger, Josh from Pro Football 101.
Must Starts
1. Kurt Warner vs. St. Louis Rams. Warner and his offense have had a tough go of it these past two weeks, as they were beaten by better football teams from the NFC East, but this is the week that we begin to hear the Warner MVP chants again.
Heading back to Arizona, the hapless Rams come to town and bring with it its suspect defense. Look for Warner to locate his talented trio on the outside and eclipse the 300-yard mark with at least three TDs.
2. Peyton Manning vs. Cincinnati Bengals. I’m not sure what happened on Sunday, but Manning certainly disappointed many fantasy owners with his 125 yard, two INT performance vs. the Browns. And since his defense couldn’t get off the field, he had very little time in which to work with.
This week, back at home, we like Manning and his offense to bounce back against the Bengals and for the QB to throw for at least 250 with a couple of scores. (More …)
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Week 12 Wrap-Up: King of the Cassel
Brandon
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 …)
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Guest Post: Week 10 QB Fantasy Rankings
Josh
Editors’ note: The following post was written by our new guest blogger, Josh from Pro Football 101. We’re happy to welcome Josh as a guest blogger – he definitely knows his fantasy football. -Matt and Brandon
Must Starts:
1. Kurt Warner vs. San Francisco. Most people around the NFL know how good Warner and this offense is, but this Monday, when the 49ers come to town, the entire country will find out on a national stage. Warner has been lighting it up through the air of late and we see that trend continuing this week back in the desert. While the Niners are pretty strong against the run, they have trouble vs. the pass, and with Boldin and Fitzgerald lining up on the outside against Clements and Harris, look for Arizona to exploit these mismatches all night long. Warner will eclipse the 300-yard mark for the third consecutive game and throw for at least two TDs. (More …) -
The Wire: Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 9, 2008
Brandon
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.
Nate Washington, WR, Steelers (6.6% owned, Desperation Pickup) – While his reception totals for each game this year aren’t all that consistent, Washington still manages to get some solid yardage and has been adding touchdowns to that as of late. I can’t recommend you start him on a weekly basis, but if you’re in a bind and it looks like a good matchup, you might consider him at the WR3 or flex position.
Ted Ginn, Jr., WR, Dolphins (19.6% owned, Instant Starter) – Obviously you shouldn’t count on an other-worldly 175 yard performance from Ginn each week, but besides a bogus game in week 6, Ted Jr. has been pretty decent this year in his rookie season. He gets to play the lowly Broncos defense this week as well, making him even more appealing. (More …)
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Desperation is a Stinky Cologne: Extreme Sleepers for Week 7 2008
Matt
In a bind? This column is for those of you who, due to injuries or other circumstances, find yourselves with a gaping hole at QB, RB or WR and need a stop-gap player to plug in for one week.Unlike our waiver-wire columns, I’m not advising you to pick these players up if you’re seeking long-term production. Thanks to matchups, injuries, or other favorable conditions, these usually useless players are worth a look this week, but probably aren’t good long-term options.
Note: “% owned” statistics are an average of that player’s ownership percentage in all Yahoo and ESPN leagues, rounded to the nearest percent.
Quarterbacks
Kerry Collins (25% owned) – Normally you’d never even consider starting Collins, but the Titans are playing the Chiefs, so I ask you to consider this riddle: What adds up to six and should get someone fired? Answer: The total number of sacks and interceptions the Kansas City defense has managed so far this season (three of each). That’s dead last in the league, by a lot. Even Collins should be able to put together a decent day.
Marc Bulger (41% owned) – Considering his abysmal numbers so far this season, I’m surprised his ownership percentage is so high – not that I don’t think he has some upside. Dallas will be missing cornerbacks Terence Newman (groin) and Pac-Man Jones (brain), so if he’s ever going to show us a glimpse of his old self, it’ll probably be this week.
Running Backs
Kolby Smith, KC (8% owned) – zOMFG, a starting RB is going to miss a game and his backup will get to be the feature back for a whole game! Quick, everyone run out and get him! Wait, why’s he only 8% owned? Oh, right – the Chiefs are playing the Titans’ solid rush D, and LJ isn’t hurt; he’ll be back next week, so there’s no point in using a roster spot on this guy unless you need him now. But if you’re reading this, single-week plugins are what you’re after, and Smith fits that description perfectly. (More …)
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Ask the Geeks - Week 5
Brandon
Here are our responses to the first couple of questions for the week. Remember, you can always ask us questions by clicking the Ask the Geeks logo on the left sidebar (or this link).Jeff asks: I am in a league where QB TDs count as 6 points. My current QBs are Garrard, Bulger and Griese. I have been offered Aaron Rodgers and Jacksonville DEF for my Tennessee DEF. Should I make the trade?
Brandon’s take: Jeff, I’m not all that high on your quarterbacks right now and having Rodgers in there (assuming he’s healthy) would be a pretty decent upgrade. However, I just took a look at my league and the difference in fantasy points between the Titans and Jags is pretty staggering. Tennessee leads the NFL with 66 fantasy points through four weeks, while Jacksonville only has 23…a difference of 43 points (over 10 a week!) Looking at the schedules of both “players” (Rodgers/Titans), the Titans seem to have the easier road ahead. I also think David Garrard will rebound from a rough first couple games (he did alright last week) and should hold down your quarterback position. In short, don’t make the trade. Keep the Titans and have faith in Garrard.
Matt’s take: What are you doing with Bulger still on your roster? I don’t think Rodgers is necessarily a huge upgrade from Garrard, especially since Garrard’s numbers will only improve as his o-line slowly returns to health. (More …)
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Quick notes: Parker and Burress out
Brandon
In case you weren’t already aware, here are a few notes on players that could potentially be in your starting lineup right now…and shouldn’t be:
- Plaxico Burress, WR, NYG: Burress has been suspended for one game by the Giants after missing a practice and failing to call and let team officials know why.
- Willie Parker, RB, PIT: Parker has been ruled out of this weekend’s game with a sprained knee, meaning that rookie Rashard Mendenhall will get the first start of his young career. For all of you Mendenhall fans out there though, don’t be so eager to plug him into your lineup unless you don’t have a better option. The Baltimore Ravens are possibly the top defense in the league this season and I don’t see Mendenhall being the guy to change that. (More …)
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Studs and Duds - Week 2: Ryan Grant ready to roll!
Brandon
After all the dust has settled and the injury count has been tallied (bye bye Brady, Burleson, Alex Smith and for a little while, Colston), it’s time to recount my predictions for the previous weekend and give you a few more for week two of the season. According to my slightly-biased count, I finished last week 13-7-6, which isn’t all that bad I guess. Some of my better picks included Thomas Jones, who re-assumed his spot in fantasy football relevance with a strong showing against the Dolphins and Chris Perry, who did very little with his first chance to shine as the Bengals new starting running back, as expected. On the flip-side, I did miss a few picks, including Ricky Williams, who returned to his role as a deadbeat (in fantasy production that is) against the Jets, while Brandon “The Bruiser” Jacobs taught me (and LaRon Landry) never to doubt him again. Anyways, it’s time for your week two studs and duds, so hopefully I can provide a little insight that can help your team this upcoming weekend…
Studs
Ryan Grant, RB, Packers: Unless Michael Turner is one of the greatest running backs of all time, I see no reason why Grant shouldn’t be able to exploit the same gaping weakness in the Lions defense that the Falcons did when they obliterated (for some reason the word seems like an understatement) them for 318 rushing yards in week one!
LenDale White, RB / Chris Johnson, RB, Titans: If the Ravens, minus an injured Willis McGahee, could pound it out for 229 yards last weekend against the Cincinnati Bungholes, I have to believe a more talented duo can at least do the same. You should expect LenDale White (thunder) and Chris Johnson (lightning) to run the ball non-stop while the quarterback position for the Titans is currently going through somewhat of a a rough patch. (More …)
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Fantasy football thoughts from Puerto Rico
Brandon
So these past few days have been a bit of an adventure for me, as I was traveling down to Puerto Rico for work and due to some hurricane-induced delays, mixed with the reliability of the Puerto Rican internet, I have not been able to write some much needed analysis of what is shaping up to be a crazy opening weekend in the NFL. Let me just start by saying that while Matt felt it unnecessary to mention Tom Brady’s season ending injury (and it wasn’t even to that stupid foot we kept hearing about!), I have to admit that I am shedding a few tears internally as my favorite team’s Superbowl hopes are now resting squarely on the shoulders of a guy I thought the team was going to cut before the season started…Mr. Matt Cassel. Luckily for my alternate, fantasy football reality, I only had Brady in one league this year and it was my lame EA Sports league that I really don’t care much about, but let’s get to the rest of the action that transpired this weekend…
- A tale of two teams (who are both missing almost every receiver on the depth chart): When the Seahawks lose all their receivers (Nate Burleson is now out for the season with an ACL injury), the team goes into a tailspin and gets killed by the Bills. Donovan McNabb on the other hand makes the most out of his situation and throws for over 300 yards and 3 TD’s (with a rookie leading the team in receptions and receiving yards) as the Eagles completely dominate the St. Louis Rams. By the way, the Rams offense was bad in the preseason and now that the first team offense was out there the whole game…they may have looked worse? (More …)
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Best of the Rest: Leinart back in the doghouse
Brandon
Continuing my previous article “Rising and Falling: The Barbarian Unleashed!”, here is a list of some of the players who saw the field over the weekend and how their play may or may not have affected their draft status…
Falling
Matt Leinart (QB-ARI): 4 of 12 for 24 yards, 3 INT - ESPN is reporting that Kurt Warner will be named the starter for Arizona on opening day after Leinart had another poor outing in preseason. Completing 25% of your passes and nearly having as many interceptions as completions is not the way to earn the coach’s trust. On the plus side, maybe Leinart can spend more time partying with all his celebrity friends now, while Warner studies game tape. At this point, Leinart should be no where near one of your cheat sheets going into draft day. (More …)
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Chad Johnson hurt and other updates from the weekend
Brandon
Tonight’s game between the Browns and Giants will wrap up week two of the preseason, but before we jump into week 3, here are some reactions to the games that took place over the weekend…
- Detroit 27, Cincinnati 10: While the Bengals might be a tiny bit upset that they lost a preseason game, the most painful outcome of this game was that their star wide receiver, Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson, sprained his shoulder while trying to make a catch early in the game. Right now coach Marvin Lewis is saying that he believes Johnson should be ready for the start of the season, but we’ll keep an eye on the situation. Right now I’m probably dropping him down a few spots on my rankings until I know more about the injury.
As for the rest of the game, the poor play of the Bengals added insult to injury, with quarterback Carson Palmer playing badly (6 of 13 for 50 yards and an INT) and no one of fantasy relevance doing anything great for Cinci. There was one guy on the team though that took advantage of the Johnson injury, plus a hamstring injury to T.J. Houshmandzadeh that kept him out of this game. The Bengals second round pick in this years draft, receiver Jerome Simpson, finished the game with five receptions for 114 yards. As with many preseason one-hit-wonders though, make this guy become a repeat performer before even considering him on draft day.
As much as this game sucked for the Bengals, it was a great game for the Lions, especially their passing game, which seems to have hit the ground running since the beginning of this preseason. Jon Kitna completed all three of his pass attempts for 76 yards, including a 27 yard touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson (who finished with three catches for 76 yards). The Lions running game is still a bit mysterious, but rookie Kevin Smith looked good in limited action (four carries for 19 yards) and should still be considered the front runner to win the starting job come opening day. (More …)
- Detroit 27, Cincinnati 10: While the Bengals might be a tiny bit upset that they lost a preseason game, the most painful outcome of this game was that their star wide receiver, Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson, sprained his shoulder while trying to make a catch early in the game. Right now coach Marvin Lewis is saying that he believes Johnson should be ready for the start of the season, but we’ll keep an eye on the situation. Right now I’m probably dropping him down a few spots on my rankings until I know more about the injury.
