Week 4 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Aaron Rodgers and Wes Welker, or to bench Curtis Painter and Chaz Schilens? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your real starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 4 of the 2011 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Jay Cutler, QB, Bears vs. Panthers. Cutler may not face a softer secondary all season than the Panthers. Throw out Blaine Gabbert’s performance in last week’s monsoon, and Carolina’s pass defense has been a wreck. This should be one of Cutler’s occasional “up” weeks.

LeGarrette Blount, RB, Buccaneers vs. Colts. Blount has returned to his workhorse role (24 carries in Week 3), and he should get plenty of cracks at the end zone in this matchup. Indy’s run defense isn’t as good as they appeared against Pittsburgh last week.

Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals vs. Bills. In a bit of a surprise, Benson now appears on track to start in Week 4, since the NFL has not ruled on his suspension appeal. The Bills can be run on, and Benson will be leaned on heavily. If his appeal is denied, Bernard Scott is a quality proxy.

Denarius Moore, WR, Raiders vs. Patriots. New England’s pass defense is downright sieve-like this season, having coughed up 1,163 passing yards and 7 TDs in just three games. That’s good news for Jason Campbell (who is hard to trust) and Moore, who has scored in consecutive outings. The rookie could pay big dividends this week.

Jordy Nelson, WR, Packers vs. Broncos. He has scored in two of three games thus far, while emerging as the undisputed No. 2 wideout in Aaron Rodgers’ arsenal. Denver can’t match up with Green Bay’s aerial fire power, while the Packers’ rushing game is in flux at present. All of which combines to make Nelson a terrific start.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Eli Manning, Matt Stafford, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Ryan; RBs Fred Jackson, Ahmad Bradshaw, Matt Forte, Tim Hightower, Joseph Addai, Darren Sproles, James Starks, Ryan Mathews; WRs Dwayne Bowe, Nate Washington, Mike Williams (Bucs) Stevie Johnson, Johnny Knox, Lance Moore, Brandon Lloyd, Santana Moss, Percy Harvin.

Roll ‘em back

Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens vs. Jets. Flacco has alternated up and down performances, and this week’s matchup looks like another downer. New York has given up just two passing scores to date, with seven interceptions to their credit. Sunday night’s contest should be a defensive slugfest.

Jahvid Best, RB, Lions at Cowboys. He’s nursing a bruised thigh and heading into a matchup with one of the NFL’s stingiest run defenses. Best should contribute as a receiver, but probably not enough to justify starting him; unless your options are very limited.

Willis McGahee, RB, Broncos at Packers. He has benefited from Knowshon Moreno’s absence the last two weeks, but he’ll likely have to share the load this weekend against the league’s top rush defense. No, thank you.

Marques Colston, WR, Saints at Jaguars. The Saints have a history of easing their injured receivers back into the rotation slowly, as we saw most recently with Lance Moore in Week 2. Colston is unlikely to get a full complement of snaps in his first action since injuring his collarbone in the opener. Give him a week to get back in the groove.

Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys vs. Lions. He is still struggling with his bruised thigh, and his quarterback is clearly far from 100 percent. Meanwhile, Detroit’s pass defense has been stellar to date. I don’t like Bryant’s chances this week.

More thumbs down: QBs Mark Sanchez, Chad Henne, Sam Bradford, Tony Romo, Matt Hasselbeck; RBs DeAngelo Williams, Shonn Greene, Beanie Wells, Dexter McCluster, Thomas Jones, Daniel Thomas, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Ben Tate; WRs Reggie Wayne, Malcom Floyd, Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree, Mike Sims-Walker, Plaxico Burress, Torrey Smith, Julio Jones, Victor Cruz, Donald Driver, Pierre Garcon, Chad Ochocinco.

Taking a flier

Kyle Orton, QB, Broncos at Packers. On paper, this game should be a blow-out; which means Denver will likely abandon the run early and put the game in Orton’s hands. With Brandon Lloyd healthy and Eric Decker cementing his role as a reliable target, Orton could put up some gaudy numbers. After all, everybody else has against Green Bay’s 31st-ranked pass defense.

Don’t be the bonehead who…fails to get Steven Jackson back in your lineup Sunday. He ran sparingly in his return to the field in Week 3 against the Ravens, while successfully test-driving his ailing quad. But a healthy Jackson is a must-start against any defense, especially a Redskins squad that just surrendered 155 total yards to Felix Jones, his highest output since 2009.

Slogging through a winter wonderland

I don’t know which would be worse: Losing your first-round playoff matchup thanks to Aaron Rodgers’ ill-timed concussion; or because your opponent’s kicker tallied four field goals, four extra points and a rushing touchdown.

Thankfully, neither happened to me; but Rodgers’ early exit led to a disappointing performance by Greg Jennings, which could prove costly. And yes, Jay Feely’s bizarre scoring run should count. If your league’s rules don’t allow it, change them.

Like many, my fate hangs in the balance of tonight’s games. (Go Anquan!) But while the weather has already had an indirect – and difficult-to-predict – effect on the postponed Giants-Vikings tilt, none of the four teams will be able to blame the elements should they fail to deliver when you and I need them most.

I presume you don’t need any more convincing that snow, freezing rain and gusting winds can wreak havoc on your fantasy heroes, unless they happen to play quarterback near Boston and live with supermodel wives. But just to be sure…

“Bad Jay” Cutler added another classic stinker to his Windy City resume. The rest of his team, including his vaunted defense, followed suit.

Carson Palmer and Terrell Owens had arguably their worst outings of the year courtesy of the smothering Steelers defense, with a big assist from the freezing rain at Heinz Field. Ben Roethlisberger and his broken nose weren’t much better than Palmer, for that matter.

The Bills and Browns combined for a single touchdown in the bone-chilling rain of Buffalo, as did the Dolphins and Jets in the soggy New Meadowlands. Santonio Holmes even let a perfectly thrown ball slip uncharacteristically through his hands in the end zone.

Graham Gano botched field goals of 24 and 34 yards and was spared the ignominy of whiffing the game-tying extra point when the snap sailed through the soaked gloves of his holder on Washington’s final play.

Meanwhile, aside from the unflappable Tom Brady, most of the weekend’s top performers – including Michael Vick, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Darren McFadden, Michael Turner, Tim Hightower, DeSean Jackson, Malcom Floyd and Marques Colston – played indoors, or at least in much more hospitable surroundings.

Call it an aberration if you like. But I’ve already started worrying about my Packers, Steelers, Jets and Bengals next weekend. El Nino, where are you?


FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS
At this stage of the season, your starting roster should be fairly settled. But a little tweaking here or there, if only to keep your competition from improving, might still be in order. Here’s a look at a few players that could help in the final weeks, and a few that won’t.

Catch ‘em while you can


Ryan Torain, RB, Redskins. When a hamstring injury knocked him out of action in Week 8, Torain was dropped in many leagues. But after his career-best 172-yard romp on Sunday, he’ll be the hottest commodity on this week’s waiver wire. He’s available in more than half of all leagues.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Jaguars. The second-year back showed his game-breaking ability on a 74-yard TD run, and finished with five carries for 109 yards. Jennings has now scored in three consecutive weeks. Owners of Maurice Jones-Drew would be well-advised to hedge their bets with his emerging backup.

Kenny Britt, WR, Titans. He returned from a hamstring injury last Thursday and promptly re-claimed his starting job over Randy Moss. With the Texans’ woeful secondary on tap, Britt will be worth starting consideration on many title-seeking fantasy squads.

Don’t be fooled

Alex Smith, QB, 49ers. Aaron Rodgers’ owners who survived their Week 14 matchup will be scrambling for help this week. Don’t be tempted by Smith’s 255-yard, three-touchdown shellacking of the Seahawks. Among other well-documented reasons, he’ll be facing the Chargers’ stifling pass defense on the road next week.

Randy Moss, WR, Titans. Remember his “lost years” in Oakland? Those may seem like the good ole days by the time this season concludes. Moss won’t even be a starter for the rest of the year as long as Britt remains healthy. Feel free to send him packing.

Lee Evans, WR, Bills. He incurred a dreaded high ankle sprain on Sunday and may be lost for the season. Time to move on.

Week 12 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

Tom Brady, QB, Patriots – Gave his owners 341 yards and 4 TDs to be thankful for.
Jay Cutler, QB, Bears – Threw for 247 yards and 4 TDs and ran for 17 yards.
Matt Cassel, QB, Chiefs – Passed for 233 yards and 4 TDs, while running for 28 yards.
Kyle Orton, QB, Broncos – Accumulated 3 TDs and 347 yards without a turnover.
Sam Bradford, QB, Rams – Passed for 308 yards and 3 TDs.

Peyton Hillis, RB, Browns – Ran for 131 yards and a trio of TDs, and added 63 receiving yards on 6 catches.
Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs – Rushed for 173 yards and 1 TD.
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Steelers – Rumbled for 151 yards and a score, with a fumble.
Mike Goodson, RB, Panthers – Withstood J-Stew’s presence to run for 55 yards and 1 TD, while adding 8 receptions for 81 yards.
Arian Foster, RB, Texans – Ran for 143 yards and caught 9 passes for 75 yards.
Fred Jackson, RB, Bills – Caught 5 passes for 104 yards and 1 TD, plus 59 rushing yards.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Patriots – The Law Firm ran for 59 yards and 2 scores on Thanksgiving.
Chris Ivory, RB, Saints – Only ran for 38 yards, but scored twice in the process.


Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs – Caught 13 passes for 170 yards and a TD hat trick.
Jacoby Ford, WR, Raiders – Caught 4 passes for 108 yards and 1 TD, ran for 13 yards and returned a kickoff 101 yards for another score.
Deion Branch, WR, Patriots – Torched the Lions for 113 yards and 2 TDs on just 3 catches.
Wes Welker, WR, Patriots – Scored twice on 8 catches for 90 yards.
Brandon Lloyd, WR, Broncos – Hauled in 4 passes for 76 yards and 2 TDs.

Chargers defense/special teams – Scored twice on INT returns, racked up five turnovers and added a sack, while holding Peyton Manning & Co. to 14 points.
Jets defense/special teams – Accumulated 3 sacks, 2 INTs, a safety and an 89-yard kickoff return score by Brad Smith, while holding Cincinnati to 10 points.

This was a great week to play against…

Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals – Threw for just 135 yards and 1 TD, with 2 INTs.
Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets – Managed only 166 yards, 1 TD and an INT.
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers – Just 246 yards passing and an 18-yard run against the lowly Bills defense.
Brett Favre, QB, Vikings – Passed for 172 yards without a score (or a turnover).
Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers – Threw for 185 yards, but no TDs.

Chris Johnson, RB, Titans – Somehow managed to amass a measly 5 rushing yards plus 2 more yards on 2 catches.
Jahvid Best, RB, Lions – Was active, but didn’t get a single carry.
Tim Hightower, RB, Cardinals – Couldn’t get a stinking yard on 5 carries.
Reggie Bush, RB, Saints – In his first action in several games, got just one 1-yard carry and a 12-yard reception.
Keiland Williams, RB, Redskins – Had 21 yards on 4 receptions, but just 5 rushing yards.
Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals – Held to 41 rushing yards.
Brandon Jackson, RB, Packers – Limited to 26 rushing yards and 3 receptions for 10 more.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seahawks – Ran for 20 yards and added 2 catches for 13 yards.
Frank Gore, RB, 49ers – Managed 52 rushing yards before leaving with a hip injury.

Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys – Held without a catch on Thanksgiving.
Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers – Posted a goose egg in his first game back, thanks to groin and calf injuries.
Malcom Floyd, WR, Chargers – Also held catchless.
Lee Evans, WR, Bills – One 9-yard reception on the day, with a fumble to boot.
Nate Washington, WR, Titans – Caught a 10-yard pass against the league’s worst secondary.
Terrell Owens, WR, Bengals – Marooned on Revis Island again, with just 3 catches for 17 yards.
Braylon Edwards, WR, Jets – Only 20 yards on 2 catches.
Mike Williams, WR, Buccaneers – Ditto.
Sidney Rice, WR, Vikings – Got his 20 yards on a single reception.
Randy Moss, WR, Titans – Tripled his catch total as a Titan with 3 for 23 yards.
Donald Driver, WR, Packers – His 2 catches were good for 26 yards.
DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles – Ditto.
Anquan Boldin, WR, Ravens – Notched 3 passes for 27 yards.
Steve Smith, WR, Panthers – Another disappointing day, with 33 yards on 2 catches.
Mike Wallace, WR, Steelers – Got his 33 yards on 3 catches.

I didn’t see that coming…

Maurice Morris, RB, Lions – Ran for 55 yards and 2 TDs and caught 5 passes for 20 yards.
Brian Westbrook, RB, 49ers – Subbing for an injured Frank Gore, Westy rushed for 136 yards and 1 TD, and looked good doing it.

Ben Obomanu, WR, Seahawks – Caught 5 passes for 159 yards and 1 TD.
Earl Bennett, WR, Bears – Reeled in 4 passes for 56 yards and 2 scores.

Billy Bajema, TE, Rams – Scored twice on 3 receptions for 32 yards.

Moving past the Thanksgiving hangover

I can’t decide which is worse. The conclusion of Dancing with the Stars (I thought I was golden when I took Kurt Warner in the first round of my DWTS fantasy league), or the fact that this weekend marks the end of the regular season in most fantasy football leagues.

Admittedly, that’s a ridiculous quandary; but I’m still a bit doped up on tryptophan.

Come to think of it, maybe that’s what happened to Philip Rivers on Sunday night. That seems like a better excuse for his first non-scoring game of the season than “his defense was so good, he didn’t need to throw a TD pass.”

I’m too pooped to do the research, but perhaps tryptophan has the opposite effect on diabetics, which could explain Jay Cutler’s monster performance against the proud Eagles defense.

Is Peyton Hillis diabetic too?

Nah…he’s just a frickin’ frackin’ stud, as my Aunt Pat might say. (Note to the IRS: The use of “frickin’ frackin’” in this column justifies my write-off of the Biro family’s Thanksgiving-week vacation to Indiana. Thanks for your understanding.)

And what are we to make of Houston’s much-maligned defense pitching a shut-out against the Titans? Apparently we must amend our once-bulletproof hypothesis that “anyone can torch the Texans’ secondary” with the qualifier “anyone but Rusty Smith.”

That said, I have no explanation for Chris Johnson’s stat line (5 carries, 7 yards). Or the appeal of fruitcake, for that matter.

Alas, wherever your team resides in your league’s standings, it’s too early to hit the couch. Whether you’re cruising to the top seed, vying for a playoff berth, or playing the role of spoiler, there’s work to be done.

It begins Thursday night, when the Eagles host the Texans. Free insider tip: Michael Vick is no Rusty Smith.

Also, Kurt Warner is no Emmitt Smith.

Okay, it’s time for my nap.

FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, you need to start with a good draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents can also make a big difference. Here’s a look at a few players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else’s line-up.

Catch ‘em while you can

Toby Gerhart, RB, Vikings. Whether or not Adrian Peterson’s ankle injury costs him his delicious Week 13 matchup with the Bills, Gerhart is a must-get for every AP owner. Better yet, non-owners should put in a claim as well, if only to block your competitor from doing what he should have done weeks ago.

Maurice Morris, RB, Lions. Jahvid Best was active on Thanksgiving, but he didn’t get a single carry due to his lingering toe injuries. Enter Morris, who crossed the goal line twice while accumulating 75 combined yards. Though the Lions face the stingy Bears defense this weekend, Morris is worth a pickup. There’s no telling when, or if, Best will be running at full speed again this season.

Tashard Choice, RB, Cowboys. With Marion Barber expected to miss two weeks (or more) with a calf strain, Choice will finally see the touches that many Cowboys fans believe he should have been getting all along. Felix Jones remains the starter, but Choice is arguably the most complete back on the Dallas roster. He has risen to the occasion previously, when injuries to Barber and/or Jones have given him the chance to shine.

Don’t be fooled

Earl Bennett, WR, Bears. He scored twice yesterday on just four catches, which now gives him a whopping three TDs on the season. He hasn’t totaled more than five receptions or 76 yards in any game to date, so count me skeptical that he’ll be anything other than a headache to anyone who picks him up for the stretch run.

Ben Obomanu, WR, Seahawks. He’s scored in three of the past four games, including Sunday’s 159-yard effort against the Chiefs. So why am I not impressed? Mostly because I don’t trust Matt Hasselbeck, and Mike Williams should return from his foot injury soon. I simply can’t envision any scenario in which I’d feel comfortable starting Obomanu with postseason success on the line; so why bother picking him up?

Texans defense. Don’t even think about it.

Week 12 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Aaron Rodgers and Chris Johnson, or bench Tyler Thigpen and Donte Stallworth? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for real help with your starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 12 of the 2010 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets vs. Bengals. Cincinnati just surrendered 316 yards and 4 TDs to Ryan Fitzpatrick, while Sanchez has tallied 950 yards, 8 TDs and just 3 INTs over the past three weeks. Look for both trends to continue Thanksgiving night.

Mike Tolbert, RB, Chargers at Colts. With Ryan Mathews unlikely to suit up (again), Tolbert will have the chance to continue his improbable run to fantasy stardom. Indy has coughed up nine rushing TDs to date, and you know San Diego is going to rack up the points in this one.

Brandon Jacobs, RB, Giants vs. Jaguars. With their two top receivers out, New York will likely turn to its lethal ground game for production. Jacobs has reclaimed his starting job from Ahmad Bradshaw thanks to the latter’s fumbling problems. Jacobs should have little trouble powering through the Jags’ weak run defense.

Donald Driver, WR, Packers at Falcons. Now that he has put his quad injury behind him, get Driver back in your lineup against an Atlanta secondary that is giving up plenty of scoring passes lately. Greg Jennings can’t keep doing it all himself.

Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers at Colts. He’s had three good weeks of practice with Philip Rivers and he’s returning to a hobbling receiver corps that will be missing Patrick Crayton and possibly Antonio Gates as well. Malcom Floyd’s hamstring is still acting up too, so don’t hesitate to plug V-Jax in for his first game back. He should start off with a bang.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Eli Manning, Joe Flacco, Matt Cassel, Kyle Orton, Shaun Hill, Ben Roethlisberger, Sam Bradford, Matt Hasselbeck; RBs LaDainian Tomlinson, Knowshon Moreno, Jamaal Charles, Ray Rice, Ronnie Brown, BenJarvus Green-Ellis; WRs Santonio Holmes, Dwayne Bowe, Deion Branch, Robert Meachem, Sidney Rice, Mario Manningham.

Roll ‘em back

Jay Cutler, QB, Bears vs. Eagles. Coming off his subpar fantasy performance in Miami, look for a repeat appearance of “Bad Jay” against the ball-hawking Philly secondary. Cutler has yet to post good stats against a strong pass defense.

Fred Jackson, RB, Bills vs. Steelers. He’s had a terrific run over the past two weeks, but that should come to an abrupt end against the league’s stingiest run defense.

Brandon Jackson, RB, Packers at Falcons. Atlanta has allowed only two rushing scores all season. Jackson, whose quality fantasy outings have been relatively scarce, is unlikely to make it three.

Terrell Owens, WR, Bengals at Jets. Nothing cools off a hot receiver like a trip to Revis Island. Though TO has been one of the most prolific wideouts in the NFL this season, Darrelle Revis has shut down Calvin Johnson and Andre Johnson in recent weeks. Owens is next on his hit list.

Miles Austin, WR, Cowboys vs. Saints. He has caught just two passes apiece in each of the last three games, though he managed to turn three of them into scores. Austin won’t be so lucky against a New Orleans secondary that’s allowed a league-low three TDs to opposing receivers all season.

More thumbs down: QBs Carson Palmer, Jon Kitna, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Colt McCoy; RBs Joseph Addai, Beanie Wells, Felix Jones, Keiland Williams, Ryan Torain, Ryan Mathews, Jahvid Best; WRs Brandon Marshall, Bernard Berrian, Eddie Royal, Pierre Garcon, Johnny Knox, Lee Evans.

TAKING A FLIER

Derek Hagan, WR, Giants vs. Jaguars. Hakeem Nicks is out with a leg injury and Steve Smith is still nursing a torn pec. Hagan, who was just re-signed by the team prior to last weekend’s game, will start alongside Mario Manningham. Hagan found the end zone in his first outing, and now gets to play against one of the most generous secondaries in the business.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…benches Randy Moss this weekend. Yes, I realize he has stunk it up in his first two games as a Titan, and Rusty Smith is his new quarterback. But Smith and Moss actually connected on a 36-yard TD pass against Washington (it was nullified by Moss’ offensive interference), so there are grounds for optimism. Even better, the duo is facing the woeful Texans secondary. And everybody torches them.