Week 9 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Aaron Rodgers, Packers – Passed for 218 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT, and ran for 33 yards.

Andrew Luck, Colts – Bombed Miami for a rookie record 433 yards and 2 TDs, without a turnover.

Jay Cutler, Bears – Connected on 3 TD passes, plus 229 yards and a fumble.

Carson Palmer, Raiders – Threw 3 picks, but passed for 414 yards and 4 TDs.

RBs

Doug Martin, Bucs – Had a monster game with 251 rushing yards and 4 TDs, plus 4 catches for 21 yards for good measure.

Mikel Leshoure, Lions – Rumbled for 70 yards and 3 TDs.

Adrian Peterson, Vikings – Ran over the Seahawks for 182 yards and 2 TDs, adding 3 receptions for 11 yards.

WRs

Brandon Marshall, Bears – Reeled in 9 passes for 122 yars and a TD trifecta.

Eric Decker, Broncos – Scored twice while catching 8 balls for 99 yards.

Randall Cobb, Packers – Caught 3 passes for 37 yards and 2 TDs, and ran for 29 additional yards.

TEs

Brandon Myers, Raiders – Hauled in 8 passes for 59 yards and 2 TDs.

D/STs

Bears – What else is new?  Collected 2 sacks and 5 turnovers, and scored on a blocked punt and an interception.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Matt Stafford, Lions – Passed for a healthy 285 yards without a turnover, but added no scores.

Robert Griffin III, Redskins – Passed for 215 yards and ran for 53, but had no scores.

Eli Manning, Giants – Threw for 125 yards and an INT.

RBs

Donald Brown, Colts – Was active, but barely; with only a 7-yard reception to show for his day.

Darren McFadden, Raiders – Left with an ankle injury after just 17 rushing yards.

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs – Ran for 39 yards and caught 3 passes for 27 more.

Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants – Ran for 48 yards, and that’s it.

Ryan Mathews, Chargers – Just 67 rushing yards plus 2 receptions for 5 yards.

Willis McGahee, Broncos – Ran for 66 yards and caught a 4-yarder.

WRs

Jordy Nelson, Packers – Injured his ankle on his first and only target.

Santana Moss, Redskins – Caught a 2-yard pass.

Hakeem Nicks, Giants – Finished with a 10-yard catch.

Dez Bryant, Cowboys – He had a 15-yarder.

Titus Young, Lions – Only 20 yards on 2 receptions.

Jeremy Maclin, Eagles – Just 2 catches for 28 yards.

Stevie Johnson, Bills – Held to 29 yards on 3 catches.

Percy Harvin, Vikings – Ran for 24 yards but only added 10 receiving yards on 2 catches, and lost a fumble, before exiting with an injury.

Antonio Brown, Steelers – Just 19 yards on 2 catches before leaving with a sprained ankle.

TEs

Jermichael Finley, Packers – After his heart-to-heart with Rodgers, he was rewarded with a 6-yard catch.

Jared Cook, Titans – Identical results as Finley, without the heart-to-heart.

Brandon Pettigrew, Lions – Only an 11-yarder for the day.

Fantasy football need not be unfair

Did you notice what happened when Darren McFadden left in the second quarter Sunday with an ankle injury?  Oakland sent out Mike Goodson to carry the ball.

When Jordy Nelson’s day ended after his first target against the Cardinals, the Packers offense wasn’t forced to finish out the game with ten players.

Crazy, isn’t it?  A player gets hurt during an NFL game, and another one steps right in and takes over. 

So why is it that once McFadden left yesterday, my fantasy team was stuck with zippo thereafter?  (Truth be told, RunDMC had delivered virtually nothing before his injury either; but at least there was hope for more.)  And why were Nelson’s owners forced to take a goose egg when a perfectly healthy receiver was surely sitting on their bench twiddling his thumbs?

I was similarly burned in Week 7 when Maurice Jones-Drew pulled up lame after his second carry of the day.  My top RB left me hamstrung at the worst possible time, and gave my opponent an undeserved advantage that cost me the matchup. 

I know you have felt my pain in similar circumstances.

Fantasy football was never intended to operate like real football (the operative word being “fantasy”).  Most of us relish the challenge of selecting our starting lineups each week, even though it sometimes means leaving Mikel Leshoure’s three-TD breakout game on our bench.

So while I can appreciate the less-stressful aspects of playing in one of those rare leagues where one’s optimal starting lineup is determined after the fact, I’m not a proponent of that approach. 

Rather, I propose a simpler solution to address the unfair aspects of the early-injury exit: If a player at any position is injured in the first half of his game and does not return, that player’s owner may substitute one bench player of his choosing at the same position into his starting lineup.

As it turns out, I won my matchup in spite of McFadden’s ill-timed departure; but the rule would have turned my Week 7 loss into a victory.  And I’ll bet it would have saved many a Jordy Nelson owner this weekend as well. 

Would that have been unfair to their competitors?  Only if you think it’s fair that they won with one receiver tied behind their opponent’s back.

I’ll be appealing to our commissioner for this rule change next summer.  Who’s with me?

FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, it helps to start with a great draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents is also important. Here's a look at players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else's lineup.

Catch ‘em while you can

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Dolphins.  He won’t carry you to the Promised Land, but the rookie could see you through the last week or two of byes.  Miami faces the awful Tennessee and Buffalo secondaries over the next two weeks, and Tannehill exhibited no signs of his knee injury in Sunday’s shootout with the Colts.

Isaac Redman, RB, Steelers.  If you didn’t grab him prior to Sunday’s outing, you may have missed out on Redman’s best performance of the season.  But with all the instability in the Steelers’ backfield, he’s worth picking up anyway.  He could get another start if Rashard Mendenhall and/or Jonathan Dwyer aren’t ready to return in Week 10, and you’ve gotta love the Monday night matchup with the Chiefs.

Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Steelers.  Antonio Brown’s owners may want to scoop up Sanders as insurance, in case Brown’s ankle injury costs him a game or more.  Sanders would be a decent flex play in that tantalizing Monday nighter.  And no, I’m not interested in Jerricho Cotchery.

Don’t be fooled

Marcel Reece, RB, Raiders.  Well, we can’t say we weren’t warned.  The knock on McFadden has always been his fragility, and the injury bug bit again on Sunday. Though X-rays on RunDMC’s ankle were negative, initial reports are that he may have incurred a high ankle sprain. In the meantime, his backup situation is somewhat unclear, though Reece may be the strongest candidate simply due to his pass-catching skills.  Oft-injured Mike Goodson (who also hurt his ankle Sunday) and Taiwan Jones are also in the mix.  This backfield quacks like a committee, and the Raiders weren’t exactly tearing it up on the ground with a healthy McFadden.

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts.  The rookie was all the rage after his Week 3 outburst against the Jaguars.  We cautioned then that his 113-yard, one-TD performance was likely an aberration and, as expected, he was virtually invisible over the next four games.  Expect a similar falloff in the weeks ahead, as Hilton and his fellow rookie quarterback continue to mature.

Jermichael Finley, TE, Packers.  I reluctantly dropped Finley last week to make room for another player, then agonized over whether his little “chat” with Aaron Rodgers would make me look like an idiot.  So far, so good.  As Green Bay heads into its bye, feel free to eject Finley as well.  If he can’t prosper with Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson out of the picture – and Tom Crabtree can – there’s something seriously wrong.

Sunday morning updates -- Week 9

Good morning, Fools.  I'm reporting from San Antonio this morning, and it's a beautiful day.

Let's canvass the NFL for the latest news as we prepare for another glorious afternoon and evening of football.

There's all sorts of speculation about who will benefit from Darren Sproles' absence due to hand surgery (expected to be out 4-6 weeks).  Chris Ivory is getting lots of love, but the more logical result is more touches for Pierre Thomas (first), then Mark Ingram.  Thomas should be a solid start Monday night, with Ingram a decent flier.  I wouldn't mess with Ivory until we see what this game holds.

Donald Brown had some swelling in his knee yesterday and is now questionable for today's game.  We'll keep an eye on this, as Vick Ballard would be a decent start if Brown is out.  If Brown plays, they're both bad bets.  Miami's run defense is strong, and there certainly won't be enough fantasy production for two RBs.

Megatron will be a game-time call, and speculation is that he will be limited to third-down situations if he's active.  I'm not buying that (if he's active, he'll play more than that, even if only as a decoy).  In any event, he's a risk; but I'd still start him if I owned him.  Titus Young should get more attention either way, and he's a decent play for those in need of help at WR.

Jordy Nelson is a game-time call as well.  Start him if he's active; but either way, Cobb and James Jones are nice plays.

There's a good chance Ryan Tannehill will start, which is good news for Brian Hartline.  I wouldn't start the rookie QB, who could exit at any time if he struggles with his injured knee; but Hartline is due for a rebound and Indy is a favorable opponent for the job.

Looks like Jimmy Graham has gotten the worst of his ankle injury behind him.  Don't hesitate to cement him in your starting lineup.

OK, that's it for now.  I'll be tweeting soon with the day's inactives (www.twitter.com/ladd_biro).  Have a great day, and good fantasy luck, Fools!

Wondering whether or not to start Peyton Manning and Vincent Jackson, or to bench Tim Tebow and Jabar Gaffney? 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 9 of the 2012 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Michael Vick, QB, Eagles at Saints.  Sure, Vick is on an extremely short leash, but the Saints offer a wealth of opportunities to opposing passers.  Keep in mind, Atlanta didn’t force a single turnover from Vick last week, and New Orleans doesn’t force them from anybody.  Redemption awaits in the Big Easy, for at least one Monday night.

Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers at Redskins.  DeAngelo Williams isn’t just being phased out; he may be heading out of town completely, if recent trade rumors are true.  It’s all good news for Stewart, who faces a strong, though hardly airtight, run defense in Washington.

Isaac Redman, RB, Steelers at Giants.  With the news that Jonathan Dwyer likely won’t play Sunday due to a sore quad, Redman is a decent spot start against the so-so New York defense.  Redman’s ankle injury appears to be behind him, and he’ll be in line for a heavy workload while both Dwyer and Rashard Mendenhall are idled.  

Mike Williams, WR, Buccaneers at Raiders.  With 332 yards and 2 TDs over the last four games, Williams has reemerged as a potent weapon in Tampa Bay’s newly explosive offensive attack.  Oakland’s mediocre secondary will have their hands full with Vincent Jackson, leaving Williams open for plenty of targets.

Andre Roberts, WR, Cardinals at Packers.  Since John Skelton returned as the starting quarterback two games ago, Roberts has more receptions for more yards than Larry Fitzgerald, along with the lone TD.  Facing a soft Packers secondary missing starting CB Sam Shields, Roberts should continue to prosper.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Cam Newton, Matt Stafford, Matt Schaub, Jay Cutler, Ben Roethlisberger; RBs Trent Richardson, Willis McGahee, Reggie Bush, Doug Martin, Alfred Morris; WRs Steve Smith, Lance Moore, Denarius Moore, Jeremy Maclin, Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Antonio Brown, Randall Cobb, James Jones.

Roll ‘em back

Eli Manning, QB, Giants vs. Steelers.  With just 3 TDs (and 3 INTs) over the past three weeks, Manning is officially in a fantasy slump.  It will be tough to break out against the league’s top-ranked pass defense. 

C.J. Spiller, RB, Bills at Texans.  If it was just Fred Jackson, or just Spiller, I’d like their chances, even against the stout Houston run defense.  But when they unilaterally halve their own production, and face a unit that has yet to allowing a rushing score, you have to think twice.

Chris Johnson, RB, Titans vs. Bears. Now that Johnson is finally on a tear, it’s hard to put him back on your bench.  But if you have safer options, consider it.  Chicago sports the league’s stingiest run defense, while Johnson’s resurgence has come against the likes of Buffalo and Indy.

Torrey Smith, WR, Ravens at Browns.  Baltimore’s most dangerous receiver will likely draw coverage from Joe Haden, who is leading Cleveland’s secondary back to respectability.  The Browns haven’t given up a passing TD over the last two weeks, while Joe Flacco has just three scoring connections in four weeks.

Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys at Falcons.  The Dallas offense is under intense heat, and Bryant is its primary lightning rod.  The uber-talented, yet boneheaded, wideout is dealing with a bum hip, and he’ll be facing a stingy secondary on Sunday.  He’s also had his punt return duties stripped.

More thumbs down: QBs Ryan Fitzpatrick, Joe Flacco, Tony Romo; RBs BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Felix Jones, LaRod Stephens-Howling, DeAngelo Williams, Donald Brown, Vick Ballard; WRs Kenny Britt, Doug Baldwin, Brandon Lafell, Jerome Simpson.

TAKING A FLIER

Greg Olsen, TE, Panthers at Redskins.  On top of its other failings, Washington’s defense has given up the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.  With Brandon Lafell likely to sit out due to concussion symptoms, Olsen should be a very busy man on Sunday.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…fails to check the game-day weather reports before finalizing your starting roster.  In case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s that time again, when wicked winds and rain can wreak havoc on passing and kicking games.  Inclement weather doesn’t necessarily mean you should sit your studs; but it can be the tipping point between two otherwise-equal options.