Week 6 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Joe Flacco, Ravens – Racked up 5 TDs and 306 yards, mostly in the first half, against the Bucs.

Tom Brady, Patriots – Had his best game of the season, with 461 yards and 4 TDs, without a blemish.

Peyton Manning, Broncos – Only 237 passing yards but connected on 3 TDs, without a turnover.

Andrew Luck, Colts – Passed for 370 yards and 3 TDs, and ran for 18 yards, but lost two turnovers.

Cam Newton, Panthers – Passed for 264 yards, 2 TDs and an INT, plus 107 rushing yards and a third TD.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers – Threw for 264 yards and 3 TDs and ran for 34 yards, with no turnovers.

Philip Rivers, Chargers – Had another efficient game, passing for 313 yards and 3 TDs, and ran for 13 yards, without a turnover.

Derek Carr, Raiders – Surprisingly, he had 282 yards and 4 TDs, with one INT.

Colin Kaepernick, 49ers – Roasted the Rams with 343 passing yards and 3 TDs, plus 37 rushing yards, and no turnovers.

RBs

Arian Foster, Texans – Scored twice while running for 109 yards and catching 3 passes for 32 yards.

Matt Forte, Bears – Rushed for 80 yards and 2 TDs and added 10 catches for 77 yards.

Giovani Bernard, Bengals – Ran for 137 yards and a TD, and mixed in 4 receptions for 20 yards.

Ben Tate, Browns – Ran for 78 yards and a pair of TDs.

WRs

TY Hilton, Colts – Torched the Texans with 9 catches for 223 yards and a TD.

Andre Holmes, Raiders – Turned 4 passes into 121 yards and 2 TDs.

Brandon LaFell, Patriots – Reeled in 4 passes for 97 yards and 2 TDs.

Torrey Smith, Ravens – Collected 4 passes for 51 yards and 2 TDs.

Mohamed Sanu, Bengals – Soared in PPR leagues with 11 catches for 120 yards and a score.

Demaryius Thomas, Broncos – Another PPR star with 10 receptions for 124 yards and 1 TD.

TEs

Julius Thomas, Broncos – Collected 51 yards and 2 TDs on 4 catches.

D/STs

Eagles – Accumulated 8 sacks, a fumble and a shutout on Sunday night.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings – Picked off 3 times while passing for 188 yards.

Russell Wilson, Seahawks – Just 126 yards passing with an INT, and ran for 12 yards with 1 TD.

Eli Manning, Giants – Totally ineffective with 151 passing yards and no TDs.

RBs

Jets RBs named Chris – Johnson had 11 total yards, while Ivory had 21.

Matt Asiata, Vikings – Ran backwards for 5 yards and caught an 18-yard pass.

Darrin Reaves, Panthers – Rookie starter had just 15 rushing yards.

Stevan Ridley, Patriots – Before being lost for the season, he combined for only 29 yards, which was 22 more than Shane Vereen.

C.J. Spiller, Bills – Limited to 19 rushing yards without a reception, and lost a fumble.

Knowshon Moreno, Dolphins – Totaled just 18 yards against his old team before ripping up his ACL.

Steven Jackson, Rams – Held to 25 yards.

Frank Gore, 49ers – Surrendered the limelight to Kaep, rushing for just 38 yards.

Zac Stacy, Rams – Just 17 yards both as a rusher and receiver.

Eddie Lacy, Packers – Ran for just 40 yards in Miami.

Alfred Morris, Redskins – Combined for 55 total yards.

Doug Martin, Buccaneers – Disappointed again with a 45-yard rushing effort.

Andre Williams, Giants – Held to 58 yards and no receptions in his first start.

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks – Only 61 rushing yards against the suddenly mighty Cowboys.

WRs

Brian Hartline, Dolphins – Shut out by the Packers.

Percy Harvin, Seahawks – Lost a yard on 3 rushes and got zippo on 3 receptions.

Kendall Wright, Titans – Only a 6-yard catch on the day.

Wes Welker, Broncos – Limited to an 8-yarder.

Brian Quick, Rams – 10 yards in the Monday nighter.

Cordarrelle Patterson, Vikings – Held to 15 yards on 2 passes.

DeAndre Hopkins, Texans – Caught a 12-yarder.

Victor Cruz, Giants – 16 yards and a season-ending knee injury.

Jeremy Maclin, Eagles – Also had 16 yards; but at least stayed healthy.

Odell Beckham, Giants – Stifled by the Eagles with 28 yards on 2 catches.

Sammy Watkins, Bills – Just 27 yards on 2 balls.

Keenan Allen, Chargers – He also had 27 yards, but on 3 receptions.

Reggie Wayne, Colts – Only 35 yards on 4 catches.

Roddy White, Falcons – Just 40 receiving yards on 3 balls.

Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos – 38 yards on 3 passes.

Golden Tate, Lions – Though Megatron was out, he only managed 44 yards on 7 receptions.

TEs

Larry Donnell, Giants – Had a TD pass overturned by penalty and ended with a 6-yarder.

Vernon Davis, 49ers – Returned to the lineup to contribute 3 receptions for 30 yards.

Some players just aren’t worth the headache

Last season, I declared Cam Newton the “Most Frustrating Player in Fantasy Football.” Perhaps exasperating is the better term, but whatever words you use to describe him, they probably aren’t consistently flattering.

Newton will drive you crazy because he can go for weeks at a time with mediocre performances, then he’ll put on a dazzling show as he did yesterday while sitting on your bench.

Not my bench, mind you. I learned my lesson with Cam a couple years ago.

But Newton has plenty of competition for the “MFP Award” this season.

Percy Harvin, anyone? Of course, he has yet to produce much of anything this season. But three-quarters of his owners continue to start him because they know what he’s capable of. Like three TDs in Week 5, all nullified by penalty. With that type of potential, you have to start Harvin the following week! Enjoy that big fat goose egg.

How about Joe Flacco? He’s so unreliable, he’s only owned in about a third of all leagues. But he’ll be a hot waiver wire pickup now, thanks to his five-TD frenzy in the first 16 minutes of Sunday’s game. You can bet he’ll remind you why he was available next week.

Torrey Smith can’t blame Flacco for his up-and-down track record. After all, Steve Smith has soared in his first few games as a Raven.

T.Y. Hilton arguably doesn’t belong on this list, since he at least contributes the yardage when held out of the end zone. But more than 70 percent of his owners were disappointed enough to bench him this weekend while he torched the Texans for 223 yards and a score.

Big Ben Roethlisberger can be a big tease. I just traded my way off the Reggie Bush rollercoaster. And anyone that ever took the bait on Eddie Royal knows all about frustration. 

There, I’m glad I got that off my chest.

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

Jerick McKinnon, RB, Vikings. I recommended McKinnon after he racked up 152 total yards in Week 4, and I’m doing it again. The rookie started over Matt Asiata against the Lions and was clearly the superior talent. In addition to out-running Asiata, he reeled in six passes, making McKinnon especially valuable in PPR leagues.

Malcom Floyd, WR, Chargers. The veteran has been hampered by a series of injuries (neck, calf, groin) this year – after missing all but the first two games of 2013 – but he’s been a favorite target of Philip Rivers when healthy. Floyd had his best game of the season Sunday (103 yards, 1 TD) and has three scores to date. He isn’t every-week-starter material, but he’s a solid bye-week or injury sub.

Odell Beckham, Jr., WR, Giants. Here’s another rookie getting a second referral, this time in response to the season-ending knee injury to Victor Cruz. The Giants were manhandled on Sunday night, but there will be better days for the offense, and for Beckham.

Andre Holmes, WR, Raiders. The third-year wideout has collected nine passes (on 20 targets) for 195 yards and 3 TDs over the last two games. So what’s not to like? Well, he plays for the Raiders, and that’s reason enough to temper your expectations. Consider this an unenthusiastic recommendation for the most desperate of owners.

Don’t be fooled

Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens. See above and save yourself the heartache.

Brandon Bolden, RB, Patriots. Others will tell you to grab Bolden now that Stevan Ridley has gone down with a potentially severe knee injury. But Bolden was on the roster bubble in New England this preseason, nearly losing his job to rookie James White. White may be the better pickup, but I wouldn’t rush to invest in this frustrating backfield.

Storm Johnson, RB, Jaguars. It was hard enough for me to recommend a Raiders wideout; you can’t expect me to advocate a Jaguar runner, too! The rookie plunged in for a short TD on Sunday, but his 21 yards on 10 carries against the Titans tells you all you need to know. Let someone else claim him.

Sunday morning updates - Week 7

Good morning, Fools. It's a cloudy, chilly day in Dallas, but it's perfect as always in Fantasyland.

Let's dive into the news that matters as we make our final starting lineup decisions for the day:

Looks like we might actually see Carson Palmer giving it a go today, after a series of conflicting reports throughout the week. I wouldn't put him in my starting lineup, but his presence sure makes it easier to start Fitz and Floyd. And if you need help at QB, Palmer could be a good last-minute pickup this morning, for future bye-week needs.

Knowshon Moreno is expected to make his return today, too. Don't expect a full complement of carries, so Lamar Miller is still a reasonable start against the woeful Packers run defenders.

Don't count on Reggie Bush suiting up today. It will be Joique Bell, backed up by Theo Riddick, against the Vikings.

I'll be very interested to see how the Broncos divvy up the carries among their RB committee. Assuming the Jets play solid rush defense (which they certainly didn't against the Chargers last week), it may be a long day for all of them. Ronnie Hillman is expected to get the start, but I'm staying away from all Denver RBs today.

It's hard to get a clear picture on Vernon Davis' (back) prospects for suiting up on Monday night, though optimism prevails since he has been practicing the last couple of days. Given the late start, he's probably not worth the risk; unless Jared Cook (Rams) is your other option.

No Rashad Jennings today. Look for a heavy dose of Andre Williams tonight at Philly.

And Branden Oliver should put on a show against the hapless Raiders, with both Donald Brown and Ryan Mathews still on the mend. Ronnie Brown will spell Oliver.

You know both A.J. Green (toe) and Calvin Johnson (ankle) are sitting out today's games.

Mike Evans should be back to line up opposite Vincent Jackson today. If you're hurting at QB, Glennon could make a nice sneaky start.

Cecil Shorts is also expected to play.

Jordan Reed will be a game-time decision. I'd like to see him get some reps this afternoon so we can consider starting him next weekend.

That's it for now. On to Twitter for the inactives and other late-breaking news. Good luck today, Fools!

Week 6 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Aaron Rodgers and Demaryius Thomas, or to bench Derek Carr and Tavon Austin? 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 6 of the 2014 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Eli Manning, QB, Giants at Eagles. No secondary has surrendered more TD passes than Philly’s (13) and Manning comes into this primetime matchup en fuego. With first-round draft pick Odell Beckham finally in the fold, Manning is fully armed with a deep and explosive receiving corps.

Branden Oliver, RB, Chargers at Raiders. Congrats if you scooped him up off the waiver wire. Oliver may only get a week or two as San Diego’s lead horse, but this week’s matchup is as sweet as it gets. Lamar Miller had the best fantasy day of his career against Oakland two weeks ago, and Oliver just sliced and diced the Jets’ (formerly) league-best run defense.

Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins vs. Packers. This may be Miller’s last hurrah as a solid fantasy contributor. Green Bay sports the worst run defense in the NFL and Knowshon Moreno (elbow) will likely be limited, if he plays at all, on Sunday.

Wes Welker, WR, Broncos at Jets. He has yet to find the end zone or surpass 60 receiving yards since returning from suspension, but that should end Sunday. Given the uncertainty in Denver’s backfield and the Jets’ sieve-like passing defense, there will be plenty of balls to go around to all of Peyton Manning’s receivers.

Pierre Garcon, WR, Redskins at Cardinals. Both Washington wideouts have been inconsistent this season, and Garcon has just four receptions for 51 yards to his credit over the last two games. Look for a nice rebound against an Arizona secondary that’s giving up an average of 302 net passing yards per game (31^st in the league).

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Jay Cutler, Philip Rivers, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger; RBs Frank Gore, Andre Ellington, Andre Williams, Fred Jackson, Bishop Sankey; WRs Percy Harvin, Steve Smith, Emmanuel Sanders, Kendall Wright, Roddy White, Brian Quick, Julian Edelman, Randall Cobb, Kelvin Benjamin, Sammy Watkins, DeSean Jackson, Vincent Jackson, Golden Tate, Mohamed Sanu.

Roll ‘em back

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals vs. Panthers. Carolina’s secondary is vulnerable, but Dalton is likely to be without both A.J. Green (toe) and Marvin Jones (ankle) in this contest. Though Mohamed Sanu will see plenty of targets, the Bengals will surely lean on their talented backfield tandem to compensate for the depleted WR corps.

Reggie Bush, RB, Lions at Vikings. He was forced from last week’s game with his latest ailment (an ankle), and Joique Bell is on track to return Sunday after recovering from a concussion. Whether or not Bush plays, don’t be surprised if Bell gets the majority of the workload in Minnesota.

Stevan Ridley, RB, Patriots at Bills. Ridley is coming off his best game of the season, but he’ll be facing a Buffalo run defense that has yet to allow a rushing TD. It doesn’t help that he’s still sharing carries with Shane Vereen. The Patriots will focus on moving the ball through the air, and Ridley isn’t a factor in the passing game.

Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers at Rams. St. Louis boasts the league’s stingiest pass defense, in large part due to how generous they are to opposing rushers. Crabtree has been hobbled by a pesky foot injury; and though he’s expected to play, he’s unlikely to distinguish himself on Monday night.

James Jones, WR, Raiders vs. Chargers. Derek Carr (ankle, knee) is banged up, Oakland’s running game is the worst in the NFL and San Diego’s pass defense is on a roll. Jones has been the master of trash time stats, but I don’t like his chances in this one.

More thumbs down: QBs Matt Stafford, Colin Kaepernick, Teddy Bridgewater, Ryan Tannehill, Austin Davis; RBs Steven Jackson, Zac Stacy, Alfred Morris, Maurice Jones-Drew, Darren McFadden, Doug Martin, Chris Johnson, Jerrick McKinnon, Toby Gerhart, Ronnie Hillman; WRs Eric Decker, Kenny Britt, Cordarrelle Patterson, Brian Hartline, Allen Hurns, Anquan Boldin, Markus Wheaton.

TAKING A FLIER

Justin Forsett, RB, Ravens at Buccaneers. He’s locked in a three-headed backfield committee, but Forsett is managing to separate himself from his sidekicks. He’s a better start in PPR leagues, but he’s a solid bet for big yardage and his fourth TD of the season against Tampa Bay’s depleted (and hospitable) defense.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…lets dead weight linger on your roster. Adrian Peterson isn’t coming back this season, folks. Nor is Ray Rice. And yet both players are still owned in a large majority of leagues. Unless you play in a keeper league, set them free and find a player that can help you win a title. 

Week 5 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Peyton Manning, Broncos – Torched the Cardinals for 479 yards and 4 TDs. We’ll forgive the 2 INTs.

Russell Wilson, Seahawks – Put on a masterful performance Monday night, with 201 passing yards and 2 TDs plus 122 rushing yards and a third TD, without a blemish.

Austin Davis, Rams – Seriously? Passed for 375 yards and 3 TDs, and ran for 30 yards, though he lost 2 fumbles.

Philip Rivers, Chargers – Passed for 288 yards and 3 TDs, minus an INT.

RBs

Eddie Lacy, Packers – Busted through for 105 yards and 2 TDs, and added 3 catches for 27 yards.

Andre Ellington, Cardinals – Amassed 32 rushing yards and a score plus 4 receptions for 112 yards and another TD.

Matt Forte, Bears – Ran for 61 yards and caught a dozen passes for 105 yards and a TD, though he lost a fumble.

Arian Foster, Texans – Scored twice while rumbling for 157 yards on the ground. Also took 2 receptions 15 yards.

Branden Oliver, Chargers – Didn’t start, but still tallied 114 rushing yards and a TD, with 4 receptions for 68 yards and another score.

Pierre Thomas, Saints – Ran for 35 yards and a TD and added 8 receptions for 77 yards and a second TD.

WRs

Demaryius Thomas, Broncos – Finally broke through with 226 yards and 2 TDs on 8 receptions.

Brian Quick, Rams – Scored twice while catching 5 balls for 87 yards.

Golden Tate, Lions – Notched 7 receptions for 134 yards and a score.

Kendall Wright, Titans – Ran for 43 yards and turned 6 receptions into 47 yards and 2 TDs.

DeSean Jackson, Redskins – Caught 5 passes for 157 yards and a TD.

TEs

Greg Olsen, Panthers – Reeled in 6 passes for 72 yards and 2 TDs.

Julius Thomas, Broncos – Collected 66 yards and 2 TDs on 6 catches.

Antonio Gates, Chargers – Caught 4 balls for 60 yards and 2 TDs.

D/STs

Eagles – Racked up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and scored on a blocked punt and one of those fumble recoveries.

Packers – Accumulated 6 sacks, 2 INTs, a fumble recovery and a TD on an INT return while holding the Vikes to 10 points.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Joe Flacco, Ravens – Passed for 235 yards and an INT without a score.

Geno Smith, Jets – He and every one of his teammates stunk it up.

RBs

Montee Ball, Broncos – Once again, held to 7 rushing and 11 receiving yards, and suffered a groin injury.

Matt Asiata, Vikings – Ran for 72 yards but lost a fumble.

C.J. Spiller, Bills – Held to 7 rushing and 25 receiving yards.

Reggie Bush, Lions – Rushed for 13 yards and caught 2 balls for 30 yards before leaving with an ankle injury.

Alfred Morris, Redskins – Held to 29 rushing yards by the mighty Seahawks.

Donald Brown, Chargers – Just 26 yards rushing before exiting with a concussion.

Bernard Pierce, Ravens – Only 30 rushing yards on the day, which was 12 more than Lorenzo Taliaferro.

Trent Richardson, Colts – Combined for 47 total yards.

Toby Gerhart, Jaguars – Ran for 9 yards and caught a 20-yard pass.

LeSean McCoy, Eagles – Had 81 rushing yards, but just 5 receiving, and fumbled.

Rashad Jennings, Giants – Collected 55 rushing and 17 receiving yards before leaving with a knee injury.

WRs

Calvin Johnson, Lions – Just a 7-yarder before tweaking his ankle and exiting early.

Michael Floyd, Cardinals – Same for him, except the injury.

Cordarrelle Patterson, Vikings – Held to 8 yards on 2 receptions.

Michael Crabtree, 49ers – Had a 16-yard catch.

Markus Wheaton, Steelers – Had a 17-yarder on the day.

Kenny Stills, Saints – Limited to a 16-yard reception.

Victor Cruz, Giants – Only 22 yards on 3 catches.

Keenan Allen, Chargers – Can’t get on track with 3 receptions for 25 yards.

Allen Hurns, Jaguars – His 4 catches amounted to 26 yards.

Roddy White, Falcons – He got 26 yards on 2 catches.

Andrew Hawkins, Browns – Had 27 yards on 3 passes.

Percy Harvin, Seahawks – Ended up with 4 catches for 27 yards after having THREE TDs overturned on penalties. Ouch!

Pierre Garcon, Redskins – Limited to 23 yards on 2 receptions.

Julian Edelman, Patriots – Caught 5 balls but for only 35 yards.

Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers – Just 38 yards on 3 receptions and lost a fumble.

Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs – Only 42 yards on 3 balls.

Brandon Marshall, Bears – Just 44 yards on 3 catches.

TEs

Martellus Bennett, Bears – Only 17 yards on 3 receptions.

Jimmy Graham, Saints – Held to 36 yards on 2 balls before spraining his shoulder.

Jordan Cameron, Browns – Marginalized with 33 yards on 3 catches.

Week 5: Fantasyland turns topsy-turvy, again

So it appears Tom Brady isn’t quite finished yet.

And the Patriots defense that cost me a win last week by actually producing negative points proved they can still be a formidable fantasy play.

The Matt Asiata juggernaut hit a serious speed bump on Thursday night, but Eddie Lacy is back in fine form.

Any worries about Arian Foster’s health were put aside in Dallas, for one week anyway. But the natives are getting restless waiting for LeSean McCoy to break out. If he doesn’t have a solid outing against the Giants on Sunday night, his fantasy owners might start calling him “Trady.”

Week 5 also brought us a monster Demaryius Thomas sighting along with an early exit for Calvin Johnson.

Martellus Bennett disappeared, Jimmy Graham left with a shoulder injury before he could offer much help and Antonio Gates worked his way back into the Chargers’ game plan after a miserable two-week absence.

Meanwhile, only Peyton Manning put up gaudier numbers than Austin Davis on Sunday. Yes, that Austin Davis.

Fantasy football is not for the faint of heart. And they don’t make it easy on us “gurus” either.

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

Branden Oliver, RB, Chargers. Ignore the name on his jersey. Oliver is the reincarnation of Darren Sproles in San Diego. The undrafted rookie stepped in after Donald Brown was concussed and trampled over the Jets’ (formerly) league-best rush defense. Imagine what he could do against the lowly Raiders next weekend.

Andre Williams, RB, Giants. He posted 83 yards and a TD against the Falcons and will get the start next week if Rashad Jennings’ knee injury keeps him sidelined. The rookie isn’t much of a receiving threat, but he’s a powerful runner and an effective goal line back.

Ronnie Hillman, RB, Broncos. Montee Ball was flirting with bust status before pulling up with a severe groin injury Sunday. He is expected to be out for an extended period, leaving the backfield in a likely committee situation headed by Hillman. But C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson will compete for touches as well, making Hillman a risky play. Anderson was a healthy scratch this week, because he doesn’t contribute on special teams; but he arguably has more upside than Hillman.

Brian Quick, WR, Rams. Now in his third season, Quick has never finished among the Top 100 fantasy receivers. And yet, with third-stringer Austin Davis at the controls, he has suddenly become a fantasy force, amassing 322 yards and 3 TDs in his first four games. Stranger things have happened; but not many.

Odell Beckham, Jr., WR, Giants. The rookie excelled in his long-awaited debut, reeling in four receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. The 12^th overall draft pick obviously has talent, and Eli Manning appears more than happy to exploit it. Victor Cruz and Reuben Randle are still above him in the pecking order, but Beckham will push for playing time. Randle’s days as a starter may be limited.

Don’t be fooled

Mike Vick, QB, Jets. I predicted last week that he would take over for Geno Smith soon. What I failed to note is that his play-making abilities would be squandered amid the lack of talent surrounding him. Regardless who gets the start, no quarterback on this team merits roster consideration.

Toby Gerhart, RB, Jaguars. With just 216 combined yards and one TD on the season, it’s clear that Gerhart is a bust in Jacksonville. There’s no reason to hang onto him now, especially given his ankle injury and the sorry state of his winless team.