Week 10 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Aaron Rodgers, Packers – Pistol-whipped the Bears with 315 passing yards, 6 TDs and no turnovers.

Peyton Manning, Broncos – Rang up 340 yards, 5 TDs and 2 INTs against the lowly Raiders.

RBs

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks – Was in full Beast Mode, running for 140 yards and 4 TDs, plus a 23-yard reception.

Justin Forsett, Ravens – Ran for 112 yards and 2 TDs.

C.J. Anderson, Broncos – Took over for hobbling Ronnie Hillman, running for 90 yards and taking 4 passes for 73 yards and a TD.

WRs

Dez Bryant, Cowboys – Torched the Jags with 6 receptions for 158 yards and a pair of TDs.

Jordy Nelson, Packers – Reeled in 6 passes for 152 yards and 2 terrific TDs.

Martavis Bryant, Steelers – Turned 4 passes into 143 yards and a trash-time TD.

Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos – Scored twice and accumulated 67 yards on 5 receptions.

Jordan Matthews, Eagles – Soared with 7 receptions for 138 yards and 2 TDs.

Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers – Shined through a terrible loss with 3 catches for 70 yards and 2 TDs.

TEs

Jimmy Graham, Saints – Claimed 10 passes for 76 yards and 2 TDs.

Julius Thomas, Broncos – Reeled in 6 passes for 63 yards and a pair of TDs.

DSTs

Cardinals – Finished strong with TDs on an INT and a fumble, and collected 3 turnovers and 6 sacks.

Eagles – Accumulated 9 sacks, 3 INTs, 2 fumbles and TDs on an INT return and a punt return. Wow.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Andy Dalton, Bengals – Imploded on MNF, passing for just 86 yards, no TDs and 3 INTs.

Brian Hoyer, Browns – Led the Browns to victory, but his 198 yards without a score didn’t do his fantasy owners any favors.

Carson Palmer, Cardinals – Just 241 passing yards with an INT and no scores before leaving with an injury.

RBs

Shonn Greene, Titans – Lost a fumble at the goal-line and ended with 5 yards.

Jeremy Hill, Bengals – Finished with 55 rushing and 6 receiving yards, and fumbled.

Lamar Miller, Dolphins – Played poorly while dinged up, finishing with just 10 rushing and minus-4 receiving.

Ronnie Hillman, Broncos – Just 13 rushing and 9 receiving yards before leaving early with a minor injury.

Reggie Bush, Lions – Only 20 rushing yards to pair with a 5-yard catch.

Darren McFadden, Raiders – Combined for just 36 yards.

Chris Ivory, Jets – Ran for 51 yards.

WRs

A.J. Green, Bengals – Just 23 yards on 3 receptions.

Mohamed Sanu, Bengals – Held to 20 yards on 2 passes.

Terrance Williams, Cowboys – Went AWOL in London.

Andre Holmes, Raiders – Also posted a goose egg.

Michael Floyd, Cardinals – Notched an 11-yard reception on the day.

Justin Hunter, Titans – Had a 17-yarder.

Steve Smith, Ravens – He took 3 receptions to get 17 yards.

James Jones, Raiders – Had 8 catches but only took them 20 yards.

Sammy Watkins, Bills – Had his chances, but finished with just 27 yards on 4 receptions.

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks – Just 31 yards on 4 catches.

Marques Colston, Saints – Only 36 yards on 2 receptions.

Eric Decker, Jets – Limited to 24 yards on 3 balls.

Percy Harvin, Jets – Ran for 33 yards but just 3 catches for 23.

Jeremy Maclin, Eagles – Only 38 yards on 3 passes.

Rueben Randle, Giants – Took 5 passes 39 yards.

TEs

Vernon Davis, 49ers – Caught an 8-yarder.

Owen Daniels, Ravens – Just 20 yards on 2 balls.

Travis Kelce, Chiefs – Got 19 yards on 2 passes.

It’s never too early to give thanks

Tis the season of giving thanks for our blessings. So it seems fitting to express my gratitude to one Marshawn Lynch, who strapped two of my fantasy teams to his back and carried them to victory on Sunday. There’s nothing quite like watching him go all Beast Mode on an overmatched opponent and turning your online fantasy tracker into a slot machine.

Jordy Nelson, I’m likewise thankful for the bounty you bestowed upon one of my squads this weekend. Sadly, you also shared the fruits of your labor with my opponent in another league. I hate it when that happens.

I sincerely appreciate the stellar second quarter turned in by Dez Bryant in London, but am left wondering if he got lost in the bowels of Wembley Stadium after halftime. It was good to see Tony Romo back in fine form, too. I’ll bet he’s thankful for the bye week.

Many of you are surely singing glad tidings for Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning today, even as I mourn the fate of Carson Palmer just one week after losing Nick Foles. Suddenly, that upper echelon fantasy team is careening off the rails, and I doubt Zach Mettenberger or Austin Davis can save it.

Ben Roethlisberger, you get an honorable mention for crashing back down to Earth just in time for our matchup. You even saved your lone TD throw for my favorite new acquisition, Martavis Bryant. I appreciate that, man.

Vernon Davis, I’m just thankful I didn’t hold onto you for name value alone. After all, a roster spot is a terrible thing to waste.

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 Mathews, RB, Chargers. If you didn’t heed my advice and grab him before this weekend’s games, you’ll have to compete on the waiver wire for him now. Mathews is set to return from his knee injury in Week 11, and he’s still available in nearly half of all leagues. Though he may be eased into the rotation his first game back, the clock is clearly ticking on Branden Oliver’s workhorse role in San Diego.

Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers. Now that the bulk of the bye weeks is behind us, it’s time to clear out the deadwood (e.g., backup defense, kicker, Jaguar receivers) and restock our rosters with players that could soar down the stretch. Hyde is one of those high-upside backups that just needs an opening; and given Frank Gore’s up-and-down season, the rookie could get his chance sooner than later. At the very least, Gore’s owners should have Hyde handcuffed. (Fools in the Bay Area can discuss his prospects with him personally when Hyde appears at the new Bennigan's in Santa Clara from 5-7 pm this evening!)

Don’t be fooled

C.J. Anderson, RB, Broncos. We don’t yet know the severity of Ronnie Hillman’s foot injury, but we do know that Montee Ball (groin) is getting very close to returning to the backfield. If Hillman is well, he will likely start in Week 11. But if not, Ball should vault over Anderson to reclaim his starting job. Anderson is a nice change-of-pace option, but he’s unlikely to be trusted with a major workload if the others are available.

Mychal Rivera, TE, Raiders. You know why I’m not recommending the semi-hot Oakland tight end? It’s simple. He’s playing in the NFL backwater that is the Raiders’ offense. Just when you think a receiver is poised to emerge as a fantasy star, they inevitably revert to being, well, Raiders. (See Jones, James and Holmes, Andre.) You likewise won’t find me recommending Derek Carr to anyone but the most QB-challenged of owners.

Sunday morning updates -- Week 10

Good morning, Fools. I hope you're having a great weekend and are primed for a winning day of fantasy. We're nearing postseason time, so I trust you're still in the hunt for the big prize.

Let's take a quick scan across the NFL for the news we can use:

Looks like Romo will play today. That's obviously welcome news for Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams owners, though I still would hesitate to start the fragile QB until we see how nimble he is out there.

Two key Bills players -- Fred Jackson and Sammy Watkins -- are game-time decisions, but it now seems likely they will suit up for a tough matchup with KC. I can't wait to see what F-Jax will do once he has the backfield all to himself, but I just don't see that happening today. He's not even expected to get the start. Watkins is a risky play as well, as discussed in Friday's column. I would avoid them both, and Kyle Orton, if possible.

Megatron is back, but facing a stout Dolphins secondary. At 100%, no defense can stop him; but I'm not sure he's near 100%. Of course you start him, but don't expect Mega-production.

The Dolphins are planning for Lamar Miller to suit up against the Lions, but he is likely to be limited. Against Detroit's top-rated run defense, that should make your decision easy.

We should get our first look at rookie Charles Sims in the Bucs' backfield today. Not much, but a glimpse anyway. Doug Martin is expected to be inactive, leaving the lion's share of the touches in Bobby Rainey's hands. With Josh McCown back at the controls, figure on a heavier-than-normal rushing workload for Tampa Bay.

Montee Ball will return in a limited, backup capacity, while Ronnie Hillman continues to serve as the lead horse in the Broncos' backfield. Keep Ball on your bench but don't hesitate to keep Hillman rolling.

Already ruled out for Week 10: Nick Foles, Rashad Jennings, Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas.

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

Week 10 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Drew Brees and Jordy Nelson, or to bench Maurice Jones-Drew and Brandon Lloyd? 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 10 of the 2014 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Cam Newton, QB, Panthers at Eagles. In a week when three star QBs are idle, Newton offers hope. Though he hasn’t had a TD strike since Week 7, he ran one in last week; and he’ll be facing a very hospitable Philly defense. Newton is hard to trust, but he always manages to rebound. Why not under the Monday night lights?

Justin Forsett, RB, Ravens vs. Titans. Forsett leads Baltimore’s two- or three-headed (depending on the whims of his coaches) backfield committee into a sweet matchup with one of the league’s weakest rush defenses. Unlike last week, the Ravens won’t be trying to keep pace with a red-hot QB, so look for plenty of touches for Forsett as both a runner and receiver.

Bobby Rainey, RB, Buccaneers vs. Falcons. Assuming Atlanta doesn’t get off to another 35-0 lead by halftime, as they did in Week 3, Rainey should have success against the NFL’s most generous run defense (13 rushing TDs surrendered already). Though rookie Charles Sims is expected to see his first NFL action, Doug Martin’s likely absence should leave the lion’s share of the touches to Rainey.

Roddy White, WR, Falcons at Buccaneers. A lot has changed since that fateful Thursday night blitzkrieg in September, but not the state of the Bucs’ secondary. It’s still awful. Matt Ryan has looked White’s way far more often than any other receiver recently, so the veteran wideout’s ceiling is very high this week.

Martavis Bryant, RB, Steelers at Jets. Ben Roethlisberger is going to cool off eventually, but it would be a big surprise if it happened against the secondary that has allowed a league-worst 24 passing TDs this season. Bryant has five scores over the last three weeks. Yeah, I’d say the rookie is a good bet for more.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, Carson Palmer, Russell Wilson; RBs Ronnie Hillman, Andre Ellington, Denard Robinson, Mark Ingram; WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Kelvin Benjamin, Jeremy Maclin, Doug Baldwin, Odell Beckham, Jr., Steve Smith.

Roll ‘em back

Matt Stafford, QB, Lions vs. Dolphins. Even with the expected return of Calvin Johnson, Stafford is in for a tough outing against the NFL’s second-ranked pass defense. An active Megatron could be eased back in primarily as a decoy – as they’ve done before – making the Dolphins’ job less demanding.

Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins at Lions. The surprisingly effective Miller has been limited in practice this week due to a shoulder injury sustained against the Chargers. Though expected to tough it out, he’ll do so against one of the league’s stingiest run defenses. Give him a rest if you can.

Tre Mason, RB, Rams at Cardinals. Though we finally have some clarity in St. Louis’ backfield – Mason is the lead – that’s not likely to be worth much against the Cardinals’ rock-solid defensive front. A week after holding the league’s rushing leader to just 79 yards, Arizona should have little trouble containing the rookie.

Marques Colston, WR, Saints vs. 49ers. Now that Jimmy Graham is back in action, Colston has reverted to the shadows. He’s had just eight targets over the last two games, and hasn’t found the end zone since Week 3. Facing a solid 49ers secondary, Colston’s prospects are dim.

Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers vs. Falcons. A popular waiver-wire pickup this week, Evans’ arrow is certainly pointing up. But despite the favorable matchup, the rookie will need to adjust to a quarterback, Josh McCown, that he hasn’t seen since Week 3. Just as Mike Glennon was turning Evans into a star.

More thumbs down: QBs Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton, Ryan Tannehill, Eli Manning, Alex Smith, Austin Davis, Joe Flacco, Michael Vick; RBs Reggie Bush, Frank Gore, Andre Williams, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Bishop Sankey, Chris Johnson, Anthony Dixon, Darren McFadden; WRs Terrance Williams, Wes Welker, Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree, Dwayne Bowe, Eric Decker, Cecil Shorts, Sammy Watkins.

TAKING A FLIER

Justin Hunter, WR, Titans at Ravens. While it’s too early to trust Zach Mettenberger, hope abounds that his development will jumpstart the Titans’ pathetic passing attack. Hunter was targeted 10 times last week and notched his second TD in the last four games. Facing Baltimore’s injury-riddled secondary, he’ll have a good opportunity for more.

 

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…lets Ryan Mathews linger on the waiver wire any longer, especially if you are RB-starved or counting on Branden Oliver. Given Oliver’s weak showing over the last two games, Mathews should have no trouble getting his starting gig back when he returns from his knee injury after the Chargers’ bye.

Week 9 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers – For the second consecutive week, rang up 6 TDs, with 340 yards through the air. But he lost a fumble. The slouch.

Andrew Luck, Colts – Kept his MVP-caliber season alive with 354 yards and 4 TDs.

Tom Brady, Patriots – Out-dueled Peyton with 333 passing yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT.

Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins – Passed for 288 yards and 3 TDs and ran for 47 yards, without a blemish.

RBs

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks – Ran for 67 yards and 2 TDs, adding 5 receptions for 76 yards.

Mark Ingram, Saints – Generated 100 rushing yards and 2 TDs, and a 10-yard catch, on Thursday night.

Jeremy Hill, Bengals – Took advantage of his starting opportunity (and the Jags’ bad defense) to race for 154 yards and 2 TDs.

Alfred Morris, Redskins – Ran for 92 yards and 2 TDs, plus 17 receivig yards.

Matt Asiata, Vikings – Out of nowhere, he reeled off another 3-TD game, with 57 combined yards to boot.

Ronnie Hillman, Broncos – Only ran for 16 yards, but caught 7 passes for 47 yards and scored a TD each way.

WRs

Jeremy Maclin, Eagles – Accumulated 158 yards and 2 TDs on 6 catches.

Mike Evans, Buccaneers – Had his breakout game with 7 receptions for 124 yards and a pair of TDs.

Julian Edelman, Patriots – Grabbed 6 passes for 53 yards and a TD and scored on an 84-yard punt return.

Antonio Brown, Steelers – Turned 11 receptions into 144 yards and a TD.

Martavis Bryant, Steelers – Pulled down 3 passes for 44 yards and 2 TDs.

Allen Hurns, Jaguars – Reeled in 7 passes for 112 yards and 2 TDs.

Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos – In PPR leagues, his 10-catch, 151-yard outing was gold.

TEs

Rob Gronkowski, Patriots – Dominated again with 9 receptions for 105 yards and 1 TD.

DSTs

Dolphins – Gathered 3 INTs, a fumble and 4 sacks while pitching a shutout.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Philip Rivers, Chargers – Had his worst game in years, with 138 passing yards, no TDs, 3 INTs and a fumble.

Nick Foles, Eagles – Was on his way to a good day, with 124 yards, 1 TD and an INT, when he broke his clavicle.

RBs

Chris Ivory, Jets – Just 22 yards on the ground. None through the air.

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers – Ran for 46 yards.

Branden Oliver, Chargers – Only 19 rushing and 7 receiving yards.

DeAngelo Williams, Panthers – Returned to the lineup to post 20 rushing and 30 receiving yards.

Ben Tate, Browns – Limited to 3 rushing and 29 receiving yards (on 4 catches).

Frank Gore, 49ers -- Ran for 49 yards and had a 9-yard catch.

Trent Richardson, Colts – Combined for a meager 41 yards.

WRs

Cordarrelle Patterson, Vikings – A 9-yard catch was his contribution for the day.

Donte Moncrief, Colts – With Reggie Wayne back in the saddle, the rookie had a 2-yard catch on MNF.

Andre Johnson, Texans – Limited to 12 yards on 2 receptions.

Terrance Williams, Cowboys – Held to 19 yards on 2 receptions.

Pierre Garcon, Redskins – His 3 catches went for 15 yards.

James Jones, Raiders – 18 yards on 3 catches.

Andre Holmes, Raiders – He had 28 yards on 2 passes.

Marques Colston, Saints – Just 36 yards on 3 catches.

Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers – Began the second half of the season on a downer, with 2 receptions for 18 yards.

Wes Welker, Broncos – Had 3 receptions for 31 yards in his return to Foxborough before exiting with another injury.

Steve Smith, Ravens – Left with 36 yards after 5 receptions.

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks – Managed just 38 yards on 5 catches.

Andrew Hawkins, Browns – Just 34 yards on 3 receptions.

Michael Floyd, Cardinals – Had 36 yards on 4 balls.

Michael Crabtree, 49ers – 40 yards on 5 receptions.

TEs

Zach Ertz, Eagles – Had a 4-yarder.

Vernon Davis, 49ers – Just 19 yards on 2 catches.

Antonio Gates, Chargers – Only 28 yards on 3 passes.

This so-called ‘Big Ben’ must be stopped

Who’s that under center in Pittsburgh and what have they done with Ben Roethlisberger?

That can’t be the Big Ben that has cracked the Top 10 fantasy QBs in just three of his first 10 seasons. That’s not the same guy that has followed nearly every masterful fantasy performance throughout his career with a dud the next week.

I know it can’t be him, because who else could pass for 522 yards and 6 TDs and still be benched by half his owners the next game – on a weekend when six teams are on bye, no less? Roethlisberger isn’t even owned in about 15 percent of all fantasy leagues!

The Big Ben I know had a pedestrian 10 total scoring passes in his first seven games, including a 217-yard, zero-TD, one-interception stinker in Week 2 at Baltimore. So who was that lighting up the Ravens for 340 yards and a half-dozen touchdowns?

Someone needs to get to the bottom of this, because it’s throwing everything out of whack in Fantasyland. It’s strange enough to see Antonio Brown at the top of the receiver rankings; now Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant are getting into the act, too.

Is Emmanuel Sanders regretting his decision to go to Denver and play with that Omaha-yelling slouch they have there? After all, it’s taken Peyton Manning four games to throw as many scoring strikes as that Big Ben imposter has collected in half the time.

Alert the authorities. The Steelers’ passing game has been hijacked!

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

Alfred Blue, RB, Texans. We were reminded yet again that as great as Arian Foster can be, he is no stranger to the trainer’s table. He’ll have the Texans’ bye week to rest his injured groin, but Foster’s owners would be wise to have his backup ready just in case his latest injury lingers.

Martavis Bryant, WR, Steelers. Geez, when I’m wrong, I’m wrong! Big Ben is making it rain and his receivers are getting drenched. Bryant added two more end zone visits Sunday night to the three he accumulated over his first two games on Pittsburgh’s active roster. Still widely available, Bryant should not just be scooped up, but given a starting nod next week against the lowly Jets.

Owen Daniels, TE, Ravens. Daniels returned much more quickly than expected from the cleanup procedure on his knee less than two weeks ago. He even led his team in targets and receptions on Sunday night. Those needing a boost, or a bye-week replacement, at the tight end position should grab him while he’s available.

Don’t be fooled

Mark Sanchez, QB, Eagles. If you’ve played fantasy football for at least two years, you know better than to count on Sanchez. Even in Chip Kelly’s offense, he is simply not trustworthy. Look elsewhere if you need to find a replacement for Nick Foles, who is expected to miss a month or more due to his broken collarbone.

Matt Asiata, RB, Vikings. Asiata is arguably the most ridiculous fantasy RB in history. Who else either scores three rushing TDs, or none? Sunday was the third time in the last 11 games that Asiata had a TD hat trick. Over the rest of his three seasons, he has just one solitary touchdown, and it came through the air. So it’s not like Asiata regularly poaches goal-line runs from Jerick McKinnon. He’s simply feast or famine, and forecasting when the buffet line will be open is a fool’s errand.

Sunday morning updates -- Week 9

Good morning, Fools, from chilly downtown Dallas. Wherever you may be, we can all agree it's another beautiful day in Fantasyland.

Let's get to the stuff that matters as we lock in our winning lineups…

Unfortunately (for me, in two leagues), Giovani Bernard has been ruled out of today's tasty matchup with the Jags. And since I didn't grab Jeremy Hill soon enough, I won't have the benefit of riding his backup. If you have him, he's pretty close to a must-start.

Tony Romo, as expected, won't be active today due to his back injury. Brandon Weeden showed enough last Monday night to believe he can keep Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams and Jason Witten well-fed.

Also ruled out early this week: Rashad Jennings, Montee Ball and Jordan Cameron.

AJ Green is expected to return. If you've got 'im, you play 'im. Mohamed Sanu loses some luster, but at least he won't be double-teamed any more.

RG3 will be active and starting today. Hopefully he looks more like rookie RG3 than 2014 RG3.

Darren Sproles is coming back, but he's a desperation/bye week-sub play at best. His presence won't be welcome to Shady McCoy's frustrated owners.

Bucs rookie RB Charles Sims has been activated and should get his first carries of the season today. But I'm expecting Bobby Rainey to get the majority of the touches, and to have a solid flex kind of day -- unless he leaves the ball on the ground again. Doug Martin (doubtful) is not expected to be available.

Reggie Wayne is listed as probable for MNF, which is good news for those of us with multiple WRs out on bye.

Keep an eye on St. Louis today, as HC Jeff Fisher has indicated his intention to ride one RB for the rest of the way, instead of playing the hot hand. Unfortunately, he didn't say which guy; but it would be a shock if it wasn't promising rookie Tre Mason.

Okay, that's it until the inactives come out in a few. I'll be tweeting those, and other late-breaking news, @ladd_biro. Good luck today, Fools!