Gore, V-Jax out

Just a quick note to be sure you heard the news that Frank Gore is out for the season after injuring his hip in the Monday night tilt with the Cards.


Brian Westbrook looked surprisingly spry in relief last night, running for 136 yards and a TD. Granted, it came against an awful Arizona defense, and the road gets tougher this weekend (at Green Bay). But the 49ers' schedule during the fantasy playoffs is pretty favorable (including the Seahawks in Week 14 and Rams in Week 16), so Westy could be a nice add for teams heading into the postseason. Especially those who were counting on Gore.

Also, Vincent Jackson injured his groin on Sunday while overcompensating for a nagging calf injury incurred during practice last week. He's expected to miss 2 weeks, which would then -- at best -- make him a risky start in Week 15. There's always a chance he could dazzle then, and in Week 16; but there's also a chance he'll be deadweight for two weeks, then a big question mark for the duration.

Plan accordingly.

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.

Sunday morning updates - Week 12

Greetings, Fools. Just returned from a weeklong trip to Michigan and Indiana late last night, so I'm catching up fast. Here's what I've got for you so far on this fine Sunday morning.

CJ Spiller is inactive for the Bills.

Brandon Marshall is out for the Dolphins. Chad Henne may or may not be ready to return. Look for lots of targets to Davone Bess if he does. If Thigpen is at the controls, all bets are off.

Look for a big game from Sidney Rice today. Berrian is out, and Rice got off to a fine start last week with loads of targets.

You know Nicks and Steve Smith are out for the Giants. Manningham and Derek Hagan will be your starting wideouts. Both should be good starts, but expect more from the running game. Jacobs is the new, old starter, but Bradshaw should still see plenty of carries (as long as he doesn't put the ball on the ground again). Jacksonville's defense stinks across the board, so everyone could potentially put up big numbers.

In something of a surprise, Mike Sims-Walker is active and will play today. That said, I don't expect much from him against the Giants. He's still not 100% recovered from his high ankle sprain.

MJD is active and will play.

Ryan Torain is inactive and Clinton Portis is on IR. Look for another solid (if not spectacular) game from Keiland Williams. The Vikings' run D isn't what it used to be, so don't hesitate to start the rookie if he's your best option.

Jonathan Stewart is active and will probably split carries with new starter, Mike Goodson. Against the Browns' solid defense, I don't expect much from either back.

Addai and Hart will be out again for tonight's game. Look for more from Donald Brown, and vultured TD plunges by Javarris James.

Forget Ryan Mathews again. It's all about Mike Tolbert now.

Jake Delhomme will start at QB for the Browns while Colt McCoy (out) nurses a sprained ankle. Don't even think about it.

Lots of questions out there about whether or not to start Vincent Jackson today. The answer is YES. Philip Rivers has made stars of Malcom Floyd, Patrick Crayton, Randy McMichael and Seyi Ajirotutu. You think he can't figure out how to reconnect with VJax after three weeks of practice?

Owen Daniels is out again. Joel Dreessen will be the #2 target for Matt Schaub again today.

Plenty of intrigue surrounding the Raiders' starting QB situation today. Will it be Gradkowski or Campbell? Surely you don't really care, right? The only Raider worth starting today is Run DMC (McFadden).

OK, it's off to the tweets. Make sure you're following me @ladd_biro.

Good luck, Fools!

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.

Another huge week for passers, except Vick

Apparently Michael Vick is human after all. Just a week after he lit the fantasy world on fire with arguably the most prolific single game in the modern (post-Jim Brown) era, Vick only managed a single rushing touchdown Sunday night. What a slacker…

Many will suggest we should have seen this coming, thanks to the Eagles’ matchup with a stout Giants defense. That would make some sense if we hadn’t just seen Jon Kitna and the one-win Cowboys tear New York apart in the new Meadowlands the week before. More likely, it was a week’s worth of frantic scheming by Giants’ coaches who noticed that Vick struggles when forced to scramble to his right side.

Now it’s the Eagles’ turn to make the adjustments necessary to prevent a recurrence of this problem. Vick should be back in prime form for another tough contest with the Bears next weekend.


Meanwhile, as expected, it was a huge week for the league’s other elite passers. Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers each connected on four touchdown strikes, while the gun-slinging Ryan Fitzpatrick shook off some early struggles to match his more accomplished peers score-for-score. Eleven quarterbacks accumulated more yardage than Vick, while 16 had multiple touchdowns.

With the abundance of passing scores comes an equally explosive list of receivers, with Greg Jennings, Steve Johnson and Santonio Holmes leading the way. (Forgive the personal boast, but all three were in my starting lineup this weekend. Needless to say, I didn’t sweat my decision to start Vick over Brees too much.)

Indeed, scoring was high across the league, and across the fantasy landscape, in Week 11. Methinks Thursday’s trio of games will give fantasy owners much to be thankful for as well. Make sure you set your rosters before the tryptophan kicks in.

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

Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets. The second-year pro is blossoming before our very eyes. With a big assist from Santonio Holmes, Sanchez has passed for 299 or more yards in each of his last three games, during which he has accumulated eight touchdowns. Next up: the same depleted Bengals defense that just surrendered 316 yards and 4 TDs to Fitzpatrick.


Sidney Rice, WR, Vikings. It didn’t take long for Rice to return to the top of the wideout pecking order in Minnesota. Though his three receptions for 56 yards were less than scintillating, he played nearly the entire game. Once he gets back in sync with Brett Favre, the play-making speedster will be well-positioned to excel down the stretch.

Blair White, WR, Colts. The undrafted rookie has picked up the slack in certain games while his fellow Indy wideouts have been sidelined with injuries. Now, coming off a two-TD afternoon and yet another concussion to Austin Collie, White is in position to contribute nicely down the stretch. He could even prove to be more productive than the struggling Pierre Garcon.

Don’t be fooled

Vince Young, QB, Titans. Either due to a thumb injury or the lost patience of his head coach, Young’s season -- and Titan career -- is likely over. Rusty Smith will step under center, at least until Kerry Collins is healthy again, on a team that is going nowhere fast.

Pierre Thomas, RB, Saints. Reports have surfaced that Thomas has a torn tendon in his ankle. He’s already missed seven games, and this news means it could be at least a couple more weeks of dead weight on your roster. If you need to free up space for players who actually play, feel free to cut ties with Thomas.

Week 11 Sunday morning updates

Greetings, Fools, from outside Detroit. Arrived late last night at friends' home after a Griswold family vacation-style trip from Dallas. We got suckered into stopping at "The World's Largest Gift Shop," but somehow managed to avoid "The World's Largest Jigsaw Puzzle Store," "The World's Largest Rocking Chair," and, of course, the world famous Vacuum Museum.

OK, enough about me. Let's get to the news of the day...

Addai and Hart OUT again for the Colts. Looks like more of the frustrating Donald Brown/Javarris James show. And no, I don't like either.

Brian St. Pierre will be the Panthers' starting QB today. Good luck to you Steve Smith owners... Mike Goodson will be the starting RB again.

Kevin Smith has landed on injured reserve for the second straight year. If only Jahvid Best would get back to 100%. Maurice Morris will be his new backup.

Clinton Portis is in, Ryan Torain out, and Keiland Williams possibly lost in the mix. I personally find it hard to believe that Portis will get a full load, so Williams still has a chance to produce. But he's no longer the great start that I thought he'd be when both Portis and Torain appeared unlikely to play.

Ryan Mathews is doubtful for Monday night, but he's a bad bet anyway given his recent performances. Antonio Gates and Eddie Royal are officially listed as questionable for the game. Malcolm Floyd should be a safe start, but Legedu Naanee may not play.

CJ Spiller, Owen Daniels, Kenny Britt and Josh Cribbs are inactive.

The Vikings have activated Sidney Rice off of PUP, as expected. Don't start him today, but he's worth picking up for the stretch run if he's still out there. He could quickly reclaim his role as Favre's favorite target.

Hines Ward has recovered from his concussion and will start today vs. the Raiders.

Don't forget to check the status of your kicker (they're dropping like flies). Rob Bironas has been limited in practice this week, but appears safe to start. That said, nothing's official until it's official.

I'll be sending out inactives via Twitter (@ladd_biro) soon. Be sure to stay on top of the late-breaking news.

Good luck, Fools!