Tag Archives: Steve Smith

by | December 23, 2012 · 9:36 am

FantasySavvy 2012: Week 16 Player Rankings (Super Bowl Rankings)

Thanks for following this year everyone, it’s much appreciated. This season flew by, but once again it was another great season. I hope all of you dominate in your Fantasy Super Bowls. Since it is the Super Bowl, I am going to shorten the lists a bit and take out some of the very irrelevant players. I should have some NBA, MLB and College Hoops stuff coming in the next few weeks and of course I will be back next year for Football, but even stronger. If you ever need to contact me you can @FantasySavvy on Twitter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all, God Bless. Go get those Championships!

Quarterbacks

  1. Cam Newton vs OAK
  2. Tom Brady @ JAC
  3. Aaron Rodgers vs TEN
  4. RG3 @ PHI
  5. Tony Romo vs NO
  6. Drew Brees @ DAL
  7. Peyton Manning vs CLE
  8. Andrew Luck @ KC
  9. Eli Manning @ BAL
  10. Colin Kaepernick @ SEA
  11. Ben Roethlisberger vs CIN
  12. Matt Schaub vs MIN
  13. Sam Bradford @ TB
  14. Carson Palmer @ CAR
  15. Russell Wilson vs SF
  16. Andy Dalton @ PIT
  17. Joe Flacco vs NYG
  18. Chad Henne vs NE
  19. Ryan Fitzpatrick @ MIA
  20. Jay Cutler @ ARI
  21. Nick Foles vs WAS
  22. Brandon Weeden @ DEN
  23. Jake Locker @ GB

Running Backs

  1. Adrian Peterson @ HOU
  2. Arian Foster vs MIN
  3. DeMarco Murray vs NO
  4. Ray Rice vs NYG
  5. Alfred Morris @ PHI
  6. Marshawn Lynch vs SF
  7. C.J. Spiller @ MIA
  8. Jamaal Charles vs IND
  9. LeSean McCoy vs WAS
  10. Vick Ballard @ KC
  11. Stevan Ridley @ JAC
  12. Frank Gore @ SEA
  13. Darren McFadden @ CAR
  14. Trent Richardson @ DEN
  15. Reggie Bush vs BUF
  16. Knowshon Moreno vs CLE
  17. Darren Mcfadden @ CAR
  18. Darren Sproles @ DAL
  19. Matt Forte @ ARI
  20. BenJarvus Green-Ellis @ PIT
  21. Steven Jackson @ TB
  22. Chris Johnson @ GB
  23. DeAngelo Williams vs OAK
  24. Ahmad Bradshaw @ BAL *questionable, should play
  25. Montell Owens vs NE
  26. Shonn Greene vs SD
  27. Jonathan Dwyer vs CIN
  28. Chris “Beanie” Wells vs CHI
  29. David Wilson @ BAL *bump up 15 spots if Bradshaw is OUT
  30. Ronnie Brown @ NYJ
  31. Mark Ingram @ DAL
  32. Bilal Powell vs SD
  33. Alex Green vs CLE *questionable
  34. Jonathan Stewart vs OAK *questionable
  35. Bryce Brown vs WAS
  36. Shane Vereen @ JAC
  37. Pierre Thomas @ DAL
  38. Brandon Bolden @ JAC
  39.  Jackie Battle @ NYJ
  40. Issac Redman vs CIN
  41. Marcel Reese @ CAR
  42. Danny Woodhead @ JAC
  43. Peyton Hillis vs IND
  44. Dijuan Harris vs TEN  * move up to Greens Spot if Green OUT

Wide Receivers

  1. Dez Bryant vs NO
  2. Andre Johnson vs MIN
  3. A.J. Green @ PIT
  4. Brandon Marshall @ AZ
  5. Demaryius Thomas vs CLE
  6. Vincent Jackson vs STL
  7. Randall Cobb vs TEN
  8. Wes Welker @ JAC
  9. Reggie Wayne @ KC
  10. Steve Smith vs OAK
  11. Pierre Garcon @ PHI
  12. Victor Cruz @ BAL
  13. Marques Colston @ DAL
  14. Cecil Shorts vs NE
  15. Mike Wallace vs CIN
  16. Steve Johnson @ MIA
  17. Miles Austin vs NO
  18. Michael Crabtree @ SEA
  19. Danny Amendola @ TB
  20. James Jones vs TEN
  21. Hakeem Nicks @ BAL
  22. Eric Decker vs CLE
  23. Lance Moore @ DAL
  24. Justin Blackmon vs NE
  25. Brandon Lloyd @ JAC
  26. Greg Jennings vs TEN
  27. T.Y. Hilton @ KC
  28. Danario Alexander @ NYJ
  29. Torrey Smith vs NYG
  30. Denarius Moore @ CAR
  31. Anquan Boldin vs NYG
  32. Jeremy Maclin vs WAS
  33. Larry Fitzgerald vs CHI
  34. Josh Gordon @ DEN
  35. Antonio Brown vs CIN
  36. Sidney Rice vs SF
  37. Brian Hartline vs BUF
  38. Kenny Britt @ GB
  39. Donnie Avery @ KC
  40. Mike Williams vs STL
  41. Golden Tate vs SF
  42. Brandon LaFell vs OAK
  43. Jason Avant @ WAS
  44. Brandon Gibson @ TB
  45. Darrius Heyward-Bey @ CAR

Tight Ends

  1. Jason Witten vs NO
  2. Aaron Hernandez @ JAC
  3. Jimmy Graham @ DAL
  4. Heath Miller vs CIN
  5. Owen Daniels vs MIN
  6. Jermaine Gresham @ PIT
  7. Greg Olsen vs OAK
  8. Dennis Pitta vs NYG
  9. Antonio Gates @ NYJ
  10. Vernon Davis @ SEA
  11. Brandon Myers @ CAR
  12. Jermichael Finley vs TEN
  13. Kyle Rudolph @ HOU
  14. Marcedes Lewis vs NE
  15. Dwayne Allen @ KC
  16. Scott Chandler @ MIA
  17. Dallas Clark vs STL
  18. Joel Dreessen vs CLE
  19. Jacob Tamme vs CLE
  20. Anthony Fasano vs BUF
  21. Brent Celek vs WAS
  22. Tony Moeaki vs IND

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by | December 21, 2012 · 11:20 pm

FantasySavvy 2012: Week 16 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em (Super Bowl Edition)

As seen on FP911.com, make sure to check there for tons of great additional information.

Congratulations, you made it to your Super Bowl, this is what it is all about. All the research, pickups, lineup decisions, etc, come down to this moment. Regardless of what happens this week, you have had a very successful season and have done a great job managing your team. I hope you all of you that are reading this take care of business this week and finish the deal. Thanks for reading everybody and I hope to see you all back next season. Also, I would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. This is truly the best time of the year.

You won’t see the obvious names on here, that would be pointless. Maybe occasionally to give you a reminder, but rather we are looking to identify some guys that you may be on the fence with and encourage you to either start or sit them. Matchups will be broken down, stats will be used, some projections will be provided and some “gut” feeling will be mixed in. But when it comes down to the come down, it’s your “gut” you need to roll with.

*Players listed in order of projected effectiveness in the start ‘em category and ineffectiveness in the sit ‘em category.

Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Andrew Luck @ Kansas City

Luck has been held under 200 yards passing in his last two games, but he’s going to break out of that against the Chiefs. The Colts are going to get a ton of opportunities with the ball since the Chiefs offense is so inept. Look for Luck to approach 250 yards with at least two TD’s.

Colin Kaepernick @ Seattle

Tough matchup here, but Kaepernick still is worthy of starting. He may be held to just one passing TD, but Kaep will likely approach at least 40 yards rushing and should be able to pass for over 200 making him a solid fantasy play.

Sam Bradford @ Tampa Bay

Danny Amendola returns and Bradford throws for 377 yards and three TD’s. Bradford should continue to wheel and deal against the Bucs horrible secondary, ranked dead last in points allowed to QB’s. Expect around 250 yards passing with at least two TD’s.

Sit ‘Em

Jay Cutler @ Arizona

The Cards are third best against QB’s and Jay Cutler is having a very mediocre season. While the Bears may get a ton of possessions in this game, Cutler can not be trusted.

Josh Freeman vs St. Louis

Freeman fooled all of us, it appears he is the average QB he has always been. I didn’t want to believe in this guy, but after he went on such a hot stretch mid-year I thought he had turned a corner. However, after last week where he could not even manage to produce a single point for the Bucs offense against the Saints defense, it is pretty apparent this guy does not have what it takes to take that next step. You can not turn back to this guy this week, not in the Fantasy Super Bowl.

Russell Wilson vs San Francisco

Wilson is having a stellar rookie season with 21 TD’s, just nine interceptions and nearly 3,000 yards passing. It’s pretty hard to recommend benching him this week after he accounted for four TD’s last week, but this isn’t the Bills, it’s the 49ers. Last time he faced them he struggled completing just nine passes, throwing for just 123 yards with no TD’s. He most likely will play better this time around, but there is a chance he could be held without a TD once again.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

DeMarco Murray vs New Orleans

DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys

Murray being out for several weeks may have been a blessing in disguise for the Cowboys with Murray now being fresh and running hard as ever. This is just an excellent matchup for DM this week and I really forsee a monster game from him. His physical style matches up perfectly against this Saints defense. Murray should easily go over 100 yards and finish with at least 1 TD.

Vick Ballard @ Kansas City

Ballard now has the starting job all to himself and is taking full advantage of it. He is a fairly talented back and he should enjoy a nice game against the Chiefs. I expect him to find the endzone and approach and possibly have over 100 yards rushing. He ran for 100 yards against the Texans; he can easily do it against the Chiefs.

DeAngelo Williams vs Oakland

After years of just pure Fantasy Horribleness, DeAngelo Williams has once again returned to Fantasy relevancy. He is actually starting to run with purpose and is getting the job done for Fantasy Owners. Well, with Oakland coming up, you really can’t ask for a better matchup. Now, DeAngelo does still have the potential to burn you, but I think it’s safe to say he should finish with around 100 total yards in this game and has a decent chance to find the endzone. The Panthers offense is rolling right now and DeAngelo is going to continue to benefit.

Sit ‘Em

Bryce Brown vs Washington

LeSean McCoy owners, such as myself, wish he had come back sooner after Brown threw up two duds in a row; but with the news McCoy will in fact return this week, Brown needs to be on benches. I wouldn’t expect any more than 10 touches, but he may not even get that, the fumbling problems are going to cost him playing time in this game.

Beanie Wells vs Chicago

Beanie went off for three TD’s last week against Detroit, but please don’t start him against the Bears. This has 15 carries for 40 yards written all over it. Stay away.

Jonathan Dwyer vs Cincinnati

Dwyer is still technically the starter, but isn’t seeing many carries with just 15 in his last two games and is not playing at a high level. He has scored in two of his last three games, but against the Bengals tough front four he needs to be avoided.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

Steve Smith vs Oakland

Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith

After a extremely slow start to the season, Steve Smith has been heating up the last few weeks as Cam Newton’s play has stepped up. Smith has two 100-yard games and two TD’s in his last three games and has an excellent matchup against Oakland. Smith could have his best game of the season.

Cecil Shorts & Justin Blackmon vs New England

Both are strong options in a game where the Jags are going to be throwing the ball all day long. Cecil Shorts is the better option from Blackmon, but both should be able to put up respectable numbers and get it done for your Fantasy Squads. Look for Shorts to hit 100 yards and Blackmon to near that mark as well.

Michael Crabtree @ Seattle

Crabtree continues to be targeted heavily by Kaepernick every week and he needs to be in your lineups in the Fantasy Super Bowl. Crabtree has 23 targets, two 100-yard games and two TD’s in his last three games.

Sit ‘Em

Josh Gordon & Greg Little @ Denver

I would steer clear from both of these guys this week, especially Little, with the Browns facing Champ Bailey in coverage and the Broncos pass rush. After a slow start, Denver has creeped it’s way all the way to seventh best at defending the WR position.

Larry Fitzgerald vs Chicago

Tip for next year: Avoid WR’s who play with horrible QB’s. Fitzgerald has been a disaster this season with the likes of John Skelton, Kevin Kolb and Ryan Lindley throwing him the ball. Despite the name and although you may be desperate this week, try to steer clear from Fitz against the Bears.

Danario Alexander @ New York Jets

Danario killed owners last week by putting up the infamous doughnut, but if you were lucky enough to advance despite his performance, you need to look at benching him this week. Antonio Cromartie has done an excellent job all season on No. 1 WR’s and he should be able to contain Alexander.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Greg Olsen vs Oakland

Like they do with every other position, the Raiders also let up a ton of points to Tight Ends, ranked 4th worst. Olsen has been extremely steady the past six weeks with four 50 yard games and and four TD’s. Start him with confidence.

Dennis Pitta vs New York Giants

I faced Dennis Pitta in two leagues last week who went off for 100 yards and two TD’s and you can guess how that turned out. Unbelievable. But Pitta needs to stay in your lineups as Flacco will continue to look his way, especially in the redzone. Pitta has 19 targets and three TD’s in his last two games.

Antonio Gates @ New York Jets

San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates

Being a Jet fan, I know how bad they have been historically at covering Tight Ends. Their LB’s just don’t have the speed or athleticism to keep up with the athletic Tight Ends of the league. Gates finally got back into the endzone last week and I expect him to put up respectable numbers against the Jets. Look for around 60-70 yards with a possible score.

Sit ‘Em

Joel Dreesen & Jacob Tamme vs Cleveland

These guys hurt each other’s value and it’s hard to predict which one will have the bigger impact each week. Regardless, both have been mediocre all year. The Browns are also 5th best at defending the Tight End position.

Kyle Rudolph @ Houston

After scoring in three consecutive games, Rudolph hasn’t scored and has just 23 yards receiving in his last two games. Christian Ponder is playing pretty awful at this point in the season and Rudolph isn’t going to contribute for you team unless he scores. He’s way too risky to use, look for something more consistent.

IDP’s

Start ‘Em

London Fletcher @ Philadelphia

London Fletcher, Washington Redskins

Fletcher has had another strong season with 52 tackles for the Skins and now faces the Eagles who are allowing the most points to LB’s.

Wesley Woodward vs Cleveland

Woodward has been a force for the Denver defense all season and is a great play against the Browns who are allowing the 8th most points to Fantasy LB’s.

Sit ‘Em

Cortland Finnegan @ Green Bay

Bad matchup for Finnegan who will be squaring off against the talented Packers WR’s and Aaron Rodgers who is extremely smart with the football.

Richard Sherman vs San Francisco

Sherman will be limited this week as the 49ers aren’t turning the ball over much and are allowing the 2nd fewest amount points to CB’s.

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by | December 9, 2012 · 8:42 am

FantasySavvy 2012: Week 14 Player Rankings (Playoff Edition)

Quarterbacks

  1. Aaron Rodgers vs DET
  2. Drew Brees @ NYG
  3. Eli Manning vs NO
  4. RG3 vs BAL
  5. Tom Brady vs HOU
  6. Andrew Luck vs TEN
  7. Cam Newton vs ATL
  8. Matt Ryan @ CAR
  9. Matthew Stafford @ GB
  10. Josh Freeman vs PHI
  11. Tony Romo @ CIN
  12. Colin Kaepernick vs MIA
  13. Matt Schaub @ NE
  14. Ben Roethlisberger vs SD
  15. Andy Dalton vs DAL
  16. Joe Flacco @ WAS
  17. Phillip Rivers @ PIT
  18. Jay Cutler @ MIN
  19. Sam Bradford @ BUF
  20. Russell Wilson vs AZ
  21. Jake Locker @ IND
  22. Ryan Fitzpatrick vs STL
  23. Brandon Weeden vs KC
  24. Nick Foles @ TB
  25. Chad Henne vs NYJ
  26. Mark Sanchez @ JAC
  27. Christian Ponder vs CHI
  28. John Skelton @ SEA
  29. Ryan Tannehill @ SF
  30. Brady Quinn @ CLE

Running Backs

  1. Adrian Peterson vs CHI
  2. Jamaal Charles @ CLE
  3. Doug Martin vs PHI
  4. Arian Foster @ NE
  5. Trent Richardson vs KC
  6. Ray Rice @ WAS
  7. C.J. Spiller vs STL
  8. Marshawn Lynch vs AZ
  9. Bryce Brown @ TB
  10. Alfred Morris vs BAL
  11. Ahmad Bradshaw vs NO
  12. Chris Johnson @ IND
  13. Frank Gore vs MIA
  14. Matt Forte @ MIN
  15. DeMarco Murray @ CIN
  16. BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs DAL
  17. Steven Jackson @ BUF
  18. Stevan Ridley vs HOU
  19. Fred Jackson vs STL
  20. Vick Ballard vs TEN
  21. Shonn Greene @ JAC
  22. Jonathan Dwyer vs SD
  23. Michael Turner @ CAR
  24. Mikel Leshoure @ GB
  25. Montell Owens vs NYJ
  26. Darren Sproles @ NYG
  27. Reggie Bush @ SF
  28. DeAngelo Williams vs ATL
  29. Pierre Thomas @ NYG
  30. Ryan Mathews @ PIT
  31. Alex Green vs DET
  32. Beanie Wells @ SEA
  33. Joique Bell @ GB
  34. Jaquizz Rodgers @ CAR
  35. Mark Ingram @ NYG
  36. Bilal Powell @ JAC
  37. Danny Woodhead vs HOU
  38. Shane Vereen vs HOU
  39. Ben Tate @ NE
  40. Issac Redman vs SD
  41. Felix Jones @ CIN
  42. Daryl Richardson @ BUF
  43. Daniel Thomas @ SF
  44. Chris Ivory @ NYG
  45. Peyton Hillis @ CLE
  46. Delonte Carter vs TEN
  47. Benard Pierce @ WAS

Wide Receivers 

  1. Calvin Johnson @ GB
  2. Brandon Marshall @ MIN
  3. Andre Johnson @ NE
  4. A.J. Green vs DAL
  5. Vincent Jackson vs PHI
  6. Dez Bryant @ CIN
  7. Marques Colston @ NYG
  8. Victor Cruz vs NO
  9. Wes Welker vs HOU
  10. Roddy White @ CAR
  11. Reggie Wayne vs TEN
  12. Julio Jones @ CAR
  13. Randall Cobb vs DET
  14. Hakeem Nicks vs NO *questionable
  15. Pierre Garcon vs BAL
  16. Greg Jennings vs DET
  17. Steve Smith vs ATL
  18. James Jones vs DET
  19. Mike Wallace vs SD
  20. Danario Alexander @ PIT
  21. Torrey Smith @ WAS
  22. Stevie Johnson vs STL
  23. Lance Moore @ NYG
  24. Miles Austin @ CIN
  25. Sidney Rice vs AZ
  26. Danny Amendola @ BUF * Gametime decision
  27. T.Y. Hilton vs TEN
  28. Mike Williams vs PHI
  29. Jeremy Maclin @ TB
  30. Michael Crabtree vs MIA
  31. Kenny Britt @ IND
  32. Antonio Brown vs SD
  33. Donnie Avery vs TEN
  34. Chris Givens @ BUF
  35. Brandon Lloyd vs HOU
  36. Dwayne Bowe @ CLE
  37. Josh Gordon vs KC
  38. Golden Tate vs AZ
  39. Anquan Boldin @ WAS
  40. Justin Blackmon vs NYJ
  41. Brian Hartline @ SF
  42. Mike Thomas @ GB
  43. Malcom Floyd @ PIT
  44. Santana Moss vs BAL
  45. Jeremy Kerley @ JAC
  46. Jason Avant @ TB
  47. Kendall Wright @ IND
  48. Kevin Elliot vs NYJ
  49. Davone Bess @ SF
  50. Nate Washington @ IND
  51. Louis Murphy vs ATL
  52. Brandon Gibson @ BUF
  53. Riley Cooper @ TB
  54. Greg Little vs KC
  55. Emannuel Sanders vs SD
  56. Donald Jones vs STL
  57. Randy Moss vs MIA
  58. Stephen Hill @ JAC
  59. Jarius Wright vs CHI
  60. Aldrick Robinson vs BAL

Tight Ends 

  1. Jimmy Graham @ NYG
  2. Aaron Hernandez vs HOU
  3. Jason Witten @ CIN
  4. Owen Daniels vs NE
  5. Tony Gonzalez @ CAR
  6. Jermaine Gresham vs DAL
  7. Heath Miller vs SD
  8. Greg Olsen vs ATL
  9. Kyle Rudolph vs CHI
  10. Brandon Pettigrew @ GB
  11. Vernon Davis vs MIA
  12. Martellus Bennett @ NO
  13. Dennis Pitta @ WAS
  14. Antonio Gates @ PIT
  15. Dallas Clark vs PHI
  16. Jermichael Finley vs DET
  17. Jared Cook @ IND
  18. Tony Moeaki @ CLE
  19. Brent Celek @ TB
  20. Tony Scheffler @ GB
  21. Dwayne Allen vs TEN
  22. Marcedes Lewis vs NYJ
  23. Scott Chandler vs STL
  24. Coby Fleener vs TEN
  25. Jeff Cumberland @ JAC
  26. Logan Paulsen vs BAL
  27. Rob Housler @ SEA
  28. Ben Watson vs KC

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by | November 1, 2012 · 7:39 pm

FantasySavvy 2012: Week 9 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em

As seen on FantayPros911.com. Make sure to check there for tons of great fantasy info. Despite the storm and it’s effects we should have a radio show tomorrow evening and have our rankings out on Saturday night. Thanks to all the readers.

First, I want to say I hope that all our readers affected by Sandy are safe. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your families. This storm was truly devastating to many people including ravaging my home state of New Jersey. It is very sad to see areas that I experienced many memories, now destroyed. The Jersey Shore is a special place to many and it may not be the same for a while. I also feel for the people in Queens, Brooklyn, Long Island, Maryland, Connecticut, and all the other areas that were severely affected.

As we look to bounce back from this tragedy, I know many people will be looking to escape from all the stories on the news and get their mind away from thinking about the storm. This is where sports is great, it helps us get our minds off the present conditions for a little while and enjoy something we love. In a time like this Fantasy Football can seem truly insignificant, but at the same time it provides a good outlet to make things seem normal again, even for a few hours. Due to the storm, this weeks start ‘em, sit ‘em will be somewhat of an express version. I have also been affected by the storm and haven’t been able to prepare for this article as I normally would have. If you guys have any questions you can always hit me up at SteveDeAngelo@gmail.com or @FantasySavvy on twitter. Everybody keep your heads up and enjoy this weekend of Football. God Bless.

You won’t see the obvious names on here, that would be pointless. Maybe occasionally to give you a reminder, but rather we are looking to identify some guys that you may be on the fence with and encourage you to either start or sit them. Matchups will be broken down, stats will be used, some projections will be provided and some “gut” feeling will be mixed in. But when it comes down to the come down, it’s your “gut” you need to roll with.

*Players listed in order of projected effectiveness in the start ‘em category and ineffectiveness in the sit ‘em category.

Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Cam Newton @ Washington Redskins

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

I mentioned last week that this is the perfect time to trade for Cam Newton. He just went through a brutal stretch in his schedule playing Dallas, Seattle and the Bears, but now his schedule eases up bigtime. In one of my leagues, I just saw him get traded for Matt Schaub! Make sure you put out some offers before Sunday and if you acquire Cam, start him Sunday. He is going to have a solid finish to the season.

Matt Schaub vs Buffalo

Schaub hasn’t been great this year, but against Buffalo and their swiss defense, he’s a very solid play. Look for close to 300 yards passing and at least 2 TD’s.

Michael Vick @ New Orleans

I may be crazy, but I am contemplating starting Vick over Aaron Rodgers this week. The New Orleans defense is that awful. They are giving up the most fantasy points and are on track to being one of the worst defenses of all-time. Vick is battling for his job, but expect him to produce nicely in this game.

Sit ‘Em

Christian Ponder @ Seattle

Ponder was hot a few weeks ago, but has now has come back to reality. He needs to be benched in all formats.

Matt Hasselbeck vs Chicago

Hasselbeck will continue to start with Jake Locker out, but stay away from him against Chicago.

Joe Flacco @ Cleveland

Cleveland’s secondary is currently ranked 28th in points allowed to QB’s, but remember Joe Haden was out for four weeks. Since his return they have been stingy against QB’s and completely shut down Phillip Rivers last week. This was a Browns secondary that was one of the best statistically last year.  Flacco has also returned to his normal shenanigans, keep him on your benches.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Jamaal Charles @ San Diego

Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

Normally a player of Charles’ caliber would not be on this list, but since Charles has struggled in his last two games and got just five carries last week, you may need to be reminded to start him. Against the Raiders I believe the Chiefs rested Charles after the game got away, knowing they had a short-week ahead of them. Expect Charles to be the focal point of the offense against San Diego and to produce. Charles will most likely get around 20-25 carries tonight. Make sure he is active, you can never bench a player as talented as him.

Willis McGahee @ Cincy

Continue to roll out Willis in matchups like this. Cincy has been bad against the run ranking 27th in Fantasy points allowed to RB’s, so McGahee will enjoy a nice day. The Broncos have a very nice schedule ahead of them, so he also is a nice trade target.

Joique Bell @ Jacksonville

Bell surprisingly got the majority of the second half touches last week against Seattle and showed his versatility. With Mikel LeShoure questionable for this week, Bell could get a boatload of touches against a weak Jacksonville defense. This looks like a good plug and play for Week 9.

Sit ‘Em

Alex Green vs Arizona

Alex Green is about to lose his job, this guy just has not taken advantage of his opportunities. Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy has already said that James Starks will get more looks this week. Trade Green if you can, because after this week he may have no more value.

Donald Brown vs Miami

Brown is back healthy, but it looks now that he and Vick Ballard will share the backfield. This matchup is also rough this week against a stout Miami run D so keep Brown benched.

Chris Johnson vs Chicago

Johnson has succeeded in tough matchups vs the Texans and Steelers, but Chicago is a different animal to me. I think he struggles mightily in this game and is held under 80 total yards without a score.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

Steve Smith @ Washington

After doing nothing for consecutive weeks, it was good to see Smith succeed in a tough matchup against the Bears by going over 100 yards. This week he is a must-start against the Skins. He will abuse their secondary.

Dwayne Bowe @ San Diego

With Brady Quinn at QB Bowe is hard to trust, but with Cassel playing tonight Bowe needs to be back in Fantasy lineups. The Chargers are also 10th worst in points given up to Fantasy WR’s.

Denarius Moore vs Tampa Bay

Denarius Moore, Oakland Raiders

Denarious has been beasting of late finding the endzone for three straight weeks. Palmer will have success against Tampa Bay and their vunerable secondary ranked third worst in fantasy points allowed to WR’s, so get Moore in your lineups.

Sit ‘Em

Torrey Smith @ Cleveland

I mentioned the return of Joe Haden to the Browns secondary and how it spells bad news for Joe Flacco. Well, Haden could be lined up against Smith for much of this matchup. Reserve him.

Malcom Floyd vs Kansas City

I know owners sometimes get giddy and want to start their players in primetime games, but you need to be patient. Floyd has one TD all season, Rivers has not looked good and Floyd will be matched up with Chiefs stud CB Brandon Flowers. Be weary of starting Floyd tonight.

Kenny Britt vs Chicago

Britt was held under 40 yards receiving in favorable matchups against Buffalo and Indy, so no reason to expect him to succeed against Chicago. Britt is still working his way back from his injuries and has not looked like the same player to me.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Jermaine Gresham vs Denver

Good spot to start Gresham here coming off their bye and facing Denver who are 4th worst at defending the Tight End position.

Greg Olsen @ Washington

Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers

The Skins defense is hot garbage as we all know, so Olsen has a great shot to thrive in this game.

Dwayne Allen vs Miami

With Coby Fleener out abut two weeks, Allen has full reigns at Tight End for the Colts. If you need a tight end this week, the talented rookie is a decent option.

Sit ‘Em

Dennis Pitta @ Cleveland

Maybe some owners are expecting to bounce back after the Ravens bye week, but don’t expect it to happen against the Browns who are third best against Fantasy Tight Ends.

Martellus Bennett vs Pittsburgh

Bennett has worn down after a strong start to the season and can’t be trusted against Pittsburgh. Wait for him to show up once again before putting him back in lineups.

Brandon Pettigrew @ Jacksonville

Sit the overrated Pettigrew against the Jaguars who are allowing the 5th fewest points to Fantasy Tight Ends.

IDP’s

Start ‘Em

Chad Greenway @ Seattle

Richard Sherman vs Minnesota

Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks

Akeem Ayers vs Chicago

Sit ‘Em

Antrel Rolle vs Pittsburgh

Greg Hardy @ Washington

Patrick Peterson @ Green Bay

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by | December 3, 2011 · 11:11 pm

Fantasy Savvy Player Rankings Week 13

With one week before the playoffs, I had to get these rankings out to you. We know you need them, so I am are here to deliver. It should be noted that these rankings aren’t your typical sissy rankings. Sometimes certain guys just need to be ranked higher or lower based on what has been happening of late or because of a certain matchup. I see a lot of these rankings that are just so robotic based on a players past history and name recognition. If the guy hasn’t been doing it all year or has a certain matchup then he needs to be dropped in the rankings, on the other hand if you have a guy who has been hot in recent weeks and has a nice matchup, he deserves to be moved up. In other words, a lot of these other sites have NO BALLS, they take the “Safe” route, because most of them are real life dorks anyway. I try to do the best I can with this. Now to the best rankings in the business. May all your teams win this week!

QB’s

1) Tom Brady vs Indy

2) Aaron Rodgers @ NYG

3) Drew Brees vs Det

4) Tony Romo @ Arizona

5) Cam Newton @ Tb

6) Tim Tebow @ Minnesota -Don’t Doubt him.

7) Eli Manning vs GB

8) Matthew Stafford @ NO

9) Ben Roethlisberger vs Cincy

10) Phillip Rivers @ Jacksonville

11) Matt Ryan @ Houston

12) Josh Freeman vs Carolina

13) Matt Moore vs Oakland

14) Carson Palmer @ Miami

15) Alex Smith vs St. Louis

16) Matt Hasselbeck @ Buffalo

17) Mark Sanchez @ Washington

18) Kevin Kolb vs Dallas

19) Andy Dalton @ Pit

20) Caleb Hanie vs KC

21) Joe Flacco @ Cleveland- Rough matchup vs No. 1 Pass D

22) Ryan Fitzpatrick vs Ten

23) Christian Ponder vs Denver

24) Rex Grossman vs NYJ

25) Kyle Orton @ Chicago

26) Sam Bradford @ SF

27) Dan Orlovsky @ NE

28) TJ Yates vs Atlanta

29) Colt McCoy vs Balt

30) Blaine Gabbert vs SD

31) Tyler Palko @ Chi

RB’s

1) DeMarco Murray @ Arizona

2) Frank Gore vs St. Louis

3) LeGarrette Blount vs Carolina

4) Ray Rice @ Cleveland

5) Maurice Jones-Drew vs SD

6) Arian Foster vs Atlanta

7) Matt Forte vs KC

8) Ryan Matthews @ Jac

9) Chris Johnson @ Buffalo

10) Beanie Wells vs Dallas

11) Willis McGahee @ Minnesota

12) Michael Bush @ Miami

13) Darren Sproles vs Detroit

14) Reggie Bush vs Oakland

15) BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs Indy- Should clean up early before making way to the youngstas

16) CJ Spiller vs Ten- Don’t sleep on this kid, solid PPR play.

17) Kevin Smith @ New Orleans** questionable, but likely to play.

18) Michael Turner @ Houston- ** questionable with Groin, but should play.

19) DeAngelo Williams @ TB

20) Jonathan Stewart @ TB

21) Mark Ingram vs Det

22) Rashad Mendenhall vs Cincy

23) Roy Helu vs NYJ- Jets have been shutting down backs for the last month

24) Cedric Benson @ Pit- questionable, but will play. Steelers are rough matchup

25) Shonn Greene @ Washington

26) Donald Brown @ NE

26A) Ahmad Bradshaw vs GB—-If he Plays, highly questionable

27) James Starks @ NYG

28) Toby Gerhart vs Denver

29) Peyton Hillis vs Baltimore

30) Steven Jackson @ SF

31) Brandon Jacobs vs GB

32) Ben Tate vs Atlanta

33) Mike Tolbert @ Jac

34) Kendall Hunter vs STL

35) Maurice Morris @ NO

36) Marion Barber vs KC

37) Daniel Thomas vs Oakland

38) Dexter McCluster @ Chi

39) LaDainian Tomlinson @ Washington** Questionable

40) Joe Addai @ NE** Questionable

41) Ryan Grant @ NYG

42) Danny Woodhead vs Indy

43) Shane Vareen vs Indy

44) Felix Jones @ Arizona

45) Javon Ringer @ Buffalo

46) Ricky Williams @ Cle

WR’s

1) Calvin Johnson @ NO

2) Steve Smith @ TB

3) Greg Jennings @ NYG

4) Wes Welker vs Indy

5) Larry Fitzgerald vs Dallas

6) Mike Wallace vs Cincy

7) Brandon Marshall vs Oakland

8) Marques Colston vs Detroit

9) Victor Cruz vs GB

10) Laurent Robinson @ Arizona

11) AJ Green @ Pittsburgh

11A) Vincent Jackson @ Jax

12) Jordy Nelson vs NYG

13) Roddy White @ Houston- Don’t like this matchup against Houston ranked 2nd against the pass.

14) Dez Bryant @ Arizona

15) Andre Johnson vs Atlanta- TJ Yates factor

16) Hakeem Nicks vs GB

17) Brandon Lloyd @ SF

18) Percy Harvin vs Denver

19) Antonio Brown vs Cincy

20) Stevie Johnson vs Ten

21) Santonio Holmes @ Washington

22) Plaxico Buress @ Washington

23) Dwayne Bowe @ Chicago

24) Eric Decker @ Minnesota

25) Julio Jones @ Houston

26) Michael Crabtree vs St. Louis

27) Reggie Wayne @ NE

28) Damien Williams @ Buffalo

29) Nate Washington @ Buffalo

30) Deion Branch vs Indy

31) Anquan Boldin @ Cle

32) Denarius Moore @ Miami

32A) Pierre Garcon @ NE

33) Santana Moss vs NYJ

34) Lance Moore vs Detroit

35) Malcolm Floyd @ Jac

36) Greg Little vs Baltimore

37) Torrey Smith @ Cle

38) Nate Burleson @ NO

39) Johnny Knox vs KC

40) James Jones @ NYG

41) Steve Breaston @ Chicago

42) Jabaar Gaffney vs NYJ

43) Jerome Simpson @ Pit

44) Harry Douglas @ Houston

TE’s

1) Jimmy Graham vs Detroit

2) Rob Gronkowski vs Indy

3) Aaron Hernandez vs Indy

4) Jason Witten @ Arizona

5) Fred Davis vs NYJ- Jets can’t cover tight ends

6) Antonio Gates @ Jax

7) Jermichael Finley @ NYG- This has to be a matchup Finley exploits

8) Tony Gonzalez @ Houston

9) Kellen Winslow vs Carolina

10) Dustin Keller @ Washington

11) Heath Miller vs Cincy

11A) Jacob Tamme @ NE

12) Brandon Pettigrew @ NO

13) Greg Olsen @ TB

14) Jermaine Gresham @ Pit

15) Jake Ballard vs GB

16) Owen Daniels vs Atlanta

17) Ed Dickson @ Cleveland

18) Anthony Fasano vs Oakland

19) Scott Chandler vs Ten

20) Visanthe Shiancoe vs Denver

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by | October 28, 2010 · 10:08 am

The Busts of the 2010 Season

By: Rick Findura

We’re coming into week 8 of the NFL season, and of course your fantasy campaign.  Players have now had their opportunity to separate themselves from the middle of the pack, and prove that they’re elite options at their position.  On the other side of the spectrum however, there are players that have taken the first 7 weeks to, well, really piss off some fantasy owners.  If there is one word an owner doesn’t want to hear about any of his players, it’s “Bust.”  A bust of course, is that player that you decided to build your team around and hasn’t produced nearly to what you expected.  The player you couldn’t wait to draft on draft day.  The player who was sold to you as a sure bet, and promptly went on to leave you spinning your wheels and updating your “Trading Block.”  That dreaded word has slowly crept into this season as well.  Let’s take a look at some of the names that had you dreaming of fantasy glory and have left you cursing at your television.  I’ll also tell you if this is a trend, or if you can expect a big bounce back, as we make our way through this fantasy season.

Running Back

Ray Rice

This one hurts me.  I’m a Jersey guy, gives me a little pride when one of Rutgers own goes to the NFL and makes a name for himself.  And this one hurts too because, well, Rice is a really good player.  The only thing worse for a fantasy owner than a running back duo in the NFL, is a running back duo that helps the team win football games.  There is no reason for the Ravens to stop giving the ball to Willis McGahee.  There was a game 2 weeks ago where McGahee touched the ball zero times against the Pats, but in the last 3 games where he’s gotten a carry, he’s averaged almost 12 carries a game!  And he’s scored a TD in all 3.  Rice has only 2 TD’s all year.  After McGahee stole 12 TD’s last year, I thought for sure Rice would get about half of those back for himself this year.  Nope.  Worst of all for Rice, he has only 24 catches this season after securing 78 last year.
Advice: Shop around.  Unless you’re atop your league and see no reason to change anything, there really isn’t a reason you shouldn’t try to trade Rice for say, a bona fide WR1 and a back who is guaranteed to carry the load for his team.  Risky, I know…but maybe somebody you just need to let go…

Maurice Jones-Drew

MJD is quite a different case from Rice.  MJD is on an offense that, is kind of really bad.  Jones-Drew is getting the ball, he’s just not doing anything with it.  Only 1 rushing TD on the season.  In the past MJD has been someone you can at least trust to put the ball in the end zone, but it’s just not happening this year.  Like Rice, I’m sure he was taken in the top 5 of your draft, and these are just not top 5 numbers.  More like round 4 numbers.  Only 1 game topping 100 yards? C’mon MoJo, where’s that bowling ball on the loose we’re all waiting for?
Advice: You’ve rode him this far.  MJD has a favorable schedule coming up.  He’s someone who usually scores TD’s in bunches, and he may have a little run in him left.

Shonn Greene

I happened to check the rankings on Yahoo! Sports and noticed that Shonn Greene was the 149th best player in fantasy football.  Shocking? No.  They had him projected as the 9th best player coming into the year…wait…really??  It’s not Greene’s fault that he was hyped up and drafted in the 2nd round, even late 1st in some drafts.  LT has had a monster year, which I actually saw coming. (I’m not rubbing it in, just saying.)  It’s not that Greene can’t do it.  The only game he’s gotten more than 15 carries he rushed 22 times for 117 yards.  I know TD’s don’t tell the whole story, but for a guy who was drafted as a RB1 for a lot of people…1 just isn’t gonna cut it.
Advice: LT is old, we know that.  Can he break down toward the end of the year? Yes.  If you can get by a little longer, Greene might get a chance.  If he was drafted as your RB1 and he’s still considered that on your team, well you probably stopped looking at fantasy football then.

Ryan Mathews

Rookie running backs, can’t live with them, can’t stop drafting them.  Of all the backs coming into the league this year (Best, Spiller, Tate, Hardesty etc.)  it was Mathews who was the sure thing.  Norv Turner was talking about all the touches he was going to get.  Well, a game and a half into his career he had 2 fumbles and a cart taking him off the field.  He only missed one game, but since coming back he’s had more than 9 carries only once.  Rookies are tough.  You want to be the guy who drafts him and says, “I told you so” at the end of the year.  If you drafted Mathews, you’re probably saying things that I can’t repeat in the article.
Advice: If you’re in a keeper league he’d look nice on your bench.  If you’re not in a keeper league, well, call Phillip Rivers and tell him to stop throwing the ball so much.

Wide Receivers

Andre Johnson

Okay, now it’s time to have some fun.  Let’s talk a little bit about Andre Johnson, who I love by the way.  It’s nothing personal here.  He’s a different kind of bust.  In 99.9% of all leagues he was the first receiver taken, and who could blame anyone?  He had a tremendous season last year, everyone knows his size and speed combo is unmatched at the receiver position.  But when you’re talking fantasy football, and you’re throwing all your eggs into the Andre Johnson basket, and you look up to see…32 catches, 488 yards, and 2 TD’s.  You’re not satisfied with that.  Now, he’s had 2 monster games in which he totaled 20 catches for 296 yards and both his scores.  That leaves you with 4 games where you were wishing you went in another direction.  One of those games was missed to injury, and that’s another thing that worries you about Johnson.  I’m not saying you should drop him, I’m not saying you should sit him.  I mean, you can name your first-born child after him, he’s that good.  But temper your expectations a little bit.  He’ll still have beast games, just not as consistently as you’d like them.
Advice: Stick him in your lineup and take the ups with the downs.

Larry Fitzgerald

Now I don’t want to kick a man while he’s down, but sorry Fitz.  Everybody knew it wasn’t going to be the same without Kurt Warner.  Whether it was Matt Leinart, Derek Anderson, Max Hall…Fitz’s numbers were going to go down.  The question was how far.  The answer is, more than I thought.  I didn’t think he’d be a top 5 receiver…I didn’t think he’d be a top 10 receiver…I kinda thought top 15 was more attainable.  Right now, Larry Fitzgerald is the 41st best receiver in fantasy football.  41st!  I’m an accounting major, so I can multiply. (Bear with me).  If you’re in a 12 team league, and you start 3 receivers.  That’s 36 receivers.  Larry Fitzgerald is the 41st best.  With that reasoning, he should be sitting on someone’s bench.  I’m not going to sit here and tell you to bench Fitz ,unless you have 3 top flight guys who you start.  Don’t expect a turnaround though.  This may just be the hand that was dealt to Larry this year.  Hang in there kid.
Advice: Names can carry more weight then production in fantasy sometimes.  Find that guy who’s not sure what he’s doing and give him Fitz.  “Hey, he’s been the best fantasy receiver over the past 3 years!”  That’ll really rope him in!

Steve Smith (Car)

This one won’t take long.  Matt Moore + Jimmy Claussen + a football = not in Steve Smith’s hands often.  There’s that math coming in handy again.  Everyone knows Steve Smith is one of the toughest, most entertaining guys in the league.  He’s also the 60th best receiver in fantasy football.
Advice: Stop hoping.  It’s not going to happen.

Quarterbacks

Matt Schaub

I drafted Matt Schaub in the 4th round.  I’m in a league where we just implemented milestones and I was dizzy.  I thought he’d be an easy pick, he led the entire league in passing yards last season.  He also has the best receiver in the game…(see above).  He disappointed me week 1, and then made me fall in love with him in week 2 when he tossed for 497 yards, milestones! Yay!  It was short-lived.  In the 3 weeks after he tossed for under 300 yards in all 3, and under 200 in 2 of them.  He bounced back with a nice game against Kansas City heading into the bye, but still ranks a very mediocre 13th in the league in passing yards.  Only throwing 9 TD’s doesn’t help.
Advice: This coming week is a big one for Matt Schaub owners.  Monday Night in Indianapolis.  It figures to be a shootout.  Arian Foster embarrassed the Colts in week 1, and they will try their best to not let him do it again.  That should open things up for Schaub.  If he can get rolling, his season may not be lost quite yet.

Kevin Kolb

I know it’s tough to judge him after being injured in week 1.  This one however, is a bit of an “I told you so” to a buddy of mine who believed the hype on Kolb.  I read a magazine that had him ranked 9th best QB.  In what world?  He played 2 games last year, it took less than a half in week 1 to see this was a disaster.  Then Michael Vick comes out and plays like, well Michael Vick, but one who can throw the ball too, and Kolb is kicked to the curb.  Vick gets hurt, Kolb starts, Vick comes back, blah blah blah, this is just one headache that I’m glad I didn’t get caught in.
Advice: Nice pick Jimmy.

So there you have it.  If you were one of those owners who took the opportunity to draft one of these players, I know it’s been tough.  But take it from a man who once drafted Trung Canidate as a starting running back…( I swear, he was supposed to start for the Redskins!)  It’ll all be better…and there’s always next year.

 

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by | October 6, 2010 · 11:52 pm

Week 5 Hit & Recovery List by Alan Squatrito

The Hit & Recovery List will be a weekly column listing the Week’s most important injured players at each position and the best players to replace them with at their corresponding position in order of replacement effectiveness.


NFL HIT LIST
1.Steve Smith                 (The Real Steve Smith)
2.Lesean McCoy                   (Shady McCoy)
3.Michael Vick                       (Ron Mexico)
4.Darren McFadden              (Run D.M.C.)
5.Clinton Portis                           (Bubba)

It’s not going to be easy to fill in your lineups with someone to replace The Real Steve Smith. People also like to call him Football Rambo. On the flip side, his production hasn’t been great anyway so you might as well take the jump now anyway. Below are waiver wire fantasy wide receivers I think you should take a look at to plug in your lineups this week if you need help at that position.

  1. Brandon Tate – Now that Randy Moss is on the Vikings, Brandon Tate’s stock is going to rise significantly. Also, if your fantasy league gives you points for kickoff returns and punt returns taken to the house, this is a no brainer! Stash this cat on your bench as the Pats go into their week 5 bye.
  2. Steve Johnson – Ryan Fitzpatrick is not necessarily a winning quarterback nor will he ever will be (sorry Bills Fans) however he can make games fun to watch and he can put up some points. Steve Johnson has been doing a solid job ever since Trent Edwards got traded to the Jags and I see Steve Johnson as a consistent 3 wide receiver to take a risk on………………when the matchups are right. This week the Bills are at home playing against the Jags. Plus the Guy can jump over a Cadillac Escalade
  3. Brandon Gibson – Mark Clayton needs a sidekick too, lately Rookie Sam Bradford has been going through his progressions and looking for that other guy to make a play for the Rams. Brandon Gibson is the guy. The Rams play the Lions this week.
  4. Anthony Armstrong – You want to take a risk and be praised for it? This is the guy that will make that fat chick who knows just about as much football as your high school coach turn her head when you walk by her. That’s right I just said it, this is my sleeper wide receiver of the week. Mike Shanahan loves this kid and knows they need a real deep threat to add to their passing game, playing to one of Donovan’s strengths as well as his stellar play action fake. At 38 years old, Joey Galloway is just not going to cut it. Armstrong caught a huge pass for 59 yards last weekend and was very close to scoring a huge TD. So he was an inch away from being the biggest waiver wire pickup this week, next to Brandon Tate. The Redskins play a high flying Packers team at home and hope to keep up.
  5. Earl Bennett/James Jones/Jason Avant/David Clowney – These are the guys that have a chance of scoring each week but they are more of a solid 3-12 points each game. These guys are low end number three receivers and are scary (in a bad way) to put in each week. Despite that these players can make you cringe when you plug ‘em in your  lineup, if they do well, you feel that much cooler. Newly acquired David Clowney has raw talent all over him. He needs a better sense of the field but when Steve Smith comes back this kid will be a solid number two wide receiver the Panthers were looking for. Just keep that in the back of your mind.

Well if you drafted Clinton Portis, I hope you picked up Larry Johnson. If you picked up Larry Johnson, I hope you dropped him and picked up Ryan Torain. Clinton Portis is always falling apart despite his skill and blocking level. There are a couple of good waiver wire pickups to have this week and some are good to stash on your bench if you need running back help.

1.Ryan Torain – If you don’t have him by now, tough break. He’s probably gone on most waivers except possibly ten team leagues. Ryan Torain is a downhill runner and he likes to lay into people. I think he is a solid flex and even a solid number 2 running back start this week against the Packers.

2. Michael Bush – Darren McFadden’s strength is his speed. Hamstring injuries can be lingering and tough to deal with all year round. Raiders’ offense with Bruce Gradkowski has been surprisingly good. They move the ball well and Michael Bush will get his. Bush is a solid flex start this weekend against the Chargers unless they fall behind the Chargers fast and have to go to the air.

3. Danny Woodhead – Fantasy Alert! This guy is the new check down/underneath player the Patriots are falling in love with. He’s a smaller Wes Welker at the running back position, filling in for injured Kevin Faulk. Pick this guy up a.s.a.p.! He is low to the ground and electric. I know he is on a bye this week but stash him on your bench regardless.

4. Chris Ivory – The Saints play the Cardinals this week. This can get ugly. This can get so ugly that Chris Ivory can run wild in the late quarters of the game if the game is over early. Chris Ivory shows explosiveness which is always good to have when you’re playing for a fast New Orleans Saints team. Even if Pierre Thomas is healthy and plays he’s still worth a start this week against the Cardinals.

5.John Kuhn/Mike Bell/Derrick Ward – I put these guys all in order for a reason. Mike Bell is going to San Francisco against a desperate 0-4 team. His job for the Eagles was simply the go to guy to pick up a yard or two. I am not convinced of this guy yet nor do I think I will be.  However he will be given the full load and Shady McCoy has a shady injury that hasn’t been revealed yet to its fullest. Consider Mike Bell a desperate flex player this week against the 49ers. Silly head Coach Kubiak loves Derrick Ward now and has talked about giving him the ball more so just in case Arian Foster comes late to another meeting or God forbid goes down, pick Derrick up for your team. John Kuhn is a solid football player on a more than solid football team. With a team that always travels up and down the field this guy isn’t bad to take a chance on each week. He does split carries with Brandon Jackson, but he looks like he will be the goal line carrier when it’s all said and done.

Quarterbacks

  1. Shaun Hill – I know this may sound crazy but if Stafford isn’t going to go this weekend, Shaun Hill is the guy. The Lions ripped apart the Packers zone defense last week in Green Bay despite the loss. They put up 26 points against one of the best defenses in football. The Lions play at home this weekend and have no good excuse to lose to the St.Louis Rams.
  1. Bruce Gradowski – He looks like Jeff Garcia. Could it be? Bruce Gradowski finds a way to move the ball, even if it will cost him his life. Don’t forget he beat the Steelers last year in Heinz Field. He should put up decent numbers against the Chargers this week.
  1. Sam Bradford – I like the kid, I really do. He looks through his progressions and you can tell he puts in the extra time before and after practice. He is going to be a good one in the future and may put up decent numbers this week against the Lions.

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by | October 4, 2010 · 3:05 pm

Player Updates 10/4

Eagles QB Mike Vick left Sunday’s game after suffering chest and rib injury and is scheduled to have an MRI today. Vick was injured after making a great run down to the goal line and was just rocked by two defenders. To add insult to injury their was a holding penalty on that run and the play didn’t count anyway. Kevin Kolb replaced Vick and was mediocre at best. The fear is that Vick has a fractured collarbone so it appears were going to get a second look at Kevin Kolb, at least for a few weeks. SOURCE: Jeff McLane on Twitter UPDATE: No fractured rib or collarbone for Vick, he does have a rib cartilage injury. No timetable yet as to how long he will be out but is considered day to day right now as Vick’s ribs are very sore.

Eagles RB LeSean McCoy now has a fractured rib. HC Andy Reid just made the announcement. No word yet on how long he will be out. The mess is Philly continues to get worse. Mike Bell would get the start if McCoy is going to be out for any period of time. SOURCE: Adam Schefter on Twitter

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew admits he suffered a light ankle sprain during their upset victory over the Colts. He should be good to go this week, but will probably be limited if not held out of a few practices this week. Check back with us throughout the week for updates. SOURCE: Florida Times Union

Bears QB Jay Cutler was knocked out of Sunday nights have with concussion like symptoms after getting sacked 9 times in the first half against the Giants. His status for next week is not yet known, so monitor the situation closely.

Carolina WR Steve Smith was carted off Sunday against the Saints and has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain. This injury usually takes a few weeks to recover from so start looking for other options as they will play it safe with Smith, although he does appear to be a quick healer.  Rookie’s Brandon LaFell and David Gettis would be the starters if Smith misses significant time. SOURCE: Adam Schefter on Twitter

Chargers RB Ryan Mathews has the confidence of his coach Norv Turner and stated that Mathews is still our starter. The reason behind this is that Mike Tolbert had the bulk of the carries as well as being the most productive with his carries. Tolbert had over a 100 total yards and a TD while Mathews had 68 total yards and a TD. Mathews is a pretty safe start going forward and should see his touches increase week by week. SOURCE: San Diego Union-Tribune

Raiders RB Louis Murphy admitted he reaggravated his Collarbone injury and that played a major role in him not seeing a lot of snaps and dropping that pass which was deflected and interecepted to close out the win for the Texans. Keep an eye on Murphy as the week goes on. SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle

Texans RB Arian Foster was benched for the 1st quarter in Sunday’s win over the Raiders after missing a team meeting. No worries fantasy owners as Foster came into the game in the 2nd quarter and totaled 187 yards and 2 TD. Keep him in all lineups going forward and is a solid low end RB2. SOURCE: John McClain on Twitter

Redskins RB Clinton Portis left Sunday’s game against the Eagles with a groin injury. Portis said he heard his groin pop and immediately went to the trainers table. If you haven’t already picked up Ryan Torain, do it now as Portis will probably miss at least a few weeks of time.

Rams RB Steven Jackson(groin) played yesterday and totaled 124 yards. He said he felt fine during and after the game so it looks like Jackson should be fine going forward.

Texans WR Andre Johnson was a last minute scratch Sunday against the Raiders with an ankle injury. The Texans are reporting they actually decided Johnson wouldn’t play Saturday night but also feel he should be ready to go next week. This is a situation you want to obviously monitor so check back daily for updates on this injury. SOURCE: Houston Chronicle

Texans WR Jacoby Jones left Sunday’s game with an injury to his calf. The severity of the injury is not yet known so keep your eye on this. Losing Jones opens things up for backup TE Joel Dreesen, who had five catches for 73 yards to lead the team. SOURCE: Houston Chronicle

Steeler QB Ben Roethlisberger, Texans LB Brian Cushing and Jets WR Santonio Holmes are all eligible to return this week after serving four game suspensions. Big Ben won’t return until week 6 as the Steelers have their bye week in week 5. All 3 of these guys are safe starts going forward with Cushing obviously being a starter in IDP leagues.

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by | September 24, 2010 · 12:38 am

Start Them Guys-Sit These Guys

By Steve DeAngelo

Week 3 is almost here and as we go along we are getting a better feel more and more of which guys should be in our lineups and which guys should not. However there are always tough decisions to be made each week and that is the purpose of this column. The point is to show you that FantasySavvy has the confidence to go with a particular player and you should to. Also it works the other way around as we won’t be so confident in particular guys in an upcoming matchup. In this weekly article we try to leave most of the players out that should be in or out of your lineup without question, but sometimes you need to be reminded just in case. We advise you trust FantasySavvy on our recommendations but at the end of the day it’s your team and your responsibility. Good Luck this weekend and make sure to check our radio show tonight at 11est at Blogtalkradio.com/FantasySavvy

Start Them

QB

Carson Palmer

He has the weapons, T.O, Ocho Cinco, Gresham, Shipley and this week he has a favorable matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Eli Manning put up a solid week 1 game against them and 2nd year QB Josh Freeman even had a fairly good game against last them last week. Palmer should enjoy a nice week and should be able to connect with his plethora of wideouts. Start him with confidence this week. I expect at least 250 yards and 2-3  TD’s.

Mike Vick

Yes, Andy Reid did a 360 on us earlier this week when he announced Vick to be the starter going forward instead of Kevin Kolb. It’s great news for Owners who picked up Vick and showed faith in him to retain the job. FantasySavvy thought he would eventually take the job just not this week. Well it’s good because if Vick hadn’t taken it this week it would have been harder to get it back the job because the Eagles play the weak Jacksonville secondary on Sunday and Kolb most likely would have had a fairly good game. Instead, Reid changed his mind maybe fearing that Kolb would have had a good game and then possibly thinking it would have been harder for him to replace Kolb so he went with Vick.

Vick enjoys a nice matchup this week and should be in your lineups unless you have Drew Brees or any other of those elite QB’s.

Donovan Mcnabb

This one is easy Mcnabb vs the St. Louis defense. Mcnabb enjoyed a breakout game last week throwing for 426 yards although just one TD. However this week, while he may not throw for 400 I think he gets at least 2-3 TD’s and about 300 yards passing. Get him in your lineups and get ready for a nice game from him as he continues to hook up with Santana Moss and Chris Cooley.

Brett Favre

Favre has been miserable threw two weeks thus far with 1 TD and 4 picks. Also to make matters worse the Vikings tried to pursue Vincent Jackson but Chargers GM blocked the deal as he wanted more from the Vikes. However, things improve for Farve and the 0-2 Vikings as they take on the Detroit Lions at home. Yes Favre has looked out of sync with his wideouts and his wideouts aren’t playing that well either but Detroit should solve these problems. After being questionable earlier in the Week Percy Harvin looks to be Ok for Sunday as well as Benard Berrian. I think Favre goes for about 250 through the air this week with 2-3 TD’s.

Sit These

Chad Henne

Darrelle Revis is out for the Jets but Henne still faces a tough matchup vs the Jets. They will still be blitzing him and this should still be a low scoring game. Henne might put up 200 yards but won’t throw more than 1 TD. Jets still have some talent in the secondary and Henne is still a young inexperienced QB.

Derek Anderson

The Raiders stink but Derek Anderson is worse. He shouldn’t sniff lineups, this guy is so inaccurate it makes me question Ken Whisenhunt’s judgement by just making him the starter this year and cutting Matt Leinart so easily.

Matt Hasselback

Good Week 1 terrible Week 2. Matt Hasselback is a shell of his former self. He really looks like Grandpa out there. His wideouts aren’t that good either and he has no running game to support him. Please don’t start him, you should just cut him.

RB’s

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Marion Barber

Barber has been disappointing dating back to last year. This year he has 19 carries for just 70 yards and 0 TDS. However this week against Houston I believe Dallas tries to get the run game going a little bit more. Houston’s secondary has been pretty bad (last week 426 yards to Mcnabb) so Dallas will attack through the air with success as well but that only works in Barber’s favor. He remains Dallas’ goaline back and he should have a lot of opportunities to punch it into the endzone this week. While Barber probably won’t get 100 yards rushing I think he gets into the endzone at least once and he could have a multiple TD game. Dallas will be moving the ball all game against Houston and Barber will get the looks inside the 10 yard line.

Jamal Charles

Charles was a high pick for many in drafts this year and to this point he has been disappointing. Well he hasn’t disappointed personally it’s just his coaches have yet to give him his deserving touches. Thomas Jones saw 22 carries last week but most of those carries came late when the Chiefs were trying to run the clock out. To date Charles YPC is 6.7 while Jones is only 3.7. Charles has as many rushing yards and more TD’s than Jones on 11 less carries. So it’s obvious by watching and statistically that Charles is the more talented back but for now Jones continues to see more time because he is the ol’ reliable veteran.

So what am I getting to? Charles does have a tough matchup vs a pretty good 49ers Defense this week led by Patrick Willis but Todd Haley recently stated that he will use Jones or Charles more based on how they match up against defenses. So for this week that Bodes well for Charles. He has the speed to get around the perimeter and the moves to make guys miss, Thomas Jones does not possess those skills. Look for Charles to be a factor in the receiving department and to get more looks on the ground this week. He is simply too lethal to be placed on your bench. Before it’s too late go and trade for Jamal Charles as well because before long he will be getting more and more carries and making a bigger impact as he is the best offensive player on his team.

Shonn Greene and L.T.

Look for the Jets to try to pound the rock more than ever this week against Miami on Sunday Night. Braylon Edwards won’t start and he probably won’t play that much this week against Miami. I expect Rex to make somewhat of an example out of him. With that said I believe Rex’s gameplan will be to run the rock. Look for Greene to have his best game as a Jet and for L.T. to also have a good game. I can see both of them getting into the endzone this week. Look for Greene to put up more yards on the ground it could very well be 80-100 with a couple of TD’s. L.T is a good play in PPR leagues especially and I believe he will have around 70-80 total yards with a TD as well. Both are solid Low End #2 backs this week and Great flex plays.

Mike Tolbert

Look for the Jerome Bettis clone to do some bruising against that Seahawks front seven this weekend. The Chargers will move the ball on this defense and Tolbert will get all the goal line carries. He isn’t an easy man to bring down. Ryan Matthews has a high ankle sprain so while he continues to be out Tolbert is a solid option. Get him in your lineups as Tolbert is going to see the endzone at least once this week and possibly twice.

Ahmad Bradshaw

Bradshaw, as we’ve known has been the most talented back in the Giants backfield for sometime but Jacobs was still eating into Bradshaw’s full potential. While Jacobs remains there, it’s obvious that Jacobs is disgruntled evidenced by his helmet throwing incident last Sunday Night. With this, Bradshaw should take on a slightly bigger role now and I like his matchup this week against Tennessee. The Titans did a fairly good job last week against Pittsburgh and Rashad Mendenhall but that is because they crowded the box and dared Charlie Batch to beat them. This week it will be different as they will have to account for Eli Manning and his talented wide receiver core. Bradshaw should see some success on the ground as well as a receiver out of the backfield. I expect him to have a Similar game to what Darren Mcfadden did in week 1 to the Titans when he had over 140 total yards rushing and receiving with a TD. Get Bradshaw in your lineups this week and start with confidence.

Sit These

Brandon Jackson

It was announced earlier this week by Packers head coach Mike Mcarthy that Brandon Jackson would not be a 3 down back going forward. We all expected him to take over Ryan Grant’s role and get the lion’s share of carries but in week 2 he only got 9 although he did get a TD. Still Jackson really hasn’t impressed throughout his career and didn’t impress last week so Mcarthy looks like he wants to give John Kuhn even reps with Jackson. To make matters worse Jackson goes up against a tough Bears Run defense and this is simply a terrible matchup for him. He should be on your benches and he doesn’t really look like an impressive option in the future as well.

Thomas Jones

As stated earlier this is not a good matchup for Thomas Jones against a tough 49ers defense. Running inside won’t come easy against Patrick Willis and Co. The Chiefs most likely will look to use Jamal Charles more to get to the outside and use his speed to create offense. Jones is not a safe option this week even as a flex play.

Ronnie Brown

Another tough matchup for Brown as last week he went against the stingy Minnesota run defense. It doesn’t get easier this week vs the Jets. Yes they are without Kris Jenkins but Mike Devito has filled in fairly nicely and the Jets still are geared to stop the run. This will most likely be a low scoring game and remember Brown is still splitting time with Ricky Williams. Keep Brown on the Bench unless you have no other options.

WR’s

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Terrell Owens

He was supposed to be Batman and Ocho was supposed to be Robin but so far T.O has been Catgirl. However this week he has a nice matchup against Carolina and I expect T.O. to finally see the endzone this week. I like T.O this year and think as he gets more on par with Palmer he will get better. Cedric Benson recently expressed his frustration with the Bengals supposedly being geared more towards the pass now but he should just be quiet. He still got 23 carries last week and T.O and Ocho have to get theirs. After all how in the world you gon stop Ocho Cinco? How in the world you gon Stop T.O? Getcha Popcorn Ready! Click the underlined!

Santana Moss

Santana is still talented even at the age of 31. He really just hasn’t had a QB to get him the ball. Now with Mcnabb that has changed. Moss’ talents aren’t being wasted any longer. He is one of the better route runners in the league and one of the quicker and speedier wideouts in the league. Him and Mcnabb have already shown solid chemistry through the first two weeks and it won’t stop this week against St. Louis. Moss could be in for a juicy game. Go and trade for Moss as well he will remain solid all season.

Mark Clayton

The Skins have been torched through the air through the first two weeks and even though they are facing the Rams and rookie Sam Bradford, the Rams should still be able to move it through the clouds. Mark Clayton has always been talented he just has never been able to put it all together. Now with Sam Bradford constantly targeting him he has 3 TD’s already this year and is starting to show that talent. He should be heavily targeted again this week and his a nice play. Put him in there this week.

Jeremy Maclin

Maclin possess good speed and has a nice matchup this week against Jacksonville. Vick will hit him on drags and deep crossing routes. Maclin will be open and he could even go for a TD this week. He serves as a fairly decent flex play this week because of the matchup. Go with Maclin while Vick remains hot.

Dez Bryant

Bryant is a bit banged up this week but he is on target to play Sunday and insists he will play as well. As you saw last week Donovan Mcnabb passed for 426 yards last week against Houston so there is no reason to expect Tony Romo and Co not to have similar success. Dez Bryant should have a nice game this week because of the matchup. Monitor the injury but he should be Ok. His matchup is just too good to leave him on the bench. Plus it helps that the guy is extremely talented.

Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon

While the Colts look to want to the run the ball more (43 times last week against the NYG) it makes sense this week to return back to the passing game. The reason being is Champ Bailey is most likely going to miss this matchup. Also the Broncos other corner Andre Goodman is also questionble.

Austin Collie is a must start but owners should also consider Pierre Garcon even though he has disappointed and Manning seems to have lost some faith in him. However, Pierre is still a very talented wideout and this is a good week with the Broncos secondary heavily depleted to get him back in your lineups. Again if you have safer options go with that but if Garcon makes sense this week for your lineup then go with him.

Legedu Naanee and Malcom Floyd

Simply put if Kyle Orton can throw all over Seattle then Phillip Rivers should have no problem. Malcolm Floyd was limited in practice on Wednesday ,but looked Ok Thursday and should be fine for Sunday. He had only 3 catches last week but they went for 95 yards and a score. He will remain Rivers big play threat through the air.

After a nice Week 1 Legedue Naanee disappointed with only 1 catch for 14 yards last week. However this week he should rebound as the Chargers will look to throw the ball early and often with the absence of Ryan Matthews. Naanee is a better play in PPR leagues but he should be Ok for standard leagues as well. Get both of these guys in your lineups this week as the Chargers should be very successful through the air.

Sit These

Mike Williams-TB

Mike Williams has enjoyed a fairly solid rookie season thus far with only 84 yards but with touchdowns in back to back weeks. This is the week to avoid him however as he and Josh Freeman face the extremely tough Pittsburgh Defense. Freeman will be under duress all game and he won’t have much time to hit Williams let alone think. You saw what Pittsburgh did to Matt Ryan in Week 1 and Vince Young in Week 2, steer clear of Williams.

Jabaar Gaffney

Now with Demaryius Thomas emerging and Orton constantly looking Eddie Royal’s way Jabar Gaffney is slowly being phased out.  Gaffney finished with only 2 catches for 15 yards last week. Gaffney was being overrated as a solid sleeper coming into this year. When you’ve been in the league as long as he has and have never had over 60 catches I don’t see how you can be considered a sleeper. Nonetheless don’t start him this week and avoid this guy going forward. You can feel Ok just releasing him.

Steve Smith- Carolina

It’s not only the fact that Smith faces a tough Bengals Defense in week 3 but it’s also the fact that this will be his first start with Rookie Jimmy Claussen at the helm. Claussen takes over for Matt Moore and will take full reigns for now. It remains to be seen how the two will connect. Given Smith’s talent some good games should be expected upcoming but for this week you may want to explore other options as he tries to find a groove with the rookie as well as going against a solid defense in Cincy with two solid corners in Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall.

TE

Start Them

Aaron Hernandez

The highly talented Florida Gator product exploded onto the scene last week against the Jets for 100 yards receiving. If you picked him up this week than props to you. Or if you drafted this guy more props go to you. Hernandez runs like a wideout similar to the Jets Dustin Keller. Brady will look to him often this season so get him in your lineups.

Dustin Keller

Keller broke out last week with 100+ yards receiving and a TD. Sanchez will look to him even more this week against Miami with Braylon Edwards seeing a limited role this week after his DWI. Keller is talented and the young Sanchez will look Keller’s way often especially this week against Miami.

Tony Moeaki

Moeaki is another talented Tight End. Matt Cassell loves to throw short little dinky routes because of his lack of arm strength so look for Moeaki to be Cassell’s safety blanket. If you don’t have better options go with Tony this week.

Sit These

Kellen Winslow

As I stated earlier with Mike Williams, Tampa Bay’s QB has a tough matchup this week in Pittsburgh. They will be blitzing the hell out of the young Freeman and who knows what he will be able to do this week. Sit Winslow this week as his QB won’t be able to find him amongst the many Pittsburgh Blitzers.


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