Departure from Fantasy Island (Week 8 Recap and Thoughts)

By: Steve DeAngelo

 

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Randy Moss is going to be released today after just 4 weeks with the Minnesota Vikings. Moss was fairly quiet in his time in New England until this year when he was traded. I thought he would be a happy camper back in Minnesota. However, Moss complained about the coaches not using the info he gave them for the Patriots game this week. Also we saw Moss giving the half hearted effort on a PI call where he could of finished the play and caught a TD. Instead he gave up and Minnesota failed to score a TD on that drive. Finally, today we heard rumblings about Moss complaining about Food that was ordered from a local restaurant and the Vikings players getting annoyed at him. It seems some of them were in agreement with Childress in wanting to let him go. At the same time, this Vikings team is 2-5 and they need Moss. He simply just creates more offense. Since Moss has arrived, Adrian Peterson, Brett Farve and Percy Harvin’s numbers have all improved. Sidney Rice is not expected back until at least Week 12 or Week 13 maybe longer. The Schedule eases up a bit for the Vikings but basically they just wasted a 3rd round pick on Moss. I can see why they cut him, but at the same time you have to be able to control your players and Brad Childress was simply unable to do that. Childress should be the next to leave, he is not a good head coach. Will see who Snatches up Moss, we will find out Wednesday at 4pm, early favorites are the Seahawks, Rams, Dolphins and Titans. Who will be the next team to take a chance on Randyyyyyyyyyy Moss.

 

Another Bizzare event occurred this weekend with Mike Shanahan benching Donovan Mcnabb for the final two drives of their game against the Lions. He benched him for Rex Grossman! Grossman, as we all know is a horrific quarterback, this move made absolutely no sense and in my mind was one of the dumbest decisions by a coach since Marty Morhinweg’s decision by electing to kick the ball overtime after winning the coin toss while coaching with the Lions. It wasn’t like Mcnabb was playing terrible. He had 200 yards passing on 17 of 30 with a TD and One pick. He also had 44 yards rushing. Shanhan’s reasoning was almost as dumb as the benching, saying Mcnabb wasn’t fit to run the two-minute offense because he hadn’t done it in 5 weeks and also his cardiovascular condition was a concern. So Rex Grossman who hasn’t started a game in 3 years was more ready to run a 2 minute offense than a QB who hasn’t done it in 5 games?  Grossman came in, got sacked lost the football and Ndamukong Suh picked it up and ran it in for a TD to seal the Lions victory.  Shanahan is a good coach who has two superbowls, but he doesn’t get a pass here. He was simply frustrated that his offense wasn’t clicking the way he thinks it should got angry and made a dumb decision. I could understand if they had a better backup, but Rex Grossman? Shanhahan gets a C’mon man for that moronic move.

 

The Cowboys are a complete shame. So much talent gone to waste. They simply played an uninspired game this week to Jacksonville as they lost 35-17 at home. Wade Phillips needs to go soon, I guess Jerry will just wait the year out and then make the move, but it’s coming. After such a lackluster effort this week it’s clear Wade Phillips has lost this team and has failed to motivate them.

 

Emerging

 

Matthew Stafford

Returning after being out with a shoulder injury since Week 2, Stafford threw for 212 yards and 4 TD’s against Washington. Stafford didn’t play great overall but found the endzone 4 times connecting 3 times with Calvin Johnson Aka Megatron. It was his first game back and had this type of game. Going forward you can expect more yards and multiple TD’s almost every game from Stafford. Throwing to a guy like Calvin Johnson makes him a solid start almost every week. Then he has Nate Burelson, Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler and Jahvid Best so it’s not only Johnson helping out Stafford.

 

LeGarrette Blount

I picked up Blount about 4 weeks ago and waited and waited and waited, but had to release him after he continued to do nothing. However last week we saw the sign that good things could be coming when he went for 67 yards on 11 carries. Well this week the former Oregon Duck had a breakout game running for 120 yards on 22 carries for two Td’s. It’s pretty clear he has taken the job from Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham and is the most talented back on the team. However keep in mind this was against Arizona and their 29th ranked Run D. However,  this is an emerging offense with Josh Freeman playing well and Mike Williams having a terrific rookie season. Blount should be a low-end #2 back going forward. He is talented just don’t expect many games like this.

 

Jacob Tamme

It’s simple Peyton Manning makes everyone look better. As long as you can run a route and have the ability to catch and get open he will get you the ball. Losing Dallas Clark was big, but Tamme is similar to Clark in that he runs good routes and has good speed for a TE. Last night Tamme finished with 6 catches for 64 yards and a TD. Manning likes to get the ball to his Tight End so Tamme should remain a factor every week. He could finish the year as a top 7 Tight end.

 

Fading

 

Cedric Benson

Well he’s been faded all year pretty much, but Benson just simply isn’t getting it done. The Bengals have turned into more of a pass first team, but Benson is still getting plenty of carries, he’s just not producing. He has only one 100 yard game all year vs the Pitiful Tampa Bay Run D and hasn’t scored since week 3. Again he is getting the carries with 40 of them the last two weeks. Take out the game for TB and he is only averaging 3.3 YPC.  It’s not looking good for Benson with his fantasy playoff matchups against Pittsburgh, Cleveland and San Diego. If you can trade him do it , if not hang on and just hope that he can start to find the endzone because the yards will be lacking.

 

Wes Welker

Welker is really struggling this year. Coming back from his ACL injury he just doesn’t look the same. He’s not as explosive. He doesn’t get out of his breaks as quick as he used to and doesn’t break tackles and make people miss as often either. It’s clear the injury has affected him. Also it doesn’t help that Randy Moss is gone to open up things for him. Welker hasn’t had a game over 75 yards all year and hasn’t scored since week 2. With Moss gone teams are starting bracket him more often. Also with Moss gone, Aaron Hernandez and Deion Branch have kind of taken his role a bit. I wouldn’t count out Welker yet, but the signs are there. He may have a couple big games ahead, but the consistency we saw from him in the past is most likely not to return, at least for this year.

 

Breakout

 

Jamal Charles

Charles finally broke out this week with 248 total yards. I have been waiting for this game the whole season and Charles finally got it. The guy averaged 8 yards per carry on Sunday and is now averaging 6.5 yards per carry. The only thing that is holding Charles back is the TD’s, he only has 3 of them. Charles is an absolute beast. I have been trying to trade for him all year but to no avail, if you landed him congrats. If not, keep trying especially in keeper leagues, he’s a top 5 back in this league in terms of talent.

 

Eating Crow

Darren Mcfadden

When Mcfadden was drafted I doubted him because of his skinny legs, and lack of agility. Two years in Mcfadden was looking like a bust, going down easy, not making defenders miss and often getting injured. While injuries remain a concern, this year Mcfadden is a completely different player. He is running with power and even his agility has improved. He looks like one of the best backs in the league right now. Mcfadden is averging 5.5 yards per carry, and has 5 games with over 125 total yards to go with 6 TD’s. As long as he stays healthy Mcfadden is going to produce every single week. He really worked hard in the off-season and it has shown.

 

Key Injuries from Week 8

Kenny Britt (Hamstring)

Let’s see owners including myself sit Britt in week 7 he explodes, and are anxious to get him in lineups for week 8. On Titans first drive of the game Young throws a bomb to a wide open Britt, but he pulls up lame with a hamstring injury. That’s fantasy football for ya. It looks like Britt is going to be out for at least a couple of weeks. It’s good Titans have a bye this week, but don’t expect him back until week 12 at least.

Ryan Torain (Hamstring)

Torain is hurt once again with a pulled hammy, there is no tear, but you can expect him to miss at least a week or two. This is not an easy injury to come back from see Darelle Revis, Knowshon Moreno this year.

Vernon Davis (Ankle)

Davis left early in this one, hurting many fantasy owners not just himself. No word on his status yet, but 49ers have a bye in week 9.

 

Vince Young (Ankle)

Young re-aggravated his ankle injury and left in the 2nd half against the Chargers after having a pretty good game. Titans have a bye week as well so Young has a good chance at returning in Week 10.

 

Donald Driver (Quad)

You can put Driver in the fading category as well, as he has been held without a catch two straight weeks now and has been silent for the last month. Driver left this one early as he was playing with this quad injury. Stay tuned, but you should have other options available.

 

Percy Harvin (Ankle)

Harvin is hurt again and it doesn’t help now that Randy Moss is gone. If he plays this week and I expect he will he has a nice matchup vs the Cardinals.

 

 

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