NFL Post Week Nine Stock Watch

Running backs attack

Week nine saw some explosive performances from quarterbacks: Kurt Warner (261 yards, five touchdowns) and Jay Cutler (369 yards, three touchdowns) as well as wide receivers: Randy Moss (6-147-1) and Larry Fitzgerald (9-127-2). But when Sunday was said and done, the running backs showed again that they own the world of fantasy football.

Think of it like this: Bengals running back Cedric Benson posted 17 fantasy points (standard scoring) by racking up 117 rushing yards and one touchdown on a staggering 34 carries. That respectable point total was topped by seven other running backs.

Michael Turner (28), DeAngelo Williams (27), Chris Johnson (27), Joseph Addai (22), Frank Gore (21), Ray Rice (18), and Maurice Jones-Drew (18) all turned in rock-solid fantasy performances that formed the foundation for what should have been a big day for owners around the world.

Turner has now rushed for 317 yards and three touchdowns over the past two weeks, while Johnson has piled up a whopping 62 fantasy points in his last two games.

Imagine what you could get for either of these guys on the open market right now.

MBP Award (Most Beastly Performance)

Kurt Warner    Quarterback    Arizona Cardinals

Warner bounced back big time from an awful week eight outing in which he completed 27 of 46 passes for 242 yards, two touchdowns and FIVE interceptions in a 34-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

The veteran quarterback wasted no time making amends in Chicago, throwing four first-half touchdowns in a 41-21 blowout win over the Bears. Warner finished the day 22 of 32 passing for 261 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions.

However, Warner’s stat line is not the reason he won the MBP Award this week. The savvy vet landed the coveted hardware because he played so well that Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt put Matt “Hollywood” Leinart in for a little mop-up duty. The former Heisman Trophy winner completed zero passes on one attempt.

Players on the rise

Ladell Betts RB, Washington Redskins 

Matt Bowen’s former teammate at the University of Iowa and coincidentally, the Washington Redskins, came on in relief of the injured Clinton Portis to carry the ball 15 times for 70 yards and one touchdown. Betts doesn’t have breakaway speed, but with Portis out because of with a concussion, he’s a starting running back who can contribute in the fantasy world.

Be cautious

Before you go bidding the farm to land Betts, make sure you’re aware that his next three games are against the Denver Broncos (home), Dallas Cowboys (road), and Philadelphia Eagles (road).

Kellen Winslow TE , Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

With rookie quarterback Josh Freeman making his first career start, Winslow produced a season-high 14.3 yards per reception and found the end zone for the first time in four weeks. His week nine stat line (five targets, four receptions, 57 yards, one TD) was one of the more productive outings among tight ends this weekend. As Freeman adjusts to the speed of the NFL, look for him to target his reliable TE when the pocket collapses.

Matt Hasselbeck QB, Seattle Seahawks 

An early season rib injury looked like it was going to derail Hasselbeck’s 2009 campaign, but you wouldn’t know it based on his numbers over the past two weeks. In his last two games, the veteran quarterback is averaging 289.0 passing yards with three touchdowns and just one interception. He’s completed 67.7 percent of his passes during that span, having thrown the football an eyebrow-raising 90 times. Expect Seattle’s pass-happy ways to continue with an upcoming schedule that features games at Arizona, Minnesota, St. Louis, and Houston, as well as home games vs. San Francisco and Tampa Bay.

Jeremy Maclin WR , Philadelphia Eagles

His week nine stat line (three receptions for 44 yards) was not overly impressive, but this was: Maclin was targeted a career-high nine times on Sunday night, meaning quarterback Donovan McNabb is beginning to get more comfortable with the rookie from Missouri as the two continue to work together. DeSean Jackson is still the No. 1 in Philly, but Maclin is one of the best values in fantasy at the moment.

Dallas Cowboys  D/ST

Yes, they were on this list last week, but after an impressive road victory against a tough division rival, this stock continues to climb. The Cowboys defense went into a hostile environment and held the Eagles offense to just 16 points and 297 total yards. In addition, they picked up another four sacks en route