Three Fantasy Football Answers From Dolphins-Panthers Game

Let’s take a look at a few of the fantasy questions stemming from last night’s Dolphins-Panthers game:

Question: How would Ricky Williams fare as the every-down back for the Dolphins?

Answer: It’s impossible to draw any certain conclusions, considering the Panthers are among the worst rushing defenses in the league (allowing 130.7 rushing yards per game). Still, watching him torch them for 119 yards and two TDs, while adding two receptions for 19 yards and a TD, shows you that the skill is clearly there.

Consider that the man at the helm of the offense (Chad Henne threw for just 172 yards) is there to manage the offense, not win the game for them. Consider that the group of wide receivers are lackluster, at best. Consider that the second running back, Lex Hilliard, saw his first carries of the season in last night’s game.

Sum it all up and you realize that Williams is now the one big offensive weapon that the Dolphins have. He showed his ability to shoulder the load and with games against the Bills (173.0 rushing yards/game), Patriots (110.0 rushing yards/game), Jaguars (118.7 rushing yards/game) and Titans (109.3 rushing yards/game) on the schedule the next four weeks, he is a must-use option in all formats.

Question: Is DeAngelo Williams healthy?

Answer: If he isn’t, he certainly showed no ill effects from his knee injury, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. The team split the carries between him (13 carries for 122 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (12 carries for 43 yards), as well as giving Jake Delhomme 42 passing attempts. Otherwise, how many yards could he have rushed for?

I don’t have as much of a problem with splitting the carries, but when your QB goes 19-for-42 in a game that was not a blowout, you have to ask what they were thinking? 

Steve Smith had a solid game (seven catches, 87 yards, one TD), but it is clearly no longer his offense. The team needs to focus on where they dominate, and that is on the ground.

If they had stayed with their strength, this may have been a drastically different game.

Question: Who was the biggest fantasy surprise?

Answer: Panthers kicker John Kasay, which tells you a lot about this game.  It was all about the two main running backs, as no one else was particularly impressive.

Kasay, however, went 3-3 on field goals, hitting from 29, 33, and 48 yards. That performance likely brought in double-digit points, depending on your league, and could be the difference between winning and losing.

Need help setting your line-up for the week? Check out our rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
• Kickers
• Defenses

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