Bleacher Report - Fantasy

Pound for Pound: Who's Really the No.1 Ultimate Fighter?

Brad — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:45:25 -0500

What if? It's an age old question.

What if Kevin Dyson didn't get tackled by the Rams in the Super Bowl?

What if Babe Ruth struck out after calling his shot?

What if that my mom and dad didn't hook up in the back of the van at that Journey concert? Creepy? Yes.

Anyway, one can always ask what if. Here is a what if to ponder. What if the UFC decided to have brawl for it all tournament with no weight classes? A luck of the draw tournament to decide who the Ultimate Fighter really is.

This is how it was back in the day, 1993 to be exact, when Royce Gracie won the very first tournament. But just imagine it today, sixteen or twenty of your top fighters. Throw them against each other, no judges decisions, and 25 minutes to get it done (equivalent to five, five minute rounds).

If a fighter could not get it done in the 25 minutes than there would be another five minute round. All of the current rules would be enforced, minus judges decisions.

Here's how the tournament would work. Take your 16 top fighters from the various weight classes, consisting of all of your division champions plus 4 wild card entries for guys who would be outside of the top rankings but still in the UFC.

In today's UFC, clearly a tournament situation like this would not work because a guy like Kenny Florian or BJ would get crushed by a guy like Carwin or Lesnar or sat on by Roy Nelson. But in theory, a smaller fighter with really good technical skills and excellent cardiovascular conditioning, could outlast, and possibly defeat a stronger, bigger opponent.

What follows is a list of the fighters whom I think would make for an interesting tournament.

1. Brock Lesnar: I realize he's laid up right now but he is still a champion. Besides, someone has to play Darth Vader.

2. Anderson Silva: Listed as the P4P king by many people, it's time for him to prove it. Probably the odds on favorite to win it all.

3. Georges St. Pierre: It would be interesting to see No. 2 versus No.3. A complete MMA fighter with good striking skills, good ground skills, and he can submit anyone.

4. Lyoto Machida: He could possible pull the Royce Gracie and take it all. Dangerous and elusive. Plus, we recently discovered he has striking power.

5. Rashad Evans: A good wrestler with decent striking skills.

6. Shane Carwin: Always dangerous in the early going. An excellent striker with hands of granite

7. Mauricio Rua: Another good all around Brazilian fighter. Skilled in BJJ and a good striker.

8. Cain Velasquez: A good striker, perhaps a dark horse winner.

9. BJ Penn: The smallest guy in the tournament. He has world class BJJ skills and excellent endurance

10. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: Nog has made a living in brutal wars and would feel right at home in a situation like this.

11. Frank Mir: One of the best in submissions. He also has decent striking skills.

12. Randy Couture: He maybe 46, but you can never rule him out of a fight.

13. Rich Franklin: Former champ has good striking and submission skills.

14. Dan Henderson*:A very good wrestler and an excellent striker.

15. Vanderlei Silva: Another dangerous striker. He's also just terrifying.

16. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson*: BA Barracus himself. A dangerous fighter all around.

Wild Card Entries

1. Kimbo Slice: Not all that much experience, but this type of setting would be a benefit to him. He's a very dangerous striker.

2. Michael Bisping: A good kick boxer with some striking mixed in. Has good endurance as well.

3. Josh Koshchek: A good wrestler and striker.

4. Tito Ortiz: Puts butts in the seats. A ground and pound specialist.

Here's a list of only twenty UFC fighters. It's exciting to just imagine the possibilities. Who would be on your list, and who would you pick to win?

*No longer under UFC contract

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Cleveland Browns: Kick Them While They're Down—NFL Fantasy Football Rankings

Fantasy-Info .com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:55:13 -0500

I'm not someone that usually writes a downer piece about an organization or a team...but it's time to talk about the Cleveland Browns and their situation. After an embarrassing loss this past Monday night to the Ravens , it's easy to see why fantasy football owners will have continued success against the Browns.

This offseason, I was able to see some positives for the Browns and thought that they could be headed in the right direction.

I liked the fact that head coach Eric Mangini traded away his top five draft pick and received a bunch of picks in return. Not only did the Browns acquire more picks, but they also received some decent defensive players from the New York Jets .

Seeing that Mangini was the head coach of the Jets the prior season, it seemed to make sense that these players would make an impact.

When Cleveland finally selected their first round pick, they took Cal Bears star center Alex Mack . I believed this was another strong move (I still do) because it would give them another top talent on the offensive line.

Mangini did a nice job in New York building up his offensive line. This move only seemed to bolster both the passing and running games.

A Step Towards Success—A Step Towards Disaster

As the summer progressed, I believed that the Browns would be fine in the long run if they could get Brady Quinn and Braylon Edwards going. Quinn needed to establish himself as the clear starter on the team, while Edwards needed to re-establish himself as a true No. 1 receiver.

Unfortunately, both of those players failed to do so and by week five, Quinn was benched for Derek Anderson and Edwards was traded.

Prior to Anderson's benching after the team's week eight loss to the Bears, the offense was still struggling to produce. The sole bright spot on offense was the off and on play of rookie wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi .

Massaquoi was one of two receivers (other being Brian Robiskie) drafted in the second round by the Browns in April.

His highlight performance was against the Bengals in week four, as he totaled eight receptions for 148 yards. That game was the Browns best offensive performance of the season and this young Massaquoi led the way.

Unfortunately for Massaquoi, the team traded Braylon Edwards the following week and the rookie now has to deal with being the top receiver on the team. With that title, defenses will line up their best cornerback on you every week, and this top coverage hasn't helped Massaquoi's chances to produce.

Outside of Massaquoi's development, there isn't much else nice to say about this offense.

A Team Going Nowhere

With Quinn's arrival back in the starting lineup on Monday night, the team has become more conservative than ever. I'm not certain, but I can't remember more than maybe one play late in the game where the Browns threw a pass further than ten yards.

That is bad against just about every defense in football, and especially bad against the Baltimore Ravens. Just two weeks ago, the Ravens dominated the Denver Broncos as their offense tried a similar approach. Defenses will feed on an offense that can't challenge down the field.

If the Browns continue to play offense this way, and run the football ineffectively, than you should continue to start your fantasy players against this team.

As far as starting anyone on the Browns, I can possibly recommend Jamal Lewis or Massaquoi for this weekend. Both players aren't great, but they are getting an opportunity to play against the miserable Detroit Lions.

Rookie running back Chris Jennings is starting to take carries away from Lewis, and if Lewis should suffer an injury, Jennings might be worth a look.

Jennings isn't an explosive runner, but he should be able to handle the ball twenty plus times a game for the remainder of the season.

After this Season

It's clear that Mangini needs to leave this organization, as the Browns need a new outlook and fresh start. I'm not sure what it's going to take for this team to get going in a positive direction, but for starters, they could use a strong running game.

With a strong running game, they can prevent their defense from staying on the field for long periods of time. This will be key, as I can't see the passing game being dependable in the next few seasons.

In short, it's going to be a while before the Browns will turn things around, so in the meantime, start your fantasy defenses against them and enjoy.

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

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Three Fantasy Football Answers From Dolphins-Panthers Game

Eric Stashin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:23:05 -0500

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:

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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The NFL: How Fantasy Football Has Changed My Sundays

Kyle Flanagan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:03:47 -0500

When it comes to Major League Baseball, I have always been and will always be an Atlanta Braves fan. When you talk NBA, I’m a Utah Jazz fan through and through–despite the “sands of the hourglass” drama that is Carlos Boozer.

But when you talk NFL, I have just one team I care about: Kyle’s Krushers of the Gridiron Gaggle Fantasy Football League.

I don’t care that the New Orleans Saints are 9-0 on the season. But show me a Drew Brees touchdown pass to receiver Marques Colston, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get me a set of Bourbon Street beads.

Brees’ six touchdown passes in week one of the NFL season were even enough to make me forget about my Eli Manning fanship from last season.

I wouldn’t exactly say the San Francisco 49ers are my life. But when Vernon Davis reeled in seven passes, for 96 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3, I was the the first one on the Mike Singletary bandwagon.

This year, I was a huge New York Giants fan—well, at least a fan of their defense. But my Giants loyalty ran its course after their defense gave up 48, 24, 40, 21 points in their last four games respectively—all four losses.

But what about the old fantasy football conflict? Any fantasy football player sees this at least once a season.

For me it was the New York Giants’ defense facing my potent quarterback, Brees.

Brees tosses four touchdowns and 369 yards in the Saints 48-2 victory. One of Brees’ four scoring throws goes to my receiver, Colston—who finished with eight catches for 166 yards and the score against the Giants defense.

That’s a conflict you’ll take.

I don’t care for the Dallas Cowboys or their owner, Jerry Jones. But show me a highlight of a Patrick Crayton 50-yard touchdown pass, and I’ll show you my cardboard cutout of the Lonestar state.

I used to view football stats for what they are (i.e. Peyton Manning throws for 327 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in Sunday’s 35-34 win over the Patriots).

Now I see stats in a whole new light (i.e. Peyton Manning throws for 15 points (yards), plus 24 points (TD’s), plus 10 points (Over 300 yards bonus), minus four points (two per interception) for a total of 45 points—for my fantasy opponent.

There was a time in my life when I viewed a running back’s 100-yard game as brilliantly played football. Now I view a 100-yard performance as brilliantly drafted fantasy football.

Four years ago if you would have asked me who John Carney was, I would have asked if he graduated high school with me.

Now, when John Carney’s name is thrown around, I’m the first to respond with how many 50-plus field goals he’s knocked down this year (0), what his PAT percentage is this season (40-42, 95 percent), and what his career long field goal is (54 yards twice, 1991 and 1998).

I lose sleep over the fact that I took a chance on the former Kansas City Chief Larry Johnson with a third round pick. I smile when I see Jericho Cotchery catch six passes, for 66 yards and one touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and I wonder how he slipped to me in the ninth round of the fantasy draft.

I was devastated when Leon Washington went to the injured reserve list—not because I care about the New York Jets but because, up until his injury in Week 7, he had pulled in 64 points for my team.

Late Saturday night lineup changes make me happy. Informing an opponent that his quarterback is on a bye (before Sunday’s games) is a classy move. Tipping your hat to an opponent whose pick you made fun of, rattles off 100-plus yards rushing is the mark of a gentleman.

But despite the joy that is brought to the over 27 million people who spend an average of nine hours a week on fantasy football, there are some that say that fantasy football has ruined the game.

But me, I offer thanks to a former Oakland Raiders’ limited partner named Bill Winkenbach for his fantasy football idea in 1962.

I look the critics of fantasy football in the eye and say, “Go Krushers!”

*This article originally appeared on www.howtowatchsports.com

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NFL Fantasy Picks For Week 11: Start 'em Up and Sit 'em Down

Joe Fortenbaugh — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:55:42 -0500

Let’s get right down to business because I have a date with some Chicago deep-dish pizza later today.

Side Note: Any Chicago residents/fans know of some good restaurants/watering holes to check out? Local celebrity Matt Bowen has offered no help on this subject.

GET ‘EM IN YOUR LINEUP

Beanie Wells RB Arizona Cardinals: His playing time is on the rise (29 rushes over the past two games), and he’s averaging over 5.3 yards per carry in that same span.

As Wells continues to establish himself as the every down back position in Phoenix, owners should feel more comfortable about getting him in their starting lineup. A Week 11 date with the St. Louis Rams (28th in rush defense, 142.3 yards per game) is another opportunity for the former Ohio State standout to showcase his abilities.

Brett Favre QB Minnesota Vikings: The least talked about player in the history of the NFL has been a beast at home this season. Favre is 4-0 at the Metrodome this season with a stellar average of 298.5 passing yards per game.

The statistics get better: The “Gunslinger” has thrown nine touchdowns and only one interception in the Land of 10,000 Lakes and is completing a solid 65.9 percent of his passes.

This weekend, the Vikings welcome the Seattle Seahawks, who bring a passing defense that ranks 22nd in the NFL (233.0 yards per game). It’s a match made in heaven.

Lee Evans WR Buffalo Bills: Let’s not kid ourselves; the Buffalo Bills are a mess right now.

But there’s a silver lining in the rubble that is the AFC East’s worst football team: Lee Evans. The sixth-year vet out of Wisconsin has been very effective with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, catching 11 passes on 22 targets for 172 yards and two touchdowns in three games.

With Trent Edwards running the show, Evans was been an afterthought, hauling in 16 passes on 33 targets for 209 yards and three scores in nine games.

Add Jacksonville Jaguars’ 26th-ranked passing defense (238.9 yards per game) to the mix and you’ve got yourself a Week 11 fantasy wideout.

Eli Manning QB New York Giants: Peyton’s younger brother has struggled since he injured his foot against the Chiefs at the beginning of October, throwing only seven touchdown passes with six interceptions in five games.

Not to worry in Week 11 as Big Blue plays host to the Swiss cheese secondary that hails from Atlanta. The Falcons defense has been victimized for an average of 264.4 passing yards over the past five games while giving up 10 touchdowns with just four interceptions.

Is it any surprise that during that five-game span the Dirty Birds have gone 2-3 after starting the year an impressive 3-1?

LeSean McCoy RB Philadelphia Eagles: “Shady” has found paydirt two times in the three games he’s started in place of the aging Brian Westbrook, so you should consider getting him in this weekend as a solid flex option. You should also consider coming to the Soldier Field parking lot and helping me drink all of Matt Bowen and his boy Bubba’s beer without paying for it.

Three more you should roll with…

Laveranues Coles WR Cincinnati Bengals: 11 receptions for 139 yards on 18 targets over the past two weeks have Coles on the rise.

Kevin Smith RB Detroit Lions: Cleveland ranks 30th against the run (165.8 yards per game) and has given up 13 touchdowns via the ground.

Kellen Winslow TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers: In the two weeks that rookie quarterback Josh Freeman has been running the show, Winslow has caught 11 passes for 159 yards and one score on 16 targets.

These defenses will lock it down in Week 11…

1. Minnesota Vikings
2. Green Bay Packers
3. Cincinnati Bengals

KEEP ‘EM ON YOUR BENCH

LaDainian Tomlinson RB San Diego Chargers: LT has racked up four touchdowns in his last three games, but heads to Mile High this Sunday to take on a Broncos defense that held him to 70 rushing yards on 18 carries (3.9 YPC) and no scores the last time they met.

Outside of that three-game span, Tomlinson has scored just one touchdown in the four games he's played this year. The Broncos have struggled since coming off the bye (0-3) but still rank 12th against the rush this season (105.6 yards per game).

Michael Crabtree WR San Francisco 49ers: After a relatively hot start to his young career (11 receptions for 137 yards in two games), the former Texas Tech monster has cooled off considerably, catching just seven passes for 78 yards over his past two outings.

He still has yet to find the end zone and travels to Green Bay on Sunday to take on a defense that ranks sixth in the NFL against the pass (189.2 yards per game).

Matt Ryan QB Atlanta Falcons: In his last four games, the second-year signal caller out of Boston College has tossed five touchdown passes with a head-scratching eight interceptions while being sacked 10 times.

To make matters worse, Ryan has eight interceptions and a QB Rating of 69.9 in five road games.

Even though the G-Men have lost four consecutive games, they still rank second in passing defense this season, allowing only 168.0 yards per game through the air.

Jamaal Charles RB Kansas City Chiefs: Everyone who was savvy enough to pick up Charles and start him last weekend (103 rushing yards, one touchdown) deserves a pat on the back. Now, take your prize waiver-wire acquisition and send him to the sidelines in Week 11.

Why? Because Charles has no shot at getting you a respectable fantasy point total when he goes up against the NFL’s best run defense (69.3 yards per game) in the Pittsburgh Steelers. Keep in mind, Blitzburgh has allowed just two rushing touchdowns in nine games this year.

I know, I thought the same thing when looking at that statistic. Since when do the Steelers play good defense?

Devin Hester WR Chicago Bears: He’s only scored one touchdown since the end of September and plays on an offense that has lost four of its last five games.

The good news? There is none.

Sorry, Bears fans, but as lousy as the Eagles have been the last few weeks, they’ve held star receivers Steve Smith (Giants), Miles Austin and Vincent Jackson to a combined 10 catches for 127 yards and one touchdown the past three weeks.

Three more guys you should not invite to the party…

Ryan Grant RB Green Bay Packers: If there’s one thing the 49ers are good at, it’s stopping the run. San Francisco ranks third in the NFL (87.7 yards per game) against the run this season.

Matt Hasselbeck QB Seattle Seahawks: No statistics needed. He’s playing in the noisy-as-hell Metrodome against a front four that loves to harass the quarterback. Expect Hass to have a rough outing this weekend.

Braylon Edwards WR New York Jets: Assault charges aside, Edwards has caught only 11 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown in his past four games. Remember, the Patriots are out for revenge this weekend.

Three defenses to bail on Sunday…

1. New York Jets
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Denver Broncos

Hit me up on Twitter: @JoeFortenbaugh

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Fantasy Football Week 11 Quarterback Rankings

kevin roberts — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:53:19 -0500

Thursday's game brought us a decent performance from Chad Henne, and even Jake Delhomme dropped in some sold yardage and a score. With one game out of the way, here's a look at where the other 30 quarterbacks rank heading into Sunday's action .

Monitor Kyle Orton's status leading up to game time, and against our better judgment, play Matthew Stafford, David Garrard, and Matt Cassel ahead of him (or Chris Simms):

1. Drew Brees @ T.B.
2. Peyton Manning @ BAL
3. Tom Brady vs. NYJ
4. Kurt Warner @ STL
5. Ben Roethlisberger @ K.C.
6. Matt Schaub vs. TEN
7. Aaron Rodgers vs. S.F.
8. Philip Rivers @ DEN
9. Donovan McNabb @ CHI
10. Brett Favre vs. SEA
11. Tony Romo vs. WAS
12. Eli Manning vs. ATL
13. Matt Ryan @ NYG
14. Carson Palmer @ OAK
15. Jay Cutler vs. PHI
16. Matt Hasselbeck @ MN
17. Joe Flacco vs. IND
18. Vince Young @ HOU
19. David Garrard vs. BUF
20. Brady Quinn @ DET
21. Matt Cassel vs. PIT
22. Matthew Stafford vs. CLE
23. Kyle Orton vs. S.D.
24. Josh Freeman vs. N.O.
25. Alex Smith @ G.B.
26. Marc Bulger vs. AZ
27. Jason Campbell @ DAL
28. Mark Sanchez @ N.E.
29. Ryan Fitzpatrick @ JAC
30. Bruce Gradkowski vs. CIN

Notes: The top 10 are fairly self-explanatory and all are quality starts, regardless if they have questionable matchups.

Tony Romo struggled last week and Washington's pass defense is normally solid, but they were exposed last week, so look for the Cowboys to strike early with the deep ball.

Matt Cassel and the Chiefs will undoubtedly get beat up by the Steelers early, but if you follow trends, you'll know that Cassel doesn't catch fire until after halftime. Bank on some nice yardage as the Chiefs work their way back from a hefty deficit.

Brady Quinn makes the top 20 based solely on his fantastic matchup, although we haven't seen enough to truly expect him to do anything that should make him worth owning. Still, it's the Lions, so he's worth a shot if you're desperate.

For further analysis on each starting quarterback for Week 11 , check out NFL Soup 's weekly fantasy player breakdowns .

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Joakim Noah playing like an All-Star

Hot Stove New York — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:02:58 -0500

Joakim Noah leads the NBA in rebounds and is no where to be found on the 2010 All-Star ballot. His teammate Brad Miller is on the ballot considering he is averaging nine points and four rebounds.

Noah leads the league with 12.6 rebounds and second with 4.6 offensive rebounds per game. He is tied for seventh in blocks per game (2.0) and is averaging a career high 12.1 points per game The third year player has posted eight double-doubles and five straight while shooting 55 percent from the field.

Noah is up against Dwight Howard , Brook Lopez , Andrea Bargnani and Al Horford in the East but his scrappy play should keep him in the mix. Noah attributes his improvement to bulking up and league experience. On November 7th and 10th he recorded career highs in points (21) and rebounds (21).

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Friday Fantasy Football Injury Round-Up (Nov. 20)

kevin roberts — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:12:54 -0500

If you were a Ronnie Brown owner scrapping at the waiver wire heap before Thursday's action, or biting your finger nails over DeAngelo Williams's status, you can take a deep breath and relax for the next two days.

You have just under 48 hours to figure out your lineup, and with a large amount of injuries to some key players, there can never be enough information on their status, or the player's that could potentially replace them.

This article takes all the information from around the web and condenses it into short headlines, letting you in on player's statuses, and giving you an option or two if they are unable to go on Sunday.

Take a look at all the pressing concerns for the majority of fantasy owner's this week:

No Timetable For Michael Turner's Return

No timetable means no action for Week 11 . Falcons coaches and players won't admit it, because they want the Giants on their toes, but they'l be running without their "burner" this week, so you better start preparing for it.

Prognosis: Out for Week 11 .

Replacement Option: It's best to just keep the replacement from within, as the Falcons still love to run the ball and they've been doing it extremely well as of late. In related news, back-up Jerious Norwood has begun practicing again, but isn't a guarantee to play this week, and wouldn't be a safe bet for major action, either.

We're shooting for Jason Snelling to continue where he left off last week and pound the rock as the starter. He faces a fairly beatable Giants run defense. Other options to consider in lieu of losing Turner for the week are Justin Forsett, Ladell Betts, and Jamal Lewis. Lewis is on many waiver wires and faces a tasty match-up with the Detroit Lions.

Cedric Benson Unlikely To Face Oakland Raiders

Benson's injury wasn't so severe that he couldn't have played if the playoffs started today, but his hip is bad enough that Marvin Lewis doesn't mind resting him against an opponent that the Bengals probably don't need him to defeat.

Prognosis: Leave him on your bench

Replacement Option: There have been quiet rumors that Larry Johnson has been getting a solid amount of practice reps, but we don't buy it. Bernard Scott looked decent last week, and RB/FB Brian Leonard should get a few more carries, in addition to the help he gives as a receiver out of the backfield. Scott should be the main ball-carrier this week.

Kyle Orton Still Uncertain for Week 11

Head coach Josh McDaniels' really isn't leaning either way, citing Orton as a game-time decision, despite recent progress with a bum ankle.

Orton has played particularly well lately, and didn't fare too well when he played through injury last year, either.

Prognosis: Probable, but find another option .

Replacement Option: The Kansas City Chiefs won't be able to run against a stout Pittsburgh Steelers defense, so we like Matt Cassel to throw a ton, giving you a nice option outside of Orton. Matt Ryan should have to throw a lot with Michael Turner out, as well, so consider player him, despite a lackluster past few weeks.

Of course, there's always Chris Simms if there aren't any solid alternatives on your roster or available on the waiver wire.

Clinton Portis to Miss Second Straight Game

Washington is playing it very safe with Portis, and he has officially been ruled out for Week 11. He has an outside chances at returning for Week 12, but we'll give you updates on that later next week.

Prognosis: Out for Week 11 .

Replacement Option: Stick with the Redskins main guy, Ladell Betts, who topped 100 rushing yards and a score last week. The Dallas Cowboys won't make it easy on him this week, but if he can do that much damage against the Broncos solid run defense, he has a chance. He makes for a quality RB2 this week.

Correll Buckhalter Misses Thursday's Practice

This doesn't mean for sure that he won't play in Week 11, and we'll need to see how he does today (if he practices), but we're leaning towards a "sit" call.

Prognosis: Questionable, but sit him.

Replacement Option: Knowshon Moreno should be your starter out of the two , anyways, but if you're struggling to find another RB2 or a Flex play, see if you can't find Justin Forsett, Jason Snelling, or Ladell Betts left on the waiver wire. It doesn't sound like they'd be available, but believe us, crazier things have happened.

For more NFL news and fantasy advice, go to NFLSoup.com

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NFL Injuries Steal the Fantasy Spotlight: Week 11 Start and Sit

Michael McNeil — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:11:19 -0500

Sure, fantasy owners are thankful to have bye weeks in the rearview mirrors, but instead of filling holes left by idle players, fantasy owners are scrambling to find replacements for injured stars .

Perhaps Week 10 was an aberration of what had been a mostly injury-free season to date. Or maybe it was a sign of things to come.

With the fantasy playoffs in sight, fantasy owners have to hope—nay, pray—that last weekend's injury epidemic was an isolated outbreak.

A few injury updates before this week’s start and sit advice:

RB Cedric Benson, Bengals

Benson missed practice yesterday, and it is looking highly doubtful he will play this Sunday at Oakland. Rookie Bernard Scott should see a lot of touches, and Larry Johnson may be active for his first game with the Bengals.

RB Brian Westbrook, Eagles

Westy already has been ruled out for this weekend’s game. Fantasy owners can rule him out for the near future, as well. However, doctors do expect Westbrook to make a full recovery given the proper rest.

RB Ronnie Brown, Dolphins

Brown has been placed on injured reserve, ending his 2009 season. Ricky Williams took over as the main ball carrier in Miami last night and scored three times. Brown, meanwhile, is set to have surgery today on a reported Lisfranc injury to his foot.

RB Michael Turner, Falcons

The Burner has not yet been officially ruled out for this Sunday’s game against the Giants, but it is looking doubtful he will play. There is no timetable for his return as of yet. Jason Snelling will get the start in his stead this weekend and could be a decent flex play.

Start ‘Em

QB Matt Ryan @ Giants

Ryan has been a disappointment this season from a fantasy standpoint, but he could have a nice weekend against a poor pass defense.

QB Jay Cutler vs. Eagles

Despite throwing five interceptions last weekend, Cutler throws the ball too much to bench him at this point.

RB Kevin Smith vs. Browns

Smith should run over, through and around, the Browns’ defense, just like everyone else has this season.

RB Bernard Scott @ Raiders

If Benson is out—very likely—Scott is going to get a high volume of touches this weekend. A great start off the waiver wire for Benson owners.

WR Donald Driver vs. 49ers

Greg Jennings gets all the fantasy love, but Driver continues to do work. He and Hines Ward are playing like young men again.

WR Sidney Rice vs. Seahawks

With Brett Favre at quarterback, Rice has become one of the league’s best young wide receivers.

TE Fred Davis @ Cowboys

Another good opportunity for Davis, especially with the Redskins’ offense playing a little better these days.

Sit ‘Em

QB Kyle Orton vs. Chargers

He is not completely healthy and these teams appear to be going in opposite directions.

QB Alex Smith @ Packers

Smith disappointed owners with a single-digit fantasy performance against the Bears last week. It is hard to trust him again.

RB Jamaal Charles vs. Steelers

A popular waiver wire add a few weeks ago, but Charles draws a very tough matchup this weekend.

RB Justin Forsett @ Vikings

As a popular waiver wire add this week, Forsett has to go on the road against one of the league’s best defenses.

WR Miles Austin vs. Redskins

Now that Austin has become a starting receiver, defenses are paying much more attention to him. That has opened things up for Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton.

WR Michael Crabtree @ Packers

The Green Bay defense played inspired football at home last weekend against a potent Dallas offense.

TE Jason Witten vs. Redskins

Still hard to bench this guy given all the potential, but the numbers are severely lacking this season.

For more great fantasy roster advice this week, including a plethora of "Start & Sit" links and consensus rankings, head over to the Fantasy Football Librarian. Don’t forget to grab your library card.

Read more Fantasy news on BleacherReport.com

Fantasy Football, Week Eleven Bumps and Bruises: Are You Covered?

Ray Tannock — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:12:04 -0500

As Week Eleven yawns its presence before us, one of the biggest concerns for managers out there right now is the hefty list of running backs unable to go, leaving most Fantasy teams scrambling to adjust.

If that’s not enough, there are almost an equal amount of backups that are hurting just as much, which means if you are one of those managers, you have some serious issues to deal with.

For the past two weeks, running backs were the most searched position in Fantasy and rightfully so with players such as Clinton Portis, Brian Westbrook, Cedric Benson, Michael Turner, Correll Buckhalter, Chad Simpson, and Ronnie Brown on the mend.

In addition, players such as Jerious Norwood, who is unlikely to have an effect—if play at all—Reggie Bush who is dealing with knee swelling, Ladell Betts who is healthier than last week, but facing a difficult Cowboys run D, and Darren McFadden who is still struggling to find is mojo, are making things far more difficult than most expected this time of year—the most crucial part of the season.

The good news is, with the vast amount of marquee running backs not playing this week, the combination of extra work being assumed by the receivers, and the emergence of some no name running backs should work nicely together to help put a tourniquet on the bleeding.

The Big Four to Keep in Mind

The Bengals will undoubtedly go with Bernard Scott, but I wouldn’t count out Larry Johnson since he will probably get some carries in the game due mostly to his knowledge of the Raiders D. Just don’t consider him a starter unless you have nobody else to play.

The Falcons are hurting tremendously with both Turner and Norwood out. Jason Snelling will be the featured back all day which could be a huge waiver wire sleeper pickup , but you can also expect Roddy White to see a lot more balls being thrown his way.

The Colts are typically a team that, if need be, can survive without a running back. Considering Joseph Addai and Chad Simpson are both out—the time for Donald Brown to show his stuff is now—laid before him like a blue and white carpet. He could be a nice one-week grab if he is still out there. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark will no doubt be a huge part of the offense this week.

The Dolphins suffered their biggest blow of the season yet in losing Ronnie Brown , but considering Ricky Williams has been playing rather well, you can safely pick him up or start him if you are in need. Don’t be surprised if Greg Camarillo sees a few more looks since he was at one time the No. 1 possession receiver for Miami.

Again, when there are significant injuries to the top running backs, it is their respective receivers that will see more work. Whether it is in real game time, or in garbage time, it’s those receivers you should consider giving the nod, even if they don’t appear to have a favorable matchup.

And don’t forget the backup running backs—even if some of them are third stringers. Some of these guys coming in to alleviate the pain are already talented enough to provide Fantasy sustenance, you just don’t hear enough about them to believe that.

If you would like a full breakdown of Start-Sit Receiver Rankings, please visit my column here.

And as always, good luck this week all!

Read more Fantasy news on BleacherReport.com

Wildcat, Wild-Pat, and a Bevy of NFL Week 11 Fantasy Wildcards

Chris Farmer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:25:18 -0500

Ronnie Brown is now on IR , a crushing blow to the Dolphins. In a matter of hours we will see what this will mean for Ricky Williams owners going forward.

One potential sneaky addition to your watch list is Pat White . It is highly likely that White will get enough touches to warrant fantasy consideration, but then again who cares?

Can't we just put aside concern for how many fantasy points we can accrue and just enjoy some good old-fashioned football? Especially when it could mean the official unveiling of White, the Ferrari sitting in the garage that has been, up until this point, underused?

Speaking of exciting new talent finally getting their chance, I like Bernard Scott to make some noise for Cincinnati this week with Cedric Benson likely out . I had high hopes for him in preseason, what with over 7,000 rushing yards and 101 total TDs in college. Little did I know that Benson was going to go off with a career year and keep Scott on the sidelines.

The wild card in this picture is that the Bengals went out and signed Larry Johnson , talent-wise a very smart move in my opinion. I am not buying that Larry is all washed up. I think he was simply unhappy playing for a bad team.

We will have to wait and see how much of an immediate impact Johnson will make. My hope is that he is simply insurance and Scott gets his chance to shine first.

In Houston, Owen Daniels' torn ACL has left a huge void. His No. 1 backup is the team's long snapper Joel Dreessen . Enter rookie James Casey , a former minor league baseball player who played seven different positions at Rice University before turning pro at age 25. Anyone that can play defensive end, safety and wide receiver in the same game has to be a freak of nature athletically.

I already targeted Casey once this week—I am so excited to see what he will do with his golden ticket that I just had to write about him. Something in the back of my mind is telling me that I may be over-hyping a guy with only two career receptions, but his upside is huge.

As my new buddy Lee Lazear points out , don't be surprised if you see Houston try their own version of the Wildcat with Casey taking the snap.

With Broncos QB Kyle Orton potentially missing the team's next game, how will Chris Simms fare in his absence?

Or how about Bruce Gradkowski in Oakland replacing the benched JaMarcus Russell ? I wouldn't expect fantasy fireworks. It might even get ugly, so I wouldn't recommend watching too closely.

Speaking of ugly, apparently Tom Cable is actually considering starting Charlie Frye at QB instead of Gradkowski. Really?

How about Chris Chambers in Kansas City? Is he suddenly the No.1 receiver for Matt Cassel now that Dwayne Bowe has been suspended four games , or will that title go to the surprising Lance Long ? Stay tuned.

Justin Forsett is the beneficiary of Julius Jones' injury. If you are desperate for a running back, you've probably already picked up Forsett. The sticky part is that he may only get one start because Jones is not expected to be out long , and it comes against the stingy Vikings this week.

Then again, if he finds a way to excel, you've landed yourself a nice waiver wire addition.

As much as I like Michael Turner , Jason Snelling is no slouch and should do just fine in his absence. Snelling reminds me of Le'Ron McClain , a very versatile all-purpose back. If there is any possible chance he is still available in your league, you need to grab him yesterday, especially knowing that there is no timetable for Turner's return from an ankle injury.

This article also appears on Undrafteds.com

Read more Fantasy news on BleacherReport.com

Fantasy Football: Week 11 Start or Sit

Matthew Beck — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:34:35 -0500

Before I get to my Week 11 selections, let’s check last week’s picks for accuracy.

Good Starts from Week 10:

Steve Smith, WR (CAR): Smith had only four receptions in the game, but did finish with two touchdowns.

Ladell Betts, RB (WAS): Filling in for injured running back Clinton Portis, Betts finished with 114 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Donnie Avery, WR (STL): Avery had a big day, with four receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns.

Donovan McNabb, QB (PHI): McNabb finished last week’s loss to the Chargers with 450 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Bad Starts from Week 10:

Darren McFadden, RB (OAK): McFadden didn’t get as much playing time as I expected, finishing the game with only four carries for 11 yards.

Mike Wallace, WR (PIT): Wallace received plenty of targets in Week 10, but recorded only one catch for 16 yards.

Good Sits from Week 10:

Matt Ryan, QB (ATL): Ryan continued to struggle in Week 10, finishing with only 224 yards passing and one touchdown.

Marshawn Lynch, RB (BUF): Lynch was practically non-existent in the Bills' offense in Week 10, finishing the game with only 37 yards rushing on nine carries.

Bad Sits from Week 10:

Ronnie Brown, RB (MIA): Before leaving the game in the second half with a leg injury, Brown rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown.

Reggie Bush, RB (NO): Bush proved me wrong last week, scoring both a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown against the Rams.

Here is my Week 11 list of who to start and who to sit:

Miami Dolphins at Carolina Panthers

Start: Ricky Williams, RB (MIA)

Explanation: With Ronnie Brown out for the season Williams now becomes the featured back for the Dolphins. Expect a big game from him as the Panthers continue to struggle against the run.

Sit: Jonathan Stewart, RB (CAR)

Explanation: Usually when Stewart is listed as questionable I definitely feel that he will play. But being on a short week play it safe and start someone else just in case his Achilles isn’t ready to go by tonight.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs

Start: Rashard Mendenhall, RB (PIT)

Explanation: The Raiders ran all over the Chiefs last week, and if they can so can the Steelers. Mendenhall has been consistently good each week, so expect big things from him this week, as the Steelers get up early and rely on their running game.

Sit: Jamaal Charles, RB (KC)

Explanation: Charles had a good week last week, but that was against the Raiders. The Steelers are still a force to be reckoned with when it comes to rush defense, so don’t expect much from him this week.

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens

Start: Derrick Mason, WR (BAL)

Explanation: The Colts haven’t been able to stop the passing game as of late, while having to start two rookies in their secondary. Mason should be able to take advantage of the Colts' situation and have a productive game.

Sit: Donald Brown, RB (IND)

Explanation: Brown hasn’t really been involved in the offense much lately, as Joseph Addai continues to shine. Until he starts to produce, continue to keep him on your bench.

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys

Start: Tony Romo, QB (DAL)

Explanation: After a poor performance last week against the Packers, Romo should be excited to play a Redskins team that had major problems in its secondary in Week 10. Expect the Cowboys to attack through the air leading to a big game for Romo and the Cowboys' receiving core.

Sit: Santana Moss, WR (WAS)

Explanation: Moss has been non-existent the last few weeks, failing to find the end zone in five straight games now. The Cowboys secondary has also been solid, so keep him on your bench for now.

Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions

Start: Brandon Pettigrew, TE (DET)

Explanation: The last time the Lions played a poor defense Pettigrew had seven catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. The Browns defense has been getting handled by tight ends the last few weeks, so expect good things from him this week.

Sit: Jamal Lewis, RB (CLE)

Explanation: Lewis continues to struggle entering Week 11 and shouldn’t be used in any league format. But then again, no one on the Browns should be used in any league format.

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers

Start: Greg Jennings, WR (GB)

Explanation: Jennings hasn’t had the best of seasons this year, but is still a solid target for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The 49ers don’t match up well with the Packers receivers, so Jennings could end up getting solid production if you need him this week.

Sit: Vernon Davis, TE (SF)

Explanation: The Packers have been stout against tight ends this year, and the 49ers will likely rely on their running game to win this game. If you have another option at tight end, bench Davis this week.

Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings

Start: Brett Favre, QB (MIN)

Explanation: Favre continues to shine in 2009, and the Seahawks should mean another great game for him and the Vikings. Don’t hesitate to start Favre at all costs.

Sit: Julius Jones, RB (SEA)

Explanation: The Vikings defensive front is still solid against the run, and will likely be up early in this game. The emergence of Justin Forsett should also be considered when talking about Jones, so keep him on the bench this week.

Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants

Start: Hakeem Nicks, WR (NYG)

Explanation: The Falcons secondary lacks a solid shut down cornerback who can contain Nicks. Look for Manning to abuse the secondary of the Falcons as the Giants break their four-game losing streak on the back of their receiving core.

Sit: Jason Snelling, RB (ATL)

Explanation: Snelling looks to be a solid start this week with the injury to Michael Turner, but the Giants are still a solid run stopping defense, that shouldn't be taken lightly. He should get solid playing time, but I don’t expect much production from him.

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Start: Carnell Williams, RB (TB)

Explanation: The Rams ran all over the Saints last week and the Buccaneers have been playing solid football as of late. I don’t expect Williams to have a career-day, but a sold 80 yards and one touchdown is a good expectation.

Sit: Mike Bell, RB (NO)

Explanation: It looks as if Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush are now the primary running backs for the Saints, with Bell falling behind. If those two keep playing well, Bell will continue to be on the sidelines as a spectator for most of the game.

Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars

Start: David Garrard, QB (JAC)

Explanation: Garrard has been playing well as of late and the Bills continue to struggle on both sides of the ball. If Vince Young could have a good game against them last week, expect Garrard to have a great game this week.

Sit: Marshawn Lynch, RB (BUF)

Explanation: As I said earlier, Lynch has been non-existent in the Bills offense lately. With a new quarterback taking the snaps this week expect much of the same from this former productive fantasy running back.

Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams

Start: Anquan Boldin, WR (ARI)

Explanation: Boldin had his best game of the year last week with eight receptions for 105 yards against the Seahawks. He is now the healthiest he has been all season and should once again have a good game against horrible cornerbacks.

Sit: Steven Jackson, RB (STL)

Explanation: Jackson has been playing too well lately and is due for a disappointing game. In eight career games against the Cardinals, Jackson has only two touchdowns, so look for other possible starters if you can.

San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos

Start: Eddie Royal, WR (DEN)

Explanation: The Chargers secondary is very beatable, and the Broncos love to pass the ball. Look for Royal to have a productive day as the Broncos' second receiver behind Brandon Marshall.

Sit: Chargers, Defense/Special Teams

Explanation: Even though the Chargers have been able to stop the run, they are getting destroyed through the air. The Broncos will be passing all day, so look for a different defense this week.

Cincinnati Bengals at Oakland Raiders

Start: Zach Miller, TE (OAK)

Explanation: The Bengals aren’t the best against the tight end this season, and the Raiders are starting a new quarterback. Look for Bruce Gradkowski to call for the reliable Miller as he tries to get the Raiders a victory this week.

Sit: Cedric Benson, RB (CIN)

Explanation: It looks as if Benson will not play this weekend, due to a hip injury, so keep him on your bench.

New York Jets at New England Patriots

Start: Laurence Maroney, RB (NE)

Explanation: The Jets defense has fallen apart, and Maroney has been running the ball well as of late. Expect the Patriots to go to Maroney often as the Jets secondary locks down Tom Brady’s favorite target, Randy Moss.

Sit: Braylon Edwards, WR (NYJ)

Explanation: With Jerricho Cotchery back in the mix, Marc Sanchez can now go to a more reliable receiver when needed. Expect Cotchery to take away looks form Edwards, leading to a bad week for him.

Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears

Start: LeSean McCoy, RB (PHI)

Explanation: Brian Westbrook will be sidelined this week against the Bears so McCoy should get plenty of chances in this one.

Sit: Jay Cutler, QB (CHI)

Explanation: Cutler is coming off of a five interception game against the 49ers and will now face a sold secondary that is known for forcing turnovers. Don’t expect much from Cutler this week, as he continues to struggle in Chicago.

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

Start: Vince Young, QB (TEN)

Explanation: Young is coming off of a good game against the Bills and the Texans have an even worse secondary than the Bills. If you need a spot-start, go to Young this week.

Sit: Ryan Moats/Steve Slaton, RBs (HOU)

Explanation: It is unknown who will get the bulk of the carries this week, so starting Moats or Slaton is definitely a gamble. Expect the Texans to pass the ball a lot against the Titans' poor passing defense, limiting production from Moats and Slaton.

Check back next week as I assist you in your fantasy lineup decisions!

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to E-mail me at matthewbeck@rotoinfo.com .

This article was originally published at RotoInfo .

Read more Fantasy news on BleacherReport.com

Week 11 Hot Hand and Cold Shoulders: Twilight Edward vs. Jacob, who ya got?

Jacob Sloan — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:26:51 -0500

I know nothing of Twilight. I like it that way, but this debate that’s been raging across all my television channels, including my sports channels, has annoyed me to no end, especially because they used my name.

From what I can gather, my namesake Jacob is a werewolf who is loyal and the complete “nice guy.” Figures.

Edward, on the other hand (and correct me if I am wrong), is a total douche of a vampire who’s the “dangerous” one. Also typical.

I have no allegiance to either camp; in fact, I’d love if this book series, or “saga” as the TV loves to call it, disappeared off the planet, along with “So You Think You Can Dance” and the like.

Still, I can draw a parallel to fantasy football (because that’s what you least expected).

You see, Jacob is dependable, honest, and trustworthy. He’s your Thomas Jones. Through the good and the bad, he gets his yards and does the best he can to score. He may not be exceptional, but you have to love that schedule down the stretch.

While Edward, jackass that he is, is Beanie Wells. He’s risky and exciting, and ladies probably love him for his burst. I would even guess that Wells turns to crystal in the sunlight because that makes absolutely no sense in vampire lore. THEY DIE IN THE SUN, YOU IDIOTS; otherwise, why would they not take over the world by now?

So you can pick your poison with these Twilight guys. Dangerous or dependable? I like both of them, Jones and Wells, enough to start them this week, but we’ll see which one turns to crystal in the sun.

And while we’re at it (and done talking about Twilight), here are a few more mythical creatures that I would consider starting.

Hot Hands Starts of the Week

Ricky Williams, RB, Dolphins vs. Panthers – Ricky Williams comes into Carolina with a 50/50 chance of 100+ yards against the Panthers based on his previous performances. With running mate Ronnie Brown out for the year, I’d say the odds are even better for him. Carolina’s run defense has not been cutting it all season.

Ray Rice, RB, Ravens vs. Colts – Rice has been topnotch in his last seven games. Against the Colts weakened run defense, he should make it eight. But be warned, that playoffs schedule looks rough.

Jay Cutler, QB, Bears vs. Eagles – It’s been a rough few weeks, but Philly’s secondary is weakened just enough by injuries and suspensions for this to work.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers vs. Broncos – So I guess he’s not completely dead. I knew that San Diego needed new blood to get their running game going. I didn’t expect that new blood to be a baby on the way for L.T. and Mrs. L.T. The Broncos should have some trouble stopping him this week, but do not go into this expecting another blowout affair.

You can only get pregnant once…every nine months…as far as I’m aware.

Reggie Bush, RB, Saints vs. Bucs – Since when is Bush a goal line back? Insanity, but the Saints like using him on those dive-into-the-end-zone plays. He makes a solid start against Tampa Bay as long as the trend continues, and I think it will.

The Bucs can’t stop any running back on defense.

Cold Shoulders Sits of the Week

Justin Forsett, RB, Seahawks vs. Vikings – You may have picked him on waivers this week, but you won’t be seeing much production. Minnesota has allowed just two rushing touchdowns all season. Forsett won’t get the third. He has some talent in the receiving game, but I see the Vikings putting plenty of pressure on Matt Hasselbeck.

Santana Moss, WR, Redskins vs. Cowboys – It’s easy to single out a guy like Moss, but he’s actually being recommended as a start against the Cowboys this week in several places. I don’t like him. The Cowboys secondary and pass rush has kept wide receivers under wraps in recent weeks. The Redskins anemic offense shouldn’t break that trend.

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons vs. Giants – The Giants are coming off a bye with plenty of time to prep for the struggling Atlanta passing game. The expected return of Aaron Ross to the secondary shouldn’t hurt either.

Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs vs. Steelers – Charles finally got his touchdown, and he has a beauty of a schedule down the stretch. This week is not part of that.

The Steelers should look to squash him out as the Chiefs’ main offensive weapon now that Dwayne Bowe will sit for four weeks, and Pittsburgh should limit his chances in the passing game enough to make him a flex start at best, even in PPR leagues.

Randy Moss, WR, Patriots vs. Jets – Mark this down under “you’re not going to listen to me but…”

Darrelle Revis shut down Moss last time the Pats faced the Jets, and though Tom Brady has stepped his game up since then, Moss should be due for a second quiet week.

I’m still starting him, as you should if you have him, but don’t expect one of those blowout performances he’s been putting up.

Snooze-Button Sleeper Pick of the Week

Bernard Scott, RB, Bengals vs. Raiders – I was torn on my sleeper pick this week.

Nate Washington has a great chance of putting up numbers if Houston gets out to an early lead.

Vince Young travels home to play the Texans.

Josh Freeman faces a banged-up Saints secondary that allowed Marc Bulger to look like a quarterback, and Brandon Jacobs might finally get it back on track.

But in the end, I had to go with Scott, who is likely to see more than the usual amount of carries this week against the Raiders defense even if Cedric Benson starts. Scott, rather than Larry Johnson, knows the offense, and I believe he’s got a shot at 100+ yards even if he can’t get a score flying solo or sharing with an injured Benson.

Song to Ease Your Pain While Setting Lineups

Muse – Time Is Running Out

Muse did have a song on the Twilight soundtrack, but I won’t hold that against them. “Time Is Running Out” is a perfect fit for this week as the trade deadline approaches and many of you are scrounging to put together a few more wins and lock up a playoff spot.

Best of luck to you all, and remember that vampires should never turn to crystal. It’s just not right.

Fore more start and sit advice, compare notes with Fantasy Joe, FF Xtreme, and FF Toolbox.

Read more Fantasy news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week 11 Fantasy Football Player Breakdowns

kevin roberts — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:58:36 -0500

Every week we take a look at every team's key players and their matchups for fantasy football. Check out some quick analysis on some possible studs, as well as some guys to avoid. Using the five-star rating to get a good idea on who to start and sit, in addition to the comments:

Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers

QB Chad Henne: Miami should run the ball a ton and Carolina pass defense is tops. *
QB Pat White: He should be in the mix more with the loss of Ronnie Brown for the season. **
RB Ricky Williams: Panthers run defense is soft and he should get the rock a ton now. *****
WR Davone Bess: Gets a decent amount of looks, but doesn't do a ton. **
WR Ted Ginn: Started last week and had zero catches. Not much optimism this week. *

QB Jake Delhomme: Carolina will run the ball a lot, but he should be OK against rookie corners. **
RB DeAngelo Williams: Check his status, but if he's active, he's too good to pass up. *****
RB Jonathan Stewart: Value rises if Williams is out. Solid matchup. ****
WR Steve Smith: Definitely has a chance at some success this week. ***
WR Muhsin Muhammad: Had a nice effort last week, and should get a few looks. **

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Kansas City Chiefs

QB Ben Roethlisberger: Chiefs corners are slow, so Big Ben could be in for a big day. *****
RB Rashard Mendenhall: Should be in for a solid bounce-back game. ***
WR Hines Ward: Matchup is great and he has been consistent all season. ****
WR Santonio Holmes: Still looking for that second score of the year, but good matchup. ****
WR Mike Wallace: Always a sneaky play, as he gets solid amount of targets. ***
TE Heath Miller: He's been quiet the past three weeks, so he's due for a solid game. ***

QB Matt Cassel: Chiefs will have to throw the ball, so he'll at least be busy. **
RB Jamaal Charles: Has almost no chance against Steelers run defense, so not a good play. **
WR Chris Chambers: Should see a ton more targets with Bowe out . ****
WR Lance Long: Value also rises with Bowe out. ***

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB Drew Brees: He hasn't had a truly elite game in a while. This is the one. *****
RB Pierre Thomas: Sharing the ball a lot, but bad defense still makes him a RB2. ****
RB Mike Bell: Carries have been inconsistent, and production hasn't been there. **
RB Reggie Bush: Looked very explosive last week, so nice potential this week. ***
WR Marques Colston: Has been quiet, so this could be a nice week to break-out. ****
WR Devery Henderson: Has been losing some deep targets to Meachem, so questionable play. **
WR Robert Meachem: Has scored in two straight games, and Tampa secondary is bad. ***
TE Jeremy Shockey: Has caught at least three balls in every game, so he's active. ***

QB Josh Freeman: His running game will have to get going for him to have a chance. *
RB Carnell Williams: Saints can't stop the run, so not a horrible play this week. ***
RB Derrick Ward: Shares the ball, but has looked OK. Nice matchup this week. **
WR Sammie Stroughter: Saints pass defense is solid, so not a good play. *
WR Antonio Bryant: Should be back this week, but still not a great matchup. **
TE Kellen Winslow: Freeman loves him, and he'll need him in this one. ***

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants

QB Matt Ryan: Giants pass defense is so-so and they'll need to pass in this one. ***
RB Jason Snelling: Even if he doesn't start, he'll get a lot of touches. ***
RB Michael Turner: Hasn't ruled himself out yet, but unlikely to play. **
RB Jerious Norwood: Is trying to come back, but not for certain this week. *
WR Roddy White: Should be active all day with a banged-up rush offense. ****
WR Michael Jenkins: Could see more targets than usual with Turner likely out. **
TE Tony Gonzalez: Nice matchup and he had 11 targets last week. Great play. ****

QB Eli Manning: Atlanta's pass defense is weak and Manning looked good last game. ****
RB Brandon Jacobs: Falcons' run defense is atrocious, so he might finally get going . ****
RB Ahmad Bradshaw: Ditto . ***
WR Steve Smith: Looked better last week, and should go as Manning goes. ****
WR Hakeem Nicks: Shares time with Manningham, but is a decent WR3. ***
WR Mario Manningham: Great matchup, so worth a shot. ***
TE Kevin Boss: Has scored in two straight and great matchup. ***

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: Jaguars can be beat, but probably not by him. *
RB Marshawn Lynch: Is splitting carries, but Bills should try to run early. ***
RB Fred Jackson: Sharing the ball, so it still relevant. **
WR Lee Evans: Fitzpatrick loves him, so not a bad play this week. ***
WR Terrell Owens: Fitzpatrick kills his potential. **

QB David Garrard: Bills are solid against the pass, and Jaguars will run all day. **
RB Maurice Jones-Drew: Always a must-start, especially against this horrid run D. *****
WR Mike Sims-Walker: Jags might not pass a ton, but could still have a good day. ***
WR Torry Holt: Once again, when will this guy finally score a touchdown? **
TE Marcedes Lewis: Not a great matchup and not heavily involved. *

Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens

QB Peyton Manning: Ravens can be passed on, and Manning is on fire as usual. *****
RB Joseph Addai: Will have a tough time, but has been showing up. ***
RB Donald Brown: Role isn't what it used to be, so not a good play. *
WR Reggie Wayne: Best receiver in football should put up nice numbers again. *****
WR Austin Collie: Should be fairly active underneath. ***
WR Pierre Garcon: If he can catch the ball, he can get solid numbers. ***
TE Dallas Clark: Manning loves him, so you have to play him. *****

QB Joe Flacco: Colts' pass defense is beginning to crumble, so not a bad play. ***
RB Ray Rice: Could dominate only so-so Colts run defense. ****
RB Willis McGahee: Won't be used enough to depend on. *
WR Derrick Mason: Could get back into a groove if needed. ***
WR Mark Clayton: Hasn't done anything lately, so don't expect much. **
WR Kelley Washington: Hasn't been active at all, so don't hope for much. *
TE Todd Heap: He's a little banged up this week, but he's been mildly active: **

Seattle Seahawks @ Minnesota Vikings

QB Matt Hasselbeck: He'll have to pass all day, so numbers could be there. ***
RB Justin Forsett: The Williams Wall should be feared, but he could go all "Ray Rice " on them. **
WR Nate Burleson: Had zero catches last week, so should bounce back against former team. ***
WR TJ Housh: Has been decent, and should be active this week. ***
TE John Carlson: Scored last week and Minnesota struggles against tight ends. ***

QB Brett Favre: Seahawks don't do anything special, and he's playing great football. ****
RB Adrian Peterson: Seattle couldn't stop Hightower and Wells, so do the math. *****
WR Sidney Rice: Has had one weak game in his last four, and the matchup bodes well. ****
WR Bernard Berrian: Has been slowed by injuries all season but potential is still there. **
WR Percy Harvin: Stays involved on offense and is a monster in return leagues. ***
TE Visanthe Shiancoe: Seattle is getting killed by tight ends, so there's a chance. ***

Cleveland Browns @ Detroit Lions

QB Brady Quinn: Detroit can't stop the pass, so believe it or not, there's hope. ***
RB Jamal Lewis: Should be fairly active against weak overall defense. ***
WR Mohamed Massaquoi: Isn't reliable, but matchup could work. **
WR Mike Furrey: Was very active last week, and faces former team. **
WR Josh Cribbs: A little banged up, but should be ready for nice matchup. **

QB Matthew Stafford: Lions are likely to pound it with the run, but not a bad matchup. ***
RB Kevin Smith: Could be in for a huge workload against awful run defense *****
WR Calvin Johnson: Should see a couple targets deep. ****
WR Bryant Johnson: As long as he stays active, he's not a horrible play this week. **
TE Brandon Pettigrew: Hasn't done jack lately, but the matchup is nice. ***

For the final eight match-ups with fantasy analysis, go here .

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Fourth & One Debate: Fantasy Strategy For Thursday Night Football

Jacob Sloan — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:20:41 -0500

Last week’s question for the Fourth & One Debate was an interesting one from Eric Stashin of Rotoprofessor. I didn’t get a chance to share it last week, so it’s worth sharing this week before our second Thursday Night Football game of the season.

The question :

What adjustments do you make to your fantasy strategy in the second half with games now being played on Thursdays?

My answer :

Well, for starters, I set my lineups on Thursdays rather than Fridays or Saturdays. I find that helps.

But more to the point, by the time that Thursday play rolls around, my fantasy football roster has become almost set.

Extra defenses and tight ends have been moved through trades or waivers because there’s no need to carry them.

Starters and bench depth has been established, and I’m going with a pretty core group every week that’s performing at a high level.

There won’t be too many more waiver wire adds or trades to shake up my roster, so it makes it easy to have it set and ready to go on Wednesday or Thursday. My roster has been simplified.

Though having fantasy points accumulated on Friday morning does add some extra layers of strategy to the decisions I make on Fridays and Saturdays.

Say my Thursday night starter failed me completely. I may sub out a more reliable starter with little chance of a big day, like Matt Forte, for a more boom-bust guy who could save my week, like Steve Slaton. It just depends on how deep I am in the hole.

It also works the other way. If Devin Hester locks up 30 points for me on Thursday, I may sub out Robert Meachem for a reliable guy like Muhsin Muhammed. Nothing flashy, but he gets the job done.

It’s not as likely that I make a conservative play like this. Why show mercy? But I could see it as a possibility if I was just looking to make sure I had that eight-to-10 points of padding necessary to stay ahead of my opponent.

For the complete fantasy football roundtable, visit Rotoprofessor’s compilation post of the debate.

And if you missed the question from two weeks ago, when I asked what players to target for your playoff run, be sure to read up on those tips from the fantasy football roundtable as well.

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Desperation Plug-and-Plays for Week 11

Michael McNeil — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:49:08 -0500

Lions, Browns, Matt Stafford, and Brady Quinn...Oh my!

In a game that figures to be entertaining in that the winner proves not to be the worst team in the NFL this season there are a few surprisingly decent fantasy plays—that is if you are a really, really desperate owner.

Now that the bye weeks are in the rear view mirror—can you believe it?—fantasy owners are focusing on the next three-to-four weeks before the start of the fantasy playoffs. This is make-or-break time for most owners and while bye weeks are no longer wreaking havoc on rosters, injuries certainly will start taking a toll.

And week 10 was rife with injuries to fantasy starters across the board, mostly at the game’s most important fantasy position.

Fantasy owners will be without Ronnie Brown tonight and for the rest of the season (last chance to get Ricky Williams, seriously). Brian Westbrook and Clinton Portis are out again due to concussions. Michael Turner is out for at least a week. Cedric Benson is in danger of missing this weekend.

And that is just to name a few.

See below for some potential starting relief via the waiver wire for this weekend’s games.

Potential Week 11 Plug-and-Plays

The players listed below are unowned in a majority of fantasy football leagues and have favorable match-ups in week 11. Any one of these guys is worth a start this weekend for an in-need fantasy football owner.

Quarterbacks

Jake Delhomme v. Dolphins

Look, he has not been as bad lately as earlier this season. Steve Smith is being emphasized again and the running game is hot. Could easily throw a couple of scores tonight.

Matthew Stafford v. Browns

Stafford could have the best game of his young, budding career against Cleveland this weekend. Easily.

Running Backs

Bernard Scott @ Raiders

If Benson does not play (he should not be needed) Scott will get a high volume of touches against a really bad team.

Cadillac Williams/Derrick Ward v. Saints

Just because Michael Turner, DeAngelo Williams and Steven Jackson—three of the league’s best running backs — torched the Saints does not mean...Nah, nevermind. Either of these guys, or both, could score a touchdown this weekend.

Wide Receivers

Jacoby Jones v. Titans

Matt Schaub and Co. had the bye week to adjust the Owen Daniels-less passing game. Jones could become more involved going forward.

Hakeem Nicks v. Falcons

Again, the Giants really should be a better offense than they have been in recent weeks. Perhaps the bye healed some wounds.

Tight Ends

Brandon Pettigrew v. Browns

If Stafford is going to have a career game, someone has to benefit. And it does not necessarily have to be Calvin Johnson, though he should get his.

Kevin Boss v. Falcons

Same as Nicks above. Eli Manning still looks for Boss often enough to warrant use in fantasy leagues.

Kickers

Phil Dawson @ Lions

The Browns have scored five offensive touchdowns all season. They should at least get in field goal range a couple of times this weekend.

Defense/Special Teams

Lions DST v. Browns

Sticking with the Browns-Lions theme, my money is on the Lions this weekend and the defense could hold the Browns to 10 points or less.

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One and Done: Ford 400

Christopher Leone — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:27:33 -0500

Well, the Sprint Cup Series ends this week at Homestead, and I'm pretty sure that we're all glad to see the end of yet another season of Jimmie Johnson taking advantage of the Chase format like a fat man at the Golden Corral.

It's just not fun to watch anymore. Worse, it's not fun to do these fantasy picks when the obvious choice is the same guy every weekend. It makes everything...easy. Too easy.

So you know what? We're going to try something different this week. Instead of picking Chase drivers for this week's Homestead race, seeing as most of you have exhausted your supply of Chasers that are worth picking, I am going to make it a point of recommending non-Chase drivers this week.

If you have them available, you know who to pick, but for the rest of us, let's make things interesting.

Kevin Harvick (avg. fn. 9.1): Despite clinching the Camping World Truck championship with Ron Hornaday last week at Phoenix, Happy's had little to smile about on the Cup side of things this year. Luckily for him, he has an opportunity to finish the year on a high note, as Homestead is one of his better tracks.

Despite never winning the season finale, he's never finished worse than 20th and has completed 2140 of 2141 possible laps.

A.J. Allmendinger (avg. fn. 11.0): I know, he's only made one start at Homestead, last year. But he passed 32 cars after starting dead last. That says a lot.

Martin Truex Jr. (avg. fn. 12.5): His average finish would be higher had he not run this race in 2004 as a reward for his Busch Series title. In the past three years, he's finished second, sixth, and 10th, respectively, for an average finish of 6.0.

It's his last race with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, and I'm sure Truex would like to go out with a good finish, especially considering how bad this year has been for him.

Jamie McMurray (avg. fn. 15.4): Truex's replacement in the No. 1 car doesn't have quite as stellar a record at Homestead as his predecessor does, but he's not a pushover, either.

Since he became a full-time Sprint Cup driver in 2003, his average finish at Homestead is 14.3, and that's dragged down by an engine failure in 2006. Look for McMurray, relieved at finally signing a contract for 2010, to perform well this weekend.

Bobby Labonte (avg. fn. 18.7): The only former Homestead winner in this bunch, having scored the victory in 2003, Labonte had top 10 finishes in four of his first five starts at the track. Since then, his record has declined, but that's more of a testament to his Petty Enterprises cars being weak.

Maybe Kevin Buckler's cars aren't much better, but Labonte has gotten things out of those cars that David Gilliland could not (when he wasn't starting and parking, that is). One can't lose sight of the fact that Labonte led 174 laps the first time that the Cup cars came to Homestead.

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Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts (11/18/09)

Ryan Lester — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:08:37 -0500

Here’s a look at some fantasy basketball players that blew up the box score last night.

James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
31 minutes, 24 points, 7-14 FG, 4-4 FT, 6 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover

You knew he had the ability. He just needed an opportunity. He took full advantage of his team-high 31 minutes.

Elton Brand, Philadelphia 76ers
42 minutes, 19 points, 8-17 FG, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 6 blocks, 1 turnover

Elton was given the start and he more than made the most of it. This is a great sign of things to come. Now that his confidence is back, the rest should fall into place.

Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards
38 minutes, 31 points, 12-22 FG, 5-6 FT, 2 three-pointers, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers
Talk about making a splash in a season debut. Get him back in your lineups obviously.

Carlos Delfino, Milwaukee Bucks
39 minutes, 21 points, 7-15 FG, 3-3 FT, 4 three-pointers, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers

Great game from Delfino, but he needs to show some consistency before you think about adding him.

Luke Ridnour, Milwaukee Bucks
28 minutes, 17 points, 7-11 FG, 1-1 FT, 2 three-pointers, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers

Ridnour has really stepped up his play, and should continue to be a decent Utility play while Michael Redd is out.

Ramon Sessions, Minnesota Timberwolves
24 minutes, 16 points, 7-11 FG, 2-2 FT, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers

Sessions has actually played pretty well of late and is worth adding to fantasy rosters.

Marco Belinelli, Toronto Raptors
31 minutes, 19 points, 7-14 FG, 3-3 FT, 2 three-pointers, 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Marco continues to be a decent score of scoring and three-pointers.

Eric Maynor, Utah Jazz
23 minutes, 15 points, 5-11 FG, 5-6 FT, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Eric is averaging 17.3 points and 7.0 assists over his past three games. If he continues to produce, he’ll be hard to keep out of the Jazz lineup, as well as your fantasy one.

Matt Bonner, San Antonio Spurs
25 minutes, 11 points, 4-6 FG, 3 three-pointers, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers

Bonner had another decent night as San Antonio once again dealt with the injury bug.

Drew Gooden, Dallas Mavericks
36 minutes, 17 points, 8-13 FG, 1-2 FT, 11 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 1 turnover

Gooden continues to shine while Erick Dampier is out.

Steve Blake, Portland Trail Blazers
35 minutes, 17 points, 5-10 FG, 4-4 FT, 3 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers

Blake had a second consecutive solid game, but is mainly useful as a three-point threat at this point.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

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Fantasy Football Out on a Limb 2009, Volume 11

Ryan Lester — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:21:33 -0500

Before we get started, click here for my Week 11 NFL Picks.

Time for another edition of Fantasy Football Out on a Limb. I scour the rosters to select a player who I feel will outperform a higher profile player in that given week. I base my decisions on match-ups, how the players are trending, and the ever-important hunch. To mix things up I’ll occasionally do some two on one match-ups or even pit RB or WR duos against each other. Sometimes I’ll spot a player some points.

Scoring
6 points for rushing or receiving TD
4 points for a passing TD
0.1 points per yard for rushing or receiving
0.05 points per passing yard.

Last Week

Joe Flacco over Carson Palmer: Loser Flacco 7.75, Palmer 8.7
Tim Hightower over Matt Forte: Loser Hightower 5.8, Forte 16.1
Laurence Maroney over Ryan Grant: Winner Maroney 10.6, Grant 8.7
Braylon Edwards over Mike Sims-Walker: Loser Edwards7.9 , Sims-Walker 10.9
Davone Bess over Justin Gage: NA Gage didn’t play
SS: Jamaal Charles over Marshawn Lynch: Winner Charles 17.7, Lynch 5.5

Regular Picks: 1-3
Super Stretch Picks: 1-0
Overall: 2-3

Season Record
Regular Picks: 21-26
Super Stretch Picks: 4-8
Overall: 25-34

Week 11 Picks

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford over Joe Flacco
I have news for Mr. Flacco. Your easy game should have been last week against Cleveland. Now you face Indy’s solid pass defense. They have allowed just seven passing TDs on the year, which is tied for second lowest. Oh, and Dwight Freeney failed to record a Sack last week so he’ll be hungry. I’m going with the Rookie in this battle of young QBs as he takes on Cleveland at home.

Running Backs

J ason Snelling over Ryan Grant
Snelling gets the call for the Falcons while Michael Turner is out. First up are the Giants, who have allowed 12 rushing TDs on the year, which is tied for 26th. Meanwhile Grant faces the Niners run defense that is third in the league with just 87.7 yards per game allowed.

Beanie Wells over Marion Barber III
The last time I took Beanie Wells it was a train wreck, but he has been coming on strong and faces St. Louis’ porous run defense. Meanwhile Barber, who is also sharing carries, faces the Redskins, who have allowed just five rushing TDs on the year.

Wide Receivers

Sidney Rice over Vincent Jackson
I should have done this match-up last week, but I’ll take Rice to beat Jackson again this week. Jackson takes his show on the road to face Champ Bailey and the Broncos’ fifth ranked pass defense. Meanwhile, Rice plays a home game against Seattle, who is 21st against the pass.

Pierre Garcon over Derrick Mason
I’m putting my stock in the Indy pass defense to help me get back on track. Baltimore will look to slow Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, which should leave the speedy Garcon in single-coverage. Peyton Manning will take advantage of that.

SUPER STRETCH

Jamal Lewis over Thomas Jones
I don’t have much confidence in Cleveland’s offense, but I don’t have much faith in Detroit’s defense either. As Jamal Lewis’ career winds down, I think he has one last hurrah courtesy of the Lions. Thomas Jones has struggled against the Patriots in recent years, and I suspect the Patriots’ defense is going to go out of their way to support their Coach who is being grilled in the media. The infamous 4th down call was more about his confidence in his offense than a lack of confidence in his defense. Look for the Pats to make a statement.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

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Daily Haze: Dolphins-Panthers Start and Sit Advice

Michael McNeil — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:33:58 -0500

Taking a break from the trade advice today to tackle some of the start and sit problems facing fantasy owners this weekend.

It starts tonight with the Dolphins and Panthers, and the question on everyone's mind: How will Miami fare without Ronnie Brown in the lineup? And how will the Wildcat operate?

Perhaps more importantly for fantasy owners, how will Brown's owners fare without him this weekend?

Start 'em

Ricky Williams, RB, Dolphins

This is a no-brainer with Ronnie Brown out, but how will the dynamic of the Dolphins' running game change without Brown? Should be interesting to see how Ricky handles the load by himself.

Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers

DeAngelo Williams is either (A) legitimately banged up or (B) getting the veteran treatment. If it is the former, Stewart is in for a lot of work tonight.

Sit 'em

Ronnie Brown, RB, Dolphins

Obviously. This is just a friendly reminder to get him out of your starting lineup. He also is safe to drop in standard redraft leagues.

Chad Henne, QB, Dolphins

I think Henne has a better chance of being negatively affected by the loss of Brown than any other player on the Miami offense.

Finally, if it is trade advice you long for, consider reading a few of our trade-related posts from earlier this week:

Target These Players for the Fantasy Football Playoffs

Daily Haze: Grab These Rookies in Dynasty/Keeper Leagues

Last Call for These Eight Fantasy Handcuffs

Daily Haze: Trade Deadline Week

Here are today's great reads:

* Not only are fantasy owners without Ronnie Brown tonight, but they also could be without DeAngelo Williams . Keep a close eye on his status today. [ProFootballTalk]

* For those of you looking for trade advice: the science of trades in four simple but effective strategies. [Fantasy Clicks]

* Start and sit advice for week 11 , including an in-depth look at defensive rankings against both the run and pass. [Fantasy Football Xtreme]

* Ricky Williams absolutely is a must-start tonight according to these week 11 positional rankings . [Roto Arcade]

* Taking a really, really ridiculously early look at the first round of next summer's fantasy football drafts . Will Chris Johnson unseat Adrian Peterson? [FanHouse]

* Target report highlights from the week 10 action. If Steven Jackson keeps getting that many targets, he easily will finish the season as a top-10 fantasy running back in all formats. [Pancake Blocks]

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter . If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean's Facebook page . Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean's Google Reader Shared Items page.

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Fantasy Football Week 11 Injury Update: DeAngelo Williams and More

Eric Stashin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:33:47 -0500

The NFL released the early Week 11 injury report yesterday, so let’s take a look at which players are on it that fantasy owners need to be concerned about (and should quickly grab a replacement) and who you can safely leave in your line-up:

Ronnie Brown has been put on injured reserve, ending his season
He was one of the best running backs in the game and the most important player to the Dolphins offense. Will they utilize the Wildcat offense as much? Will Pat White get significant playing time? Clearly, Ricky Williams is now a must own for fantasy owners, but it will be interesting to see how the Dolphins offense operates moving forward.

DeAngelo Williams did not participate in practice due to a knee injury
According to the Charlotte Observer (click here to view), John Fox indicated that Williams was simply “resting,” despite being listed as questionable. With that said, he’s a must use in all formats.

Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood did not practice
The early talk was that there was no way that Turner would play this week, but they have apparently softened on that stance. Is it just smoke and mirrors? I tend to think so. Norwood is being mentioned as a “long shot” according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution (click here to view the article), meaning Jason Snelling will likely get the start. While the Giants likely got healthier during their bye week, I’d still consider using Snelling depending on your other options.

Carnell Williams was limited in practice due to a knee injury
He’s rushed for over 50 yards in three of his last four games (and in the one he didn’t, he added 28 yards through the air). He’s likely to play in Week 11, though is nothing more than a FLEX option.

Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez did not participate in practice
At this point is anyone surprised by the news on Gonzalez? I think the question is if he will return, not when. As for Garcon, he’s being listed with an ankle injury, though this is not a new thing. He’s played in every game this season, but hasn’t had more than five catches or 71 yards in a game. He’s only an option in the deepest of formats at this point, even in the high-powered Colts offense.

Todd Heap did not participate in practice due to a rib injury
He was injured this past week, but wasn’t among our Top 12 tight ends (click here to view) for the upcoming week against the Colts anyways.

Clinton Portis did not participate in practice due to a concussion
Given what is going on with Brian Westbrook, why would the Redskins rush him back at this point? Don’t look for him this week and honestly, it would be a surprise to see him in the near future. Make your plans accordingly, but keep him stashed away.

Jamal Lewis was limited in practice due to an ankle injury
I want to recommend using him in Week 11. I really want to, especially given his matchup against the Lions. However, he’s only had more than 16 carries in a game once this season and has yet to find the end zone. He’s averaging just 3.6 yards per carry and there seems to be little hope for him exploding any time soon. Leave him for those in FLEX formats only.

Jermichael Finley fully participated in practice
He missed the past three games with a knee injury but is expected to return to the field this week. While he developed into a sleeper option thanks to a huge Week Four performance (six catches, 128 yards, one TD), it’s impossible to use him for the upcoming week. Tight end is a crapshoot to begin with and you really just don’t know what you are going to get out of him.

Julius Jones has been ruled out for Week 11
That means that Justin Forsett will once again get the bulk of the carries. He’s coming off a great performance against the Cardinals, but runs into a Vikings team allowing just 94.6 yards per game on the ground, the sixth best in the league. With this matchup, he’s more of a low-end RB2, high-end FLEX option.

Bernard Berrian was limited in practice due to a hamstring injury
He’s clearly lost his spot as the top receiver in Minnesota to Sydney Rice and has been struggling in recent weeks. Even in deeper formats there almost has to be a more reliable option available to you.

Reggie Bush did not practice due to a knee injury
All indications are that he’s going to play, which certainly is a good thing. He had a season-high 83 yards on the ground as well as scored two touchdowns in Week 11. If things change and he appears likely to miss the game, then the potential value of Pierre Thomas increases significantly. At this point, coming off a game where he rushed for just 37 yards against a subpar Rams team, he’s a tough play in shallower formats.

Cedric Benson did not participate in practice due to a hip injury
According to bengals.com (click here for the article), Benson, hurting from a hip abductor strain, “reiterated what he said Tuesday about healing fast and that it’s not a major injury.” At this point, just monitor the news all week before making any kind of decision.

What are your thoughts on the injury news? Which do you find most troubling? Who are you not concerned about?

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

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Kevin Correia: 2010 Fantasy Breakout or Bust?

Eric Stashin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:29:57 -0500

It has long been considered that Kevin Correia could develop into a usable fantasy pitcher, though the results had never previously been there. He had shown signs, like pitching to a 2.54 ERA as a starting pitcher in 2007. However, after getting an extended look in 2008 (19 starts) and posting a 5.36 ERA, it was time for him to move on.

Fast-forward 12 months and once again, there is fantasy hope for Correia after posting the following line:

12 Wins
198.0 Innings
3.91 ERA
1.30 WHIP
142 Strikeouts (6.45 K/9)
64 Walks (2.91 BB/9)
.298 BABIP

In those numbers there is some good and there is some questionable. First of all, you have to like the overall ERA and WHIP, which comes courtesy of a realistic BABIP, strand rate (71.4%) and walk rate. In fact, with a career BB/9 of 3.50, there is promise in him being able to maintain the WHIP.

As for the ERA, there is reason to be concerned. Let’s look at his home/road split:

Home - 3.68
Road - 4.18

Was he simply the product of Petco Park? It’s quite possible, as his home BABIP was at .266. While it is interesting that he actually gave up more home runs at home (11) than on the road (6), I’m just not sure that we can continue to expect the same type of luck that he enjoyed in 2009, even in a pitcher’s park.

His BABIP on the road was .338 and his WHIP was 1.37, so while he may improve his luck outside of Petco, it’s likely going to be worse at home. I don’t think the improvement on the road will offset his regression at home, meaning I’d expect an increase in both ERA and WHIP in the coming season.

Another concern is the innings pitched, having never thrown anything near that many innings in the past:

2004 - 124.1 innings
2005 - 121.1 innings
2006 - 68.2 innings
2007 - 101.2 innings
2008 - 125.1 innings

While I may not fully prescribe to the innings pitched theory of not being able to increase by more than 30, you have to wonder how throwing so many more innings in 2009 will affect him. He didn’t show it last season, finishing with ERAs of 3.68 (36.2 innings) and 1.25 (36.0 innings) in August and September.

Yes, there is a concern, but it shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

The bigger concern is Correia’s inability to generate significant swings and misses. In the minor leagues his career K/9 was just 7.1, clearly a mark that would fail to get anyone excited. Unless he can get hitters to strikeout more often, a regression in his BABIP will have a significant affect on his overall numbers.

With all that said, let’s take a look at what I’d expect from him in 2010:

175.0 IP, 9 W, 4.47 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 125 K (6.43 K/9), 64 BB (3.29 BB/9)

Those numbers come courtesy of a BABIP of .304, marginally worse than what he posted in 2009. Coupled with a regression in control, however, and the WHIP becomes significantly worse. With the decreased luck in his home park leading to a higher ERA, the numbers just do not look all that appealing for Correia in 2010.

All that with a low strikeout rate and he’s just not a pitcher that I want to have anything to do with in 2010. How about you? Is he someone you want to own? How do you think he’ll perform?

Check out some previous 2010 projections including:

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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NFL Quick Hits (Nov. 18th): The Benching Of Jamarcus Russell, and More

kevin roberts — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:07:15 -0500

Ronnie Brown Out For Season

Brown has reportedly been ruled out for the remainder of the 2009 season with an apparent Lisfranc fracture. This is a huge blow to Miami's strong rushing attack, but should open the door for the 32-year old Ricky Williams to become, once again, one of the league's premiere backs.

Williams may be up there in age, but he doesn't have a ton of tread on his tires and has been playing elite football all season long. Click your heels and hope that you already owned him if Ronnie Brown was on your roster.

Brian Westbrook Expected to Make Full Recovery

Doctors administered several tests and came to the conclusion that Westbrook was already making steady progress, and while he won't be returning to action any time soon, his career does not appear to be in jeopardy.

His 2009, however, doesn't hold as much certainty. Westbrook is expected to be out until follow-up tests are administered in 2-3 weeks, so unless the Eagles are in the thick of the NFC playoff race by then, his season could be a wash.

DeAngelo Williams Misses Wednesday Practice

He's supposedly listed as "questionable" this early in the week, but considering the same thing was being said all the way up to gameday and he still made the start (and played well), this needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

Carolina will rest him all week, but he's still a safe bet to be deployed against the Miami Dolphins in a must-win game this week.

Jamarcus Russell Officially Benched

Russell has been atrocious all season long, as he's thrown just two touchdowns to nine interceptions. Josh Freeman already looks leaps and bounds better than this guy, and he's only played two NFL games.

Bruce Gradkowski will start in his place, and despite being a mild upgrade, he is nowhere near a fantasy option.

Julius Jones Ruled Out For Week 11

This was expected, especially after Justin Forsett's extremely impressive 120+ rushing yard and one touchdown day in Week 10. The tiny speedster really made a name for himself after Jones went down, and with even a decent showing this week against a tough Minnesota run defense, could carve himself a nice role going forward.

His shifty play-making ability and threat to rack up yards by both catching and running make him a solid Flex play this week.

Jerious Norwood Not a Safe Bet to Face Giants

The Falcons probably want to rush him back because of the recent injury to Michael Turner, but it'd be best to let both him and Turner rest this week and let Jason Snelling give it a go.

Snelling isn't terrible (and actually is a nice fantasy option this week), but the Falcons have to be feeling pretty nervous about their chances against the Giants without their top two running backs.

Ryan Fitzpatrick to Start For Bills

The noodle arm is back at full force, whatever that means. You know times are rough when Trent Edwards is no longer a team's best option over a guy like Fitzpatrick. Needless to say, Terrell Owens' value takes a huge hit with Fitz behind center, while Lee Evans actually stands pat as a decent WR3.

Note: Fitzpatrick likes throwing shorter routes to Evans.

For more fantasy updates, go here .

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NFL Mikee's Adventures In Fantasy Football: Week 10 a Good One!

thomas moreland — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:19:15 -0500

All my teams won except for one, so 6-1, is good, right?

NFL Mikee's Molemen, team one, lost and is now 5-5. Tied for fifth in that particular league. Seeme like a decent line-up but just a 500 team, so far.

Week 11 will start Kurt Warner, Sidney Rice,Steve Smith, Andre Johnson,Pierre Thomas, Frank Gore,Heath Miller,David Akers, and the Philadelphia defense.

Team two, The TWO Wreckers are still undefeated at 9-0. This team is pretty good.

Week 11 starts Tom Brady, Randy Moss,Vincent Jackson,Adrian Peterson,Hines Ward, LaDanian Tomlinson, Hines Ward, Brent Celek, Robbie Gould, and the Steeler defense.

NFL Mikee's Maulers, team three, won to get a current record of 6-4. I've worked on this team from an auto-draft line up and this team is making progress.

Week 11 will start Drew Brees, T Hightower, Ryan Grant, Steve Smith, Wes Welker,Brent Celek, Derek Mason, Nate Kaeding, and the Arizona defense.

Team four the Soth Florida Tarpons, are 5-5, and improving a bit, This week we will take a shot, benching Matt Cassell, and picking up Josh Freeman just for fun.

Also starting will be Matt Forte, DeAngelo Williams,Frank Gore, Hines Ward,Steve Breaston, John Carlson, the Fortry Niner defense, and Dan Carpenter. A fun team.

Team five,the Fort Myers Mustangs, are 6-3-1, and in third place in their league.

This week's starters will be Donovan McNabb, Steve Slaton, Rashard Mendenhall,Anquan Boldin, Randy Moss, Roddy White,Tony Gonzales, the Niner defense, and Nate Kaeding.

Team six, The LaBelle Cowboys have made it to 5-5 after an 0-4 start. We are moving up.

Starters will be Matt Schaub, Pierre Thomas, Rashard Mendenhall, Steven Jackson,Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Smith,Brent Celek, the Arizona defense, and Matt Prater.

The Nort Fort Myers Warlocks, are 9-1.

The Week 11 starters will be Kurt Warner, Frank Gore, Thomas Jones, Wes Welker,Larry Fitzgerald, Hines Ward, Brent Celek,the Forty-Niner defense and Nate Kaeding.

Good luck in all your fantasy leagues, except against me.

Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland.

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Bye, Bye Ronnie Brown: Foot Injury Takes RB to IR

Jacob Sloan — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:18:39 -0500

The Miami Dolphins have placed Ronnie Brown on IR with a foot injury to end his season. Adam Schefter filed the story this afternoon, and ESPN now has the official word . Apparently, this injury was much more serious than feared.

What does this mean for the Miami Wildcat?

Who knows? "May not even run it," a coy Sparano said. “Never know.”

But don’t order your coffins yet, fantasy owners. There’s still hope, right?

Well, at least there’s always Ricky Williams , who now assumes the duties of starting running back. With increased carries, he can't be expected to take over both Ronnie Brown's and his own level of production, but it’ll be something.

Williams has already had his fair share of big days even while sharing with Brown, and, for at least the next two weeks, he gets to run against the Panthers and the Bills. Even if the Miami offense takes a step back without Brown’s Wildcat wrinkles and bursts, Williams should be an adequate replacement.

Plus, there’s no frustration when the other part of the RBBC gets all the touchdowns, right?

Well, that didn’t seem to cheer you up. If you didn’t get Williams as a handcuff or backup to Brown this season, you got options.

You do also have the good fortune of losing your starting running back when a great deal of the best running backs in fantasy went down with injury.

Bernard Scott would be the most lucrative grab of the multitude available, but only if Cedric Benson ends up missing time (and if Larry Johnson really does just ride the bench as depth). My gut feeling is that Benson misses at least one game.

The Bengals should at least hold him out a week for the sake of keeping him fresh. It’s on the Raiders after all, and then the Browns, and then the Lions.

Yeah, Scott’s a good grab.

So don’t punch your ticket to miss the playoffs…yet.

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NFL Fantasy Rankings: The Fall of Ronnie Brown and Rise of Ricky Williams

Fantasy-Info .com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:49:43 -0500

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports today that Dolphins star running back Ronnie Brown has been placed on injured reserve. This is a major blow to the Dolphins and the team is now in jeopardy of missing the playoffs

With Brown down the Dolphins' success on offense will now hinge of the shoulders of Ricky Williams .

Williams has had one of the more checkered pasts of any sports player I can remember. From wearing a wedding dress on an ESPN cover with Mike Ditka to leaving the game to smoke weed around the world.

This guy has sure had some off the field notable's but he's also had success on the field in his career as well.

Turning a Career Around

Last year Bill Parcels gave Williams another chance to help the Dolphins and prolong his career after coming back from a yearlong suspension ( he actually came back in '07 but only played one game). In 2008 Williams ran hard and with conviction as he helped the Dolphins win their division and go to the playoffs.

This season Williams is running more effective than ever before and is helping fantasy football owners weekly.

So far, this season Williams has 105 carries for 558 yards rushing (5.3 yard per carry average) and six rushing touchdowns. Not only is Williams helping out in the run game, but he also has 18 receptions for 193 yards ( over ten yards a catch) and one touchdown.

These numbers are almost amazing for a running back that is now 32 years of age and supposedly on the tail end of his career.

Fantasy Breakdown Going Forward

With Brown out of the lineup Williams makes for a very strong fantasy football start every week. Not only will Williams see a majority of the touches and goal line opportunities, but he will play the Panthers and Bills these next two weeks.

Hopefully, you have Williams on your fantasy roster or at least don't have to play him in that time.

Williams now makes for a top-15 fantasy football running back for the rest of the season. He should get the ball 20-plus times a game and be a strong producer most weeks.

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com.

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Fantasy Football: Talkin' About Practice Week 11

Ryan Lester — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:54:24 -0500

Cedric Benson (hip) missed practice today. The Bengals are putting on a front that he’ll play, but a wiser move would be to let him have a week to heal. They are facing the Raiders after all. Why jeopardize a Super Bowl caliber season against a bottom dweller?

Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) maintained his practice of sitting out practice despite coming off last week” bye. He should be good to go against Atlanta.

Steve Breaston (knee) was limited in practice today, but makes is an excellent WR3 play against St. Louis this weekend.

Ronnie Brown (ankle) won’t play in tomorrow night’s game and rumors are swirling that he’ll miss the rest of the season. Don’t do anything drastic until that has been confirmed.

Reggie Bush (knee) missed practice today. It’s likely just cautionary and you should use him as you would normally.

Antonio Bryant (knee) was able to practice today, but I’m sure most fantasy owners have moved on. You can’t use Bryant this week even if he’s a go.

Julius Jones (lung) won’t play this week. Depending on how well Justin Forsett plays over the next couple of week’s JJ could lose his job while he’s out.

Sammy Morris (knee) was limited in practice today. Even if he is able to play against the Jets, he is too much of a risk to play at this point.

Kyle Orton (ankle) missed practice today. The Broncos are holding out hope that he’ll be able to play when the collide with the Chargers for first place. Even if he can go, he doesn’t make a good fantasy play this week.

Jonathan Stewart (heel) had to break his pattern of ducking out on Wednesday practice because they play the Dolphins tomorrow night. Despite the short week, J-Stew will be fine.

Michael Turner (ankle) will miss this weekend’s game, and likely a couple more. Jason Snelling makes a nice start this week against the G-Men, who have allowed more than their share of rushing TDs.

Brian Westbrook (concussion) won’t play this weekend either. He would be smart to take the rest of the season off. Clinton Portis , also suffering from a concussion hasn’t been ruled out, but he’s long shot at best to play.

Roddy White (knee) missed practice today, but there is little risk that he won’t be able to go this weekend.

DeAngelo Williams (knee) on the other hand sat out of practice. It is merely precautionary, and expect D-Will to have a strong showing against the Dolphins.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

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Target These Players for the Fantasy Football Playoffs

Michael McNeil — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:26:21 -0500

In continuation of trade deadline advice week here at The Hazean, today's fantasy football trade feature focuses on a few players with tasty playoff schedules.

In case you were wondering, yesterday's feature highlighted eight handcuffs fantasy owners should target via the waiver wire or trade market this week.

For those of you in the thick of the playoff race, looking too far ahead could be costly. Each regular season weekend from now until the start of the fantasy playoffs should be the most important item on a fantasy owner's agenda.

But getting a feel for which players have the best matchups come fantasy playoff time is never a bad idea. Especially if you are considering swinging a deal that could help you down the road.

Before making a deal, assess your chances of making the playoffs. If you have a few players with great matchups the next few weeks whom others are targeting in a trade, decide if you can get into the playoffs despite losing these players. And if so, make sure you get one or a few guys with great fantasy playoff schedules in return.

The players listed below have the tastiest of fantasy football playoff matchups based on the amount of fantasy points given up by the opposing defenses in the past few weeks.

The matchups for each of the players listed below are for a standard fantasy playoff schedule, Weeks 14 through 16. If you need Week 17 matchup advice, check the handy Fantasy Strength of Schedule tool provided by FFToday .

Quarterbacks

Kurt Warner, Cardinals
@ 49ers, @ Lions, vs. Rams

Matt Schaub, Texans
vs. Seahawks, @ Rams, @ Dolphins

Risky Pick: Vince Young, Titans
vs. Rams, vs. Dolphins, vs. Chargers

Running Backs

Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers
@ Browns, vs. Packers, vs. Ravens

Thomas Jones, Jets
@ Buccaneers, vs. Falcons, @ Colts

Risky Pick: Michael Turner, Falcons
v. Saints, @ Jets, v. Bills

Wide Receivers

Marques Colston, Saints
@ Falcons, vs. Cowboys, vs. Buccaneers

Jerricho Cotchery/Braylon Edwards, Jets
@ Buccaneers, vs. Falcons, @ Colts

Risky Pick: Greg Jennings, Packers
@ Bears, @ Steelers, v. Seahawks

Tight Ends

Greg Olsen, Bears
v. Packers, @ Ravens, vs. Vikings

Heath Miller, Steelers
@ Browns, vs. Packers, vs. Ravens

Risky Pick: Brandon Pettigrew, Lions
@ Ravens, vs. Cardinals, @ 49ers

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11 Sleepers to Start Week 11

Viresh Patel — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:21:29 -0500

Week 11 in NFL is ready to get under way, and that means it's a crucial time for fantasy owners scrambling to make last minute trades and working the waiver wire to solidify your team for a playoff run. Everybody knows at this point in time regardless of the matchup you're going start Peyton, Tom, and Drew. Yes, we know Maurice Jones-Drew AKA MJD Light, AKA Pocket Hercules, AKA Mojo is pretty much guaranteed to score. So let's take a look at 11 sleepers for week 11 to help lock up your lineup.

Begin Slideshow

Week 11 Starter Help: NFL Fantasy Football | PPR & Standard Leagues

Fantasy-Info .com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:10:33 -0500

Now that the bye weeks are gone, fantasy football owners can finally start their entire team.

Well, maybe that isn't entirely true as a bunch of running backs went down with injuries this past weekend and will miss time.

Hopefully, your team didn't get blasted by these injuries (I know a few of my teams did), and you can roll on as usual.

This week we have our usual section on wounded warriors, as well as our rankings for top position players. We ranked the top-16 QB, TE, K and D/ST. We also have the top 30 RB's and top 35 WR's as well.

Wounded Warriors

Quarterbacks :

Broncos—Kyle Orton: First it was reported Kyle Orton would probably miss this week's game against the Chargers. Now the team is saying that Orton will start against the Chargers in a huge game for the division.

Look for Orton to be hobbled throughout the game and the Broncos will probably run the football a good amount.

Running Backs:

Eagles—Brian Westbrook: The Eagles may very well have lost Westbrook for the rest of the season with his second concussion in as many games. This is bad news for Westbrook as some are wondering if this will be career ending.

I do believe Westbrook will be back playing for someone next year, but I'm not sure he will play again (or should, for that matter) this season.

Look for LeSean McCoy to take over in the running game and be a factor for fantasy football owners going forward.

Seahawks—Julius Jones: The Seahawks will lose their top running back Julius Jones for at least a week or two. On Monday, the team announced that Jones had been bleeding in his lung.

Look for Justin Forsett to be the starting running back going forward, and I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps the job for the rest of the season. The former Cal standout had a big game against the Cardinals and is a better runner than Jones.

Bengals—Cedric Benson: The Bengals star running back injured his hip against the Steelers last week, but he may play this week. Cincinnati is looking to pickup Larry Johnson but will keep him on the inactive list every week.

As long as Johnson stays on the inactive list this is a good sign for Benson and his odds of playing this week. If Benson is out, look for backup Bernard Scott to start.

Falcons—Michael Turner: The Falcons are going to lose their star runner Michael Turner for at least a game or two with a high ankle sprain. Hopefully, Turner will be back soon and playing effective for fantasy owners.

This is a crushing blow to fantasy owners that are fighting to make the playoffs and have Turner.

Jason Snelling should get the start for the Falcons this weekend against the New York Giants.

Dolphins—Ronnie Brown: The Dolphins are already expecting Ronnie Brown to be out for this Thursday's game against the Panthers. Beyond that they are concerned that Brown could be out for longer.

Ricky Williams could have some big games ahead if Brown is, in fact, out for a while. The Dolphins get the Panthers and Bills in the next two weeks. What a horrible time to lose Brown.

Quarterbacks

Drew Brees @ Buccaneers
Tom Brady vs Jets
Peyton Manning @ Ravens
Aaron Rodgers vs 49ers
Kurt Warner @ Rams
Donovan McNabb @ Bears
Philip Rivers @ Broncos
Ben Roethlisberger @ Cheifs
Matt Schaub vs Titans
Brett Favre vs Seahawks
Tony Romo vs Redskins
Eli Manning vs Falcons
Jay Cutler vs Eagles
Joe Flacco vs Colts
Matt Ryan @ Giants
Carson Palmer @ Raiders

Running Backs

Chris Johnson @ Texans
Maurice Jones-Drew vs Bills
Adrian Peterson vs Seahawks
Ray Rice vs Colts
Steven Jackson vs Cardinals
Frank Gore @ Packers
DeAngelo Williams vs Dolphins
Ricky Williams @ Panthers
Matt Forte vs Eagles
Rashard Mendenhall @ Chiefs
Thomas Jones @ Patriots
LaDainian Tomlinson @ Broncos
Pierre Thomas @ Buccaneers
Cedric Benson @ Raiders (Could be Game Time Decision)
Marion Barber vs Redskins
Beanie Wells @ Rams
Marshawn Lynch @ Jaguars
Ryan Grant vs 49ers
Knowshon Moreno vs Chargers
LeSean McCoy @ Bears
Jonathan Stewart vs Dolphins
Joseph Addai @ Ravens
Ladell Betts @ Cowboys
Brandon Jacobs vs Falcons
Reggie Bush @ Buccaneers
Cadillac Williams vs Saints
Justin Forsett @ Vikings
Laurence Maroney vs Jets
Jason Snelling @ Giants
Jamaal Charles vs Steelers

Wide Receivers

Randy Moss vs Jets
Larry Fitzgerald @ Rams
Reggie Wayne @ Ravens
Andre Johnson vs Titans
Vincent Jackson @ Broncos
Marques Colston @ Buccaneers
DeSean Jackson @ Bears
Roddy White @ Giants
Miles Austin vs Redskins
Chad Ochocinco @ Raiders
Mike Sims-Walker vs Bills
Sidney Rice vs Seahawks
Wes Welker vs Jets
Santonio Holmes @ Chiefs
Calvin Johnson vs Browns (If Not Now.....When?)
Brandon Marshall vs Chargers (Rank 10 Spots Lower if Orton Doesn't Play)
Steve Smith (Car) vs Dolphins
Devin Hester vs Eagles
Anquan Boldin @ Rams (Healthy Again)
Steve Smith (NY) vs Falcons
Hines Ward @ Chiefs
T.J. Houshmandzadeh @ Vikings
Donald Driver vs 49ers
Nate Burelson @ Vikings
Lee Evans @ Jaguars
Percy Harvin vs Seahawks
Greg Jennings vs 49ers (What's Up Jennings?)
Mario Manningham vs Falcons
Chris Chambers vs Steelers
Braylon Edwards @ Patriots
Derrick Mason vs Colts
Nate Washington @ Texans
Roy Williams vs Redskins
Laveranues Coles @ Raiders
Michael Crabtree @ Packers

Tight Ends

Dallas Clark @ Ravens
Brent Celek @ Bears
Vernon Davis @ Packers
Antonio Gates @ Broncos
Jason Witten vs Redskins
Greg Olsen vs Eagles
Visanthe Shaincoe vs Seahawks
Tony Gonzalez @ Giants
Heath Miller @ Chiefs
John Carlson @ Vikings
Kellen Winslow vs Saints
Jeremy Shockey @ Buccaneers
Dustin Keller @ Patriots
Tony Scheffler vs Chargers
Todd Heap vs Colts
Kevin Boss vs Falcons

Kickers

David Akers @ Bears
Shayne Graham @ Raiders
Mason Crosby vs 49ers
Nate Kaeding @ Broncos
Stephen Gostkowski vs Jets
Nick Folk vs Redskins
Lawrence Tynes vs Falcons
Ryan Longwell vs Seahawks
Rob Bironas @ Texans
Jason Hanson vs Browns
Kris Brown vs Titans
Josh Scobee vs Bills
Matt Prater vs Chargers
Niel Rackers @ Rams
Joe Nedney @ Packers
John Kasey vs Dolphins

Defense/ ST

Steelers @ Chiefs
Vikings vs Seahawks
Bengals @ Raiders
Cowboys vs Redskins
Packers vs 49ers
Broncos vs Chargers
Patriots vs Jets
Cardinals @ Rams
Saints @ Buccaneers
Chargers @ Broncos (Move Down Five if Orton Plays)
Eagles @ Bears
49ers @ Packers
Jaguars vs Bills
Giants vs Falcons
Ravens vs Colts
Colts @ Ravens

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

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