Fantasy Football: Fantasy Football Powwow: Week 9 Pickups of the Week (POWs)

Get Them While You Can

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills (33.2 percent owned)

Nick: Sure, Ryan Fitzpatrick didn’t continue his streak of 20-point performances, but Kansas City does have an above-average defense and Fitzpatrick still looked solid.  This week against Chicago will be a tough matchup, but like usual, the Bills will be trailing and throwing often.  Expect Fitzpatrick to return to his 20-point self this week. 

Also, Fitzpatrick is a great QB for the long haul. Take a look at his fantasy football playoff schedule, for example: Cleveland, Miami and New England.  Not exactly All-Pro secondaries.

Buddy: At this point you have to consider Fitzpatrick a top 10 QB the rest of the way. He is already ranked 11th among QBs in fantasy despite not starting the first two games and having a bye week. If this guy is available in your league, you have to pick him up.

Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 26.8%

Nick: Josh Freeman is well on his way to stardom as he continues to deliver week in and week out, especially in the fourth quarter.  If Dunta Robinson is out this week, Freeman is a borderline top five QB.  That might sound like a big move, but he finished eighth last week and he seems like he is on the brink of a breakout 300-yard, 3-TD game.

Buddy: Josh Freeman has been remarkably consistent and seems to be just getting better. I do not like him as much as Fitzpatrick the rest of the way but I also see Freeman as a top ten QB for the remainder of the season.

LeGarrette Blount, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20.7%

Nick: Last week, we mentioned that LeGarrette Blount Might Be Worth a Look, noting that he has outperformed Cadillac as of late, and what does Blount do?  Tear it up.  I think someone is a fan of the website…

Buddy: It’s always tough to find a starting RB on the waiver wire, especially in Week 9, but Blount has done enough in the last two weeks to win the starting job in Tampa Bay. He had 22 carries to Cadillac’s four against the Cardinals. Blount will be a top 20 guy the rest of the way

Steve Johnson, WR, Buffalo Bills (51.0 percent owned)

Nick: Steve Johnson has now scored in five straight weeks and has six total TDs over that stretch.  If you aren’t considering picking up Steve Johnson, maybe you should consider just quitting fantasy football.  Unless, of course, you are like me and you own Andre Johnson, Roddy White and Miles Austin and don’t have room for Steve Johnson because the worst player in your lineup is Jahvid Best.  Life is tough being in first place all the time, isn’t that right Buddy?  Oh wait, you wouldn’t know.

Buddy: Steve Johnson is ranked 12th among receivers in fantasy points, yet he is owned in just over half of standard scoring leagues. There is just no reason for that. Five straight games with a score and you know you can trust the guy. Put him on your squad.

Might Be Worth a Look

Jacob Tamme, TE, Indianapolis Colts (4.2 percent owned)

Nick: Jacob Tamme filled in nicely for the injured Dallas Clark, and if you didn’t know better, you might have thought that Tamme was Clark the way Peyton threw his way so often.  Tamme finished with 12 fantasy points and nine total targets.  I was unsure about Tamme to begin with, but after this he is an above-average option at TE the rest of the way.

Buddy: Many times in fantasy football it’s about opportunity and not so much talent. Jacob Tamme is far from the most talented tight end in the league, but he gets to have Peyton Manning throw it to him. At this point I would still consider him a matchup play and not an every week start, but I would not be surprised if he consistently puts up good fantasy numbers.

Hold Your Horses 

Mike Tolbert, RB, San Diego Chargers (60.6 percent owned)

Nick: Tolbert needs to be the full-time starter at this point.  Sometimes draft picks work out and sometimes they don’t.  Ryan Mathews seems like he isn’t going to work out; it might be crazy to give up on him so early, but why fix something that isn’t broken?  Tolbert continues to score each week and has continually outperformed every other RB on the roster, with fewer carries nonetheless.  Tolbert is the RB I want of any of the Chargers.  Too bad he’s a timeshare in a pass-first offense, otherwise he could be a top 10 RB. Hold your horses until Tolbert sees more carries.

Buddy: It’s too hard to trust this guy until he starts to get the majority of the carries in San Diego, but so far this season he has been far more impressive with his carries than first-round pick Ryan Mathews. Mathews is still the future in San Diego, so they won’t give up on him to soon; but if production continues favor Tolbert, the carries will follow.

No-Gos

Darren Sproles, RB, San Diego Chargers (59.8 percent owned)

Nick: Darren Sproles is the third option in a pass-first offense.  No thanks.

Buddy: Sproles should only be considered in PPR leagues, but even then I would look for better options. How this guy in owned in 60 percent of leagues baffles me. He had four carries last week.

Check out the full list of POWs at fantasyfootballpowwow.com