20 Fantasy Football Studs and Duds For Week Seven

20 Fantasy Football Studs and Duds from Week Seven

October 21, 2008

Halfway into most fantasy football regular seasons, we have this weeks Top Dogs and the Dogs that laid down for you on your fantasy football squads.  Some new names, regular names, and switched teams on Team Studs and Team Duds.

TEAM STUD:

QB:  Matt Cassel, Patriots

All of those owners that snatched up Cassel after Tom Brady went down have finally had a payoff.  That is if he was still on the roster or even starting.  Three TD’s sent him to the top of the QB performances this week.  Can he keep it up?  Well, two weeks ago we may have said yes with the Rams coming up but somehow Jim Haslett has sparked St. Louis.

RB:  Steven Jackson, Rams

Speaking of a spark in St. Louis, here is the guy that most people are watching for when the scroll hits the Rams game on Sunday.  A MONSTER game against the Cowboys, three TD’s and 160 yards on the ground.  It’s been a tough season for those owners that had taken SJax early.  Really only his second game to speak of this year.

RB: LenDale White, Titans

For all those White owners that cringe every time they hear Chris Johnson got another TD, this week is for you. 149 yards and three TD’s…with a long one in there.  Now…keep in mind he won’t play the Chiefs every week but DAMN!  Nobody expects a game like that to come out of White so it is a great bonus for a week.

WR: Calvin Johnson, Lions

We didn’t know what to expect from Detroit after a poor showing by Orlovsky the previous week and the departure of Roy Williams.  Well.  Calvin didn’t catch many balls.  Two.  For 154 yards and one of them for a TD!  Johnson will obviously be the guy that defense’s target now that Williams is gone but this is a good example of what a playmaker does despite that.

WR: Randy Moss, Patriots

Those poor souls that took Randy Moss in the first round.  At least they are getting more points than those Tom Brady drafters.  Randy Moss finally puts up first round like numbers with two TD’s on 69 yards.  We are still not seeing the monster down field throws from Cassel but at least the Moss owners are getting a solid week.

TE: Owen Daniels, Texans

If I told you in the preseason that Owen Daniels would put up almost the exact numbers as Randy Moss this week you may have laughed at me like those people did when I dropped Peyton Manning out of the Top Three in our Fantasy QB rankings.  Daniels is a solid target at TE.  There is a big drop off after Jason Witten at the position but Daniels is actually right there after him right now.

DT/ST: Green Bay Packers

You are not supposed to start the defense that plays the Colts.  You just don’t do it if you have another option.  But then again, the Colts are not your Colts from recent seasons.  The two INT’s ran back for TD’s helped any Packers owner that did start them.

Individual Defensive Players (IDP)

LB: DJ Williams, Broncos

DJ Williams stock dropped with his position switch in the offseason.  Well, he is really only trailing Patrick Willis as far as IDP Linebackers go.  10 tackles and six assists this week is a very good fantasy showing with out some of those bigger numbers like sacks and INT’s.

DL: Terrell Suggs, Ravens

You have seen the highlights, right?  Suggs runs back a pick for a TD?  He also added seven tackles and a sack…and a pass defensed.  Suggs has made his way to the top of the IDP Defensive Line category on the season.

DB: Aaron Rouse, Packers

Nick Collins is a bigger name and his INT is getting more ESPN time but Rouse was the IDP winner on the Packers D this weekend.  A BIG INT returned for a TD (bonus if you get yards), two passes defensed, five tackles, two assists.  His only big game since Week Three he likely wasn’t in many lineups.

TEAM DUD:

QB: Drew Brees, Saints

231 yards and an INT…and NO TD’s!  Very un-Brees like, especially the way the media has got behind him in recent weeks.  Yes, we should of course see Brees rebound.  He loses one of his targets in Reggie Bush for a while.

RB: Reggie Bush, Saints

Well, look here.  There is Reggie.  A disappointing week not only because of performance (60 yards) but Bush is out for a few weeks.  So those that got the bonus pick of Bush outside of the first round in the fantasy drafts (man, if you took him in the first you are a lucky homer), will have to wait to see if they get more out of him.  Did you have Deuce as a backup?

RB: Ronnie Brown, Dolphins

28 total yards for Ronnie Brown.  We knew not to expect much against the Ravens, but those Brown owners who were believing he was going to make them a legit fantasy contender this season are hanging their heads this week.

WR: Greg Jennings, Packers

Jennings is the top fantasy WR this season and there is bound to be off weeks.  32 yards on three receptions is a bummer but you know he will be back.  Even with that performance you will still find him at the top of fantasy WR stats lists on the season.

WR; Reggie Wayne, Colts

Wayne has been one of the few bright spots on the Colts offense this season.  So when he is held to 24 yards on two receptions the Colts are not looking like a bright fantasy team at all.  You still cannot get away with benching any Colts but it sure is hard to see them become a bit mortal.

TE: Kellen Winslow, Browns

Winslow owners that were pumped to see him return were likely drained if they started him this week.  Two receptions and 17 yards.  Ouch.  One of the highest TE picks in the fantasy football drafts has been inconsistent since his first down showing in Week Three.

DT/ST: New York Jets

The Jets have quietly become a Top 10 fantasy D-Team.  Some people may have even considered starting them this week against a lowly Raiders.  Well…Jets D, not so good this week.  Too many yards given up although they kept the game close…long enough to lose in O.T.

Individual Defensive Players (IDP)

LB: Dhani Jones, Browns

Despite being named as the guy with the headset in his helmet in the preseason Jones slipped in many IDP drafts.  Those that look beyond name recognition are being rewarded as Jones has been a TOP LB this season.  They are also disappointed for the first time this week as he has his first off game.

DL: Mario Williams, Texans

Williams found himself on Team Dud earlier in the season.  There just is not the consistency that you would like to see in an IDP lineman.  They are not the big scoring producers but you have a leg up if your solid at the position.  Williams owners are finding he is not consistent.

DB: Antoine Winfield, Vikings

Do we expect too much from Winfield?  Well, he is one of the top D-Backs in fantasy football.  He has led my DB squad for years.  Two weeks in a row he has put up below average numbers.  This week one tackle, one assist, one pass defensed.  Bummer.

***Watch Football Jabber later in the week for Team Stud and Team Dud for the first half of the season.  You can also subscribe via RSS to have it delivered to you.