20 Fantasy Football Studs and Duds

20 Fantasy Football Studs and Duds from Week 11

Nov. 18, 2008

The Fantasy Football Playoffs are only a couple weeks away in most formats.  This week we have some players that were drafted high finally stepping up.  We are also watching some players fantasy football season melt before our eyes.  Let’s have a look at this weeks Fantasy Football Big Dogs and the Dogs that laid down in Studs and Duds.

TEAM STUDS

QB: Matt Cassel, Patriots

Finally there is a Tom Brady like performance coming from the QB in New England this season.  Cassel tossed for 400 yards and three TDs against the Jets last week.  He also had another 62 yards on the ground and a rushing Two Pointer.  After that game they are all of a sudden talking of him demanding big money in FA next year.

RB: Joseph Addai, Colts

FINALLY!  In the preseason some argued that Addai should be as high as No.2 for fantasy running backs.  He has hit the Team Dud list a couple of times this season.  This week he brings in a TD in the air and on the ground, as well as 105 yards rushing and 48 yards receiving on four catches.  Feel better Addai owners?  Hopefully it is not too late for your No.1 pick to start performing and you can make a playoff run.

RB: Marshawn Lynch, Bills

Another high draft pick this season, Lynch turns in his best performance of the year on Monday Night Football.  It’s guys like this that make this article come out on Tuesday.  119 yards on the ground,another 10 catches for 58 yards, and a nice TD run after the catch. After a couple mediocre weeks owners have to hope he keeps this up, unless you are playing him.

WR: Justin Gage, Titans

Whodathunk there would be a day that a Tennessee Titan would sit atop a list of fantasy football wide receiver studs?  That day is here my friend.  Gage had four catches for 147 yards and two TDs.  Not very Titan WR like at all, huh?  I guess if you have him it is a good time to trade him to that guy that picks up every one week wonder.

WR: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Bengals

T.J. returns to team stud Carson Palmerless.  This week he brought in 12 receptions for 149 yards and a TD.  We could still be a couple weeks out from Carson Palmer’s return.  It’s nice to still be getting numbers like this out of a guy who was likely your No.1 WR draft if you have him, despite his QB being down for so long.

TE: Ben Watson, Patriots

How long has it been since you have seen Ben Watson mentioned in a list of Fantasy Football Studs?  Quiet a while, I’m sure.  Has been for me anyway.  Eight receptions, 88 yards, and a TD.  For those math kids out there…that beats his previous point total for the entire season.

DT/ST: Green Bay Packers

The Packers D takes home the Team Stud title for Defensive/Special Teams squad this week.  They had their way with the Bears, both scoring on them and holding the Bears to three points.

Individual Defensive Players (IDP)

LB: Jerod Mayo, Patriots

The rookie LB played like they expected to play when the Patriots drafted him in 2008.  16 friggen tackles!  Tack on four assists and a pass defensed.  Woot!  After a down week in Week Eight (which wasn’t that far down) he has been pretty consistent since.

DL: Trent Cole, Eagles

Cole gets another shot at team stud this year. Five tackles, five assists, and two sacks.  Those are the kind of numbers you love to see out of your D lineman on your IDP squad.

DB: Josh Wilson, Seahawks

This position more than any other this season is where we can find a sleeper on any given week. Not an all out sleeper, but he sails pretty much under the radar.  Wilson forced a fumble, intercepted a pass, and had 10 tackles.

TEAM DUDS

QB: Philip Rivers, Chargers

It really isn’t fair to call Rivers a dud this week since it wasn’t a good start against the Steelers anyway.  But…we will.  He is surprisingly one of the top fantasy QB’s for 2008 and by now was likely the starter for many fantasy teams this last weekend.  Only 164 yards and a couple INT’s.

RB: Brian Westbrook, Eagles

60 yards rushing and three receptions for 11 yards.  Not very Westbrook like.  The second straight poor outing for Westbrook.  Even though they went to the passing game early you would think he would be more involved in that.  He gets the Ravens next week, not looking good for the owners who rejoiced upon his return for a playoff run.

RB: LenDale White, Titans

After being a pretty consistent starting fantasy RB for a good part of the season, White has been pretty average over the last three weeks.  This last week he was not needed as much on the goal so that makes a difference.  Sure would like to see him return to the world of double digit fantasy points on a weekly basis.

WR: Lee Evans, Bills

Not one catch.  Nothing.  The third week in a row that Evans owners have been let down.  Not good for the playoff push.  Last week he only had two catches for 22 yards.  This guy has done me well at fantasy football playoff time the last couple of years and I’m hoping he can turn it around for my Dynasty team.

WR: Santana Moss, Redskins

Five catches for 29 yards.  Come on!  Big players are supposed to step up in big games, right?  Games don’t get much bigger for the Redskins then against the Cowboys.  He did still get a lot of targets, which is good news for coming weeks. The Skins were playing the short passing game though…not as good for Moss.

TE: Owen Daniels, Texans

We are watching the promising fantasy football stud dissolve before our eyes.  One catch for 14 yards.  The second poor showing in as many weeks.  We thought that given previous targets by Sage Rosenfels that Owen would step up even more with him starting.  Wrong.

DT/ST: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens defense has once again returned to put some fear into opposing teams this season.  They didn’t play very scary this week.  They allowed 30 points, 300 plus yards and only had one sack, INT.

Individual Defensive Players (IDP)

LB: Jonathan Vilma, Saints

The one time challenger to the leading tackler in the NFL earlier in the season Vilma is a true Saint this season.  Inconsistent and unpredictable.  This week he logs one tackle and three assists.

DL: Justin Tuck, Giants

Tuck gained just two tackles this week and only three last week.  Before that he was on a pretty solid run and is still a Top five Defensive Lineman in IDP leagues.

DB: Cortland Finnegan, Titans

Finnegan has hung around in the top 10 this season for defensive backs.  This week he logged just two tackles, setting him up for just his second game of the season in single digit scoring.  Consistent, yes.  Fun to have this week, no.