Cedric Benson, RB, CIN – Active
Bernard Berrian, WR, MIN – Active
Donald Driver, WR, GB – Active
Zach Miller, TE, OAK – Active
Clinton Portis, RB, WAS – Active
Matt Schaub, QB, HOU – Active
Tony Scheffler, TE, DEN – Active
Mike Sims-Walker, WR, JAC – Inactive
Beanie Wells, RB, ARI – Active
Joseph Addai, RB, IND - Inactive
Bernard Berrian, WR, MIN – Active
Percy Harvin, WR, MIN - Active
Andre Johnson, WR, HOU - Active
Jacob Tamme, TE, IND – Active
Vince Young, QB, TEN – Active
Pickups
James Jones, WR, GB - If you are in a very competitive league with people that do their homework, Jones will not still be available. He had a huge day filling in for Driver this week and if he can keep it up while Driver gets back to 100% it is entirely possible that Jones becomes the new #2 receiver for Rodgers and the Packers. Don’t let him remain unowned in your league for another day.
Mike Tolbert, RB, SD - With Ryan Mathews leaving this game after re-aggravating the same injury that has been hampering him all season, it is easy to see a scenario where Tolbert takes the reins of this rushing offense and with him already getting the goal line carries he will be a top 20 RB if Mathews does miss time after the Chargers week 10 bye.
Mike Goodson, RB, CAR - Admittedly, you are going to need to be pretty desperate to pick up and start Goodson. But, with DeAngelo Williams being out for 2 weeks in a row, Jonathan Stewart leaving this game with a concussion and Tyrell Sutton unable to finish the game either… Goodson could see 20 plus carries next week if Williams is not able to go.
Nate Burleson, WR, DET - This may all be a waste since Stafford is hurt again and has been the reason that Burleson has value. But, if you are in a PPR league you should go for it anyways. Calvin Johnson runs the deep routes all game and Burleson handles all of the possession routes. In standard formats you should watch to see if Stafford is going to be OK before making a move on Burleson.
Bernard Berrian, WR, MIN - Anyone who thought Brett Favre was done was mistaken. There is no quit in that senior citizen and that is demonstrated by him putting up a career-high 446 passing yards in a tough overtime victory over the struggling Cardinals. This value will only hold until Sidney Rice returns and that could be as soon as this week.
Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU - With a game coming up against the Jaguars, who can’t cover receivers to save their lives, Jones is a sleeper pick for Week 10. Jones is a big, physical receiver much like Andre Johnson and this is one of the only weeks left on the schedule that is favorable for the Texans passing attack.
Mario Manningham, WR, NYG - The Giants are an incredibly streaky team that goes from looking like an elite Super Bowl contender to looking inept on both sides of the ball. For now, they look more like one of the best teams in the NFC and with a game against the Cowboys coming up in week 10, all their receiving threats get a significant upgrade in the rankings this week. Manningham should be able to cover for you as a flex play this week if your having injury or bye-week issues.
Mike Thomas, WR, JAC - Thomas is my third option as a injury/bye-week fill-in this week. The team that allows the second most points per week to the WR position is the Houston Texans. This game should be filled with big passing plays due to how inept each secondary is and before their last game in week 8, Thomas was the best receiver for the Jaguars.
Dump List
Darren Sproles, RB, SD – It really looked like Sproles was going to go back to being used by the Chargers offense this week considering all the injuries to receivers and how effective he is in the passing game. Unfortunately even when Mathews was knocked out of the game, Sproles did not get used and shouldn’t be trusted at all the rest of the year.
Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR – He just doesn’t have it in him anymore. The Panthers offense is struggling and there is no telling who will lineup at QB for them any given week. That inconsistency and the below-average play of Stewart make him a complete bust for this season, so get out while you still may be able to salvage your team!
Brent Celek, TE, PHI - Vick just doesn’t look for Celek with any regularity. You may not be able to find a better option on free agency, but if you can then don’t feel bad about dumping Celek.
CJ Spiller, RB, BUF - I don’t care how dynamic of a play maker he is, you can’t wait forever for this guy to prove his worth. He is on a bad team, with an inconsistent offense and since he has only had one decent week all year, you can’t trust him to start him… so just drop him and let him be someone else’s headache.
Marion Barber, RB, DAL - The Cowboys are a bad team. It may not have looked like it going into the season, but as they fight with the Bills for the number 1 draft pick and are completely unable to run the ball, there is no reason to hold on to their number 2 RB.
Early Games (1 PM EST)
Darrelle Revis (CB, NYJ) – Inactive
Pierre Garcon (WR, IND) - Inactive
Knowshon Moreno (RB, DEN) – Inactive
Michael Turner (RB, ATL) – Active
Andre Johnson (WR, HOU) - Active
Bernard Berrian (WR, MIN) - Active
Percy Harvin (WR, MIN) – Active
Joshua Cribbs (WR, CLE) – Active
Jerome Harrison (RB, CLE) – Inactive
Late games (4 PM EST)
Joseph Addai (RB, IND)
Steve Breaston (WR, ARI)
Ryan Mathews (RB, SD)
Clinton Portis (RB, WAS)
Beanie Wells (RB, ARI)
Pickups
Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN – This rookie impressed a lot of people in the off season and even though he missed all of the preseason, Thomas fully participated in practice this week. Clearly waiting until he was 100% was the way to go as the rookie totaled 97 yards and found the end zone in a sound whipping of the Seahawks. I still am most confident in Eddie Royal, but Thomas was a sleeper pick of mine before his injury held him out of the preseason. Nice to see him being an impact player immediately upon his return.
Mike Williams, WR, TB - Some of you more avid fantasy football researchers might not think of this as someone who should be available, but Yahoo! says he is owned in only 38% of leagues and after TD’s in each of his first two games Williams is a steal to grab off of waivers. There is some undeniable chemistry between Williams and 2nd year QB Josh Freeman that could make this duo something special as they develop throughout their careers together in Tampa Bay.
Aaron Hernandez, TE, NE – Just when it looked like Gronkowski was going to be the best TE for fantasy owners Hernandez has a breakout game topping 100 yards. I don’t think you should rely on him on a week to week basis but if you are still not comfortable with Owen Daniels, it is worth noting that Buffalo is very good at stopping receivers but not-so-much with TE’s.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, BUF – This is a bit of a reach and you may think I’m nuts, but I dropped Fred Taylor for Lynch right before game time Sunday. I am not naive enough to think that he will be productive in a Buffalo Bills uniform, but after hearing the trade talk about Lynch I figured now is the time if they are going to deal him at all. After seeing Lynch get 17 carries to Jackson’s 9, I am relatively certain that the Bills were showcasing him to the Packers and any other interested teams. He did a very good job given how inept the offense truly is.
Jason Snelling, RB, ATL - Turner left after totaling 75 yards on 9 carries in Week 2 with a groin injury. It was later said that Turner was cleared to return to the game, but with the performance of Snelling and the game in the bag there was no reason to push his return. This was smart considering how costly it was for Turner and the Falcons when they tried to rush him back the week after hurting his ankle last season. Snelling is not likely to see significant work with Turner in the mix, but he is a great handcuff who could certainly be effective with a feature-role in this offense.
Mark Clayton, WR, STL – I still don’t anticipate Clayton making the top 30 in my rankings, but if him and Sam Bradford keep this level of production up, I won’t be able to deny it for very long.
Mike Tolbert, RB, SD – Tolbert is not someone I would reach for unless we hear that Mathews is inactive for Week 3. Since Mathews stayed in uniform after his injury it is possible he would have been available in a pinch… but I for one would not be surprised if the Chargers rest their prized rookie against the Seahawks who shouldn’t be a big problem.
Kevin Walter, WR, HOU - Jacoby Jones was a popular sleeper for fantasy owners on draft day and Kevin Walter has been completely under the radar. Not anymore. Walter finished Sunday as the leagues number 2 receiver, 14 yards behind teammate Andre Johnson. I am not convinced he should be started just yet, because Schaub won’t throw for 500 yards every week… but he certainly earned a spot on a bench in all but the smallest of leagues.
Dump List
Bernard Berrian, WR, MIN – The Vikings have had a terrible passing attack so far this year and because of this they are discussing a Vincent Jackson trade with the Chargers. Berrian is not getting the job done at the top of the depth chart and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Hopefully for Favre they scrape out a couple wins and not be out of the playoff race by the time a quality number one receiver shows up, whether its Rice or Jackson.
Jabar Gaffney, WR, DEN – Gaffney is not a viable fantasy option that anyone should be relying on. Both Demaryius Thomas and Eddie Royal look to be better athletes than Gaffney is and if he is Orton’s third best option then he is not an option for us.
Tony Gonzalez, TE, ATL – I hate to do it to a legend, but Fantasy Football leagues are even more cut-throat than the NFL and with how deep the talent pool is at TE I would not be able to trust Gonzo any more.
Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG - Clearly a game in prime time is past Jacobs’ bedtime because after performing poorly last night his helmet “accidentally” found its way into the stands. Temper tantrums are for children, not professional athletes. Bradshaw’s workload will continue to increase.
Derek Anderson, QB, ARI – If you aren’t in a 2 QB league Anderson is not worth a roster spot for any extended period of time. If a good match up coincides with your guys’ bye week then you can pick him up the week you need him.
Studs
Arian Foster, RB, HOU – This was an easy choice to top this list. Foster was able to propel the Houston Texans past Peyton Manning and the Colts for a great start in their bid to win this division. I do not think there is any way for Foster to sustain the production of a number 1 fantasy RB for an entire season. He is however set to be one of the best number 2 RB’s in the league for his fantasy owners due to his ability to make an impact in the passing game as well. As always Coach Kubiak is going to reserve the right to lose his mind and not use him enough to be very effective, but after Sunday Even Kubiak will realize that Foster should be the guy.
Matt Forte, RB, CHI - This was an ugly game with a terrible ending, but not for Matt Forte and the Bears. In a game where the Bears should have been lighting up the scoreboard Cutler struggled, made bad decisions, and turned the ball over. This is not a huge surprise, but what was to me was the lack of production of the receiving corp. Forte was the only spark that existed for the Bears and his two scoring plays were enough to beat the Lions after a terrible rule was enforced to ROB Megatron of a game-winning TD.
Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG - While this game was great for Nicks’ fantasy owners this week, I do not like what it means for him in terms of consistency. Touchdowns are random and unpredictable, even more so in the Giants offense where Smith, Boss and, to a lesser extent, Manningham compete for red zone targets. If you take away the touchdown plays, which were 26, 19 and 5 yard passes, Nicks has only one catch for 25 yards. He will be a very good flex play down the stretch but I might look to trade Nicks at a high value soon.
Chad Ochocinco, WR, CIN - Carson Palmer looked terrible in the first half Sunday, but once the Patriots had the game locked up and started to employ some prevent defense Ochocinco and the Bengals’ receivers were able to rack up some decent yardage. I still fear that Palmer’s play will decrease Chad’s value, but if you drafted him he is likely going to be your #2 WR as long as he is healthy.
Darren McFadden, RB, OAK - He sure took advantage of Michael Bush’s absence but fantasy owners have been burned by Raiders running backs in the past so I would not start either McFadden or Bush yet. With that said, you probably shouldn’t leave this guy unowned because he is making a strong case to the coaching staff to get the starting job after a good performance Sunday. No matter who it is, if either of these running backs are getting a majority of the work they will make a very viable starter for fantasy football owners.
Wes Welker, WR, NE - The Patriots did the best thing they could to get Welker the confidence back that he needs to play at 100%. Often times with severe knee injuries the player will not be confident enough in the knee to make strong cuts. Welker would not be effective if he was hesitant and not running perfect routes. Welker was able to pull in 8 catches and 2 TDs which is a hell of a way to get your confidence back, welcome back Wes.
Miles Austin, WR, DAL – When you think about what makes an elite fantasy WR consistency has to be at the top of the list. After watching a shining example of how inept the Cowboys offense really can be it is comforting to see that Austin was still incredibly productive. Austin caught 10 of the 11 passes thrown at him for 146 yards and a TD, even with Dez Bryant being very active in the offense.
Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL - Revis did not stay on Boldin all game and because of it he he was able to be a difference maker on offense for the Ravens in the toughest match up they will face offensively. Boldin was targeted 10 times last night hauling in 7 of them for 110 yards. This was much better than what was reasonable for us to expect and has me excited to see what he will do throughout the season.
Roddy White, WR, ATL – It may not have looked like it on your fantasy score sheet unless you are in a PPR league, but Roddy White had a very good game for fantasy owners this week. He had 111 receiving yards on a league-high 13 receptions. The more important statistic from this game is his targets, he was targeting 23 times by Matt Ryan. White is the entire Falcons passing offense until they reach the red zone, when Tony Gonzalez becomes relevant again. With all these opportunities and his talent he is bound to be productive on a consistent basis.
Duds
Frank Gore, RB, SF - I don’t know what happened in this game, I am stunned. I still can’t figure out if the Seahawks are for real, or the 49ers are not who I thought they would be. Every 49er deserves to make this list, but Gore will take the fall as he was by far the biggest disappointment for fantasy owners this week.
Andre Johnson, WR, HOU – Arian Foster stole the show. No one would bother to pass when you can run the ball like that and keep Peyton Manning off the field. Houston is still one of the top 3 passing offenses in football.
Matt Schaub, QB, HOU – See Andre Johnson.
Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ – After only managing 18 rushing yards and losing a fumble Shonn Greene cost his fantasy owners a point this week and crushing Monday night dreams of many I am sure. The fumbling is the biggest concern, because if it continues there will be zero goal line chances for Greene.
Jerome Harrison, RB, CLE – It appears that Jerome Harrison was not able to do enough to earn the starting job when he ended the season last year playing like one of the best running backs in the league. I thought for sure that once Hardesty was put on IR Harrison would definitely be the guy, but Peyton Hillis is apparently going to cause a lot of guessing from week to week about who will have the best game for Cleveland.
CJ Spiller, RB, BUF - The best thing that could happen to this Bills offense is a healthy Fred Jackson. Spiller does not have the ability to be an effective feature back in this league yet. He will be valuable to the Bills in a change of pace role as the third down back. A return to this role will increase his production in fantasy football as well, but if you have him you probably drafted him too high.
Thomas Jones, RB, KC – I was sort of wrong about Jones, I did not think he would have a decent opportunity to be productive in this Jamaal Charles offense. Jones got the same number of carries as Charles and did nothing with them. If Haley can’t see that Charles needs to be the feature back then he is blind. They were able to win, but it was close and did not need to be. Jones has minimal value to me down the stretch unless there is an injury to Charles, but you can’t drop him yet.
Bernard Berrian, WR, MIN – With all the injuries, there could not be much more opportunity for Berrian and Harvin. I can accept a bad game from a young player much more than Berrian who is one more bad week away from my dumplist.
This year is unique in Fantasy Football, the Wide Receivers are in a position of importance. In the Running back article I talked about how the use of RBs has changed in the NFL. This change has caused different statistical outcomes for the wide receivers as well. With offenses like the Colts and Saints emerging throughout the league, a premium wide out is essential. The increased reliance on the passing game has lead to more receptions, yards and scores from wide receivers. Historically consistency was a problem at this position and it forced us to put our emphasis on RBs during our drafts, but this year is a different story. You can see my top 50 WR’s here.
The Top 5
If you told me last year that Larry Fitzgerald would not be a top 5 WR on my rankings in 2010 I would have probably laughed inappropriately at you, but here we are going into week 4 of the preseason and we aren’t sure who the starting QB will be for week 1. Andre Johnson is EVERYONE’S number one WR this year, and deservedly so… he is a shoe-in for 1400 yards and 10 TDs. Last Year AJ lead the league in targets and yardage. Many people are predicting the beginning of the end for Reggie Wayne, but I am not one of them. He looked very sharp in the preseason and last I checked he was still the guy Manning looks for when he needs a big play. You always run the risk of not having him in your Super Bowl since the Colts love to bench starters at the end of the year, but on Draft day… lets focus on getting to that game! Last year Miles Austin was the third best receiver in fantasy football, which is even more impressive when you consider he didn’t start for the Cowboys until Week 5 when he had a monster breakout game against the Chiefs. With a full season and a better receiving corp to draw the double coverage away from him, Austin should be a special player again this year. He is not higher than 4th because of the offensive line issues the Cowboys have to figure out. Once you are facing the decision of whether or not to draft a slightly questionable running back, consider one of these consistent stud receivers.
The Second Tier
My 2nd tier of wide-outs covers ranks 6-13 and starts to include people that will lack in consistency. At the top of this group is Calvin Johnson, a Detroit Lion. That is a big enough question as it is, but this guy is a freak of an athlete and is the only one in this group capable of scoring more points than Andre Johnson. We have seen flashes of brilliance with Calvin, but mediocre-at-best quarterback play has been his limiting factor. Matthew Stafford showed us his leadership abilities and toughness last year that compliments his throwing ability quite nicely. If Detroit can continue to develop Stafford and the rest of the team, Megatron could have a career year. Brandon Marshall has been too widely praised by fantasy owners this year, I think people confuse him for a home run threat… and that is not what he will be. Marshall will see his fair share of scores, don’t get me wrong… but he is much more of the Wes Welker type than that of Randy Moss. You should feel much more comfortable reaching for Marshall in a PPR format. Larry Fitzgerald terrifies me this season, Leinart is being shopped around on the trade market, he took a pretty nasty shot on a crossing route early in the preseason and has yet to come back and they lost some significant talent on the defensive side of the ball. The Cardinal’s offense will spend a lot less time on the field this year, and wont come close to the number of TDs they had last year. Fitzgerald is a supreme talent but has no upside attached to him. Best case scenario he finishes as the number 8 WR at the end of the season… exactly where he is ranked today. DeSean Jackson will not produce what he did last year, but I am encouraged by his involvement in the intermediate passing game this preseason. He is the key to the Eagles’ offensive success this year and they have to find ways to get him the ball. Anquan Boldin can vastly exceed his ranking this year… if he stays healthy. It has been a little while since we have seen Boldin play in 16 games, but if he can do it this year he will be a top 5 fantasy receiver. It probably won’t happen though.
Second, Third and Flex Receivers
So far this preseason I have seen this group (ranks 14-27) of guys FLY off the draft board in the 3rd and 4th rounds. Wes Welker is back in full speed action during the preseason… he won’t be missing any time in the regular season. If he recovered that quickly from his injury then it is fully healed and I do not anticipate any drop in production from this PPR gold mine. With a full preseason under his belt, and a clear number one QB at the helm, we should be about to witness the start of a very good career. We all remember that he held out to start last season and there was good reason he was able to do it. He is incredibly talented. Dwayne Bowe has gotten back into shape this season and with a much more balanced offensive attack he could have the best season of his career this year. Pierre Garcon has done a great job cementing his number two role in Peyton Manning’s offense. We saw Reggie Wayne excel in this role behind Marvin Harrison and the Colts have a knack for drafting talent. Popular sleeper picks Hakeem Nicks, Jeremy Maclin and Mike Wallace round out this group all of whom have big play ability and an offense capable of utilizing their talents. Wallace is ranked last of these three solely because of Big Ben’s suspension.
Spot Fillers and Sleepers
In the last half of the rankings (28 – 50) comes guys you will use to fill in for bad match ups and bye weeks. Vincent Jackson is an elite talent that needs to sign with a team by Saturday or else he will be ineligible for the first six weeks of the season. Santonio Holmes is another guy that would be ranked much higher, but he will be missing the first four games for a suspension. Malcom Floyd could be a huge bargain as he will be filling in for VJax while he holds out/is suspended. Sidney Rice will miss at least 6 games and this brings up the value of teammate Bernard Berrian. Kenny Britt and Vince Young appear to have some chemistry between them and Britt has huge upside this year, I could see him getting to 1,000 yards receiving.
Sleepers
Greg Jennings, Michael Crabtree, Pierre Garcon, Dwayne Bowe, Johnny Knox, Kenny Britt, James Jones, Jacoby Jones, Legedu Naanee and Mike Williams (TB)
Busts
Larry Fitzgerald, Chad Ochocinco, Hines Ward, Braylon Edwards and Steve Breaston
Recap
You definitely will need an elite WR this year. Do not get left without one in my top two tiers you will have headaches. I know it feels funny, but don’t be afraid to reach for a 2nd guy as well.
Michael Turner – OUT
Jerious Norwood – OUT
Roddy White – ACTIVE
Jamaal Lewis – ACTIVE
Bernard Berrian - ACTIVE
Kyle Orton – Active but as backup
Antonio Bryant – ACTIVE
still unofficial
Sammy Morris
Cedric Benson
