Pick-ups

Well if your league is like mine then you are entering the last week before the playoffs start this week!  Time to earn your week 14 bye or solidify your playoff spot.  At this point in the season Weekly additions are hard to come by and typically injury related.  So lets use this chance to cover all eventualities that could hurt you down the stretch!  Some of these pick-ups will be all wrong for your team and are not a concern, but if you have a roster spot up in the air due to concussions… (who doesn’t… honestly!) then having one of these players may pull you out of a tough jam!  This week I will be going by position and talking about the most likely available people at each spot.

QB

Alex Smith (SF) – This QB was expected by most to be inside the top 10 Sunday with a very good match-up against Jacksonville.  If you are among the people nervous about the Warner or Roethlisberger injuries then Smith can provide relief.  Apart from a 2 point flop against Chicago, Smith has provided double digit fantasy points in each game he appeared (including his second half against Houston).

Ryan Fitzpatrick (BUF) – This is a big stretch, but there are leagues out there that start two QBs and have 12 or 14 teams, given the injuries and uncertainties in some of the NFL franchises you can do worse than Fitz.  Given that Brady and Brees haven’t played yet this week Ryan Fitzpatrick sits at number 3 among all fantasy QBs (as always based on ESPN standard scoring) and he played a very solid Dolphins defense.  This team is on a bit of a turn around at the moment, and in a fantasy perspective this guy out performed almost everyone… including both Manning’s, Schaub, Rivers, Romo, and McNabb!

Vince Young (TEN) – His style has never been effective in translating to fantasy productivity, and I do not see anything changing.  From a real perspective Young looks polished, disciplined, and like a leader as the Titans needed!  You shouldn’t ever need Young to break 20 points but you can rely on double digits from how it looks.

RB

Three of the top four RBs in fantasy football this week were at the beginning of the season were virtually nobodies!

Justin Forsett (SEA) – This guy has been on add lists all over the place including my own, and for good reason.  Number one fantasy back honors for week 12 against a phenomenal match-up Sunday vs the Rams.  If your league managers have been in a closet for three weeks it’s not too late, grab him now!

Fred Jackson (BUF,)  -  Being in Buffalo I have heard a lot about the Jackson Lynch time-share today and it is going flip what we have been expecting and seeing since the duo got together.  Jackson is expected to become the starting back and Lynch will be a compliment to him.  Fewell has this team believing in itself and on a short week Jackson is a solid RB2 down the stretch assuming the Bills stay on this path!

Jamaal Charles (KC) – Again, If your fellow managers have been living under a rock don’t think it’s too late this guy is on the rise!

Lex Hilliard (MIA) – Williams had another very good game this week in a tough loss to the Bills, but he is 32 and cannot handle the workload Ronnie Brown had, Hilliard has been productive when he gets carries which will be increasing all the rest of the season.

Jason Snelling and Jerious Noorwood (ATL) – Turner owners are at a loss for words after he re-injured his ankle after the surprising and stupid decision to test the ankle so soon.

WR

Jason Avant (PHI) – DeSean Jackson has a concussion and owners should expect a week or two off, Avant is a great addition to any team that needs help these weeks, but especially to those of you who lost Jackson!

Kenny Britt (TEN) – This team is scary good since Young started taking snaps and everyone is benefiting greatly, Britt becomes a decent flex or WR3 choice from here on out.

Antonio Bryant (TB) – 91 yards and a TD Sunday and because of his injury he is available in over 50% of Yahoo! leagues.

Chris Chambers (KC) – If you were skeptical before you really can’t be any more…

TE

I heartily recommend that owners ignore stats other than fantasy points allowed to tight ends.  They require the defender to have a unique skill set to cover in the passing game, only certain teams have players capable of keeping a TE consistently covered.  And also many times a team’s offensive success HURTS the tight end as if the receivers are getting open deep the check down is not used.

Fred Davis (WAS) – Davis broke double digit points this week with a TD catch and is available in 87% of leagues.  Been some injuries at the position this season and there is no reason to keep adding and dropping based on match-ups.

Bo Scaife (TEN) – Again, this team is on the swing, and Scaife’s targets will be up.

Dump List!

Hester, Moats, Lynch, Julius Jones, Westbrook, Bowe, McGahee (still owned in over 50% of Yahoo! leagues… I can’t believe that!)

Good Luck making the last minute playoff push! Remember, you can submit questions to me on twitter by following me (see the link above!) and get answers right away as well as featured in my weekly mailbag post!

No Comments »

Rock Cartwright – After Betts was carted off the field midway through the first quarter on Sunday Rock Cartwright was thrust into the lead role. From the time he became the lead guy he racked up 13 carries for 67 yards, as well as showed ability in the passing game as well being targeted 8 times for 7 catches and 73 yards. Portis is already ruled out for week twelve so Cartwright is set to have a good game versus an okay match up in Philly next week making him my pickup of the week.

Terrell Owens – Its just weird typing his name in the Pickup of the week article to be honest, but with his best game of the season coming the week after a new head coach and starting QB and installed, you’ve got to figure that TO is set to benefit from these moves. T.O. Would have been on my dump list for the last month if the site had been up that long, so if he was let go GRAB HIM UP! Owens will be a flex play at best until the Bills can prove they are consistently able to get him the ball. Next week you should be safe to start him versus a Miami defense that has played mediocre at best this season.

Fred Jackson – Fast Freddie is an explosive back that wears down a defense over the course of the game. In the first three games of the season Jackson was a very serious fantasy threat. Given the offensive woes he was unable to find the end zone very much if at all, but yardage wise he was a big surprise. Lynch was carted off the field Sunday with a shoulder injury, and will likely be a game time decision. If Lynch cannot go Sunday, I would expect to see a pretty good fantasy game from Jackson.

Kahlil Bell – The Bears RB got the first carry of his NFL career and scampered for 72 yards. I know I almost fell outta my chair… but that was largely because I thought that Forte finally was gonna break 100 yards rushing! If you are in a very deep league or have a playoff birth in the bag and a dead-spot in your roster grab Bell and wait to see what happens. The Bears have re-dedicated themselves to the run as to give Cutler a chance to utilize the play action and keep opposing defenses guessing. If Bell can show that he has the ability to handle a larger work load he’ll get the chance and Forte would be pushed to more of a third down back. This is a long shot, so you had better have the ability to probably never play him.

Chris Chambers – had another really good game this week with Bowe on suspension. Three more weeks of Chambers being the top guy so if you have an injury issue or are light at WR go ahead and grab Chambers… he should put up solid performances at least while Bowe is out!

Kevin Boss – 4 TD’s in his last 3 games. The Giants and the Falcons looked much improved this week, and the Giants has a record that will keep them in the playoff hunt. Boss is a nice outlet for Manning who seems to like him in the red zone.

Jason Snelling and Justin Forsett – I am gonna lump these two together as they were number one and two on my add list last Monday. Snelling barely eeked out the top spot on the list last week, and did not disappoint. In Turner’s wake he was the second highest scoring back in the league on Sunday. Forsett had a terrible match-up versus a stout Vikings pass D Sunday and still managed to show his worth to fantasy owners that were desperate with the slew of injuries this week. While not a single point gained was on rushing yards (only 9), Forsett still managed 80 yards receiving and punched in a goal line carry for a rushing TD. Forsett is very unlikely to lose the top spot on the depth chart when Julius Jones returns, so he should be an option down the stretch, however Snelling is only likely to see one more game as the lead back and that should be with Jerious Norwood back sharing some time as well.

Alex Smith – If you have injury or bad match up concerns at QB or are in a 2 QB league Smith has a relatively easy schedule for the rest of the season and while his play has been inconsistent he sure could do some good getting you through a rough patch.

Dump list!

Dwayne Bowe has three more weeks of suspension left to go, and wasn’t producing all that well before. I wouldn’t trust him after a month off and very few games left in the season.

Felix Jones couldn’t even produce when Jerry Jones was screaming that he needed the ball more.

Roy Williams looks like he will indeed be too inconsistent to be a good fantasy football option

Devin Hester has seen his targets AND production on a sharp decline in the past few weeks, and I expect this trend to continue. It is a stretch to just drop him, but if TO or Chambers is there, I say make the move.

Kyle Orton totally collapsed last season after he hurt his foot, I’m scared for Orton AND the Broncos.

Ryan Moats – Can someone please make sense of whaat Coach Kubiak is doing here… cuz I can’t…  Slaton looked explosive off the ball, and you could SEE that he was protecting the ball.  The Texans lost last night because they couldn’t control the ball and extend drives.  Schaub played well but Kubiak is likely joining the unemployment line after this season if he doesn’t get them in the playoffs!

No Comments »

According to NFL.com Chiefs WR Bowe violated substance abuse policy and will be suspended until week 15 of this season. Bowe has been inconsistent this season, but this will still strike a blow for fantasy owners who may be better off for needing to find a replacement option. Chris Chambers anyone?

No Comments »