Dec 31 2008
David Krejci - Due to the injury to Patrice Bergeron, Krejci has taken the second line center spot and it appears to be working in everyone's favor. Krejci is a scoring machine and has a whopping 21 points in just 13 games this month. If I were the B's, I would get him out there as much as humanly possible; this kid is something special.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Simon Gagne - Just when things were looking up for Gagne and the Flyers, 15 seconds into his contest with the Canucks, defenseman Kevin Bieska blindsides Gagne and he left with an upper body injury. No word on how long he'll be out, but this could be a big blow to some fantasy teams as Gagne has been having another stellar season.
Doug Weight - It was reported that Weight is actively being shopped around, but getting traded to a contender may not help his value. When he was in Anaheim and Carolina, he didn't produce so maybe he needs to be on a team that isn't doing well and doesn't have any pressure on them.
Steve Mason - Is this kid for real? Mason has been spectacular for the Jackets this year and is looking for his third straight shutout tonight in Anaheim. His 1.77 GAA and .935 save percentage have to make him the leader for the Calder Trophy this year. I'm always cautious with rookie goalies, but if you don't have him already, you should give him a shot. Columbus' goalie of the future is here to stay.
Ty Conklin - Anyone else getting deja vu? The goalie the Red Wings thought would lead them through the season gets injured, the back up comes in, plays great and eventually becomes the starter. Osgood did it to Hasek last year and Conklin appears to be doing it this year to Osgood. Conklin has played in the last six games and has won four of them with two shutouts.
Pavel Datsyuk - Dats has been on fire this month with 7 goals and 11 assists in 13 games this month. The Wings lines have been shuffling pretty frequently this month, but the one thing that remains a constant is Datsyuk's production.
Nicklas Lidstrom - The captain of the big red machine is questionable for the Winter Classic tomorrow with an ankle injury. The injury occurred in game against the Avs when he blocked a shot. The X-rays came back negative and plans on practicing today. This happened at the worst possible time for Lidstrom owners as the 6-time Norris Trophy winner appeared to be breaking out of his slump.
Jason Arnott - He got off to a pretty good start with 9 points in his first 7 games, but this month his stats have froze over. The hard shooting center has just one goal in his last 12 games.
Dion Phaneuf - The "Sidney Crosby" of defenseman has really fallen off the pace in the latter half of this month. Dion has zero points in his last seven games and is sporting a minus 4 in those games. I'm pretty sure this isn't what the Flames signed up for when they inked him to a 6 year, $39 million extension this past February and its definitely not what fantasy owners were expecting.
Paul Stastny - Two days before Christmas, Paul Stastny received an unwelcome early Christmas present... a cast for his fractured right forearm. With Sakic already on the shelf, the Avs will have to find a way to deal with losing another talented center for the next 6-8 weeks. Fortunately for you, there's plenty of talented centers out there to take his spot, so stash him on IR and I'll sure you'll find a suitable replacement. FYI... Daniel Briere may return this weekend.
Ales Hemsky - After taking a hit to his nose from Jordin Tootoo of Nashville, Hemsky has had trouble breathing and will be out again tonight against the Flames. Hemsky has been the heart and soul of the Oiler offense this year and any amount of time for him to be out is too much.
Mats Sundin - He practiced with his new teammates for the first time yesterday. Despite popular belief, Sundin is expected to play with Pavol Demitra, Kyle Wellwood or Steve Bernier and not the Sedin twins. Although, I can't imagine them not being united on the power play. Sorry EA Sports hockey announcer.
Roberto Luongo - First Brodeur and now to a somewhat lesser extent, Luongo. He was well on his way to having a monster season before injuring his groin after just facing one shot against the Pens back in November. He skated yesterday for 10 minutes during practice, but its being speculated that he won't return before the All Star Game, which is January 25th.
Jason LaBarbera - And just in case you haven't had enough Canucks news for one day... the Canucks have traded for Kings goaltender Jason LaBarbera. This became necessary after Luongo's replacement, Curtis Sanford, went down with a groin injury himself. LaBarbera should see most if not all the games while those two are out.
Tomas Vokoun - I'm not really sure what's going on in Florida right now. One minute Vokoun is the starter, the next its Anderson, then Vokoun wins it back with two straight shutouts, but loses it after two periods in the next game. Then Montreal shelled Anderson last night, so apparently Vokoun is the starter again. I would avoid owning either of them until the coach knows which one he plans on sticking with.
Jason Spezza - Stop me if you heard this one before... the Spezza, Heatley, Alfredsson line is back together... again... for the 9,474th time. If it were me, I'd keep them together. Separating them makes them less effective, but I'm sure if that line goes scoreless for a shift or two, Spezza will be centering the third line with Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil once again. What better way to get your slumping scorer going than to put him with an agitator and goon.
Mike Ribeiro - What once was lost, has now been found. Ribeiro has rediscovered his game playing alongside Mark Parrish and Steve Ott. Yeah, I know, I'm just as baffled as you, but Ribeiro appears to be turning Ott into Brenden Morrow and putting up numbers similar to what he had last year. He has 9 points in his last 6 and as the Stars are starting to surge a bit.
Alexander Semin - After missing almost a month, Semin came back, played great and now he's gone again with a back injury. If you currently own him, I hope you don't have Marian Gaborik too. One often-injured sniper is more than enough to have to deal with.
Dec 29 2008
It seems like only yesterday I was writing up the fantasy football previews and now here we are, the day after the end of the regular season. It was a pretty successful season for me. I finished 2nd in my ESPN league with a team that had no business even making the playoffs due to the numbers of injuries I had to endure. Guys like Romo, Barber, Colston and Winslow getting injured put my season in jeopardy, but breakthrough performances by Thomas Jones, Chris Johnson, John Carlson, Pierre Thomas and Antonio Bryant pushed me into the playoffs as the 3rd seed. I smashed the 2nd seed in the semi finals and had the lead going into the final week against the 1st seed, but it was not to be this year.
Meanwhile, for the second year in a row, I finished 1st in the post-gazette.com fantasy football salary cap league. I jumped out to a big lead and stumbled a little bit at the end, but finished 58 points ahead of the second place team and 121 points ahead of the third place team. After last year's win, I received some criticism that I only won because I bought Tom Brady while was he was still relatively cheap. Typically that's how salary cap leagues are played, but I wonder what my critics will say this year?
Anyways, it was a great year for football, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of unpredictability, but that's what makes playing fantasy football, so much fun. Here are the Stars and Stumblers of the 2008 fantasy football season:
Stars
DeAngelo Williams - He was almost invisible for the first four weeks of the NFL season, splitting time with rookie Jonathan Stewart, but in Week 5 he exploded. He ran for 123 yards and scored 3 TDs against the Chiefs. This was only a flash of things to come. Williams would run for over 100 yards in 7 of the last 11 games and running for at least one TD in each of them except one and finished with the most rushing TD's in the NFL (18). He is a big reason why the Panthers are the second seed in the NFC this year and he won countless fantasy championships for owners everywhere. In a year when everyone had their eyes on Peterson, Westbrook and Tomlinson, Williams out shined them all to be the number one fantasy RB.
Michael Turner - After watching him this year, its hard to believe he was LT's backup for the last 4 years. We always knew that Turner would be a good feature back somewhere else, but I don't think anyone believed he would be this good, this fast. With a rookie quarterback, a new coach and on a team with no expectations, Michael Turner turned in a Pro Bowl caliber season finishing 2nd in the NFL in rushing and scoring 17 TD's. Turner was available in the 4th and 5th rounds of most drafts and if you grabbed him then, you got a steal.
Drew Brees - When you come within 15 yards of Dan Marino's single season passing yardage record, you've had a good season. The pass happy Saints quarterback threw for 5,069 yards and 34 TDs, both career numbers. Brees did it without his best receiver, Marques Colston, for 6 games and his newest weapon, Jeremy Shockey, who was injured off and on. Brees did it with average receivers against defenses that knew he was going to go to the air often. Brees came through big in the fantasy football championship weeks too, throwing for 737 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT.
Philip Rivers - Coming into the season everyone was expecting big things out of the Chargers and the man they were looking to was LaDainian Tomlinson. Unfortunately, he had a very un-LT like season and only ran for over 100 yards twice this year. Someone needed to pick up the slack and lead this team into the post season. Enter Philip Rivers. Rivers finished the season tied for 1st in TD passes and had the best QB rating in the league (105.5). I had mentioned in my QB preview back in August that with all the receivers he had to throw to, this was going to be Rivers' breakout season and it definitely was just that.
Peyton Manning - One of the usual suspects you would expect to see on a Stars list is Peyton Manning. The Colts got off to a slow start at 3-4, but at that point, Peyton took command, turned around their season and they rattled off nine straight wins. During that nine game winning streak, Manning threw 17 TDs and only 3 INTs. He came through big for the Colts and even bigger for his owners. During the last four weeks, fantasy playoff time, Manning threw 8 TDs and zero interceptions. He continues to be the best, most reliable fantasy option out there.
Stumblers
LaDainian Tomlinson - This year people were starting to wonder if LT meant, losing touch. Tomlinson was primed for a monster season as the Chargers had a very soft and favorable schedule this year, but the former MVP wasn't able to capitalize. Fighting off a bad toe, LT only ran for over 100 yards twice this year. In two matchups against the Chiefs who owned one of the worst run defenses this year, he only ran for 117 yards (3.2 ypc) and 1 TD. He was a top 5, if not top 3, pick in every league this year and those of you that drafted him were seriously disappointed. Is this the end of the road for LT? I don't think so, but his days as being a first round pick are over.
Brett Favre - Ohhh Brett, couldn't you have just done the Jets and your fantasy owners a favor and stay retired? After missing almost all of training camp, Favre was traded to the Jets in hopes that this would be the piece that puts them over the top and gets them past the Patriots. It wasn't. It didn't even get them past a Matt Cassel led Patriots team in the standings. Favre had a great offensive line, a good running game, good play making receivers and a soft schedule, but it wasn't soft enough for Favre apparently. He reverted back into the turnover machine that killed Green Bay from 2003-2006. A lot of owners had high hopes for Favre this year, but he was probably one of the biggest fantasy disappointments I've ever seen. Do yourself a favor, if Favre doesn't retire, don't draft him next year.
Marion Barber - It pains me to do this, but my number one pick in my ESPN league was a monster bust this year, well at least for most of it anyways. He get a lot more touches this year but it didn't turn into more fantasy points. Barber finished with only 885 yards and 7 TDs. Compare this to 2007 when he was splitting time with Julius Jones he ran for 975 yards and 10 TDs. Barber was actually having a pretty decent season until Romo got knocked out for a month and defenses keyed on him. By the time Romo came back, Barber was beat up and bruised and was only able to contribute a little. I'm not a profit, but unless Godzilla and King Kong are signed to the Dallas offensive line next year, I don't see Barber being a top 10 fantasy RB next year.
Larry Johnson - LJ didn't have high expectations for the season, but he did fairly well last year, rushing for over 100 yards 3 times in 8 games. He was getting the best of some of the softer defenses. Some people expected more of the same this year and that he would be a good spot starter. Forget it. The former Nittany Lion was awful for most of the year, even against soft defenses. At home against the Raiders, LJ ran for 22 yards on 12 carries. Against Carolina, he ran for 2 yards on 7 carries. Then again in Cincinnati, he ran for 18 yards on 10 carries. Performances like these make him a fantasy risk each and every week, even against soft teams.
The Cleveland Browns - Coming into the season the Brownies had high hopes. They finished with 10 wins last year, the offense looked great, the defense added Shaun Rodgers to help stop the run and things were looking up. Then the season started, they remembered that they're the Browns and nature took its course. A lot fantasy owners out there bought into the high octane Browns offense and drafted Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, and Braylon Edwards thinking they had the next Aikman, Smith and Irvin. Unfortunately, DA is a flash in the pan, Jamal Lewis appears to have lost a step and Braylon Edwards, whom I was told by a die hard Browns fan would break Randy Moss' TD record this year, forgot how to catch a football.
Dec 27 2008
For those of you (like me) that will have their championships decided this week, this is the blog post for you. This is it. Its do or die. Win or lose, its the last week and you'll want it to go out on a good note. However, as you've probably seen from the commercials, you have a chance (even if its a very slim one) to do well and win a trip to Super Bowl XLIV in the NFL fantasy football playoffs on NFL.COM. Sorry about the lateness, I spent most of yesterday assembling the bajillion gifts the kids received for Christmas.
St. Louis Rams vs Atlanta Falcons
Rams: With nothing left to play for, except maybe pride and a job for next year, the Rams will close out the season against their old NFC West rival, the Falcons. After some question as to whether he would play, Steve Jackson will be in the lineup Sunday, but I don't see it making that much of a difference. Even though the Falcons are 21st against the run, they bottled up Adrian Peterson last week and with possibly the division title and a bye week on the line, I don't see S-Jax running all over them in the Georgia Dome.
Falcons: With a lot on the line, including a first round bye, the Falcons will be firing on all cylinders. The league's second best rusher, Michael Turner, should have a monster game against a very poor, very soft Rams run defense. They're not much better in the secondary either, so Matt Ryan and Roddy White should also have monster games.
Fantasy Factors: Steven Jackson (7), Michael Turner (10)
New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills
Patriots: Needing a win and a little bit of help, the Patriots should come out very motivated. Matt Cassel has looked very good the past couple weeks (7 TD's, 1 INT) and I don't see the Bills having an answer for Randy Moss.
Bills: Once again an NFL team from the state of New York has a chance to end the Pats season on a sour note. I expect the Bills and the Buffalo faithful to be very energized for this game. One problem, fantasy option number one, Marshawn Lynch, is questionable. If you own Lynch, it may not be a bad idea to pick up Fred Jackson this week. He's not a great back, but the Patriots have had some trouble stopping the run this year and Jackson could have one of those big one week wonder kind of games.
Fantasy Factors: Matt Cassel (9), Fred Jackson (7)
Kansas City Chiefs vs Cincinnati Bengals
Chiefs: Despite both teams not really being all that exciting, they do have some fantasy intrigue to them. Tyler Thigpen has been somewhat of a savior for the Chiefs, but even more so for some fantasy owners who needed a quick pickup at QB. He appears to have a soft matchup at Cincy, but the Bengals defense has actually improved somewhat in the second half of a season and are feeling very confident after shutting out the Browns in Cleveland last week.
Bengals: After handing the ball to Cedric Benson 38 times last week, he experienced some ankle problems earlier in the week. Not to worry though, he is good to go Sunday and if they hand him the ball 38 times this week, we're looking at a 200 yard game. Of course, if they hand him the ball 38 times this week, he probably won't be able to walk till next year.
Fantasy Factors: Tony Gonzalez (8), Cedric Benson (9)
Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers
Lions: Lions fans, its the day you've been waiting for! No, its not the day of your first win. Its the last day of the season. Your days of being beaten like a drum at a high school football game are over... till August anyways. Kevin Smith should be a solid play in the first half, but if the Pack jumps out to a big lead, he'll be fazed out, making Calvin Johnson the best fantasy option.
Packers: You know the drill, if you have a player going against the Lions, you have to play them. Ryan Grant, who's had a bit of a so-so year, should enjoy a big day. Aaron Rodgers threw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs last time these two met up. The Packers ball hawking defense is a solid play this week as well.
Fantasy Factors: Calvin Johnson (8), Ryan Grant (9)
Chicago Bears vs Houston Texans
Bears: After playing in a dramatic Monday Night Game against the Pack, the Bears must need to win another and get some help, if they're going to make the playoffs. Even though the offense has struggled this year, the Texans are not much of a threat on defense. Unfortunately, they are a threat on offense, which makes owning the Bears defense a little shaky.
Texans: After winning big versus the Titans, the Texans had a big let down game in Oakland. Its a big question as to what Texans team will actually show up for this one. Playing at home, I'm willing to bet it'll be the one that beat the Titans. Andre Johnson should have a big day against a Bears defense that has really struggled against the pass this year.
Fantasy Factors: Matt Forte (8), Andre Johnson (9)
Tennessee Titans vs Indianapolis Colts
Titans: Having already clinched the number one seed, the Titans will be resting all of their top players and they don't have much fantasy value. We should see Vince Young start and he could be a good option against a Colts team that will be resting their starters as well.
Colts: Like the Titans, the Colts will be resting most of their starters and don't have very much fantasy value.
Fantasy Factors: Vince Young (7), Dominic Rhodes (7)
New York Giants vs Minnesota Vikings
Giants: Despite saying all week that Tom Coughlin wants to play to win this game, I don't see it happening. Jacobs is banged up, Manning only plans on playing a quarter. The G-Men need the rest and shouldn't kill themselves against a desperate Vikings team that needs to win to get in the playoffs.
Vikings: After blowing a chance to lock up the division against the Falcons, the Vikings get another chance against the uninspired defending champs. Adrian Peterson has really had trouble hanging onto the ball in the second half of the season, but going up against the Giants backups, he should be able to put up big numbers to make his fumbling a non-factor.
Fantasy Factors: Ahmad Bradshaw (5), Adrian Peterson (9)
Carolina Panthers vs New Orleans Saints
Panthers: Speaking of teams blowing their chances to win something last week, the Panthers wasted DeAngelo Williams' performance (although it won many fantasy football championships) and lost out to the Giants. Williams may not score another 4 TDs, but against the Saints, he should easily run for 100 yards and score at least twice.
Saints: With Pierre Thomas questionable and Brees needing only 403 yards (yeah, I know, ONLY 403) to break Dan Marino's single season passing yardage record, the Saints should go to the air often. This should be a big day for guys like Marques Colston and Lance Moore who will see an unusual number of targets. Brees on the other hand, may not have a great day since the Panthers are very good against the pass and the more Brees goes to the air, the better it is for this defense.
Fantasy Factors: DeAngelo Williams (9), Marques Colston (8)
Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Browns: What better way for the Browns to have their season ended than to have them get pounded by the Steelers. Bruce Gradkowski will start, since the offense didn't even seem know what a first down was under Ken Dorsey. The Steelers aren't planning on resting anyone healthy, so sorry Brownies, but it time to get shellacked one last time. I wouldn't recommend owning a Brown this Sunday.
Steelers: With all the Steelers starters in, this SHOULD be a big fantasy day for everyone. The Browns defense is as bad as its offense, which is a very scary thing. If the Steelers don't put up 40 points, I would be amazed.
Fantasy Factors: Dawg Pound (-10), Steelers D/ST (10)
Oakland Raiders vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Raiders: Once upon a time, the Raiders were a proud organization that won a lot more than they lost. Now they're a laughing stock. To see where they went wrong, all they need to do is look across the field this Sunday. Since Jon Gruden left, the Raiders have gone through several bad head coaches; however they do have a shot at revenge. The Bucs have been dreadful against the run over the past few weeks and the Raiders do have a pretty decent running game. Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden are both decent plays, but I wouldn't bet my fantasy championship on them.
Buccaneers: To make the playoffs, the Bucs need a win along with some help from the Eagles. Jeff Garcia has been upgraded to probable with a sore calf muscle. Raiders' star corner, Nnamdi Asomugha is questionable with a neck injury. He is expected to start, but this may affect his ability to cover one of the hottest wideouts in the game right now, former Pitt star, Antonio Bryant. If Asomugha can't play or play up to his level, this will be a huge game for Garcia and Bryant.
Fantasy Factors: Darren McFadden (7), Jeff Garcia (8)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Baltimore Ravens
Jaguars: After looking like a real contender last year, the Jags have taken a step backwards. Their 5-10 season can't end season can't end fast enough. With a playoff spot on the line for the Ravens in this one, I don't see any of the Jaguars players worth owning.
Ravens: With their season hanging in the balance, you better believe the Ravens defense will come ready to play. Le'Ron McClain, who enjoyed a breakout game against Dallas last week, should get 100 yards and probably a TD this week as well.
Fantasy Factors: Maurice Jones-Drew (5), Ravens D/ST (9)
Miami Dolphins vs New York Jets
Dolphins: Oh boy, you couldn't have written this any better. Long time Jet Chad Pennington returns to New York with a chance to knock the Jets out of the playoffs and win the division. The Jets have not been very good against the pass, plus nobody knows the Jets defensive schemes better than Pennington. This will be an interesting one.
Jets: With Pennington coming back to seemingly haunt the Jets, all eyes will be on Favre. The Dolphins haven't been good against the pass either, but Brett Favre has played a lot soft defenses this year and hasn't taken advantage of any of them. If the Jets are going to make the playoffs, they need Thomas Jones to take them there. With all the focus on Pennington vs Favre, he should be able to take advantage.
Fantasy Factors: Chad Pennington (8), Thomas Jones (9)
Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles
Cowboys: Its real simple for the Boys. Win and you're in. The only problem is that Tony Romo hasn't exactly been Mr Clutch. I expect that to change this week. The Eagles still have playoff hopes, but only if the Bucs lose to the Raiders and the Bears or Vikings lose their games. I don't see that happening and the Eagles won't have as much on the line as Dallas. Marion Barber should play, but will be restricted to a role player. Tashard Choice, who has done well against the best run defenses in football, should see the bulk of the carries and based on how well he's done so far, that could be a good thing.
Eagles: As I mentioned before, the Eagles have a shot at the playoffs, but its a wild scenario and very unlikely. Brian Westbrook was bottled up for the most part in Dallas earlier in the year, but scored 3 TDs. Unfortunately, the Cowboys defense is much tougher than it was and I don't see a lot of running room for B-West this week. This could be up to McNabb.
Fantasy Factors: Tashard Choice (9), Donovan McNabb (7)
Seattle Seahawks vs Arizona Cardinals
Seahawks: Just one game to go and this lost season for the Seahawks will be in the books. Not many fantasy options on this team, even against a struggling Cardinals defense. Maurice Morris is the starter and should post modest numbers. John Carlson has been the one bright spot on the team as he leads the team in receptions and should do well for a TE against the Cardinal secondary.
Cardinals: The Cardinals who have been killed the past couple weeks, should put up a much better showing, even with their backups, against the 4-11 Seahawks. Kurt Warner is expected to play, but only for a little bit. Other starters should see more time, but I wouldn't rely on them for fantasy purposes.
Fantasy Factors: John Carlson (7), Larry Fitzgerald (8)
Washington Redskins vs San Francisco 49ers
Redskins: It was too little, too late for the Skins as they defeated the Eagles last week, 10-3. The banged up Portis has only run for over 100 yards once in the past 7 games. I don't see that changing this week in San Fran, but I do see Portis scoring at least once. I mean, really, how else are they going to score?
49ers: The Niners have won 3 of their last 4 and are looking to end their season with an exclamation point. Shaun Hill hasn't been great, but he's been good enough to help the team win. Frank Gore should be back on Sunday, but the Redskins have a very solid defense against the run, so his presence should only help Hill in the passing game.
Fantasy Factors: Clinton Portis (7), Shaun Hill (7)
Denver Broncos vs San Diego Chargers
Broncos: Its the game the Broncos have been dreading. Ever since Week Two, when the NFL gave them a gift wrapped win, the Broncos have been hoping it wouldn't come down to this last game. It will and while the Broncos are playing awful, the Chargers are playing some of their best football of the year. Without any running game, the Broncos will rely almost entirely on Jay Cutler to get the job done. He's worth owning simply because he'll go to the air 40-50 times and probably hit the 300 yard mark. The Chargers have one of the worst pass defenses this season and Cutler going to the air that many times, probably won't improve those numbers. San Diego didn't have an answer for Brandon Marshall last time, I don't know what will change.
Chargers: With everything on the line and Chargers riding a 3 game winning streak, this appears to be a perfect storm scenario for them. Rivers has been red hot lately and will now face a struggling Broncos defense. In their last meeting, Rivers passed for 377 yards and 3 TDs. I expect this to be a duel between the two rival QB's and it should be a big day for both. LT has a good matchup as well be considering his subpar performances this year, I don't think you can take a chance on him this week unless you absolutely have to.
Fantasy Factors: Jay Cutler (8), Philip Rivers (9)
Dec 24 2008
First off, I would just like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and I hope you have a great holiday season!
Stock Rising - This is where you'll find players that you may find on your waiver wire or sitting on your bench. These are players that could bring in big returns if traded now. Ultimately, its up to you whether you believe they'll stay valuable or if you should try to cash in on them now. I wouldn't recommend dropping an established player to acquire these players. These are guys that ideally, would round out the bottom half of your roster.
Buy Low - Players in this section don't mean you should try to sell them or just flat out waive them. All of the players in this section are players that are in a slump and you should try to trade for. These are guys that are talented and will come around eventually.
Sell - If these players are on your team, you're much better off checking the waiver wire or trading them.
Stock Rising
Pekka Rinne (5%) - The youngster from Finland has finally been given the opportunity to shine and is doing a great job so far. He's currently 7-2 with a 2.28 GAA and 3 shutouts. Those 3 shutouts have been in the last 6 games. We could be seeing the next Miikka Kiprusoff.
(Photo by Reuters Pictures)
Loui Eriksson (50%) - I know, most of you are saying, "who?", but believe it or not Eriksson is tied for 5th in the NHL with 18 goals this year. He's currently on pace for 44 goals this year, which I'm sure is better than your 5th defenseman or 12th forward.
Travis Zajac (25%) - The Devils are a hot team right now, no pun intended. The depth of their forwards, the outstanding play of Scott Clemmensen and the emergence of their young players have really come into play. Playing alongside Zach Parise, Zajac has been a pretty steady contributor. Most of the time when Parise scores, Zajac has a helper so if you need a player to sponge points of an elite player, Zajac is your man.
Viktor Kozlov (24%) - When Alexander Semin went down with an injury... again, the Caps turned to Kozlov to take his spot on the top line. They're not regretting it. Kozlov has 3 goals and 3 assists in his last 5 games. If you need a player give you a short term boost, he's an ideal fit. However, once Semin is back or nearing a return, make sure to cash out on him.
Jeremy Williams (2%) - Playing on the third line with Jason Blake and Dominic Moore, you'd think he's just some checker that doesn't have much value, but Williams is working hard and producing. He scored a goal in each of his first three games and has 5 total in 7 games. The Leafs don't have a lot of talent, so he does get time on the power play. If he continues to produce he'll find himself on a scoring line and you'll find yourself with a diamond in the rough.
Buy Low
Vincent Lecavalier - This can't last forever. It won't last forever. Vinny to far too talented to let this go on forever. The Lightning captain is currently on pace for 29 goals and 37 assists. Maybe his surgically repaired shoulder is bothering him a bit, but I don't see that affecting his game that much. As the section says, buy low, because now is the perfect time to snatch him from a frustrated owner.
Marian Gaborik - Once again Gabby will be shut down for a couple games by the team so he can rest his injured groin. This may be the last straw for some of his owners that are simply tired of putting up with injury problems and not look at the fact that Gaborik has 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 games. He maybe injured often, but when he plays, he plays great. Now may be the best time to acquire him.
Corey Perry - He's an up and down player and he is just now coming out of a down swing where he went with just one assist in 6 games. He has a goal and 3 assists in his last three games. Get him now before he becomes untouchable again. Then sell him when his value is high for a more consistent player.
Olli Jokinen - Playing in the desert has slowed down his game a bit. Or maybe its just adjusting to the wild wild West that is the problem. Either way, Jokinen isn't playing like himself, but I think he's starting to come around now. He went into a four game slump recently and didn't record a single point, but racked up a goal and 2 assists last night in Colorado. He's far too good to let slumps last for too long. Try to snatch him up now because when its all said and done, he'll have close to 40 goals.
Marty Turco - Is it safe yet? Kinda. Turco isn't all the way back, but he's heading in the right direction. After getting murdered in October and most of November, Turco has started to turn things around. He has a 6-2 record with a 2.59 GAA. He has occasional relapses, but for the most part he has been pretty solid in net as of late.
Sell
Craig Anderson - After telling all of you to "BUY BUY BUY", I'm now telling you to "SELL SELL SELL". Anderson has lost the starting role to incumbent starter, Tomas Vokoun. It was a good ride while it lasted.
Pascal Leclaire - Sorry Pascal, but there's a new sheriff in town and the kid goes by the name of Steve Mason. Leclaire has only played in 2 of the last 12 games and in both of those games he got shelled.
Sergei Zubov - Zubby is done for the year guys, so you 51% out there that still have him can drop him for a defenseman that will actually play in an NHL game this season.
Maxim Afinogenov - Almost a month ago, I told everyone to drop this guy and 52% of fantasy leagues didn't listen to me. When he's not a healthy scratch, he's on the fourth line. He has one assist in 9 games this month with a minus 4 rating. Move your mouse to the top of your roster page, click on drop player and then choose the check box next to his name. You'll feel better. Trust me.
Dec 22 2008
With everything on the line in most fantasy football leagues this week, most star players didn't live up to expectations and possibly ruined their owners season. Until the 8pm game, not a single running back reached 20 fantasy points, while 10 QB's scored 20 or more points. It was unfortunately, that type of day in the NFL and if you survived it, congratulations. If you didn't, I hope your league has a Week 17.
Stars
DeAngelo Williams - It was a rough day for running backs in the NFL, but not for the top fantasy back, DeAngelo Williams who ran for 108 and scored 4 TDs against the New York Giants. Williams won a lot of fantasy championships yesterday for a lot of owners, too bad the Panthers lost the game.
(Photo by Reuters Photos)
Philip Rivers - With their playoff hopes on the line and a tough secondary in front him, Rivers had a fantastic game, passing for 287 yards and 4 TDs. The Chargers will now host the Broncos with the AFC West title on the line.
Peyton Manning - Speaking of playoff spots on the line, the Colts had a chance to lockup their spot in the playoffs with a win over the Jaguars. Manning didn't disappoint and connected for 3 TDs with 364 yards passing. Peyton came up in a big way for his owners on Fantasy Super Bowl week. However, if your league counts Week 17, you should be careful. The Colts don't have anything to play for and Peyton will probably sit.
Brandon Jacobs - Playing on a bad knee, Brandon Jacobs came up big with 3 TDs and 87 yards rushing. His bruising performance helped the Giants capture home field advantage throughout the playoffs in the NFC.
Visanthe Shiancoe - Now here's a name you don't see everyday. The TE who is most famous for being filmed in the buff, caught 7 passes for 136 yards and 2 TDs. Incredible numbers for a guy that never received for more than 68 yards this season before today.
Stumblers
Arizona Cardinals - For the second straight week the Cardinals were slammed by their opponent. Perhaps they were not aware, but they needed to play 3 more games after clinching the division title. Aside from Larry Fitzgerald, the Cards have been fantasy nightmares the past couple weeks. If you were riding this offense throughout the season, you're really paying for it now.
Ben Roethlisberger - With the number one seed on the line, Big Ben didn't have one of his better games. His indecisiveness and 4 turnovers (2 INTs, 2 lost fumbles) helped the Titans clinch home field throughout the playoffs.
Brett Favre - The "Pro Bowl" quarterback had a typical 2008 Brett Favre performance... bad. Playing against the worst pass defense in the the NFL he threw for only 187 yards, 2 INTs and zero TDs. Favre now has 1 TD and 6 INTs in his last four games. Thank goodness the Pro Bowl doesn't count for anything.
Cowboys Defense - Playing in front of some of the greatest Cowboys of all time, including the No Name defense, the No Name offense of the Ravens ripped apart the Cowboys defense in the second half and lost 33-24. Knowing that the Ravens were going to run the ball to try to run out the clock, the Boys stacked the line and gave up TD runs of 77 and 82 yards in the final three minutes of the game.
Steve Slaton - After running for 100+ yards in three straight games, the Texans had the Raiders next on the schedule. Slaton owners had to be salivating over this. Too bad the meal never came. Slaton only ran for 66 yards and failed to score a TD.
Dec 19 2008
Now is the time. For most leagues, this is your fantasy football super bowl. Everything you've done up to this point doesn't matter anymore. If your stars flop this week, it could cost you everything. No pressure or anything, especially for you undefeated teams out there. One thing to keep in mind though during the weekend and into Monday, never give up. If you still have a player yet to play and are behind, even by a lot, you still have a chance. Don't believe me? Check out my intro story before last years Fantasy Football Super Bowl.
Baltimore Ravens vs Dallas Cowboys
Ravens: First, they get the best defense in the NFL. Now they get the hottest. The Flacco Flock didn't look comfortable against the Steelers last week and may look even less comfortable this week against a very aggressive Cowboys defense. This may be the final game in Texas Stadium ever, so the crowd will be out of control. I would stay away from all Ravens options this week, including the defense.
Cowboys: Playing against the defending champs, the Cowboys offense looked pretty good. With the Ravens having some injury problems on defense, Romo could put together a solid performance. Marion Barber might play, but even if he does, I doubt he'll be effective. Tashard Choice may not be a bad play though. He did very well against the Steelers and Giants, so it doesn't seem to matter who he's up against.
Fantasy Factors: Derick Mason (6), Cowboys D/ST (9)
San Francisco 49ers vs St. Louis Rams
49ers: After throwing 46 passes last week, you'd think Shaun Hill had a monster performance, at least in yardage anyways. Not so much. Just 233 yards and no TDs. Let me put it this way, if he throws 46 times against the Rams, he may break a record for passing yardage in a single game. Frank Gore has a great matchup, but is unfortunately questionable going into this contest. Even if he is a high draft pick, you hate to take a chance on a questionable player.
Rams: Despite leaving in the 4th quarter after a hard hit to the head, Steven Jackson is ready to go for this week. Its a great matchup for him and he should finally hit the 100 yard mark and score at least once.
Fantasy Factors: Shaun Hill (8), Steven Jackson (9)
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tennessee Titans
Steelers: The Steelers playing at 1pm? No way! With the AFC's number one seed on the line, the Steelers head to Nashville. They received good news earlier in the week when they discovered that both Kyle Vanden Bosch and Albert Haynesworth would be out for this game. When Haynesworth isn't on that line, the Tennessee run defense is drastically different. I can see this being a big game for Willie Parker and the running game. The Steeler defense is a good play as well. The Titans rely on the run to setup the pass and I don't see Smash and Dash doing very much in this one. I do see a lot of Kerry Collins sacks and INTs though.
Titans: See above
Fantasy Factors: Willie Parker (8), Chris Johnson (6)
Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns
Bengals: Two games this week are being played by the top two teams in their conference and it all likelihood will determine who is the number one seed. This ISN'T one of them. If this game is being televised in your area, I urge you to not watch. This game may make you hate football. A terrible offense, against a terrible defense, on both sides of the ball. Having said that, Cedric Benson has been improving each week and he may shine the brightest among these two terrible teams.
Browns: Supposedly, Joshua Cribbs is the backup to Ken Dorsey. Honestly, as this point, I don't see why they just don't run the Wildcat offense the whole game with Cribbs at quarterback. It couldn't do any worse than what they're doing now.
Fantasy Factors: Cedric Benson (7), Jamal Lewis (7)
New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions
Saints: Ohhhh boy. If you have a lot of Saints on your team and you're in the fantasy football super bowl, you have to be feeling really good right about now. The worst team, possibly ever, in the NFL hosts the highest scoring team in football. The final score of this game may look like one of those mismatched college games like Florida vs Citadel where the final score is 77-3. Pierre Thomas is the hot pickup of the week. With Reggie Bush out for the season, he should get all of the carries and that should result in big points. Don't think that Drew Brees will go easy on them. He needs 753 yards to break Dan Marino's record of passing yards in a single season (5,084). They play Carolina next week, so he'll want to get a big chunk of that numbers this week.
Lions: When you're 0-14, what can you say? As always, Calvin Johnson is a strong play, but that's about it.
Fantasy Factors: Pierre Thomas (10), Calvin Johnson (8)
Miami Dolphins vs Kansas City Chiefs
Dolphins: The Dolphins running game hasn't been a significant source of fantasy points as of late, but over the past few weeks, its gotten steadily better. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams may do a little Smashing and Dashing of their own this week against a Chiefs defense that is giving up 155 yards per game on the ground.
Chiefs: After last week's humiliating loss, the Chiefs get a chance to be spoilers again. Tyler Thigpen and Tony Gonzalez are your solid plays for the week.
Fantasy Factors: Ronnie Brown (8), Tony Gonzalez (8)
Arizona Cardinals vs New England Patriots
Cardinals: The good news is that the Patriots don't have anywhere near the defense the Vikings did. The bad news, the weather is supposed to be snowy and bad in New England this Sunday. Not a good thing for a team that relies on the pass so much. Those of you that have enjoyed having Cardinal players racking up big points in perfect weather, you're about to get a lump of coal in your stocking for the fantasy football super bowl. Hopefully, your championship is two weeks long.
Patriots: Even though its their home field, the Patriots also rely on the pass quite a bit. The only difference is that the Pats can actually run the football if need be. Sammy Morris, who ran for over 100 yards and TD last week, will probably get the majority of the carries this week, although, I wouldn't hang my season on him playing.
Fantasy Factors: Tim Hightower (5), Sammy Morris (7)
San Diego Chargers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chargers: Just barely, but they're still in it. My preseason Super Bowl favorite is still alive despite the absence of LaDainian Tomlinson. Unfortunately, this game may spell the end of it. The Bucs are great against the pass, which is the only part of this offense that is working right now and LT hasn't been getting it done against bad run defense, much less one that is in the middle of the pack. They'll need to hold out hope for a Buffalo win to force a showdown next week against the Broncos.
Buccaneers: The Bucs are on a bit of a slide right now, but they can right the ship (no pun intended) with a win at home against the Chargers. Antonio Bryant has emerged as one of the games best receivers over the past few weeks and the Chargers have one of the worst pass defenses in the league. This should be big news for Jeff Garcia as well, however, he's battling a calf injury. All indications are that he'll play, but you hate to take a risk at this point in the season on a guy that was questionable going into it.
Fantasy Factors: Nate Kaeding (7), Antonio Bryant (8)
Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos
Bills: For what its worth, Trent Edwards is returning to the Bills lineup. Too bad JP Losman made sure that Bills wouldn't be in the playoffs when he came back. Against a bad Broncos defense, all Bills weapons will be valuable, including Marshawn Lynch who came out of nowhere and ran for 100 yards last week.
Broncos: Unless the Broncos want to go to San Diego next week and have to beat the Chargers to win the AFC West crown, they need to beat the Bills. As always Jay Cutler is their only good option with Brandon Marshall a close second.
Fantasy Factors: Marshawn Lynch (8), Jay Cutler (9)
Houston Texans vs Oakland Raiders
Texans: Coming off their biggest win of the season against the 12-2 Titans, , the Texans head to Oakland to play the 3-11 Raiders. How do you spell let down game? Assuming the Texans are focused on this week and not still celebrating their win, they should have a big performance from Steve Slaton who is making a serious case to be rookie of the year. Matt Schaub is a solid play as well as long as he stays away from Nnamdi Asomugha.
Raiders: With the season in the dumpster, I expect the Raiders to start getting a good look at some of the younger players. Darren McFadden should see more carries than usual, which is a shot to Justin Fargas' value.
Fantasy Factors: Steve Slaton (9), Darren McFadden (8)
New York Jets vs Seattle Seahawks
Jets: After getting a scare against the Bills, the Jets are in another easy matchup. Will they be able to take advantage is the question? Brett Favre should tear up a Seahawk defense that is dead last in pass defense, but Favre has been a bust pretty much all season. If the Jets commit to what has gotten them this far, Thomas Jones should have a big game. Either way, Jones is a solid play.
Seahawks: With just one home game left, the Seahawks and their faithful will try to send off Mike Holmgren with a win. This will be a tall task though, the offense is sputtering along and the defense just isn't what it used to be. John Carlson should be their best option against a weak Jets secondary.
Fantasy Factors: Thomas Jones (8), John Carlson (8)
Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Redskins
Eagles: They're not done yet. Currently on an impressive 3 game winning streak, the Eagles look to fend off the last place Redskins. Brian Westbrook didn't do very much against the Browns on Monday, but he really didn't need to. Donovan McNabb could have literally sat in a lawn chair and threw passes to his receivers. The Browns were just that bad. They'll face a tougher test in Washington. I expect Westbrook to be more active this week than last, but I wouldn't bank on it producing more fantasy points.
Redskins: After running his mouth all week about not carrying the ball enough, Portis saw plenty of carries last week and the team ended up losing to the Bengals. Yes, those Bengals. Last time these two met up, Portis had a monster game with 145 yards rushing with a TD. I don't expect it to repeat.
Fantasy Factors: Brian Westbrook (8), Clinton Portis (7)
Atlanta Falcons vs Minnesota Vikings
Falcons: A match I expect to be physical and intense is this one. The Falcons have the best rushing offense in the league, while the Vikings have the best run defense. It should be an impressive battle of wills in this contest. One thing that may tip the scales in favor of the Falcons though is the injury to Pro Bowl tackle Pat Williams. This may help Michael Turner find some room to run, but I doubt the Vikings own the best run defense just because of him. It will still be a tough battle for the Pro Bowl RB.
Vikings: Tavaris Jackson shocked the world when he threw 4 TD passes last week against the Cardinals. Adrian Peterson shocked a lot of so called "experts" that said Peterson would be a bust last week. I don't know about you, but 165 yards on 28 carries doesn't sound like a bust to me. It never seems to matter who Peterson plays, he always does well, so pulling up how well the Falcons do against the run (21st) would be pointless.
Fantasy Factors: Matt Ryan (8), Adrian Peterson (8)
Carolina Panthers vs New York Giants
Panthers: All due respect to the big matchup in the AFC between the Steelers and Titans, this is the game of the week in the NFL. Whomever wins this game, will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The emergence of DeAngelo Williams has the Panthers looking like a Super Bowl contender, but if they really want to prove themselves they'll need to take out the Super Bowl champs. Williams has a tough matchup against a defense that only allows 90 rushing yards per game. Jake Delhomme may be able to take some of the pressure off of him, but he's been wildly inconsistent all season.
Giants: For whatever reason, the Panthers have had trouble stopping the run in the second half of the season and the Giants are tied for first in rushing offense. The only drawback is the they may not have their leading rusher to lead that attack. Brandon Jacobs is questionable, but is doing everything he can to get ready for this game. I think, unless he has a setback, he'll play.
Fantasy Factors: Steve Smith (8), Brandon Jacobs (9)
Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears
Packers: Last time the Pack met up with the Bears, it was a 37-3 slaughtering. I don't see that happening again and certainly not at Soldier Field. Aaron Rodgers who has been struggling the last few weeks will have some success against a soft Bears pass defense. Ryan Grant, who tore up the Bears for 145 yards and TD on the ground in their last meeting, will have no where near the same amount of success.
Bears: If they want to keep up with the Vikings, they're going to need to win this game. Fortunately, they will have had 11 days to prepare for it. Any lingering effects to Matt Forte's toe should be gone by Monday night and I expect a huge game from him.
Fantasy Factors: Aaron Rodgers (8), Matt Forte (10)
Dec 18 2008
Indianapolis Colts vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Colts: Since starting the season 3-4, the Colts have gone on a 7 game winning streak and are streaking towards the playoffs. During the streak, Peyton Manning has thrown 13 TDs and only 3 INTs. His success should continue this week against a Jaguar defense that he's had trouble with over the years. Joseph Addai, who was expected to play, is now listed as questionable. If you have Domnic Rhodes handy, be prepared to put him in.
Jaguars: As good as the Colts have been over the past 7 weeks, is how bad the Jags have been. Maurice Jones-Drew has had a less than stellar season (mostly due to the banged up offensive line), but he has traditionally done well against the Colts. With Bob Sanders questionable, we may see another big performance from MJD. Then again, he's had lots of opportunities to have big games and fell short.
Fantasy Factors: Peyton Manning (8), Maurice Jones-Drew (7)
Dec 17 2008
Marian Gaborik - Its only been less than two months, but it seems like an eternity since we've seen Gaborik on the ice. However, the long wait is about to come to an end. Gaborik is expected to return tonight against the Flames. He will be rusty and probably won't log a lot of minutes at first, but once the rust gets knocked off, the league will be on high alert for this 40 goal scorer.
(Photo by Andy King / AP)
Scott Clemmensen - The masked man for the Devils may not longer have the name "Brodeur" on the back of his jersey, but the results are still the same. Long time Brodeur backup is filling Marty's shoes admirably and has the Devils on a hot streak. With two solid forward lines, a great checking line and a smart defense, Clemmensen is a great pickup right now.
Doug Weight - Can someone please explain to me what has gotten into Doug Weight? Has he found the fountain of youth or something? The top center man for the Isles has 6 goals and 21 assists with 17 of those points coming on the powerplay. He won't do much for you in the plus/minus category, but he'll help you everywhere else.
Petr Sykora - The Penguins Slovakian sniper has caught fire in recent weeks. He currently has 5 goals and 5 assists in 7 games this month. Playing alongside either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, he's always a threat to have a big game, just be careful if acquiring him. He can get into very frustrating slumps.
Marc-Andre Fleury - Tomorrow when the Pens travel to Atlanta, Fleury is expected to make his return. Not a moment too soon either as the Pens have lost 4 of their last 5.
Mark Recchi - Lately former Penguin, Mark Recchi has been seen skating on Pittsburgh South's (Tampa Bay) top line with Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. If this sticks, this is a big boost to the Wreckin Ball's value and a big shot to Vinny Prospals'.
Alexander Semin - The Caps other Alexander made his return to the lineup this week. He picked up right where he left off with Ovechkin and Backstrom and recorded a point in each of his first three games since his return. The Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom line is the most dominant in hockey right now.
Duncan Keith - The guy with a first name for a last name and a last name for a first name, is having a great month for the Blackhawks. Keith, who is typically just a solid all around defenseman, has really picked up his offense as of late with 5 assists in his last 6 games.
Johan Franzen - Those of you that thought his big goal outburst at the end of last season and into the playoffs was just a fluke, where are you now? Franzen is on pace for a 40 goal season. As long as he remains a part of Detroit's top two lines (and I don't see why he wouldn't), the Mule should easily hit that number.
Joe Sakic - In case you haven't already heard, Avs captain, Joe Sakic, will be out till mid March. While resting his bad back, he injured himself with his snow blower and broke three fingers. You mean to tell me with all the money he had, he couldn't pay someone to plow his driveway? Come on now.
Mats Sundin - Apparently its a two team race right now for Sundin's services, the Rangers and the Canucks. The Canucks have a $10 million deal on the table for him, while the Rangers are desperately trying to clear up cap room. A decision is expected by Christmas and if I had to guess I'd say he's headed to the Canucks. Be careful with players, especially older players, that sit out half a year. It takes them awhile to get into game shape and in Sundin's case, it may take him some time to get used to his new team as well.
Roberto Luongo - Luongo was expected to return this weekend, however he tweaked his groin in practice and now its not known how much longer he'll be out. Despite not having their star netminder, the Canucks are still in first place in their division.
Olli Jokinen - The NHL's ironman missed 6 games with a shoulder injury, but came back earlier than expected and came back in a big way. Jokinen scored a pair of power play goals in his first game back and another the next day. If the Coyotes are going to have any chance at all to make the playoffs, they need Jokinen to be their best player.
Ed Jovanovski - I know I ripped into the JovoCop quite a bit in past stock market reports, but the man is finally on fire. After recording zero points through the first 9 games of the season, Jovanovski has finally started putting points on the board. In his last 10 games, he has 11 points, which is amazing for anyone especially a defenseman.
Dec 16 2008
We're at the half way point of the voting period for the Fantasy Bowl I tournament and we have a ton of votes for the 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers. I think its safe to say that they will be a number one seed and have home field advantage throughout the tournament, but what about everyone else? What other great teams deserve to participate in this all time fantasy tournament? The '85 Bears, the '00 Ravens, the '89 49ers, maybe even the '07 Patriots. Any team from 1950 to 2007 is eligible to play. Get your vote out and see just who is the greatest team of all time. Don't believe that because this is a Pittsburgh newspaper, that the 70's Steelers will win. This is a competition, not a coronation.
Voting ends December 31st
Dec 15 2008
It's fantasy football playoff time! Now is when you depend on your go to guys to get it done. Nothing they've done up to this point matters. One bad week and you're out. So who did their owners proud and who didn't?
Stars
Andre Johnson - For the first time this year, a wide receiver tops the list of stars for the week. Andre Johnson came up big for the Texans in their 13-12 upset victory over the Titans. Johnson caught 11 passes for over 200 yards and a TD making him the top receiver in all of football.
(Photo by Eddy Matchette / Texans.com)
Pierre Thomas - For the second straight week, Pierre Thomas made his case to be the feature back in the Saints lineup. Against a tough Bears defense, Thomas ran for 87 yards, caught for another 59 and scored 2 TD's. Thomas will take his Brian Westbrook act to the Motor City next week to beat up on the Lions.
Matt Cassel - As I had mentioned on Friday, love him or hate him, you had to feel for Matt Cassel on Sunday after losing his father. He did his father proud, throwing 4 TDs in a 49-26 win over the Raiders.
Dallas Clark - Out of all of Peyton Manning's weapons, none were more lethal than Dallas Clark on Sunday. Clark and the Colts exposed another HUGE weakness in the Lions defense as he caught 12 passes for 142 yards and a TD.
Tarvaris Jackson - Its fantasy playoff time and you want a guy you can trust at quarterback. So I'm willing to bet that T-Jack probably wasn't at the top of anyone's list. I still don't trust him, but you can't take the fact that he slammed the Cardinals in the desert with 4 TD passes.
Stumblers
Clinton Portis - After all the drama and complaining Clinton Portis went through this past week, you'd think he'd really light it up in Cincinnati. Not so much. He finished with just 77 yards rushing and the Skins actually lost the game, 20-17. Next time you're going to complain about playing time, you better follow it up with a good performance.
LaDainian Tomlinson - Well, that's just about it for the running back referred to as L.T. Just 39 rushing yards against the worst run defense in football? That was as easy as it was going to get for you there, LT. His performance this season has to be one of the biggest disappointments in the history of fantasy sports.
Marion Barber - In a big must win game for the Cowboys, Barber did nothing. He carried the ball eight times and ran for only 2 yards. You could make the case "Well it was the Giants defense". Third string back, Tashard Weapon of Choice ran for 91 yards on 9 carries and scored a TD. He also caught for 52 yards. I don't know about you, but I like Choice more than Barber at this point. A LOT more and think he needs to be Dallas' starting tailback going into the playoffs.
J.P. Losman - Hey, here's an idea, play really hard, come within two minutes of pulling off a big upset, then do everything in your power to give the game away. That's pretty much what J.P. Losman did Sunday. His fumble that put the Jets ahead with just under two minutes cost them the lead. Then his two INT's in the final minutes of the game sealed the deal. I would be shocked if Losman ever played another game for the Bills after this season.
Kansas City Chiefs - Speaking of playing hard and blowing it at the end, the Chiefs lost in a way that only they and probably the Lions, can lose. Up 21-10 with under two minutes, the Chiefs give up a TD, fumble an on side kick, give up another TD and then miss a field goal to lose the game. The Chargers remain in the playoff hunt and the Chiefs... well their season just has two more embarrassing losses to go.
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