Playoff Time in Fantasy Football : A Look at the RB’s Schedules in Next Three Weeks

The playoffs in your fantasy league are starting to take shape.  If you’re anything like me you’re fighting through to grab a playoff spot in at least one of your leagues. Which running backs have easier matchups While we missed the initial Turkey Day 12:30 game (Houston vs. Detroit) you pretty much aren’t going to sit Arian Foster, anyway.  For the sake of clarity let’s analyze the running backs ability to help you based on the next three opponents rushing defenses.  There are some surprises:

Parmele Is a Sneaky Pickup With MJD 50/50

Out of 48 of the top running backs the best matchup for the next three games statistically is whoever is toting the ball for the Jacksonville Jaguars.  As I’ve mentioned all year, there is talent on the offensive side of the ball in Duval that came to light with Chad Henne running the show . The running back situation in Jacksonville bears watching as they face the 28^th  (Titans) , 31^st  (Bills) and 30^th (NY Jets) ranked rushing defenses in the next three games.  Jalen Parmele was a surprise pickup

Fantasy Football Week 10 Recap – Running out of Running Backs?

There were some offensive shortcomings in Week 10 that left a lot of fantasy owners coming up short in weekly games.  By this time, you have an idea where you and your team stand in your league’s pecking order.  Injuries, rookies coming back down to earth, strange divvying of carries and inclement weather are all factors that affect offense. Here are some rising and falling players to consider next week.

Rising

LeSean McCoy, Eagles-  You're not benching him anyway, but you well know and as was discussed on ESPN’s First Take,the Philadelphia Eagles are a train wreck. Michael Vick could be done for the year (concussion). So could Andy Reid.  But lo and behold when rookie Nick Foles came in to relieve the injured Vick, the offensive line came in and actually protected the quarterback better than they had for the majority of the season.  If Foles can stay upright, the Eagles can be better on offense. Reid will dial down the playbook and actually lean on his All-Pro McCoy for the duration of the season. Foles has a good arm and when's the last time Reid didn't get decent production from a quarterback? The team will rally around Foles and McCoy will be the prime benefactor.

C.J Spiller, Bills – Looks like Spiller will finally get a chance to not have carries siphoned off because of an injury to Fred Jackson.  The man’s averaging such a high yard per touch. The Miami Dolphin run defense awaits, fresh off a shredding by Chris Johnson, breaking a streak of not allowing 100-yard rushers.  Tashard Choice is a good choice in deeper formats as C.J. is no Cal Ripken. But he is every bit as as explosive as mighty mites Jamaal Charles, Chris Johnson, etc.

Falling

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers- Doesn’t seem like Carolina running backs are going to bear fantasy fruit this season.  A shellacking at home by the Broncos forced Cam and company into passing hurry-up mode which is actually what they suck at the most.  Greg Olsen is a good option for this but Stewart, not so much. 8 carries and 2 catches for Daily Show who is sporadic enough to be called The Bi-Weekly Show or The Daily No-Show.

Isaac Redman, Steelers

No Method For This Redman

Again, Steelers running backs have a pecking order and Redman lacks the resume to survive a fumble and just general ineffectiveness. Although he got the start and the makings of a run-heavy attack were there, it just didn’t materialize.  Jonathan Dwyer ended up with 19 carries and Redman 8 and the aforementioned fumble.  If Mendenhall is healthy..never mind.  There are just too many ifs in this backfield.  Big Ben doesn't look like he will play against arch rival Baltimore. If Leftwich can thorw some WD-40 on the arm and provide some semblance of a passing game Dwyer is more appealing than Redman if Mendenhall can’t go.

A Bush-League Benching, Buy Low Now

Reggie Bush, Dolphins – The Dolphins benched Bush for a fumble in the first quarter in a winnable game against Tennessee.  A veteran, leading rusher and only dynamic playmaker on the Dolphins to complement rookie QB Ryan Tannehill.  Not sure if I agree with Philbin on this one, but Bush got 4 carries and 1 catch in the entire game.  Bush has struggled to gain yards since his September 16^th 172 yard outburst against the Raiders, who we’ve discovered are really bad right now. Bush hasn’t topped 75 total yards since.  Despite all the bad news, I think Bush is a ideal buy-low candidate because a bad Buffalo rushing defense awaits; next week-he went for 203 up in Orchard Park last December.

Things to Think About

La-Rod Stephens Howling will probably make some big plays at Atlanta.  His ability to cut is enhanced on that turf.  If the Cardinals can get Kevin Kolb back this suggestion is doubly awesome.

James Starks got the start in Week 9, so it may finally be worth it to grab him off the wire if available for the Lions game. They just gave up a bunch to Adrian Peterson.  They typically are more concerned with getting up the field and getting to the passer.

Christopher Ivory has made a case for more carries with his Beast-Mode type run against the run deficient defense of the Atlanta Falcons (who just released Ray Edwards).  Monitor the health of Darren Sproles when pursuing this angle.

If DeMarco Murray is questionable by Friday this week, make sure some stupid owner didn’t drop Felix Jones for byes or whatever.  His play was serviceable at Philly and he caught a short passes and weaved in for a score.

The Oakland Raiders in a 35-point blowout loss showed us three things.  They don’t execute fundamentals very well.  Marcel Reece can chip in the running game when needed and you needn’t concern yourself with Taiwan Jones at this point.  They don’t trust him to handle the rock.

Fantasy Football Week 2 - The Sunday Morning Update

Fantasy owners looking to build off of NFL Week 1 know that jumping out to a 2-0 start in your league greatly improves your chances of making it to your fantasy playoffs!! Did you know that something like 71% of all fantasy teams that start 2-0 make it to their fantasy playoffs?  That last statement was completely unfounded, but you know the deal.  If you started out 0-1, then 1-1 is so much better than staring at 0-2. A lot of supposedly good/contending teams in the NFL reality (not fantasy) are staring at 0-2 if they don’ t get their acts together, and conversely a couple of surprising teams could be 2-0 after this week.  But I won’t get ahead of myself—we are here to help you the navigate football fantasy waters and for my daily and weekly fantasy gamers, get some quick cash in your pockets.  So let’s run down the Week 2 games and uncover some gold mines.

Kansas City vs. Buffalo

Charles= Large and In Charge

This game figures to be a shootout because (surprise!) none of these teams look like they can stop passing attacks.  Last week the Chiefs got ambushed by the Atlanta Falcons, 40-24, and the Buffalo Bills made the New York Jets look like the 1999 St. Louis Rams (48 points for the Jets—tied for the most ever by that team in a season opener).  Problem is both the Chiefs and Bills have only slightly above average quarterbacks in Matt Cassel and Ryan Fitzpatrick.  I’d say the biggest fantasy points will come from running backs C.J Spiller and Jamaal Charles—both of these guys are capable of taking a play all the way to the house.  Stevie Johnson (Bills) and Dwayne Bowe, because of their physicality and ability to beat corners off the line, will be able to exploit mismatches in each team’s opposing secondaries. The Kansas City secondary is more suspect than Buffalo’s but the Chiefs wideouts are more explosive than the Bills—a conundrum.  Dexter McCluster may have a poor man’s Wes Welker game to the tune of 7-catches and 60 yards but no touchdowns.

Adore:  C.J Spiller, Jamaal Charles

Meh: Dwayne Bowe, Stevie Johnson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dexter McCluster, Kansas City D

Avoid: Matt Cassel, Buffalo D

Denver vs. Atlanta

The Age of Demaryius

Another potential shootout in the Georgia Dome for the Monday night game; both teams come off impressive Week 1 wins.  The Falcons will be without Brent Grimes, their presumptive shutdown corner.  This figures to have a trickle-down effect on the entire Atlanta defense.  Demaryius Thomas who is starting to show some Megatronish-type skills at wide receiver is going to be great fantasy option in this game.  He’ll be matched up against Dunta Robinson or Asante Samuel—both are small and physical corners but will be hard-pressed to match up physically with the specimen from Georgia Tech.  This means Eric Decker and Jacob Tamme will also have good fantasy potential. I say all this about Denver because the Atlanta Falcons will put up points with ease against the Broncos secondary.  Wide receiver Julio Jones, who has been the real deal so far in the NFL, will likely draw Hall of Famer cornerback Champ Bailey.  Bailey is still capable but Jones catch and run ability will be a difficult assignment for the veteran.  Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez will benefit just as Decker and Tamme, as Jones will likely draw double coverage.  Both running games will be afterthoughts although I like Willis McGahee and possibly Knowshon Moreno to score a goalline touchdown after Manning and his receivers do the heavy lifting in between the 20s.  The Falcons seem hell-bent on throwing so I’m not sure what to think of Michael Turner.  The Broncos did an alright job of stuffing the run last week but that was at home.  Turner probably will rebound in this game and run for about eighty yards and a score.  Jacquizz Rodgers, (who I’ve never been impressed with) has been mentioned as taking over first-string running back duty should Turner continue to shuffle, could be a factor in passing game.

Adore: Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, Demaryius Thomas, Julio Jones, Eric Decker

Meh: Michael Turner, Willis McGahee, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, Jacob Tamme

Avoid: Atlanta D, Denver D, Jacquizz Rodgers

Other thoughts around Week 2:

I'm Startin' Martin

I wouldn’t say he’s an automatic must-start just yet, but Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin looks like a lock for twenty carries a game in Greg Schiano’s ball control offense.  Martin is a feisty, Curtis Martin-type who grinds out tough yards and is always moving forward.  He gets the Giants in Week 2 who had struggles stopping DeMarco Murray in Week 1.

A Reggie Wayne resurgence in 2012 looks very likely after his 9-catch, 135-yard performance in Week 1 vs. the Bears.   Andrew Luck is certainly an upgrade and the Colts will trail plenty this year, which bodes well for lots of catches for Reggie.  Up next: Week 2 and Minnesota’s always-suspect secondary.

Don’t bury Frank Gore just yet—112 yards on 16 carries against the Packers run defense in Week 1 means that Kendall Hunter, Brandon Jacobs, LaMichael James, LeBron James and whoever else are just going to have to wait to supplant Gore as the bellcow in San Francisco.  The former Miami Hurricane isn’t ready to be put out to pasture just yet.  Next up, the Detroit Lions in Week 2.  The much-maligned run defense for the Lions was effective in shutting down the Rams last week; they limited Steven Jackson to 53 yards on 21 carries.  Look for Gore to continue his success.

Wes side of the bench?

I think Wes Welker owners should consider their other fantasy options for Week 2.  In Week 1, quarteback Tom Brady tried to find new toy Brandon Lloyd (team-leading 8 targets) in a blowout win against the Titans.  Wes Welker caught only 3 passes for 14 yards.  That simply won’t cut it--one has to wonder how Welker fits on this new New England offense; they have discovered running the ball with Stevan Ridley and still feature two great tight ends that aren’t going anywhere.  Welker has even split reps with Julian Edelman! Shades of 2010 when owners expected Welker to go for his fourth straight 100-catch season and ended up with 85-848 and 7 scores.  Decent, but not where owners were drafting him.  It’s not looking like Welker will be able to get to 100 catches this year.

NFL Week 1 Fantasy News: Add Some Explosion to Your Team

Week 1 is in the books, ladies and gentlemen, and there are a few notable performances that fantasy football players may want to take notice.  There were some key injuries, things we thought and things we didn’t want to know.  Let’s recap and talk about how you can find value in guys that might still be available in your leagues.

The Future in D.C.

Robert Griffin, QB, Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins quarterback was amazing.  He carved up the Saints defense in Sunday’s 40-32 victory.  His 320 passing yards were the most ever by a rookie quarterback in a winning effort and had an 88-yard touchdown throw to Pierre Garcon that was a preview of things to come.  He made plays with his feet as expected (1o rushes for 42 yards)  but was accurate throwing on the run and has some speedy receivers to work with.  Unless the Saints defense in going to be atrocious all year (which is possible), RGIII is going to have a chance to be a great value as a fantasy starting quarterback.  Next up a Rams defense that let Matt Stafford throw 300+ on them but did manage to intercept three passes; I predict Griffin will run more and finish with 225 yards passing and a score or two but will rush for a touchdown.  That’s plenty of potential points off the wire. At worse, he is a high end backup and a great keeper option in those types of leagues.

See C.J Run

C. J Spiller, RB, Buffalo Bills

This recommendation is based upon talent and opportunity although with Fred Jackson out at least three weeks with injury, Spiller is “leaking out” as a great play in Week 2.  He ran for 169 yards on 14 carries in Week 1 against the Jets and added two catches for 25 yards as well.  All this against a Jets defense that is darn good at stopping the run.  Spiller only has Tashard Choice and newly-signed Johnny White (who?) behind him and he is a real threat in the passing game as well.  He’s lightning quick with game breaking speed. He held down the fort last year after Jackson got hurt, and performed admirably; he was supposed to receive plenty of touches this year anyway.  The Kansas City Chiefs await in Week 2 in what could be a tough matchup.  Spiller will likely give you close to 100 total yards in this one with a better matchup at Cleveland in Week 3. With Jackson out for extended time, don’t hesitate to grab C.J. Spiller.

The Jets' New High Flyer  

Stephen Hill, WR, New York Jets

The Jets passing offense was supposed to be anemic and I know it’s early but in Week 1, the Jets unleashed their rookie Stephen Hill on the Buffalo Bills secondary to the tune of 5 catches, nearly 100 yards and two touchdowns.  With the Buffalo Bills focused on Santonio Holmes, the only proven receiving threat on the Jets the last couple of years, Hill used his speed and height (6”4) to dominate.  Hill was a rising commodity in the 2012 NFL Draft last April, with some pundits feeling he would have been a late 1^st rounder.  The Jets, who sorely need production at their WR2 position, would love for Hill to keep this up.  He gets Pittsburgh, Miami, and San Francisco the next three weeks, teams that will likely force the Jets to go airborne.  He’s at least a starter for the Jets and at worse a WR3 for your roster at this point.