The Weekly Waiver Wire Week7

The Weekly Waiver Wire
By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online



The Bye weeks continue in the NFL and the Waiver Wire just keeps getting busy. As the fantasy football season progresses, you weekly moves take on more importance; your studs are on the bye, your lineup is depleted and you need some serious help. Never fear because Wayne is always here to lend a helping hand, offer some good advice or just take up 10-15 minutes of your day with some senseless rants about a few guys he believes may have something to say this week!

So once again grab a cold one (better make it two) and tae a lot of notes, and just remember Wayne is working hard, so you don’t have to and because he’s got nothing better to do!

Week Seven

After spending the first five weeks of the season dormant, the Saints wide receiver Lance Moore has awaken from his slumber. Slowed by injuries, Moore has played very little in 2009 missing a few games and being limited, but on Sunday it was a different story. Finally looking healthy Moore resembled more of his 2008 self catching six passes for 78 yards, including a 12-yard score. With the Saints flying high and Brees getting the ball to everyone, Moore looked very good on Sunday and could be one of those options down the road with a big game here and there. He’s definitely going to figure into the Saints passing attack and if available needs to be on someone’s roster.

With the Panther’s return to doing what they do best, run the ball running back Jonathan Stewart will figure into this equation. Last week against the Buccaneers Stewart saw his fair share of carries with 17. He gained 110 yards on the ground and scored a rushing touchdown. With the inconsistent play from the passing game it's safe to expect the Panthers to run the ball. As long as Carolina is committed to the run, expect Stewart to have good value always with plenty of chances to score. Coming off the injury bug Stewart should be available and would be a good bye week fill-in.

The Raiders have had more than their share of offensive woes in this young season, but just last Sunday there was a ray of some hope. With injuries sidelining Darren McFadden, running back Justin Fargas has had opportunity this season. This past week Fargas earned 23 carries and totaled 98 yards. In one game Fargas doubled his carries for the season and with the Raiders in search of any kind of offense, expect head coach Tom Cable to start with Fargas. The former SC Trojan running back is not going to blow up, but he's a solid runner and a decent fill-in to cover a bye or injury.

When Fred Taylor went down, the Patriots turned to Sammy Morris, now that Morris is down they'll look to running back Laurence Maroney. In his first extended action of the season or the past decade (injured in 2008) or so Maroney jumped all over the chance and made the most of his time in the spotlight. As the team’s featured snowplowing machine this past Sunday Maroney touched the ball 19 times and totaled 133 yards of offense. With numbers like this the Patriots will more than likely stay with the hot hand and keep feeding the horse. With the schedule sitting right in the middle of the byes, Maroney becomes an appealing fill-in option with the Bucs up next.


“Wayne’s Word”

Enough with the running back theme, looking for a hot tip or just some helpful advice, either way Wayne has the latest insight for this week. Another worthy spot where you can find some good help is the tight end position and with this week’s hottest pickup Wayne offers you these words;

Over the past several weeks the Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe has quickly become quarterback Brett Favre’s most reliable target. Shiancoe is not being heavily targeted, but he’s not dropping many of Favre’s rockets. In the past three weeks the tight end has seen 11 passes thrown his direction and he’s managed to snag everyone; more importantly he’s making the most of his opportunities. Shiancoe has four touchdown receptions in his last three games and has five for the season. With Favre spreading the ball so well, expect him to keep looking for Shiancoe in the critical moments and in scoring position. As long as Shiancoe remains a favorite of Favre’s his numbers figure to improve. His fantasy scoring for the past three games is 7-points, 10-points, and 16-points.


Keep checking back for more football....

Earners and Bums (Studs & Duds) week 7

Earners and Bums
(Studs & Duds)
By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

With six weeks of the 2009 fantasy football season complete, it’s time again for “The Collector” to take his weekly stroll along Fantasy Football Boulevard to see who is earning their keep and who needs a swift kick in the behind.

The Collector knows who your every week cash-cows (Brees, Brady, Peterson) are; they’re going to have their great weeks and those not so great weeks, but after checking the books and tallying the weekly balance sheets it’s time to once again see who this weeks Earners (Studs) are and who are the Bums (Duds)


The Earners (Studs)
(Note: Not your normal stars/check the wire. Min 16 fantasy points)


The Viking’s quarterback Brett Favre is quickly becoming a huge cash cow with 278 passing yards and three touchdowns (12 touchdowns in 2009) in week six. (29 fantasy points)

The Bronco’s quarterback Kyle Orton keeps the money coming in with 229 yards passing and two touchdowns in week six. (22 fantasy points)

The Panther’s second running back Jonathan Stewart brought home the bacon last Sunday with 17 carries for 110 yards rushing and a touchdown. (15 fantasy points)

The Patriot’s running back Laurence Maroney scored some big green on Sunday with 123 yards rushing and a 45-yard touchdown scamper. (19 fantasy points)

The Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice was the big man on campus last Sunday with a jail-break performance catching six passes for 176 yards receiving. (17 fantasy points)

The Giant’s rookie wide receiver Hakeem Nicks cashed in big last Sunday catching five passes for 114 yards with a touchdown. (17 fantasy points)

The Bronco’s tight end Tony Scheffler racked in big green this past Monday night catching six passes for 101 yards receiving and a touchdown. (16 fantasy points)

The Bums (Duds)
(Note: We expect more from these guys/be careful starting. Less than 5 fantasy points)

The Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck coming off a great week five was not-so-great last weekend completing only 10 passes and not throwing a touchdown. (zero fantasy points)

It’s not that so much is expected of the rookie Mark Sanchez, but no one should ever be this bad, 10 of 29 passing and five interceptions. (minus six fantasy points)

The Giant’s running back Brandon Jacobs disappears in Sunday’s ambush and brings home empty pockets with just 33 yards rushing. (3 fantasy points)

The Steeler’s former starting running back Willie Parker struggles in week six with just seven carries for 26 yards with a fumble. (zero fantasy points)

The Seahawk’s wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh was almost M.I.A. on Sunday finishing with just four catches for 34 yards receiving. (3 fantasy points)

The Bill’s wide receiver Terrell Owens was a non-factor and disappointment on Sunday finishing the day with only three catches for 13 yards. (one fantasy point)

The Jet’s tight end Dustin Keller could not connect with his quarterback much on a Windy Sunday in the Meadowlands; he finished with two catches and 16 yards. (one fantasy point)


By David Ortega


Check back for more weekly “Earners and Bums”

“FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Week 7

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Week 7

By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com



Kansas City Chief’s QB Matt Cassel could put up enough numbers to cover for your regular starter during a bye week. Cassel is at home against a San Diego team that can not get pressure and is consistently in shoot out games. Just like last season Cassel started out cold but has gotten better on a weekly basis. Star WR Dwayne Bowe could be slowed down by Antonio Cromartie, but fellow receivers Mark Bradley and Bobby Wade have shown an ability to make clutch plays. The San Diego Chargers do not fare well against TEs so Sean Ryan should be useable last resort. If Cassel is not an option, Bills backup QB turned starter Ryan Fitzpatrick could show up, but try your best to find an alternative.

Unfortunately I could not find a real sleeper at RB this week. I guess I’ll have to consider the Indianapolis Colts Donald Brown as my play for this weekend. If you have Brown then there is a possibility that you are playing him weekly. If he’s not a weekly start for you and your feeling anxious about starting him this week, relax. Running backs are like H1N1 to St. Louis Rams; defenders either fall at their feet or just stay away in general. Michael Bush could perform this weekend, but it’s the freakin’ Raiders, so who knows.

Do you want a deep sleeper at WR this week? Hit or Miss I will put New England Patriots WR Sam Aiken out there with my stamp of approval. I wanted Julian Edleman, but guess who has a broken arm. Aiken signed a two year extension this week so now with Edleman out, we should get to see why. Whether it’s in garbage time or early in the game Aiken should get his share of the yardage that Tampa Bay is continually giving up. Tampa is transitioning from the Tampa 2 over to a more man defense and still has not gotten it down. Arizona’s Steve Breaston could also put up some stats especially if Anquan Boldin is out.

If you are losing your starting TE this week because of bye weeks, then you need a new starting TE, Period! If he’s on the waiver wire, Steelers’s Heath Miller should become your starting TE. The Steelers are against a Minnesota team that is fairly stout against the run but gives up a lot to TEs, and Big Ben will know where to find him. By The Way the match up of Big Ben versus Jared Allen should be fun to watch. When Allen gets to Ben, can he drag him down before Ben gets the throw off? Other TEs possibly on the waiver wire that could become your starter are Zack Miller (Raiders, agh.) and Sean Ryan of KC (last resort).

The Indianapolis Colts defense could be one of the top defenses this weekend when they travel to St. Louis. The Rams offensive line is still a liability and the colts speed rushers should make them look silly. St. Louis QB learned from Kurt Warner to sit back and wait until a receiver comes open. If he has not changed his ways we could see Kyle Boller again sooner rather than later. As long as the middle of the defensive line and safeties can contain RB Steven Jackson, this could be a shut out for Indy. San Diego is also a long shot play this weekend despite what I said about Cassel above, really it’s 50/50.


Last Weeks Favorite Five


Matt Hasselbeck – Looks like Arizona found their pass D, Sorry

LeSean McCoy – Does Andy Reid even look at what other teams have done to his opponents? Sorry

Mike Sims-Walker – 9 for 120, I’ll take it!

Jermichael Finley – 5 for 54, again I’ll take it!

New England Patriots – 2 INTs 3 Fumbles Recovered and a Shutout, I’ll take that too!!!

WEEK 6 FANTASY SLEEPER

WEEK 6 FANTASY SLEEPER
By William Queen for Football Reporters Online
 
Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams has perhaps the most potential of any player in the NFL this week; taking the spot of this week’s fantasy sleeper.
 
Williams came into the season with remarkable expectations for just a 4th-year back, but has come out flat in the Panther’s opening games. Averaging just over 50 yards rushing per game, Williams has Carolina fans wondering where exactly their offense went.
 
However, he has a huge opportunity this Sunday, facing off against the Buccaneers; the 5th worst rush defense the NFL has to offer. So if there’s one game that Williams should step up in, it’s this one. Looking back to 2008, the last time that Williams lined up against Tampa Bay, he broke out for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. Look for him to do the same this Sunday.
 
DeAngelo Williams is only one piece to puzzle in Carolina. Quarterback Jake Delhomme has thrown only 3 touchdowns in compression to an embarrassing 8 interceptions, leaving head coach John Fox with practically no other option but to hand it off to Williams. Besides, Delhomme threw 2 picks vs. Dallas, the 28th ranked pass defense; he doesn’t have anything on the Buccs.

DeAngelo Williams has a chance to tear the Buccs up this weekend, it's just a matter of if he can seize that chance and take full advantage of it. If all goes well, then look for Williams to have a solid 18 fantasy points this week.

Fantasy Football Fire & Ice (Your weekly Stock Exchange)

Fantasy Football
Fire & Ice
(Your weekly Stock Exchange)
By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

The Hottest Stock this week

Last Sunday we saw some old stock rebound off the market floor and regain new life when quarterback Matt Hasselbeck took the field. Against the Jaguars, the Seahawks quarterback was silky smooth passing for 241 yards and tossing four touchdowns to lead his team to a much needed win.

Hasselbeck played like a savvy and crafty veteran last Sunday completing 60 percent of his passes averaging eight yards per pass and his 35 fantasy points were tops among all quarterbacks last week.

Week Five’s “Mr. En Fuego”

QB-Matt Hasselbeck (Sea)
30 pass attempts, 18 pass completions,
241 yards passing, four touchdowns!!
3 runs, 23 rushing yards.

Aside from your normal weekly studs, when playing with the fantasy football stock market, the key is always finding great value and knowing when to drop dead weight. After five weeks now of gridiron action there are plenty of stocks on the move;

Week five Stock Exchange Notes:

How your fantasy stocks are doing as of last Week…

The Quarterbacks...
Fire (Rising stock): The Texan’s quarterback Matt Schaub is on the move again with his stock on the rise. Last week Schaub complete 70 percent of his passes for 371 yards and tossed two touchdowns.
Fire (Rising stock): The Beagle’s quarterback Donovan McNabb has only played one game in the past several weeks, but his 264-yards passing and three touchdown passes performance last weekend has his stock on the rise.
Ice (falling stock): The Titan’s quarterback Kerry Collins has been off target this season completing just 54 percent of his passes. Collins also has five turnovers in his last three games and passed for only 164 yards and no touchdowns last week.

The Running Backs...
Fire (Rising stock): Last Sunday against a very tough Raven defense, Cedric Benson did where 40 others had failed. He rushed for more than 100 yards, totaling 136 yards on the day.
Fire (Rising stock): The Bronco’s rookie runner Knowshon Moreno had a solid day as the starter last week totaling 124 yards of offense against the Patriots.
Fire (Rising stock): The Giants shifty small running back Ahmad Bradshaw was dynamite a week ago against the Raiders, doing most of his damage in the first half. Last week Bradshaw scampered his way to 110 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns.
Ice (falling stock): Against the Browns last week, running back Fred Jackson was just a shell of himself. The Bill’s back gained only 30 yards on the ground and added a just a mere 17 yards receiving.

The Wide Receivers...
Fire (Rising stock): Last week no receiver was as hot as the Cowboys Miles Austin. The speedster blew past the Chief’s secondary for 250 receiving yards with two touchdowns.
Fire (Rising stock): Owners were waiting and he finally arrived. Last Sunday Falcons wideout Roddy White exploded for 210 receiving yards and tow scores catapulting his way up our stock charts.
Fire (Rising stock): The Cardinal’s receiver has been up and down a bit this season, but no question last week Larry Fitzgerald was hot. The wideout grabbed five passes for 79 yards, including two touchdowns.
Ice (falling stock): The Bengals receiver Laveranues Coles was held without a catch last week against a shaky Baltimore secondary ranked 26th against the pass.
Ice (falling stock): The Patriots receiver Julian Edelman had only 15 yards receiving last week; something he’s likely to see reoccur more with the return of Welker.


The Tight Ends...
Fire (Rising stock): The Buccaneer’s tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. blew up for big numbers last Sunday as did his stock. Winslow had a huge game catching nine passes for over 100 yards and scored twice.
Fire (Rising stock): The Texan’s tight end Owen Daniels, after a slight stumble is climbing up the charts again coming off his eight receptions for 94 yards last week.
Ice (falling stock): The Jet’s second year tight end Dustin Keller is not having quite the season most thought. Through five games this season he has just 12 catches, including the infamous donut on Monday night.


STOCK WATCH
Pure Speculation

With Fred Taylor out indefinitely, it appears the running duties will belong to Sammy Morris. Last Sunday against the Broncos Morris toted the rock 17 times (2nd highest total of carries in a game this season for a New England running back) for 68 yards. Morris also adds the dimension of a pass receiver with 134 receiving yards this season. With no other runner in the Patriot’s backfield having quite the same success, this could be the Morris show looking ahead.

The Ram’s offense has yet to get anything going this season other than running back Steven Jackson. Last Sunday quarterback Marc Bulger made his return to the field and seemed to click with his number one wideout Donnie Avery. Bulger could be playing for a job as the season goes and Avery could benefit. These two made a few highlights last season for the reel and with a favorable matchup this Sunday, both could be looking to repeat. Avery has big play potential, but we have yet to see it; Sunday could be a good day to be looking.

It doesn’t take a genius to see a big arm with a talented wideout equals great things. In Miami this appears to be the potential with wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and the team’s newly discovered passer. Quarterback Chad Henne and Ginn Jr. connected on one big play for a 53 yard scoring strike against the Jets. If Henne is as good as he looked Monday night, with still 11 games left on the schedule Ginn Jr. could be hooking up with his field general for several more strikes along the way.


This Week’s “Stock Trends”

Need to know what stocks to play?
Here’s how they are doing;

(thumbs up)
Peyton Manning, QB-Colts
The best of the best, Manning’s stock has been riding a whirlwind; this season he’s thrown 12 touchdowns and passed for over 1,600 yards (329 yards per game) in his five starts this season.
Kyle Orton, QB-Broncos
Over the past several weeks, Orton’s numbers have gradually getting better. In his last two starts Orton has completed 55 passes for 573 yards (286.5 yards per game) and thrown four touchdowns.
Ben Roethlisberger, QB-Steelers
Not normally a big stats guy, the Steeler’s big armed quarterback has been pretty warm over the past several weeks. In his last three starts Big Ben has 886 yards passing, six touchdown throws, and just two picks.
Steven Jackson, RB-Rams
His stock is not great yet, but the Ram’s running back seems to be one of the safest. Despite an inept offense, he’s averaging 108 yards per game of offense (rushing and receiving).
Michael Turner, RB-Falcons
With his three touchdowns last week, Turner is one of the hottest stocks on the market. Turner has now scored in his last three starts and is averaging 86 yards on the ground over the same span.
Hines Ward, WR-Steelers
The All-Pro Receiver has been locked-in and steady the last two weeks with 15 receptions, 198 receiving yards, and a touchdown.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR-Seahawks
The Hawks high priced free agent has been doing his best the past two weeks to earn his keep with 13 receptions for 180 yards, including two touchdowns last week.
Brandon Marshall, WR-Broncos
The 4th year wideout from Central Florida has been on the move up the charts over the past couple of weeks. Marshall has 17 receptions for 222 yards and four touchdowns in his last three games.
Vernon Davis, TE-Niners
The 4th year tight end has re-emerged as a playmaker this season, 15 receptions for 190 yards receiving and three touchdowns in his last three games.
Brent Celek, TE-Eagles
This season the Eagle’s tight end has been a steady play and in his last three games he’s caught a total of 20 passes for 266 yards and a score.
Dallas Clark, TE-Colts
Perhaps one of the best stocks on the market today, Clark is averaging eight catches for 73 yards per game in his last three starts.


(thumbs down)
Trent Edwards, QB-Bills
The Bills quarterback is just back stock this season. Even with two talented wideouts like Owens and Evans, Edwards can only muster five touchdowns to six picks. In his last three starts he thrown five picks to just one touchdown and averaged a meager 166 yards per game passing.
Jason Campbell, QB-Redskins
Campbell has regressed in his last two starts completing just 27 passes for a total of 315 yards with three touchdowns and four turnovers.
Larry Johnson, RB-Chiefs
The running back has been receiving a steady diet of carries, but just can find any holes. In his last three games he’s averaging more than 19 carries per game, but just 42 yards on the ground.
Brandon Stokley, WR-Broncos
The Bronco’s slot receiver has been missing in action in his team’s last three games. Stokley has only six catches this season and has gone without a grab in his last three games.
Michael Clayton, WR-Buccaneers
The sixth year receiver has been anything, but reliable this season. Clayton has just 10 grabs and has gone without a catch in two of his five starts this season.
Zach Miller, TE-Raiders
Clearly the team’s best pass receiving option, Miller has just 15 receptions this season stuck on a struggling offense. His 69 yards last week was his best production thus far this season and through the team’s first five games, he has yet to score.
Brandon Pettigrew, TE-Lions
The rookie tight end has yet to record more than four catches in any one game and is averaging a paltry 31 yards receiving per game.







Remember to check back every week for more "Fire & Ice!”

Week 4 Earners and Bums (Studs & Duds)

By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online



Week 4 Earners and Bums
(Studs & Duds)




Now that we’ve entered the 5th week of the 2009 fantasy football season, it’s time for “The Collector” to make his weekly rounds and let everyone on Fantasy Football Boulevard know who is earning their keep and who’s not carrying their weight.

After once again reviewing the books and checking the balance sheets, here were the week four money earners (studs) bring home the cash and the dead-beat bums (duds) short changing fantasy owners;

The Earners (Studs)
(Note: Not your normal stars/check the wire)

The Jaguar’s quarterback David Garrard was bank this past Sunday completing 27 of 37 passes for 323 yards with three touchdowns in the team’s win.

The Lion’s running back Kevin Smith didn’t find too many holes on Sunday against a tough Bears run defense. He rushed for only 30 yards, but when he did find a crease he made it count scoring twice.

The Bronco’s quarterback Kyle Orton was money on Sunday against the Cowboys, completing 20 of 29 passes for 243 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Titan’s rookie wide receiver Kenny Britt brought home some bacon last Sunday in the team’s loss catching seven passes for 105 yards.

The Raven’s second year running back Ray Rice earned his keep last week against the Patriots rushing the ball 11 times for 103 yards and catching five passes for another 49 yards.

The Giant’s third year receiver Steve Smith was cash-money this past Sunday against the an over-whelmed Chiefs defense hauling in 11 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

The Niner’s quarterback Shaun Hill scored some pocket coin on Sunday against the Rams completing only 14 of 24 passes for 152 yards, but also tossing two touchdowns.

Sidney RiceThe Viking’s third year receiver Sidney Rice is earning his keep with a solid Monday night showing of five catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.

The Jaguar’s wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker was money last Sunday against the Titans catching seven passes on the afternoon for 91 yards and two big scores.

The Browns running back Jerome Harrison getting a chance to start brought in some big coin last week against the Bengal’s defense rushing for 121 yards and adding five catches for another 31 yards.

The Bums (Duds)
(Note: We expect more from these guys/be careful starting)

The Cowboys TMZ star quarterback Tony Romo was less than impressive last week passing for 255 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

The Jet’s rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez was less than sensational last Sunday against a Saint’s defense that had him completely throttled to the tune of four turnovers.

The Bronco’s second year receiver Eddie Royal has been playing a disappearing act this season and last week he could hardly be found finishing the day with only two catches for 16 yards.

The Cowboy’s wide receiver Roy E. Williams was not only a non-factor last Sunday with only three catches, but he was non-existent in the critical moments down the stretch.

Sunday night against a tough Steeler defense running back LaDanian Tomlinson was rusty and completely ineffective rushing for only 15 yards on seven carries.

The Chiefs former superstar running back Larry Johnson has not been a reliable money-man in sometime, but 18 carries for only 53 yards last week will not get it done.

The Saint’s big playmaking wide receiver Marques Colston made few plays last Sunday finishing the game with only two catches for 33 yards.

The Packer’s wide receiver Greg Jennings was a disappoint this past Monday night finishing the game with just three catches for 31 yards.

The Buccaneer’s tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. was a non-factor this past weekend finishing this past Sunday’s action with only two receptions for 21 yards.


Check back for more weekly “Earners and Bums”

FANTASY SLEEPER – WEEK 5-Tim Hightower

FANTASY SLEEPER – WEEK 5-Tim Hightower
By William Queen Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
 
Averaging a solid 10 fantasy points per game, Arizona running back Tim Hightower takes over as this week’s fantasy sleeper.
 
Though he’s barely managed to rush for 100 yards all season, Hightower can defiantly pack a punch when he carries the ball. And ranking 3rd to last as far as run defense is concerned, that’s a punch that the Texans defense defiantly can’t take.
 
The unique feature about Hightower is that, unlike most backs, he’s not one-dimensional. Racking up more receiving yards than rushing yards this season; he can hurt you through the air, as well as on the ground. If he performs like he did in week 1 vs. San Francisco, catching the ball 12 times for 121 yards, then we’re looking at 15 fantasy points at the minimum. 
 
Common knowledge tells us that when a team passes it, the balls most likely not going to the running back. Therefore, less fantasy points for the running back, more for the quarterback. However Hightower may be in luck, as no matter what the score is, he’s getting the ball. Blowout in favor of Arizona, they’re pounding him all day. Blowout in favor of Houston, he’s running routes, catching the ball like he did vs. the 49ers. Close game, then it’s a healthy mix of the two.
 
According to ESPN Fantasy Sports, in 92% of fantasy football leagues, Hightower is on a team’s roster. Yet, only 23% care to start him. Do yourself a favor and slide Hightower into the line-up this week, you won’t be disappointed.

FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Week 5

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Week 5
By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com


Jacksonville Jaguar’s Quarterback David Garrard looked great Sunday against the Tennessee Titans this past weekend. Hopefully that momentum will carry across country to Seattle where he will face a depleted Seahawk’s secondary. Seattle has been terrible at stopping the run so they should concentrate on holding Maurice Jones-Drew in check. If they do focus on MJD that should open up downfield for the other hyphenated rising star WR Mike Sims-Walker, and it seems that once Jacksonville abandons the run, they tend to forget to go back to it. In case you forget, whichever Philly QB starts this weekend against Tampa Bay should be in your line up.

The New York Giants RBs have a dream scenario this weekend. First they are playing the lowly Oakland Raiders who can’t stop a running back. Second, their star QB Eli Manning is hurt for a game that they should be able to win without him. Needless to say start Brandon Jacobs this weekend. Since I don’t give the easy choices here, let’s go deeper, as in Ahmad Bradshaw and deeper still, Gartrell Johnson. Only one of these two backs will be playable so watch the injury report, If Bradshaw plays, then he is your man. If he doesn’t, and you need a flex player or are in dire need of a RB, pick up Johnson as a long shot that could pan out. Also, If you have Mendenhall, get him in against Detroit, and Julius Jones is home against the Jags, get him in.

Up to this point Dwayne Bowe of the Kansas City Chiefs hasn’t had the all-star season that he was projected to have. Neither was Denver’s Brandon Marshall until he ran into Bowe’s next opponent, the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas’s defense has been shamed by the likes of Byron Leftwich and Kyle Orton. In fact every QB facing the Cowboys is putting up over 200 yards and at least one td. Chiefs QB Matt Cassel should be able to keep up the trend. Although Cassel has favored new addition Bobby Wade in the Red Zone, Bowe matches up perfectly with Dallas’s smaller CB, not to mention they have a starting safety out in this game. As a side note, keep an eye on Cleveland’s Mohamed Massaquoi, with Braylon Edwards out of town Massaquoi should continue as Derek Anderson’s favorite target.

TE was difficult this week, but I want to test a new theory. Most ¾ defenses struggle to cover TEs. I looked at the New England Denver Match up, but neither team has a true starting TE. Then I looked at Dustin Keller in Miami, I liked the talent but Miami does seem to cover TEs. Tony Gonzalez against the 49ers? Who isn’t starting him? Unfortunately I settled on Brandon Pettigrew of the Detroit Lions who should be playing catch up with the Pittsburg Steelers. The Steelers have given up yards and scores to tight ends this season and the Lions should be passing plenty. If Matt Stafford toughs it out and play I love this match up, but Culpepper is a wildcard. Back up QBs, like Culpepper, tend to favor the number three WR, which could be Dennis Northcutt or even Derrick Williams. I’ll take my chances. By the way, Owners should play Keller if they can.

Defense might have been harder than TE this week. All the Poor teams (St. Louis, Oakland, and Tampa Bay) are playing Defenses that you would start anyway (Minnesota, NY Giants, and Philly). That left me choosing between Dallas at KC, Buffalo versus Cleveland, and Washington at Carolina. Washington and Buffalo have both let me down in the past, so let’s give the Dallas Cowboys a shot. The secondary scares me, but hopefully, KC’s offensive line allows the Cowboys outside rushers to finally pressure a QB into some mistakes. Washington could also show up If Delhomme hasn’t improved.


Last Weeks Favorite Five

Carson Palmer – 2 Tds, That’ll work

Darren McFadden – Injured after a terrible start, sorry.

Devin Hester – Injured early in the game, sorry.

Zach Miller – Injured, are you serious, did I jinx these three or something? I guess Palmer lucked out.

Buffalo Bills – 6 Sacks is pretty good, too bad they couldn’t recover one of those fumbles.


Fantasy Tips:
Do not play Seattle Running Back Julius Jones when his team is on the road!
Backup QBs favor the third receiver, who was probably the starting receiver on the second team.
3-4 defenses struggle against TEs, so do Houston and Minnesota.


By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com

“FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Week 4

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Week 4
By Frankie Underwood
Sr. Fantasy Football Writer-Football Reporters Online



Carson Palmer stays in state to face the lowly Cleveland Browns. This should be great for Palmers stats. Last weekend Cleveland gave up nearly 350 yards to second year Ravens QB Joe Flacco, and 260 to Denver’s Kyle Orton, the week before. Palmer’s had low yardage totals so far this season and is coming off a huge win against division rival and the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburg Steelers. After that big win this game against the winless Browns could turn into a trap game, but I believe Palmer and the Cincinnati Bengals can put the past behind them and take care of business in Cleveland. I actually thought about recommending Trent Edwards again this week since he has a very nice match up against the Miami Dolphins, but thought I’d just mention it in pacing in case he lets me down again.

I selected Oakland’s Darren McFadden for my week two Favorite Five, and here he is again. Houston has been torched by running back this season. In week one Thomas Jones dropped 107 on them. Then in week two Chris Johnson broke two long runs for touchdowns and totaled 197 rushing yards not to mention a 90 yard plus touchdown reception. Finally this past weekend Maurice Jones-Drew scored three touchdowns and 119 rushing yards. As long as Oakland can stay in the game, McFadden should be a large part of the Oakland offense. Houston’s Steve Slaton in also a nice play since Oakland can not cover the run.

Who is the number one reliever in Chicago? If I run the team I’d start Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox and use Devin Hester as the third therefore freeing him up to be the full time punt and kick returner, maybe run him out of the victory formation as a desperation play (you can email me for further explanation of that idea). Well since I do not run the team and Hester is the so-called number one receiver, I look for him to have a nice game against the Detroit Lions. Santana Moss, a similar yet extensively more experienced receiver, put up 178 yards in a loss to the Lions on Sunday. Also Percy Harvin, again with a similar skill set, scored against them in week two. Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler should attempt to force feed Hester the ball, and depending on how banged up RB Matt Forte is Hester may see some rushing attempts to go with his returns and receptions. Third receiver Johnny Knox should also be considered this weekend.

If you are still holding on to an Oakland Raider besides McFadden, hopefully it is tight end Zach Miller. This may be the weekend that Miller lives up to his off season billing as a top twelve TE. As have I stated before Houston can not cover tight ends, add this to the fact that Oakland QB JaMarcus Russell can not seem to find his wide receivers, and it should equal a big day for Miller. Whether coming from behind or dumping off because of pressure, Miller and McFadden should both be heavily depended on this weekend. By The Way, keep an eye on the Green Bay Packers Jermichael Finley Monday night in Minnesota.

Although their team has been decimated by injuries, The Buffalo Bills defense could emerge as a nice desperation play. The Bills will face a Miami Dolphins team that just lost QB Chad Pennington, and will be starting a new era behind Chad Henne. Buffalo should pester an inexperienced Henne with multiple blitzes, which will lead to sacks and interceptions. The San Francisco 49ers is also a defense worth starting this weekend.



Last Weeks Favorite Five

Trent Edwards - Don’t get much more of a bust than that.

Tashard Choice – Touchdown and decent yardage, That’s average but he gives you a couple more games worth or use

Josh Cribbs – Again, BUST!!! Sorry

Vernon Davis – I’d say I nailed that one, 96 yards and 2 TDs!!!

Green Bay Packers – 3 turnovers and one Sack, I guess that’s an OK day.