Week Nine: NFL Midway Oct 30, 2008 | More

Welcome to Week 9 where the NFL is now in its second half of the season. So far what has happened this season has been anything but conventional. Key players have been injured, inconsistent and untradeable. The main problem being roster space wasted on those players. You have a player that hasn’t performed such as Jeremy Shockey on your team that you can’t even get a decent kicker for. Players you don’t want to cut because there isn’t anything available on the Waiver Wire worth swapping for or that the lowest man on the totem pole has priority over you. I don’t know about your league but I’ve notice so far in the three money leagues I participate in that the trades are not happening often.

I consider myself a pretty active owner and so far I haven’t made any trades to date. It’s not that I’m not receiving offers because I do, but these offers are so lopsided that it is almost insulting to even get these types of offers. You know the guy that offers you four players in exchange for your two studs. It usually starts out with some bad B.S. about how “it’s a good trade” or “I’m giving you all this” when in actuality its crap you don’t want. Case in point, I received the offer of WR Joey Galloway and WR Derrick Mason for RB Chris Johnson. Both Galloway and Johnson had been injured at the time of the offer. It’s even funnier when the person offering you a trade thinks he’s doing you a favor.

One hit wonders – we see them all the time during the fantasy season. They explode out of nowhere to post great numbers, you pick them up, insert them in your lineup and get nothing the rest of the way. These players sometimes entice you by either their potential to break out or their opportunity to produce. We get frustrated when you have a player filling in for a starter facing the worst defense in the league and he becomes a non-factor while you could have played someone off your bench and gotten something.

One and Done?
List of players in 2008 with only one week of 10+ fantasy points.

8 QBs
Damon Huard – WK4
Tavaris Jackson – WK1
Seneca Wallace – WK7
Brad Johnson – WK7
J.P. Losman – WK5
Sage Rosenfels – WK5
Charlie Frye – WK6
Trent Green – WK4

11 RBs
Fred Taylor – WK3
Darren Sproles – WK2
Brandon Jackson – WK2
Leonard Weaver – WK8
Ahman Green – WK7
Selvin Young – WK1
Ahmad Bradshaw – WK3
Antonio Pittman – WK8
Cedric Benson – WK8
BenJarvus Green-Ellis – WK7
Mike Tolbert – WK3

33 WRs
Mike Furrey – WK7
Arnaz Battle – WK4
Joey Galloway – WK1
Nate Burleson – WK1
Bobby Engram – WK5
Ashley Lelie – WK1
Sinorice Moss – WK5
Roscoe Parrish – WK3
Greg Lewis – WK1
Mark Clayton – WK1
Javon Walker – WK7
Mike Walker – WK5
Justin McCareins – WK3
Jabar Gaffney – WK3
Mark Clayton – WK1
Shaun McDonald – WK4
Jerheme Urban – WK4
Michael Clayton – WK3
Marty Booker – WK7
Reggie Williams – WK8
Domenik Hixon – WK5
Bryant Johnson – WK2
Michael Jenkins – WK1
Josh Reed – WK3
Sidney Rice – WK1
Early Doucet – WK5
James Jones – WK2
Mark Bradley – WK3
Michael Bumpus – WK3
Donte’ Stallworth – WK1
Chez Schilens – WK8
Billy McMullen – WK3

3 DEFs
Detroit – WK6
Denver – WK5
Atlanta – WK3

QBs on Week Nine Bye:
The list includes: Jake Delhomme, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, J.T. O’Sullivan/Shaun Hill
Tough week as Brees (QB1), Rivers (QB2) and Delhomme (QB15) are out.

RBs on Week Nine Bye:
This list includes: DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister, Ladainian Tomlinson, Frank Gore
Tough on the RBs as Gore (RB3), LT (RB5), Bush (RB8) and Williams (RB17) are out.

WRs on Week Nine Bye:
This list includes: Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan
WRs that will be missed are Smith (WR10), Jackson (WR17) and Moore (WR20).

TEs on Week Nine Bye:
This list includes: Jeff King, Jeremy Shockey, Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis
Gates (TE2) is the only TE in the Top 20 off this week.

Ks on Week Nine Bye:
This list includes: John Kasay, New Orleans Kicker TBD, Nate Kaeding, Joe Nedney
Don’t drop these guys if you don’t have to as Kasay (K1), Nedney (K2) and Kaeding (K10) are off.

The Golden Mug Award
Awarded to the fantasy player who came through for their team.
Brian Westbrook – 22 carries, 167 RuYDs, 2 TDs; 6 rec., 42 ReYDs. Westy is a beast when he plays a full game. Like a true stud, you know he’s playing but you can’t stop him from scoring. Westbrook is averaging 25.6 FTPs. Lets see if he can stay healthy the whole year.

Roddy White – 8 Rec., 113 ReYDs, 2 TDs. White should be considered a stud now that he is being used properly and continues to produce. In the last five games, White has posted four 100+ receiving yards games and has five ReTDs in that span. He’s averaging 24.4 FTPs in his last five games and is second among WRs overall.

Donnie Avery – 6 Rec., 163 ReYDs, 1 TD. Everyone loves a breakout sleeper and Avery is the hot commodity right now. In the last four games he has one RuTD, two ReTDs and is averaging 17.5 FTPs in those games. Avery has good matchups coming up as the Rams play the Cardinals, who allow 222.9 PaYDs per game (21st), the Jets who allow 232.7 PaYDs per game (23rd) and the 49ers who allow 217.6 PaYDs per game (18th). He also ends the year with games against the Seahawks, the 49ers and the Falcons.

The Urinal Cake Award
Awarded to the fantasy player who you would like to, well you know.
Plaxico Burress – 3 rec., 15 ReYDs. Burress has a great situation in front of him and he’s doing everything to jeopardize it. He’s been suspended one game and then benched the last game because of his ego. If he keeps it up, he’ll find himself out of New York fast. Fantasy wise, he hasn’t produced. Since Week 1 he has averaged just 44.6 ReYDs and is currently WR32.

Torry Holt – 3 rec., 28 ReYDs. Holt hasn’t been his top performing self. He has scored just one TD back in Week 2. Since the bye week, he is averaging just 34 ReYDs a game and just seven FTPs per game. Has Donnie Avery taken him over? Holt is currently at WR50.

Jeremy Shockey – 1 rec., 6 ReYDs. Shockey has been a disappointment in 2008. He’s hurt almost as much as Todd Heap and hasn’t produced when he’s played. He’s averaging just 41.4 ReYDs per game and has yet to score. He is currently TE21.

MATCHUPS

The matchups I like this week for QBs:
Donavon McNabb against the Seahawks. McNabb has been flying under some radars but he’s currently QB6 in Shark Leagues. McNabb failed to have a TD in only one game as last week he ran one in. The Seahawks kept pace in their division by getting their second win of the season. Three of the four teams in the NFC West have only two wins. The Seahawks are allowing 26.3 ppg (25th) and given up 245.3 PaYDs (30th) per game. They also have allowed 11 PaTDs to only 2INTs on the year.

Chad Pennington against the Broncos. Everyone needs a bye week fill-in QB from time to time, and with three of the top 15 QBs on a bye, Pennington makes for a good start as he is currently QB17, but since the bye has averaged 17.3 FTPs and 280 PaYDs per game with five TDs. The Broncos come off the bye but are still giving up 27.9 ppg (29th) and allowing 240 PaYDs (28th) per game. They also have surrendered 12 PaTDs to just two INTs.

Kurt Warner against the Rams. The Rams have woken up since the firing of the coach and almost won thee straight. They have improved the points allowed over the last three games giving up just 16 ppg, but on the year they are averaging 28.7 ppg (30th) and allow 233.9 PaYDs (26th) per game. The Rams have given up 10 PaTDs to six INTs. Warner has Anquan Boldin back and is currently QB4. Since week one he has thrown at least two TDs in every game.

The matchups I like this week for RBs:
Earnest Graham against the Chiefs. Graham hasn’t been flashy lately but is still on pace to produce 1,000 RuYds, 300 ReYDs and eight TDs. I think owners should stick with him as he is due for a breakout game and get hot again as only the Vikings and Panthers are tough matchups the rest of the way. Graham is currently RB14 and is averaging 16.2 FTPs over the last five games with three RuTDs. The running back matchups doesn’t get any better than against the Chiefs. Kansas City has given up the most rushing yards at 196.9 RuYDs (32nd), the most RuTDs, 14 (32nd) and the most yards per carry at 5.6 (32nd). This could be a crazy game for Graham like Chris Johnson and LenDale White had two weeks ago.

Ronnie Brown against the Broncos. Brown has come back down to earth in the last few games now that teams aren’t caught off guard by the wildcat formation. He did face two good defenses and now gets a great matchup against the Broncos. The Dolphins have been passing better which should open up the run. Brown is currently RB16 with his next three games against the Broncos (30th), the Seahawks (22nd) and the Raiders (26th). The Broncos have given up 154.6 (30th) RuYDs per game and have allowed nine RuTDs (T25th).

Maurice Jones-Drew against the Bengals. I have mixed emotions when it comes to MJD as I know he can be a great RB and own him in most leagues. However, he’s not always consistent as he has off games that can hurt your team. Still some of it is due to the injuries the line has had. Fred Taylor is now a non-factor and MJD can take over the job if he steps up. Taylor has had one game of note this season in Week 3 as he made the list of ‘One and Done’. Taylor, in the other six games this year, has just five FTPs per game, averages only 24.2 RuYDs per game and has yet to score a TD. The Bengals have yet to win a game this year and have allowed 146.9 RuYds (28th) per game and has given up 11 RuTDs (31st).

The matchups I don’t like this week for QBs:
Jason Campbell against the Steelers. Campbell has been a steady QB since Week 2 of the season averaging 15.6 FTPs per game. He is currently QB9. Last week he threw for 300+ passing yards for the second time this year. He has yet to throw an interception this year as well. He faces the toughest defense so far this year as the Steelers give up just 164.4 PaYds (1st) per game and have allowed just six PaTDs all year (T3rd) with six INTs (T12th). If Santana Moss (WR3) can’t play, it could be a long day for Campbell.

Kerry Collins against the Packers. Collins a few years ago was a perennial 3,000+ PaYD QB. Those days are gone and now Collins is a game manager who has yet to throw for 200+ yards in a game and has only three TDs on the year. Collins is currently QB27 which means if you grabbed him to fill an injury or to fill a bye week spot, you may want to look deeper into other available QB matchups. The Packers are getting healthier on defense and have had a bye week to prepare for the undefeated Titans. Green Bay is allowing just 186 PaYDs (6th) per game giving up nine PaTDs (T13th) and lead the league with 13 INTs (1st).

Derek Anderson against the Ravens. Anderson has lead the team to two wins over the past three weeks and has a slim hold on the starting job. He is currently QB24 and hasn’t produced the way he did last season. Over the past three weeks he has averaged 16.3 FTPs making him the sixth-best QB over that span. The Ravens have a great defense. In Week 3 the Ravens stepped up and held Anderson to just 125 PaYDs and one TD while picking him off three times. The Ravens are allowing just 178 PaYDs (3rd) per game with eight PaTDs (T11th) surrendered and nine INTs (T5th) made.

The matchups I don't like this week for RBs:
Jamal Lewis against the Ravens. Lewis has been a steady fantasy RB as he has been consistent, especially since the bye week. Over the last three games he has hit the 80-yard mark and averages 83 RuYDs with two RuTDs. In Week 3 Jamal faced the Ravens and produced just 56 yards on 12 carries. The Ravens run defense is better than the pass as they have given up just 64.3 RuYds (1st) per game and have allowed just one RuTD (2nd). Lewis is currently RB21.

Steve Slaton against the Vikings. Slaton is currently RB11 but with Ahman Green taking carries from him, it might make it difficult to put up RB1 numbers. Despite having great matchups the past three weeks against the Dolphins, Lions and Bengals, Slaton has averaged just 56 RuYDs but did have two RuTDs. Tough matchup against the Vikings who still play the run well allowing just 70.7 RuYDs (2nd) per game and gave up seven RuTDs (T16th).

Mewelde Moore against the Redskins. Moore has been a waiver wire gem since taking over for parker. In the last three games he is averaging 25.3 FTPs with 101 RuYDs per game and four TDs (one ReTD). Willie Parker may return which will limit Moore’s touches but even if Parker doesn’t go, this will be a tough matchup because Washington is allowing just 82.8 RuYDs (5th) per game and gave up just four RuTDs (T6th)

Week Nine, be aware that in weeks 10-14 there are Thursday night games, so don’t get caught off guard.

Good Luck to everyone in week nine.

Cheers!