Week Ten: End of Bye Weeks Nov 5, 2008 | More

We are rapidly approaching several key situations for fantasy leagues. We are finishing up our bye weeks for the year, we have trade and waiver deadline depending on your league rules and playoffs start in the next four to five weeks. If you are still in the hunt, solidify your roster with players who have a chance to perform. Start watching the matchups of your players and try to make trades with those owners who have faded to the back of the league and have switch their attention to something else.

Another thing to consider is 2009. If you are in dynasty or keeper leagues, don’t wait until the waiver deadline as many other owners who are not playoff bound will be looking to stash players. For example, in my second money league I picked up Tom Brady and will stash him until next year. We will know how far along his knee is by next spring and I can make a decision to keep him or not. It doesn't hurt to pick up players who are out for the season that will have a chance to be studs in 2009.

Let us look at the players who are tops in fantasy by position. I will update this list for the remainder of the season with plus or minus values for a three-week period.

Top Ten QBs
Based on Shark League scoring

1. Tyler Thigpen, KCC
2. Joe Flacco, BAL
3. Dan Orlovsky, DET
4.  Peyton Manning, IND
5. Jeff Garcia, TBB
6.  Chad Pennington, MIA
7. Matt Cassel, NEP
8. Matt Schaub, HOU
9. Kurt Warner, ARI
10. Marc Bulger, STL 

Top Ten RBs
Based on Shark League scoring

1. Chris Johnson, TEN
2. Mewelde Moore , PIT
3.  Clinton Portis, WAS
4. Brian Westbrook, PHI
5. LenDale White, TEN
6. Steve Slaton, HOU
7. Thomas Jones, NYJ
8. Marshawn Lynch, BUF
9. Dominic Rhodes, IND
10. Adrian Peterson, MIN

Top Ten WRs
Based on Shark League scoring

1. Andre Johnson, HOU
2. Calvin Johnson, DET
3. Antonio Bryant, TBB
4. Randy Moss, NEP
5. Steve Smith, CAR
6. Donnie Avery, STL
7. Anquan Boldin, ARI
8. Derrick Mason, BAL
9. Santana Moss, WAS
10. Lee Evans, BUF

Top Ten TEs
Based on Shark League scoring

1.  Dallas Clark, IND
2. Owen Daniels, HOU
3. Tony Gonzalez, KCC
4. Chris Cooley, WAS
5. Antonio Gates, SDC
6. Martellus Bennett, DAL
7. Kevin Boss, NYG
8. Robert Royal, BUF
9. Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN
10. Billy Miller, NOS

Top Ten PKs
Based on Shark League scoring

1. Rob Bironas, TEN
2. Dan Carpenter, MIA
3. Stephen Gostkowski, NEP
4. Matt Stover, BAL
5. Rian Lindell, BUF
6. Matt Bryant, TBB
7. Jay Feely, NYJ
8. Shaun Suisham, WAS
9. John Carney, NYG
10. Phil Dawson, CLE

Top Ten DEFs
Based on Shark League scoring

1. Giants NYG
2. Ravens BAL
3. Steelers PIT
4. Texans HOU
5. Dolphins MIA
6. Bears CHI
7. Jets NYJ
8. Cowboys DAL
9. Buccaneers TBB
10. Patriots NEP

Teams on Week 10 Bye:
The list includes: Cincinnati, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Washington

QBs on Week Ten Bye:
The list includes: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Carson Palmer, Brad Johnson, Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia, Jason Campbell

RBs on Week Ten Bye:
This list includes: Cedric Benson, Chris Perry, Marion Barber III, Felix Jones, Earnest Graham, Warrick Dunn, Clinton Portis

WRs on Week Ten Bye:
This list includes: Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry, Terrell Owens, Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Joey Galloway, Antonio Bryant, Ike Hilliard, Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El

TEs on Week Ten Bye:
This list includes: Ben Utecht, Jason Witten, Alex Smith, Chris Cooley

PKs on Week Ten Bye:
This list includes: Shayne Graham, Nick Folk, Matt Bryant, Shaun Suisham

The Golden Mug Award
Awarded to the fantasy player who came through for their team.
Chris Johnson – 24 car for 89 RuYDs and 1 RuTD; 6 rec 72 ReYds. It was a slow but steady day for fantasy players in Week 9. There weren’t a lot of explosive numbers as Johnson was the only fantasy player to score 30+ points. Johnson has been a true stud and has been very reliable this season. He is the best fantasy player over the past three weeks averaging 26.3 FTPs per game. Rookie of the Year and maybe Fantasy MVP if he continues to perform the way he is.

Derrick Mason – 9 rec for 136 ReYDs and 1 ReTD. Mason has continued to be the main target for Joe Flacco as he has been targeted 24 times over the past three weeks. It was Mason’s best receiving game since Week 4 against the Steelers where he posted 137 ReYDs. He has also scored twice in the past few weeks.

Donald Driver – 7 rec for 136 ReYds and 1 ReTD. Driver has always been an inconsistent fantasy WR since the addition of Greg Jennings but he has quietly been a decent WR3 as he has five games with 10+ fantasy points. He remains a high-risk/ high-reward player that can earn you points off the bench. Surprisingly, he has received almost as many targets as Jennings over the past three games as he has been targeted 22 times and Jennings has been targeted 26 times.

The Urinal Cake Award
Awarded to the fantasy player who you would like to, well you know.
Roy Williams – 1 rec for 28 ReYDs. Williams’ value will be low until Tony Romo and the Dallas offense can rebound but he has only been targeted six times since coming to Dallas and his Week 8 TD came with just 10 ReYDs. Until the offense gets back on track and Williams is used more, he should be on your bench.

JaMarcus Russell – 6 for 19 with 31 PaYDs, 1INT. Can we label Russell a bust? The Raiders should be embarrassed that their number #1 draft pick was out played by rookies Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan in consecutive weeks. The injuries to QBs are still piling up which leaves us with less and less available starters which means someone will be left with Russell as a last resort. I’d rather play my injured QB and just get the zero over with.

Edgerrin James – 0 carries for 0 RuYDs. James was healthy. James was available to play. James is now a fantasy memory. If you haven’t seen the changing of the guard from James as the starter to Tim Hightower, then you should be paying closer attention as James is official just a handcuff in Arizona and shouldn’t be counted on the rest of the year.

MATCHUPS

The matchups I like this week for QBs:
David Garrard against the Lions. Garrard failed to throw a TD last week after a score in four straight games with five PaTDs. He also threw an INT for the fifth time in the last five weeks. He has a chance to bounce back this week as the Lions are still winless and now are down to either playing their 3^rd-string QB Drew Stanton or Dante Culpepper off the street. Garrard should have plenty of opportunities as the Lions have given up 247.1 PaYDs (29th) per game and allowed 13 PaTDs to only 2 INTs on the season.

Tyler Thigpen against the Chargers. Yes, you read right. Thigpen has been the #1 fantasy QB over the past three weeks and faces the worst passing defense in the league. The Chargers are worse than the Lions as they give up 265.1 PaYDs (32nd) per game and are at the bottom of the league with 14 PaTDs (30th) allowed with six INTs.

The matchups I like this week for RBs:
Ray Rice against the Texans. Rice had his best rushing game of the season with 12 carries for 154 RuYDs but has yet to score on the year. That could change this week as Rice faces a Texans team that allows 126.8 RuYDs (23rd) per game and has let 12 RuTDs (T-2nd) on the season. If McGahee can’t play due to an ankle injury, Rice will get the bulk of the carries.

DeAngelo Williams against the Raiders. Williams ran well before the bye week scoring for the first time since his two scores in Week 5. The Panthers have had time to rest and will look to stay ahead of Tampa Bay in the division. They face the Raiders, who the Panthers haven’t played since November 2004 where they lost 27-24 at home. The Raiders looked awful last week and are allowing 157.6 RuYDs (30th) per game and like the Texans, have given up 12 RuTDs (T-2nd).

Frank Gore against the Cardinals. Gore did not score in his game against the Seahawks before the bye, but he was used both in the run game and in the past. Hopefully the 49ers will continue to feed Gore all game. The 49ers are fading from the NFC West playoff picture but a win against the Cardinals will go a long way. The Cardinals run defense is actually pretty good with only 92 RuYDs (11th) per game and five RuTDs on the season. Gore has played well against Arizona as he rushed for 96 RuYDs with with RuTD and 55 ReYDs in the Week 1 meeting between these teams.

The matchups I don’t like this week for QBs:
Ben Roethlisberger/Byron Leftwich against the Colts. Pittsburgh’s pass offense is only getting 283.2 PaYDs (25th) per game and Roethlisberger is only the 23rd QB in fantasy leagues. He faces a very tough Colts team that is allowing just 181 PaYDs (3rd) per game and has giving up just two PaTDs all season with six INTs. The Colts have gotten Bob Sanders back on defense and are looking to get back in the playoff race. Big Ben injured his shoulder during Monday night which should be monitored during the week but if Leftwich has to go on a short week, he will struggle as well.

Rex Grossman against the Titans. Welcome back to the starting lineup Rex. I’m sure he will be picked up by a few desperate teams this week to play in place of a QB that is injured or on a bye but he comes back to a tough matchup against the still undefeated Titans. The Titans are allowing 198.1 PaYDs (12th) per game and have given up just four PaTDs (2nd) and are tied with Green Bay with 13 INTs.

Donovan McNabb against the Giants. I know McNabb lit up the Seahawks last week but so have a lot of other QBs. The Giants will look to play McNabb much like they did last year where McNabb through for an average of 158.5 PaYds per game and was sacked 15 times. The Giants are allowing just 175 PaYDs (2nd) per game and lead the league with 30 sacks and have 11 INTs on the season.

The matchups I don't like this week for RB's:
Ryan Grant against the Vikings. Grant seems to be getting back in the grove as he’s posted 80+ RuYds over the past four games. However, he still only has one game in which he rushed for more than 100 yards and scored back in Week 7. He will have a tough time in this game as the Vikings allow just 69.6 RuYDs (2nd) per game with seven RuTDs allowed on the season. Grant did post 92 RuYDs in the first matchup Week 1 but I think Green Bay will air it out more.

Marshawn Lynch against the Patriots. Lynch missed most of the game last week due to the flu, and an illness like that can take a player out for awhile. Even if healthy he will have a tough matchup against New England who dropped a tough one to the Colts. They did hold Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes to just 47 RuYDs combined. The Patriots are giving up 105 RuYDs (15th) per game but only have allowed four RuTDs (T6th) all year.

Brandon Jacobs against the Eagles. This will be a hard-fought game between the Giants and Eagles as the Eagles have been hanging around in the division and are still dangerous. Jacobs has been steady but this matchup will force the Giants to use all three of their RBs and the Eagles run defense is tough as they are giving up just 89 RuYds (8th) per game and have given up only three RuTDs (T3rd).

Week 10, glad to get the bye weeks over. Hope everyone voted.

Good luck to everyone in week ten.

Cheers!