It seems like players are getting injured left and right now. While the only real fantasy loss is Matt Schaub (sorry Matt Cassel), defensive players getting hurt is not good for team defenses. No more Rashean Mathis or Leon Hall makes their respective secondaries much weaker. Remember to keep some depth on your bench and be prepared for anyone to get injured.
Something else to keep in mind is how well the TEAMS of your fantasy players are doing. If they’re coasting to the playoffs, start to look at possible options in case someone like Aaron Rodgers gets benched in Week 17. Also, if your league’s championship is in Week 17, you should find whoever made at it and yell at them. The last week of the regular season ruins fantasy football. Always make it Week 16.
Alright, that’s all I got. If you have any questions you want answered (or anything really), email me at skalaf21@gmail.com, or ask in the comments section below.
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PLUGS – These are players that have a favorable matchup this week and would be available in the majority of leagues. There could be a bye week, maybe you have some injuries or a player has a really poor matchup this Sunday. These plugs could help fill that scoring void.
Tarvaris Jackson, QB (SEA)- I might be yelled at for this, but I think he could produce some nice points as a QB fill-in against the weak Rams. While the Seahawks will probably stick to running, Jackson will get his chances, and the running backs are capable of catching too. Marshawn Lynch led Seattle receivers with five catches for 58 yards last week, which is pretty sad but good for you. Out of the mediocre QBs available in deep leagues, I’d say Jackson has the best matchup and opportunity to get good points.
Lance Ball, RB (DEN)- Knowshon Moreno is out for the season with a torn ACL, so Ball is the backup to a Willis McGahee who is probably not 100%. With the Broncos playing a Thursday game (which means short rest) against the Jets, Ball will get plenty of attention. It’s not the ideal matchup, but as the Broncos showed on Sunday with only eight pass attempts (in their WIN), they’re not afraid to go one-dimensional. Ball had 30 carries for 96 yards against the Chiefs; anything close to that amount of touches deserves a start on your fantasy team.
New England DEF – With no Colts this week, I must resort to desperate measures. The Patriots looked OK against the Jets last week, and the matchup works well, since Kansas City no passing game and New England has no passing defense. Matt Cassel is out for some time, so Tyler Palko will get the start. Tyler Palko! The Patriots are good at suppressing the run and will be at home, so I’m going with this.
INVESTMENTS- If you have a free roster spot and want to bolster your depth, these players look like they could break out in a couple weeks. When they do, the other teams in your league will be scrambling to have them, but due to foresight (and some luck), you’ll be the one with them already on your bench.
Matt Leinart, QB (HOU)- With Matt Schaub out for several weeks, Leinart is a desperation plug who could put up decent numbers in an ideal situation. After this bye week, Andre Johnson could be returning, so Leinart will have that advantage going for him. His first three matchups aren’t ideal (@JAX, ATL, @CIN), but he will have weapons around him. Also, Jacksonville corner Rashean Mathis and Cincinnati corner Leon Hall are both out with season-ending injuries, so the passing defenses might be softer than you think. The Texans will probably just run more with Arian Foster and give Ben Tate more attention (pick him up and start him if he’s available), but Foster can also be a receiving threat. He already has 31 receptions for 445 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Yards after catch could be Leinart’s friend and pad his stat line. If you need a replacement, Leinart is worth a gamble.
Kendall Hunter, RB (SF)- Frank Gore has only played one full season in his NFL career (2006). I know that’s something you probably hear a lot, but it should be remembered. Hunter looked good against the Giants in his limited play with six touches for 40 yards and a score, so just keep him on your radar in case anything happens to the already beat-up Gore.
Damian Williams, WR (TEN)- Nate Washington fans, beware. Damian Williams has turned into a nice playmaker for Matt Hasselbeck while Washington has faded. Against Carolina, Washington was targeted four times and ended up with three catches for 40 yards. Not bad, but Williams had seven targets, finishing with five catches, 107 yards and a TD. Definitely a receiver worth picking up and starting if you need him.
Kendall Hunter, RB (SF)–Hunter has been in and out of the fantasy spotlight this season, and finds himself back in the picture once again. Teammate Frank Gore is suffering from both an ankle and knee injury and may not play this week. If he doesn’t play, Hunter is a great addition to any fantasy team. After Gore’s injury on Sunday, Hunter ran for 40 yards and scored a touchdown. There is a good chance that Hunter was either drafted or picked up earlier in the season to handcuff Gore, but if he is still available on the waiver-wire he should be added in all fantasy formats.
Lance Ball, RB (DEN)–It isn’t very often that a third-string running back surfaces to become a solid fantasy player, but this week Ball is one of them. With the injuries to Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno, Ball is in line to be the No. 1 running back for the Broncos this week. There is still a chance that McGahee could play this week, but he won’t be at 100 percent, so Ball should still be worth a look in deeper leagues. He has proven he can carry the workload, after rushing for 96 yards on 30 carries this last week after the injuries to the other running backs ahead of him went down. So if you are in need of a running back for a sport-start this week, Ball could be a person of interest, especially since the Broncos haven’t been passing the ball that much with Tim Tebow under center.
Chris Ogbonnaya, RB (CLE)–I wanted to wait a week to see if Ogbonnaya could come through with a solid game, and this past week he did. He finished the week with 19 carries for 90 yards and two receptions for 19 yards. It appears that both Montario Hardesty and Peyton Hillis will be out again this week against the Jaguars so Ogbonnaya is in line for another start in a decent matchup. The Browns passing game has been pretty bad thus far in 2011, so expect Ogbonnaya to get a heavy workload and produce solid fantasy production this week and for the foreseeable future.
Denarius Moore, WR (OAK)–Moore was first seen on waiver-wire articles in the beginning of the season after a breakout performance against the Bills in Week 2, but then disappeared until the Raiders win over the Chargers in Week 10. He finished the game with five receptions for 123 yards are two touchdowns and with the injury to Jacoby Ford he is now in line to continue to be the go-to target in the Raiders passing game. There is a chance that he may have been dropped because of his early season struggles so if he is on the waiver-wire pick him up and start him immediately.
Vincent Brown, WR (SD)–The San Diego Chargers have gone through many injuries in their receiving core this season, which have opened to door for new faces to make impressions in the fantasy world. On Thursday, Brown had a breakout game against the Raiders finishing the game with five receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown filling in for the injured Malcolm Floyd. It appears that Floyd’s injury may keep him out again in Week 11, so expect to see Brown targeted often in the Chargers passing game opposite Vincent Jackson. Brown should be started in deep fantasy leagues or he should be used as a bye-week fill-in for the short term.
Harry Douglas, WR (ATL)–Like the others on this week’s waiver-wire article Douglas is benefiting from an injury to a teammate that has now making him fantasy relevant. Julio Jones will likely be out this week, which makes Douglas the No. 2 wide receiver for the Falcons in their matchup against the Titans. Douglas had his best game of the season last week after Jones went down, finishing with eight receptions for 133 yards. While I don’t expect him to be a guaranteed starter in all formats he can be a sleeper-pick for the foreseeable future opposite Roddy White.
Matthew Beck is a Fantasy Sports Columnist for Rotoinfo.com. If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail him at matthewbeck@rotoinfo.com. Also follow him on Twitter @MatthewRBeck for up-to-date Q&A and fantasy information.
Matt Schaub (HOU)–Schaub suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot following Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers and will miss the rest of the season. Impact–Matt Leinart will step in and become the play-caller for the Texans, which is a major concern for anyone who owns members of the Texans receiving core. If you are an Andre Johnson owner you should try to move him as soon as possible because Leinart is a major downgrade from Schaub.
Matt Cassel (KC)–Cassel will miss the rest of the season sustaining an injury to his throwing hand in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. Impact–Tyler Palko will take over the quarterback position for the Chiefs for the foreseeable future and isn’t that much of a downgrade from Cassel. In years past he has stepped in and had solid fantasy production and is a decent pickup if you are in extremely deep fantasy leagues.
Michael Vick (PHI)–As if the season couldn’t get any worse for Vick and the Eagles, he suffered broken ribs in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals and is listed as questionable for this week’s matchup against the Giants. Impact–If Vick can’t play this week it will be Vince Young’s job in the short term. Young is not worth starting in any format and everyone else in the Eagles’ offense except for LeSean McCoy should be downgraded if Vick isn’t on the field.
Running Backs
Willis McGahee (DEN)–McGahee left Sunday’s game against the Chiefs in the first quarter after suffering a hamstring injury. He is listed as day-to-day. Impact–With the Broncos playing on Thursday this week be sure to monitor his status early in the week as it appears that there is a chance that he will play against the Jets. If he can’t play, look for Lance Ball to caring the workload for the Broncos.
Knowshon Moreno (DEN)–Moreno suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s win over the Chiefs and will miss the remainder of the season. Impact–This shouldn’t be too much of a blow for owners as he hasn’t done much throughout the course of the season.
Frank Gore (SF)–Gore suffered a knee injury in the 49ers win over the Giants on Sunday, but the injury does not appear to be significant. Impact–Gore is already dealing with an ailing ankle and now a knee injury, so it wouldn’t be too surprising to see him miss this week’s game. If Gore can’t play look for Kendall Hunter to has an increased role in the 49ers offense.
Wide Receivers
Julio Jones (ATL)–Jones left Sunday’s loss to the Saints late in the second quarter after suffering a right hamstring injury. Impact–Jones has already missed time this season with injuries so this isn’t too much of a surprise as he just can’t stay healthy. If he can’t play this week expect an increased role for Harry Douglas in the Falcons passing game.
A.J. Green (CIN)–Green suffered a knee injury in the Bengals loss to the Steelers on Sunday while making a touchdown catch. He is considered day-to-day. Impact–The injury does not appear to be more than a twisted knee, which means he should be back on the field this week for the Bengals, but be cautious and monitor his status during practice.
Jacoby Ford (OAK)–Ford suffered a foot injury in the Raiders win over the Chargers on Thursday night and is using a walking boot. Impact–Since Ford is in a walking boot, it appears that he will not be able to play this week against the Vikings. Expect another big game from Denarius Moore in Ford’s absence.
Jeremy Maclin (PHI)–Maclin suffered a sprained AC joint in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals and also suffered a shoulder injury in the contest as well. He will likely be considered questionable for this Sunday’s showdown with the Giants. Impact–This is a huge blow for the Eagles who are in need of a win this week and will have both Maclin and Michael Vick on the injury report. If Maclin can’t play, look for Jason Avant and Steve Smith to have increased roles in the Eagles’ passing game.
Doug Baldwin (SEA)–Baldwin suffered a concussion in Sunday’s win over the Ravens and his status for this week’s matchup is uncertain. Impact–Baldwin did respond well to the post-concussion tests the team administered on him, but head injuries are a very touchy subject. Be sure to monitor his status leading up until Sunday.
Sidney Rice (SEA)–Like Baldwin, Rice suffered a head injury in the Seahawks win over the Ravens on Sunday. His status for this week will be determined on Thursday or Friday after the team finishes their testing on his head. Impact–If both Rice and Baldwin can’t play expect to see Golden Tate lead the Seahawks receiving core, but he is not worth starting.
Leonard Hankerson (WAS)–Hankerson left Sunday’s game against the Dolphins after suffering a hip injury. He was placed on Injured-Reserve. Impact–The Redskins passing game has been very bad this season, but Hankerson was a spark. As this point, Fred Davis is now the only player that should be started in the Redskins passing game on a regular basis.
Tight Ends
Owen Daniels (HOU)–Daniels sustained a hyperextended knee during the Texans victory over the Buccaneers but will likely not have to miss any time from the injury. Impact–The Texans bye-week couldn’t have come at a better time for Daniels and his owners and the extra rest will help in his recovery. Be sure to monitor his status during practice next week.
Kickers
None to Report
Matthew Beck is a Fantasy Sports Columnist for Rotoinfo.com. If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail him at matthewbeck@rotoinfo.com. Also follow him on Twitter @MatthewRBeck for up-to-date Q&A and fantasy information.
Every week I’ll review the Weeks heroes, the weeks zeroes, and make sure your up to date on the performances that you need to know about.
QB: Fantasy Hero – Tony Romo, Cowboys
23-for-26, 270 yards, 3 TDs
Romo was as effective as a quarterback could be as the Cowboys demolished the Bills 44-7. If not for jumping out to such a huge early lead, Romo would of have a history historic day. As it stands, all he did was post an elite level line that included a 148.4 QB Rating.
QB: Fantasy Zero – Curtis Painter, Colts
13-for-19,. 93 yards, 0 TD, 2 INTs
He didn’t even last the whole game against the Jaguars. Painter is in serious danger of ceding his job to Dan Orlovsky after a second straight game throwing for less than 100 yards, a total he has failed to reach in three of four outings. I could have listed Matt Cassel here as well since he completed only 13 of 28 for 93 yards, but he threw for a touchdown.
Numbers to Know
Everyone makes fun of John Skelton, and well they should given most of his career work, but he looked solid in Week 10. He completed only 21 of 40 passes, but he led a late game comeback win over the Eagles by throwing for 315 yards and three touchdowns. The two interceptions he tossed did diminish his outing a tad.
Matt Ryan threw whopping 52 passes in Week 10 as he completed 29 of them on his way to 351 yards passing and two scores for the Falcons. The passes, completions and yards were season highs.
Matthew Stafford had a solid outing completing 33 passes for 329 yards. How could an effort like that only be called solid? Well, it took him 63 passes to rack up those totals and he also tossed four interceptions against the Bears. Give him some credit since he played through a broken index finger on this throwing hand.
Tim Tebow is 3-1 as a starter for the Broncos. He completed only two passes in eight attempts for 69 yards, but he threw for a score on one of the two completions, while he also ran the ball nine times for 43 yards another score.
RB: Fantasy Hero – Michael Bush, Raiders
30 carries, 157 yards, 1 TD
3 catches, 85 yards
You might have forgotten about his effort given that it came last Thursday, but that by no means lessons what was a spectacular effort highlighted by the most yards from scrimmage of any Raider back since the NFL/AFL merger. Reports continue to suggest that Darren McFadden is having a hard time getting over his foot issue, an as long as he continues to be sidelined Bush remains a must start.
RB: Fantasy Zero – Frank Gore, Niners
6 carries, zero yards / one catch, 8 yards
Ugly. Gore had run for at least 125 yards in four of his last five outings, and in each of those five outings he ran for at least 100 yards. His ankle was said to be OK, but he didn’t look very spry early on. He then injured his knee as well. He stood on the sidelines with his pads and helmet on which leads one to think that he wasn’t severely hurt, Jim Harbaugh said after the game that Gore will play in Week 11, but that doesn’t sooth the pain of those who started him as he posted about as disappointing an effort as humanly possible.
Numbers to Know Lance Ball started Week 10 as the Broncos’ third string back. He ended the week with 30 carries and 96 yards after injuries to Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno.
Reggie Bush and Rashard Mendenhall were disappointing in that neither back was able to run for even 50-yards in Week 10 (Bush had 14 carries, Mendenhall 16). However, both had huge fantasy outings as they both crossed the goaline twice.
I know it’s boring to list his name every week, but Arian Foster did it again. He failed to hit 100-yards on the ground with 84 yards on 17 carries, but he did score a rushing touchdown. He also hauled in four passes for another touchdown and 102 yards. The guy is amazing, though give credit to a Texans O-line that is opening up holes I could run through.
Marshawn Lynch rang the ball for 109 yards in Week 10, and for the first time in his career he has back-to-back 100-yard games. It took him 23 carries in Week 9 and 30 in Week 10.
LeSean McCoy ran the ball for 81 yards on 14 carries, caught three passes for 12 yards, and scored a rushing touchdown. McCoy has appeared in nine games this season and he’s scored a touchdown in every single game. Only three other backs have ever scored in 9-straight games to start a season.
WR: Fantasy Hero – Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
7 catches, 146 yards, 2 TDs
I got questions all last week about Fitzgerald and everyone wanted to bench him. I repeatedly said ‘you don’t bench Fitzgerald no matter who is throwing him passes.’ Did you listen? Sure he had a lucky score on a deflected pass, but he also was stopped at the one yard line on another play. The guy is dominating, and he’d likely be the second receiver in football if he had a QB who could get him the ball.
WR: Fantasy Zero – Stevie Johnson, Bills
2 catches, eight yards
Johnson started out on fire this season with at least 66 yards an a touchdown in each of his first three games. Since then he’s scored only one time and has only one game with more than 58 yards receiving. He’s also been held to under 40 yards in three of his last five outings. With Ryan Fitzpatrick devolving before our eyes, Johnson is nothing more than a low level WR2, at best, right now.
Numbers to Know Marques Colston caught eight balls for 113 yards in Week 10. This was only the second time all year that he has gone for 100-yards, he had 118 in Week 6, and he’s gone three weeks without a touchdown. The eight catches were a season best.
Harry Douglass really stepped up for the Falcons as he caught eight balls for 133 yards. His season high for yardage was 62 before this outing against the Saints.
Denarius Moore caught two balls for 13 yards in Weeks 6 & 7. The Raiders then had a Bye and installed Carson Palmer as their quarterback. Viola. In Week 9 he caught four balls for 61 yards before exploding for five catches, 123 yards and two touchdowns in Week 10. Adios Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Laurent Robinson only caught three passes but they went for 72 yards and two scores. Teammate Dez Bryant hauled in six balls for 74 yards and a touchdown. Who needs Miles Austin?
TE: Fantasy Hero – Ed Dickson, Ravens
10 catches, 79 yards, 2 TDs
Targeted relentless by Joe Flacco due to an inability of the Ravens’ wide receivers to get open, Dickson excelled on Sunday showing impressive athleticism an elite hands in a true breakout performance. Dickson, for one week at least, thought he was a young Antonio Gates. Dickson is certainly worth a weekly look at this point, though the presence of Dennis Pitta makes Dickson a risky option as a TE1.
TE: Fantasy Zero – Marcedes Lewis
1 catch, (-4) yards
Most pundits told everyone to expect a major regression this season from Lewis after he caught 58 balls for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, and when Blaine Gabbert was named the starter at quarterback, Lewis’ season was effectively over. Through eight games this season Lewis is on pace for 32 receptions, 342 yards and zero touchdowns. That’s just pathetic.
Numbers to Know Fred Davis was a major disappointment in Week 10 with only three catches for 28 yards. With Rex Grossman throwing the ball this week, there just wasn’t much chemistry between the two.
Jermaine Gresham caught four balls for only 23 yards, but one of those receptions was for a touchdown. Gresham has caught at least four passes in each of his last five games.
Jacob Tamme replaced an injured Dallas Clark in Week 10 and Tamme caught six balls for 75 yards. Clark’s season best numbers were six catches and 77 yards.
SPECIAL MENTION – Coach Most Likely to Lie Straight to Your Face
Mike Shanahan said that Ryan Torain would only play when Roy Helu was tired. Helu, coming off a Redskins’ record 14 receptions in Week 9, didn’t even start the game for the ‘Skins in Week 10. You cannot trust a single thing that Shanahan says – ever. At this point, Fred Davis is the only player on this squad worthy of starting, and even he is a bit of a wild card as he might end up being suspended for failing a recreational drug test.
Ray Flowers can be heard daily on Sirius/XM Radio on The Fantasy Drive on Sirius 210 and XM 87. Ray’s baseball analysis can be found at BaseballGuys.com and his minute to minute musings can be located at the BaseballGuys’ Twitter account.
 Brandon Marshall (No. 9 WR) has been a fairly consistent performer throughout the season despite the Dolphins’ mess at quarterback.
RUNNING BACKS
With 38 PPR points over the last two weeks, Reggie Bush (No. 18 PPR RB) feels like a must-start at home against the Redskins. However, London Fletcher and company have limited opposing running backs to the fewest receptions of any team in the league sans Baltimore. Consider other options, but Bush remains a good flex play in PPR formats.
Michael Turner (No. 5 RB) continues to get things done for the Falcons and faces a Saints team this weekend that he’s handled well since coming to Atlanta. He’s scored four touchdowns in his last five meetings with New Orleans while averaging 94 yards. Still, Turner owners would be wise to secure rookie Jacquizz Rodgers (No. 38 PPR RB) as a handcuff. His odometer is getting very high and Rodgers, who had 11 touches for 60 yards in Week 9, stands to get a lot of action should Turner come up lame down the stretch.
Beanie Wells’ (No. 18 RB) knee issue will probably frustrate owners for the remainder of the season. If he could ever find a way to stay close to 100%, he could be something special, but the only thing he’s done consistently in the pros is get banged up.
If you’re a LaDainian Tomlinson (No. 19 PPR RB) owner, plug him in as a flex option this weekend against the Patriots. Earlier this season, the Pats shut him down in New England, but expect the veteran to be featured more often this time around, especially in the red zone and in the passing game. He’s posted 27 points over the last three weeks, including a 13 line Week 9 against Buffalo.
The Buccaneers have not been very strong against the run this season, but they have been very good at keeping games close, particularly on their home field where every game has been decided by one score or less. That’s one reason why I don’t expect Ben Tate (no. 33 RB) to get more than 6-10 touches this week. Arian Foster (No. 4 RB) remains a strong play though.
QUARTERBACKS
The Bengals have been as tough a fantasy defense as anyone this season, but I still believe Ben Roethlisberger (No. 6 QB) is a must-start on the road. No one has thrown for more yards over the past four weeks than Big Ben and he’s third in touchdowns over that span. It’s unlikely to be a high-scoring game, but the Steelers’ QB should post a respectable point total nonetheless.
Michael Vick (No. 2 QB) and Cam Newton (No. 3 QB) continue to rank among the best thanks to their ability to produce on the ground. Tim Tebow (No. 16 QB) may be worth a gamble this week for that same reason, but keep in mind the Chiefs have picked off 13 passes already this season (third best in the league).
The Jets are allowing a mere 8.99 fantasy points per game from opposing quarterbacks this season but will face Tom Brady (No. 12 QB) this weekend. Still, the last time Brady played the Jets on the road he had three turnovers and he’s turned it over seven times in his last three games. Don’t be surprised if Mark Sanchez (No. 11 QB) outperforms his counterpart in Week 10.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Brandon Marshall (No. 9 WR) has been a fairly consistent performer throughout the season despite the Dolphins’ mess at quarterback. However, he and Matt Moore were locked in last week in the team’s first win and I wouldn’t be shocked if Marshall really lit it up down the stretch for his fantasy owners. The schedule certainly won’t be a problem.
Julio Jones (No. 4 WR) has posted more than 100 yards receiving in his last three healthy games. He continues to deal with a hamstring issue, but I fully expect him to get caught up in the shootout against the Saints this weekend. Furthermore, it may be time for us to speculate that he has surpassed fantasy-stalwart Roddy White (No. 6 WR) as Matt Ryan’s favorite target. The rookie could be a top-10 option in his sophomore season.
With Miles Austin sidelined for a few weeks, there’s no good reason Laurent Robinson (No. 26 WR) should still be on waivers. Austin’s absence should also mean Dez Bryant (No. 3 WR) will consistently produce over four quarters, although that hasn’t been the case for most of the season.
Greg Little (No. 33 WR) and Josh Cribbs (No. 40 WR) could both be considered decent WR3 options this week against the Rams. The Browns have been terribly predictable in recent weeks, but they should bring an aggressive offensive game plan into Week 10. Little and Cribbs are certainly their best offensive players and should see a lot of targets.
TIGHT ENDS
No team has allowed more points to tight ends this season than the Bears, which is the latest reason why Brandon Pettigrew (No. 8 PPR TE) is a strong play. With a banged up backfield, Pettigrew is becoming the Lions’ best short-yardage option.
What’s going on with Vernon Davis (No. 15 TE)? He may be the only player missing Mike Singletary, but it’s alarming how little he’s been utilized this season. Perhaps his role will increase down the stretch, but his owners need to be considering other options at the position.
