With injuries continuing to plague players of all calibers, many owners are in need of some fill-ins. With the regular season winding down in many leagues, let’s take a look at some last-second fill-ins before the postseason beings.
Last second QB Fill-ins:
Kyle Orton- He has been taking snaps with the first-team offense this week. No matter what Todd Haley says, actions speak louder than words. The Chiefs week 13 opponent is the Bears. While there defense is always good, they have given up 14.2 ppg to opposing QBs the entire season, good enough for 16th overall. Orton has an array of good-great receivers to choose from, including Bowe, Breaston, and the extremely athletics Baldwin. Owned in 18% of leagues, Orton is a strong last-minute pick-up.
T.J. Yates- Although he is a deeper find then Orton, Yates is still a strong pick-up. Although the Texans acquired Delhomme, Yates is still the starter. In fact, acquiring Delhomme is great for Yates, as he gets to learn from an experienced veteran. Yates has three main factors that could lead to a good performance in week 13. One, he has Andre Johnson. Two, the Falcons allow 14.2 ppg to opposing QB. Finally, he has a very strong run game that can take pressure off of him. In addition to the run-game, Foster is one of, if not the best receiving running backs out of the backfield since Westbrook. Owned in 0.2% of leagues Yates is available.
Last Second RB Fill-ins:
Maurice Morris- It is still unclear wither Smith will or will not start next week versus the Saints. Even if he does, Morris played well enough against the Packers to earn some extra touches. If Smith does not start, then Morris is the only other choice. The Saints rank 19th in fantasy versus opposing RB, allowing 16.0 ppg. With the Lions high-powered offense, Morris could have a good game regardless of Smith. Owned in 40% of leagues, it would be a good idea to get him now before it is too late.
Donald Brown- I am only giving him the nod because I still do not trust Helu. However, Brown played well enough after sitting out the first quarter last week to overtake Addai. However, as abysmal as the Colts offense has been, Brown has at least been somewhat consistent. He is facing the Patriots this week who allow 15.4ppg to opposing RB. Yet, there is one downside. The Colts are likely to go down early to the far superior Patriots, causing them to abandon the run-game. However, crazier things have happened, but Brown is worth a look. Owned in 15.4% of leagues, he is available.
Remaining Last Second Fill-Ins for other position:
Riley Cooper- With Maclin not likely to be ready for Thursday night’s game, Riley will get the nod. With Vick out again, Young will be behind center. With Young the starter, he has shown a lot of interest in Cooper over the past two games. Over those games, Cooper has been targeted 17 times, with eight catches, 176 yards and one TD. With Jackson’s continuous lackluster performances, expect Cooper to receive more targets. Owned in 0.7% of leagues he is more than available.
Doug Baldwin- Last week Baldwin had 10 targets, which was one-third of the overall targets for the team. With Sidney Rice placed on IR, and Mike Wallace limited with a shoulder injury, all that’s left for the Seahawks to make plays is Baldwin and inadequate Tate. Going with the positives, Philly, the Seahawks week 13 opponent, gives up an average of 21.2 ppg to opposing WR, good enough for 21st in the league. Baldwin could be a stretch, but he could be a gem. Owned in 13.9% of league it is likely he is available.
While Baldwin, Cooper, Brown, Morris, Yates and Orton may be able to help your team, there are a few players out there who may seem appealing, but look can be deceiving.
Greg Little- Yes, he is the only real receiver on the Browns. Yes, he had 12 targets last week in a loss to the Bengals.  But, yes he only caught five of the 12, dropping four in the process. To this point in the season Little has 12 drops, good enough for top-three in the league. Although he may be the only guy, I still don’t trust him.
Roy Helu- Helu will soon take over as the definition for inconsistency. Although it is not his entire fault, he does get some of the blame. Though Shanahan get never decide who will get the bulk of the carries, Helu has had his chance to solidify the #1 spot. Yet, when the time came he failed to step up to the test. With the exception of his 21-point outburst against the Seahawks last week, since week six, Helu’s production in points has been; 1, 0,2,12, 5, 3. It is just too tough to rely on him.
Best of luck, lock up your playoffs spots and see you next week.
1. Things just went from bad to worse in Houston.Â
After just 13 passes, the Matt Leinart Reclamation Tour came to a screeching halt when he suffered a broken collarbone during Sunday’s win at Jacksonville. I’m not insinuating that Leinart is any prize, but at least he was familiar with the offense and the personnel.
Houston will now hand the keys to the league’s fifth-highest scoring offense over to T.J. Yates. Gary Kubiak speaks highly of the rookie out of North Carolina, but there’s a reason he was still on the board when the Texans selected him with the 152nd overall pick of this year’s draft. And whether or not Yates has the tools to be a viable NFL quarterback, his lack of experience is a scary proposition for owners who are relying on any of the Texans skill position players.
Two weeks ago, I suggested it wouldn’t be crazy to sell high on Arian Foster. I’m not suggesting anymore – I’m flat out insisting. You can bet that opposing defenses will be stacking the box mercilessly and daring Houston to throw the football. That doesn’t bode well for Foster and Ben Tate.
Andre Johnson owners would be smart to kick the tires with potential trade partners as well. I just don’t believe that there’s a quarterback on the roster that’s capable of getting Johnson the ball enough for him to produce the gaudy numbers we’re accustomed to.
The situation is so dire that Houston signed Jake Delhomme on Tuesday to back up Yates. Delhomme, who hasn’t thrown an NFL pass in almost a year, was working on his horse farm in Louisiana when he got the call. He and Jeff Garcia were invited to work out for the Texans, who came away impressed enough with Delhomme to offer him a contract. Garcia and Delhomme were both fine options at QB – almost a decade ago. Kellen Clemens is third on the depth chart.
The Texans’ quarterback situation will probably doom their season and, from a fantasy standpoint, will significantly devalue all of their offensive weapons. Johnson, Foster, and Tate are all too good to become irrelevant, but you have to prepare for a serious statistical decline across the board. If you own any of those three and someone is willing to pay as though Matt Schaub were still under center, you would be wise make the deal. It could save your season. 2. Fear the Fish.Â
Over the last four weeks, the Dolphins D has scored more fantasy points than any other defense in my league. Over that period, they’ve held opponents to 9.5 points per game, while racking up 11 sacks and six interceptions.
And yet they’re only owned in 9% of Yahoo leagues. Only the Browns, Panthers, Bucs and Colts are less owned.
The Dolphins have benefitted from some favorable matchups recently, but they are more than just a product of a week schedule. This is a team that, prior to their Thanksgiving Day loss to Dallas, hadn’t allowed a touchdown in 12 quarters.
If you’re in the market for a new defense, it might be time to take a flyer on Miami. However you should be aware that they visit New England on December 24, so you’ll need to have a backup plan if you wind up playing in your title game in Week 16. I’d recommend the Titans, who will be hosting the Jaguars that week and are available in 78% of Yahoo leagues.
Vince Young, QB (PHI)–Although it is not certain whether or not Michael Vick will be able to play this week against the Seahawks, Young is still worth picking up for a spot-start. He out to together his second straight solid game passing for 400 yards and one touchdown against the Patriots last week and could do the same, if not more, to the Seahawks on Thursday night. He now has three touchdowns in the last two games that he started for the Eagles and two touchdowns are likely against the Seahawks. It is a quick fix, but if Vick is out, Young is a must grab prior to the start of the Eagles game on Thursday.
Maurice Morris, RB (DET)–Since the Lions lost both Jahvid Best and Kevin Smith this week, Morris becomes fantasy relevant once again. While I am not a fan of Morris, he is still a decent buy this week since he will now be the No. 1 running back in the Lions backfield. Once Smith went down with an injury in Thursday’s game against the Packers, Morris came in and finished with strong fantasy production. He finished with 39 rushing yards and 81 receiving yards, but didn’t find the end zone. Keiland Williams will also get some carries for the Lions, but he has proved that he doesn’t know what to do with the opportunity thus far this season. With that said, Morris will get the bulk of the carries and could be a solid play as a No. 2 fantasy running back this week and for the foreseeable future.
Marcel Reece, RB (OAK)–With multiple injuries in the raiders passing game, Reece was used more and produced well this week. He finished with five receptions for 92 yards in last week’s win over the Bears showing his versatility. Although I don’t think this type of production should be expected each week, Reece could be a solid buy for PPR-leagues since he does also get a few carries per game as well. If the Raiders receivers continue to be injury-plagued, look for Reece to be a decent flex option in deep leagues.
Marion Barber, RB (CHI)–With Jay Cutler sidelined with a hand injury, the Bears have started the run the ball more, which has given Barber a more important role in the Bears’ offense. He finished this week’s game with 10 rushed for 63 yards, but did not find the end zone against the Raiders. Although Matt Forte is the clear-cut No. 1 running back for the Bears, he was used a lot in the passing game, and isn’t a pure running back that can carry the full workload. This makes Barber a must-add if he is available on the waiver-wire and can be sued in all fantasy formats.
Jason Avant, WR (PHI)–Like most players that are on the waiver-wire pickup articles, Avant is taking advantage of injured players ahead of him on the depth chart. He finished this week with eight receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles loss to the Patriots. With Jeremy Maclin’s status in question for this week and DeSean Jackson continuing to under perform, Avant is in line for another big game this week. Even with Vince Young under center, he should be picked up in most fantasy formats, especially PPR-leagues.
Johnny Knox, WR (CHI)–Knox resurfaced this week against the Raiders finishing the game with four receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown. He has now scored touchdowns in back-to-back weeks and appears to be Caleb Hanie’s favorite target. Although the Bears passing game will be limited without Jay Cutler under center, he could still be a decent play as a No. 3 receiver as long as he can stay on the field. Look for Knox to be continue to get targets in the red zone and be a decent fantasy producer for the foreseeable future.
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.Â
Matt Leinart (HOU)–Leinart suffered a broken collarbone in the Texans will over the Jaguars on Sunday early in the first quarter. Impact–Leinart will undergo season-ending surgery to repair his collarbone, which means he will be placed on Injured Reserve. T.J. Yates will take over for the Texans this week, but they will likely sign a veteran quarterback so Yates fantasy value may be limited.
Colt McCoy (CLE)–McCoy sustained an elbow injury in the Browns loss to the Bengals on Sunday, but was able to finish the game. The injury does not appear to be serious. Impact–The Browns have said that McCoy will practice this week so he will most likely play this week against the Ravens. Be sure to monitor his status following practice on Wednesday.
Sam Bradford (STL)–Bradford aggravated the ankle that held him out of two games earlier in the season in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals. He was able to play the whole game and reported the injury afterwards. Impact–It appears that Bradford will be able to play this week, but this should not be taken lightly since he missed a few games with the same injury earlier in the season. If he can’t play this week Brandon Lloyd’s fantasy value should be dropped slightly, but I wouldn’t be too concerned.
Running Backs
James Starks (GB)–Starks injured his ankle in the Packers win over the Lions on Thursday, but says that he is fine. This injury comes after injuring his knee just four days prior in the Packers win over the Buccaneers. Impact–Now with both knee and ankle injuries each of the last two games Starks’ status may be in jeopardy for this week’s game. Be sure to monitor his status throughout the week and elevate Ryan Grant’s fantasy value if he misses time.
Kevin Smith (DET)–Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in the Lions loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving. He will likely miss this week’s game and could miss even more time if the injury is worse than originally reported. Impact–With Smith likely to be ruled out and Jahvid Best placed on Injured Reserve, Maurice Morris becomes the No. 1 running back for the Lions this week against the Saints. It is only for the short term, but Morris could be a solid play this week against a sub-par rush defense.
Chris Wells (ARI)–Despite setting a franchise record in rushing yards with 228 yards, Wells had swelling in his knee following the game and could potentially miss some time. Impact–The severity of the injury has yet to be released, but this is not a good sign for Wells owners. Be sure to monitor his status throughout the week and be sure to start him if he is healthy.
Wide Receivers
Michael Jenkins (MIN)–Jenkins, who has been dealing with a knee injury for the last few weeks, could miss at least one game with the injury. He aggravated the injury in this week’s loss to his former team, the Falcons. Impact–This shouldn’t be too much of a blow in terms of fantasy, since he is likely only started in deep fantasy leagues. It may be time to drop him if he can’t play this week.
Sidney Rice (SEA)–Rice suffered yet another head injury in this week’s loss to the Seahawks. He will like miss practice all week and likely miss the Seahawks game on Thursday night. Impact– If you are a Rice owner you should be very concerned since this isn’t his first head injury this season. Look for Golden Tate to step up yet again this week if the absence of Rice in what is a favorable matchup.
Braylon Edwards (SF)–Edwards released yesterday that he has been playing through a sprained ac joint. With this news just being released, it is worth following for the next few days. Impact–Edwards is having a terrible season for anyone who actually invested in him, so this injury shouldn’t be too surprising. If you need to play him be sure to monitor his status throughout the week to see the severity of the injury.
Tight Ends
None to Report
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.Â
