September 29, 2009
Some fresh names popped up near the top of the target charts in Week 3. Mike Sims-Walker had 10 targets and is solidifying his role as an excellent WR3. Santana Moss rose up from the dead with 10 catches on 14 targets and former first-round pick Bryant Johnson had 11 targets of his own.
Here are five pass-catching situations that caught our eye in Week 3:
For a complete target report, plus all the tools you need for Week 4, check out the Season Pass.
49ERS
Vernon Davis: 10
Isaac Bruce:5
Josh Morgan: 4
Delanie Walker: 1
He’s teased us so many times before, but Davis’ seven-catch, two TD performance Sunday feels more real this time. The offensive philosophy, scheme and personnel is just right for the former top-10 pick. Morgan caught all four balls that came his way but his talents are getting wasted here.
BRONCOS
Brandon Marshall: 7
Jabar Gaffney: 6
Daniel Graham: 3
Eddie Royal: 3
Tony Scheffler: 1
Marshall is saying all the right things and is slowly working his way back into “go-to-guy” status. On the other hand, we got a ton of questions today in the chat about Royal. The bottom line is that he needs to be benched until he stops rotating in and out of the lineup. It’s a bad sign that Brandon Stokley barely played and Royal still only got three targets.
TITANS
Justin Gage: 10
Nate Washington: 9
Kenny Britt: 6
Alge Crumpler: 6
Jared Cook: 1
Who’s the No. 1 receiver in Tennessee? It’s pretty clear the Titans don’t even know. After seven catches and a TD in Week 1, Gage has six catches in his last two games combined. With Bo Scaife out, Crumpler got extra looks.
STEELERS
Mike Wallace: 8
Heath Miller: 6
Santonio Holmes: 5
Hines Ward: 5
Limas Sweed: 2
Matt Spaeth: 2
You can forget about any type of breakout season from Sweed. He may not even be active this week after a horrific drop in Week 3. Wallace is ultra-fast and is an interesting deep sleeper, especially in keeper leagues. Holmes had an off day against the Bengals, expect him to rebound.
EAGLES
DeSean Jackson: 10
Brent Celek: 9
Jeremy Maclin: 6
Jason Avant: 4
Reggie Brown: 2
Celek is for real. He knows how to get open and is a bear to tackle. Maclin has more hype than production potential, even if Kevin Curtis misses significant time. Contrary to popular belief, Brown is still alive and well but will be inactive again once Curtis returns.
TARGET REPORT QUICK HITTERS:
The top three targets this season are Randy Moss (40), Carolina’s Steve Smith (35) and Nate Burleson (33). Yes, Nate Burleson. … Vernon Davis has more targets than Antonio Gates, Jason Witten and Dallas Clark on the season. … RB Jerome Harrison led the Browns in targets with seven. … Roddy White is converting on just 58 percent of his targets right now. Expect that number to rise. … Derek Fine had nine targets in Week 3 while Terrell Owens had five. There’s something wrong with that. … Austin Collie had six targets in Week 3 while Pierre Garcon had five.
September 26, 2009
There are a ton of injuries this week to keep an eye on as kickoff approaches. Here’s a game by game look at all the relevant ones.
**Important game-time decision
BROWNS vs. RAVENS
Jamal Lewis (hamstring) is out. Jerome Harrison and James Davis will split the carries.
Phil Dawson (calf) will be replaced by Billy Cundiff.
STEELERS vs. BENGALS
Cedric Benson (ankle) missed a couple practices but is good to go in a brutal matchup.
Chris Henry (quad) revealed that a strained quad has bothered him for a month, but he’s going to play Sunday.
REDSKINS vs. LIONS
**Clinton Portis (ankle) will be a game-time decision, even though the Redskins expect him to play. Expect some extra work for Ladell Betts, but Portis has to be in lineups for this matchup if he’s active.
Jason Campbell (foot) is certain to start.
JAGUARS vs. TEXANS
Maurice Jones-Drew was on the injury report with a knee injury but it was never a concern. He’s ready to go.
Kevin Walter (hamstring) is listed as probable despite being limited in practice every day this week. He’ll start but has to be rusty after missing about a month.
Andre Davis will likely miss the game with a concussion.
49ERS vs. VIKINGS
Frank Gore (ankle) was limited all week but will start.
Adrian Peterson (back) was limited in Wednesday’s practice but is fine. Nothing to worry about.
**Percy Harvin is struggling with migraine headaches and is a game-time decision.
FALCONS vs. PATRIOTS
**Randy Moss (back) was a late addition to the injury report after missing practice Friday. He practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday, but he’s a game-time decision.
**Wes Welker (knee) didn’t practice Friday and will also be a game-time decision.
Julian Edelman (ankle) was limited in practice and is a game-time decision.
Jason Elam (hamstring) is fine and will be kicking.
Jerious Norwood (concussion) isn’t expected to play. Jason Snelling will back up Michael Turner.
CHIEFS vs. EAGLES
**Dwayne Bowe (hamstring) is a game-time decision after practicing with a wrap on his leg Friday.
Donovan McNabb will rest his ribs as Kevin Kolb gets another start.
**Brian Westbrook (ankle) is expected to be active but could be on a snap count.
DeSean Jackson (groin) will start but is hurt by Kolb’s arm.
Kevin Curtis (knee) is expected to sit out and Jeremy Maclin will start.
PACKERS vs. RAMS
Brandon Jackson (ankle) is out, DeShawn Wynn is the third-down back again.
GIANTS vs. BUCS
Domenik Hixon (knee) is expected to miss the game.
Mario Manningham (shoulder) will start but has a tough matchup with the Bucs’ physical corners.
Antonio Bryant’s knee isn’t close to 100 percent but he may try to give it a go. Don't expect much.
Maurice Stovall (knee) will miss the game and Brian Clark’s role will expand.
Cadillac Williams (knee) is expected to play but shouldn’t be in fantasy lineups. His knee is flaring up and Derrick Ward will start vs. his former team.
SAINTS vs. BILLS
Mike Bell (knee) is out, Pierre Thomas and Lynell Hamilton will split carries.
Lance Moore (hamstring) is out, but Drew Brees won't miss him too much.
Shawn Nelson (shoulder) will probably miss the game, Derek Fine will take his spot but isn’t a fantasy option.
BEARS vs. SEAHAWKS
Matt Hasselbeck (ribs) won’t play. Seneca Wallace’s dink-and-dunk game is on.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh (back) is good to go but is hurt by Wallace’s style.
TITANS vs. JETS
Bo Scaife (knee) is expected to miss another game, giving Jared Cook another look.
Rob Bironas (ankle) is questionable, but the Titans haven’t signed another kicker as of this post so it looks like he’ll go.
Mark Sanchez (knee) is certain to start against the Titans’ secondary that has been the worst in the NFL through two weeks.
BRONCOS vs. RAIDERS
**Knowshon Moreno (groin) is a game-time decision in a 4:15 start. Correll Buckhalter would be the main ball-carrier if Moreno can’t go.
**Brandon Stokley (thigh) is also a game-time decision. If the game was Friday, Stokley wouldn’t have played according to the Denver Post.
DOLPHINS vs. CHARGERS
LaDainian Tomlinson (ankle) is out, it’s the Darren Sproles show again.
COLTS vs. CARDINALS
Steve Breaston (knee) is a game-time decision again and should be on fantasy benches.
Anquan Boldin (hamstring) is close to 100 percent and is good to go.
COWBOYS vs. PANTHERS
**Marion Barber (quad) will be a game-time decision. All signs point to him sitting out, with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice splitting carries.
Let’s quickly get some answers on the questions we asked heading into Week 2:
1. Will Beanie Wells begin his ascension to the feature back role? Nope. Wells got seven carries in Week 2 and fumbled twice. Tim Hightower is still entrenched as the starter.
2. Can the Texans’ offense prove Week 1 was a fluke? Absolutely. Matt Schaub was incredibly accurate and shredded the Titans even without Kevin Walter. The running game didn’t do anything, which has the coaching staff concerned (see below). But overall, Week 2 was a great sign for the Texans.
3. How will Kevin Kolb affect DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and Brian Westbrook? Kolb more than held his own. He got picked off three times, but two of those came long after the game was decided. Westbrook didn’t get any extra work while Celek was targeted 11 times. Jackson struck on a long crossing route and should be downgraded just slightly with Kolb under center. Jason Avant had seven catches and meshes well with Kolb.
4. Can Darren Sproles carry the load for a whole game? Depends how we define “carry the load.” Sproles predictably couldn’t run the ball against the Ravens, but the Chargers used screens to Sproles as running plays. He’s a must-start as long as LaDainian Tomlinson is out, especially in PPR leagues.
5. How will the Colts react to Anthony Gonzalez’s absence and their inept running game? A whole lot of Dallas Clark. The tight end ripped apart the Dolphins on Monday and will get a big boost in targets as long as A-Gonz is out. Peyton Manning showed confidence in Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, but there weren’t enough offensive possessions to get a real read.
On to Week 3:
1. How will the Saints divide up carries with Mike Bell out? The guess is that Lynell Hamilton and Pierre Thomas will split carries while Reggie Bush will maintain his normal role. But if Thomas can show that he’s 100 percent, isn’t he the feature back? His owners sure hope so.
2. Was Mario Manningham‘s breakout for real? Now that everyone in the league is well aware of what Manningham can do, he’s sure to command more attention. How will he deal with a much tougher matchup against Buc corners Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib?
3. Can Mike Sims-Walker be counted on as a WR3? The path has been cleared for Sims-Walker with Troy Williamson out for the year and Nate Hughes on the practice squad.
4. Can Steve Slaton get on track? Texans coach Gary Kubiak took some shots at Slaton this week, saying he wished he had signed Cedric Benson and he wants to get Ryan Moats more carries. How does Slaton respond? He has a good matchup against the Jaguars.
5. Will Rashard Mendenhall start to eat into Willie Parker’s workload? The Steelers keep saying Mendenhall is doing everything right and they want him to get the ball more, but it doesn’t show up on the field. Mendenhall has seven carries in the first two weeks.
September 24, 2009
Quick: Name the two running backs tied for the league lead in rushing attempts. Michael Turner is an easy one, the guy is a horse. The other one may come as a bit of a surprise.
Cedric Benson is tied with Turner with 50 carries through two games. He’s getting 4.3 yards per carry, way up from his 3.7 average coming into this season. He’s a nice "sell high" guy before he gets exposed in Sunday’s game against the Steelers.
But the majority of the league’s backs aren’t in the same situation as Turner and Benson. Here’s a look at how the carries were distributed in six of the more interesting running back committee situations around the league in Week 2.
For a complete running back report, plus all the tools you need for Week 3, check out the Season Pass.
SEAHAWKS
Julius Jones: 8
Justin Forsett: 5
Edgerrin James: 2
Justin Griffith: 1
This situation took an interesting turn in Week 2 when Jones left with an “ankle” injury. But since coach Jim Mora said it’s not a significant injury and Jones wasn’t on the injury report, there’s speculation that Julius was pulled. Beat writer Danny O’Neil says that’s not true, it’s simply a case of the Seahawks going to one-back sets, Jones being nicked and the coaches wanting Forsett in there for receiving.
Either way, the only back with any upside here is Forsett. He’s worth a stash in deeper leagues, especially PPR leagues. O’Neil thinks James is still the No. 2 back, but we’ll be monitoring how it plays out on the field going forward.
BUCS
Derrick Ward 9
Carnell Williams: 7
Earnest Graham: 2
It’s two series on, two series off right now for Caddy and Ward. Graham has been relegated to almost strictly a lead blocker. It’s going to take an injury to make someone valuable here.
JETS
Thomas Jones: 14
Leon Washington: 14
The Jets are committed to getting Washington 20 total touches a game and are following through on that promise. This team wants to run a ton so there is enough room for production from both backs. Shonn Greene is a non-factor barring injury.
DOLPHINS
Ronnie Brown: 24
Ricky Williams: 19
Lousaka Polite: 3
Patrick Cobbs: 2
After watching Monday night’s game, it’s clear Williams has some gas left in the tank. He hit the hole really hard and will continue to take a lot of carries away from Brown. It’s not often a team hands the ball off 48 times in a game, so all these numbers are inflated from the norm.
BRONCOS
Knowshon Moreno: 17
Correll Buckhalter: 9
LaMont Jordan: 7
Peyton Hillis: 1
Moreno is starting to take hold of this job. Buckhalter has a better yard per carry average, but it’s inflated by the 45-yard touchdown run he broke off last week.
RAVENS
Willis McGahee: 15
Ray Rice: 8
LeRon McClain: 4
Watching last week’s game was tough pill to swallow for Rice owners. We don’t want to overreact to one week, but it proved that the Ravens are willing to go with the hot hand. In Sunday’s case, that was McGahee. Rice ran well and still got decent total yardage, but McGahee’s presence is obviously a threat to Rice’s value. That said, even in a committee, there’s enough room for both these guys to be in lineups most weeks.
COMMITTEE REPORT QUICK HITTERS
Beanie Wells had just seven carries for the second straight week and fumbled twice. He’s still a ways off from supplanting Tim Hightower. … On the season, DeAngelo Williams has 30 carries while Jonathan Stewart has 20. … Donald Brown is playing in the critical portions of games but Joseph Addai actually had two runs of 10 yards or more Monday night on just six carries. It’s an even timeshare for now. … Ahmad Bradshaw has seven less yards than Brandon Jacobs this season on 11 less carries. … Rashard Mendenhall is reportedly gaining on Willie Parker but we haven’t seen it on the field yet in terms of carries.
September 22, 2009
Football is about the scheme more than any other sport and this week’s target report is a perfect example. Julian Edelman had 16 passes come his way while Brandon Marshall saw six looks. Brent Celek had 11 targets while Zach Miller had three.
So we’re going to stay on top of the target report every Tuesday in this space.
Here are five pass-catching situations that caught our eye in Week 2:
For a complete target report, plus all the tools you need for Week 3, check out the Season Pass.
BEARS
Johnny Knox: 9
Devin Hester:7
Greg Olsen: 6
Kellen Davis: 6
Earl Bennett: 2
Obviously, Knox being on top this list is pretty interesting. He took over for Bennett in the second half at the split end spot and will reportedly push for that job full-time soon. Olsen getting the same number of targets as Davis is nothing to worry about. We still like Olsen as a buy-low.
JAGUARS
Torry Holt: 11
Mike Sims-Walker: 9
Nate Hughes: 6
Mercedes Lewis: 5
Troy Williamson: 2
Greg Estandia: 1
Ernest Wilford: 1
Nate Hughes has since been cut and Troy Williamson (shoulder) is out for the year. Sims-Walker is in for a ton more targets going forward as the No. 2 receiver. Jarrett Dillard and Mike Thomas are expected to be active as the third and fourth receivers.
PACKERS
Donald Driver: 9
Jermichael Finley: 7
Donald Lee: 6
Greg Jennings: 5
James Jones: 4
Jordy Nelson: 1
Spencer Havner: 1
The Packers had no good explanation for why Jennings took a big fat bagel on Sunday. Chalk it up as a stone fluke and move on. Finley had just one target in Week 1 so he’s on the right track. If Green Bay’s offensive line continues to struggle, Finley and Lee will be the safety valves.
BUCS
Kellen Winslow: 10
Jerramy Stevens: 9
Maurice Stovall: 6
Michael Clayton: 4
Brian Clark: 4
Sammie Stroughter: 3
Antonio Bryant’s knee problem isn’t going away, so it’s time to see how Byron Leftwich will deal with it. Winslow had nine targets in Week 1 and is the top option. Maurice Stovall is ahead of Sammie Stroughter to take Bryant’s spot.
RAMS
Laurent Robinson: 9
Donnie Avery: 6
Randy McMichael: 5
Kennan Burton: 2
Avery has lived a nightmare in the first two weeks. He’s had two critical fumbles and been outplayed by Robinson. In shallower leagues you can probably find a better option than Avery right now.
TARGET REPORT QUICK HITTERS:
Julian Edelman, Andre Johnson and Ted Ginn Jr. led the way with 16 targets each in Week 2. … We don’t want to go overboard on Mario Manningham, but he had 13 targets. He’s the pickup of the week. … Josh Morgan had zero passes come his way. This offense just isn’t built for him. … We detailed the Brandon Marshall situation in Monday’s Dose, but his six targets prove he’s in a rotation. … Chris Chambers led the Chargers with 10 targets but came up with just two catches. … Dwayne Bowe has caught nine of the ten passes that have come his way this season. … Brent Celek’s 11 targets from best friend Kevin Kolb make him a must-start as long as Donovan McNabb is out. … Chansi Stuckey led the Jets in targets for the second straight week with seven.
September 19, 2009
First of all, let’s quickly answer the questions we asked heading into Week 1.
1. Which receiver will get the most targets on the Dolphins? Here’s how the target report looked: Bess 7, Ginn 5, Fasano 3, Hartline 2, Camarillo 2, Haynos 1. Bess is the best bet for production here in PPR leagues.
2. Will Ray Rice be a true feature back? Yes. Rice got the Ravens’ first six carries of the game and finished with 19 carries for 108 yards. Willis McGahee looked like the goal-line back, but Rice was clearly the man.
3. Will Martellus Bennett or Jermichael Finley get enough snaps to be roster-able? Nope. Bennett had two passes come his way and caught one. Finley caught his only target for a six-yard gain.
4. Are Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco back to their old ways? Not completely, but there were encouraging signs. Palmer was 21-33 for 247 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He played better than those numbers showed. Chad caught five passes for 89 yards and was targeted seven times.
5. Will LaDainian Tomlinson regain his dominant form? Absolutely not. His owners couldn’t have dreamed up a much worse debut.
OK, let’s get to five questions heading into Week 2:
1. Will Beanie Wells begin his ascension to the feature back role? Both Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic and ESPN’s Mike Sando said this week they expect Wells to have a bigger role this week and going forward. Wells had seven total touches in Week 1 while Tim Hightower had 20.
2. Can the Texans’ offense prove last week was a fluke? People are calling them a finesse team, also known as soft. Can they get their offensive line issues squared away so Matt Schaub has some time? It’s a big early-season game for the Texans' confidence tomorrow in Tennessee.
3. How will Kevin Kolb affect DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and Brian Westbrook? Conventional thinking says Kolb will fall flat on his face and be replaced by Jeff Garcia before long. The Eagles are confident Kolb will play well. Jackson’s owners need to have a close eye on this in case McNabb is out longer than just this week.
4. Can Darren Sproles carry the load for a whole game? This is Sproles’ big chance to prove he’s not too small to get 20 touches in an NFL game. It’s a tough break for him that it comes against the Ravens, but that’s the way it goes. If he plays well, Tomlinson won’t be rushed back from his ankle injury.
5. How will the Colts react to Anthony Gonzalez’s absence and their inept running game? There’s a big chance for Pierre Garcon or Austin Collie to step up here. Will they become start-able in fantasy? The Colts can’t run the ball, so we should get a good idea what’s going on here in front of everyone on Monday Night.
September 18, 2009
About one-third of the NFL uses a significant form of a running back committee right now. Throughout the season, different backs will be weighted differently within these committees.
Analyzing the weekly carry fluctuations will help us stay on top of what’s going on at the most important position in fantasy football.
Here’s a look at how the carries were distributed in five of the more interesting running back situations around the league, with a take on what it meant.
For a complete running back report, plus all the tools you need for Week 2, check out the Season Pass.
COLTS
Joseph Addai: 17
Donald Brown: 11
Addai was in for the opening series and got Colts’ the first five carries of the game. In the first half, Addai had 12 carries while Brown had two. But the second half was all Brown. In the fourth quarter of a close game, Addai got two carries while Brown got six. Addai is clearly on a short leash.
The bottom line is that the Colts’ running game is in really bad shape. In 2008, they were dead last in the NFL at 3.4 yards per carry. On Sunday, Addai and Brown averaged a combined 2.68 yards per carry. The offensive line is not opening holes and this committee is looking like a fantasy wasteland right now.
PANTHERS
DeAngelo Williams: 14
Jonathan Stewart: 11
Mike Goodson: 2
There is an asterisk next to this one because the game was over in the second quarter. The biggest thing we can take away is that Stewart is healthy and the Panthers will use him at the goal-line. On the very first drive of the game, Stewart got the call three straight times from the three-yard line and in.
RAIDERS
Darren McFadden: 17
Michael Bush: 12
This committee gets a twist for Week 2 as Justin Fargas, who was inactive on Monday night because of a hamstring injury, is expected back.
Here’s Tom Cable on his running backs, per beat writer Jerry McDonald:
“I look at it as Darren is the starter, and the other two guys are his backup,” Cable said.
Here’s more Cable on using three backs:
“We’re going to have two primary runners in every game. You’ve got to have your third ready to go. … Justin is proven and proven in this system. What it does is bring a couple more packages into the offense, so hopefully we’ll get to do some of that this week.”
Still, don’t expect Fargas to get very many touches. Bush is a much better running back. McFadden will be the workhorse, with Bush taking over in the red-zone.
RAVENS
Ray Rice: 19
Willis McGahee: 10
LeRon McClain: 6
Rice got six carries before McGahee or McClain got any. The Rutgers product is the clear starter and featured back as he got all but one of the Ravens’ first-half carries. McGahee is the goal-line back, but it’s worth noting Rice got the call on a second-down from the five-yard line in the second quarter.
The Ravens spread the ball around more in the second half, but 19 carries per week is looking like a lock for Rice right now.
BRONCOS
Knowshon Moreno: 8
Correll Buckhalter: 8
LaMont Jordan: 2
Peyton Hillis: 1
Buckhalter started and had his number called on three straight plays to open the game. The second series went to the rookie Moreno. From there, the Broncos basically abandoned the run. Jordan and Hillis got spot-duty, further draining any value out of Moreno or Buchalter.
It’s not like Moreno was impressive anyway. He averaged 2.4 yards per carry and blew a blitz pickup. This situation is feeling very Patriots-esque.
COMMITTEE REPORT QUICK HITTERS
Two of the names that aren’t in any type of committee are pretty interesting: Kevin Smith and Cedric Benson. The rest are the big-boys: Matt Forte, Maurice Jones-Drew, Frank Gore, Michael Turner, Steven Jackson. … Laurence Maroney led the Patriots in carries with 10. … Brandon Jacobs had 16 carries while Ahmad Bradshaw had 12. … Beanie Wells had just seven carries, but that number should steadily rise as we move on. … Leon Washington led all “No. 2” backs with 15 carries.
September 15, 2009
Sometimes a target report can be misleading. For example, Antwaan Randle El was thrown to nine times on Sunday to lead the Redskins. That won’t last.
On the other hand, Matthew Stafford targeted Calvin Johnson 13 times and that number could even rise.
But in general, the target report is a good way to get a feel for the chemistry between a quarterback and certain receivers. Here’s a look at how the ball was spread around in five of the more interesting pass-catching situations around the league.
For a complete target report, plus all the tools you need for Week 2, check out the Season Pass.
DOLPHINS
Davone Bess: 7
Ten Ginn Jr.: 5
Anthony Fasano: 3
Brian Hartline: 2
Greg Camarillo: 2
Joey Haynos: 1
Camarillo started as the No. 2 receiver, but Bess saw the most action underneath. As we expected all summer, Pennington trusts Bess and will continue to dink and dunk to him. I know we’ve used this stat a million times, but it’s worth repeating that Bess caught 35 passes in the final six games of last season.
BEARS
Earl Bennett: 13
Greg Olsen: 6
Desmond Clark: 4
Devin Hester: 4
Johnny Knox: 4
Speaking of chemistry, everyone knows that Jay Cutler and Bennett went to Vanderbilt together, so the 13 targets aren’t a huge surprise. Bennett should be owned in most leagues. The most surprising number is that Olsen only had one catch on his six targets. Devin Hester looked improved as a route-runner and he should get some more targets in the weeks ahead.
BRONCOS
Brandon Marshall: 7
Jabar Gaffney: 4
Brandon Stokley: 4
Eddie Royal: 4
Daniel Graham: 3
Tony Scheffler: 2
This looks kind of like a Josh McDaniels Patriots target report minus the volume. Everyone got a few looks and no one was the clear go-to-guy. The number that stands out is Royal’s low workload. It’s probably a fluke, but is something worth monitoring.
COWBOYS
Jason Witten: 7
Roy Williams: 7
Patrick Crayton: 6
Miles Austin: 2
Martellus Bennett: 2
If the target report was this balanced last year, Terrell Owens would have thrown a fit. Despite all the talk that Cowboys would get Bennett more involved this year, they didn’t on Sunday.
GIANTS
Steve Smith: 8
Hakeem Nicks: 4
Mario Manningham: 4
Kevin Boss: 3
Domenik Hixon: 3
As expected, Smith was the No. 1 and worked over the middle while no one else really distinguished themselves. With Nicks now out for a couple weeks, Manningham and Hixon will split up the snaps. Manningham has much more upside.
TARGET QUICK HITTERS:
Devery Henderson led the Saints with eight targets. … Louis Murphy had nine targets while Darrius Heyward-Bey had four. … Among tight ends, Robert Royal, Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Kellen Winslow led the way with nine targets. Which one doesn’t fit? ... Chansi Stuckey (9) was Mark Sanchez’s favorite target, but Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller each had eight passes come their way. … Pierre Garcon had five targets while Austin Collie had three. Expect both those numbers, along with Dallas Clark’s, to rise with Anthony Gonzalez out.
September 12, 2009
The months of speculation are finally over; it’s time for real, live football. Can’t wait to get things going.
There are a million fantasy related questions out there, but here are five I’m looking forward to getting answered over the next two days:
1. Which receiver will get the most targets on the Dolphins? The logical answer is Ted Ginn Jr., but Chad Pennington barely looked his way in the preseason. Will Davone Bess fulfill his PPR hype? Is Greg Camarillo fully recovered from his knee surgery? Is rookie Brian Hartline really in the mix, or was that just a mirage? The target report after the Falcons game should be very interesting.
2. Will Ray Rice be a true feature back? A home game against the Chiefs will be a good spot to kick the tires on the running game over and over again. Willis McGahee will rotate in, but just how much? Who will get the goal-line carries?
3. Will Martellus Bennett or Jermichael Finley get enough snaps to be roster-able? Both young tight ends were the talk of the preseason, but neither will start tomorrow. Dallas talked about using lots of two-tight end sets, but will they? Will Finley take over for Donald Lee in passing situations?
4. Are Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco back to their old ways? This one may get an incomplete answer as the Bengals should have no trouble moving the ball against the Broncos regardless. But it will be interesting to see if Chad and Carson can find the rhythm that made the duo one of the most potent in the league just a couple short years ago.
5. Will LaDainian Tomlinson regain his dominant form? Or he is simply another back that has hit the wall and is now donezo? This summer, Norv Turner said LT2 would compete for the rushing title again. He can’t do that with a bum toe and declining explosiveness. The first three games should say a lot about if last year’s decline was an aberration or the end of his career.
September 11, 2009
No one had more hype coming out of college than Reggie Bush. In both real and fantasy football, he was simply overrated.
My, how the times have changed. In the mad dash to pick up Mike Bell and get injury updates from Pierre Thomas’ twitter page, Bush has become the forgotten man - a very weird title for a guy that dated a girl with a sex tape.
Bell is going to have a very good game this week. He’ll get at least 15 carries and the goal-line work. But there’s enough room for Bush to have an excellent game as well. He’s actually healthy right now, something we won’t be able to say for long.
According to the New Orleans Times- Picayune, Bush figures that right now, he’s the healthiest he has been since Week 7 of last season. That was when he tore his meniscus during a punt return against the Panthers.
Let’s take a quick look at what kind of workload Bush had last season before that Week 7 injury:
Week 1: 14 caries, 8 receptions
Week 2: 10 carries, 7 receptions
Week 3: 18 carries, 11 receptions
Week 4: 10 carries, 5 receptions
Week 5: 12 carries, 7 receptions
Week 6: 14 carries, 3 receptions
That workload led to Bush being the No. 1 back in PPR leagues at the time of his injury.
Bush also scored five touchdowns in that stretch. Yeah, he’s not a great runner as he averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry in those games. But give him 14 carries and seven catches, and Bush will have a productive game. He’s obviously much better in a PPR league, but even in standard scoring leagues he’s flying under the radar a little.
The perception of Bush has changed dramatically since 2006 when the Texans correctly passed on Bush in favor of Mario Williams. Now he’s a post-hype kind of guy. And that might be a better role for a player that has always had all the hype.
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