Fantasy storylines to watch this weekend
Plenty of fantasy intrigue around the league in week 10. Here are a few situations I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on.
Joe Flacco @ Cleveland: Wacko Flacco (sorry) has been shaky lately, so it’ll be interesting to see him take on a team that he played well against earlier in the season (342 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 111.8 passer rating in week 3). If Flacco can repeat or improve upon that performance, he’ll reestablish himself as a startable fantasy QB when the matchup’s right.
LeSean McCoy/Brian Westbrook vs. San Diego: How shaky is Westbrook’s ankle? Will McCoy continue to make a convincing case for more touches? Andy Reid just watched the division lead get ripped away from him by the surging Cowboys, so it’ll be interesting to see which running back he favors when push comes to shove.
Matt Ryan @ Carolina: He posted a 122.2 passer rating against the Panthers earlier in the season, so if Matt Ryan is going to revive his season and remain worthy of fantasy consideration, he’ll need to have another game like that one. Oddly similar to Flacco’s situation, actually.
Brett Favre vs. his groin: Here we go again? Favre has been superb so far, but now his groin is acting up and he’s going around saying that it might be “a sign of old age.” It was bad enough that he almost didn’t play in the Green Bay game and was telling Tarvaris Jackson to be ready to play if he had to come out. Sure, he then proceeded to absolutely kill the Packers, and he’s had a bye week to heal up, but as Mike Florio points out, it’s going to be extremely interesting to see how he’s feeling this week. This is uncomfortably reminiscent of the nagging injury situation that ruined his effectiveness last season. Hate to say it, but maybe – not definitely, just maybe – the old man’s just got too much mileage on him to make it through an NFL season.
Buffalo @ Tennessee: You wouldn’t think it, but this matchup of struggling franchises has all kinds of fantasy implications for the rest of the season. Is Tennessee really the worst passing defense in the NFL, as the cold hard numbers currently say they are? Something tells me that Tennessee will win its third game in a row, the defense will have little trouble keeping Lee Evans and Terrell Owens in check, and we’ll finally have to stop thinking of them as a dream matchup for fantasy QBs and WRs.
Also interesting to watch in this game will be the performances of Bills players Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, Lee Evans and Terrell Owens. All of them are approaching now-or-never status in terms of the odds that they’ll be significant fantasy contributors this season, and almost everything will depend on how Trent Edwards looks in his first game back from a concussion. Also, what’s the over/under on Chris Johnson? 175 yards and two touchdowns?
Sorry folks, more to say but no more time tonight. Hopefully I’ll be able to finish up later in the week. In the meantime, which players and games are you keeping an eye on this week?
Greg, 
Ken, 
lax and 6 others are discussing.
Dan A. 11:44 pm on November 11, 2009 Permalink
hey matt what s up? good to see you at the wedding.. all i can say is that doesn’t jason witten have to score a touchdown sooner or later…. bench him for zach miller against KC? what s your call?
Matt 10:57 am on November 12, 2009 Permalink
Dan! Knew you’d find the blog eventually. 🙂
I’ve been wrong about Witten all season (not that anyone’s been right about him), so at this point I don’t know what to say. Benching Witten in fantasy football feels like benching Chris Paul in fantasy basketball – they both should be the best at their position, so it’s puzzling to see Witten fall off the planet and a guy like Miles Austin take center stage. Thing is, he continues to catch passes – seven receptions last week – which usually is what you look for in a tight end. He just hasn’t broken any big plays or been a major factor in the end zone this year.
Would I start Zach Miller in his place? No. He’s a Raider. ‘Nuff said. But there are several other decent tight ends who would make a better start than Witten at this point (off the top of my head, Olsen, Celek, the other Miller, Gates, Gonzo, V. Davis, Clark, Shockey).
Squish 2:24 am on November 12, 2009 Permalink
Flacco the person to watch against Cleveland?! He doesn’t even have to play that game. Give Ray Rice the ball in the wildcat every play of the game and they’ll win by 40.
In my mind Flacoo’s already legitimately start-able. However, with how weak half their schedule is, I don’t pretend they need to pass the ball to win games like this one.
Matt 10:49 am on November 12, 2009 Permalink
That’s actually a large part of what I’m getting at. The Ravens are in flux right now after losing four of their last five, and it will be interesting to see whether they focus more on the run or the pass as they try to rediscover their winning ways.
Ken 2:44 am on November 12, 2009 Permalink
it would be a blast if CJ topped his week 2 performance in buffalo. If its possible for him to top that game, buffalo’s the team to do it against.
I wish my rb situation was anywhere near to that productive haha. Finally managed to get a trade off…traded Nicks, Knox and Sammy Morris for Addai. Considering my depth at WR, I think I got a steal. (fitzgerald, sims-walker, jennings, devin hester, steve breaston)
Although Im still left with a choice between Mike Bell and Shon Greene as my RB2. Any suggestions? I think Greene has the potential for more touches overall, and the Jags don’t have a great rush def. But if the saints pop out early, and go to run for most of the game, I’m thinking Bell could get a lot of 3rd and 4th qtr work.
Think its worth putting Bell in over Greene despite him losing the battle to PT?
Squish 3:26 am on November 12, 2009 Permalink
Yeah Ken, you got a steal there. You gave up 3 guys with barely any fantasy relavance for an all intensive purposes stud. WTG!
I’d say definitely play Green at RB this week over Bell. Bell has dropped to 3rd on NOs depth chart at RB and he lost a key fumble last week. I wouldn’t expect much out of him this year now that the rest of the rB core there is healthy. Green should at least get 13 or so touches guaranteed and will be most useful in the receiving game I think. If it’s PPR Green looks even better but I’d say play him either way as he’ll be used at least twice as much as Bell.
e-roc 9:07 am on November 12, 2009 Permalink
IMO, I think you’ll get the same amount of production/points out of either player.
Matt 4:32 pm on November 12, 2009 Permalink
Yep, nice trade. Sounds like you found an Addai hater who just wanted to dump him and be done with him.
Bell and Greene are both risky in the same way – neither is the starter, both have talent and a good matchup this week, and for both of them their production will depend largely upon how the game goes and what the defense is giving up. If one of them has a big game, it’ll be because he broke off a big play, not because he touched the ball 20 times.
I can’t call this one. Go with your gut.
Ken 11:25 am on November 14, 2009 Permalink
thanks guys!
Shane 3:16 am on November 12, 2009 Permalink
Keeping an eye on the Seattle @ Arizona game. if it goes south for Seattle look for them to give up hope and lose their drive to produce. Seattle and Hasselbeck need to win this game to maintain fantasy relevance,
Matt 4:33 pm on November 12, 2009 Permalink
Good point. It’s never ideal to own a good player on a doomed team.
Shirley 7:33 am on November 12, 2009 Permalink
Which of these WRs do I start: Crabtree, Breaston or Cotchery?
Crabtree has a game today.
Boldin should be playing this week which brings Breaston back down to a WR3 but Breaston had 77 yards and a touchdown earlier this season against SEA.
Cotchery is doing pretty well when he’s not injured and he’s going up against JAC which has a bad pass defense.
I think my main question is do I start Crabtree or the other guys? I really hate it when I have players that have games on Thursdays because you’re really forced to make a quick decision. *sigh*
Matt 4:35 pm on November 12, 2009 Permalink
I think it’s a little early to trust Crabtree over a known commodity like Breaston, who despite being a WR3 sees consistent action and is on pace for a 1,000-yard season.
lax 12:54 am on November 14, 2009 Permalink
Speaking of Joe Flacco, I have both him and Aaron Rodgers. Who should get the starting role this week based on their matchups?
Greg 10:54 am on November 15, 2009 Permalink
My weekly problem it seems: Brian Westbrook. I have to make my decision by 11AM central. I won’t have access after that. Do I play Westbrook, McCoy, or Beanie Wells?