Week 7 Blog & Lineup Advice (Updated: 10/21)
Oct. 21, 2011
Thankfully, it appears that Oakland has come to their senses and Kyle Boller will be starting week seven. At least give Palmer a couple of weeks to get accustomed to his surroundings and get to know the playbook a bit. I still fully expect Palmer to be starting after the bye week.
In Indi, Joseph Addai looks to be a surprise starter this weekend in New Orleans. You still can’t start him unless you’re really strapped, but at least he’s an option.
I’m looking forward to Tebow’s performance in Miami this weekend. Fully expecting better fantasy numbers than NFL productivity, I’m still rooting for him to do well and to quiet his naysayers. I also happen to think that he’s not a horrible start this weekend.
If you had told me at the beginning of the year that after week six Tampa’s Mike Williams would be fourth on the roster in reception yards, I would have told you to get your head checked and to, perhaps, consider fantasy golf instead. As it stands, Preston Parker sits atop the list with 268 yards and two touchdowns. But Mike Williams is not far behind with 242. Still, I’m growing more and more concerned and starting to see the ghost of Michael Clayton.
Matt Ryan is in Detroit this week. Another tough match-up. What a disappointment! No player has come up more short in my mind this year than Matt Ryan. I just moved him in one of my leagues.
Andre Johnson is recovering well but will not be playing vs. Tennessee. Look for the Titans to stack the box vs. Arian Foster and force Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones to play a bigger role. Owen Daniels makes for a sneaky second TE starter if you are shallow at receiver.
I’m really having a tough time with the Larry Fitzgerald start vs. PIT this weekend, but I won’t break DLF’s number one tenet: “Never bench your studs!”. If there was ever a week….
As much as I am not a Jet’s fan, I applaud Darrelle Revis hanging up on WFAN’s Mike Francesca on Monday. Francesca, who already has a strained relationship with the Jets, was badgering Revis endlessly about his interception return, trying to get him to admit that it was a result of a missed interference penalty. While it’s true that Revis obviously threw Marshall off balance utilizing Marshall’s forward momentum, if it isn’t called then it isn’t called. Everyone knows that Revis gets those non-calls because he’s the best in the league. To his credit, Revis didn’t hang up on Francesca until told to do so by a member of the Jet’s PR staff … who later called to apologize. In my mind, no apology was necessary. Where does the media get off thinking that they can badger players and expect them to simply put up with it? Knuckleheads like Francesca need to get over themselves and give a good unbiased interview. It’s no wonder more players are refusing to talk to the media. Media members write, players play. Let’s not forget our stations.
San Diego’s Antonio Gates looks like he will give it a go this weekend. Great news for Gates and his fans. He likely doesn’t have many more games left in him but he’s worth a buy-low if you need help at the position.
Flacco gets one more week before I bench him permanently … or until I really need him again. This time I mean it. Really!
Look for my first 2012 rookie round-up soon! I’m pulling together information and should have the article out this weekend. It’s still very early but things are starting to take shape. A lot of exciting rookies are likely to come out in 2012 but many of the big names are only juniors. This is the year that a quarterback should likely be going first in your fantasy draft. Tough to do at 1.01 but most believe that Luck is the best quarterback prospect since Elway. I’m not going further than Manning at this point, but there are still games left.
Stay tuned….
Oct. 19, 2011
Personally, I was hoping for a bit more action before the trade deadline. Instead, we got a major move with Carson Palmer and a ho-hum and, eventually, reversed Ronnie Brown trade. If you’re Ronnie Brown, that’s gotta feel good doesn’t it?
For the Raiders, I find myself flipping back and forth between “just what in the heck are you doing?” and “kudos for stepping up and giving your fans something to cheer for”. I lean towards the latter in that the Raiders are as good as they have been in a long time. Their owner passes away and the next week , their quarterback goes down with what amounts to a season ending injury. Rather than pack it in and hope for the best with Kyle Boller under center, the Raiders stepped up and made something happen. Did they overpay? Yes, probably … but in current times when draft picks are no sure thing, they get a known commodity to lead their team for years to come. And don’t think for a second that Palmer isn’t ultra-motivated.
I’m not keen on any player essentially quitting on his team in the middle of a contract but, for many reasons, I found myself siding with Palmer in this ‘retirement’ saga. It’s not as if Mike Brown and the Bengals have strung anything more than a series of very questionable moves together. Almost to ridiculous extremes in fact. I don’t know how many times that me and the DLF partners joked how a particular trade and/or move would be perfect for the Bengals in jest only to see it come to fruition. At some point, a player has to make a stand vs. perceived incompetence.
Well played by both Palmer and Mike Brown. Both got what they wanted. And Cincinnati fans HAVE to be liking the possibilities that Dalton offers at this point. I’ve been moderately impressed by the rookie.
I thought Palmer would be taking over after the Raider’s bye but it seems that he will be seeing the field in week seven. That’s nuts from where I sit, but little doubt in my mind that Palmer is up for the challenge.
From elsewhere around the league ….
As expected Donovan McNabb is on the bench and the Christian Ponder era has begun. McNabb is reportedly surprised. Really?!?
Is there a more entertaining coach than Rex Ryan? Say what you will, but he makes for great quotes and great football. Whether it was the foot fetish drama from 2010, the endless championship predictions or his sideline antics, he’s just tough not to like. Just to be honest, I couldn’t stand his father for anything. And for the record, he’s right about Norv Turner this week. Don’t get me wrong, I think Norv is one of the best when it comes to being an offensive coordinator, but for whatever reason, just like Tony Romo, he can’t win the big game and he won’t sniff a big game this year. Mark it down. I’ve loved Turner since he was in Dallas but at some point you just have to face the music.
Got Beck? He’s starting in week seven. I think he has a chance to be a good quarterback. We’ll see.
I’ve listened to a number of fantasy shows this week and it has struck me with how many times I’ve heard questions about who to pick up at the kicker position. People, when it comes to playing or picking up a kicker, hit your waiver wire, spend three seconds making sure the prospective kicker isn’t on a bye, look for a good match-up and hit “add”. Don’t waste your time trying to determine who will be scoring 12 points and who will be scoring 7. It’s a crap-shoot, nothing more.
Andre Johnson will be sitting out one more week, this time vs. Tennessee. Tentatively looking for AJ to get back to work against the Jaguars, but it makes me nervous. I’d prefer to see him out for two more weeks at a minimum.
Sam Bradford will be giving it a go vs. Dallas this week. What are the Rams thinking? Give him some rest and let him heal up a bit. This start isn’t going to be the key for a big playoff run.
Dare I say that if you are in a pinch, Marshawn Lynch is a start this week. He’s running with live legs and getting outside more. Considering the fact that their offensive line can’t open up any inside holes, outside is where it has to be. Seattle is actually playing some spirited ball right now and Lynch could be in line for 20 carries for a change.
Chris Johnson owners, pray that the week of rest has done the trick for the under-performing runner. Something tells me that we’re going to finally see a break out week. I think this may be the third time I’ve said that in four weeks. I’m an optimist.
Chicago! Pay Matt Forte’!
DeAngelo Williams or Jonathan Stewart t his week? Neither! I’m done trying to figure it out. Same goes for James Starks and Ryan Grant. Terrible.
Rumors are beginning to swirl that Stanford’s junior phenom signal caller, Andrew Luck, may be aligning with his father toward strong arming his draft status similar to Eli Manning, perhaps refusing to play for certain teams . What a disappointment that would be.
Brandon Marshall should have followed through with his threat to get thrown out in the second quarter. It would have been the most exciting thing he’s done all year … eclipsing the huge let down that was his sure-touchdown catch and run that ended with him tight roping the sideline only to lose his balance and fall out of bounds untouched. Nice.
Yes, it’s an impossible match-up but you can’t bench Larry Fitzgerald vs. that tough Pittsburgh defense. I know because I’m starting him in multiple leagues.
DeMarco Murray owners, this is your week. Get him in your lineup!
Hey, Mike Sims-Walker is back with the Jaguars. Ouch.
Seems like a good place to end this update.
Have a tough start/sit question, let’s hear it.
You can find Jeff on Twitter at @dlf_jeff
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