Monster Match Ups and Misses Week 9

Taking a look at the week 9 schedule, it was easier to find good match ups as opposed to bad ones. Good match ups abound this week, and some of the bad ones are due not only to the ability of the opposing defense, but also workload and crowding issues in some teams backfields. Let's take a look at the week 9 match ups.

The Good

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receivers have a good match up this week against the Houston Texans. In an offense that loves to throw the ball, the Eagles will face off against the 29th ranked pass defense of the Texans. Houston is allowing 271.4 yards per game on the season, and have given up 15 touchdowns through the air. The Eagles have the 6th ranked pass offense in the league, and given this match up it is easy to say start your Eagles wide receivers and Zach Ertz. Darren Sproles deserves a flex look as well coming back from injury this week.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers have a fantastic opportunity this week against the 27th ranked offense of the Jaguars. Add to that the likely return of AJ Green, and the subtraction of Giovanni Bernard from the Bengals offense, and it looks like the air game is set up to have success this week. The Jaguars are allowing 267.4 yards per game and don't pick the ball off a lot. Andy Dalton should be able to take advantage of this match up this week in a spot start if your quarterback is one of the bye week guys. Mohamed Sanu and AJ Green are must starts this week.

The Seattle Seahawks running game faces the Oakland Raiders in Seattle this week. I look for a dedication to the run in a game the Seahawks should be able to build a lead and grind to the finish. The Raiders allow 130.1 rushing yards per game on the season and are the 26th ranked run defense. Look for Seattle to return to their ground and pound ways to control the game.

Indianapolis Colts wide outs have a good match up this week against the 25th ranked pass defense of the New York Giants. Allowing 262.4 yards per game through the air, the Giants are definitely vulnerable to the great passing attack of the Colts. The return of Reggie Wayne this week makes at least 3 viable starters for the Colts in TY Hilton, Reggie Wayne, and Dwayne Allen. Fringe guys for the colts are Donte Moncrief and Coby Fleener. You can start them in an emergency, but I wouldn't count too much on their production this week.

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Arian Foster and the Houston Texans rushing attack are in a great situation this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Houston wants to control the amount of time the Eagles have the ball, the easiest way is to lean on Foster and Alfred Blue to grind the clock down. The Eagles have only allowed 3 rushing touchdowns on the season, but they do allow 116.7 yards per game so far this year. Look for Foster to get a heaping helping of touches this week and find success.

The Bad

New York Jets wide receivers have a terrible match up this week against the top ranked pass defense of the Kansas City Chiefs. On top of the tough match up, the Jets have been a mess at the quarterback position. Last week in the debut of Percy Harvin, Geno Smith was benched and Michael Vick took over. Neither one of the Jets quarterbacks had any success and I don't see that getting better for them this week. Sit your Jets receivers, and if you play Vick, pray for rushing.

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San Diego Chargers square off against the 3rd ranked pass defense of the Miami Dolphins in week 9. The Dolphins shut down the Chicago Bears receivers last week, and have only been allowing 211.6 yards passing per game on the season. Keenan Allen has been having trouble scoring this year, and the only guy that has been really good is Antonio Gates. The success of Phillip Rivers has been very dependent on Gates. Look for the Dolphins to try to take Gates out of the equation.

St. Louis Rams running game is a victim of the old running back by committee. Tre Mason had a great game against the Seahawks in week 7, then followed that up with 7 carries for 32 yards in week 8. Mason suffers from an inability to pass block, and loses time on the field to Benny Cunningham in those situations. The Rams opponent in week 9 is the San Francisco 49ers, who have the 4th ranked run defense, allowing 84.9 yards per game.  Mason did have some success against the 49ers in week 6, averaging 8 yards per carry, but the other two backs had marginal results. Given the volatile situation in the Rams backfield, I can't see starting any of them.

Philadelphia Eagles running backs have been largely disappointing so far this season. LeSean McCoy has had one good game so far against the Giants in week six, and has only scored one time on the season. Darren Sproles is in the same boat, and is coming back from an MCL injury. Sproles had a huge game in week 2, and has done nothing since. This week the Eagles are taking on the Houston Texans. Ranked 12th, the Texans have allowed 108.2 yards per game on the season, but have only allowed 4 rushing touchdowns. If you have better options that McCoy and Sproles, I think it is a good week to try those options.

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New England Patriots running backs are about as unpredictable as the huge wind storm that is supposed to hit at game time. Head coach Bill Belichick is known to game plan to specific teams, and frequently will completely stay away from the player that was productive the week before. The Pats take on the top ranked run defense of the Denver Broncos this week. Denver has only allowed 72.4 yards per game and 5 scores on the ground this season. Last week Jonas Gray had 17 carries for 86 yards. The week before he had 3 for 12. I personally hate owning a running back from the Patriots because of the schizophrenic nature of Belichick. The wind storm is a confounding factor, along with the explosive nature of the Broncos offense. If you have to gamble, one possible game plan could be to feed the ball to Gray to control the clock and keep Peyton Manning off the field. Or he could go opposite and use Shane Vereen and pass non stop. Your guess is as good as mine.

That brings us to the end of the match up monsters and misses for week 9. Halfway through the season already, and only about a month from the fantasy playoffs, I hope this article can help you make the good choices this week to propel your teams to the playoffs and a championship. Good luck this week!

Strategy Scoop: Flex Play

It may seem like common sense, but I have watched players in my leagues, and have myself this season made an easy mistake. The Thursday night games are an outlier on the week , and you must treat them accordingly.

When a team plays on Thursday night, the players from that game are locked down until the following week when waivers process. This leads to a few different situations in which care must be taken to make sure that you make moves with these players that are appropriate for your needs. The first thing to think about is if you want to roster a guy for the week. If you don't intend to play a guy from the Thursday night games, you should probably consider dropping fringe level players that you are not going to play on Thursday to open up more options for the Sunday games.

Now I'm not telling you to drop top level talent on Thursday before the game kicks off, but if you have a 5th running back or receiver that you aren't likely to play unless you will have a definite need for them in the near future. The guys I am talking about are the speculative players that have the Thursday night match up. If you weren't playing them anyways, you can take a chance on getting them back the next week, while opening up more options for this week on Sunday.

The other mistake I see made, and the one I have definitely made myself is leaving a player that has a Thursday night game in my flex spot. If you are playing a flex eligible player in a Thursday night game, DO NOT leave him in your flex spot. When you are playing the Thursday night guys, put them in their appropriate slot. Running backs in the running back spot, receivers in the wide receiver spot. This allows you the maximum flexibility on Sunday in case an unexpected injury pops up late in the week. This happened to me earlier this year when I forgot to move a wide receiver out of my flex spot and would have been able to make a decision between Darren Sproles and Reggie Wayne or Dwayne Allen in my flex spot later in the week. Instead I only had Sproles available to me.

It is a simple move to make, but allowing yourself the maximum flexibility is the best strategy to make your team a winner. A choice between multiple players is always going to be better than being tied down to only one player.

Waiver Wire Week 9

Week 9 is a week of some big named players on bye. This week we have Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, and Tennessee on bye. There are 9 wide receivers alone from those teams that will be big losses for your fantasy teams. Here is a short list of players to look at to fill in those gaps in your lineup in week 9.

QB 

Ryan Tannehill (MIA) didn't do a lot of passing in week 8, because he didn't really need to. The Dolphins defense handled the heavy lifting, returning 2 interceptions for touchdowns. He did continue his streak of over 40 yards rushing for the 4th consecutive game. Tannehill is unlikely to get you a ton of points against a good pass defense at home this week against the Chargers, but he is playing well, and if he continues to get some rushing, he can be a good bye week fill in this week.

Michael Vick (NYJ) relieved Geno Smith in week 8 against the Bills. Vick didn't do a lot passing in week 8, but did have 69 yards rushing. If Vick is going to start next week, he will have some time to get reps and have a game plan built for him. The rushing alone will make up for a lot, and if your QB is on bye, Vick could help you out for a week.

RB 

Lorenzo Taliaferro (BAL) was a lone bright spot for the running back position that is unlikely to be owned in all leagues. Owned in only 12% of ESPN leagues, Taliaferro was the goal line back for the Ravens in week 8. Only rushing for 27 yards, he did score 2 times. He is a gamble, but with running back injuries and byes, Taliaferro is one of few running backs worth a look for week 9. Baltimore plays Pittsburgh next week, the 12th ranked run defense.

Denard Robinson (JAX) got a lot of work, and was effective, for the second week in a row. Running the ball 18 times for 108 yards and catching 1 pass for 10 yards, Robinson played well. Jacksonville faces off against the 29th ranked run defense of the Bengals next week. If he gets the work, the yardage should be there.

Alfred Blue (HOU) is not only the backup for Arian Foster, but also finding himself getting some work at times this year. Getting 14 carries for 42 yards in week 8, and a catch for 22 yards, blue and the Texans have some good running match ups coming up. A week 10 bye is a negative, but facing off against the Eagles in week 9, the Browns in week 11, and the Bengals in week 12 make the next 3 games good ones for the Houston running game. The Texans face only 2 top 10 defenses rest of season, and the average run defense faced for the rest of the year is 20.3. Blue is a good addition to a roster given that the Texans tend to be run heavy and have an injury prone Foster playing in front of Blue.

Charles Sims (TB) is a rookie back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sims has been on the IR designated to return so far this season, but began practicing last week. With the lack of production, and apparent desire for the Bucs to trade everyone on their team, Sims is likely to get a shot very soon. He is a must add to any team that is in a bad spot at running back. I wrote about Sims last week in an article about IR designated to return players available with this link.

WR 

Martavis Bryant (PIT) was a recipient of the monster day of Ben Roethlisberger in week 8. Making 5 catches on 7 targets for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns, Bryant has scored 3 times in his first 2 games. I thought about writing about him last week, but wanted to see one more week of good production before making a recommendation to pick him up. Now is that time. Pittsburgh plays at the 22nd ranked pass defense of  Baltimore next week. Not a lot of scoring allowed through the air by the Ravens so far this season, but if the Steelers can build on their momentum from this week, Bryant could turn into a monster.

Donte Moncrief (IND) showed up huge this week for the Colts. A benefactor of the game flow, being down big quick, Moncrief made 7 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. In the first week without both Reggie Wayne and Trent Richardson, Moncrief fit seamlessly into the offense. You can read my article on Donte from last week here. Assuming Wayne is out again this week with his elbow injury, Moncrief is a good addition to replace some of the receivers on bye in week 9. The Giants are the opponent for Indy in week 9, and have the 25th ranked pass defense in the league. Look for good production for Moncrief and the Colts in week 9.

Allen Robinson (JAX) is averaging 5.4 receptions per week for 64.7 yards a game, scoring twice for the Jaguars since week 2. Robinson is a good play for any fantasy team in a PPR league. Only owned in 3% of ESPN leagues, he is likely sitting on the waiver wire for the taking. The Jags face the Bengals this week and their 23rd ranked pass defense. If nothing else, Robinson is a good replacement for the week 9 bye guys, and may find a permanent spot on your roster after that.

Brandon LaFell (NE) was a beast in week 8. The favorite target of Tom Brady on Sunday, LaFell caught 11 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. In PPR formats, it was his 3rd game in his last 5 with at least 23.9 points. Facing off against Denver's 17th ranked pass defense in week 9, LaFell could well find himself having another week of productive work. The schedule for the Patriots gets a bit brutal for the rest of the season, but as we have learned this season, never count out Brady and the Pats offense.

Davante Adams (GB) has been a bit hit and miss so far this season, but has taken over the number 3 receiver spot for the Packers. The schedule gets nice in the coming weeks, after the week 9 bye for Adams. Facing an average pass defense of 21.5 in the rankings, Adams has some very soft match ups, and 3 top 6 pass defenses left on the schedule. He is not necessarily a must add this week as he is on bye, but don't let him sit on the wire for too long.

 Thus brings us to the end of the waiver wire article for week 9. There are definitely some possible stars emerging and some good replacements for your bye weeks and injured players. Go pick 'em up, and good luck this week!

Practice Report Round Up Week 8

Week 8 brings us some familiar names on the practice reports, some new additions, and a few guys getting back in action. Here is the list of guys you might care about for your fantasy games this week.

John Brown (ARI) is probable after being limited in practice this week. Brown may make a good fill in for injured wide receivers or bye week fill in. The Cardinals play against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Eagles have the 23rd ranked pass defense. This game may see the Cardinals put the ball in the air more as Carson Palmer has not appeared on the practice report himself this week.

Harry Douglas (ATL) is a welcome addition back to a struggling Falcons offense. The bad news is that he can't play offensive line. Douglas is a good third option for the Falcons, but Matt Ryan has had little time to make the read to get to Douglas. Detroit has one of the best defensive units so far this season, so I personally wouldn't be playing Douglas.

Owen Daniels (BAL) is out this week after having some "cleanup" done on his knee. No other viable option exists with the Ravens for fantasy purposes, so go fine yourself a waiver guy like maybe Andrew Quarless from Green Bay or Luke Willson or Cooper Helfet from the Seahawks.

Fred Jackson (BUF) is out for a few weeks. Some estimates are 2-3 weeks, or as many as 6 with a groin injury. In the absence of both Jackson and CJ Spiller there isn't a consensus on whether Anthony Dixon or Bryce Brown are the best play. Take your shot this week, or just don't play any Buffalo running back this week. The Bills play the stingy run defense of the Jets this week, so caution may be the best option.

Philly Brown (CAR) is out this week with a concussion. It is unlikely you were playing Brown, but he does return kicks, so if you were playing him in a league that gives credit for this, you won't have him to score for you this week.

Chris Ogbonnaya (CAR) is questionable this week with a groin injury against the Seattle Seahawks. The Panthers running back situation is its usual mess, with anyone who is anyone banged up. Jonathan Stewart is getting the start this week, but with the 2 starting guards out for the Panthers, I wouldn't feel good about starting any of their backs.

Fozzy Whitaker (CAR) is out this week. Part of the mess of injured Panthers running backs, Whitaker will not be available to you this week.

AJ Green (CIN) is questionable this week. Having already missed time with a toe injury this season, this is not a surprise to any Green owner. He was heard to say last week that he was playing this week, but was only able to do conditioning this week at practice. I wouldn't count on him playing, and even if he does, there is no way to know how effective he would be. I would look for better options this week.

Reggie Bush (DET) is listed as doubtful this week with an ankle injury. With Joique Bell and Theo Riddick both healthy, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for the Lions to play Bush this week. Riddick might be a good addition if you are weak at running back, as the Lions play against the terrible defense of the Atlanta Falcons this week.

Calvin Johnson (DET) was a limited participant in practice this week. According to multiple reports on Friday night, it is unlikely the Lions will play Johnson this week. If they do, you can be pretty confident that he will be able to contribute, as the Lions have found a way to be competitive so far in his absence. The confounding issue is that this game is an afternoon game in London, and starts at 9:30 am eastern, 6:30 am pacific. If you go to bed with Johnson in your lineup, you better be up to make sure he plays.

Theo Riddick (DET) is listed as probable for the Lions this week. In the absence of Reggie Bush, Riddick will likely get the workload of the second running back for the Lions. In week 6 when bush was inactive, Riddick was a big contributor in the Lions passing game against the Vikings. He had 5 catches for 75 yards and a score, adding slightly to that with 3 rushes for 6 yards. Riddick is a good hail mary at running back against the Falcons. If Detroit can get a big lead, it is likely that Riddick will see much of the work. He will likely make a good one week option for a desperate team.

Eric Ebron (DET) is out this week against the Falcons. Missing his second game in a row for the Lions with a hamstring injury, if you were playing Ebron, time to get another option.

Joseph Fauria (DET) is bad at being a pet owner. Fauria will miss another game with an ankle injury, now famously, sustained trying to stop his dog from peeing in the house. I feel bad for Fauria, but it is one of the better weird injury stories.

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) is listed as doubtful for the Lions this week. The third tight end for the Lions to be unlikely to play this week, Pettigrew has a foot injury. Having almost fallen off the fantasy football map, it is unlikely that you were playing Pettigrew anyways, but if you were, unlikely this week.

James Starks (GB) is probable for Sunday after being limited in practice all week with an ankle injury. It is unclear if Starks will continue to get the workload he was getting in the past few games seeing as he is hurt, but he has been getting a near equal share of the work and did score last week. Keep an eye on the inactives list to be sure, but Lacy seems like the better option this week for the Pack.  This is also the Sunday night game, so it makes it more difficult to wait to see what Starks status will be.

Trent Richardson (IND) did not participate in practice this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday with a hamstring injury. Richardson left last weeks game early and has not been on the field since. This is a late game on Sunday, so I would make other plans if you have Richardson in your starting lineup.

Reggie Wayne (IND) is out for Sunday against the Steelers. After suffering an elbow injury, Wayne is likely to miss a few weeks. A possible replacement in the Colts lineup is either Hakeem Nicks or Donte Moncrief.

Toby Gerhart (JAX) was a full participant in practice Friday. It is unclear what Gerhart's role will be with the Jags on Sunday, but he was unimpressive in his previous appearances for Jacksonville. This one is your judgement call.

Donnie Avery (KC) is out this week for the Chiefs with a groin injury. Not a big fantasy name, you likely don't have Avery as a regular member of your squad, but if you did, take him out.

Shane Vereen (NE) missed Friday practice with an illness. Head coach Bill Belichick is famous for listing guys on the injury report possibly erroneously, but it is possible that Vereen will not play. Keep an eye on the inactives Sunday. Jonas Gray is a good name to keep in mind if Vereen is out.

Jimmy Graham (NO) was limited in practice this week with a shoulder injury. Graham was active last week, but only got 2 targets. Being the night game on Sunday makes him a difficult decision. It is possible that if you wait on him and he is inactive you could gamble on Gavin Escobar or Niles Paul in the Monday night game, but unlikely you have a better option that Graham. Because he played last week, it is likely he would play this week after being able to participate in practice at all.


Pierre Thomas (NO) is out this week for the Saints with rib and shoulder injuries. The logical replacement for Thomas in the Saints offense is Travaris Cadet. Likely available, if you want to play a Saint against the Packers 31st ranked run defense, Cadet will assume the Thomas role.

Khiry Robinson (NO) is out this week with an arm injury. This bolsters the role for Mark Ingram for the Saints. Ingram is a great play this week as the only running back surviving for the Saints that actually runs most of the time.

Eric Decker (NYJ) was limited in practice this week for the Jets. This will likely be the case for most, if not all, of the season. Keep an eye on the inactives for Sunday as Decker has missed time already this year, but if you have been playing him, plan on continuing.

Darren Sproles (PHI) was a full participant in practice for the Eagles. Officially listed as questionable with a knee injury, keep your eye on the inactives and make your educated decision.

Vincent Jackson (TB) is questionable for the Buccaneers after being limited all week in practice. Widely expected to play, you can likely pencil Jackson into your lineup Sunday, but make sure to check inactives Sunday morning.

Shonn Greene (TEN) was a full participant in practice for the Titans. Muddying up the running back situation for Tennessee, Greene will likely be in a backfield with a disappointing Bishop Sankey on Sunday. Currently there is no solid information on who will have what workload, so playing either guy is a gamble. Adding to that the Titans are starting Zach Mettenberger this week for the first time. The Titans may decide that it is time to see what the youth of their team can do together, so tread carefully with Greene.

Robert Griffin III (WAS) was a limited participant in practice this week. Being called a game time decision by head coach Jay Gruden, it is possible Griffin returns to play this week. Being the Monday night game makes it nearly impossible to wait to see, but you may want to stash RG3 if you have faith left in him.

That brings this look at the Friday practice reports to a close. Remember the early Sunday London game, and to keep a close eye on the inactives for your players. Good luck this week!

Is Hunting Season Open?

With a switch to quarterback Zach Mettenberger for the Tennessee Titans, is hunting season open? Big play wide receiver Justin Hunter may have a new found value for fantasy.

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Justin Hunter has had an up and down season so far for the Titans. From being made to wear a jersey in the preseason that read JAG, which stood for just a guy, in practice by coach Ken Whisenhunt, to sporadic production during the regular season. So far in the tumultuous 2014 campaign for the Titans there have been 2 starting quarterbacks, and this weekend they will add a third. There has been a lack of consistency for the offense, and Charlie Whitehurst was not going to be a guy to do a lot more than manage the Titans to closer losses than if they put a tackling dummy in at quarterback. It seems quite likely that there could be some better days ahead for Hunter and the Tennessee offense.

In college at Tennessee Hunter didn't do a whole lot in his first 2 seasons. As a freshman he was a big play guy, catching 16 passes for 415 yards, scoring on 7 of his receptions. His yards per catch was 25.9 during that season. As a sophomore in 2011 Hunter caught 17 balls in the 3 games he played before tearing his ACL. The big breakout season was in 2012 as a junior where hunter caught 73 passes for 1083 yards and 9 touchdowns. The per catch numbers came down, but the sustainability of 25.9 yards per catch was ultimately unrealistic.

Hunter has great size at 6'4 and great vertical and broad jump abilities, measured at 39 1/2 inch vertical and 136 inch broad jump, both best performances at the combine for wide receivers. His 33 1/4 inch arms and 9 3/8 inch hands give him the reach and hand size needed to be able to control the ball. The Titans took him in the second round (34th overall) of the 2013 draft. Paired along side of Kendall Wright and Nate Washington, with Delanie Walker at tight end, the Titans were set up to have a good receiving corps. The inconsistent play at quarterback, and inability of Jake Locker to stay healthy, has cost the Titans. Along with the inconsistent play from their signal callers, the Titans have struggled to put together a running game to take the pressure off of their quarterbacks.

Now enter Mettenberger. A 2 year starter at LSU, Mettenberger has shown a propensity to get the ball

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down the field. His senior season Mettenberger had an average yards per attempt of 10.4. That is a huge number for average yards per attempt. In recent history some now NFL quarterbacks had smaller numbers for down field attempts. Blake Bortles had an average yards per attempt of 9.4 his senior year. Andrew Luck had an average of 8.9 yards per attempt over his 3 seasons at Stanford. Robert Griffin III had 10.7 his senior year, but an average of 8.7 during his college career. And even Austin Davis, known as a bit of a gunslinger, had an average of 7.1 yards per attempt during his time at Southern Mississippi.

The desire and ability of Mettenberger to push the ball down the field is a great thing for the Titans offense overall. This will allow playmakers like Hunter and Wright to get down field and make plays, and in turn could take some pressure off the line of scrimmage for the run game. All of these factors could open up the entire offense for the Titans for the rest of this season. A fairly favorable schedule also awaits the Titans passing game for the remainder of the season. The rest of the year the Titans only play one top 10 passing defense in the Colts in week 17, and if your playoffs don't include that week you get to skip their worst match up. The whole rest of season average pass defense to be faced by the Titans is 20th. They face only 3 teams in the top half of pass defense rankings the rest of the year. If Mettenberger can lead this offense and pick up the speed of the game, the Titans may be able to finish on a high note.

If you are inclined to gamble a little on a season that is sitting at 3-4, you could do worse than to acquire Hunter, or even try to buy low on Kendall Wright, and maybe add Mettenberger to your team and put your wager on the Titans being able to take advantage of their good schedule for the rest of 2014.

IR Designated To Return

The past few seasons the NFL has had a spot for teams to place a player on the injured reserve list for a portion of the season and bring him back later. Often times, unless your league has an IR spot in it, these players get dropped and forgotten until they are returning. This is your chance to get out in front of the return of a couple of these players that may have some big fantasy implications.

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Tyler Eifert (CIN) is a tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals who dislocated his elbow at the beginning of the season. Eifert was placed on the IR to return list, and soon should be active again around week 11 for the Bengals. The passing game in Cincinnati has been challenged to say the least so far this season after the injuries to Eifert, Marvin Jones, and AJ Green. When Eifert returns you can expect him to get a decent amount of targets in the passing game and help to shore up a tight end position that has been fraught with injury and lack of production this season. Don't wait for the news to hit the main stream media that Eifert has returned to practice. The time to grab and stash is now. If your tight end has been underperforming, pick him up and stash him for the late season push.

Image source: buccaneers.com

Another name that has a chance to see significant playing time when he returns to the active roster is Charles Sims. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a disappointment all around so far this season. Sims was rumored to be part of a committee coming out of training camp when he went down with an ankle injury. Sims has already returned to practice in week 8, and with Doug Martin and Bobby Rainey not providing good production for the Bucs, look for Sims to get a shot soon after being activated to the Bucs roster. At 1-5, the Bucs are sitting on the brink of a lost season and will likely decide to take a look at the young running back that was drafted by the current regime.

I recommend adding one or both of these players to your roster if you need help at either position. They could end up being difference makers for your fantasy season, or hopefully your playoff run.

Monster Match Ups And Misses Week 8

Week 8 has some huge games that offer up some monster match ups for your fantasy week. On the flip side of that, there are some games that offer up bad match ups for both receivers and running backs on your teams. Let's take a look at this weeks monsters and misses.

The Good

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Detroit Lions have a great match up this week against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have the 27th ranked run defense in the league allowing 137.7 rushing yards per game and 13 rushing touchdowns so far this season. With Reggie Bush and Theo Riddick both being banged up, it might be a great week for Joique Bell this week in London. Along with the bad run defense the Falcons have the 29th ranked pass defense in the league. Allowing 274.4 yards and 8 touchdowns through the air this year, Golden Tate should find himself some good stats this week. Early rumors say that it is possible that Calvin Johnson will play this week, but keep an eye out for practice report updates this week. Being that this game is in London, the start time is early for both east and west coast fantasy players. If Johnson practices this week, you can expect him to play and plug him in your lineup.

The

In week 8 the Seattle Seahawks face off against the once menacing defense of the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers rank 26th against the run, allowing 137.6 yards per game and 8 touchdowns on the season on the ground. Ranking 22nd against the pass, they allow 250.7 yards per game and 15 touchdowns. I look for the Seahawks to recommit to the run this week with Marshawn Lynch. On top of that, it could be a coming out party for Paul Richardson this week against the porous Carolina secondary. Start your Seahwaks, and don't leave Richardson on your waiver wire for the future.

Image source zimbio.com

The Minnesota Vikings have a great match up against the run defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs allow 128.3 yards per game with their 25th ranked run defense. Jerick McKinnon seems to have finally passed Matt Asiata to be the starter and feature back for the Vikings. With 30 rushes for 143 yards the past 2 weeks for the Vikes, McKinnon has had the lions share of the rushes for the Vikings. He is a must start this week against the Bucs.

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers wide receivers have to be licking their chops with their match up this week at the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have the 28th ranked pass defense, allowing 270.5 yards per game and have given up 11 touchdowns while only having 3 interceptions. Look for the great offense of the Packers to feast on the Saints defense early and often.

The Philadelphia Eagles square off against the 31st ranked pass defense of the Arizona Cardinals. Allowing 284.8 yards per game, the pass heavy offense of the Eagles should be able to find some success against the Cards. Look for Jeremy Maclin to have a good game, but the sleeper to watch is Jordan Matthews. Look for him to have a breakout game this week. I would expect to see Patrick Peterson on Jeremy Maclin a lot, leaving Mathews in a good spot to score for you.

Image source sportsworldreport.com

A team I would never have expected to be writing about hits up the monsters list next. The Oakland Raiders have a great match up against the 32nd ranked defense of the Cleveland Browns. Giving up a league high 155.5 yards per game, and 5 yards per carry, it is a good week ahead for Darren McFadden. As long as the Raiders follow a game plan that includes attacking Cleveland at their weak point, you should get a solid spot start from McFadden this week.

The Bad:

The Cincinnati Bengals had a tough week 7 against the Colts, and it isn't going to get much easier this week against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are the 7th ranked run defense in the NFL allowing only 87 yards per game on the ground and only 3 touchdowns on the season. This will make for a hard game for Giovanni Bernard and Jeremy Hill in week 8. The Ravens passing defense is ranked 24th in the league allowing 258 yards a game, but they have not allowed a lot of scoring, only 7 passing touchdowns on the season. The Bengals need AJ Green to play this week, or they will have a hard time finding a way to win this game. If Green sits out again this week, or if he isn't 100 percent, I don't like the fantasy output you will likely see from the Bengals.

Image source stltoday.com

St. Louis Rams played a solid game against the Seahawks in week 7, but their special teams was the

difference maker last week. This week I look for their passing attack to have a difficult time against the leagues number 2 pass defense. The Kansas City Chiefs only allow 209 yards per game on the season. They have allowed 11 passing touchdowns on the season, but a young quarterback, and inconsistent play from the wide receivers of the Rams leads me to the desire to sit my Rams wide outs this week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars earned their first win of the season in week 7, but in week 8 they get to face the defense that just shut down a much better Chicago offense. The Miami Dolphins are the 4th ranked passing defense and 10th ranked run defense. Allowing 213.3 and 100.3 yards a game respectively, it looks to be a bad match up for the Jags this week. Add to that the revolving door at running back, and a rookie signal caller, and it is hard to find a Jaguar I would want to start on my fantasy team this week.

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This week the Atlanta Falcons face off against what has been one of the best defenses in the league in the Detroit Lions. Detroit has the leagues 2nd ranked run defense at 73.4 yards per game and 3 rushing scores allowed on the season. The Falcons have a mess on their offensive line, having lost 5 players for the season already. On top of that, they have a weird 4 headed monster of a running back by committee going on. Steven Jackson is quite obviously past his prime now, and the other three rely on long touchdown catches to do anything at all. There is not a Falcons running back that I would even roster now, let alone think about starting for my fantasy teams the rest of this season.

Another tough running back situation sets up this week for the San Diego Chargers. Facing the 3rd ranked run defense of the Denver Broncos in week 8, who give up only 74.3 yards per game, and 5 scores on the ground so far on the season, Branden Oliver has a mountain to climb this week, pun not intended. Add to that the short week, this is the Thursday night game, and the fact that it is in Denver in the thin air, and Oliver is a sit in my book. The Chargers don't have another viable option at running back, so Oliver will see workload, but I don't expect him to put up huge numbers.

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The Chicago Bears wide receivers and Jay Cutler have their second difficult match up in a row coming in week 8. They face off against the top ranked New England Patriots pass defense. Allowing only 208 yards per game and 11 touchdowns on the season, the Pats have the luxury of having Revis Island. You can basically take one of the Bears receivers out of the picture, but I am not sure which one it will be. In any case, with dissension amongst the ranks in the Bears offense after last weeks abysmal performance at the Dolphins, I don't see relief in their future. 

That brings us to the end of another monster match ups and misses. Hopefully it has helped to shape informed decisions for your week 8 fantasy lineups. Good luck and go get 'em!

Sashay Donte

The Indianapolis Colts have had the most prolific offense so far this NFL season. Andrew Luck is on a torrid pace, and his receivers and running backs are coming with him. This week an injury is likely to sideline Reggie Wayne for a week or two, and it may usher in the youth movement in Indy.

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Donte Moncrief is a rookie wide out for the Colts out of Mississippi. He has all the tools to be a great receiver in the NFL with a little work. With Reggie Wayne sidelined, he is likely to get his chance this week. Moncrief stands 6'2 and weighed in at 221 pounds at the combine last spring. His speed and leaping ability will allow him to both stretch the field, and to go up and get balls over the defenders playing him.

At Mississippi, Moncrief was a starter as a true freshman in 2011. That season he started 12 games and led the team in receptions (31), yards (454), and touchdown catches (4). As a Sophomore he played 12 games making 66 catches for 979 yards and 10 touchdowns. In his junior, and final season at Ole Miss, Moncrief had 59 catches for 938 yards and 6 scores.

At the combine he was a co-leader in 40 yard dash times with a 4.4 second time, vertical jump at 39.5 inches, and broad jump at 132 inches. Moncrief possesses a gift of speed and size that are not often found with wide receivers. He is a field stretching talent that can get down field and catch the long bomb, or go up and get a ball up close in the red zone. In college he also showed an awareness of where the yardage marker was to get his team a first down.

So far this season Moncrief has not had a ton of work. His high water mark so far was in week 3 against Jacksonville where he caught 4 of 5 targets for 55 yards. The next two weeks, which coincide with reports of the timeline for Wayne to be out, see the colts play the 13th ranked pass defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the 25th ranked New York Giants. The overall average rank of the defenses left on the Colts schedule is 17, middle of the pack. The colts have the easiest schedule this year, and if Moncrief can put up some good numbers with Wayne out, you may not see him coming off the field when Wayne returns.

With the big play making ability of both Andrew Luck, and the skill set of Donte Moncrief, I recommend picking him up this week off of your waiver wire. He would make a good speculative addition for anyone who is needing help at wide receiver and wants to add a guy who is owned in less than 1 percent of ESPN leagues. The opportunity to add a player with his path in front of him, and recently developed opportunity should not be missed. If you are carrying a second quarterback and your main guy has had his bye, you can likely drop the backup and add Moncrief to his spot.

Don't miss the boat on this super talented guy who is about to get his shot in the best offense in the NFL this season. He may tilt the field in your fantasy match ups for the rest of your season.

Waiver Wire Week 8

Looking through the box scores and checking the injury reports, there are some names with opportunities for your fantasy team in week 8. Take a look in your league, and add these guys if you need help at their position.

RB

 Bryce Brown (BUF) will be getting a big opportunity to take the lead back role for the Bills in week 8. After Fred Jackson went down with a groin injury, and CJ Spiller broke his collar bone and is out for the season, expect Brown to get the bulk of the carries until Jackson comes back. Brown has been a healthy inactive so far this season, but had mixed results with Philadelphia in the past. Putting up back to back 165+ yard games in 2012, Brown followed that up with two miserable performances. He has talent enough that the Bills traded for him in the off season. A starting running back is a hard thing to come by this time of year, especially one in an offense that will look to run. Brown is the top add of the week.

Jerick McKinnon (MIN) has taken over the feature back role in Minnesota. Rushing 19 times for 103 yards in week 7, McKinnon is a must add player that is only owned in 11.7 percent of ESPN fantasy leagues. He will be getting the rushing down work, and will mix in some pass catching as well. If he is unowned in your league, go grab him.

Tre Mason (STL) got the starters reps for the Rams against the Seahawks in week 7, and he didn't squander his opportunity. Gaining 85 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, look for Mason to continue to get work for the Rams in the future. A tough schedule lies ahead for the rookie, but given volume, he can still be a productive addition to a running back talent starved roster.

Stepfan Taylor (ARI) is more of a speculative add. He got 12 carries for 40 yards and a score plus caught 2 passes for 19 yards and a score. There is no guarantee that he will continue to get any kind of volume for Arizona, but if something happened to Andre Ellington, Taylor would likely see increased workload. Watch him again in the coming week to see if his increase in touches continues.

Travaris Cadet (NO) caught 6 passes for the second time in 3 weeks for the Saints. With Pierre Thomas suffering an injury in week 7, Cadet could see some work in the coming weeks if Thomas misses any time. Cadet is a better addition in a point per reception (PPR) league. Watch for news on Thomas and grab Cadet if he can help your team.

WR

Odell Beckham Jr. (NYG) had 4 catches for 34 yards and 2 touchdowns plus a rush for 13 yards. On bye in week 8, Beckham will not be a helpful addition to your team this week, but he should be owned in all leagues after the injury to Victor Cruz. Currently owned in only 20.2 percent of ESPN leagues, get him while you can.

Doug Baldwin (SEA) had a monster game in the first game after the Seahawks traded Percy Harvin. The Hawks were behind early on Sunday, and came out firing in the second half. Baldwin had 7 catches for 123 yards and a score in week 7 against the Rams. Baldwin is the best receiver on the Seahwaks roster, and has now been thrust into the number 1 role. Expect him to continue to see a high volume in the future.

Stevie Johnson (SF) has 3 games this season with at least 5 catches, and has scored in 3 of his last 4 games. A bit hit or miss, Johnson will definitely leave you hanging at times, but if the 49ers are behind, he will likely see some solid fantasy production. On bye in week 8, you may be able to wait until next week to get him, but don't miss the boat on a player that could help your team.

TE

Gavin Escobar (DAL) had 3 catches for 65 yards and 2 touchdowns in week 7. This is the first week Escobar has had that kind of production, but his upcoming match ups are good ones for tight ends. Facing off against Washington, Arizona, and Jacksonville the next 3 weeks, Escobar could see his scoring ways continue.

Jermaine Gresham (CIN) has 16 catches in the past 2 weeks. Seeming to be a bit of a safety valve for Andy Dalton, he had 10 catches for 48 yards in a dismal game for the Bengals against the Colts in week 7. In PPR leagues he will have value based on his volume.

Clay Harbor (JAX) has either 6+ catches or a score in 3 of the last 4 weeks. A favorite target of rookie Blake Bortles, Harbor can provide you some help at the dismal tight end position on your team. If your tight end is out or on bye this week, you could definitely do worse than Harbor for your roster.


QB

Ryan Tannehill (MIA) has put together three solid games in a row. Throwing for at least 240 yards and 2 touchdowns in each of his last 3 games, Tannehill is putting up some good numbers. He is bolstering his stats with rushing yardage as well. Averaging 44 rushing yards per game his last 3, Tannehill is a good option for a bye week fill in, or a switch if you are in the market for a new quarterback. A week 8 match up with Jacksonville should provide him with a good opportunity to score.

Robert Griffin III (WAS) is likely to practice this week. It is uncertain what RG3 will come back from his latest injury, but it has become painfully obvious that Kirk Cousins is either not an NFL talent, or just not ready to be a starter yet. I would recommend a speculative stash of Griffin if you are unhappy at the quarterback position. If he can gain the rushing yardage he had as a rookie, he can score big. Games against Minnesota in week 9, and Tampa Bay in week 11 set him up for the chance to score for you.

Practice Report Round Up Week 7

After the Friday practices I have combed through the practice reports for each of the teams that will play Sunday and Monday. The following fantasy relevant players are listed with the likelihood they will play and the impacts that will have.

Carson Palmer (ARI) was a full participant in practice. Palmer said this week that his arm is weaker than it was early in the season. This is not surprising, but he played well last week in a win for the Cardinals. With another week of practice under his belt, it seems likely that Palmer will be just fine this week in a great match up with the Raiders.

Harry Douglas (ATL) is once again out this week for the Falcons. At this time beyond Julio Jones, it is hard to trust any of the other players for the Falcons.

Julio Jones (ATL) was a full participant in practice. The Ravens give up 270 yards per game through the air so Jones could find some success this week.

Kelvin Benjamin (CAR) was a full participant in practice on Friday. The Packers will be without one, if not both of their starting corners against the Panthers this week, so look for Benjamin to have a solid week barring a setback with his concussion.

Jonathan Stewart (CAR) was a full participant all week for the Panthers. Facing off against the bottom ranked run defense of the Packers is a fantastic match up for Stewart. Hopefully he can make it through the game. There is also a chance that Cam Newton takes up some of the rushing, as he began to run again last week against the Bengals.

Darrin Reaves (CAR) was limited on Friday in practice for the Panthers. Head coach Ron Rivera has already said that Jonathan Stewart will start for the Panthers on Sunday, so Reaves is not likely to get too much action if he plays.

AJ Green (CIN) did not practice this week. The Bengals have said that there is not a timetable yet for Green to return to action. Mohammed Sanu is a must add if he is not already owned in your leagues.

DeMarco Murray (DAL) was a full participant after missing practice time earlier in the week with an illness. There should be no issues with him this week in a good match up with the Giants.

Eric Ebron (DET) did not practice Friday for the Lions. It would be surprising if Ebron played this week. The Lions are injury ravaged. Not a lot of players left to pick up to replace Ebron from their roster.

Joseph Fauria (DET) also did not practice for the Lions Friday. The Lions are hurting at the tight end position, along with others.

Calvin Johnson (DET) did not practice this week for the Lions. It would be surprising if he played, but has not been ruled out as of yet. Even if he does play, it would be hard to trust that he wouldn't be in a decoy role still. Keep your eye on the inactives and roll your own dice.

Theo Riddick (DET) also didn't practice for the Lions on Friday. Riddick is the third string running back for the Lions, so his loss is not huge as long as nobody else gets hurt.

Reggie Bush (DET) is the lone bit of good news this week for the Lions offense. He was a full participant on Friday and will play on Sunday. Looking forward to his match up with his old team, the Saints, Bush and the Lions will face off against the 15th ranked run defense. Look for the Lions to run, as their receiving corps are very depleted.

Jarrett Boykin (GB) was a limited participant in practice on Friday. Boykin seems to have lost his role in the Green Bay offense to Davante Adams, so the fantasy impact of his return is negligible.

Sam Shields (GB) is one of the starting corners for the Packers. Usually this column would mainly focus on offensive players, but the loss of shields, who is out this week, is huge for the Packers Defense. Facing off against the Panthers, the Packers secondary is in bad shape this week. Stay away from their defense.

Tramon Williams (GB) is another corner for the Packers. He was not a participant in practice Friday, and leaves the Pack in quite a lurch. Being down two corners and having the leagues worst run defense is a pretty good reason to stay far from their defense this week.

Andre Johnson (HOU) was limited on Friday in practice. Houston plays on Monday night, so keep an eye on his practice report from Saturday, but this is not out of the ordinary for the veteran Johnson. Expect him to play Monday night unless he fails to practice on Saturday.

Toby Gerhart (JAX) is out again this week. Storm Johnson will be the starter, but he was on a carry count last week, and couldn't really get going anyways.

Charles Clay (MIA) was a limited participant in practice Friday for the Dolphins. This is the same as last week, and Clay played. He is banged up, so you might be better to find another option to start in your league.

Brandon Gibson (MIA) was a full participant for the Dolphins on Friday. Gibson is listed as first team, but may be losing some targets to rookie Jarvis Landry who put up a solid performance last week.

Lamar Miller (MIA) was a limited participant in Friday practice. Miller has a knee issue, but is likely to play Sunday. It will be interesting to see what the Dolphins do with the workload with Knowshon Moreno out for the season. Miller could see a big jump in touches and may be a monster for your fantasy roster.

Jimmy Graham (NO) was a surprise participant in practice this week in a limited capacity. Having reports earlier of a 2-3 week injury for Graham, it is not out of the question at this point that he play this week. If he plays his snap count could be limited, and he may only be in for goal line packages, but that might be enough to get you the points you need from your top drafted tight end. The nature of his injury is undisclosed as of now, but if it is an AC joint issue, that could make it difficult for him to reach up. Proceed with caution with Graham this week.

Donald Brown (SD) has not practiced since suffering a concussion. He is unlikely to play this week without practicing.

Eddie Royal (SD) was a full participant this week for the Chargers. In a tough match up against the 7th ranked pass defense of the Chiefs this week, expect to see Royal in the slot.

Luke Willson (SEA) did not practice for the Seahawks on Friday. Willson was playing in place of the injured Zach Miller, and his loss is worse for the passing game than the run game. Cooper Helfet would be the next man up for the Hawks, but he has little experience. It is uncertain what the Seahawks will be doing Sunday after trading away Percy Harvin on Friday. I would steer clear of Willson and Helfet for now.

Vernon Davis (SF) was a full participant for the 49ers on Friday. Davis has less than impressive numbers so far this season, as his injuries have robbed him of playing time. After last week seeing him struggle through the game, it would be hard to trust him this week.

Stevie Johnson(SF) was a full participant in practice after taking a knee to his hip in the 49ers game against the Rams in week 6. He should be good to go on Sunday.

Zac Stacy (STL) was a full participant Friday. With an uncertain role in the offense, and a tough match up against the Seahawks defense on Sunday, Stacy may be a guy you want to put on your bench this week.

Shonn Greene (TEN) is out for Sunday. Bishop Sankey has been less that exciting so far for the Titans, but so was Greene before his injury. This is likely not a big issue for your fantasy roster.

Jake Locker (TEN) is questionable after being a limited participant in practice Friday. Even if he does play, it is hard to trust Locker, who has missed time twice this year with a wrist injury. If he is on your roster, I'd make other plans one way or the other.

That brings our look at the Friday practice reports to a close. Remember to keep your eyes on the Saturday practice reports for Monday teams, and the inactives on Sunday Morning. You Can follow me @FFFTW_ for more updates. Good luck this week!

WTHarvin

Late this afternoon Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that the Seahawks have traded Percy Harvin to the New York Jets. This trade was wholly unexpected, speaking as a Seattle resident and Hawks fan. Lets look at what this does to the receiver corps in Seattle.

Image source zimbio.com

Paul Richardson is the immediate first thought to gain in value. Often compared to Harvin after the draft, Richardson is a speedster and could immediately fill in in the role carved out for Harvin in the Hawks offense. Graded out at the combine with a 4.4 40 yard dash, his strengths are stretching the field and play extension by coming back to the quarterback, all things that are improtant to the Seahawks offense. The big knock on Richardson is that he is small, and needs to put on weight to be effective in the NFL.

Image source fantasyknuckleheads.com

Kevin Norwood is the other wide receiver taken in the 2014 draft by the Seahawks. Standing 6'2 and
weighing in at 198 at the combine, Norwood is a long receiver with a solid build. He is known to have good hands and has good skill at extending plays by coming back to quarterback. The big knocks on him were short arms and not creating separation or getting off of jams. So far this season Norwood has not made it on field on game day, but that may change with the subtraction of Harvin from the Seahawks Roster.

This trade obviously shifts the value of the Seahawks receivers for fantasy. I am not sure that it changes much as it is for Doug Baldwin or Jermaine Kearse. In my opinion if you were to make a speculative addition in the wake of this trade it would be best spent on Richardson as of now, but this weekends game against the St. Louis Rams will likely shed more light on the situation. Just in case, I recommend getting out in front of it and jettisoning a deep bench player to grab Richardson and hope you hit the lottery.

Good luck this week!

A Lot Of Peaks And Valleys On The Way To The Mountain Top

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Russell Wilson took the NFL by storm in 2013, a far cry from what his draft stock was like in the 2012 draft. Coming out of college in the same season as such huge names as Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, Wilson was a distant thought in most fans minds,  yet has had arguably the biggest impact of all the 2013 quarterbacks. As for his fantasy value, that is a subject with many ups and downs.

Wilson began his career with the North Carolina State Wolfpack in 2008. Starting 11 games as a freshman, Wilson amassed solid numbers in his time the quarterback in North Carolina. Completing 682 of 1180 passes fir 8545 yards and 76 touchdowns along with 362 rushes for 1083 yards and 17 touchdowns in his 3 seasons at the helm of the offense. After the 2010 season, Wilson decided to attend spring training for the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball team. This decision created a rift between Wilson and North Carolina State coach Tom O'Brien, eventually leading to Wilson being released from his scholarship to pursue baseball.

After spending the summers of 2010 and 2011 playing in Class A ball in the Rockies organization, Wilson committed to Wisconsin with his last remaining year of eligibility in the NCAA. During the 2011 season Wilson completed 225 of 309 passes for 3175 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also rushed 79 times for 338 yards and 6 scores. After the season he was named first team Big 10, Big 10 quarterback of the year, and leading the Badgers to a Big 10 championship that season, Wilson fell just short in the Rose Bowl against Oregon.

Coming into the 2012 draft, Wilson had a mid to late round grade at the combine. Possessing good speed, a 4.55 40 yard dash, and 10.25" hands, great for a quarterback being able to hold on to the ball and have control, the knock on Wilson was his height. He was graded out as an accurate passer who had great mechanics. Leadership was listed as an asset for Wilson as well. The issue, would he be able to see over the tall players on the offensive and defensive lines to make the throws. 

Drafted in the 3rd round by the Seahawks, 75th overall, Wilson came in to a quarterback room as the number 3 guy, the Hawks having Tavaris Jackson and just signed Matt Flynn. By the third preseason game, the momentum had built for Wilson. Yes it was him perfomring against the backups for the opposing team, but he was playing well and making good decisions. He was earning his shot. An arm injury to Flynn opened the door, and Wilson seized his opportunity.

This is the point in the article where we turn to the fantasy outlook and crunch some fantasy numbers. Wilson is a fantastic NFL quarterback. He leads his team, and he commands his huddle. He won a Super Bowl in his second season. But his fantasy stock is up and down. Lots of peaks in his numbers, and just about as many valleys. writing this after Wilson has played 5 games in the 2014 season, he has 37 games played in 2+ seasons, lets take a further look at some of his numbers. For the purposes of this article assume all fantasy numbers in ESPN standard scoring, 1 point for 25 yards passing, 4 point passing touchdowns, and 1 point for 10 rushing yards.

In 2012, Wilson's rookie season, he had 5 games where he scored 10 fantasy points or under . Of those games, 3 were on the road, and 3 were against NFC West opponents. If we expand to 15 points or less, there were 8 games where Wilson scored under that line. On the positive side of his fantasy numbers, he had 6 games on the season where he scored 20 fantasy points or above, including a 39 point effort against the Buffalo Bills in which he didn't play the whole game in a big blowout.

The 2013 Season using the same criteria, Russell had 5 games where he scored 10 fantasy points or under. Moving that number once again to 15 points or under we find that Wilson had 8 games again that meet this criteria. Once again looking at his 20+ point games we find that he had 5 games at that level. The lower scoring games once again seem to favor the NFC West opponents in the 2013 campaign.

So far in 2014 through 5 games, Wilson has only 1 game at the 10 points or under category. He has 2 games over the 20 point upper threshold, one home, and one on road. So far this year Wilson has yet to face any of the NFC West foes that have combined to keep his point totals lower over his first 2 seasons.

Taking the numbers of his career overall to get a picture makes a fairly clear point. In 37 total games so far, wilson has 22 games over 15 fantasy points, and 26 of his games are over 10 points. On the flip side, Wilson has 15 games under 15, and 11 of those games are under 10 fantasy points. His biggest games, which we will consider over 20 points add up to 13 through 37 career games, including 5 games over 25 points and 2 over 30. He averages a decent number of fantasy points season by season, 16.5 in 2012, 16.9 in 2013, and so far in 2014 19.8 points per game. For his career as a whole he is averaging 17.1 fantasy points per game.

Theses numbers lead to the conclusion that Russell Wilson is a solid choice as a fantasy quarterback. He has a reasonably high floor, and a big ceiling. I think that most fantasy players would find themselves quite happy with the performance of their quarterback if he was averaging 17 points per game for them. as he grows, matures, and hopefully acquires more weapons in his offense, his numbers will continue to go up. Predicting his off week is seemingly predictable and you could definitely use another quarterback to play in weeks where the Hawks face off against the better defenses of the NFC west and top defenses of the NFL in general.

In my opinion, Russell Wilson is a super solid quarterback for your fantasy purposes. High floor and very high ceiling make him a solid option for your fantasy team both this year and in the future. His cost in most drafts is lower that other top tier quarterbacks, and he is a must own in dynasty and keeper formats. If you don't have him in those formats, go get him. And keep your eye on him in your drafts next year.

Match Up Monsters And Misses

Week 7 in the NFL has some fantastic match ups for individual units on offense, and some match ups that look to be more on the negative side for offenses. Without further ado, your match up monsters and misses.

The Good:

Image source pressboxonline.com

Baltimore Ravens running backs should be able to put up some numbers this week against the Atlanta Falcons 27th ranked run defense. The trick is to figure out how to rank the Ravens backs. So far it seems that the pecking order is Justin Forsett followed by Bernard Pierce, with Lorenzo Taliaferro third string. If you have him, Forsett is the only one I would be confident playing this week as the role for the other two has been minimal and inconsistent. The Falcons are allowing 140.2 yards per game and have given up 12 touchdowns on the season to opposing running backs. You could gamble on one of the other two as a flex that may get some goal line work, but that would be purely a gamble in my opinion.

Image source usatoday.com

New England Patriots versus the Jets on Thursday night sets up to be a big game for the Pats offense. The run game is an enigma with the injury to Stevan Ridley and the constant shifting by coach Bill Belichick. The Jets allow 92 yards per game and have only given up 2 touchdowns on the ground this year, but in the last 2 weeks they have allowed the opposing number 1 back to gain 100 yards. The passing defense of the Jets does not fare as well, allowing 235 yards per game and having given up 15 touchdowns on the season with only 1 interception. This probably the easiest start of the year if you have Tom Brady. Rob Gronkowski and Brandon LaFell  are also good starts for your fantasy teams. Julian Edelman should be his usual self, a solid flex play in a PPR league.

The Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears play each other in week 7, and should be able to put up good passing numbers against each other. The Dolphins give up 221.6 yards per game through the air, and have given up 10 touchdowns versus making 3 interceptions so far this season. This bodes well for Jay Cutler. The Bears have tall wide receivers that could find themselves in mismatch situations against the shorter Dolphins corners. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Martellus Bennett are all good starts against the undersized Dolphins this week. On the flip side Chicago gives up 246.2 yards per game and also 10 touchdowns on the season, but has made 8 interceptions already. This makes Ryan Tannehill a more risky start, but elevates the value of Mike Wallace. Keep an eye on Jarvis Landry for the Dolphins as well. The rookie has been gaining momentum as of late, catching 6 balls on 8 targets last week for 75 yards and a score.

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A power run game by the Cleveland Browns will look to take it to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Ben Tate is a must start this week against the Jags. Isaiah Crowell is a good flex possibility for a team that ran the ball 36 times against the Steelers last week. Look for that trend to continue for a ball control running team. I would expect the Jags to fall lower than their 19th ranked run defense after the Browns are done with them this week.
week 7. The Jags are giving up 117 yards per game on the ground and have given up 5 rushing touchdowns on the year.

The Houston Texans love them some Arian Foster. After getting routed on the ground by the Browns in week 6, the Pittsburgh Steelers will not be looking forward to the stout Texans running game. The Steelers give up 111.2 yards per game, and have allowed 6 rushing touchdowns on the season. The Texans will feast on the depleted defense of the Steelers Monday night.

The Bad:

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Minnesota Vikings running backs are in for a long week. This week they face the top ranked run defense of the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo is allowing a paltry 67.5 yards per game on the ground, and have not allowed a rushing touchdown on the season. With a rookie quarterback and questionable talent at wide receiver for the Vikings, it seems likely that the Bills will stack the box and dare Teddy Bridgewater to beat them through the air. Sit your Vikings running backs this week.

The Detroit Lions are playing some inspired defense so far this season. Ranked 1 in total defense and 2 against both run and pass, the New Orleans Saints have a monumental task ahead of them. And let us not forget that they will be without the services of Jimmy Graham this week. If you had a good bye week fill in for  Drew Brees last week, you may want to run him out there again this week. Add to that the fact that with the return of Mark Ingram makes the Saints backfield a quagmire once again, I am sitting any of my Saints this week.

Image source imgarcade.com

The San Francisco 49ers face off this week against the 4th ranked rush defense of the Denver Broncos in Denver. This is an exceedingly difficult task for the 49ers, who must play in that elevation on a short week. They also have not shown much of a commitment to running with Frank Gore or Carlos Hyde on a consistent basis so far this season. Denver is only allowing 76.5 yards per game on the ground, and has only allowed 5 rushing touchdowns on the season. Sit your 49ers backs this week.

A stout passing defense by the New England Patriots and a lack of talent on the part of the New York Jets on offense makes your Jets players good guys to be on the outside looking in this week. The Pats only allow 208.5 yards per game through the air, and have 7 interceptions on the season so far. They have allowed 10 touchdowns so far, but have stiffened in the last few weeks. If you were playing Geno Smith you are likely in trouble already, but sit him this week. Jace Amaro has been emerging of late, and with some weakness due to injuries in the middle of the Patriots defense may be able to continue his 10 catch for 68 yard and a score performance last week. Eric Decker is your only viable option in the passing game that could have good numbers, but being on Revis island is likely in his future, never a good thing.

Image source sltrib.com

The Carolina Panthers are a mess in the backfield. They have their best match up of the season against the Green Bay Packers 32nd ranked run defense, but who can you trust? They are all hurt. They all get hurt. In my opinion, Cam Newton is the only guy you can trust this week in the run game for the Panthers. And after last week he is seemingly ready to run again. If Kelvin Benjamin is out this week due to his concussion, it's going to be a difficult week for the Panthers. Greg Olsen has been a bright spot this season, and he and Cam are the only ones I would trust this week if Benjamin doesn't play. The Packers are 5th ranked against the pass, possibly because it is so easy to run. This game seems to line up as a bad and banged up run game against a bad run defense, and a bad pass game against a good pass defense. Your guess is as good as mine, but I certainly can't say I like anything in this match up for the Panthers.

Good luck and good decisions this week!

New Sheriff In Town?

With the injury to Stevan Ridley for the New England Patriots this week a door may have opened for another running back to come in and produce both for the Pats and your fantasy team. Let's take a closer look at Jonas Gray.

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Attending Notre Dame for college, Gray was nothing exceptional during his college years. He has a history of knee issues, and missed some games as a result. In his senior season, Gray had 114 carries and ran for 791 yards, an average of 6.9 yards per carry. He also scored 12 touchdowns in his final season with the Irish. He made 6 catches for 38 yards that season as well.

Gray was signed by Miami after going undrafted in 2012. He was unable to work out at the combine, and when signed by the Dolphins was placed on the physically unable to perform list to rehab a knee injury. He was cut by the Dolphins at the end of training camp, and signed to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad in September of 2013. In January of 2014 Gray signed with the Patriots practice squad and today was signed to the active roster to replace Ridley.

According to the NFL.com combine section Gray is a seen as a good short yardage and goal line back. He is a north south runner who can hit a hole and gain some yardage if it is there. He is not going to break outside and try to turn the corner and has no wiggle to make you miss. Seen as a possible check down route for his quarterback, Gray may have that change of pace third down ability for an offense. He is a big bulky back, and strong having put up 20 reps at 225 pounds. Ahead and through you will be his course with the ball.

If you are struggling at the running back position, Gray is worth an add. I wouldn't play him tonight against the New York Jets, as we have no information on his planned usage, if any. If he gets in and gets hot, he may become the go to guy for the Patriots on running downs. The usage of Brandon Bolden on special teams, and the healthy scratches of James White so far this season seem to lend themselves to the idea that Gray may get a shot to win himself this job. The Pats backfield is often times a quagmire, but if you are relying on backs like Matt Asiata, Trent Richardson, or Storm Johnson to name a few, it might be worth a shot to grab and stash Gray just in case.