Nick

    Fantasy Football Friday

    Friday, October 10, 2008, 03:20 PM EST [General]

    Carson will NOT start Sunday
    Coach Marvin Lewis said after practice Friday that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start Sunday against the Jets in place of Palmer (elbow), our own C. Trent Rosecrans reports.   Not good news obviously, but at least Palmer owners won't need to take their Week 6 lineup decision on him down to game-time. Lewis didn't rule out Palmer suiting up as a backup Sunday, as either the No. 2 or No. 3 quarterback.

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    McGahee should get the go for Baltimore
    McGahee (knee) took part in a full practice on Thursday and based on what offensive coordinator Can Cameron said, he should be fine for Sunday's game against the Colts, NFL.com reports. "You know, [McGahee is] healthy," Cameron said Thursday. "And he was healthy last week. He's not 100 percent, but probably there aren't many backs at this stage who are. But he's healthier this week than he was last week, and he's getting ready to play. I think he'll have a heck of a ball game."  The matchup looks good, at least. The Colts have given up a league-high avergae of 188.5 yards per game on the ground thus far. On the down side, Le'Ron McClain (four TDs) appears to have emerged as the team's preferred option around the goal line.

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    Kellen Winslow status up in the air
    Winslow (illness) has a 50/50 shot to play against the Giants on Monday, the Browns' Official Website reports.  "Hopefully he'll be there," head coach Romeo Crennel said. "We should know more in the next couple of days." Fortunately, Winslow has another day to recuperate, given that the team plays on Monday night.

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    Another start for Jeff Garcia
    With Brian Griese (elbow, shoulder) ruled out of Sunday's game against Carolina, Garcia will start at quarterback for the Buccaneers.  It'll be Garcia's second start of the season and the first after suffering an ankle injury in Week 1; with a decent performance, Garcia likely will reclaim the number one spot, even after Griese heals.

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    Reggie Brown out again
    Brown (groin) has been ruled out for Sunday's game in San Francisco, the Eagles' official site reports.  It looks like Kevin Curtis will be back in action this week, but it's uncertain if he'll be ready to assume a full workload. Hank Baskett could see more work this week if Curtis isn't ready to be fully turned loose.

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    No surprise, but Westbrook ruled out for Sunday
    Westbrook (ribs) been ruled out for Sunday's game in San Francisco, the Eagles' official site reports. "Brian wants to go," head coach Andy Reid said. "But I have to do what I think is best for him and the football team. I think the bye week will help him. I think it will help take some of the sting out."  Not that his ribs will magically heal up during the Eagles' bye week, but we expect Westbrook (who will not travel with the team to San Francisco) to at least be less sore heading into the team's 10/26 tilt against the Falcons. With Westbrook out, look for Correll Buckhalter to get the start at running back for the Eagles Sunday.

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    Marques Colston should be on the field, but how effective he'll be is unknown
    Colston (thumb) is expected to take the field for the first time since Week 1 when New Orleans faces Oakland on Sunday, ProFootballTalk.com reports.  Colston's playing time is expected to come on a limited basis, mainly just when the Saints are in three- or four-receiver sets, so don't set your expectations too high in his return. While the news of Colston's recovery is great news for his owners, it'd still probably be best to keep him on your bench, just for this week, if you have any other decent options.

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    Joey Galloway is out
    Although Galloway (foot strain) has stepped up the pace of his workouts, he has yet to participate in a full practice session with the Buccaneers and he's unlikely to be activated for Sunday's game against Carolina, the St. Petersburg Times reports.

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    Chris Chambers likely out for Sunday night's game
    Chambers (ankle) missed another practice on Thursday, and it is looking more and more like he will miss Sunday night's game against the Patriots, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.  "Hopefully, I can make gradual improvement," Chambers said. "If I have a chance, I definitely want to be out there with my teammates. But I don't think it's worth rushing it in October to get back on the field if I'm not all the way healthy." This sounds like the words of a man who knows he is not going to play. Look for Buster Davis to start in his place on Sunday night.

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    With Palmer out this week, T.J. (and other Bengals) could struggle
    Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh is normally an attractive Fantasy option, but a big part of that is because Carson Palmer is throwing him the ball. The official team web site reports that Palmer will not start Week 6 at the Jets with a right elbow injury, making Ryan Fitzpatrick the starting quarterback for the club on Sunday, his second start of the year. Houshmandzadeh caught six passes for 50 yards at home against a woeful Browns secondary in Fitzpatrick's first start.

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    Week 6 Start em or Sit em

    Start Em
    Kurt Warner (vs. DAL):
    He hasn't retired yet, which is a good thing because he's been one of the best quarterbacks this year. He has at least two touchdown passes in his past four games, and last week against Buffalo he managed 250 passing yards and two touchdowns even without Anquan Boldin (head). Boldin is out again, but the Cowboys are dealing with injuries in their secondary. Dallas has allowed six passing touchdowns this year, so look for Warner to stay hot with Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston.

    Matt Cassel (at SD): Cassel, who is a Southern California native, is showing signs of being a good quarterback after passing for 259 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions last week at San Francisco. He has another favorable matchup this week against the Chargers, who are last in pass defense and lead the NFL with 10 touchdowns allowed. Cassel figured out all he has to do is throw the ball as far as he can, and Randy Moss will go catch it. The two hooked up for a 66-yard touchdown against the 49ers.

    David Garrard (at DEN): Garrard is starting to show signs of turning his season around after two solid weeks with 436 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and 53 rushing yards and a touchdown against Houston and Pittsburgh. Now he faces the Broncos, who are No. 30 in pass defense. They also have no pass rush with just nine sacks, so Garrard should have time. Last year, Garrard had 154 passing yards and a touchdown and 52 rushing yards at Denver. The only concern with Garrard is his lack of talent at receiver, but did he ever have any to begin with?

    LeRon McClain (at IND): Start  Willis McGahee this week also since it appears he's back, but this is probably a scenario where McGahee gets plenty of yards while McClain finds the end zone. McClain has scored four touchdowns in the past three games (with two against tough defenses in Pittsburgh and Tennessee) and is showing he can run the ball also with 266 rushing yards on the season. The Colts are last in run defense at 188.5 yards per game with five touchdowns allowed. Indianapolis hasn't stopped anyone on the ground, and stopping McClain will be hard to do.

    Ronnie Brown (at HOU): Brown doesn't need any gimmicks like the Wildcat formation to be successful. He has scored a touchdown in his past three games and has seven total touchdowns on the season. Last year at Houston, Brown had 23 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 39 yards. The Texans also are tied for the NFL lead with eight rushing touchdowns allowed, which is two per game, and also surrender 139.8 rushing yards per game.

    Julius Jones (vs. GB): As expected, Jones struggled at New York last week with 61 rushing yards and no touchdowns, which is why he was the Sit of the Week. This week, Jones should get back on track with the Packers run defense struggling all year. Green Bay is No. 27 in run defense at 161.4 rushing yards per game and five touchdowns allowed. Seattle is again dealing with injuries at wide receiver with Deion Branch (foot) out, and Matt Hasselbeck (knee) might not be 100 percent. Look for the Seahawks to lean on Jones again like they did in matchups against San Francisco and St. Louis, when Jones ran for 267 yards and two touchdowns.

    Wes Welker (at SD): Welker is looking for his third game in a row with at least seven catches against the Chargers, including the playoffs. Welker continues to be a solid Fantasy option in leagues where receptions count since he hasn't had less than six catches a game or 50 yards receiving this year. He's still looking for his first touchdown, and his odds increase this week against San Diego, which is last in pass defense and leads the NFL with 10 touchdowns allowed.

    Bernard Berrian (vs. DET): All Berrian needed was a good quarterback, and he apparently got one in Gus Frerotte. In Frerotte's three starts, Berrian has 14 catches for 267 yards and a touchdown, including last week's game at New Orleans when he had six catches for 110 yards and a score. He now gets a favorable matchup against the Lions, who he is familiar with after his time with Chicago. In his past four games against Detroit, Berrian has 22 catches for 276 yards and two touchdowns.

    DeSean Jackson (at SF): Jackson had his worst game as a receiver last week against Washington with one catch for 8 yards, but he now goes back to the place he went to college at Cal for this game. Along with that motivation, the 49ers have struggled to defend the deep ball, with the Saints and Patriots exposing their secondary the past two games. Jackson should be able to make some big plays in this matchup, and Donovan McNabb could lean on Jackson more this week with Brian Westbrook (ribs) not 100 percent.

    Anthony Fasano (at HOU): Fasano didn't take advantage of the matchup with San Diego last week with only three catches for 47 yards, but he's played well this year and remains a solid part of the Dolphins offense. In his last road game at New England, Fasano had three catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. The Texans also allowed Dallas Clark to catch five passes for 81 yards last week, so Fasano could have similar success if the Dolphins involve him in the game plan as expected.

    Dustin Keller (vs. CIN): Keller has a touchdown in his past two games and is turning into one of Brett Favre's favorite targets, especially in the red zone. The Bengals have struggled with tight ends the past few weeks, allowing touchdowns to Jason Witten and Kevin Boss in the past two games. Keller isn't going to lead the Jets in catches or yards this week, but he could find the end zone again. For the season, Keller has six catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns and continues to improve each week.

    Greg Olsen (at ATL):
    Olsen has emerged the past two weeks with the development of Kyle Orton. Olsen has seven catches for 122 yards and a touchdown against Philadelphia and Detroit. Last week, Donald Lee scored a touchdown against the Falcons, who are No. 22 in pass defense with nine touchdowns allowed. Orton has played well the past three games, and he's getting Olsen involved, which is what Fantasy owners have been waiting for since Olsen was drafted last year.

     

    Sit Em
    Marc Bulger (at WAS):
    Bulger is back as the starter for the Rams, which is a good thing for the rest of the season. But he's not worth starting on your Fantasy team this week. The Redskins are only No. 20 in pass defense, but Bulger playing outdoors hasn't worked out so well recently. He has less than 200 passing yards in six of his past seven games outdoors with three touchdowns and 10 interceptions over that span. The Redskins are banged up in the secondary, and the Rams are coming off a bye, which should help Bulger. But St. Louis has too many problems to count on Bulger right now.

    J.T. O'Sullivan (vs. PHI): O'Sullivan has been a surprise Fantasy quarterback this season, but the turnovers have become a problem recently with five interceptions and a fumble in his past two games against New Orleans and New England. He also has seven sacks in that span and 20 on the season, which should make the Eagles drool. Philadelphia likes to blitz, and Mike Martz quarterbacks typically allow a lot of sacks. If O'Sullivan can get the ball out quick, he could have some success, but it's not worth the risk in this matchup.

    Derek Anderson (vs. NYG): Anderson has bad memories of facing the Giants after he suffered a concussion in a dismal performance at New York in the preseason. He hasn't been the same since, and it would be hard to imagine him improving now. The Giants are among the league leaders in sacks with 15 and should come after Anderson. They also are allowing just 154 passing yards per game and three touchdowns on the season. Anderson hasn't passed for more than 166 yards or one touchdown a game this year, and he remains in jeopardy of losing his job to Brady Quinn. One benefit for Anderson is he should get Donte Stallworth back for this game.

    DeAngelo Williams (at TB): Williams had 121 yards and two touchdowns in his last visit to Tampa Bay last year. He's also coming off a tremendous game against Kansas City last week when he ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 25-yard pass. While that game was fantastic, it came out of nowhere. And the game at Tampa Bay last year was the season finale for the Bucs when they mailed it in because the playoffs were coming up and they had nothing to play for. This year will be different with the Bucs yet to allow a rushing touchdown. And prior to his performance against the Bucs in the last game in 2007, Williams had 13 carries for 23 yards and four catches for 48 yards and a touchdown in three games against Tampa Bay.

    Laurence Maroney (at SD): Maroney is disappointing Fantasy owners once again since he has yet to score a touchdown this year, hasn't had more than 10 carries in a game and has less than 100 total yards in three games. Now his shoulder is bothering him again, but he's expected to play against the Chargers -- if play is an appropriate word with what he's shown. San Diego is allowing 113.4 rushing yards per game this year but only two rushing touchdowns. If any Patriots running back does something this week it will be Sammy Morris or Kevin Faulk. Keep Maroney on your bench this week and the near future.

    Jamal Lewis (vs. NYG): Lewis had his best game of the year in Week 4 against Cincinnati when he rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown. But that should tell you about his season that that's his best outing. The Browns are coming off a bye, so hopefully Lewis is ready to get going. But the Giants are No. 6 in run defense and have only allowed one rushing touchdown to Chris Perry in Week 3. New York has shut down Clinton Portis (23 carries for 84 yards), Steven Jackson (13 carries for 53 yards), Perry (20 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown) and Julius Jones (17 carries for 61 yards), and Lewis will be next on the list.

    Marvin Harrison (vs. BAL): After catching eight passes for 76 yards in Week 1 against Chicago, Harrison has combined for nine catches, 86 yards and a touchdown in his past three games. He appears to have a lost a step following last year's knee injury, and he will have trouble getting separation from the Raven's secondary. Baltimore is No. 1 in pass defense with only 128.5 passing yards per game. The Ravens haven't faced a passing attack like the Colts yet this year, but the Colts haven't exactly been the Colts so far.

    Torry Holt (at WAS): Holt has scored one touchdown in his past 13 games outdoors. This year, Holt has five catches for 46 yards in two games outdoors and no touchdowns. Granted, he hasn't been much better at home with only 15 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown for the season, and Washington should be able to contain him this week. The Redskins are No. 20 in pass defense and dealing with injuries in the secondary, but last week Washington limited DeSean Jackson to one catch for 8 yards.

    Antonio Bryant (vs. CAR): Bryant has started the past three games for the injured Joey Galloway (foot), and that could happen again this week. After catching 10 passes for 138 yards in Week 3 at Chicago, Bryant has cooled off with 11 catches for 97 yards the past two games against Green Bay and Denver. The Panthers are No. 3 in pass defense and should be able to contain Bryant, who could also have a new starting quarterback if Jeff Garcia replaces the injured Brian Griese (elbow). We'll find out if Garcia likes Bryant as much as Griese does.

    Todd Heap (at IND): Heap didn't play against the Colts last year, and he continues to struggle this season. He set his season high last week against the Titans with four catches for 41 yards and is still looking for his first touchdown this year. The Colts have only allowed one passing touchdown this year, and the Ravens will focus on their ground game this week, meaning even fewer opportunities for Heap. He has a long way to go before Fantasy owners can start counting on him again.

    Kevin Boss (at CLE): Boss has been a disappointment in replacing Jeremy Shockey so far, and he might not be needed much this week. Cleveland has only allowed three passing touchdowns this year and none against Jason Witten, Heath Miller and Todd Heap. Boss just isn't a regular part of the Giants passing game right now and had only two catches for 9 yards against Seattle last week when Plaxico Burress was out. With Burress back, that's less passes that will be thrown in Boss' direction.

    Dallas Clark (vs. BAL): Clark only had one catch for 15 yards last year against the Ravens, who come into this matchup as the No. 1 pass defense with only 128.5 passing yards allowed per game and three touchdowns. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed excel at defending tight ends, and this year Baltimore has shut down Kellen Winslow (two catches for 14 yards) and Heath Miller (two catches for 8 yards). Bo Scaife did have seven catches for 72 yards last week against the Ravens, but it's hard to imagine they were paying Scaife the same attention they will give Clark.

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