Fantasy Football Fanhouse

Waiver Wire Wonders: Big Passing Days Equal Big Receiving Days

Ryan Dembinsky — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire

Weeding through those unwieldy waiver wires requires a keen eye and a quick trigger. Thus, Waiver Wire Wonders provides a weekly snapshot of players worthy of consideration who should be available on a good portion of league waiver wires.

Just because those trade deadlines passed doesn't mean it is time to rest on your laurels and ride out the rest of the season with the team you currently hold. On the contrary, the unavailability of the trade option makes the waiver wire all that much more important. And while we likely will not see another week with the potential fantasy impact of last week yet again this season, there is still plenty to do before playoff time.

This week, the biggest waiver wire benefactors came as a tertiary result of some huge passing efforts. Today, among others, we witnessed two scoops for scores from a tight end, a two catch, two touchdown effort by a repeat waiver wire wonder, and a rookie play-maker produce with a solid performance.

Kevin Boss (TE, Giants) - In the Giants high falootin' shootout today against the Falcons, Kevin Boss stepped up with the big time game the Giants needed offensively. Boss scored on separate occasions during Eli Manning's career best 384 yard passing day, catching five passes for 76 yards. Who knows what happened to the Giants defense, but at least Kevin Boss and the offense showed up to secure a win.

Robert Meachem (WR, Saints) - In recent weeks, Robert Meachem already graced the most added list as he filled in for an injured Lance Moore, scoring touchdowns in both Weeks 9 and 10, but today, he solidified himself a fantasy roster spot as he benefited from two red zone touchdown strikes from Drew Brees. What Meachem did not provide was a hefty dose of targets or catches, but it's hard to argue with three weeks straight of touchdown production.

Percy Harvin (WR, Vikings) - Particularly in leagues that score return yards, Percy Harvin officially looks like he deserves a roster spot. Not only has Harvin caught two touchdowns in four weeks, but today he caught a respectable five passes for 79 yards. Harvin looks quick and fearless over the middle, providing a nice option for Favre, who continues to surprise as one of the league's most productive passers.

Chris Chambers (WR, Chiefs) - Hate to beat a dead horse here, but with Dwayne Bowe's absence and Matt Cassell starting to look decent, Chris Chambers becomes the clear choice to take advantage of the Chiefs' situation. Today, Chambers caught four balls for 119 yards and these numbers should only conintue to improve. On the flip side, if you have the depth and a safe playoff berth, work the opposite angle and grab Dwayne Bowe if somebody drops him in your league.

Pierre Garcon (WR, Colts) - Haven't heard enough stupid waiter jokes this year? Well, Pierre Garcon reemerged in the Colts' offense with six catches for 108 yards. At this point, you can probably find a better "sleep well at night" receiver and Anthony Gonzalez might be back as soon as Week 12, but in deep leagues, anyone catching balls from Peyton Manning makes a good pickup.

Brandon Pettigrew (TE, Lions) - Nothing makes me happier than getting to recommend a Lion for a pickup, and this week we finally got one. Brandon Pettigrew not only caught six passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, but he caught the game winner that led the Lions to their second win of the season. It's sad to be excited about two wins, but at this point, us Lions fans will take anything. Look out Green Bay, here we come.

Mohamed Massaquoi (WR, Browns) - Another repeat offender, Mohamed Massaquoi made good on the Lions' soft secondary with five cathces, 115 yards, and a touchdown. It's tough to feel confident starting this youngster on a weekly basis, but he continues to show up and more importantly, the Browns face two more cupcake matchups in Weeks 15 and 16 ( Chiefs and Raiders), so he could repeat with this type of performance in the fantasy playoffs.

Matt Stafford (QB, Lions) - Matt Stafford gets the mention based on his five touchdown passes and 422 yards, but this comes courtesy of the Browns. Nothing to see here.

Brady Quinn (QB, Browns) - See above. Brady Quinn pulled off a similar feat, tallying four touchdown passes and 304 yards, but this is simply the flip side of the Stafford story. Both quarterbacks posted massive numbers thanks to the terrible defenses and general badness involved in this football game. Move right along.

Rock Cartwright (RB, Redskins) - With both Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts out due to injury, some guy named Rock Cartwright toted the "rock" 13 times for 67 yards in one of the most boring games ever. I think they might have found this guy on the set of Police Academy 8. In all seriousness, Rock Cartwright looks like a decent add if Betts and Portis continue to miss time, but be clear, he does not have the value of a Jason Snelling or Justin Forsett.

Laurence Maroney (RB, Patriots) - In a nice rebound after losing a clutch red zone fumble in the loss to the Colts last week, Laurence Maroney helped lead the Pats to a 31-14 rout of the Jets, scoring twice and covering 77 yards on the ground> Most importantly, the Patriots backfield finally seems to have a consistent fantasy producer.

Waiver Wire Wonders: Big Passing Days Equal Big Receiving Days originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fourth and 26: Ram-tastic

R.J. White — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers

Need a last-minute fill-in for this week? 4th and 26 is here to throw you a couple deep sleepers, guys available in at least 90 percent of Fleaflicker leagues that could give your fantasy football team a big boost.

Deep sleeper, thy name is Brandon Gibson. We touted Gibson as a deep sleeper last week, and he came through big, with nearly 100 yards in his first extended action of his career. Many deep league owners have snatched the rookie up already, but if he's still available in your 14-team or 16-team league, the time to act is now. He should be a big part of the offense for the rest of the season and is obviously a great deep sleeper yet again this week.

Brian Leonard, RB, Bengals. The impetus will be on Bernard Scott to be the lead dog in the rushing attack, but Brian Leonard should play a key role as well. Considering a game with the Raiders is on tap, both backs could wind up with serviceable fantasy days. If you're struggling to cover for an injured back or need an emergency flex play, the one percent-owned Leonard is probably your best bet.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Jaguars. Last time we suggested Jennings, he was up against a terrible run defense and scored a 28-yard TD on one of his few carries in the game. This week, he takes on the worst rushing defense in the league, and they're without their best interior lineman, Marcus Stroud. If the Jags manage to pull ahead quickly, Jennings could see a handful of valuable carries today.

Chris Jennings, RB, Browns. The 23-year-old Jennings has surpassed Jerome Harrison on the Browns' depth chart, much to the dismay of any remaining Harrison owners. Last week, Jennings received eight touches in a game where the Browns could get no offense going. This week they play the Lions, and saying it's easier to run on the Lions than the Ravens is like saying it's harder to get to Hawaii by swimming than by flying. Eight touches against the Lions and Jennings could well score a TD.

Kenny Britt, WR, Titans. Houston is on the docket for the rookie from Rutgers, and things are looking up. The Texans get creamed by starting WRs, and they've done the worst job at stopping a team's No. 1 wideout this year. Britt has entered the starting lineup thanks to an injury to Justin Gage, and I believe he'll score his first touchdown on Monday night.

Mike Furrey, WR, Browns. Two Browns in one sleeper article? The horror! With Joshua Cribbs banged up, Furrey could see an even bigger role than he had in Week 10, when he hauled in six catches. PPR league owners shouldn't hesitate to grab Furrey for this week's game against the Lions, who are one of the worst teams in the league ... at defending No. 2 WRs.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Bills. I mentioned him briefly in this week's sleeper column, but I wanted to reiterate him here, since he's available in 97 percent of Fleaflicker leagues. Standard leagues shouldn't be touching this guy, but there's room in the starting lineups of two-QB leagues for anyone facing the Jaguars. Having two talented WRs to throw to certainly helps -- that is, if the leaky O-Line can do their job.

Fourth and 26: Ram-tastic originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Fitzpatrick Named Starting Quarterback in Buffalo

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire, NFL Injury Report, NFL Stash or Trash

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

To say this week in Buffalo has been tumultuous would be an understatement. Trent Edwards was told that he had lost his starting job to Ryan Fitzpatrick right before head coach Dick Jauron was fired. The next bit of information gave Edwards new hope as interim head coach Perry Fewell wanted to wait until Wednesday to make a decision. Brian Galliford of Buffalo Rumblings wrote on Wednesday that Fewell had made the decision to go with Fitzpatrick.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is taking first-team reps at quarterback in Perry Fewell's first practice as interim head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Fewell confirmed this fact after practice. That bit of news confirms an NFL.com report from Wednesday - prior to the firing of Dick Jauron - that Fitzpatrick would be the club's starter.

Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News says that many of the receivers are very happy about this decision, including Terrell Owens, who gave Fitzpatrick a ringing endorsement.

"I think Ryan, No. 1, is a veteran," Owens said. "He has a lot more experience. There are some situations where he'll be able to buy time with that experience. There will be some times where he can assess the defense and really take some shots down the field. We're looking forward to the opportunity with Ryan. Obviously he was 2-1 before the bye week when he was in there. Personally I felt like it was his job to lose. But again, there are things that are out of our control."

Lee Evans was also supportive of Fitzpatrick. "I think some of the things that Fitz does are really good," Evans said. "When he played before, he stepped up and made some big plays. So I think it'll help. We have a lot of confidence in him. I'm excited to see him play."

This could give a small bump in value to Evans and Owens but not enough to make them anything other than a FLEX option for Week 11. If Fitzpatrick does start working some magic in Buffalo that Edwards was unable to perform, well, then we can take a look at sliding the receiver tandem up into WR2 territory. But, that's not a given by any stretch of the imagination.

Other Fantasy Football Notes

o. Greg Cote of The Miami Herald confirms the news that Ronnie Brown has been placed on the injured list and will miss the rest of the season. This is a huge blow to the Dolphins and to a great number of fantasy football teams. However, it makes Ricky Williams uber-valuable now.

o. JaMarcus Russell is out as the Oakland Raiders starting quarterback says David White of the San Francisco Chronicle. Bruce Gradkowski takes over and forces me to ask, "What took the Raiders so long?"

o. Michael Turner missed practice on Wednesday, but hasn't ruled himself out for Sunday. Jerious Norwood didn't practice either, but worked out on one of the side-fields at Flowery Branch. I feel that both are long-shots to play against the Giants, who give up a ton of rushing touchdowns. That could make Jason Snelling, the de facto starter at running back, a good Week 11 play.

o. According to Charles Chandler and David Scott, who cover the Carolina Panthers for the Charlotte Observer, DeAngelo Williams did not practice on Wednesday. They also say that head coach John Fox claims Williams was just resting, even though he is listed as questionable for Thursday night's game.

o. Inactive for seven of the Giants' first nine games, Ramses Barden might not seem like a fantasy football play you should know about. But Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger says head coach Tom Coughlin thinks that Barden could become a red-zone target for Eli Manning very soon.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Fitzpatrick Named Starting Quarterback in Buffalo originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Passed Out at Your Desk: Buy One, Get The Next One Free

R.J. White — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire

Everyone loves fantasy football sleepers, but they change depending on league size and availability. We're here each and every week to give you a look at good plays for all types of leagues.

We're shortening up the sleeper column a bit this week. Fear not, because the benefit to the shorter column is ... more sleepers! First we'll take a look at players available in most shallow leagues and some normal-sized leagues. Next, we'll move on to players available in many normal-sized leagues and a few deep leagues. Lastly, we'll throw out some sleepers for your deep league owners.

Power Naps

Featured Sleeper: Beanie Wells, RB, ARI at STL

It's past time to pick this guy up. I've been praising him all season, and he's started to receive the heavier workload that we came to expect. Week 10 brought a season-high 18 touches, and Wells responded with 117 yards and two TDs. Tim Hightower may remain the starter, but Beanie has arrived and is on the fantasy landscape to stay. He has a great matchup this week, one he reprises in Week 16, which is likely your fantasy championship. With a game against Detroit in Week 15, Wells could get you to that championship game, and eventually help you win. He should be owned in 100% of your leagues, and he should be started as a flex or RB2 this week.

Others:

Kevin Walter, WR, HOU vs. TEN. Tennessee defense better, or just a spike?
Jamal Lewis, RB, CLE at DET. If you ever plan on using him, this is the week.
Mike Wallace, WR, PIT at KC. Ignore off day against Cincinnati -- this is a legit WR3.
Jason Campbell, QB, WAS at DAL. Dallas is below average against QBs.
Marcedes Lewis, TE, JAC vs. BUF. Buffalo is a mess -- a safety started at LB!

A Good Night's Sleep

Featured Sleeper: Cincinnati Defense, TM, CIN at OAK

What on Earth could be easier than facing a JaMarcus Russell-led offense? How about one led by Bruce Gradkowski? Or Charlie Frye? Russell was benched in favor of Gradkowski in Week 10 (surprising only to Russell), but the former Buc might miss next week's game with an injury. It says a lot about Russell that the Raiders are considering starting Frye in that game. Enter the Bengals, who are fresh off a huge win against the Steelers, keeping the defending champions out of the end zone for the entire game. Against this sad Oakland franchise, this matchup doesn't even seem fair.

Others:

Justin Forsett, RB, SEA at MIN. Hate the matchup, love the opportunity.
Bernard Scott, RB, CIN at OAK. Love the matchup, but splitting time with Leonard.
Devery Henderson, WR, NO at TB. Will they score 50 at Tampa Bay? Sixty?
Jerious Norwood, RB, ATL at NYG. If he can play, Norwood's the starter.
Robert Meachem, WR, NO at TB. Seventy?
Jake Delhomme, QB, CAR vs. MIA. Clicking a bit better with Steve Smith lately.
Jeff Reed, K, PIT at KC. Coming off huge game, and you can score on KC.

Lights Out

Featured Sleeper: Brandon Gibson, WR, STL vs. ARI

We discussed the universally-unowned Gibson in last week's 4th and 26 column (you'll find Forsett featured in the column as well). "Better to be too early than too late," I said. Keenan Burton quickly suffered what turned out to be a season-ending knee injury, and Gibson was thrust onto center stage. He responded to his first chunk of playing time by catching seven balls for 93 yards. St. Louis is rife with favorable WR matchups for the rest of the season, starting with the Cardinals this week. He could very well be the Drew Bennett of your fantasy playoffs this year. (Don't recognize that name? Ask your older brother.) Start Gibson this week, and if he can put together back-to-back good games, I love his prospects moving forward.

Others:

Sammie Stroughter, WR, TB vs. NO. Decimated Saints D could mean long TDs.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, BUF at JAC. He has weapons and is facing the Jags.
Fred Davis, TE, WAS at DAL. I think he sees several goal-line looks.
Detroit Defense, TM, DET vs. CLE. Brady Quinn on the road? Yes we can!
Chaz Schilens, WR, OAK vs. CIN. Don't forget how quietly good he was last year.

Passed Out at Your Desk: Buy One, Get The Next One Free originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waiver Wire Wonders: Superstar Wheels Come Off

Ryan Dembinsky — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire

Weeding through those unwieldy waiver wires requires a keen eye and a quick trigger. Thus, Waiver Wire Wonders provides a weekly snapshot of players worthy of consideration who should be available on a good portion of league waiver wires.

Week 10 dealt some potentially critical blows in the form of injuries, as two of the game's elite running backs -- as well as another solid weekly starter -- left their respective games due to injury. For waiver wire cherry-pickers, this spells opportunity as the backups here all provide potential additions. Beyond that, there is not too much else for this week on the wires, but we saw a big game from a quarterback on one of the league's worst teams putting up a fight against one of the best, a sage old receiver return to form, and a couple potential up-and-comers.

Jason Snelling (RB, Falcons) - After Michael Turner came out with guns blazing, racking up 111 yards on just nine carries, he suffered a devastating ankle sprain and left the game. The severity of the injury remains uncertain, but in his absence backup Snelling filled in admirably with 18 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was just a one-yarder, but, given the Falcons' emphasis on the running game, Snelling makes a strong buy candidate.

Bernard Scott (RB, Bengals) - Along the same lines, another big injury came Sunday as the obvious choice for comeback player of the year, Cedric Benson, left the game due to a hip flexor. Benson's fantasy owners must be writhing in agony after the tremendous surprise he's been for them thus far. In his absence, it may seem silly to race out and grab Scott, given that he filed only 33 yards on 13 carries, but let's keep this in perspective. There must be some "system" to Benson's success. The guy was useless for years in Chicago, so it's safe to expect some level -- albeit with a lower ceiling -- of success to translate across to Scott should Benson miss any time. And Scott did have enough talent to return a kickoff for the game's lone touchdown. I would aim to get Snelling first and then go for Scott as your second priority.

Justin Forsett (RB, Seahawks) - The pain keeps coming this week for fantasy owners as Julius Jones also left the game early with a chest injury. Forsett cleaned house in his absence, posting one of the finest performances of the day with 123 rushing yards and a touchdown. As with all of these running backs, everything hinges on the severity and duration of the injury to the starter (Update: Jones was reportedly hospitalized with bleeding in his lung), but in Forsett's case, he might just win the job since he showed better play than any we've seen from Jones all season. Forsett looks like a grab.

Muhsin Muhammad (WR, Panthers) - Even though it seems like Muhammad joined the league before they wore face masks, he still tends to show up with a decent game every now and then. Coming off an injury that kept him out two games and benefiting from a surprisingly good performance from Jake Delhomme (including two TD passes to Steve Smith), Muhammad caught six passes for 91 yards. The Panthers seem to be clicking on both sides of the ball presently, so while adding this geezer may seem harebrained, keep an eye on him, as he might provide a nice stretch surprise.

Marc Bulger (WR, Rams) - In the surprise performance of the day, the St. Louis Rams played a great game and hung right in there until the end with the NFC-best New Orleans Saints. The Rams posted 434 yards of total offense, thanks in large part to Mark Bulger's 26-for-40 passing assault -- totaling 298 yards with two touchdowns. The Rams need to gain some consistency, but an effort like this against a great opportunistic defense like the Saints (albeit a banged up one) provides a nice boost for the rest of the season for Bulger and the Rams.

Maurice Stovall (WR, Buccaneers) - With clear indications that the Tampa Bay passing game is on an upswing with Josh Freeman under center, Stovall looks to be an immediate benefactor. Inserted into the starting lineup as a replacement for the injured Antonio Bryant, Stovall caught four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. He only merits consideration in deep leagues or desperate situations at this point, but, should he continue to impress consistently and stay in the starting lineup, he could be a nice little addition to your sack of gems.

Jason Avant (WR, Eagles) - Another wide receiver posted a huge day for the Eagles, this time Avant with eight catches for 156 yards. It's a shame it's never the same guy twice in a row, because this offense produces serious stats. Interestingly, DeSean Jackson remains one of the most traded players in fantasy football for just this reason: the Eagles are stacked with explosive receivers, but they have too many weapons to post good stats consistently.

Jamaal Charles (RB, Chief) - Larry who? You're probably assuming it's already too late to move on this one. Charles looked like an obvious pickup immediately after the release of Larry Johnson, but he's currently only owned in 43 percent of Fleaflicker leagues. More importantly, with all of the talk last week about Kolby Smith also getting looks and potentially being the better pickup down the stretch, Charles' 103 yard and one touchdown game adds all the clarity we need on the matter.

Michael Bush (RB, Raiders) - If anyone is a glutton for punishment, it's the Raiders. They teased us with a bizarre 119-yard ground effort by Michael Bush. Don't be fooled though, as it's courtesy of the Chiefs. Plus, Darren McFadden should be assuming a larger share of the carries going forward.

Waiver Wire Wonders: Superstar Wheels Come Off originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fourth and 26: Arrowhead Arsenal

R.J. White — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers

Need a last-minute fill-in for this week? 4th and 26 is here to throw you a couple deep sleepers, guys available in at least 90 percent of Fleaflicker leagues that could give your fantasy football team a big boost.

Last week we hit on Rashad Jennings, who scored a 28-yard TD on his first touch of the Jacksonville-Kansas City game, and Josh Freeman, who had a debut better than anyone could have anticipated. This week I'm going back to the well to again choose a player from that Jaguars-Chiefs game, as well as one of his teammates. I also have a player likely unowned in all your leagues that could have value in the next couple weeks.

Kolby Smith, RB, Chiefs. I've been suggesting him in several articles, thinking that he may be in for just as many carries as Jamaal Charles, if not more. In last week's game, Smith received six carries to Charles's nine. This week, the Chiefs should have more of an opportunity to run, and Smith could very well have double-digit touches. Against a terrible Raiders rush defense, that's promising for deep league owners needing a fill-in.

Lance Long, WR, Chiefs. You may have missed it unless you were riveted by the Jaguars-Chiefs 24-21 barn-burner last week, but Lance Long had a nice little coming out party. He was targeted by quarterback Matt Cassel 11 times, catching eight balls for 74 yards. Chris Chambers may have stole the show, but I'm much more excited about Long, who has drawn Wes Welker comparisons from Cassel, moving forward. I snatched him up in a dynasty league, and I'd suggest you do as well.

Justin Forsett, RB, Seahawks. The Reggie Bush of the Pacific Northwest, Forsett caught five balls for 45 yards in last weeks game (and that wasn't even his best receiving performance of the season). With Edgerrin James out of town, Forsett should see plenty of playing time moving forward, and may be of use in deep leagues if the Seahawks give him an extended look once they've been eliminated from playoff contention.

Greg Camarillo, WR, Dolphins. The Dolphins have rotated four receivers throughout the year, and right now the dial is turned toward Camarillo and Davone Bess. Camarillo had his second five-catch game of the last three weeks in Week 9, and he could do just as well this week, as the Buccaneers gear up to stop the wildcat formation. After his season-high 71-yard performance a week ago, things are looking up for this Dolphin.

Ahman Green, RB, Packers. Only a play for the deep-league desperate, Green has moved into the No. 2 role for the Packers, a team that used him as a feature back for most of the decade. Last week that role translated into 45 yards on six carries and 10 yards on one reception against the Buccaneers. The Packers should mix in frequent run plays to hopefully slow up the Cowboys rush, and Green should see another 7-10 touches here. Possible touchdown vulture?

Brandon Gibson, WR, Rams. Here's your super-sleeper of the week. Gibson was acquired by St. Louis in the trade that sent Will Witherspoon to Philadelphia, and the team has reportedly been looking to get Gibson on the field, even lining him up with the first-team in practice. There's obviously opportunity for any talented receiver to step up in such a murky WR situation, and dynasty league owners may want to pick him up now, just in case. Better to be too early than too late.

Fourth and 26: Arrowhead Arsenal originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Davone Bess Is Chad Henne's Woobie

Knox Bardeen — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:55:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire, NFL Stash or Trash

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

There are two receivers on the Miami Dolphins roster who are barely owned in fantasy football leagues -- I think that they should be shown more love. FanHouse fantasy football guru R.J. White wrote a little about Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo earlier on Wednesday, I wanted to add a few more numbers to the mix.

These two guys just combined for 127 yards on 11 catches against the Patriots. Take a second to soak that in. Following the demotion of Ted Ginn, Bess and Camarillo saw a quick bump in fantasy value. Bess finds his way onto a roster in many more leagues than Camarillo, but they hold similar value. The Buccaneers will spend a good portion of practice prepping for the wildcat look, and the two Miami wideouts should benefit.

I obviously couldn't agree more. After Miami faces Tampa Bay in Week 10, the Dolphins will play four of their remaining seven games against teams in the bottom half of the league in receiving yards allowed. This could be a great time to take a flier on Camarillo or Bess. If you're trying to decide between the two, Mike Berardino of the Sun-Sentinel explains that Bess is being targeted a whole lot more than Camarillo.

Even coming off knee surgery, Camarillo runs such precise routes he is frequently open. However, he was targeted just seven times on Sunday and made five of those grabs for 71 yards (14.2 average). Davone Bess, by comparison, was targeted officially a whopping 14 times (double anyone else on the team) and came down with six of those catches for 56 yards (9.3 average). Bess is clearly Henne's security blanket.

R.J.'s mention of these two receivers is a recommendation for waiver wire help for Week 10. I personally believe that signing one of these guys could help you out down the road as well.

Other Fantasy Football Notes
o. Did you notice that in Week 9 Mike Bell, who is supposed to be sharing the running back duties with Pierre Thomas only got eight touches? Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune in his film study shows that Thomas touched the ball 23 times.

o. We've been told throughout the Bills' bye week that Trent Edwards would start in Week 10. According to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com Edwards received news of just that. I supposed now the expected news is somewhat official.

o. This next bit of news could adversely effect every fantasy GM who owns Ahmad Bradshaw. Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger says that Danny Ware could become the Giants third down back and will become a much bigger part of the New York rushing attack in the second half of the season.

o. John Crumpacker, who is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer, says that head coach Mike Singletary believes that only one of Alex Smith's three interceptions were the fault of his new quarterback. It seems as if Singletary has complete confidence in Smith.

o. Who's going to be the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback when they appear on Monday Night Football in Week 10? Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says that Brady Quinn has retaken the job from Derek Anderson.

o. None of the three running backs competing for carries in Houston have distinguished themselves enough to take over as the featured back. Drew Dougherty of HoustonTexans.com says that head coach Gary Kubiak says he still needs Ryan Moats, Steve Slaton and Chris Brown.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Davone Bess Is Chad Henne's Woobie originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Passed Out at Your Desk: Return of the Backs, and Eight Other Sleepers

R.J. White — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers

Everyone loves fantasy football sleepers, but they change depending on league size and availability. We're here each and every week to give you a look at good plays for all types of leagues.

Week 9 brought us big games for POaYD sleepers Matt Cassel (262 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT), Bryant Johnson (35 yards and a TD) and the Falcons defense, as well as great games from deep-league 4th and 26 players Rashad Jennings (29 yards and a TD) and Josh Freeman (205 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT). I liked those guys so much, I decided to reach back into last week and bring forth a few sleepers (from both columns) that didn't quite get it going last week.

Power Naps

Chester Taylor, RB, MIN vs. DET
If you're an Adrian Peterson owner that also has Taylor, you're just fine with how this season has gone. "Purple Jesus" has shown why he was so highly regarded heading into the draft, rushing for 790 yards and nine TDs in the first half of the season. He's even caught 19 balls for 189 yards. This means that Taylor has taken even more of a backseat than normal, and he's averaging just one catch a game over his last three. So why is he a great play? The Lions are comin' to town! Peterson could receive extra rest here, which would give Taylor more touches to put up points.

Mark Sanchez, QB, NYJ vs. JAC
This has been an up-and-down season for the rookie (like it usually is for first-year players). The lowest of lows came in Week 6, when Sanchez threw five interceptions and no TDs while barely topping 100 yards against Buffalo. Two weeks later, he had his best game as a pro, completing 20 passes for 265 and two TDs while rushing for one more score against Miami. The Jets then received two weeks to prepare for the second half of the season, starting with the beatable Jaguars secondary. The only thing that could hold Sanchez back in this matchup would be inclement playing conditions.

Mike Bell, RB, NO at STL
Meet the first of our repeat sleepers for Week 10. The New Orleans back has actually been moving steadily away from fantasy relevance, rushing for 49 yards on 17 carries in Week 8 before receiving just five carries last week. The difference here is that the Saints are battling the Rams, and Drew Brees and company won't be playing from behind in this one like they have been lately. The Saints see Bell as a "closer," wanting his fresh legs in the game in the second half to move the chains against tired defenses. That should be exactly what plays out this Sunday.

Laveranues Coles, WR, CIN at PIT
After Week 5, it was past time to give up on Coles. After all, Andre Caldwell (also a decent sleeper this week) had far more upside after a hot start to the season, and Coles had just 10 catches for the 4-1 Bengals. Why change a formula that's working? Over the past month, Coles has made the formula work for him. Despite receiving few looks, he caught touchdowns in back-to-back weeks before Cincinnati headed into a bye. Emerging in Week 9, Coles caught six balls for 72 yards, both season highs. With Chris Henry out, Coles should take on more of the workload moving forward.

A Good Night's Sleep

Mark Clayton, WR, BAL at CLE
In his first game against the Browns, Clayton totaled 50 yards. Cleveland hasn't become a better team since then, so I think we can call that the floor for Clayton this week. He's struggled the last two weeks against good secondaries (Denver and Cincinnati); again, no one would call the Cleveland secondary good. I'm thinking he gets his 50-60 yards and adds a trip to the end zone this time around while the defense concentrates on Derrick Mason. This makes Clayton a sneaky WR3 or flex play in Week 10.

Alex Smith, QB, SF vs. CHI
We had to take a Thursday night guy in honor of the first mid-week game of the season (discounting the Kickoff), because I wanted to make sure you knew to make lineup decisions on your 49ers and Bears early this week. Chicago comes away from Week 9 in tatters after a beatdown by the Arizona Cardinals. While Smith is no Kurt Warner, he should be able to take advantage of Chicago's secondary in a similar way. It'll take more than four days to fix what ails Chicago, and traveling west for a nationally-televised game isn't going to help. Smith should be a great QB2 play for you this week.

Justin Fargas, RB, OAK vs. KC
Is Darren McFadden coming back? Probably. Even though he was the No. 1 option in the running game over the first three weeks, he racked up just 196 total yards and one TD. Over Fargas's last three games, he's racked up 268 yards and a TD. Do you think Fargas could do better than 55 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs? That's all McFadden was able to manage in Week 2. Yes, McFadden will be back, but I don't think it's going to matter, at least not this week. I see the coaches leaning on Fargas for the rest of the season and saving McFadden for 2010.

Davone Bess, WR, MIA vs. TB
Greg Camarillo, WR, MIA vs. TB
These two guys just combined for 127 yards on 11 catches against the Patriots. Take a second to soak that in. Following the demotion of Ted Ginn, Bess and Camarillo saw a quick bump in fantasy value. Bess finds his way onto a roster in many more leagues than Camarillo, but they hold similar value. The Buccaneers will spend a good portion of practice prepping for the wildcat look, and the two Miami wideouts should benefit.

Lights Out

Kolby Smith, RB, KC at OAK
Ever since the Larry Johnson escapade, I've been looking for a reason to be sold on Jamaal Charles. After all, he's a Texas alum. Yet the Chiefs have been very reluctant to give Charles a significant workload at any time, even when the perfect opportunity has presented itself. They haven't had that problem with Smith. Getting his legs back underneath him, Smith saw five touches to Charles's nine. I wouldn't be surprised to see them draw even this week. The Raiders haven't stopped anyone on the ground this season, so there's probably room for both in lineups.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, DET at MIN
Limelight, meet Brandon Pettigrew. The rookie TE finally came through with a breakout game in Week 9, catching seven balls for 70 yards and a touchdown against Seattle. No one gets lit up by tight ends quite like Minnesota, as they've allowed 53 catches and 602 yards to the position (both league highs) as well as six TDs (tied for second behind these very Lions). The Lions need Pettigrew to emerge as a quality second option behind Calvin Johnson; otherwise, their offense can't move forward in the future. With so much invested on his progress, expect them to keep throwing the ball his way.

Chiefs Defense, TM, KC at OAK
There a good chance that the Chiefs defense is available in your league, and there's a good reason for it: they don't score many points. Much of the time with fantasy defenses, it's not how you've played, it's who you play next. For the Chiefs, they'll be looking to avenge an embarrassing loss to the Raiders in Week 10. Scoring should be low, and this could devolve into a contests between the kickers.

Sebastian Janikowski, PK, OAK vs. KC
Speaking of, might as well nab Janikowski while we're at it. The Chiefs are just one of two teams that have allowed 20 field goal attempts. Janikowski should be able to convert two or three FGs in this game, though he might not get the chance to hit any extra points. It bears noting that the Oakland kicker is perfect on the season thus far.

Passed Out at Your Desk: Return of the Backs, and Eight Other Sleepers originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fourth and 26: Kelley and Kolby Highlight Week 9 Deep Sleepers

R.J. White — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers

Need a last-minute fill-in for this week? 4th and 26 is here to throw you a couple deep sleepers, guys available in at least 90 percent of Fleaflicker leagues that could give your fantasy football team a big boost.

We covered a full complement of fantasy sleepers in Wednesday's column, and I suggest perusing that article to try and find a replacement before delving into these deep sleepers, who are nothing more than wild cards.

Of course, some of you are sitting around with a dried-out free agent pool and not many options. If this describes your situation, read on, because I'm here to help you out.

Kolby Smith, RB, Chiefs. I mentioned Smith as a sly add last week, and as predicted, Smith was activated for this week's contest against the Jaguars. The Chiefs have shown a reluctance to give Jamaal Charles a full complement of carries, so there's definitely opportunity here for Smith. It's unlikely Kansas City will be handing the ball off 25-30 times this game, but if they do, I expect Smith to receive double-digit carries and possibly score a TD.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Jaguars. Speaking of No. 2 backs, Jennings hasn't had much to do this season, with his lone notable performance being a nine-carry, 53-yard day against Tennessee in Week 4. Should the Jaguars pull away from the Chiefs early, Jennings could see a similar workload and provide you with a cheap five points.

Kelley Washington, WR, Ravens. The Bengals generally have problems containing secondary receivers in an offense, so Washington could potentially catch a few long balls and reach the end zone in this contest. Even if he doesn't put up that huge of a game, we've generally been able to count on him for 3-5 catches this year. Those few points might be the difference-maker for you this week.

Michael Jenkins, WR, Falcons. Like Washington, Jenkins is usually good for a few catches and a mediocre performance on Sundays. Last Monday, he caught four passes and gained 66 yards against the Saints, his best game since Week 3. The matchup isn't great, but Jenkins sees plenty of playing time, so the potential is always there for a double-digit fantasy performance (if he could just get in the end zone).

Josh Freeman, QB, Buccaneers. Heaven help you if you have to rely on a rookie QB for a winless team in his first start, but if you're in a two-QB league and have no other options, make sure you type Freeman's name into your search box in your Fleaflicker league. He'll at least be better than the zero you'd otherwise take at the position this week. Probably.

Fourth and 26: Kelley and Kolby Highlight Week 9 Deep Sleepers originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Felony: Planning for the Playoffs

Will Brinson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Fantasy Felony, NFL Sleepers

Fantasy Felony helps you hijack your fellow team owners.

If at any point during your fantasy football season, barring injury, you typically want to add a first or second-rounder onto your team. There are exceptions of course (that's what we refer to as the Shaun Alexander Clause, of course), but for the most part, you want to invite elite talent into your already elite team.

However, this year there's an interesting case of a LOT of early rounders underperforming, which makes them somewhat available on the trade market. Lest you doubt me, let's look at the following: LaDainian Tomlinson, Matt Forte and Calvin Johnson.

The last one is because of injury, but the point remains: these high profile players are available because their owners are likely sick of their inconsistent performance. The question remains though, as we roll into the trading deadline: do you want them? (Oh, we'll also discuss some value playoff matchups as well, after the jump.)

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, SD -- If someone owns LdT, they're trying to move him right now, and hard too; Tomlinson found the end zone twice in his last game, which was a rare, rare surprise for owners who thought they might be getting a deal with Tomlinson late in the first round on a possible bounce back year. Obviously that didn't happen, and the future Hall of Famer has yet to crack 75 yards on the season. Even worse, his schedule heading into the stretch isn't great -- only Kansas City and Cleveland loom as good matchups. Unless you're getting an absolute steal on the back and will be using him as an RB2/Flex, don't even bother.

Matt Forte, RB, CHI -- Forte scored twice last week too, providing owners his best game of the year so far. But it was against the hapless Browns and right now, the Bears' offensive line is a total disaster. Making Forte a much less attractive target in a trade are matchups against Baltimore and Minnesota in Weeks 15 and 16. Not to sound weird, but I'm not sure you could lowball me enough to take Forte off your hands right now.

Calvin Johnson, WR, DET -- "Minitron," as a friend and I have dubbed him because of his lack of fantasy points and injury issues this year, hasn't done mess in 2009. But he's got some attractive matchups (looking at you Baltimore, in the playoffs, and Cleveland and Green Bay -- twice!) coming up. The best part though? He's got his bye week soon, which means that his owner, unless he's absolutely set in terms of the standings, is probably looking to deal him (hell, I was undefeated in a league and wanted to move him, just because I was panicking about my early round expenditure). Go get Megatron and enjoy a monster second half.

VALUE PLAYOFF SKEDS

Houston -- The Texans get a freaking delicious matchup against St. Louis in week 15 and a pretty decent slate against Miami during Week 16. But the best part about Houston is that they play in the same division as the Colts, which makes them pretty unlikely to be taking any of those games off.

Kansas City -- Given all that's gone on with the Chiefs lately, they seem like a horrible team to target, but fantasy knows no "real wins" or "embarrassing running back PR nightmares." And since they get Cleveland and a middling -- albeit rejuvenated -- Cincy defense, you'd pretty pretty smart to target some Chiefs in your dealings if you think you're playoff bound.

Seattle -- Jim Mora's first season as head coach is a stinker, sure, but the Seahawks get Tampa Bay coming west in Week 15 and then head to Green Bay where Matt Hasselbeck has both fond memories and some demons; he might not be the perfect guy to target, but they're gonna keep passing and even if they can't go to the playoffs, they'll still be trying this late. Which is worth gold in fantasy.

San Francisco -- And then there's this absolute treasure chest of fantasy football playoff goodness -- the Niners get Detroit in Week 15 and St. Louis in Week 16; there seems to be a pretty good chance that they'll be embroiled in a division battle with the Cardinals at this point, or at least maybe-possibly alive for a wild card, so there's not really anyone that's off limits in terms of targeting here. If you can sell people on Frank Gore only having four good runs all season (it's true!) go for it; if not, be thinking Glen Coffee -- if Gore goes down he could win a ton of leagues for people based just on his fantasy playoff performance. Vernon Davis would be nice too, but you'll be overpaying.

Fantasy Felony: Planning for the Playoffs originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Passed Out at Your Desk: Time for the Backups to Step Up

R.J. White — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire

Everyone loves fantasy football sleepers, but they change depending on league size and availability. We're here each and every week to give you a look at good plays for all types of leagues.

Our two running back picks from last week, LeSean McCoy and Justin Fargas, ended up with great lines, and if you had either as your fill-in RB2 for the week, I'm sure you were pleased with their performances. Unfortunately, the rest of our sleepers didn't hit.

What does that matter for this week, you say? How about ... more running backs! That's right, call now and we'll double your RB sleepers at no additional cost!

Now that the spirit of Billy Mays has passed through the column, let's check out the POaYD crew this week.

Power Naps

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, NYG vs. SD
Fantasy owners were loving Bradshaw for much of the season. Through six weeks, the shifty runner had one huge game, two other double-digit performances, and only one game under 50 yards (Week 2's air show in Dallas). He was averaging 6.22 yards per carry! After two terrible weeks, that average has dropped all the way down to 5.35 yards per carry. That's still pretty good. Both Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs should thrive this week against the Chargers, so don't give up on the pair of Giant backs just yet. I own Bradshaw in multiple leagues, and he's starting in
every one.

Matt Cassel, QB, KC at JAC

Yards have been hard to come by for the Kansas City quarterback. He's had two games this season where he's thrown for under 100 yards, a JaMarcusian feat. (If you were wondering, that word is pronounced with the accent on the "cus," which rhymes with "lose".) So why am I marking him a sleeper for the week? In four consecutive games against the entire slate of NFC East teams, Cassel threw six TDs and no interceptions while averaging 164 yards a game. Fantastic? No, but it's against some pretty good competition, something that Jacksonville is not.

Michael Crabtree, WR, SF vs TEN
Crabtree signs, and the Niners can't seen to buy a win! They played a heck of a game against what I think is the best team in football though. The rookie receiver built on his 56-yard debut by catching six balls for 81 yards in the tough loss. If the trend continues, he should have his first 100-yard game against the Titans, who did much better defending the pass last week against the Jaguars. With the defense focusing on stopping Vernon Davis and Frank Gore, look for Crabtree to see single coverage for most of the game and exploit it to his advantage.

A Good Night's Sleep

Mike Bell, RB, NO vs. CAR
Don't tell me you're ready to give up on him after one bad game. Pierre Thomas stole the show on Monday night, but Bell was actually given the bigger share of carries, despite not doing much with it. If you were disappointed in his yards-per-carry average, look back to the 12-carry, 80-yard performance from Week 7. Now he gets the Panthers, a team that's been very easy to run on this season (as long as your QB isn't throwing their defenders the ball). Chalk up big days for both Thomas and Bell, whom I'm playing as a RB2 or flex in many of my leagues (you know, the half of my teams that don't have Bradshaw).

Jamaal Charles, RB, KC at JAC
Sometimes it's not what you do, it's what the idiot ahead of you on the depth chart does. Many people have been clamoring for Charles to receive an expanded role in the offense, and that time has finally come. He can't be worse than the 2.7 yards-per-carry the Chiefs offense has been built around. While he might still have to share the ball to some extent, expect Charles to receive the bulk of the load, which will probably be 12 to 15 carries. If he maintains his 5.0 yards-per-carry average, that'll lead to a usable fantasy day for you.

Ben Watson, TE, NE vs. MIA
Looking to catch lightning in a bottle? Watson has four touchdowns on 15 catches this season, with the last being a 35-yard score in London before the New England bye. Miami has been giving up TE points all season, with the latest success story being the previously-slumping Dustin Keller. The Dolphins will be doing their best to keep up with New England's great receivers, and I expect Watson to sneak in a score or two along the way.

Alex Smith, QB, SF vs. TEN
Was the Tennessee rejuvenation in Week 8 a preview of the second half, or just a blip on the screen of a lousy season? We know which scenario Smith is hoping is true. A week after his huge comeback against Houston, Smith had a good-but-not-great day in Indianapolis, throwing for about 200 yards and a TD, with one interception against him. He should be able to get multiple TDs under his belt this week, as I'm not sure the Titans have an answer for Vernon Davis. Play him with confidence as your flex QB or QB2.

Falcons Defense, TM, ATL vs. WAS
Backup tackle, meet John Abraham. John Abraham, meet Jason Campbell. Abraham resurrected his career last year but has just three sacks so far in 2009. That total could double on Sunday. Other things that could double in Week 9: Atlanta's one defensive TD this season, Campbell's halftime benchings, and coaching duties Jim Zorn "willfully" surrenders to assistants. With the Redskins' O-Line hurting, the Falcons are your obvious defensive plug-and-play for the week.

Lights Out

Malcom Floyd, WR, SD at NYG
Say goodbye to Chris Chambers, Charger fans. Some of you looked shocked -- did you not know he was still a member of the team when you heard the news of his release? It wouldn't surprise me, as Chambers has done nothing to endear himself to fans and fantasy owners alike this season. Now the much more talented Floyd steps into the spotlight. He's a guy you can always rely on if you need a big catch in the red zone, and now it looks like the Chargers will be relying on him more often. The Giants couldn't stop the Eagles passing game last week, and if we see a reprise here we should see a big game from Floyd.

Bryant Johnson, WR, DET at SEA
No team is worse at defending No. 2 WRs than Seattle, something that I'm sure comes as no shock after the Dallas game, where they didn't defend any receivers, or so it seemed. The man with the next shot at glory is Johnson. He's been decidedly mediocre all season, but the matchup is great for anyone needing to gamble in Week 9. If Calvin Johnson can play, that just opens up much of the field for Bryant Johnson. He's not my favorite play, but he's a nice pickup for deep league guys needing a fill-in.

Fred Davis, TE, WAS at ATL
The Falcons have allowed the second-most yards to tight ends this season, behind only the resting Vikings. Davis stepped in for Chris Cooley by catching eight balls for 78 yards and a score. Put the two together and you have a very nice low-end TE1 for Week 9. There's a very good chance he's available in your league, so make the move before someone realizes how well he did in Week 7.

Justin Forsett, RB, SEA vs. DET
Much like Malcom Floyd is benefiting from the Chambers release, Forsett has also seen his stock go up with the release of Edgerrin James. Forsett now becomes the clear No. 2 back and the much preferred guy on the field in passing situations (of which there are many for Seattle). Act now, because he's bound to have a big game within the next few weeks and become a waiver wire darling (a la Ryan Moats and Shonn Greene). What better team to announce your fantasy worth against than the Lions?

Matt Stover, K, IND vs. HOU
Thanks for bearing with us this long. This is our last sleeper, I promise you. When the 49ers put up a fight in Indianapolis, the Colts turned to their kicker to keep the game close. Not Adam Vinatieri, who's been out with an injury, but veteran Matt Stover, who connected with four FGs on the way to a big game. The Texans-Colts game usually ends up being closer than people expect, and if that happens again, people should expect even more fantasy fireworks from Stover.

Passed Out at Your Desk: Time for the Backups to Step Up originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Chris Chambers Resurfaces in Kansas City

Knox Bardeen — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire, NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

Cinderella had her glass slipper and some enterprising restaurateur decided many years ago that chicken wings and beer went great together. It doesn't happen often -- when two things come together to create a perfect fit. When it does happen, you should thank your stars.

Chris Chambers is doing just that after he was claimed off waivers Tuesday by the Kansas City Chiefs. It may be a stretch to call this a perfect fit, but there aren't too many teams in the NFL where Chambers could have gone and actually produced. The receiver-needy Chiefs are one of those few places.

Chambers, who had nine receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown this season, was released Monday by the San Diego Chargers. In Kansas City, Chambers is going to get quite a few chances to earn playing time. Bobby Wade and Mark Bradley are stepping stones on the depth chart for Chambers. But, if he finds any gas left in the tank, he may find himself being relevant to the Chiefs.

Just make sure that he does start producing and grabs that No. 2 wide receiver spot on the depth chart before you go out and sign him off of your fantasy waiver wire. Because it's likely that even if he becomes relevant in Kansas City, he won't become fantasy relevant.

Other Fantasy Football Notes
o. It looks as if 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye trusts Alex Smith. According to Matthew Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, the usually run-heavy San Francisco offense threw the ball 36 times on Sunday against the Colts while only running it 18 times. With Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree emerging as reliable threats, Smith could gain fantasy value if the 49ers continue to pass more than they run.

o. Having a change-of-pace rusher is all the rave now in the NFL, but a change-of-pace punt return specialist? Rick Maese and Jason Reid of The Washington Post say that Santana Moss will sometimes join DeAngelo Hall to return punts. Moss has 453 yards receiving this year with two touchdowns. If you have him on your roster already and you play in a league that awards return points, you just received an early holiday gift.

o. The Buffalo Bills are enjoying their bye week and that extra time may be just what Trent Edwards needs. Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News cites a team source in Buffalo who says that when they do get back onto the field in Week 10, they'll have Edwards back at quarterback. This news carries the caveat that Edwards doesn't have any setbacks, but it's still good news for those of you with Edwards on your bench.

o. According to Robert Lee of The Providence Journal, Sam Aiken and Brandon Tate will share No. 3 wide receiver duties this week for New England as they play Miami. It's hard to imagine a Patriots receiver not being fantasy relevant, but as a tandem, neither of these two is worth owning.

o. We all know that Maurice Jones-Drew can get very vocal when he doesn't get the ball. To keep this from happening, Vito Stellino of The Florida Times-Union says that David Garrard has been told not to audible out of run plays designed for Jones-Drew -- at least not all of the time.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Chris Chambers Resurfaces in Kansas City originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Steve Slaton May Lose Starting Job

Knox Bardeen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:31:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Injury Report, NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

If you came away from your fantasy football draft with Steve Slaton, you probably used a late first-round or early second-round pick on the Texans running back and had visions of another 1,200-plus yard rushing campaign. Things aren't going as planned for you or the Houston running back.

After losing his fifth fumble of the season, Slaton was benched on Sunday in favor of Ryan Moats, who ran for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Now, says Dale Robertson of the Houston Chronicle, Slaton will have to battle for his starting job.

Benched in favor of Ryan Moats, Slaton must be wondering if he'll get his starting job back. The previously little-used Moats wasn't in a sharing mood against the Bills. He rushed for 126 yards and three fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Texans overwhelmed the Bills 31-10.

"Ryan took advantage of the situation," coach Gary Kubiak said, although he demurred when asked if Moats is the new starter. "We'll go to next week. We'll see."

Adam Caplan, who is a writer for Scout with FoxSports.com, says that all three running backs for Houston will get playing time. With that declaration we have yet another running back-by-committee situation brewing in the NFL. This news is not good for any fantasy football GM who owns Slaton.

No decision on who will start at running back yet for the #Texans. Head coach Gary Kubiak said all three backs will play.

Other Fantasy Football Notes
o. With Owen Daniels being gone for the season, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle thinks Kevin Walter will benefit the most, statistically speaking. McClain predicts a Walter breakout soon: "Watch him emerge big time starting with the Colts game."

o. You wouldn't expect this kind of news after your team puts up 30 points, but the Chicago Bears have decided to pare back the offensive playbook for Jay Cutler. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times thinks the Bears offense hasn't done a good job of anything this season except getting the ball to Devin Hester. Will a reduction in the playbook help bring up Cutler's fantasy value?

o. Paul Schwartz of the New York Post says that Eli Manning refuses to blame his poor throwing lately on his injured foot. "That's not an excuse I can fall on," he said. "It's (foot) not bothering me at all." What is bothering fantasy football owners are the six interceptions that Manning has thrown over the past three games -- all losses for the Giants. Manning is no longer a must-start option at quarterback for your fantasy team.

o. If you have either of the Cleveland Browns quarterbacks on your fantasy football roster, for any reason other than a joke, then you're crazy. Head coach Eric Mangini is, yet again, undecided as to whether Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson should be the starting quarterback says Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

o. Steven Jackson finally got into the end zone in Week 8 and has averaged 141.5 yards per game over the last two weeks. Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says that a lot of Jackson's present and future success stems from the improved play of his offensive line.

o. As if Vikings rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin wasn't scoring enough points. You folks in fantasy football leagues that count return yards will be happy to hear that Sean Jensen of The Pioneer Press says Harvin may start returning punts as well.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Steve Slaton May Lose Starting Job originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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4th and 26: Nailing a Deep, Deep Sleeper

R.J. White — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers

Need a last-minute fill-in for this week? 4th and 26 is here to throw you a couple deep sleepers, guys available in at least 90 percent of Fleaflicker leagues that could give your fantasy football team a big boost.

Big props go to Tom Herrera, who pegged Sam Aiken as a deep sleeper at the end of our Sunday Tailgate chat last week. Lo and behold, Aiken came through with a long touchdown. Will Tom have the magic again this week? Come by the Tailgate and see his pick for deep sleeper this week. As for my picks, read on.

Vince Young, QB, Titans. Checking in one percentage point over our cutoff, I still wanted to mention Young as a sleeper for this week. Those of you in two-QB leagues that have one of your normal starters on a bye should really pick Young up and play him against the Jaguars this week. They have no pass rush, and with Rashean Mathis officially out, they really have little talent at cornerback as well. I like Young for 220 yards, two TDs and an interception, as well as 25 rushing yards.

Garrett Wolfe, RB, Bears. Against Cleveland, the Bears should do to the Browns what the Bengals just did to the Bears. That would mean plenty of Wolfe in the fourth quarter. He already has one touchdown on the season, and I like his chances to secure another one in this game. This is purely a desperation play, as Wolfe could easily have a three-carry, 10-yard game as well.

Kolby Smith, RB, Chiefs. This isn't a pick for this week, as the Chiefs are kicking back and relaxing this Sunday. However, Kansas City has been very reluctant to give Jamaal Charles a full workload in the past. They haven't shown that reluctance with Smith, who has a 31-carry, 150-yard, two-touchdown game on his resume and had a five-game span in 2007 where he notched 100 carries. You'll see Smith more often than you think starting in Week 9, so deep-leaguers should grab him now.

Joshua Cribbs, WR, Browns. When you're looking for deep WR plays, you basically want to find a guy that will see some looks in his game. With speculation that Cribbs may see some carries at tailback this week, the opportunity for an abnormally high set of touches (for a desperation-play WR) has presented itself in the form of the wildcat specialist. Like Wolfe, Cribbs shouldn't be used over solid fantasy options.

Mike Thomas, WR, Jaguars. Passing should rule the Jaguars-Titans game, and while Mike Sims-Walker and Torry Holt should be the stars on the Jacksonville side, don't sleep on rookie Mike Thomas either. In Week 6 against St. Louis, Thomas had seven catches for 52 yards, so we know quarterback David Garrard isn't afraid to lean on the slot receiver.

Keenan Burton, WR, Rams. He doesn't see a lot of red zone looks (then again, who on the Rams does?), but Burton is currently a starting NFL wide receiver on a team with a horrid defense, which means he'll see a significant amount of looks most weeks. It gets better. This week, he plays the Lions, a team that's not stingy on defense either. Burton could perform very nicely on Sunday, maybe with 50 yards and a touchdown. You'd take that, right?

4th and 26: Nailing a Deep, Deep Sleeper originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Passed Out at Your Desk: Refreshed

R.J. White — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers

Everyone loves fantasy football sleepers, but they change depending on league size and availability. We're here each and every week to give you a look at good plays for all types of leagues.

You know it's going to be a great week when your featured sleeper suffers an injury so bad, his bone sticks out of his skin. While that was unfortunate (and likely very, very painful) for Leon Washington, the matchup advice turned out to be sound, as Shonn Greene stepped right in and put up a great line for absolutely no fantasy teams.

This week's slate of sleepers features many players coming out a bye week, hopefully feeling refreshed and ready to put up big points.

More: Latest Fleaflicker Adds/Drops | Browse Player Notes

Power Naps

Kyle Orton, QB, DEN at BAL
Not likely to be found on many waiver wires this week, since he was owned in two-thirds of your Fleaflicker leagues as of yesterday, Orton could still be sitting on fantasy benches come game time in Week 8. And unless you have a surefire QB1, that would be a mistake. The Bronco QB had been at the top of his game before last week's bye, throwing for two TDs in each of his last three games (against the Cowboys, Patriots, and Chargers) while giving up just one interception. The Baltimore matchup is scarier on paper than on the field. Feel confident starting Orton this week.

LeSean McCoy, RB, PHI vs. NYG
McCoy finds himself in the sleeper column yet again. Shady? Hardly. With Brian Westbrook's status up in the air, the majority of the running back load will fall on McCoy's shoulders in Week 8, which means we could be just a few days away from his breakout. Like in the previous paragraph, his matchup may scare you on paper, but the Giants are giving up over four yards per carry this season, while allowing nine TDs to running backs. Shady should make for an excellent flex play at the very least as the Eagles look to wrestle dominance of the division away from the Giants.

Donnie Avery, WR, STL at DET
While the Rams continue to flounder, Avery is putting up a pretty decent season amidst the turmoil. He started out very slowly, but has caught fire in his last three games, averaging more than nine points per contest. He's even played through injuries during that stretch, and he'll have to do the same in Week 8, as he picked up a rib injury in last week's game. Still, he's up against the Lions, one of the league's three worst passing defenses (and we'll get to the worst in just a minute). Expect Avery to break loose for a long touchdown in Week 8 and put up great numbers as your WR3.

A Good Night's Sleep

Kerry Collins, QB, TEN vs. JAC
or
Vince Young, QB, TEN vs. JAC
Despite pushing from Titans owner Bud Adams, coach Jeff Fisher looks like he'll stick with Collins in this game. Unless he doesn't. Either way, you want to start whichever of these QBs is playing as your QB2, as well as all receivers (including sleepers Kenny Britt and Nate Washington) facing the Jaguars. Cornerback Rashean Mathis might even be out, making the matchup all the more juicier. No one out-stinks the Tennessee secondary, though; make sure to start David Garrard and all Jacksonville receivers (including slot man Mike Thomas) as well.

Justin Fargas, RB, OAK at SD
and
Michael Bush, RB, OAK at SD
Well, we know the passing offense isn't going to win this game (at least, all of us except JaMarcus Russell know it). Enter this two-headed backfield, who look primed to take advantage of an advantageous matchup against the poor Charger rush defense. In only eight carries against the Jets last week, Fargas racked up 67 yards, and he threw in 23 more yards on three catches for a solid day. Bush also received eight carries but didn't do quite as much with them. Fargas is the favorite over Bush for a big day, but either one could explode.

Josh Scobee, PK, JAC at TEN
Your kicker pickup of the week comes courtesy of the Titans defense, so bad that even the Jaguars should keep the scoreboard operator busy on Sunday. Scobee isn't exactly the best kicker around, but if he was, he wouldn't be a fantasy free agent, would he? The Titans give up nine points to kickers on average each week, which ties them for worst in the league. Take advantage of that this week with Scobee.

Lights Out

James Jones, WR, GB vs. MIN
The Packers lost a couple receivers last week, including Jones' main competition for time, Jordy Nelson. They also could be without emerging tight end Jermichael Finley. This means that Jones will get a lot of playing time and likely see a significant amount of targets. He's caught touchdowns in each of his last two games, and it's very likely that while Greg Jennings and especially Donald Driver are demanding defensive attention, Jones is able to break a long TD against the Vikings. Loved James Jones as a deep sleeper last week, and this time around he makes the main column.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, DET vs. STL
Held catchless in Week 6 before Week 7's bye, Pettigrew is a rookie you'll find available in most of your leagues, and for good reason. He's done next-to-nothing this season as the entire Lions passing game has struggled. But fellow rookie Matthew Stafford looks to be on his way back and there's even a chance Calvin Johnson returns as well. One of the two joining Pettigrew in the starting lineup would bump his value, both would push it much higher. Don't ignore Pettigrew's favorable matchup against the Rams, a team that just traded one of their starting linebackers to Philadelphia.

Lions Defense, TM, DET vs. STL
While we're on the subject of the Lions, let's talk a little about their defense. They picked up three sacks and returned an interception for a touchdown in Week 5 against the Steelers. Next they recorded five sacks, two forced fumbles, and two turnovers in Green Bay, great defensive numbers despite the humiliating shutout. They've had an extra week of rest and now face a Rams team running on fumes. The Lions D has put up double-digit point totals in each of their last two games, and I like them to keep the streak alive on Sunday.

Passed Out at Your Desk: Refreshed originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waiver Wire Wonders: Gang Greene

Ryan Dembinsky — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:15:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire

Weeding through those unwieldy waiver wires requires a keen eye and a quick trigger. Thus, Waiver Wire Wonders provides a weekly snapshot of players worthy of consideration who should be available on a good portion of league waiver wires.

You can't paint a turd, folks. Week 7 gave us slim pickings in terms of waiver wire action. We saw a couple of interesting stories to add to the watch list, the reemergence of a quarterback long thought to be lost for dead, the first start of a highly-touted rookie, and a few other odds and ends, but really only one quality add via a huge day from a previously third-string rookie. All in all, it looks like a week to focus on lining up that blockbuster trade to take you down the backstretch, because the waiver wire gods did not offer us up much this week.

More Fantasy Football: Week 7 Top Performers | Sunday Wrap-Up

Shonn Greene (RB, Jets) -- The one player here that looks like an honest-to-goodness pickup this week would have to be Greene. While Thomas Jones looks about as good as ever, his platoon-mate Leon Washington suffered a broken leg and will miss the rest of the season, making Greene's output going forward a reasonably strong bet. The Jets seem to like the dual-threat backfield and Jones is not an every-down type player at his age. Be clear though, we certainly cannot expect numbers like Sunday from Greene every week -- given that the Jets topped 300 yards rushing while blowing out the Raiders. An aircraft carrier could have fit through the Jets' holes in Week 7. Still, can't hurt to snatch him up if it's not too late.

Alex Smith (QB, 49ers) -- It's true, we may have just witnessed the emergence of Alex Smith. After a lousy first half of Shaun Hill -- both in the game and the season -- San Francisco benched Hill in favor of Smith, who mustered up quite a second-half rally. Completing 15 of 22 passes for 206 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, Smith made a strong case to be the 49ers starter. With Michael Crabtree finally on the field, Smith might surprise down the stretch. At this point, there is no need to race out and add Smith, but keep an eye open as he showed good things Sunday.

Mike Wallace (WR, Steelers) -- With the Steelers continuing to evolve into a passing offense and Ben Roethlisberger playing about as well as any quarterback in the league, rookie Mike Wallace looks like an emerging weapon in the arsenal. Wallace caught three passes for 72 yards, including a 40-yard scoring strike. He also added 19 yards on the ground. Sunday's score marked Wallace's second in three weeks.

Michael Crabtree (WR, 49ers) -- Crabtree made a fine impression at the debutante ball Sunday, coming out with five receptions for 56 yards. While these numbers by no means represent a screaming buy, Crabtree obviously will play a significant role in this offense and may well make a solid play as soon as next week. There's a fair amount of risk involved in putting your faith in an unproven rookie, but Crabtree is not your average rookie.

Jamaal Charles (RB, Chiefs) -- I warned you it was a slow week, right? Jamaal Charles only ran the ball four times, but he picked up 33 yards, which easily trumps the abysmal 16 rushes for 49 yards posted by Larry Johnson. The Chiefs have got to be thinking they need a change of pace, so expect to see an increased workload for Charles going forward. Frankly, Barry Sanders couldn't make room with the Chiefs' blocking and generally pathetic offense, but in deep leagues Charles may be good enough to have on the roster for spot starts down the stretch.

Justin Fargas (RB, Raiders) -- Despite playing second fiddle behind starter Michael Bush, Justin Fargas again proved the worthier runner, gaining 67 yards on just eight carries and adding another 23 on three catches. Until Darren McFadden resurfaces -- and who knows when that really happens -- Fargas makes a decent safety valve to keep on the roster.

Jason Snelling (RB. Falcons) -- For anyone playing in one of those brutal 65-team leagues, Jason Snelling backed up Michael Turner nicely in Jerious Norwood's absence. Snelling carried the ball seven times for 68 yards and caught one pass for another 10 yards. Norwood should be out for at least a few more weeks, so if you need a warm body, Snelling is your man.

Mike Bell (RB, Saints) -- While nobody can be too excited about getting into bed with this fungal issue of a backfield, Bell got the coaching favor over Pierre Thomas with 12 carries to Thomas' eight. Bell gained 80 yards on Sunday and last week managed to convert at the goal line when Thomas failed. Frankly, I think Pierre Thomas is a better running back and will resume the lead role, but from a fantasy perspective, Thomas struggles to regain relevance as a weekly play.

Waiver Wire Wonders: Gang Greene originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fourth and 26: Jonesin' for Sleepers

R.J. White — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers

Need a last-minute fill-in for this week? 4th and 26 is here to throw you a couple deep sleepers, guys available in at least 90 percent of Fleaflicker leagues that could give your fantasy football team a big boost.

Our friends in PPR leagues were probably happy with last week's selections in this column, as Dennis Northcutt, Keenan Burton and Julian Edelman all caught at least five balls in Week 6, albeit for limited yardage. This week we'll try to hit on players at other positions as well.

Remember to stop by our Sunday Tailgate chat later this morning with your fantasy questions for Week 7.

Chris Brown, RB, Texans. Last week the Texans leaned on Brown in the fourth quarter by giving him nine carries and he responded for 45 yards on the ground. The Texans staff has commented that they want to see Brown as the "closer" for their team heading forward, so expect him to start seeing similar workloads late in games. Combine that with his goal-line role and you have a playable RB for your team if you're feeling the bye-week squeeze.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Patriots. We mentioned him a few weeks ago when Fred Taylor went down, thinking that he'd start to get worked into the rotation. Now that Sammy Morris is hurt too, BGE has begun to come through on that belief, rushing for 67 yards on seven carries last week while adding 11 more yards on two catches. Expect the Patriots to run the ball a lot in London, and both Laurence Maroney and BGE will reap the benefits.

Jacoby Jones, Texans. In his third year, Jones is seeing a rise in fantasy productivity, but that's due in large part to his penchant to find the end zone. He only has eight catches on the season, but three of them have went for touchdowns. He also added a score on a kick return in Week 4, giving him TDs in four of his last five games. He's a big gamble, because if he doesn't reach the end zone you'll get next to nothing, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

James Jones, Packers. This Jones is getting worked into the Packer offense more and more. He had two catches for 55 yards and a TD, and his solo tackle and forced fumble may also have helped your team in Week 6. This week he faces Cleveland and big plays should be available for the offense. Like Jacoby, you run the risk of a goose egg by starting James Jones, as he has just five catches this season, but Cleveland does a terrible job against other teams' No. 3 and No. 4 wide receivers.

Jerheme Urban, Cardinals. If Anquan Boldin can't go tonight and you need a quick fix, grab Urban off your free agency list. The Giants defense is beat up and like Cleveland has trouble with the No. 3 WRs of their opponent. If you pick Urban up and it turns out Boldin plays, and you don't have Boldin and need another quick fix, try Antwaan Randle El in the Monday night game.

Sean Ryan, Chiefs. Our sleeper tight end of the week is Ryan, who has 14 catches for a pretty bad Kansas City passing offense. He'll face the Chargers, a team awful at defending tight ends. With this matchup, Ryan could potentially put up TE1 numbers. He makes for a great plug-in for teams with bye-week players at the position.

Fourth and 26: Jonesin' for Sleepers originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cram Session: An Albatross and a Redemption

Matt Snyder — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Fantasy Felony, NFL New Studs, NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire, Podcasts, NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

Terrell Owens is an albatross. Mike Sims-Walker redeemed himself after a booty-call inflicted goose-egg. Just how good is Matt Schaub? Does Hakeem Nicks have his "big boy pants" on yet? How big an impact is Michael Crabtree going to have on the 49ers offense? Join Matt Snyder and Tom Herrera for this and much, much more in the Week 7 fantasy football podcast, as we welcome Frank Gore back and mock a fellow employee in the process.

Listen to the podcast above or click here to download mp3.

Never miss a fantasy football cram session by subscribing on iTunes.

Fantasy Football Cram Session: An Albatross and a Redemption originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Passed Out at Your Desk: Return of Leon

R.J. White — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire

Everyone loves fantasy football sleepers, but they change depending on league size and availability. We're here each and every week to give you a look at good plays for all types of leagues.

We had a couple good calls and a couple bad calls last week, as we usually do. Injury forced Donnie Avery from his game, but not before he caught a TD for your team. Sidney Rice exploded and is now on the verge of becoming an every-week fantasy starter. But the big performance you likely didn't notice came from Leon Washington, who piled up 145 yards against Buffalo while his running mate rushed for over 200 yards.

By the way, the Bills held a QB to two completions and lost that game, and then allowed 350 rushing yards while winning the next game. Very, very odd.

Latest From Fleaflicker: Check Adds/Drops | View Player Notes

Power Naps

Leon Washington, RB, NYJ at OAK
That's right, I'm going right back to Washington as a sleeper in Week 7. The Jets are going to limit the number and type of passes quarterback Mark Sanchez has to make, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Washington hit on more short routes in the passing game. The Raiders are allowing close to five yards per carry, another juicy nugget on which Washington owners can feast. With a number of running backs off this week, I don't mind Washington as a RB2 this week, and he's great as your flex.

Carnell Williams, RB, TB vs. NE (London)
While we sit around and wait for Derrick Ward to earn the lion's share of the carries in Tampa Bay, Williams continues to put up respectable numbers. That trend continued in Week 6, where Caddy rushed for 77 yards and a TD on 16 carries. Field conditions tend to be poor in the games hosted in England, which should mean even more rushing than usual for the Buccaneers. I like Caddy to get 20 carries in this game, which should lead to 80+ yards and a score.

Michael Crabtree, WR, SF at HOU
Craziness? The Texans allow 20 points a game to receivers, and while the 49ers are likely to fall short of that mark, there really aren't many weapons at the position to take points away from new starter Michael Crabtree. The team has likely limited his exposure to the playbook and will probably keep the game plan simple for him in his first game. We saw what that did to Braylon Edwards and the Jets. Crabtree won't break out in his first game, but he's a decent WR3 play.

A Good Night's Sleep

Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG vs. ARI
A question that popped up several times in Tuesday's waiver chat was whether people would be better off picking up Lance Moore or Hakeem Nicks. I leaned toward Moore, but I think I was selling Nicks short -- he's a great player in his own right. In fact, he's a threat to take it deep every time he touches the ball. Both Moore and Nicks make great plug-and-plays this week as you deal with your bye-week players. Hakeem, sorry about the chat; I hope the mention here makes up
for it.

Jamaal Charles, RB, KC vs. SD
Larry Johnson is still the starter here and still getting the bulk of the work, but many people feel it won't be long till Charles is worked into the picture. If that happens against San Diego, Charles' stock could explode. The Chargers have one of the worst rush defenses in the league -- it really wouldn't be surprising to even see Johnson break a few long gains, putting Charles in the lineup more frequently while Johnson catches his breath. Which, you know, Johnson hasn't had to do much.

Colts Defense, DF, IND at STL
The Rams give up the second-most points on average to opposing fantasy defenses (and we'll get to the top team in a second), and if that's not enough incentive for you, consider that the Colts have had two weeks to prepare. Oh, and Indy is likely to be ahead all day, forcing the Rams, a team with few playmakers, to air it out in an attempt to catch up. You should get a few turnovers here and enjoy a stellar day from this waiver wire defense.

Lights Out

Bills Defense, DF, BUF at CAR
Now it gets juicy: the Panthers are doing the most to help fantasy teams of anyone in football, and now they run into a Buffalo defense that has been shockingly good. Seriously, like half of the Bills' starters have been on the sidelines and this team still forces turnovers and stays in most games. Now that Paul Posluszny is back, they just got even better. Add them for this week's game against the Panthers and hopefully the good times will continue.

Laurence Maroney, RB, NE vs. TB (London)
Kevin Faulk, RB, NE vs. TB (London)
Like I mentioned in the Cadillac section (am I in the classifieds?), games in London tend to be run-centric, and scores tend to be low. Expect the Patriots to lean heavily on this pair of backs (and possibly BenJarvus Green-Ellis) in what should be an easy win for the team. Maroney's ownership percentage likely rocketed up today (I haven't checked it out yet), so he's probably deserving of appearing a section or two higher.

Jay Feely, K, NYJ at OAK
With six kickers on a bye, I know many of you are going to cut your kickers and look for some possible replacements. Feely is about as good as I can give you. His team is struggling to score TDs, but the Raiders have allowed more points to kickers than any other team in the NFL. I like Feely for 2-3 FGs and 1-2 XPs this week, numbers that should easily replace the guy you have to cut.

Make sure to join us for our chats Thursday evening and Sunday morning. Also, I'll have my TE sleeper of the week in the 4th and 26 column that runs Sunday morning, so if you need a last-minute fix at the position, check back before game time.

Passed Out at Your Desk: Return of Leon originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fourth and 26: Who's Left?

R.J. White — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire

Need a last-minute fill-in for this week? 4th and 26 is here to throw you a couple deep sleepers, guys available in at least 90% of Fleaflicker leagues that could give your fantasy football team a big boost.

If you're looking for sleepers, check out our weekly Passed Out at Your Desk column. If that well has run dry (and seriously, David Clowney is claimed in your league?), you're now in the right place. We'll throw a couple obscure darts at the board and see if any stick.

Remember, if you want specific advice tuned to your fantasy situation, drop by the Sunday Tailgate chat today. We always have a lot of fun and answer a ton of fantasy questions leading up to kickoff.

Justin Forsett, RB, Seahawks. The Seahawks are one of only five teams to have multiple receiving TDs from running backs, and although he hasn't received a lot of work this season, Forsett is the best pass-catching back Seattle has. He looked impressive getting limited carries last week in the Jaguar blowout and could start to see more time. Edgerrin James doesn't look like the answer -- maybe Forsett is.

Bernard Scott, RB, Bengals. With Cedric Benson receiving approximately 8,000 carries per game, Cincinnati really has to consider shifting some of his workload if they plan on having him available for the playoffs. Enter Scott, a great preseason talent who looked great in Week 4's overtime game against Cleveland. He's in line to see some action over the second half of the season, so deep leaguers would be remiss to pass on the opportunity to add him now.

Dennis Northcutt, WR, Lions. Calvin Johnson is out, giving Northcutt an opportunity for more playing time in Week 6. He did a great job filling in on short notice in Week 5, catching five balls for 70 yards and a TD against Pittsburgh. Green Bay's secondary is supposedly solid, but they've given up a ton of fantasy points to WRs this year, averaging over 150 yards and 1.5 TDs allowed to the position in each game. Northcutt was also recommended in the Cram Session this week.

Keenan Burton, WR, Rams. Catching five balls for 43 yards last week, Burton established himself as the clear No. 2 receiver in this offense, now that Donnie Avery is back. Marc Bulger looked surprisingly competent in relief last week, and the lack of a pass rush generated by the Jaguars should give Bulger time to get comfortable in the pocket. I see Burton building on last week's game, catching a few more balls and approaching 80 yards.

Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots. By now it's no secret that you want your QBs and WRs facing the Tennessee secondary, and while Wes Welker and Randy Moss understandably remain out of your reach, the Patriot slow receiver is owned in just 1% of Fleaflicker leagues. Welker's presence limits Edelman's upside, but as a wild-card pick for your team in the last hours before gamtime, Edelman's matchup makes him a solid pickup.

Fourth and 26: Who's Left? originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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