Fantasy Football Fanhouse

Ballhawkin': The QB-Sacking Rookie

R.J. White — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: IDP Leagues

Think IDP leagues are the way to go? Then Ballhawkin' is for you. Here, we pick out a few Individual Defensive Players that could have huge weeks and are possibly sitting in your free-agent pool.

From last week's column, David Hawthorne turned in an 11-tackle (10 solo) performance and is now owned in about a quarter of Fleaflicker leagues. Sadly, we won't be featuring him anymore, but he's still a great add if available in your league.

Also in last week's column, Jairus Byrd picked off another ball, his eighth interception of his rookie campaign. The Bills found themselves a great centerfielder for years to come. Teammate Bryan Scott posted a 10-tackle day (all solo) from the LB position.

Ballhawkin': The QB-Sacking Rookie originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Cram Session: Run, Ricky, Run

Matt Snyder — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Waiver Wire, NFL Injury Report, Podcasts, NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

We're back. It's "Run, Ricky, Run!" Week here at Fantasy FanHouse, as we witnessed Ricky Williams thrust himself into the ranks of other must-start running backs. First, Ronnie Brown went down for the season, next Ricky provided fantasy owners with a three-touchdown monster performance. Tom Herrera and Matt Snyder discuss much more, though. We talk about possible gifts for those who have been underachieving in fantasy (akin to the positive pregnancy test that seemed to have jump-started LaDainian Tomlinson), major injury fallout and, of course, our Starting Six Pack for the week. Take a listen after the jump.

Fantasy Cram Session: Run, Ricky, Run originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Injuries to Watch: Week 11

Knox Bardeen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:19:00 EST

by Knox Bardeen

Filed under: NFL Injury Report

Whether it's torn, sprained, broken or just needs to be taped, Injuries to Watch will keep you up to date on injuries around the NFL and how they'll affect your fantasy football team.

Quarterback

o. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - Roethlisberger is not listed on the injury report, but he sat out parts of practice on Thursday with his elbow wrapped. He is expected to play on Sunday, but questions of a sore arm have definitely surfaced.

Injuries to Watch: Week 11 originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Football Chat Recap

R.J. White — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST

by R.J. WhiteThe second of our bi-weekly chats leading up to the Sunday Tailgate is upon us, and there's much to discuss this week.

Many of you are likely suffering with the loss of a starting RB in one of your leagues, with Ronnie Brown, Michael Turner, Cedric Benson, Julius Jones and Clinton Portis likely on the shelf. Who do you start -- one of their backups or a guy like Jamaal Charles, Shonn Greene or Justin Fargas?

Check out our answers to all of your lineup questions in the chat wrap below.

More Coverage: Dolphins-Panthers Fantasy Preview | Week 11 Rankings

Fantasy Football Chat Recap originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dolphins-Panthers: Fantasy Preview

Matt Snyder — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

In terms of real football, Thursday night's game against the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers is a sneaky good one. Sure, it's easy to look at the matching 4-5 records and scoff at the notion, but both teams have been playing well since a disappointing start (both started 0-3). They are attempting to climb back into the playoffs for the second straight year.

In terms of fantasy football, however, we have the running game and not much else. They are two of the most heavy run-oriented teams in football and shouldn't have trouble running on each other. The bonus is the game should be pretty short with the clock always moving.

Dolphins-Panthers: Fantasy Preview originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: K

Matt Snyder — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Position Rankings

When slotting fantasy football kickers, there are myriad factors which should be considered. After looking at all of them, I've determined my favorite option for Week 11 is Matt Prater. The Broncos are desperately in need of a win this weekend in a pivotal home tilt against the Chargers. With Kyle Orton banged up, expect the Broncos to try and shorten the game by running the ball and making short throws. These kinds of drives often end up stalling in the red zone. Only two teams have allowed more field goals this season than the Chargers, who have allowed 13 of their 16 field goals in 31 red zone trips. Predicting the top kicker for the week is the most difficult of any position because of all the variables that go into kicker points, but I'm rolling with Prater this week.

Week 11 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Sleepers | Player Notes

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: K originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Ranks: D/ST

Ryan Dembinsky — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:45:00 EST

by Ryan Dembinsky

Filed under: NFL Position Rankings

For anybody paying close enough attention to realize the offering by the fantasy gods that is the Bengals' home stretch, you begin your three-game win streak here in Week 11. Starting with this week's matchup against the Raiders, this marks the beginning of an Oakland, Cleveland, Detroit three-game run -- all of which are sure to be top-five matchups in our rankings. This week, we mark the Bengals at numero uno.

The second best start this week goes to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who should avenge a tough loss against the aforementioned Bengals with a cupcake matchup versus a Kansas City team that has now lost its starting running back and best receiver in two short weeks. Coupled with a Pittsburgh defense that is tied for third in the NFL in sacks and have forced eight fumbles, the Chiefs are in trouble and Pittsburgh fantasy owners can sleep well.

Week 11 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Sleepers | Player Notes

Fantasy Football Week 11 Ranks: D/ST originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: TE

Sean Lalley — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST

by Sean Lalley

Filed under: NFL Position Rankings

It was hard not to feel a little burnt by Vernon Davis last week. He talks the good talk and it was impossible not to back him up in this space. Well, rest assured that last week was just a speed bump in the ways of fantasy football. Davis should return to his lofty position amongst the elite pass-catching tight end options this week. The 49ers will make sure Davis is involved early and often and a rebound seems to be in the cards.

One other guy known for his talking more so than most and hasn't been gaining a lot of talk in this space is Kellen Winlsow. Ah yes, it's time to acknowledge the solid season he is having. He's thriving on a pretty bad football team, but that doesn't matter to us fantasy owners. Show us the stats and talk all you want soldier, we like it that way. He's got a great rapport building with Josh Freeman and clearly is the best option for the Bucs. He draws the Saints this weekend and he'll be sniffing for the end zone and seeking to continue his ascension. And that's why he's leading us off this week. As for the rest of the ranks ...

Week 11 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Sleepers | Player Notes

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: TE originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: WR

R.J. White — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:15:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Position Rankings

Sidney Rice, come on down! You're the next contestant on ... Who Wants to Be a WR1!

Rice, you've joined a list of relatively unheralded wideouts that have emerged as fantasy superstars in 2009, along with the likes of Steve Smith (not the one you drafted in the first five rounds in August), Mike Sims-Walker, and most recently, Miles Austin.

What brought you to this point? How about a 201-yard performance on just seven catches; does that do anything for you?

Moving forward, Rice is a clear-cut WR2 that will flirt with bouts of WR1-dom. If he can throw WR1 numbers up on a consistent basis, my Ronnie Brown-less season might be saved.

On to the rankings ...

Week 11 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Sleepers | Player Notes

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: WR originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: RB

Matt Snyder — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Position Rankings

With nine games in the books, Ricky Williams -- despite being behind Ronnie Brown on the Dolphins' depth chart -- sits at 13th in fantasy points among running backs. Brown is ninth, so the Dolphins have themselves a pretty dynamic duo. For Week 11, they get to feast on the Carolina Panthers' 25th-ranked run defense Thursday night.

And Ricky's left alone in the backfield. With Brown nursing a foot injury, Williams will shoulder the bulk of the Miami offense. He's quite capable, as we've seen in spurts this season. He had 20 carries for over 100 yards last week. This week, he's gonna get the ball more often and run wild. Only the new "big three" are better options.

Week 11 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Sleepers | Player Notes

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: RB originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: QB

R.J. White — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:45:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Position Rankings

Your No. 1 QB overall isn't Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. It isn't Drew Brees or early-season hero Matt Schaub either. It's the one and only Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers presents the perfect example of why it's unnecessary to draft a QB in the first two rounds. He was a late-third or early-fourth round pick in most leagues and he's performing just as well as the big boys.

Sure, Brady and Manning offer you peace of mind, but with the RB and WR rankings constantly in flux, it's a much better idea to load up on talent at each of those positions, then snag a QB like Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner, Donovan McNabb or Tony Romo a bit later. You could probably win your league with one of these guys and a good group of RBs and WRs. Teams with Manning or Brady and a weaker group of RBs and WRs will likely have more trouble in the playoffs.

Week 11 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Sleepers | Player Notes

Fantasy Football Week 11 Rankings: QB originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

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

by Knox Bardeen

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.

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.

Bust a Move: Six-Pack of Running Backs

Ryan Dembinsky — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST

by Ryan Dembinsky

Filed under: NFL Waiver Wire, NFL Bust a Move

Fantasy FanHouse's "Bust a Move" segment provides quick-hitting insight on the most popular adds and drops across Fleaflicker fantasy leagues between Tuesday and Wednesday of each week. Knowing who is on the move during this 24-hour period often provides a valuable edge with regard to outperforming or underperforming players, injuries and depth chart shifts. So do as the man says, "Don't just stand there..."

The Adds

Justin Forsett (RB, Seahawks, 2,952 adds) - I'm a bit surprised to see Justin Forsett ahead of Jason Snelling here given the news that Julius Jones only suffered a bruised lung as opposed to what was previously thought to be a broken rib, but he'll get at least one week of a guaranteed full load and most likely a couple more than that.

More Coverage: Latest Fleaflicker Adds/Drops | Browse Player Notes

Bust a Move: Six-Pack of Running Backs originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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.

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.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Injuries Provide Rushing Opportunities

Knox Bardeen — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:15:00 EST

by Knox Bardeen

Filed under: NFL Injury Report, NFL Stash or Trash, NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

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

Making the most of an opportunity is crucial for any athlete, no matter the sport. As Week 11 games approach, bumps and bruises have turned into full-blown, shut-down injuries -- thrusting backup players into starting roles. There are a few of these situations at the running back position this week. These can have major fantasy football implications. Just as in real sports, you need to take advantage of these opportunities to help your fantasy team.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Injuries Provide Rushing Opportunities originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

'House Check: Divisonal Showdown

R.J. White — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Waiver Wire

Every Tuesday night, we'll give you an update on our FanHouse fantasy football league. Who hit on their sleepers? Who made the shrewd pickups? Who's practicing what they preach? In 'House Check, you'll find out.

Only one team is better than 6-4. Only one team is eliminated from the playoffs (and one other is darn close). No one has clinched a playoff spot, and now we enter the best part of the season: divisional play.

Matt Snyder has ridden a three-game winning streak into first place in Division 1, but with a 1-2 division record, the three teams sitting a game back from him all would win the division if they could win out.

More Coverage: Check FanHouse League Standings

'House Check: Divisonal Showdown originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Football Waiver Chat Wrap

R.J. White — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Expert Chats

If you ever picked a week to be on top of your waiver game, it would be this one. The list of wounded players stretches almost as long as a TD pass against the Redskins: Ronnie Brown, Michael Turner, Cedric Benson, Julius Jones, Brian Westbrook, and on it goes. You probably won't be able to snag Brown's backup -- after all, Ricky Williams was a top-12 back heading into Week 10 -- but what should you do about the other situations?

Check out the chat wrap below to find out.

Fantasy Football Waiver Chat Wrap originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ridiculously Early Look at 2010 Fantasy Football First Round

Matt Snyder — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Draft Advice, NFL Value Machine

In this past week's fantasy football tailgate (every Sunday from 10:30 AM ET to kickoff, come check it out!), someone asked us what we thought the first round would be for next season's drafts. Since we never want to disappoint, let's check it out. Here is one man's opinion on how the first round will shake out next year in standard scoring formats. This is using what we've seen thus far in 2009, plus what I expect to see the rest of the way. The first pick isn't really a secret, if you've been reading me the past two weeks.

1. Chris Johnson, RB, Titans - As I said, I haven't been secretive about this. He's gonna end up with 2,500 yards from scrimmage and close to 20 touchdowns this year. And he's only getting better.

Ridiculously Early Look at 2010 Fantasy Football First Round originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fantasy Felony: Playing the Injury Angle

Will Brinson — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:50:00 EST

by Will Brinson

Filed under: NFL Fantasy Felony

Fantasy Felony helps you hijack your fellow team owners.

Injuries happen in football every week -- it's the nature of the game. But gracious, last week sure seemed to feature a lot of people getting hurt, and a lot of big names too. I won't run over everyone -- Knox already did that. What I will do is point out some opportunities for you to make a late-season trade by playing these injury angles.

Because remember, for every player that gets hurt, there are usually at least one or two other players who are affected, which means at least one other fantasy owner in your league.

Fantasy Felony: Playing the Injury Angle originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.