"Random Musings About Football" Week 13

So your season is in the shitter so to speak.  You have no chance of making the fantasy playoffs, which is depressing, especially if the reason you aren’t in the playoffs has nothing to do with your own idiocy, such as having your season derailed by injuries.  Add to that the fact that you basically threw money down the drain, somewhere between $10 and $500, and you’re feeling pretty dejected.

 But do not despair my dear friends, for all is not lost.  You can still play the spoiler!!!!  And if you don’t know what a spoiler is, one; you obviously don’t watch sports all that much, and two; I’ll explain it to you.  A spoiler is a team that has no chance of making the playoffs, but still plays hard nonetheless, and beats a team that is fighting for a playoff spot, thus spoiling that team’s chances to make the playoffs.

To play devil’s advocate though, let’s say that playing the spoiler isn’t good enough for you.  It only satisfies the bare minimum of your competitiveness.  So what do you do to fill the void that an unsalvageable season has created? 

Well, there are a few different things you could do.  For one, maybe you are into other sports than just football, such as basketball or hockey.  If that’s the case, you can sign up through a myriad of websites such as ESPN, Yahoo, CBS, etc. to play.  Maybe grab a group of friends and set up a league, or just join a random league.  Don’t worry if you’ve never played, as both sports play very similar to fantasy football.  And even if you really aren’t into those sports, it will help pass the time until next football season.

But if you really aren’t into that, there is plenty of offseason work you can do in order to prepare for the next fantasy football season.  You can compile stats on players for the current season or for their careers in order to analyze, hopefully helping you to determine who to draft next year. You can take a look at who are the current high scorers as far as players are in your league, as maybe you thought you drafted correctly, but based upon the score structure in your league, it would have been better to draft one position over another.  Also, while scrounging around your league, if your draft order was posted for this year, or even the last couple of years, examine what players/positions were taken the highest.  And if you play with the same players every year, examine who chose what/who in what round.  You might be able to gain some insight into the guys/girls you play with and learn how far you can let a player drop in future drafts before having to take him.

And if you are truly, absolutely without a doubt, undeniably feeling desperate to do something that feels like a positive step to helping you with fantasy football, you can always see what college seniors and juniors will be entering the 2011 NFL Draft.  Look at their body of work in college, see what kind of system they played in, and determine if the player can make the transition to the NFL. 

But if you really have no desire to do any of that and would rather wallow in pity, which I wouldn’t blame you, as some of us put our heart and soul into every aspect of fantasy football, you can wait until the offseason when I’ll be posting all the data and insights I have just mentioned.

Bottom line though, there are things you can do to help prepare for next season which may help you make a return to the playoffs, and help you win the “Ship.”  But if even thinking about fantasy football makes you sick to your stomach, turn back into a real fan, and root for your team if they are in the playoff hunt, or find some team to root for.  Because fantasy football has a way of tuning you out to what is really going on in the NFL.

As always, feel free to post a comment to this article, or you can e-mail mattymccall@gmail.com and I’ll respond to you as fast as I can.

Week 12 Rankings

Second week in a row without byes, so everyone's playing.  The rankings are even more important in your drive to make the fantasy playoffs, as one decision can make or break your season.  Use the rankings to help guide you to victory!

QB Rankings
RB Rankings
WR Rankings
TE Rankings
K Rankings
D/ST Rankings

"Random Musings About Football" Week 12

Hopefully you enjoyed last week’s Random Musing topic, the Fantasy Football Playoffs.  This week I’d like to take a deeper look at what I think is the most important factor to winning your league championship; Matchups. I’ll be going through all 32 teams, listing who they play in Weeks 14 – 17, and including my opinion about what that schedule provides for each team when it counts the most:  In the Fantasy Football Playoffs.   

If you have any questions or wish to provide an opinion of your own, feel free to comment at the end of the post.  Or if you want, feel free to e-mail mattymccall@gmail.com and I’ll respond to your e-mail as soon as possible. 

To the matchups!!!!

Team Matchups:

1.        Atlanta Falcons:  Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers

·         The Falcons have Carolina twice, although it’s possible that when they face Carolina in the final week of the season they have their playoff spot clinched (possibly homefield) and play their starters (Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White) sparingly.  Nonetheless, the Falcons also have Seattle in Week 15.  So 3 out of the 4 weeks are solid.

2.       Arizona Cardinals:  Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers

·         Great matchups for the Cardinals passing game.  Only problem being of course that the Cardinals don’t have a quarterback who can throw the ball.  I’d look for maybe a good week against Carolina, but even that’s pushing it.  Of course if you have Larry Fitzgerald, it’s hard to sit him, as recently he’s been putting the ball in the end zone and getting close to 100 yards a game.  Overall though, due to lack of a quarterback and running game, the Cardinals can’t take advantage of the favorable matchups.

3.       Baltimore Ravens:  Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals

·         If you’re league starts the playoffs in Week 14, I hope you have a couple of Ravens on the roster, as they play one of the worst defenses all around in the Houston Texans.  After that though, the matchups get harder (Cleveland is a sneaky good defense) until the final week of the season when they get a Bengals team that won’t be playing for anything but pride (and they may not even have that if they can’t win a few games leading up to that).

4.       Buffalo Bills:  Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets

·         The Browns and the Jets will be tough, but the Dolphins and Patriots provide an excellent opportunity for Fitzpatrick, Steve Johnson, Lee Evans, and Fred Jackson to put up huge numbers.  It’s often players like these guys, who play hard at the end of the season, regardless if they have no chance of making the playoffs that put up huge fantasy days.

5.       Carolina Panthers: Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons

·         DeAngelo Williams on Injured Reserve, Jonathan Stewart concussed, crappy quarterback play, and you have a recipe for probably the worst fantasy team out there.  Add to that the fact that they play Atlanta twice and Pittsburgh in 3 out of the final 4 weeks, and you really really want to stay away from them.  The only consideration at this point would be Mike Goodson, and with the matchups, it doesn’t even look good for him.

6.       Chicago Bears:  New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers

·         Against the Patriots, good matchup for Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, and Johnny Knox.  Against the Vikings, Cutler and Knox.  Against the Jets and Packers, don’t even think about it.

7.       Cincinnati Bengals:  Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens

·         An extremely tough schedule coming down the stretch as far as the run game goes, but against the Steelers and Ravens, Owens and Ochocinco are viable options.

8.       Cleveland Browns:  Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers

·         You’re playing Peyton Hillis regardless of the matchup, even against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Hillis as earned the respect.  As far as the rest of the Browns, you really aren’t looking at anyone else besides Benjamin Watson.

9.       Dallas Cowboys:  Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles

·         After the last two weeks, it seems like maybe the Cowboys finally have things figured out.   Defense is playing better, and the offense isn’t turning the ball over every time you look up from checking your fantasy scores.  If you’re struggling for a QB, check out Tony Romo, as he is only 3 weeks away from returning to action, just in time for the fantasy playoffs.   I’ve noticed myself that’s lot of people have dropped Romo, so he might be a good pickup if your starter has bad matchups.  And of course, Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, and Felix Jones are extremely good options as well.

10.   Denver Broncos:  Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, San Diego Chargers

·         You have to love Kyle Orton’s chances against the Cardinals, Raiders, and especially the Texans.  As witnessed on Monday Night Football this week, Orton is not a good start against the Chargers.  For the first three weeks of the fantasy playoffs though, Orton and Brandon Lloyd are definite starts if you own them and don’t have better options, Jabar Gaffney and and Eddie Royal are good flex players, and Knowshon Moreno will be a definite solid #2 running back.

11.   Detroit Lions:  Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings

·         If you haven’t figure it out yet, the Detroit Lions love to throw the ball.  Bad for them that the Packers defense is good every which way, but good that they have decent matches every week after that.  Calvin Johnson is a must start every week regardless of the matchup, but in Weeks 15-17, I’d take a look at Shaun Hill if you don’t have a better option, and Nate Burleson is worth a look as a third receiver or a flex.

12.   Green Bay Packers:  Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Chicago Bears

·         No brainer with Aaron Rodgers, you’re playing him.  Same goes for Greg Jennings.  As for the other players, I like James Jones against the Patriots and the Bears as a #3 receiver or flex.  If Donald Driver becomes 100% healthy, I like him in place of James Jones.  And in the final two weeks of the season, barring the Packers resting anyone, the defense has great matchups against the Giants and Bears, whose quarterbacks have been known to throw an interception or two in a game.

13.   Houston Texans:  Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars

·         You’re playing Andre Johnson every week, even though Schaub is not who he once was.  Foster has been a beast this year, and I don’t see that changing the rest of the year, even against the Baltimore Ravens.

14.   Indianapolis Colts:  Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans

·         Yeah, you’re playing Manning and Wayne.  Those are givens.  But with Collie having head problems, Garcon’s value steps up a bit along with tight end Jacob Tamme.  At this point, Tamme should be a must start every week if you have him.  And the matchups the last 4 weeks of the season are very good.

15.   Jacksonville Jaguars:  Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans

·         Garrard has been playing very well of late, and with 4 good matchups to end the season, you could see big numbers from Garrard.  His targets for those big numbers of course will be Mike Sims-Walker (a borderline #2, but solid #3 receiver), Mike Thomas (more of a #3 receiver when Sims-Walker is healthy and a definite flex), and Marcedes Lewis (almost a must start at TE if you have him).  And last but certainly not least, Maurice Jones-Drew should be able to run all over each team like he’s playing a video game.

16.   Kansas City Chiefs:  San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders

·         I am as shocked as everyone else is that Dwayne Bowe is having the season he is, and it seems unlikely that it will stop, regardless of the matchup.  You’re not playing Matt Cassel ever.  Jamaal Charles is a must start if you own him regardless of the matchup as well because of his game breaking ability.  And with the Chiefs fighting for a playoff spot, look for them not to be benching their players as well.

17.   Miami Dolphins:  New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots

·         No, you’re not starting Tyler Thigpen, so don’t even give it a consideration.  However, you do have to look at Davone Bess and especially Brian Hartline as solid flex options.  If Brandon Marshall is healthy, it’s possible he could hit it big the final three weeks of the season.

18.   Minnesota Vikings:  New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions

·         Adrian Peterson is a fixture in the starting lineup, so if you’re considering benching him for some reason, check yourself into your local insane asylum.  But the interesting thing about the Vikings will be how they respond to the firing of Brad Childress and the stepping in of Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazor as head coach.  I think they’ll be a motivated team, so look for some good offense finally, with Brett Favre leading that charge.  That being said, you’re still not starting him, because his inconsistency demands it.  But Percy Harvin has been your best receiver so far this year, so you should play him against all teams, along with Sidney Rice, unless you have better options.

19.   New England Patriots:  Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

·         Brady = start against all teams, although he may struggle against Green bay in Week 15.  Aaron Hernandez, start him every week if you have him, as most likely you don’t have a better option at tight end.  But the other three weeks, you have to like Welker as a #2 receiver, Deion Branch as a flex, The Law Firm BenJarvus Green-Ellis as a #2 back (although keep an eye on Fred Taylor, as if he’s healthy enough to play, Ellis’s production will definitely dip and he’ll turn into a flex), and Danny Woodhead is a flex. 

20.   New Orleans Saints:  St. Louis Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

·         Drew Brees is a given.  Colston is a given, especially given his recent production.  Lance Moore and Meachem are good flex players, with Moore being a solid #3 receiver.  As long as Shockey is hurt, Jimmy Graham is worth a good luck if you don’t have any other tight end options.  As for running back, with the return of Reggie Bush, Chris Ivory’s carries will decrease, making him a flex option along with Bush.  Depending how they use Bush over the next two weeks, he may ascend to #2 running back status.

21.   New York Giants:  Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins

·         If Nicks is healthy, he’s one of the best receivers out there along with Steve Smith, who could be healthy for the fantasy playoffs.  Bradshaw is a #1 running back unless you have two guys consistently ranked higher than him somewhere in your lineup.  The only question mark is Eli Manning, but the only real bad matchup occurs against the Packers in week 16.  Keep an eye on the Giants D/ST against the Redskins in the last week of the season.

22.   New York Jets:  Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills

·         It appears Mark Sanchez is now the real deal, although it does seem to take OT to get good fantasy production out of him.  I like every week for him, even against the Steelers, whose pass defense is way overrated.  LT and Shonn Greene are now basically flex options, as they are splitting the carries about 50/50.  Braylon Edwards is a borderline #2, definite #3 receiver.  Holmes is a legit #2 receiver, who appears to be making a run for consideration as a #1 in any fantasy lineup.  I like the D/ST against all teams.

23.   Oakland Raiders:  Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs

·         Campbell has good matchups, but it doesn’t matter as you’re not playing him anyways.  You’re staying away from the receivers, as they are extremely inconsistent week in and week out.  So that leaves Zach Miller at TE, who if healthy by the time the fantasy playoffs roll around, is a top 5 tight end every week, and Darren McFadden.  McFadden has great matchups the rest of the year, so play him if you got him.

24.   Philadelphia Eagles:  Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys

·         Vick has great matchups throughout the fantasy playoffs, and even if he didn’t, it wouldn’t matter, as his dynamic ability transcends any defense.  With Vick’s production will also come the production of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.  Jackson is toeing the line between #1 and #2 receiver, while Maclin is a definite #2.  And you have to playLeSean McCoy every week except for week 16 against a typically stingy Vikings run defense.  Oh, notice the Eagles play Dallas twice, whose defense has been pathetic all year.

25.   Pittsburgh Steelers:  Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns

·         You have to love Mike Wallace.  He’s worth at least 100 yards and 1 touchdown every game, regardless of the matchup.  Which means don’t less Revis Island scare you in week 15 against the New York Jets.  Play Wallace every week.  And the same can be said about Ben Roethlisberger.  If he’s your starter, you should be confident.  Hines Ward is a #3 receiver.  Rashard Mendenhall has good matchups every week except against the Jets, but more likely than not you don’t have a better option, so you’re playing him against the Jets anyways.  Have to like all Steelers against Carolina and like the Defenses against the Bengals and Panthers. 

26.   San Diego Chargers:  Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos

·         Philip Rivers is probably the best quarterback in the league this side of Michael Vick at the moment, so that’s a no-brainer, and his matchups are fantastic to help you out.  If Mathews stays injured, Tolbert is a solid #2 back.  At receiver, Vincent Jackson returns this week, so we’ll know what he will be brining to the fantasy playoffs by the time they start, but I predict he’ll be a fantasy all star the last part of the season.  Don’t sleep on Malcolm Floyd either, who will get less coverage rolled his way with the return of Jackson.  Darren Sproles is a fantastic flex play as always and if Antonio Gates is healthy enough to play, well, I don’t think you need me to tell you that you have to play him.

27.   San Francisco 49ers:  Seattle Seahawks, San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals

·         Two words.  Frank Gore.  That’s about all the Niners have going for them, although they do have good matchups against the Seahawks and Cardinals.  Vernon Davis has disappeared, as somehow Delanie Walker has turned into Troy Smith’s favorite receiver/tight end, but if you have Davis, you’re playing him, as you have to think he’ll get his touches at some point.

28.   Seattle Seahawks:  San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams

·         Lynch and Forsett are flex plays, as the split in carries cancels out #2 running back production.  You’re never starting Matt Hasselbeck.  I said to drop John Carlson about 4 weeks ago, so hopefully you did, as he is basically ignored in the offense now.  So you’re best fantasy option is Mike Williams, who is a definite #2 receiver.  Never thought I would ever say those words ever.

29.   St. Louis Rams:  New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

·         Of course you’re playing Steven Jackson as your #1 or #2 back depending on who else is on your roster regardless of the matchup, but fortunately the Rams do have okay matchups that he should produce.  You’re not playing Bradford, as he doesn’t have enough weapons on the receiving end.  But the weapons he does have are Danny Amendola (a #3 receiver and definite flex play) and Brandon Gibson (flex play).

30.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints

·         Josh Freeman has very good matchups except the Saints, so he may be worth a look if you’re struggling for  QB options, or your starting QB gets injured.  Of course you love Mike Williams, as he’s a legit #2 fantasy receiver, with tremendous #1 potential.  LeGarrette Blount is putting up solid #2 running back numbers (I’ve been a beneficiary myself).  As for Kellen Winslow, if you don’t have a better option, I suppose you could do worse, but I wouldn’t expect much from him.  Oh, and Cadillac Williams is a potential flex play if he gets enough touches.

31.   Tennessee Titans:  Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts

·         Well, Vince Young out for the rest of the season (and I think if Jeff Fisher gets his way, the rest of his career), Kerry Collins has an injured calf, which makes rookie 6^th round draft choice Rusty Smith from Florida Atlantic the default starter.  So stay away from Rusty Smith.  Unfortunately this probably means a downgrade in Nate Washington and Bo Scaife, and definitely Randy Moss, who was basically non-existent anyways.  The problem now is what happens to Chris Johnson.  And what happens is most likely that he faces 8 in the box.  But fortunately, he faces an extremely favorable schedule as he gets to face some of the worst run defenses in the league in the Colt and Texans.

32.   Washington Redskins:  Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants

·         The running back situation is up in arms because of injury, leaving Keiland Williams as the de facto #1 back.  But once Portis is healthy, he’ll be the #1 guy again, so keep your eye on that for the fantasy playoffs.  You’re probably not starting Donovan McNabb unless you are forced to.  You have to like Santana Moss as a #2 receiver.  Anthony Armstrong is a strong (no pun intended with his last name) flex option.  Chris Cooley is alive I think, but you haven’t heard much from him.  But if the ball is thrown his way, he’s a top ten tight end. 

Response to Anonymous Poster

Dear Anonymous Poster,

I’ve decided to answer your questions in a separate post of my own, as you had plenty of questions that had some detailed answers.  Hopefully my answers are what you're looking for.

·          What are your thoughts on Thursday NFL games? And how often do they have Thursday games? And do you think playing on a Thursday has any fantasy impact or is it inconsequential?

o   I myself don’t mind Thursday NFL games, as I think it has almost no impact fantasy wise.  Only things you have to worry about are that it’s a short week for the teams that play, so they have fewer days to recover from injury, and that you have to make your decisions on who to start/sit in a shorter amount of time.  As for the players themselves, I know they aren’t huge fans, for the same reason, no injury recovery time.  But the NFL isn’t going to change that, specifically because the games are on the NFL Network, so they want to make that money.  Starting in week 10, the Thursday games happen every week through the rest of the year.

·         At the end of this football season, will you be ranking the drafted college players...and picking some potential future studs?

o   I have big plans for the offseason.  One of the things I like most about fantasy football is the offseason analyzation that I do, looking at stats throughout players careers, seeing how they performed this past season, and looking at the crop of incoming new players.  You did hit spot on with your idea about college players.  I was already planning at least one article or more devoted to the incoming draft class, so stay tuned for those around April, May, and June.

·         POSTING COMMENTS & REPLIES: How do we get a reply (from you) to our comments? Do we just check back where we wrote the comment & that's where you respond to? Or, do you email a reply?

o   As far as me replying, for my response to this, I will dedicate a separate post, otherwise I don’t think you would see an answer.  The best way to do it I think is to post a comment and leave your e-mail address, that way I can respond to you directly.  But I suppose the purpose of a blog is for everyone to see all comments, so maybe responding to your comment with a comment of my own on the blog is the way to go.  For now I think e-mailing would be the best and most direct route, but I’ll have to think of something better than that.  My e-mail address is mattymccall@gmail.com.

·         Who is your favorite coach? and why?

o   As for favorite coaches, I myself over the years have been a big fan of Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren, Bill Walsh, Mike Ditka, and Jon Gruden.  Nowadays, there is a new crop of coaches that have come around that I really do like such as Rex Ryan, Sean Payton, Jim Schwartz, John Harbaugh, and Mike Smith, but I’d have to say my favorite is a guy who has been with the same team forever.  His name, Jeff Fisher of the Tennessee Titans.  Fisher is currently the longest tenured coach at 16 years straight with the same team.  That means the man knows what he is doing.  He has an extremely good football mind, he demands respect and gets it because he cares for his players on a deeply personal level, more so than I’ve ever seen from any other coach, and he’s fantastic with the media.  All that makes him a great coach in my opinion. 

·         Is it better to ask one question at a time OR should I lump them all together in one post (like I did in this one)?

o   As far as asking questions, you can ask as many as you want in one post/e-mail, or you can go one at a time.  I have no personal preference, so it’s whatever you feel like doing.

Week 11 Rankings

Bye weeks are over and everyone is playing.  Problem is now that everyone on your roster is playing, who do you start?  Well, check out the rankings, and you'll know have your answer.  Have a question, e-mail mattymccall@gmail.com or post a comment with your e-mail addres and I'll respond to that.

QB Rankings
RB Rankings
WR Rankings
TE Rankings
K Rankings
D/ST

Random Musings About Football Week 11

The bye weeks are finally over and you can all breathe a sigh of relief if you managed to make it through weeks 4 through 10 fairly unscathed as far as your record goes.  If you didn’t, and now you are on the outside looking in as far as your league playoffs are concerned, don’t give up.  One of my fantasy commandments states that you never mail in your season.  I’m sitting at 4-6, no chance in making the playoffs, but by no means am I going to give up or throw the towel in on the season.   In the immortal words of Herm Edwards:  “You play to win the game.” 

So listen to Herm and play every week like your 0-0.  Your league members deserve the most out of you and listen, no one likes a quitter, especially the guy/girl fighting for a playoff spot that sees you’re playing your scrubs against an opponent that he/she needs to lose, thus guaranteeing a win to said opponent.  There’s a lot of money on the line out there, so don’t screw someone else because you’re a sore loser and your pride is hurt

I will now step down of my soapbox and tell you that the “In a Pinch” column will no longer be seen on the site until bye weeks start up again in the 2011-2012 season.  It makes no sense to call a column “in a pinch” if you’re not looking to replace anyone, in a pinch.  So if you’re not sure who to start, take a look at the weekly rankings on Wednesday and also the Love/Hate column on Thursday.  Both should help you make a decision on who to start or who to sit. 

So I’m going to change the name of the weekly Tuesday column to “Random Musings About Football.”  Basically, it’s whatever the hell I feel like saying about football, be it real or fantasy.  So if you don’t like it, please let me know, and I’ll change it up to something else.

Now on to the inaugural column!

                This week’s topic:  Fantasy Playoffs

If you’re lucky enough to be way ahead in your league (which I am not, as I’m currently fighting tooth and nail to get a wild card berth), or you feel extremely good about your chances of making the fantasy playoffs, it’s time to start looking ahead to those weeks, which in most leagues are weeks 15, 16, and 17.

                Now don’t get cocky and think that since you’re 9-1, 8-2, 7-3, or 6-4, that your shit doesn’t stink.  Look deeply at your roster.  Look to see if you have any holes.  Maybe your 3^rd or 4^th string running back isn’t as strong as you want.  Maybe one of your receivers has some extremely bad matchups down the stretch.  Maybe your backup quarterback, who you think you don’t need any more since the bye weeks are over, may be faced to become your starter in the championship game due to an injury.

                This leads me to another one of my commandments:  BE PREPARED.

Don’t get complacent and think that you can ride your lineup all the way to the championship.  Be prepared for that freak injury to your star players by making sure the backups you have can step in and have at least 80% of the production of your starter or at least has the potential to produce their “one great game of the year.”  That way you at least have a chance and can make your playoff run competitive.

Here is what I take into consideration when preparing for the fantasy playoffs:

 I start preparing for the fantasy playoffs Week 1.  The moment my draft has completed I immediately scope out the free agents, seeing if a player I thought would get drafted didn’t and would be a better option than a player currently on my roster.  And every week of the season I constantly peruse the free agent lists, always seeing if someone better is available.  You would be surprised how many people drop players during bye weeks that they don’t really want to drop. 

Which leads me to another of my commandments:  DON’T BE AFRAID TO LOSE ONE WEEK.  Most fantasy owners are afraid to lose one week, so they drop their 2^nd or 3^rd receiver/running back, 2^nd TE, or backup QB in order to clear a roster spot to pick up someone to fill in just for one week.  They don’t really want to drop that player, as they know that player has played well so far and has the potential to put up good numbers the rest of the season. 

But fantasy owners become scared.  They think they have to win every single week.  And I understand that, I go into each season wanting to go undefeated.  But you have to realize that fantasy football is controlled by forces that are not your own.  Things happen during a season that out of your control.  For example, there are injuries, coach’s decisions to go from a one back system to a two back system, coach’s decision to go from a running attack to a passing attack, suspensions, etc.  There are just so many things that can happen during the course of the season that can make you lose a week.

So fantasy owners get scared of that one loss and make rash decisions.  They don’t think long term, instead thinking, “I have to win this week.   I have to beat this guy.  I can’t lose.”  Fact of the matter is that one week does not make the season.  Just like in the NFL, the season is long, so don’t be afraid to lose one week in order to keep that guy who you feel is poised to break out at any time, or that guy who is on a hot streak.

But I digress completely from what I was saying.  Back to SCARED OWNERS. 

Those owners that drop their good players in order to pick up one guy for one week, you need to pick them up if you have the roster space.  You need to be what I call a “Fantasy Vulture.”  So all season long, watch the free agent list.  Often times those moves you make in the first few weeks of the season will often pay dividend come the fantasy playoffs.

Beyond being a Fantasy vulture, in order to set yourself up for a successful playoff run, you also need to look at matchups.  Check out who your players are matched up against during the playoffs.  If they have bad matchups, maybe you play your 3^rd or 4^th options if they are solid players with great matchups. 

For example:  Maybe your 2^nd receiver is playing the Saints during the fantasy playoffs.  The Saints are currently ranked #1 in giving up fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, so they are a horrible matchup.  On the other hand, your #3 receiver is playing Jacksonville Jaguars that week, which are ranked #32 in giving up fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, so they are a fantastic matchup.

So you can see that it’s not always prudent to play with who got you there.  Don’t be afraid to sit that #2 guy if he has a bad matchup.  And conversely, don’t be afraid to start that #3 or #4 guy if he has a great matchup.  You have to play the matchups if you want to win in the fantasy playoffs.

              To to wrap this long article up, here’s what you need to do to win the “Ship.”  Be a “Fantasy Vulture” from week one, but if you haven’t, start now.  And two, don’t be afraid to play the matchups.  The fantasy owner who follows those two tips should be in great shape to make a solid run at winning it all.

Week 10 Rankings

If you're having a tough time deciding who to sit or start, take a look at the rankings.  Go with the higher ranked player and you should be set.  If you have any questions, feel free to post a comment or e-mail me at mattymccall@gmail.com.  Don't forget, first game is Atlanta vs. Baltimore this Thursday!  On to the rankings!

Once you click on the link, it will take you to screen where the word "Download" is highlighted in blue.  Click that link and an excel spreadsheet of the rankings will open up.

QB Rankings
RB Rankings
WR Rankings
TE Rankings
K Rankings
D/ST Rankings

Week 10 Injury Report

Week 10 Injury Report

"In a Pinch" Week 10

In Week 10, Green Bay, Oakland, New Orleans, and San Diego are all on byes.  As far as quarterbacks go, 3 of the top 4 are out.  So hopefully you have yourself a backup already to go.  If you don’t, I’d consider picking up one of the following QBs that just might give you enough to pull out the victory.

Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions):  Keep an eye on his injured shoulder, as it looks unlikely that he’ll be playing in week 10.  If it looks like he’s a go for Sunday though, then he’s got a great matchup in the Buffalo Bills.  With both teams loving to pass, this game looks like it will be a shootout, and as long as his shoulder holds up, Stafford should have a great game.

Ryan Fiztpatrick (Buffalo Bills):  If you are in a league of morons, there is a good chance that Ryan Fizpatrick is still sitting out there on the waiver wire.  If you find yourself that lucky, then he has to be your #1 QB to pickup this week, as the Bills are playing the Detroit Lions.  Love the Fitz!!!

Mark Sanchez (New York Jets):  Very good matchup this week in playing the Cleveland Browns.  Sanchez has been playing extremely well this season, particularly lately, where it seems like he is throwing for 250 and 2 touchdowns every game.  This past week against the Detroit Lions, he threw for 336 yards (thanks to a huge completion to Santono Holmes in OT) and 1 touchdown.  If “The Fitz” or Stafford aren’t available, Sanchez is a solid option, particularly since he is facing the Cleveland Browns.

David Garrard (Jacksonville Jaguars):  Listen, I had Garrard as my backup in 2008 and 2009, and each time he had a good matchup where he should have performed as a top 8 QB.  But he never did, and I did not draft him as my backup this year.  So clearly I’m biased, but with removing that bias, I think that Garrard could be a solid option.  I mean, he did throw 4 touchdown passes against Dallas, who has a horrible pass defense.  Now this week he’s facing the Houston Texans, whose pass defense may even worse than Dallas’s.  I don’t think he gets 4 touchdown passes, but I do think the possibility exists where he throws for at least 200 yards with 2 touchdowns.

Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers):  I’m sold on Freeman as being a very good quarterback, particularly with a receiver like Mike Williams to catch the ball.  But you’re saying to yourself:  “Consigliere!  He only put up 189 yards against an Atlanta pass defense that is mediocre and threw two interceptions!”  Fantasy Football reader, you would be correct with those states, but you also have to remember he threw 2 touchdowns and in the previous 4 games he had thrown for over 200 yards in each.  This week Freeman will be facing the Carolina Panthers, one of the worst teams in the league.  Looks to be a good matchup for him.

Matt Cassel (Kansas City Chiefs):  I don’t know what the Chiefs are thinking, only handing the ball off to Jamaal Charles 10 times and throwing the ball 35 times with Cassel, completing 20 of those passes for a completion percentage of 57%.  Clearly Todd Haley wasn’t thinking at all, as the Chiefs ended up losing in OT to the Raiders.  The Chiefs should be a run first, run second, and maybe even run third team, but clearly Haley loves to pass the ball, as I’m sure he has a hangover from the years he spent in Arizona with Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin.  But Cassel is no Warner and Dwayne Bowe is no Larry Fitzgerald.  Nonetheless, Haley seems intent on throwing the ball, and against a Denver defense that isn’t very good on any level, I could see Cassel getting at least 200 yards with a touchdown, maybe 2 if he throws a goaline score to tight end Tony Moeaki.

Sam Bradford (St. Louis Rams):  I’m pretty sure Sam Bradford would have loved to have Randy Moss to throw to, but St. Louis passed, deciding to stick with the guys they have.  And despite multiple injuries, those receivers seem to produce week in and week out, which means to me that Bradford knows how to play the quarterback position (and trust me, it kills me to say that, as I thought he was completely overrated.).  He’s completing about 200 yards a game with at least 2 touchdowns, so he’s a solid play, especially against the San Francisco 49ers, who are floundering on both sides of the ball this year.

RBs

Darren McFadden and  Michael Bush, Chris Ivory, Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert, and Brandon Jackosn and John Kuhn  all on a bye this week.   The only stud to worry about is McFadden, and most likely you have a viable backup already in place.  But if you don’t, or you’re needing to fill in for one of the other backs at your flex position, here are a few possibilities.

Fred Jackson/CJ Spiller (Buffalo Bills):  Not putting up good numbers by any stretch of the imagination, the Bills are a pass first and pass second team, but the Bills will be facing the Lions, one of the worst run defenses in the league.  With that said, I don’t feel great about Jackson, but my gut is telling me that Spiller is going to have a breakout game.  If you’re searching for a flex guy, and you want to take a flyer, one of these two would fit the bill.

LeGarette Blount (Tampa Bay Buccaneers):  Now Blount has come back down to earth after his awesome performance in Week 8.  But listen, he only got 13 carries and no passes were thrown his way, if he was even in on passing downs.  So the scheme and partly the opponent limited Blount, not his ability.  Tampa Bay is playing Carolina this week, and if I’m head coach Raheem Morris of Tampa Bay, I’m getting Blount the ball at least 22-25 times.  So if Blount is still available, or if someone decided to drop Blount after his performance yesterday, he would be a solid fill in as a #2 back, a definite great flex.

Mike Hart/Donald Brown/Javarris James (Indianapolis Colts):  If no Joseph Addai, look at Mike Hart as your #2 back.  If no Addai or Hart, look at Donald Brown as your #2.  As for James, he scored two touchdowns this past week.  He’d be a solid flex play if everyone else was hurt except Brown.

Tyrell Sutton (Carolina Panthers):  If there is no DeAngelo Williams, and Stewart sits out week 10 with a concussion, then Sutton is the guy in Carolina.  Against New Orleans, Sutton had 7 carries for 41 yards, a 5.9 yards/carry average.  He also had 3 catches for 15 yards.  So in 10 touches, Sutton had 56 yards, almost 6 yards per touch.  If he’s the starter, there’s a definite possibility he could get 100 total yards with a touchdown, especially playing a Tampa Bay defense that is extremely bad against the run.

WRs

Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, and James Jones from the Green Bay Packers, Marques Colston, Lance Moore, and Robert Meachem from the New Orleans Saints, and Patrick Crayton and Seyi Ajirotutu from the San Diego Chargers.  Some big names and some flex players with a bye this week.  Let’s see who might be out there.

Steve Breaston (Arizona Cardinals):  Either the Arizona Cardinals can’t run or don’t want to run the football, as they only had a total of 21 carries for 53 yards.  16 of those yards were from Derek Anderson scrambles, of which there were 3.  So remove Anderson from the equation and you have  18 carries for 37 yards.  Quite pathetic if you ask me.  So that leaves us with Arizona having to chuck the ball, to which they didn’t even do that well, but they were playing a dysfunctional, yet highly motivated Minnesota Vikings team.  In Week 10 the Cardinals draw the Seahawks, to which Eli Manning decimated in about 2 and a half quarters of play.  Look for Anderson to have a better day, and a beneficiary of that should be Steve Breatson.

Roscoe Parrish (Buffalo Bills):  Ah, I was so close to picking up Roscoe Parrish this week in one of my leagues.  Had I done that, I still probably would have lost, but at least I wouldn’t have lost by so much.  Parrish has had 31 targets over the last three games, which is second only to Steve Johnson’s 34.  His production over the last 3 isn’t bad either, with 19 catches for 183 yards, and 1 touchdown.  So Parrish’s value is rising fast in a Bills offense that, as I’ve stated over and over again, loves to throw the ball.  Now, bear in mind Parrish suffered a minor injury this past week against Chicago, but head coach Chain Gailey says it isn’t serious, so there ‘s a good chance he’ll be in the lineup this week against Detroit.

Bernard Berrian (Minnesota Vikings):  Was it a one game fluke for Berrian this past week?  Week 10 will tell, but it does seem like the departure of Randy Moss may have reminded people that Bernard Berrian is a good talent that was still on the team.  The Chicago Bears are no Arizona Cardinals, so the matchup is tougher this week, but if Favre is still slinging it around, why not take a flyer on Berrian.

Brian Hartline (Miami Dolphins):  Hartline has 14 catches for 195 yards over the last 3 games, coming against good competition.  With Marshall and Bess getting a lot of attention by the opposing team’s secondary, Hartline is going unnoticed, which is clearly providing Hartline with an opportunity that he is making the most of.  If you are in need of a flex player or third receiver this week, you might want to look Hartline’s way.

Danny Woodhead (New England Patriots):  If your league has Woodhead listed as a WR, then you may be in luck.  Obviously a bad matchup against the Steelers defense in Week 10, but with intense pass rush the Steelers possess, look for Brady to be dumping that ball down a lot, with Woodhead the prime recipient.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see him with at least 10 catches for 60 yards, with a sneaky touchdown thrown in.  Also, don’t forget he can get you some rushing yards as he is also used as a running back, but those yards will be very few since the Steelers are one of the best against the run.

TEs

Zach Miller of the Oakland Raiders, Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas of the New Orleans Saints, and Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers are all on a bye this week.  Good for Gates, Miller, and Shockey as they try to recover from injuries and get healthy for Week 11.  If you are an owner of one of those guys, you  may need a TE this week.

Benjamin Watson (Cleveland Browns):  Cleveland draws a tough matchup this week in facing the New York Jets.  As we know, the Jets like to blitz, so expect drop off and quick passes to Benjamin Watson.   He should get at least 6 receptions this week.

Tony Scheffler (Detroit Lions):  If Stafford is in, I like Scheffler this week.  If Drew Stanton is in, Scheffler’s stock takes a little hit, but not much. Again, will be facing the Buffalo Bills in what is sure to be a shoot out with plenty of targets to go around.

Anthony Fasano (Miami Dolphins):  Fasano’s targets have increased by one over the last 3 weeks (5 to 6 to 7).  I wouldn’t expect those targets to get much higher, but if you’re looking for a little production to give you at least say 6-9 fantasy points (depending on the scoring of your league), Fasano might be able to help you out.

Bo Scaife (Tennessee Titans):  Scaife may be a reach, but with the addition of Randy Moss, the underneath routes open up, which is where Scaife roams.  His targets should go up a couple this week, and maybe his production will go with it.

Jermaine Gresham (Cincinnati Bengals):  Unfortunately facing the best in the league against tight ends, but if there is nothing you like out there better, at least he gets some looks every game.

Jacob Tamme (Indianapolis Colts):  Pick him up if he’s available!!!  Pick him up if he’s available!!  Oh, yeah, PICK HIM UP IF HE’S AVAILABLE!!!

As always, if you have a question, you can send it to mattymccall@gmail.com, or you can just post a response to the article.