Longhorn Running Backs Dominated the Weekend
After dropping five straight, my fantasy team rebounded this week with standout performances by Thomas Jones, Miles Austin and the Steelers DST. Thankfully, the Chicago Sharts still have an outside chance to make the league playoffs.
It was a good weekend across the board for most established performers, and I imagine most of your league’s scores are hovering around the century mark (especially in PPR leagues). In this week’s rewind, I eat a little crow on two players (Cedric Benson and Carson Palmer) that I doubted earlier this year.
The Winners
Thomas Jones, RB, Jets: The Rodney Dangerfield of football (both on the field and in fantasy) just keeps on chugging. With 26 carries for 121 yards and score on Sunday, Jones has totaled 331 yards and two scores in his last two outings. This was his fourth dominant fantasy performance of the year (19, 30, 16, 23). Although he’s faced weak running defenses, Jones is in must-start territory from week to week.
Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals: Benson is quickly becoming a throwback to the days of a single lead back. Ced’s 37 carries against Chicago is the league’s highest single-game total this year, and he’s leading the league in both total rushing yards (720) and attempts per game (23). His lowest fantasy output this year is 8 pts. (ESPN standard scoring), making the Orange Jesus only slightly less consistent than his Purple counterpart.
Miles Austin, WR, Cowboys: Check out Austin’s two-game totals — 421 yards and 4 TDs. He hasn’t cracked the top 10 in total fantasy points for a wideout, but little doubt remains about his ability or chemistry with Tony Romo.
Ricky Williams, RB, Miami: Is there a better compliment to Ronnie Brown, or any starting back for that matter? Williams averages only 12-13 touches per game but has accounted for nearly 540 yards and 6 scores. This is Williams’ ninth year in the league, and the guy is well beyond the age when most running backs deteriorate (32). But the former Heisman winner shows incredible burst through the hole and still has elite speed for a power back.
Matt Schaub, QB, Texans: I think fantasy owners are finally past any hesitation starting Schaub week-to-week. Although he didn’t put up staggering numbers on Sunday (264 yards, 2 TDs), he’s more consistent and has the tools and team to hang with Brady and Brees on occasion. If Steve Slaton can continue to improve on the ground (he’s been terrific as a pass-catcher this year), expect big things from Schaub.
Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals: The rumors of Palmer’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. The second Bengal on this list put up Brady-like numbers on Sunday (233 yards, 5 TDs), albeit against a pitiful Chicago secondary. You’re not going to see this on a weekly basis but with Benson keeping 7-8 defenders in the box, Palmer is more than capable of making good secondaries pay.
Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers: Move over Antonio Gates, Davis is now the best red-zone TE in the league. And with the return of Alex Smith, you can only expect more of the same (this duo has demonstrated good chemistry in the past). He’s not going to net huge yardage or reception totals, but almost 1-in-4 of his receptions goes for a TD.
Honorable Mention: Green Bay offense; Steelers DST; Chad Ochocinco, Bengals
The Losers
Hines Ward, WR, Steelers: The top-five fantasy receiver had a slow day on Sunday, netting one reception for three yards against a stout Minnesota defense (even without Antoine Winfield). It was a quirky offensive day for both squads, with much of the scoring coming from special teams and turnovers. Although Ward is losing some possession targets to Heath Miller, these games are going to happen now and again. He faces a tough secondary in Denver after next week’s bye.
Santonio Holmes, WR, Steelers: It pains me to put Ward and Holmes on this list but at least the Steelers defense showed up this week. Holmes is a matchup performer (think Lee Evans) and a deep threat but he hasn’t overtaken Ward as the team’s go-to guy, even when the Steelers are putting up good yardage numbers. You’ll get a few gems but don’t expect any sort of consistency week-to-week.
Matt Forte, RB, Bears: You can’t blame Forte for this week’s totals (49 total yards, 0 TDs). The game was over before the end of the first quarter, and he quickly became a non-factor. But the writing is on the wall — the Bears line can’t run block, and Forte isn’t showing the same burst or decisive cutback runs that made him so effective last year. Without the Detroit game, Forte has carried 80 times for 197 yards and zero scores this year. And the rest of the schedule (Philadelphia, Baltimore and Minnesota twice) doesn’t bode well for a second-half recovery.
Terrell Owens, WR, Bills: Like Forte, it’s time to stop banging your head against the keyboard and sit (or drop) T.O. He is quite simply the worst starting #1 receiver in the league right now (well, outside of Roy Williams, who just lost his #1 status to Miles Austin). If you stripped away the name, would you even consider starting a WR that has 18 catches for 242 yards and score?
Greg Olson, TE, Bears: Our second Bear on the list was considered a breakout performer by many (including me) with the addition of Cutler. Olson totaled four catches for 24 yards against the Bengals in a game that saw the Bears throwing on three and four downs. Not a good sign. In an offense that can’t run and a hit-or-miss quarterback, Olson’s value has dropped to bye week replacement status.
Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions: If you’ve ever seen Johnson play in person, he’s truly a man among boys on the field. He may be the most complete and physically dominant receiver in the league. However, in addition to playing in the Lions offense, he’s dealing with a nagging injury that kept him off the field on Sunday. Although he had a great performance against in Week 4, you can probably attribute that to the Bears secondary. With Daunte Culpepper and Matthew Stafford rotating at quarterback (due to injuries), Megatron’s talents will continue to be wasted.
Marion Barber, RB, Cowboys: Ironically, the departure of Julius Jones may have been the worst thing to happen to Barber. Instead of an adequate but error-prone back-up, Barber is splitting carries with a true game breaker (Felix Jones) and a proven backup (Tashard Choice). Never mind that the Barbarian is running for a career-best 4.8 yards per carry — Jones is averaging almost 9 yards per, and the Cowboys defense isn’t allowing them to close out games on the ground.
Honorable Mention: Jay Cutler, Bears; Frank Gore, 49ers; Tony Gonzalez, Falcons; Antonio Gates, Chargers
Building on our Booms & Busts update for Week 5, we’re taking things a step further — creating a full team from scratch using only players currently available on waivers. To qualify, a player has to be available in more than half of all ESPN leagues.
Fantasy Rewind: NFL Week 7 Winners and Losers
Longhorn Running Backs Dominated the Weekend
After dropping five straight, my fantasy team rebounded this week with standout performances by Thomas Jones, Miles Austin and the Steelers DST. Thankfully, the Chicago Sharts still have an outside chance to make the league playoffs.
It was a good weekend across the board for most established performers, and I imagine most of your league’s scores are hovering around the century mark (especially in PPR leagues). In this week’s rewind, I eat a little crow on two players (Cedric Benson and Carson Palmer) that I doubted earlier this year.
The Winners
Thomas Jones, RB, Jets: The Rodney Dangerfield of football (both on the field and in fantasy) just keeps on chugging. With 26 carries for 121 yards and score on Sunday, Jones has totaled 331 yards and two scores in his last two outings. This was his fourth dominant fantasy performance of the year (19, 30, 16, 23). Although he’s faced weak running defenses, Jones is in must-start territory from week to week.
Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals: Benson is quickly becoming a throwback to the days of a single lead back. Ced’s 37 carries against Chicago is the league’s highest single-game total this year, and he’s leading the league in both total rushing yards (720) and attempts per game (23). His lowest fantasy output this year is 8 pts. (ESPN standard scoring), making the Orange Jesus only slightly less consistent than his Purple counterpart.
Miles Austin, WR, Cowboys: Check out Austin’s two-game totals — 421 yards and 4 TDs. He hasn’t cracked the top 10 in total fantasy points for a wideout, but little doubt remains about his ability or chemistry with Tony Romo.
Ricky Williams, RB, Miami: Is there a better compliment to Ronnie Brown, or any starting back for that matter? Williams averages only 12-13 touches per game but has accounted for nearly 540 yards and 6 scores. This is Williams’ ninth year in the league, and the guy is well beyond the age when most running backs deteriorate (32). But the former Heisman winner shows incredible burst through the hole and still has elite speed for a power back.
Matt Schaub, QB, Texans: I think fantasy owners are finally past any hesitation starting Schaub week-to-week. Although he didn’t put up staggering numbers on Sunday (264 yards, 2 TDs), he’s more consistent and has the tools and team to hang with Brady and Brees on occasion. If Steve Slaton can continue to improve on the ground (he’s been terrific as a pass-catcher this year), expect big things from Schaub.
Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals: The rumors of Palmer’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. The second Bengal on this list put up Brady-like numbers on Sunday (233 yards, 5 TDs), albeit against a pitiful Chicago secondary. You’re not going to see this on a weekly basis but with Benson keeping 7-8 defenders in the box, Palmer is more than capable of making good secondaries pay.
Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers: Move over Antonio Gates, Davis is now the best red-zone TE in the league. And with the return of Alex Smith, you can only expect more of the same (this duo has demonstrated good chemistry in the past). He’s not going to net huge yardage or reception totals, but almost 1-in-4 of his receptions goes for a TD.
Honorable Mention: Green Bay offense; Steelers DST; Chad Ochocinco, Bengals
The Losers
Hines Ward, WR, Steelers: The top-five fantasy receiver had a slow day on Sunday, netting one reception for three yards against a stout Minnesota defense (even without Antoine Winfield). It was a quirky offensive day for both squads, with much of the scoring coming from special teams and turnovers. Although Ward is losing some possession targets to Heath Miller, these games are going to happen now and again. He faces a tough secondary in Denver after next week’s bye.
Santonio Holmes, WR, Steelers: It pains me to put Ward and Holmes on this list but at least the Steelers defense showed up this week. Holmes is a matchup performer (think Lee Evans) and a deep threat but he hasn’t overtaken Ward as the team’s go-to guy, even when the Steelers are putting up good yardage numbers. You’ll get a few gems but don’t expect any sort of consistency week-to-week.
Matt Forte, RB, Bears: You can’t blame Forte for this week’s totals (49 total yards, 0 TDs). The game was over before the end of the first quarter, and he quickly became a non-factor. But the writing is on the wall — the Bears line can’t run block, and Forte isn’t showing the same burst or decisive cutback runs that made him so effective last year. Without the Detroit game, Forte has carried 80 times for 197 yards and zero scores this year. And the rest of the schedule (Philadelphia, Baltimore and Minnesota twice) doesn’t bode well for a second-half recovery.
Terrell Owens, WR, Bills: Like Forte, it’s time to stop banging your head against the keyboard and sit (or drop) T.O. He is quite simply the worst starting #1 receiver in the league right now (well, outside of Roy Williams, who just lost his #1 status to Miles Austin). If you stripped away the name, would you even consider starting a WR that has 18 catches for 242 yards and score?
Greg Olson, TE, Bears: Our second Bear on the list was considered a breakout performer by many (including me) with the addition of Cutler. Olson totaled four catches for 24 yards against the Bengals in a game that saw the Bears throwing on three and four downs. Not a good sign. In an offense that can’t run and a hit-or-miss quarterback, Olson’s value has dropped to bye week replacement status.
Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions: If you’ve ever seen Johnson play in person, he’s truly a man among boys on the field. He may be the most complete and physically dominant receiver in the league. However, in addition to playing in the Lions offense, he’s dealing with a nagging injury that kept him off the field on Sunday. Although he had a great performance against in Week 4, you can probably attribute that to the Bears secondary. With Daunte Culpepper and Matthew Stafford rotating at quarterback (due to injuries), Megatron’s talents will continue to be wasted.
Marion Barber, RB, Cowboys: Ironically, the departure of Julius Jones may have been the worst thing to happen to Barber. Instead of an adequate but error-prone back-up, Barber is splitting carries with a true game breaker (Felix Jones) and a proven backup (Tashard Choice). Never mind that the Barbarian is running for a career-best 4.8 yards per carry — Jones is averaging almost 9 yards per, and the Cowboys defense isn’t allowing them to close out games on the ground.
Honorable Mention: Jay Cutler, Bears; Frank Gore, 49ers; Tony Gonzalez, Falcons; Antonio Gates, Chargers
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Tagged Calvin Johnson, Carson Palmer, Fantasy Football, Greg Olson, Hines Ward, Marion Barber, Matt Forte, Matt Schaub, Miles Austin, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Ricky Williams, Santonio Holmes, Terrell Owens, Thomas Jones, Vernon Davis, Weekend Roundup, Winners and Losers