Rob Stewart Is...The Fantasy Oracle
With plenty to talk aboutBy ROB STEWART
This has been one of the most newsworthy weeks since I started writing fantasy football articles a few years ago. Several players of fantasy relevance were injured last week and their backups will suddenly become hot commodities.
In addition, there was a suspension for performance enhancing drugs, a coach firing, the signing of a troubled running back by a team that has tried to clean up its image, the benching of a former no. 1 pick overall and of course Bill Belichick's gutsy call to go for it on a fourth and two from his own 29 yard line with two minutes to go while up by six.
I agree with Belichick's call as his defense showed no ability to stop Peyton Manning and when you have an offense like that with those weapons they should be able to get two yards to close the game out.
Injuries and that suspension worth noting: Ronnie Brown is done for the year, again. Ricky Williams will shoulder the load as the Fish try to sneak into the playoffs. Thursday night, Williams came up huge scoring three touchdowns and gaining 138 yards. He is a must pickup in every league right now.
In Atlanta, Michael Turner was injured and this week it appears Jason Snelling (Smelling?) will start with Jerious Norwood receiving some carries against the Giants. I am not a 'Smelling' fan and I would Just Say No!
In Philadelphia, Brian Westbrook suffered his second concussion in three weeks and I would be shocked if he returns at all this year despite the reports he may be back in three weeks. LeSean McCoy is a decent running back and should be added as well.
Keeping with the injured running back theme, Cedric Benson also went down and this week it appears Bernard Scott, Brian Leonard and recently signed Larry Johnson will split the duties. Johnson's signing proved me wrong as this move goes against everything the Bungles have done right so far. Sure Benson is banged up and Scott's inexperienced, but the potential damage Johnson can do to a team that is peaking is enormous. Benson's reaction to the signing was not very positive. He said he is clearly "not jumping out of my seat or anything." Yeah, I say that too when someone leaves a bag of manure on my doorstep, lights it, rings my doorbell and runs.
In Kansas City, Dwayne Bowe was suspended for four games for violating the league's performance enhancing drug policy. Chris Chambers now becomes Matt Cassel's primary target in a pass happy offense and if you listened when I told you to pick him up, you are very happy right now.
In Buffalo, what else is there to say - Dick Jauron needed fired, Trent Edwards needed benched and they needed to see what Brian Brohm (signed from the Packers practice squad) could bring to the table. All three things happened this week and maybe Buffalo can find someone who can get the ball to Lee Evans and Terrell Owens and not the defense's mitts. Look for a different offensive philosophy and Marshawn Lynch to get more touches as the weather worsens and the fantasy playoffs near.
In Oakland, JaMarcus Russell earned a first class ticket to the pine for (you can't make this stuff up) Bruce Gradkowski. Isn't that like trading a T-bone steak for a rice cake? I mean Russell is terrible, but the Raiders have no playoff aspirations and this move makes no sense unless they are planning on cutting him at the end of the season and saying the JaMarcus Russell experiment was a bust. What can Gradkowski possibly bring to that offense? Oh Al Davis, what do I have to do to get you to ride off into the sunset on your Harley?
Lastly, I cannot go a week without bashing the Brownies. This is the worst offensive football team assembled since the 1933 Cincinnati Reds (yes the Reds!). That team averaged 3.8 points a game and the following year, the franchise was suspended for not paying league dues and replaced by the independent St. Louis Gunners with three games to go. If only the NFL would be so nice as to not make us endure the torture that is the Browns offense. Sadly, their defense is not bad and maybe punting on any passing down gives them a better chance to win! "Martha" Quinn was only one of four quarterbacks in the last two decades to throw thirty passes and not break 100 yards Monday night. Their 8.67 points per game average is pathetic. This week they get the honor of losing to the Detroit Lions.
In my fantasy leagues, two teams are soaring, while my WTO team is jinxed and couldn't beat itself right now. The positive is two championships are well within reach, while the reality is one team will not make the playoffs.
The WTO leaders in the North division, Viking Quest and the St. Louis Shockers, are both 8-2 battling for the bye week. In the Central division, Hooktown Hero's and Team Human Bein' are both 6-4, while the South division has essentially been clinched by Pickelhauben (7-3). This week's feature game is the St. Louis Shockers at Pickelhauben, which may be a championship preview.
FREE AGENTS TO TARGET: Justin Forsett, Brandon Gibson (get him now as he will be a hot commodity soon), Chris Cooley (coming back in two weeks), Kenny Britt and any defense playing the hapless Browns.
INJURIES: Anthony Gonzalez (two more weeks), Adam Vinatieri, Julius Jones, Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, Clinton Portis, Justin Gage, Chris Cooley, Lance Moore, Jermichael Finley, Michael Turner, Garrett Wolfe (IR), Desmond Clark and Laveranues Coles all appear out. Game time decisions will be Reggie Bush, Roddy White, Todd Heap and Kyle Orton. If Bush is unable to play bump Pierre Thomas way up your charts as he will also be the receiving option out of the backfield for the Saints.
PLATERS RETURNING FROM INJURY: Jerious Norwood, Antonio Bryant, Glen Coffee
ULTIMATE LINEUP: Drew Brees, Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald, Marques Colston, Brent Celek, Stephen Gostkowski, and the Detroit Lions defense. Flex player will be Maurice Jones-Drew.
FANTASY BUST OF THE WEEK (5-5): Calvin Johnson. Many sites have him ranked as a top five wideout this week. I don't see it as he is still not 100 percent and the Browns defense is not that bad. Look for maybe 70 yards and a touchdown if he is lucky.
WTO Laid Back League Standings
North Division
Viking Quest (Jon Sitler) 8-2
St. Louis Shockers (Joe Mangione) 8-2
Lee Roths (Andy Szymczyk) 6-4
Sagebrush Apocalypse (Derek Farr) 4-6
Chaotic Ramones (Cody Elms) 3-7
Central Division
Hooktown Hero's (Paul Mangione) 6-4
Team Human Bein' (Ian Ofslager) 6-4
Fwee Dom Wing (Allen Seybert) 4-6
The G33ks (Frank Galeazzo) 4-6
No Use For A Name (Jon Myler) 4-6
Southern Division
Pickelhauben (Dave Hishman) 7-3
White Crackers (Dean Wells) 4-6
The Oracles (Rob Stewart) 3-7
Mr. Randy Watson (Matt Buser) 3-7
Week 10 Results
St. Louis Shockers 105.32, The Oracles 90.90
Lee Roths 121.26, The G33ks 80.16
White Crackers 125.18, Fwee Dom Wing 106.68
Viking Quest 127.20, Pickelhauben 62.98
Hooktown Hero's 127.10, No Use For A Name 94.14
Sagebrush Apocalypse 98.34, Mr. Randy Watson 65.72
Team Human Bein' 74.56, Chaotic Ramones 63.32
