Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Fantasy Football Week 5 Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Tony Romo (Cowboys)
Color me shocked on this one. Tony Romo had one of the finest career games of his career (506 yards, 5 TD's) against a Broncos team that is playing out of their minds right now. Save for his late INT that cost them the game, Romo was dominant and his fantasy owners (or anyone who had Dez Bryant or Jason Witten) have to be giddy with this surprising performance. 
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Jay Cutler (Bears), Sam Bradford (Rams)

LVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
Now on the other surprise of the spectrum, Tom Brady broke his streak of 52 straight games with a touchdown pass. Brady was under pressure all day and the inclement weather made this already bad matchup even worse. Brady is facing another difficult matchup this week against the Saints, but at least owners of Brady can take solace in the fact that Jay Cutler just had a great game against the Saints and there is a chance that Rob Gronkowski finally returns this week.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Cam Newton (Panthers), Michael Vick (Eagles), Matt Schaub (Texans)

Running Back
MVP: Fred Jackson (Bills)
In a really down week for running backs (I guess that's what you get when AP and Doug Martin are on bye and most of the active elite backs had rough matchups,) veteran Fred Jackson put up the best numbers of the week getting the start for the Bills over banged-up feature back C.J. Spiller. Jackson only put up 93 total yards, but his pair of touchdown runs made him very valuable amidst this week lack of standout production.
Honorable Mentions: Knoshown Moreno (Broncos), Ray Rice (Ravens), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Pierre Thomas (Saints)

LVP: Reggie Bush (Lions)
Showing his first signs of adversity this year, Reggie Bush struggled against an average Packers defense. Bush has been great all season, so I wouldn't put too much stock in this poor performance and continue to play him as an RB2/borderline RB1 with confidence. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Trent Richardson (Colts), Lamar Miller (Dolphins), LeGarette Blount (Patriots), Darren Sproles (Saints)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)
Proving his week 4 performance was no fluke, Alshon Jeffrey decimated the Saints secondary for 218 yards and a touchdown. Jeffrey's rapport with Jay Cutler continues to improve and Jeffrey is starting to prove himself as a legitimate threat alongside Brandon Marshall and Martellus Bennett in the Bears offense. If Jeffrey is somehow still available in one of your leagues, pick him up right away.
Honorable Mentions: T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Dez Bryant (Cowboys), Justin Blackmon (Jaguars), DeSean Jackson (Eagles)

LVP: Victor Cruz (Giants)
Victor Cruz was the oddman out for the Giants receivers on Sunday afternoon. For the first time this season Cruz was not the productive one amongst the wide receivers, as most of the teams receiving yards came from Hakeem Nicks and Rueben Randle. Cruz was bound to have an off-week at some point, it's just unfortunate for his fantasy owners that it happened against such a bad pass defense like the Eagles.
Dishonorable Mentions: Marques Colston (Saints), Andre Johnson (Texans), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)

Tight End
MVP: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
If you haven't figured it out yet, Julius Thomas is the real deal. He has a touchdown in all but one game this season (this marked his second multi-TD game of the year) and has proven to be one of the handful of tight ends this year that has been consistently productive. If you didn't have him as a weekly starter before, this performance should sway you to do so.
Honorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Vernon Davis (49ers), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Charles Clay (Dolphins)

LVP: Jared Cook (Rams)
Jared Cook has to be the most frustrating tight end in the league from a fantasy standpoint. After his first week domination against the Cardinals, it appeared Cook turned over a new leaf with the Rams and had become a truly special tight end. Since then though, Cook has been right back to the middling tight end he was during his stint with the Titans. I mean seriously he only had 3 catches for 26 yards against the Jaguars, who allow so many points that pretty much everyone does well so the fact the Cook did so poorly against them is pretty alarming. For now, it looks like all the hype on Cook after Week 1 was all for not. I wouldn't recommend starting him unless he starts to turn things around.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Cameron (Browns), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Owen Daniels (Texans), Jermichael Finley (Packers)

Defense
MVP: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals finally lived up to their preseason projections as a top-level fantasy absolutely suffocating the Panthers. They made life very difficult for Cam Newton sacking him 7 times (one of them being a safety), picking him off 3 times and forcing a key fumble. I don't know if it was the return of inside linebacker Daryl Washington from suspension or what, but this unit looked absolutely dominant and rejuvenated on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: San Fransisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders

LVP: Houston Texans
The Texans did defense did nothing against the struggling 49ers offense forcing zero takeaways and only getting 1 sack.
Dishonorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons

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