Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
In typical Russell Wilson fashion, he was at his best when it mattered most. Wilson had his best game through the air all season throwing for 339 yards and 2 TD's while adding another 88 yards and a score on the ground, as the Seahawks dominated the Cardinals on Sunday night, and reclaimed the lead in the NFC West. Wilson had his best season to-date from both a real life and fantasy perspective in 2014, and he delivered the goods for fantasy owners in a week where most elite QB's stumbled.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Tony Romo (Cowboys)
LVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
What the hell happened to Andrew Luck this week? Luck, who has been the clear top fantasy quarterback all season long, had a disastrous outing at the worst possible time for his owners. A combination of bad play calling, a banged-up offensive line and a few really bad throws, led Luck to finish the day with just 109 yards, 2 INT's and to top it all off, 0 TD's as the Colts got shockingly decimated by the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon. Luck's performance no doubt cost a lot of owners a title (I was lucky enough to get doubly burned by Luck this week!) and ended what was an otherwise great season on the sourest of notes.
Dishonorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Drew Brees (Saints), Matthew Stafford (Lions)
Running Back
MVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
All hail Beast Mode. In a game where he was battling severe stomach pain and going up against a Cardinals rush defense that's one of the best in the league, Lynch still went off. On just 10 carries, Lynch picked up 113 yards and 2 TD's- the latter of which was a career-long 79-yard run that rivaled the infamous "Beastquake" run against the Saints in January 2011 as the finest of his entire career. Lynch was one of the very few bright spots at running back this season and for the sake of the NFL as a whole, he better not retire at the end of this season.
Honorable Mentions: Frank Gore (49ers), Matt Asiata (Vikings), Lamar Miller (Dolphins)
LVP: Jammal Charles (Chiefs)
Of all the top-tier running backs in the league, no one has had a more schizophrenic season than Jammal Charles. Like all of Charles' poor performances this season, he got a shockingly small amount of touches (14 total for 77 yards) and lost a key fumble in the Chiefs loss to the Steelers on Sunday. When Charles doesn't get the ball a ton, the Chiefs don't win games, so it was odd to see him be used so sparingly in a game where the Chiefs playoff hopes were at stake. Despite weak performances like this, Charles was still mostly an elite fantasy player this season and proved once again to be worthy of his high draft position.
Dishonorable Mentions: Justin Forsett (Ravens), Daniel Herron (Colts), Bishop Sankey (Titans)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
The ridiculous reign of dominance by Odell Beckham Jr. continued in week 16. Despite being targeted by the entire Rams defense and falling victim to numerous late hits/dirty plays, Beckham Jr. still managed to put up 148 yards and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. Beckham Jr. has manhandled opposing defenses all season long and if he continues to play like this in the future, he'll be one of the top wideouts in the league in no time.
Honorable Mentions: Ruben Randle (Giants), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Torrey Smith (Ravens)
LVP: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
The Eagles demise with Mark Sanchez at the helm has been swift and no player has suffered more from the Sanchize's presence than top wideout Jeremy Maclin. Maclin's numbers have been pretty mediocre over the last month and this week was no different as he put up just 62 yards against the horrid Redskins secondary. Despite his weak finish, Maclin was one of the top steals in fantasy drafts this year (he went somewhere between the 8th-10th rounds in most leagues) Maclin is a free agent after the season, but based on his production in Chip Kelly's offense this season, I wouldn't be surprised if he stayed with the Eagles for a long time.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Tight End
MVP: Antonio Gates (Chargers)
With Keenan Allen out for the season, someone in the Chargers receiving corps had to step up and fill the void and as you would probably expect, that man was Antonio Gates. Gates had one of his strongest outings of the season posting 92 yards and 2 TD's on 7 receptions in the Chargers insane come from behind win against the 49ers on Saturday night. The preseason rumors of Gates' demise proved to be completely unwarranted as he was once again one of the top TE's in the league, putting up 754 yards and 12 TD's on the year. In a year where tight ends were pretty much a non-factor in fantasy football, Gates was even more of a godsend to his owners than usual.
Honorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Jordan Cameron (Browns), Zach Ertz (Eagles)
LVP: Martellus Bennett (Bears)
Martellus Bennett could not finish the fantasy season on a high note, as he got completely shut out against the Lions on Sunday. Bennett was targeted just 3 times and ended up with only a single reception for 0 yards as he was delegated to more of a blocking role to make up for the absence of injured guard Kyle Long. Bennett was one of the few highlights in a highly disappointing season for the Bears, and is on track to be a top-flight fantasy tight end again in 2015 if he can keep progressing in Chi-town.
Dishonorable Mentions: Greg Olsen (Panthers), Dwayne Allen (Colts), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Defense
MVP: Cincinnati Bengals
Hold up the Bengals delivered in a primetime game for the first time in an eternity and it was against the mighty Broncos!?!?!?!?! The Bengals were highly productive on both sides of the ball as they shocked the Broncos and eliminated them from the chase for home-field advantage in the playoffs on Monday night. The defense got under Peyton Manning's skin all night with constant pressure that led to 4 interceptions, 2 sacks and a late pick-six that sealed the victory. The Bengals defense has been up-and-down all year long, but they closed out their season on a triumphant note in the toughest possible matchup.
Honorable Mentions: Green Bay Packers, San Fransisco 49ers, Chicago Bears
LVP: Buffalo Bills
The Bills defense has been giving opposing offenses fits for the past month, but that all came to an end this week against the Raiders. The Bills allowed 26 points, got just 1 sack and failed to get a takeaway in what seemed like a golden matchup for this elite defense. The Bills D slipped up at a really bad time for their owners, but that doesn't put much of a damper on their otherwise excellent season. They'll be strong contenders in the conversation for top projected fantasy defense heading into the 2015 season.
Dishonorable Mentions: New England Patriots, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals
Showing posts with label 2014 fantasy football winners and losers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014 fantasy football winners and losers. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
2014 Week 15 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Drew Brees nicely recovered from a terrible outing against the Panthers in Week 14 by eviscerating the Bears under the bright lights of Monday Night Football this week. Brees caught fire out of the gate and didn't let up as he finished the night with 375 yards and 3 TD's. Brees has bucked his typical trend of being a quarterback that can only perform on his home turf, as his numbers away from the Superdome have been better (16 TD's, 5 INT's) than his numbers at the Superdome (15 TD's, 7 INT's) this season. While Brees has without question had a down year in 2014, he's still a great QB to have in fantasy. Brees is a very strong start in championship week for most fantasy leagues, as he faces a Falcons secondary that has been getting progressively worse as the season goes on.
Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Alex Smith (Chiefs), Matt Ryan (Falcons)
LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Aaron Rodgers may have had a brutal matchup against the Bills this week, but having a career-worst day in the midst of the fantasy playoffs is more than enough to earn worst fantasy quarterback of the week honors. Rodgers was uncharacteristically sloppy on Sunday afternoon, as the Bills stout front consistently applied pressure and their underrated secondary was able to keep Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson mostly in check. Rodgers finished the day completing just 17 of his 42 passes for 185 yards, 2 INT's and a late fumble that ended in a safety that clinched the game for the Bills. With the lowly Buccaneers next up on the schedule, there's no doubt in my mind that Rodgers is going to come out pissed-off, focused and eager to make everyone quickly forget about his career-worst performance.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Sanchez (Eagles), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Peyton Manning (Broncos)
Running Back
MVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Revenge was on the mind of Jeremy Hill this week as the Bengals traveled to Cleveland to face a Browns squad that held to him just 55 yards and forced him to lose an embarrassing fumble in their first matchup this season. Hill successfully got his revenge as he ripped up the Browns for 148 yards and 2 TD's on Sunday afternoon. Hill now appears to be locked in as the Bengals feature back, and he'll be a decent start this week against a good but not invincible Broncos run D.
Honorable Mentions: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Knile Davis (Chiefs)
LVP: Justin Forsett (Ravens)
2014's surprise fantasy stud of the year, Justin Forsett, put up a rare weak outing this week against the Jaguars- who he played for in 2013. Forsett got 16 carries for just 48 yards on the typically weak Jaguars rush defense. Forsett is a bit banged-up right now with ankle and knee ailments, but he should be in-line for a bounceback game against the Texans, another one of his former teams, in Week 16 barring any medical setbacks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Isaiah Crowell (Browns), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Alfred Morris (Redskins)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Can Odell Beckham Jr. be stopped right now? Beckham Jr. put up yet another week of video game numbers as he ruined the Redskins awful secondary for 143 yards and 3 TD's on 12 receptions. Beckham Jr. has already proven that he's a legit WR1 over the first 10 games of his career. With his streak of 7 straight games with at least 90 yards receiving and the fact that he's basically alone in the Giants receiving corps at the moment, he's about as strong of a fantasy start as you can have going into championship week.
Honorable Mentions: Dez Bryant (Cowboys), Demaryius Thomas (Broncos), Mike Wallace (Dolphins)
LVP: T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
Andrew Luck had a relatively quiet outing on Sunday against the Texans and no one was held back by that more than top wideout T.Y. Hilton. After a strong first drive where he caught 3 passes, Hilton practically disappeared as he finished the afternoon with 50 yards on just 4 receptions. Hilton is still the uncontested number 1 wideout on the Colts and he should be able to get back to his top-flight WR1 status this week against a middling Cowboys secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson (Lions), Jordy Nelson (Bills), A.J. Green (Bengals)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Only someone of Rob Gronkowski's caliber can go the entire first half without a reception and still destroy a team. Gronkowski made the most of his 3 receptions (his lowest total since the Patriots horrific loss to the Chiefs in Week 4), picking up 99 yards and a touchdown as the Patriots throttled the Dolphins on Sunday. Gronkowski has been in kill mode since early October and unless something very bizarre happens, that won't change this week as the Patriots face the Jets- who are one of the strongest matchups for a TE in the league.
Honorable Mentions: Owen Daniels (Ravens), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Greg Olsen (Panthers)
LVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
Larry Donnell was unable to recapture any of the magic of his 3 TD outburst in Week 4 in the Giants second meeting with the Redskins in Week 15. Donnell picked up a mere 11 yards on his only 2 targets of the day. Donnell continues to be wholly unreliable down the stretch, and is only worth a YOLO start against the Rams this week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Jared Cook (Rams), Jordan Cameron (Browns)
Defense
MVP: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens became the latest defense to manhandle the Jaguars in Week 15, as they posted 8 sacks, an interception, a blocked punt and a touchdown. The Ravens have quietly been one of the best fantasy defenses this season thanks to their excellent pass rush (45 sacks, which ranks only behind the Eagles and the Bills for best in the league) and respectable number of takeaways (19). They should be a quality start this week as they face a Texans squad, who will be starting either Thad Lewis or Case Keenum at quarterback.
Honorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals
LVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles were unable to recreate any of the magic they had 2 weeks ago in Dallas when the Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia this week. The Eagles allowed 38 points and finished with just 3 sacks and a fumble recovery in Sunday's night disheartening loss at the hands of the Cowboys. The Eagles have a strong chance at redeeming themselves this week as they face the wildly inept, turnover-prone offense of the Redskins.
Dishonorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Drew Brees nicely recovered from a terrible outing against the Panthers in Week 14 by eviscerating the Bears under the bright lights of Monday Night Football this week. Brees caught fire out of the gate and didn't let up as he finished the night with 375 yards and 3 TD's. Brees has bucked his typical trend of being a quarterback that can only perform on his home turf, as his numbers away from the Superdome have been better (16 TD's, 5 INT's) than his numbers at the Superdome (15 TD's, 7 INT's) this season. While Brees has without question had a down year in 2014, he's still a great QB to have in fantasy. Brees is a very strong start in championship week for most fantasy leagues, as he faces a Falcons secondary that has been getting progressively worse as the season goes on.
Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Alex Smith (Chiefs), Matt Ryan (Falcons)
LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Aaron Rodgers may have had a brutal matchup against the Bills this week, but having a career-worst day in the midst of the fantasy playoffs is more than enough to earn worst fantasy quarterback of the week honors. Rodgers was uncharacteristically sloppy on Sunday afternoon, as the Bills stout front consistently applied pressure and their underrated secondary was able to keep Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson mostly in check. Rodgers finished the day completing just 17 of his 42 passes for 185 yards, 2 INT's and a late fumble that ended in a safety that clinched the game for the Bills. With the lowly Buccaneers next up on the schedule, there's no doubt in my mind that Rodgers is going to come out pissed-off, focused and eager to make everyone quickly forget about his career-worst performance.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Sanchez (Eagles), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Peyton Manning (Broncos)
Running Back
MVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Revenge was on the mind of Jeremy Hill this week as the Bengals traveled to Cleveland to face a Browns squad that held to him just 55 yards and forced him to lose an embarrassing fumble in their first matchup this season. Hill successfully got his revenge as he ripped up the Browns for 148 yards and 2 TD's on Sunday afternoon. Hill now appears to be locked in as the Bengals feature back, and he'll be a decent start this week against a good but not invincible Broncos run D.
Honorable Mentions: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Knile Davis (Chiefs)
LVP: Justin Forsett (Ravens)
2014's surprise fantasy stud of the year, Justin Forsett, put up a rare weak outing this week against the Jaguars- who he played for in 2013. Forsett got 16 carries for just 48 yards on the typically weak Jaguars rush defense. Forsett is a bit banged-up right now with ankle and knee ailments, but he should be in-line for a bounceback game against the Texans, another one of his former teams, in Week 16 barring any medical setbacks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Isaiah Crowell (Browns), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Alfred Morris (Redskins)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Can Odell Beckham Jr. be stopped right now? Beckham Jr. put up yet another week of video game numbers as he ruined the Redskins awful secondary for 143 yards and 3 TD's on 12 receptions. Beckham Jr. has already proven that he's a legit WR1 over the first 10 games of his career. With his streak of 7 straight games with at least 90 yards receiving and the fact that he's basically alone in the Giants receiving corps at the moment, he's about as strong of a fantasy start as you can have going into championship week.
Honorable Mentions: Dez Bryant (Cowboys), Demaryius Thomas (Broncos), Mike Wallace (Dolphins)
LVP: T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
Andrew Luck had a relatively quiet outing on Sunday against the Texans and no one was held back by that more than top wideout T.Y. Hilton. After a strong first drive where he caught 3 passes, Hilton practically disappeared as he finished the afternoon with 50 yards on just 4 receptions. Hilton is still the uncontested number 1 wideout on the Colts and he should be able to get back to his top-flight WR1 status this week against a middling Cowboys secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson (Lions), Jordy Nelson (Bills), A.J. Green (Bengals)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Only someone of Rob Gronkowski's caliber can go the entire first half without a reception and still destroy a team. Gronkowski made the most of his 3 receptions (his lowest total since the Patriots horrific loss to the Chiefs in Week 4), picking up 99 yards and a touchdown as the Patriots throttled the Dolphins on Sunday. Gronkowski has been in kill mode since early October and unless something very bizarre happens, that won't change this week as the Patriots face the Jets- who are one of the strongest matchups for a TE in the league.
Honorable Mentions: Owen Daniels (Ravens), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Greg Olsen (Panthers)
LVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
Larry Donnell was unable to recapture any of the magic of his 3 TD outburst in Week 4 in the Giants second meeting with the Redskins in Week 15. Donnell picked up a mere 11 yards on his only 2 targets of the day. Donnell continues to be wholly unreliable down the stretch, and is only worth a YOLO start against the Rams this week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Jared Cook (Rams), Jordan Cameron (Browns)
Defense
MVP: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens became the latest defense to manhandle the Jaguars in Week 15, as they posted 8 sacks, an interception, a blocked punt and a touchdown. The Ravens have quietly been one of the best fantasy defenses this season thanks to their excellent pass rush (45 sacks, which ranks only behind the Eagles and the Bills for best in the league) and respectable number of takeaways (19). They should be a quality start this week as they face a Texans squad, who will be starting either Thad Lewis or Case Keenum at quarterback.
Honorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals
LVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles were unable to recreate any of the magic they had 2 weeks ago in Dallas when the Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia this week. The Eagles allowed 38 points and finished with just 3 sacks and a fumble recovery in Sunday's night disheartening loss at the hands of the Cowboys. The Eagles have a strong chance at redeeming themselves this week as they face the wildly inept, turnover-prone offense of the Redskins.
Dishonorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
2014 Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Where the hell has this Cam Newton been? Newton has had a miserable 2014 campaign thanks to playing through a laundry list of injuries and having one of the worst offensive lines in the league tasked with protecting him. Against all odds, Newton broke out this week and showed everyone what is he capable of doing when he's given a chance to make plays. Newton was a menace through the air on the ground, accumulating 309 total yards (226 passing, 83 rushing) and 4 total TD's (3 passing, 1 rushing) in the Panthers epic beatdown of the Saints on Sunday afternoon. Newton's mostly horrid performances this year make him hard to trust, but owners can take solace in the fact that Newton has another relatively favorable matchup next on the schedule, as the Buccaneers travel to Carolina this week.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos)
Well I don't think anyone saw this coming. Manning's streak of 51 consecutive straight games with a touchdown pass came to a close this week as the Broncos faced a stingy Bills defense. Manning threw the ball just 20 (completing 14 passes) times for 173 yards and got picked off twice, as the Broncos once again heavily leaned on the running game to pick up a victory. Manning has faced basically every elite defense in the NFL over the past month, so you can't really fault him for not putting up his typical inhuman numbers of late. Manning gets a bit of a reprieve this week against a decent, but not particularly scary Chargers defense, so you should except a solid performance at the very least out of him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
Running Back
MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
Anyone still doubting the legitimacy of Le'Veon Bell as a running back should finally be silenced after this week. Bell became the first running back since Walter Payton to pick up 200+ yards from scrimmage in 3 consecutive games, as he trounced the Bengals defense on Sunday. Bell ran 26 times for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns and added another 60 yards and a touchdown on 5 receptions. Bell is an absolute freak that can do anything that's asked of him on the field. Bell faces the lowly Falcons run D in Week 15, so another monster performance could very well be in the cards.
Honorable Mentions: DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Joique Bell (Lions), C.J. Anderson (Broncos)
LVP: Mark Ingram (Saints)
It was an embarrassing afternoon for everyone on the Saints, as the Panthers came into the Super Dome and manhandled the Saints 41-10. On the offensive side of the ball, no one looked worse than Mark Ingram. Ingram-who gassed the Panthers for 100 yards and 2 TD's in their previous meeting- was held to just 43 yards and fumbled this time around. Ingram has looked solid for most of the year, but he's also put up a fair amount of stinkers. Ingram faces the relatively solid Bears run defense in Week 15, so its far from a guarantee that he bounces back.
Dishonorable Mentions: Alfred Morris (Redskins), LeSean McCoy (Eagles), Tre Mason (Rams)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
When Julio Jones is on, he's as good as any wideout in the league. For the second straight week, Jones set a career-high in receiving yards in a game, as he decimated the Packers secondary for 259 yards and a touchdown on Monday night.Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, Jones exited the game in the 4th quarter with a hip injury and his status is currently unknown. If Jones is good to go, he has arguably the best schedule of any WR for the last 3 weeks of the season as the Falcons face the Steelers, Saints and Panthers. I can speak for Jones owners everywhere, having him not be available for these matchups would be devastating. In the case the Jones misses time or god forbid, the rest of the season, you need to race to the waiver wire and put in a claim for Harry Douglas if he's available in your league.
Honorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Jordy Nelson (Packers)
LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
The Demaryius Thomas double-digit fantasy point streak is over. For the first time since the Broncos returned from bye in Week 5, Thomas had a garbage fantasy outing on Sunday against the Bills. Between Peyton Manning's performance and going up against the Bills highly underrated top corner Stephon Gilmore, Thomas just didn't have a lot of chances to produce this week. Thomas faces a Chargers secondary this week that he torched for 105 yards earlier this season, so as long as Manning can be effective, Thomas should be able to return to form.
Dishonorable Mentions: Randall Cobb (Packers), Josh Gordon (Browns), Mike Wallace (Dolphins)
Tight End
MVP: Jared Cook (Rams)
Another week, another random tight end ends up being the top fantasy play of the week. The typically silent Jared Cook had his best game of the year in Week 14, picking up 61 yards and 2 TD's against the Redskins on Sunday afternoon. Cook is far too inconsistent to expect good numbers from every week, but he's worth a start for desperate owners this week, as he faces a Cardinals team that he scored on in their first matchup and continues to struggle against tight ends.
Honorable Mentions: Mychal Rivera (Raiders), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Martellus Bennett (Bears)
LVP: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Remember all the talk of Kyle Rudolph being a huge factor for the Vikings offense once he returned from injury? Well, that hasn't exactly happened so far. Rudolph picked up just 9 yards on 2 receptions in Sunday's contest with the Jets, who have been awful against tight ends all season long. With Teddy Bridgewater at the helm, this offense is extremely limited in the passing game, and owning a Vikings receiver is just not a wise choice at this point in time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Defense
MVP: St. Louis Rams
The Rams defense continued their return to dominant form in Week 14 as they suffocated the trainwreck otherwise known as the Redskins. The Rams picked up their second straight shutout, and registered 7 sacks, 2 INT's and a kick return touchdown on the afternoon. The sledding gets tougher this week against the Cardinals, but with the way they're playing right now, you just can't bench them.
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions
LVP: San Francisco 49ers
The rapid demise of the 49ers hasn't been more evident than it was this week, as they got their asses kicked by the Raiders, who were coming off of a laughable 52-0 loss against the Rams a week ago. The 49ers defense, which has been the backbone of this squad this season, couldn't bail out their limp offense this week as they allowed 24 points, got only a single sack and failed to get a turnover against their Bay Area "rivals". The 49ers are traveling to Seattle this week to face the Seahawks, so don't even think about starting their defense (or anyone else on the team for that matter.)
Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Where the hell has this Cam Newton been? Newton has had a miserable 2014 campaign thanks to playing through a laundry list of injuries and having one of the worst offensive lines in the league tasked with protecting him. Against all odds, Newton broke out this week and showed everyone what is he capable of doing when he's given a chance to make plays. Newton was a menace through the air on the ground, accumulating 309 total yards (226 passing, 83 rushing) and 4 total TD's (3 passing, 1 rushing) in the Panthers epic beatdown of the Saints on Sunday afternoon. Newton's mostly horrid performances this year make him hard to trust, but owners can take solace in the fact that Newton has another relatively favorable matchup next on the schedule, as the Buccaneers travel to Carolina this week.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos)
Well I don't think anyone saw this coming. Manning's streak of 51 consecutive straight games with a touchdown pass came to a close this week as the Broncos faced a stingy Bills defense. Manning threw the ball just 20 (completing 14 passes) times for 173 yards and got picked off twice, as the Broncos once again heavily leaned on the running game to pick up a victory. Manning has faced basically every elite defense in the NFL over the past month, so you can't really fault him for not putting up his typical inhuman numbers of late. Manning gets a bit of a reprieve this week against a decent, but not particularly scary Chargers defense, so you should except a solid performance at the very least out of him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
Running Back
MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
Anyone still doubting the legitimacy of Le'Veon Bell as a running back should finally be silenced after this week. Bell became the first running back since Walter Payton to pick up 200+ yards from scrimmage in 3 consecutive games, as he trounced the Bengals defense on Sunday. Bell ran 26 times for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns and added another 60 yards and a touchdown on 5 receptions. Bell is an absolute freak that can do anything that's asked of him on the field. Bell faces the lowly Falcons run D in Week 15, so another monster performance could very well be in the cards.
Honorable Mentions: DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Joique Bell (Lions), C.J. Anderson (Broncos)
LVP: Mark Ingram (Saints)
It was an embarrassing afternoon for everyone on the Saints, as the Panthers came into the Super Dome and manhandled the Saints 41-10. On the offensive side of the ball, no one looked worse than Mark Ingram. Ingram-who gassed the Panthers for 100 yards and 2 TD's in their previous meeting- was held to just 43 yards and fumbled this time around. Ingram has looked solid for most of the year, but he's also put up a fair amount of stinkers. Ingram faces the relatively solid Bears run defense in Week 15, so its far from a guarantee that he bounces back.
Dishonorable Mentions: Alfred Morris (Redskins), LeSean McCoy (Eagles), Tre Mason (Rams)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
When Julio Jones is on, he's as good as any wideout in the league. For the second straight week, Jones set a career-high in receiving yards in a game, as he decimated the Packers secondary for 259 yards and a touchdown on Monday night.Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, Jones exited the game in the 4th quarter with a hip injury and his status is currently unknown. If Jones is good to go, he has arguably the best schedule of any WR for the last 3 weeks of the season as the Falcons face the Steelers, Saints and Panthers. I can speak for Jones owners everywhere, having him not be available for these matchups would be devastating. In the case the Jones misses time or god forbid, the rest of the season, you need to race to the waiver wire and put in a claim for Harry Douglas if he's available in your league.
Honorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Jordy Nelson (Packers)
LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
The Demaryius Thomas double-digit fantasy point streak is over. For the first time since the Broncos returned from bye in Week 5, Thomas had a garbage fantasy outing on Sunday against the Bills. Between Peyton Manning's performance and going up against the Bills highly underrated top corner Stephon Gilmore, Thomas just didn't have a lot of chances to produce this week. Thomas faces a Chargers secondary this week that he torched for 105 yards earlier this season, so as long as Manning can be effective, Thomas should be able to return to form.
Dishonorable Mentions: Randall Cobb (Packers), Josh Gordon (Browns), Mike Wallace (Dolphins)
Tight End
MVP: Jared Cook (Rams)
Another week, another random tight end ends up being the top fantasy play of the week. The typically silent Jared Cook had his best game of the year in Week 14, picking up 61 yards and 2 TD's against the Redskins on Sunday afternoon. Cook is far too inconsistent to expect good numbers from every week, but he's worth a start for desperate owners this week, as he faces a Cardinals team that he scored on in their first matchup and continues to struggle against tight ends.
Honorable Mentions: Mychal Rivera (Raiders), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Martellus Bennett (Bears)
LVP: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Remember all the talk of Kyle Rudolph being a huge factor for the Vikings offense once he returned from injury? Well, that hasn't exactly happened so far. Rudolph picked up just 9 yards on 2 receptions in Sunday's contest with the Jets, who have been awful against tight ends all season long. With Teddy Bridgewater at the helm, this offense is extremely limited in the passing game, and owning a Vikings receiver is just not a wise choice at this point in time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Defense
MVP: St. Louis Rams
The Rams defense continued their return to dominant form in Week 14 as they suffocated the trainwreck otherwise known as the Redskins. The Rams picked up their second straight shutout, and registered 7 sacks, 2 INT's and a kick return touchdown on the afternoon. The sledding gets tougher this week against the Cardinals, but with the way they're playing right now, you just can't bench them.
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions
LVP: San Francisco 49ers
The rapid demise of the 49ers hasn't been more evident than it was this week, as they got their asses kicked by the Raiders, who were coming off of a laughable 52-0 loss against the Rams a week ago. The 49ers defense, which has been the backbone of this squad this season, couldn't bail out their limp offense this week as they allowed 24 points, got only a single sack and failed to get a turnover against their Bay Area "rivals". The 49ers are traveling to Seattle this week to face the Seahawks, so don't even think about starting their defense (or anyone else on the team for that matter.)
Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
2014 Week 13 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
Andrew Luck has had an absurd fantasy season and his performance on Sunday was his best to-date. Luck overcame turnovers on the Colts first 2 drives, to throw for 370 yards and 5 TD's against a terrible Redskins secondary. Luck had put up back-to-back subpar outings, so it was great to see him return to his dominant form as the fantasy playoff season approaches.
Honorable Mentions: Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Drew Brees (Saints), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
LVP: Tony Romo (Cowboys)
Tony Romo managed to ruin Thanksgiving for his fantasy owners with a vintage Romo stinker against the Eagles. Romo made a ton of bad over/underthrows and forced the ball into double/triple coverage as he went onto throw for 199 yards and 2 INT's without throwing a TD against a lackluster Eagles secondary. With the dreaded month of December approaching, Romo is a shaky QB1 option at best for the stretch run- even with creampuff matchups against the Bears and Redskins on the schedule.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Alex Smith (Chiefs), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
Running Back
MVP: Tre Mason (Rams)
Tre Mason has been solid since taking over as the Rams sole starting back in Week 9, but this performance was his official coming out party. Mason manhandled the Raiders weak defense for 164 total yards (117 rushing, 47 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) in the Rams blowout victory on Sunday. Despite how great he's been of late, Mason is running into a buzzsaw as he faces a pair of top 10 run defenses the Redskins and Cardinals in the next 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers), C.J. Anderson (Broncos), Joique Bell (Lions)
LVP: Denard Robinson (Jaguars)
Denard Robinson has been the only member of the Jacksonville Jaguars that can be trusted from a fantasy prospective this year. However, that was not the case this week, as Robinson faltered against the struggling Giants rush D. To be fair, Robinson only touched the ball 14 times, but for a guy who is the clear centerpiece of a terrible offense, you expect him to get more than 54 total yards against a defense that isn't very good. Robinson remains a weekly RB2 due to his volume and the fact that the Jaguars have literally no other playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Giovani Bernard (Bengals), Alfred Morris (Redskins)
Wide Receiver
MVP: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
There's nothing about DeAndre Hopkins' performance in Week that isn't hard to believe. Hopkins was the primary beneficiary of Ryan Fitzpatrick's career-best 6 TD outburst against the Titans on Sunday, catching all 9 of his targets for 238 yards and 2 TD's. Hopkins has topped Andre Johnson as the go-to receiver in the Texans offense and save for a matchup with the Colts next weekend, has a favorable schedule for the last month of the season. Hopkins is a weekly WR2 with a WR1 ceiling.
Honorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson (Lions), Julio Jones (Falcons), Kennan Allen (Chargers)
LVP: Brandon Marshall (Bears)
Its been tough sledding for the Bears offense in 2014, as they've slipped from one of the most potent offenses in the league to one of the most inept in a year's time. No one has suffered more from these offensive woes than Brandon Marshall. Marshall picked up just 42 yards on 6 receptions in the Bears miserable Thanksgiving Day loss against the Lions. Marshall's season has been up-and-down and as long as the Bears offense continues to run in the same fashion, Marshall will be an unpredictable fantasy play for the remainder of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Dez Bryant (Cowboys), Julian Edelman (Patriots), Steve Smith (Ravens)
Tight End
MVP: Coby Fleener (Colts)
Tight End Coby Fleener was once again Andrew Luck's favorite target in Week 13 against the Redskins. Fleener finished the game with 127 yards and 2 TD's- that were for 30 and 73 yards respectively. Fleener's afternoon could've been even bigger if he hadn't dropped a gimme touchdown on a perfectly thrown deep ball from Luck in the 1st quarter. As long as Dwayne Allen remains sidelined, Fleener is worth a start.
Honorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
LVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
A week after Jimmy Graham had one of his strongest outings of season versus the Ravens, Graham was a complete non-factor against the Steelers. Graham didn't even get TARGETED once in the Saints victory over the Steelers on Sunday. It's beyond bizarre that Drew Brees managed to have a 5 TD outing without Graham getting involved at all. Graham fantasy owners can mark this epic floundering as a freak occurrence, he's just too vital to the flow of this offense to go another week without getting numerous targets.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Delanie Walker (Titans), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Defense
MVP: St. Louis Rams
Now this is the Rams defense everyone expected to see at the start of the season. The Rams defense picked up 6 sacks, 3 INT"s, 2 fumble recoveries, a touchdown and allowed 0 points in their utter domination of the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. The Rams defense has become a formidable option over the past month or so, so keep using them until that changes.
Honorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks
LVP: Carolina Panthers
This is definitely a cop-out pick on my part because no good defense with a great matchup fell short of expectations this week. The Panthers, who have struggled for most of the season- managed to once again fail to deliver against the Vikings' practically non-existent offense on Sunday. The Panthers allowed 31 points, got 3 sacks and failed to get a takeaway for the 5th time this season. If you're still holding on to the Panthers defense, it's time to let go. This defense is not even half the defense they were a year ago and their play seems to only be getting worse as the season goes on.
Dishonorable Mentions: Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns
MVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
Andrew Luck has had an absurd fantasy season and his performance on Sunday was his best to-date. Luck overcame turnovers on the Colts first 2 drives, to throw for 370 yards and 5 TD's against a terrible Redskins secondary. Luck had put up back-to-back subpar outings, so it was great to see him return to his dominant form as the fantasy playoff season approaches.
Honorable Mentions: Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Drew Brees (Saints), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
LVP: Tony Romo (Cowboys)
Tony Romo managed to ruin Thanksgiving for his fantasy owners with a vintage Romo stinker against the Eagles. Romo made a ton of bad over/underthrows and forced the ball into double/triple coverage as he went onto throw for 199 yards and 2 INT's without throwing a TD against a lackluster Eagles secondary. With the dreaded month of December approaching, Romo is a shaky QB1 option at best for the stretch run- even with creampuff matchups against the Bears and Redskins on the schedule.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Alex Smith (Chiefs), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
Running Back
MVP: Tre Mason (Rams)
Tre Mason has been solid since taking over as the Rams sole starting back in Week 9, but this performance was his official coming out party. Mason manhandled the Raiders weak defense for 164 total yards (117 rushing, 47 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) in the Rams blowout victory on Sunday. Despite how great he's been of late, Mason is running into a buzzsaw as he faces a pair of top 10 run defenses the Redskins and Cardinals in the next 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers), C.J. Anderson (Broncos), Joique Bell (Lions)
LVP: Denard Robinson (Jaguars)
Denard Robinson has been the only member of the Jacksonville Jaguars that can be trusted from a fantasy prospective this year. However, that was not the case this week, as Robinson faltered against the struggling Giants rush D. To be fair, Robinson only touched the ball 14 times, but for a guy who is the clear centerpiece of a terrible offense, you expect him to get more than 54 total yards against a defense that isn't very good. Robinson remains a weekly RB2 due to his volume and the fact that the Jaguars have literally no other playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Giovani Bernard (Bengals), Alfred Morris (Redskins)
Wide Receiver
MVP: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
There's nothing about DeAndre Hopkins' performance in Week that isn't hard to believe. Hopkins was the primary beneficiary of Ryan Fitzpatrick's career-best 6 TD outburst against the Titans on Sunday, catching all 9 of his targets for 238 yards and 2 TD's. Hopkins has topped Andre Johnson as the go-to receiver in the Texans offense and save for a matchup with the Colts next weekend, has a favorable schedule for the last month of the season. Hopkins is a weekly WR2 with a WR1 ceiling.
Honorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson (Lions), Julio Jones (Falcons), Kennan Allen (Chargers)
LVP: Brandon Marshall (Bears)
Its been tough sledding for the Bears offense in 2014, as they've slipped from one of the most potent offenses in the league to one of the most inept in a year's time. No one has suffered more from these offensive woes than Brandon Marshall. Marshall picked up just 42 yards on 6 receptions in the Bears miserable Thanksgiving Day loss against the Lions. Marshall's season has been up-and-down and as long as the Bears offense continues to run in the same fashion, Marshall will be an unpredictable fantasy play for the remainder of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Dez Bryant (Cowboys), Julian Edelman (Patriots), Steve Smith (Ravens)
Tight End
MVP: Coby Fleener (Colts)
Tight End Coby Fleener was once again Andrew Luck's favorite target in Week 13 against the Redskins. Fleener finished the game with 127 yards and 2 TD's- that were for 30 and 73 yards respectively. Fleener's afternoon could've been even bigger if he hadn't dropped a gimme touchdown on a perfectly thrown deep ball from Luck in the 1st quarter. As long as Dwayne Allen remains sidelined, Fleener is worth a start.
Honorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
LVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
A week after Jimmy Graham had one of his strongest outings of season versus the Ravens, Graham was a complete non-factor against the Steelers. Graham didn't even get TARGETED once in the Saints victory over the Steelers on Sunday. It's beyond bizarre that Drew Brees managed to have a 5 TD outing without Graham getting involved at all. Graham fantasy owners can mark this epic floundering as a freak occurrence, he's just too vital to the flow of this offense to go another week without getting numerous targets.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Delanie Walker (Titans), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Defense
MVP: St. Louis Rams
Now this is the Rams defense everyone expected to see at the start of the season. The Rams defense picked up 6 sacks, 3 INT"s, 2 fumble recoveries, a touchdown and allowed 0 points in their utter domination of the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. The Rams defense has become a formidable option over the past month or so, so keep using them until that changes.
Honorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks
LVP: Carolina Panthers
This is definitely a cop-out pick on my part because no good defense with a great matchup fell short of expectations this week. The Panthers, who have struggled for most of the season- managed to once again fail to deliver against the Vikings' practically non-existent offense on Sunday. The Panthers allowed 31 points, got 3 sacks and failed to get a takeaway for the 5th time this season. If you're still holding on to the Panthers defense, it's time to let go. This defense is not even half the defense they were a year ago and their play seems to only be getting worse as the season goes on.
Dishonorable Mentions: Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
2014 Week 12 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
This was the Drew Brees performance that his fantasy owners had been waiting for all season. Brees lit up a banged-up Ravens secondary for 420 yards and 3 TD's on Monday night. His night could've been even better if it wasn't for a dropped Jimmy Graham TD in the 2nd quarter and a a costly INT in the 3rd quarter. Brees has another solid matchup against an injury-riddled secondary in Week 13 as the Saints travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Tony Romo (Cowboys)
LVP: Jay Cutler (Bears)
Jay Cutler found new ways to sadden his fantasy owners this week by putting up weak numbers in a game where he didn't turn the ball over multiple times. Cutler threw for a measly 130 and a TD and lost a fumble against a Buccaneers defense that has been pretty bad against QB's for a majority of the season. Cutler has a horrendous matchup against the Lions on Thanksgiving day, so avoid starting him unless you absolutely have to.
Dishonorable Mentions: Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Joe Flacco (Ravens), Mark Sanchez (Eagles)
Running Back
MVP: Justin Forsett (Ravens)
There has not been a bigger pleasant surprise in fantasy football this year than Justin Forsett. Forsett's early success appeared to be a fluke, but he's been absolutely dominate in just about every game this season and rose out of the Ravens running back committee to become the clear-cut starter. Forsett had a career night against the Saints on Monday Night Football as he went for a ridiculous 182 yards and 2 TD's on 22 carries. Forsett should continue to get high volume for the rest of the season and will likely serve as one of the keys to a lot of fantasy player's success come playoff time.
Honorable Mentions: C.J. Anderson (Broncos), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Matt Forte (Bears)
LVP: Alfred Blue (Texans)
Rookie Alfred Blue had a great day in Week 11 starting in place of the injured Arian Foster. That success did not carry over to Week 12 as Blue got held in check in his 3rd career start, picking up just 66 yards (46 rushing, 20 receiving) on 19 touches against the Bengals mediocre defense. Foster is on track to return this week, so unless Foster misses another game, Blue's fantasy value is very limited moving forward.
Dishonorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Andre Ellington (Cardinals), Jerrick McKinnon (Vikings)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Remember when Demaryius Thomas was asleep at the wheel for the first 3 weeks of the season? Didn't think so. Thomas has been electric since the Broncos return from bye in Week 5, picking up double digit fantasy points in every single game over that span. Thomas was once again fantastic this week as he put 89 yards and 3 TD's on a Dolphins secondary that has been suffocating wideouts all season long. Thomas is unstoppable right now and unless something inexplicably terrible happens, he will be a top 3 fantasy wideout for the rest of the 2014 season.
Honorable Mentions: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants), Dez Bryant (Cowboys), T.Y Hilton (Colts)
LVP: Sammy Watkins (Bills)
The Bills unloaded on the Jets on Monday night, following a week of limited practice and emotional heartache due to the wild blizzard that dumped 60+ inches of snow on the Buffalo area. About the only Bill who didn't get in on the action was rookie wideout Sammy Watkins. Robert Woods took the brunt of the targets, leaving Watkins to finish with just 35 yards on 3 receptions. Watkins' groin injury has certain held him back and with a matchup against Browns shutdown corner Joe Haden on the horizon, don't look for Watkins to bounce back in Week 13.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Percy Harvin (Jets), Kendall Wright (Titans)
Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Jimmy Graham certainly did not have his best outing on Monday night against the Ravens, dropping a number of passes and failing to get open in a couple of key situations that ultimately cost the Saints the game. That being said, Graham was still able to haul in a pair of TD's and put up the best TE performance of Week 12 by a pretty wide margin. The TE position has been absolutely awful this year, so even with Graham having a down year, he remains one of the very few good options at the position.
Honorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
LVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
Oh Larry Donnell.... Donnell's up-and-down status was down once again this week as he got almost completely silenced by the Cowboys on Sunday night. Donnell didn't pick up a catch until the 4th quarter and finished with just 24 yards on 2 receptions on the evening. We've seen this movie before and Donnell will almost certainly bounce back and have a game where he puts up ridiculous numbers within the next couple of weeks. Donnell is an aggravating player, but his redzone ability in a terrible TE class makes him undroppable in most leagues.
Dishonorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Coby Fleener (Colts), Martellus Bennett (Bears)
Defense
MVP: Buffalo Bills
As I mentioned earlier, the Bills came out and decimated the Jets after an emotional week for them as a franchise on Monday night. The defense was a large part of the beatdown as they allowed just 3 points and picked up 7 sacks, an interception, a blocked punt and a touchdown on the night. The Bills are an absolute force on defense and even with a tough remaining schedule that includes matchups against the Browns, Broncos, Packers and Patriots- who are all in the bottom 10 at allowing fantasy points to defenses, this a unit that must be started week after week.
Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers
LVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense hasn't been nearly as good in 2014 as they were a year ago. This was perfectly evidenced by their shockingly poor performance against the Raiders last Thursday. The Chiefs allowed 24 points, picked up 1 sack and a fumble recovery in a game that gave the Raiders their first win since November 17th, 2013. The Chiefs have been a middling defense all season long and with a tough schedule over the last month season, they just can't be counted on to deliver.
Dishonorable Mentions: Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
This was the Drew Brees performance that his fantasy owners had been waiting for all season. Brees lit up a banged-up Ravens secondary for 420 yards and 3 TD's on Monday night. His night could've been even better if it wasn't for a dropped Jimmy Graham TD in the 2nd quarter and a a costly INT in the 3rd quarter. Brees has another solid matchup against an injury-riddled secondary in Week 13 as the Saints travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Tony Romo (Cowboys)
LVP: Jay Cutler (Bears)
Jay Cutler found new ways to sadden his fantasy owners this week by putting up weak numbers in a game where he didn't turn the ball over multiple times. Cutler threw for a measly 130 and a TD and lost a fumble against a Buccaneers defense that has been pretty bad against QB's for a majority of the season. Cutler has a horrendous matchup against the Lions on Thanksgiving day, so avoid starting him unless you absolutely have to.
Dishonorable Mentions: Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Joe Flacco (Ravens), Mark Sanchez (Eagles)
Running Back
MVP: Justin Forsett (Ravens)
There has not been a bigger pleasant surprise in fantasy football this year than Justin Forsett. Forsett's early success appeared to be a fluke, but he's been absolutely dominate in just about every game this season and rose out of the Ravens running back committee to become the clear-cut starter. Forsett had a career night against the Saints on Monday Night Football as he went for a ridiculous 182 yards and 2 TD's on 22 carries. Forsett should continue to get high volume for the rest of the season and will likely serve as one of the keys to a lot of fantasy player's success come playoff time.
Honorable Mentions: C.J. Anderson (Broncos), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Matt Forte (Bears)
LVP: Alfred Blue (Texans)
Rookie Alfred Blue had a great day in Week 11 starting in place of the injured Arian Foster. That success did not carry over to Week 12 as Blue got held in check in his 3rd career start, picking up just 66 yards (46 rushing, 20 receiving) on 19 touches against the Bengals mediocre defense. Foster is on track to return this week, so unless Foster misses another game, Blue's fantasy value is very limited moving forward.
Dishonorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Andre Ellington (Cardinals), Jerrick McKinnon (Vikings)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Remember when Demaryius Thomas was asleep at the wheel for the first 3 weeks of the season? Didn't think so. Thomas has been electric since the Broncos return from bye in Week 5, picking up double digit fantasy points in every single game over that span. Thomas was once again fantastic this week as he put 89 yards and 3 TD's on a Dolphins secondary that has been suffocating wideouts all season long. Thomas is unstoppable right now and unless something inexplicably terrible happens, he will be a top 3 fantasy wideout for the rest of the 2014 season.
Honorable Mentions: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants), Dez Bryant (Cowboys), T.Y Hilton (Colts)
LVP: Sammy Watkins (Bills)
The Bills unloaded on the Jets on Monday night, following a week of limited practice and emotional heartache due to the wild blizzard that dumped 60+ inches of snow on the Buffalo area. About the only Bill who didn't get in on the action was rookie wideout Sammy Watkins. Robert Woods took the brunt of the targets, leaving Watkins to finish with just 35 yards on 3 receptions. Watkins' groin injury has certain held him back and with a matchup against Browns shutdown corner Joe Haden on the horizon, don't look for Watkins to bounce back in Week 13.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Percy Harvin (Jets), Kendall Wright (Titans)
Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Jimmy Graham certainly did not have his best outing on Monday night against the Ravens, dropping a number of passes and failing to get open in a couple of key situations that ultimately cost the Saints the game. That being said, Graham was still able to haul in a pair of TD's and put up the best TE performance of Week 12 by a pretty wide margin. The TE position has been absolutely awful this year, so even with Graham having a down year, he remains one of the very few good options at the position.
Honorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
LVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
Oh Larry Donnell.... Donnell's up-and-down status was down once again this week as he got almost completely silenced by the Cowboys on Sunday night. Donnell didn't pick up a catch until the 4th quarter and finished with just 24 yards on 2 receptions on the evening. We've seen this movie before and Donnell will almost certainly bounce back and have a game where he puts up ridiculous numbers within the next couple of weeks. Donnell is an aggravating player, but his redzone ability in a terrible TE class makes him undroppable in most leagues.
Dishonorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Coby Fleener (Colts), Martellus Bennett (Bears)
Defense
MVP: Buffalo Bills
As I mentioned earlier, the Bills came out and decimated the Jets after an emotional week for them as a franchise on Monday night. The defense was a large part of the beatdown as they allowed just 3 points and picked up 7 sacks, an interception, a blocked punt and a touchdown on the night. The Bills are an absolute force on defense and even with a tough remaining schedule that includes matchups against the Browns, Broncos, Packers and Patriots- who are all in the bottom 10 at allowing fantasy points to defenses, this a unit that must be started week after week.
Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers
LVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense hasn't been nearly as good in 2014 as they were a year ago. This was perfectly evidenced by their shockingly poor performance against the Raiders last Thursday. The Chiefs allowed 24 points, picked up 1 sack and a fumble recovery in a game that gave the Raiders their first win since November 17th, 2013. The Chiefs have been a middling defense all season long and with a tough schedule over the last month season, they just can't be counted on to deliver.
Dishonorable Mentions: Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
2014 Week 11 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense streak of inhuman offensive play continued on Sunday versus the Eagles. Rodgers picked apart the weak Eagles secondary all day on his way to a 341-yard, 3 TD performance. With his recent output, Rodgers is now challenging Andrew Luck for the most valuable fantasy quarterback of 2014 and his current run of utter domination is in little danger of ending this week when he goes up against a Vikings secondary who just got destroyed by Jay Cutler.
Honorable Mentions: Jay Cutler (Bears), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Andy Dalton (Bengals)
LVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions)
Matthew Stafford certainly isn't the most reliable quarterback to start in fantasy, but his Week 11 performance was even disappointing by his standards. Stafford failed to get going at all on Sunday afternoon against the Cardinals, finishing with just 183 yards, 0 touchdowns and an INT. Stafford's got a brutal schedule (when he isn't facing the Bears) for the final portion of the season, so his owners might want to look elsewhere for a starting QB for their potential playoff push.
Dishonorable Mentions: Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Matt Ryan (Falcons)
Running Back
MVP: Le'veon Bell (Steelers)
After a few down weeks in a row, Le'veon Bell returned with a vengeance in Week 11. Bell was able to bail out a mediocre passing attack with a career-high 204 yards on the ground in the Steelers comeback win over the Titans on Monday night. Bell has easily been one of the best RB1's this season and he should continue to deliver the goods once the Steelers return from bye in Week 13.
Honorable Mentions: Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Matt Forte (Bears)
LVP: Andre Ellington (Cardinals)
With Drew Stanton replacing Carson Palmer, it seemed like the perfect time for Andre Ellington to become the centerpiece of the Cardinals. While Ellington got ample touches this week, he picked up just 66 yards (42 rushing, 24 receiving) on 23 touches. The Lions are admittedly a tough matchup for any running back, but with Palmer out for the season, you're going to need to get better production out of Ellington if you want to remain at the top of the NFC. The sledding doesn't get any easier for Ellington as the Cardinals face the Seahawks tough run D in Week 12.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Ingram (Saints), Jerick McKinnon (Vikings), Steven Jackson (Falcons)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Buccaneers rookie wideout Mike Evans has been playing out of his mind for the past month, but that was just a warmup for his career day in Week 11. Evans made the most of his 7 receptions picking up 209 yards and a pair of TD's against the Redskins on Sunday. Evans appears to have taken the Bucs number 1 wideout job from Vincent Jackson and has officially solidified himself as a weekly must-start for fantasy purposes.
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Alshon Jeffrey (Bears), A.J. Green (Bengals)
LVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
With an elite corner in Patrick Peterson shadowing him for the entire game and a poor performance from Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson just couldn't get anything going this week against the Cardinals. Johnson's 5 catch, 59-yard performance may not look overly bad on paper, but with Johnson being who he is and the fact that the Cardinals secondary have a relatively vulnerable secondary, this performance was highly underwhelming for his fantasy owners. Johnson has another rough matchup lined up for Week 12 as the Lions are set to face the incredibly tough Patriots secondary
Dishonorable Mentions: Julio Jones (Falcons), DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Pierre Garcon (Redskins)
Tight End
MVP: Coby Fleener (Colts)
And the surprise performance of Week 11 award goes to...Coby Fleener! Fleener made the most of Dwayne Allen exiting the game early with an ankle injury and gassed the Patriots strong secondary for 144 yards on 7 receptions. With Allen's status unclear for this week and the strong chemistry he has with Andrew Luck, Fleener should be a solid TE1 for at least this upcoming week.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Larry Donnell (Giants), Heath Miller (Steelers)
LVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Travis Kelce has been a surprisingly solid fantasy tight end this season, but given the fact that he is a member of the notoriously conservative, run-heavy Chiefs offense, he's going to put up some stinkers from time to time. Week 11 was one of those times. Kelce had just 37 yards and a rare fumble against the Seahawks on Sunday. Kelce has a decent chance of rebounding against the Raiders this Thursday night.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Vernon Davis (49ers), Antonio Gates (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Green Bay Packers
The hit-or-miss Packers defense was very much a hit on Sunday against the Eagles. The team finished the afternoon with 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT's, 2 defensive touchdowns and a kick return touchdown. The Packers have another solid matchup against the Vikings this week, so they could be in line to have a rare string of solid outings in a row.
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers
LVP: Denver Broncos
What the hell happened to the Broncos on Sunday? The Broncos suffered a shocking loss at the hands of the middling Rams on Sunday. While their offense deserves a lot of the blame, the defense didn't really do much to help matters. The Broncos picked up just 3 sacks and failed to get a takeaway against a Rams offense that has been a godsend to fantasy defenses this year. The Broncos defense has cooled down substantially in recent weeks, so they're nothing more than a mid-level defensive start at this point in time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense streak of inhuman offensive play continued on Sunday versus the Eagles. Rodgers picked apart the weak Eagles secondary all day on his way to a 341-yard, 3 TD performance. With his recent output, Rodgers is now challenging Andrew Luck for the most valuable fantasy quarterback of 2014 and his current run of utter domination is in little danger of ending this week when he goes up against a Vikings secondary who just got destroyed by Jay Cutler.
Honorable Mentions: Jay Cutler (Bears), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Andy Dalton (Bengals)
LVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions)
Matthew Stafford certainly isn't the most reliable quarterback to start in fantasy, but his Week 11 performance was even disappointing by his standards. Stafford failed to get going at all on Sunday afternoon against the Cardinals, finishing with just 183 yards, 0 touchdowns and an INT. Stafford's got a brutal schedule (when he isn't facing the Bears) for the final portion of the season, so his owners might want to look elsewhere for a starting QB for their potential playoff push.
Dishonorable Mentions: Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Matt Ryan (Falcons)
Running Back
MVP: Le'veon Bell (Steelers)
After a few down weeks in a row, Le'veon Bell returned with a vengeance in Week 11. Bell was able to bail out a mediocre passing attack with a career-high 204 yards on the ground in the Steelers comeback win over the Titans on Monday night. Bell has easily been one of the best RB1's this season and he should continue to deliver the goods once the Steelers return from bye in Week 13.
Honorable Mentions: Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Matt Forte (Bears)
LVP: Andre Ellington (Cardinals)
With Drew Stanton replacing Carson Palmer, it seemed like the perfect time for Andre Ellington to become the centerpiece of the Cardinals. While Ellington got ample touches this week, he picked up just 66 yards (42 rushing, 24 receiving) on 23 touches. The Lions are admittedly a tough matchup for any running back, but with Palmer out for the season, you're going to need to get better production out of Ellington if you want to remain at the top of the NFC. The sledding doesn't get any easier for Ellington as the Cardinals face the Seahawks tough run D in Week 12.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Ingram (Saints), Jerick McKinnon (Vikings), Steven Jackson (Falcons)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Buccaneers rookie wideout Mike Evans has been playing out of his mind for the past month, but that was just a warmup for his career day in Week 11. Evans made the most of his 7 receptions picking up 209 yards and a pair of TD's against the Redskins on Sunday. Evans appears to have taken the Bucs number 1 wideout job from Vincent Jackson and has officially solidified himself as a weekly must-start for fantasy purposes.
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Alshon Jeffrey (Bears), A.J. Green (Bengals)
LVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
With an elite corner in Patrick Peterson shadowing him for the entire game and a poor performance from Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson just couldn't get anything going this week against the Cardinals. Johnson's 5 catch, 59-yard performance may not look overly bad on paper, but with Johnson being who he is and the fact that the Cardinals secondary have a relatively vulnerable secondary, this performance was highly underwhelming for his fantasy owners. Johnson has another rough matchup lined up for Week 12 as the Lions are set to face the incredibly tough Patriots secondary
Dishonorable Mentions: Julio Jones (Falcons), DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Pierre Garcon (Redskins)
Tight End
MVP: Coby Fleener (Colts)
And the surprise performance of Week 11 award goes to...Coby Fleener! Fleener made the most of Dwayne Allen exiting the game early with an ankle injury and gassed the Patriots strong secondary for 144 yards on 7 receptions. With Allen's status unclear for this week and the strong chemistry he has with Andrew Luck, Fleener should be a solid TE1 for at least this upcoming week.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Larry Donnell (Giants), Heath Miller (Steelers)
LVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Travis Kelce has been a surprisingly solid fantasy tight end this season, but given the fact that he is a member of the notoriously conservative, run-heavy Chiefs offense, he's going to put up some stinkers from time to time. Week 11 was one of those times. Kelce had just 37 yards and a rare fumble against the Seahawks on Sunday. Kelce has a decent chance of rebounding against the Raiders this Thursday night.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Vernon Davis (49ers), Antonio Gates (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Green Bay Packers
The hit-or-miss Packers defense was very much a hit on Sunday against the Eagles. The team finished the afternoon with 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT's, 2 defensive touchdowns and a kick return touchdown. The Packers have another solid matchup against the Vikings this week, so they could be in line to have a rare string of solid outings in a row.
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers
LVP: Denver Broncos
What the hell happened to the Broncos on Sunday? The Broncos suffered a shocking loss at the hands of the middling Rams on Sunday. While their offense deserves a lot of the blame, the defense didn't really do much to help matters. The Broncos picked up just 3 sacks and failed to get a takeaway against a Rams offense that has been a godsend to fantasy defenses this year. The Broncos defense has cooled down substantially in recent weeks, so they're nothing more than a mid-level defensive start at this point in time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
2014 Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
The only thing more satisfying than throwing 6 TD's in a game, is throwing 6 TD's against your arch rival. Aaron Rodgers got to experience that feeling of nirvana on Sunday night as he carved up the abysmal Bears defense in primetime on Sunday. The devastation probably could've been worse, but Rodgers was pulled from the game after the first series of the second half. Rodgers is in inhuman form right now and he has another chance to go off this week against a terrible Eagles secondary at the friendly confines of Lambeau Field.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Tony Romo (Cowboys), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
LVP: Andy Dalton (Bengals)
I'm not going to lie, I'm picking Andy Dalton over Colin Kaepernick and Ben Roethlisberger for the worst QB play of the week because he screwed over one of my teams this week. Dalton had the single worst game of his career on Thursday night (86 yards, 0 TD's, 3 INT's, 2.0 passer rating) against the Browns. Dalton had next to no zip on the ball and was consistently inaccurate for the duration of the game. The Browns have a good secondary and haven't allowed a lot of fantasy points to quarterbacks, but that still doesn't excuse just how woefully horrible Dalton was in this game. Dalton is only a desperation start for extremely brave owners for the rest of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Cam Newton (Panthers)
Running Back
MVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
You see what happens when the Seahawks let Marshawn Lynch run free? Beast Mode was back in full force this week as the Seahawks took on the Giants on Sunday afternoon. Lynch made the most of his 22 carries, picking up 140 yards and 4 TD's on the day. Lynch is about as deadly of a running back as there is in the NFL and if the Seahawks continue to give him the ball at a high rate, he'll be a top-flight RB1.
Honorable Mentions: Justin Forsett (Ravens), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Eddie Lacy (Packers)
LVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
What a difference a week makes. A week after his breakout performance against the Jaguars, Jeremy Hill was all but completely silenced in Week 10 against the Browns. Hill got a measly 13 touches (12 carries, 1 reception) for 61 yards and lost an ugly fumble in the second quarter. Hill fell victim to the Bengals terrible offensive performance and total abandonment of the run once the second half rolled around, but considering the quality of the matchup and absence of Giovani Bernard from the lineup, this performance is still a major disappointment.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Matt Forte (Bears)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
No one was happier to have Tony Romo return to the lineup than Dez Bryant. Bryant bounced back big time from his terrible performance against the Cardinals in Week 9 with Brandon Weeden under center with a 158-yard, 2 TD performance against the Jaguars on Sunday in London. Bryant will have more off-weeks than your typical WR1, but when he's on, there's few that can come close to matching his production.
Honorable Mentions: Jordy Nelson (Packers), Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
LVP: A.J. Green (Bengals)
A.J. Green was yet another victim of Andy Dalton's abysmal performance against the Browns. Green finished with just 3 receptions for 23 yards on the evening. If its any constellation for this terrible performance, Green looked 100% healthy in this game and should be back to his WR1 form once Dalton gets back on track.
Dishonorable Mentions: Sammy Watkins (Bills), Steve Smith (Ravens), Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Week 10 marked the first time all season where Jimmy Graham has looked truly unstoppable. Graham looked like the 2013 version of himself as he picked up 76 yards and 2 TD's on 10 receptions against the 49ers on Sunday. Graham's day would've been even better if he didn't get flagged for pass interference on what would've been his 3rd TD at the end of regulation. With Graham appearing to be back in top form, he should be in line for a dominant run down the stretch.
Honorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Jared Cook (Rams), Mychal Rivera (Raiders)
LVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
Oh Larry Donnell, how you continue to disappoint. Donnell failed to take advantage of a banged-up Seahawks linebacking group and finished the game with just 26 yards on 4 receptions. Donnell is simply not the great fantasy option he appeared to be in the early stages of the season. Even with his typically lackluster production, Donnell is still a low-end TE1 due to the sheer amount of targets he gets and his ability to get in the endzone at any given time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Owen Daniels (Ravens), Heath Miller (Steelers), Vernon Davis (49ers)
Defense
MVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense is just stupid this season. After a couple of slow weeks in a row, The Eagles D came alive once against in Week 10 as they suffocated the Panthers for 60 minutes. The Eagles put up absurd numbers across the board finishing the game with 9 sacks, 3 INT's, 2 fumble recoveries, a kick return touchdown and a defensive touchdown. The Eagles are not going to be without their down weeks, but when they're on, they are a top 5 fantasy defense.
Honorable Mentions: Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals
LVP: Pittsburgh Steelers
This was a difficult week to find a worst fantasy defense because no defense with a good matchup grossly under-performed. That being said, it's hard to deny that the Steelers put up the weakest performance of the week. The Steelers picked up 4 sacks and zero takeaways against a Jets squad that has been turning the ball over at an alarming rate this season. The Steelers are a banged-up unit that doesn't take the ball away very often, so they're aren't exactly the most valuable fantasy defense at the moment.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
The only thing more satisfying than throwing 6 TD's in a game, is throwing 6 TD's against your arch rival. Aaron Rodgers got to experience that feeling of nirvana on Sunday night as he carved up the abysmal Bears defense in primetime on Sunday. The devastation probably could've been worse, but Rodgers was pulled from the game after the first series of the second half. Rodgers is in inhuman form right now and he has another chance to go off this week against a terrible Eagles secondary at the friendly confines of Lambeau Field.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Tony Romo (Cowboys), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
LVP: Andy Dalton (Bengals)
I'm not going to lie, I'm picking Andy Dalton over Colin Kaepernick and Ben Roethlisberger for the worst QB play of the week because he screwed over one of my teams this week. Dalton had the single worst game of his career on Thursday night (86 yards, 0 TD's, 3 INT's, 2.0 passer rating) against the Browns. Dalton had next to no zip on the ball and was consistently inaccurate for the duration of the game. The Browns have a good secondary and haven't allowed a lot of fantasy points to quarterbacks, but that still doesn't excuse just how woefully horrible Dalton was in this game. Dalton is only a desperation start for extremely brave owners for the rest of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Cam Newton (Panthers)
Running Back
MVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
You see what happens when the Seahawks let Marshawn Lynch run free? Beast Mode was back in full force this week as the Seahawks took on the Giants on Sunday afternoon. Lynch made the most of his 22 carries, picking up 140 yards and 4 TD's on the day. Lynch is about as deadly of a running back as there is in the NFL and if the Seahawks continue to give him the ball at a high rate, he'll be a top-flight RB1.
Honorable Mentions: Justin Forsett (Ravens), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Eddie Lacy (Packers)
LVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
What a difference a week makes. A week after his breakout performance against the Jaguars, Jeremy Hill was all but completely silenced in Week 10 against the Browns. Hill got a measly 13 touches (12 carries, 1 reception) for 61 yards and lost an ugly fumble in the second quarter. Hill fell victim to the Bengals terrible offensive performance and total abandonment of the run once the second half rolled around, but considering the quality of the matchup and absence of Giovani Bernard from the lineup, this performance is still a major disappointment.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Matt Forte (Bears)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
No one was happier to have Tony Romo return to the lineup than Dez Bryant. Bryant bounced back big time from his terrible performance against the Cardinals in Week 9 with Brandon Weeden under center with a 158-yard, 2 TD performance against the Jaguars on Sunday in London. Bryant will have more off-weeks than your typical WR1, but when he's on, there's few that can come close to matching his production.
Honorable Mentions: Jordy Nelson (Packers), Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
LVP: A.J. Green (Bengals)
A.J. Green was yet another victim of Andy Dalton's abysmal performance against the Browns. Green finished with just 3 receptions for 23 yards on the evening. If its any constellation for this terrible performance, Green looked 100% healthy in this game and should be back to his WR1 form once Dalton gets back on track.
Dishonorable Mentions: Sammy Watkins (Bills), Steve Smith (Ravens), Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Week 10 marked the first time all season where Jimmy Graham has looked truly unstoppable. Graham looked like the 2013 version of himself as he picked up 76 yards and 2 TD's on 10 receptions against the 49ers on Sunday. Graham's day would've been even better if he didn't get flagged for pass interference on what would've been his 3rd TD at the end of regulation. With Graham appearing to be back in top form, he should be in line for a dominant run down the stretch.
Honorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Jared Cook (Rams), Mychal Rivera (Raiders)
LVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
Oh Larry Donnell, how you continue to disappoint. Donnell failed to take advantage of a banged-up Seahawks linebacking group and finished the game with just 26 yards on 4 receptions. Donnell is simply not the great fantasy option he appeared to be in the early stages of the season. Even with his typically lackluster production, Donnell is still a low-end TE1 due to the sheer amount of targets he gets and his ability to get in the endzone at any given time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Owen Daniels (Ravens), Heath Miller (Steelers), Vernon Davis (49ers)
Defense
MVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense is just stupid this season. After a couple of slow weeks in a row, The Eagles D came alive once against in Week 10 as they suffocated the Panthers for 60 minutes. The Eagles put up absurd numbers across the board finishing the game with 9 sacks, 3 INT's, 2 fumble recoveries, a kick return touchdown and a defensive touchdown. The Eagles are not going to be without their down weeks, but when they're on, they are a top 5 fantasy defense.
Honorable Mentions: Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals
LVP: Pittsburgh Steelers
This was a difficult week to find a worst fantasy defense because no defense with a good matchup grossly under-performed. That being said, it's hard to deny that the Steelers put up the weakest performance of the week. The Steelers picked up 4 sacks and zero takeaways against a Jets squad that has been turning the ball over at an alarming rate this season. The Steelers are a banged-up unit that doesn't take the ball away very often, so they're aren't exactly the most valuable fantasy defense at the moment.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
2014 Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ben Roethlisberger astounded the football world with his 6 TD performance in Week 8 against the Colts. So what did Big Ben have planned for an encore this week? Another 6 TD performance of course! Roethlisberger was money from the second quarter on, spreading the wealth to pretty much of all his receivers and decimating the injury-plagued Ravens secondary on just about every drive. Roethlisberger honestly hasn't looked this good in years. He is throwing the ball with uncharacteristically high accuracy and getting excellent protection from a resurgent offensive line right now. The Steelers have another friendly matchup on this schedule this week when they go up against the trainwreck otherwise known as the New York Jets, so Big Ben's reign of terror on opposing defenses is highly likely to continue.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Andrew Luck (Colts)
LVP: Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
What the hell happened to Phillip Rivers this week? Rivers- who has been excellent for all of 2014- was repeatedly turning the ball over (3 INT's and a fumble on the afternoon) and missing his targets all afternoon in the Chargers embarrassing 37-0 loss to the Dolphins. Rivers heads into the bye with 2 poor performances in his last 3 games and has a bitch of a schedule including matchups against the Ravens, Patriots, 49ers and Broncos down the stretch. Rivers is stable enough, but he's far from the best QB1 option for a team looking to make a deep playoff run.
Dishonorable Mentions: Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Cam Newton (Panthers), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Running Back
MVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Rookie running back Jeremy Hill stepped up big time in his first career start versus the Jaguars in place of the injured Giovani Bernard. It didn't start off particularly noteworthy, but Hill's huge second half led to him finishing with 154 yards and 2 TD's on the afternoon. Hill is expected to start again on Thursday against the Browns terrible run defense, so we could very well be looking at another dominant performance from the promising rookie.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Matt Asiata (Vikings), Mark Ingram (Saints)
LVP: Ben Tate (Browns)
Ben Tate's 2014 campaign has been a roller coaster ride and his performance in Week 9 was a new low. Tate picked up a mere 3 yards on the ground on 10 carries against a Buccaneers run D that has struggled all year long. Tate was able to add 29 yards on 4 receptions to slightly salvage his afternoon, but it was not nearly enough to make up for his terrible day on the ground. With Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell frequently cutting into his carries, his long injury history and general inconsistency, Tate will be a high-risk RB2 for the rest of the year.
Dishonorable Mentions: Branden Oliver (Chargers), Jerrick McKinnon (Vikings), Ahmad Bradshaw (Colts)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
Jeremy Maclin was able to follow up a dominant performance in Week 8 with another explosive performance in Week 9. Maclin put up 158 yards and 2 TD's on 6 receptions in the Eagles hard-fought victory over the Texans on Sunday. Even with Mark Sanchez taking over for the injured Nick Foles at quarterback, Maclin remains a weekly top-end WR1.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Antonio Brown (Steelers), DeSean Jackson (Redskins)
LVP: Andre Johnson (Texans)
Longtime superstar wideout Andre Johnson just hasn't gotten going this year. Johnson's struggles in 2014 are best evidenced by his lackluster 12-yard performance against a very burnable Eagles secondary on Sunday. It's very bizarre to see the Texans not try and get Johnson more involved with the offense. He may not be the full-blown stud he once was, but he's a sure-handed, dependable wideout who can get the job done when called upon. Johnson is nothing more than a mid-level WR3 given his current usage in this offense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Dez Bryant (Cowboys), Andrew Hawkins (Browns)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
In a seemingly recurring theme for Week 9, Rob Gronkowski followed up his dominant Week 8 performance with yet another one this week. Gronkowski picked up 105 yards and a TD on 9 receptions in the Patriots shockingly lopsided victory over the Broncos on Sunday. As long as Gronkowski doesn't get injured after the Patriots bye week in Week 10, he's going to dominate for the remainder of the 2014 season.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Graham (Saints), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Charles Clay (Dolphins)
LVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)
Zach Ertz continues to be the most frustrating tight end in fantasy football. Ertz got just 4 yards on his lone reception against the Texans on Sunday. Ertz is a touchdown-dependent TE1 who will put up just as many stinkers as he does solid performances.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vernon Davis (49ers), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins defense is suddenly becoming quite a formidable defense. The Dolphins picked up 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, a fumble recovery and allowed 0 points to the Chargers. The Dolphins don't exactly have the easiest matchups for the last 2 months of the season, but they'll remain a solid fantasy option in most weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
LVP: San Diego Chargers
How the mighty have fallen.... The Chargers defense has gone from one of the best to one of the weakest fantasy defenses in a matter of a month. The Chargers got lit up once again by the Dolphins for 37 points and failed to register a sack or takeaway. The Chargers are now droppable in just about any 10-12 team league.
Dishonorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ben Roethlisberger astounded the football world with his 6 TD performance in Week 8 against the Colts. So what did Big Ben have planned for an encore this week? Another 6 TD performance of course! Roethlisberger was money from the second quarter on, spreading the wealth to pretty much of all his receivers and decimating the injury-plagued Ravens secondary on just about every drive. Roethlisberger honestly hasn't looked this good in years. He is throwing the ball with uncharacteristically high accuracy and getting excellent protection from a resurgent offensive line right now. The Steelers have another friendly matchup on this schedule this week when they go up against the trainwreck otherwise known as the New York Jets, so Big Ben's reign of terror on opposing defenses is highly likely to continue.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Andrew Luck (Colts)
LVP: Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
What the hell happened to Phillip Rivers this week? Rivers- who has been excellent for all of 2014- was repeatedly turning the ball over (3 INT's and a fumble on the afternoon) and missing his targets all afternoon in the Chargers embarrassing 37-0 loss to the Dolphins. Rivers heads into the bye with 2 poor performances in his last 3 games and has a bitch of a schedule including matchups against the Ravens, Patriots, 49ers and Broncos down the stretch. Rivers is stable enough, but he's far from the best QB1 option for a team looking to make a deep playoff run.
Dishonorable Mentions: Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Cam Newton (Panthers), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Running Back
MVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Rookie running back Jeremy Hill stepped up big time in his first career start versus the Jaguars in place of the injured Giovani Bernard. It didn't start off particularly noteworthy, but Hill's huge second half led to him finishing with 154 yards and 2 TD's on the afternoon. Hill is expected to start again on Thursday against the Browns terrible run defense, so we could very well be looking at another dominant performance from the promising rookie.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Matt Asiata (Vikings), Mark Ingram (Saints)
LVP: Ben Tate (Browns)
Ben Tate's 2014 campaign has been a roller coaster ride and his performance in Week 9 was a new low. Tate picked up a mere 3 yards on the ground on 10 carries against a Buccaneers run D that has struggled all year long. Tate was able to add 29 yards on 4 receptions to slightly salvage his afternoon, but it was not nearly enough to make up for his terrible day on the ground. With Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell frequently cutting into his carries, his long injury history and general inconsistency, Tate will be a high-risk RB2 for the rest of the year.
Dishonorable Mentions: Branden Oliver (Chargers), Jerrick McKinnon (Vikings), Ahmad Bradshaw (Colts)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
Jeremy Maclin was able to follow up a dominant performance in Week 8 with another explosive performance in Week 9. Maclin put up 158 yards and 2 TD's on 6 receptions in the Eagles hard-fought victory over the Texans on Sunday. Even with Mark Sanchez taking over for the injured Nick Foles at quarterback, Maclin remains a weekly top-end WR1.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Antonio Brown (Steelers), DeSean Jackson (Redskins)
LVP: Andre Johnson (Texans)
Longtime superstar wideout Andre Johnson just hasn't gotten going this year. Johnson's struggles in 2014 are best evidenced by his lackluster 12-yard performance against a very burnable Eagles secondary on Sunday. It's very bizarre to see the Texans not try and get Johnson more involved with the offense. He may not be the full-blown stud he once was, but he's a sure-handed, dependable wideout who can get the job done when called upon. Johnson is nothing more than a mid-level WR3 given his current usage in this offense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Dez Bryant (Cowboys), Andrew Hawkins (Browns)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
In a seemingly recurring theme for Week 9, Rob Gronkowski followed up his dominant Week 8 performance with yet another one this week. Gronkowski picked up 105 yards and a TD on 9 receptions in the Patriots shockingly lopsided victory over the Broncos on Sunday. As long as Gronkowski doesn't get injured after the Patriots bye week in Week 10, he's going to dominate for the remainder of the 2014 season.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Graham (Saints), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Charles Clay (Dolphins)
LVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)
Zach Ertz continues to be the most frustrating tight end in fantasy football. Ertz got just 4 yards on his lone reception against the Texans on Sunday. Ertz is a touchdown-dependent TE1 who will put up just as many stinkers as he does solid performances.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vernon Davis (49ers), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins defense is suddenly becoming quite a formidable defense. The Dolphins picked up 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, a fumble recovery and allowed 0 points to the Chargers. The Dolphins don't exactly have the easiest matchups for the last 2 months of the season, but they'll remain a solid fantasy option in most weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
LVP: San Diego Chargers
How the mighty have fallen.... The Chargers defense has gone from one of the best to one of the weakest fantasy defenses in a matter of a month. The Chargers got lit up once again by the Dolphins for 37 points and failed to register a sack or takeaway. The Chargers are now droppable in just about any 10-12 team league.
Dishonorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Remember when people said Ben Roethlisberger didn't have it anymore? Roethlisberger showed the world that he can still dominate with his video-game like 522-yard/6 touchdown performance against the Colts on Sunday afternoon. What makes Roethlisberger's performance that much more impressive is that it came against a Colts secondary that had only allowed 2 passing touchdowns in their previous 4 games. While its highly unlikely he'll repeat these numbers again, Roethlisberger has another solid matchup against the Ravens in Week 9.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Andrew Luck (Colts), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
LVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Cam Newton wasn't completely horrible on Sunday, its just that his presence in fantasy was pretty much invisible. Newton finished Sunday's home loss against the Seahawks with 171 yards through the air, 22 yards on the ground, 0 touchdowns and an interception. Newton has struggled a bit over the last couple of weeks, but with a soft schedule in the second half of the season and his health back to 100%, look for him to become a top-end QB1 in the coming weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Joe Flacco (Ravens), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Tony Romo (Cowboys
Running Back
MVP: Arian Foster (Texans)
Arian Foster is a beast. Foster once again carried the Texans offense with 173 total yards (151 rushing, 22 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 receiving, 1 rushing) in their victory over the Titans on Sunday. If it wasn't obvious already, Foster is a weekly must-start in fantasy.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Mark Ingram (Saints)
LVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
After a strong start to the year, Marshawn Lynch has cooled down substantially over the past few weeks. Lynch had another subpar outing against the Panthers erratic defense on Sunday finishing the game with a mere 62 yards on the ground on 14 carries. Lynch's lack of volume is a bit distressing, but he's far too important to this offense to become a weekly non-factor. Lynch has a potentially huge bounceback game against the Raiders ghastly run D in Week 9.
Dishonorable Mentions: Joique Bell (Lions), Ben Tate (Browns), Shane Vereen (Patriots)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
In a relatively off-day for the Eagles explosive offense, Jeremy Maclin still thrived. Maclin tormented the Cardinals defense with his 12 reception, 187-yard performance on Sunday afternoon. Maclin has looked great all year long coming off the torn ACL that sidelined him for all of 2013, and has nicely filled the top wideout role that DeSean Jackson had in this offense a year ago.
Honorable Mentions: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
LVP: Jordy Nelson (Packers)
For the first time all season, Jordy Nelson was silenced. Nelson was held to just 25 yards on 3 receptions in the Packers contest with the Saints on Sunday night. Nelson's lack of production is actually shocking given the fact that Aaron Rodgers threw for 418 yards in this game. Nelson faces the banged-up Bears secondary when the Packers return from bye in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Julian Edelman (Patriots), Brandon Marshall (Bears)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Rob Gronkowski was back in kill mode against the Bears on Sunday. Gronkowski took advantage of the Bears injuries at linebacker and safety, and finished the game with 149 yards and 3 TD's on 9 receptions. Gronkowski is 100% and barring one of his trademark late-season injuries, he could challenge Julius Thomas for the title of top fantasy tight end in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Heath Miller (Steelers), Martellus Bennett (Bears)
LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
With Cam Newton struggling, Greg Olsen got almost completely shut out on the Sunday against the Seahawks. Olsen ended up with just a single catch for 16 yards in a game that was dominated by strong defensive play. Clunkers like this shouldn't come up too often from now until the end of the season. As Newton's safety belt, Olsen will arguably be the prime beneficiary from the Panthers soft schedule in the latter stage of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Charles Clay (Dolphins), Jared Cook (Rams)
Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins defense were the latest team to take advantage of the Jacksonville Jaguars horrendous, turnover-prone offense. The Dolphins picked up 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, a fumble recovery, blocked field goal and 2 touchdowns in their victory on Sunday. The Dolphins have shown a pretty strong pass rush and a decent ability to take the ball away, so they're a solid, unheralded fantasy option for owners looking for a defense.
Honorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns
LVP: Detroit Lions
Week 8 was actually a pretty strong week for defenses as basically every defense that was supposed to put up big numbers ended up delivering. The sole exception to that was the Detroit Lions; who picked up a disappointing 2 sacks and 1 INT against a struggling Falcons offense. The Lions certainly weren't awful, but their output was still disappointing given the matchup and how well they've played this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Remember when people said Ben Roethlisberger didn't have it anymore? Roethlisberger showed the world that he can still dominate with his video-game like 522-yard/6 touchdown performance against the Colts on Sunday afternoon. What makes Roethlisberger's performance that much more impressive is that it came against a Colts secondary that had only allowed 2 passing touchdowns in their previous 4 games. While its highly unlikely he'll repeat these numbers again, Roethlisberger has another solid matchup against the Ravens in Week 9.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Andrew Luck (Colts), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
LVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Cam Newton wasn't completely horrible on Sunday, its just that his presence in fantasy was pretty much invisible. Newton finished Sunday's home loss against the Seahawks with 171 yards through the air, 22 yards on the ground, 0 touchdowns and an interception. Newton has struggled a bit over the last couple of weeks, but with a soft schedule in the second half of the season and his health back to 100%, look for him to become a top-end QB1 in the coming weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Joe Flacco (Ravens), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Tony Romo (Cowboys
Running Back
MVP: Arian Foster (Texans)
Arian Foster is a beast. Foster once again carried the Texans offense with 173 total yards (151 rushing, 22 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 receiving, 1 rushing) in their victory over the Titans on Sunday. If it wasn't obvious already, Foster is a weekly must-start in fantasy.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Mark Ingram (Saints)
LVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
After a strong start to the year, Marshawn Lynch has cooled down substantially over the past few weeks. Lynch had another subpar outing against the Panthers erratic defense on Sunday finishing the game with a mere 62 yards on the ground on 14 carries. Lynch's lack of volume is a bit distressing, but he's far too important to this offense to become a weekly non-factor. Lynch has a potentially huge bounceback game against the Raiders ghastly run D in Week 9.
Dishonorable Mentions: Joique Bell (Lions), Ben Tate (Browns), Shane Vereen (Patriots)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
In a relatively off-day for the Eagles explosive offense, Jeremy Maclin still thrived. Maclin tormented the Cardinals defense with his 12 reception, 187-yard performance on Sunday afternoon. Maclin has looked great all year long coming off the torn ACL that sidelined him for all of 2013, and has nicely filled the top wideout role that DeSean Jackson had in this offense a year ago.
Honorable Mentions: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
LVP: Jordy Nelson (Packers)
For the first time all season, Jordy Nelson was silenced. Nelson was held to just 25 yards on 3 receptions in the Packers contest with the Saints on Sunday night. Nelson's lack of production is actually shocking given the fact that Aaron Rodgers threw for 418 yards in this game. Nelson faces the banged-up Bears secondary when the Packers return from bye in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Julian Edelman (Patriots), Brandon Marshall (Bears)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Rob Gronkowski was back in kill mode against the Bears on Sunday. Gronkowski took advantage of the Bears injuries at linebacker and safety, and finished the game with 149 yards and 3 TD's on 9 receptions. Gronkowski is 100% and barring one of his trademark late-season injuries, he could challenge Julius Thomas for the title of top fantasy tight end in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Heath Miller (Steelers), Martellus Bennett (Bears)
LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
With Cam Newton struggling, Greg Olsen got almost completely shut out on the Sunday against the Seahawks. Olsen ended up with just a single catch for 16 yards in a game that was dominated by strong defensive play. Clunkers like this shouldn't come up too often from now until the end of the season. As Newton's safety belt, Olsen will arguably be the prime beneficiary from the Panthers soft schedule in the latter stage of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Charles Clay (Dolphins), Jared Cook (Rams)
Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins defense were the latest team to take advantage of the Jacksonville Jaguars horrendous, turnover-prone offense. The Dolphins picked up 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, a fumble recovery, blocked field goal and 2 touchdowns in their victory on Sunday. The Dolphins have shown a pretty strong pass rush and a decent ability to take the ball away, so they're a solid, unheralded fantasy option for owners looking for a defense.
Honorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns
LVP: Detroit Lions
Week 8 was actually a pretty strong week for defenses as basically every defense that was supposed to put up big numbers ended up delivering. The sole exception to that was the Detroit Lions; who picked up a disappointing 2 sacks and 1 INT against a struggling Falcons offense. The Lions certainly weren't awful, but their output was still disappointing given the matchup and how well they've played this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
2014 Week 7 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
About the only thing that went right for the Seahawks' performance on Sunday against the Rams was the play of Russell Wilson. Wilson once again dominated through the air and ground as became the first quarterback to ever throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game. The Seahawks are not playing nearly as well as they were a year ago, but Wilson is a much better fantasy option in 2014 than he was last year. Wilson has another promising matchup against the erratic Panthers defense on the docket in Week 8.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)
LVP: Jay Cutler (Bears)
Oh the plight of Jay Cutler.... A week after destroying the Falcons, Cutler had his worst outing of the season at home against a middling Dolphins team in Week 7. Cutler threw for a measly 190 yards and a touchdown while picking up 2 turnovers in one of the most miserable outings the Bears offense has had in years. Cutler will forever be the most unpredictable and inconsistent quarterback in the league. You're taking a risk every time you start him and that risk is even higher than usual this week as the Bears travel to Gillette Stadium to take on the red-hot Patriots.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
Running Back
MVP: Shane Vereen (Patriots)
With Steven Ridley out for the season, Shane Vereen now has a stranglehold on the running back position in New England. Vereen showcased his dominance over the backfield with a stellar performance against the Jets on Thursday. In typical Vereen fashion, he did most of his damage in the receiving game picking up 5 receptions for 71 yards and 2 TD's. It should be noted that 49 of his 71 yards came on a deep strike on the first drive of the game, so the numbers are certainly a bit deceiving. That being said, Vereen is easily the most gifted running back the Patriots currently have their disposal, so expect him to operate as a high-end RB2 (especially in PPR leagues) with a couple of stinkers moving forward.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
LVP: Giovani Bernard (Bengals)
It was rough day to be a member of the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday as the team got shut out by the Colts. Despite it being a rough day for the entire offense, no one suffered more than Giovani Bernard. The second-year dual-threat back got held to 16 total yards (17 rushing, -1 receiving) on 9 touches. Bernard should get ample touches this week, but unfortunately it's against a stiff Ravens front that hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 2.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Tate (Browns),Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Reggie Bush (Lions)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Demaryius Thomas became part of history this week as he caught the touchdown that put Peyton Manning ahead of Brett Favre for the all-time passing touchdown record. In addition to catching the record-setting TD, Thomas massacred the 49ers secondary all game long. Thomas finished the evening with 171 yards and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. Thomas has been on fire since the Broncos returned from their Week 4 bye and I don't believe that will change this week when he faces a banged-up Chargers secondary on Thursday night.
Honorable Mentions: Sammy Watkins (Bills), Golden Tate (Lions), Randall Cobb (Packers)
LVP: Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)
Odds are if you were a member of the Chicago Bears not named Matt Forte, you had a terrible game against the Dolphins on Sunday. Alshon Jeffrey was the biggest victim of their poor offensive performance, finishing with just 9 yards on the day. While I don't expect Jeffrey to repeat his 9-yard performance, he certainly has his hands full as he is going up against a tough Patriots secondary in Week 8.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Julio Jones (Falcons), Julian Edelman (Patriots)
Tight End
MVP: Antonio Gates (Chargers)
In an incredibly poor week for tight ends on the whole, the ageless wonder Antonio Gates was one of the few exceptions. Gates made the most of his 3 catches-picking up 61 yards and a touchdown in an otherwise quiet day for the Chargers offense against the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. Gates remains one of the very few TE's you can rely on to put up solid numbers every week.
Honorable Mentions: Charles Clay (Dolphins), Owen Daniels (Ravens), Dwayne Allen (Colts)
LVP: Jordan Cameron (Browns)
A week after showing signs of life, Jordan Cameron reverted back to sucking it up against the Jaguars in Week 7. Cameron was held to just a single catch for 5 yards against a Jaguars defense that has been practically giving away fantasy points to TE's this season. Cameron is a low-end TE1 who will deliver a stellar performance from time-to-time, but can't be trusted in the slightest as a full-time starter.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Larry Donnell (Giants), Delanie Walker (Titans)
Defense
MVP: Indianapolis Colts
The Colts defense have quietly become one of the more reliable fantasy defenses to own in 2014. The Colts further their solidified their stock on Sunday as they shut out the Bengals. Their numbers could've been higher as they only got 4 sacks and failed to get a takeaway, but in a week where most defenses only put up average fantasy numbers, that was more than enough to make the best overall fantasy play.
Honorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams
LVP: Seattle Seahawks
This is just getting ridiculous. The Seahawks defense has been one of the biggest fantasy disappointments of 2014 so far and that disappointment only grew stronger this week as they failed miserably against the lowly St. Louis Rams. The Rams had been allowing the most fantasy points to defenses coming into Week 7, but the Seahawks failed to capitalize on that juicy matchup as allowed 28 points and once again, got zero sacks and takeaways. I can't believe I'm saying this but if you can afford to drop the Seahawks D in your league right now, do it right away. Their lack of pass rush and inability to cause turnovers makes them pretty much useless in fantasy at the moment.
Dishonorable Mentions: New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
About the only thing that went right for the Seahawks' performance on Sunday against the Rams was the play of Russell Wilson. Wilson once again dominated through the air and ground as became the first quarterback to ever throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game. The Seahawks are not playing nearly as well as they were a year ago, but Wilson is a much better fantasy option in 2014 than he was last year. Wilson has another promising matchup against the erratic Panthers defense on the docket in Week 8.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)
LVP: Jay Cutler (Bears)
Oh the plight of Jay Cutler.... A week after destroying the Falcons, Cutler had his worst outing of the season at home against a middling Dolphins team in Week 7. Cutler threw for a measly 190 yards and a touchdown while picking up 2 turnovers in one of the most miserable outings the Bears offense has had in years. Cutler will forever be the most unpredictable and inconsistent quarterback in the league. You're taking a risk every time you start him and that risk is even higher than usual this week as the Bears travel to Gillette Stadium to take on the red-hot Patriots.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
Running Back
MVP: Shane Vereen (Patriots)
With Steven Ridley out for the season, Shane Vereen now has a stranglehold on the running back position in New England. Vereen showcased his dominance over the backfield with a stellar performance against the Jets on Thursday. In typical Vereen fashion, he did most of his damage in the receiving game picking up 5 receptions for 71 yards and 2 TD's. It should be noted that 49 of his 71 yards came on a deep strike on the first drive of the game, so the numbers are certainly a bit deceiving. That being said, Vereen is easily the most gifted running back the Patriots currently have their disposal, so expect him to operate as a high-end RB2 (especially in PPR leagues) with a couple of stinkers moving forward.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
LVP: Giovani Bernard (Bengals)
It was rough day to be a member of the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday as the team got shut out by the Colts. Despite it being a rough day for the entire offense, no one suffered more than Giovani Bernard. The second-year dual-threat back got held to 16 total yards (17 rushing, -1 receiving) on 9 touches. Bernard should get ample touches this week, but unfortunately it's against a stiff Ravens front that hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 2.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Tate (Browns),Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Reggie Bush (Lions)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Demaryius Thomas became part of history this week as he caught the touchdown that put Peyton Manning ahead of Brett Favre for the all-time passing touchdown record. In addition to catching the record-setting TD, Thomas massacred the 49ers secondary all game long. Thomas finished the evening with 171 yards and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. Thomas has been on fire since the Broncos returned from their Week 4 bye and I don't believe that will change this week when he faces a banged-up Chargers secondary on Thursday night.
Honorable Mentions: Sammy Watkins (Bills), Golden Tate (Lions), Randall Cobb (Packers)
LVP: Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)
Odds are if you were a member of the Chicago Bears not named Matt Forte, you had a terrible game against the Dolphins on Sunday. Alshon Jeffrey was the biggest victim of their poor offensive performance, finishing with just 9 yards on the day. While I don't expect Jeffrey to repeat his 9-yard performance, he certainly has his hands full as he is going up against a tough Patriots secondary in Week 8.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Julio Jones (Falcons), Julian Edelman (Patriots)
Tight End
MVP: Antonio Gates (Chargers)
In an incredibly poor week for tight ends on the whole, the ageless wonder Antonio Gates was one of the few exceptions. Gates made the most of his 3 catches-picking up 61 yards and a touchdown in an otherwise quiet day for the Chargers offense against the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. Gates remains one of the very few TE's you can rely on to put up solid numbers every week.
Honorable Mentions: Charles Clay (Dolphins), Owen Daniels (Ravens), Dwayne Allen (Colts)
LVP: Jordan Cameron (Browns)
A week after showing signs of life, Jordan Cameron reverted back to sucking it up against the Jaguars in Week 7. Cameron was held to just a single catch for 5 yards against a Jaguars defense that has been practically giving away fantasy points to TE's this season. Cameron is a low-end TE1 who will deliver a stellar performance from time-to-time, but can't be trusted in the slightest as a full-time starter.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Larry Donnell (Giants), Delanie Walker (Titans)
Defense
MVP: Indianapolis Colts
The Colts defense have quietly become one of the more reliable fantasy defenses to own in 2014. The Colts further their solidified their stock on Sunday as they shut out the Bengals. Their numbers could've been higher as they only got 4 sacks and failed to get a takeaway, but in a week where most defenses only put up average fantasy numbers, that was more than enough to make the best overall fantasy play.
Honorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams
LVP: Seattle Seahawks
This is just getting ridiculous. The Seahawks defense has been one of the biggest fantasy disappointments of 2014 so far and that disappointment only grew stronger this week as they failed miserably against the lowly St. Louis Rams. The Rams had been allowing the most fantasy points to defenses coming into Week 7, but the Seahawks failed to capitalize on that juicy matchup as allowed 28 points and once again, got zero sacks and takeaways. I can't believe I'm saying this but if you can afford to drop the Seahawks D in your league right now, do it right away. Their lack of pass rush and inability to cause turnovers makes them pretty much useless in fantasy at the moment.
Dishonorable Mentions: New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
2014 Week 5 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Despite his status as one of the elite QB's in the league, Russell Wilson hasn't exactly been a fantasy stud over the course of his career thus far. That was not the case in Week 5 as Wilson put up a combined total of 323 yards (201 passing, 122 rushing) and 3 TD's (2 passing, 1 rushing) in Monday night's game vs. the Redskins. In a run-first offense in Seattle, Wilson remains too risky to start weekly, but he's a top-flight QB2 who can serve as a plug-and-play QB1.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Jay Cutler (Bears), Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
LVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ben Roethlisberger wasn't able to build off his success of his season-best outing last week against Buccaneers on Sunday against the Jaguars. There was nothing outright terrible about Roethlisberger's numbers (272 yards, a TD and a fumble), he just wasn't able to put the video games numbers that Phillip Rivers and Andrew Luck had put up on the Jaguars the past couple of weeks. Roethlisberger's bounceback potential is a little bit sketchy this week as he faces the stealthily tough secondary of the Browns on the road.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Nick Foles (Eagles)
Running Back
MVP: Arian Foster (Texans)
Arian Foster continues to defy the odds. Foster light up the Cowboys for 157 yards and 2 TD's on the ground in the Texans overtime loss on Sunday afternoon. Someone that has had as many injuries over the years as Foster has shouldn't be able to still produce at such a high level. Foster owners are being rewarded handsomely for taking a chance on him; he's one of the very few reliable weekly RBI plays in the league this season.
Honorable Mentions: Andre Ellington (Cardinals), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Pierre Thomas (Saints)
LVP: Matt Asiata (Vikings)
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Matt Asiata is only affective when he gets in the endzone. That point was proved once this week as Asiata put up middling numbers (72 yards and a fumble) against a horrible Packers run D last Thursday night. Asiata owners will continue to have a love/hate relationship with him all year long. His value as a fantasy player is completely dependent on whether or not he gets TD's. His goal-line touches in this rough RB economy make him too valuable to sit, but he is far too inconsistent to rely on week-in and week out.
Dishonorable Mentions: Giovani Bernard (Bengals), Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Alfred Morris (Redskins)
Wide Reciever
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
The Demaryius Thomas of 2013 has returned! Thomas used the bye week to shake his early season struggles and, appeared to be beyond rejuvenated as he lit up the Cardinals for an eye-popping 226 yards on 8 receptions and 2 TD's on Sunday. It's great to see Thomas overcome his early season woes, and return to the level of production we've come to expect from one of the league's most dominant receivers. Ridiculous numbers could be in the cards yet again for Thomas in Week 6 as the Broncos face the lowly Jets secondary on the road.
Honorable Mentions: DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Kendall Wright (Titans), Brian Quick (Rams)
LVP: Percy Harvin (Seahawks)
You have to feel for Percy Harvin this week. Harvin had 3 TD's(!) called back because of penalties in the Seahawks Monday night contest with the Redskins. Because of the 3 nullified TD's, Harvin ended up with a pretty underwhelming statline with just 34 total yards (27 receiving, 7 rushing) on 6 touches for the night. Harvin is still the Seahawks' top wideout and as long as he remains healthy, so don't sleep on him and his home run playmaking ability in the future.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Keenan Allen (Chargers), Rody White (Falcons)
Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Greg Olsen got sweet revenge against his ex-mates on the Bears with a 72 yard/2 TD performance in the Panthers huge comeback win on Sunday. Olsen is probably the best fantasy tight end not named Julius Thomas at the moment, so it would be foolish for anyone that has him to not start him every single week.
Honorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
LVP: Jordan Cameron (Browns)
There are few players that have been as disappointing in the world of fantasy football in 2014 than Jordan Cameron. Cameron seemed like a top contender to be a top 5 TE in a Browns offense that lacked proven offensive weapons and will be without star wide receiver Josh Gordon until Week 12. Instead, Cameron has looked sluggish out of the gate and been an almost complete-non factor in the 3 games he's appeared so far in 2014. Cameron's latest stinkfest was a 33-yard performance against the banged-up Titans defense on Sunday. To be fair, Cameron is battling a nagging shoulder injury, but DeSean Jackson has the same injury as him and hasn't been slowed down in the slightest. Cameron still has a ton of upside with his freakish athleticism and general lack of talent on the Browns offense, but unless he turns it around fast, he'll remain one of the biggest fantasy busts of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Donnell (Giants), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Delanie Walker (Titans)
Defense
MVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense were once again the top dogs in Week 5 as they put up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 defensive/special teams scores against the Rams on Sunday. Their deadly special teams and high takeaway volume more than makes up for the fact they allow a ton of points per game. They may not be this productive every week, but they have definitely emerged as a legitimate weekly defensive starter.
Honorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers
LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The defending champs may have one of the top overall defenses in the league, but they continue to disappoint in the realm of fantasy football. The Seahawks defense had another quiet evening against the Redskins-who got obliterated by the Giants middling defense a week ago-registering only a single sack and failing to get a takeaway. The Seahawks have a massive disappointment so far and if they can't put up solid production against the Cowboys at home on Sunday, any high hopes for this defense in fantasy can officially be voided.
Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Despite his status as one of the elite QB's in the league, Russell Wilson hasn't exactly been a fantasy stud over the course of his career thus far. That was not the case in Week 5 as Wilson put up a combined total of 323 yards (201 passing, 122 rushing) and 3 TD's (2 passing, 1 rushing) in Monday night's game vs. the Redskins. In a run-first offense in Seattle, Wilson remains too risky to start weekly, but he's a top-flight QB2 who can serve as a plug-and-play QB1.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Jay Cutler (Bears), Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
LVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ben Roethlisberger wasn't able to build off his success of his season-best outing last week against Buccaneers on Sunday against the Jaguars. There was nothing outright terrible about Roethlisberger's numbers (272 yards, a TD and a fumble), he just wasn't able to put the video games numbers that Phillip Rivers and Andrew Luck had put up on the Jaguars the past couple of weeks. Roethlisberger's bounceback potential is a little bit sketchy this week as he faces the stealthily tough secondary of the Browns on the road.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Nick Foles (Eagles)
Running Back
MVP: Arian Foster (Texans)
Arian Foster continues to defy the odds. Foster light up the Cowboys for 157 yards and 2 TD's on the ground in the Texans overtime loss on Sunday afternoon. Someone that has had as many injuries over the years as Foster has shouldn't be able to still produce at such a high level. Foster owners are being rewarded handsomely for taking a chance on him; he's one of the very few reliable weekly RBI plays in the league this season.
Honorable Mentions: Andre Ellington (Cardinals), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Pierre Thomas (Saints)
LVP: Matt Asiata (Vikings)
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Matt Asiata is only affective when he gets in the endzone. That point was proved once this week as Asiata put up middling numbers (72 yards and a fumble) against a horrible Packers run D last Thursday night. Asiata owners will continue to have a love/hate relationship with him all year long. His value as a fantasy player is completely dependent on whether or not he gets TD's. His goal-line touches in this rough RB economy make him too valuable to sit, but he is far too inconsistent to rely on week-in and week out.
Dishonorable Mentions: Giovani Bernard (Bengals), Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Alfred Morris (Redskins)
Wide Reciever
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
The Demaryius Thomas of 2013 has returned! Thomas used the bye week to shake his early season struggles and, appeared to be beyond rejuvenated as he lit up the Cardinals for an eye-popping 226 yards on 8 receptions and 2 TD's on Sunday. It's great to see Thomas overcome his early season woes, and return to the level of production we've come to expect from one of the league's most dominant receivers. Ridiculous numbers could be in the cards yet again for Thomas in Week 6 as the Broncos face the lowly Jets secondary on the road.
Honorable Mentions: DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Kendall Wright (Titans), Brian Quick (Rams)
LVP: Percy Harvin (Seahawks)
You have to feel for Percy Harvin this week. Harvin had 3 TD's(!) called back because of penalties in the Seahawks Monday night contest with the Redskins. Because of the 3 nullified TD's, Harvin ended up with a pretty underwhelming statline with just 34 total yards (27 receiving, 7 rushing) on 6 touches for the night. Harvin is still the Seahawks' top wideout and as long as he remains healthy, so don't sleep on him and his home run playmaking ability in the future.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Keenan Allen (Chargers), Rody White (Falcons)
Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Greg Olsen got sweet revenge against his ex-mates on the Bears with a 72 yard/2 TD performance in the Panthers huge comeback win on Sunday. Olsen is probably the best fantasy tight end not named Julius Thomas at the moment, so it would be foolish for anyone that has him to not start him every single week.
Honorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
LVP: Jordan Cameron (Browns)
There are few players that have been as disappointing in the world of fantasy football in 2014 than Jordan Cameron. Cameron seemed like a top contender to be a top 5 TE in a Browns offense that lacked proven offensive weapons and will be without star wide receiver Josh Gordon until Week 12. Instead, Cameron has looked sluggish out of the gate and been an almost complete-non factor in the 3 games he's appeared so far in 2014. Cameron's latest stinkfest was a 33-yard performance against the banged-up Titans defense on Sunday. To be fair, Cameron is battling a nagging shoulder injury, but DeSean Jackson has the same injury as him and hasn't been slowed down in the slightest. Cameron still has a ton of upside with his freakish athleticism and general lack of talent on the Browns offense, but unless he turns it around fast, he'll remain one of the biggest fantasy busts of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Donnell (Giants), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Delanie Walker (Titans)
Defense
MVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense were once again the top dogs in Week 5 as they put up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 defensive/special teams scores against the Rams on Sunday. Their deadly special teams and high takeaway volume more than makes up for the fact they allow a ton of points per game. They may not be this productive every week, but they have definitely emerged as a legitimate weekly defensive starter.
Honorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers
LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The defending champs may have one of the top overall defenses in the league, but they continue to disappoint in the realm of fantasy football. The Seahawks defense had another quiet evening against the Redskins-who got obliterated by the Giants middling defense a week ago-registering only a single sack and failing to get a takeaway. The Seahawks have a massive disappointment so far and if they can't put up solid production against the Cowboys at home on Sunday, any high hopes for this defense in fantasy can officially be voided.
Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
2014 Week 4 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Eli Manning (Giants)
Eli Manning channeled his brother Peyton this week as he dismantled the Redskins defense with a preposterous 300-yard, five TD performance (four passing, one rushing). Manning is finally starting to get a hold of offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's system and its paying dividends on the field. Manning hasn't looked this comfortable or been this productive under center since his nearly 5,000-yard season in 2011. Manning is still too inconsistent to trust as a weekly starter, but he's well worth a pickup as a QB2 right now.
Honorable Mentions: Andrew Luck (Colts), Eli Manning (Giants), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
LVP: Nick Foles (Eagles)
For the first time in a long time, Nick Foles had a terrible game. Foles couldn't get a damn thing going on Sunday against the 49ers as he was under duress for most of the game and had practically no help from his receivers getting open downfield. Because of this, Foles ended Sunday with less than 200 yards passing and zero touchdowns. In Chip Kelly's offense, Foles is still as strong of a QB start as there is out there, so don't bench him due to this performance.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Redskins), Cam Newton (Panthers), Tom Brady (Patriots)
Running Back
MVP: Jammal Charles (Chiefs)
Jammal Charles owners can officially rejoice now because he has officially woken up from his offseason hibernation. After missing the last two weeks with injuries, Charles returned to the field for his first dominant performance of the season against the Patriots in primetime on Monday night. Charles was all over the field getting a combined total of 21 touches, 108 yards and three TD's (two receiving, one rushing). After the early season injury, Charles looks to be back to his dominant RB1 form.
Honorable Mentions: DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Matt Forte (Bears), Matt Asiata (Vikings)
LVP: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Who would've thought LeSean McCoy would be the worst fantasy running back play two weeks in a row? McCoy once again stuffed as he managed just 17 yards on 10 carries against the 49ers stiff run D on Sunday afternoon. While McCoy hasn't looked as fluid in space or with his cuts than usual over the past couple of weeks, he can't absorb all of the blame for these poor performances. The Eagles line is currently riddled with injuries, so the rushing lanes just haven't been there in the last two games. McCoy has a strong chance to return to from against the weak Rams run D in Week 5.
Dishonorable Mentions: Donald Brown (Chargers), Rashad Jennings (Giants), Arian Foster (Texans)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Steve Smith (Ravens)
As most people-myself included-expected, Steve Smith had a huge game in his first meeting against his former team-the Carolina Panthers. Smith just could not be stopped as he reeled in seven receptions for 139 yards and two TD's in the Ravens blowout victory on Sunday. Smith, 35, has once again proven to be an ageless wonder this season and if he keeps up at this rate, he'll a guaranteed top 10 fantasy WR at year's end.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Randall Cobb (Packers), Jordy Nelson (Packers)
LVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Even robot overlords like Megatron can play poorly sometimes. Calvin Johnson was visibly hobbled by an ankle injury- which limited his snaps and production substantially-throughout the Lions Week 4 matchup with the Jets. Johnson should return to his typical superhuman form in a couple of weeks, but he's not worth starting as long as his ankle continues to bother him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Pierre Garcon (Redskins), DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Michael Crabtree (49ers)
Tight End
MVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
If you've watched the Giants play at any point this year, you may have asked yourself "Who the hell is Larry Donnell? The third-year undrafted tight end has become a fixture in the Giants offense overnight thanks to his steady hands and monstrous red zone presence. Donnell easily made his greatest impact of 2014 thus far in Week 4 as he found the endzone three times against the Redskins. Donnell has emerged as the breakout TE of this season and if he's somehow still available in your league, you need to pick him up immediately.
Honorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Delanie Walker (Titans), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
It was a long day for pretty much the entire Panthers offense in their matchup with the Ravens this past Sunday, but no one suffered more in their lopsided loss than Greg Olsen. The typically productive Olsen was basically shut out as he picked up a mere two catches for 30 yards on the afternoon. Even with this setback, Olsen is on pace for a career year and he remains the number two option in this offense behind Kelvin Benjamin, so keeping starting him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Zach Ertz (Eagles), Jason Witten (Cowboys)
Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
After two straight disappointing performances, the Dolphins came back with a vengeance against the Raiders. The Dolphins forced four takeaways (three INT's and a fumble), picked up two sacks and got a defensive touchdown in Sunday's international showcase in London. The Dolphins are still a little sketchy to trust due to their tendency to allow a lot of points, but they have the capability to go off at any time thanks to their strong pass rush and takeaway ability.
Honorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers
LVP: Carolina Panthers
Now is the time to hit the panic button for the Panthers defense. A week after getting crushed by the Steelers, the Panthers farted once again against allowing 38 points and not registered a single sack or takeaway in Sunday's contest against the Ravens. The pass-rush just isn't the same without Greg Hardy in the lineup and their second-ranked run defense from a year ago is suddenly near the bottom of the league. Things aren't going to get any easier for this struggling unit either as they face the Bears powerhouse offense in Week 5.
Dishonorable Mentions: Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons
MVP: Eli Manning (Giants)
Eli Manning channeled his brother Peyton this week as he dismantled the Redskins defense with a preposterous 300-yard, five TD performance (four passing, one rushing). Manning is finally starting to get a hold of offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's system and its paying dividends on the field. Manning hasn't looked this comfortable or been this productive under center since his nearly 5,000-yard season in 2011. Manning is still too inconsistent to trust as a weekly starter, but he's well worth a pickup as a QB2 right now.
Honorable Mentions: Andrew Luck (Colts), Eli Manning (Giants), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
LVP: Nick Foles (Eagles)
For the first time in a long time, Nick Foles had a terrible game. Foles couldn't get a damn thing going on Sunday against the 49ers as he was under duress for most of the game and had practically no help from his receivers getting open downfield. Because of this, Foles ended Sunday with less than 200 yards passing and zero touchdowns. In Chip Kelly's offense, Foles is still as strong of a QB start as there is out there, so don't bench him due to this performance.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Redskins), Cam Newton (Panthers), Tom Brady (Patriots)
Running Back
MVP: Jammal Charles (Chiefs)
Jammal Charles owners can officially rejoice now because he has officially woken up from his offseason hibernation. After missing the last two weeks with injuries, Charles returned to the field for his first dominant performance of the season against the Patriots in primetime on Monday night. Charles was all over the field getting a combined total of 21 touches, 108 yards and three TD's (two receiving, one rushing). After the early season injury, Charles looks to be back to his dominant RB1 form.
Honorable Mentions: DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Matt Forte (Bears), Matt Asiata (Vikings)
LVP: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Who would've thought LeSean McCoy would be the worst fantasy running back play two weeks in a row? McCoy once again stuffed as he managed just 17 yards on 10 carries against the 49ers stiff run D on Sunday afternoon. While McCoy hasn't looked as fluid in space or with his cuts than usual over the past couple of weeks, he can't absorb all of the blame for these poor performances. The Eagles line is currently riddled with injuries, so the rushing lanes just haven't been there in the last two games. McCoy has a strong chance to return to from against the weak Rams run D in Week 5.
Dishonorable Mentions: Donald Brown (Chargers), Rashad Jennings (Giants), Arian Foster (Texans)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Steve Smith (Ravens)
As most people-myself included-expected, Steve Smith had a huge game in his first meeting against his former team-the Carolina Panthers. Smith just could not be stopped as he reeled in seven receptions for 139 yards and two TD's in the Ravens blowout victory on Sunday. Smith, 35, has once again proven to be an ageless wonder this season and if he keeps up at this rate, he'll a guaranteed top 10 fantasy WR at year's end.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Randall Cobb (Packers), Jordy Nelson (Packers)
LVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Even robot overlords like Megatron can play poorly sometimes. Calvin Johnson was visibly hobbled by an ankle injury- which limited his snaps and production substantially-throughout the Lions Week 4 matchup with the Jets. Johnson should return to his typical superhuman form in a couple of weeks, but he's not worth starting as long as his ankle continues to bother him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Pierre Garcon (Redskins), DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Michael Crabtree (49ers)
Tight End
MVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
If you've watched the Giants play at any point this year, you may have asked yourself "Who the hell is Larry Donnell? The third-year undrafted tight end has become a fixture in the Giants offense overnight thanks to his steady hands and monstrous red zone presence. Donnell easily made his greatest impact of 2014 thus far in Week 4 as he found the endzone three times against the Redskins. Donnell has emerged as the breakout TE of this season and if he's somehow still available in your league, you need to pick him up immediately.
Honorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Delanie Walker (Titans), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
It was a long day for pretty much the entire Panthers offense in their matchup with the Ravens this past Sunday, but no one suffered more in their lopsided loss than Greg Olsen. The typically productive Olsen was basically shut out as he picked up a mere two catches for 30 yards on the afternoon. Even with this setback, Olsen is on pace for a career year and he remains the number two option in this offense behind Kelvin Benjamin, so keeping starting him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Zach Ertz (Eagles), Jason Witten (Cowboys)
Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
After two straight disappointing performances, the Dolphins came back with a vengeance against the Raiders. The Dolphins forced four takeaways (three INT's and a fumble), picked up two sacks and got a defensive touchdown in Sunday's international showcase in London. The Dolphins are still a little sketchy to trust due to their tendency to allow a lot of points, but they have the capability to go off at any time thanks to their strong pass rush and takeaway ability.
Honorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers
LVP: Carolina Panthers
Now is the time to hit the panic button for the Panthers defense. A week after getting crushed by the Steelers, the Panthers farted once again against allowing 38 points and not registered a single sack or takeaway in Sunday's contest against the Ravens. The pass-rush just isn't the same without Greg Hardy in the lineup and their second-ranked run defense from a year ago is suddenly near the bottom of the league. Things aren't going to get any easier for this struggling unit either as they face the Bears powerhouse offense in Week 5.
Dishonorable Mentions: Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
2014 Fantasy Football Week 3 Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
Andrew Luck's early season fantasy dominance continued in Week 3 with his decimation of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Luck played his best game of the year so far putting up 370 yards and 4 TD's through the air and adding another 15 yards on the ground to put a cherry on top of his stellar performance. As long as the Colts to struggle to run the ball, the offense will run through Luck and he'll be a weekly top-tier QB1.
Honorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Redskins), Nick Foles (Eagles), Matt Ryan (Falcons)
LVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions)
After a stellar week 1, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has failed to deliver. Stafford wasn't able to take advantage of a pretty favorable matchup against the Packers this week, as he failed to get the ball into the endzone and turned the ball over three times (2 INT's and a fumble). Stafford is easily one of the most frustrating QB1 starts in the league because of his inconsistent play and tendency to turn the ball over. Despite his struggles the past couple of weeks, Stafford is a must-start in Week 4 against the Jets weak secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Tom Brady (Patriots), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)
Running Back
MVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
All hail Beast Mode. Marshawn Lynch continues to prove the "experts" who claimed prior to the start of the season that he had lost a step and was going to lose a substantial amount of carries to Robert Turbin and Christine Michael wrong with his absolutely ridiculous play to start off the year . Lynch found the endzone twice on Sunday against the Broncos and finished the day with 128 yards from scrimmage (88 rushing, 40 receiving) Barring any bizarre off-the-field incidents and/or injury, Lynch is a lock to be a top five fantasy running back in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Rashad Jennings (Giants), Giovani Bernard (Bengals), Knile Davis (Chiefs)
LVP: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Like all LeSean McCoy fantasy owners on Sunday, I was baffled by just how bad his statline was against the Redskins on Sunday. The combination of the Redskins suddenly stout front seven and the Eagles injury-plagued offensive line led McCoy to rush for a paltry 22 yards on 20 carries on the afternoon. McCoy is too vital to the flow of Chip Kelly's uptempo offense for this performance to set off any major alarms, but it's still a huge disappointment to see a guy who was almost an undisputed top overall fantasy pick this year perform so poorly.
Dishonorable Mentions: Eddie Lacy (Packers), Bobby Rainey (Buccaneers), Matt Forte (Bears)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found out all too well last Thursday the effect a healthy Julio Jones has on a football game. Jones torched the Buccaneers all game long in route to a 161-yard, two TD performance. Jones continues to be Matt Ryan's favorite target and with the freakish numbers he puts up everytime he's on the field, I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Honorable Mentions: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Pierre Garcon (Redskins)
LVP: Brandon Marshall (Bears)
After lighting up the 49ers last Sunday night, Brandon Marshall was practically invisible in the Bears' primetime battle with the Jets on Monday night. The Jets dedicated a vast majority of their attention to shutting down Marshall, and their tactics worked as Marshall ended up with just a single catch for 6 yards on the night. Marshall re-tweaking his injured ankle on a block late in the second quarter certainly didn't help matters as he was clearly in serious pain when he returned to the field in the second half. Marshall's ankle is certainly something to watch moving forward and it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see him sit out a game in the next week or two to rest it.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals) Sammy Watkins (Bills), Randall Cobb (Packers)
Tight End
MVP: Martellus Bennett (Bears)
With the Jets taking Brandon Marshall all but completely out of the game, Martellus Bennett stepped up as the Bears primary redzone target. Bennett hauled in a pair of TD's from Jay Cutler and finished Monday night's contest with 52 receiving yards on five receptions. Bennett has emerged as one of the few consistent TE1 options in 2014 and can now be trusted as a weekly starter in a vast majority of fantasy leagues.
Honorable Mentions: Greg Olsen (Panthers) Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Dwayne Allen (Colts)
LVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)
It seems like Zach Ertz was the only receiver on the Eagles that didn't benefit from the team's pass-heavy attack in Sunday's game against the Redskins. Ertz was held to just 14 yards on two receptions while the rest of the Eagles receivers torched the Redskins secondary all game long. Ertz remains a bit of a risk because of his tendency to live and die by the deep ball, but his sky-high ceiling keeps him firmly in the TE1 conversation.
Dishonorable Mentions: Charles Clay (Dolphins), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Jordan Cameron (Browns)
Defense
MVP: Indianapolis Colts
The Jacksonville Jaguars have provided glorious afternoons for opposing defenses this season and this week was no exception. The Colts were the latest defense to pray on the Jaguars horrible offense picking up 4 sacks, 2 INT's, a fumble recovery and a touchdown in Sunday afternoon's blowout victory. Even with promising rookie quarterback Blake Bortles taking over the starting job this week, the Jaguars remain the safest bet to get manhandled by defenses week in and week out.
Honorable Mentions: Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals
LVP: Carolina Panthers
I'm still in shock of how bad the Carolina Panthers defense looked this week. This normally dominant unit was anything but as they allowed 31 points and got zero takeaways against the Steelers on Sunday night. Even the best defenses have meltdowns on occasion and I fully expect the Panthers to bounce back against the Ravens in Week 4.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals
MVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
Andrew Luck's early season fantasy dominance continued in Week 3 with his decimation of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Luck played his best game of the year so far putting up 370 yards and 4 TD's through the air and adding another 15 yards on the ground to put a cherry on top of his stellar performance. As long as the Colts to struggle to run the ball, the offense will run through Luck and he'll be a weekly top-tier QB1.
Honorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Redskins), Nick Foles (Eagles), Matt Ryan (Falcons)
LVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions)
After a stellar week 1, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has failed to deliver. Stafford wasn't able to take advantage of a pretty favorable matchup against the Packers this week, as he failed to get the ball into the endzone and turned the ball over three times (2 INT's and a fumble). Stafford is easily one of the most frustrating QB1 starts in the league because of his inconsistent play and tendency to turn the ball over. Despite his struggles the past couple of weeks, Stafford is a must-start in Week 4 against the Jets weak secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Tom Brady (Patriots), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)
Running Back
MVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
All hail Beast Mode. Marshawn Lynch continues to prove the "experts" who claimed prior to the start of the season that he had lost a step and was going to lose a substantial amount of carries to Robert Turbin and Christine Michael wrong with his absolutely ridiculous play to start off the year . Lynch found the endzone twice on Sunday against the Broncos and finished the day with 128 yards from scrimmage (88 rushing, 40 receiving) Barring any bizarre off-the-field incidents and/or injury, Lynch is a lock to be a top five fantasy running back in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Rashad Jennings (Giants), Giovani Bernard (Bengals), Knile Davis (Chiefs)
LVP: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Like all LeSean McCoy fantasy owners on Sunday, I was baffled by just how bad his statline was against the Redskins on Sunday. The combination of the Redskins suddenly stout front seven and the Eagles injury-plagued offensive line led McCoy to rush for a paltry 22 yards on 20 carries on the afternoon. McCoy is too vital to the flow of Chip Kelly's uptempo offense for this performance to set off any major alarms, but it's still a huge disappointment to see a guy who was almost an undisputed top overall fantasy pick this year perform so poorly.
Dishonorable Mentions: Eddie Lacy (Packers), Bobby Rainey (Buccaneers), Matt Forte (Bears)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found out all too well last Thursday the effect a healthy Julio Jones has on a football game. Jones torched the Buccaneers all game long in route to a 161-yard, two TD performance. Jones continues to be Matt Ryan's favorite target and with the freakish numbers he puts up everytime he's on the field, I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Honorable Mentions: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Pierre Garcon (Redskins)
LVP: Brandon Marshall (Bears)
After lighting up the 49ers last Sunday night, Brandon Marshall was practically invisible in the Bears' primetime battle with the Jets on Monday night. The Jets dedicated a vast majority of their attention to shutting down Marshall, and their tactics worked as Marshall ended up with just a single catch for 6 yards on the night. Marshall re-tweaking his injured ankle on a block late in the second quarter certainly didn't help matters as he was clearly in serious pain when he returned to the field in the second half. Marshall's ankle is certainly something to watch moving forward and it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see him sit out a game in the next week or two to rest it.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals) Sammy Watkins (Bills), Randall Cobb (Packers)
Tight End
MVP: Martellus Bennett (Bears)
With the Jets taking Brandon Marshall all but completely out of the game, Martellus Bennett stepped up as the Bears primary redzone target. Bennett hauled in a pair of TD's from Jay Cutler and finished Monday night's contest with 52 receiving yards on five receptions. Bennett has emerged as one of the few consistent TE1 options in 2014 and can now be trusted as a weekly starter in a vast majority of fantasy leagues.
Honorable Mentions: Greg Olsen (Panthers) Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Dwayne Allen (Colts)
LVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)
It seems like Zach Ertz was the only receiver on the Eagles that didn't benefit from the team's pass-heavy attack in Sunday's game against the Redskins. Ertz was held to just 14 yards on two receptions while the rest of the Eagles receivers torched the Redskins secondary all game long. Ertz remains a bit of a risk because of his tendency to live and die by the deep ball, but his sky-high ceiling keeps him firmly in the TE1 conversation.
Dishonorable Mentions: Charles Clay (Dolphins), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Jordan Cameron (Browns)
Defense
MVP: Indianapolis Colts
The Jacksonville Jaguars have provided glorious afternoons for opposing defenses this season and this week was no exception. The Colts were the latest defense to pray on the Jaguars horrible offense picking up 4 sacks, 2 INT's, a fumble recovery and a touchdown in Sunday afternoon's blowout victory. Even with promising rookie quarterback Blake Bortles taking over the starting job this week, the Jaguars remain the safest bet to get manhandled by defenses week in and week out.
Honorable Mentions: Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals
LVP: Carolina Panthers
I'm still in shock of how bad the Carolina Panthers defense looked this week. This normally dominant unit was anything but as they allowed 31 points and got zero takeaways against the Steelers on Sunday night. Even the best defenses have meltdowns on occasion and I fully expect the Panthers to bounce back against the Ravens in Week 4.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
2014 Fantasy Football Week 2 Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
After getting suffocated by the Seahawks in Week 1, Aaron Rodgers returned to his typical dominance in Week 2 against the Jets. Rodgers got off to a rocky start, but ended up taking up over in the game late in the second quarter as the Packers rallied from an early 18-point deficit to defeat the Jets on Sunday afternoon. Rodgers 346- yard, 3 TD performance was pretty much par for the course for one of the most reliably dominant fantasy players in recent history. Expect similar domination in Week 3 as Rodgers faces the weak Lions secondary.
Honorable Mentions: Jay Cutler (Bears), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Peyton Manning (Broncos)
LVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
The Patriots may have crushed the Vikings on Sunday, but Tom Brady had very to little do with it. Brady only attempted 22 passes on the day and a vast majority of them were short dump-offs to Julian Edelman, Aaron Dobson and Shane Vereen. If Brady can't deliver against the lowly Raiders this week, he will firmly be out of the QB1 equation for the rest of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Jake Locker (Titans)
Running Back
MVP: Giovani Bernard (Bengals)
Darren Sproles' dominance against the Colts on Monday night was the most impressive running back performance of the week, but since he wasn't started in a majority of fantasy leagues, Giovani Bernard was the most valuable running back from a fantasy perspective. Bernard showed his two-way capabilities all day long as he gauged the Falcons for 169 yards from scrimmage (90 rushing, 79 receiving) and a touchdown. Bernard is adapting nicely to his role as the workhorse back in Hue Jackson's run-first system and I'd be surprised if he didn't keep putting up solid numbers week in and week out.
Honorable Mentions: Darren Sproles (Eagles), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Arian Foster (Texans)
LVP: Matt Forte (Bears)
With Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery nursing injuries, it seemed like Matt Forte would be the focus of the Bears offense in Sunday night's contest with the 49ers. For whatever reason, that wasn't the case. Forte was a complete non-factor as he got stuffed every time he got the ball and finished with a mere 36 total yards (21 rushing, 15 receiving) on the night. The road doesn't get any easier for Forte as he's up against the top-ranked Jets run defense in Week 3.
Dishonorable Mentions: Toby Gerhart (Jaguars), Montee Ball (Broncos), Eddie Lacy (Packers)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Jordy Nelson (Packers)
No one benefited more from Aaron Rodgers' explosive performance on Sunday than Jordy Nelson. Nelson-the longtime favorite target of Rodgers- finished with a career-high 209 yards and a touchdown on the day. Nelson is just a straight-up beast and as long as Rodgers is in the lineup, he'll be a perennial top 10 wideout in fantasy football.
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Randall Cobb (Packers), Sammy Watkins (Bills)
LVP: Pierre Garcon (Redskins)
The Redskins went off for an offensive explosion against the Jaguars on Sunday. Oddly enough, top wideout Pierre Garcon was not invited to join in on the fun. Garcon finished with only a single catch for 12 yards on the afternoon. Even with number two wideout DeSean Jackson getting knocked out of the game in the first quarter with a shoulder injury, Garcon could just not produce. Garcon is still one of the focal points of the Redskins offense, so I'll chalk up this performance as nothing more than an off-week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Cordarelle Patterson (Vikings), Torrey Smith (Ravens), Marques Colston (Saints)
Tight End
MVP: Antonio Gates (Chargers)
Remember before the season when all the so-called experts said Antonio Gates' days in the NFL were numbered and Ladarius Green was going to severely cut into his playing time in 2014? Gates silenced any skeptics this week with a 96-yard, 3 TD performance against the revered Seahawks defense. Gates is showing no signs of slowing down and is a no-brainer weekly TE1 start moving forward.
Honorable Mention: Jimmy Graham (Saints), Delanie Walker (Titans), Julius Thomas (Broncos)
LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Rob Gronkowski is still blatantly hobbled by his torn ACL in 2013 and it's shown in his production thus far in 2014. Based on how sluggish he looked, he was fortunate to finish with 32 yards on 4 receptions in Sunday's contest with the Vikings. With his limited snap count and explosiveness at the moment, Gronkowski is borderline useless he gets in the endzone. Gronkowksi is a borderline TE1 with a relatively low ceiling until he's back at 100%.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Dennis Pitta (Ravens), Charles Clay (Dolphins)
Defense
MVP: New England Patriots
What a difference a week makes. After their Week 1 collapse against the Dolphins, the Patriots wreaked havoc on the Vikings in Week 2. The Pats D allowed a mere 7 points on the day and sweetened the pot with 6 sacks, 4 INT's, a blocked field goal and a defensive touchdown. This type of suffocating play is what people expected from the Patriots this year and with the amount of question marks they currently have on offense, this is the way the defense needs to play every week. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they duplicated this success again this Sunday in their home opener against the Raiders.
Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens
LVP: Seattle Seahawks
Even defenses that are dominant as the Seahawks have off-days. The Seahawks defense was on-the-field for an exorbitant amount of time on Sunday in 100+ degree heat against the Chargers and that level of fatigue played a major factor in the result of the game. The Seahawks allowed 30 points and finished with zero takeaways for the first time since Week 11 last year. The Seahawks will be returning to the friendly confines of CenturyLink Field this Sunday, so they should be able to return to form right away.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
After getting suffocated by the Seahawks in Week 1, Aaron Rodgers returned to his typical dominance in Week 2 against the Jets. Rodgers got off to a rocky start, but ended up taking up over in the game late in the second quarter as the Packers rallied from an early 18-point deficit to defeat the Jets on Sunday afternoon. Rodgers 346- yard, 3 TD performance was pretty much par for the course for one of the most reliably dominant fantasy players in recent history. Expect similar domination in Week 3 as Rodgers faces the weak Lions secondary.
Honorable Mentions: Jay Cutler (Bears), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Peyton Manning (Broncos)
LVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
The Patriots may have crushed the Vikings on Sunday, but Tom Brady had very to little do with it. Brady only attempted 22 passes on the day and a vast majority of them were short dump-offs to Julian Edelman, Aaron Dobson and Shane Vereen. If Brady can't deliver against the lowly Raiders this week, he will firmly be out of the QB1 equation for the rest of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Jake Locker (Titans)
Running Back
MVP: Giovani Bernard (Bengals)
Darren Sproles' dominance against the Colts on Monday night was the most impressive running back performance of the week, but since he wasn't started in a majority of fantasy leagues, Giovani Bernard was the most valuable running back from a fantasy perspective. Bernard showed his two-way capabilities all day long as he gauged the Falcons for 169 yards from scrimmage (90 rushing, 79 receiving) and a touchdown. Bernard is adapting nicely to his role as the workhorse back in Hue Jackson's run-first system and I'd be surprised if he didn't keep putting up solid numbers week in and week out.
Honorable Mentions: Darren Sproles (Eagles), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Arian Foster (Texans)
LVP: Matt Forte (Bears)
With Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery nursing injuries, it seemed like Matt Forte would be the focus of the Bears offense in Sunday night's contest with the 49ers. For whatever reason, that wasn't the case. Forte was a complete non-factor as he got stuffed every time he got the ball and finished with a mere 36 total yards (21 rushing, 15 receiving) on the night. The road doesn't get any easier for Forte as he's up against the top-ranked Jets run defense in Week 3.
Dishonorable Mentions: Toby Gerhart (Jaguars), Montee Ball (Broncos), Eddie Lacy (Packers)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Jordy Nelson (Packers)
No one benefited more from Aaron Rodgers' explosive performance on Sunday than Jordy Nelson. Nelson-the longtime favorite target of Rodgers- finished with a career-high 209 yards and a touchdown on the day. Nelson is just a straight-up beast and as long as Rodgers is in the lineup, he'll be a perennial top 10 wideout in fantasy football.
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Randall Cobb (Packers), Sammy Watkins (Bills)
LVP: Pierre Garcon (Redskins)
The Redskins went off for an offensive explosion against the Jaguars on Sunday. Oddly enough, top wideout Pierre Garcon was not invited to join in on the fun. Garcon finished with only a single catch for 12 yards on the afternoon. Even with number two wideout DeSean Jackson getting knocked out of the game in the first quarter with a shoulder injury, Garcon could just not produce. Garcon is still one of the focal points of the Redskins offense, so I'll chalk up this performance as nothing more than an off-week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Cordarelle Patterson (Vikings), Torrey Smith (Ravens), Marques Colston (Saints)
Tight End
MVP: Antonio Gates (Chargers)
Remember before the season when all the so-called experts said Antonio Gates' days in the NFL were numbered and Ladarius Green was going to severely cut into his playing time in 2014? Gates silenced any skeptics this week with a 96-yard, 3 TD performance against the revered Seahawks defense. Gates is showing no signs of slowing down and is a no-brainer weekly TE1 start moving forward.
Honorable Mention: Jimmy Graham (Saints), Delanie Walker (Titans), Julius Thomas (Broncos)
LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Rob Gronkowski is still blatantly hobbled by his torn ACL in 2013 and it's shown in his production thus far in 2014. Based on how sluggish he looked, he was fortunate to finish with 32 yards on 4 receptions in Sunday's contest with the Vikings. With his limited snap count and explosiveness at the moment, Gronkowski is borderline useless he gets in the endzone. Gronkowksi is a borderline TE1 with a relatively low ceiling until he's back at 100%.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Dennis Pitta (Ravens), Charles Clay (Dolphins)
Defense
MVP: New England Patriots
What a difference a week makes. After their Week 1 collapse against the Dolphins, the Patriots wreaked havoc on the Vikings in Week 2. The Pats D allowed a mere 7 points on the day and sweetened the pot with 6 sacks, 4 INT's, a blocked field goal and a defensive touchdown. This type of suffocating play is what people expected from the Patriots this year and with the amount of question marks they currently have on offense, this is the way the defense needs to play every week. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they duplicated this success again this Sunday in their home opener against the Raiders.
Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens
LVP: Seattle Seahawks
Even defenses that are dominant as the Seahawks have off-days. The Seahawks defense was on-the-field for an exorbitant amount of time on Sunday in 100+ degree heat against the Chargers and that level of fatigue played a major factor in the result of the game. The Seahawks allowed 30 points and finished with zero takeaways for the first time since Week 11 last year. The Seahawks will be returning to the friendly confines of CenturyLink Field this Sunday, so they should be able to return to form right away.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
2014 Week 1 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Matt Ryan (Falcons)
In my humble opinion, Matt Ryan is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL and his performance on Sunday reminded people just how great he is. Ryan threw for a career-high 448 yards and 3 TD's on Sunday against a Saints secondary that finished in the top 5 in the league in 2013. Having a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White does wonders for Ryan's play and if they stay healthy, he is going to continue dominate opposing defenses. Ryan's average draft position of the 6th-7th round could prove to be a huge steal if he stays this sharp all season long.
Honorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Andrew Luck (Colts), Peyton Manning (Broncos)
LVP: Tony Romo (Cowboys)
Tony Romo reverted back to his old turnover-ridden self on Sunday against the 49ers after a great season in 2013. Romo threw 3 INT's-which is already just shy of a third of the INT's he threw in 2013- and looked completely out of sync with his receivers for most of the game. This performance may been ugly, but this is by no means a kiss of death for Romo's 2014 season. Romo puts up some horrid performances every year that make him look like a far worse quarterback than he actually is, and this game against the 49ers was just that. Romo tends to bounce back nicely from terrible performances, so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he came out and played great against the Titans this Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Tom Brady (Patriots), Drew Brees (Saints)
Running Back
MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
A majority of the alleged stud second-year running backs underwhelmed in Week 1, which makes Le'Veon Bell's performance that much more impressive. Bell absolutely annihilated a pretty solid Browns defense for 197 total yards (109 rushing, 88 receiving) and a touchdown. Bell opened a lot of eyes with this performance and showed improvement in every aspect of the game from his solid 2013 rookie campaign. Time will tell if this production will hold up for the entire year, but Bell looked like a serious contender to become the next big-impact running back in the NFL on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Knowshon Moreno (Dolphins), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys)
LVP: Jammal Charles (Chiefs)
Of all the underwhelming performances in Week 1, none surprised me more than Jammal Charles. The Chiefs offense typically runs through Charles, but for whatever reason he only touched the ball 11 times (7 carries, 4 receptions) for a whopping 34 total yards in their lopsided loss against the Titans on Sunday. I fully believe Charles' poor performance against the Titans is a fluke. Charles lays more eggs than any other star running back in the league and when he disappoints, it seems to always be against teams that are very favorable matchups on paper. Unless something drastic happens, this performance should be considered to be just a bump in the road for Charles. He should be back to his usual high volume of touches and top-tier RB1 form in no time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Zac Stacy (Rams)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Calvin Johnson never ceases to amaze me. Megatron came out on Monday Night and was his typically superhuman self shredding the Giants secondary for 164 yards and a pair of TD's. Johnson is already in midseason form and his fantasy owners should continue to reap the benefits from his inhuman play.
Honorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings), Steve Smith (Ravens)
LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
What the hell happened to Demaryius Thomas? Thomas dropped numerous passes and got flat-out outplayed by just about every other receiver on the Broncos roster in their victory over the Colts on Sunday night. Thomas' 48-yard non-factor performance is especially shocking considering the fact that Wes Welker-the Broncos other top target in the passing game- was out of the lineup. Thomas had the perfect opportunity to have a huge game with less facets to the Broncos offense available than usual, it just didn't come to fruition. Thomas should be fine in the long run thanks to his chemistry with Peyton Manning, it was just shocking to see him play so poorly after being so consistently dominant over the past two seasons.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Victor Cruz (Giants)
Tight End
MVP: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
While Demaryius Thomas failed to produce for the Broncos on Sunday, Julius Thomas absolutely flourished. The other Thomas brother (Before anyone bitches at me, I know that they're not actually related) picked up where he left off last year with 104 yards and 3 TD's on the night. Any skepticism as to whether or not he could repeat the success of his 2013 season was erased with this performance. Thomas was easily the centerpiece of this offense on Sunday and with his ability to haul in all but one of his targets for the whole game, I expect that trend to continue for the entire season. With his consistently improving rapport with Peyton Manning and nose for the endzone, Thomas has the potential to be the top fantasy tight end in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Vernon Davis (49ers), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Zach Ertz (Eagles)
LVP: Jason Witten (Cowboys)
No one suffered from Tony Romo's poor performance on Sunday more than Jason Witten. The grizzled veteran tight end was held to 14 yards on 2 receptions in Sunday's ugly loss to the 49ers. Witten remains Romo's favorite target behind Dez Bryant and if Romo can get back on track ASAP, I expect Witten to reclaim his role as one of the most reliable tight ends in fantasy football.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Cameron (Browns), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Ladarius Green (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Houston Texans
The Texans defense came back with a vengeance this week. The unit returned to their dominant form of 2012 with 3 sacks, 2 fumbles recoveries, 2 blocked punts and a defensive touchdown in their 17-6 beatdown of the Redskins on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how this defense fares without rookie phenom Jadeveon Clowney out for at least the next month, but for now the Texans defense looks damn good and is definitely worth a start every week.
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills
LVP: St. Louis Rams
Wow, I didn't see this coming. The very talented Rams defense were almost complete non-factors on Sunday in a blowout loss against the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. They don't deserve all of the blame as the offense played horrible, which forced them to be on the field a lot and get fatigued really fast. That being said, their lack of pass rush (just a single sack for the game) and no takeaways on the game was extremely disappointing for a unit that's as loaded with talent as the Rams are. With all the uncertainty on offense, it will be interesting to see how the Rams defense hold up in 2014. There's too much talent on this defense to drop them right now, but I wouldn't be shocked if they end up underwhelming for most of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals
MVP: Matt Ryan (Falcons)
In my humble opinion, Matt Ryan is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL and his performance on Sunday reminded people just how great he is. Ryan threw for a career-high 448 yards and 3 TD's on Sunday against a Saints secondary that finished in the top 5 in the league in 2013. Having a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White does wonders for Ryan's play and if they stay healthy, he is going to continue dominate opposing defenses. Ryan's average draft position of the 6th-7th round could prove to be a huge steal if he stays this sharp all season long.
Honorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Andrew Luck (Colts), Peyton Manning (Broncos)
LVP: Tony Romo (Cowboys)
Tony Romo reverted back to his old turnover-ridden self on Sunday against the 49ers after a great season in 2013. Romo threw 3 INT's-which is already just shy of a third of the INT's he threw in 2013- and looked completely out of sync with his receivers for most of the game. This performance may been ugly, but this is by no means a kiss of death for Romo's 2014 season. Romo puts up some horrid performances every year that make him look like a far worse quarterback than he actually is, and this game against the 49ers was just that. Romo tends to bounce back nicely from terrible performances, so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he came out and played great against the Titans this Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Tom Brady (Patriots), Drew Brees (Saints)
Running Back
MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
A majority of the alleged stud second-year running backs underwhelmed in Week 1, which makes Le'Veon Bell's performance that much more impressive. Bell absolutely annihilated a pretty solid Browns defense for 197 total yards (109 rushing, 88 receiving) and a touchdown. Bell opened a lot of eyes with this performance and showed improvement in every aspect of the game from his solid 2013 rookie campaign. Time will tell if this production will hold up for the entire year, but Bell looked like a serious contender to become the next big-impact running back in the NFL on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Knowshon Moreno (Dolphins), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys)
LVP: Jammal Charles (Chiefs)
Of all the underwhelming performances in Week 1, none surprised me more than Jammal Charles. The Chiefs offense typically runs through Charles, but for whatever reason he only touched the ball 11 times (7 carries, 4 receptions) for a whopping 34 total yards in their lopsided loss against the Titans on Sunday. I fully believe Charles' poor performance against the Titans is a fluke. Charles lays more eggs than any other star running back in the league and when he disappoints, it seems to always be against teams that are very favorable matchups on paper. Unless something drastic happens, this performance should be considered to be just a bump in the road for Charles. He should be back to his usual high volume of touches and top-tier RB1 form in no time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Zac Stacy (Rams)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Calvin Johnson never ceases to amaze me. Megatron came out on Monday Night and was his typically superhuman self shredding the Giants secondary for 164 yards and a pair of TD's. Johnson is already in midseason form and his fantasy owners should continue to reap the benefits from his inhuman play.
Honorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings), Steve Smith (Ravens)
LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
What the hell happened to Demaryius Thomas? Thomas dropped numerous passes and got flat-out outplayed by just about every other receiver on the Broncos roster in their victory over the Colts on Sunday night. Thomas' 48-yard non-factor performance is especially shocking considering the fact that Wes Welker-the Broncos other top target in the passing game- was out of the lineup. Thomas had the perfect opportunity to have a huge game with less facets to the Broncos offense available than usual, it just didn't come to fruition. Thomas should be fine in the long run thanks to his chemistry with Peyton Manning, it was just shocking to see him play so poorly after being so consistently dominant over the past two seasons.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Victor Cruz (Giants)
Tight End
MVP: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
While Demaryius Thomas failed to produce for the Broncos on Sunday, Julius Thomas absolutely flourished. The other Thomas brother (Before anyone bitches at me, I know that they're not actually related) picked up where he left off last year with 104 yards and 3 TD's on the night. Any skepticism as to whether or not he could repeat the success of his 2013 season was erased with this performance. Thomas was easily the centerpiece of this offense on Sunday and with his ability to haul in all but one of his targets for the whole game, I expect that trend to continue for the entire season. With his consistently improving rapport with Peyton Manning and nose for the endzone, Thomas has the potential to be the top fantasy tight end in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Vernon Davis (49ers), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Zach Ertz (Eagles)
LVP: Jason Witten (Cowboys)
No one suffered from Tony Romo's poor performance on Sunday more than Jason Witten. The grizzled veteran tight end was held to 14 yards on 2 receptions in Sunday's ugly loss to the 49ers. Witten remains Romo's favorite target behind Dez Bryant and if Romo can get back on track ASAP, I expect Witten to reclaim his role as one of the most reliable tight ends in fantasy football.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Cameron (Browns), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Ladarius Green (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Houston Texans
The Texans defense came back with a vengeance this week. The unit returned to their dominant form of 2012 with 3 sacks, 2 fumbles recoveries, 2 blocked punts and a defensive touchdown in their 17-6 beatdown of the Redskins on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how this defense fares without rookie phenom Jadeveon Clowney out for at least the next month, but for now the Texans defense looks damn good and is definitely worth a start every week.
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills
LVP: St. Louis Rams
Wow, I didn't see this coming. The very talented Rams defense were almost complete non-factors on Sunday in a blowout loss against the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. They don't deserve all of the blame as the offense played horrible, which forced them to be on the field a lot and get fatigued really fast. That being said, their lack of pass rush (just a single sack for the game) and no takeaways on the game was extremely disappointing for a unit that's as loaded with talent as the Rams are. With all the uncertainty on offense, it will be interesting to see how the Rams defense hold up in 2014. There's too much talent on this defense to drop them right now, but I wouldn't be shocked if they end up underwhelming for most of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals
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