2012 Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Advice & Analysis
 RB Start - Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers Mathews has missed the last seven quarters of football after suffering a high ankle sprain. Reports are that he's practiced fully this week and has an excellent chance to get the starting nod in week four. He should be thrust back into a heavy workload against a porous (to say the least) Arizona rush defense, ranking 31st in the NFL. San Diego will be anxious to establish the ground game after tossing the ball 53 times for 455 yards last week in a come back effort at Seattle. If healthy and effective, Mathews will garner the majority of carries, despite the solid play of Mike Tolbert in his stead. However, he must hold onto the rock! A fumble a game is not something to be proud of. Backs are always PPR threats for the screen happy Chargers. RB Sit - Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns It's official. The Hillis secret is out. After his demolition of the vaunted Ravens defense, Hillis is one of the hottest commodities in fantasy circles. There's a lot to like: power, nose for the goal line and great hands, but let's not crown him the next Mike Alstott just yet. At 250 pounds, Hillis has always displayed tremendous versatility at the fullback spot, but has never been a full time ball carrier. Over time, his weaknesses WILL be exposed i.e. lack of speed (4.7), quickness and change of direction. The Bengals will surely eliminate the Browns bread and butter, forcing Seneca Wallace or Jake Delhomme to beat them through the air. While the Bengals front seven is banged up, the game plan should be sufficient to limit Hillis' productivity. QB Start - Vince Young, Tennessee Titans Young has been the least active quarterback in the NFL through three weeks, averaging a touch over 14 pass attempts per game. With Chris Johnson being stuffed, the tide began to turn in the second half last week against the Giants. Young aired it out 12 times in the second stanza alone, including a 4/4 48-yard touchdown drive. Against a shored up Denver run defense, the Titans might be forced to open things up once again. Despite being a week healthier, this is the same Broncos secondary that allowed David Garrard to look like an NFL QB (16/21 and three TD). Young has yet to break a big run in 2010, but is due to explode. There will always be risk starting an inconsistent thrower in a running scheme, but the potential for reward is significant in this spot. QB Sit - Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins After ten seasons, Donovan McNabb will hit Lincoln Financial Field as a visitor for the first time. Despite the total absence of a number two receiving threat, he's racked up 278 passing yards per game in the early going. But true efficiency presents itself in the red zone, where McNabb has yet to connect on a TD pass (two overall). Quite frankly, the Redskins don't possess the running game or downfield presence to act as a pressure release against the Philadelphia blitz. It's a good bet McNabb will be running for his life with regularity against a defense that has already sacked the QB 12 times. The Eagles are also holding opposing signal callers to 53.8% accuracy. From both the perspective of physical and verbal treachery, this could get ugly. WR Start - Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears Averaging 21.1 yards per reception, Knox continues to emerge as one of the leagues legitimate deep threats. With the Bears suddenly boasting weapons all over the field, Knox has more space to utilize his primary weapon, speed. And he has the perfect quarterback in place to take advantage of those downfield shots. He's not seeing an overabundance of targets, but when he does he makes them count. The Giants number four ranking against the pass is bordering on false advertising, having faced Matt Moore, Vince Young and a run happy Colts team in the opening three weeks. If they don't get pressure on Cutler, Knox could have a field day matched up one on one against a struggling Corey Webster. Weather conditions for Sunday night look ideal for the passing game with minimal wind impact. WR Sit - Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars I hate to be overly harsh on David Garrard, but as long as he's the starting quarterback, it's tough to use any Jacksonville wide receiver. He's been that putrid. In two games and three quarters with Garrard behind center, Sims-Walker has caught eight balls for 104 yards and one score (in garbage time). These underwhelming numbers include an empty stat line in week one. The Jaguars have always found success running the football against Indianapolis, but throwing the ball is a different story. In four career games against the Colts, Sims-Walker has eight receptions for 90 yards. This sit recommendation is not a knock on MSW, but his best chance to accumulate stats is in a blowout against the prevent defense. TE Start - Daniel Fells, St. Louis Rams With Billy Bajema and Michael Hoomanawanui out with injuries, Fells is the man at tight end for the Rams. He saw four targets last week, catching three balls for 22 yards and a touchdown. Often given poor protection by his offensive line, TE's and RB's have been popular outlets for rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. The Seahawks were blitz happy in passing situations last week, but when they didn't get there receivers were running open all over the field. Fells should find some plus matchups to do some damage in the red zone. TE Sit - Owen Daniels, Houston Texans Daniels has essentially been a non-factor since returning from November ACL surgery. Normally one of the league's most agile tight end's, Daniels lacks any real burst at the moment. If Andre Johnson sits, look for a heavy dose of Arian Foster and the run game. Daniels will likely see more targets, but he is not ready to make game changing contributions. Sit him until he proves otherwise. The Raiders have not faced a top tier TE this season, allowing only a one-yard touchdown to Bo Scaife. *UPDATE - according to Rotoworld.com Owen Daniels was held out of Thursday's practice with a hamstring injury. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em . Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Sit Em Start Em, Week 4, Week Four, Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers, Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns, Vince Young, Tennessee Titans, Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins, Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears, Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars, Daniel Fells, St. Louis Rams, Owen Daniels, Houston Texans Add Comment  Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens Mr. Rice’s knee has a significant contusion. And thus the curse of the running backs continue. Rice’s status for Sunday’s game against the Steel Curtain is still up in the air. The Rutgers running back’s tenuous status coupled with the Steelers suffocating run defense equals doom…or so it seems. Wise owners will pick up touchdown maven from days of yore Willis McGahee. See below for more recommendations. Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis Rams Yes, it continues. Another first round running back lingering on the fringe of the training room’s skid row. Jackson is famous for two things: causing owners to continually fear for their fantasy life because of injuries; and playing through his injuries like a beast. Last week Michael Turner proved that groin injuries aren’t always debilitating. Rams doctors say Jackson’s injury is only a slight tear and not a major one. However, like Rice, Jackson didn’t practice today. Jackson’s backup Kenneth Darby entered the game and scored a touchdown, but his per carry average wasn’t anything special. Pick up Darby if you can, but also be on the lookout for C.J. Spiller (whom many owners dropped up until this week), Justin Forsett, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys say Witten’s injury is an MCL sprain and that his x-rays came back negative. True, the Cowboys have a by next week. Also true: Witten’s production has been downright abject. Peruse the waiver wire for the Jets’ Dustin Keller, the Lions’ Brandon Pettigrew, or the Bears’ Greg Olsen. Steve Breaston, WR, Arizona Cardinals Maybe the fantasy gods are striking back at Breaston for scoring nearly as many points this season as honey-handed teammate Larry Fitzgerald. Maybe not. Either way, Breaston will be out until week 7 (according to Espn.com). This leaves owners searching for a flex WR to fill the hole that Breaston left. If you are looking for 6-8 points a week, consider St. Louis wideout Danny Amendola. Amendola hasn’t scored a touchdown yet this season, but he is becoming Sam Bradford’s favorite third-down receiver. Amendola has 16 catches, which increases his value in PPR leagues. Many fantasy owners kicked Demaryius Thomas to the curb last week after a poor performance and an apparent injury. Broncos coach Josh McDaniels says the injury isn’t serious and Thomas is slated to play Sunday at Indianapolis. Keep in mind that only Philip Rivers has thrown for more yards this season (1087) than Thomas’ quarterback, Kyle Orton (1078 yards). A healthy Thomas will get enough looks to make him an interesting option at your flex position. Written by James Duren, exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Who are you picking up? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football Advice, Injuries, Week Two, Week Three, Waiver Wire, NFL, Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens, Willis McGahee, Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams, Kenneth Darby, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Justin Forsett, Jason Witten, Dustin Keller, Brandon Pettigrew, Greg Olsen, New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Steve Breaston, Arizona Cardinals, Danny Amendola, Sam Bradford, Demaryius Thomas, Philip Rivers, Kyle Orton  LeGarrette Blount, RB – TB (Owned in 2% of leagues)
We all knew the wheels were going to come off the Cadillac (Williams) at some point this season, but we all figured the wrong back to be the prime beneficiary. With undersized Kareem Huggins unable to even get on the field, Blount made the most of his opportunity against a tough Steelers defense. Totaling 27 yards on six touches (4.5 yards per carry) is mighty impressive against a defense giving up only 2.6 per carry, including a Week Two beatdown of all-world RB, Chris Johnson. Coach Raheem Morris has indicated that the Bucs will use the bye week to get Blount more involved in the offense. With an improved Josh Freeman under center, Blount should find some room to run if he gets the touches Morris is saying. He's an immediate add despite his team entering the bye week. Mark Sanchez, QB – NYJ (Owned in 43% of leagues) At worst, Sanchez will have some room to throw as opposing teams stay preoccupied with the run game. At best, the Sanchize may have figured things out in the NFL. His next seven games are against relatively soft defenses and include a three week stretch of Detroit, Cleveland, and Houston that should have owners licking their chops. Week Five brings Santonio Holmes back from suspension, which can only improve the deep play-action game. The Jets visit Buffalo this weekend, so rewards should be immediate whether you're looking for a new starter or just a bye week replacement. Peyton Hillis, RB – CLE (Owned in 50% of leagues) I'm going to keep this short; after all, Hillis was included in our waiver pickups after Week One. Yet, somehow, this primary back in a run-heavy offense is still owned in only half of leagues. That needs to change immediately. The Browns schedule isn’t the easiest against the run, but he’ll get the bulk of the carries and all the goal line work. Dexter McCluster, RB/WR – KC (Owned in 37% of leagues) McCluster’s speed against the San Francisco secondary was a mismatch made in heaven – or hell, if you’re wearing Red and Gold. Fortunately for Kansas City, the good times should continue to roll. After this week’s bye, the Chiefs play four consecutive games against teams in the bottom ten in yards (@ Indy, @ Houston, vs. Jacksonville, vs. Buffalo), none of whom boast even a capable pass defense. McCluster should continue to have the opportunity to make plays in the passing game, while continuing to contribute on special teams. Aaron Hernandez, TE – NE (Owned in 34% of leagues) TE is deep, but if you need a bye week replacement look no further. This week will see Visanthe Shiancoe, Kellen Winslow and Jason Witten out of action. Meanwhile, the Patriots go down to Miami where the Dolphins just gave up two scores and nearly 100 yards to Jets TE, Dustin Keller. *Disclaimer* Lance Moore, WR – NO (Owned in 15% of leagues) He'll no doubt be a hot waiver add this week after his incredible performance, but tread lightly. The Saints offense is predicated on a varied attack and Drew Brees won't lock on to any one WR. Moore may have some big games left in him this year, but guessing on which weeks they'll come will drive owners crazy. *All percentages taken from Yahoo! Got any other Waiver Wire Gems? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on Twitter@TheFantasyFix Written by Chris Sheehan exclusively for the www.thefantasyfix.com. Chris is an avid football fan and has been playing fantasy football for over ten years. Check back for more great articles from him weekly. Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football Blog, Fantasy Sports Blog, Waiver Wire Pickups, Week 4, LeGarrette Blount, Cadillac Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns, Dexter McCluster, Kansas City Chiefs, Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots, Lance Moore, New Orleans Saints  Brandon Jackson An old school NFC North Battle of undefeated teams. Green Bay is loaded with talented fantasy players Aaron Rodgers, Jermichael Finley, Donald Driver, Brandon Jackson; if you have them, you are starting them. We also get a second look at Brandon Jackson, if you started him last week he didn't kill you, but let's hope he continues to grow with the offense. Green Bay is a juggernaut, it's hard to imagine any team slowing them down. Chicago is a bit of a surprise thus far, Jay Cutler has taken to the Mike Martz offense and Matt Forte has done a nice job of impersonating Marshall Faulk. At this point the No. 1 receiver is unclear. Coming into the season everyone was expecting Devin Aromashadu to make the "leap." Well, he made the "leap" to the bench and didn't record a single catch in week two. Johnny Knox has been consistently involved over the first couple weeks and we even saw good old Devin Hester make a nice one handed grab for a touchdown last week. Still, if there is a go to guy in Chicago, it's Matt Forte, who has seen heavy involvement in the passing game over the first couple of weeks.  Matt Forte Both teams have solid defenses, so the most likely scenario is that neither team goes crazy and we have a score in the 20's with solid fantasy stats on all sides. That being said, Green Bay is so good a complete annihilation is always a possibility. I mean, Jay Cutler has to revert back to the norm (4 interceptions in a half and sulking) at some point, right? Green Bay is for real, after tonight we'll know if Chicago is a legitimate contender (with dependable fantasy options) or if they are just a nice two week flash in the pan. Written exclusively by Chris Summers for www.thefantasyfix.com. Chris is an attorney, who lives and breathes sports in sunny California. Look for more of his great insight weekly. Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Monday Night Football, Fantasy Football, Preview, Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers, Brandon Jackson, Donald Driver, Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant, Chicago Bears, Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Mike Martz, Devin Hester, Brian Urlacher, Johnny Knox, NFL, NFC North, Chris Summers, Fantasy Football Advice  Bull: Fred Taylor – RB, New England Patriots For those of you keeping track, the Pats started the season with a five headed running back committee. Now, because of trade and injury, it’s down to three. Considering that Sammy Morris is, for all intents and purposes, the full back (only having one carry in two weeks) it then leaves us with Fred Taylor and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Neither one of them is what you call a number one fantasy back. Heck, as long as they are both splitting touches on a team that would much rather throw than run; you’re better off having them as your flex than as your number two. Taylor got less touches than Green-Ellis did last week, but it was against a very good run defense and it was Taylor who actually broke off the longest run of the day, before it was negated on an illegal shift. In fact, with half the carries, he produced eight yards less on the ground. I would look for Taylor to get the majority of the yards the rest of the way (barring the annual Fred Taylor Hamstring or groin injury), and Green-Ellis probably picking up the scraps. Projection: Consider Taylor a safe play at RB2 for this week against the Bills at home, 16 carries for 82 yards and a TD. Bear: Brandon Jacobs – RB, New York Giants I touched on this in week one with my Ahmad Bradshaw Bull, but man oh man, am I looking good now. Granted, Bradshaw hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire, but Brandon Jacobs is in the dreaded Coughlin Doghouse. Take a closer look at the numbers though, and you realize that Jacobs hasn’t been good in over a year. His last 100 yard game came in Week 10 of 2008 against the Eagles. He hasn’t rushed for two TDs in a game since 2008 either. Equally important is that he’s a very big man, who doesn’t run with the power he did a few years ago. He’s taken a lot of hits, but now more and more on the goal line he tries to tiptoe around the end, rather than ram it home for fantasy owners. Just as disturbing for Giants fans are the reports of how unhappy Jacobs is; and regardless of his clear the air meeting with Coach and GM, its not exactly ideal to have your backup RB complaining that he’s not the starter. Projection: Jacobs had a meeting with Giants Brass this week to find out why he lost his starting job. Fantasy owners from last year can probably tell him why he was benched. It’s called diminishing returns. Going against Tennessee look for 13 carries for 42 yards and a charity TD. Written by Rick Marsh exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. “Lets go eat a god damn snack” – Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan. Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football Advice, Marketwatch, Stock, Fred Taylor, Brandon Jacobs, New England Patriots, New York Giants  QB Start Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins In the opening two weeks Henne hasn't been counted on to produce much yardage through the air (148 yards per). That will change on Sunday. As everyone is now aware, "Revis Island" will be closed for the week, meaning all sections of the gridiron will be open to attack. This is the optimal spot to open up the offense and get Brandon Marshall rolling. The Jets defense has completely eliminated the run game thus far, and Marshall abused Cromartie for 18 receptions (and forced four penalties) in a 2008 matchup. Henne had great success against the Jets (with Revis) last year in Miami, completing 20 of 26 passes for 241 yards, two TD and zero interceptions. QB Sit Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears Sitting a quarterback performing at an extremely high level is not an easy decision. Cutler has been lights out through two weeks, boasting a 121.2 QB rating, 649 passing yards and five touchdowns. Only Peyton Manning has more fantasy points at the position. Nevertheless, it's critical to look at the big picture. Cutler and consistency have never gone hand in hand, and neither have Cutler and success versus Green Bay. He threw six picks in two meetings against the Packers last season, mostly as a result of hounding pressure. He should see much of the same this week against a front that's already amassed ten sacks. He's capable of fitting in breathtaking throws and slinging the ball over the field, but start Cutler at your own risk Monday night.  RB Start Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders Has McFadden finally flipped the switch in year three? I'm not overly comfortable backing a player at his highest value, but it seems like the prudent play here. "Run DMC" plowed for 30 carries last week, earning the hard yards and getting stronger as his workload increased. His PPR potential, and subsequent yardage off those receptions, make him an even more intriguing option. The Arizona defense should step up its level this week in the home opener, but they've been shredded on the ground early on. The Cards rank 31st against the run and made Jason Snelling look like a Pro Bowler last week. The Raiders likely won't be able to grind it out like they did in week two, but McFadden should be a safe bet for a handful of explosive runs. Note: Michael Bush is practicing fully and could be activated. RB Sit Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts The Colts ran roughshod all over the Giants Sunday night, finishing with 160 yards on 43 rushes. It was the team's most run-heavy game since Manning became the quarterback. Don't look for a repeat, or anything closely resembling it, in week three. This week's matchup against the Broncos presents an entirely different set of circumstances. The status of both Denver's starting cornerbacks, Champ Bailey and Andre' Goodman is very much in doubt. Indianapolis will use a heavy dose of the downfield passing attack to exploit the fortunate hand they've been dealt. While Addai looked sharp last week, he still has yet to crack the 100- yard plateau since week 11 of 2008. With Donald Brown once again entering the fray, save him for a more generous spot.  WR Start Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers To the dismay of many excited fantasy owners, Crabtree has been nearly invisible in the early stages of 2010. He saw eight targets in week one, catching two balls for 12 yards. He saw three targets in week two, catching one ball for 32 yards. Why the optimism? Firstly, the Saints secondary will limit many a receiver this season. Second, despite his struggles, Crabtree proved in '09 that he is legitimate threat to make a big play, on or after the catch. Through two games, this has been the glaring weakness of the Kansas City secondary. They've allowed eight plays over 20 yards: 65, 59, 44, 34, 23 (screen), 22, 22 and 20. With Vernon Davis attracting ever-increasing attention in the middle of the field, this seems like a prime breakout opportunity for the talented Crabtree. Start at WR3 or Flex, minimum. WR Sit Mark Clayton, St. Louis Rams At age 28, the talented wideout is finally making an impact. For whatever reason, the Ravens were unable to utilize Clayton's skill set since drafting him in 2005. The Rams put him to work right away, targeting him 16 times in his ten-reception debut. He saw only five targets in week two against Nnamdi Asomugha, but both his receptions were for scores. With the dearth of options around him, Clayton will begin to find it harder and harder to make an impact. Danny Amendola and the Rams tight end brigade don't scare anybody. The Redskins, ranked 31st in the league against the pass, are coming off a historically poor performance against the Texans, allowing Matt Schaub to throw for 497 yards in an overtime defeat. Obviously that effort was more aberration than reality. The 'Skins gets free safety Kareem Moore back from injury and Reed Doughty will hit the pine. Open space will be hard to come by for Clayton.  TE Start Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals The rookie tight end has immediately been thrust into a prominent role. Gresham is seeing the overwhelming majority of snaps and has been a popular target for Carson Palmer. Most of his receptions have been of the short, dump off variety, but that could change against Carolina. The Panthers could not contain Kellen Winslow (no doubt a much speedier TE) who cut them up for big plays. The 260 pounder wouldn't exactly be characterized as a deep threat, but he could become more involved in the vertical passing game. At the very least, Gresham is an imposing red zone target. TE Sit Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers Miller has had difficulty finding his niche without Ben Roethlisberger calling the plays. He caught only two passes for three yards last week against Tennessee, as not surprisingly the focus of the Steelers offense has been pounding the rock. Without the luxury of "Big Ben's" innate scrambling ability, he's also been forced into more pass blocking assignments. An usual reliable red zone target, the Steeler offense has been a field goal kicking machine, scoring only one offensive touchdown and failing to utilize his greatest attribute. Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam's NFL Sit 'Em, Start 'Em . Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, NFL, Sit 'Em Start 'Em, Week Three, Chad Henne, Jay Cutler, Darren McFadden, Joseph Addai, Michael Crabtree, Mark Clayton, Jermaine Gresham, Heath Miller, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers Hurting For Heroes: Week Two Fantasy Football Injuries & Their Replacements For Week Three 09/21/2010
Bush’s injury is a significant one and owners are scrambling for a replacement that can match the triple threat charm Mr. Un-Heisman offers. But hey, at least you know you need a replacement at the beginning of the week instead of constantly watching Michael Turner or Ryan Mathews injury status. In that sense, losing a player for a definite amount of time is easier on your blood pressure. Keeping a player with a nagging injury will induce a tenuous angst that lasts the entire season. This week’s Hurting for Heroes lists feature three running backs and a quarterback:  Reggie Bush Reggie Bush | RB | New Orleans Saints If Bush was your no. 1 running back, then you were in trouble in to begin with. Assuming that most of you had Bush as a #2 or a flex is a safe bet. If you want a versatile back to take his place, take Darren Sproles if he’s available. The Lightning Bug can score on the ground, through the air, or on kick returns. Plus, he put in an honest four years at Kansas State. If Sproles is gone (he was drafted in many leagues) you could reach for Buffalo Bills jack-of-all-trades Fred Jackson. Jackson had a terrible week against a good defense, but he could bounce back for 80 all-purpose yards. Another option for Bush owners is Willis McGahee. McGahee’s goal line prowess makes him a threat to score a touchdown every week. Throw in thirty or forty yards and McGahee’s numbers are very comparable to an average Reggie Bush week. Also keep an eye out for Marshawn Lynch. The former Cal standout ran the ball 17 times against the Packers on Sunday. He’ll split carries with Fred Jackson, but his uptick in carries make him a possible flex play. Michael Turner | RB | Atlanta Falcons Turner, despite predictions that he would bounce back from an off year, is already ailing. Falcons Coach Mike Smith says Turner won’t miss time from the groin injury he sustained and was only pulled from the game because it was a blowout. Don’t be so sure, though. Turner may very well be healthy enough to start next week. However, groin injuries are, for lack of a better term, delicate. Clearing a roster spot for a Jason Snelling handcuff would be a very smart idea. Ryan Mathews | RB | San Diego Chargers Maybe it was the pressure of being the top-ranked rookie running back. Maybe it was the burden of filling LaDainian Tomlinson’s shoes. All we know is that Ryan Mathews fumbles too much, and now he’s dealing with a minor ankle injury. NFL.com reports that Mathews was seen in a protective boot during the second half of the Chargers’ bludgeoning of the Jaguars. That’s not a good sign, even if Norv Turner says the boot measure was only precautionary. Like Turner, feel free to handcuff Mathews with backup beast Mike Tolbert. Tolbert is available in 99 percent of leagues. Dennis Dixon | QB | Pittsburgh Steelers Dixon’s knee injury requires surgery and there’s a good chance that the Oregon grad won’t play in another game this season. Like Bush, if you were starting Dennis Dixon you were already in trouble. With Dixon down and out for the season, comb the waiver wire for Josh Freeman. The Bucs’ field general has thrown four touchdowns in two games. He is looking poised in the pocket and his receivers are slowly creeping into the conscience of fantasy football gurus. Freeman is available in 97% of leagues. Written by James Duren, exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Who are you picking up? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football Advice, Injuries, Week Two, Week Three, Waiver Wire, NFL, Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons, Jason Snelling, Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers, Mike Tolbert, LaDainian Tomlinson, Dennis Dixon, Pittsburgh Steelers, Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, James Duren  Demaryius Thomas, WR – Denver Broncos (Owned in 34 percent of leagues) Plagued by foot injuries that kept him off the field during the preseason, the first receiver taken in the 2010 draft had an impressive pro debut pulling in eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. Last season, Orton found a similarly built receiver (Brandon Marshall) over 100 times for ten scores. With a WR corps primarily of role players, the Broncos will give Thomas every opportunity to get on the field and establish himself as Orton’s new go-to receiver. If his foot problems are behind him, and they appear to be, Thomas should be a solid WR3 with tremendous upside as he develops a rapport with Orton.  Jason Snelling, RB – Atlanta Falcons (Owned in 27 percent of leagues) Snelling will no doubt be the hot waiver pickup this week after ably filling in for Michael Turner. But all reports indicate that the Burner will be back next week so don’t expect to get immediate production with this add. However, he is a crucial handcuff for all Turner owners and could be a great stash if you have the bench space to hold onto him in case Turner’s injury turns out to be less “mild” than reported.  Marshawn Lynch, RB – Buffalo Bills (Owned in 20 percent of leagues) After spending all offseason as the forgotten man in Buffalo, Marshawn Lynch got the start against Green Bay and tallied 17 carries (compared to just one for CJ Spiller and nine for Fred Jackson). Is Marshawn now the clear starting back for the Bills? Absolutely not. This backfield is as much as a mess as it has been all summer, a problem amplified by the train wreck at QB. This pickup is more a speculative add based on the possibility that Lynch’s time in Buffalo is limited. While the front office has been reluctant to move him, injuries throughout the league (most notably to Ryan Grant in Green Bay and, to a lesser extent, Reggie Bush in New Orleans) could provide the team with options. While not impressive so far, Lynch could absolutely return to form on a team with a semi-competent offense.  Louis Murphy, WR – Oakland Raiders (Owned in 10 percent of leagues) Murphy, the most consistent WR on the Raiders the past 16 games, may be on the verge of becoming a consistent fantasy threat as well. Bruce Gradkowski replaced Jason Campbell at halftime and immediately got Murphy involved in the game. If coach Tom Cable can convince Al Davis to let him keep Gradkowski under center, Murphy needs to be on your team. He is a physical player who has earned Gradkowski’s trust, and the Raiders next two games are against secondaries that have been violated recently in Arizona and Houston.  Kevin Walter, WR – Houston Texans (Owned in 41 percent of leagues) With all the offseason hype about Jacoby Jones being the breakout playmaker alongside Andre Johnson in Houston, Walter was largely forgotten this offseason. After his 11 catch, 144 yard performance against Washington, he is back on the fantasy radar. The Texans rode their running game in Week One, but took to the air in Week Two; the latter will be a much more common occurrence throughout the season. With Owen Daniels still recovering from a torn ACL in 2009, there are plenty of balls to feed the rest of the Texans offense. Still owned in less than half of all leagues, Walter is a solid WR3 who will explode a few times when the Texans go aerial, and a terrific bye week replacement. Note: Ownership percentages are from Yahoo! Got any other Waiver Wire Gems? Leave a comment and let us know, or reply to us on Twitter@TheFantasyFix Written by Chris Sheehan exclusively for the www.thefantasyfix.com. Chris is an avid football fan and has been playing fantasy football for over ten years. Check back for more great articles from him weekly. Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football Blog, Fantasy Sports Blog, Waiver Wire Pickups, Week 3, Demaryius Thomas, Jason Snelling, Marshawn Lynch, Louis Murphy, Kevin Walter, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans  First off, a moment of self-indulgence. I'm a Niner fan, so I'll be pulling heavily for the Niners to right the ship tonight. In addition, three fantasy leagues rest on the legs of Frank Gore. In one league, even a subpar game (three pts) will ensure my victory. But I need diametrically opposed results in the other two leagues to achieve victory. In one, I'd need a transcendent game for a victory; in the other, a solid game from Gore coupled with a solid game for Brees will assure my defeat. I am faced with the all too common moral dilemma, do I root for my real team or my fantasy team? I'm also faced with he fantasy reality that I'm rooting for Frank Gore while I'm rooting against Frank Gore, sounds like a John Kerry political slogan. Basically, my best case scenario is a dominant game from Gore, and a hapless outing for Brees; as you'll read below, I don't think this will happen. And onto the preview… The Niners are a mess, word came out this week about Jimmy Raye having to frantically shuffle through papers looking for plays as the play clock ticks down, conjuring up images of a drunk Bob Uecker trying to find stats in Major League. They've gone as far this week as to give Alex Smith plays on a wrist band. This type of act is normally saved for a College freshman, not a guy in his 6th year, needless to say the Alex Smith experiment has turned into a grease fire. Just to add insult to injury, the Niners could have drafted Aaron Rodgers–these are the things that keep me up at night. Just in case there weren't enough chips stacked against them, Vernon Davis told the media that he "guarantees" that the Niners are the better team. Like I said, grease fire. That being said, if the Niners are any type of a team and if Mike Singletary has any motivational tricks up his sleeve, or down his pants, the Niners will be ready to play their home opener on Monday night. If they don't show heart here and if Mike Singletary is thanking Sean Payton for another wake up call, the season is over. The Saints, acting like professionals, have been quiet since they beat the Vikings on September 9th. In that first week against the Vikings, Brees and company looked good during the opening drive, but stalled after that. I say the Saints improve this week. Keep this in mind, they opened the season on Thursday night and are now playing the Monday night game, which is a long layoff for Sean Payton and company. A lot of time to heal those initial bumps and bruises and more than enough time for Sean Payton to develop a devastating game plan. Grease fire. Brees is one of the best in the game at picking apart a defense; the Niner's only have three healthy defensive backs and none of them were that good to begin with. Look for solid games from the New Orleans passing attack, plenty of looks for Colston running those mid-length routes and Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem going deep. I think Pierre Thomas will have a little tougher time though with the strength of that Niner team up the middle. I'm looking at a very steady 250 yards and two TD’s out of Brees; Pierre gaining 75 yards and a TD; and Marques Colston is looking at seven receptions for 80 yards and a TD. My gut says the Niners cannot be as bad as they were last week. Whenever a good team is that bad, you bounce back right? Please? Vernon Davis looked good last week and I expect that to continue. Expect a better game from Michael Crabtree, somewhere around 6 catches for 70 yards. Also keep an eye on Josh Morgan, as Alex Smith went to him a lot last week, when he wasn't throwing it to the Seahawks. I think Gore plays more of a role this week, but I don’t see the historic game that I need to hit fantasy gold. My hope is that the Niners were conservative last week, on the assumption that their game plan would be enough to beat the Seahawks and they wouldn't give anything away to the Saints. Obviously they were wrong, but they'll be better this week. One last thing to remember–last year's Niners played to the level of the competition, nearly beating Indy on the road, losing in the last minute to Minnesota, yet got waxed 27-7 in a must win game to the Seahawks. If this trend continues, they keep this game a lot closer than last week’s results would indicate and maybe, they exercise their demons and pull off the upset. Who dat gonna beat the Saints? The Niners? Please? Written exclusively by Chris Summers for www.thefantasyfix.com. Chris is an attorney, who lives and breathes sports in sunny California. Look for more of his great insight weekly. Who are you picking as the big studs tonight? Leave us a comment or reply to us on Twitter @TheFantasyFix Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Blog, Fantasy Football Advice, Fantasy Football, Monday Night Football, NFL, Tips, Preview, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints  Just like the stock market, players can burn you, kick you to the curb, take your money, spit on you, call you dirty names, make you watch crappy girly movies and so much more. OR players can make you stinking dirty rich. The kind of rich where you wipe your butt with $100 bills. The kind of rich where you wear those 80's sunglasses and drive a corvette. The kind of rich that WINS YOU CHAMPIONSHIPS! Bull Market Wes Welker, WR, New England Patriots Yes Welker is far from a waiver wire sleeper. Welker is a guy who is coming off a serious knee injury last year but even after last week’s performance some owners may still have a little uncertainty. Point being, your time to make a trade for him is quickly running out. Anyway, with NE playing the NYJ this week, and Randy Moss already booking his cruise to Revis Island, its gonna be Welker’s luck to get Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson. Football fans remember those two who were burned by every pass catcher on the Baltimore roster, including one particularly depressing moment where Cromartie was beaten deep down the field by Todd Heap. Considering Welker has thrashed the Jets to the tune of 461 yards on 38 catches, its not exactly a secret the Jets haven’t found an answer for Wes. I project six catches, 97 yards and one TD this week and for the season 98 catches for 1000 yards and eight TDs. Bear Market Nate Washingotn, WR, Tennessee Titans Look, I don’t hate Nate Washington. I don’t know the man. I do know that he is a tremendous deep threat and is a possible number one guy in Tennessee. Why the hate then? Because Nate Washington plays on a team that is going to run the ball as often as possible, and has two other mediocre WR (Justin Gage and Kenny Britt) who can double as the Titans best pass catcher. In fact, I will tell you flat out that by the end of the year, Washington will be the number two player on this team in big plays (Chris Johnson will need to shatter every bone in his leg to be not number one), but will be the number one guy in letting your team down if you are counting too heavily on him. The Titans are playing Pittsburgh this week, and it wasn’t a strong homecoming for Nate last year as he was held to one reception for eight yards. This year won’t be that bad. Pittsburgh will be preoccupied with stopping the run, so look for Nate to have three catches, 31 yards and zero trips to the end zone. For the season, you can expect 45 catches, 600 yards, and five TDs. Like I said, its not that he can’t have big weeks for you, it just probably won’t be consistent. Written by Rick Marsh exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! – Bluto in Animal House Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football Advice, Marketwatch, Stock, Wes Welker, New England Patriots, Nate Washington, Tennessee Titans, Chris Johnson, Randy Moss, Justin Gage, Kenny Britt, Darelle Revis, Kyle Wilson, Antonio Cromartie, Rick Marsh | CategoriesAll  |
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