Week 9

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10
November

Week 9 Overview: Not Trying to Buy a Panthers Shirt

Man, as much as it pains me to say it, the Panthers played a good game against the Packers. But, I still don't believe they will will win it all. I'm not trying to buy a Panthers shirt, no really, I'm not.

TNF: 11/5/15 - Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns.

I had the Bengals for this one and they didn't disappoint. They beat the Browns 31-10 but not without the Browns putting up a fight. This is the teams first 8-0 start in franchise history and the 1st team to start 8-0 since 2002. Before he hit the field tonight, Dalton was 3-8 in prime time games. The Bengals got the best of the Browns on this TNF meet up. Dalton was a perfect 8-8 for 120yds & 6 first downs. He also had a scramble for a 1st down on a 3rd down play. He didn't let you down on the blitz either, finishing off 8 of 8 passes & 2 TDs when the Browns brought 5 or more pass rushers. Tyler Eifert had his day in the sun, ending it with 3 TDs in this game and over the past 15 seasons, no player has caught more red zone TDs through the first eight team games than Eifert's 9 this season. He is the 5th player to record 3 TDs in one game this season. He joins Randall Cobb, Odell Beckham Jr., Larry Fitzgerald & Rob Gronkowski. Andy added a little something to the books with his 3 TD passes. He set the Bengals QB record for passing TDs through the first 8 games of a season with 18. Jeff Blake & Boomer Esiason both passed for 17 TDs in separate years. The Bengals were only up, 14-10 at the end of the first half, it was a pretty tight game up until the 2nd half. For a while in the 1st half, Manziel reminded me of Fran Tarkenton, short, on the move and barely getting touched. In the 2nd half, different story. The Bengals put the clamps on Manziel and kept him in the pocket, shutting him down. It was all down hill after that. The Bengals became the 33rd team in NFL history & the 22nd in the Super Bowl era to open 8-0. They play the Texans next week, they should come out 9-0 but you can never tell in the NFL. A. Dalton threw for 234yds & 3 TDs. G. Bernard had 13 carries for 72yds. M. Jones had 5 receptions for 78yds. J. Manziel threw for 168yds & 1 TD. I. Crowell, could have stayed home with 10 carries for 38yds. D. Johnson was saved by 1 TD with his measly 2 receptions for 38yds.

MNF: 11/9/15 - Chicago Bears vs. San Diego Chargers.

My Bears pulled it out for me, 22-19. It was super exciting and nail biting at the end. I ain't gonna lie, I thought Jay shut us down with the interception that was converted to a TD but he manned up and continued to play and with the help of his teammates, we did it y'all. But the man of the hour, you guessed it, Zach Miller. He made the prettiest one handed catch I've seen everrrrr for the Bears and in my book, this year. Don't forget the 2pt. conversion by rookie Jeremy Langford whom I might add has been a great back up for Forte. The Bears scored 15pts in the 4th Qtr, something they haven't done in a while. Jay broke his tie with HOF Sid Luckman for the franchise record for TD passes by tossing # 138 & 139 in the game. I know you are thinking, what the heck is she so excited for? They are 3-5, have a snowballs chance in hell of making the playoffs and are not through losing this season. Say what you want people, every win my Bears get is always going to be a celebration for me. We could be 5-0 or 1-5, I'm still cheering so just get used to it, OK. No, I am not on PCP or Benadryl, I'm just high on my Bears. The Chargers couldn't overcome injuries, penalties and overall poor play. Most teams are suffering through the same thing this season, so that's no excuse for anyone this year. I am sure the knife that cut the deepest for the Chargers was when Rivers threw an 8yd TD pass to A. Gates in the 4th Qtr, but it was called back when right guard D.J. Fluker was whistled for being an ineligible receiver down field. That was it, they would have had us on that score. This was the Chargers 5th straight lost. It was the 1st time in 6 games that Rivers didn't throw more than 300yds. River's said, "When you lose 5 in a row, it's pretty sickening. when it's like this, you kind of want to dig a hole & hide for a little while. Hey, better you Phil than us, but I feel your pain, you still cool with me. J. Cutler threw for 34tyds, 2 TDs & 1 interception. J. Langford had 18 carries for 72yds & 1 TD. A. Jeffery had 10 receptions for 151yds. P. Rivers threw for 280yds & 1 TD. D. Woodhead had 6 carries for 33yds & he added 6 receptions for 78yds & 1 TD. That guy was all over the place, I was sick of him in this game, lol.

NFC NORTH:

Green Bay Packers: 6-2

Say whatttttt, the Packers lose to the Panthers. Yep, thought for sure this one was in the bag. Read about the fall of the Packers in the Panthers update.

Minnesota Vikings: 6-2

Maybe the Vikings are for real this year or they are very, very lucky. It will all pan out in the end but right now, they are winning. They beat the Rams 21-18 and had a scare with Teddy Bridgewater in the process. The Vikings were really upset by the hit to Teddy's head, it knocked him out cold. I mean, he was lying on the ground, eyes closed, knocked out cold. Instead of fighting about it, the Vikings set up 40yd FG for Blair Walsh, in OT and they won the game. The Vikings put a stop to Todd Gurley's streak with 125+ yards rushing at 4. Lamarcus Joyner said this about the hit. "If I could take it back, I would, I'm not a dirty player. I wouldn't want to take joy from his mom or from his team. I was not intentional". That's all you can ask for in that situation. With this win, they are tied for 1st place in the NFC North with the Packers, both teams are 6-2. T. Bridgewater threw for 144yds & 1 interception. A. Peterson had 29 carries for 125yds & 1 TD. S. Diggs had 3 receptions for a puny 42yds. N. Foles threw for 168yds. T. Gurley had 24 carries for 89yds & 1 TD. K. Britt had 3 receptions for 87yds. Well wishes to T.B.

Chicago Bears: 3-5

Well my goodness, I don't think I could have survived this one had we lost. Before the season is over, I will probably be on heart medication, lol. We won, beat the Chargers on MNF. Check out the details in that update.

Detroit Lions: 1-7

The Lion's had a bye week. Man, I know they are trying to wake up from the bad dream. I read today in Foxsports where they asked both Stafford & Johnson, did they have a future in Detroit. Stafford said, "I'm here. I've goat a couple years left on my contract. I hope I get the chance to play them out. I hope I'm here for a long time." Johnson said, "We'll have to wait and see. I don't think about what could happen." What I just heard from him, I'm outta here. I'm just saying.

NFC SOUTH:

Carolina Panthers: 8-0

I just knew that the Packers would stop the Panthers in their tracks Sunday. But it was not to be. They played a better game than the Packers and brought this one home, 37-29. They did do the usual, had a 27-7 lead going into half time and the Packers made their move, outscored the Panthers 22-10 in the second half, almost letting the game slip out of their hands. They are not good closers but at any rate, they got it done. Cam had 4 TDs in this one including one he ran in himself. He was pretty frisky in tearing down a large GBP banner before the game that was hanging over the inside wall of the stadium. He said this was his house and today, the Packers wouldn't even matter to them. This was a big step in securing home field advantage throughtout the NFC playoffs. Every other NFC team has at least 2 losses, including the Packers. The Packers had a chance to make a comeback but here's what happened. Newton threw an interception with 3:38 left in the game, that gave the Packers the ball at the Carolina 22. Down by 8. This is usually when Rodgers saves the day. Instead, his 4th & goal pass from the Carolina 4 was intercepted by LB Thomas Davis and that would be that. No saving the day for Aaron. I bet there are still some folks in WI that are on respirators. This is the 2nd straight game where the Panthers nearly gave up a commanding 4th Qtr lead. Coach Rivera said that we can't put ourselves in that posistion. When you have a team down, you have to make plays and put them away. Like I said, they are not closers. Peppers was a little salty, he refused to give the ball back to Cam after the QB scored a TD, he tossed the ball down the field in the opposite direction, while he was holding his hand out for it. Cam got the ball and gave it to a NC fan. C. Newton threw for 297yds, 3 TDs & 1 interception and 1 TD he ran in. J. Stewart had 20 carries for 66yds and J. Cotchery had 3 receptions for 82yds. A. Rodgers threw for 369yds, 4 TDs and 1 very critical interception. J. Starks had a small effort with 10 carries for 39yds. R. Cobb had 4 receptions for 99yds & 1 TD.

Atlanta Falcons: 6-3

And now it starts. They lost to the 49er's, you know it's bout to get real ugly for them. I know, they are still 6-2 but I think they are going to drop even more games. Read the details in the 49ers update. Still shaking my head.

New Orleans Saints: 4-5

Man, they just can't get it together. They lose to the Titans, 34-28. Read the details in that update.

Tampa Bay Buccanneers: 3-5

They lost to the Giants. Read the details on the 32-18 win by the Giants in that update.

NFC EAST:

New York Giants: 5-4

They just finished a high scoring game, but a lost to the Saints last weekend. But they still had some game in them with this 32-18 win over Tampa Bay. Seems like the Giants do just enough to win and especially stayed on the Bucs in the red zone in this one. Manning threw first hald TD passes of 8yds to R. Randle & 4yds to S. Vereen. He did some of his best work on 3rd down, including a crucial 9yd throw to O. Beckham to extend a later drive that produced a FG while running out most of the final 5 minutes of the clock. Josh Brown added 5 FG for the Giants including 4th Qtr kicks of 53 & 44yds. The Giants sealed the deal with Brown's 4th FG at the end of a 4:34 drive & Treving Wade had a fumble rrecorvvery for a TD on the game's final play. Buccanners Coach Lovie Smith said, "In the end, we dropped balls, had untimely penalites in terrible situations, fumbles that didn't help. When a game ends up like this one did, things like that really stand out." They help you to lose to coach. E. Manning threw for 213yds, 2 TDs & 1 interception. R. Jenning had 13 carries for 48yds. O. Beckham had 9 receptions for 109yds. J. Winston threw for 247yds. C. Sims had 8 carries for 78yds & 1 fumble. M. Evans had 8 receptions for 150yds & 1 fumble.

Philadelphia Eagles: 4-4

They beat the Cowboys 33-27. I did watch it, but the way my memory is set up these days, I can't recall most of it. But the outcome not as I expected. I thought the Eagles would lose this one but they managed to make it a 4-4 season this week. Demarco Murray, former Cowboy, put the Eagles in position to win his return to Dallas and it would be Sam Bradford & Jordan Matthews who would finish them off in this game. Bradford threw a 41yd TD pass to Matthews in OT and the Eagles sent the Cowboys to their longest losing streak in 26 years. As usual for the Cowboys, it was close, but not close enough. The last time Dallas lost this many in a row was in 1989 when they lost 8 straight and finished 1-15. This was just the 2nd OT game for these 2 teams, they have met 114 times. Dez Bryant is back and had his 1st TD catch of the season in his 2nd game back. He missed 5 game with a broken right foot. Philly stayed even in the loss column with the NFC East leading NYG, while the Cowboys are running out of chances. The Cowboys have lost every game without Romo and it looks like he will miss one more. He might as well rest on up, this season is done, like an 8lb porterhouse steak. S. Bradford threw for 295yds & 1 TD. D. Murray had 18 carries for 83yds & 1 TD. J. Matthews had 9 receptions for 133yds & 1 TD. M. Cassel threw for 299yds, 3 TDs & 1 interception. D. McFadden had 27 carries for 117yds and C. Beasley had 9 receptions for 112yds & 2 TDs.

Washington Redskins: 3-5

They played the Patriots and all I gotta say is check out New England's update for details.

Dallas Cowboys: 2-6

Philadelphia handed the Cowboys their 6th straight loss for the season. Read the Eagles update for details.

NFC WEST:

Arizona Cardinals: 6-2

They did not play this week. Look for them to polish off the Seahawks Sunday, at least I am looking for that outcome.

St. Louis Rams: 4-4

Read about their 21-18 loss to the Vikings in that update.

Seattle Seahawks: 4-4

They did not play in WK 9. They will meet up with the division leading Cardinals Sunday. Come on Cardinalssss!!!!

San Francisco 49ers: 3-6

This was a shocker. They beat Atlanta, 17-16. This is the first game that was played without Kap. Blaine Gabbert led the 49ers to a rare win, but left not knowing if he would start the next game. They go into a bye week and after that, they face Seattle coming back and Kap has not had a good track record against them. They say that Gabbert was a 1st bust in Jacksonville and this made his first start in more than 2yrs. They said he showed poise & production demoted starter Kaepernick lacked all year. Gabbert ended a 10 game losing streak as a starter since beatin Indy on 9/23/12, improving to 6-22. Kap did come in early in the 4th for 2 plays that gained no yards. Gabbert took a hard hit to the head, so had to be checked out for a concussion, he came back in when he was cleared. Man, I told you Kap, you don't produce, you are nothing to your organization. The 49ers did end a 2 game stretch withouat a TD and they had gone 3 in the previous 5, failing to reach the end zone. Atlanta's Julio Jones 137yds in this game put him over 1,000 for the 2nd straight season. But the Falcons lost for the 3rd time in 4 games following a 5-0 start. B. Gabbert threw for 185yds, 2 TDs & 2 interceptions. S. Draughn had 16 carries for 58yds and Q. Patton had 3 receptions for 70yds. M. Ryan threw for 303yds & 1 TD. D. Freeman hardly made a showing with 12 carries for 12yds, that's just awful, lol. J. Jones had 10 receptions for 137yds.

AFC NORTH:

Cincinnati Bengals: 8-0

They were the first team this season to hit the 8-0 mark with their beat down of the Cleveland Browns, 31-10 on TNF. Read that update for details.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-4

The Steelers beat the Raiders 38-35 but lose Big Ben again. They have struggled more than a lot of teams with injuries this year. If Ben is out for the next 3-4 games, it really is a done deal. They slid this win out from under the Raiders on a 18yd FG with 2 seconds left. The Steelers had steady performances in relief from Landry Jones and a franchise record day by WR Antonio Brown. He set club marks with 17 catches for 284yds, including a 57yd sprint on the final drive that set up Boswell's winner. Oakland's Iron Man, safety Charles Woodson could only say WOW. He spent most of the day chasing Brown around Heinz Field. Big Ben was having a great 2nd half when Oakland DE Aldon Smith landed on his foot during a sack. Ben laid on the field for several minutes then slowly made it over to the sidelines. The Steelers are already without RB LeVeon Bell, Center Maurkice Pouncey & starting LT Kelvin Beachum. They may survice those guys being gone but they need Big Ben. The Raiders did tie the game with 1:15 left when Derek Carr hit M. Crabrree for a 38yd score to wipe out a 14pt deficit, but that was all they could muster. I think the injury bug has visited every team this season and put down some big guys this year. B. Roethlisberger threw for 334yds, 2 TDs & 1 interception, not sure if he is done and for how long. D. Williams had 27 carries for 170yds & 2 TDs. A. Brown, lit the field up with 17 receptions for 284yds & 1 fumble. Dang, I don't recall anyone getting that many in 1 game. Good job man. D. Carr threw for 301yds, 4 TDs & 1 interception. L. Murray had 17 carries for 96yds & 1 fumble. M. Crabtree had 7 receptions for 108yds & 2 TDs.

Baltimore Ravens: 2-6

The Ravens did not play in WK 9. Look for them to try to pull out a 3rd victory this season against the Rams Sunday.

Cleveland Browns: 2-7

I thought they were going to win this one. It looked like it. But the Bengals showed up and made it clear why they were 7-0 going into this game. Read the details in the TNF update.

AFC SOUTH:

Indianapolis Colts: 4-5

Well slap my face and call me Sally. I just knew this one would go in the lost column for the Colts. Those rascals pulled it out against the Broncos, 27-24. I heard that Andrew Luck has a lacerated liver and small abdominal tear, something like that, he's out. I think he should have sat down when he had some rib issues, you ain't got a season worth saving, that's all I'm saying. He probably don't care since he beat Peyton and put the brakes on their perfect season. Here the papers go with the "Luck reverted to his old form and Colts finally looked like the team everyone expected." LOL, what you see is what you get people. I think they are playing they way they have been the last few years. Win a few big ones then fizzle out. But, to his credit, he threw 2 TD passes & set up Adam Vinatieri for a tie breaking 55yd FG with 6:13 left, giving the Colts the win. They say it runied Manning's homecoming but this is not his homecoming, he's been there a few other times since he has left and his home is Denver now. The colts ended a 3 game losing streatk and won for the 1st time in 6 tries outside the horribel AFC South and kept their division lead. Nuff said about this one. A. Luck threw for 252yds & 2 TDs. F. Gore had 28 carries for 83yds & 1 TD. T. Hilton had 5 records for 82yds. P. Manning threw for 281yds, 2 TDs & 2 interceptions. C. Anderson had 7 carries for a sorry 34yds. O. Daniels had 6 receptions for 102yds & 1 TD.

Houston Texans: 3-5

They did not play in WK 9. They will face the Bengals. I'm going with the Bengals on this one. Houston sucks, no matter who they play. Hope I didn't just jinx the Bengals.

Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-6

They tried to leave this one with the #3 in the win column, but it was not to be. Check out the Jets update for details.

Tennessee Titans: 2-6

Heyyy now, the Titans win another one. Go Titans. Go Titans. It's your birthday. Yep, they beat the New Orleans Saints and grabbed a 2nd win for the season. As usual, it took OT but that doesn't matter. Both teams missed go ahead FG attempts in the last 2 minutes of regulation. Seems that's the theme for 2015, "Win it in OT." Mariota passed for a career best of 371yds and 4 TDs, including a 5yd scoring pass to Anthony Fasano in OT and the Titans snapped a 6 game slide, beating the Saints, 34-28. Looks like nothing is going to come easy for the Saints this season. They were on a 3 game winning streak, including beating the Giants, 52-49 to just turn around & lose to the struggling Titans. I read that it had all of the making of a loss for the Saints. Bad luck, bad penalties, bad pass protection and plenty of bad defense. I guess what they were saying is that it was just bad. Not so much for the Titans. M. Mariota threw for 371yds & 4 TDs. A. Andrews had 19 carries for 98yds. D. Walker had 7 receptions for 95yds & 2 TDs. D. Brees threw for 387yds, 3 TDs & 1 interception. M. Ingram had 22 carries for 54yds. W. Snead had 6 receptions for 95yds.

AFC EAST:

New England Patriots: 8-0

They played the troubled Washington Redskins and the hits keep on coming for the Redskins. They lost this one 27-10. As if anyone thought it would be any different. You knew this game was doomed from the word go. This game was less than 10 minutes in when N.E. already had 2 TDs and Washington total plays from scrimmage, 1. Edelman & blount had already scored by the time the Redskins snaaped the ball a 2nd time. Add in some dropped passess and missed tackles and fo sho, it's over. This is one of the lower scoring games for the Patriots but their undefeated season was never in jeopardy in this one. The Patriots tied an NFL record by scoring in 31 straight quarters. They scored one in every Qtr this season except the 1st Qtr of the 1st game. Patriots may have sacrificed RB Dion Lewis to a serious knee injury but I haven't heard anything more just yet. There is a bright side in this lost for the Redskins, they didn't get beat down like they did in 2007 by the Patriots, 52-7. That's all I can give them today. T. Brady threw for 299yds, 2 TDs & 1 interception. L. Blount had 29 carries for 129yds & 1 TD. B. LaFell had 5 receptions for 102yds. K. Cousins threw for 217yds, 1 TD & 1 interception. 7 of his passes were dropped, that's insane. M. Jones had 11 carrries for 27yds & 1 fumble, shameful. P. Garcon had 4 receptions for 70yds.

New York Jets: 5-3

The Jets was on the verge of losing this one at home against the Jaguars. But then, the Jaguars bailed them out. All of it happened in the final 5 minutes. A holding penalty on RT Jermey Parnell led to a fumble by QB Bortles to wipe out a TD chance and Nick Marshall fumbled a punt that the Jets turned into a TD and a 28-16 lead and the Jaguars couldn't recover an onside kick. The Jaguars had the chance but couldn't pull it out. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw 2 TD passes while playing with a torn ligament in his left thumb. Chris Ivory ran for 2 scores & the Jets took advantage of late mistakes by the Jaguars and won at home, 28-23. Brandon Marshall had a diving 20yd TD catch after the Jets recovered a fumbl3ed punt return late in the 4th Qtr & the Jets ended a 2 game skid in an ugly performance. As crazy as it sounds, the Jaguars are still alive in the AFC South, even though they are 2-6. The Colts are only 4-5 and is barely holding 1st place down. See what I'm saying. R. Fitzpatrick threw for 272yds & 2 TDs. C. Ivory had 23 carries for 26yds and 2 TDs, thank goodness for that, 26yds, that's not worth my typing. E. Decker had 6 receptions for 79yds & 1 TD. B. Bortles threw for 381yds, 2 TDs & 2 interceptions. T. Yeldon had 14 carries for 64yds. A. Hurns had 5 receptions for 122yds & 1 TD.

Buffalo Bills: 4-4

There was an in house fight in the AFC East and the Bills slapped the Dolphins around to the tune of 33-17. Bills receiver Sammy Watkins shrugged off a sprained left ankle and the critics accusing him of an unwillingness to play through injuries. He responded with 8 catches for a career best 168yds & a momentum turning TD in a big win over the Dolphins. I read one article where it said that if you are an AFC East team in need of a big win, it's a good ideal to play the Dolphins. They fell to 0-4 in the division with the loss in Buffalo. Rookie RB Karlos Williams had 110yds rushing & scored twice. They had Tyrod Taylor back as a starter after missing 2 games with a sprained left knee. The Bills beat Miami for the 4th straight time and 2x in 6 weeks. I told y'all all that hype they were laying on the Dolphins was just a waste of ink, but nobody listens to me. They said that R. Tannehill passing attack was sloppy & lacked finish. Since when is that news. It started on Miami's 1st play from scrimmage when Tannehill lined up in the shotgun at his goal line, had Mike Pouncey's snap go through his hand & through the end zone for a safety. Wait, that happened in their game against the Patriots on last TNF too. He just wasn't even looking towards the ball in that one. Oh well, life sucks and so does the Dolphins. Ha, ha, ha. I know, I'm rude right, hey, I get to have some fun. T. Taylor threw for 181yds & 1 TD. L. McCoy had 16 carries for 112yds & 1 TD. S. Watkins had 8 receptions for 168yds & 1 TD. R. Tannehill threw for 309yds. L. Miller had 12 carries for 44yds & 2 TDs. L. Miller also contributed 7 receptions for 97yds.

Miami Dolphins: 3-5

Read the details of their 33-17 loss to the Bills in that update.

AFC WEST:

Denver Broncos: 7-1

Soooo, let me get this straight. You play the Pack and win convincingly. Then you turn around and lose to the Colts, still trying to figure that out. They lost their perfect record to the Colts. Read that update for details.

Oakland Raiders: 4-4

OK Raiders, I see you, 4-4. But, they would drop this one to the Steelers, 38-35. Read Pittsburgh's update for details.

Kansas City Chiefs: 3-5

They did not play in WK 9. They will face the Broncos. I'm still going to go with Denver.

San Diego Chargers: 2-7
I generally pull for P. Rivers but I had to pull for him to lose against my Bears. Yes, we pulled it out, it was close. Read the details in the MNF update.

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01
November

Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 9

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

Another week of football in the books and another week of injuries/benchings/breakout performances that give you the opportunity for some helpful waiver wire adds. Oh, and my Bears somehow beat the Vikings... with Cutler as the starting QB? Sometimes this league doesn't make any sense. Anyways, SIX teams are on bye this week; Cardinals, Bears, Bengals, Texans, Patriots and Redskins. Good luck!

Note: all waiver picks listed here will have only been owned in 50% or less of Yahoo leagues at the time of publication.

Quarterback

Joe Flacco (BAL) - 23% owned - The Ravens are coming off their bye week and face off against the Steelers who are giving up a close to bottom of the league 283 yards per game to opposing passers so far this season. Flacco's volume makes him a great floor play this week if you need a bye week fill in as he is currently tied with Drew Brees for most pass attempts per game at 44.

Honorable mention: Ryan Tannehill (MIA) - 22% owned

Running Back

Tim Hightower (NO) - 5% owned - Hightower was thrown into a lead role last week after Mark Ingram gave up a fumble for the second week in a row. With this opportunity Hightower managed to put up 102 yards on 26 carries against the Seahawks and it appears there will now be a timeshare situation in the New Orleans backfield for the time being. I'd normally say he would be a risky play for week 9 until the timeshare situation is clearer, but the Saints draw the 49ers who are giving up 185 yards per game on the ground so there should be plenty of fantasy points for the entire Saints backfield in this one.

Charcandrick West (KC) - 9% owned - With Spencer Ware in concussion protocol and Jamaal Charles still not healthy, Charcandrick West has a decent shot at being the starter for KC in week 9. It would be a great matchup against the 6th worst rush defense of the Jaguars who are allowing 125 yards per game on the ground.

Honorable mentions: Antone Smith (TB) - 1% owned, Rob Kelley (WAS) - 35% owned

Wide Receiver

J.J. Nelson (ARZ) - 3% owned - After Nelson posted 79 yards and two touchdowns on 8 catches last week Bruce Arians has gone on record to say he will be a starting wide receiver going forward. The Cardinals do have a bye in week 9 so he would be an upside stash for at least a week.

Jamison Crowder (WAS) - 49% owned - Hopefully this will be the last week Crowder will be allowed on here as he should really be owned in all leagues. He is the 13th ranked WR in standard scoring and is coming off another monster game of 9 catches on 13 targets for 107 yards and a touchdown. Redskins also have a bye in week 9 so if you're desperate for a play next week then look to the honorable mentions!

Honorable mentions: Kenny Britt (LA) - 39% owned, Quincy Enunwa (NYJ) - 45% owned

Tight End

Dennis Pitta (BAL) - 44% owned - Pitta will be a serviceable volume play this week against the Steelers as he is averaging just over 8 targets per game. Look his way if you need a bye week replacement.

Honorable mention: Cameron Brate (TB) - 41% owned

Defense/Special Teams

Atlanta Falcons (ATL) - 10% owned - My streaming defense of the week goes to the Falcons up against Tampa Bay. They seem to have found a pass rush lately getting 14 sacks over their last 4 games compared to the 4 they tallied in their first 4 games.

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02
November

The Rookie Report: Week 9 Starts & Sits

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Hopefully the byes weren't an issue for you in week 8, but chances are if they weren't they likely are this week with another 6 teams off. There have been a lot of injuries piling up too, so you may be digging a little deep to find fill-ins to get by. Guys like Jacquizz Rodgers, Cordarrelle Patterson, Jamison Crowder, and Devontae Booker have proven useful in recent weeks, and believe me...there will be more unexpected contributors before the season is out. Let's take a look at this week's rookie matchups, and see if there might be a few of them who could fit that bill in week 9...

Rookies to Start:

QB Dak Prescott, DAL (Wk. 9: @Cle.): Dak's been rolling and faces one of the best matchups he'll see all year. The Jets were the first team all season to throw for fewer than 2 TDs against the Browns, and Dak has scored at least 17 points (all scores are ESPN standard scoring) every week after the opener. Dak should be a low-end QB1 at worst in a great matchup.

RB Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (Wk. 9: @Cle.): Zeke didn't quite extend his streak of 130-yard rushing performances to 5 in week 8, but he tallied 158 yards from scrimmage and now has 14 or more points in 5 straight. The Browns have allowed 75 fantasy points in the past 2 weeks to opposing RBs. Start-sit decisions don't get much easier than this one. Fire up Zeke as an RB1 again.

RB Devontae Booker, DEN (Wk. 9: @Oak.): Booker failed to hit his ceiling in a plus matchup with the Chargers last weekend, but he was still the RB16 on the week. The matchup is good again in week 9. The Raiders rank 25th in Football Outsiders' run defense DVOA stat which measures defensive efficiency and have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing RBs. Booker is likely to be at least a top-16 RB again. You should feel comfortable starting him this week.

WR Michael Thomas, NO (Wk. 9: @SF): Thomas has been on a really nice roll of late. He put up his lowest fantasy output of the past 5 weeks in week 8, but that still meant a 6-63 line against the stingy Seahawks' secondary. He also led the Saints WRs in snaps played for the 2nd time this year. The 49ers aren't nearly as stingy vs WRs. San Francisco has allowed multiple WR touchdowns in each of their last 4 games, and Thomas's recent usage likely puts his floor right around that line he put up a week ago. With so many top WRs out on bye this week, that makes Thomas an upside WR3.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Carson Wentz, PHI (Wk. 9: @NYG): The Giants have been solid against quarterbacks, allowing the 7th-fewest QB points per game, and Wentz is coming off of 3 straight down games. With all that said, Wentz's short passing game might pay off this week and help him to a bounce-back game. Wentz has the fewest average air yards per pass attempt in the league according to Football Outsiders, and the Giants are allowing 132.4 yards after catch per game, the 8th-most in the NFL. It's still not a great matchup, but not as bleak as it might appear. With just 26 active QBs this week, Wentz should be a low-end QB2.

RB Peyton Barber, TB (Wk. 9: vs. Atl.): Jacquizz Rodgers is questionable this week, and with the game being on Thursday, he seems more and more unlikely to play. Head coach Dirk Koetter has already said he sees the team using a committee approach against the Falcons, and that means Barber and Antone Smith are likely to split the work. There is some risk here with Barber since he was out-snapped and out-touched by Smith last week, but I'd expect Barber to get a good chunk of the early down work. Atlanta has been vulnerable against the run, ranking 21st in run defense DVOA and allowing 23 points per game to opposing backs if you throw out their 2 outlier games (One vs GB where FB Aaron Ripkowski led the team in backfield snaps, and one vs Carolina where they dominated the game and time of possession). As I mentioned, there's risk here without knowing the work split with Smith, but there is RB2 upside.

WR Sterling Shepard, NYG (Wk. 9: vs. Phi.): With a lot of top WRs on bye this week, Shep is at least in consideration as a deep-league WR3. His production was less than stellar in the few weeks before the Giants' bye, but he's seen 7 or 8 targets in each of the past 7 games and the Giants had the bye week to get their passing game straightened out. This is more of a hunch than anything, but I like the Giants to get it together this week and for Shepard to have his best game since week 3. I still wouldn't recommend him as anything more than a WR3 in deeper leagues.

TE Austin Hooper, ATL (Wk. 9: @TB): I'd probably prefer to start Hooper over fellow borderline rookie TE Hunter Henry this week despite having a tougher matchup. The Bucs have been stingy to the position, allowing fewer than 7 fantasy points to the position in 5 of their 7 games and ranking 5th in pass defense DVOA on throws to opposing TEs. They are coming off allowing 6-67-1 to the Oakland Raiders' TEs, however, and Hooper is likely to see more targets than Henry as the Falcons’ clear lead TE with Jacob Tamme out. It also helps Hooper that Tamme was leading all tight ends in red zone targets. Hooper should have a decent shot at finding the end zone. He's a low-end TE1 in 12- or 14-team leagues this week.

TE Hunter Henry, SD (Wk. 9: vs. Ten.): Henry is a streaming option this week rather than a locked-in TE1. Antonio Gates seems to be back to full strength, running nearly twice as many routes as Henry in week 8. Henry has just 3 catches in the past 2 weeks, but there is a little upside with a soft matchup against the Titans on tap. Travis Benjamin is likely to miss the game, which could get the Chargers into more 2-TE sets and get Henry more snaps. Tennessee has allowed the 9th-most points per game to opposing TEs, so any increase in snaps and routes should give Henry some upside. Like Hooper, he's on the radar as a low-end streamer in 12- and 14-team leagues or deeper.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Cody Kessler, CLE (Wk. 9: vs. Dal.): As I mentioned earlier with Wentz, there are only 26 QBs playing this week, so pretty much all of them should be considered in 2QB leagues, but the matchup isn't great for Kessler and he's coming off an injury. The Cowboys have allowed just 11 or 12 fantasy points to 3 of the past 4 QBs they've faced. Cody may get a boost from the return of Corey Coleman, but I would avoid rolling with him unless you are desperate in a 2-QB league. There is still an outside shot Josh McCown gets the start.

RB Dwayne Washington, DET (Wk. 9: @Min.): Washington should return this week after seeming to be due back last week, but Minnesota probably isn't the best matchup to try him out in. The Vikings had their worst game of the season vs. running backs last Monday against the Bears and Jordan Howard, but I don't expect a repeat this weekend. Washington's role still isn't fully defined after Theo Riddick operated as the clear lead back in week 8. It's best to take a wait-and-see approach with Washington in this one.

RB Don Jackson, GB (Wk. 9: vs. Ind.): Even with surprise RB fill-ins Ty Montgomery and Randall Cobb both out with injury last week, Jackson couldn't manage to play ahead of FB Aaron Ripkowski. Knile Davis was cut this week, but Jackson is best left on the wire despite a plus matchup with the Colts. Look for Montgomery to operate as the lead RB again this week.

RBs DeAndre Washington & Jalen Richard, OAK (Wk. 9: vs. Den.): The split between the two of the backup role continues to sap the usefulness of both backs. With Latavius back on the field, neither one is seeing enough work to be startable. Steer clear of both.

RB CJ Prosise, SEA (Wk. 9: vs. Buf.): Prosise made good on my 'Sleeper' prediction last week, cashing in for 103 scrimmage yards on just 8 touches. I wouldn't expect him to duplicate that production this week against the Bills if the workload stays the same. The Bills are a little stingier than New Orleans. It'll be interesting to see if his passing down role continues once Thomas Rawls finally returns.

RB Paul Perkins, NYG (Wk. 9: vs. Phi.): Much like their passing game, the Giants need to get their run game fixed as well. While giving Paul Perkins more work could help, there's no evidence that they'll do it anytime soon. It's worth watching to see if there is any change to the work split, but not worth putting Perkins in any lineups.

WR Ricardo Louis, CLE (Wk. 9: vs. Dal.): Louis is only worth consideration if Corey Coleman is still out this week, or if Pryor surprisingly sits with his hamstring issue, and only as a desperation WR4 even in that case. He's averaging 5.6 targets per game over his past 6 games, but he's failed to catch even 50% of them and has topped 40 yards just once. His volume will drop if Coleman returns and Pryor plays.

WR Tajae Sharpe, TEN (Wk. 9: @SD): Sharpe just can't seem to put any production together despite a prominent role in the offense. He's seen 5.8 targets per game for the season but is putting up just 5.7 yards per target. Until one or both of those numbers come up, there is no reason to consider starting Sharpe.

Rookies on Byes: RB Jordan Howard, CHI, RB Rob Kelley, WAS, RB Tyler Ervin, HOU, WR Will Fuller, HOU, WR Tyler Boyd, CIN, WR Malcolm Mitchell, NE

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Derrick Henry, TEN (Wk. 9: @SD): Henry finally got some extended run last week due to an injury to DeMarco Murray, and he produced in a big way. Henry finished as the RB7 for the week. Murry is still dealing with the toe injury he suffered, but he seems likely to play. Still, he may cede some extra work to Henry as he plays through it against a Chargers team allowing the 6th-most RB fantasy points per game. I'd have a hard time starting Derrick in any season long leagues, but he'd be an interesting cheaper option in DFS tournaments. His price has spiked a little this week with the thin slate and his strong game last week, but there is upside if the Titans give him an extended role again.

WR Corey Coleman, CLE (Wk. 9: vs. Dal.): Coleman looks likely to finally return this week. It’ll be hard to trust him in season-long leagues coming off such a long layoff. The Cowboys allow the 20th-most WR points per game and don’t give up the deep ball, allowing just 2 passes of 40+ yards on the year. With that said, it’s a hand injury that has kept Corey out, so his conditioning should be fine. Terrelle Pryor has been dealing with a hamstring tweak in practice this week as well. Coleman should be close to an every down player, and he’d be a great cheap DFS option and a desperation WR3 option in deeper leagues.

WR Tyreek Hill, KC (Wk. 9: vs. Jax.): It’s hard to call a guy coming off a 5-98-1 line last week and 2 straight double-digit point games a sleeper, but Hill fits that bill this week. He’s more of a gadget player than a regular starter, but he should factor into the short passing game more heavily if Spencer Ware is unable to play. Nick Foles is getting the start Sunday, so there is also the 2^nd-string connection between Hill and Foles that can help him as well. We’ve already seen that be a factor for Cameron Meredith and Brian Hoyer as well as Geno Smith and Charone Peake to a lesser extent. 2^nd string QBs tend to have a better rapport with 2^nd string WRs who they throw to in practice. 4 of Hill’s week 8 catches, 88 of his yards, and the one TD were thrown by Foles. Add in that the Jaguars rank 28^th in pass defense DVOA on throws to WRs that aren’t the opposing #1 or #2, and Hill could have another nice game this week.

WR Robby Anderson, NYJ (Wk. 9: @Mia.): The Dolphins have allowed 22 or more WR points in 6 of their 7 games so far, and Anderson has been playing more snaps than Quincy Enunwa of late. He’s seen 6 targets twice in the past 3 weeks. I think he’s due for a breakout game, and I have a hunch it comes this week. He’s only an option in the deepest of leagues since he’s shown a floor of about 3-30, but I like him to have possibly his best game of the season.

That's all I've got for this week. Hopefully, it helps you navigate some of the tougher lineup decisions this week. Keep a close eye on the injury report throughout the week and make sure all of your guys are active on game day. If you want to yell at me about this info or have any specific questions, feel free to hit me up on twitter (@Shawn_Foss). As always...good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It's just a game.

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07
November

Statistically (in)Significant: Week 9

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

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Welcome to Statistically (in)Significant, the place to find great stats that probably only matter at the water cooler (or bar). Each week I'll dig through the stats of the week gone by and deliver you some choice conversation starters.

398 Passing Yards

Kaepernick lead the league in passing yards this week, stopping just shy of 400 yards. As usual, we see the same patterns with the leading quarterbacks - their teams went 2-6. Meanwhile, rushing leaders went 6-2. So sure, Kaepernick looks better than Blaine Gabbert, but he still isn't winning any games. The 49ers haven't won since their opening game against the Rams. They've given up at least 33 points in all but one of those losses, so maybe the QB wasn't exactly the problem in the first place.

261 Yards from Scrimmage

Melvin Gordon is now the leading fantasy RB on the year after having a monster game against the Titans. Gordon had 196 rushing yards and 65 receiving yards against the team that is still the 7th best against opposing RBs. With 11 total touchdowns this year, Gordon has redeemed himself from his disappointing rookie season.

8 Touchdowns

Mike Evans leads all receivers with 8 TDs after grabbing two more on Thursday night. He's the only real threat on offense right now for Jameis Winston, and has 103 targets on the year already, on track for over 200 on the season. He's only got 55 receptions, mostly because he's always getting creamed by the other team, as also seen on Thursday night. Evans is practicing again on Monday, so he's on track to play, but needs to clear the concussion process first.

2 Defensive Touchdowns

San Diego needed a pair of return touchdowns on defense to beat the Titans. They still only managed 14 fantasy points for their DST (each score netted them 8 points each). Giving up 35 points can be rough on anyone's performance. To put that in perspective, other teams that have scored two defensive TDs this year: Week 1, Vikings, 21 pts. Week 2 Broncos, 22 pts. Week 3 Chiefs 35 pts.

5 Fourth Quarter Comebacks

Matt Stafford and the Lions have 5 wins this year, all of them fourth-quarter comebacks. Every loss that they've had has been by one score, so I suppose he's just slacking off. Stafford is the 6th highest scoring QB this season, but the Lions just have not been able to put a good game together from start to finish. They get a bye this week and will ride high on this past win, but the Vikings get a rematch on Thanksgiving, so that should be a fun one to watch.