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The Chicago Bears have shown their cards after starting the season 0-3. Jared Allen was shipped off two days ago, followed by Jonathan Bostic as Rookie GM Ryan Pace sheds ill-fitting pieces left over from the Phil Emery era. These two moves have opened up a TON of cap space for the rebuilding Bears, but I don’t think we have seen the end of the wheeling and dealing.

 

Rumors surfaced immediately about Matt Forte being on the trading block after the Allen and Bostic news broke. An abundance of sources are being cited left and right; some claiming Forte is definitely on the block, while others are claiming he isn’t. I might not have the sources, but I can look at this from a pure business sense and tell you that it makes sense for the Bears to move Matt Forte.

 

First, Forte is 29 years old (turning 30 in December) and is in the final year of his contract. His resume boasts five 1000+ rushing seasons and he holds high marks in the passing game. From the Bears point of view they are in total rebuilding mode. It makes no sense for the Bears to invest in Forte when their path to relevance only leads into his declining years.

 

matt forte trade rumors nfl 2015

 

Second, his contract extension, or lack thereof, was an early sign. I have to hand it to Matt Forte for the way he handled the off season media blitz surround his potential contract extension. He stayed out of it for the most part and didn’t hold out. That doesn’t mean he didn’t vocalize his disappointment. In an Interview with NBC 5’s Mike Adamle, Forte says this about his future, “I’ve come to the realization that this might be my last year here, so I’m gonna make it the best year I can possibly make it. So if I’m a free agent at the end of the year I might have to go somewhere else.”

 

Lastly, the Bears have no reason not to try to trade Forte before the deadline. From a business standpoint he is worth nothing to them once he explores free agency. Trading him for a draft pick is the best they can do in the position they are in. Ryan Pace has already shown that he is in full-on rebuilding mode and his plan has to include stashing draft picks.

 

Where does Matt Forte Get Traded?

 

Dallas Cowboys – This was one of the first teams involved in the trade talks as the rumors swirled. As a Bears fan I like this destination simply because Jerry Jones is most likely to give the most if a bidding war was to take place. Jerry doesn’t like to lose. Looking at their team depth chart, the Cowboys don’t really have a need for Matt Forte. Joseph Randle is running well behind that stout offensive line, Lance Dunbar covers the pass catching role while Darren McFadden subs in for change of pace. They also have Christine Michael in the wings. Not saying a deal couldn’t get done between these two teams, but it would be complicated from the Dallas Cowboys stand point when looking at the running back depth they already have.

 

Baltimore Ravens – This is a popular pick for a potential Matt Forte trade. Justin Forsett is struggling early this season with only 124 yards through 3 games. There is also no denying that Joe Flacco would benefit from Forte’s pass catching abilities. We also need to discuss the obvious link between Matt Forte and Marc Trestman. Trestman is the offensive coordinator in Baltimore now and must be lobbying to trade for Forte. Forte has had his two most productive seasons when Marc Trestman was running the Bears offense as the head coach.

 

Carolina Panthers – The Panthers running back woes are very similar to those in Baltimore. Jonathan Stewart has only 170 yards through 3 games. Unlike the Ravens, however, the Panthers are off to a great start this season at 3-0. A Matt Forte trade to Carolina actually makes a lot of sense. Stewart is unproven as a lead back after multiple seasons of splitting time with DeAngelo Williams. Carolina could use Forte’s talents and leadership after the good start. When Kelvin Benjamin went down the Panthers lost a major offensive play maker. Greg Olsen is the lone threat right now with Ted Ginn Jr. being the only other worthwhile target.

 

Arizona Cardinals- This is my very own dark horse trade destination. Chris Johnson appears to have earned the starting role in Arizona, even after Andre Ellington returns. His game last week against the 49ers was impressive with 110 yards on the ground and 2 TD’s. That being said, I still like Matt Forte in this offense, and the timing seems to make sense. Carson Palmer is playing great despite his age (35) and Larry Fitzgerald is off to a good start with 333 yards and 5 touchdowns despite being 32. My point here is that Arizona’s chance for a Super Bowl is on the clock. Putting Matt Forte in the mix instantly makes them an offensive juggernaut.

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TNF: 9/24/15: Washington Redskins vs. N.Y. Giants
Well, chalk up one for the N.Y. Giants, they cut their losing streak at the expense of the Redskins, 32-21. I guess Eli can talk about his 1st win of the season while Big Bro. Peyton talks about # 3 so far. I'm sure it's been some quite dinners at the folks house these last few weeks. In their previous losses against Dallas & Atlanta, the Giants fell apart in the 4th Qtr & loss. This time they were dominant in the 4th and held on to the victory. The Giants scored in almost every way possible, beginning with Jennings blocking Tress Way's punt for a safety on the Redskins opening series. Andre Williams scored on a 1yd run, Josh Brown kicked 3 FGs and Beckham toasted Bashaud Breeland to settle matters. For Washington, Rashad Ross returned the kickoff 101yds for the final score. Gruden still sticking to his "no QB controversy" every chance he gets, so then, you know it is. This is Washington's 5th straight lost to the Giants. Things just might be looking up for the Giants with Dallas being 2-0 who now have major folks out and Philly is 0-2. The Redskins, well, today, they were just here. Nuff said about that. E. Manning threw for 279yds & 2 TDs, R. Jennings had 11 carries for 32yds & R. Randle had 7 receptions for 116yds & 1 TD. K. Cousins threw for 316yds, 1 TD & 2 ints. M. Jones had 11 carries for 38yds & 1 fumble, J. Reed finished up with 6 receptions for 96yds. I heard that RGIII made up to #2 spot. I'm just saying.

 
 
MNF: 9/28/15: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers.
Aaron Rodgers lights up Chiefs for 5 TDs and drops K.C. like a plague. Now, K.C. did put up a fight but you have to play all 4 Qtrs against the Packers. Smith was getting hit so much, he was just throwing the ball anywhere at one point to avoid the hit. He was sacked a total of 7x.  On one of his TDs to Cobb in the 4th, Rodgers set the franchise record with his 4th career game of at least 5 TD passes. The Chiefs did not fail with the dropped passes and GB dropped a few themselves. The bright side for the Chiefs? They stopped their long streak of no TD receptions by a receiver when Jeremy Maclin hauled in a 5yd TD pass with 56 seconds left in the 3rd Qtr. Randall Cobb and James Jones were the preferred targets for the night. Rodgers connected with Cobb for 3 of the 5 TDs. Green Bay built a 38-14 lead early in the 4th Qtr before withstanding a late rush by Jamaal Charles & the Chiefs. Charles rushed for 3 TDs for K.C. Charles 7yd TD with 1:25 left got the Chiefs with 10pts but result was the same for K.C., which lost it's second straight. Despite the 3 TD runs, the Packers put the breaks on Charles from making explosive plays and shut him down to 49yds on 11 carries. The Chiefs were on alert for Rodgers tendency to take advantage of free plays and they still got beat. But Rodger's backup, Scott Tolzien, who sees the greatness of Rodgers every week, said it best. He said, "I mean, to me, it's like watching Jordan in his prime. He's at the top of his game. He makes it all go." Rodgers said what he loved about MJ was that MJ brought his "A" game every night because he knew that each night, there was someone in the stands that had never seen him play and he made sure to put on a show. Same with Rodgers, even on his bad days, he's good! He saw Jordan when he was 8 and said he will never forget it. A. Rodgers threw for 33yds & 5 TDs. His no interceptions at home was almost broken today but the ball was dropped. E. Lacy had 10 carries for 46yds & J. Jones had 7 receptions for 139yds & 1 TD. A. Smith threw for 290yds, 1 TD & 1 int., J. Charles had 11 carries for 49yds & 3 TDs. Did you know that Charles had a speech impediment as a child and he first discovered his football talents playing in the Special Olympics. J. Maclin had 8 receptions for 141yds & 1 TD.
 
 
NFC NORTH:
 
Green Bay Packers: 3-0
Good game, I really enjoyed this one. The Packers skinned the Chiefs, 38-28. Rodgers is just cold!!! Nothing else you can say. Read the MNF update for the details. Well, I can tell you that he won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
 
 
Minnesota Vikings: 2-1
Hummm, so they won again and this time, like the last, it wasn't because of A.P. I know they are happy to have him back but they are holding their own as a team as well. He doe's do better with each game. This week before the game, he showed up at the practice facility on his day off to run a series of 100yd sprints, 18 in all. He looks to be in mid-career form now or so I heard. They beat the San Diego Chargers 31-14. Still can't believe that, I thought the Chargers would put up a better fight. His 1st TD was the first time crossing the goal line in more than 22 months, that's 2 years. The last time he scored was on Nov., 24, 2013 @ GB, before a foot injury slowed him down in the stretch that season. Fallout from the child abuse case last year kept him out of all but one game. Rivers was pretty beat up in this game. He was pulled out midway through the 4th Qtr when the deficit was 24pts. He was sacked 4x for a loss of 28yds. He had 2 turnovers and took a hard hit to the mid-section from Anthony Barr in the 3rd Qtr. Peterson tied Randy Moss for 2nd place, (93) on the team's all-time TD list, trailing Cris Carter (110). T. Bridgewater threw for 121yds & 1 int., that's less yds than Peterson rushed for in this game. A. Peterson had 20 carries for 126yds & 2 TDs & M. Wallace had 3 receptions for 49yds. P. Rivers threw for 246yds, 1 TD & 1 int., and a bunch of bumps & bruises. M. Gordon had 14 carries for 51yds & K. Allen finished with 12 receptions for 133yds & 2 TDs.
 
 
Chicago Bears: 0-3
I know, same story, different day. Bears lose to Seattle, no, they were shut out by the Seahawks, 26-0. This was the first shut out for my Bears in more than a decade. Dec., 29, 2002 to be exact, they lost to Tampa Bay 15-0 in the season finale. Bennett played against his brother, Bears traded Jon Bostic to Patriots & Jared Allen to Panthers and word on the street is that there may be more. Oh yeah, Clausen says he plays as good as Jay. Really? News flash Claussen, you suck too!! Read about the shut out in Seattle's update.
 

Detroit Lions: 0-3
What did you expect? They played Denver and they lost to Denver, 24-12.  Read the Broncos update for details.

 
 
NFC SOUTH:
 
Atlanta Falcons: 3-0
How sweet it is for the Falcons. It's even sweeter for Julio Jones who now has 34 receptions through 3 games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most receptions in NFL history, for 3 games of course. They got their 3rd win at the expense of, the "man down" Dallas Cowboys, 39-28. I told Lofton his team is going down without Dez then you add Romo, it is a game changer. Matt Ryan hit WR Julio Jones for 2 TDs. Julio had his 3rd straight 100yd game to start the season. He finished up with 164yds and a, put this one in the books, 2yd score late in the 4th Qtr. RB Devonta Freeman didn't ease up on the Cowboys either, he ran for 141yds & 3 scores starting for injured rookie Tevin Coleman. Dallas RB Lance Dunbar had 10 catches for 100yds but several were ill fated attempts to get 1st downs in 3rd and long situations. Cole Beasley was the only receiver to catch a pass. They pretty much took the home crowd out of the game. This is quite a change for the Falcons. If you remember they had not won their 3rd game until WK 10 last season and WK 13 in 2013, so you know they are flying high. According to the NFL, Atlanta is the 1st team to start 3-0 after trailing in the 4th Qtr of each game. M. Ryan threw for 285yds & 2 TDs, D. Freeman had 30 carries for 141yds & 3 TDs, he did his job for the day. J. Jones had 12 receptions for 164yds & 2 TDs. They got him working day & night. B. Weeden threw for 232yds & 1 int., J. Randle had 14 carries for 87yds & 3 TDs, not bad at all JR. L. Dunbar stats listed above.
 

Carolina Panthers: 3-0
Ho hum, Carolina wins another one. Now, I am sure that I read somewhere in the off season that the Panthers has the 3rd or 5th easiest schedule this year, somebody on that team must be Irish with all the luck they having. It's amazing what a QB can do when he is not crying & complaining all the time. They beat down the doomed Saints, 27-22. They said this is one of the most complete efforts of his 5yr career. He tossed his bud, former Bear, Greg Olsen, 2 TD passes to sweeten up his stat sheet. He put the icing on the cake when he ran in for a score himself. This gave him his 35th rushing TD of his career, tying him with Randall Cunningham & Stever Grogan for 7th most in NFL history by a QB. They said his "maturation" showed in this game, that means he is not crying on the side lines as much. The Panthers are 3-0 for the 1st time since reaching the SB in the 2003 season. This is the 1st game Brees has missed because of injury since he became a Saint in 2006. Luke McCown started in Drew's place. The previous time he started was Sept., 18, 2011, a game in which he threw 4 ints. in a 32-3 loss while playing the Jaguars. Be afraid New Orleans, be very afraid. C. Newton threw for 315yds & 2 TDs, J. Stewart had 14 carries for 52yds and Cam's #1 man, G. Olsen had 8 receptions for 134yds & 2 TDs. L. McCown threw for 310yds & 1 int., M. Ingram had 14 carries for 50yds & 1 TD, B. Cooks had 7 receptions for 79yds.

 
 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1-2
It's a sad day in the NFL when the TBB are over the Saints in the NFC South, but that is the case. Even thought the lost to the Texans, 19-9, they are still one game better in the standings than a couple of teams. Read the details in Houston's update.
 

New Orleans Saints: 0-3
The lost boys, aka: The New Orleans Saints dropped another one, leaving them 0-3 and shaking their heads. Read the 411 in the Panthers update. Brees is still a ? for WK4.
 
 
NFC EAST:
 
Dallas Cowboys: 2-1
You know your team is doing bad when T.O., Terrell Owens says Dallas should give him another shot.  As of today, he hasn't heard back from them. Dallas tried to win without Romo & Dez, but it was not to be. Read about their lost to the Falcons in that update.
 

N.Y. Giants: 1-2
Read about their 1st win of the season against the crashing Redskins. Check out the TNF update, right at the top.
 
 
Washington Redskins: 1-2
No surprise here, they dropped the ball on TNF and lost to the Giants, 32-21. Check out that update above.
 

Philadelphia Eagles 1-2
Eagles finally win one over the N.Y. Jets, 24-17. D. Sproles, aka, Mighty Mouse, led the way. Have you seen the thighs on that guy?  It's like the MM cartoon from way back, come on now, some of y'all know what I'm talking bout lol. He started off with an 89yd punt return for a score & added a 1yd TD run. The D caused 4 turnovers & Philly got it's first win. QB, Bradford threw a TD pass to Ryan Mathews, who rushed for 108yds on 25 carries while starting in the place of the injured DeMarco Murray. The Eagles improved to 10-0 all time against the Jet's who had just put the smack down on the Colts on MNF last week. Even though Fitzpatrick threw TD passes to B. Marshall & Jeremy Kerley, it was really pointless when he turns around and throws 3 ints. Even with them holding the Eagles scoreless after halftime. They couldn't add any more points on the board. With this win, the Eagles avoided their 1st 0-3 start since 1999. So much more to read about this game, but I try really hard to keep it short & to the point. Good luck with that huh, lol. S. Bradford threw for 118yds & 1 TD., R. Matthews had 24 carries for 108yds & 1 fumble and on double duty, he had 6 receptions for 49yds. R. Fitzpatrick threw for 283yds, 2 TDs & 3 ints., Ouch! No rushing worth mentioning. My boy, B. Marshall had 10 receptions for 109yds, 1 TD and some butter fingers with 1 int.  
 
 
NFC WEST: 
 
Arizona Cardinals: 3-0
You knew it was going to be a great day for the Cardinals when they immediately put the 49ers on notice by returning 2 interceptions for a TD in the opening minutes. S, Tyrann Mathieu, who brought back the 2nd TD and later picked off another pass in Arizona's 47-7 slaughter. He had his part in setting an NFL record as the Cardinals became the 1st team in NFL history with a pair of interception returns for scores in the first 6 minutes of a game. To make it feel like Christmas for Mathieu, he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Larrry Fitzgerald caught 9 passes, he was on fire in this game and he's still my boyfriend, I don't care what anyone says, lol. It's the first time the franchise has had two 40pt victories in a row since 1969. It's also the largest margin of victory since a 44-0 win over Houston in 1970. Palmer won his 9th in a row, the NFL's longest active streak, and is 16-2 in his past 18 starts. The scary part, they can only get better. Kap threw 4 pics in this game, he had a QB rating of 16.7, the worst in his career. I see he still hasn't found his MoJo yet. In his favor, he did score on a 12yd TD run. That's all I got to say about this one. C. Palmer threw for 311yds, 2 TDs & 1 int., C. Johnson had 22 carries for 110yds & 2 TDs and Larry had 9 receptions for 134yds & 2 TDs. C. Kap, smh, threw for 67yds & 4 ints. that's the worse I've seen for any QB. c. Hyde had 15 carries for 51yds & no receiving yards worth talking about.
 
 
St. Louis Rams: 1-2
They were handed their 2nd loss of the season at the hands of the Steelers. Check it out in Pittsburgh's update.
 

San Francisco 49ers: 1-2
Man, go back up 2 spots and read about the 47-7 slaughter they took from the Cardinals in that update.
 

Seattle Seahawks: 1-2
So Russell was like, ok guys, we are 0-2 but we got the Bears Sunday so we 1-2 going into WK4. I'm just saying, that's how the pep talk went in the Seahawks locker room. The game was really slow for a bit. Tyler Lockett provided a need jolt to his boys with a start to the 2nd half with a 105yds kickoff return for a TD. After that, Wilson, Graham and a defense that was whole again with the return of Kam Chancellor took over. They still didn't look all that great, they were only up 6-0 at halftime. I mean you beat my Bears, that's all I'm saying. But they may have paid for the shut out on the Bears. Already dealing with a sore back and neck and a calf injury that had him limited in practice last week, Lynch has to have an MRI on injured hamstring. I'm just saying, he been put down a lot lately & it may have just caught up with him. He may be out for WK 4. R. Wilson threw for 235yds & 1 TD, T. Rawls had 16 carries for 104yds & J. Graham look like the Saint from past play with 7 receptions for 83yds & 1 TD. J. Clausen, loser, had 63yds & you say you better than Jay. You must have grew up together. M. Forte had 20 carries for 74yds & Z. Miller, who the hell is that, had 1 reception for 21yds. SMH. Pitiful!
 
 
AFC NORTH:
 
Cincinnati Bengals: 3-0
Good game against the Ravens, I honestly could not tell who was going to win this one until the very end. Bengals remained undefeated with a 28-24 win over the losing Ravens. It was the battle of Andy Dalton & A.J. Green against Joe Flacco & Sam Smith Sr. It was truly amazing to watch. When the smoke cleared and the game was over, the Bengal boys came out on top. You just should have saw this one. The Bengals blew a 14-0 lead & twice trailed in the 4th Qtr before Dalton & Green brought them back. This is what I'm saying, it was that kind of game, again, you should have saw this one. The Ravens went ahead for the 1st time, turning a fumble by Dalton into a 41yd TD return by Mosley for a 17-14 lead with 6:49 left. Green immediately got free & caught a pass in stride that he turned into an 80yd score. Green broke a tackle by J. Smith, shook off W. Hill & scrambled into the end zone. The Ravens answered with a 79yd drive that featured 2, 3rd down conversion & ended with Steve Smith catching a 16yd TD pass in front of Dre Kirkpatrick for a 24-21 advantage with just under 4 minutes to go. After that, Green comes up with the game winner and that's all she wrote. I'm so glad I didn't miss this game. Cincinnati has won 4 in a row in this AFC North rivalry for the first time. 5 of the past 6 games have been decided by 7pts or fewer. Baltimore WAS the only existing NFL team NEVER to start 0-3, before this season. It had been a decade since the Ravens began with 2 straight defeats. A. Dalton threw for 383yds, 3 TDs & 1 int., G. Bernard had 13 carries for 49yds. But the real "Superman" A.J. Green had 10 receptions for 227yds & 2 TDs. J. Flacco threw for 362yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards worth mentioning. S. Smith Sr. had 13 receptions for 186yds & 2 TDs. To bad if you missed this game.
 

Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-1
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, the injury shark gets you. True, the Steelers won this one over the Rams but they paid a heavy price. Big Ben was injured and will be out for at least 4 games. At least he has Michael Vick to back him up and not Clausen. Vick said he was stunned that Ben got hurt, but I bet he grabbed his helmet so quick to hit the field, all you could see was sparks from his feet. Ben hasn't missed a game since 2012. He won his franchise-record 108th game, passing Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. LeVeon Bell scored from a yard out in the 1st half, his first game back after a suspension, making up for lost time no doubt. The Rams were limited to 2 FG and have scored only 16pts in their last 2 games. Ram's QB said they will say some prayers for Ben. Rams MLB James Laurinaitis became the franchise career tackle leader, passing late Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen. He has started all 99 games since being drafted in the 2nd round in 2009. B. Ben threw for 192yds & 1 int. before going out on a knee/leg injury. L. Bell had 19 carries for 62yds & 1 TD. A. Brown had 11 receptions for 108yds. N. Foles threw for 197yds & 1 int., no rushing yards worth mentioning. K. Britt had 7 receptions for 102yds. Good luck Big Ben.
 

Cleveland Browns: 1-2
The Oakland Raiders handed the Browns this loss, 27-20. Check out that update for details.
 

Baltimore Ravens: 0-3
Wouldn't believe it, if I wasn't writing it. The Ravens are still searching for a win with yet another loss, this one to the Bengals. Check it out in that update.

 
 
AFC SOUTH:
 
Jacksonville Jaguars: 1-2
So it turns out that the 49er's were not beat up the worst, the Jaguars were. Read the details of the 51-17 stomp you down to the ground beating they took from the Patriots in that update.
 

Indianapolis Colts: 1-2
They finally pulled one out by the hair of their chiny, chin, chins or by Lucks beard. They beat the Titans 35-33, so they barely won, but it's still a win. This was their first 0-3 start since 2011 and they disparately needed this win, especially since he was the "answer" for the Colts. I still think he's okay, not great. Not saying he won't get there, but he isn't just yet. They trailed 27-14 before Luck got going. Luck threw 2 TD passes, 56 seconds apart. Frank Gore ran for 2 TDs including the winner on a 6yd run with 2:51 left.  Luck finally had that rabbit's foot working in his favor. He did add 2 interceptions, but what's a game without a pic six here and there.  The Titans, well we know their story, they have lost 13 of 14 against the Colts so this day was not a surprise to them at all. The Titans were down 14-0 in the 2nd Qtr, they scored 27 straight points to take that 27-14 lead. Though they lost, they stayed in the game and that's more than I can say for a few teams. A. Luck threw for 260yds, 2 TDs & 2 ints. F. Gore had 14 carries for 86yds & 2 TDs and T. Hilton had 4 receptions for 94yds. M. Mariota threw for 367yds, 2 TDs & 2 ints., when he grows up in the NFL, he's gonna be on fire. A. Andrews had 12 carries for 49yds & 1 TD. K. Wright had 7 receptions for 95yds & 1 TD.
 

Houston Texans: 1-2
They finally put one in the win column with the 19-9 win over the Tampa Bay Bucs. Mallett got his 2nd NFL win in his 2nd start this season after Brian Hoyer was benched after struggling in Houston's opener. The Texans didn't care if it was a H.S. team they beat, as long as they didn't join the 0-3 club. Texans, DeAndre Hopkins, who missed practice this week because of a concussion, finished with 8 receptions for 101yds & 1 TD. QB, J. Winston threw for 261yds and a TD but added an int. Mike Evans tried to pitch in but hampered more than helped with a couple of drops. Here is the sad part, after making a 58yd FG, rookie kicker Kyle Brindza, missed one for the 1 extra point and then missed 3 more FG attempts, which would have tallied 10pts, which is what they lost by. We'd be reading a totally different update, if he didn't. Watt snickered as he said the FG kicker helped us out, hell, he gave them the game. One thing Houston can brag about for sure is this.  With the Chiefs loss against GB, the Texans are the only team in the NFL that has never lost in Lambeau Field. R. Mallett threw for 228yds, 1 TD & 1 int., A. Blue had 31 carries for 139yds & 1 TD. D. Hopkins, back to work, his stats are noted above. J. Winston threw for 1 TD & 1 int., D. Martin had 14 carries for 46yds & M. Evans had 7 receptions for 101yds.
 

Tennessee Titans: 1-2
Indy beat these guys 35-33, simple enough. Read about it in the Colts update. Mariota did grab the honors of the Offensive Rookie of the Month for September. In his first 3 starts, the No. 2 overall pick in last April's draft lead the Titans to a 1-2 record, completing 61-0f-97 passes for 833yds & 8 TDs, with 2 interceptions. Jay/Claussen, you guys taking notes yet?
 
 
AFC EAST:
 
New England Patriots: 3-0
Pulverized the Jaguars, 51-17. They didn't even give them a chance for false hope in this game. Jags fresh off their first win, feeling pretty good taking down the Dolphins then this. Talking about skinning a cat alive, the Patriots stripped them of everything in this game. To top it off, Brady gets that 400th TD in the bag. Brady became the 4th QB in NFL history to throw for 400 TDs and he added his 401st, a 13yd pass to Keshawn Martin late in the 3rd Qtr. He Joins P. Manning, B. Favre & D. Marino. LaGarrette Blount had 3, 1yd TD runs & Gostkowski added the extra point on all 6 TDs to run his streak to an NFL record 425 in a row.  He has led the NFL in points for each of the past 3 season.  By this time, it was 37-10 and the Jaguar fans were knocking each other down to get out and beat the traffic. The Patriots are headed into their by week with a perfect record still intact. Jacksonville was flagged 7x for 114yds, including back-to-back pass interference penalties in the 3rd Qtr. The first one cost them 52yds, the second negated an interception and 82yd return, instead, it put the Patriots on Jacksonville 1. T. Brady threw for 358yds & 2 TDs, L. Blount had 18 carries for 78yds & 3 TDs, dangggg. R. Gronkowski had 4 receptions for 101yds. B. Bortles threw for 242yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards worth writing. A. Hurns had 2 receptions for 70yds & 1 TD.
 

Buffalo Bills: 2-1
Man, they whipped it on Miami, 41-14. TE Charles Clay scored the Bills first TD, 3 minutes into the game. This was Tyrod Taylor won his first NFL road start and embarrassed the Dolphins on the way. We are only finishing up WK 3 and the Dolphins are already in last place in the AFC East with two consecutive loss. The loss was the most lopsided defeat in a home opener for the Dlphins, who are beginning their 50th season.  Buffalo improved to 5-2 against Miami over the past 4 years.  The victory was especially sweet for former Dolphins Clay & Richie InCognito, who were co-captains in Buffalo. Fans were booing after less than 12 minutes and by the 4th Qtr, the stadium was mostly deserted. I know this is WK4 news. But, Dolphins Coach J. Philbin said he wasn't worried about his job. Not 1 hour later, I got the next ESPN alert that said he had been fired. So much for job security. T. Taylor threw for 277yds & 3 TDs. K. Williams had 12 carries for 110yds & 1 TD. C. Clay had 5 receptions for 82yds & 1 TD. R. Tannehill, who just year people were comparing him to Dan Marino! Come on man. He threw for 297yds, 2 TDs & 3 ints. No rushing yards worth writing about & R. Matthews had 6 receptions for 113yds & 2 TDs.


N.Y. Jets: 2-1
They were cut off at the pass on their way to an 3-0 start when Sproles and the Eagles said, not today. Read Philly's update on this one.
 

Miami Dolphins: 1-2
You just never go to work each day, thinking that you will be punked on national TV. Well, that's what happened to the Dolphins. Check it out in the Bills update.
 
 
AFC WEST:
 
Denver Broncos: 3-0
No surprise here as the Broncos move up to 3-0 with a win over the Lions in WK 3. It wasn't a beat down @ 24-12, just a reminder that you ain't going to beat us. Whether it was 3rd or 4th down, 1st or 4th Qtr, Manning at 39, still has it. Manning hit D. Thomas with a 43yd TD pass on a 4th down with 5 seconds left in the half. Then he threw an 11yd scoring pass to Owen Daniels on 3rd down with 2:28 remaining. That lifted the Broncos up for the win for good. He credited the coaching staff with using a pistol formation, giving him the ball in a short shotgun with a RB behind him. Whatever all that is I just wrote, it's working out for the better for Manning and the team. He was only sacked once in this game. That's a load off his body considering he was sacked 7x in the first 2 games. Stafford had 3 turnovers, including a fumble & interception at midfield in the 4th. Detroit was in reach of this one until they were called for an illegal formation. Not only did Denver miss the FG but they got it back and 5yds closer and you know what happened with that, they made the next FG.  That put Denver up by 5pts and they never looked back. The last time the Broncos won their first 3 games was in 2013, when they reached the Super Bowl. They could go all the way, but way to early to tell. Still got Arizona & Green Bay out there. P. Manning threw for 324yds, 2 TDs & 1 int., no rushing yards worth writing and D. Thomas had 9 receptions for 92yds, 1 TD & 1 fumble. M. Stafford threw for 282yds, 1 TD & 2 ints. No rushing yards worth writing about, less than 25 on both teams. C. Johnson, now renamed mini tron for the start of the season finished for 8 receptions for 77yds.
 

Oakland Raiders: 2-1
Sayyyy whatttt, the Raiders went at least 9 games last year before they won one, now they rolling round town, picking up wins. This one was against the Cleveland Browns, 27-20. Derek Carr is doing pretty good for the Raiders. Before this game Carr was 0-8 on the road. Carr threw 2 TD passes and Safety, Charles Woodson made a game clinching interception with 38 seconds left as Oakland snapped an 11 game, road losing streak. This was their 1st road win since Nov., 17, 2013. They said even the ball boys were happy while picking up shoulder pads & other game over stuff to load on the bus back home. Cleveland was driving for a tying TD in the final minute before Woodson stepped in and intercepted Josh McCown, who was trying to hit Travis Benjamin down the right sideline. That's all she wrote folks, game over. D. Carr threw for 314yds & 2 TDs, L. Murray had 26 carries for 139yds & 1 TD & A. Cooper tied it up with 8 receptions for 134yds & 1 fumble. J. McCown threw for 341yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards to mention. G. Barnidge had 6 receptions for 105yds & 1 TD.
 

Kansas City Chiefs: 1-2
They started off slow, picked up, then slowed down again in this 38-28 loss to the Cheese heads. Read the MNF update to catch up.
 

San Diego Chargers: 1-2
I got my eyes checked and I'm reading it right. The Chargers have only won 1 of 3 games to start off the season. It was the Vikings that they bowed to on this day. Read the Vikings update for more details.

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Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Week 3 was full of explosive performances from some expected and some unexpected places. A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb and Jamaal Charles are supposed to blow up on a regular basis. Devonta Freeman, Joseph Randle and Rishard Matthews are not. Some rookies got into the act as well...Amari Cooper cleared the century mark again, as did Thomas Rawls and Karlos Williams on the ground. Williams also found the end zone for the 3rd consecutive week (the only player in the league to do so). Hopefully the big days in week 3 worked in your favor, but even if not, lets see what we can do about getting the right rookies in the lineup for week 4...

 

 

Rookies to Start:

amari cooperAmari Cooper has really impressed this year

RB Karlos Williams, BUF (Wk. 4: vs. NYG): Williams finally got double-digit touches with LeSean McCoy hampered by a balky hammy, and he didn't disappoint, racking up over 100 yards with a TD on just 12 carries. He now boasts a ludicrous 7.75 ypc average for the season on 24 carries and should get the start against a defense that has allowed over 18 fantasy points per game to opposing RBs. As long as McCoy sits, Karlos is a rock solid RB2 this week with RB1 upside.

 

RB Melvin Gordon, SD (Wk. 4: vs. Cle.): Gordon hasn't had a role in the red zone, but he continues to run for respectable yardage totals and has his most favorable matchup of the season-to-date. The Browns are allowing about 5 yards per carry and a league-worst 158 rush yards per game so far. Gordon should even have a reasonable chance to break a long TD. Cleveland has given up 4 rushes of 20 or more yards so far, 2 of which went for 40+. Fire him up as an RB2 this week.

 

WR Amari Cooper, OAK (Wk. 4: @Chi.): In case you need any reason from me to know you should play Cooper this week, the Bears allow the 4th-most WR fantasy points per game in the league, and have allowed averages of 12.6 receptions, 153 yards, and 2.3 TDs per game to opposing WRs. I would expect Cooper to be good for at least half of that, and he could have WR1 upside in a cake matchup.

 

Borderline Rookies:

RB TJ Yeldon, JAX (Wk. 4: @Ind.): After last week, there's obviously reason for pause before firing up Yeldon considering that the Colts' high powered offense could have the Jags playing from behind again. With that said, Indy's defense has given us very little reason to trust their ability to stop the run, allowing 18 RB fantasy points per game and 4 RB scores in 3 games. I'd say there's a 50/50 shot that Yeldon gets his first TD this week. He's more flex play than RB2, but he could have a nicer day than expected.

 

RB Duke Johnson, CLE (Wk. 4: @SD): San Diego has been absolutely shredded by opposing run games the past 2 weeks, and Crowell was back to being inefficient last week against Oakland. The Chargers have allowed over 500 total yards and 5 TDs to opposing RBs in just 3 games, and the Browns did finally involve Duke in the passing game last week. I expect him to factor back in to the rush attempt mix a little bit this week as well. I have a feeling he comes up with a solid PPR-Flex game this week.

 

WR Ty Montgomery, GB (Wk. 4: @SF): The 49ers have been just as bad as the Bears in terms of WR fantasy points allowed. After Monday night, you'd expect there to be an increased focus from the defense to stop Randall Cobb, which should open things up for Montgomery and Jones. There is some risk here. Davante Adams might be able to play, which would kill Ty's value. Jeff Janis could run ahead of him due to the mental mistakes and silly penalties Montgomery committed against the Chiefs. Still, most signs point to him being the WR3 for GB this week, which should get him WR3 consideration in your lineup.

 

 

Rookies to Sit:

QB Jameis Winston, TB (Wk. 4: vs. Car.): Last week wasn't particularly pretty for Jameis, and things don't get much easier this week. The Panthers' DBs have been a nightmare on opposing WRs, especially Josh Norman, and Jameis may struggle to get going this week. Duplicating last week's stat line is about all you can expect this week. Anything more would be a nice bonus.

 

RB Matt Jones, WAS (Wk. 4: vs. Phi.): While it was a great sign to see Jones running ahead of Alfred Morris last week, this matchup doesn't set up particularly well for Jones, and Morris isn't exactly going to vanish either. The Eagles have allowed just 3.1 ypc, and have yet to allow a RB touchdown. The one place they've struggled is against RBs catching passes out of the backfield, but thus far, Chris Thompson has pretty much had that role to himself in the Redskins' backfield rotation. Jones is always a threat for a red zone TD, but I'd shy away this week if I have reasonable options.

 

RB Ameer Abdullah, DET (Wk. 4: @Sea.): The Seahawks at home are just an opponent you don't want to play skill players against unless they are every week studs. When you have Matt Forte there, you leave him in and hope for the best. With Ameer Abdullah, a part-time player in a 3-back rotation? Not so much, even if he is the best talent of the trio. Seattle is yet to allow a TD to an opposing RB on the year. Abdullah should be avoided this week.

 

RB David Johnson, ARI (Wk. 4: vs. StL.): The Rams defense looks daunting on paper, but they're vulnerable on the perimeter. Yes, Chris Johnson has looked good, but David has still been a factor in this offense. Unfortunately, it looks like Andre Ellington will be back this week. If for some reason Andre sits again, David has some value as a flex option, but his floor is scary low if he's fighting both CJ and AE for touches.

 

RB Todd Gurley, STL (Wk. 4: @Ari.): It was nice to see Gurley back on the field, even if the results weren't impressive. On the plus side, he did look healthy, but he gets a tough matchup this week. I believe he's close to being handed bellcow duties, but I don't think this is the week where it comes together. Arizona has been throttling teams so far, and if the Rams fall behind, I'd expect a fair amount of Benny Cunningham.

 

WR Nelson Agholor, PHI (Wk. 4: @Was.): Agholor has been mostly invisible this season despite playing plenty of snaps. He was barely targeted at all last week, and if he were to put up even 4 catches and 50 yards this week in a plus matchup, it would be a pleasant surprise. You can do better.

 

WR Phillip Dorsett, IND (Wk. 4: vs. Jax.): Dorsett found the end zone last weekend, but his volume hasn't been consistent enough to trust going forward. I still feel like the Colts want to get Andre Johnson more involved at some point (If Andre is still capable), and banking on another TD from a guy who is only going to see a few targets isn't often a recipe for success.

 

WRs Devin Smith & Quincy Enunwa, NYJ (Wk. 4: @Mia.): The matchup seems ripe for the picking after Tyrod Taylor shredded the 'Fins on Sunday, but Eric Decker is likely to return this week and severely cut down on the snaps and targets this pair will see. If you had to pick one, Smith is the choice due to the threat of a long TD against a shaky secondary. With that said, I wouldn't want to play either in a season-long league.

 

WR Willie Snead, NO (Wk. 4: vs. Dal.): I like Snead a lot, but I'd like him a lot more if I was confident that Drew Brees was going to go back to being Drew Brees at some point. He's not quite the matchup nightmare that 6'6" Brandon Coleman is, but I would argue he's already got a better rapport with Brees and is the option the QB trusts more of the 2. The problem is that this offense just isn't very good right now. Even if Brees plays, I wouldn't feel good about playing Snead even in really deep leagues this week.

 

 

Deep League Sleepers & Cheap DFS Options:

thomas rawls waiver wire pick week 4RB Thomas Rawls, SEA (Wk. 4: vs. Det.): It sounds like Marshawn Lynch should be fine and ready to roll for week 4, but keep an eye on the situation. If Lynch were to miss this one, it would be another plus matchup for a back that just put up over 100 yards in his first real action as a pro. The Lions have allowed over 130 ypg and 4 rushing TDs to RBs through 3 games. There are also some out there who feel that what we've seen so far is the beginning of the end for Beast Mode. If that's the case, Rawls would make a nice stash in case something happens, and should absolutely be owned in Dynasty formats. With Christine Michael and Robert Turbin gone, Rawls is the heir apparent in Seattle.

 

RB Jeremy Langford, CHI (Wk. 4: vs. Oak.): Rumors have been rampant that the Bears are shopping Matt Forte, and if they move him, Langford would likely become the starter. He, like Rawls, is worth a speculative stash for the next few weeks in case Chicago does pull the trigger, but don't be surprised if the Bears look to get him more involved if they are actually planning a trade. The Raiders' run defense is nothing special, so Langford might surprise this week if he gets some work.

 

WR Devin Funchess, CAR (Wk. 4: @TB): Trust me, it's coming for Funchess. He still has just 4 catches through 3 games, but the Bucs are weak in the secondary. This should be another great opportunity for Funchess to make an impact if the Panthers let him. I wouldn't trust him in a season-long league, but he could be a pleasant surprise in DFS.

 

WR Tyler Lockett, SEA (Wk. 4: vs. Det.): The usage in the passing game still isn't where you'd like to see it to use him in regular leagues, but he has 2 return TDs in 3 games, and will be a solid WR3 in return yardage leagues before long. Detroit has allowed 22.3 points per game to opposing WRs, and after Doug Baldwin, very little of the WR target volume is spoken for. Lockett still has plenty of upside despite limited usage so far.

 

TE Maxx Williams, BAL (Wk. 4: @Pit.): The Steelers 14 points per game allowed to opposing TEs is misleading. All 4 TDs they've given up to the tight end position occurred in week 1 against New England (3 to Gronk and 1 to Scott Chandler). They've been much better since then, but Williams will undoubtedly be a factor this week. He already set career bests last week with 3 catches on 7 targets for 44 yards. Most of that came in the second half after Crockett Gillmore went out with injury, and Gillmore isn't expected to play Thursday. Williams has sneaky TE1 upside based on volume alone.

 

That's it for week 4. If you have any questions or angry rants, feel free to reach out on twitter and let me know (@shawn_foss). Hopefully this info helps you this week. As always, good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It's just a game.

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And we’re back!

 

After a pretty dismal week 2 (silver lining – I’m sure everyone had an off week) we come roaring back only missing two games in week 3! You’re welcome!

 

youre welcome

 

That’s what makes the NFL so exciting! It’s going to be a 17-week roller coaster leading up to what always ends up being an exciting four weeks of playoffs. Drama! Let’s keep it rolling though. Unlike your typical roller coaster, the ups on this ride are a lot more fun than the downs!

 

Week 4 – HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN ALL CAPS)

 

15 – ARIZONA over St Louis – The Cardinals are a legit threat in the NFC this year. Get used to seeing them this early in my posts.

 

14 – ATLANTA over Houston – Keep an eye on the Arian Foster situation here. If he doesn’t play than the Falcons will roll. If he plays, Atlanta will still win but I would drop them down considerably.

 

13 – INDIANAPOLIS over Jacksonville – OK Colts – I’ve been singing your praises all year! The last time I had you this high you broke my heart and lost at home to the Jets. But come on, this is the Jaguars we’re talking about!

 

12 – SAN DIEGO over Cleveland – Reports are that there is an internal struggle with many Browns upset that Johnny Manziel isn’t the starter. This distraction is something Cleveland doesn’t need to deal with right now. Oh, and a very large lack of talent…that won’t help either.

 

11 – BUFFALO over New York Giants – So remember how I spent the first week or two talking about how the Dolphins were going to be a sleeper AFC East contender this year? Well, switch all that over to the Bills!

 

10 – SEATTLE over Detroit – The word going around is that all three teams the Lions have played have known their plays. If the Seahawk defense has that added to its arsenal, they’ll easily be able to round out consecutive dominant wins against the cellar of the NFC North.

 

9 – CINCINNATI over Kansas City – The Ben Roethlisberger injury is a golden opportunity for the Bengals to lock in their hold on the top of the AFC North. Hard to see them passing up that chance.

 

8 – Green Bay over SAN FRANCISCO – The big story coming out of their Monday night win was how perfect Aaron Rodgers is at home. Well, he’s not all that bad on the road either.

 

7 – DENVER over Minnesota – Peyton is starting to get back into his Peyton groove. That can be scary for the AFC.

 

6 – Oakland over CHICAGO – The fire sale is underway in Chicago. Keep an eye on it – as more big names leave the Bears keep bumping this game up your list. Especially since…the Raiders…MIGHT be legit???

 

5 – PITTSBURGH over Baltimore – The Ravens are coming to Pittsburgh at the right time with the Ben Roethlisberger injury. Won’t be enough though – they start the year 0-4.

 

4 – Carolina over TAMPA BAY – Cam Newton has turned things around quickly and have the Panthers undefeated. Not much should change when going up against Jameis Winston.

 

3 – NEW ORLEANS over Dallas – This would have been an exciting game a few weeks ago. Take away Drew Brees, Dez Bryant and Tony Romo and NBC is left wishing that they can starting flexing games out early…Bengals/Chiefs would look pretty good under the prime-time lights.

 

2 – Miami over New York Jets (game played in London) – I look at this game at want to say that my bold prediction would be that the loser stays in London…buuuuuut pretty sure that won’t happen. So I’ll just say after being the pre-season darlings, even with the win this week, my BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that THE DOLPHINS WILL FINISH LAST IN THE AFC EAST.

 

1 – WASHINGTON over Philadelphia – The Redskins have firmly set their place in the group of “if you think they will win, put them on the one line” teams. Congrats Jacksonville, you have a friend!

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The injury carousel continues to spin round and round in the NFL, flinging people off without care for their superstar status. This week wasn’t quite as bad as week two, but let’s take a quick look at the newest injuries to hit the NFL.

 

Quarterbacks

 

Ben Roethlisberger (Replacement: Michael Vick) – Roethlisberger went down and you could hear a pin drop in downtown Pittsburg for a few moments. I know the majority Steelers crowd in St. Louis fell silent when Ben was grabbing his knee in the third quarter. Mike Vick will take over the team in the meantime, and just needs to find safe ways to get the ball to the many superstars that make up the supporting cast of the Steelers. Ben has an MCL sprain and bone bruise and the current, not at all official timeline, is looking like it will be 6 weeks before he can return. Hold on to him in redraft leagues if you can afford the bench spot.

 

Running Backs

marshawn lynch

 

Marshawn Lynch (Replacement: Thomas Rawls) – Lynch left the game after only 5 carries, but let’s be honest. The Seahawks practice squad might have been able to beat the Bears this past Sunday. Lynch’s status for Monday night’s game with the Lions will be updated later in the week (they have an extra day to tell us). If he doesn’t go, it looks like undrafted rookie Thomas Rawls will handle the bulk of the work. Rawls had 18 carries for 109 yards against the Bears, and the Lions aren’t much better. This is a situation to monitor, as the extent of Lynch’s injury is still unclear.

 

LeSean McCoy (Replacement: Karlos Williams) – McCoy still managed to score a touchdown, but reports out of Buffalo all continue to state that McCoy is not fully healthy. With their offense rolling, this is shaping up to be the week that they sit down McCoy so he can finally get as close to 100% as possible. Karlos Williams has been great in his place, averaging a whopping 7.8 yards per rush attempt over the first three games and scoring a TD in each of the three games so far this year. Williams is the clear replacement and can be slotted in as a starter on your team right away, as long as McCoy is out.

 

Chris Ivory (Replacement: Bilal Powell) – Ivory suited up for Sunday’s game, but didn’t see any action. His groin injury is not supposed to keep him out of the Week 4 matchup with the Dolphins, but him being a no-show in week 3 has me skeptical about starting him in week 4. Bilal Powell is a plodding replacement who hasn’t seen the end-zone yet, so leave him towards the bottom of your waiver list if you need to pick up a replacement RB this week. Ivory will probably be a game time decision – just remember that his game time is 3.5 hours earlier than normal!

 

Demarco Murray (Replacement: Ryan Mathews) – Murray surprised a lot of people by being inactive for Sunday’s game, and it almost seems like it helped the Eagles. Ryan Mathews finally got their running game going, and is clearly a better fit in their system, compared to the workload dependent Murray. It’s hard to say where this situation is headed. If Chip Kelly is smart, he will probably wind up splitting the carries between Murray and Mathews in an attempt to take some of the pressure away from Murray. If Murray is out again, Mathews is a high-end RB2. If they both play, they are probably both more like a higher end RB3.

 

Wide Receivers

 

davante adams injured jpg

 

Davante Adams (Replacements: James Jones, Ty Montgomery) – Adams gave it a go on Monday night and only lasted for two targets on the first drive before exiting the game. Ty Montgomery and James Jones both caught a TD in the game, and it doesn’t look like there is a reason to keep pushing Davante Adams if he is injured. The Packers would be making a mistake if they kept forcing Adams out there with two other players having so much success. Do not start Adams this week, even if he’s a go!

 

Sammy Watkins (Replacement: Percy Harvin) – Watkins has been hobbled with injury, but it hasn’t slowed the Bills down one bit. Watkins suffered a calf strain, and Coach Ryan has stated he might miss week 4’s game. Harvin has been productive and startable every week, and is still only owned in 55% of Yahoo leagues! Watkins owners shouldn’t panic yet, he’s had a history of injuries leaving him a bit banged up, but he should be back to himself in a week or two. Watkins is a dynamic receiver and will return to form later this year, but for now, look to Percy Harvin for your production from the Bills WR’s.

 

Tight Ends

 

Andrew Quarless (Replacement: Richard Rodgers) – Quarless got his first two catches of the season on Monday night, and then promptly exited the game with a sprained MCL. Quarless will be out 4-6 weeks and was never a fantasy option in the first place, and neither is Rodgers. Go look elsewhere for tight end help.

 

Vernon Davis (Replacement: Vance McDonald) – Davis didn’t play much in the blowout loss against the Cardinals, but suffered a knee injury all the same. This isn’t likely a long-term injury, but it’s also not likely that he’ll be fantasy relevant any time soon. The 49ers are receiving favorable comparisons to dumpster fires and toxic waste dumps. This injury shouldn’t affect your team unless you’re in the deepest possible league.

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We continue cruising through the NFL season, and here in week 4, it seems like the injuries have slowed down just a little. Let's hope you get a few more weeks before you need to worry about rebuilding your entire fantasy team. Week 4 also marks the beginning of the by weeks, with the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans. Also, the Jets and Dolphins play at 8:30 CST on Sunday morning, live from London!

 

Tyrod Taylor has been lighting the world up over the first three weeks, and has made it up to #3 on our weekly rankings, mostly based on his matchup with the Giants average passing defense. In two QB leagues, watch out for Dave's long predicted fall of Ryan Fitzpatrick, now that he's completed three games this year. Karlos Williams finds himself in our top 10, mostly due to the fact that LeSean McCoy has been hobbled and may just sit out week 4. Devonta Freeman, while putting up a monster game in week 3, should come back down to earth against the Texans defense. Freeman got his production through sheer volume of touches, so don't expect lots of magic to happen unless the Texans defense falls apart like the Cowboys did last week.

 

Sticking with the Bills, we have a third guy from that team, Percy Harvin, who we really like this week. Harvin has 20 touches through three games, and they're well spread out. It seems like he will continue to get work all year, as long as he's healthy. Davante Adams, meanwhile, is a guy to just go ahead and avoid this week. (Yes, this sounds a whole lot like the advice from last week, but it wasn't bad, was it?) Adams basically missed the whole game on Monday night due to his ankle injury, and it's clear that he's taken a backseat to James Jones.

 

Ladarius Green did sit out week 3 with a concussion, but if he plays in week 4, he could be a decent bye week replacement. The Chargers play the Browns, who have given up the 10th most fantasy points to opposing TE's. On the flipside, Eric Ebron has been OK, but the ship appears to be sinking in Detroit, so don't jump on now. Two weeks in a row, we've heard reports of other teams calling out the Lions's plays before the snap. If that continues, their offense will struggle mightily.

 

Good luck in week 4, and don't forget to get your waiver wire claims in before the deadline!

 

 

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The injury bug continues to sting the NFL. Ben Roethlisberger and Marshawn Lynch highlight the week 3 injury report. We are already starting to see the waiver wire slim as sleepers are at a premium by this point in the season. Streaming plays is still important so continue to look for favorable matchups on a weekly basis.

 

Quarterbacks

Tyrod Taylor, BUF – The Buffalo Bills were largely ignored from a fantasy stand point heading into this season. You’ll notice a heavy contingent of Bills players in this week’s waiver picks. It all starts with quarterback and Tyrod Taylor has been impressive through 3 weeks. It really is hard to believe he is only owned in 38% of leagues. The caution surrounding him is clearly over as he has been let loose to make 59 attempts in his last two games. He’s out scoring guys like Andrew Luck, Eli Manning and Matt Ryan. There really is no reason for fantasy owners not to snatch him up this week.

 

Derek Carr, OAK – Oakland is 2-1 on the season and while that means little to fantasy owners it should be noted that Derek Carr has had 2 great fantasy days in those victories. Unlike Tyrod Taylor I don’t see Carr being a guy that you’ll roll with the rest of the season. What I do like about Derek Carr heading into week 4 is his matchup with the Chicago Bears. The Bears are 0-3 with little hope of being relevant and have questionable corner backs. Carr is a great streaming option this week and maybe a guy you want to stash if you drafted guys like Matt Stafford or Colin Kaepernick.

 

Running Backs

 

karlos williams waiver wire week 4

 

Karlos Williams, BUF – LeSean McCoy owners were feeling the frustration before news came out that Shady might grab some pine to get his hamstring healed in week 4. Karlos Williams has a touchdown in each of the first 3 games of the season. Last week he made the most of his 12 attempts with 110 yards. The increased roll plus the news that Shady may be used sparingly makes Williams a no brainer pick up this week. He is only owned in 25% of leagues.

 

Thomas Rawls, SEA – One man’s loss is another man’s gain. Thomas Rawls stepped up when Marshawn Lynch left the game with a hamstring injury. It’s a wait-and-see situation with Lynch, but if you own Marshawn or could use a plug and play RB in week 4 then Rawls is easy pickings. His matchup with Detroit is favorable and he has clearly beaten out Fred Jackson.

 

Alfred Blue, HOU – The Texans must have finally realized their quarterback situation is futile. Alfred Blue was given the rock 31 times in week 3 as Houston looked to get some sort of spark going on offense. Blue did not disappoint with 139 yards and a touchdown. Arian Foster will be back soon, but Blue’s performance makes him worth a pickup in case Foster takes another week healing his groin.

 

Wide Receivers

Rishard Matthews, MIA – It’s ok if you didn’t hear about Rishard Matthews before the season started. He has come out of nowhere with 262 yards and 3 touchdowns on this young season. He saw 10 targets in week 3 and is clearly going to continue to be involved in the Miami offense. We aren’t talking about an Odell Beckham here, but there are plenty of WR2’s and WR3’s that have disappointed to this point. Matthews is available in 77% of leagues.

 

Marvin Jones, CIN – Heading into this season I was way up on Marvin Jones. Week 1 was unsettling but Jones has proven that going with your gut is sometimes more important than one week’s worth of stats. In weeks 2 and 3 his role has increased with 13 targets. More important from a fantasy stand point are his two consecutive weeks finding the end zone. He is the #2 receiver in Cincinnati at this point and a strong WR3 option moving forward.

 

Ted Ginn Jr., CAR – The Panthers have a serious lack of targets this season. Ted Ginn Jr. is the wide receiver that appears to be the best target behind Greg Olson. He has a promising 22 targets through 3 weeks and if that completion percentage can come up he will be dangerous. I like him this week against the Tampa Bay defense and you can stash him on the bench to play match ups as the season goes on.

 

Tight Ends

 

charles clay waiver wire week 4

 

Charles Clay, BUF – The tight end position is one where it’s rare to find lightening in a bottle. Charles Clay is certainly not going to be a game changer, at least not at this point. I like Clay because the Bills are a hot team right now and he is playing a role. He has two consecutive games with a touchdown and a good matchup against the Giants in week 4.

 

Kickers

Chandler Catanzaro, ARI – The Cardinals have a very good defense to this point this season. That has hurt Chandler Catanzaro to this point as he only has 2 field goals on the year. I still like having kickers on an offense that moves the ball over a guy like Robbie Gould, who is accurate but was blanked in week 3. If you are streaming kickers Catanzaro is my pick this week as the Rams present the toughest defensive match up Arizona has seen all season

 

Defense/Special Teams

 

Indianapolis Colts – Week 4 is a rough week if you are streaming your defenses. Indianapolis is best available mostly due to a favorable match up with the Jaguars. The Colts have a tough start to the season defensively, but they have had some pretty good talent going against them too. They have a lot to prove and a coach’s job in their hands.

 

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Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Two weeks are in the books (and a Thursday night game), and week 2 was a quiet one for most rookies, but the trio of Matt Jones, Amari Cooper and David Johnson  certainly made some noise with monster days. I was particularly impressed by Cooper. I'd like to give a quick shout out to the Reddit user who called me out for thinking Jimmy Smith could slow down the rookie. Cooper dusted him on a long TD early on. With week 2 in the past, let's move on to what to do with the rookies for week 3:

 

Rookies to Start:

RB TJ Yeldon, JAX (Wk. 3: @NE): Game script might not work in Yeldon's favor with the Pats a 2 TD favorite, but volume and the defensive matchup should be in his favor. With both Denard Robinson and Toby Gerhart dinged up, Yeldon should be on the field for a vast majority of the snaps, and New England has allowed a staggering 5.7 yards per carry this season and also 147 rush yards per game and 3 TDs in 2 weeks. I'm not saying Yeldon will break the century mark, but his volume will give him a high floor and make him a deent RB2 option. His upside may be limited by the game script as well.

WR Amari Cooper, OAK (Wk. 3: @Cle.): After last week, it's hard to doubt Cooper should pretty much be an every week start. Last week's stat line won't be the norm, but he should have a WR3 floor just about every week purely based on volume. Like Jimmy Smith last week, Joe Haden isn't a reason to be scared. The Browns play sides at CB rather than shadowing, and Oakland should move Cooper around so he doesn't only face Haden. Feel safe firing him up again.

 

Borderline Rookies:

QB Marcus Mariota, TEN (Wk. 3: vs. Ind.): Mariota still posted a decent stat line in a loss to the Browns last week, and this week gets a defense that may be missing all of its top 4 CBs. Mariota has already showed that he doesn't need to use his legs to put up fantasy points, and thus far the Colts have allowed a 104.2 QB rating to Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fitzpatrick. They also don't generate a ton of pass rush, with just one sack so far on the season. Getting Delanie Walker back can only help Mariota, and he should be decent start in 2-QB leagues, and worth consideration in deeper 1-QB leagues.

RB Melvin Gordon, SD (Wk. 3: @Min.): The Vikings were gashed by Carlos Hyde in week 1, and then held Detroit to under 2.5 yards per carry in week 2. The reality likely falls somewhere in between. Gordon has been impressive in limited work so far, and should see similar volume this week. To really maximize his value, he'll have to find the end zone though. The Vikings are yet to allow a carry of 20+ yards on the year, and Gordon has zero red zone carries through 2 weeks. Gordon is more flex option than RB2 at this point.

RB David Johnson, ARI (Wk. 3: vs. SF): CJ?K is still the 'lead dog' according to head coach Bruce Arians, but David's done enough with the work he has gotten to warrant more of it coming his way. Arians has said as much, stating that David's role will increase as the season goes on. With Andre Ellington still out, Johnson is an upside Flex option this week, but he does have a low floor. He gets a boost in return yardage leagues.

RB Todd Gurley, STL (Wk. 3: vs. Pit.): For the most part, I'd avoid playing Gurley. There has been a lot of talk about him being on a 'pitch count' and will likely see just 10-12 touches assuming he plays. He is a top-shelf talent, however, and that means there is a chance he gets hot and sees some additional carries. With several guys in doubt this week (Ivory, Lacy, Marshawn), Gurley has more upside as a fill-in than most of the alternatives. I've got him ready to go in the league I own him if Ivory sits.

RB Duke Johnson, CLE (Wk. 3: vs. Oak.): The Raiders are among the worst in the league vs. RBs in terms of fantasy points allowed, and while Isaiah Crowell has been more effective than Johnson thus far, Johnson will continue to see a decent amount of touches as the number 2 back. At some point, I would think they will have to start using him in the passing game, which is a specialty of his, but he hasn't been targeted once so far. The upside is likely limited for Duke, but he could have a solid day if they finally start throwing it to him.

RB Matt Jones, WAS (Wk. 3: @NYG): I know, Jones has already played in week 3. I posted an update on Jones on twitter on Thursday afternoon (@shawn_foss). Here is what I posted: "You cant's chase last week's points vs. the Rams. Alfred Morris could see a bigger share of the work this week, especially on the short week. There is one caveat to this though: The Giants have allowed 20 RB fantasy points per game, 7th most in the NFL, and nearly half of them have come in the receiving game. Alfred Morris is essentially a zero in the pass attack, so there is definitely upside for a nice fantasy day from Jones." How did things turn out? Jones actually did continue to play ahead of Alfred Morris and saw 11 carries to Alf's 6. Unfortunately he did fumble going into the end zone, and Chris Thompson saw the receiving back work (8 rec, 57 yds, TD). There will be better weeks for Jones, and the fact that he got more early down work than Morris is a good sign.

 

Rookies to Sit:

QB Jameis Winston, TB (Wk. 3: @Hou.): Game script should keep Tampa from becoming too pass-happy in this one. It projects as a low-scoring affair, with two mediocre offenses, and Houston may be the best defense Winston has faced yet. They at least aren't as bad as their numbers vs. opposing QBs have been, and I think JJ Watt and company could make life miserable for Winston. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a hard time putting up much more than 10 fantasy points in standard leagues.

RB Ameer Abdullah, DET (Wk. 3: vs. Den.): Abdullah does his best work in space, and the Broncos don't allow much space, especially in the screen game. They have held opposing RBs to under 4 yards per catch (including 4 catches for 2 yards by Jamaal Charles), and it also doesn't help Ameer that Theo Riddick has had a bigger role than expected. I would be surprised if Abdullah finds his way to 50 yards in this one.

RB Karlos Williams, BUF (Wk. 3: @Mia.): At this point, Williams has a TD run in each game, but that won't be sustainable on the types of workloads he's seeing. For now, he's a handcuff for LeSean McCoy and a TD dart throw each week. He's not a stand-alone option this week.

WR Nelson Agholor, PHI (Wk. 3: @NYJ): Until his production starts to spike, it's hard to trust Agholor in fantasy. It doesn't help that he may draw Darrelle Revis for much of the game in this one. The Jets have been content to let Buster Skrine cover the slot, where Jordan Matthews does most of his work. The tough matchup and limited production thus far make Agholor a poor option this week.

WR Devin Funchess, CAR (Wk. 3: vs. NO): I have a hunch that Funchess has his best game as a pro and scores his first career TD, but through 2 games he has just 2 catches for 24 yards. I'd be crazy to tell you to start him. I'd have to see his role increase before he's a realistic option.

WR DeVante Parker, MIA (Wk. 3: vs. Buf.): Parker's snaps increased a little bit in week 2, but he put up just one catch for 3 yards. Rishard Matthews has unexpectedly emerged as the number 2 WR over Parker, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings, and until Parker's role increases he has to remain on the bench.

WR Dorial Green-Beckham, TEN (Wk. 3: vs. Ind.): DGB did score his first career TD in week 2, showing that the Titans do recognize what a tough matchup he can be in the red zone, but his usage still isn't where it needs to be for him to be a startable option. A bigger role is coming eventually, especially with the inefficient play of Harry Douglas and Justin Hunter ahead of him. It's just a matter of when.

TE Maxx Williams, BAL (Wk. 3: vs. Cin.): Crockett Gillmore made a big week 2 impact, and despite the Ravens throwing a ton, Williams still strugged to carve out a role in the passing attack, catching just 1 of the 32 Flacco completions. He's best left on the wire outside of dynasty leagues.

 

Deep League Sleepers & Cheap DFS Options:

RB Thomas Rawls, SEA (Wk. 3: vs. Chi.): Lynch is a game-time decision, and in a deeper league it would make a lot of sense to scoop Rawls just in case. The Bears defense has been bad at all levels, and Fred Jackson is unlikely to be an every down option if Lynch does sit. Remember, the Seahawks liked Rawls enough to trade away Christine Michael, and Robert Turbin is out again this week. I like Rawls a lot when you factor in that the Seahawks are a 2 TD favorite. If they get ahead big, they're more likely to run Rawls than risk an F-Jax injury in garbage time. Jackson is the one who has a role when Lynch is healthy. I think a 75-yard day is very possible if Lynch is out.

WR Tyler Lockett, SEA (Wk. 3: vs. Chi.): I still think Lockett has a big game coming, and why not against the pathetic Bears' defense? Lockett had just 2 catches for 17 yards last week, but was on the field for 32 out of Seattle's 60 offensive snaps. As always, Lockett is worth more in leagues where return yardage matters, but I think he's got a sneaky amount of upside this week as a cheaper DFS option.

WR Ty Montgomery, GB (Wk. 3: vs. KC): Top CB Sean Smith is still out with suspension for the Chiefs, and Montgomery factored into the offense last week with 4 catches against the Seahawks on Sunday night. With Cobb lining up in the slot, there's a chance Montgomery gets to square off with Jamell Fleming on the outside, and Fleming has been burned regularly so far this season. It's sort of a shot in the dark play with Cobb, Adams and James Jones around, but he's already shown he can be a factor.

WR Devin Smith, NYJ (Wk. 3: vs. Phi.): Smith appears to be on track to play this week, and Eric Decker appears to be on track to not play. Coach Todd Bowles says it's not an injury issue at this point, it's just about getting Smith up to speed with his conditioning and the playbook. Smith's best skill is the deep ball, and Philly has allowed 7 completions of 20 or more yards and 2 of 40 or more in two weeks. Smith will likely be a boom-or-bust option this week if Decker sits. Another Jets rookie to keep an eye on though...

WR Quincy Enunwa, NYJ (Wk. 3: vs. Phi.): He's averaged 28 snaps per game in the first two and could also see an increased role if Decker sits. Enunwa would be safer and have a higher floor than Smith, but might not have the home run play upside.  He's not a bad lottery ticket type of option in DFS.

 

That's it for this week. Hopefully it can help with some of your tougher lineup decisions or injury concerns. Feel free to hit me up on twitter with any rookie questions (handle listed above). As always, good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It's just a game.

Details

Welcome to another week of fantasy football investment advice geared to help you win it big in DFS. Last week was pretty rough going as injuries knocked out a few of our guys mid-game to limit their fantasy production so hopefully we can avoid the big injuries this week. Speaking of this week, I'll be taking the bulk of my risk on an insanely cheap backup QB turned starter and using the savings to target a few big names.

 

QB  - Luke McCown, NO - $5,200 at CAR:  It was announced today that Drew Brees will sit out week 3 with his bruised rotator cuff which opens the door for McCown to show the Saints he can play outside of practice. This pick is primarily for the price to afford better position players for the rest of the roster, but McCown is also an unknown so we could get a surprise and end up with more value here than expected.

 

RB - Carlos Hyde, SF - $7,800 at ARI:  Hyde was one of the aforementioned injured players from my lineup in week 2 where he didn't play the entire second half. Before getting injured he was on pace for 26 carries and 100 yards last week which would've matched his carries from week 1. I expect heavy touches from Hyde this week with Reggie Bush sidelines again. Matchup looks good on paper too as Arizona is giving up the 7th most fantasy points to opposing RBs.

 

RB - Justin Forsett, BAL - $7,200 vs. CIN:  Forsett has been under performing from his numbers last year, but a home game against a Bengals defense giving up the second most fantasy points on the ground thus far is just what he needs to get back on track. It looks like Lorenzo Taliaferro may not play or be limited this week as well which could mean more goal line looks for Forsett as well.

 

WR - Antonio Brown, PIT - $9,300 at STL:  This is the number 1 reason for taking the cheap value at QB, to be able to afford the hands down best WR option any given week. Brown is coming off a 195 yard performance on 9 catches with a touchdown and a 2 point conversion last week which he could easily replicate.

 

WR - Julio Jones, ATL - $9,000 at DAL:  This would be the number 1a reason for taking the cheap value at QB. Julio Jones has dominated all season and it looks like Atlanta wants to feed him the ball as the only WR with more targets through 2 weeks is Julian Edelman. With Tevin Coleman out this week I expect Atlanta to lean on the pass even more.

 

WR - James Jones, GB - $5,700 vs. KC:  Since Jones has been reunited with Green Bay he's done nothing but score TDs. He may be a risky play since he hasn't been getting many targets, but the ones he does get are quality in the red zone. There is also an outside chance Davante Adams will either not play or be limited this week due to an ankle injury so Jones could see an uptick in targets.

 

TE - Tyler Eifert, CIN - $5,900 at BAL: It looks as if Eifert has established himself as the number 2 passing option in Cincinnati and through 2 weeks has had the second most targets among TEs just behind Gronkowski. The Ravens have been good at stopping the run this year so expect Dalton to have to air it out frequently.

 

K - Nick Folk, NYJ - $4,600 vs. PHI:  Kickers aren't interesting, especially choosing bottom barrel kickers. Philly is giving up the 4th most fantasy points to opposing kickers for whatever that is worth though.

 

DEF - Seahawks, SEA - $5,300 vs. CHI:  This game should be an absolute bloodbath in favor of Seattle. Chicago is forced to start Jimmy Clausen at QB and will also be without Alshon Jeffery. Expect Seattle to hold the Bears to little or no points as well as to record a few turnovers.

Details

Two player profiles, Two Cardinals players…..I swear I am not a Cardinals fan.

David Johnson has touched the ball 7 times and has 3 touchdowns. (Rushing 5/42/1, Receiving 2/58/1 and one electrifying Kick Return to start week 2). Obviously, the trend cannot/should not continue, but if he starts seeing 10-15 touches a game, he can be a viable weekly fantasy starter.

 

History

 

David Johnson played college ball at Northern Iowa University. You know who else went to Northern Iowa? Super Bowl XXXIV MVP, Kurt Warner….foreshadowing? David holds school records for career rushing yards, career rushing TD’s, and career all purpose yards. Johnson was selected first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference in both 2013 and 2014 and became first player in school history with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He had 17 TD’s and boasted a 5.4 YPC through his senior year while never missing a game.

At the combine, Johnson ran a 4.50-40, faster then Melvin Gordon, Ameer Abdullah, and Matt Jones. He was drafted in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals. A lot of experts saw this pick coming as he is a powerful back that was meant to compliment Ellington well. Also worth noting that Mike Mayock said “He catches the ball like Le’Veon Bell."

 

 

david johnson 2

 

Outlook

 

Bruce Arians is a stubborn SOB and does not like to “thrust rookies into prominent roles”. The facts are CJ?K is not the answer and when the Cardinals are faced with tougher matchups than the JV Bears and the struggling Saints. Arians is going to do what it takes for his team to win. Johnson will continue to see the field more and more each week and if he continues to make the most out of the touches, there is no way Arians does not feed him the ball down the stretch.

 

Considering Ellington is expected to return week 4, it will be interesting to see how they utilize the backs. Looking at Ellington’s injury history, it would not surprise me to see David Johnson take over lead back duties sooner then later. Ellington is an elusive back and Johnson is better suited to carry the load week in and week out. If for some reason Johnson is available in your league GRAB HIM NOW! He could prove to be valuable down the stretch and dare I say in the fantasy playoffs.

 

Bold Prediction

Season long stats:

Rushing: 795/7

Receiving: 42/538/5

 

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