2009 Free Fantasy Football Tonight Blog With Jeff Mans from Fantasy Football Search

Friday, October 30, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

OUT

Anthony Gonzalez -- WR -- Colts -- Knee
Dante Rosario -- TE -- Panthers -- Knee
Mushin Muhammad -- WR -- Panthers -- Knee
Chaz Schilens -- WR -- Raiders -- Foot
Darren McFadden -- RB -- Raiders -- Knee
Donald Brown -- RB -- Colts -- Shoulder
JerMichael Finley -- TE -- Packers -- Knee

QUESTIONABLE

Reggie Wayne -- WR -- Colts -- Groin
Calvin Johnson -- WR -- Lions -- Knee
Matthew Stafford -- QB -- Lions -- Knee
Brian Westbrook -- RB -- Eagles -- Concussion
Anquan Boldin -- WR -- Cardinals -- Ankle
David Clowney -- WR -- Jets -- Ankle
Jerricho Cotchery -- WR -- Jets -- Hamstring
Bernard Berrian -- WR -- Vikings -- Hamstring
Mario Manningham -- WR -- Giants -- Shoulder

PROBABLE

Jeremy Shockey -- TE -- Saints -- Shoulder
Donnie Avery -- WR -- Rams -- Shoulder/Hip/Ankle
Andre Johnson -- WR -- Texans -- Lung Bruise
Phil Dawson -- K -- Browns -- Groin
Louis Murphy -- WR -- Raiders -- Hamstring
Nate Washington -- WR -- Titans -- Quad
DeSean Jackson -- WR -- Eagles -- Ankle
Ahmad Bradshaw -- RB -- Giants -- Broken Meta-tarsal
Steve Breaston -- WR -- Cardinals

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8

So many changes on teams depth charts this week leaves us with plenty of names to choose from on the waiver wire this week. Here are my top 8 picks for this week and beyond:

GOLDEN

1) Shonn Greene -- RB -- Jets -- Since the Jets drafted him back in April, I have known that at some point this season Shonn Greene was going to be a good fantasy player. Leon Washington and Thomas Jones are far too injury prone to hold up an entire season and just like clockwork Washington is now out for the season. Greene's running style is something the Jets have lacked in that he is a strong, powerful back who has pickup yards after contact unlike either Jones or Washington. I believe Greene will step in right away around the goal line and in short yardage situations and running behind the Jets offensive line I just don't seem him coming up short very often. This is one of the absolute must have waiver pickups of this season so far. Greene will put up LenDale White 2008 type numbers with more yardage the rest of the way.

2) Alex Smith -- QB -- 49ers -- I never would have thought I'd be writing Smith's name down here in The Hot 8 especially this high upon the list. But, after watching his performance against the Texans last weekend, I have to admit that I was very impressed with the former #1 picks performance. For the first time all season the 49ers were moving the ball well through the air with WR's being hit in stride and everything. Smith was poised, took command of his team and led them on a furious comeback that came up just shy but impressed anybody who watched it. Sometimes it takes players, especially QB's awhile before they truly understand the speed and tempo of the NFL. It seems as Smith's 2 year stint on the sidelines has not only given him time to study and learn how to read NFL defenses but also brought back his hunger to succeed. I believe that Smith will prove to be a solid backup fantasy QB the rest of the way.

3) Vince Young -- QB -- Titans -- Whether the announcement comes this week or next week make no mistakes, Vince Young is the starting QB of the Titans. When the owner even starts demanding changes be made Jeff Fisher only has so long before he makes the switch. I feel that Young has changed his life around since he was demoted early last season. His special skills along with a more mature attitude, better talent around him and an easier schedule coming up has be thinking Young could be quite usable down the stretch this season. The rushing yards and rushing TD's will provide much better fantasy numbers than his modest yardage totals probably would.

STERLING SILVER

4) Brian Hartline -- WR -- Dolphins -- Of all the waiver picks this week this is the one I am least pumped up about. Something tells me that Ted Ginn is still going to be a factor in Miami but for now it appears that Hartline has earned himself a starting role and for that he needs to be accounted for. What I like about Hartline is that he has good size and very good hands. Chad Henne is very comfortable with him as well because of all their work together over the summer with the #2 offense. A sure handed WR like Hartline can certainly be a young QB's best friend and that appears to be true here in Miami. He is worth a shot in what is getting to be a thin crop of available WR's lately but please don't cut anybody useful when adding Mr. Hartline.

5) Jamaal Charles -- RB -- Chiefs -- Already the third appearance on The Hot 8 for Charles and this one will almost certainly be his last. With Larry Johnson self destructing last week it opens the door for Charles to become the feature RB of the Chiefs. I like Charles' value quite a bit in PPR leagues as he's an exceptional pass catcher and runner after the catch. He's got top end speed and is always a threat to take it to the house. The one issue with Charles has always been his fumbling issues. If he can stop putting the ball on the ground, Charles will be a nice RB3 for whoever can get him off waivers this week.

SHINY COPPER

6) Brandon Tate -- WR -- Patriots -- Last week I had both Sam Aiken and Tate in The Hot 8 and said that Aiken was a better immediate play and Tate was a long term hold. Well, Aiken indeed scored and put together a pretty good game last week but it was Tate who really caught my eye. What I like about Tate was basically that he was on the field, running quite well after having major knee surgery and was involved in the offense. Brady went deep for him twice but couldn't quite connect both times. Still, I like seeing that and I strongly believe in the next few weeks we'll see more and more out of Tate in the Patriots offense. He is going to give them that strong third option that really helps that offense out so much. Keep a close eye on Tate, I know I will and this probably won't be his last time in The Hot 8 this season.

7) Fred Davis -- TE -- Redskins -- Chris Cooley is set to miss at least 4 weeks and could possibly be shut down for the season in the very near future. I think of all the available TE's out there, Davis matches up very well. The Redskins offense is being called now by Sherman Smith who is very conservative but likes to use his TE's a lot. I think that Davis can produce at about 80% of what Chris Cooley would in this same offense and that is good enough to be a backup TE in most fantasy leagues.

REFLECTIVE TIN

8) Josh Freeman -- QB -- Buccaneers -- The Bucs are going to let Josh Freeman learn on the job when the team comes back after this weeks bye. It is a risky move as Freeman is more of a project QB but he is the future or at least they hope so. He is a fast kid who will definitely be able to make plays with his feet. Freeman is basically a more skilled version of Josh Johnson and that could go either way. Freeman will have some bigger games this season and there will be some struggles. For fantasy purposes, I wouldn't go out and claim him just yet unless you are desperate at QB. There is quality upside potential here so it is important to keep your eyes and ears tuned in to see how Freeman is coming along during practices and in the first couple games he starts.

That is The Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree?

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Monday, October 26, 2009

The Monday After: Week 7

INJURIES

Leon Washington -- RB -- Jets -- Broken Leg (Out For Season)
Andre Johnson -- WR -- Texans -- Bruised Lung
Reggie Wayne -- WR -- Colts -- Groin
Donald Brown -- RB -- Colts -- Shoulder
Dante Rosario -- TE -- Panthers -- Knee
Chaz Schilens -- WR -- Raiders -- Foot
Brian Westbrook -- RB -- Eagles -- Concussion
Donnie Avery -- WR -- Rams -- Ribs/Hip
Chris Cooley -- TE -- Redskins -- Ankle
Bernard Berrian -- WR -- Vikings -- Hamstring
JerMichael Finley -- TE -- Packers -- Knee
Bernard Scott -- RB -- Bengals -- Knee

BREAKOUTS

Alex Smith -- QB -- 49ers -- 15-22 206 Yards, 3 TD's
Miles Austin -- WR -- Cowboys -- 6-171 Yards, 2 TD's
Owen Daniels -- TE -- Texans -- 7-123 Yards, 1 TD
Carson Palmer -- QB -- Bengals -- 20-24 233 Yards, 5 TD's
Ricky Williams -- RB -- Dolphins -- 9-80 Yards, 3 TD's
Tony Romo -- QB -- Cowboys -- 21-29 311 Yards, 3 TD's
Shonn Greene -- RB -- Jets -- 19-144 Yards, 2 TD's
Ryan Grant -- RB -- Packers -- 27-148 Yards, 1 TD
Owen Daniels -- TE -- 7-123 Yards receiving
David Clowney -- TE -- Jets -- 4-79 Yards, 1 TD

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Hines Ward -- WR -- Steelers -- 1-2 Yards
Donovan McNabb -- QB -- Eagles -- 15-25 156 Yards, 1 TD
Braylon Edwards -- WR -- Browns -- 1-14 Yards
Marion Barber -- RB -- Cowboys -- 14-47 Yards
Roy Williams -- WR -- Cowboys -- 1-16 Yards
Pierre Thomas -- RB -- Saints -- 8-30 Yards

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Saturday, October 24, 2009

Week 7 Fantasy Depth Chart

How to read the Fantasy Depth Chart: Players are listed by position and with the desired starting slot on your fantasy team (QB1, QB2, RB1, RB2, etc.). Each are then ranked #1-12 within each slot. Ratings assume a 12 team league with basic scoring and 1/2 point per reception.

QB1

1) Peyton Manning -- Colts
2) Tom Brady -- Patriots
3) Drew Brees -- Saints
4) Phillip Rivers -- Chargers
5) Matt Schaub -- Texans
6) Kurt Warner -- Cardinals
7) Aaron Rodgers -- Packers
8) Ben Roethlisberger -- Steelers
9) Eli Manning -- Giants
10) Jay Cutler -- Bears
11) Tony Romo -- Cowboys
12) Matt Ryan -- Falcons

QB2

1) Carson Palmer -- Bengals
2) Donovan McNabb -- Eagles
3) Brett Favre -- Vikings
4) Matt Cassel -- Chiefs
5) Marc Bulger -- Rams
6) Chad Henne -- Dolphins
7) Mark Sanchez -- Jets
8) Ryan Fitzpatrick -- Bills
9) Jason Campbell -- Redskins
10) Shaun Hill -- 49ers
11) Jake Delhomme -- Panthers
12) Derek Anderson -- Browns

RB1

1) Adrian Peterson -- Vikings
2) Thomas Jones -- Jets
3) Michael Turner -- Falcons
4) DeAngelo Williams -- Panthers
5) Frank Gore -- 49ers
6) Cedric Benson -- Bengals
7) Brian Westbrook -- Eagles
8) Brandon Jacobs -- Giants
9) LaDanian Tomlinson -- Chargers
10) Ronnie Brown -- Dolphins
11) Rashard Mendenhall -- Steelers
12) Matt Forte -- Bears

RB2

1) Steven Jackson -- Rams
2) Steve Slaton -- Texans
3) Donald Brown -- Colts
4) Laurence Maroney -- Patriots
5) Pierre Thomas -- Saints
6) Clinton Portis -- Redskins
7) Ryan Grant -- Packers
8) Tim Hightower -- Cardinals
9) Ahmad Bradshaw -- Giants
10) Joseph Addai -- Colts
11) Leon Washington -- Jets
12) Jonathen Stewart -- Panthers

RB3

1) Jamal Lewis -- Browns
2) Marshawn Lynch -- Bills
3) Michael Bush -- Raiders
4) Larry Johnson -- Chiefs
5) Tashard Choice -- Cowboys
6) Mike Bell -- Saints
7) Derrick Ward -- Buccaneers
8) Justin Fargas -- Raiders
9) LeSean McCoy -- Eagles
10) Ricky Williams -- Dolphins
11) Darren Sproles -- Chargers
12) Reggie Bush -- Saints

WR1

1) Larry Fitzgerald -- Cardinals
2) Reggie Wayne -- Colts
3) Randy Moss -- Patriots
4) Andre Johnson -- Texans
5) Vincent Jackson -- Chargers
6) Marques Colston -- Saints
7) Chad Ochocinco -- Bengals
8) Roddy White -- Falcons
9) Greg Jennings -- Packers
10) Wes Welker -- Patriots
11) Dwayne Bowe -- Chiefs
12) Steve Smith -- Giants

WR2

1) Steve Smith -- Panthers
2) Donald Driver -- Packers
3) Hines Ward -- Steelers
4) DeSean Jackson -- Eagles
5) Anquan Boldin -- Cardinals (Questionable)
6) Pierre Garcon -- Colts
7) Sidney Rice -- Vikings
8) Terrell Owens -- Bills
9) Devin Hester -- Bears
10) Braylon Edwards -- Jets
11) Miles Austin -- Cowboys
12) Steve Breaston -- Cardinals

WR3

1) Donnie Avery -- Rams
2) Roy Williams -- Cowboys (Questionable)
3) Ted Ginn -- Dolphins
4) Johnny Knox -- Bears
5) Santonio Holmes -- Steelers
6) Antonio Bryant -- Buccaneers
7) Hakeem Nicks -- Giants
8) Lance Moore -- Saints
9) Jeremy Maclin -- Eagles
10) Kevin Walter -- Texans
11) Mohammad Massaquoi -- Browns
12) Santana Moss -- Redskins

TE1

1) Antonio Gates -- Chargers
2) Greg Olsen -- Bears
3) Jason Witten -- Cowboys
4) Vernon Davis -- 49ers
5) Dallas Clark -- Colts
6) Tony Gonzalez -- Falcons
7) Brent Celek -- Eagles
8) Heath Miller -- Steelers
9) Kellen Winslow -- Buccaneers
10) Chris Cooley -- Redskins
11) Owen Daniels -- Texans
12) Jermichael Finley -- Packers

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Friday, October 23, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

OUT

Darren McFadden -- RB -- Raiders -- Knee
Trent Edwards -- QB -- Bills -- Concussion
Shawn Nelson -- TE -- Bills -- Concussion
Phil Dawson -- K -- Browns -- Groin
Anthony Gonzalez -- WR -- Colts -- Knee
Jerricho Cotchery -- WR -- Jets -- Hamstring
Sammy Morris -- RB -- Patriots -- Knee
Julien Edelman -- WR -- Patriots -- Broken Arm
Jordy Nelson -- WR -- Packers -- Knee
DeShawn Wynn -- RB -- Packers -- Knee
Jerious Norwood -- RB -- Falcons -- Hip

QUESTIONABLE

Michael Clayton -- WR -- Buccaneers -- Hamstring
Josh Cribbs -- WR -- Browns -- Knee
Jerome Harrison -- RB -- Browns -- Illness
Anquan Boldin -- WR -- Cardinals -- High Ankle Sprain
Beanie Wells -- RB -- Cardinals -- Hip
Jonathen Stewart -- RB -- Panthers -- Heel
Chris Henry -- WR -- Bengals -- Illness
Chaz Schilens -- WR -- Raiders -- Foot
Percy Harvin -- WR -- Vikings -- Shoulder

PROBABLE

Steve Breaston -- WR -- Cardinals -- Knee
Chad Ochocinco -- WR -- Bengals -- Hip
Donnie Avery -- WR -- Rams -- Hip
Roy Williams -- WR -- Cowboys -- Ribs
Felix Jones -- RB -- Cowboys -- Knee
Greg Jennings -- WR -- Packers -- Hip
Ahmad Bradshaw -- RB -- Giants -- Ankle
Mario Manningham -- WR -- Giants -- Back/Ribs

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Week 7 Checklist

Here are a few things to keep in mind when making all of your roster and lineup decisions in week 7:

Miles Austin is now starting opposite Roy Williams in Dallas. He will NOT catch 10 passes or amass 250 yards ever again in his career however. Having him start over Patrick Crayton is an upgrade, but it will not stop Tony Romo from misreading defenses or throwing off of his back foot. Austin is not an automatic starter every week either, so please keep your expectations for him grounded.

It is the talk of the town here in Chicago how former Bears RB Cedric Benson wants so bad to stuff it up the backsides of his former teammates who he says threw him to the wolves while in Chicago. There is going to be quite a bit of emotion in this game from both sides and you can bet your ass that the Bengals will be giving Benson every opportunity possible to prove something to his former team and coaches. Benson is a must start and a guy who could go for 2-3 TD's this week easily.

Remember how when Anthony Gonzalez went down with the knee injury in week 1 I mentioned that he would likely be out for more than half of the season if not miss the entire season? Well, he's still not practicing, not really even walking well at this point and the team has no current estimate on when he will return. So, all of you who are thinking you're being smart by trading for him now: bad move. Even if he comes back there is no way Gonzalez overtakes Pierre Garcon as the WR2 in Indianapolis and at this point he may not be able to challenge Austin Collie for the slot WR gig. Stay far, far away from him this year and instead invest yourself in a more stable player who's upside is more than just stepping back onto the field again this year.

Speaking of the Colts, don't forget that Adam Vinatieri is likely going to miss the rest of the regular season after having surgery on his right leg. Matt Stover is the new kicker for the Colts and is a good guy to go out and get right now. Stover will outperform over half of the other kickers in the league this year in the 11 games he is kicking for the Colts.

Anybody who is holding onto Kevin Curtis...for starters why? Secondly, you can go ahead and drop him now. He is seeking a second (and third!) opinion on his troublesome knee and is likely to be shut down for good real soon. Take a shot on Jeremy Maclin especially in leagues that reward for longer TD catches.

The Cleveland Browns are reeling from an influenza outbreak this week that has sidelined at least 12 players as well as several staff members. At least 2 of these are said to be cases of influenza A which is H1N1 related in nature. The outbreak has at least 6 starting spots for the Browns week 7 game against the Green Bay Packers up in the air. Jerome Harrison, Alex Mack, Chansi Stuckey, Shaun Rogers and Robert Royal are among those infected. Now if only Eric Mangini could become infected, then the Browns may actually have a chance again this season!

The Patriots Vs. Buccaneers game is being played in London, England this weekend. There is a 5 hour time differential and players will be tested physically and mentally after all of the travel and promotions that go into this annual event. Also, the weather in London can change on a dime and we are almost definitely going to see some rainfall for this contest on Sunday.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8

For the second week in a row a New England RB tops The Hot 8. This time it is Laurence Maroney who is all of a sudden a viable option again after Sammy Morris' knee injury last week. This weeks list includes a couple of my favorite off the radar selections that I can guarantee nobody in your league is looking at....YET!

BUY THEM NOW

1) Laurence Maroney -- RB -- Patriots -- I have never doubted Maroney's talent despite all of his struggles since his explosive rookie season. The problem with Maroney has always been injuries and the fact that Bill Bellichick just doesn't like and/or trust him very much. Maroney is the best RB on the New England roster and has been for years. He will now get a chance to prove himself as the Patriots are left with very few options now that both Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris are banged up.

2) Chaz Schilens -- WR -- Raiders -- If you didn't go out and pick up Schilens last week when I told you, you had better go and do it now because pretty soon everybody is going to sniffing around him. Schilens is a tremendous talent that will come in handy to a terrible QB like JaMarcus Russell because he can make plays even on poorly executed throws. On most other teams Schilens is a fantasy WR2, but on the Raiders right now he barely qualifies as a flex option. Still, the potential is there and if you are like me and like to play this game aggressively, Schilens has got to be on your radar and hopefully your roster in the near future.

3) Matt Stover -- K -- Colts -- The first kicker of the season and it only took 7 weeks to get to one. I know many of you don't take kickers seriously but let me assure you that is a mistake. A good kicker on your fantasy team brings you consistent points and every now and then a big game that can push your team over a hump. Stover will be the Colts kicker for at least the next 6 weeks and most likely the rest of the season. He is a veteran kicker and will benefit greatly from playing in a dome and finally having a great offense that will get him plenty of work. He's an every week starter in my opinion.

BID STRONGLY

4) Vince Young -- QB -- Titans -- You don't have to wait for Jeff Fisher to tell you, I am telling you that Vince Young is now the starting QB for the Titans when play resumes for them in week 8. Young is older, more mature and hopefully in a much better place mentally then when he was pulled from the starting job last September. What he has done for Steve McNair's family and specifically his children, shows me that this is not the same man who was on the brink of a total breakdown last year. His skills have never been in question as he will add another dimension to the Titan offense with his running ability. The Titans have plenty of weapons for Young to utilize unlike back when he was the starter and they will be facing much easier competition in the coming weeks as well. It's time to give Vinny another shot. Not as your full time starter but as a #2-3 QB with tons of upside that you could wind up trading away for something good down the road.

5a) Sam Aiken -- WR -- Patriots -- Joey Galloway has been released and Julien Edelman has broken his arm. Wes Welker has some nagging knee issues and Randy Moss has back issues and is always a candidate to quit on his team when the going gets tough. Aiken is a guy who is in his second season with the Patriots and has good size and hands that can be very useful to a good QB like Tom Brady. Aiken has been around the league for awhile and never made much of an impact but has also never been in as good of a situation as this. I have two Patriots WR's on my radar and believe very strongly that one of them will make a fantasy impact this season.

5b) Brandon Tate -- WR -- Patriots -- Tate was once thought of as the top collegiate WR in early 2008. After a major knee injury ended his Senior season, Tate was an absolute steal in the third round in my opinion. He is just coming off the PUP list and has resumed practice this week. Tate is expected to be used right away on kickoff returns and could make an impact as a WR too. Tate is a playmaker and can catch anything thrown his way. If his knee is truly 100%, he has the potential to be a big performer in the second half of this season.

BID CAUTIOUSLY

6) Justin Forsett -- RB -- Seahawks -- I like what Forsett has been bringing to the table lately. He has proved himself as an important piece of the Seahawks passing game and it seems as though he is getting the ball in key third down situations and delivering. He just looks like a fluid runner when he has the ball, much like a LaDanian Tomlinson minus some of the power. I can see the team relying more and more on Forsett as the season goes on and although he won't be a viable candidate for many TD's, he'll rack up receptions and yardage totals that will make him a pretty solid third RB.

7) Devin Thomas -- WR -- Redskins -- Oh my, how I don't like recommending Washington WR's but I must admit I have a special place in my heart for Devin Thomas. He is a truly exciting WR who routinely makes sensational grabs in practices and preseason games. Or in other words, when he actually gets on the field. Thomas has been promoted to a starting role for the Redskins, probably because head coach (for now) Jim Zorn knows every week is a must win in order for him to keep his job. The time for sending messages to diva's like Devin Thomas is over and it is now time to put the best players on the field. Keep an eye on Thomas and his output in these next few weeks. When Zorn is fired, it is likely the team keeps putting both Thomas and Malcolm Kelly out there to see what they have in these young WR's.

DESPERATE BID

8) Brandon Gibson -- WR -- Rams -- Probably the biggest trade deadline move was the one that sent MLB Will Witherspoon from the Rams to the Eagles. In that deal was a little known WR named Brandon Gibson. But Gibson is not little known to this self proclaimed "fantasy scout" no siree. I was impressed with Gibson while he was playing at Washington State back in 2007 when he posted 67-1180 yards and 9 TD's. He has ideal size and strength for an NFL WR and also possesses deceptive downfield speed. He is fluent at using his body to shield defenders and making plays in big situations especially around the goal line. Gibson should have come out of school after his Junior year at Washington State but decided to stick around one more year and it cost him dearly. He never caught on to the spread offense and fell all the way to the Eagles in the 6th round of the draft. The Rams are getting themselves a good ball player here and I like his chances of making a decent impact this season.

That is The Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think?

Agree? Disagree? Got some names to add? Go ahead and post your comments below or email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

News & Notes

The Patriots released WR Joey Galloway today after having deactivating him for the last 3 games. Galloway has drawn interest from several teams with rumors of him flying to Kansas City for a tryout being most predominant.

Speaking of the Patriots WR's, Julien Edelman broke his arm today in practice and will miss the rest of the season. Expect Sam Aiken and especially rookie Brandon Tate to step up and become involved in the Patriots offense.

Expect Ahman Green to sign with the Packers in the next day or so and become the backup to Ryan Grant. Brandon Jackson has pretty much worn out his welcome in Green Bay these days.

I am very sad to report that one of my favorite unknown RB's, Marcus Mason has been released from the Washington Redskins. Mason is an explosive player who has great vision and balance. He can be a starting RB in the NFL if given an opportunity and I would expect him to at the very least be swooped up on some teams practice squad.

Just in case you haven't heard, San Francisco has officially named Michael Crabtree as a starting WR opposite Isaac Bruce. Josh Morgan is going to play off the bench now, which could benefit him since he will not be lining up against top corners any longer. Crabtree is a talent, but he will start out slowly so be patient with him in the early going.

Anthony Gonzalez will once again be in-active this week as he is still not recovered from the knee injury he suffered in week 1. I believe that Gonzalez will be out for at least 1-3 more weeks actually so don't be expecting anything out of him for quite awhile still.

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Monday, October 19, 2009

The Monday After: Week 6

I think that it is safe to say that Sidney Rice is Brett Favre's favorite WR on the Vikings and is worth starting nearly every week from here on out. I have always loved his skills and now that he is healthy and playing with someone who resembles a QB, Rice is taking his game to the next level. I really think he could wind up being a top 12 WR when the 2009 season is all said and done.

Donnie Avery's hip injury has turned out to be just a bruise. But, since it is in the same spot as his fracture last season, there is some concern of whether this will always be a problem with him. His status is officially day-to-day so check back later in the week for his status.

It has been confirmed that Jets DT Kris Jenkins is out for the season with a torn ACL. This is a pretty big blow for the Jets rush defense as Jenkins is one of the most notorious run stuffers in the NFL.

I will take the credit for calling Hakeem Nicks performance this week, but I have to admit that I was troubled by his usage in the game yesterday. Nicks wasn't even on the field for the entire first half and only got regular looks while the game was out of hand and Mario Manningham left due to an injured back. Nicks has obviously shown he is the most dangerous weapon the Giants have at WR and he should get more time going forward. But, I am actually scaling my love for him back a notch until I see him get more time earlier on in games.

Percy Harvin's shoulder injury sure looked painful. It is being played off as minor, but anyone who saw him writhing in pain and noticed he was down for an entire commercial break realizes that he may be missing some time.

The Titans will be inserting Vince Young into the QB1 role during the bye week and he'll be getting nearly all first team reps going forward. I think that Young has some real fantasy appeal due to his running ability and the fact that he's had some time to watch a veteran QB play over the last year and a half. Tennessee has some weapons that Young didn't have during his first stint as the starter and the schedule gets a lot easier after the bye week.

The only bright spot in Washington is going to be Clinton Ports and/or LaDell Betts. The team certainly will make a coaching change after next week as they have already stripped Jim Zorn of his play calling duties. With Sherman Smith calling the shots, the Redskins will have an even bigger commitment to the run.

I hope the Mark Sanchez hype dies down a bit now after his 5 interceptions yesterday. The Jets are at their best running the football, period. As long as Thomas Jones is the feature RB there he is an every week fantasy starter no questions asked. Personally, I think that Leon Washington is about to go off as well one of these weeks and I would highly recommend starting him if you have an available Flex or RB3 spot. Shonn Greene is also roster worthy in leagues where you have deeper rosters. One injury to either Jones or Washington and Greene's value would soar.

Hot waiver wire pickup this week should be Laurence Maroney. I know we've all waited forever for him to live up to his strong rookie season but it appears as though the stars are aligning a bit for the braided hair runner. Sammy Morris knee injury looked pretty bad and without Fred Taylor for at least another 4 weeks, Maroney has no real competition for carries in New England.

Don't be surprised if the Ravens trade for a WR by the October 20th deadline. It doesn't appear anything major will get done for them but I wouldn't be surprised to see them go out and get Deion Branch, Chris Chambers, Dwayne Jarrett or Bobby Engram. Stay tuned...

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Sunday Night Recap

Here is a quick hitting summary of what went on in week 6 so far:

INJURED

Anquan Boldin -- WR -- Cardinals -- High Ankle Sprain
Kris Jenkins -- DT -- Jets -- Torn ACL
LenDale White -- RB -- Titans -- Knee
Donnie Avery -- WR -- Rams -- Hip
Trent Edwards -- QB -- Bills -- Concussion
Steve Smith -- WR -- Panthers -- Knee/Ankle
Percy Harvin -- WR -- Vikings -- Shoulder
Sammy Morris -- RB -- Patriots -- Knee
Chad Clifton -- LT -- Packers -- Ankle
Antwan Odom -- DT -- Bengals -- Ruptured Achilles
Brandon Jacobs -- RB -- Giants -- Stinger
Daunte Culpepper -- QB -- Hamstring

BREAKOUTS

Ray Rice -- RB -- Ravens -- 10-77 Yards, 2 TD's Rushing; 10-117 Yards Receiving
DeAngelo Williams -- RB -- Panthers -- 30-152 Yards, 2 TD's
Jonathen Stewart -- RB -- Panthers -- 17-110 Yards, 1 TD
Sidney Rice -- WR -- Vikings -- 6-176 Yards
Torry Holt -- WR -- Jaguars -- 5-101 Yards
Steve Slaton -- RB -- Texans -- 19-43 Yards Rushing; 6-102 Yards, 1 TD Receiving
Hakeem Nicks -- WR -- Giants -- 5-114 Yards, 1 TD
Hines Ward -- WR -- Steelers -- 8-159 Yards, 1 TD
Zach Miller -- TE -- Raiders -- 6-139 Yards, 1 TD

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Matt Forte -- RB -- Bears -- 15-23 Yards
Mark Sanchez -- QB -- Jets -- 10-29 119 Yards, 5 Interceptions
Matt Hasselbeck -- QB -- Seahawks -- 10-29 112 Yards
Jamal Lewis -- RB -- Browns -- 11-21 Yards
Brandon Jacobs -- RB -- Giants -- 7-33 Yards
Bryant Johnson -- WR -- Lions -- 2-27 Yards
Kevin Walter -- WR -- Texans -- 3-29 Yards

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Saturday, October 17, 2009

Week 6 Fantasy Depth Chart

Week 6 Fantasy Depth Chart

How to read the Fantasy Depth Chart: Players are listed by position and with the desired starting slot on your fantasy team (QB1, QB2, RB1, RB2, etc.). Each are then ranked #1-12 within each slot. Ratings assume a 12 team league with basic scoring and 1/2 point per reception.

QB1

1) Tom Brady -- Patriots
2) Aaron Rodgers -- Packers
3) Kurt Warner -- Cardinals
4) Drew Brees -- Saints
5) Matt Ryan -- Falcons
6) Ben Roethlisberger -- Steelers
7) Matt Schaub -- Texans
8) Donovan McNabb -- Eagles
9) Matt Hasselbeck -- Seahawks
10) Carson Palmer -- Bengals
11) David Garrard -- Jaguars
12) Jay Cutler -- Bears

QB2

1) Phillip Rivers -- Chargers
2) Eli Manning -- Giants
3) Mark Sanchez -- Jets
4) Joe Flacco -- Ravens
5) Kyle Orton -- Broncos
6) Marc Bulger -- Rams
7) Brett Favre -- Vikings
8) Jason Campbell -- Redskins
9) Kerry Collins -- Titans
10) Jake Delhomme -- Panthers
11) Derek Anderson -- Browns

RB1

1) Maurice Jones-Drew -- Jaguars
2) Brian Westbrook -- Eagles
3) Michael Turner -- Falcons
4) Adrian Peterson -- Vikings
5) Cedric Benson -- Bengals
6) Clinton Portis -- Redskins
7) Rashard Mendenhall -- Steelers
8) Thomas Jones -- Jets
9) Matt Forte -- Bears
10) DeAngelo Williams -- Panthers
11) Brandon Jacobs -- Giants
12) Chris Johnson -- Titans

RB2

1) Ryan Grant -- Packers
2) Steven Jackson -- Rams
3) Ray Rice -- Ravens
4) LaDanian Tomlinson -- Chargers
5) Pierre Thomas -- Saints
6) Knowshon Moreno -- Broncos
7) Sammy Morris -- Patriots
8) Kevin Smith -- Lions
9) LeSean McCoy -- Eagles
10) Steve Slaton -- Texans
11) Ahmad Bradshaw -- Giants
12) Tim Hightower -- Cardinals

RB3

1) Marshawn Lynch -- Bills
2) Jamal Lewis -- Browns
3) Julius Jones -- Seahawks
4) Leon Washington -- Jets
5) Michael Bush -- Raiders
6) Jonathen Stewart -- Panthers
7) Willis McGahee -- Ravens
8) LenDale White -- Titans
9) Larry Johnson -- Chiefs
10) Reggie Bush -- Saints
11) Willie Parker -- Steelers
12) Derrick Ward -- Buccaneers

WR1

1) Randy Moss -- Patriots
2) Larry Fitzgerald -- Cardinals
3) Andre Johnson -- Texans
4) Greg Jennings -- Packers
5) Brandon Marshall -- Broncos
6) Braylon Edwards -- Jets
7) Mike Sims-Walker -- Jaguars
8) Roddy White -- Falcons
9) Marques Colston -- Saints
10) Chad Ochocinco -- Bengals
11) Steve Smith -- Giants
12) Santonio Holmes -- Steelers

WR2

1) Steve Smith -- Panthers
2) Dwayne Bowe -- Chiefs
3) Anquan Boldin -- Cardinals
4) Nate Burleson -- Seahawks
5) T.J. Houshmandzadeh -- Seahawks
6) Donald Driver -- Packers
7) Wes Welker -- Patriots
8) Hines Ward -- Steelers
9) Derrick Mason -- Ravens
10) Vincent Jackson -- Chargers
11) Santana Moss -- Redskins
12) DeSean Jackson -- Eagles

WR3

1) Terrell Owens -- Bills
2) Devin Hester -- Bears
3) Bryant Johnson -- Lions
4) Kevin Walter -- Texans
5) Antonio Bryant -- Buccaneers
6) Mohanned Massaquoi -- Browns
7) Torry Holt -- Jaguars
8) Robert Meachem -- Saints
9) Hakeen Nicks -- Giants
10) Donnie Avery -- Rams
11) Sidney Rice -- Vikings
12) Eddie Royal -- Broncos

TE1

1) Kellen Winslow -- Buccaneers
2) Antonio Gates -- Chargers
3) Tony Gonzalez -- Falcons
4) Jermichael Finley -- Packers
5) Chris Cooley -- Redskins
6) Greg Olsen -- Bears
7) Brent Celek -- Eagles
8) Todd Heap -- Ravens
9) Dustin Keller -- Jets
10) Jeremy Shockey -- Saints
11) John Carlson -- Seahawks
12) Owen Daniels -- Texans

Friday, October 16, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

OUT

Matt Light -- LT -- Patriots -- Knee
Jerricho Cotchery -- WR -- Jets -- Hamstring

QUESTIONABLE

Phil Dawson -- K -- Browns -- Groin
Chaz Schilens -- WR -- Raiders -- Foot
Correl Buckhalter -- RB -- Broncos -- Ankle
Percy Harvin -- WR -- Vikings -- Shoulder
Matthew Stafford -- K -- Lions -- Knee
Calvin Johnson -- WR -- Lions -- Knee/Thigh
Kevin Curtis -- WR -- Eagles -- Knee
Steve Breaston -- WR -- Cardinals -- Knee

PROBABLE

Jamal Lewis -- RB -- Browns -- Hamstring
Clinton Portis -- RB -- Redskins -- Calf
Mike Bell -- RB -- Saints -- Knee
Pierre Thomas -- RB -- Saints -- Hamstring
Willie Parker -- RB -- Steelers -- Turf Toe
Eli Manning -- QB -- Giants -- Foot

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8

The waiver wires are a barren place these days, at least in my leagues that is. With all of the specialization going on in the NFL, nearly all usable players are already on the majority of fantasy rosters. But I have uncovered another batch of under the radar hopefuls who are solid pickups at this point in the season. Notice, you will not find Austin Miles on The Hot 8 this week. Why? Because he was on LAST WEEK and the whole purpose of The Hot 8 is to notify you of great waiver wonders BEFORE they truly breakout. You can go to about 2177 other fantasy sites that will tell you to go out and pickup Miles Austin now. While they are all out doing that, I'll keep my eye on your prize...a fantasy football championship in 2009.

THE MUST'S

1) Sammy Morris -- RB -- Patriots -- With Fred Taylor having surgery to repair tendons in his ankle last week, Sammy Morris leaped to the top of the Patriots RB hill and looks poised to stay there awhile. Morris is a hard runner, good pass blocker and decent pass catcher and best of all is he has the trust of Bill Bellichick. Morris will get all goal line carries for the Pats and is sure to see close to 20 carries in most weeks as well. He is a must own RB for depth purposes right now and could come in real handy during the bye weeks.

2) Hakeem Nicks -- WR -- Giants -- Nicks is the most talented WR you will find on the waiver wire at any point this season. He has size, speed, strength and the desire to be a great WR in this league. Forget about Mario Manningham's early season successes because they are about to be past by what Hakeem Nicks will do if healthy the rest of this season. I consider him the Giants top WR and am confident he will lead the team in TD's and big plays this season.

THE SHOULD'S

3) Jeremy Maclin -- WR -- Eagles -- If you were listening to the Sunday edition of Fantasy Football Tonight you would have heard me tell everybody to start Austin Miles this week and also that I had an overwhelming feeling about Jeremy Maclin against the Buccaneers. Sure enough, both WR's exploded last week and are now the hottest names in free agency. Maclin is a shorter, speed WR who can outrun the deepest of coverage. He doesn't possess great leaping ability and can be slowed at the line by a jam. But when left alone, Maclin can get behind a defense and make some big plays for this Eagles offense.

4) Vince Young -- QB -- Titans -- Young will be the Titans starting QB as of week 8. The Titans have nothing to play for this year and will need to see what exactly they have in Young before heading into the offseason. I am of the belief that Vince Young will be a pretty good fantasy QB. His rushing skills are enough to make up for his short comings in the accuracy department. Also, he has many more weapons in this Titans offense than he had when he was the starter in 2007 and early 2008. Chris Johnson wasn't developed yet, Justin Gage wasn't a starting WR and Kenny Britt was still in school. That is not to forget untapped resources such as Jared Cook and Nate Washington. Young will be good enough to warrant a backup QB role on any fantasy team once he is implemented as the starter which will happen in week 8, mark my words.

THE COULD'S

5) Bryant Johnson -- WR -- Lions -- I am the last true believer on Bryant Johnson. This is true. But, for a one week starter he may not be that bad of an idea considering the Lions could be without star WR Calvin Johnson and are playing a banged up Packers defense. Daunte Culpepper showed confidence in Johnson in the preseason and a full week of practice in the WR1 role will benefit him a great deal. The Lions will get Johnson the ball against the Packers and I believe with his size and strength he could have himself a pretty good game and be a decent flex option this week.

6) Chaz Schilens -- WR -- Raiders -- I know...a RAIDER WR? How in the world are we supposed to trust a Raiders WR when their QB is one of the biggest busts of all time in JaMarcus Russell? Great questions but I got several reasons why you should consider adding Schilens to your roster soon. 6'4" 225 lbs. 4.38 - 40 yard dash time and a 43" vertical leap. This guy is an absolute beast and he's developed into a pretty good football player as well. He is one of the only Raiders young players who wants to hone his craft and become a great NFL player. Before breaking his foot in late August, Schilens was dazzling everybody with his highlight reel catches and great blocking skills downfield. He was making JaMarcus Russell look pretty good in fact coming into the season. Personally, I don't care if it is Russell, Bruce Gradkowski or Charlie Brown throwing him the ball. A guy this talented must have a spot on fantasy rosters because he could very easily becoming a dominant player once healthy.

THE LONG-SHOTS

7) Ryan Moats -- RB -- Texans -- Steve Slaton just isn't getting the job done, plain and simple. He is running hesitantly and without great burst or vision. Backup RB Chris Brown has single handily lost 2 games now for the Texans by first fumbling on a goal line attempt in week 3 and then failing to get in from the 1 yard line in week 5. Ryan Moats has seen an increase in carries and head coach Gary Kubiak has publicly spoken about the need for his team to find a solution to running the football. I like Moats in this one cut zone blocking running scheme. Moats is also very good at catching the ball out of the backfield which makes him an every down type player. I think we are going to see more and more of Moats in the next few weeks and if he continues to run the way he has and the way I think he can, he'll be this years version of Steve Slaton.

8) Marcus Mason -- RB -- Redskins -- Those who read my daily blogs, training camp blogs or even The Hot 8 every week are well aware of my love for Marcus Mason. The kid is a player. He is stuck behind Clinton Portis and LaDell Betts in Washington right now but he's a guy who the entire NFL knows about and has on their radar. With Jim Zorn about to be fired any week now, who knows the direction the Washington offense will go. But if speculation is correct, then offensive coordinator Sherman Smith will be calling the plays for the Redskins offense and that means a lot of running the football. Mason has been so good in practices that the team simply cannot keep him in-active on gamedays. They have been giving him a few carries each week as well and every time he touches the ball he just looks like a star RB in waiting. Keep Mason on your radar. Don't pick him up yet because until there are some changes made in Washington, he'll be regulated to mop up duty.

That is the Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think?
Post your comments below or email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Great Trade Debate

If you missed the Tuesday edition of Fantasy Football Tonight, you missed a lively conversation about the art of fantasy football trading. We go into the ethics of trades, specifically when is it OK to take advantage of a weaker player and what kind of rules should be in place to make sure this doesn't happen.

The debate got the chat room hopping and the phone lines buzzing all night as we took call after call offering us opinions on what types of trades are appropriate and when it is alright to veto a trade. My stance on not liking trades got a boastful response from the chat room most of whom totally disagreed with my take of wanting to do away with trades altogether.

We had Ted Schuster, co-host of The Sunday Morning Edition of Fantasy Football Tonight on to give us some of his strategies of making trades and what to look for. Ted went into detail about trading away players who are coming off of big weeks especially those who will go back to playing a smaller role after their breakout performance.

Ryan Hallam admitted that he makes trades to gain an advantage in bye weeks. Trading a key player from your team who has yet to have a bye for a player whose bye week has already passed instantly gives you and extra week of fantasy value.

It was some great conversation tonight and one that I am sure we'll continue talking about on future editions of Fantasy Football Tonight. I am interested to know how you guys feel about these topics we discussed on the show tonight? It was surprising to me how many fantasy players are playing for keeps and would not hesitate in ripping off a fellow owner if they felt they could. Give the show a listen and let me know what you think. Email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com or post your comments below this blog entry.

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Monday, October 12, 2009

The Monday After: Week 5

Despite putting together yet another terrific game on Sunday night, Peyton Manning suffered a left knee bruise that was requiring treatment this morning. Though he played through the pain during most of the second half, he woke up in pain and was hobbling around the Colts facility today. With the bye week for the Colts this week you can't help but think this may be truly a blessed season for them.

Speaking of star QB's, Carson Palmer has a badly sprained left thumb that caused his so much pain during Sunday's game he was having to handoff the ball with his throwing hand. This led to several awkward interactions between Palmer and Cedric Benson. Palmer won't miss anytime but he'll have test done on the thumb this week and it is expected that he'll wear a brace or some kind of protective device for what is sure to be at least a bad sprain.

Calvin Johnson left the Lions game early in the second quarter Sunday and was treated on the sidelines and in the locker room but never came back into the game. Information about Johnson's injury has been hard to come by but we do know it is his knee and not the thigh that was giving him trouble during last week. We'll have to wait for Tuesday's practice to see how much we should be concerned about Megatron's week 6 status.

Marc Bulger will be the Rams QB when they travel to Jacksonville next week. Kyle Boller suffered a concussion that knocked him out of week 5 and with Bulger being healthy it is a foregone conclusion that Bulger will be reinstalled at the starting QB...for now.

The Titans will keep Kerry Collins as their starting QB for now, but that will change within the next few weeks. I fully expect that when play resumes for the Titans in week 8 (after their bye), Vince Young will be their starting QB. It is time to play for the future in Tennessee.

An injury that many didn't see this week but that will have a great deal of fantasy impact is the Patriots losing LT Matt Light to a knee injury. Light got rolled up on by a fellow offensive lineman and it looked pretty bad. He'll miss some time for sure.

Broncos TE Tony Scheffler missed most of the second half of the teams big win against the Patriots due to a back injury he suffered after being tackled early in the second quarter. Monitor his status during the week.

Several head coaches are already on the hot seat but here is what I have been hearing from people around the league who I know and have learned to trust. The odds are that Dick Jauron will last the entire season in Buffalo but will not be back next season barring a miracle turn around by the team. On the flip side, there is no chance for Jim Zorn to last the whole season in Washington. From what I hear, the front office has already put a plan in place to have offensive assistant Joe Bugel take over after the teams bye week in week 8, giving offensive coordinator Sherman Smith time to learn how to call the offensive plays (Gulp!).

Finally, there are more trade talks and rumors going around this season than there has been in years. I am hearing that several WR's are being floated all over the league. The Bills front office met today (without Dick Jauron by the way) to discuss the possibility of trading Terrell Owens and some other pieces of their failing team. Owens value however is at an all-time low but all the Bills really want is to cover much of his salary or a very low draft pick. Other names that are on the market are Kevin Curtis, Limas Sweed, Byron Leftwich and Alge Crumpler. Trade deadline is October 20th.

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Sunday, October 11, 2009

Sunday Night Recap

INJURIES

Calvin Johnson -- WR -- Lions -- Knee
Glen Coffee -- RB -- 49ers -- Left Ankle Sprain
Mario Manningham -- WR -- Giants -- Chest Bruise
Ben Watson -- TE -- Patriots -- Concussion
Matt Light -- LT -- Patriots -- Right Knee Injury

BREAKOUTS

Miles Austin -- WR -- Cowboys -- 10-250 Yards, 2 TD's
Jeremy Maclin -- WR -- Eagles -- 6-142 Yards, 2 TD's
Ahmad Bradshaw -- RB -- Giants -- 11-110 Yards 2 TD's Rushing; 1-55 Yards Receiving
Matt Ryan -- QB -- Falcons -- 22-32 329 Yards, 2 TD's; 3 Yards, 1 TD Rushing
Roddy White -- WR -- Falcons -- 8-210 Yards, 2 TD's
Kyle Orton -- QB -- Broncos -- 35-48 350 Yards, 2 TD's
Matt Hasselbeck -- QB -- Seahawks -- 18-30 241 Yards, 4 TD's
Kellen Winslow -- TE -- Buccaneers -- 9-102 Yards, 2 TD's
Daunte Culpepper -- QB -- Lions -- 23-37 282 Yards, 1 TD; 3-44 Yards Rushing

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Derrick Mason -- WR -- Ravens -- 0-0 Receiving
Randy Moss -- WR -- Patriots -- 1-36 Yards
Derek Anderson -- QB -- Browns -- 2-17 23 Yards
Mohammed Massaquoi -- WR -- Browns -- 1-16 Yards
Jerome Harrison -- RB -- Browns -- 8-21 Yards
Mike Sims-Walker -- WR -- Jaguars -- Did Not Play (Coaches Decision)
Maurice Jones-Drew -- RB -- Jaguars -- 12-34 Yards
David Garrard -- QB -- Jaguars -- 18-31 188 Yards
Chris Cooley -- TE -- Redskins -- 0-0 Receiving
Trent Edwards -- QB -- Bills -- 16-31 152 Yards
DeAngelo Williams -- RB -- Panthers -- 18-40 Yards Rushing; 2-19 Yards Receiving

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Week 5 Fantasy Depth Chart

How to read the Fantasy Depth Chart: Players are listed by position and with the desired starting slot on your fantasy team (QB1, QB2, RB1, RB2, etc.). Each are then ranked #1-12 within each slot. Ratings assume a 12 team league with basic scoring and 1/2 point per reception.

QB1

1) Peyton Manning -- Colts
2) Donovan McNabb -- Eagles
3) Matt Schaub -- Texans
4) Kurt Warner -- Cardinals
5) Ben Roethlisberger -- Steelers
6) Tony Romo -- Cowboys
7) Tom Brady -- Patriots
8) David Garrard -- Jaguars
9) Brett Favre -- Vikings
10) Matt Ryan -- Falcons
11) Carson Palmer -- Bengals
12) Joe Flacco -- Ravens

QB2

1) Matt Hasselbeck -- Seahawks
2) Eli Manning -- Giants *(Questionable)*
3) Trent Edwards -- Bills
4) Matt Cassel -- Chiefs
5) Mark Sanchez -- Jets
6) Derek Anderson -- Browns
7) Jason Campbell -- Redskins
8) Kerry Collins -- Titans
9) Daunte Culpepper -- Lions
10) Kyle Orton -- Broncos
11) Shaun Hill -- 49ers
12) Kyle Boller -- Rams

RB1

1) Adrian Peterson -- Vikings
2) Brandon Jacobs -- Giants
3) Chris Johnson -- Titans
4) Brian Westbrook -- Eagles
5) Maurice Jones-Drew -- Jaguars
6) DeAngelo Williams -- Panthers
7) Marion Barber -- Cowboys
8) Michael Turner -- Falcons
9) RaShard Mendenhall -- Steelers
10) Ray Rice -- Ravens
11) Thomas Jones -- Jets
12) Clinton Portis -- Redskins

RB2

1) Steven Jackson -- Rams
2) Kevin Smith -- Lions
3) Steve Slaton -- Texans
4) Glen Coffee -- 49ers
5) Cedric Benson -- Bengals
6) Donald Brown -- Colts
7) Ronnie Brown -- Dolphins
8) Michael Bush -- Raiders
9) Julius Jones -- Seahawks
10) Tim Hightower -- Cardinals
11) Jerome Harrison -- Browns
12) Knowshon Moreno -- Broncos

RB3

1) LenDale White -- Titans
2) Marshawn Lynch -- Bills
3) Sammy Morris -- Patriots
4) Willis McGahee -- Ravens
5) Leon Washington -- Jets
6) Ahmad Bradshaw -- Giants
7) Fred Jackson -- Bills
8) Chris Wells -- Cardinals
9) Larry Johnson -- Chiefs
10) Tashard Choice -- Cowboys
11) Jonathen Stewart -- Panthers
12) Derrick Ward -- Buccaneers

WR1

1) Larry Fitzgerald -- Cardinals
2) Reggie Wayne -- Colts
3) Andre Johnson -- Texans
4) Calvin Johnson -- Lions
5) Randy Moss -- Patriots
6) Steve Smith -- Panthers
7) DeSean Jackson -- Eagles
8) Santonio Holmes -- Steelers
9) Brandon Marshall -- Broncos
10) Dwayne Bowe -- Chiefs
11) Terrell Owens -- Bills
12) Anquan Boldin -- Cardinals

WR2

1) Roddy White -- Falcons
2) Pierre Garcon -- Colts
3) Mike Sims-Walker -- Jaguars
4) Miles Austin -- Cowboys
5) Steve Smith -- Giants
6) T.J. Houshmandzadeh -- Seahawks
7) Chad Ochocinco -- Bengals
8) Mohammed Massaquoi -- Browns
9) Sidney Rice -- Vikings
10) Patrick Crayton -- Cowboys
11) Derrick Mason -- Ravens
12) Hines Ward -- Steelers

WR3

1) Nate Burleson -- Seahawks
2) Braylon Edwards -- Jets
3) Josh Morgan -- 49ers
4) Lee Evans -- Bills
5) Kevin Walter -- Texans
6) Wes Welker -- Patriots *(Questionable)
7) Ted Ginn Jr. -- Dolphins
8) Bernard Berrian -- Vikings
9) Santana Moss -- Redskins
10) Hakeem Nicks -- Giants
11) Antonio Bryant -- Buccaneers
12) Kenny Britt -- Titans

TE1

1) Jason Witten -- Cowboys
2) Dallas Clark -- Colts
3) Dustin Keller -- Jets
4) Chris Cooley -- Redskins
5) John Carlson -- Seahawks
6) Tony Gonzalez -- Falcons
7) Kellen Winslow -- Buccaneers
8) Vernon Davis -- 49ers
9) Todd Heap -- Ravens
10) Brent Celek -- Eagles
11) Visante Shiancoe -- Vikings
12) Bo Scaife -- Titans

What do you guys think about this weeks Fantasy Depth Chart?

Email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com or leave your comments below.

Friday, October 09, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

OUT

Correll Buckhalter -- Ankle
Felix Jones -- Knee
Roy Williams -- Ribs
Matthew Stafford -- Knee
Marc Bulger -- Shoulder
Willie Parker -- Turf Toe
Kevin Boss -- Ankle
Fred Taylor -- Ankle
Phil Dawson -- Groin

QUESTIONABLE

Antonio Bryant -- Knee
Jamal Lewis -- Hamstring *(Expected to be limited even if active on Sunday)
Joseph Addai -- Hand *(Very surprising. Likely to play but may only play small role)
Wes Welker -- Knee
Donnie Avery -- Hamstring *(More likely to play than Burton)
Keenan Burton -- Hamstring
Ruvel Martin -- Hamstring
Steve Breaston -- Knee
Zach Miller -- Concussion
Jerricho Cotchery -- Hamstring *(Looking bad for Cotchery on Monday Night)
Eli Manning -- Foot *(50/50 But I don't think he'll play)
Jonathen Stewart -- Achilles *(He'll play but be limited overall)
Kevin Curtis -- Knee

PROBABLE

Derrick Ward -- Knee
Matt Hasselbeck -- Ribs
Marion Barber -- Quad
Derrick Mason -- Neck
Nate Washington -- Concussion
Domenik Hixon -- Leg
Ahmad Bradshaw -- Ankle
Donovan McNabb -- Ribs

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Thursday, October 08, 2009

Michael Crabtree Reaction

Everybody just cool your jets on this Texas Tech phenom for the time being. As sensational as Crabtree was in college we must remember that he played for one of the most prolific passing offenses in college football and his numbers are perhaps just a bit inflated.

That is not to say that Crabtree isn't a very skilled receiver because he is. But by holding out this long he has really put himself behind the 8 ball as far as his expected production this season. Football isn't like baseball where you can just plug a Ryan Howard or Albert Pujols into the middle of any lineup and reap the rewards. Football is a team game through and through and star players develop out of natural talent, good coaching and a proper scheme.

Crabtree has missed too much time to expect a breakout season this year. Early reactions are that he will eventually play out of the slot where he can be a physical mismatch over most nickel cornerbacks in the league. However, the 49ers don't really use 3 and 4 WR sets very often so his snaps will be limited for quite awhile. Even in those formations he'll only be on the field in the few packages where the coaching staff trusts him to run proper routes, block and be a decoy when needed.

At this point I wouldn't even recommend picking up Crabtree on waivers. Let another owner in your league waste the roster space while you go after useful players such as Kelly Washington, Mohammad Massaquoi and Brandon Pettigrew. It will be slow going for Crabtree in the next few weeks as he picks up the offense and learns how to study, practice and carry himself as a professional football player. It will take an injury to Josh Morgan or Isaac Bruce for Crabtree to get steady playing time and even then it would have to happen around weeks 9-12 for him to have an impact this season.

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Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8

Maybe it is just the leagues that I am playing in this year but it sure seems like people are doing their homework when it comes to waiver pickups this season. Judging by the CBS, ESPN & Yahoo numbers more and more just off the radar guys are already rostered by the time they become valuable. This is why I have always subscribed to two weeks and out theory, meaning most of my top waiver plays are guys who will be the hot names in a 2-4 week time span as opposed to the "right now" guys. Fantasy owners are getting smarter and more informed, so the really smart ones, like you who are reading this article, need to stay ahead of the curve. With that in mind I have focused this weeks Hot 8 on players who will likely be sought after names in a couple of weeks and whom now may appear just a bit outside most of the mainstream players radar.

GOOD RIGHT NOW

1) Mohammed Massaquoi -- WR -- Browns -- I am proud to see Massaquoi owned in 20% of fantasy leagues already. Obviously you guys recognized how well Massaquoi did while Derek Anderson was throwing him the ball in training camp and preseason games. This kid is a solid NFL prospect as he's got the size, speed and hands necessary to develop into something special. Without Braylon Edwards hanging over him any longer, Massaquoi can settle in as an every week starter and continue his development and his chemistry with Derek Anderson.

2) Hakeen Nicks -- WR -- Giants -- I am sorry to all of you who have been relying on Mario Manningham and his early season hot streak. But, Nicks is fully recovered from a foot sprain that briefly derailed him after really coming on strong at the end of camp. Nicks is a playmaker and has good height, speed and run after catch ability. He is someone who could one day be an All-Pro WR if he continues the same work ethic and dedication he did in his first professional training camp. This guy is getting ready to blast off so if he is available, grab him now and start rubbing it in the face of the poor sap who cut him for Manningham after week 2.

3) Brandon Pettigrew -- TE -- Lions -- Pettigrew is starting to become the go to guy in the Lions passing game. That is not to say he is better or more valuable than Calvin Johnson, heck no! But, with Megatron facing double and triple team coverage on nearly every snap, Pettigrew is working the middle of the field and finding holes in the defense. At this point he is a good bye week replacement TE who also has a ton of upside the more comfortable he becomes.

GETTING CLOSER

4) Shonn Greene -- RB -- Jets -- Greene saw his frist action of the season last week against the Saints and looked crisp out of the backfield. The Jets are high on this kid and want to work him in more as a short yardage and possible goalline back. The true upside comes when either Thomas Jones or Leon Washington gets injured which is a very safe bet and Greene then becomes a workhorse RB in New York. Greene is not an explosive RB, but he can pick up chunks of yardage and wear down the defense as well as score a fair amount of TD's in the process. The Jets offensive line is one of if not the best in the NFL and can create a good push against any defensive front and allow whoever is running behind them plenty of room to maneuver.

5) Ryan Moats -- RB -- Texans -- I know that Steve Slaton finally had a good game last week against the Raiders but if you watched the game like me you probably weren't impressed with Slaton's effort even if the final stat line looked beautiful. Moats got some mainstream carries during last weeks game and has been a standout in recent practices during the week. Moats is a good fit for the Texans one cut running system as he has the speed and vision to break long runs and get behind a defense. There is something wrong with Steve Slaton in that he just isn't running with the same urgency that he showed last season. Chris Brown is a non-factor as even when he is healthy he is an upright runner who often loses the football on big hits. Keep an eye on Moats carries in the coming weeks and if he continues getting carries he'll be worth adding to your roster.

6) Ruvel Martin -- WR -- Packers -- Both Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton are battling hamstring injuries and have missed practice this week. I mentioned in last weeks Hot 8 that Martin is probably the best WR on the Rams roster now that Laurent Robinson is out for the season. Martin is a big physical receiver who can make catches even in tight coverage and can be an asset to either Kyle Boller or Marc Bulger. Martin will eventually get more and more playing time and once he catches a TD pass or two he'll be a hot commodity on the waiver wire. He is worth taking a chance on even now if you have the roster space or in a week or two when he'll be more useful on a every week basis.

ONE WEEK WONDER

7) Miles Austin -- WR -- Cowboys -- There are conflicting reports on whether or not Roy Williams will be able to go for the Cowboys this week at Kansas City. I really doubt it as he has some cartilage damage to three ribs and is still in some pain days later. Miles Austin is a guy that I have been keeping my eye on this season even though he's done little since his long TD grab in week 1. Austin is the direct replacement for Roy Williams and frankly somebody who Tony Romo has a much better connection with. If Williams can't go this week, I wouldn't be afraid of plugging Austin in my lineup against a Chiefs defense who has no match for his downfield speed. This is one of those calls that can win you games and make a difference in your season providing you are in need of a spark and have no natural alternatives to play this week.

LOOKING AHEAD

8) Derek Anderson -- QB -- Browns -- I know it is a long ways away but with Anderson's solid performance against the Bengals last week it appears as though he will remain the Browns starter for the duration of the season. The Browns play at Kansas City and home against Oakland in weeks 15 & 16, the weeks of most fantasy playoffs and championship games. We all know that winter weather can and will play a role in who we start in these big fantasy playoff games. I think that Anderson can serve as a decent reserve QB for your team right now and that he is a good option if you should need him in the final and most important weeks of the season. My point is that you don't want to allow him to stay out there in free agency just in case one of your dorky league mates goes out and gets him and winds up starting him against you in the playoffs. Then you'll spend the next 9 months complaining that Derek Frickin' Anderson knocked you out of the playoffs. He is a capable QB and has a solid offensive line in front of him. There is some fantasy upside in Cleveland believe it or not and thus if you're planning on riding the Kurt Warner or Tom Brady train all the way to your championship game, give yourself an option just in case weather or other factors derail those plans.

That is the Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think?
Post your comments below or email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com

Monday, October 05, 2009

The Monday After: Week 4

There are conflicting reports about Eli Manning's Plantar Fasciitis. Tonight the team disclosed that Eli has been suffering from the painful foot injury for several weeks and that he aggravated it further late in the game on Sunday. The team is awaiting Manning's second opinion that he opted for before deciding on his status for week 5 against the Raiders. It is going to come down to pain tolerance for Eli and personally I believe taking a couple of weeks off would be best for him in the long run this season.

The Raiders season just keeps on getting worse. After word spread earlier today about Tom Cable's possible arrest stemming from his beating of an assistant coach this summer, comes word that Darren McFadden will miss 2-4 weeks as he'll undergo surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee. Michael Bush and Justin Fargas will now occupy the Raiders thunder and lighting backfield for the near future. But until LG Robert Gallery comes back from a broken leg, the Raiders running game will remain in neutral.

The Roy Williams torn cartilage injury to his ribs will not have much affect on the Cowboys struggling passing game. Tony Romo has been playing so poor of football over the past few weeks that the less options he has may be the better for him right now. Romo's vision and reads are so terrible that I really wonder what else is at play in Dallas these days. First, Romo turns on Terrell Owens faster than a light switch and now Romo cannot find any receiver not named Jason Witten. Romo's so locked in to staring down Witten that I found myself wondering possibly if race were a factor in Romo's decision making? I know that seems like a ridiculous accusation, but I beg for you all to go out and watch the game Romo played on Sunday and tell me that his eyes were reading anything but the 82 on the back of Witten's jersey. There are reads and progressions that every QB has to make depending on many varying factors in each and every play. Romo has spent the last couple of weeks doing none of that and just hoping to get the ball out of his hands and into Jason Witten's ASAP.

Tampa Bay released struggling placekicker Mike Nugent today. The Noog was 2-6 on field goal attempts this season after narrowly beating out incumbent Matt Bryant for the job during training camp. The Bucs signed Shane Andrus to take over the kicking duties for Nugent.

In other kicker news, the Giants are having former Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant come in and challenge Lawrence Tynes this week. Tynes has missed a FG opportunity in every game so far this season.

The agent for WR holdout Michael Crabtree will fly to San Francisco tomorrow morning and reopen negotiations with the team on a rookie contract for the #10 overall pick. Expect a deal to be completed by next week and for Crabtree to be on the field after San Francisco's bye in week 6. I wouldn't expect much from Crabtree early on, but he could help a weak passing game later on this season.

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Darren McFadden Out 2-4 Weeks With Knee Injury

The Oakland Raiders season just keeps getting worse. After actually resembling an NFL franchise in the first two weeks of the season, the Raiders have taken giant leaps backwards the past couple of weeks. This fall can be attributed to many things including poor performance, bad coaching, off the field distractions and now injuries.

Starting RB Darren McFadden will miss the next 2-4 weeks at least after tearing the meniscus in his right knee in Sunday's game against the Texans. It hasn't been confirmed if this is a partial or full tear but the timetable of his return suggests this is just a partial tear that may not require surgery. Still, this puts another damper on what is shaping up to be another horrible season for both McFadden and his Raiders teammates.

Michael Bush and Justin Fargas now enter into a split carry backfield situation as the team will likely use Fargas as a weapon on outside runs and in pass catching situations while Bush will stick to his short yardage and goalline carries. The Raiders have a bye in week 9 so don't expect McFadden to be back before week 10.

I'll have plenty of RB options for you in The Hot 8 on Wednesday, don't worry.

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Sunday, October 04, 2009

Sunday Roundup

With just one game left in week 4, let's take a look back at all that we learned on another wonderful Sunday in the world of fantasy football.

INJURIES

Eli Manning -- Giants -- Heel/Foot -- Manning will have further tests done on Monday to see the full extent of the injury. It was a non-contact injury though which is very concerning but is not an Achilles tendon injury which is good news. A source I spoke to this evening says the word around the team is they believe Eli has a possible stress fracture in his lower ankle or foot. If so, he most certainly will miss at least a few weeks if not longer. Stay tuned.

Matthew Stafford -- Lions -- Knee -- This one looked terrible but the initial reports are that Stafford has a kneecap subluxation which means that the kneecap popped out of socket but went back in. It is unclear if the kneecap was popped back in by force or if it went back normally but either way Stafford is missing some time.

Roy Williams -- Cowboys -- Back/Neck -- Who knows with Williams anymore. It is clear he and Tony Romo are not on the same page but when Williams was dumped head over heals late in the game it was a perfect opportunity for him to call it a game. I doubt that anything substantial is injured on Williams other than his fragile ego which he will have to get over eventually.

Devin Hester -- Bears -- Neck -- Hester suffered a stinger early on in the game today when he was charged right into a waiting defender after receiving a screen pass from Jay Cutler. Hester and the Bears have a bye next week so he won't be missing any time.

Correll Buckhalter -- Broncos -- Ankle -- Buckhalter rolled his left ankle and did not return to the game today. We are probably looking at a mild sprain that shouldn't cost him any time.

Adrian Peterson -- Bears -- Knee -- It's not the important Adrian Peterson, but Matt Forte owners should take note that your star RB may have new handcuff coming up for at least a couple of weeks if not longer.

BREAKOUTS

Matt Forte -- Bears -- 12-121 Yards, 1 TD -- Welcome to the 2009 season Mr. Forte. This is the type of performance we were waiting for when we drafted you in the first round this year.

Steve Slaton -- Texans -- 21-65 Yards, 1 TD Rushing; 2-24 Yards, 1 TD Receiving -- Not great yardage totals but a much better performance out of the second year RB. Here's hoping there is more of this to come.

Mohammad Massaquoi -- Browns -- 9-148 Yards -- A major step in the right direction from the Browns offense today and especially the rookie Massaquoi. Massaquoi had shown flashes in the preseason and seems to have found a nice connection with Derek Anderson that should bring some rewards in the weeks to come.

Jerome Harrison -- Browns -- 29-121 Yards Rushing; 5-31 Yards Receiving -- I have waited for this game out of Harrison for over three years now and finally some payoff. Harrison showed he can handle an extensive workload and at times appeared to be the only weapon the Browns had on offense. Will he be able to handle a pounding like this long term? I doubt it but he is a must add on the waiver wire this week for sure.

Mike Sims-Walker -- Jaguars -- 7-91 Yards, 2 TD's -- This guy is an official every week starter in leagues that start 3 or more WR's each week. He is very talented and is without question David Garrard's favorite target right now.

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Braylon Edwards -- Browns -- 0 Yards Receiving -- Wow. Edwards is no longer startable even in the deepest of leagues right now and the stats he is putting up are just plain sad.

Dwayne Bowe -- Chiefs -- 1-11 Yards -- This cannot be blamed on the injury rather on very poor QB play and a weak effort at times on the part of Bowe. We can only hope he finds more inspiration in the near future.

Glen Coffee -- 49ers -- 24-74 Yards Rushing -- Not a horrible afternoon for Coffee, but I really expected more out of the young RB. He was underused in the first half and then overworked while trying to run out the clock later on when the game was out of hand.

Louis Murphy -- Raiders -- I know JaMarcus Russell sucks, after all I do watch football. But what I saw out of Murphy today was disgusting. Balls hitting him right in the bread basket and just bouncing off of him like a paddle ball. All of the Raiders WR's should be on this list but Murphy was the one I was beginning to have some faith in before today.

Tony Romo -- Cowboys -- I could spend an entire afternoon going on and on about all that is wrong with Tony Romo from his mechanics to his demeanor. Oh wait...I already did! Let's just put it this way. When other NFL coordinators look at Romo's film from Sunday, they will be licking their chops to get a shot at the QB. Romo is absolutely affixed to Jason Witten, so much so that I actually brought up possible racism in my conversations this evening. Romo just stares down the middle of the field and isn't making his reads whatsoever play after play after play. He never sees the progressions, he just stares down Witten (or Bennett to be fair) and when that doesn't open up he is either sacked or tosses a half-hearted ball off his back foot towards Crayton, Williams, Austin or one of the other targets that either isn't catchable or has given the defense enough time to defend it. It's time to get Jessica Simpson back out to Dallas to take care of Mr. Romo before it is too late!

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Saturday, October 03, 2009

Week 4 Fantasy Depth Chart

How to read the Fantasy Depth Chart: Players are listed by position and with the desired starting slot on your fantasy team (QB1, QB2, RB1, RB2, etc.). Each are then ranked #1-12 within each slot. Ratings assume a 12 team league with basic scoring and 1/2 point per reception.

QB1

1) Peyton Manning -- Colts
2) Drew Brees -- Saints
3) Matt Schaub -- Texans
4) Jay Cutler -- Bears
5) Carson Palmer -- Bengals
6) Tony Romo -- Cowboys
7) Phillip Rivers -- Chargers
8) Aaron Rodgers -- Packers
9) Ben Roethlisberger -- Steelers
10) Tom Brady -- Patriots
11) Eli Manning -- Giants
12) David Garrard -- Jaguars

QB2

1) Brett Favre -- Vikings
2) Trent Edwards -- Bills
3) Joe Flacco -- Ravens
4) Matthew Stafford -- Lions
5) Shaun Hill -- 49ers
6) Jason Campbell -- Redskins
7) Mark Sanchez -- Jets
8) Kyle Boller -- Rams
9) Kerry Collins -- Titans
10) Seneca Wallace -- Seahawks
11) Derek Anderson -- Browns
12) Kyle Orton -- Broncos

RB1

1) Adrian Peterson -- Vikings
2) Brandon Jacobs -- Giants
3) Cedric Benson -- Bengals
4) Matt Forte -- Bears
5) Glen Coffee -- 49ers
6) Maurice Jones-Drew -- Jaguars
7) Chris Johnson -- Titans
8) Ray Rice -- Ravens
9) Thomas Jones -- Jets
10) Steven Jackson -- Rams
11) Mario Barber -- Cowboys
12) Steve Slaton -- Texans

RB2

1) LaDanian Tomlinson -- Chargers
2) Joseph Addai -- Colts
3) Ronnie Brown -- Dolphins
4) Willis McGahee -- Ravens
5) Julius Jones -- Seahawks
6) RaShard Mendenhall -- Steelers
7) Darren McFadden -- Raiders
8) Kevin Smith -- Lions (Questionable)
9) Marshawn Lynch -- Bills
10) LenDale White -- Titans
11) Reggie Bush -- Saints
12) Tashard Choice -- Cowboys

RB3

1) Ryan Grant -- Packers
2) Pierre Thomas -- Saints
3) Clinton Portis -- Redskins (Questionable)
4) Ahmad Bradshaw -- Giants
5) Jerome Harrison -- Browns
6) Knowshon Moreno -- Broncos
7) Michael Bush -- Raiders
8) Leon Washington -- Jets
9) Fred Jackson -- Bills
10) MeWelde Moore -- Steelers
11) Darren Sproles -- Chargers
12) Donald Brown -- Colts

WR1

1) Calvin Johnson -- Lions
2) Reggie Wayne -- Colts
3) Terrell Owens -- Bills
4) Andre Johnson -- Texans
5) Marques Colston -- Saints
6) Vincent Jackson -- Chargers
7) Steve Smith -- Giants
8) Greg Jennings -- Packers
9) Randy Moss -- Patriots
10) Chad Ochocinco -- Bengals
11) T.J. Houshmandzadeh -- Seahawks
12) Jerricho Cotchery -- Jets

WR2

1) Brandon Marshall -- Broncos
2) Santonio Holmes -- Steelers
3) Roy Williams -- Cowboys
4) Santana Moss -- Redskins
5) Nate Burleson -- Seahawks
6) Lee Evans -- Bills
7) Dwayne Bowe -- Chiefs (Questionable)
8) Pierre Garcon -- Colts
9) Devin Hester -- Bears
10) Bernard Berrian -- Vikings
11) Braylon Edwards -- Browns
12) Kevin Walter -- Texans

WR3

1) Justin Gage -- Titans
2) Josh Morgan -- 49ers
3) Donald Driver -- Packers
4) Mario Manningham -- Giants
5) Robert Meachem -- Saints
6) Mike Sims-Walker -- Jaguars
7) Hines Ward -- Steelers
8) Derrick Mason -- Ravens (Questionable)
9) Ted Ginn Jr. -- Dolphins
10) Sidney Rice -- Vikings
11) Donnie Avery -- Rams
12) Torry Holt -- Jaguars

TE1

1) Jason Witten -- Cowboys
2) Antonio Gates -- Chargers
3) Greg Olsen -- Bears
4) Dallas Clark -- Colts
5) Dustin Keller -- Jets
6) Kellen Winslow -- Buccaneers
7) Chris Cooley -- Redskins
8) Vernon Davis -- 49ers
9) Jeremy Shockey -- Saints
10) Bo Scaife -- Titans
11) Visante Shiancoe -- Vikings
12) Randy McMichael -- Rams

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Friday, October 02, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

Here we go folks with a complete rundown of all the significant injuries from a fantasy perspective and each players status for Week 4:

OUT

Jamal Lewis -- Hamstring
Marc Bulger -- Shoulder *(May be ACTIVE but would be backup)*
Willie Parker -- Turf Toe
Domenik Hixon -- Knee
Mike Bell -- Sprained PCL
Phil Dawson -- Groin

QUESTIONABLE

James Davis -- Shoulder
Dwayne Bowe -- Hamstring
Derrick Ward -- Knee
Kevin Smith -- Shoulder
Brandon Stokley -- Thigh/Quad
Wes Welker -- Knee
Derrick Mason -- Illness
Clinton Portis -- Ankles
Chris Brown -- Leg
Antonio Bryant -- Knee

PROBABLE

Brett Favre -- Foot
Marion Barber -- Quad
Todd Heap --Back
Kelly Washington -- Groin
LaDanian Tomlinson -- Ankle
Hakeem Nicks -- Foot
Ahmad Bradshaw -- Ankle
Lance Moore -- Hamstring *(Will be on limited snap count)*
Bo Scaife -- Knee
Laurence Maroney -- Leg
Andre Davis -- Concussion

Need any more injury updates or advice?
Email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com

News & Notes 10/1

Pay no attention to Marc Bulger's futile attempt to not rule himself out for Sunday's game against the 49ers. Bulger realizes that is starting job is in jeopardy once everyone notices what Kyle Boller can do and the stability he will bring to the Rams offense. Boller gets at least this start and could very well hold the job even when Bulger's shoulder is all better.

Also unlikely to play this week is Steelers RB Willie Parker. Parker is dealing with a case of turf toe which is always havoc for RB's. RaShard Mendenhall is back in the coaching staff's good graces (how convenient!) and would likely get the start. But don't rule out MeWelde Moore from taking plenty of snaps in Parker's place as well. Moore endeared himself to the coaching staff last season and has proven to be very effective especially in passing situations. Mendenhall would make a decent RB2 or Flex player this week while Moore could fill in as a decent flex in PPR leagues.

Despite all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding the Green Bay/Minnesota game, I would not bother starting Brett Favre unless you really have no better alternative. This is a classic mistake of fantasy owners getting themselves swayed into a popular news story and watching way too much ESPN. Favre had a good game last week and definitely wants to prove something to the Packers this week. But, Green Bay's defense is no slouch and if you have a Matt Schaub, Eli Manning or Jay Cutler you are far better off than getting mixed up in the Monday Night hoopla.

There will be no split duty for Glen Coffee this week. He is the 49ers feature RB and will definitely get 20+ carries in Sunday's game against the Rams. Head coach Mike Singletary believes in Coffee and has said publicly that he will not alter gameplans or switch up RB's any differently than if Frank Gore was playing. Getting Coffee in free agency this week will probably win your matchup this week.

Marion Barber will play this week for the Cowboys and is safe to start against the Broncos.

Dwayne Bowe was a surprise at practice Thursday as he showed up and participated in many of the teams activities. Bowe's hamstring proved to be worse off than originally thought as he missed last weeks game and was not involved in any practices earlier this week. I am hearing that while Bowe still has some discomfort and is not 100%, he is trying to prove a point to the coaching staff about his dedication to them and to his teammates. I believe he'll play and should be graded as a WR3 for this weeks game against the Giants.

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Friday, October 30, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8

Monday, October 26, 2009

The Monday After: Week 7

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Week 7 Fantasy Depth Chart

Friday, October 23, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Week 7 Checklist

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

News & Notes

Monday, October 19, 2009

The Monday After: Week 6

Sunday Night Recap

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Week 6 Fantasy Depth Chart

Friday, October 16, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Great Trade Debate

Monday, October 12, 2009

The Monday After: Week 5

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Sunday Night Recap

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Week 5 Fantasy Depth Chart

Friday, October 09, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Michael Crabtree Reaction

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8

Monday, October 05, 2009

The Monday After: Week 4

Darren McFadden Out 2-4 Weeks With Knee Injury

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Sunday Roundup

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Week 4 Fantasy Depth Chart

Friday, October 02, 2009

Friday Night Injury Report

News & Notes 10/1

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