Category Archives: fantasy

Fantasy Football: Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups

RB Isaac Redman should be picked up in all leagues this week

Many of last week’s waiver wire picks seemed to put up solid numbers. Patriots’ RB Stevan Ridley had the most productive day of them all, carrying the ball 10 times for an impressive 97 yards and a score. Giants’ WR Victor Cruz caught six balls for 98 yards, and Titans’ WR Nate Washington caught two for 62 yards. Here are this week’s pickups for your fantasy squad:

Isaac Redman, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

 Let’s face it: Rashard Mendenhall has been a pain in the butt for all owners of him. Hopefully owners handcuffed him or are high on the waiver wire, because Redman looks to get the start in Week 5 for the Steelers due to an injury to Mendenhall’s hamstring. Redman hasn’t been getting many touches this year, but when he has, he proved he could play. In Week 2, Redman had 10 rushing attempts and managed to garner 49 yards and reach the endzone. Everyone should pick him up as a spot start this week.

Ryan Torain, RB, Washington Redskins

 Redskins’ coach Mike Shanahan was up to his usual shenanigans last Sunday, giving Ryan Torain the reigns to the offense before even having a carry the whole season. Torain made Shanahan look great, getting 135 yards and a score. Tim Hightower owners beware. Torain is looking like a solid RB2/Flex.

Jacoby Jones, WR, Houston Texans

Jones is slated to take the place of the injured Andre Johnson for the next few weeks, but potential fantasy owners should beware. Jones has been anything but productive the last few weeks this season, but should get more targets the next few weeks as well. Jones averaged a little over 90 yards and five receptions per game when Johnson was missing last season. However, he could easily put up as little as 0-3 points. This guy is a WR3 at best.

Kevin Walter, WR, Houston Texans

Walter has had just as productive of a season as Jones had (not very). The missing presence of Andre Johnson will mean more targets though. Owen Daniels won’t make all the catches for Houston. I like Walter as a spot start if you absolutely need someone. He’s proven himself throughout his career.

Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks

 The undrafted rookie out of Stanford has quietly been producing for the anemic Seattle Seahawks offense. Baldwin started off the season hot, catching four balls for 83 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, to almost a repeat performance last week against the Steelers. Baldwin didn’t find the endzone, but still managed to muster up 84 yards on five catches. He’s not a must-pickup, but keep an eye on him for now.

Jermaine Gresham, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have been the surprise team of the league this year, and TE Jermaine Gresham is part of the reason why. Gresham has shown consistency this season, totaling 50+ yards in three of four games and catching two touchdowns. He’s worth a look in deeper leagues or as a spot starter this week.

Ed Dickson, TE, Baltimore Ravens

Dickson’s role in the Ravens’ offense is steadily continuing to grow. Dickson hasn’t put up any huge numbers as of late, but he is getting targeted a bunch, which should lead to success in the future. He got 12 targets last week against the New York Jets, and his 32 targets are fourth in the league for TEs. He has a bye this week though, but is worth a spot on your roster.

Cincinnati Bengals D/ST

The 2-2 Bengals have proved the doubters wrong and are looking better than expected on both sides of the ball, especially defense. The Bengals are first in the league in total defense, and look like a great matchup play this week as they plan to face a weak Jacksonville Jaguar offense. Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert hasn’t found his rhythm yet, and is due for at least 1-2 interceptions.

 

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Fantasy Football: Week 4 Waiver Wire Pickups

This is what most Kenny Britt owners look like right now...

Another week of NFL football, another huge fantasy loss. Rest in peace to Titan’s WR Kenny Britt’s right knee, as he tore both his ACL and MCL during this play against the Denver Broncos last week. The worst part is, Britt was having one of the best seasons of any receiver thus far, totaling 289 yards and three touchdowns in three and-a-half weeks of play. We all know what that means right? What was once everyone’s trash may now be one lucky man’s gold. Here are our top pickups of the week:

Nate Washington, WR, Tennessee Titans

Washington is the obvious pickup this week, with Britt going down. Washington was already have a productive season before the injury, garnering 21 catches (third in the NFL) for 258 yards and a score. Washington’s most impressive showing came after Britt’s injury, where he caught a season-high eight passes for 92 yards and his lone touchdown. QB Matt Hasselbeck has been slinging the ball well lately, and Washington would make a good number two or possibly a number one on teams that lack any stud receivers.

Torrey Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens

If you didn’t hear about rookie Torrey Smith’s record debut on Sunday, then you most likely live under a rock. Smith’s first three catches went for scores, and they weren’t goal line catches either (74 yards, 41 yards, 18 yards). Don’t expect Smith to go off again like this anytime soon, and is a cautious pickup only for teams in desperate need of a wideout. This may have been a fluke day for him.

Victor Cruz, WR, New York Giants

If you miss out on any of the other two WR pickups, Cruz may look like a good start if WR Mario Manningham can’t play once again due to concussion issues. Cruz lit up a talented but struggling Eagles’ secondary for 110 yards and two scores.

Bernard Scott, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

With Cedric Benson’s potential three game suspension looming, Bernard will get the majority of carries. Although the Bengals entire offense is iffy in fantasy, Scott could surprise. He’s facing relatively weak defenses in Buffalo, Jacksonville and Indianapolis in the upcoming weeks.

Kendall Hunter, RB, San Francisco 49ers

After Frank Gore’s horrible performance last week, Hunter looks like a viable pickup in deep leagues. He won’t be starting over Gore anytime soon, but if Gore keeps having fumble troubles look for Hunter to get more and more carries as the season progresses. He’s also worth holding onto since Gore is about as durable as jello.

Stevan Ridley, RB, New England Patriots

Like Hunter, Ridley is another rookie running back beginning to get more touches as the season progresses. Ridley had a solid 7.0 yards per carry average against the Bills, rushing six times for 42 yards. He’s worth a look in deep leagues, as New England has a committee of backs that includes BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead.

Dane Sanzenbacher, WR, Chicago Bears

It seems as if QB Jay Cutler has established a rapport with his rookie receiver from Ohio State. Sanzenbacher is coming off of back-to-back weeks with touchdowns and inclining targets. He may not be worthy of a pickup just yet, but keep him on your radar.

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Fantasy Football: Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 3 of the NFL season is almost here, and with all the injuries piling up to stud players, the waiver wire should be in full force in a lot of leagues, especially deep ones. We have already lost fantasy studs Peyton Manning and Jamaal Charles to (potentially, in Manning’s case) season-ending injuries in addition to a bunch of others getting hurt. Here are my picks to salvage your season:

Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Kansas City Chiefs

McCluster is the obvious pick-up of the week for all leagues with the loss of Jamaal Charles due to a torn ACL. McCluster fits the Reggie Bush mold in that he is a pass-catching back that stretches defenses. He already has nine receptions on the year and has racked up an impressive 7.8 yards per carry on 12 attempts.

Rex Grossman, QB, Washington Redskins

I never thought I’d see the day when “Sexy Rexy” would be considered a fantasy pickup. Seriously, did you? Grossman seems to have revitalized his career in Washington. Through the first two weeks, he is sixth in the NFL pass attempts, tied for sixth in passing scores, and ninth in passing yards. Use him as a spot starter if you absolutely need a QB.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Tennessee Titans

Continuing surprising play at the QB position is Titans’ Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck has been on fire lately as defenses have been stacking the box due to Chris Johnson. Hasselbeck is averaging 310 yards per game and currently has a 94.2 QB rating. He’ll be facing a weak Denver Bronco defense this Sunday which could warrant a nice spot start in deeper leagues. He’s also worth holding onto as a solid QB2.

Roy Helu, RB, Washington Redskins

Helu took over as the primary starter in the second half last weekend and looked impressive, averaging 6.91 yards per carry as well as catching three passes for 38 yards. Helu won’t be starting over Tim Hightower just yet, but if Hightower maintains his measly 3.73 yards per carry, expect Helu to take over the reigns as starter. He’s worth a pickup in all leagues.

Denarius Moore, WR, Oakland Raiders

Moore opened eyes last week, catching five passes for 146 yards and a score. Moore also added a 25 yard carry to his statline, showing potential owners his big-play potential. It might be a little early to say this, but Moore can be the next Miles Austin.

David Nelson, WR, Buffalo Bills

Nelson also had a breakout week last week and is bound to have many more big days with the loss of Roscoe Parrish. Nelson caught 10 passes for 83 yards and a score. Nelson may eventually emerge as QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s top receiver if Stevie Johnson ends up going down due to his nagging groin injury.

Eric Decker, WR, Denver Broncos

Decker has arguably been the Broncos best offensive weapon thus far. He had a career day last Sunday, racking up 113 yards and two touchdowns. Decker has long-term potential, and should be picked up immediately even if he’s not a guaranteed fantasy starter just yet.

Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins

Rounding out the Redskins’ pickups for the week, Davis has the look of a stud TE this year. Davis currently ranks sixth among TEs in fantasy. Grossman loves his TEs, so he looks like a safe pickup.

 

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Your 2011 Fantasy Football Sleepers

Saints' TE Jimmy Graham can end up in the top 3-4 in the rankings

By Blake Pon

As I’ve stated before, I consider myself a fantasy guru. For as far as I can remember, I don’t believe I have ever missed fantasy playoffs in a league that I took seriously. I don’t finish in first place every year, but I sure as heck never finish below fourth place. A huge reason is for this is researching sleepers for the year. Sleepers can give your team a complete 180 degree turn mid-season. Last year, you saw guys like Brandon Lloyd, Hakeem Nicks, Mike Williams (Tampa Bay), and Darren McFadden go from undrafted/late-round draft picks to top ten fantasy studs. Doing your research is key, so I’ll help you out a bit by giving you my predictions on who can help you win your league.

Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints

Why you should draft him: The corpse of Jeremy Shockey is finally gone, and now the former University of Miami (FL) basketball/football standout has his chance to shine. According to ESPN, the Saints attempted 661 passes in 2010, the second most in the NFL. Not only that, but 23 percent of the time those passes were to the TE. It’s also important to note that in the last three games of the season, Graham had 11 receptions and four touchdowns. You can snag this guy around the twelfth round, and he’ll likely finish top five amongst TEs this year if all goes as planned.

Kendall Hunter, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Why you should draft him: In all honestly, you probably don’t even need to draft Hunter as he’ll likely be available in the free agents list. Frank Gore has only played a full season once in six years, so having Hunter on your team likely means he’ll get at least a start or two during the season.

Mike Thomas, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Why you should draft him: Yes, his quarterback situation is iffy, but Thomas still managed to catch 66 passes and snag four TDs playing behind Mike Sims-Walker. With Sims-Walker in STL, Thomas is in the driver’s seat in Jacksonville and should undoubtedly improve upon his impressive sophomore season.

Tim Hightower, RB, Washington Redskins

Why you should draft him: If you haven’t been following the pre-season, all you need to know is that Hightower has been absolutely beastly. He has averaged 6.8 yards per carry (albeit with only 25 carries) and has scored three times in three preseason games. Don’t forget that Coach Mike Shanahan has a knack for utilizing his runningbacks to their full potential, and frankly, it’s looking like Hightower’s year.

Delone Carter, RB, Indianopolis Colts

Why you should draft him: The rookie out of Syracuse is poised to become Indy’s goal line back due to his aggressiveness and physicality running the ball. Take a late-round flier on him, as he should be due around six to possibly even ten touchdowns this year, with the exception of low yardage per game. Javarris James even managed to score six touchdowns last year in the same role.

Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants

Why you should draft him: Look, “Super Mario” may not be a sleeper, per se, but I think this is a guy who is very undervalued in almost every league. Eli Manning is due for at least 25-30 touchdowns per year, and we all know Hakeem Nicks won’t be getting every single one. Manningham is going in rounds 7-10 in a lot of leagues, and will likely finish ahead of a lot of the receivers going ahead of him.

Mike Sims-Walker, WR, St. Louis Rams

Why you should draft him: Sims-Walker seems to be the number one wideout in the promising Rams’ offense. Quarterback Sam Bradford is bound to have a breakout year, and Sims-Walker will be his top guy.

Deji Karim, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Why you should draft him: After news broke that Rashad Jennings will be out for the entire season, Karim looks like a solid flier in leagues with 12+ teams. We all know the deal with Maurice Jones-Drew, and if does end up going down, Karim’s value will skyrocket.

Jared Cook, TE, Tennessee Titans

Why you should draft him: As stated before, Cook was compared to the likes of Calvin Johnson when he got drafted in 2009. Cook stands at a tall 6-5 and ran a 4.49/40. Also, he now has Matt Hasselbeck in the pocket, and he loves his tight ends. Cook also finished the season strong, catching 15 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown in his final three games last season.

Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Why you should draft him: Freeman has been going anywhere from rounds 6-10, which may look a little late by the end of season. Freeman is getting overlooked despite throwing only 6 INTs last year, which was second to only Tom Brady. Efficiency pays off in fantasy, and Freeman is exactly that.

Greg Little, WR, Cleveland Browns

Why you should draft him: The rookie looks to be starting along side Mohamed Massaquoi and can make for a viable slot receiver for the improving Colt McCoy. Should be drafted in late rounds of deep leagues.

Cleveland Browns Def/ST

Why you should draft them: The Browns might not be the most menacing defense out there, but looking at their first two month’s worth of match-ups, they look like a viable option for anyone in need of a defense. They play a weak Bengals team week one, followed by a Kerry Collins-led Colts’ offense, followed by the Dolphins and Titans. Weeks 6 through 8 have them facing Oakland, Seattle, and San Francisco.

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Chi Side’s 2011 Fantasy Football Position Rankings

Arian Foster is poised to repeat his eye popping 2010 fantasy year

Not only is ChiSide here for your music, sports, and fashion needs, but we’ll also be providing fantasy sports information as well! Now that football is back, the earth’s most popular fantasy sport is on its way to yet another exciting season. Self-proclaimed fantasy guru Blake Pon will be providing your weekly pickups, amongst other things. Here is his first foray into fantasy rankings, beginning with a preseason top fifteen list for each relevant position (kickers are all the same, in my opinion). Here goes.

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