Tag Archives: fantasy football

November 29, 2011 · 10:40 PM

Fantasy Football: Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 13 looks to be another slow week for the wire. No significant injuries occurred, so there are not many likely fantasy game-changers that can be had on the wire. Here are my picks:

Kyle Orton, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Orton steps into a much better situation, receiver-wise, in KC. Moving on from Brandon Lloyd and Eric Decker, Orton gets access to talented wideouts Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston, and Jon Baldwin. We’ll see if Orton can pick it back up with a change of scenery.

Maurice Morris, RB, Detroit Lions

Morris has a shot to be the primary back this week against New Orleans. Kevin Smith is listed as questionable with a high-ankle sprain. If Smith can’t go, Morris looks like a solid flex play option for most teams.

Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Brown has had one of his best stretches of his career during the last three games. He has averaged 77 yards per game and has scored three touchdowns. However, he has a few tough tasks ahead of him in Baltimore and Houston coming up.

Johnny Knox, WR, Chicago Bears

Knox and QB Caleb Hanie looked to have a nice rapport going against Oakland, leading to Knox’s game high 145 receiving yards. He has also scored a touchdown in the last two weeks and looks to be one of the top players off of waivers this week.

Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Starter Sidney Rice looks to miss this week’s game against the Eagles, leaving the door wide open for Baldwin to pick up the slack. Baldwin only had 60 yards, but also had 10 targets. Look for Baldwin to have a nice week this week.

Greg Little, WR, Cleveland Browns

Little finally found the endzone last week. QB Colt McCoy’s favorite target looks like a solid WR3 on most teams, as he’s been averaging about 50 yards a game over the last five weeks.

Malcom Floyd, WR, San Diego Chargers

Before getting hurt, Floyd has 243 yards and a touchdown in the last three games he played. He’s looking to come back this week, and looks to be an interesting fantasy play. QB Philip Rivers has been anything but good this year, so I suggest you watch Floyd’s progress.

New England Patriots Defense/Special Teams

Nothing much can be said other than they’re the lucky team playing the Colts this week.

Denver Broncos Defense/Special Teams

The Tebow Effect seems to have taken ahold of this defense, which hasn’t given up more than 13 points in three straight games. Don’t take them lightly anymore.

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November 1, 2011 · 1:31 PM

Fantasy Football: Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups; Midseason Awards

Is Chiefs' WR Jon Baldwin worthy of a roster spot?

Week 8 of the NFL season wasn’t injury-riddled like prior weeks, which means that the waiver wire will likely be less active than usual. Also, the week marked the middle point of the regular season, which means one thing: Midseason Awards.

Fantasy MVP: QB Cam Newton

Newton gets it ahead of Rodgers simply because Rodgers is a 1st/2nd round pick. It’s Most Value-able Player.

Biggest Draft Steal: TE Jimmy Graham

This guy was going in between rounds 12-15 before the season began. Next year he’ll be going in rounds 3-5.

Brandon Lloyd Award: QB Cam Newton

The Lloyd Award is a player who can be found on the waiver wire and ends up tearing it up the rest of the season. No doubt Newton gets it.

Biggest Bust: RB Chris Johnson

Not sure what’s going on with this guy, but it’s not funny for owners.

Here are my waiver wire pickups for the week:

Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams

 

Bradford is out of the walking boot and ready to sling it to newcomer Brandon Lloyd. He has a favorable matchup this week against Arizona.

Matt Cassel, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

You gotta like Cassel in the second half of the season. Not only have the Chiefs drastically improved their game altogether, but Cassel gets to face Miami, Denver, and New England in the next three weeks.

Javon Ringer, RB, Tennessee Titans

Like I said last week, Ringer should be seeing more and more time ahead of fantasy bust Chris Johnson. He got 33 snaps to Johnson’s 30 against Indianapolis, and it’s only a matter of time before Johnson’s warming up the bench.

Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Big Jon Baldwin made some big plays for the Chiefs in their win over the Chargers Monday night. Baldwin’s got the size and skill, but the Chiefs’ offense raises a concern and I don’t think he’ll be consistent for the rest of the year. Pick him up if you really need a WR.

Early Doucet, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Doucet has made good on his limited play, scoring once in each of the last two games. If the Cards ever decide to give him more snaps, he’ll be pretty productive.

Brent Celek, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

Twenty five points in the past two games for Celek should result in a waiver wire pickup for most teams. Also, he gets the Bears, who give lots of leeway to opposing tight ends, on Monday night.

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October 25, 2011 · 12:24 PM

Fantasy Football: Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups

Something like this probably happened to one of the players on your fantasy team

Week 7 of the NFL season was probably one of the most frustrating weeks in recent memory if you were relying on studs like RB Darren McFadden, Beanie Wells, Marshawn Lynch, Earnest Graham, Tim Hightower, and Ryan Mathews amongst others to save your team. All pulled up with injuries and less than ten fantasy points. Some injuries worse than others. Graham and Hightower unfortunately have been lost for the season, while the rest should see time in the upcoming weeks. Here are my pickups of the week:

Alfonso Smith, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Smith, like last week’s waiver wire pickup Jackie Battle, is more of a downhill runner. Starter Beanie Wells left the game with a mysterious knee injury that nobody knows anything about. Wells’ injury could sideline him for at least 1-2 weeks, opening the door for Smith. The bad news is, however, Smith will have to face the tenacious Ravens’ defense in Week 8. The good news is, if Wells isn’t back by Week 9, Smith gets to face the Rams’ defense. Potential Smith suitors hope and pray.

Roy Helu, RB, Washington Redskins

I guess it’s finally time to bring out old Roy from the depths of the waiver wire. Just don’t come crying to me when coach Shanahan decides to still give RB Ryan Torain 30 carries while Helu gets a modest 7-10.

Keiland Williams, RB, Detroit Lions

The Lions clearly really wanted to split carries between Keiland Williams and Maurice Morris. Both had exactly nine carries. Both should get a few more against a very weak Denver Broncos team. When the Lions score early and often, the Lions will look to both of their backups to run out the clock.

Kregg Lumpkin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Lumpkin is the only healthy back right now on the entire Tampa Bay roster. The Bucs have a bye week coming up, and by Week 9 starter LaGarrette Blount will probably be back in the lineup. Lumpkin did not look all that great against the Bears last Sunday, but from a PPR standpoint, he looks like a sure-fire pickup. He’ll do exactly what Earnest Graham was doing before going down with a season-ending achilles injury.

Javon Ringer, RB, Tennessee Titans

No, Chris Johnson did not get hurt last week. I have an eerie feeling though that he might get benched due to his horrendous production. CJ had 10 carries for a measly 18 yards while Ringer enjoyed a nice three carries for 31 yards. Stash Ringer on your bench if you have the room to.

Christian Ponder, QB, Minnesota Vikings

I’m not going to lie, Ponder impressed in his first career start versus Green Bay. He threw two touchdowns and two interceptions, but he showed great resilience and almost lead the Vikings to a huge upset over undefeated Green Bay. Not worth a start just yet but could be a roster stash for when he faces a weak defense.

Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Like last week’s waiver wire winner Demaryius Thomas, Brown looks to capitalize on an injury to second string WR Hines Ward. Brown had his first 100 yard game of his career last week on seven receptions and could easily produce like this when given the opportunity.

Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Sanders, like Brown, shared second string WR duties and was able to produce. Sanders caught a touchdown from Ben Roethlisberger in addition to his 46 yards. Brown seems to be the more polished receiver of the two so look to him first on the wire.

Jabar Gaffney, WR, Washington Redskins

Starting WR Santana Moss broke his hand and is scheduled to be out five to seven weeks. Gaffney should be relatively productive in the starting spot, competing only with TE Fred Davis. Davis won’t catch everything QB John Beck throws, so Gaffney should garner the rest of his passes.

Jake Ballard, TE, New York Giants

Ballard has been surprisingly productive the last few weeks, averaging a solid 10 fantasy points per game. QB Eli Manning has been looking his way more and more, and hopefully that doesn’t change as defenses start to take notice. Buyer beware.

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October 13, 2011 · 4:09 PM

Fantasy Football: Week 6 Waiver Wire Pickups

I hate to gloat (just kidding, I love it), but last week’s waiver wire pickups did not fail to disappoint. If you looked at the stat line, a majority were winners. Seattle’s Doug Baldwin caught eight passes for 136 yards and a score, Houston’s Kevin Walter caught five passes for 81 yards and a score, Cincinnati’s Jermaine Gresham caught five passes for 21 yards and a score, and finally, the Bengals’ defense/special teams managed to rack up three sacks and force two fumbles, one of which was returned for a touchdown. This week’s waiver wire picks seem to be geared toward quarterbacks, so hopefully you picked your fair share of receivers last week.

Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Broncos

Tebow finally got his nod last week, after starting QB Kyle Orton put up a stinker, and looks to finish out the rest of the season as Denver’s starting QB. Tebow started the second half of last week’s loss to San Diego, managing to throw for 79 yards and a score, as well as run for 31 yards and a score. Think of Tebow as Cam Newton-lite, and looks to be an intriguing start for teams in need of a QB.

Matt Cassel, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

After putting up a few dismal starts to start the season, it seems as if Cassel has picked it up. Through the last two weeks, Cassel has had a QB rating over 100 and has thrown five touchdowns and zero interceptions. He gets to face another shaky defense in Oakland this week. He could be used as a spot starter in deeper leagues.

Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

Dalton has been surprisingly efficient for a rookie quarterback on what was to be one of the worst teams coming into the season. Dalton hasn’t put up any huge games as of yet, but if he does, it could come this week against the hapless Indianapolis Colts. He should be used purely as a spot start this week.

Earnest Graham, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Graham looks to make his first start of year in place of the injured LaGarrette Blount. Graham hasn’t gotten many reps on the ground, but has proven to be a valuable pass-catcher, racking up 23 receptions. He doesn’t face a favorable matchup against New Orleans this week, though, so beware.

Jackie Battle, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Head coach Todd Haley recently compared Battle to 2010 breakout star Arian Foster. Potential fantasy owners hope that Haley is correct, but I highly doubt that Battle will come anywhere close to Foster’s output. Battle put up great numbers last week (19 carries, 119 yards), albeit it was against the Indianapolis Colts. Battle could end up being a solid RB2 at best, but he’ll likely just hold a spot on your bench.

Damian Williams, WR, Tennessee Titans

Like Doug Baldwin, Williams put up a surprising day (11 targets, six receptions, 66 yards, one touchdown) and has found the endzone the last two weeks. He is starting opposite of WR Nate Washington and as QB Matt Hasselbeck airs it out more and more, Williams will see more production.

Steve Breaston, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs resurgence has led to many of their offensive weapons becoming waiver wire pickups, and Breaston is yet another player to fit the bill. Breaston is coming off of a solid 50 yard, two touchdown game against the Colts and looks to snag more touchdowns away from stud WR Dwyane Bowe.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Oakland Raiders

The former seventh overall pick in the draft finally looks like he’s playing up to par. Although Heyward-Bey has only shown flashes in the past two weeks, he worth a spot on the roster just in case he continues getting nearly 100 yards a game.

Editor’s note: I have no faith whatsoever in any of these guys this week, as opposed to all my other waiver wire write-ups.

 

 

 

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October 5, 2011 · 1:07 PM

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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September 28, 2011 · 7:42 PM

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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September 6, 2011 · 10:04 PM

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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August 14, 2011 · 2:08 PM

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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