Fantasy Football 2011 Waiver Wire: Week 4

With NFL bye weeks coming up next week, now's the time to make sure that your team is covered when your stars have the week off. Even though you may not need a quarterback, running back or wide receiver, it's always smart to upgrade your roster when you can. Here are some guys who might be worth a look.

Jason Campbell, QB, Oakland Raiders
Campbell has a favorable match-up this week against a New England defense that's giving up a ton of points to opposing quarterbacks. Campbell is surrounded by weapons this year, including RB Darren McFadden and rookie WR Denarius Moore. Campbell isn't a quarterback you can rely on every week, in fact, he's been consistently average his entire career. However, if you're desperate this week for a quarterback, he's a good pick-up.

Stevan Ridley, RB, New England Patriots
Ridley (pictured) got his first extended opportunity to play in week 3 and looked solid. Ridley carried six times for 42 yards in New England's loss to Buffalo and outplayed starter RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis. While it's too early to call Ridley the front-runner in New England, he could takeover more of the workload. However, the Patriots are a pass-first team and running backs often get lost on their offensive mix. While Ridley's a risky fantasy play each week, he is certainly a guy who should be owned in most leagues.

Kendall Hunter, RB, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh said RB Frank Gore will be 'good to go' when the Niners face the Philadelphia Eagles in week four. Gore sprained an ankle in the Niners week three win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but even before that injury he's been less than impressive. Hunter has shown good versatility and looks like a good young runner. Consider Hunter a good waiver wire guy to stash on your bench and he's a must pick-up player if you own Gore.

Bernard Scott, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
I'm not a huge proponent of rushing out and picking up Scott unless you own RB Cedric Benson. The common believe is that Benson will be suspended for three games for his offseason troubles and Scott will become Cincinnati's feature back. Scott only has eight carries this season for 23 yards, so he's been rarely used by the Bengals. With bye weeks coming up, consider Scott a good waiver wire guy and he's a must pick-up player if you own Benson.

Nate Washington, WR, Tennessee Titans
With Kenny Britt done for the year with an ACL injury, the belief is Washington will be the main benefactor. However, much of Washington's early season success has been because of the single coverage he's getting from defenses - because of Britt. I'm fairly certain Washington doesn't have the talent to replace Britt's offensive output each week, but he is definitely worth a roster spot, and maybe even a place in your starting line-up.

Donald Jones, WR, Buffalo Bills
I recommended Bills WR David Nelson last week, now it's Jones' turn for some fantasy respect. Jones is the number two receiver on one of the NFL’s highest-scoring offenses and is on the field a lot. While he ranks behind Steve Johnson and Nelson in targets, catches and yards - he's still worth a look in deeper leagues. However, don't expect him to be an every week fantasy receiver.

2011 Fantasy Football: Tuesday Takeaways

Every Tuesday The Source takes a look back at the weekend (and Monday night) that was in the NFL. Here are The Source's ten takeaways from week three.

1) The Minnesota Vikings ARE NOT yet in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. However, a couple more second half collapses and we'll revisit the matter. From a fantasy football standpoint, RB Adrian Peterson is the only player on the Vikings who is worth starting each week (no, I did not forget about Percy Harvin).

2) The Buffalo Bills are one of three unbeaten teams left in the NFL (Packers and Lions other two) and they're for real - at least their offense is. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has emerged as an every week fantasy starter and RB Fred Jackson has turned out to be a viable RB1 option. Also, WR Steve Johnson is proving last year wasn't a fluke and WRs David Nelson and Donald Jones are worth a roster spot in deeper leagues, PPR leagues for sure. After beating New England 34-31 on Sunday, the Bills won't sneak up on anyone anymore. Still, their offense is good enough that you count on their players for fantasy points each week.

3) There's a new top target in Cincinnati and his name is Andre Caldwell (pictured). With Jerome Simpson in legal limbo, Caldwell started at WR for the Bengals against San Francisco on Sunday and led the team in targets (12), catches (6) and yards (53). I fully expect those numbers to continue for Caldwell and if I were a betting man, I'd say Simpson's season (and football career) is over. If you need a WR, Caldwell is a solid option in PPR and deeper standard leagues.

4) We learned in week three that Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton can be contained, you just need a lot of rain. After two straight weeks of 400+ yards passing, the rookie managed just 158 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars. But again, the weather was a major factor in this game and that stalled Carolina's high-powered offense. Don't worry too much about Newton's "down" week, he's still an every week fantasy option if you need him. That goes for WR Steve Smith as well.

5) After WR Kenny Britt got into trouble with the law during the lockout, the Tennessee Titans likely figured they would be without their star WR for at least part of this season. However, before the long-arm of the NFL commissioner's office could slap a suspension on Britt, he was done in by a gimpy leg. Britt's ACL tear in the Titans week three win over the Denver Broncos is devastating, especially to the fantasy owners who took on a chance on him on draft day. Britt's season was off to a tremendous start - 17 catches, 289 yards and 3 TDs - but now it's over. Maybe it's karma calling after an offseason of mischief, regardless, the Titans and Britt fantasy owners are now left with a huge hole in their starting line-up. Look for WR Nate Washington to get more targets, he's a good free agent option in most leagues. Other players who could see more targets include: WRs Lavelle Hawkins and Damian Williams and TE Jared Cook. But I'm not putting much stock in any of those guys just yet.

6) San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh said RB Frank Gore will be 'good to go' when the Niners face the Philadelphia Eagles in week four, but I'm not sure that's such great news. Gore sprained an ankle in the Niners week three win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but even before that injury he's been less than impressive. In the first three weeks, Gore has carried the ball 59 times for 148 yards, an average of 2.5 yards per carry. I'm not ready to say Gore should be benched in favor of rookie RB Kendall Hunter, but maybe Hunter deserves more carries. I realize Hunter averaged 2.9 yards per carry on Sunday (nine carries for 26 yards), but he looks more versatile than Gore and doesn't have the injury history (or the mileage). Consider Hunter a good waiver wire guy this week and a must pick-up player if you own Gore.

7) Speaking of Jim Harbaugh, we're going to need your nickname coach. Tony Romo is the new 'Captain Comeback'. Romo led the (extremely) shorthanded Dallas Cowboys to a second-consecutive fourth quarter comeback over the Washington Redskins on Monday night. Romo, who was playing with broken ribs, had a terrible statistical game (255 yards, 1 INT), but was brilliant down the stretch making plays when he needed to.

8) If the Seattle Seahawks go 8-8 this season, I wouldn't be that surprised. I also wouldn't be shocked if all their wins came in front of the '12th Man'. Seattle is a different team when they play at CenturyLink Field and the stats back it up. Since 2002 (the year the stadium opened), the Seahawks have won 50 regular season homes games (including three 8-0 seasons) and lost just 22. Over that same period, they're 24-48 on the road during the regular season. And the trend is the same in the playoffs. At home, the Seahawks are 7-1 and on the road they're 0-5 (including a loss in Super Bowl XL). What's my point? Regardless of how bad the Seahawks look on paper (and at quarterback), they have a shot at winning some (home) games this year. From a fantasy perspective, if you have RB Marshawn Lynch, WR Sidney Rice or Seattle's DST, play them only when the Seahawks are at home (if you must play them at all).

9) After two weeks of going back-and-fourth, it's clear now that Chargers RB Ryan Mathews is the front-runner in San Diego's backfield (for now). The second-year back from Fresno State took advantage of his full workload on Sunday, rushing for 98 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns (he also caught 4 passes for 51 yards). While Mathews carried the Chargers to victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Mike Tolbert (who scored 3 TDs in week one) played a true back-up role. Tolbert finished with four carries for 19 yards and three catches for 24 yards. Mathews looked the part of an every down back, even staying on the field on third down and goalline. This is obviously good news for Mathews' owners and bad news for Tolbert owners. But before you declare this back-and-fourth battle over, remember that Mathews was injured (a lot) last year and Tolbert was nursing a toe injury much of last week. Until we see this type of production out of Mathews over the course of several weeks, keep both players in your line-ups.

10) The St. Louis Rams were supposed to be better than their 0-3 start, but right now they're a mess. Their defense is getting shredded by opposing offenses and their offense looks very much like a work in progress (which was expected with first-year OC Josh McDaniels). But before you write-off the Rams as losers this year, take a look at the second half of their schedule. They have a stretch (week 9-15) where they face: @Arizona, @Cleveland, vs. Seattle, vs. Arizona, @San Francisco, @Seattle, vs. Cincinnati. While the Rams may not be able to dig out from their 0-3 start and make the playoffs, their skill players (QB Sam Bradford and RB Steven Jackson) should be able to help your fantasy team make a late-season run.

2011 Fantasy Football: Week 3 NFL Preview

As we look ahead to week three of the fantasy football season, one can't help but notice some of the big name players who will be missing this week. That list includes Dallas Cowboys WR Miles Austin (hamstring), New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (knee) and Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (knee). With all of those players missing this week (Charles for the season), some fantasy owners are probably wondering where their points are going to come from. While those owners sweat out a weekend without their star performers, here's what I'll be watching for this weekend.

1) Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers
I have an unhealthy obsession with the Bengals wide receiver group. After week one, I wanted to see if WR Jerome Simpson, who led the team with 8 targets in week one, was worthy of a fantasy roster spot. After watching him in week two (4 catches for 136 yards) the answer was yes. However, my opinion has changed this week after Simpson became the target of a federal drug investigation. Authorities allegedly found 8 and half pounds of marijuana inside his house. I can't imagine Simpson playing another down for the Bengals, which is why I'm interested in seeing Cincinnati play this weekend. I want to see if fourth-year WR Andre Caldwell can be a relevant fantasy football wide receiver. Caldwell was buried on the depth chart, but after the Simpson incident and a season-ending knee injury to WR Jordan Shipley, Caldwell is in a position to start opposite A.J. Green. Caldwell caught a touchdown last week and could be a sneaky sleeper in PPR leagues and maybe (deeper) standard leagues. Green, meanwhile, is a star in the making; keep him in your line-up.

2) Cam's quest for 400 (again)
In his first two games as a pro, Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton has thrown for 854 yards. He's also accounted for five touchdowns (3 passing, 2 rushing), but he's 0-2 as a starter. I want to see if the Panthers will alter their game plan this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars to try and take some of the pressure off Newton. After two weeks, only Tom Brady (88), Philip Rivers (88) and Drew Brees (86) have thrown more passes than Newton (83). If Newton is going to throw the ball 40 times a game, the Panthers will lose a lot of games. However, from a fantasy perspective if Carolina continues to be a pass first offense, I will endorse Newton a must-start fantasy quarterback every week.

3) 'The Next DeSean Jackson'
When Detroit Lions WR Titus Young (pictured) made his first NFL catch last Sunday, his Lions teammate Nate Burleson was impressed. Young made five catches for 86 yards in a blowout win over Kansas City, and after the game Burleson compared the Boise State rookie to Philadelphia's all-pro WR DeSean Jackson. Certainly high-praise, especially considering Young has played just one game, but Young does have a great opportunity. Now that he's healthy, he has a chance to be a difference maker on a very good football team. While defenses will be focused on stopping all-pro WR Calvin Johnson, Young should be able to find plenty of single coverage in the slot. Young is another one of those sneaky sleepers in PPR leagues and maybe (deeper) standard leagues. With Minnesota and Dallas on the schedule the next two weeks, we should know soon if Young is worth a roster spot on your fantasy team.

4) Have we seen the last of Antonio Gates?
San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates is having serious foot issues (again) and did not practice on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. He's listed as questionable for this Sunday against Kansas City, but I doubt he plays. Last week, Gates played the entire game and failed to register a single catch. My hunch is that foot injury, which forced him to miss six games last season, could spell the end of a pass catching-era in San Diego. I know it sounds grim, but if he's not able to play on Sunday I'd be worried about the rest of his season. If you own Gates, maybe now is the time to trade him to someone who doesn't know any better.

5) Who replaces Jamaal Charles?
The Kansas City Chiefs season is off to a miserable start and losing RB Jamaal Charles to a season-ending ACL injury only makes things worse. The Chiefs now must find a way to replace Charles' offensive output (1,935 total yard and 8 TDs in 2010) and will looks look to three players to try and fill his big shoes. The trio of Thomas Jones, Dexter McCluster and Le'ron McClain will all play a role in replacing Charles. While none of these guys jump off the page, it will be interesting to see how each will be used. I expect McCluster to have the most fantasy impact (especially in PPR) and Jones to be a major fantasy disappointment. I'm not sure Jones has enough left in the tank to be fantasy relevant anymore. That brings us to McClain who is an intriguing player to me. He has the size and ability to be an effective short yardage back. Before any of these guys even get a sniff of your starting line-up, first see what happens this week against the San Diego Chargers.

Fantasy Football 2011 Waiver Wire: Week 3

If your fantasy league is anything like mine, the free agent pool is pretty shallow right now - filled with a bunch of "what ifs" and "never-will-bes." That said, there are a couple of a guys worth looking at, especially if lost someone to injury in week two.

Dexter McCluster, RB, Kansas City
With Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles out for the season with a torn ACL, Kansas City and fantasy owners are searching for a replacement. The guys best-equipped to replace Charles is McCluster. While Thomas Jones will likely get more carries at first, I see McCluster as the guy with more upside. However, despite his big play potential, he doesn't have the frame to withstand the every-down pounding of a featured back. I'm not sure McCluster is a fantasy starter right now, but he worth a roster spot, especially for Charles owners.

Roy Helu, RB, Washington Redskins
The more touches Helu gets the more he looks like an emerging NFL running back. Helu played much of the second half in Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals and looked solid in relief of Tim Hightower. I'm ready to say Helu should replace Hightower as the starter in Washington, but if Hightower get injured or his fumbling problem returns, Helu will be an exceptional replacement. Stash him on your roster now before his value gets too high.

David Nelson, WR, Buffalo Bills
After a ten catch performance in week two, Nelson is officially on the fantasy football radar. So far this season, Nelson has 14 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown. The Bills have quietly become a very good offensive team with a solid quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick. Nelson gives the Bills a nice complementary wide receiver opposite Steve Johnson. Nelson is big (6'5") slot receiver who will see his fair share of targets this season. Nelson is more valuable in PPR leagues than in standard leagues.

Denarius Moore, WR, Oakland Raiders
After a sensational preseason, Moore (pictured) proved he's no fluke by catching five passes for 146 yards and a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. Moore took advantage of his opportunity to play with Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey inactive on Sunday. Moore looks like a guy who's the most ready to be a fantasy starter. Even when Ford and Heyward-Bey return to the field, the Raiders would be dumb to keep Moore on the sidelines (draw your own conclusions on that one).

Eric Decker, WR, Denver Broncos
Much like Moore, Decker took advantage of his increased playing time with Denver's top wide receivers on the sideline. Decker caught five passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns with WRs Brandon Lloyd and Eddie Royal both nursing groin injuries. It looks like Lloyd (Denver's top target) will be back this week, but Royal could be out for several more weeks. With Royal out, Decker will likely start opposite Lloyd and he's a good option for fantasy owners. My one concern with Decker is he has a history of injuries, so use him now.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Tennessee Titans
If Cam Newton or Ryan Fitzpatrick are still available in your league, pick them up immediately, if those guys aren't available go with Hasselbeck. The former Seattle QB has found his groove in Tennessee, a lot sooner than most expected. Hasselbeck dazzled in week two, torching the Baltimore Ravens for 358 yards and a touchdown (he threw two TDs in week one). With defenses focused on stopping RB Chris Johnson, Hasselbeck should find plenty of space to get the ball to WRs Kenny Britt and Nate Washington. If you're (really) desperate for a QB, Hasselbeck is you guy (especially the next two weeks: vs. Denver and at Cleveland).

Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins
I told you to pick-up Davis last week after his five catches for 105 yards in week one. Davis followed that up with a week two performance that included six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. Look for Davis to play a big role in the Redskins offense this year, especially with TE Chris Cooley playing with an injured knee. If you're league requires you start a tight end, Davis needs to be on your roster. Even if your league doesn't require a tight end, Davis is a solid waiver wire option (again) this week.

2011 Fantasy Football: Tuesday Takeaways

Every Tuesday The Source takes a look back at the weekend (and Monday night) that was in the NFL. Here are The Source's ten takeaways from week two.

1) Kansas City is the latest franchise to enter the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. The Detroit Lions destroyed the Chiefs on Sunday 48-3. The worst part of that loss for the Chiefs, their all-world running back Jamaal Charles (pictured) tore his ACL and is done for the season. If you're looking for a replacement for Charles, here's a list of guys in line to replace him for the Chiefs (in order of pick-up): Dexter McCluster, Le'Ron McClain and Thomas Jones.

2) Cam Newton is great for fantasy football owners, but not so good (yet) for his real team. In two games, Newton has thrown for over 800 yards and has four total touchdowns (3 passing/1 rushing). While those numbers are great for fantasy, his three interceptions Sunday against the Green Bay Packers doomed the Panthers again. Newton may not be ready to lead Carolina to close-game victories, but he's ready to lead your fantasy team. If he's still on the waiver wire, pick him up.

3) The future looks bright in Cincinnati after rookie quarterback Andy Dalton nearly led his team to victory over the Denver Broncos on the road on Sunday. Dalton looked in command most of the game, especially at the end. Fellow rookie A.J. Green was spectacular as well catching 10 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown (which was amazing by the way). Dalton also found a groove late in the game with WR Jerome Simpson, who caught 4 passes for 136 yards. Dalton is the opposite of Newton right now, good for his team, but not necessarily for you fantasy team. As for Simpson, give him a long look if you need a wide receiver replacement. If you have Green, make sure he's in your lineup weekly.

4) Mike Tolbert, Ryan Mathews, Mike Tolbert, Ryan Mathews - this is going to be a tough to sort out all season. Tolbert was great in week one, Mathews was great in week two, that makes for a fantasy football dilemma. The thought after week one was that Tolbert would be the lead man in San Diego. However, after a dud of a performance Sunday against New England, Tolbert isn't the clear-cut favorite anymore. Mathews looked like the better runner in week two, he ran tough, he was more decisive and he caught the ball nicely. Tolbert still has value, but after watching him get stuffed (multiple times) at the goalline and lose a costly fumble, one can only wonder if the pendulum has swung back in Mathews' favor. Keep both in your lineups this week as the Chargers host the lowly Kansas City Chiefs.

5) MVP voting after two weeks: 1) Tom Brady 2) Everyone else

6) The Buffalo Bills erased an 18-point first half deficit on their way to a 38-35 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. The Bills are now 2-0 this season and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is the main reason for the early success. Fitzpatrick is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL and now has a seven touchdowns on the year (30 TDs in his last 15 games). Fitzpatrick has brought stability to Buffalo's offense and he's made a star out of WR Steve Johnson (and maybe WR David Nelson and TE Scott Chandler). Fitzpatrick turns 29 in November so his career still has some legs. The Bills need to do the right thing and reward Fitzpatrick with a new contract for his solid play. Fitzpatrick has several good fantasy match-ups coming up, against teams with shaky pass defenses. That's good news for Johnson, Chandler and Nelson (who you should be picking up this week). Side note about the Bills: RB Fred Jackson is leading the NFL in rushing. Their offense is pretty good.

7) The Minnesota Vikings are off to a 0-2 start, but don't blame WR Percy Harvin. The team's most talented wide receiver has played well this year, despite being on the field only a fraction of the snaps as his fellow (less talented) wide receivers. ESPN1500's Tom Pelissero did his weekly breakdown of the Vikings game and the tape doesn't lie - Harvin is being grossly under-utilized by the Vikings. According to Pelissero, Harvin played just 30 of the team's 68 offensive snaps in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That means that Harvin was on the sidelines (55% of the plays) more than he was on the field (45% of the plays). Despite his lack of playing time, Harvin still led a below-average wide receiver group in catches and yards (7 catches for 76 yards). Also according to Pelissero's report, Harvin's not being used in the red zone either, in fact the numbers are much worse. Against the Bucs, Harvin was on the field for just three out of the Vikings 17 red zone snaps. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the Vikings need to get Harvin on the field more, which is good news for Vikings fans considering early returns suggest new Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave is not a genius.

8) The Green Bay Packers have the offensive fire power to outlast most opponents, but their defense has some major flaws. A year after ranking near the top of the league in total defense, the defending champs are near the bottom after two weeks this year. They're giving up nearly 500 yards a game and they've surrendered back-to-back 400-yard passing games to start the season (Drew Brees and Cam Newton). Things won't get easier for the Packers after it was revealed this week that Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins will miss the entire season with a neck injury. The Packers defense is still a solid fantasy play because of their big play potential, but in reality, they have major issues.

9) It's time to show some respect to Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo. After getting lambasted by virtually every fan and member of the media after the Pokes week one loss to the New York Jets, he led his team to victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday with a broken rib and a punctured lung. Physicians will tell you, doing anything with a punctured lung can be potentially life-threatening. So let's back-off Romo a little bit and give the guy his due. If you have him on your fantasy team you'll want to monitor his progress throughout the week and prepare for him to be out. Just because he played through the pain Sunday, doesn't mean he'll be good to go Monday night against the Washington Redskins.

10) The Tennessee Titans gave in to RB Chris Johnson's demands for a new contract, but he's hardly repaying them on the field. In the first two weeks, Johnson has 77 rushing yards on 33 carries, that's a 2.3 yard average and to make matters worse for Johnson owners, Titans head coach Mike Munchak now says he wants back-up RB Javon Ringer to get more touches. There are two ways to approach this situation if you own Johnson in your fantasy league: 1) Stand pat and hope he regains his form or 2) trade him. I recommend holding on to him - but only because his trade value is so low right now.

2011 Fantasy Football: Week 2 NFL Preview

It happens every year, and I'm guilty of it, fantasy football owners jump to conclusions after just one week. While there are some situations that become more clear once real football starts (i.e. Mike Tolbert > Ryan Mathews, James Starks > Ryan Grant), it's too soon to consider your season a disaster just because Matt Ryan melted in Chicago or Chris Johnson ran like a guy who's still holding out.

As you're watching the games this weekend, here are five things to keep your eye on. They aren't the sexiest topics and Terry and Howie won't be tackling them on Sunday morning, but they might just give you an advantage in your fantasy league going forward. And really, that's what's most important.

The Atlanta Falcons offense vs. Philadelphia
Falcons QB Matt Ryan threw for over 300 yards in Atlanta's opening weekend loss to Chicago, but failed to toss a touchdown. Ryan also looked shaky in the pocket throwing an interception and losing a fumble. I'm sure if the Bears defense is that good or if I've overstated Ryan's fantasy value. One thing I noticed from the cheapseats (and again, maybe it was the Bears defense) was the Falcons offense needs to get more creative and less conservative. I'd like to see Ryan force the ball downfield more to Roddy White and Julio Jones. Also, ten carries for Michael Turner won't cut it. He's the guy who helps the passing the most. When he's running well defenses are on their heels. Again, all this may have been the result of Chicago's defensive scheme - that's why I want to see this game this week.

Greg Salas replaces Danny Amendola in St. Louis
I'll be watching this game primarily because it's the only game on TV at the time. St. Louis and the New York Giants play on Monday night and I'll be watching to see if Rams rookie Greg Salas (pictured) can be a PPR machine like Danny Amendola was before his elbow injury. Amendola suffered an elbow injury in week one that could keep him out a couple of a weeks (six weeks was the last I read). If Salas can fill that slot role for St. Louis, he has value in PPR leagues. More importantly I want to watch this game to see if the Rams passing offense can get on track. QB Sam Bradford looked like a lost man on the field throwing for 188 yards and zero touchdowns. The Rams have a brutal schedule ahead, a ton of injuries and an offense that is still new. I want to see how they respond against a very good Philadelphia team.

Cam Newton vs. Green Bay's defense
Newton threw for 400 yards in week one and the Packers gave up 400 yards through the air in week one to Saints QB Drew Brees. This match-up intrigues me for a couple reasons, first, I want to see how Cam Newton handles the Packers' complex defensive schemes. You can count on Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers to mix-up coverages and personnel to try and confuse the rookie QB. If Newton can handle the Packers pressure and keep the Panthers close in this game, then I have high hopes for the young man. The Packers are much better than the Arizona Cardinals who Newton torched last Sunday. The other reason why I'm interested in this game is because the Packers defense showed very little resistance against a very good New Orleans offense in week one. I want to see if the Saints were that good or if the Packers were that bad. Sunday's game at Carolina should provide us with some clarity.

Cincinnati's WRs
This is probably the least sexy topic of the bunch, but I want to see what Cincy's WR Jerome Simpson and rookie A.J. Green do this week against the Denver Broncos. Simpson led the post-Chad Ochocinco/Terrell Owens/Carson Palmer-era Bengals with nine targets in week one and could be a PPR league sleeper. As for his running mate Green, he was quiet for most of the last weekend's game until the third quarter when caught his only pass (4 total targets), a 41-yard game-winning TD (from QB Bruce Gradkowski not Andy Dalton). In Green's defense he was being covered most of the afternoon by Cleveland's Joe Haden, who's one of brightest young cover corners in the league. I want to see if Dalton and Green can establish a rapport - and maybe the rookie duo can connect on their first pass.

Rex Grossman and the Washington wideouts (and tight end)
Rex Grossman is a poor man's Eli Manning, at least when it comes to his standing in the court of public opinion. Not sure why people dislike Grossman so much, especially when you consider in his last four games (including the three he started last season), he's thrown for more than 280 yards per game on average and two touchdowns. This week, Grossman and the Skins face an Arizona defense that got shredded by a quarterback who is nine months removed from kissing the Waterford Crystal football after leading Auburn to a national championship (Cam Newton's line vs. AZ: 422 yards passing, 3 TDs (2 pass/1 rush). Grossman is a sneaky fantasy play this week, but I'm more interested to see which one of his receivers he targets the most. Santana Moss led the way with 8 targets (6 catches for 76 yards), Jabar Gaffney was next with 7 targets (3 catches for 54 yards) and Fred Davis, who looks like a real player, had 6 targets (5 catches for 105 yards). These are all guys you should look at in PPR leagues, Moss and Davis should be considered in most standard leagues as well.

9/15/11 Podcast: Week One NFL Recap

The NFL season officially arrived this past weekend and it got off to an explosive start. In week one, quarterbacks threw for a total of 7,842 yards - a new NFL record. That number is even more impressive when you consider Minnesota Vikings QB Donovan McNabb passed for 39 yards.

Three players threw for over 400 yards (Drew Brees, Cam  Newton and Chad Henne) and one threw for over 500 yards (Tom Brady). It was a wild week and it's only going to get better.

This week on the podcast, I look back at week one, plus which fantasy football free agents you should target. Also, The Source unveils a new segment this week called "Jump to Conclusions Matt."

Click here to listen to The Fantasy Football Source Podcast.

Fantasy Football 2011 Waiver Wire: Week 1

Whether it was the injury to New Orleans Saints WR Marques Colston or the lackluster performance by New England Patriots WR Chad Ochocinco that brought you here, it's never too early in the NFL season to look at improving your fantasy football roster. Here are 15 players (and one defense) worth exploring this week on the waiver wire in your fantasy league.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills
While everyone seems to be on the Cam Newton bandwagon right now, I prefer Fitzpatrick as the top QB free agent. While Fitzpatrick isn't the sexiest pick-up, he's put together a pretty solid resume over the past 14 games. Fitzpatrick would be a conservative addition to your roster, while Newton would be a huge risk/reward pick-up. I recommend targeting Fitzpatrick if you need a QB right now.

Colt McCoy, QB, Cleveland Browns
Despite looking shaky in the season opener, McCoy did toss two touchdown passes in the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. I think McCoy could be a very good QB2 and is someone you could plug into your starting line-up a handful of times this season. If you don't need a QB now, wait another week and watch him play one more time before you decide.

Other QBs to consider: Newton, Chad Henne and Rex Grossman
Droppable QBs after week one: Donovan McNabb and Alex Smith.

Cadillac Williams, RB, St. Louis Rams (pictured)
A leg injury (strained quad) to Rams RB Steven Jackson early in Sunday's loss to Philadelphia gave Williams an opportunity to show he can still a factor on Sunday. The former Buccaneer tallied 140 total yards on 25 touches, which included six catches. The Rams travel to New York to face the Giants on Monday night, which could be a tough test for Williams considering the Giants shutdown Redskins RB Tim Hightower in week one. Regardless, if you're already hurting at running back, Williams is best of the bunch on the waiver wire right now. Just be prepared to watch his touches decline once Jackson is healthy again.

Ben Tate, RB, Houston Texans
A hamstring injury kept RB Arian Foster from the field in week one and Tate took advantage of his opportunity. While Tate looked very good while rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts, don't expect him to be a backfield regular in Houston. Once Foster returns from his injury, Tate will be back on the bench. However, with Tate running as well as he did, the Texans should be in no hurry to bring Foster back until he's fully healed. Tate has a shot at being a solid RB2 in most fantasy leagues for the next 3-4 weeks.

Other RBs to consider: Deji Karim and Dexter McCluster
Droppable RBs after week one: Thomas Jones, Ryan Torain, Jamie Harper and Maurice Morris

Devrey Henderson, WR, New Orleans Saints
Injuries to Colston and Lance Moore are the reasons why Henderson is on this list. Henderson isn't a great player, but he finds himself in a great situation. With Colston out 4-6 weeks with a collarbone injury and Moore nursing a groin injury, Henderson could see the field more for the pass-happy Saints. Against the Green Bay Packers, Henderson finished with six catches (on nine targets) for 100 yards and a touchdown.If you're desperate for a WR3, Henderson is likely available in your league.

Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers
While not fully ready to endorse Cobb as a week two pick-up, I am intrigued by his potential. He's a playmaker who could force the Packers to use him more often. Cobb needs to clean-up his in-game mistakes before he sees the field more, but again, I think he has potential. If you're saddled with a dud of a receiver on your bench and it's a position where you're deep, then give Cobb a try. Bottom line, if he's a low risk pick-up for you, go grab him.

Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins
Despite their win over the New York Giants on Sunday, I still may be the only person who thinks the Redskins are headed for a 9-7 season. Davis was a big part of that opening day win, catching five passes for 105 yards. Davis will be a big part of the Redskins offense, especially with TE Chris Cooley playing with an injured knee. If you're league requires you start a tight end, Davis is a legitimate weekly starter. Even if your league doesn't require a tight end, Davis is a solid waiver wire option this week.

Other WR/TEs to consider: Jabar Gaffney, Jacoby Jones and Ed Dickson
Droppable WR/TEs after week one: James Jones, Steve Breaston, Kevin Walter and Visathe Shiancoe

Houston Texans DST
The Texans had one of the worst defenses in the league last year, but what a difference a year makes (and a new defensive coordinator makes). Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, who's now the Texans d-coordinator, had his players playing fast on Sunday and it showed up in the stat sheet. The Texans finished with three sacks, two fumble recoveries and allowed just seven points against the Indianapolis Colts. On top of that, Jacoby Jones returned a punt 79-yards for a score. The Texans defense looks revamped and should be a top your list if you need a defense.

Other DST to consider: Washington Redskins
Droppable DST after week one: Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings

2011 Fantasy Football: Tuesday Takeaways

Every Tuesday The Source takes a look back at the weekend (and Monday night) that was in the NFL. Here are The Source's ten takeaways from week one.

1) Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton was spectacular in his debut, throwing for 422 yards and 3 TDs (2 passings, 1 rushing). But before we anoint him the next John Elway, let's see how he does against the Green Bay Packers this week. Fantasy impact: Unless you drafted Donovan McNabb, Peyton Manning, David Garrard or Tarvaris Jackson - keep Newton on your radar, but don't move on him yet. Also, WR Steve Smith worked very well with Newton. Keep him in your line-up as a starting WR.

2) The Indianapolis Colts will be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes come April 2012. Fantasy impact: With QB Peyton Manning likely done for a significant amount of time this season, the only Colts player with any kind of fantasy value each week is WR Reggie Wayne.

3) Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and New England Patriots QB Tom Brady will finish one-two in the MVP voting this season. The order still to be determined. Fantasy impact: If you drafted one of these guys, you're good. As for their offensive teammates, there are studs and duds. Studs: Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley, James Starks, Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Duds: James Jones, Ryan Grant and Chad Ochocinco.

4) Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson got a nice payday, but it was Titans WR Kenny Britt who was money on Sunday. Britt's 5 catches for 136 yards and 2 TDs sure got my attention, especially considering Britt's offseason included an arrest for alluding police. Fantasy impact: As long as Britt can stay healthy (and out of trouble), he has the talent to be a WR1. As for Johnson, his 9 carries for 24 yards were about as uninspiring as possible. He'll get better, but be ready for more days like this from him.

5) My pick to be this year's "Arian Foster breakout fantasy star" Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB LeGarrette Blount, finished a frustrating day with just 15 yards rushing on five carries. Good news: Tampa Bay was facing a good Detroit front-seven, plus, the Bucs vows to get Blount more involved in week two against the Minnesota Vikings. Fantasy impact: I'm still buying Blount as a strong fantasy performer this year. However, Tampa Bay looks like a team that could take a step back this season. My high hopes for Blount have been tempered a little.

6) Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco looks like the real deal this year. He torched the Pittsburgh Steelers defense for three touchdown passes in a 35-7 blowout on Sunday. Fantasy impact: Flacco only threw the ball 29 times, but he's really good when he gets deep in opponents territory. Ravens RB Ray Rice looks like the front-runner for fantasy MVP and WR Anquan Boldin appears poised for a bounce-back season. Also, in leagues that require tight ends, take a look at Raven TE Ed Dickson (5 catches for 59 yards and 1 TD).

7) The St. Louis Rams offense is going to be a work in progress for much of the season. Josh McDaniels complex offense looked to baffle Rams QB Sam Bradford at times on Sunday in their 31-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Making things worse, the Rams schedule gets extremely difficult the next several weeks and now a handful of players are banged up. Bradford (finger), RB Steven Jackson (quad) and Danny Amendola (elbow) all suffered injuries. Fantasy Impact: I cannot recommend starting Bradford this week against the New York Giants on Monday night (Bradford my be droppable even). As for Jackson, he's likely out this week and will be replaced by RB Cadillac Williams. Williams ran well (and caught well) in relief of Jackson, pick-up Williams if you're desperate for a RB this week. I don't recommend starting any of the Rams WRs in week two.

8) The San Diego Chargers may have the best running back duo in the league. The Ryan Mathews/Mike Tolbert combo had its way with the Minnesota Vikings defense, combining for 211 yards and 3 touchdowns (all by Tolbert). Fantasy impact: Mathews will frustrate fantasy owners all season, but keep him in your line-up for now (preferably as a flex player). You know the minute you give up on him, he'll have a huge game. As for Tolbert, keep him in your starting line-up. He's a solid RB2.

9) The Atlanta Falcons gave up virtually their entire 2011 draft class to draft WR Julio Jones with the sixth overall pick. The move didn't yield much success in week one, in fact the Falcons offense looked like a mess. Sure QB Matt Ryan threw for 319 yards, but he also had zero TDs and failed to lead the Falcons on a single touchdown drive. Fantasy impact: Ryan's performance on Sunday concerned me, he looked uncomfortable, very un-Matty Ice-like. I still like the Falcons offense, but the 30 TDs I predicted for Ryan this year looks a long way off. Don't panic yet, but if the Falcons offense sputters again (I'm looking at you Roddy White, Jones and Michael Turner) this week, it's okay to be nervous.

10) I wrestled with this question last year, and I find myself doing the same this year, should I pick-up Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick? I regretted not doing it last season, so this year I'm getting in the Fitzpatrick game. Fitzpatrick torched the Kansas City Chiefs for four TDs on Sunday and looked like a guy who's ready to overachieve again this season. Fantasy impact: Fitzpatrick is like Rodney Dangerfield, he gets no respect. But after 23 TDs in 13 games last year, Fitzpatrick is worthy of consideration. If you need a QB2, take a long look at Fitzpatrick. Yes he has a tough schedule and no he doesn't have a running game, but he throws TDs. Now serious am I? I'm dropping Sam Bradford as my QB2 and adding Fitzpatrick.

ESPN's Ron Jaworski Says 'Shit' On Air

9/10/11 Podcast: Three To Watch On Opening Weekend

The NFL season has arrived and it's time to set your fantasy football rosters for real. The 2011-2012 season officially kicked off on Thursday with the Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42-34. That game featured several prominent fantasy football players, I breakdown the fantasy impact of Thursday's opening night.

Plus, three players who I think could have a big impact this fantasy year, but first I want to see them in week one.

Click here to listen to The Fantasy Football Source Podcast.

Report: Randy Moss Visits New Orleans Saints

Update: ProFootballTalk.com is reporting the Randy Moss sighting in New Orleans is "apparently erroneous." According to the PFT report, Moss' agent, Joel Segal, was never informed of a visit, which the website says is a likely violation of the new CBA, especially if the two sides discussed a contract. Stay tuned.

Randy Moss is retired, but maybe not for long. According to WWL-TV, Moss visited the New Orleans Saints facility on Saturday. The CBS affiliate in New Orleans called Moss a "player of interest" for the Saints.

Moss, 34, retired this offseason after a tumultuous 2010 season where he was traded twice, eventually landing on the Tennessee Titans (where he was irrelevant).

Moss to the Saints makes sense considering New Orleans lost wide receiver Marques Colston to a broken collar bone in Thursday's opening night loss to the Green bay Packers. Colston is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks.

If the Saints do sign Moss now, they wouldn't be on the hook for a full season's contract. Any player signed after week one can have their contract terminated at any point, their contract is not guaranteed.

During his 13 NFL seasons, Moss has 954 catches for 14,858 and 153 touchdowns.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson Signs 7-year, $100 Million Extension

The Minnesota Vikings announced Saturday that they have agreed to a long-term contract extension with running back Adrian Peterson.

According to ProFootballTalk.com, Peterson's deal is seven-years and worth $100 million, including $36 million guaranteed. Also, the first three years of the contract is worth $40 million.

Peterson, 26, has been the Vikings leading rusher the past four seasons, rushing for 5,782 yards and 54 touchdowns during his career.

The deal will keep Peterson in a Vikings uniform until age 33.

Peyton Manning Out After Neck Surgery

The Indianapolis Colts announced today that quarterback Peyton Manning will likely miss significant time this season after having neck surgery on Thursday. The Colts decided to keep Manning on the active roster, hoping he can return later in the season.

Manning, 35, is a four-time NFL MVP and hasn't missed a game in 14 NFL seasons, with 227 consecutive starts, including postseason.

Manning, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract in July, also had neck surgery in May of this year and February 2010.

Fantasy impact: The fantasy impact is huge. Manning is considered a top 5 quarterback and losing him is a big blow to teams that drafted him. The fantasy impact will also be felt by owners who drafted Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Dallas Clark. Having Kerry Collins throwing to them devalues the trio immensely. Possible replacements for Manning: Colt McCoy (8 or 9 favorable match-ups), David Garrard (he'll land somewhere) and Donovan McNabb (wild card with a couple favorable match-ups).

2011 NFL Predictions



Fantasy Football Player Rankings: Week 1

Quarterbacks (Full list here)
1) Philip Rivers vs. MIN - 305 yards/3 TDs/0 INTs
2) Aaron Rodgers vs. NO - 295 yards/3 TDs/1 INT (25 rushing yards/0 TDs)
3) Michael Vick @STL - 225 yards/2 TDs/2 INTs (50 rushing yards/0 TDs)

Running backs (Full list here)
1) Darren McFadden @DEN - 100 ru. yards/5 Rec./40 rec. yards/1 TD
2) Jamaal Charles vs. BUF - 95 ru. yards/4 Rec./35 rec. yards/1 TD
3) Peyton Hillis vs. CIN - 95 ru. yards/3 Rec./20 rec. yards/1 TD

Wide receivers (Full list here)
1) Larry Fitzgerald vs. CAR - 8 rec./100 rec. yards/1 TD
2) Vincent Jackson vs. MN - 5 rec. 95 rec. yards/1 TD
3) Andre Johnson vs. IND - 7 rec./90 rec. yards/1 TD

Tight ends (Full list here)

1) Antonio Gates vs. MN - 6 rec. 75 rec. yards/1 TD
2) Jason Witten @NYJ - 6 rec. 70 rec. yards/1 TD
3) Jimmy Graham @GB - 6 rec. 70 rec. yards/1 TD

The Fantasy Football Source Podcast -- 9/6/11

As week one of the NFL season approaches, it's time to get on the record with The Source's predictions for upcoming fantasy football season. On this week's podcast, I chat with John Vomhof, sports business writer with the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. We discussed the players we think are going to go boom and bust this year.

Click here to listen to The Fantasy Football Source Podcast.