Fantasy Football: The Aaron Rodgers Dilemma

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is having an MVP fantasy football season. He’s the top scorer in most leagues, he has 30 points more than Saints quarterback Drew Brees (53 more than Tom Brady) and he’s scored 20 or more fantasy points in 14 of his 15 games this year.

For many fantasy teams, including my own, Rodgers is the reason we’re still chasing a championship. But this week we’re facing a dilemma that has some of us considering benching our star quarterback.

Wait, what?

I’m I really thinking about benching Rodgers with the fantasy season at a crucial juncture?

Yes, the thought has crossed my mind.

Before you call me crazy, hear me out. The idea is not as far-fetched as it seems when you look at how Week 16 sets up.

Rodgers and the Packers host the Chicago Bears on Sunday night, which is a very favorable matchup for Rodgers. The Bears currently rank 26^th against the pass and Rodgers lit them up for 297 passing yards and three touchdowns in Week 3.

But the main issue facing Rodgers’ owners this week isn’t his opponent, it’s the schedule. When the Packers/Bears game kickoffs on Sunday night, the Packers may not be playing for anything.

The NFL scheduled most of the Week 16 games on Saturday because Christmas falls on a Sunday this year. Included on Saturday slate of game is a 3:15 p.m. (CST) matchup between the San Francisco 49ers (11-3) and Seattle Seahawks (7-7). The game is intriguing to the Packers because with a Niners loss, the Packers would clinch the NFC’s top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Do you see the dilemma? A Niners loss would make Sunday’s Packers/Bears game meaningless. Therefore, Rodgers may not play the entire game. The Packers might choose to protect him from injury and sit him down. Which isn’t a bad idea considering how banged up the Packers offensive line is right now.

A simple solution for Rodgers’ owners would be to bench Rodgers for his back-up Matt Flynn. The problem with that strategy is Rodgers will likely play at least half of the game, maybe more depending on the score and how often he’s getting hit. There are too many variables to say, start Flynn.

The schedule makers also didn’t do Rodgers’ owners any favors when they scheduled the Niners game at 3:15 p.m. (CST). By the time that game ends, all ten noon games will be long over, as will the two other games scheduled for 3:15. That leaves just two games remaining in Week 16, the Bears/Packers game on Sunday night and the Falcons/Saints game on Monday night.

I would venture a guess and say that if you own Rodgers, you probably don’t have Drew Brees or Matt Ryan. That leaves Caleb Hanie has the only other starting quarterback option, if Rodgers and the Packers aren’t playing for anything Sunday night.

I cannot in good conscience recommend that you start Hanie in your league championship. I don’t care how bad the Packers pass defense is right now.

So, with all that said, we’re back to our original dilemma: Should you start Aaron Rodgers this week?

Unless you have a back-up quarterback who’s a top 10 fantasy scorer, absolutely you start Rodgers this weekend.

Rodgers playing just a portion of a game is still better than most fantasy quarterbacks who play an entire game.

Good luck and go Niners!

Fantasy Football: 7 Unsung Heroes from Week 14

A heroic moment in sports is hard to anticipate, but easy to celebrate.

Often times those moments occur when a star athlete grabs victory from the jaws of defeat, even when it seemed impossible.

Then there are those moments where the unsuspecting athlete rises to a level beyond expectation and delivers a performance that reads like a football fable.

We refer to them as unsung heroes and in Week 14, there were several players who can wear that moniker.

Here are seven unsung heroes who not only made a difference on the field, but likely had a big impact in your fantasy league.

Ryan Grant, running back, Green Bay Packers

Grant, who was filling in for the injured James Starks, ran for 85 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay's 46-16 win over the Oakland Raiders.

Sunday's game marked the first time since Week 3 that Grant rushed for more than 80 yards and his two touchdowns were his first scores of the season.

Prior to Week 14, Grant had tallied 31 fantasy points in standard scoring league. On Sunday, he scored 21 points.

For the owners who stuck with Grant, he rewarded them in a big way this week.

Brandon Jacobs, running backs, New York Giants

Jacobs had a season-high 19 carries Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys and responded with 101 yards and two touchdowns.

While Jacobs has found the end zone four times in his last four games, the 101 yards were the most for him this season. In fact, the closest he's come to gaining 100 yards in a game was in Week 9 against the New England Patriots when he rushed for 72 yards.

Jacobs has quietly put together a solid fantasy season, with eight total touchdowns. If he can continue to gain yards and keep getting into the end zone, he's going to a hard guy to keep out of your lineup.

Mark Sanchez, quarterback, New York Jets

With his 25 fantasy points in Week 14, Sanchez outscored Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees in standard scoring leagues. The only two quarterback who scored more points were Tony Romo (28) and Matt Ryan (28).

Sanchez is the epitome of a risk-versus-reward fantasy quarterback. It's really quite remarkable when you look at the last six weeks.

Week 9: nine fantasy points at Buffalo Bills
Week 10: 19 fantasy points vs. New England Patriots
Week 11: eight points vs. Denver Broncos
Week 12: 21 points vs. Bills
Week 13: 10 points at Washington Redskins
Week 14: 25 points vs. Kansas City Chiefs
It's uncanny how Sanchez has been good one week, then bad the next.

In Week 14, he was great. He finished with 181 yards passing, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns.

Sanchez and Jets face the Philadelphia Eagles next week and if history is any indication, he's due for a dud.

Antonio Brown, wide receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers

After Thursday night's performance against the Cleveland Browns, a lot more people know the name Antonio Brown.

Often overshadowed by Mike Wallace, Brown has emerged as the Steelers' most valuable fantasy wide receiver. If you don't believe me, look at the numbers.

Since Week 7, when Brown took over as Pittsburgh's No. 2 receiver, he has outperformed Wallace in nearly every statistical category.

In Weeks 7-14, Wallace has 39 targets, 29 catches, 422 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

During that same span, Brown has 59 targets, 37 catches, 663 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

When you convert those numbers into fantasy points, Brown has 81 points since Week 7 and Wallace has 65 points.

Detroit Lions D/ST

After four straight weeks of single-digit fantasy points, the Lions defense exploded for fantasy 24 points in standard scoring leagues in Week 14.

The Lions forced six turnovers against the Minnesota Vikings and scored two defensive touchdowns. The Lions also tallied four sacks and they did all that without Ndamukong Suh in the lineup due to suspension.

The Lions were a hot defense at the beginning of the year, with five double-digit fantasy games in the first eight weeks.

For the fantasy owners that started the Lions D/ST in Week 14, they have to be happy that their patience paid off and their Detroit defense came through at a crucial time.

Julio Jones, wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons

Jones has been one of the most frustrating fantasy players this year, mostly because of injury.

Jones has missed a significant amount of time this year with a hamstring injury, forcing him in and out of the lineup.

In Week 14, he was definitely in the lineup and rewarded the fantasy owners that started him against the Carolina Panthers.

Jones finished Sunday with three catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. That was good enough for 22 fantasy points in standard leagues.

It's clear that Jones, when healthy, has big-play ability that will make him a star in the NFL. However, for fantasy owners, his standout performances have been too far and few between.

So far this season, Jones has 90 fantasy points. Fifty of those points came in two games, Week 14 against the Panthers (22 points) and Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts (28 points).

Jones' next task is proving he can get ready for his next opponent on a short week. The Falcons host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night in Week 15.

T.J. Yates, quarterback, Houston Texans (pictured)

Texans head coach Gary Kubiak gave Yates the game ball for his late-game heroics in Sunday's last-second win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

And Yates deserved it.

The rookie fifth-round pick from North Carolina rallied the Texans from 10 points down late in the fourth quarter to beat the Bengals 20-19 on six-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Walter with two seconds left.

Yates' comeback wasn't the only impressive part of his performance Sunday; he also ranked ahead of Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton in quarterback fantasy points.

Yates finished the afternoon with 300 yards passing, two touchdowns and 36 yards rushing. It was good enough for 19 fantasy points in standard scoring leagues, compared to Newton and Rodgers who had 18 and 17, respectively.

Yates' rise to relevance has been fun to watch, and it's not over yet. The rookie will lead the AFC South champion Texans into the playoffs in January 2012.

Percy Harvin On the Brink of Superstardom

The Minnesota Vikings were forced to get Percy Harvin more involved in the game plan Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. With Adrian Peterson out with an ankle injury, the Vikings turned to Harvin as their main playmaker.

Harvin would not let them down.

He responded with season highs in touches, catches and receiving yards. He also scored a 39-yard touchdown on a seam route that had him matched up against a linebacker. This was a new strategy for the Vikings, who haven't used Harvin as a deep receiver much at all this year, despite his speed.

Harvin, who's in his third NFL season, caught eight passes for 95 yards and carried the ball five times for 11 yards. Harvin was also used as the Vikings goal line back on two straight plays in the fourth quarter. On one of his runs, it looked as if he scored on a one-yard plunge, but was ruled down by the refs.

Harvin was also responsible for setting up that goal line situation with 104-yard kickoff return. He just missed scoring a touchdown when he was tackled at the one-yard line. Harvin's 104-yard return was the longest play in NFL history that did not result in a touchdown.

Harvin finished Sunday with 210 total yards. According to the Minnesota Vikings PR department, in 40 career games, Harvin has seven games with 200-plus total yards, which is a franchise record.

The Vikings have said for weeks that they want to get Harvin more involved in the offense, and recently they have. In his past four games, Harvin has 24 catches for 278 yards and three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing). In the previous seven games, Harvin had 27 receptions for 276 yards and zero touchdowns.

Harvin is clearly the best receiver the Vikings have and it would serve them well to continue feeding him the ball - even when Peterson returns. Harvin and rookie quarterback Christian Ponder have established a good report and I expect that will continue to improve this off season.

Harvin appears to have rid himself of the dibilitating migraine headaches that forced him to miss games and practices last season. When he's healthy, he's pound-for-pound one of the toughest players in the NFL and on the verge of becoming a superstar.

Fantasy spin: Harvin's big game on Sunday should be a welcomed sight for Harvin owners. After a slow start to the season, he's finally producing fantasy points. Harvin had a season-high in fantasy points in Week 12 and I expect that trend to continue. Despite being 2-9, the Vikings will continue to find ways to get Harvin the ball. The Vikings will use these next five games to help bring Ponder along and build towards next season, which will include plenty of Percy Harvin.

NFL Week 9: Tuesday Takeaways

All 32 NFL teams have now played at least half of their regular season games and befuddlement is the best way to describe week nine of the NFL season. Ten road teams won this weekend, including notable wins by the previously winless Dolphins and Giants (see below).


Week nine made us rethink Eli Manning's elite status, got us wondering about Chad Ochocinco's career and we're closing the book on the 2011 MVP race. It's all covered in The Source's Tuesday Takeaways.

1) The NFL quarterback passer rating doesn't always tell the whole story. However, in the case of Aaron Rodgers, it tells the entire story and then some. The Green Bay QB is the top passer in the NFL, with a quarterback passer rating (QBPR) of 129.1. Rodgers' QBPR Sunday against the San Diego Chargers was 145.8, giving him eight straight games of a 110+ QBPR. What is perhaps even more impressive than that stat is the gap between Rodgers and the rest of the quarterbacks in the league. The number two QB on the QBPR list this season is Drew Brees with a 100.6 QBPR. That 28.5 gap that separates Rodgers and Brees is the same margin that separates Brees and Redskins QB John Beck, who is the 30th best passer in the NFL with a 72.1 QBPR. If you're still not convinced Rodgers is your NFL MVP this year, Rodgers is the first player in NFL history with 2,600-plus yards and 24 TDs through his first 8 games (2,619 yards and 24 TDs).

2) Maybe Eli Manning is an elite quarterback after all. The Giants QB tossed a last-minute touchdown Sunday to beat the New England Patriots 24-21. Manning has been brilliant this season, leading New York to a 6-2 record at the half-way point of the season. His stats jump off the page this year and for once it's not his lofty interception total that grabs your attention. His TD/INT ratio is 15 TDs to 6 INTS and his ability to finish games has been masterful. Manning's fourth-quarter passer rating of 119.3 is the best in the NFL. By the way, the last NFC team to beat the Pats at home were the Brett Favre-led Packers. Pack won 28-10 on November 13, 2002.

3) Speaking of the Patriots, the Chad Ochocinco experiment in New England has been a colossal failure, and Sunday's game against New York provided us with more evidence. So far this season, Ochocinco has 9 catches for 136 yards and zero touchdowns. On Sunday, Wes Welker finished the game with 9 catches for 136 yards and zero touchdowns (his fifth 100-yard game of the year). The fact that Welker matched Ochocinco's season totals in one week tells me #85 is likely done after this season - not just with the Patriots, but with the NFL.

4) Dallas RB DeMarco Murray continues to break Cowboy records held by Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. With his 136 yards rushing on Sunday against Seattle, Murray has now rushed for 466 yards in his last three games. The 466 yards is the most by any Cowboys player in a three-game span, surpassing 446 yards by Emmitt Smith, who accomplished that feat in 1993 (his MVP season).

5) Another Hall of Famer saw one of his records fall in Washington over the weekend. Redskins rookie RB Roy Helu broke Art Monk's franchise record for most catches in a game with 14 grabs against San Francisco on Sunday. Monk, who is one of the all-time great WRs, recorded 13 catches in a game against Cincinnati back in 1985.

6) Drew Brees joined Brett Favre and Johnny Unitas as the only players in NFL history to throw touchdowns in 36 consecutive games. Brees' first quarter scoring toss to Lance Moore moved him into a second place tie with Favre for most consecutive games with a TD pass. Brees is still 11 games behind former Colts great Unitas, who holds the NFL record with 47 games in a row. In Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Bucs, Brees also became the first player in NFL history to throw for more than 3,000 yards through the first nine games on the season. Brees currently has 3,004 yards passing, tops in the NFL.

7) The Houston Texans are running away with the AFC South title, quite literally. The Texans have two running backs who are on pace to surpass 1,000 yard rushing this season. Arian Foster (656 yards) and Ben Tate (623 yards) have combined for 1,279 yards on the ground and look poised to join DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart as the only rushing duo in NFL history to rush for 1,100 yards apiece in a season. Williams (1,117 yards) and Stewart (1,133 yards) rushed for 2,250 yards combined in 2009.

8) The Miami Dolphins lost ground in the 'Suck for Luck' sweepstakes Sunday when they beat the Chiefs in Kansas City. Behind Matt Moore's 3 TD game, the Fins destroyed the red hot Chiefs 31-3. Not that they needed them, but Miami scored two second half touchdowns in week nine. In the previous five games, they had scored one second half touchdown.

9) Finally something to smile about (see picture above). It took Atlanta WR Julio Jones (pictured) nine weeks to score his first NFL touchdown (50-yard TD catch Sunday against the Colts). It took him six minutes to score his second NFL touchdown (80-yard TD).

10) Pittsburgh Steelers WR Mike Wallace has proven this year that he is an elite wide receiver. Wallace has 6 TDs this season, with an average yards per touchdown of 45.1 yards.

NFL Week 8: Tuesday Takeaways

The NFL regular season is nearly half complete and week eight was another example of why NFL is king. Nobody saw St. Louis' upset over New Orleans coming, a missed field goal gave Vikings rookie QB Christian Ponder his first victory and a fumbled exchange late in the fourth quarter cost Philip Rivers and the Chargers a win on Monday night.

Plus, parity rules in the NFL. According to Michael Signora, NFL Vice President of Football Communications, 22 teams went into week eight with a .500 record or better. It was the most through the first seven weeks of the season in NFL history.

Week eight may be done, but the NFL weekend is never complete without The Source's Tuesday Takeaways. Here they are from week eight.

1) When San Diego Chargers RB Curtis Brinkley (pictured) scored a fourth quarter touchdown Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, he extended an impressive streak that dates back to before the second Iraq war began. Brinkley's TD was the Chargers 140th consecutive game with a touchdown, the longest current streak in the NFL. The last time the Chargers failed to score a touchdown was November 24, 2002 when the Ray Lucas-led Miami Dolphins destroyed the Drew Brees-led Bolts 30-3. The Chargers are 26 games away from tying the Cleveland Browns mark of most consecutive games with a touchdown at 166 games (1957-1969).

2) Speaking of Brees and late game touchdowns, his meaningless TD pass to Lance Moore at the end of Sunday's loss to St. Louis marked the 35th consecutive game that he's thrown a TD pass. Brees needs one more TD pass to tie Brett Favre for the second-longest such streak in league history. Brees is still 12 behind former Colts great Johnny Unitas, who holds the NFL record with 47 games in a row.

3) Vikings fans have heard coaches say it for years: Adrian Peterson needs to get more involved in the passing game. On Sunday, Minnesota finally looked like they're committed to making that happen (including two shovel passes, something new for Peterson). Peterson finished with a career-high 76 receiving yards on five catches against the Carolina Panthers. This was only the fourth time in Peterson's career that he's had five or more catches in a game (his career high is six catches).

4) Speaking of the Vikings, the reason they aren't getting blown out in the second half anymore is because Ponder is sustaining drives and keeping his defense on the sidelines. In the three fourth quarters that Ponder has played, the Vikings are 10 of 16 (62.5%) converting on third down. In the five fourth quarters that Donovan McNabb played, the Vikings were 4 of 17 (23.5%) converting on third downs.

5) When it comes to winning games, Miami and Indianapolis are the worst in the league. Both teams are winless and look to be in direct competition for the right to draft Andrew Luck. One of the major issues facing these losing teams (among many issues) is their inability to score points, including once they get in the red zone. The two teams have combined to convert 43% (Colts: 47%/Dolphins: 39%) of red zone attempts into touchdowns. In contrast, Luck and the Stanford Cardinal are scoring touchdowns 78% of the time they get in the red zone (100% if you count field goals - 47 of 47). Surprisingly, the Tennessee Titans are converting 70% of their red zone opportunities into touchdowns, the best in the league.

6) It should come as no surprise that the Arizona Cardinals lost on Sunday to the Baltimore Ravens, despite racing out a big first half lead. The Cardinals are the NFL's most prolific losers, now with 704 losses in their franchise history. And that loser label will stick for a while in Arizona, the team with the second most losses is Detroit with 605.

7) Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is quietly putting together an exceptional season and he should start getting some attention for Defensive Player of the Year honors. Allen is on pace for a 25 sack season, which would break Michael Strahan's record of 22.5 set in 2001. Allen currently has 12.5 sacks, which is tops in the league. Allen is also on a seven game streak with at least one full sack. The record is ten straight games set by Denver's Simon Fletcher and Dallas' DeMarcus Ware.

8) How important is Darren Sproles to the New Orleans offense? Very important. When the Saints lost Reggie Bush to free agency this offseason, they quickly signed Sproles to fill the role of pass-catching running back. Sproles leads the Saints in catches this season and is on pace to break the single-season reception mark for running backs set by Larry Centers. Centers caught 101 passes for the Arizona Cardinals in 1995, Sproles is on pace for 102 catches this season (Bush has 21 catches so far this season).

Week 8 NFL Twitter Takeaway

Maybe it was the great finish or the match-up of young QBs or the fact that I'm a Vikings fan, but this week's Twitter Takeaway is heavy on Vikings/Panthers tweets. Despite my allegiance to the Purple, you must admit it was an entertaining game and the tweets were equally as enjoyable. However, the tweet of the day came from Evan Silva who quoted New York Giants RB Brandon Jacobs in one of his tweets. It's a fantastic quote.

As I do every Sunday, I gathered some of the best tweets that I saw during the games and put them here for you to enjoy. And while you're at it, give all these folks a follow.

@NFLfootballinfo
Rams are 1st team to shutout Saints in 1st half since Bucs on 9/16/07

@ESPNStatsInfo
#Cardinals PR Patrick Peterson with 2nd punt return TD of season. First time a Cardinals player had 2 in season since Vai Sikahema, 1986

@CasserlyCBS
A Peterson great run for TD. Whatever happened to the Chris Johnson arguement on who was better. Always take gd big man vs gd liitle man.

@andersonj
AP now has 61 rushing TDs in 69 career regular season games. Ties Eric Dickerson for 4th-most in NFL history for first 5 seasons.

@ChrisWesseling
#Vikings finally make good on promise to get Adrian Peterson more involved in passing game, and he cruises in for 19-yard TD.

@Chetrazzball
Holy hell AP is a bad man. TD

@adamrank
Anybody who thinks that Cam Newton and Tim Tebow are comparable, watch his touchdown pass to Greg Olsen.

@josephperson
Newton hadn't lost a fumble all year. Has two today. Jared Allen causes it on strip-sack. Vikings ball at CAR 39 with 1:03 left.

@evansilva
Brandon Jacobs on #Giants win: "I got nothing positive to say..I got a fast-ass car being delivered Tuesday. That's it" http://t.co/TjKRHnMQ

Fantasy Football 2011: Week 7 Tuesday Takeaways

If you didn't believe it before week seven, you must believe it now, the NFL is a quarterback driven league and you need a good one if you want to win.

This weekend in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings took their rookie signal caller for a test drive, The Green Bay Packers rode their reliable QB to victory and the Carolina Panthers' young gun looks legit. Then there's that guy named Tebow.

It was an action packed week seven that can't be replayed. But it can be relived in the The Source's Tuesday Takeaways. Here are The Source's takeaways from week seven.

1) The Minnesota Vikings have found themselves a quarterback. Rookie Christian Ponder (pictured) made his first career start Sunday against the Packers and looked solid. While his stat line doesn't jump off the page - 13/32 (41% comp. percentage), 219 yards, 2 TDs/2 INTS - Ponder immediately changed the Vikings offense. What Ponder did, and what Donovan McNabb didn't do, was he forced the ball down the field. Ponder's average yards per pass completion was 16.8, McNabb was averaging 6.6 yards per completion as a starter. Ponder's ability to complete passes downfield made the Vikings offense less predictable and opened up (a lot of) running room for RB Adrian Peterson (175 yards, 1 TD). Another reason Vikings fans should be optimistic, Ponder has converted 6 of 8 (75%) third downs. Previous to his benching, McNabb was converting third downs 44% (42-96) of the time.

2) Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers posted his second highest passer rating in his career in Sunday's 33-27 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Rodgers finished Sunday with a 146.5 passer rating, which was 8.9 points lower than his career best of 155.4, which came against the Cleveland Browns in 2009. Through the first seven weeks of 2011, Rodgers has had a passer rating of at least 110 or greater in every game, he's the only QB in NFL history to accomplish this feat. A league MVP trophy will look nice next to his other awards.

3) Despite playing awful football for 57 minutes, Denver Broncos QB Tim Tebow continued to prove he's a valuable fantasy football quarterback. Tebow managed 15 fantasy points on Sunday's 18-15 win over the Miami Dolphins, continuing his impressive fantasy run dating back to last season. In his past five games (games where Tebow saw significant playing time), he has scored 15, 17, 21, 16, 15 fantasy points (standard leagues). The guy throws an ugly, inaccurate ball, but he scores fantasy points.

4) I mentioned Peterson's big game against the Packers, but it was another former Oklahoma Sooner running back who stole the show on Sunday. Dallas Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray was filling in for the injured Felix Jones and rattled off a ridiculous 253 yards rushing, including a 91-yard touchdown. What Murray did on Sunday was remarkable for two reasons:

• Coming into Sunday's game, Jones had 255 yards rushing ALL SEASON.
• Murray is now the Cowboys all-time single-game rushing leader, outperforming Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett. Not bad company.

By the way, Peterson and Murray's 428 combined rushing yards in week seven set an NFL record for the most rushing yards by two players from the same school (Oklahoma Univesity).

5) All Larry Fitzgerald wanted before he signed his big contract this offseason was a commitment from the Cardinals that they would get him a quarterback. As it turns out, Arizona still haven't lived up to their end of the bargain. QB Kevin Kolb has been inconsistent this season, throwing for 1,553 yards, 7 TDs, 7 INTs. (with a 58% completion percentage). More importantly, Kolb's arrival hasn't improved Fitzgerald's numbers much over last year.

• 2010: 35 rec. 403 yards, 4 TDs (seven games)
• 2011: 31 rec. 505 yards, 2 TDs (six games)

Fitzgerald has more yards this year compared to last year, which is encouraging, but he's on pace for five touchdowns. Fitzgerald is a player who should have double digit TDs every season. Keep in mind, Fitzgerald scored 35 touchdowns from 2007-2009. He should be finding the endzone more often - I don't care who's playing quarterback.

6) I can't say Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson took the money and ran when he signed his new contract this offseason - mostly because he hasn't done much running this season. After a miserable performance (10 carries for 18 yards) on Sunday against a leaky Houston Texans run defense, Johnson is now on pace to rush for 715 yards this season. That's startling bad, especially when you consider Peterson currently has 712 yards rushing after seven weeks.

7) Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton continues to prove his critics wrong. Newton tied a rookie quarterback record by scoring his seventh rushing touchdown of the season in Sunday's 33-20 win over the Washington Redskins. Newton tied Vince Young, who set that rookie rushing TD mark with the Tennessee Titans in 2006. Newton has nine games left to break the record. My guess is he'll break the record soon and then make that record unbreakable.

8) Something very rare happened Monday night and Baltimore Ravens RB Ray Rice would like to forget it. Rice lost a fumble against the Jacksonville Jaguars snapping a 522-carry streak without a fumble. The last time Rice fumbled was December 27, 2009. Jay Sean's song Down featuring Lil Wayne was the number one song in America the last time Rice fumbled.

Carson Palmer Traded to Oakland Raiders

Carson Palmer said he thought he was retired, then he got a text from Oakland Raiders head coach coach Hue Jackson. Jackson told Palmer that the Raiders were working on a trade to land the 31-year-old quarterback. Just before the 4 p.m. Tuesday trade deadline, a deal was reached and Palmer was headed west.

"For the past six weeks I thought I was retired," Palmer said during a news conference Tuesday. "Week 1 hit and I thought, I've got to look elsewhere and find what the next phase of my life might be. Then I got the text from Hue."

Palmer didn't come cheap for the Raiders. Oakland gave up a first-round pick next year and a second-round pick in 2013, which could become a first-rounder if the Raiders (4-2) go to the AFC Championship Game.

"As far as the draft picks, what we have to give up, I never hesitated because I know exactly what I'm getting," said Jackson, who coached Palmer at USC and was an assistant in Cincinnati. "I don't think you're ever mortgating the future when you put a big-time franchise quarterback on your team."

Oakland's need for a quarterback started Sunday when Jason Campbell's season ended with a broken collarbone.

Jackson left open the possibility that Palmer, who says he's been working out during the season, could start Sunday vs. the Chiefs.

Fantasy impact: Palmer is an upgrade over Campbell, but it might take a few weeks for Palmer to get back into football shape. He's worth picking up if you're hurting at quarterback or you had Campbell on your roster. The Radiers wide receivers - Jacoby Ford, Denarius Moore and Darius Heyward-Bey - all should get bumps from Palmer's arrival (it's better than having Kyle Boller throwing them the ball). RB Darren McFadden will also benefit from Palmer being under center. He was certain to face eight or nine man fronts with Boller at QB.

Report: Brandon Lloyd Traded to St. Louis Rams

With a Tuesday afternoon trade deadline looming in the NFL, the Denver Broncos have sent WR Brandon Lloyd to St. Louis Rams for a sixth round pick, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

The Rams are 0-5 this season and desperately need a playmaker at wide receiver. Lloyd meanwhile, is in a contract year and will look to cash in with the Rams.

Lloyd will be reunited with Josh McDaniels, who is the Rams offensive coordinator and Lloyd's former head coach in Denver last season. Lloyd flourished in McDaniels offense, leading the NFL in receiving yards with 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2010.

Lloyd, who is 30, has 19 catches for 283 yards and zero TDs this season.

Fantasy impact: Lloyd's arrival in St. Louis improves Sam Bradford's stock and Steven Jackson should get a bump too. Lloyd's arrival also means Mike Sims-Walker is likely out in St. Louis and Mark Clayton's sneaky value is all but gone. As for Denver, look for Eric Decker to get more targets and keep an eye on the return of Demaryius Thomas. Thomas is returning from an Achilles tear suffered during the offseason. Thomas is worth a look in most leagues, but don't expect immediate success - considering the severity of his injury.

Fantasy Football 2011: Week 5 Tuesday Takeaways

To call this NFL season a wacky one would be an understatement. It's downright ludicrous, crazy, insane. Six quarterbacks remain on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season passing yards mark, New England Patriots WR Wes Welker is on track to catch 144 balls for 2,368(!!!) yards and 16 touchdowns and at his current pace, Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson will catch 28 touchdowns this year.

While offenses have been thriving, defenses have been sieves. However, not to be lost in the mediocrity is Minnesota Vikings DE Jared Allen (pictured). He has 8.5 sacks through five games and is on pace for a 27 sack season (Michael Strahan has the NFL record with 22.5 sacks). So yeah, it's been a ludicrous, crazy, insane season so far.

Wait, you want more proof? The Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills are a combined 13-2, while the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons all have losing records. Ludicrous, crazy, insane.

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

1) If I were Mercury Morris and the '72 Miami Dolphins, I'd start getting worried about the Green Bay Packers joining my club. With an unstoppable offense and an improving defense, I don't see a loss on the Packers schedule.

2) It's Tim Tebow time in Denver and I couldn't be more excited about it. Tebow may not win many games under-center for the Broncos, but he will put up big fantasy points. In the final three games of last season (games Tebow started), he finished with 15, 17 and 21 fantasy points (standard scoring). Fantasy owners got a taste of what Tebow can do last week when he led the Broncos back against the San Diego Chargers, a game Denver eventually lost 29-24. Tebow finished with 79 yards passing, 38 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns (1 passing, 1 rushing) - that's 12 fantasy points in less than a half. Go get Tebow now!

3) Atlanta QB Matt Ryan needs a new nickname. Matty Ice is melting down late in games and it's led to the Falcons starting 2-3. Much like he did in Sunday night's 25-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Ryan has started games extremely well, but he's finished them poorly. In the five games Ryan has played this year, here are his stats by quarter:

• 1st quarter - 75.7% 290 yards 3 TDs 1 Int
• 2nd quarter - 61.2% 271 yards 1 TD 2 INTs
• 3rd quarter - 53.2% 321 yards 1 TD 1 INTs
• 4th quarter - 58.7% 420 yards 2 TDs 2 INTs

Ryan goes from a 75% passer to a 58% passer over the course of the game. And where is that big play offense with Roddy White and Julio Jones? All of Ryan's seven touchdown passes have come when the Falcons are in the redzone. How about the nickname: Matty Melt Down?

4) I think I'm over my obsession with Cincinnati Bengal wide receivers. I've now moved onto Buffalo Bills WRs. I'm mostly interested in them from a PPR standpoint, but it's also a healthier relationship considering the Bills are 4-1 and none of their WRs have a drug investigation pending (how does Jerome Simpson still get to play?). I was intrigued by the Bills WR group back when David Nelson started getting a ton of targets out of the slot. But then came Naaman Roosevelt and my mind was nearly blown (great name). Roosevelt is a little known WR from the University of Buffalo with shifty moves and good hands. Roosevelt saw a lot of snaps during Sunday's 31-24 win over the Philadelphia Eagles and ended the games with 5 catches for 41 yards (on 7 targets). Look for Roosevelt to be on the field more with starting WR Donald Jones expected miss 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury. Roosevelt will stay in the slot, which is a great place to be in Buffalo's offense, and former slot guy Nelson will move outside opposite WR Steve Johnson. If you're in a deep PPR league, Naaman Roosevelt is a name to remember (yaa-man).

5) Speaking of obscure names to remember, the Kansas City Chiefs have a new featured back and his name is Jackie Battle. Battle finished Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts with 119 yards on 19 carries, a game the Chiefs won 28-24. While Battle didn't find the endzone, he did force the Colts defense to focus on the run, which lead to a four touchdown day by QB Matt Cassel. Battle hits holes faster than Thomas Jones and finishes runs stronger than Dexter McCluster, which makes Battle a valuable commodity on fantasy waiver wire this week. Pick-up Battle and consider taking a flier on Cassel and WR Steve Breaston (2 TDs on Sunday) going forward. If Battle continues to run hard and keep defenses honest, this Chiefs offense can be (dare I say) explosive. They were pretty good last year when they had a consistent running game.

6) My Frank Gore apology (take 2): The San Francisco 49ers RB did it again, showing me once more that I was wrong. Two weeks ago, I suggested rookie RB Kendall Hunter should start getting more touches because he had looked more versatile than Gore. Gore responded by ripping off 127 yards and a touchdown two weeks ago against the Philadelphia Eagles and this past weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he rumbled for 125 yards and a score. That's 252 yards and 2 TDs since I ripped him. I guess motivation is born out of the keystrokes of The Source. Look for Gore to have another solid game in week six when he leads the 4-1 Niners into Detroit to face the unbeaten Lions on Sunday (BTW-Niners win this game).

7) The #SuckForLuck sweepstakes is down to two (maybe three) teams: Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts (dark horse: St. Louis Rams).

8) Where has Clay Matthews gone? In five games this season, the Green Bay Packers OLB has just one sack, putting him on pace for 3.5 on the year. Matthews has been a disruptive force since coming into the league, recording 23.5 sacks in his first two seasons. Maybe it's his quad, which has kept him from practicing much of this season, or maybe it's a lack of talent around him. The Packers lost DE Cullen Jenkins in free agency to the Philadelphia Eagles and DE Mike Neal has been sidelined all this season with a bum knee. Or maybe (the most likely case) he's just as good as ever, but now teams are using two blockers on him each play. Despite Matthews having just one sack, the Packers have sacked opposing quarterbacks 12 times this season, good enough for ninth in the league. So to answer the question where has Matthews gone? He's the guy getting double-teamed every play and opening up opportunities for other players.

Fantasy Football 2011: Week 5 Waiver Wire

We've reached the point in the NFL season where bye weeks are now in play and fantasy line-ups need adjustment. This week: the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins have byes - which means no Ray Rice, no Tony Romo and no Dez Bryant. Also, it's likely injuries will impact your line-up this week, especially if you own Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson, who's out 2-3 weeks with a hamstring injury.

The waiver wire is getting pretty thin and finding an every week starter becomes more difficult with each passing week. However, there are some bye week fill-ins worth taking a look at and some guys who could have an impact later in the season.

Ryan Torain, RB, Washington Redskins
Even though the Redskins are off in Week 5, Torain is worth picking up. Torain had 19 carries for 135 yards against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday and looked like best runner in Washington. Torain is worth adding in all league formats, and especially for owners who have Tim Hightower or Roy Helu. But be warned about Torian, he plays for Mike Shanahan. Shanahan has a tendency to keep fantasy owners guessing more than opposing defenses on who will get the most carries from week-to-week. Regardless, add Torain - he's the best of the running free agents.

Stevan Ridley, RB, New England Patriots
After a solid preseason, Ridley got drafted in many leagues as a late-round sleeper. However, after three less than impressive games (where he barely touched the ball), he has a chance to play bigger role in New England's high-powered offense. With Danny Woodhead injured, Ridley took advantage of his first extended playing time of the season and rushed for 97 yards on ten carries and scored his first-career NFL touchdown. BenJarvus Green-Ellis still figures to be the main ball carrier for the Patriots, but Ridley certainly showed what he can do. With that said, Bill Belichick is just like Shanahan in that he keeps fantasy owners guessing on who will get the ball from week-to-week. Ridley is still worth a roster spot, but not a starting spot.

Jacoby Jones, WR, Houston Texans
With Andre Johnson out 2-3 weeks with a hamstring injury, Jones looks to be the most likely candidate to replace him. While it would be crazy to think Jones will match Johnson's offensive production, I think Jones is still a very good addition. If you recall last season when Johnson was out with an injury, Jones had 10 catches for 185 yards in the two games. Jones is a good fill-in WR if you need a bye week replacement, but don't plan on having him on your roster once Johnson is healthy and playing again.

Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
It's becoming more clear each week that Brown is emerging as the Steelers number two WR. He has outplayed Emmanuel Sanders and he has younger legs than Hines Ward. On Sunday vs. Houston, Brown led the Steelers in targets (he also led the Steelers in targets in week 3). Brown had huge preseason so he may not be available in your league. But if he is, he's the WR with the most upside going forward.

Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Broncos (pictured)
Maybe it was the pro-Tebow billboards that swayed me, but it might be time to add Tebow to your fantasy roster. His struggles have been well documented and he may not be a very good NFL quarterback, but he's already proven that he can be a fantasy football stud. In the final three games of last season, Tebow finished with 15, 17 and 21 fantasy points (standard scoring). His ability to run and throw makes him just as valuable as (dare I say) Michael Vick and Cam Newton. Go get him now before it's too late.

2011 Fantasy Football: Week 4 Tuesday Takeaways

We're a quarter of the way through the NFL season and some things are beginning more clear. It's clear that the Green Bay Packers are the elite team in the league and they have all the makings of a dynasty. It also looks like defense are still way behind offenses when it comes to execution.

The offensive numbers being put up each week have been staggering. In fact, there are six(!) quarterbacks currently on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season passing yardage record of 5,084 (Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers (pictured), Philip Rivers and Tony Romo).

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

1) Mr. Rodgers officially joined Mr. Brady in the MVP candidate neighborhood.

2) Okay, it's official, the Minnesota Vikings are officially in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. It's to imagine things getting much worse for the 0-4 purple, but it will when rookie Christian Ponder gets thrown to the wolves. Sidenote on #SuckForLuck: the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins are worse than the Vikings.

3) After a terrible week one, Tampa Bay RB LeGarrette Blount is gaining steam and looks like the fantasy player I thought he'd be. In the last three games he's rushed for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns. While his performance has improved, look for him to take a step back this weekend when he faces a San Francisco defense that hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher since November 2009 (the Niners held Philadelphia Eagles RB LeSean McCoy to 18 yards rushing in week 3).

4) So much for thinking San Diego Chargers RB Ryan Mathews had a strangle hold on the Chargers featured running back spot. After a two touchdown performance in week 3, Mathews split time with Mike Tolbert again in week 4 and Tolbert vultured a one-yard TD. Good luck figuring this one out each week. The good news for Mathews owners, he's still healthy.

5) The Houston Texans got RB Arian Foster back at just the right time. The Texans will be without superstar WR Andre Johnson for at least 2-3 weeks with a hamstring injury he sustained in week 3's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Look for Foster to get a healthy dose of carries with Johnson out and look for QB Matt Schuab's production to drop as well.

5) How is Jerome Simpson still on the field? If you're a faithful reader than you know I have an unhealthy fixation on the Cincinnati Bengals WR2. I think anyone who lines up opposite rookie WR A.J. Green has value, Green is a superstar in the making. With that said, I want to know how Simpson, who caught 3 passes for 26 yards Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, hasn't been arrested for his role in a sting where police found 8.5 pounds of marijuana at his house. I know we must wait for the process to work its way through, but geez, quit leaving us Bengals-WR2-loving-fantasy-owners in a lurch. Until this Simpson case (I know, not very original) gets resolved, avoid playing him and WR Andre Caldwell. Right now they are stealing each others targets.

6) Last week I proclaimed Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo 'Captain Comeback' - a name I ripped from former QB and current Niners head coach Jim Harbaugh. Now I need to rip it away from Romo and give it to Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman. In his three seasons as a starter, Freeman has eight fourth quarter comebacks, including two already this year (week 2 @ MIN, week 4 vs. INDY).

7) I need to apologize to San Francisco 49ers RB Frank Gore. Last week, I suggested rookie RB Kendall Hunter should start getting more touches because he had looked more versatile than Gore. Gore responded by ripping off 127 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Gore's performance was even more impressive when you consider he rushed just 15 times and was playing on a gimpy ankle. Keep Gore in your starting line-up and Hunter on your bench, at least for now.

8) If you reached and overdrafted Washington Redskins RB Tim Hightower, you're probably cursing Mike Shanahan right about now. But let's be honest, Washington's backfield shuffle was bound to happen - we're talking about Shanahan here. During the preseason all signs pointed to Hightower being the guy in the Skins' run-first offense. For a couple of weeks that looked to be the case, until Ryan Torain came back. Now Torain, who had 19 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown on Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, looks like the best runner in Washington. Hightower and rookie RB Roy Helu each carried the ball eight times, gaining 24 and 35 yards respectively. Good luck trying to figure out Shanahan's backfield rotation from week-to-week. But if last Sunday is any indication, Torain will be the lead back in Washington going forward.

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.