Fantasy4Caster

Gameday4Cast: Week 12

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 05:18:30 GMT

Hopefully things didn't get too out of hand for you on Thanksgiving -- in the fantasy or food departments -- and you still have a shot at picking up a victory.

If you still have playoff hopes, check out the Gameday4Cast and be thankful your fantasy team still has something to play for this holiday season.

SUNNY

QB: Ben Roethlisberger seems to get better every week, and now he gets to feast on the Bills secondary.

RB: Don't be deterred by Frank Gore's disappearing act last week. The Cardinals will feel his wrath today. ... Speaking of bouncing back from a bad week, Steven Jackson should get back on track against the Broncos, who allow more points to fantasy RBs than any team in the league.

WR: Greg Jennings has rewarded your patience with four consecutive big games, including a monster performance last week. Expect more of the same against Atlanta. ... The Bills sure aren't going to run it much against the Steelers, and when they throw, Steve Johnson makes good things happen.

TE: With so many of his top receivers banged up, look for Eli Manning to look for Kevin Boss more often today. ... For as well as the Chargers have locked down WRs, tight ends have hurt them. Get Jacob Tamme in your lineup.

D/ST: The Browns have been among the league's best fantasy defenses all year, and now they get to feast on the Panthers' pitiful offense. Enough said.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: Eli Manning has a great matchup against the Jaguars, but his banged-up receiving corps is a major concern.

RB: If you've been sitting on Brandon Jacobs all year, you'll finally get your payoff. Thanks to Ahmad Bradshaw's butter fingers and the Giants' rash of injuries at receiver, Jacobs should be in line for a decent game at worst. ... Granted it was against the Steelers, but Darren McFadden's terrible game last week is concerning, and Miami isn't bad against the run.

WR: Never count out Reggie Wayne, but the questionable tag for a Sunday night game coupled with a tough San Diego secondary is enough to make you think twice before you set your lineup. ... He's not anywhere near 100 percent yet, but Sidney Rice showed enough last week that you can't afford to sit him against the Redskins' horrible pass defense.

TE: He's been as steady as they come, but Marcedes Lewis will be asked to stay in and block more with starting tackle Eugene Monroe out today. ... Same old story, but it bears repeating. With the Chargers playing Sunday night, you can't take a chance on Antonio Gates or Randy McMichael unless you have both of them.

D/ST: The Titans' defense is capable of putting up big fantasy points, but the Texans' offense is prone to light up the scoreboard, too.

STORM WARNING

QB: If you have another viable option, let Joe Flacco ride the pine this week. The Ravens will want to let Ray Rice do the heavy lifting against Tampa Bay's poor run defense.

RB: The aforementioned Ahmad Bradshaw has been benched by the Giants, and you should follow suit. ... Brandon Jackson hasn't turned out to be the great pick-up you hoped for - he has just one 100-yard game - and that's not likely to change against the Falcons' stingy run defense.

WR: Malcom Floyd is listed as questionable for Sunday night, and even if he goes, he'll be competing with Vincent Jackson and Legedu Naanee for targets. You can do better. ... Mike Sims-Walker is active against the Giants, but the bum ankle is enough to sit him down if you have another option.

TE: Baltimore is the best in the league at slowing down tight ends, which is bad news for Kellen Winslow. ... Visanthe Shiancoe's role in the Vikings' offense has dwindled as the season has gone on, and that won't get better with Sidney Rice back in the mix.

D/ST: The Packers have one of the league's best fantasy defenses, but the Falcons are balanced on offense and don't make many mistakes, making for a difficult matchup.

Gameday4Cast: Week 11

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 09:57:07 GMT

You know the drill. Scan the Gameday4Cast, set that lineup, and go get a big 'W'.

SUNNY

QB: So it turns out Michael Vick kind of likes to put on a show in primetime. The world will be watching again Sunday night against the Giants. ... In case you haven't figured it out, opposing quarterbacks enjoy playing against the Texans. Mark Sanchez is today's lucky winner.

RB: Even little-known Mike Goodson went for 100 yards against the Bucs' bad run defense, and now Frank Gore gets a shot at Tampa Bay. ... With Ryan Mathews' status for Monday night in doubt, it's shaping up like big week for Mike Tolbert, who has value as a TD vulture even if Mathews is healthy.

WR: Even when he's banged up, Andre Johnson is fantasy goodness. Expect no less against the Jets, Revis Island be damned. ... Dwayne Bowe has been coming on strong, and with tight end Tony Moeaki out this week, Bowe should get even more looks from Matt Cassel.

TE: Don't be deterred by last week's poor performance - keep Dustin Keller in your lineup against the Texans. ... Surprisingly, Marcedes Lewis continues to be one of the most consistent fantasy tight ends in the league, and he should do it again with a matchup with the Browns.

D/ST: Brian St. Pierre. Mike Goodson. In other words, slot the Ravens into your lineup and enjoy.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: The thought of starting guys like Jon Kitna or Shaun Hill might make you a little queasy, but they're bound to find themselves in a shootout today in Dallas. ... Matt Schaub is a solid start against the Jets, provided he plays. Check his status before you set your lineup.

RB: Only a great fool would take Arian Foster out of his lineup, even though he won't likely have his usual huge game against the Jets' stingy run defense. ... If you're sold on Fred Jackson after one huge game last week, go wild. We'd like to see him do it again this week against the Bengals.

WR: One of the Jets' receivers is bound to have a big game against Houston's poor pass defense, but New York's wideouts have been inconsistent, so good luck guessing which one will go off. Braylon Edwards is probably your best bet. ... Terrell Owens has a tough matchup against Buffalo, but you can bet he'll be determined to put up a big game against his former team.

TE: If you have Jason Witten, you're going to start him, but the fact he had one catch last week couple with a tough matchup against Detroit makes him a liability this week. ... As always, check on Antonio Gates' status before kickoff, but with a Monday night game, you better have Randy McMichael at the ready.

D/ST: A week ago, we would have thought the Lions would be a slam-dunk start against the Cowboys, but Jason Garrett's new regime had Kitna and Co. putting up the points last week.

STORM WARNING

QB: Matt Hasselbeck has been wildly inconsistent, and he's due for a down week against the Saints, who allow fewer points to opposing quarterbacks than any team in the league. ... Snagging Troy Smith a couple of weeks ago has been paying off for you so far, but the 49ers will be focused on exploiting Tampa Bay's run defense today.

RB: The Seahawks' congested backfield is disconcerting, so we'd keep Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett on the bench, if possible ... Yeah, Reggie Bush should be back for the Saints this week, but his role probably won't be worthy of cracking your lineup for a week or two.

WR: It seems something is always plaguing Percy Harvin, and with a less-than-ideal matchup against the Packers, you should play it safe and leave him on the bench. ... Roy Williams' resurgence ended when Tony Romo's season ended. He's barely worth a roster spot anymore.

TE: Good luck figuring out which Patriots tight end will be the one to start any given week, but neither Aaron Hernandez nor Rob Gronkowski are likely to do much against the Colts. ... Brent Celek's mysterious disappearance coincided with Michael Vick taking the reins of the Eagles offense. Do. Not. Want.

D/ST: The Cardinals are a borderline start, anyway, but with Chiefs coach Todd Haley going against his former team, Kansas City ought to have an edge on offense.

Gameday4Cast: Week 10

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 09:16:57 GMT

You know the drill. Check out the Gameday4Cast and make those last-minute tweaks to the lineup for fantasy success.

SUNNY

QB: I think I speak for all Matt Schaub owners when I say the Texans QB has been a bit of a disappointment this year, but he should be in line for a big game against the Jags, especially with Aaron Kampman out. ... The guy starting opposite Schaub is usually good for a solid performance against the Texans' terrible pass defense, so suit up David Garrard if you have him.

RB: Troy Smith is still starting at QB for the 49ers, which should mean plenty of work for Frank Gore against the Rams. ... Everybody knows the Patriots struggle against the pass, but they're not great against the run, either. Think about what Peyton Hillis did last week, and get Rashard Mendenhall in your lineup.

WR: If you drafted Hakeem Nicks, you're probably ready to take him to the Bahamas on your honeymoon already. The love affair will grow deeper after he torches the Cowboys this afternoon. ... DeSean Jackson is pretty good. Right? (Hint: Yes. OMG, yes.)

TE: Marcedes Lewis should be able to continue his career year against the Texans, who give up more points to the tight ends than any team in the league.

D/ST: If you don't like the Bucs defense against Jimmy Clausen (sans DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, no less) you need your fantasy team taken away from you.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: Risky to use a roster spot on him if you aren't in a bad way at QB, but word on the tweets says Kerry Collins will start for the Titans, and he has a good matchup against the Dolphins and a very motivated Randy Moss at his disposal. ... Josh Freeman is blossoming into a star, but the Panthers are pretty tough against the pass, and there's a decent chance the Bucs build an early lead and start working the clock with the running game.

RB: One of these days, Jamaal Charles is going to go all, "Give me the damn ball!" on Todd Haley. And if Haley obliges, look out. Today would be a good day for it, if you ask me. ... Yeah, the Jets are among the best in the league against the run, but what the heck else are the Browns going to do besides hand it to Peyton Hillis?

WR: He's still the best player on Carolina's offense, but do you trust Steve Smith with Jimmy Clausen throwing the passes? (Hint: No. OMG, no.) ... It's an age-old question: Is it more dangerous to sit Randy Moss or play him? I would take my chances with him in the lineup. Or I would, if I hadn't traded him away when he was still with the Patriots.

TE: The Rams are tough on tight ends, and with Troy Smith at quarterback, that makes Vernon Davis far less valuable than usual.

D/ST: The Redskins defense has been solid from a fantasy standpoint, but Michael Vick's mobility and the Eagles' explosive nature makes them a dangerous play this week.

STORM WARNING

QB: The desperate among us made a quick snag on Chad Pennington when he was named the Dolphins' starter this week, but if you're expecting him to be much more than trade bait for Chad Henne owners, you're bound to be disappointed. ... Jimmy Clausen. Enough said.

RB: One of these days, Jamaal Charles is going to go all, "Give me the damn ball!" on Todd Haley. And if Haley obliges, look out Thomas Jones owners. ... LaDainian Tomlinson's resurgence has been a great story, but he's starting to taper off, and it's time for Shonn Greene's fresh legs to take on the bulk of the work for the J-E-T-S.

WR: Dwayne Bowe has been the model of inconsistency all year, and if Todd Haley and Charlie Weis have half a brain between them, the Chiefs won't be throwing much against the Broncos. ... So much for Brandon Tate's breakout with Randy Moss out of the picture.

TE: Heath Miller has turned into more of a blocking tight end for the Steelers, and he has an ailing knee to boot. He's more worthy of being a free agent than a fantasy starter at this point.

D/ST: Surely you've dropped the Dallas D by now, right? (Hint: I hope so. OMG, I hope so.)

TORNADO WATCH

New to the Gameday4Cast, the Tornado Watch identifies areas where conditions are favorable for a twister to pop up out of nowhere and do some serious damage. These aren't long-term solutions for your roster, but they could save you this week. (And I should know, the venerable Seyi Ajirotutu led me to victory last week.)

If Collins is there, grab him. Or better yet, if Shaun Hill is somehow floating around, snag him. ... You'll probably have to dig deep into the free agent pile to find Carolina's Mike Goodson, but he'll get the start against the Bucs, who give up rushing yards in bunches. ... The WRs are pretty picked over t this point, but if you stumble onto Nate Burleson, he's been getting more and more love in the Lions' passing game. ... With Owen Daniels out, Texans TE Joel Dreessen looks like a sneaky-good pickup if you need a TE in a pinch.

Gameday4Cast: Week 9

Sun, 7 Nov 2010 05:30:52 GMT

Who needs a win today? Join the club.

Let's take a look at the Gameday4Cast:

SUNNY

QB: Yeah, you start Peyton Manning every week, and he gives you your money's worth just about every week. With the Colts' running backs dinged up, the return should be even bigger against the Eagles. ... Who knows who he'll be throwing to, but Philip Rivers will be throwing against Houston. And throwing. And throwing.

RB: With Old Man Favre hobbling around and the Vikings receivers ailing, it's time for Adrian Peterson to show why he was the No. 2 pick in most fantasy drafts. ... The Lions can't stop the run, and they sure won't contain the resurgent LaDainian Tomlinson.

WR: If you had the foresight to snag Patrick Crayton a couple weeks back, you might have just stumbled onto a temporary No. 1 receiver in a pass-happy offense. Congrats. ... Jeremy Maclin has a touchdown catch in every game Michael Vick has played this season. Just sayin'.

TE: What did we tell you about Jacob Tamme last week? If you don't know, don't bother. Somebody already picked him up, and they're thrilled. ... Still not buying Benjamin Watson? Too bad for you.

D/ST: The Panthers offense is a turnover waiting to happen. Good news if you own the Saints defense. ... Buffalo's rare success on offense this year has come through the air, and the Bears lock down opposing passers.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: Jay Cutler gets a chance to shred the Bills secondary today. But Jay Cutler also has a knack for shredding your fantasy team's chances with bad interceptions. ... Matt Ryan hasn't lost at home in ages, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be passing a ton against the Bucs, who are weak against the run.

RB: Everybody loves the Law Firm, but BenJarvus Green-Ellis still shares too much of the work in the Patriots' backfield to be a consistent fantasy star, and the Browns are pretty tough on the run. ... Donald Brown is the only decent healthy running back in Indianapolis, but he's not much better than a flex play against the Eagles.

WR: Yeah, he might be wandering around Revis Island all day, but Calvin Johnson will still do enough damage to warrant a permanent spot in your lineup. ... Larry Fitzgerald is still a stud, and a must-start, but the uncertainty at quarterback is more than a little disconcerting.

TE: Different week, same word on Antonio Gates -- he's hurting, but if he's active, he's a must-start. ... John Carlson has been a no-show most of the year, but he could be the perfect security blanket for Charlie Whitehurst today.

D/ST: It's hard to wrap your head around trusting a bad Bills defense, but Jay Cutler and the Bears are usually good for a few turnovers. ... The Giants defense looks like a solid play against the Seahawks, but it would have been an even better matchup against Matt Hasselbeck and his less-than-desirable mobility.

STORM WARNING

QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick was a great waiver wire pickup, but you'll want to leave him on the bench this week against the Bears. ... The Dolphins seem to be losing confidence in Chad Henne, and with his inability to find the end zone, you should be too.

RB: The Chargers offense has a great matchup against the Texans, but the running back situation is too muddled to count on Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles or Mike Tolbert. ... With DeAngelo Williams likely out of the lineup again, you might be tempted to start Jonathan Stewart. Prepare to be disappointed if you do.

WR: Seattle's Mike Williams finally started showing his potential for a couple of weeks, but he took a step back last week. And now Charlie Whitehurst is flinging the leather for the Seahawks against a tough Giants pass defense. Sit him if you have another option. ... Before you get too excited about rookie Brandon LaFell's big game last week, remember it was David Gettis who went off the week before, only to fade back into oblivion a week ago. The Panthers' passing game isn't consistent enough to trust anyone involved.

TE: Brent Celek has been a major disappointment, and that's not likely to change against the Colts, who lock down opposing tight ends. ... Oakland's Zach Miller looks like he'll miss today's big game with the Chiefs, and with a late afternoon start, you can't afford to wait and see.

D/ST: The Bucs defense has been solid all year, but they struggle against the run, and Michael Turner is pretty tough to stop. ... It's not often you'd go scouring the free agent heap for a defense to slot in place of the Eagles, but with Peyton Manning on the other side of the ball, it's worth taking a peak this week.

Gameday4Cast: Week 8

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 03:44:57 GMT

We're getting pretty close to do-or-die time in the fantasy season, so it's time to start making that playoff push or piling up wins to lock up a first-round bye.

Making the right roster moves takes on more importance with key players on byes, so be careful before you push those buttons.

Better take a good look at the Gameday4Cast and proceed with caution before your playoff hopes start slipping away.

SUNNY

QB: Peyton Manning plus Houston's pass defense equals probably gonna win your fantasy matchup this week. ... If you scooped Jon Kitna off the scrap heap this week, you should get a nice payoff against the Jaguars' horrid pass defense.

RB: The 49ers might have given Troy Smith the keys to the car, but Frank Gore will be navigating the offense from the passenger seat against the Broncos' awful run defense. (See McFadden, Darren.) ... The Lions have given up more points to fantasy running backs than anyone in the league, so look for Ryan Torain to have another solid game for the Redskins. ... With DeAngelo Williams out, the Panthers will lean heavily on Jonathan Stewart against the Rams. So for at least one week, you won't be so sorry you drafted him.

WR: It has often been said how incredibly good Randy Moss is when he wants to be. Lining up against the Patriots less than a month after they traded him should provide plenty of motivation. ... Rarely does a player listed as questionable also carry the must-start tag, but that's the case with Reggie Wayne against the Texans, especially with the rest of the Colts' offensive weapons banged up.

TE: Keep an eye on the questionable tag, but if he plays (and he should) Antonio Gates is a great start with San Diego's receiving corps banged up. ... Tony Moeaki remains the Chiefs' most consistent pass-catcher, and the Bills give up more fantasy points to tight ends than any team in the league.

D/ST: The Lions defense has been surprisingly solid from a fantasy standpoint, and the Redskins' decent record wasn't built on the strength of their offense.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: It wouldn't be a bad idea to wait a week on Matthew Stafford, assuming he starts against the Redskins, but the matchup is good enough to risk starting him. ... I'd be a little queasy about starting Philip Rivers, considering the injury situation with the Chargers' receiving corps, but unless you drafted really well, you probably don't have a better option.

RB: We all know what Arian Foster did against the Colts in the season opener. He should have another solid game today, but don't expect it to approach the last one. ... Jamaal Charles and/or Thomas Jones should be in line for big numbers against Buffalo's weak run defense, but Todd Haley's insistence on a timeshare diminishes both backs' value. If you have 'em, start 'em, but be prepared to be frustrated thinking about what might've been.

WR: Clearing Deion Branch out of town has been a big boon for Seattle's Mike Williams, but he has a tough matchup against the Raiders, so his numbers could drop off a bit after two huge games. ... Kenny Britt won't go crazy every week, and the Chargers are tough against the pass. Still worth a start until further notice, but temper your expectations.

TE: It's always scary to trust a guy you'd never heard of two weeks ago, but if you need to cover a bye week, you could do a lot worse than Indy's Jacob Tamme, who will start in place of injured Dallas Clark. ... You know by now that Ben Roethlisberger loves Heath Miller, but the Steelers should show more affection for the run than the pass against the Saints.

D/ST: It would be hard to trust the Broncos defense after last week's debacle against the Raiders, but the 49ers' already struggling offense doesn't figure to make a 180 with Troy Smith under center.

STORM WARNING

QB: It looks like Vince Young will be back in the lineup for the Titans, but you don't want him in your lineup against the Chargers, who are tough on the pass. ... Even if Brett Favre finds a way to start against the Patriots, don't count on him finishing on that gimpy ankle.

RB: Both Joseph Addai and Donald Brown are major question marks for Monday night, so unless you have Mike Hart stashed for a last-minute replacement, you better not take your chances by leaving either in the lineup. ... Miami is tough on the run, and Carson Palmer has discovered how many weapons he has in the passing game. Bad news all around for Cedric Benson owners.

WR: Look for Michael Crabtree's disappointing season to continue, because the 49ers are likely to lean on the run with Alex Smith out, especially considering what Darren McFadden did to the Broncos last week. ... It seems Kevin Walter's huge game in Week 2 was an anomaly. Drop him and take a chance on a young receiver like Jacoby Ford or David Gettis instead.

TE: Doesn't look like that Donald Lee pickup is going to work out too well. Andrew Quarless looks like the big(ger) winner with Jermichael Finley out for the year. ... John Carlson has been mysteriously absent from the Seahawks' passing game, and he should disappear from your fantasy roster, too.

D/ST: The strength of the Chargers defense is stopping the pass, but the Titans are likely to focus more on getting Chris Johnson going today.

Gameday4Cast: Week 7

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 03:32:59 GMT

You wouldn't go to a parade without checking the forecast. And they won't be throwing any fantasy parades in your team's honor if you don't check the Gameday4Cast. Now go forth and win this week's matchup:

SUNNY
QB: After a week to get back in the swing of things, Jay Cutler should get back to racking up the yardage against a porous Redskins pass defense. ... Think maybe Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre will have something to prove when they square off Sunday night?

RB: Rookie Chris Ivory tore through the Tampa Bay defense last week. Expect Steven Jackson to do the same today. ... Assuming he is active, Peyton Hillis looks like a great play against the Saints, especially with Colt McCoy starting at quarterback.

WR: Remember how it seemed like Jeremy Maclin didn't have a good connection with Kevin Kolb? Yeah, forget about that. J-Mac is good to go. (And how 'bout those Missouri Tigers?) ... Philip Rivers has to throw to somebody. And with the growing injury report, that somebody should be Buster Davis this week.

TE: Benjamin Watson keeps on keeping on in Cleveland, and everybody knows a tight end is a rookie QB's best friend. ... Heath Miller's disappointing start has already begun to subside now that his fantasy BFF Big Ben is back.

D/ST: You know the drill -- decent defense vs. rookie QB equals opportunity for big points. The Saints and Seahawks fit the equation today.

PARTLY CLOUDY
QB: Philip Rivers has a nice matchup against New England, but he has a banged up receiving corps. This bounty might not be as plentiful as it could have been. ... The Bills stink against the pass. But they stink against the run, too. So it's hard saying whether Joe Flacco is in for a big day of throwing touchdowns or handing off to Ray Rice and Co.

RB: He's still a sure-fire starter, but Rashard Mendenhall's value will continue to drop slightly each week, as Ben Roethlisberger and the passing game reclaims a bigger role in the Steelers' offense. ... On the one hand, Maurice Jones-Drew is the only thing Jacksonville's offense has going for it. On the other, the Jags are likely to be playing from behind all day in Kansas City.

WR: Good Dwayne Bowe finally showed up last week, but as any Chiefs fan can tell you, he has a tendency to disappear without notice. ... It's early in the Max Hall Era, but it seems like it could be a real boon for Larry Fitzgerald.

TE: Antonio Gates is a game-time decision for an afternoon game, so you might have to go without him. But if you can wait, and he does play, the Chargers' thin WR situation could mean a big day for the big fella. ... If Gates ends up inactive, snag Randy McMichael as a last-minute replacement.

D/ST: Exception to the rookie QB rule -- the Bucs won't be able to exploit Sam Bradford, because they won't stop Steven Jackson and the ground game.

STORM WARNING
QB: Whoever starts for Jacksonville, you don't want him. The Chiefs' pass rush is much improved, and Brandon Flowers will lock down every team's best receiver. ... Still waiting for Alex Smith to save your season? I'm sorry.

RB: You're not going to sit him, but don't expect the usual production out of Adrian Peterson. The Packers are tough against the run, and Brett Favre is going to do all he can to make Sunday night his stage against his former team. ... Keep Darren McFadden on the bench for another week while his hamstring heals.

WR: Hakeem Nicks says he's playing despite the questionable tag, but can you afford to gamble and take a big zero on Monday night? I'd think not. ... Even if Carolina's Steve Smith does play this week (and it looks like he will) the Panthers' struggling offense doesn't inspire confidence, and San Francisco is tough on WRs.

TE: Hey didn't you used to be Greg Olsen? ... Hey, didn't you used to be Visanthe Shiancoe?

D/ST: The Jaguars are bad at defense. Kansas City is surprisingly good at offense. Bad combination.

Gameday4Cast: Week 6

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 07:07:25 GMT

Sorry for the late start. A few kick thoughts before kickoff:

SUNNY

QB: It's shaping up to be a good day to be a Manning. Big Bro Peyton Manning gets to feast on the Redskins' spotty pass defense. And Good Eli Manning won the eternal battle with Bad Eli Manning last week, which should continue against Detroit.

RB: Frank Gore should go off against a Raiders defense that allows more fantasy points to RBs than anyone in the league. ... With Brett Favre nursing a sore elbow (and a sore ego), the Vikings will lean on Adrian Peterson even more than usual. All Day, baby.

WR: If you refused to buy into the notion that Reggie Wayne was on the downhill slide of his career, congrats to you. Wayne should have another big game against Washington with Indy's other top receivers ailing. ... Don't be scared off by Anquan Boldin's one catch for 8 yards last week. He should bounce back nicely against a weak Patriots secondary.

TE: Tony Gonzalez is starting to get on the same page with Matt Ryan, and the Eagles give up some points to tight ends ... Dustin Keller cooled off last week, but the Jets will have to fling it around against Denver, and Keller is one of Mark Sanchez's favorite targets.

D/ST: We've been riding the Bears for a couple of weeks, and the Seahawks are prone to giving up big points to opposing defenses, so we won't hop off that horse just yet.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: As if the concussion wasn't enough cause for concern, Rodgers gets a Miami defense that has been tough against the pass. Consider other options. ... If you have another decent option -- and if you don't, you're already in trouble -- leave Ben Roethlisberger on the bench for a week while he knocks the rust off against the Browns.

RB: We learned last week to keep LeSean McCoy in the lineup despite his rib injury, but his production could drop a bit this week against a tough . Still a solid start, but temper your expectations. ... Not saying he's a sure start, but if you're in a bye week pinch for a flex play, you could do worse than Ladell Betts against the Bucs with Pierre Thomas sitting out a third straight game.

WR: It looks more and more like Andre Johnson will play, but he'll probably be opposite Brandon Flowers most of the day, so beware of a bust from your big-time receiver. ... Nate Washington has been a pleasant surprise, and he's still a decent flex play, but it looks like Kenny Britt will continue to steal a decent chunk of Washington's targets.

TE: As usual, play Greg Olsen at your own risk. He could have a huge game or put up a huge zero. ... Thanks to injuries -- his own, and Brett Favre's -- Visanthe Shincoe has slipped from fantasy elite to fantasy purgatory.

D/ST: The Falcons lead the league in interceptions, and Kevin Kolb could add to that total today. But the Eagles can put up some points, too, so it's a risky play.

STORM WARNING

QB: Tom Brady has no real deep threats left, and the Ravens' stingy pass defense will make sure the underneath routes don't turn into big plays. ... The Texans' receiving corps is banged up, and shut-down corner Brandon Flowers will effectively take another WR out of the mix. That's bad news for Matt Schaub.

RB: Not only is Ryan Mathews sharing more carries that we'd like, but he's also taking on St. Louis, so the Chargers are likely to let Philip Rivers and the passing game do most of the work today. ... We were riding Darren McFadden's shoulders for a while, but even if he does play today, it sounds like it will only be as a backup to Michael Bush. Sit tight for another week or two, DMC.

WR: I'll extend my Randy Moss warning for another week. He looked lost in the new offense last week, and he'll either have a banged-up Brett Favre or (gulp) Tarvaris Jackson throwing the passes. ... Michael Crabtree had a huge game last week, but he's likely to match up with Nnamdi Asomugha, and the 49ers probably will lean on the run against a bad Raiders run defense.

TE: Still not sold on Jeremy Shockey's rebound, and the Bucs are tough on tight ends.

D/ST: It should go without saying, but the Redskins are a scary play against the Colts.

Gameday4Cast: Week 5

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 04:01:28 GMT

Imagine a world with no bye weeks. Beautiful, isn't it?

Randy Moss is living in that utopia -- and it's straight cash for his fantasy owners, homie -- though I guess you could consider last week Moss' week off.

Nonetheless, the rest of us exist in the real world, where bye weeks are a harsh reality and we have to make all the right moves with our lineup to pull out a victory. We can't afford to start a stinker or bench a breakout fantasy star.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the Gameday4Cast:

SUNNY

QB: Aaron Rodgers is good. The Redskins' pass defense isn't. And the Packers' running game leaves much to be desired. ... If you were counting on a big year from Joe Flacco, you've probably been disappointed. But things should look up this week against the Broncos' porous pass defense.

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew has his MoJo back. And the Bills stink. ... Maybe it's just the Chiefs fan in me talking, but I think this is the week Todd Haley wises up and gives Jamaal Charles the keys to the car.

WR: Matt Ryan loves Roddy White, and you should too. ... It's high time for a Greg Jennings sighting, and the Redskins' secondary is ripe for the picking. ... The Colts will be flinging it around against the Chiefs, and someone has to emerge from the infirmary known as Indy's receiving corps. How about Reggie Wayne?

TE: See Wayne, Reggie and apply same logic to Dallas Clark. Also, good tight ends kill the Chiefs.

D/ST: Decent defense plus rookie quarterback minus top receiver equals potential for huge points. Snag the Bears.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: The Giants probably won't sack Matt Schaub as many times as they sacked the Bears' quarterbacks last week. But if they do ... Again, I'd understand if it makes you nervous to start a rookie quarterback, but Sam Bradford has some chops -- and a chance to sink his teeth into the Lions' pass defense.

RB: You're not gonna bench him, but don't count on the usual production from Adrian Peterson. The Jets are tough on the run, and big Brett Favre (as opposed to Little Brett, who was in the news this week) is going to be out for revenge Monday night. ... Eagles coach Andy Reid said LeSean McCoy is "full-go," but Philly doesn't play until Sunday night. It's a big risk to keep him in the lineup, but there's a potentially big reward if he does play against the 49ers.

WR: Instead of putrid Derek Anderson throwing to Larry Fitzgerald, now it's rookie Max Hall. Better? Hard to say, but it ain't good. ... If you have Steve Smith, Mario Manningham or Hakeem Nicks, you should start them against the Texans. Then pray Eli Manning throws it to your guy.

TE: Visanthe Shiancoe is nursing a hamstring injury, and he's bound to lose some of those red-zone looks to Randy Moss eventually. Maybe not this week, though.

D/ST: The Giants probably won't sack Matt Schaub as many times as they sacked the Bears' quarterbacks last week. But if they do ...

STORM WARNING

QB: I'm telling you, Kyle Orton WILL come back to reality at some point, and he's facing one of the toughest pass defenses in the league in Baltimore. You can keep doubling down, but just know you're riding the hot streak of the guy with the greasy comb-over who keeps rolling 7 and 11. ... You did bench Michael Vick and Jay Cutler, right?

RB: Injuries galore. Darren McFadden, Pierre Thomas, Clinton Portis and Knowshon Moreno are out, and you'll want to make a last-minute check on Jahvid Best, Peyton Hillis and Ahmad Bradshaw. Ugh.

WR: It's safe to get off the Jeremy Maclin train now. The touchdown streak is over, and Maclin doesn't seem to have the same connection with Kevin Kolb as Michael Vick. ... Maybe Randy Moss has a big game Monday night, but I'd give it a week or two before I expected too much.

TE: Tony Moeaki is my boy, but the Colts lock down opposing tight ends. Unless you're in a bye week pinch, stash him away this week.

D/ST: The Chiefs have been a pleasant surprise for fans and fantasy owners alike, but they have an awful matchup with the Colts this week.

Gameday4Cast: Week 4

Sun, 3 Oct 2010 02:43:43 GMT

Daddy duty had us tuckered out and we're off to a late start checking the fantasy radar to bring you the Gameday4Cast, so we'll skip the small talk and get right to it.

We need a win this week, so let's go get it. Set those lineups, people:

SUNNY

QB: The Michael Vick train keeps on rollin' against Washington's porous pass defense. It's hard to believe a guy who wasn't even drafted in most leagues has been one of elite fantasy performers through three weeks, but that's why this fantasy football thing is so tough. ... Matt Ryan remembered last week he has Tony Gonzalez at his disposal, and now he gets San Francisco. Even Matt Cassel had a good game against the 49ers. Just sayin'.

RB: If you're among those of us holding your breath until Maurice Jones-Drew decides to be a fantasy force again, you should be able to exhale after he faces the Colts this week. ... The Falcons ran the ball all over the Saints last week, so this could be the week Carolina's running game finally gets going with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

WR: Keep riding my Mizzou man Jeremy Maclin, who seems to be Vick's favorite red-zone target. Maclin has touchdown catches in every game this season, and the Redskins are prone to giving up passing TDs. ... The Texans seem set on being conservative with Andre Johnson's injured ankle, so Kevin Walter looks like a good play against the Raiders.

TE: Yeah, yeah, broken record. But Oakland's Zach Miller is primed for a big game against the Texans. ... The Colts are still without Pierre Garcon, which means Dallas Clark continues to get a larger share of looks from Peyton Manning.

D/ST: Not only do you get the potential for a big play from Devin Hester when you start the Bears defense, but you also get to feast on all of Eli Manning's mistakes, which have been plentiful lately.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: Alex Smith has six consecutive starts with 220 passing yards or more, but he also has a new offensive coordinator who might want to lean on Frank Gore until he gets his feet under him. ... Donovan McNabb is going into an emotional situation in Philly today. That could be a very good thing or a very bad thing for his fantasy prospects. Does he play with a chip on his shoulder or try to press and make mistakes?

RB: We have several injury situations to keep a close eye on right up until kickoff. ... If Steven Jackson can't go, Kenneth Darby becomes an attractive flex option. ... Pierre Thomas is a major question mark, making Ladell Betts and Chris Ivory potential starters. ... With Donald Brown out, Joseph Addai could be in line for a big day against the Jaguars -- if he plays. If not, Mike Hart is the sneakiest of sneaky-good pick-ups.

WR: Would you believe Austin Collie has been the top fantasy receiver in the league in some formats? It's true, but you'll want to check his injury status before you deploy him today, because he was listed as questionable. ... You know who's going to have a really big game one of these weeks? Marques Colston. Can't promise it will happen today, but we'd have him in the lineup just in case.

TE: Jeremy Shockey was suddenly a larger part of the Saints' offense last week, but with so many weapons to divide up the opportunities, we'd be reluctant to rely on him. ... Pencil Greg Olsen in for a partly cloudy forecast for most of the year. He has the potential for a big week every week in that offense, but he's also prone to pulling disappearing acts.

D/ST: We always like the prospect of starting a defense against a rookie quarterback, but the Saints just haven't shown the big-point potential this year, and they aren't as much of a threat in the return game without Reggie Bush.

STORM WARNING

QB: The other shoe is going to drop on Kyle Orton at some point -- he's simply not an elite fantasy quarterback. The footwear falls this week against a tough Tennessee defense. ... If you're sold on Charlie Batch after one game, go for it. We'll pass, especially against the Ravens.

RB: Even if Ray Rice does play, he has to face the Steelers' defense. Don't expect too much out of him or Willis McGahee. ... Contrary to what I said last week, try to find a way around starting Jahvid Best, if possible. You'd hate to see that turf toe force him to the sidelines early and submarine your chances this week.

WR: Last week notwithstanding, we're still scared of the Steelers' receivers and would be reluctant to start Hines Ward and Mike Wallace against the Ravens. ... Numbers do lie. Brandon Lloyd is not an elite fantasy receiver, and he should sit against the Titans.

TE: If Todd Heap does play -- and he probably will -- he'll still have to deal with the Steelers, who are tough on tight ends. ... We were all about the Gronk early on, but fellow rookie Aaron Hernandez seems to have supplanted Rob Gronkowski as Tom Brady's second-most favored tight end (behind Gisele, of course).

D/ST: The Dolphins have been downright dominant on D, but facing Brady and the Patriots on a national stage is a frightening proposition.

Our ascent to fantasy greatness begins here, friends. Clear minds, full hearts can't lose. Unless our top three draft picks are on bye week.

Best of luck.

Gameday4Cast: Week 3

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 02:17:57 GMT

You win some and you lose some, and if you listened to me and my stupid, "Don't trust the Lions offense with Shaun Hill at the wheel," nonsense last week, well ... I hope you didn't listen to that.

I don't care if the re-animated corpse of Sammy Baugh is playing quarterback (he's dead, right?) -- play Jahvid Best, no matter what I say.

But aside from that glaring bit of god-awful advice, I think I steered you pretty well last week. I told you to snag Michael Vick off waivers and made sure you started him, warned you not to overreact to Matt Ryan's bad Week 1, scared you off the Cowboys' running backs, nudged you to start Marcedes Lewis, and coaxed you to pick up the Chiefs' defense.

Whether that was enough for us to still be friends, well, I'll leave that up to you. After all, it's your fantasy team.

Here's this week's Gameday4Cast*:
*Your results may vary

SUNNY

• QB: Tony Romo already leads the NFL in passing yards, and now he gets a crack at the Texans' porous pass defense. ... I know you were already going to start him, but Tom Brady is 8-0 with a 105.1 passer rating at home against the Bills. Just sayin'. ... If Brett Favre can't do anything against the Lions' lackluster secondary, he won't do much against anyone. Start him while you still can.

• RB: Pierre Thomas has scored rushing and receiving touchdowns in each of his past two games against the Falcons, and Reggie Bush won't steal any of his touches for a while. ... Jahvid Best went crazy on the Eagles last week, hurting them on the ground and as a receiver out of the backfield. You know another running back who is pretty good catching passes? Maurice Jones-Drew. ... This week's big waiver wire prize was Chargers fullback Mike Tolbert, who all of a sudden looks like a starting running back on a potent offense. And his short-yardage prowess give him value even after Ryan Mathews returns.

• WR: See Romo, Tony and apply the same logic to Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. ... Call it a hunch, but I love Josh Morgan against the Chiefs. Kansas City has allowed big plays to No. 2 receivers Legedu Naanee and Josh Cribbs, and Brandon Flowers can only cover one guy. Assuming that's Michael Crabtree, Morgan could have a nice day. ... Matt Ryan has loved throwing to Roddy White so far this year. No reason for that to change against the Saints. ... Pierre Garcon is out, and Reggie Wayne is likely to be wearing Champ Bailey like spandex all day, so Austin Collie is due for a big game against the Broncos.

• TE: Cowboys, Texans, blahblahblah. Yeah, Jason Witten, too. ... Quick -- who leads the Browns in receptions? Did you say Ben Watson? No, really. And Watson averages 19.3 yards per catch in his career against Baltimore. ... A big reason for Watson holding the team lead are his four catches for 62 yards against the Chiefs, who also gave up big numbers to Antonio Gates. I like Vernon Davis even more than usual.

• D/ST: After picking off Joe Flacco four times last week, the Bengals have to be licking their chops at the prospect of facing Jimmy Clausen in his first NFL start.

PARTLY CLOUDY

• QB: I still believe in Joe Flacco, but if I had a good backup, I'd leave him on my bench for a week to make sure the first two weeks were a fluke. With that said, Flacco is 4-0 with a 95.9 passer rating against the Browns. ... It's scary to think about starting a rookie quarterback, but you really could do worse than Sam Bradford against a Redskins defense that gave up darn near 500 passing yards last week.

• RB: For as much as I like the 49ers' passing game against Kansas City, the Chiefs have been pretty tough against the run. You'll still want to start Frank Gore, but don't expect him to go crazy like last week. ... Either Michael Turner or Jason Snelling is probably going to have a pretty good game against the Saints. If you can figure out which one, start him. ... Good news -- Rashard Mendenhall is going to run the ball a ton. Bad news -- he has to do it against a pretty stout Bucs run defense.

• WR: It probably won't last forever, but Jeremy Maclin has been on the receiving end of touchdown passes from Michael Vick each of the first two games. Keep riding the hot hand while you can. ... Demaryius Thomas is going to be pretty darn good. But he won't always be as good as he was last week, so temper your expectations, or better yet, sell high.

• TE: It's probably a little too early to be starting him at this point, but keep an eye on Tony Moeaki of the Chiefs. He has been the team's most consistent receiver, so he's worth a stash if you'll need someone to cover a bye week soon. ... Matt Ryan hasn't loved throwing to Tony Gonzalez so far this year. Maybe that will change. Maybe it won't.

• D/ST: The Eagles are catching a Jaguars team that turned it over six times last week against the Chargers. But the Eagles gave up 32 points last week against the Lions. Any other options?

STORM WARNING

• QB: You have to be desperate to have Jimmy Clausen on your roster. But you are not desperate enough to start him. Trust me. ... Remember how bad Eli Manning looked against the Colts? The Titans are even better against the pass. Pass.

• RB: Jerome Harrison continues to cede too many carries to Peyton Hillis, especially on the goal-line. ... Despite scoring a touchdown, Brandon Jackson didn't inspire a ton of confidence last week against the Bills, and now he has to face the Bears and their No. 1 rush defense. Do not want. ... Dallas is good against the run, bad against the pass. That equals a bigger day for Matt Schaub and Co. than for Arian Foster. Don't bench him unless you have better options, but don't count on a huge day.

• WR: Remember the part about Jimmy Clausen's first NFL start. Don't expect too much out of Steve Smith (the Panthers one). ... I was a little nervous about Hines Ward and Mike Wallace with Dennis Dixon at quarterback. I'm petrified with Charlie Batch taking the snaps.

• TE: We had a Greg Olsen sighting last week, but don't expect him to show up again. We're still worried about the tight end's role in Mike Martz's offense, and the Packers do a good job of stopping opposing tight ends. ... Let's go ahead and file Brandon Pettigrew under "fluke" for now. If you're holding him to cover an upcoming bye, that's cool, but don't count on him as your regular starter until you see him develop more consistency.

• D/ST: The Texans chewed up the Colts with their running game and torched the Redskins through the air. How shall they dismantle the Cowboys this week?

Gameday4Cast: Week 2

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 04:08:27 GMT

So the Gameday4Cast was a little spotty in Week 1, but that's to be expected with all these pop-up storms during hurricane season, right?

Seriously, though, I missed on a few -- sorry Kevin Kolb and C.J. Spiller owners -- but by my count, I hit far more than I missed, so I hope I didn't leave your team standing out in the cold. I'm sure that one guy who started Jabar Gaffney and left Kenny Britt on the bench is singing my praises, as is the dude who swapped Justin Forsett for Darren McFadden at the last minute or the woman who opted for Carson Palmer instead of Joe Flacco.

But, hey, you're here, right? So you must have found something to keep you coming back, and we'll see if we can't do a bit better this week and help you take down the competition in Week 2.

Here's the Gameday4Cast:

SUNNY

QB: In his only start against Chicago, Tony Romo threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns, and with the Bears looking tough against the run last week, he's going to be chucking it early and often. ... If you were lucky enough to win the Michael Vick waiver derby this week, you better take a hard look at starting him against a Lions defense that was shredded to bits by the Bears in Week 1. ... Don't be scared by Drew Brees' pedestrian performance last week. The Saints QB is 4-0 in his career against the 49ers and has thrown for 1,221 yards and 10 TDs in those games. He also has a 151.5 rating in his past three Monday Night Football starts, all wins.

RB: I tried to scare you off the Panthers' RB duo a week ago, but I want to steer you in their direction this week. DeAngelo Williams has rushed for 486 yards and six TDs in his past four games against the Bucs, and Jonathan Stewart has at least 100 yards and a touchdown in each of his past three games against Tampa Bay, so if you have either guy, get them in there. ... He only averaged 2.9 yards per carry last week, but Cedric Benson has 237 rushing yards in his last two games against the Ravens, so he should bounce back. ... Chris Johnson shredded the Raiders defense last week, and Steven Jackson is poised to do the same, especially since it looks like the Rams might have enough of a passing game to keep defenses honest. ... It appears the Giants are committed to Ahmad Bradshaw as their featured back -- he got 20 carries for 76 yards and a TD last week -- and now he gets a crack at a Colts defense that gave up 231 rushing yards to Arian Foster last week.

WR: If the Rams had a decent day throwing against the Cardinals, the Falcons ought to do more than hold their own. Roddy White is coming off a league-best 13 catches last week for 111 yards, and he has averaged 112.5 yards in his past two games against Arizona. ... Wes Welker proved he is healthy with two touchdown catches last week, and he posted career-highs with 15 catches for 192 yards the last time he faced the Jets. ... If you're looking for a sneaky flex play, you could do worse than Nate Washington, who had a team-high 88 receiving yards last week and will be extra motivated to put up big numbers against his former team. ... Another solid flex guy this week is Steve Breaston, who has averaged 108 yards per game in his past four September games, including a career-high 132 yards on seven catches last week.

TE: It's only one game, but it appears Visanthe Shiancoe is the biggest winner with Sidney Rice out. He's better than a solid starter; he looks like an elite tight end. ... Marcedes Lewis snagged two TD passes last week, and now he's going against a Chargers defense that gave up a score to Kansas City rookie Tony Moeaki last week.

D/ST: The pathetic defense Chiefs fans have come to know and hate looked like a thing of the past last week, and Javier Arenas and Dexter McCluster have a legitimate shot at breaking off a return TD at any moment, making Kansas City's defense a potential home-run hitter every week. Things look especially good this week against the Browns.

PARTLY CLOUDY:

QB: In the "don't get too caught up in Week 1 stats" department, Matt Ryan was less than stellar last week, but he is 13-1 as a starter at home and has a 94.5 rating in those 14 games. ... Josh Freeman only passed for 182 yards last week, but he did throw two touchdowns, and he's going against the Panthers -- the last time he faced them, he passed for a career-high 321 yards. Consider him a solid option in two-QB leagues.

RB: Ray Rice wasn't in the game when the Ravens were inside the 5-yard line last week -- Willis McGahee was. Rice's value isn't entirely tied to rushing touchdowns, especially in PPR leagues, but it certainly doesn't help if McGahee -- who is fifth in the league with 13 rushing TDs since the start of the 2009 season -- is the designated touchdown vulture. ... Jerome Harrison should have the ultimate sunny outlook this week -- he rushed for 286 yards and three TDs the last time he faced the Chiefs -- but a couple of factors are working against him. First, the Browns seem committed to a time share between Harrison and Peyton Hillis, and second, the Chiefs' run defense is much improved. ... I loved Darren McFadden last week, once I found out Michael Bush was definitely out, and the same principle applies this week. Check Bush's status before you set your lineup to determine whether McFadden is in line for a big game or a big disappointment.

WR: In the preseason, Malcom Floyd looked like the receiver who would benefit most from Vincent Jackson's holdout/suspension, but Floyd was no better than the third option for Philip Rivers last week, behind Antonio Gates and Legedu Naanee. There's still a ton of potential value here, but it hasn't shown itself yet. ... After catching three TDs last week, it would seem insane to keep Hakeem Nicks on the bench, but that might be the best move this week. Nicks says his ankle injury isn't a factor, but even if he's 100 percent, the Giants will probably want to see if they can take advantage of the Colts' porous run defense.

TE: Brent Celek only caught two passes for 32 yards last week, well below the output you would hope for from a top-tier tight end, but both receptions came from Vick, so there's hope for a rebound this week. ~~Celek does have to go up against the Steelers, though, and they held Tony Gonzalez to two catches in Week 1.~~ EDIT: I'm an idiot. (Thanks, Mike.)

D/ST: The Redskins defense looked pretty solid against the Cowboys, but now Washington gets the Texans, who just might have the potential to be the most balanced offensive team in the league. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

STORM WARNING

QB: Carson Palmer put up some huge fantasy numbers last week against the Patriots, but don't expect a repeat this week. The Bengals were playing from way behind all day Sunday, and their matchup with the Ravens figures to be more of the grind-it-out variety. ... Chad Henne didn't do much against the Bills (182 yards, no TDs) so what do you think he'll do against a Vikings defense that did a pretty darn good job against Brees and the Saints? Not enough to help your fantasy team.

RB: I wouldn't let Marion Barber or Felix Jones anywhere near my starting lineup against a Bears defense that held Detroit to 20 yards on 21 carries in Week 1. ... New Bronco Laurence Maroney is out this week with a thigh injury, but let's hold tight on Knowshon Moreno, anyway. Moreno has a tough matchup this week against a Seahawks defense that held Frank Gore to 2.2 yards per carry in Week 1. ... After two fumbles last week, Shonn Greene doesn't look like a starter on his real team, let alone your fantasy team, especially with LaDainian Tomlinson lurking. Wait to see if he bounces back before you expect too much from him.

RB/WR: Do you trust Shaun Hill to guide the Lions offense against the Eagles? Me neither. If you have other options, leave the likes of Jahvid Best and Calvin Johnson on the bench.

WR: Champ Bailey kept Mike Sims-Walker on lockdown last week, and he's bound to do the same to the Seahawks receiver of his choice this week. There's no telling which member of that corps the Broncos will target, so let's leave Deion Branch, Mike Williams and Deon Butler on the bench.

TE: Keep Owen Daniels on the bench until he proves he's healthy enough to play close to every snap. The Texans have plenty of other weapons in the passing game, and they seem more committed to running the ball than in years past.

D/ST: Remember how excited you were when you pulled the trigger a little too early to draft the Jets defense? That was AWESOME. Oh, you're trying to forget about that? Good idea. And forget about starting them against the Patriots this week, too. Find a defense on the free agent wire that has a better matchup and sit the Jets for a week.

That's your Gameday4Cast for Week 2. Hope it leaves you with a sunny outlook when the last stats are tallied Monday night, but regardless, we'll be back for more next week, rain or shine.

LATE EDIT: Beanie Wells is inactive again for the Cardinals, so the 4Cast has cleared up dramatically for Tim Hightower against Atlanta. Follow us on Twitter for tweets and re-tweets of key active/inactive news and analysis throughout the day.

The Aftermath: Week 1

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 12:08:18 GMT

You just came home from a weekend away and the place is trashed.

Your priceless vase shattered when Shonn Greene dropped it, and you don't have LaDainian Tomlinson around to pick up the pieces.

Your dog went to the bathroom all over the place. Someone said Garrett Hartley tried to kick him out of the house, but he missed. At least we think that's dog urine -- or maybe Ryan Grant's ice pack sprung a leak.

Sure, somebody taped your ripped-up Kevin Kolb poster back together -- I think it was Andy Reid -- but it will never be the same.

And who's that guy crashed on your couch? Shaun Hill? How did he get in here? And how long is he staying? Four to six weeks!?!? Great.

So now you're left staring at this mess with nothing to ease your pain but that measly No. 7 waiver claim, and you don't know where to begin. Here's a starting point:

• QB: In deeper leagues, the only guy out there you know is going to start this week is Hill, so if you're desperate, he's your man. If you're willing to waste a roster spot for a few weeks, however, take a flyer on Michael Vick. No matter what Reid says, Vick was clearly the best quarterback on Philly's roster Sunday. Carolina's Jimmy Clausen is another potential pick-up, with starter Matt Moore suffering from a concussion. In 10-team leagues, guys like David Garrard and Kyle Orton are floating around, and while neither should be every-week starters, they're good enough as back-ups and can be spot starters when matchups dictate.

• RB: The man you want here is Brandon Jackson, who appears to be Green Bay's starting running back for the long-term, but unless you're holding the No. 1 waiver claim, forget about it. For the rest of us, Peyton Hillis looks like the clear No. 2 (or No. 1B) option in Cleveland, John Kuhn is a threat to snake Jackson's goal-line carries, and the Titans appear willing to give Javon Ringer some looks on the goal line. In 10-team leagues, you might be able to snag Fred Taylor, who is the closest thing the Patriots have to a featured back with Laurence Maroney gone to Denver, or Thomas Jones, who could be good trade bit for nervous Jamaal Charles owners.

• WR: If Jackson is the sure No. 1 waiver claim this week, Chargers WR Legedu Naanee can't be far behind. It was basically assumed that Malcom Floyd would assume the No. 1 receiver duties with Vincent Jackson out, but that didn't seem to be the case in Week 1. Naanee caught five passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, and he should be owned in every league. Everyone swooned for Seattle's Mike Williams after T.J. Houshmandzadeh was cut. But did you see that touchdown catch the other Mike Williams made for Tampa Bay? I did, and I'm sold. And I told you last week to snag Jacksonville's Mike Thomas if you needed a steady option, particularly in PPR leagues, and Thomas made me look good by catching six passes for 89 yards while teammate Mike Sims-Walker was shut out.

• TE: I was high on Marcedes Lewis as a solid free agent pickup before he caught two touchdowns in Week 1, and I already loved Jermaine Gresham's up-side before he snagged six passes and a TD in the opener. They're still available in most leagues. Add to the mix Kansas City rookie Tony Moeaki, who caught a touchdown pass in his debut and seems to be one of few receiving options on the same page with Matt Cassel. Also keep an eye on Cleveland's Evan Moore.

• D/ST: It's hard to find a bargain defense, but you can carry two and pick your spots or cycle them through each week for the best matchup. To that end, the Seahawks looked awfully good against the 49ers, and they're not exactly going against a juggernaut offense in Denver this week. They also get seven more games against a terrible division. The Chiefs have been awful on defense in recent years, but an injection of speed on that side of the ball, as well as the presence of Javier Arenas and Dexter McCluster on special teams, makes them an intriguing option, especially this week against the Browns.

That's my two cents on how to cure what ails your team, but the best advice I can offer is to avoid panic. It's a long season, and there will be ups and downs. Roles are going to change. Players are going to have bad games at some point in the season, so you can't make too much of a bad Week 1.

Hang in there. And get a maid service on speed dial.

Gameday4Cast: Week 1

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 04:27:23 GMT

Regardless of the weather wherever you are, the sun is shining brightly in a figurative sense, because it's the first Sunday of the NFL season. And that means it's time to get down to the important business of setting your fantasy lineup, and as always, we're here to help.

Let's take a look at the Gameday4Cast:

SUNNY

QB: In my mind, only about seven QBs in the league are obviously guys you'll start every week regardless of the matchup -- Rodgers, Manning, Brady, Schaub, Flacco, Rivers and Romo, if you're scoring at home -- and if you don't have one of them, you'll have to make tough decisions on a weekly basis. If you find yourself in that situation this week, give Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer and Kevin Kolb the nod, if you have that choice. Cutler gets to make his debut in Mike Martz's offense against the lowly Lions, Palmer has a ton of weapons at his disposal this year and he's going against a shoddy Patriots pass defense, and Kolb is up against a Packers secondary that has been depleted by injuries.

RB: I was ready to pencil in Darren McFadden for a rainy day until Michael Bush was declared inactive, and now I like McFadden as a solid flex play if not a No. 2 running back. Other RBs facing a sunny outlook this week are Jerome Harrison, Cadillac Williams, C.J. Spiller, Jahvid Best and Tim Hightower. Harrison and Williams because they don't have legitimate threats behind them on the depth chart, Spiller for his versatility and big-play potential, Best because Kevin Smith is out today, and Hightower because of Beanie Wells' uncertain injury status and the fact the Cardinals have Derek Anderson as their QB.

WR: In the "they have to throw to someone" department, you can plug in Santana Moss, Jabar Gaffney and Derrick Mason this week. These guys aren't sure-fire starters every week, but Moss is the Redskins' only serious big-play threat, Gaffney has emerged as the No. 1 receiver for a Broncos team facing last year's 27th-ranked pass defense, and Mason is on Escape from Revis Island duty this week, so he's practically a No. 1.

TE: Jason Campbell loved Chris Cooley, and he's going to love Zach Miller, too. The Titans had the second-worst pass defense in the league last year, and Oakland's receivers are unproven, so look for Campbell to go to Miller early and often.

DST: For the most part, defenses are unpredictable and interchangeable, but some matchups are better than others, and the 49ers have a great this week against a Seahawks team that is short on offensive weapons.

PARTLY CLOUDY

QB: The flip side of the quarterback equation we talked about in the last section is sometimes you have to sit the guy you drafted to be your starter, and that's the case this week with Joe Flacco, assuming you believe Anquan Boldin will be on lockdown out on Revis Island. The short passing game will still be there, but outside of Boldin, the Ravens don't have a big-time deep threat, so Flacco's value is limited. Also be wary of Matt Ryan against the Steelers, and let's wait a week on Jason Campbell to see what kind of rapport he has with his receivers and how committed the Raiders are to running the ball.

RB: Beware the time share. Sure, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are valuable, but which will get the bulk of the carries in Week 1? How committed are the Giants to making Ahmad Bradshaw their No. 1 back over Brandon Jacobs? Is Todd Haley enough of a maverick to start Thomas Jones over the obviously superior Jamaal Charles? Until we get the answers to some of these questions, go with a different option if you have one.

WR: Ordinarily, the guy standing across the line from Darrelle Revis should be a fixture on your bench, no matter how good he is, but with Revis basically walking in off the street this week, this is a strange situation for Anquan Boldin. If you have a better option, take it, but Boldin is a borderline start at worst. There's also some concern with Steelers receivers Hines Ward and Mike Wallace for the next four weeks, because we're not sure what to expect from Dennis Dixon.

TE: The switch to Mike Martz as offensive coordinator has turned Greg Olsen from rising fantasy star to presumed fantasy poison, but let's wait and see if old dogs can, in fact, learn new tricks before we get too down on him.

DST: If the Browns defense is on your roster, it's probably (hopefully) not your No. 1 defense. With that said, the Bucs are a great matchup for the Browns' D this week with Josh Freeman banged up.

STORM WARNING

QB: I'd be scared to death to start Donovan McNabb this week. Not only is he facing the pressure of making his Redskins debut, but he doesn't have many dangerous weapons around him, he's nursing a bum ankle and he's going against a Cowboys defense that ranked seventh in the league with 42 sacks last year. Also be wary of Chad Henne, who gets the tough Bills pass defense and won't even be on the field every snap with Ronnie Brown and the wildcat back in the mix.

RB: Still more time share trouble, but these guys don't have enough inherent value to even think about starting them until their situations clear up. It's unclear whether Justin Forsett or Leon Washington will get the most work in Seattle, and the Patriots' RB situation was a mess even before Laurence Maroney was declared inactive for Week 1, making it a three-way time share between Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk. Also try to stay away from injured Beanie Wells, as well as Joseph Addai, who is playing behind a banged-up offensive line.

WR: There's no question Kenny Britt is the most talented receiver in Tennessee, but there is plenty of question about how much he'll be on the field. Britt isn't listed as a starter on the depth chart, and until he works his way out of the doghouse, he's a marginal fantasy player. The Rams' receiving corps eventually will have some value with no clear-cut No. 1 option and team that will be throwing a lot when playing from behind, but until you see how the depth chart shakes out, keep Laurent Robinson, Brandon Gibson, Danny Amendola and Mark Clayton out of your lineup.

TE: Don't be fooled by the news that Owen Daniels will start today for the Texans. He won't play even close to every snap, and although he's valuable enough in the long-term to keep him on your roster, he shouldn't start this week.

DST: The Colts weren't terrible against the pass last year, but they weren't great, either, so they're a tough play against Matt Schaub and the Texans today.

That's the Gameday4Cast for Week 1. Follow us on Twitter for any last-minute updates and in-game analysis throughout the day. Hope the fantasy gods don't rain on your team's parade this week.

Gameday4cast: Expect Vikings, Saints to pile up the points

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 11:08:01 GMT

It's finally time to start the season, and I'm calling for shootout conditions with a 100 percent chance of offense. For the most part, if you have guys going tonight, you'll want to login and make sure they're in the lineup so you don't spend the next week and a half kicking yourself.

But there are a few key factors to take into consideration before you set that lineup, so let's take a look at the first edition of the Gameday4Cast.

QUARTERBACK

If you're thinking twice about whether Drew Brees should be in your lineup, you should have your fantasy football card taken away, if there were such a thing. Brees is a must-play every week.

Brett Favre's situation tonight is a bit different. Favre struggled against the Saints in last year's playoffs, and it's yet to be seen how well his bum ankle will hold up over the course of an entire game. If you have a viable option, let Favre sit for a week to see how he performs.

RUNNING BACK

Like Brees, Adrian Peterson should be in your lineup every week, unless you got confused and plucked the other Adrian Peterson off the waiver wire, in which case, you and the guy who benched Brees can play in the same league together next year.

On the other sideline, don't expect too much from Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. Minnesota boasted the league's second-best run defense last year, so the Saints are likely to lean on their potent passing game. Both Thomas and Bush do take a slight up-tick with third-stringer Chris Ivory out, though.

WIDE RECEIVER

Marques Colston is listed as probable, so it's safe to start him. As for the rest of the Saints' receivers, if they're worth owning, they're probably worth starting. That goes for Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson, and maybe even Lance Moore if you're desperate.

The Vikings' receiver situation is murky with Sidney Rice out and Percy Harvin suffering from splitting migraines. It seems Harvin will play, but he's a risky start, leaving Bernard Berrian as the best option and Greg Camarillo as a desperation play in the deepest of leagues.

TIGHT END

The Vikings' bad receiver situation is a plus for Visanthe Shiancoe, who should get plenty of looks from Favre, especially in the red zone, where Rice's absence will be a huge factor.

Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey has been banged up. He will play, but you probably don't want him in your lineup this week.

THE SKINNY

Look for the Saints' passing game to pick up where it left off a year ago, resulting in a big night for Brees and his receiving corps. Expect the expected from Peterson -- a big night on the ground -- and temper your expectations surrounding Favre and Minnesota's depleted passing game.

Sifting through the free agent pile for a last-minute bandage

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 12:20:49 GMT

So it's the eve of the season opener, and your roster needs some bandages. Maybe you got burned by the auto-pick or bitten by the injury bug, or maybe you just had a plain, ol' bad draft. It happens.

Now you have some holes to fill and you're scrambling to make a last-minute pickup to salvage your roster for Week 1. Here's a position-by-position breakdown of potential free agents who might be able to help, but we're not making any promises you'll find a needle in that haystack.

QUARTERBACK

Yeah, right. Better make a trade.

RUNNING BACK

See "Quarterback."

A few of the less desirable "handcuff" guys are probably out there, such as Tennessee's Javon Ringer, Philadelphia's Leonard Weaver, Tampa Bay's Earnest Graham and Cleveland's Peyton Hillis, all of whom are one break away from having fairly significant value, but any backs available on the free agent market at this point probably need an injury to someone in front of them to gain any fantasy swagger.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Finally, a position with enough depth to facilitate a free agent find at the 11th hour. Not many of these guys are viable Week 1 starters, but a few of them can add depth now and might just blossom into more than bye week bandages down the road. (Percent owned as of 5 p.m. Wednesday)

• Chris Chambers, WR, Chiefs (34% owned in Yahoo leagues, 9.9% owned in ESPN leagues) -- Chambers is virtually a co-No. 1 receiver along with Dwayne Bowe for a team that is likely to play from behind quite a bit, and therefore ought to be throwing plenty. He had 60 yards or more receiving in five of nine games after joining the Chiefs last year.

• Mike Thomas, WR, Jaguars (5% Yahoo, 3.3% ESPN) -- Might Thomas be this year's version of teammate Mike Sims-Walker? He might. He's quick and has great hands, and with 13 catches over the last two games of 2009, he could be especially valuable in PPR leagues.

• Nate Washington, WR, Titans (19% Yahoo, 2.0% ESPN) -- While folks were drafting teammate Kenny Britt, Washington was quietly claiming the starting job - and thus the fantasy value - assumed to be Britt's. If he can improve on last year's 47 catches for 569 yards and six TDs, he'll be a steal as a free agent pick-up, especially in PPR leagues.

• Josh Morgan, WR, 49ers (5% Yahoo, 8.8% ESPN) -- Morgan was a popular sleeper pick who turned out to be a bust a year ago, but he might just be a year late in blooming. With Michael Crabtree working opposite him, he should be able to get open, and if Alex Smith continues to develop into a legit quarterback, Morgan will have some value.

• Danny Amendola, WR, Rams (11% Yahoo, 1.6% ESPN) -- Laurent Robinson shot up the draft boards when Donnie Avery was lost for the year, but Amendola has been largely overlooked. When Mark Clayton gets up to speed in the offense, Amendola is likely to move back to the slot, where he had a fair amount of success last season.

TIGHT ENDS

Like running backs, all the guys who are really worth having are probably gone. But tight end can be a feast-or-famine position, and if you're willing to endure a big, fat zero some weeks, you might end up with a big payoff the week your guys hauls in a couple short touchdown passes. If you're in a pinch, grab one of these guys, but the better move might be to hold out until folks start to drop those second and third tight ends they drafted as they scramble to cover bye weeks at other positions.

• Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jaguars (27% Yahoo, 3.1% ESPN) -- Lewis gets a bad rap because he has never lived up to his potential, but he's still the starter in a decent offense and has a good rapport with quarterback David Garrard. You could do worse.

• Bo Scaife, TE, Titans (4% Yahoo, 1.7% ESPN) -- If you've been playing fantasy football for a while, chances are good you've owned Scaife, and you've been disappointed with Scaife. But the guy has caught at least 45 passes each of the past three seasons, and if he just gets some more red-zone looks, he could be quite an asset.

• Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots (9% Yahoo, 9.4% ESPN) -- You'll have to be desperate to go this route, because Gronkowski is still listed behind veteran Alge Crumpler on the depth chart, but he seems to have edged himself into position for more playing time and caught four touchdown passes in the preseason, and the Patriots no longer have Mike Vrabel poaching red-zone targets.

Hope you find at least one hidden gem in there to bolster your roster. That's all I have for now, but check back tomorrow for the Gameday4Cast, and we'll break down the matchups and help you get your lineup set for opening night.

Cuts like a knife: What to do when your fantasy pick is suddenly unemployed

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 07:46:12 GMT

Let's face it, if you're drafting guys for your fantasy team who end up getting cut by their real teams, you're probably not going to win your league.

I mean, they only cut chumps like sixth-string wide receivers, and fourth-string tight ends, and ... what, now?

Awww, man.

I suspect that was the reaction from anyone who was counting on T.J. Houshmandzadeh to have a rebound year (count me among them) or anyone who drafted two weeks ago, when Matt Leinart was still the starting quarterback in Arizona, rather than an unemployed former Heisman Trophy winner.

Maybe the Leftorium is hiring.

The Leinart move doesn't have much fantasy impact you didn't already know about. Even if the Cardinals didn't cut him, they had made it pretty clear he wouldn't be the starter, so if he was still on your roster, shame on you. It does mean you can hang onto Derek Anderson if you're desperate for a backup QB, but that's about it.

The Houshmandzadeh move knocks over a few more dominoes, though we're not exactly sure which ones yet.

There's no need to panic and cut Housh, because he will land somewhere, and his new digs could end up being positive for his fantasy prospects -- especially if he goes to Minnesota. Treat it like an injury that will keep him out a couple weeks and stash him on the bench, then cross your fingers that his new team doesn't have a bye week that totally wrecks your plans. When he does find a new home, be sure to adjust his new team's depth chart accordingly and make sure you're not holding onto the odd man out.

If it wasn't so much Housh you were hot on as much as that juggernaut Seahawks offense (that's sarcasm, by the way), the development helps Seattle WRs Mike Williams (remember him?), Golden Tate and Deon Butler, so if you're scraping to add a receiver to the end of your bench, see if those guys are hanging around the free agent pile.

A few other semi-notable cuts included Redskins RB Not-So-Fast Willie Parker, Ravens K Shayne Graham and Dolphins TE and one-time future fantasy stud David Martin. If you were counting on any of the other guys who fell victim to the axe Saturday, you might need more help than I can provide. Best of luck.

THE NEW SLEEPERS

As an ink-stained wretch in my day job, it pains me to say it, but if a guy shows up to your draft with a fantasy football magazine, roundly mock him and make him feel shame.

Think about it. When that magazine went to print in June or July, where do you think it had Brandon Jacobs ranked? Leinart? Sidney Rice? Brett Favre?

My point being these things are fluid. From depth chart changes to cuts to injuries to un-retirements, tons of factors affect fantasy value every day during the preseason, and if you're working off weeks- or months-old rankings, you're doomed.

That goes for sleeper lists, too. If you walk into your draft thinking you'll snag Arian Foster or C.J. Spiller as your shocking sleeper pick in the 16th round, you're dead. In this age of information, last week's sleepers are wide awake this week.

So here's a slightly updated list of guys to target late, but beware this list is highly perishable:

• Kareem Huggins, RB, Buccaneers: This guy won't be a sleeper for long, and the word is probably already getting out on him. The Bucs cut Derrick Ward, making Huggins the No. 2 back behind oft-injured Cadillac Williams, which has proven to be prime upside position in recent years.

• Laurent Robinson, WR, Rams: Again, it might be too late to call him a sleeper, but he won't be on the magazine guy's list. It's usually not a good idea to draft guys you have to announce along with their team and position because nobody in your league has heard of them, but Robinson is the No. 1 receiver in St. Louis with Donnie Avery out, and regardless of the rookie QB, how many No. 1 receivers can you snag in the late rounds?

• James Davis and/or Peyton Hillis, RB, Browns: Montario Hardesty was my man. Had him in a bunch of leagues, because I thought for sure he would take Jerome Harrison's job. Now Hardesty is out for the year with a torn ACL, and one or both of these guys are going to get some work. It seems to me Hillis is the safer pick, especially in PPR leagues, but Davis has more upside.

• Jermaine Gresham, TE, Bengals: A big, athletic tight end is something Carson Palmer has never really had, so it's hard to say how he'll use Gresham, but with Ochocinco and T.O. drawing a lot of attention, it would seem Gresham would be a very nice check-down option, as well as a big red-zone target. If you miss out on the early tight end run and don't feel to confident about your No. 1 guy, snag Gresham late and see what develops.

• Mike Williams, WR, Seahawks: The aforementioned Williams figures to be a starting WR in Seattle now that Housh is on his way out of town. The former Lions bust has generated a ton of buzz in the preseason, so he might be on some folks' radars, but he probably wasn't on any cheat sheets before Saturday, so you can probably make him a sneaky-good late pick.

Searching for a sleeper keeper with Strasburg on the shelf

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:02:31 GMT

Strasburg wept.

And so did his keeper league owners.

The right-hander who seemed sent from above -- the one you mortgaged the first half of this season on just to be sure you drafted him in your keeper league -- appears to be headed for Dr. Lewis Yocum's operating table. (Think of him as the Nationals' personal Dr. James Andrews.)

Hopefully you were preparing for this possibility from the first time you saw that ridiculous breaking ball fall off the edge of the earth, but no amount of preparation would make it easier to swallow losing the guy who could have been your ace for years to come.

Unless you have enough DL spots to justify stashing him for a full season, Strasburg has been stricken from your keeper list, and considering how early you probably had to pull the trigger to get him this year, there's a pretty good chance you don't have many more stud SPs on your roster.

So it's time to scour for a sleeper keeper to build around for the future.

It's a little outdated now because of injuries, but here's a pretty solid list of keeper rankings from ESPN.com's Tristan Cockcroft. Peruse it to see if any of the guys on your current roster are worth hanging onto, and if not, start working that waiver wire.

Here are a few names to start your search with:

If you're already out of the playoff picture and desperate for a young pitcher to take into next year, you could probably snag Mike Leake off the scrap heap. The Reds already have sent him to the bullpen, and now they're talking about shutting him down. If nothing else, maybe he gets off to a great start again next season and you can flip him for someone else.

The same goes for Reds teammate Edinson Volquez, who might land on the waiver wire (if he hasn't already) after rumblings the Reds would send him to the bullpen. Volquez isn't all the way back from his own Tommy John surgery, so you can expect him to improve next season from what he did after his return this year.

Along the same lines, the team in your league that snatched up Nationals P Jordan Zimmermann last week might dump him after he allowed five runs in four innings Thursday against St. Louis, but his numbers during his rehab in the minors were impressive and he's still hitting the mid-90s on the gun. Might be worth a flyer.

A few other guys who might have slipped from the grasp of a panic-stricken owner based on recent injuries or poor performance but still have great upside for the future include San Diego's Wade LeBlanc, Tampa Bay's Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann, and Florida's Ricky Nolasco.

Happy hunting.

Morning Buzz: A double shot of fantasy espresso

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:57:18 GMT

Today's Morning Buzz is a double shot of espresso, because diaper duty and such postponed yesterday's post, but there's plenty of news to cover, so let's get to sippin' that fantasy Joe.

TRAGICALLY HIP

So who had anyone other than Old Man Favre as the first Vikings player to need hip surgery this season?

Yeah, me neither.

But unless your league has ample IR spots, you'll want to knock Vikings WR Sidney Rice down quite a few pegs on your draft board. After emerging as one of the league's top receivers last year with 83 catches for 1,312 yards and eight TDs, Rice is expected to miss at least half the season after needing surgery on his hip, which was injured in the Vikings' loss to the Saints in the NFC Championship game.

The domino effect here dings Favre quite a bit, too. He does, after all, lose his top receiver for at least half the season. But it should have a positive fantasy impact on several Vikings.

So who will be the lucky recipients of Favre's steely gaze with Rice sidelined?

It is good news for WR Bernard Berrian and TE Visanthe Shiancoe, who figure to pick up a lot of Rice's targets, especially in the red zone, and to a lesser degree WR Percy Harvin, who should get more looks from Favre if he ever overcomes those pesky migraines, but also will draw more attention from top defensive backs.

It also could be a boon for RB Adrian Peterson, who is already among the top two or three backs in the league in fantasy terms.

ANOTHER WR OFF THE BOARD

He's certainly not on the same level as Rice, but Raiders WR Chaz Schilens also could miss half the season after having his knee scoped Tuesday. You were probably naive if you were counting on Schilens to stay healthy this season, even though it's fair to assume the Raiders will boast an improved passing game with Jason Campbell replacing sizzyrup-sippin' JaMarcus Russell.

You could still do well by targeting a handful of Oakland receivers in the later rounds -- in fact, Schilens' loss is WR Louis Murphy's gain, and it won't hurt WR Darrius Heyward-Bey or TE Zach Miller, either.

YOUNG CINCY PITCHERS SEEING RED

If you haven't already cut ties with Reds P Mike Leake, it's probably time, unless you're in an awfully deep keeper league. If you jumped on Leake early this year, you got a nice boost for the first half of the season, but the rookie has allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 innings since being moved to the bullpen, and now he seems more likely to be shut down for the season than reinserted in the starting rotation.

If that happens, it looks like Leake's spot in the bullpen could be filled by Edinson Volquez, who is in danger of losing his turn in the rotation after getting knocked out in the first inning Monday at San Francisco and lasting only 4 1/3 innings in his previous start.

THIS AND THAT

Tigers OF Magglio Ordonez is done for the year after making plans to have surgery on the ankle he broke sliding into home plate July 24. Unless you long ago abandoned your team, you didn't have Ordonez on your active roster for the past few weeks anyway, but now it's safe to dump him even from the DL. ... The Pirates' closer situation got a little muddy Tuesday, when Joel Hanrahan came in to get out of a seventh-inning jam and pitch the eighth, while Evan Meek allowed one run and loaded the bases in the ninth before locking down his second save. Unless you're desperate for saves, neither of these guys is a great option, because the Pirates don't exactly provide ample save opportunities for one closer, let alone two. ... Desperate for a catcher for the stretch run? You could do worse than new Dodgers C Rod Barajas, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a go-ahead three-run homer in his debut in Dodger blue Tuesday. If he keeps hitting, Barajas should continue to get lots of playing time ahead of aging Brad Ausmus, who is hitting .196.

Can you outfox the Fantasy4Caster?

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 06:29:43 GMT

We figure no self-proclaimed fantasy sports expert worth his or her salt would pass up a chance to prove his skills, so we jumped at the chance to join the Sports Page Network's Fantasy Football Challenge.

This is a league of epic proportions -- 32 teams with 31 roster spots for each team, including a coach -- so you'll have to know your stuff well enough to uncover a few gems deep in the draft.

And it's a dynasty league, so you have one shot to build your team a solid foundation for the future, with only rookies available in each subsequent draft. One bad draft day can set back your franchise for years -- kind of like the Detroit Lions.

The entry fee is $30, so if you're ready to put your money where your mouth is and try to outfox the Fantasy4Caster and a handful of other Sports Page Network writers, send e-mail to gregg@sportspagenetwork to get in on the action!

Draft Day Drama, Vol. 1

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:19:33 GMT

A few thoughts from my first football draft of the season, for which I was woefully unprepared (see my last post about dirty diapers and you'll understand):

• No rush for running backs. The days of drafting RBs in the first two rounds are over, as far as I'm concerned. In fact, if you're picking later than No. 8, you might not even want to pick one in the first two rounds. There are so few slam-dunk No. 1 RBs right now that the top tier at that position is awfully thin, but the crop of potential sleepers is plentiful.

I'm not convinced a second-round RB like Shonn Greene will be that much better than seventh-rounder Justin Forsett or eighth-rounder Arian Foster. But I'm willing to bet second-round QBs Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will vastly outperform seventh-rounders Brett Favre and Jay Cutler and eighth-rounder Matt Ryan. And I'm confident second-round WRs Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald will be far more productive than seventh-rounders Hakeem Nicks and Jeremy Maclin (and I'm a Mizzou guy to the core).

My point? The bell curve on running backs has moved drastically toward mediocrity, and there's no need to draft mediocre players in the early rounds. Don't pass up guys like Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson or Maurice Jones-Drew, by any means, but if you aren't picking in the first half of the first round, you'll be better served to use those first few picks on elite QBs and WRs.

• Isn't he hurt? Maybe it's just the way athletes are more pampered and protected than ever before, but it seems there are more top players nursing injuries during peak fantasy draft season than I can remember. Especially with the secretive nature of some franchises when it comes to injury reports, it can be a scary proposition to spend an early draft pick on a guy who is dinged up before the season even begins. (See Moreno, Knowshon -- sure, the Broncos say he'll be ready to go for Week 1, but I'm not wild about having a starting fantasy RB with a bum hammy).

There are plenty of other cautionary tales out there, including Panthers WR Steve Smith, Vikings WRs Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin, and Cowboys WR Dez Bryant. I'm not opposed to drafting a guy nursing an injury, especially if you already have enough depth at the position to wait for him to heal, but I'm not comfortable using a premium pick on a guy who is banged up, especially if you can get a comparable but healthy player with the same pick.

• Look at all those tight ends! No, not that kind of tight ends. Get your mind out of the gutter (though perhaps double entendre is just the ticket to boost our traffic). We're talking about the kind of tight ends that are like oversized receivers and have typically been scarce when it comes to finding one that can help your fantasy team.

Not any more, my friends. By my count, there are no fewer than 17 tight ends I would feel comfortable starting every week. Sure, the top five or six are studs, while the next 12 or 13 are merely solid, but there's no need to panic if you end up on the wrong end of the early TE run.

• It's the year of the rebound guy. I sometimes have a tendency to dismiss a player who burned me the previous year, but I'm trying real hard to break myself of that habit this year and try to take advantage of some players' plummeting stock.

Sometimes these are guys who are just a year late breaking out of their sleeper shell, and other times they are guys who simply had a bad year and can be snagged late in hopes they rebound to their previous star status.

A few guys that fit the mold for me this year are Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, Bears QB Jay Cutler, Jets TE Dustin Keller, Bears RB Matt Forte, Cowboys RB Marion Barber, Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe, Seahawks WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and 49ers WR Josh Morgan.

I'm not saying these guys will have huge years, but they're going awfully late based on last year's disappointing performance, so they could turn into good value picks.

*****

I have several more drafts on tap next weekend, so I'll get my nose in a couple magazines and websites and pass along some more thoughts this week. And I haven't forgotten those of you locked in baseball pennant races -- I'm in a couple myself -- so I'll try to help y'all out, as well.

No one cares about your fantasy team ... or your kid

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:06:16 GMT

The smattering of followers this blog picked up in its infancy might be wondering where we've been the past couple of weeks. I mean, what kind of fantasy sports blog totally bails in the middle of the MLB trade deadline and can't even muster a post about Brett Favre coming back? (Although to be fair, we did have a post about Favre kind of sort of maybe thinking about not coming back, in which we told you he was totally coming back.)

But anyway, where have we been during these busy couple of weeks? With our head buried in fantasy football magazines trying to crunch the numbers and give you the world's greatest draft tips?

Not exactly.

We won't bore you with the details, because if there's one thing strangers could care less about than your fantasy team, it's your kid, and let's just say the absence of blogging has coincided with newborn training camp in the Fantasy4caster household. Coincidentally, if your league has diapers changed as a scoring category, you'll want to move mountains to make us your first-round pick.

But we are back -- and hopefully better than ever -- with a spiffy new logo, a new home here on the Sports Page Network, and a newfound respect for stay-at-home moms and dads.

It's that time of year when we fantasy nuts have to juggle the task of making a run at the fantasy baseball pennant while preparing for peak fantasy football draft season -- which is probably a little easier for folks who don't have to worry about changing a diaper every 11 minutes.

So stay tuned for fantasy news and analysis with a dash of funny. sprinkled on top. That's what we do around here between dirty diapers.