This weekend marks the beginning of the fantasy football season's second half. Regardless of how your team has fared so far, most teams are still in the running. Even if they are sub-500 at this point. So now is the time to do as you did in the pre-season and start crunching numbers, looking at trends, and finding steals and deals.
Like every other season we have seen studs falter, injuries create loss and opportunity, and new names have risen from seemingly nowhere. For those who took a chance on the ever disappointing Darren McFadden, you have to be feeling pretty damn good right now, meanwhile, those who took DeAngelo Williams and Ray Rice, not so much.
Looking ahead to the play-off run, let's look at a few guys who could potentially make a real difference at cheaper prices.
Jamaal Charles, KC ~ Charles started off slow this season, and Thomas Jones has eaten away a ton of yardage. Charles only has 2 TDs on the season. Still he's only 100 yards shy of Adrian Peterson's yardage numbers on the season, and half of Charles yards have come in his last three games. He's heating up, and he's been a top 5 RB the last 3 weeks. If he starts finding the end zone like he did last season, he could be a monster down the stretch. He's undervalued right now. Good time for a trade.
BenJarvis Green-Ellis, NE ~ This guys name is almost a tongue twister. The kid started the season, 5th on the Patriots depth chart, and now he's finally getting a chance to produce. Over the last 3 weeks he's scored 4 times and put up top 8 fantasy RB numbers. New England should continue to lean on this guy the rest of the way, and despite his production so far, he's still undervalued.
LeGarrette Blount, TB ~ The Cadillac is out of gas, and Blount is now getting his shot for the Bucs. He's averaged 100 yards a game and a score the last 2 weeks. Imagine what he might do as a starter. Every one is jumping on this kid so he's hardly an easy bargain, but he could be had for a better known name, and sometimes people bite on names over potential production.
Fred Jackson, BUF ~ Marshawn Lynch is gone, so Fred is the number one guy again for the Bills. While he's starting to warm up, he hasn't put up a fantasy highlight day yet. But it's going to happen, and he could be a real producer as the winter months approach. Now is the time to steal him from a team who has given up on him.
Knowshon Moreno, DEN ~ Moreno has been under productive and hurt in the first half, but he's shown signs of life the last couple of weeks. With a bye this week, now is the time when managers are probably willing to offload the kid on the cheap. He should find his rhythm down the stretch, and in keeper leagues he's a long term bargain.
--Bonus Pick--
Marshawn Lynch, SEA ~ So far Lynch hasn't shown much for the Seahawks, but he's still a bull, and he could start breaking out at any moment. The Seahawks O-line is dreadful, so he's hardly a sure bet. But if you're trying to turn your season around and you're looking for a potential breakout candidate, Lynch could potentially be that guy. At this point in the season, it may be worth the gamble for struggling teams.
