Ray Rice took his moment in the sun, er, dome, to announce to the NFL and fantasy owners everywhere, that he is for real. After Sunday's bombastic performance against the league's most proficient rush defense, if there are any doubters left, they can line up to my right and I'll slap the density out of them.
Rice assaulted the Vikings defense for 196 all purpose yards, including 10 receptions for 117 yards, and two rushing touchdowns. Prior to Sunday the Vikings had yet to surrender even one rushing TD. To say that Rice had a decent day would be like saying Hitler lacked people skills.
Rice probably singularly won the week for many of his fantasy owners. In last week's Start Sit column, I recommended benching Willis McGahee, and based on the Vikings brick wall against opposing runners, also suggested Rice owners might best be served by playing someone else. As one reader pointed out, I'll need a big fork to eat my crow this week.
Thanks to Rice, and one Laurence Maroney. I have this bastardized commercial jingle stuck in my head tonight; "Rice Maroney, the San Francisco treat." Stupid yes, I know, and if you remember the original commercial, you're dating yourself. My honest belief was the cold weather made Maroney run like a fool on a mission. I know if there were snow on the ground and I had a bunch of 300 pound men chasing me, I wouldn't be stopping for anything.
So what do we make of Laurence Maroney's value after his stellar performance against the tough Titan's run defense? Maroney rushed 16 times for 143 yards and a score. His YPC was 7.7. Impressive. Back-up sophomore RB, BenJarvis Green-Ellis also had seven rushes for 67 yards and a 9.6 YPC. All of this happened because Sammy Morris got hurt in the first quarter and left the game. And of course Tom Brady just trashed the Titans secondary with six TD passes in just over a half. My grandmother in her walker could have scored in that game. If Morris' injury is serious, then Maroney may be worth a waiver grab, but if Morris' injury is minor, I wouldn't waste my time. He was the benefactor of garbage yardage in a blow-out victory.
Much as I suspected when I was forced to acknowledge Michael Turner after last week's 3 TD performance, he crashed right back down to mediocrity Sunday with a whopping 30 yards rushing and a 3.2 YPC average. He did score once, which was his only redeeming quality.
Rashard Mendenhall had a decent day, but Willie Parker's return cost him yards. This week he faces the Vikings defense that was so impenetrable prior to Rice's big day.
You know things are bad for your team when your leading rusher is:
Your QB - Chicago's Jay Cutler leads his team with 3 rushes for 34 rushing yards.
Your WR/KR - Cleveland's Joshua Cribbs leads his team with 6 rushes for 45 yards.
Your Top RB - Seattle's Julius Jones runs for an amazing 5 yards on 5 carries. His back up , Edgerrin James had 3 yards on 3 carries. The third string RB, Justin Forsett had twice the YPC by hitting 4 yards on 2 carries. Three backs, 12 yards. I can't make this up.
In Week 7 we have the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans on bye week. You really have to feel for the Titans going into their Bye week 0-6 after a modern day record beat down. This week's bye RBs: Chris Johnson, Lendale White, Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Julius Jones (does he even count?), Knowshon Moreno, Kevin Smith, and Maurice Jones-Drew.
--Week 7 ~ RB Start 'em--
Joseph Addai/Donald Brown, IND - After a week of rest, the Colts RB tandem gets to run all over the St. Louis Rams.
Ryan Grant, GBP - Grant gets to trash the Browns run defense in Week 7. If he plays his snaps right, he could have his best game of the season.
Thomas Jones/Leon Washington, NYJ - The Jets duo could put a similar hurt on the Raiders rush defense that they did to the Bills-- 372 total yards, including 309 rushing.
DeAngelo Williams, CAR - Speaking of the Bills... Williams finally put up a first round caliber performance against the lowly Buccaneers. He should have another solid week against Buffalo. Then sell him high if you can find someone to pay too much.
Frank Gore, SFO - Gore should return from his injury ready for a tasty match-up against the woeful Texans rush defense.
Risk/Reward ~ Larry Johnson, KCC vs. San Diego Chargers - If there was ever a game to play the lame-duck RB, this is the week, against the league's worst rush defense. Johnson managed 83 rush yards against the Washington Redskins fairly tough run defense, so he could put up a 100 yard game with a score or two against the Chargers.
--Week 7 ~ RB Sit 'em--
Michael Turner, ATL - In keeping with my ritual of benching a big name fantasy starter, Turner faces a decent Dallas Cowboys rush defense. He might score, but he won't see many yards. The TD will be luck of the draw.
Rashard Mendenhall, PIT - The Steelers' sophomore RB has had three solid weeks against weak rush defenses. But as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, this week he plays Minnesota, who barring Ray Rice, have been rock-solid against the run. Further dilute that with Willie Parker's return and the ever-increasing pass attack for the Steelers, and I stick with the idea that you should trade him this week before he has a bad day and then goes on bye week.
Jamal Lewis, CLE - The Browns have nothing going on offensively and this week they face the staunch Green Bay run defense. This Brown won't do much for you in week 7.
Ronnie Brown, MIA - Speaking of Browns, Ronnie entered his bye week as the league's #2 fantasy RB. So I must be el loco to bench him, right? Two big starters in the same week. Against the New Orleans Saints' smothering defense, who surrendered only 81 yards to the Giants' big RB duo of Bradshaw and Jacobs, I'd say Brown will have an uphill battle gaining yards. So yes, this week I would let him rest, IF you have another solid option. Don't sit him for someone like Mike Bell or Glen Coffee.
Risk/Reward ~ Adrian Peterson vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - Peterson is always a threat to put up big numbers and score. That said, this week he'll face the new number one rush defense. Play him at your own risk.
–Current RB Top 50 Statistical Rankings through Week 6 (Actual stats)–
|
Player |
Team |
G |
Att |
Yard |
TD |
Target |
Rec |
Yard |
TD |
Fantasy Points |
| 1. Adrian Peterson |
MIN |
6 |
121 |
624 |
7 |
16 |
14 |
85 |
0 |
112.9 |
| 2. Maurice Jones-Drew |
JAC |
6 |
108 |
463 |
8 |
37 |
26 |
165 |
0 |
110.8 |
| 3. Ray Rice |
BAL |
6 |
73 |
441 |
3 |
43 |
33 |
325 |
1 |
100.6 |
| 4. Chris Johnson |
TEN |
6 |
95 |
596 |
2 |
25 |
16 |
126 |
1 |
90.2 |
| 5. Ronnie Brown |
MIA |
5 |
93 |
443 |
6 |
12 |
9 |
64 |
0 |
86.7 |
| 6. Thomas Jones |
NYJ |
6 |
96 |
481 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
18 |
0 |
85.9 |
| 7. Cedric Benson |
CIN |
6 |
127 |
531 |
4 |
14 |
10 |
66 |
0 |
83.7 |
| 8. Steve Slaton |
HOU |
6 |
91 |
274 |
1 |
28 |
23 |
282 |
2 |
73.6 |
| 9. DeAngelo Williams |
CAR |
5 |
89 |
372 |
4 |
17 |
13 |
123 |
0 |
73.5 |
| 10. Michael Turner |
ATL |
5 |
100 |
353 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
21 |
0 |
73.4 |
| 11. Willis McGahee |
BAL |
6 |
45 |
202 |
5 |
12 |
8 |
58 |
2 |
68.0 |
| 12. Ahmad Bradshaw |
NYG |
6 |
68 |
423 |
3 |
8 |
6 |
74 |
0 |
67.7 |
| 13. Steven Jackson |
STL |
6 |
120 |
501 |
0 |
31 |
20 |
170 |
0 |
67.1 |
| 14. Kevin Smith |
DET |
6 |
109 |
348 |
3 |
25 |
19 |
143 |
0 |
67.1 |
| 15. Rashard Mendenhall |
PIT |
6 |
68 |
349 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
70 |
0 |
65.9 |
| 16. Fred Jackson |
BUF |
6 |
98 |
415 |
0 |
28 |
20 |
177 |
1 |
65.2 |
| 17. Ricky Williams |
MIA |
5 |
61 |
316 |
2 |
14 |
11 |
132 |
1 |
62.8 |
| 18. Clinton Portis |
WAS |
6 |
106 |
447 |
1 |
12 |
9 |
57 |
1 |
62.4 |
| 19. Joseph Addai |
IND |
5 |
62 |
210 |
3 |
28 |
26 |
153 |
1 |
60.3 |
| 20. Knowshon Moreno |
DEN |
6 |
99 |
381 |
1 |
11 |
9 |
68 |
1 |
56.9 |
| 21. Ryan Grant |
GB |
5 |
91 |
347 |
2 |
15 |
12 |
100 |
0 |
56.7 |
| 22. Tim Hightower |
ARI |
5 |
51 |
158 |
3 |
34 |
29 |
228 |
0 |
56.6 |
| 23. Cadillac Williams |
TB |
6 |
64 |
276 |
2 |
18 |
15 |
89 |
1 |
54.5 |
| 24. Frank Gore |
SF |
3 |
39 |
241 |
3 |
11 |
8 |
57 |
1 |
53.8 |
| 25. Julius Jones |
SEA |
6 |
74 |
290 |
1 |
14 |
12 |
67 |
2 |
53.7 |
| 26. Marion Barber |
DAL |
4 |
58 |
297 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
58 |
0 |
53.5 |
| 27. Pierre Thomas |
NO |
4 |
48 |
284 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
42 |
0 |
50.6 |
| 28. Correll Buckhalter |
DEN |
5 |
47 |
313 |
1 |
15 |
12 |
125 |
0 |
49.8 |
| 29. Matt Forte |
CHI |
5 |
86 |
294 |
1 |
21 |
18 |
129 |
0 |
48.3 |
| 30. Brandon Jacobs |
NYG |
6 |
107 |
388 |
1 |
10 |
5 |
23 |
0 |
47.1 |
| 31. Leon Washington |
NYJ |
6 |
70 |
324 |
0 |
26 |
15 |
131 |
0 |
45.5 |
| 32. Tashard Choice |
DAL |
5 |
44 |
225 |
2 |
17 |
12 |
92 |
0 |
43.7 |
| 33. Jonathan Stewart |
CAR |
5 |
50 |
248 |
2 |
9 |
8 |
69 |
0 |
43.7 |
| 34. Brian Westbrook |
PHI |
4 |
38 |
184 |
1 |
22 |
17 |
130 |
1 |
43.4 |
| 35. Reggie Bush |
NO |
5 |
42 |
165 |
2 |
25 |
15 |
128 |
0 |
41.3 |
| 36. Donald Brown |
IND |
5 |
44 |
154 |
2 |
9 |
7 |
138 |
0 |
41.2 |
| 37. Darren Sproles |
SD |
5 |
38 |
90 |
1 |
23 |
16 |
201 |
1 |
41.1 |
| 38. Mike Bell |
NO |
3 |
60 |
263 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
39.2 |
| 39. Larry Johnson |
KC |
6 |
116 |
309 |
0 |
16 |
11 |
69 |
0 |
37.8 |
| 40. Michael Bush |
OAK |
6 |
48 |
179 |
2 |
9 |
9 |
53 |
0 |
35.2 |
| 41. Chester Taylor |
MIN |
6 |
36 |
91 |
1 |
27 |
21 |
187 |
0 |
33.8 |
| 42. Fred Taylor |
NE |
4 |
45 |
201 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
17 |
0 |
33.8 |
| 43. Laurence Maroney |
NE |
6 |
48 |
222 |
1 |
7 |
6 |
36 |
0 |
31.8 |
| 44. Jerome Harrison |
CLE |
5 |
61 |
228 |
0 |
20 |
14 |
88 |
0 |
31.6 |
| 45. Glen Coffee |
SF |
5 |
71 |
183 |
1 |
15 |
10 |
69 |
0 |
31.2 |
| 46. Sammy Morris |
NE |
6 |
30 |
109 |
1 |
16 |
12 |
137 |
0 |
30.6 |
| 47. Jamal Lewis |
CLE |
4 |
67 |
233 |
0 |
9 |
6 |
70 |
0 |
30.3 |
| 48. Willie Parker |
PIT |
4 |
59 |
185 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
53 |
1 |
29.8 |
| 49. LeSean McCoy |
PHI |
5 |
45 |
175 |
1 |
15 |
8 |
62 |
0 |
29.7 |
| 50. Felix Jones |
DAL |
3 |
21 |
212 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
20 |
0 |
29.2 |
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What I was listening to while writing this article: In honor of Ray Rice, the next time he beats up on a staunch defense, it'll be No Surprise--
