Well every dog has its day, and as I sit here in my own dog house, my only consolation is remembering that even a good quarterback can have an awful week, every great runner can be shut down unexpectedly, and every WR can be neutralized in a game he should have excelled in.
I am, of course, talking about last week’s performers that literally did a 180 turn.
Hakeem Nicks was MIA due to the flow of the game, Greg Jennings torched a Miami secondary that was supposed to shut him down, and Dwayne Bowe decided to show up with 108 yards and two scores.
But in order to be good at something you have to develop a short term memory and make necessary adjustments, in an effort to rebound.
Which brings us to Week 7, as the upside down world of the NFL continues to turn.
Let’s take a look at what’s on tap, including why Patrick Crayton could wind up being this week’s top performer.
Must Start of the Week: Patrick Crayton – San Diego Chargers
Since coming to San Diego, the Cowboys’ throw-away, has found limited and spotty success in a pass happy offense.
Last week’s 6 catch 117 yard performance was a sign that Crayton could be a great play this week, against a poor New England secondary.
The main reason for this is the Chargers are going to be without WR Malcom Floyd (hamstring). In addition to that, WR Legedu Naanee is also dealing with a bad hammy, and isn’t considered a true WR1.
In addition to that you have to believe that New England will have an easier time keeping TE Antonio Gates bottled up, and an easier time focusing on goaline back Mike Tolbert opening up huge opportunities for Crayton.
As a side note, if Crayton isn’t available, and you are looking for a fill-in WR from San Diego, try your luck with Craig Davis who is also figured to play a major role this week.
Two Through Ten
| 2. Roddy White – Falcons: White had an unexpected mild week vs. the Eagles, but it will be tough to ignore him in what will ultimately be a rebound week vs. the Bengals. |
| 3. Dwayne Bowe – Chiefs: I still don’t like this guy as an every week start, but it is hard to ignore a matchup against the Jaguars horrible pass coverage. |
| 4. Marques Colston – Saints: Colston has suffered from a “spread the wealth” style of play in New Orleans, but you can’t ignore a favorable play against the Browns. |
| 5. Anquan Boldin – Ravens: The Bills can cover well, but they are also very susceptible to being burned deep; something that bodes well for a deep WR like Boldin. |
| 6. Brandon Lloyd – Broncos: Lloyd is legit and simply cannot be shut down. He has been targeted a whopping 52 times this season, and remains a quality start. |
| 7. Hakeem Nicks – Giants: As mentioned above, last week’s game dictated a conservative approach for the Giants—basically they didn’t need to throw as much—something that won’t happen against the Cowboys. Look for Nicks to get back on track. |
| 8. Mike Williams – Seahawks: The biggest question after the Seahawks traded Branch was who would emerge as the main target in Seattle. Well, meet Mike Williams. Seattle plays very well at home, and Arizona stinks at covering making Williams a great start this week. |
| 9. Randy Moss – Vikings: Moss against a banged up Packers secondary…need I say more? |
| 10. Greg Jennings – Packers: Jennings showed last week, that with Finley out he is once again not only the number one target in Green Bay, but he can come through against any defense. He’s a great start against a Vikings secondary that is also banged up. |
MSW Is MIA: Time To Take Out The Garbage?
One of the most popular questions this season has been what to do with Jacksonville receiver Mike Sims-Walker. Walker became a fantasy staple last year in a breakout season, and many felt he was going to pick up where he left off this year.
Not so.
The problem has been an amalgamation of various issues ranging from an O-Line that can’t block, to MSW’s inability to play through weekly double coverage.
Now, the running game in Jacksonville has seemingly hit a brick wall (destroying any chance for effective play action), and BOTH David Garrard and Trent Edwards are dealing with injuries.
The bottom line is simple: the Jaguars are simply not doing anything to suggest MSW will return to fantasy dominance, let alone NFL dominance which means it is time to part ways with him and find another quality option.
It’s just so hard to say goodbye, isn’t it?
Must Sit of the Week: Danny Amendola – St. Louis Rams
Amendola provided a valuable lesson last week in that, when he faces tougher matchups, his fantasy value significantly drops.
This week he faces a tough Tampa pass defense led by shutdown CB Aqib Talib, suggesting another possible week of terrible play.
The other issue is the Bucs should disrupt QB Sam Bradford all day with their pass rush, AND the Rams are more likely to run against the Buccaneers since they couldn’t stop a rolling quarter on a table.
For this week, Amendola is just not a good play.
Two Through Ten:
| 2. Brandon Marshall – Dolphins: Marshall has the toughest matchup of the 2010 season against the Steelers this week. Not a good start. |
| 3. Mike Williams – Bucs: The other Mike Williams has a good start, this one does not. |
| 4. Steve Johnson – Bills: The Ravens are just too difficult on defense to think that Johnson will have any success, simply because Fitzpatrick will struggle all day just to throw the ball. |
| 5.Larry Fitzgerald - Cardinals: Fitz has a new and unproven QB, and faces one of the best pass defense in Seattle; a team who also plays exceptionally well at home. |
| 6. Louis Murphy - Raiders: The Raiders will likely try a run first approach, and pass as little as they can in an attempt to not only control the clock, but also grab another divisional win. Murphy is sit material. |
| 7. Miles Austin - Cowboys: I know we’re talking about Miles Austin, but we are also talking about a very stingy Giants pass D that is in a divisional showdown in Texas. Sit Austin if you have another favorable WR1, If you do not, then you’ll have to roll the dice. |
| 8. Michael Crabtree – 49ers: Crabtree is starting to come into his own, but the 49ers should spend all day running all over the Panthers. Sit Crabtree this week. |
| 9. Steve Smith - Panthers: Smith is still dealing with a high ankle sprain—the worst kind of sprains—and there are conflicting reports about him even starting this week. Keep him on the bench. |
| 10. Santana Moss – Redskins: Chicago is playing very good defense, and they can get at the QB very well, making Moss’ chances of producing a lot of fantasy points very unlikely. He’s worth a sit. |
As always, leave your questions below if you have one, and good luck this week!
