By Dalton Del Don
The Falcons are going to be tough to beat at home this season, but it remains to be seen whether they can improve on the road. The season-ending loss of Peria Jerry hurtsâ¦With defenses keying on Michael Turner and the addition of Tony Gonzalez, Matt Ryan could finish as a top-five fantasy QB. Speaking of Gonzalez, heâs clearly going to cut into some of Roddy Whiteâs valueâ¦While Jake Delhomme showed improvement, with no depth on the offensive line and a decimated defensive front, itâs going to be a long year in Carolina. Itâs seemingly impossible to have a repeat division winner in the AFC Southâ¦John Fox is a good NFL coach, but he made a mistake by waiting until after the two-minute warning to call a timeout in the fourth quarter Sunday. This is simple stuff, and coaches routinely botch it.
Peter King has been so impressed by Minnesotaâs two wins over Cleveland and Detroit, he has the Vikings as the No. 2 team in his power poll right now. Brett Favreâs completion percentage is sky-high, but with seven sacks taken and a 5.5 YPA mark, thereâs not much to be excited about. Favreâs longest completion Sunday went for 13 yardsâ¦Itâs obviously pointless to judge a QB making his first two career starts, but Matthew Stafford has looked pretty brutal so farâ¦Over the first two games, Calvin Johnson has had penalties take away a couple of long gains and had another TD removed on a borderline call, so his numbers could look a lot bigger.
Itâs safe to say Green Bayâs impressive offensive performance in the preseason hasnât carried over into the regular season, highlighted by a surprising goose egg from Greg Jennings in Week 2. Hang in there Aaron Rodgers owners, despite a shaky offensive line, things are going to get much, much betterâ¦Last season the Bengals had the second fewest sacks (17) in the league. They currently lead the NFL with nine quarterback takedowns through two weeks. Although he disappointed during his first season in Cincinnati last year, Antwan Odom has the skills to continue to dominateâ¦I tried to remain agnostic about Cedric Benson entering the year (great situation, seemingly awful player), but since he ended up on zero of my teams, itâs safe to say I let some bias creep in. Through two games, it looks like a big mistake, as Bensonâs 50 rushing attempts are the most in the NFL, and heâs even contributed as a receiver. Cincinnatiâs improved defense will be a big help as well.
With a combined nine fumbles, the Cardinals/Jaguars matchup wasnât exactly pretty, although it did feature a record-setting performance by Kurt Warner (92.3 completion percentage). After a sluggish preseason and first half of Week 1, it looks like Arizonaâs offense is back on track, although a brutal Jacksonville secondary certainly helped Sundayâ¦With improved receiving skills, Tim Hightower should be a fine third-down back, but once again Chris Wells looked like the better runner Sunday. That is, when the rookie wasnât fumbling, a problem that could further cut back his playing time if he doesnât correct it quicklyâ¦Fantasy owners canât be happy with Larry Fitzgerald receiving only five targets Sunday. Nor was his brotherâ¦With Troy Williamson out for the season, and Torry Holt lacking his old explosion, Mike Sims-Walker is a must-add in all but shallow fantasy formats. Selected in the third round of the 2007 draft, Sims-Walker has good size 6-2, 241 lbs with good speed, and the third year is often when wide receivers break out. With the Jaguars sporting what looks like a terrible defense, the team will have to throw quite frequently.
Iâve tried to defend JaMarcus Russell in the past, as he got 7.5 YPA over the second half of last season while limiting interceptions, but with a 35.2 completion percentage through two games this year, itâs pretty hard to continue doing so. Having two rookie wide receivers starting doesnât help, but with a 51.8 career completion percentage, Russell is clearly one of the most inaccurate quarterbacks in footballâ¦Getting outgained 409 yards to 166, the Raiders have to feel fortunate pulling off the win, especially on the road. But the loss of Robert Gallery (fibula), who has transformed from a bust at tackle to a solid starter at guard, was a blowâ¦After shutting down Dwayne Bowe for most of the day, itâs a mystery why Oakland took Nnamdi Asomugha off him during Boweâs fourth quarter touchdown, as Stanford Routt was no matchâ¦Outside of Bowe, no Kansas City player can be counted on as a weekly starterâ¦I like Darren McFadden, but the sophomore back goes down at first contact far too often. Heâs not much of a tackle breaker at all.
The Jetsâ defense has now held the Texansâ and Patriotsâ offenses out of the end zone this season, and this is a unit that will be getting Calvin Pace back soon. New York is a terrible opponent for your fantasy playersâ¦Youâd have a hard time finding a quarterback get pressured more while taking zero sacks than Tom Brady last week. And while thereâs no reason not to still consider him a top-three fantasy QB, itâs clear heâs nowhere near where he was before the knee injury right nowâ¦Since he plays for the secretive Patriots, Wes Welkerâs injury is an even bigger concern. Luckily, the team doesnât play in any later games until Week 5. If Welker remains out, Joey Galloway is a fine flex play, especially in PPR formatsâ¦Mark Sanchez is going to be a good quarterback for a long time in this leagueâ¦If Darrelle Revis continues to shadow the opponentsâ No. 1 WR each week, fantasy owners must take note. Heâs now held Andre Johnson and Randy Moss to a combined eight catches and 59 receiving yards over two games. When not facing Revis, those two receivers have combined for 22 catches and 290 yards (with two TDs) over two contests.
Thereâs never been any questioning of the Saintsâ offense, especially at home, but what this unit did to the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday put them on another level. Itâs early, but New Orleans has to be considered Super Bowl threats, even with a middling defense. Through two games, Drew Brees has a 9:2 TD:INT ratio, a 9.8 YPA mark, a 75% completion mark, and a 132.9 QB rating while taking just two sacks. Unrealâ¦If Mike Bell truly suffered a sprained MCL, Iâm not sure why thereâs still talk of him maybe being able to play in Week 3, considering Pierre Thomas is still struggling to return from the same injury that occurred August 24. Still, with Thomas seemingly ready to return, the Bell injury couldnât have happened at a better time for Thomas ownersâ¦Even before suffering an ankle sprain, Brian Westbrook has lacked explosiveness. Heâs still a must-start if heâs active, of course, especially in Week 3 against the Chiefsâ¦If Lance Mooreâs hamstring injury lingers, Devery Henderson becomes a highly intriguing fantasy optionâ¦Kevin Kolbâs final statistics are a good example of why New Orleansâ defense probably isnât as bad as the numbers indicateâ¦During a spot on Sportscenter, Jon Gruden said the following: âIf Donovan McNabb is healthy, I believe heâll be back under center.â Really?! You think? As opposed to what? Losing his job to Kolb? To Michael Vick?
Before Sundayâs game, Matt Schaub had a 1:3 TD:INT ratio with a 5.9 YPA mark over four career games against the Titans. He also sported a 13:18 TD:INT ratio over 21 games on the road throughout his career. Schaub was also once again without Kevin Walter, and a pregame report called for a torrential rain downpour, up to one inch over the course of the game (By the way, I can see getting a weekly forecast wrong. But how can you be so off about an event happening in 30 mins?). As one of Schaubâs biggest supporters, heâs on the majority of my teams this year. And was on my bench Sunday. Is there a worse feeling than that? I say no. Still, glad to see him shred a Titans secondary that is apparently going to be quite worse than they were last seasonâ¦Iâm also an ardent Steve Slaton supporter, and while I will give him a pass because of the first two opponents (who get much easier soon), Iâm worried all that weight he put on in the offseason in an effort to stay durable has taken a toll on his speed. It would be very concerning if he struggles again at home against the Jaguars this weekâ¦I doubt many Chris Johnson owners lost Sunday, as that will almost assuredly go down as the single best fantasy performance of 2009. Few running backs have ever possessed both his ability to run in between the tackles and be the fastest player in the league. He became the first player in the history of the NFL to record a 90-plus yard TD run, a 50-plus TD run and a 60-plus TD catch in the same game Sunday. And the biggest news of all was his involvement in the passing game (nine receptions), which could be huge moving forward. Johnson is a top-five fantasy commodity.
When you canât reach the end zone while playing at home against the Rams, something is wrong. Even as someone who picked the Redskins in my survivor pool, I almost found myself rooting against them (but not really). What ineptitude. In case you were wondering (and why wouldnât you be?), through two weeks, my survivor teams have won by a combined three points. Yet still alive!…I really donât know what to tell Santana Moss owners other than to bench him until you see signs of lifeâ¦Same with those who drafted Donnie Avery. I gambled on him in a few leagues when he came at a big discount while dealing with the foot injury. And while it was great news he returned so much quicker than anticipated, Iâd have much preferred a slower recovery yet more productivity when on the field. Not only is Laurent Robinson receiving far more targets, heâs also clearly the better option in the red zoneâ¦If a Clinton Portis owner can swap him for Darren Sproles right now, thatâs a trade Iâd makeâ¦At first, I was irate over Washington going for it on fourth down up two points with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter, but Brian Burke makes a pretty good argument otherwise.
Thereâs no way around it. Matt Hasselbeckâs injury is bad news for all Seahawks. The silver lining here is that a rib injury, although fairly serious, is much less worrisome long-term than if he aggravated his back problem, which could have easily happened on that playâ¦Understanding the still small sample size, I think itâs safe to drop Josh Morgan, who received zero targets last weekâ¦Frank Gore, however, Iâd probably hang onto. After getting 1.4 YPC in Week 1, he slightly improved Sunday, finishing with 12.9 YPC. This offense is completely centered around himâ¦Shaun Hill is now 9-3 during his career as a starterâ¦Despite his Week 1 performance, Julius Jones owners canât feel too comfortable, especially with Justin Forsettâs emergence. Forsett is hardly going to become Seattleâs workhorse, and his nice game Sunday was partially due to game situation, but heâs definitely worth stashing in deeper fantasy leagues.
If Marshawn Lynch wasnât coming back from suspension, Fred Jackson would have to be considered a borderline top-five fantasy player. And there simply wasnât a cheaper source during drafts for such major production through the first two weeks of the season. Because Jackson has been so good, expect a timeshare in Buffaloâs backfield starting in Week 4â¦With a 4:1 TD:INT ratio and a 7.9 YPA mark, Trent Edwards is fast becoming a solid fantasy QB, giving further credence to why itâs often prudent to wait on the position. Heâs even already added 49 yards rushing as well. Most encouraging, he started attacking downfield Sunday after settling for only underneath routes in Week 1, and if Terrell Owens didnât drop a perfectly thrown sure 80-yard touchdown Sunday, Edwardsâ numbers would have been even better. Lee Evans has barely been involved in the offense so far. With a matchup at home against the Saints this week, Edwards is a top-10 QB optionâ¦Speaking of undervalued quarterbacks, Byron Leftwich is going to continue putting up solid numbers with the Bucsâ defense struggling so much. Heâs already attempted a whopping 91 passes through two weeks.
Pittsburghâs defense should remain strong, but with a running game that looks even worse than it did in 2008, Ben Roethlisberger should see an increase in pass attempts, and while thatâs resulted in just a 2:3 TD:INT ratio so far, itâs great news for his fantasy value long-term. The same holds true for Santonio Holmes, who continues to impressâ¦Matt Forte owners just need to hang in there, and his five catches Sunday should ease concernsâ¦Johnny Knoxâs emergence muddies the whole Chicago WR situation, as Earl Bennett and Devin Hester become unpredictable starts on a weekly basis.
While their opponents havenât been juggernauts, the Broncosâ defense has apparently made a major turnaround, making them a sneaky start Week 3 against the Raiders. Since the personnel hasnât changed all that much, Mike Nolan deserves a ton of credit. In the new scheme, Elvis Dumervil looks like heâs going to be an IDP monsterâ¦Over their last eight games, the Browns have scored one offensive touchdown. Iâve never seen a team(s) hate a head coach quite like Eric Manginiâ¦Correll Buckhalterâs 45-yard touchdown run was nice Sunday, but it looks like Knowshon Moreno has already emerged as the teamâs workhorse. Heâs going to be plenty valuable from here on outâ¦Josh McDanielsâ rotation at wide receiver doesnât help Brandon Marshall or Eddie Royal, but the latter still saw nine targets last week despite missing the third quarter while receiving an IV, so remain patient.
People continue to argue about how Darren Sproles isnât a true workhorse, but it doesnât take 20 carries for him to be highly productive, evidenced by Sundayâs outburst. Heâs basically San Diegoâs No. 1 option in the passing game, at least when LaDainian Tomlinson isnât wasting touches. Sproles is going to help a bunch of fantasy owners win leagues this yearâ¦If Tomlinsonâs injury lingers, Michael Bennett could be worth stashing, since Philip Rivers wonât be throwing 45 times every game, and as mentioned, Sproles isnât suited for 20-plus rushing attemptsâ¦Iâve never been a big Willis McGahee believer, but heâs going to have a ton of fantasy value if Baltimore continues to use him this way. Ray Rice will retain value, especially in PPR formats, but if McGahee gets 60% of the carries (including at the goal line) on a team that ran the ball an NFL-high 592 times last season, heâs going to prove to be one of the bigger steals of 2009â¦I was dead wrong about Rivers the fantasy player this year. I considered him the MVP of the league last season, but with a seemingly improved defense, a head coach determined to run the ball and in a division that figured to be one of the worst in football, I simply didnât foresee enough pass attempts to justify his ADP. Well, with Shawne Merriman not even close to 100 percent, Jamal Williams already out for the year and Tomlinson hurt, Rivers has already attempted 81 passes through two weeks, resulting in monstrous numbers. His YPA has somehow even increased from last yearâs league-leading 8.4. While the team will certainly run more if Tomlinson can come back healthy, and Rivers wonât be throwing as much against the weak AFC West, itâs still an encouraging development. Sproles is a ridiculous weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. This means Vincent Jackson can be viewed as a borderline top-10 fantasy WR as well.
Iâm not really sure how the Giants almost lost a game in which they scored a defensive touchdown and were plus-four in the turnover battle, but this Cowboys team continues to be an enigma. They have the upside to win the Super Bowl, but with that coaching and sloppiness, they are more likely to miss the playoffs altogether. After easily leading the NFL with 59 sacks last season, Dallas has zero entering Week 3â¦I know heâs not a 20-plus carry guy, but Iâd love to see the kind of numbers Felix Jones would put up if Marion Barber were forced to miss time with his injuryâ¦Yes, Mario Manningham is worth a No. 1 waiver priority, but Iâd still prefer Steve Smith from here on out. Either way, both look extremely impressive early onâ¦Iâve always been a huge Tony Romo guy, but Sunday night was an excellent example of why numbers I love (like YPA) donât always tell the whole story. You simply canât throw interceptions like that and expect to be an elite player (or team). Eli Manning, meanwhile, has looked like a superstar through two weeks.
The Colts/Dolphins Monday nighter continued a trend of fantastic games in prime time this season, something I certainly hope doesnât end anytime soon. How does a team win with a time of possession thatâs less than one quarter?…As Peyton Manningâs No. 2 read, thereâs an argument for Dallas Clark as the best fantasy tight end right nowâ¦Mostly absent in the first half, not only was Donald Brown on the field during crucial drives in the fourth quarter, he broke more tackles on his 15-yard TD run than Joseph Addai has through two weeksâ¦Amazing what Ronnie Brown can do when given the opportunity. Unfortunately, there wonât be too many games when Miami attempts 49 rushesâ¦Iâm not even going to detail the Dolphinsâ endgame clock management, which was a disaster of epic proportions.
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