Fantasy Football Week Six | In the Eyes of The Optiongirl

A sad day in football Saturday October 8^th, with the passing of Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, 82 years old, who was the principal owner and managing general manager of the team for over 40 years.  The Raiders experienced a very emotional game beating the Houston Texans 25-20 on Sunday.  The Raiders were heavy underdogs but that did not stop them, they fought till the very end, where there is a will, there is a way, as they sealed the victory with 7 seconds remaining. The Jets and Giants both lost which disappointed me, along with my fantasy team which did not score well this week either. Where Oakland was dealing with death, it looks like Denver fans are celebrating, the beginning of a new era, fan favorite Tim Tebow will be taking over the starting quarterback job.  Looks like I will be 3-2 for the first 5 weeks of the season, as the dreaded Bye weeks continue, where your bench and the waiver wire are important to how you will do going forward into the season. 

This week I will share the below article from Rotoworld.com, a great source of football information.

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” by Chris Wesseling 

On a football level, the title works for a Jets defense that has now surrendered 30 points in three consecutive games and at least 24 in four of five contests. From a fantasy perspective, though, the story of the day is an Eagles defense that has emerged as a dream matchup from running backs. The Iggles entered Week 5 bending over backwards for a league-high 29.5 fantasy points to opposing backs. Cadillac Williams and Steven Jackson both finished in the top-15 in Week 1; Michael Turner was fantasy’s No. 7 back in Week 2; Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs became the second pair of backs to reach the top-15 in Week 3; and the duo of Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter both reached 100 yards against the Eagles in Week 4, effectively ending San Francisco’s ground attack slump.

Firing Sean McDermott and transitioning long-time offensive line coach Juan Castillo to defensive boss was the NFL’s most head-scratching move of the offseason. After five games, it now seems indefensible. As Evan Silva pointed out in last week’s typically excellent Matchups column, DL coach Jim Washburn’s Wide-9 scheme sacrifices gap control for up-field pass rush, leaving Philly’s small and slow linebackers exposed against the run. It’s a systematic failure rooted in scheme as much as talent disparity. With top run defenders Antonio Dixon and Trent Cole out, the stage was set for one of the league’s hottest running backs to run roughshod over a capitulatory front seven. 

Comprising 59.2 percent of Buffalo’s offense, Fred Jackson joined Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas as the only backs in franchise history with 100 rushing yards (111) and 80 receiving yards (85) in the same game. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Jackson grinded out 59 of his 111 rushing yards after first contact. Against a soft underbelly, Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 21-of-24 passes traveling less than 10 yards, allowing Jackson to exploit coverage-deficient linebackers and poor tackling at the back end to become the first Bills back since Larry Centers in 2001 with five or more receptions in three straight games.

The difference in F-Jax between this season and last is playmaking ability. He’s averaged three plays of 10+ yards per week, including five that led to a trio of touchdowns against the Eagles. After five weeks, Jackson leads all running backs in fantasy points (101), is tied for the rushing touchdown lead (5), ranks third in yards per carry (5.3), second in rushing yards (480), and second in yards from scrimmage (712). If he keeps it up, the NFL’s most underrated player will earn a lucrative contract extension on the way to a starting Pro Bowl nod in the AFC.

Game Balls

Adrian Peterson, Vikings -  It’s become trendy the past few weeks to suggest that Darren McFadden, Ray Rice, or LeSean McCoy has taken over as the NFL’s best back. As NFL Films guru Greg Cosell stated a couple of weeks back, though, it’s not even close. It’s an open-and-shut case, and the answer remains Peterson.

It only took coordinator Bill Musgrave five weeks to figure out how to use his best offensive player. There’s no telling when Musgrave will figure how to take the bubble wrap off of Percy Harvin. Behind two instances of Peterson on Peterson crime, Adrian trucked rookie Patrick to become the first back with three touchdowns in the opening quarter since 1999.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - The folks at Yahoo’s Shutdown Corner Blog named Max Starks one of the five most valuable players of Week 5. Big Ben’s new blindside protector walked in off the street and immediately plugged the hole in the offensive dyke. Roethlisberger was sacked just once against one of the league’s premier defenses over the first month of the season. Playing through a sprained left foot, Big Ben patiently accepted what the Titans’ Cover-2 defense allowed with short passes over the middle before his fifth touchdown of the day went for 40 yards to Mike “60 Minutes” Wallace. If you can find an owner looking to sell, it’s still a good idea to pounce on Roethlisberger as an underappreciated QB1 in Pittsburgh’s spread offense.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers - The early-season MVP shredded the Falcons secondary once again, this time for 396 and two touchdowns (both of which came in the second half, along with 299 yards). In three Georgia Dome games over the past two seasons, Rodgers has lit up Atlanta’s defense for 1,106 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions.  Despite opening the game without his starting right tackle and losing his starting left tackle, Rodgers remains fantasy’s No. 1 QB, edging out Cam Newton and Tom Brady. He’s currently on pace for 5,507 yards and 45 touchdowns.

Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs - As atrocious as Kansas City looked early on, it’s time to give Bowe credit as one of the top receivers in the NFL. While the rest of the offense invites derision, Bowe’s has earned the awe and respect of the typically stoic Chiefs beat writers. After a juggling end-zone catch that rivaled Victor Cruz’s one-handed beauty, Bowe ended the day as fantasy’s No. 6 receiver.

Steve Smith, Panthers - As Pat Daugherty suggested Sunday night, mixing it up with Steve Smith is up there with charging the mound on Nolan Ryan in the sports pantheon of biting off more than one man can chew. Much like the rest of the league’s corners, Jabari Green couldn’t contain Smith down the field. Roman Harper answerd with a cheap shot, Malcolm Jenkins ended up with Smith’s fist in his facemask, and DC Gregg Williams resorted to bracket coverage the rest of the way. Third only to Wes Welker and Calvin Johnson in fantasy points, Smith is on pace for 1,950 yards in revitalized offense.

Jimmy Graham, Saints - With another eight receptions for 129 yards, the “Graham Reaper” becomes the first tight end in Saints history with three consecutive games over the century mark. Firmly entrenched as Drew Brees’ go-to receiver, Graham bypassed Rob Gronkowski to take over as fantasy’s No. 1 tight end. On pace for a 102/1,587/10 line, Graham has already racked up 130 more yards than the next closest tight end. 

Committee Time

Chargers - Ryan Mathews: 25 touches, 132 yards / Mike Tolbert 8 touches, 49 yards / Jacob Hester 13 touches, 60 yards

The good news is that Mathews managed to rack up 24 carries despite a calf injury that ended his day early and sent him home on crutches. Early signs suggest neither the calf or an additional wrist injury is serious, and Mathews has the bye week to rest up for the Jets in Week 7. He remains a top-10 fantasy back. Tolbert is also expected to be fine coming out of the bye week after sustaining a concussion. Jacob Hester will not have fantasy value barring further injuries to both players.

Chiefs - Jackie Battle: 21 touches, 140 yards / Thomas Jones: 12 touches, 62 yards / Dexter McCluster 5 touches, 18 yards

Coach Todd Haley warned that Battle had earned a larger role, and the journeyman special teamer responded with a career game against a hapless Colts run defense. “There’s never been a time where I’ve seen him get hit and he doesn’t fall forward,” offered Matt Cassel. Battle was a mediocre talent lacking in short-area quickness with a career per-carry average of 3.0 coming into this game. Don’t expect him to get more than what’s blocked, but there’s fantasy value here as the Chiefs’ primary runner. With Jones’ touches on the decline and McCluster ideally suited to a niche passing-down role, Battle is now the best use of a fantasy roster spot in Kansas City.

Patriots - BenJarvus Green-Ellis: 28 touches, 149 yards, 2 TDs / Stevan Ridley 7 touches, 13 yards

Green-Ellis success was dictated by game plan against a defense that sported a lighter 3-1-7 alignment to start the game. BJGE racked up 99 yards and a score on plays in which the Jets has six or fewer defenders in the box. Courtesy of ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss, Green-Ellis played 61-of-81 offensive snaps compared to just 13 for Ridley. Lawfirm’s receiving skills are subpar, but the Patriots believe he’s superior in pass protection. We knew that coach Bill Belichick would only trust a rookie who makes the most of his opportunities, and Ridley failed for the first time in three weeks. Belichick opted to stick with the hot hand, which now belongs to Green-Ellis as the goal-line horse and feature back. The carry distribution is fluid, however, and subject to change if Ridley bounces back in the next couple of weeks.

Saints - Darren Sproles: 16 touches, 91 yards / Mark Ingram: 11 touches, 49 yards, 1 TD / Pierre Thomas: 10 touches, 42 yards, 1 TD

Sproles is one of New Orleans’ most dynamic players, and coach Sean Payton knows it. For the first time this year, Sproles led the backfield in touches while continuing to play the most snaps among the three backs. Ingram was set up for success against a tissue paper-thin run defense, but he lost a gimme touchdown to FB Jed Collins for the second straight week. Thomas may be the NFL’s first screen-pass specialist — quite a luxury for Payton.

Panthers - DeAngelo Williams: 9 touches, 115 yards, 1 TD / Jonathan Stewart 7 touches, 33 yards

Stewart was noticeably absent the entire first half, as the Saints ran more than twice as many offensive plays. He did enter on first-and-goal opportunities on two separate series, but the Panthers opted for Cam Newton as the goal-line runner of choice on every occasion. For the second straight week, Williams was the more effective runner. D-Will is averaging 98.5 yards at 10.4 yards per clip over the past two weeks, but it’s hard to trust either back in semi-even timeshare with Newton as the touchdown vulture.

Packers - James Starks: 14 touches, 59 yards /  Ryan Grant: 8 touches, 24 yards

Coach Mike McCarthy planned to increase Grant’s workload before a bruised kidney kept him out last week. Grant fumbled on the opening drive Sunday night while failing to flash power and speed equal to Starks. The latter saw an 11-4 carry advantage following Grant’s fumble. We still prefer Starks to Grant fantasy-wise, but this is the quintessential “hot hand” situation.

Colts - Donald Brown: 8 touches, 38 yards / Delone Carter: 14 touches, 34 yards, 1 TD / Joseph Addai 7 touches, 25 yards

It’s time to collect if you had Week 5 in the Addai injury pool. The Colts’ starter was visibly frustrated after a game-ending hamstring injury, which suggests it’s of the multi-week variety. Backup Carter, now averaging just 3.0 yards per on 41 carries, was outplayed by former first-round bust Donald Brown the rest of the way. The two will likely split touches next week against the Bengals, the league’s No. 1 defense through five games.

Injury Ward

Tarvaris Jackson – Pectoral Ryan Mathews, Chargers – Calf Chris Johnson, Titans - Hamstring

LeGarrette Blount, Buccaneers – Knee Mike Tolbert, Chargers - Concussion

Joseph Addai, Colts – Hamstring Julio Jones, Falcons – Hamstring Donald Jones, Bills - Ankle

Josh Morgan, 49ers – Ankle Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - Illness

Zach Miller, Seahawks – Concussion James Casey, Texans - Pectoral

Mario Williams, Texans - Pectoral

Fine Fifteen Fantasy Offenses

1. Patriots 2. Eagles 3. Lions 4. Packers 5. Saints 6. Cowboys 7. Panthers 8. Texans 9. Falcons

10. Giants 11. Chargers 12. Bills 13. Steelers

14. Ravens 15. Cardinals

Early Waiver Look

QB: Tim Tebow, Alex Smith, Matt Cassel, Andy Dalton, Christian Ponder, Charlie Whitehurst, Curtis Painter

RB: Jackie Battle, Delone Carter, Donald Brown, Jonathan Dwyer, Earnest Graham, Kregg Lumpkin, Allen Bradford

WR: Steve Breaston, Doug Baldwin, James Jones, Early Doucet, Damian Williams, Greg Little, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kevin Walter, Devin Aromashodu, Jason Avant, Naaman Roosevelt, Ted Ginn, Jeremy Kerley

TE: Jared Cook, Jermaine Gresham, Jake Ballard

Thank you for visiting my blog.  Please share your thoughts on my site or ask me questions directly by email at BonnieGortler@gmail.com or direct message me @optiongirl on Twitter my favorite social media site. Please feel free to download my FREE eBook Twitter Magic  and informative straightforward guide packed with great tips that will allow you to make friends, build lifelong connections, and grow your business. Create an excellent week! ~Bonnie