Will Roddy White Play Week 9 – Who Knows?

Roddy White could return Week 9 or Week 13 – No one really knows

After the loss of two of the most dynamic receivers in the league, Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons playoff chances have mostly been wiped away. But there may be hope yet as wide receiver Roddy White made huge strides last week.

Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith revealed that after missing the last two weeks with hamstring and ankle injuries, White has finally started running.

Smith then went on to announce, “Roddy is going to continue to work. It’s up to the doctors when he returns.”

White is still heavily questionable for this upcoming weekend’s matchup against the Carolina Panthers, but the Falcons can use all of the help they can get. As the majority of the league comes to its half way point, the Matt Ryan led Falcons are a disappointing 2-5, 3rd in their division and 12th in the NFC.

A win this weekend against the Panthers defense without Roddy White will be an uphill battle as Carolina ranks 10th in passing yards allowed and 2nd in rushing yards allowed.

Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickup Report

Andy Dalton has fired 11 touchdowns during his past 3 games

Week 9 is upon us and six teams (Arizona, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, New York Giants and San Francisco) are on their bye weeks.  Owners that didn’t plan ahead are in need of a quarterback to replace the likes of Peyton Manning, Matt Stafford and Colin Kaepernick.

It may also be time to give up on some of the “elite” fantasy football quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Michael Vick that are simply not getting it done this year.  Luckily, there are a few quarterbacks out there that are widely available that can be a nice bye week fill-in and maybe even a solid play for the rest of the year.  Andy Dalton and Jake Locker lead the crop of Week 9 quarterback waiver wire pick-ups.

Andy Dalton (QB – CIN)

Andy Dalton is fresh off his five touchdown performance on Sunday against the Jets. He now has 11 touchdowns and at least 325 passing yards in his last three contests.

It appears that the Bengals are opening up the playbook and Dalton is finally taking advantage of all the weapons at his disposal. Dalton has been great on big plays down the field and has been spot on in the red zone.  Dalton is definitely worth a waiver pick-up and may end up being a top 10 fantasy quarterback for the rest of the season.

Jake Locker (QB – TN)

Jake Locker would likely be in the top 12 in fantasy points for quarterbacks if it weren’t for his injury and a bye week that he has already completed. Locker doesn’t throw for many yards or touchdowns, but he does rack up quite a lot of yards on the ground which are easy points for fantasy owners.

In the last three games that Locker has played in, he’s racked up 27, 18 and 21 fantasy points in standard ESPN leagues. Locker has a great match-up this week against the Rams and has a really favorable schedule for the rest of the year.

Owners in need of a bye-week fill in can definitely expect to get 20 points from Locker this week and may actually end up being a better option than some of the big name quarterbacks from here on out.

Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickup Report

Andy Dalton has fired 11 touchdowns during his past 3 games

Week 9 is upon us and six teams (Arizona, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, New York Giants and San Francisco) are on their bye weeks.  Owners that didn’t plan ahead are in need of a quarterback to replace the likes of Peyton Manning, Matt Stafford and Colin Kaepernick.

It may also be time to give up on some of the “elite” fantasy football quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Michael Vick that are simply not getting it done this year.  Luckily, there are a few quarterbacks out there that are widely available that can be a nice bye week fill-in and maybe even a solid play for the rest of the year.  Andy Dalton and Jake Locker lead the crop of Week 9 quarterback waiver wire pick-ups.

Andy Dalton (QB – CIN)

Andy Dalton is fresh off his five touchdown performance on Sunday against the Jets. He now has 11 touchdowns and at least 325 passing yards in his last three contests.

It appears that the Bengals are opening up the playbook and Dalton is finally taking advantage of all the weapons at his disposal. Dalton has been great on big plays down the field and has been spot on in the red zone.  Dalton is definitely worth a waiver pick-up and may end up being a top 10 fantasy quarterback for the rest of the season.

Jake Locker (QB – TN)

Jake Locker would likely be in the top 12 in fantasy points for quarterbacks if it weren’t for his injury and a bye week that he has already completed. Locker doesn’t throw for many yards or touchdowns, but he does rack up quite a lot of yards on the ground which are easy points for fantasy owners.

In the last three games that Locker has played in, he’s racked up 27, 18 and 21 fantasy points in standard ESPN leagues. Locker has a great match-up this week against the Rams and has a really favorable schedule for the rest of the year.

Owners in need of a bye-week fill in can definitely expect to get 20 points from Locker this week and may actually end up being a better option than some of the big name quarterbacks from here on out.

Texans QB Case Keenum Earns Week 9 Start

Keenum didn’t beat the Chiefs, but earned a Week 9 start

The Houston Texans named Case Keenum their starting quarterback for Week 9 over the previously injured veteran Matt Schaub. Schaub is reportedly healthy enough to play, but for now, the Texans are sticking with the hometown rookie at home against the visiting Colts.

Keenum got his chance to shine during Week 7 and delivered with his 15-25, 271 yard, 1 touchdown performance against a rugged Kansas City Chiefs pass defense. Houston lost the game, but Keenum earned a shot at the starting job heading into the team’s Week 8 bye.

Coach Gary Kubiak reiterated that former starter Matt Schaub is healthy, and that Keenum’s taking over is because of his performance. Keenum will have to continue to play at a high level against a tough Indianapolis defense to remain the starter in Houston.

The Colts come in with the 11th ranked defense in yards allowed and are fresh off of a Week 7 upset over the previously unbeaten Denver Broncos. Coming off of the bye week, the Colts should be able to shut down the Texans offense and limit Keenum’s ability to make big plays.

In a better match-up, Keenum could be a decent QB2 due to the tools he has at his disposal. Wide receivers Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins are exceptional targets, as is running back Arian Foster.

Keenum should be pegged as a last resort bye week replacement for Week 9, but expect his numbers to improve against lesser opponents throughout the season.

Eagles Michael Vick Likely Out Again for Week 9

Vick looked hobbled and unsure of himself during Week 8

Just when the Philadelphia Eagles thought their quarterback situation could not get any worse, it did.

Chip Kelly is already reporting that he does not expect Vick to be ready for Week 9.

After losing backup Nick Foles to a concussion during Week 7, Philly fans breathed a sigh of relief when they heard Vick was back under center for Week 8.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, Vick was worse than before and never should have been back on the field to begin with. He was clearly not healthy enough to run the read option, and was inefficient with the football, completing just 6-of-9 passes for 30 yards and one interception.

His poor play and obvious immobility lead to his benching in the second quarter. Vick was then replaced by rookie quarterback Matt Barkley who looked like a college quarterback trying to play with the pros.

Barkley finished the game completing 17-of-26 passes for 158 and one interception. While many of his mistakes and poor decisions could be blamed on his lack of reps with the starters, Barkley is clearly not the option for the Eagles.

Sadly, it appears that Vick is not the option either. According to his post-game interview, Vick felt a pop in his already aggravated hamstring, and will have an MRI to reevaluate the damage.

For the Eagles, Nick Foles gives them their best opportunity to win football games. In his one full start this season, Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Foles completed 22 of is 31 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns. Not to mention he has yet to throw an interception in his five appearances this season. The Eagles have found their starting quarterback this season and it is Nick Foles, not Michael Vick.

Fantasy owners should expect Foles to recover from his concussion quickly and baring any setbacks, be the starter for the rest of the season.

Eagles Michael Vick Likely Out Again for Week 9

Vick looked hobbled and unsure of himself during Week 8

Just when the Philadelphia Eagles thought their quarterback situation could not get any worse, it did.

Chip Kelly is already reporting that he does not expect Vick to be ready for Week 9.

After losing backup Nick Foles to a concussion during Week 7, Philly fans breathed a sigh of relief when they heard Vick was back under center for Week 8.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, Vick was worse than before and never should have been back on the field to begin with. He was clearly not healthy enough to run the read option, and was inefficient with the football, completing just 6-of-9 passes for 30 yards and one interception.

His poor play and obvious immobility lead to his benching in the second quarter. Vick was then replaced by rookie quarterback Matt Barkley who looked like a college quarterback trying to play with the pros.

Barkley finished the game completing 17-of-26 passes for 158 and one interception. While many of his mistakes and poor decisions could be blamed on his lack of reps with the starters, Barkley is clearly not the option for the Eagles.

Sadly, it appears that Vick is not the option either. According to his post-game interview, Vick felt a pop in his already aggravated hamstring, and will have an MRI to reevaluate the damage.

For the Eagles, Nick Foles gives them their best opportunity to win football games. In his one full start this season, Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Foles completed 22 of is 31 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns. Not to mention he has yet to throw an interception in his five appearances this season. The Eagles have found their starting quarterback this season and it is Nick Foles, not Michael Vick.

Fantasy owners should expect Foles to recover from his concussion quickly and baring any setbacks, be the starter for the rest of the season.

Second Half Outlook for Raiders Darren McFadden

Darren McFadden found the end zone twice against the Steelers

Fully recovered from a hamstring injury suffered during Week 4, Darren McFadden seems to be back to his productive ways which he had displayed at the beginning of the season. Healthy enough to again dominate the touches out of the backfield, McFadden scored twice against the Pittsburgh Steelers, finishing with 73 yards on 24 carries.

Although McFadden posted his first game with multiple rush touchdowns since 2011, McFadden did not look as explosive as head coach, Dennis Allen, had pegged him to be earlier in the week. Aside from a 19-yard run in the first quarter, McFadden was quite pedestrian, averaging only 2.3 YPC on his other 23 rushes. However, McFadden came out of the game healthy, suffering no setbacks to his hamstring.

Fantasy owners who were not patient with McFadden earlier in the year will be kicking themselves if they dropped or traded the oft-injured back. While McFadden doesn’t seem like he will ever be the same runner that he was when he was a star for Arkansas, he has been getting a huge workload all season long, keeping him productive. With his 2 score performance on Sunday, McFadden has now scored in 3 of the 5 games which he has been healthy enough to fully play in.

As long as he remains healthy, McFadden should remain a top-tier No. 2 fantasy running back. He has averaged close to 18 carries a game, excluding the two games in which he was injured, and will continue to produce due to the sheer workload he is given. He does have tough matchups in the fantasy playoffs, facing the Jets and Chiefs in Weeks 14 and 15, but you should have no problems getting there with McFadden in your lineup from here on out.

Bench These 3 Players During Week 8

Expect Chris Ivory to have a tough day against the Bengals defense

Week 8 in the NFL brings some tough decisions for fantasy owners. These players have had recent success, but fantasy football is about matchups and some of these players don’t have great ones.

Chris Ivory- Ivory set a career high in carries last week against the Patriots with 34. It looks like Bilal Powell has taken the back seat. However, this week’s matchup is not so desirable for Ivory playing in Cincinnati. The Bengals are a top 10 team against the run and head coach Rex Ryan seems indecisive on which back he wants to feature week to week.

Maurice Jones-Drew- Jones-Drew seems to be making progress in the Jacksonville Jaguars atrocious offense. This week he will be taking a 49ers team which specializes in grinding the ground game to halt. The Niner’s offense finally seems to be rolling and if Jacksonville is trailing, they will ditch the run and rely on Justin Blackmon to make their big plays.

Golden Tate- Seattle Seahawks receiver Golden Tate has seen his targets almost double in the past three weeks. Tate has had some big games because of the increase in looks. This week, The Seahawks are playing St. Louis, who just lost Sam Bradford to injury for the season. This could be a perfect storm for Seattle’s relentless defense and The Seahawks may not need to do much on offense besides run the ball.

 

Is Peyton Hillis Worth a Start Against the Eagles?

Hillis has another strong matchup against a struggling Eagles defense

Peyton Hillis is back in the NFL on a Giants team that just picked up a win against the Minnesota Vikings.

We all remember back in 2010 when Hillis had that memorable season with the Cleveland Browns when he rushed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. Times have changed from that season and fantasy owners are wondering if he can be a reliable option this week against the Eagles.

Hillis certainly has some upside this week as Brandon Jacobs is very likely to sit out Week 8. It looks like Hillis and fellow backup running back Michael Cox will get another crack at the rushing attack.

Last week, Hillis had a pedestrian performance rushing the ball with 18 carries for 36 yards. With this said, Hillis found other ways to be useful. He was used as the Giants goal line back and rushed for a 1 yard touchdown, and also had 5 catches for 45 yards.

Hillis is not a bad play at the number two running back position or a flex play this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have allowed a rushing touchdown in 5 of their last 7 games and Hillis may just find his way into pay dirt during Week 8.

Ryan Tannehill Feeling Better, Likely to Start

The Miami Dolphins are facing the New England Patriots on Sunday, who have been on a roll as of late.

The big question going into the game is if the Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill will be able to start. The Dolphins need every weapon they can and without Tannehill it would be a longshot for a victory.

Ryan Tannehill is listed as questionable at the moment with a shoulder injury. According to the team injury report, Tannehill was limited in practice on Wednesday due to that bum shoulder.

The Dolphins offensive line has been terrible to say the least and Tannehill has been taking hits left and right. The Dolphins recently signed ex pro-bowl tackle Bryant McKinnie to try and resolve that problem.

Tannehill does expect to play on Sunday even with that injured shoulder. If he is on your fantasy team keep a steady eye out for new injury reports, but as of now he is slotted in expected to start.