Calvin Johnson Owners Face Game Time Call

Fantasy owners counting on Megatron to suit up for Week 6

After missing last Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions play maker Calvin Johnson has been limited in practice this week with a knee injury. After Thursday’s practice, Johnson reported that his right knee felt “good” and plans to play against the Cleveland Browns.

Johnson has missed practices before and still showed up to play the next game. That’s why fantasy owners were surprised to see that Johnson was left out of the line up against the Packers during Week 5. The coaching staff is keeping their mouths shut on Megatron’s injury and claim that he will be a game time decision.

The Lions need Johnson on the field as their wide receiver corps is stretched thin with Nate Burleson out with a broken arm and tight end Tony Scheffler on the bench with a concussion. If the star receiver sits out another game, the Lions will be left with Ryan Broyles, Kris Durham and the newly acquired Kevin Ogletree to fill some pretty big shoes.

The entire offense runs through Calvin as he stretches the field and allows other team mates like Reggie Bush to gash the defense.

Fantasy owners are left in a ‘hope for the best and plan for the worst situation.’ In other words, expect Johnson to play, but have a backup ready to plug in for Sunday morning.

Stay Away from Hobbled Ray Rice for Week 3

Baltimore Raven’s running back Ray Rice is listed as doubtful this weekend as he struggles with a hip flexor issue. Last Sunday, Rice suffered a non-contact injury to his hip flexor and needed assistance getting off of the field.

Ravens head coach Jim Harbaugh stated in a press conference that Rice will not practice all week and it now looks like he won’t be playing at all.

Rice did not require an MRI, which is an encouraging sign and means the injury he suffered is most likely not long term.

Even if Rice suits up, he’s not a good play against the Texans. A hip flexor strain can be a nagging injury if not treated right. The proper treatment requires a lot of rest which means no practice. Check back around noon on Sunday morning to see if Rice will be active against the Texans.

 

Stay Away from Hobbled Ray Rice for Week 3

Baltimore Raven’s running back Ray Rice is listed as doubtful this weekend as he struggles with a hip flexor issue. Last Sunday, Rice suffered a non-contact injury to his hip flexor and needed assistance getting off of the field.

Ravens head coach Jim Harbaugh stated in a press conference that Rice will not practice all week and it now looks like he won’t be playing at all.

Rice did not require an MRI, which is an encouraging sign and means the injury he suffered is most likely not long term.

Even if Rice suits up, he’s not a good play against the Texans. A hip flexor strain can be a nagging injury if not treated right. The proper treatment requires a lot of rest which means no practice. Check back around noon on Sunday morning to see if Rice will be active against the Texans.

 

Grab Josh Gordon Before His Next Suspension

Gordon is down to one last chance with his drug issues

Browns star receiver Josh Gordon told reporters that the next time he fails a drug test, the league will be suspend him for an entire year. Gordon is returning to action this Sunday against the Vikings after being suspended for the first 2 weeks of the regular season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. 

Gordon is owned in 91.1% of ESPN leagues, but should be the top wide receiver to pick up off the waiver wire this week.

In 2012, Gordon recorded 50 receptions, 805 yards, and 5 touchdowns. These numbers were not amazing, but impressive for a rookie and seemed to be a sign of good things to come. Gordon put up those numbers while appearing in only 79% of the team’s offensive snaps. For Gordon to make a difference this season, the Browns will have increase his snap count.

Gordon’s 50 receptions came off a team-leading 96 targets, which makes it obvious that he’s Brandon Weeden’s top option in the passing game. His average of 6 targets per game last season should increase dramatically as Weeden searches for him more. Gordon’s raw talent gives him the ability to make “highlight reel” plays, giving his owners a high point total in any given week.

Last year, Gordon was just about the only thing defenses had to worry about when facing the Browns, but this season he has a better chance of getting open. Tight end Jordan Cameron has emerged as a dangerous receiving threat and will help draw defensive backs away from Gordon, to increase his chances of making massive plays.

Gordon may have some down weeks when he doesn’t make any huge plays, but he’s still going to be a decent FLEX option for the rest of the season. He’s an absolute must add if he’s still available in your league, and he’s also worth buying low on in a trade.

Grab Josh Gordon Before His Next Suspension

Gordon is down to one last chance with his drug issues

Browns star receiver Josh Gordon told reporters that the next time he fails a drug test, the league will be suspend him for an entire year. Gordon is returning to action this Sunday against the Vikings after being suspended for the first 2 weeks of the regular season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. 

Gordon is owned in 91.1% of ESPN leagues, but should be the top wide receiver to pick up off the waiver wire this week.

In 2012, Gordon recorded 50 receptions, 805 yards, and 5 touchdowns. These numbers were not amazing, but impressive for a rookie and seemed to be a sign of good things to come. Gordon put up those numbers while appearing in only 79% of the team’s offensive snaps. For Gordon to make a difference this season, the Browns will have increase his snap count.

Gordon’s 50 receptions came off a team-leading 96 targets, which makes it obvious that he’s Brandon Weeden’s top option in the passing game. His average of 6 targets per game last season should increase dramatically as Weeden searches for him more. Gordon’s raw talent gives him the ability to make “highlight reel” plays, giving his owners a high point total in any given week.

Last year, Gordon was just about the only thing defenses had to worry about when facing the Browns, but this season he has a better chance of getting open. Tight end Jordan Cameron has emerged as a dangerous receiving threat and will help draw defensive backs away from Gordon, to increase his chances of making massive plays.

Gordon may have some down weeks when he doesn’t make any huge plays, but he’s still going to be a decent FLEX option for the rest of the season. He’s an absolute must add if he’s still available in your league, and he’s also worth buying low on in a trade.

Colts Ease Ahmad Bradshaw Into the Mix

The Indianapolis Colts probably had a bigger debut in mind for their new featured running back when they signed him. However, veteran Ahmad Bradshaw only touched the ball eight times in the team’s win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Bradshaw carried the ball and caught one pass for a total of 33 yards. Running back Vick Ballard saw most of the action for the Colts.

You can expect Ahmad Bradshaw to contribute more to Indianapolis’ offense as the season progresses. He saw very little action in the preseason and still does not appear to be 100% after his offseason foot surgery. I

It’s definitely less than the Colts’ had hoped for, but taking it slow with Bradshaw is the best course of action. He has battled foot injuries his entire career and hopes to eventually carry the load this season.

Until then however, expect Ballard to carry a bulk of the load until Bradshaw is back to full strength.

Draft Zone: 9th Ranked Quarterback – Colts Andrew Luck

Indianapolis Colts Andrew Luck is the 9th ranked quarterback in this year’s 2013 fantasy draft standings. With an Average Draft Position (ADP) of 62, he’s likely to be taken sometime in the fifth or sixth round of most fantasy drafts.

Luck had an unbelievable rookie season in 2012 throwing for a record-breaking 4,374 yards and 23 touchdowns. With changes to last year’s offensive scheme, it’s a major question of whether or not Luck can repeat his incredible fantasy numbers.

Last season, the young QB relied heavily on deep throws down the field. Former coach Bruce Arians’ offense attempted more passes of 20 yards or more than any other offense in the NFL. This allowed Luck to rack up sky-high yardage numbers. In turn, this also forced him to throw a miserable 18 interceptions, and record a completion percentage of just 54.1%.

As new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton implements his offense in Indianapolis, the team will likely rely on a more efficient, short passing attack to march down the field. As a result of this, Luck’s numbers may change for both the better and the worse.

For one thing, it’s possible that there could be a considerable drop off in yards, due to many less attempts down the field. The team will still focus a great deal on passing, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Luck record around 4,000 yards again. However, his amazing 4,300 yards from last year may be just out of reach.

Luck’s fantasy value may not improve much from last season, but it also may not decrease either. All things considered, he’s definitely a startable quarterback option. If you draft him, just try and find a solid backup to take in the later rounds as a safety net, like Josh Freeman or Carson Palmer.

Panthers Cam Newton Preparing for More Time in the Pocket

As Cam Newton enters his third season as the face of the Carolina Panthers franchise, the team seems intent on moving away from its read-option offense. Throughout this year’s training camp, offensive coordinator Mike Shula has kept Newton mostly in the pocket.

After a somewhat disappointing 2012 season for Newton, it is obvious the Panthers are moving in a new direction with the offense. The goal now is to develop Newton’s pure passing abilities rather than having him scramble to make plays.

Newton showed improvement as a passer last year, limiting his turnovers while increasing his yards-per-attempt average. The Panthers coaching staff obviously wants to build on this improvement. This change in the offense represents their growing trust in their quarterback’s arm rather than just his legs. Now the question is, should fantasy owners be concerned about Newton’s rushing totals during the upcoming season?

In short, the answer to that question is no. Cam is still a beast towards the goal line. He also registered significant carries during the second half of the season when the team explored ditching the read option. While his designed runs will not be as frequent, Newton will still find ways to use his running abilities.

If anything, this change should help Newton register his best passing season as a pro. With a focus on a more traditional rushing attack, the Panthers can utilize play action even more than they did last season. Newton is also an elite deep ball passer and will be throwing to a still productive Steve Smith.

If Newton can continue to improve in the pocket, a season with 4,000+ yards passing and 25+ touchdowns isn’t out of reach.

Colts T.Y. Hilton on Fast Track to a Starting Job

After the first week of preseason action, there is no one generating more buzz than Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiver, T.Y. Hilton. Currently the team’s third wide receiver, Hilton is having a tremendous camp and seems poised to win the starting job over number two wideout, Darrius Heyward-Bey, after shining in the Colts’ first preseason game on Sunday.

Labeled as a “freak” by head coach Chuck Pagano, Hilton was just that against the Bills on Sunday afternoon. Hilton finished the game with 3 catches for 61 yards, including a 45 yard touchdown reception from Matt Hasselbeck. While his touchdown came from the Colts backup quarterback, Hilton’s growing relationship with starter Andrew Luck was on display as they hooked up for two quick passes as well.

This year, Hilton is looking to build on his successful rookie campaign where he brought in 50 receptions for 861 yards and 7 touchdowns even with limited action in the team’s first 8 games. Hilton especially shined during his last 7 games, posting more yards and touchdowns than any other Colts player including fantasy stud, Reggie Wayne.

With more time to understand the Colts’ offense and more time to establish chemistry with quarterback, Andrew Luck, Hilton seems ready to standout for the Colts in 2013. Hilton is currently going off draft boards as the 31^st ranked wide receiver with an ADP of 84, but his stock will rise if he can win a starting spot – which seems very likely at this point.

Hilton should be considered a WR3, but clearly has tremendous upside and top-15 fantasy potential at his position. A speedster with a penchant for the big play (13 catches of 20+ yards last season), Hilton can easily put up Mike Wallace-like numbers for the Colts this year, so don’t let T.Y. Hilton blow by you in fantasy drafts this year.

False Alarm – Darrius Heyward-Bey Returns to Colts Practice

Initially thought to have suffered a Grade 1 sprain of his left MCL during Sunday’s practice, Colts wide receiver, Darrius Heyward-Bey, received good news Tuesday afternoon after an MRI revealed no structural damage.

With the MRI results showing no damage to ligaments in the knee, team doctors have diagnosed the injury as a sprained left knee rather than a sprain of the MCL. Initially, Chris Mortensen reported that Heyward-Bey was to miss significant time.

However, this was not the case as Heyward-Bey, who was wearing a brace on the knee while watching practice on Monday, was considered “day-to-day” by head coach Chuck Pagano.

According to team beat writer, Mike Chappell, Heyward-Bey was then given the green light to suit up for practice last night and was a limited participant in a rare evening practice held by the Colts. Heyward-Bey was reported as participating in position drills, but did not participate in team drills Tuesday night.

With this news, fantasy owners can let out a sigh of relief as Heyward-Bey was finally expected to live up to the first round pick the Raiders used to get him back in 2009. A significant injury would have derailed these hopes.

Meanwhile, returning to the practice field means Heyward-Bey won’t lose anymore ground to TY Hilton. Barring any setbacks, Heyward-Bey will line up next to Reggie Wayne as the team’s number two wide receiver in Week 1.