Week 5 was arguably the most unpredictable week of the 2009 NFL season to date. Chris Johnson does nothing, Matt Hasselbeck explodes with two cracked ribs and the Broncos are still undefeated after beating the Patriots.

Lets try to make sense of what’s to come in Week 6!

Fantasy Flash Podcast – Week 6

Fantasy Football Lineup Advice with Jerod and Kurt

Week 5 Recap

If you followed PFI last week, you benefited from starting Rashard Mendenhall (93 total yards with a touchdown), and a bottom-of-the-bucket waiver wire steal in Mike Wallace (52 yards and a touchdown). PFI, as well as the rest of the fantasy world, missed the boat on Jerome Harrison (21 total yards) which reaffirmed my theory of “Do Not Start Cleveland Browns!”

This week my format of my weekly “NFL Fantasy Football Sleepers; Waiver Wire Steals” will change from weeks past. The format will be set to correspond with our weekly podcast “Fantasy Flash” which is brought to you courtesy of MidwestSportsFans.com.

The new format will lay out the upcoming week’s top performer, start em’s/sit em’s, plus our weekly sleepers and waiver wire steals.

The Week 6 top performer will be Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers. In his last start in and versus Minnesota, Rodgers threw for 384 yards and two touchdowns! Imagine what Aaron will do against the Detroit Lions.

This week’s Start Em’s are:

1. Matt Hasselbeck-QB-Seahawks. Playing through pain was no problem for Hasselbeck last week, as he exploded for 241 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Jags. This week I like his match up at home versus Arizona.

2. Maurice Jones-Drew-RB-Jaguars. Jones-Drew, currently 4th among running backs, is facing the Rams, who will get any offense back on track. A much invited match up for Jacksonville, who struggled against Seattle.

3. Cedric Benson-RB-Bengals. Benson is for real! Currently ranked 5th among fantasy RB’s, Benson had great games this year against the Steelers and the Ravens, and now he draws the Texans who lead the league in giving up rushing touchdowns. Benson is a great play here.

Sit Em’s

1. Philip Rivers-QB-Chargers. Rivers has been a fantasy monster to this point. With that said, the Chargers are facing the Broncos this week. The Broncos have only allowed 17 points against once this year, and that was to the Patriots. They held every other opponent to 10 points or less. If you have another option, roll with them!

2. Any Cleveland Browns. They could not produce scores against Buffalo. I do not like their chances against an under performing Steelers Defense, who is looking to get back on head coach Mike Tomlin’s good side. Eric Mangini gave his team off until Wednesday this week due to their win. They are facing the Steelers, not a good time to reward horrible offensive play.

3. Brandon Jacobs-RB-Giants. The Giants are facing the improved defense of the Saints this week. Worse than that, Jacobs has only found the endzone once this season. Jacobs will pound between the tackles, but teammate Ahmed Bradshaw has the big play potential.

Onto This weeks sleepers;

1.  Leon Washington-RB-Jets.  Washington has had double digit carries in all but one game this season.  He draws the Buffalo Bills that were gashed by Jamal Lewis last week.  I like Leon’s chances to break one against this defense.

2.  Donnie Avery-WR-Rams.  The Rams are facing the Jag’s 30th ranked pass defense, and who else does St. Louis have to catch passes?  If the Rams want to move the ball, it will be done through the air, and I look for Avery to get his.

3.  Sammy Morris-RB-Patriots.  With Fred Taylor down, the Pats will rely on old faithful, Sammy Morris to get their lead back responsibilities.  Keep in mind that some games the Pats act like they are not allowed to run, but Morris will get his opportunities.

Now onto this week’ss waiver wire steal.  This weeks waiver wire steal is… Click here to go to Pro Football Insight for the rest of the story!

Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight
Senior Writer-MidwestSportsFans
Kurt@ProFootballinsight.net

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* – Donnie Avery photo credit: Brad Loper / DMN Photo Staff via Dallas Morning News

ProFootballInsight has released its Week 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers and Waiver Wire Steals.

[Editor's Note: You can also catch Fraschetti this week with me on the first edition of the MSF Fantasy Flash podcast.]

If you followed ProFootballinsight.net last week in the Week 4 Fantasy Football Sleepers and Waiver Wire Steals, you gained over 100 yards with Glen Coffee, 92 all purpose yards from Correll Buckhalter prior to his injury, and  got 71 yards from Pierre Garcon.

This week, Glen Coffee is set for a great game against the Atlanta Falcons, and I recommend starting him again, as well as Ahmad Bradshaw versus the Oakland Raiders. Bradshaw has had double digit touches every week and will get his this week as well.

In years past, if you had “Steve Smith” on your roster, you were usually the one with the team “Giants” next to his name, wishing it said “Panthers.” This year is exactly opposite. If you have “Steve Smith, Giants” on your team, START HIM!

These moves do not really have any real insight into them, they are, as I like to say: “no brainers.”

So let’s get into the Week 5 band-aids for your broken rosters  by clicking this link! Among the names discussed: Chad Henne, Mewelde Moore, Josh Johnson, and Rashard Mendenhall.

Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight
Senior Fantasy Football Writer
Kurt@ProFootballinsight.net

For those of you who followed PFI last week and our Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers and Waiver Wire Steals, you capitalized on a touchdown from Johnny Knox, an explosive game from Tashard Choice, and one of Jason Campbell’s biggest fantasy outputs of his career.

My fantasy owners who wrote in were guided in starting Kevin Kolb and up-to-then bust Santana Moss. Both had great fantasy weeks.

But enough tooting my own horn, onto this week’s closet fantasy studs, starting with the guy who is taking the place of Frank Gore in San Francisco: Glen Coffee.

1. Glen Coffee – RB – S.F. 49ers. With the loss of Frank Gore for three weeks, Glen Coffee will reap the benefits of Gore’s absence in the way of eating up his carries. One of Gore’s weeks out will be absorbed by the 49ers’ bye week, but the other two are favorable matchups for Coffee.

First Coffee will face the St. Louis Rams, followed by the Atlanta Falcons. Both are prone to giving up yards on the ground in bundles. The 49ers’ offensive scheme will not change with Gore out, so if Glen Coffee is there and you need a running back, he’s the man.

For the rest of ProFootballinsight’s Week 4 NFL Football Sleepers and Waiver Wire Steals, click this link.

As always, ask and you shall receive: post your questions to this article and I will respond. Submit your week 5 questions via email by Tuesday afternoon and have your questions answered as ProFootballinsight goes “Head to Head” with MidwestSportsFans in their Fantasy Podcast release beginning next week.

Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight
MidwestSportsFans.com Senior Fantasy Football Writer
Kurt@ProFootballinsight.net

Luckily, I set the bar a little higher for myself with my Week 1 sleeper selections. I didn’t necessarily pick any superstars, but certainly some guys that could have helped you depending on your roster situation.

• Week 1 Sleeper hits: Brady Quinn (205 yards, TD, 12 pts.); Mike Bell (143 yards, 12 pts.); Isaac Bruce (4 rec, 74 yds, 8.2 pts)
• Week 1 Sleeper misses: Martellus Bennett (1 rec, 13 yds); New Orleans D (27 pts given up, 3 INTs, 6 pts)

The key thing to remember with sleepers, at least from my perspective, is that they shouldn’t matter all that much until the bye weeks or major injuries start to pile up. If you drafted well, you shouldn’t be doing too much trolling in the 50%-or-less owned pool of players unless you are in a very deep league.

It is still too early to tell if your highly drafted players are busts, most everyone is still healthy, and one week is not enough time to tell whether that potential diamond the rough will become a weekly starter. Still, the earlier that you can identify and latch onto a player who was significantly undervalued on draft day, the better you will be moving forward.

So each of this week’s sleeper picks will be a combination of a) a guy that has a favorable Week 2 matchup; and b) a guy with the potential to be a weekly starter down the line should certain circumstances fall his way.

Let’s get right to ‘em.

Follow this link to StubHub for great deals on NFL tickets.

Week 2 Sleeper Picks

Week 2 QB Sleeper Pick: Shaun Hill, San Francisco (vs Seattle)

I was high on Shaun Hill in the offseason and continue to be high on him after the 49ers QB ran his career record to 8-3 in Week 1 with an efficient (18-31) 209 passing yards a TD. Currently Hill is owned in 25% of Yahoo leagues, most likely as a result of the purported QB competition that took place in San Francisco during the offseason.

But with Mike Singletary as the coach, do you really think he was ever going to pass over a guy who has won that high a percentage of his starts?

Hill is not flashy, just effective, which makes him perfect for Singletary’s tastes. And what this means is that, barring injury, Shaun Hill should be starting 16 games this season.

For his career, Hill has a 90.4 QB rating and a 19-9 TD-INT ratio. The 49ers receivers are nothing special, but Hill has an experienced veteran target in Isaac Bruce and a young guy with upside in Josh Morgan. Hill also has a tight end with a lot of potential in Vernon Davis (who you will read more about later).

Most importantly, Hill has Frank Gore behind him in the backfield.

Although Gore and the 49ers running game struggled in week 1, he gives Hill a solid option to dump the ball off to. Gore caught three passes in Week 1 and took one of them in for a touchdown. He has 53 and 43 catches respectively over the past two seasons.

Here is one more reason to like Hill: the 49ers schedule down the stretch. In weeks 14-17, the 49ers play Arizona, @Philadelphia, Detroit, and @St. Louis. The Philly matchup is tough, but the other three defenses present opportunities for big games.

If you own Tom Brady or Drew Brees, you are probably thinking playoffs right now. What if those guys get hurt? It might not be a bad idea to have a QB on your team who won’t hurt you (a la Jake Delhomme, owned in 43% of leagues) and who could be poised for some big games down the stretch.

Week 2 projection for Shaun Hill: 210 yards passing, 1 TD

Other QB sleepers I like specifically in Week 2: Jason Campbell, Washington (vs St. Louis, 41% owned); JaMarcus Russell, Oakland (@ Kansas City, 11% owned)

Week 2 RB Sleeper Pick: RB Correll Buckhalter, Denver Broncos (vs Cleveland)

If you want to know how bad Cleveland’s run defense is, I offer you the following two links:

• Adrian Peterson’s ridiculous Week 1 run
• Browns-Vikings preview

I basically called the Browns-Vikings game exactly as it went, and based much of that prediction on the Browns’ porous run D. Granted, the team looked better in the first half when they had A.P. and the Vikings pretty well bottled up, but Eric Mangini is working no miracles in Cleveland this year. The Browns will still be at least 20th or lower in rushing defense at season’s end.

Enter Correll Buckhalter (45% owned) and the Denver Broncos.

Now, we all know that Knowshon Moreno is the long-term answer in Denver. How soon he will start getting the bulk of the carries though, I’m not sure. Last week, Moreno got eight carries and went for 19 yards. He caught no passes. Buckhalter, on the hand, caught two passes to go along with his eight carries and 46 yards.

Clearly there is a timeshare going on in Denver.

With the Browns putting a surprising amount of pressure on now-statuesque Vikings QB Brett Favre, with a lot of it coming from blitzing safeties, Denver has to be concerned about its backs’ ability to pick up blitzers. Because Buckhalter is the more experienced of the two, that should give him an edge over Moreno on 2nd-and-long and 3rd down situations.

He has never been a full-time player, but Buckhalter has always produced when given opportunities (4.5 yard career average, 26 catches in 2008). He will get few opportunities as sweet as this Sunday’s against the run defense of the Browns, and could have decent value as a bye week flex fill-in moving forward — especially in PPR leagues — even if Knowshon Moreno becomes the feature back on 1st and 2nd downs.

Week 2 projection for Correll Buckhalter: 65 yards rushing, 30 yard receiving, 1 TD

Other RB sleepers I like specifically in Week 2: Michael Bush, Oakland (@ Kansas City, 37% owned); Ladell Betts, Washington (vs St. Louis, 14% owned)

Week 2 WR Sleeper Pick: Robert Meachem, New Orleans (@ Philadelphia)

All offseason we heard about how former 1st round pick Robert Meachem was finally ready to begin producing for the Saints after two lost seasons. If Week 1 is any indication, those reports may well prove true.

The Saints’ WR depth chart is interesting. The top two receivers, Marques Colston and Lance Moore, were drafted in the 7th round (Colston) and not drafted at all (Moore). Numbers 3 and 4 on the depth chart, however, were drafted in the 2nd round (Devery Henderson) and the 1st (Meachem).

So things are a little inverted in New Orleans.

Things are also extremely productive in New Orleans right now, and while Drew Brees won’t be throwing for 6 TDs every game, the Saints offense is showing every possible sign of being an unstoppable juggernaut in 2009.

Whether Meachem can overtake Colston or Moore in terms of targets is highly doubtful. Those two guys have a better rapport and more game history with Brees, and will most likely end the year with more catches, yards, and touchdowns than either Meachem or Henderson.

But — and it’s a bit but — both Colston and Moore have been hurt within the past year. Colston missed time last year and Moore missed the bulk of the preseason. If either goes down, Meachem slides one step closer to getting starting-level WR targets. In New Orleans’ offense, this is a big deal, as Moore unexpectedly proved last year.

This week, Philadelphia will do a much better job of defending Brees than Detroit did. We know that. And in Asante Samual and Sheldon Brown, the Eagles have two pretty good starting corners on the outside. This could be a good game for the Saints’ other WRs, matched up on nickel corners and safeties, to get some increased targets.

And long-term, there are far worse futures buys than a talented former 1st round pick in his third season who plays in the NFL’s best offense and who also returns kicks.

Week 2 projection for Robert Meachem: 4 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD

Other WR sleepers I like specifically in Week 2: Antwaan Randle El, Washington (vs St. Louis, 23% owned); Michael Clayton, Tampa Bay (@ Buffalo, 14% owned)

Week 2 TE Sleeper: Vernon Davis, San Francisco (vs Seattle)

Well, it looks like my work concerning Vernon Davis is not yet done, as Davis still is only owned in 45% of leagues. The former 1st round pick is starting to see more targets though, seven in Week 1, and is now more able to turn those targets into production (5 receptions, 40 yards).

The 49ers are a good team, play in a so-so division, and are devoid of big-time playmakers on the outside. They also have a good, efficient quarterback who will be able to help them keep the chains moving.

Add all of that up, then sprinkle in some of Davis’ immense physical talent and newfound maturity (he’s a captain), and everything appears to be in place for a breakout year from Davis.

This week, San Francisco plays Seattle. The Seahawks should be better this year, and are 1-0, but we really know nothing about them because they’ve only played St. Louis. And for goodness sakes, they gave up four catches and 44 yards to Randy McMichael. No, those aren’t great numbers, but…Randy McMichael?

Watch out, because this could be Vernon Davis’ breakout game and then you’ll all wish you’d listened to me when I told you to pick him up.

Week 2 projection for Vernon Davis: 6 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TD

Other TE sleepers I like specifically in Week 2: Brent Celek, Philadelphia (vs New Orleans, 43% owned); Todd Heap, Baltimore (@ San Diego, 38% owned)

Week 2 D/ST Sleeper: Washington Redskins (vs St. Louis)

Well, that was easy. The Redskins have a very good defense, and it should only improve this season with Albert Haynesworth. This week they are playing the St. Louis Rams, a team with the worst offense in the NFL west of Cleveland.

Start the Redskins. You won’t be disappointed. (And if you are, it probably means that Jim Zorn is getting fired on Monday.)

Other D/ST sleepers I like specifically in Week 2: Atlanta (vs Carolina, 27% owned)

Remember to use the comment section for any and all fantasy questions leading up to the start of games on Sunday. I’ll do my best to answer them promptly.

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* – Shaun Hill photo credit: Lone Placebo

* – Robert Meachem photo credit: Sean Gardner / Reuters via USA Today

Luckily, thanks to the Browns stuffing Brian Westbrook at the 1-yard line on Monday night and the Eagles sitting Westbrook for most of the 4th quarter, I advanced to the championship round of my primary league. I do not feel bad about this at all, however. My team scored the most points by nearly 100 in the regular season, and then Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald threw up a stinker in the biggest week of the season. Damnit, I deserve to be in the championship game and if it took a flukey Monday night performance from Brian Westbrook to get me there, well do be it. A

Anyone who plays fantasy football has been on the losing end of games they should win, and on the winning end of games they should lose. It’s the nature of the beast. Hopefully I can just survive one more week and win this league for the first time.

To kick this Week 16 Sleeper Focus off, I will take you through my thinking on some of the decisions I have to make this week. Perhaps you have similar players on your roster and it can be helpful:

Team #1: The Best Men

QBs: Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, and Eli Manning

I can pick two, and I’m sticking with the two I’ve ridden all year: Brees and Warner.

RBs: Chris Johnson, LT, Steve Slaton, Willie Parker, Le’Ron McClain

Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton are must-starts. And I always play a RB at flex. I don’t trust WRs. I have to admit that I am considering benching LT for Le’Ron McClain, who has been more productive recently. However, Tampa Bay’s defense has shown some signs of trouble against the run, and with the Chargers desperate to stay alive in the AFC West I think LT may be able to get in the endzone. I know this: if he has a huge game, and I sat him for the championship after sticking with him all season, I’ll regret it. I won’t regret playing him. LT starts.

WRs: Wes Welker, Larry Fitzgerald, and DeSean Jackson

Do you have to ask? Welker and Fitzgerald.

The rest of my spots are set: Chris Cooley at TE, Steven Gostowski at K, Tennessee’s D, and then the amazing trio of John Abraham, Joey Porter, and Ed Reed at DB. I’m feeling good in this league.

Team #2: THE Carlos Quentin

(I am playing a team called “Steelers Suck” coached by our good friend Ryan Russell in the championship, by the way.)

QB – Drew Brees. He starts. No questions.

RBs: Steve Slaton, DeAngelo Williams, Brandon Jacobs, Jerious Norwood, Leon Washington

Well, Steve Slaton and DeAngelo Williams are no-brainers. That leaves the flex spot, where I would love to play Brandon Jacobs. The latest news is that he will “likely” play. I hope so. If not, I do not trust Norwood or Washington to get enough touches. Sure, they are capable of big days, but it’s the championship. I can’t afford a 0. In this case, I’d rather play a receiver like Davone Bess who will certainly get catches and at least give me something guaranteed.

WRs: Davone Bess, Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, Muhsin Muhammad, Justin Gage

Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson definitely start. Hopefully I don’t have to choose from Bess, Muhammad, or Gage for the flex spot. If I did, I would go with Davone Bess. Miami is playing a weak Kansas City team and Bess has played well over the past month. It’s a PPR league and he will get 3-5 catches minimum. Gage is all or nothing and the Panthers passing game sometimes totally disappears.

The rest of the lineup is Witten at TE, Jets D, and John Kasay. The Jets D playing in a West Coast game scares me, but I’m sticking with them. They have play-makers and the Seahawks suck.

Team #3: Small Craft Advisory

(I am actually only in the Final Four in this league, as the championship is Week 17. However, there are still choices:)

QBs: Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme – my backups are Trent Edwards and Matt Hasselbeck, so no help there.

RBs: Michael Turner, Chris Johnson, Le’Ron McClain, Brandon Jacobs

Michael Turner and Chris Johnson start. McClain v Jacobs is interesting for the flex spot. The Ravens are playing a Dallas defense that has been doing very well this year, and Jacobs will not be 100% healthy if he does play. Both are always at risk to lose carries to capable teammates should they struggle. I would probably go with Jacobs to avoid Dallas’ D and because the game is Sunday night. I always like having a player in the Sunday night or Monday games so I have a chance regardless of what happens in the afternoon. All else being equal, I usually let that break the tie.

WRs: Brandon Marshall, Calvin Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Braylon Edwards.

Marshall and Johnson start. I have one other slot to fill, and Edwards seems like a good play after a solid outing Monday night and the Bengals on the schedule. Plus, DeSean Jackson is playing a tough Washington D. Both Jackson and Edwards are streaky, but I’m just not sure I can bring myself to trust Edwards in a big spot. I wil l probably go with Jackson.

TE: John Carlson or Greg Olsen. This is toss-up. Carlson has been very solid, but plays a tough Jets D in a must-win game for the Jets. Greg Olsen plays Monday night against a Green Bay D that couldn’t stop traffic at a red light. I will probably go with Greg Olsen here.

Now onto some sleepers for Week 16:

Week 16 Fantasy Football Sleeper Focus

Sleeper – RB DeShaun Foster, 49ers

I listed him as a sleeper last week because of the injury to Frank Gore, and with the status of Frank Gore still up in the air, Foster remains on this list if he is available. Hopefully you are not desperate for a RB, but he could be better than a WR you were thinking about flexing. 18 carries for 76 yards plus 5 receptions for 25 yards is pretty good production. He did not make it into the endzone against Miami, but probably will against St. Louis. His matchup makes DeShaun Foster a potential #2 RB, if Frank Gore cannot go. Make sure to check the injury reports.

Sleeper – QB Matt Schaub, Texans

I would assume if you are in the championship that you do not need a QB. However, if your team is built around other positions and you have a poor matchup (like Ben Roethlisberger against the Titans, or Tony Romo against the Ravens), Matt Schaub could be a better play. He has been stellar since returning from injury and the Texans play an Oakland Raiders defense that gave up 4 TDs to Matt Cassel last week. Matt Schaub is quite possibly a top 5 QB this week, based on matchup. If you’re looking for a ballsy move, and Schaub is available, I’d think long and hard about whether or not Matt Schaub is better than the guy you have starting.

Sleeper – WR Deion Branch, Seahawks

Deion Branch has become a forgotten man playing in the Pacific Northwest and having underwhelming stats for the past few years. But check out his production over the last 3 weeks: 14 receptions, around 230 yards, and 2 TDs. And the New York Jets are coming to town, a team that consistently struggles when playing on the West Coast. I would not start Branch as a #2 WR, nor would I start him over Davone Bess against the Kansas City Chiefs, but Deion Branch is worthy of a look as a flex play.

Sleeper – RB Cedric Benson, Bengals

It pains me to do this. It really does. Drafting Cedric Benson in the 5th round last year is the most profound black mark on my relatively successful fantasy football career. Plus, Cedric Benson is playing my beloved Browns. But the clown from UT had a very solid game last week, and is playing a Browns defense that simply has not shown it can stop the run against anyone. I would not start Benson as a #2 RB, but perhaps more out of spite than for any objective reason. He may have a very good day, and is certainly a very good flex option.

Sleeper – Houston Texans Defense

Matchups baby – and the Texans are playing the Raiders. I think Houston will score a lot of points, and do it early, which will give them a lead. Then Mario Williams will be able to tee off on JaMarcus Russell and get sacks, as well as force some bad throws that could lead to interceptions. Houston is a borderline top 10 defense for this week in my mind and could end up having a very big day.

There you go. Sleepers galore and hopefully some info to help you get ready for Week 16 of the Fantasy Football season. As always, leave any questions in the comments section and we will be sure to answer them. And don’t forget to check out the NFL Week 16 Preview and TV Schedule to get you ready for your football watching weekend. Good luck!

Sleeper – RB Dominic Rhodes, Indianapolis Colts

Perhaps this one is too easy. Joseph Addai will most likely not play on Sunday and Dominc Rhodes has averaged over 70 yards and a TD in the three games that he has received 17 or more carries this year for the Colts. I like that kind of production, especially with the Colts going up against the putrid Detroit Lions. Plug Dominic Rhodes in at your #2 RB slot and be confident.

Sleeper – RB Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants

Brandon Jacobs is injured and out this weekend as well. Typically, Derrick Ward gets the bulk of the carries, with Ahmad Bradshaw having an increased but lesser role. This week, the Giants play a Dallas defense that has been performing much better recently. And the Giants passing game is without its big play threat in the suspended Plaxico Burress. Anyone else see Domenik Hixon do his Braylon Edwards impression and drop the wide open bomb last week? Yeah, something tells me that Eli Manning may be a little bit more reluctant to take chances downfield.

That should mean more opportunities for Bradshaw. With the Giants passing game struggling, and running still being their bread and butter, I look for them to get Bradshaw at least 10 touches, and maybe 15. He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry after averaging over 8 yards per carry last year. He doesn’t catch the ball much out of the backfield, but he could break loose for a big run at some point and find his way to the endzone with the increased touched. Derrick Ward is a fine #2 RB for Week 15, but I’d also feel good about Ahmad Bradshaw as a flex.

Sleeper – WR Davone Bess, Miami Dolphins

Last week, I told you to pick up Ted Ginn Jr., who I thought would benefit from the absence of Greg Camarillo. Ginn responded with 1 catch for 18 yards only 29 return yards. My apologies. What I failed to realize is that Camarillo’s value came from being Chad Pennington’s underneath security blanket, a guy who could make catches over the middle and pick up a few extra yards with his scrappiness. That will never be Ginn, but it is a good description of rookie Davone Bess, who has been a revelation as an undrafted free agent out of Hawaii.

Some guys are just productive football players, like Wes Welker for instance. And while Davone Bess is far from being in Welker’s category, he could certainly be desribed as a poor man’s Welker. Bess makes tough catches, picks up yards after the catch, and knows how to get open against zone coverages. Last week, Bess had 9 catches for 74 yards and proved that he can be the new Camarillo in the Dolphins offense. And here’s the thing: Davone Bess was not a one-week wonder. He has 20 catches for around 250 yards in the last three games. He is not a big red zone threat, and has only one TD this season, but Bess has a lot of value in PPR leagues.

Sleeper – RB Maurice Morris, Seattle Seahawks

Maurice Morris will get the start for the Seattle Seahawks this weekend when they take on the St. Louis Rams. Both of these teams pretty much suck, but Morris could have a decent day against a pretty awful defense. Morris has not scored a TD this year, but he did rumble for over 100 yards against Washington in Week 12. If you’re desperate for a #2 RB or flex fill-in who will get touches, Maurice Morris could have a decent day.

Sleeper – Indianapolis Colts Defense

First off, they are playing the Detroit Lions. A Big 12 defense might be a good play this week against the Detroit Lions. Additionally, Bob Sanders is back and that changes the entire complexion of the Colts D. The Colts are a good choice if you need a defense for Week 15.

And finally…

Sleeper – WR Malcolm Floyd, San Diego Chargers

While researching my own sleeper picks, I came across the following article in Yahoo talking about Malcolm Floyd as a potentially strong play this weekend. Sounds good to me. I’ll give it my own stamp of approval and link you there.

I’m not sure if we are doing another start em, sit em chat tomorrow. Stay tuned. But feel free to ask any last-minute questions in the comment area and I’ll be sure to get to them as soon as I am able. Good luck in Week 15 everyone!

Starting at 9:00 CT (10:00 ET), Josh and I will be hosting another Sunday morning Start Em, Sit Em Live Chat over at the Fantasy Sports Blog. Get your last minute lineup questions and sleeper recommendations there.

It’s been a little while since we’ve done a Fantasy Football Sleeper Focus, so I figured I’d fire one up real quick and help you make those uber-important Week 14 lineup decisions. You may be in the playoffs already, or fighting for that final spot, but everyone can use a sleeper or some last-minute advice.

Sleeper: Tashard Choice – Dallas Cowboys

As anyone who reads this site knows, I love Tashard Choice. And I am excited that the little-engine-that-could from Georgia Tech will get a chance to start this week with Marion Barber out of the lineup. However, I am not so excited that Tashard Choice will be facing Pittsburgh’s ridiculously awesome defense. The Steelers are #1 across the board in every defensive category, and don’t forget that the Cowboys have been fattening up recently on subpar teams like Seattle and San Francisco.

Tashard Choice is starting, so that makes him a bona fide sleeper pick. However, his matchup makes him only a #2 running back at best, and that’s if you’re desperate. Start Choice at flex if you don’t have a better option and hope that he can sneak his way into the endzone. He’ll be grinding out every yard against Pittsburgh.

Sleeper: Peyton Hillis – Denver Broncos

With 4 touchdowns in the last three weeks, it might something of a cop out to call Peyton Hillis a sleeper anymore. He is just another in a long line of Denver running backs who come out of the blue to determine fantasy football championships. With that said, if the other owners in your league are brain dead and Peyton Hillis is still available, run to the waiver wire and pick him up. NOW! Last week he carried 22 times for 129 yards and a TD against a pretty good Jets defense. What more proof do you need?

This week, Denver plays Kansas City. If you are wondering if that’s a good matchup, it is. Kansas City is ranked 32nd in the NFL in total defense and Denver seems to be to clicking based on their performance last week. Hillis could put up #1 running back numbers this week.

Or get yanked by Mike Shanahan in the first quarter…because Mike Shanahan is the devil.

Sleepers: Amani Toomer and Domenik Hixon – New York Giants

Plaxico Burress is out — you may have heard — and someone has to catch passes from Eli Manning. Amani Toomer had 5 catches for 85 yards and a TD last week. Domenik Hixon had 5 catches for 71 yards. Look for similar numbers for each this week as Eli Manning spreads it around to compensate for the loss of Burress. The Giants will still rely heavily on their ground game, so Toomer and Hixon are still only #3 WRs or flex options, but they could provide solid production in those slots. Temper your expectations a bit, though, as the Giants face a tough Eagles defense.

Sleeper: Le’Ron McClain – Baltimore Ravens

Let’s put it this way: I have Le’Ron McClain in the same league that I have Reggie Bush in, and I have much more confidence in McClain right now than Reggie Bush. The bruiser out of Alabama has totaled 88 and 86 yards the last two weeks and punched in a score last week against Cincinnati. This week, the Ravens take on Washington Monday night. The Redskins D is 6th in the league in total defense, but Baltimore’s offense has been on an absolute roll the past few weeks. They won’t have the field day they had last week, but it will be a more a smash-mouth, grind-it-out type game and I think it could bode well for McClain getting some goal line carries. Plus, he’ll be playing on Monday night — which means no matter how far you’re down after Sunday, you’ll still have a glimmer of hope that you can come back!

Sleeper: Kevin Boss – New York Giants

Yes, I realize this is another player from the Giants that is not a running back. But if you need a tight end for Week 14 (like all you Kellen Winslow owners out there), you could do a lot worse than Kevin Boss. He should prove to be a top-10 TE this week, and could start seeing some of the red zone opportunities that used to go to Plaxico Burress.

(Update: After going through my own rosters, I’m adding another sleeper: Ted Ginn Jr.)

Sleeper: Ted Ginn Jr. – Miami Dolphins

With Greg Camarillo on Injured Reserve, Chad Pennington has lost his most reliable receiver. And as crazy as it is to believe, the Dolphins actually control their own destiny in the AFC East. Sure, they’d have to win out to have true “control”, but that’s pretty sweet after they went 1-15 last year. This means that they have to get the ball into the hands of their playmakers, and do it often. Ted Ginn Jr. is the most explosive playmakers the Dolphins have.

If your league counts return yards, then Ginn is a very solid start as a #3 WR or flex. If you are weak at WR, Ginn could potentially have a solid day against Buffalo even as a #2 WR. Buffalo gives up over 200 yards per game through the air, and they have not exactly been lighting the world on fire lately. The positive for a Ginn owner is that while he may only have 4-5 receptions, he will get 10-15 touches minimum when you add in his returns and reverses. He’s starting for me at a #3 WR slot, and he could produce solid numbers for you too, and is probably sitting out there on waivers.

Well there is a nice, tidy list of guys who might possibly still be on waivers — or who are sitting on your bench because you can’t decide what to do with them. I think all of them could have some value in Week 14, depending on how your roster shapes up.

If you have any specific questions, submit them in the comments below so everyone can benefit from the answer. I will try to answer as many of them as possible leading up to kickoff tomorrow. And don’t forget about the Week 14 Start Em, Sit Em Chat going on over at the Fantasy Sports Blog. You can submit your last minute questions there too.

Good luck in Week 14!

We are transitioning all of our fantasy content over to the new blog, but I figured I’d post the sleeper predictions here since the Fantasy Sports Blog is still fairly new and I don’t want anyone to miss out on the prognosticating genius of Fraschetti.

Here are Fraschetti’s sleepers for Week 11 of the Fantasy Football season:

Tyler Thigpen, QB, Chiefs. Tyler Thigpen is #2 in fantasy football points at the quarterback position over the last three weeks. Thigpen is facing a Saints defense which does not strike fear into any offense. I am not calling Tyler Thigpen a fantasy QB god, but in a jam he is a good filler. I like consistency, and three weeks of good scoring fits my definition of consistency.

Ricky Williams, RB, Dolphins. Ricky William is coming off of a good fantasy performance, and is facing OAKLAND. Need I say more? Just remember, anyone vs Oakland is a good thing.

Terrell Owens, WR, Cowboys. This is the week that Terrell Owens gets off the schnied. Tony Romo and Terrell Owens = TD, period. Its hard to call T.O. a sleeper, but really, have you been starting him? Did you not want to trade him, or still trying to? Terrell Owens should have a bounce back week this week.

Follow the link to read the rest of Fraschetti’s weekly fantasy football sleeper focus column and post any last-minute lineup questions. You can post your questions here too.

We are also hosting a live chat on Sunday morning between 9:00 and 11:00 ET.  Head over to the Week 11 Start Em, Sit Em Live Chat now and submit your question early.  (If it’s past 9:00 already, then hurry the hell over now and get your question in before we’re done.  What are you waiting for?)

To find out more about the injury status of running backs like Clinton Portis and Willie Parker, check out the Running Back Injury Report post.

Best of luck in Week 11! (Hopefully LT will actually show up this weekend!)

[tags]fantasy football, sleepers[/tags]

Welcome back to the Midwest Sports Fans Fantasy Football Sleeper Focus for NFL Week 8.

In a recap, two weeks ago, I recommended that you pick up and start John Carlson, the tight end from Seattle. All he has done since is score touchdowns, which propelled him to the 11th ranked fantasy tight end. I told you two weeks ago to sit all of your Patriots, and in doing so, the offense was miserable. Last week I told you to start all of your Patriots, and it appeared that Tom Brady was wearing #16 as the Patriots offense did not miss a beat.

The concept of this weekly segment is to help fantasy football owners make educated, tough decisions. I am open to your questions and will provide advice to you via email, or if received early enough, I will post your question on our weekly segment. You can also interact with me via this site by posting a question at the end of this article. Responses have grown each week, and I am encouraged by all of the positive feedback I have received. I do not address the obvious “no-brainers” for who to start in my article, but try to provide insight into deeper issues.

Now, lets get down and dirty with Week 8.

We will open week 8 with a question I was sent yesterday by Robert from Youngstown:

“I picked up Carlson like you said and he was great. I also had Morris last week and wished he played the second half, that would have been huge. I also followed you on selecting Brad Johnson from the Cowboys for my QB as mine was on a bye. He had an awful showing last week, what do you expect this week since I can start two QB’s in my league.”

Robert, thanks for following my articles and I am glad almost everything worked out for you. As for Brad Johnson, I never saw that poor of a performance coming. There was so much uncertainty as to who was going to start last Sunday between Brad Johnson and Tony Romo that I think that was a huge distraction for the entire team. Wade Phillips I don’t believe has a clue of what is going on with his team as it is circling the drain.

Part of me thinks that Jason Garrett is failing on purpose, knowing that when Phillips is fired, it is Garrett’s team. I saw a source reported that Romo will not be playing until mid-November, which should eliminate any controversy as to who the starter is. The Cowboys have to win now, or this will be the worst actual team which appeared to be the best on paper in a really long time. I look for Jason Garrett to cater the offense more to Johnson’s style and abilities which will make Brad Johnson worthy of a start.

Moving on, Deuce McAllister will see additional carries with the loss of Reggie Bush; the question is, how many? I believe that only Deuce McAllister will be able to answer that question. If he produces, Sean Payton will continue to give him the rock. If he is not productive, we will see more of Pierre Thomas and Aaron Stecker. McAllister has shown flashes of his old self this year, and I anticipate him to be a good start if you are in need at the flex or running back position.

Another running back worthy of a start if in need is the Bengals new starting running back Cedric Benson. As I reported last week, Cedric Benson received the starting nod over previous starter Chris Perry against the Steelers. Benson did not set the world on fire, but did get 62 total yards on 15 touches against a talented Steelers defense. This week should be a walk in the park for him compared to last week as he faces the Texans D this week.

In the past week, a lot of owners were asking me my opinion on defenses. This week is no different. The top fantasy D in the league right now is the Titans. With that said, I do not like the Titans as a start this week for a few reasons. The first is they are playing the Indianapolis Colts. Yes, the Colts have only had one productive offensive game, which came against the leagues best defense, the Ravens. You know that the Colts offense is going to explode again, the question is, on who? Secondly, they are playing on Monday night, which always seems to generate scoring, regardless of who is playing. Defenses I like this week are the Jets, 49ers, Bills, Redskins and Ravens.

As always, thanks for getting your fantasy football insight with me. Post your questions here or you can reach me at profootballinsight@live.com

Kurt Fraschetti

[tags]fantasy football, sleepers, nfl[/tags]

(Update: It appears that Tony Romo will not start today, so the advice below regarding Brad Johnson is relevant.  Romo is expected to play only if things “go haywire.”)

(Editor’s Note: This story was written and published before reports began to surface that Tony “I Want to Be Brett Favre” Romo began saying that he wanted to ignore the advice of the Cowboys’ training staff (per 1310 AM The Ticket in Dallas this morning) and play with his injured pinkie this weekend against St. Louis. Obviously, if Tony Romo plays it puts Brad Johnson on the bench. Still, the advice below is worthy of heeding, as Romo could still decide to sit out and is very much at risk of doing further damage to his pinkie should he decide to suit up. This is a situation to monitor as Sunday approaches, and certainly Brad Johnson should be on your radar screen until we hear that Tony Romo has a clean bill of health.)

It’s crunch time fantasy football owners — you know what I am talking about. We are in the meat and potatoes of the season. Week 7 marks the first game over the halfway point to the playoffs. Visit the link to my week 6 results and see why I should be your weekly source for all of your NFL needs and advice.

First, I would like to thank those who wrote into me this week at ProFootballInsight@live.com with their fantasy football questions. This week’s selected question came from Eric in Cleveland.

Eric has both David Garrard and Matt Ryan on byes and needs to pick up a QB. Eric has five options to start at QB that are available on waivers and wants to know who will be the most successful. His options are Matt Cassell, Brad Johnson, Dan Orlovsky, Charlie Frye and Seneca Wallace.

I will eliminate two for you right off the bat, those being Charile Frye and Seneca Wallace. As much as I do not like Charlie Frye, due to his liking to throw to opposite-colored jerseys, I love Seneca Wallace; that is, when healthy. If Seneca Wallace was 100%, that would be my clear cut choice, without a doubt. He has always played very well in the role of backup and can hurt you two ways, with his arm and his legs. His drawback was that he was only available in an emergency situation last week, and probably couldn’t have played even if called upon to do so. With that said, they will not risk his health to force him out there to start over Charlie Frye this week.

I do not like Dan Orlovsky due to the Lions’ inability to generate a power run game, and the fact that he ran out of the end zone because he was too stupid to stay inbounds. Matt Cassell will grow with the offense, if he is not decapitated by the opposing defense first, but still is not where I would like him to be. I am going with 107-year old Brad Johnson on this one.

Eric, my thought process into this is simple: All of the tools are there, and Johnson is a game manager. He knows the system and is supported by Terrell Owens, Marion Barber, Jason Witten and Patrick Crayton. (Editor’s note: And now, Roy Williams too!) My dog can complete passes to this group. I anticipate the Cowboys to tailor their offense to Johnson’s availabilities.

Now onto the Week 7 Fantasy Football Sleepers!

Michael Pittman, RB Broncos- If your league is not deep, he is most certainly available. Even if your league is deep, Pittman is available in over 50% of fantasy football leagues. I love him this week as a flex or bye week fill-in for a few reasons.

The Rocky Mountain Times reported that head coach Mike Shanahan told Pittman that he will not only start Monday Night against the Patriots, but he will have an opportunity to keep the starting job based on his performance. Pittman is coming off the Broncos first 100 yard performance since last December, and was given more than enough motivation to perform at a high level on the big stage.

Brad Johnson, QB Cowboys- Marion Barber, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten, Patrick Crayton…. and now, Roy Williams, WOW! Yes, Brad Johnson is 107 years old; but, defenses will now key in on Marion Barber to stop the run by stacking the box on him. This will force Brad Johnson a veteran QB who is familiar with the offense, to pass; and that he will.

Brad Johnson will give you his usual consistent 200 yard performance with 2 TD’s and a pick or two. Brad Johnson is a game manager with a ton of weapons. I look for Brad Johnson to do a better job of managing the egos in the huddle and bring a father figure type approach to a very powerful huddle.

I am going out on a limb now and telling you exactly opposite of what my advice was last week. Even though I could not have been more right last week by telling you to sit your New England Patriots, you have to start them this week.

They are on your rosters for a reason, and you probably gave your draft away to take them in early rounds. I see Matt Cassell, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Sammy Morris as legitimate starters for this week for one reason: Denver’s Defense. If the New England Patriots cannot put on a productive offensive game plan against this “D“, do not start them until Tom Brady is back under center.

Get your questions in so the experts from ProFootballInsight.webs.com can provide you with exclusive, individual and personal attention for your fantasy football needs. Send your questions to profootballinsight@live.com. Good luck this week fantasy owners. Your playoffs are right around the corner.

[tags]fantasy football, week 7 sleepers, nfl[/tags]

***Breaking News***

Tony Romo — DONE. Tony Romo is out four weeks with a broken pinky finger. Grab Brad Johnson, who will fill in for Tony Romo, if you can for several reasons. Brad will produce numbers, not Tony Romo numbers, but numbers none the less. The run game that Dallas will now have to rely upon without Tony Romo will open up the pass game. Not deep balls, but consistent numbers, and passes to two very talented backs who can break a two yard pass for an enormous touchdown.

I expect Brad Johnson to average a little over 200 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and a pick or two a game. If you don’t need him, pick him up to screw Tony Romo owners or other teams weak at the QB Position. Johnson could provide a decent return in a trade.

Now onto the Fantasy Football Week 6 Recap:

For those of you who followed my Fantasy Football Sleeper advice when in a bind last week, you should be enjoying your decisions. The closing to my predictions and analysis was gospel, “Avoid Patriots At All Costs!” If you were like me and forced to start Sammy Morris, you were not too disappointed as he found the end zone finishing with 12 points. But any other Patriot left you with next to no points. Sorry, you should have listened.

I called three sleepers out to you for Week 6, those being Deuce McAllister, Tim Hightower and John Carlson. They performed as follows;

Deuce McAllister- 13 carries equaling 65 yards with 2 receptions for seven yards totaling 6 points. Deuce McAllister could have had far greater results but was not given many goal line attempts, hence Reggie Bush’s rushing touchdown. He did however spit carries with Bush, and saw a few passes out the the backfield. The opportunity for success was there, he just didn’t cash in. Overall Grade: C

Tim Hightower- 7 carries, 20 yards with 4 receptions totaling 29 yards equalling 4 points. If Larry Fitzgerald does not come down with that unbelievable touchdown in the red zone, Tim Hightower could have ended up with his staple 1 touchdown per game. Obviously Arizona felt they had a better chance to pass on Dallas’s D versus run into it. Tim Hightower had just two less carries than Edgerrin James, and was the third leading receiver for Arizona. He too had chances to post good numbers. Overall Grade: C-

John Carlson- Carlson was Seattle’s only source of offense on Sunday with 4 grabs for 22 yards and a touchdown, posting 8 points. With a real quarterback, Carlson’s numbers would have been even better. Carlson outscored Ben Watson, Donald Lee, Vernon Davis, L.J. Smith, Jason Witten, Leonard Pope, Daniel Graham, Chris Baker, Ben Utech, Bubba Franks, Dallas Clark, Zach Miller, Todd Heap, Visanthe Shiancoe, Chris Cooley, Owen Daniels, Anthony Fasano, Greg Olson and many others. He only lost to Antonio Gates by a point. If you listened, this was genius,. Overall Grade: A++

Submit your questions to me via email at profootballinsight before Thursday morning and I will post your answers in this week’s Fantasy Football Sleeper Focus Week 7 article. By the way, ProFootballInsight’s game of the week hit for the third week in a row, with the Colts destroying the spread against the Ravens. Contact us for all your football needs.

Kurt Fraschetti / www.profootballinsight.webs.com / profootballinsight@live.com

[tags]fantasy football, nfl, sleepers, tony romo[/tags]

__________

Welcome to the new weekly posting of the Fantasy Football Focus, brought to you by the professionals at ProFootballInsight. If you have any questions leading into the upcoming week and wish for them to be answered on our weekly Fantasy Sleeper Focus column, please email us early in the upcoming week to profootballinsight@live.com. Your questions to be answered and posted for that week.

If your league is deep, that being 12-plus teams, and you are looking for options that could or should still be on waivers, well look no further. Leading into Week 6, we at ProFootballInsight.webs.com like the following sleeper options:

TE John Carlson, Seattle Seahawks

Last week Carlson was completely overlooked in the Giants’ 44-6 routing of the Seattle Seahawks. This oversight was acknolwedged by the Seahawks and John Carlson should recieve his share of looks in Week 6. I do not recommend starting him over a proven TE, but if in need, he is due to again produce.

RB Deuce McAllister, New Orleans Saints

It;s hard to call Deuce McAllister a sleeper, but with his non-existence last year, and late start this year, he should still be available. The New Orleans Saints in the last two weeks learned the hard way about the importance of a bruising running game. The lesson was simple: pound Deuce McAllister at the opposing defense, your offensive playbook becomes extremely potent, and this leads to wins; abort the ground game and become one dimensional, this means loss. Deuce McAllister should get a steady dose of carries this week and all of the goalline run opportunities.

RB Tim Hightower, Arizona Cardinals

This rookie has done nothing but score touchdowns, and this trend should continue. Tim Hightower continues to be the featured goalline back for the Arizona Cardinals, and has only had one game thus far without a touchdown. He should have plenty of attempts against a thus far mediocre Dallas Cowboys defense and is only one Edgerrin James injury away from being a feature NFL back. He is a must-have on your bench at a minimum if available.

Some additional wisdom in closing:

AVOID ALL NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT ALL COSTS

Laurence Maroney was always thought to be the featured back for this team once Cory Dillon retired. Sammy Morris turned into the goalline stud last year and was thought to be the same this year. With the loss of Tom Brady, Randy Moss has been worthless until last week. And Wes who?

Ben Watson is finally seeing the field after an injury made him a non factor so far this season. Matt Cassel will either score you -2 fantasy points or 18 fantasy points; just hope the coin lands on the side you picked that week. Where am I going with all of this? It’s simple: There is no consistency with this offense, and not enough of an identity to establish who will produce each week.

I guarantee you someone on this team will give you promising fantasy numbers each week, but no one will do it consistently. Do you really think Kevin Faulk will get two goalline touchdowns this week? I don’t, but at the same time would not be suprised if it happened. The only thing that I can gaurantee is that Bill Belichick will win any way possible and his best bet is to throw a different scheme at you each week, meaning different formations, players, alignments. You name it, it will be done. Until a player can package three consistent weeks in a row, if you have a more reliable option, play ‘em.

Good luck and get your questions in.

~Kurt Fraschetti

ProFootballinsight@webs.com

[tags]fantasy football, nfl, sleepers, new england patriots[/tags]