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Despite cutting one thirty-something running back this off-season, the New York Jets are now entertaining another.

Today the Jets, who cut Thomas Jones due to a large roster bonus he would have otherwise received, are hosting LaDainian Tomlinson, who met with the Vikings yesterday.

Tomlinson, who was released by the Chargers, hasn't been the same dominant running back he was earlier in his career during the past two disappointing seasons.

With the Vikings or the Jets, LT would serve as the back-up running back to either Adrian Peterson or Shonn Greene. His role with the Vikings, however, would be more defined since they lost Chester Taylor, who was their third-down back, to Chicago. Meanwhile, the Jets have Leon Washington to occupy that role.

The one thing that LT hasn't done in his Hall-of-Fame career is win a Super Bowl. Both the Vikings and the Jets were one game away losing to the Saints and Colts, respectively, in the conference championships.

Tomlinson ranks eighth all-time in rushing yards (12,490) and third in touchdowns (153) behind Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It looked as though Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles was in for a HUGE season in 2010.

When given the opportunity last year, Charles flourished. In the final eight games, Charles rushed for 968 yards, which would have put him on a full-season pace just shy of 2,000 yards in a season when Tennessee's Chris Johnson became only the sixth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards.

Furthermore, Charles had 658 rushing yards in his final four games compared to 497 for Johnson.

The unbridled enthusiasm I had for Charles (I took him ninth overall in our early 2010 fantasy football mock draft) has been greatly diminished as the Chiefs have signed running back Thomas Jones to a two-year contract.

Jones, who was released by the Jets, ranked third in the NFL in rushing last year and set career-highs in rushing yards (1,402) and touchdowns (14) despite being 31 years old.

That said, Charles is still expected to be the featured back in the offense.

“I don’t believe we’ve seen the best from Jamaal,” [coach Todd] Haley said, per Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star. “... Jamaal has his focus set on being seen as one of the better players in the league, so he’s got a lot of drive in that direction. I’m not going to set a bar on Jamaal because each time we did that last year he kind of broke through that bar and raised it. We’re going to continue to push him hard and coach him and see how good he can be.”

Charles finished 2009 with four straight games with 20+ carries. With Jones in town, that will change in 2010. In addition, Jones will likely take the goalline carries away from Charles as well.

Jones should get around 5-10 carries per game, in which case Charles would likely get around 15 per game. And I can easily envision a scenario where the split is 50-50 in the second half.

If the Chiefs are struggling through the first half (say 2-6), I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chiefs gave more carries (i.e., wear and tear) to Jones to help save Charles for the future. We've seen how quickly running backs can hit the wall with the physical punishment they take on a weekly basis.

In either case, let's say that he would have received 20 carries per game without Jones and 15 carries with him. With his career average of 5.7 yards per carry, that is roughly 28.5 yards less per game for Charles. That equates to 456 less rushing yards over the course of a 16-game season.

When I do another mock draft later in the year, Charles will no longer be a first-round pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In three consecutive years, the Raiders have drafted a quarterback (JaMarcus Russell - first overall), a running back (Darren McFadden - fourth overall) and a wide receiver (Darrius Heyward-Bey - seventh overall). Drafting those three positions that highly in three consecutive years should mean that the Raiders have laid a solid foundation for their offense for years to come.

It should. But it doesn't.

It's an understatement to say that all three of those three high draft picks have underperformed and underwhelmed in the brief tenure in Oakland.

Last year, the Raiders ranked second-to-last in the NFL in scoring offense (12.3 points per game) and total offense (266.1 yards per game).

They will try to build on that (lack of) success without the services of one of their best offensive players, who was released Saturday.

As expected, the Oakland Raiders have parted ways with running back Justin Fargas, who was due a roster bonus of $1.7 million tomorrow.

"Justin Fargas was a beloved Raider who performed at a high level throughout his seven seasons with the team and his contributions to the Silver and Black will always be remembered," the team said in a statement announcing the move. "We wish Justin all the best."

With Fargas sent packing, both Bush and McFadden will both get an increased role and workload within the Raiders' low-powered offense.

Of the three running backs, Bush, who led the team in rushing yards (589), was the only one to play in all 16 games. Both Fargas, who led the team in rushing yards per game (40.9), and McFadden played in only 12 games.

Provided McFadden can stay healthy, which is a big if, I would expect him to get more of the split in 2010. McFadden has played in only 25 games over two seasons with an average of only 3.9 yards per carry on 217 carries.

In the last three games of the season, however, Bush had 38 carries for 203 yards compared to 24 carries for 106 yards for McFadden.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Free-agent running back Willie Parker will visit with the Washington Redskins, per Rick Maese of the Washington Post.

Although he is technically older (born November 11, 1980) than the incumbent running back (born September 1, 1981), Clinton Portis, there is much less wear on Parker's wheels. Portis has 2,176 career rushing attempts while Parker has 1,253.

Parker, who rushed for nearly 1,500 yards in 2006, was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in favor of second-year back Rashard Mendenhall.

Meanwhile, Portis is one of the few running backs from last year's Redskins' squad that remains on the roster. Other running backs that won't be back include Rock Cartwright, Ladell Betts and Quinton Ganther, among others.

Last season, Portis missed the final eight games of the season after suffering a concussion and ended the year with only 494 yards and one touchdown on 124 carries.

Speaking of (or, more precisely, not speaking) of Portis' future, new Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said, “Let’s not talk about Clinton. Let’s talk about everybody on the Washington Redskins. Let’s not focus on one guy ... I want all the guys on our football team to make a commitment in the offseason to work, and work extremely hard … It’s very important to show your teammates exactly how hard you work and how dedicated you are to the program.”

If Parker ends up in Washington, I could easily see a situation where he becomes the featured back in a split with Portis, in which case he could become a viable flex option in fantasy football in 2010.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the first full day of free agency, the Seattle Seahawks have already lost their best receiver to the Detroit Lions.

However, the chances of them upgrading at the position overall looks reasonably high as they will host troubled but talented receiver Brandon Marshall, who's a restricted free agent (first-round tender), according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Seahawks' offensive coordinator is Jeremy Bates, who was an assistant coach in Denver from 2006 to 2008.

If the Seahawks make an offer to Marshall, the Broncos would have seven days to match or they would receive the Seahawks first-round pick (sixth overall) as compensation. (The Seahawks also own the 14th overall pick, which they acquired last season from Denver.)

I'm surprised that some teams towards the bottom of the first round, such as the Ravens or the Jets, appear uninterested in Marshall. To me, it seems a no-brainer to forfeit a late first-round pick in exchange for Marshall despite his well-documented character concerns.

For three consecutive seasons, Marshall has caught 100+ passes for more than 1,100 yards each year.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the NFC North, the Detroit Lions ranked fourth of four teams in passing offense in 2009 with 216.9 passing yards per game.

While they may still rank fourth in the division in 2010, they added a weapon to their aerial attack early into free agency by signing receiver Nate Burleson to a five-year contract worth $25 million, of which $11 million is guaranteed.

Although Burleson missed three games last year, his average of 62.5 receiving yards per game was less than a yard shy of his career high 62.9 ypg in 2004.

In 2003 and 2004, Burleson played in a Minnesota offense led by Scott Linehan, who is now the Lions' offensive coordinator.

None of the Seahawks three divisional opponents (San Francisco, St. Louis and Arizona) ranked in the top 20 pass defenses based on passing yards in 2009. Meanwhile, all three of the Lions' divisional opponents (Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota) rank in the top 20.

The signing of Burleson should help with the development of rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford and take some pressure off Calvin Johnson.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One off-season removed from signing him to a long-term deal, the Carolina Panthers released quarterback Jake Delhomme, per the Charlotte Observer.

Considering his six-turnover implosion in the Panthers' only playoff game two seasons ago, it was a bit of a surprise that the Panthers signed Delhomme to such an expensive extension. And now that they released him, it is a bit of surprise as well, but the move prevents a salary-cap hit in a year that is uncapped.

That said, the Panthers will still owe Delhomme an amount shy of $13 million.

But with Delhomme no longer in Carolina, the job now belongs to Matt Moore, who had received a first- and third-round tender from the Panthers.

"My wife and I are ecstatic right now," Moore said (via FoxSports.com). "I was surprised. I didn't know exactly what to expect, to be perfectly honest with you. When my agent called and told me about (the tender) I was really excited and really happy. I think it shows they have a lot of confidence in me, which is reassuring."

In seven games played, Moore completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 1,053 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions.

In the month of December (with Moore starting all four games), Panthers receiver Steve Smith averaged a season-high 94.5 yards per game. In the first three months (without Moore as the starter), Smith averaged 63.3, 56.0 and 49.2 yards per game, respectively.

One of the reasons I selected Smith in the fourth round of our early 2010 fantasy football mock draft was the potential for Moore to win the starting quarterback job and Smith to be the beneficiary.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Denver Broncos have placed a first-round tender on receiver Brandon Marshall, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post, which means the Broncos would pay Marshall $2.521 million in 2010.

If another team makes an offer for Marshall, however, the Broncos would have seven days to match the offer (unlikely) or they would receive a first-round pick as compensation.

As pointed out by Pro Football Talk, if the Broncos were truly intent on retaining the services of The Beast, they would have placed a first- and third-round tender on Marshall since it would only require an extra $600,000 salary.

Yet speaking of Marshall, coach Josh McDaniels recently said (via USA Today), "I'm really fond of him -- he's a good person."

And since he said it, it must be true, right?

McDaniels benched Marshall for the season finale after Marshall arrived late for a treatment. Despite missing that game, Marshall still finished the season with 101 receptions, 1120 yards and ten touchdowns.

It was his third consecutive season with 100+ receptions and 1,100+ yards.

Although the Bears could be interested in Marshall, they don't have a first- or second-round pick in 2010, which prompted ESPN's Adam Schefter to tweet (via Yahoo!'s Shutdown Corner) that it's "not happening."

Assuming Marshall is playing somewhere other than Denver in 2010, that leaves Jabar Gaffney, who had 14 catches for 213 yards in the game that Marshall missed, Eddie Royal and Brandon Stokley as the top three wide receiver targets for quarterback Kyle Orton.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In some ways, it's an embarrassment of riches.

Not many football teams have a third-string running back that can be an effective starter in the NFL.

“I love being in Dallas, but I just know I should be playing more,” [Cowboys running back Tashard] Choice said Sunday, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “When we lose and I don't get much of a chance, I'm sick.”

That said, the Cowboys have stated that their plan is to retain the services of all three of their running backs including Choice, who has a career average of 5.3 yards per carry.

On Monday, Choice said to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com, "I only get to actually run the football when the other two guys get hurt, and I don't want the other two guys to get hurt. I want them to play well and be on top of their games."

It wouldn't surprise me to see an even split of carries between the team's other two running backs - Marion Barber III and Felix Jones - in 2010. Or even to see Jones be the featured guy over Barber.

Choice only had more than four carries in three regular-season games in 2009. On the season, Choice had a total of 64 carries for 349 yards and three touchdowns.

With the punishment that backs take and Choice's ability to produce, however, it would make sense for the Cowboys to give Choice a greater share of the workload to keep all three of their backs healthy.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Not surprisingly, the Buffalo Bills will not bring back 36-year-old receiver Terrell Owens in 2010, per Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

"We wanted to inform all three players [T.O., Josh Reed and Ryan Denney] ahead of the start of the free agency period so they could begin making their plans," general manager Buddy Nix said.

After a quiet (both on and off the field) first half, Owens had a relatively productive second half catching 32 passes for 548 yards and four touchdowns in his final eight games. He finished the season with a team-high 55 receptions and 829 yards.

Some teams rumored to be potential landing spots for T.O. are the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

New York Jets running back Thomas Jones was one of only three running backs to rush for over 1,400 yards in 2009. Titans RB Chris Johnson and Rams RB Steven Jackson were the other two.

This week, Jones, who turns 32 in August, will become one of three running backs to share something less fortunate in common.

With LaDainian Tomlinson and Brian Westbrook being released this week by San Diego and Philadelphia, respectively, Jones is about to become the third aging running back with big (or more than the team wants to pay) salaries and/or roster bonuses to be cut, according to Rich Cimini of the NY Daily News.

Jones, who rushed for a career-high 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2009, was unwilling to restructure his contract, per Cimini. He has a $3 million roster bonus due on top of his $2.8 million salary.

In the post-season, it was rookie Shonn Greene that showed he was ready to be the featured back in the offense. In addition, Leon Washington expects to return in time for the season opener after breaking his leg last year.

One potential destination for Jones is New England, as pointed out by Cimini, which could come back to haunt the Jets.

Some other destinations that I think would make sense include Houston, who have one of the league's best pass offenses but struggled to run the ball, and San Diego, who cut LT and won't franchise Darren Sproles. And Joe Fortenbaugh of National Football Post thinks the Eagles, in addition to the Chargers, should pursue Jones when he gets released.

Without Jones to share carries and with the talented Jets' offensive line, Greene will be one of the top 10-15 running backs drafted in 2010 fantasy football drafts.

Meanwhile 2010 fantasy value for Jones largely depends on his destination. Given the right opportunity, Jones should come through with another 1,000-yard season for fantasy owners in 2010.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After a promising rookie season (671 yards in the second half) in 2008, it seemed reasonable to expect that Detroit Lions running Kevin Smith would have a breakout year in 2009.

Instead, he had a break-down year.

Smith suffered from an injury-plagued sophomore season and missed the final three regular-season games due a knee injury that also put his status for training camp into doubt.

Against the Redskins on September 27th, Smith popped his shoulder out of place, returned to play the following week and it was expected that he would need shoulder surgery following the season.

Per Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press, however, Smith will not need surgery on his shoulder.

“It was just assumed, ‘OK, well, it’s going to need to be done,’” [Lions coach Jim] Schwartz said. “And then things change, because as the year goes on and he’s able to play with it without having another issue with it, and then you get looks at new tests and strength and all those kind of things … yeah, that ended up changing things, yes.”

Although he was productive in the passing game (41 receptions for 415 yards), Smith only had 747 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

As he works to come back from tearing knee ligaments, there's a chance that he won't be ready to start the season. And it's widely believed that the Lions will add a running back in the off-season either in free agency or through the draft.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A day after the Chargers cut LaDainian Tomlinson, the Eagles and running back Brian Westbrook have parted ways as the Eagles released the veteran running back.

"This is the absolutely worst part of the job, but if you're fortunate enough to stick around long enough, you're going to see these things happen," [coach Andy] Reid said, via Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Westbrook, who will turn 31 in September, was slated to earn $7.25 million in 2010 despite missing half of last season due to two concussions. This move was not a surprise considering Westbrook's triple threat of advancing age, exorbitant salary and health concerns.

"Brian is one of the greatest Eagles of all time and he is an even a better person and leader," Reid said. "In my mind, there has not been a more versatile running back that the NFL has seen."

The release of Westbrook boosts the fantasy value of rookie LeSean McCoy, who was the team's second-round draft pick. However, expectations for McCoy should be tempered considering the Eagles' pass-first-and-ask-questions-later philosophy.

In 2009, McCoy finished the season with 637 rushing yards and caught 40 passes for 308 yards. A season with 800-1000 rushing yards and 400-500 receiving yards is likely in 2010.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's official.

The player who's probably most associated with the franchise is no longer a San Diego Charger.

Today the Chargers released future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, who was due a $2 million roster bonus next month.

Many including team president Dean Spanos will always view LT as a Charger. “No matter where he chooses to continue his career, in my mind LT will always be a San Diego Charger. His legacy as one of the greatest running backs the game has ever seen will be as a Charger.”

One team that some have speculated as a landing spot for the native Texan is Houston. According to the Houston Chronicle, however, the Texans aren't interested in pursuing LT.

Tomlinson ranks second all-time in rushing touchdowns (138) and eighth all-time in rushing yards (12,490) in addition to owning or sharing 28 Charger team records.

Last year, LT finished with a career low in rushing attempts (223) and yards (730) as well as receptions (20) and receiving yards (154).

That said, he rushed for 11 touchdowns in the final ten games of the season and was a viable fantasy running back for the majority of the season.

Regardless of where he ends up in 2010, Tomlinson will likely be the second option in the backfield for the first time in his career.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Receiver Randy Moss is about to enter the final year of his three-year contract with the Patriots and he doesn't "think they going to extend my contract," according to Christopher Gasper of the Boston Globe.

“It’s the business of it, man. You’ve got to understand the business of football,’’ said Moss. “There is not bad blood. There is no animosity on my side or their side. I think it’s just the nature of the business of the NFL. You know the Patriots don’t really pay, so when I got my second contract from them that was a blessing in disguise. I understand the business. I don’t think they’re going to re-sign me back. I’m not mad. I’m not bitter. It’s just the way things are in this NFL, so like I said after this year I’ll be looking for a new team.’’

Moss is due to make $6.4 million with the Patriots in 2010. But is it possible that Moss has already played his final season with the Patriots?

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk speculates about the possibility of Moss getting traded, especially after these comments, back to Minnesota.

If you remember, one of the differences that Brett Favre had when he was still in Green Bay was that the front office did not pursue Moss before he landed in New England.

"It is disappointing," Favre said in May 2007. "We could have gotten him for less money than New England did. He wanted to play in Green Bay for the amount of money we would have paid him. It [was] well worth the risk."

With or without Moss in Minnesota, it's been my opinion that Favre would return for another season. As Florio points out, however, adding Moss to the weapons in the Vikings' offense, which ranked second only to New Orleans in scoring, would help to ensure an earlier commitment of a Favre return.

That said, a trade seems unlikely to me.

After having knee surgery at the beginning of this month, the status of receiver Wes Welker is in question for the start of the 2010 season. And his recovery could take up to 12 months, which would keep him out for the entire year.

So if Moss is traded and Welker isn't ready to go, that could potentially leave the Patriots with Julian Edelman, who played well when Welker was out, as the team's top receiver to enter week 1.

Although Moss says that he separated his shoulder in week five, he still finished the season tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions (13) and tied for fifth in receiving yards (1,264). However, Moss didn't reach the 100-yard receiving milestone in any of his final seven games despite doing so in five of his first nine games.

With a recent history of deals with Oakland (acquiring Moss, trading Richard Seymour, etc.), wouldn't it be funny if the Patriots could convince Al Davis that Moss is the big-play threat that the Raiders need to help JaMarcus Russell reach his potential?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last year was a season that Eagles running back Brian Westbrook would like to forget.

Westbrook, who missed eight games in 2009 due to suffering multiple concussions, admitted on WGFX radio in Nashville yesterday that he wasn't fully healed from his first concussion despite missing all of the medical tests.

"I don't think a lot of people are taking [concussions] as serious as they should be because really it is a life or death thing," Westbrook said (via the Philadelphia Daily News). "The one thing that people have to know about concussions is that if you continue to play with a concussion and you continue to play without being completely healed then you run the risk of not being able to walk and talk and communicate and remember and of course early onset of Alzheimer's . . . as well as dementia."

Despite the concussions, Westbrook said in the interview that he is "trying to get ready for this next upcoming season."

That said, he is owed $7.25 million next season and rookie LeSean McCoy, the team's second-round pick in 2009, is Philadelphia's running back of the future.

So, even if Westbrook decides not to retire, do the Eagles want to pay that much money to a thirty-something running back coming off multiple concussions? I highly doubt it.

Whether or not Westbrook is back in Philadelphia in 2010, one thing is certain. His days as an elite running back (in real life or fantasy football) are over.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Browns have released receiver Donte' Stallworth, who was reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after serving a season-long suspension in 2009, and he is free to sign with any interested team.

Stallworth plead guilty to (and served 24 days in jail for) DUI manslaughter after hitting and killing a pedestrian in Miami in March 2009.

In fact, Stallworth, who signed a seven-year, $35 million contract in 2008, received a $4.5 million bonus from the Browns the day before the accident.

From 2006 to 2008, Stallworth's production declined each season: 725 to 697 to 170 receiving yards and five to three to one receiving touchdown(s).

In the last six games Stallworth played, he has had a catch in every game. The operative phrase is "a catch."

Considering the decline in his production prior to the suspension and an entire season off to get out of shape and become rusty, Stallworth will come cheap to any team willing to sign him. From a fantasy football standpoint, Stallworth has no value heading into the 2010 season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has scheduled a press conference for this Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

As Schefter points out, it's unlikely that a player who schedules a press conference only a few weeks after the season ends will announce that he's going to play the next season.

Many believe that he's a borderline Hall-of-Famer, but his statistics and his groceries-to-MVP story make him a HoFer to me. He was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXIV in addition to being named league MVP during the 1999 and 2001 seasons.

Warner compiled career stats of 32,344 passing yards, 208 passing touchdowns and 128 interceptions in addition to winning Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams. He ranks 26th all-time in passing yards and touchdowns.

So assuming that Warner won't be under center in 2010, that means the Cardinals' starting quarterback will be Matt Leinart, their former first-round pick, or they will trade for or draft another quarterback this off-season.

In the past three seasons as Warner's back-up, Leinart has completed 57.8 percent of the 218 passes he's thrown. During that span, he has thrown only three touchdowns and eight interceptions.

With Leinart under center, the fantasy value of the Cardinals' wide receivers including Larry Fitzgerald takes a hit.

In either case, I would rate Houston's Andre Johnson ahead of Larry Fitzgerald. If (when) Warner retires, I would then move Fitzgerald down a couple of spots in the receiver rankings to fourth or fifth.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles capped the season with a record-setting 259-yard performance against the Denver Broncos.

It was the fourth straight game that Charles surpassed the 100-yard mark and he finished the year with 1,130 yards.

"They really couldn't stop us all day," said Charles (via the Associated Press). "My O-line, they did a great job of pushing, making me get 6, 7, 8 yards per carry, and all I need is a crease."

In the final eight games of the season, Charles rushed for 968 yards and seven touchdowns.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Denver Broncos, who started 6-0, have won only two of their past nine games. With an 8-7 record, the Broncos need a win against Kansas City (and some help with tie-breakers) to make the playoffs.

If they beat the Chiefs, it will be without stud receiver Brandon Marshall, who has been benched for week 17, according to the Associated Press.

"Our word for the week has been accountability. And we're looking to put the 45 guys on the field on Sunday that want to play together, want to help us try to win and qualify for the playoffs," [Broncos coach Josh] McDaniels said. "... And anybody that showed any indifference to that, we'll play without them."

Not only will the Broncos be without Marshall, but they'll also be without tight end Tony Scheffler. Both will become restricted free agents after the season ends.

If the Broncos make the playoffs, however, it will be interesting to see whether Marshall and/or Scheffler are active for the playoffs.

"Anything I do moving forward is going to be in a professional manner," Marshall said. "I'm not going to get into any he said/she said like we've done in the past. I think that's childish, and like I said, I don't think there's any question about my toughness, the way I play the game. It could be first-and-10 and if I gain 15 yards, I'm still fighting for 16 yards."

Two weeks ago, Marshall set the single-game record with 21 receptions against the Colts. In that game, he had 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns. And he was named to the AFC Pro Bowl squad earlier in the week.

Without Marshall, Scheffler and possibly Eddie Royal (injury) out of Sunday's lineup though, expect for running back Knowshon Moreno -- and, to a lesser extent, Correll Buckhalter -- to receive a heavy workload against a run-friendly Kansas City defense.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While most fantasy football leagues conduct their championship game in week 16, some leagues still hold their title game in week 17. That creates the extra challenge of trying to forecast playing time in addition to evaluating matchups.

That said, here are our top five fantasy quarterbacks for week 17:

1. Matt Schaub, Texans (vs Patriots): While they don't control their own destiny like the Jets and Ravens, the Texans need to win to make the playoffs. That means, Schaub will play the entire game. On the season, Schaub has been remarkably consistent with only two single-digit fantasy games and only three games with less than 250 passing yards. Over the past five weeks, the Patriots have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

2. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (at Dolphins): Big Ben is two games off his franchise-record passing performance (503 yards). Over the past five weeks, the Dolphins have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. As the Steelers face a similar scenario as the Texans, you should expect Roethlisberger to play the entire game and light up an inexperienced Dolphins' secondary.

3. Brett Favre, Vikings (vs Giants): The Giants secondary has been banged up all season and over the past five weeks, they have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. The Vikings have lost three of their past four games and Favre has posted single-digit fantasy points in two of his past three games. Although the Vikings lost to the Bears last week, Favre played well -- 321 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs. With the potential of losing their first-round bye with another defeat, expect Favre and the Vikings to come out swinging -- and gun-slinging.

4. Tony Romo, Cowboys (vs Eagles): In his past five games, Romo has finished with 13+ fantasy points every week. During that span, he has thrown nine touchdowns and only one interception. The mood surrounding the Cowboys is different than last year when they faced the Eagles in a do-or-die game in week 17 last year. The Cowboys didn't respond well last year. Now Romo and the Cowboys have a chance for redemption (and possibly even a first-round bye).

5. Donovan McNabb, Eagles (at Cowboys): With the exception of the two games McNabb missed due to injury, McNabb has posted double-digit fantasy points every week except one. Who held him to under 10 points? This week's opponent. That said, it will be difficult to hold McNabb and their pass-first-and-ask-questions-later offense to less than 10 fantasy points for a second time in a row. McNabb has thrown for 300+ yards in each of the past two weeks and a win Sunday could potentially mean a first-round bye for the Eagles.

Click here to view our full quarterback rankings for week 17.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While most fantasy football leagues conduct their championship game in week 16, some leagues still hold their title game in week 17. That creates the extra challenge of trying to forecast playing time in addition to evaluating matchups.

That said, here are our top five fantasy running backs for week 17:

1. Chris Johnson, Titans (at Seahawks): No player will be more watched in week 17 than "Every Coach's Dream." Johnson is 128 yards shy of 2,000 and 233 yards shy of Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105. With a streak of ten straight games of 100+ yards, 128 seems like a sure thing. With a season-high performance of 228, the single-season record seems like a possible stretch goal. In the past 10 games, Johnson has also scored 11 touchdowns.

2. Ray Rice, Ravens (at Raiders): Rice was one of the guys that I expected to have a breakout year and I suggested you target him in your fantasy football draft in the pre-season. Now in a meaningful win-and-you're-in game against the run-friendly Raiders should allow Rice to cap his breakout season. No team has allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Raiders, who have allowed 21 rushing scores.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars (at Browns): Pocket Hercules has a nose for the endzone reaching pay dirt 16 times this season. Of course, his most famous TD was the one that he didn't score. But only Adrian Peterson has more rushing TDs (17) than Jones-Drew (15) has. Although the Browns have finished strong with their three-game winning streak, they have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. Despite the Jaguars chances of making the playoffs being remote due to the need of help/tie-breakers, there is plenty of incentive to give MJD a healthy dose of touches in week 17.

4. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (vs Giants): The Vikings have stumbled to the regular-season finish line losing three of their final four games. With another loss, there's a good chance that the Vikings could enter the playoffs without a bye. In other words, they have incentive to play AD and the rest of the Vikings offensive (and defensive) starters. Peterson leads the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns and only two teams have allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Giants, who gave up a 206-yard game against Carolina's Jonathan Stewart last week.

5. Frank Gore, 49ers (at Rams): Along with the Raiders, no team has allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Rams (21). And the Rams have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. In the past three weeks, Gore has 345 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He also has nine receptions for 110 yards during that span. If the one-win Rams fall behind early, Gore should be the recipient of plenty of carries and generate a ton of fantasy points.

Click here to view our full running back rankings for week 17.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While most fantasy football leagues conduct their championship game in week 16, some leagues still hold their title game in week 17. That creates the extra challenge of trying to forecast playing time in addition to evaluating matchups.

That said, here are our top five fantasy wide receivers for week 17:

1. Andre Johnson, Texans (vs Patriots): For a second year in a row, Johnson is going to lead the NFL in receiving yards. Entering week 17, Johnson and Wes Welker are one of two receivers to average 100 receiving yards per game this season. In the past four games, Johnson has dominated with 32 receptions, 559 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Johnson's offensive explosion has coincided with the Patriots' fantasy friendliness to receivers as the Pats have allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers over the past five weeks.

2. Brandon Marshall, Broncos (vs Chiefs): Marshall only had 39 receiving yards on eight receptions last week, but he has caught 43 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns over his past four games. Marshall is questionable with a hamstring injury, but he has said that he will play. That said, make sure to check his status prior to kickoff.

3. DeSean Jackson, Eagles (at Cowboys): Jackson doesn't lack for big-play potential nor confidence. He has scored in five consecutive games minus the game he missed due to a concussion and he is tied with Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace for the NFL lead in yards per reception (18.7). During that five-game span, Jackson has 499 receiving yards.

4. Roddy White, Falcons (at Buccaneers): On the season, only five teams have allowed more fantasy points to wide receivers than Tampa Bay. White is coming off his second-most productive game (8-139-2) of the season from a fantasy perspective. With Matt Ryan back and the Falcons looking to post back-to-back winning seasons, White should have another big week.

5. Sidney Rice, Vikings (vs Giants): Rice is currently sixth in the NFL in receiving yards ahead of guys like Randy Moss, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall and Steve Smith (both of 'em). Not bad for what was likely a waiver-wire pickup this year. The Vikings offense is sputtering and I expect them to get back on track against a Giants secondary that has been banged-up all year.

Click here to see our full wide receiver rankings for week 17.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

In their Christmas night win over the Titans, the Chargers clinched a first-round bye and the second seed in the AFC. In the process, they eliminated the Titans, who were one of seven teams tied at 7-7, from playoff contention.

Both LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles rushed for two touchdowns each.

Although he still hasn't rushed for 100 yards in any game this season, LT now has 11 rushing touchdowns in his past nine games.

Meanwhile, Chris Johnson turned in his tenth straight 100+ yard performance as he rushed for 142 yards and is only 128 yards shy of 2,000. He trails Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record by 233 yards.

While it seems unlikely that he'll break the record, Johnson's season high is 228 yards (11/1 vs Jacksonville).

Next week, the Titans face the Seahawks, who rank 13th in the NFL in rushing yards per game allowed (106.4 ypg).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Merry Christmas to everyone and if you're reading this, there's a good chance you've made it to your fantasy football league's Championship Game. Congratulations and good luck.

Here are some running backs who will likely put fantasy coal into your stockings:

Matt Forte, Bears (vs Vikings): This week concludes a brutal (fantasy) playoff run for Forte, who faced the Packers and Ravens in the two playoff matchups before the Vikings this week. And, in fact, it's been a hugely disappointing season for anyone who drafted Forte as he was arguably the biggest bust of fantasy drafts. In the past five weeks, Forte had one double-digit performance and that was against the Rams. The first time he played the Vikings (week 12), Forte finished with five fantasy points. Don't expect much more in week 16.

Quinton Ganther, Redskins (vs Cowboys): The majority of Ganther's fantasy production over the past two weeks has come from his three rushing touchdowns. But those TDs were scored against teams -- Oakland and NY Giants -- that have allowed the most and third-most rushing TDs, respectively. After last week's pathetic performance collectively as an offense against the Giants, it would be difficult to garner any kind of confidence in Ganther or any Redskins' player. Considering the Cowboys are allowing only 97.7 rushing yards per game (sixth-fewest in NFL), it would be wiser to sit Ganther on your bench.

LeSean McCoy/Brian Westbrook/Leonard Weaver, Eagles (vs Broncos): After missing five weeks, Westbrook will return and play against the Broncos although it's uncertain how many looks he'll eventually get. Nonetheless that will lower McCoy's value as if it weren't low enough due to sharing work with Leonard Weaver, who had a career high in rushing attempts (17) last week. In a pass-first offense like Philly's and with three backs to get touches, none of them should be within 10 feet of your starting lineup this week.

Justin Forsett, Seahawks (vs Packers): After Julius Jones suffered a bruised lung in week 10, Forsett picked up the slack. In weeks 10-12, Forsett averaged nearly 20 fantasy points per game, had two 100-yard rushing games and scored four touchdowns. But since Jones returned in week 13, Jones (42) has received nearly twice as many carries as Forsett (23). That said, it doesn't help that the Seahawks are facing the Packers, who allow the second-fewest rushing yards per game (83.6) in the NFL.

Click here for RB Start'em for Week 16 and/or my Week 16 RB rankings.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With fantasy football championships hanging in the balance, here are four running backs that should have strong performances in Championship Week:

Beanie Wells, Cardinals (vs Rams): In the past two weeks, Wells has rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. In the past six weeks, Wells has scored five of his six rushing touchdowns. This week, the Cardinals face the fantasy-friendly Rams' rush defense, which has allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns in the NFL. The Cardinals will likely establish an early lead against the one-win Rams, which means Wells should get a heavy dose of carries as Tim Hightower has a total of only 14 carries in the past three games.

Jerome Harrison, Browns (vs Raiders): Harrison's record-setting performance last week came out of nowhere. It was widely-expected that Chris Jennings would be the guy to get the majority of work against the Chiefs. Instead it was Harrison, who finished with 32 rush attempts for 286 yards and three scores. This week, the Browns face a defense that is not as good at stopping the run as last week's opponent. While I wouldn't expect Harrison to duplicate last week's performance, no team has allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Raiders.

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers (vs Giants): While it's been a feast-or-famine season for Stewart owners this season, Stewart has produced consistently when running mate DeAngelo Williams has been out of the game. In the past three weeks, Williams missed the Tampa game and left early in the Minnesota game. Stewart finished with 25+ carries and 100+ yards and one touchdown in both of those games. Williams is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Giants. Stewart has eight rushing touchdowns in the past 11 games and the Giants have allowed the third-most rushing touchdowns this season.

Fred Jackson, Bills (vs Falcons): In four of his past six games, Jackson has posted double-digit fantasy performances. During that same span, he was caught 3+ passes and had 20+ receiving yards in each of those six games. In the past three weeks, the Falcons have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points and third-most receiving yards to opposing running backs.

Click here for my week 16 running back rankings.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After missing the previous five games, Eagles running back Brian Westbrook will return on Sunday against the Broncos. That said, his playing time will be limited.

"There are certain things we're going to do with him in the run game, the pass game and we'll see how he does," [coach Andy] Reid said, per the Associated Press. "We're not expecting him to play every play, the whole game."

Westbrook, who has only played six games this year, has little to no fantasy value for Sunday. However, his return further reduces the fantasy value of LeSean McCoy, who has been sharing the workload with fullback Leonard Weaver.

Although McCoy had a rushing touchdown last week, Weaver's career-high 17 rushing attempts on Sunday was nearly double McCoy's (9).

If you have any Eagles running back on your roster, none of them are worth starting in week 16.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a career -- and franchise -- day by throwing for 503 passing yards and three touchdowns including the game-winner against the Green Bay Packers.

And it was a touchdown pass with time expiring to rookie Mike Wallace that was eerily similar to the one caught by Santonio Holmes in the Super Bowl last year that tied the game at 36-36. Jeff Reed's extra point won it.

The Packers entered the game on a five-game winning streak while the Steelers entered looking to end their five-game losing streak.

The Steelers are now 7-7 and trail the Ravens and Broncos by one game for a wildcard spot. The following five other AFC teams are 7-7: Miami, NY Jets, Houston, Tennessee and Jacksonville.

In weeks 16 and 17, the Steelers face the Ravens and Dolphins.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On paper, it appeared to be the least appealing game of the weekend as the teams had combined for a 5-21 record entering the game.

In our weekly podcast (Fantasy Football Weekly) this morning, I named Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles as my running back stud of the week expecting him to have the biggest production of any skill player in this game.

Instead Charles, who had a big week (154 rushing yards and a touchdown) was outdone by two Browns' players including a Browns running back.

And that RB wasn't Chris Jennings, who had 73 rushing yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh last week.

It was Browns running back Jerome Harrison, who set a franchise rushing record breaking Hall of Fame RB Jim Brown's record by rushing for 286 yards and three touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Josh Cribbs, who entered the game with six career kickoff return touchdowns, returned two kickoffs for scores and now is in sole possession of the NFL record. His kickoff returns today were for 100 yards and 103 yards, respectively.

With the exception of week four when Harrison rushed for 121 yards against the Bengals, Harrison did virtually nothing since. Until today, that is.

So, all the fantasy owners that added Harrison after his week four performance may have dropped him since. There is a good chance he's available in fantasy leagues now although that could quickly change.

If Harrison - not Jennings - is featured in week 16, he could have another big week as the Browns' opponent next week is Oakland, who has given up the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner will play against the New York Jets today.

Turner, who has battled a high-ankle sprain, has played in only one (partial) game in the past four weeks. In that game against the Bucs, Turner carried the ball 12 times for 33 yards.

Meanwhile, Ryan hasn't played since leaving after one series in week 12 against Tampa.

The Jets' pass defense has allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks over the past three weeks. In fact, they have only given up a total of 321 passing yards and no passing touchdowns during that span.

Against the run, the Jets have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs over the past three weeks.

So, if you have Ryan, Turner or the other Falcons' running backs (Jason Snelling and/or Jerious Norwood) on your fantasy roster, I would sit all of them on your bench.

And with shutdown corner Darrelle Revis on Roddy White, I named him my WR Dud of the Week in our weekly fantasy football podcast.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With your playoff survival on the line, here are three receivers that I would bench for week 14:

Antonio Bryant, Buccaneers (vs Jets): Antonio Bryant has been playing well as he has hauled in eight receptions for 209 yards and a touchdown in his past two games. However, Bryant is no Randy Moss, Andre Johnson or Steve Smith (Panthers). Aside from being better than Bryant, what do those three have in common? Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis shut them down. So, don't expect for Bryant to buck the trend and sit him on your bench.

Devin Hester, Bears (vs Packers): While I would argue that Darrelle Revis is the league's top cornerback, you could argue that it's Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha or Green Bay's Charles Woodson. This week, the Bears and Hester will face the Packers and Woodson. Hester, who left the week 13 game early with a calf injury, hasn't scored a touchdown since week 7 and he has only one reception in each of his past two games.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks (vs Texans): Houshmandzadeh has been very frustrating to fantasy owners this year. And now that the playoffs are set to begin, can you trust a guy that has posted seven TOTAL fantasy points over the past three weeks? I can't.

For wide receivers to start in week 14, click here.

Check back later for our position-by-position rankings for week 14.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are four wide receivers that could have a big week in week 14:

Derrick Mason, Ravens (vs Lions): In need of a bounce-back game, Ravens QB Joe Flacco will get just what the doctor ordered: the Lions' pass defense. And Derrick Mason, his top target, should be thankful. Last week, Mason caught only two passes for 13 yards. In the previous two games, however, Mason caught 16 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown. No team has allowed more passing yards (274.8 ypg) or more passing TDs (28) than the Lions this season.

Pierre Garcon, Colts (vs Broncos): While Reggie Wayne is being covered by Champ Bailey, Garcon could be the receiver getting the most looks on Sunday. In the past four weeks, Garcon has 20 receptions for 357 yards and two TDs. In all four games during that span, Garcon has posted double-digit fantasy points.

Chad Ochocinco, Bengals (vs Vikings): In the past three weeks, the Vikings have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. And Ochocinco, who had four straight games with 2-6 fantasy points, bounced back last week against Cleveland with nine receptions for 137 yards and one touchdown.

Santonio Holmes, Steelers (vs Browns): Hines Ward's status for Thursday's game is "very questionable," according to coach Mike Tomlin. Assuming Ward doesn't play, Holmes will get more targets and he's been productive with Ward in the lineup. In the past five weeks, Holmes has had 6+ receptions and 74+ yards every week. Last week against Oakland, Holmes had his best game of the year (8-149-1).

For my running backs to start in week 14, click here. Or click here for my running backs to sit in week 14.

Check back later for our position-by-position rankings for week 14.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With playoffs beginning this week, here are three running backs that I would consider benching for week 14:

LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers (vs Cowboys): Tomlinson has seen a resurgence recently at least in terms of scoring touchdowns. In the past six weeks, he has rushed for eight touchdowns. This week, however, L.T. faces a Dallas defense that has been stingy against the run as they have allowed only five rushing TDs on the season. With a strong possibility of a scoreless day for L.T., it's not likely that you can rely on him accumulating a lot of rushing yards either.

Kevin Smith, Lions (vs Ravens): Smith had a decent game last week as he finished with a combined 104 rushing/receiving yards and a score. As the Lions face another tough run defense, it would be risky to rely on Smith. Smith has been productive in the passing game, but he has only two games with 20+ rushing attempts. And it's been seven weeks since the last 20-carry game.

Matt Forte, Bears (vs Packers): Forte made the Start'em list last week and he delivered with 91 rushing yards and a score. He has had only three games with more than 66 rushing yards and those three games came against Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis. (Let's face it, you or I may be able to run for 100 yards against those defenses.) In week 14, Forte begins the murderers row of run defenses in fantasy playoffs against Green Bay, Minnesota and Baltimore.

For running backs to start for week 14, click here.

Check back later for our position-by-position rankings for week 14.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's week 14 and it's time for fantasy football playoffs. Here are four running backs that I'd be comfortable starting this week:

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs (vs Bills): Charles has received 14-18 carries in each of the past four weeks and he has scored three rushing touchdowns during that span. On the season, no team has allowed more points to opposing running backs than the Bills. Plus, they have allowed 200+ rushing yards in one-third of their games this season.

Fred Jackson, Bills (vs Chiefs): Jamaal Charles isn't the only RB in this game that has a highly favorable matchup. The Chiefs have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs and last week they allowed a season-worst 246 rushing yards. In the past five games, they've given up seven rushing TDs. Despite Jackson's weak performance in week 13, Bills coach Perry Fewell will still be the featured back in the offense.

Quinton Ganther, Redskins (vs Raiders): Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts are on IR. And Ganther will get the start in week 14. Ganther, who was born in Oakland, has had 13 carries in the past two games for 78 yards. Considering that the Redskins face the Raiders, who have allowed the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL (18), Ganther should be in for a productive day as a flex play.

Knowshon Moreno, Broncos (vs Colts): Moreno has rushed for 80+ yards in four consecutive weeks and he's scored three rushing touchdowns in the past two weeks. In the past three weeks, the Colts have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Provided the Colts don't jump out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead forcing the Broncos into passing mode, Moreno should have a big day. But, in either case, he should be productive and is a good start as a RB2 or flex play.

Check back later for our position-by-position rankings for week 14.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Instead of Rock Cartwright, Redskins running back Quinton Ganther will get the start when the Redskins play the Raiders on Sunday, according to the Washington Post.

In the past two games, Ganther had 13 carries for 78 yards, which is an average of 6.0 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cartwright has rushed for only 77 yards on 28 carries in those two games.

Ganther should be a solid flex play this week as the Raiders have given up the most rushing touchdowns (18) in the NFL this year.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Redskins running back Clinton Portis is done for the year.

According to the Washington Post, the Redskins placed Portis on injured reserve (IR), which ends his season, and it's possible that he will call it quits completely.

"If it's my time and I look back today, I think I have had a great career," Portis said on ESPN 980 radio (via the Washington Post).

However, Portis' agent Drew Rosenhaus tweeted, "The decision to place Clinton on IR is purely a precaution, and he will be ready for 2010 and beyond. We are very optimistic about his Redskins future."

Portis suffered a concussion in week 8 and hasn't played since. Ladell Betts, who was his back-up, was injured in week 11 and is also on IR.

Rock Cartwright has 41 carries in the past three games for 144 yards and he has caught 13 passes for 130 yards. Meanwhile, Quinton Ganther had eight carries for 46 yards last week.

This week, the Redskins face the Oakland Raiders, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. No team has allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Raiders have this season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Pittsburgh Steelers may be without receiver Hines Ward against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, according to ESPN's James Walker.

"We'll see where it goes, but it's not favorable for him," (coach Mike) Tomlin said.

The Steelers shouldn't need Ward to beat the Browns, who are arguably the worst team in the league. Then again, Pittsburgh is on a four-game losing streak including yesterday's loss to the Oakland Raiders with Ward.

That said, if Ward doesn't play, it increases the fantasy value of receivers Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fantasy football playoffs on the horizon, here are my top 5 wide receivers for week 13:

1. Randy Moss, Patriots (at Dolphins): In his first matchup against the Dolphins, who rank in the bottom 10 in passing yards allowed (233 ypg), Moss had six receptions for 147 yards and one TD. On the season, Moss leads the NFL in receiving yards (992) and is only one behind the leaders in TD receptions (eight). After getting their ass whooped on prime-time TV, expect the Patriots, Tom Brady, Moss & Co. to come out swinging.

2. Andre Johnson, Texans (at Jaguars): Johnson is one of the league's most complete receivers and perhaps the most underrated. This week, Johnson gets a favorable matchup against the Jaguars, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers this season. On the season, Johnson ranks fourth in the league in receiving yards (945).

3. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (vs Vikings): The Vikings have been without Antoine Winfield, the team's best cornerback, for the past five games. On the season, the Vikings have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. My expectation is for QB Kurt Warner to return from his concussion as Fitzgerald had his worst game of the season with Matt Leinart as QB last week. Fitzgerald is tied for the league lead in touchdowns (nine) including four TDs in the last three games in which Warner has played.

4. Reggie Wayne, Colts (vs Titans): Wayne is second in receptions (79), second in receiving yards (987) and tied for first in touchdowns (nine) in the league. In addition to their improvements with Vince Young under center, the Titans have improved on the defensive side of the ball as they are healthier now. Only the Lions (27) have allowed more receiving touchdowns than the Titans (25) on the season. During their five-game winning streak, however, the Titans have allowed only the 18th-most fantasy points to opposing receivers.

5. Sidney Rice, Vikings (at Cardinals): In three of his past six games, Rice has 136 receiving yards or more including a game with 201yards. With the exception of his game at Green Bay, Rice has had 89 yards or more in five of his past six. Favre and Rice have built chemistry quickly and they have a favorable matchup against the Cardinals, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to receivers this season.

Click here for top 50 wide receivers for week 13.

More rankings: top 25 QBs | top 40 RBs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fantasy football playoffs on the horizon, here are my top 5 running backs for week 13:

1. Thomas Jones, Jets (at Bills): The first time that Jones faced the Bills this season, he rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown. The Bills have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season and only the Raiders have allowed more rushing TDs than the Bills (16). Since the Jets want QB Mark Sanchez to air it out less and less (his attempts have gone from 35 to 30 to 21 to 17), Jones better bring his lunch-pail tonight.

2. Chris Johnson, Titans (at Colts): As well as Johnson has played in the past six weeks (125+ rushing yards every week), you can consider Johnson 1(a) -- not #2 -- in this week's rankings. During their five-game winning streak, Johnson has rushed for seven touchdowns. Although the Colts have a middle-of-the-pack run defense on the season, they've given up the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing RBs in the past three weeks.

3. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers (vs Buccaneers): DeAngelo has cooled off a bit with no touchdowns in the past three weeks and only one 100-yard game during that span. The first time that Williams faced the Buccaneers this season, he carried the ball 30 times for 152 yards and two scores. Expect more of the same against the league's third-worst rush defense.

4. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (at Cardinals): The Cardinals were the league's top-ranked run defense earlier in the season, but they have dropped to 14th in the NFL against the run (108.6 ypg allowed). In four of the past five weeks, they have allowed an opposing running back to eclipse the century mark. Surprisingly, Peterson has only three 100-yard games on the season, but he is second in the league with 12 rushing touchdowns.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars (vs Texans): MJD has rushed for more rushing touchdowns (13) than any other running back. (Of course, none of those are as famous as the TD that he didn't score.) That said, Jones-Drew faces a Texans run defense that turned itself around after the first three weeks. In week 3, however, MJD rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns.

Click here for top 40 running backs for week 13.

More rankings: top 25 QBs | top 50 WRs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

It's time to put up or shut up. If you haven't yet clinched a playoff berth in your fantasy league, it likely comes down to week 13 for you as most fantasy leagues start their playoffs in week 14.

And to paraphrase Bill Parcells, this is why you buy those cheat sheets, do those mock drafts, etc. -- to get into (and win in) the playoffs.

Here are my top 5 quarterbacks for week 13:

1. Peyton Manning, Colts (vs Titans): Manning is the only QB to average over 300 passing yards per game (310.5) and is second in passing touchdowns (24). While the Titans and their defense have been playing better lately, they have allowed the second-most passing touchdowns (25) this season.

2. Brett Favre, Vikings (at Cardinals): In his past four games, Favre has thrown 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. On the season, Arizona allows the fourth-most passing yards (258.3 ypg).

3. Drew Brees, Saints (at Redskins): Brees is coming off a five-TD performance against the Patriots in what was arguably the most important regular-season game in team history. Although this week's opponent (Washington) allows the fewest passing yards in the NFL (170.4 ypg), Brees and the Saints offense are firing on all cylinders right now.

4. Tom Brady, Patriots (at Dolphins): Brady failed to connect on a TD pass last week, but he had 332 passing yards against the Dolphins in their first match-up. With targets like Randy Moss and Wes Welker, it's not likely that Brady goes TD-less in back-to-back games.

5. Philip Rivers, Chargers (at Chiefs): Rivers has posted three consecutive 100+ QB ratings and this week he faces the Browns, who have allowed the ninth-most passing yards (233.4 ypg) this season. In the past four games, Rivers has thrown eight touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Click here for top 25 quarterbacks for week 13.

More rankings: top 40 RBs | top 50 WRs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you need a victory in week 13 to send you into your fantasy league's playoffs, here are three running backs that I don't expect to deliver:

Kevin Smith, Lions (vs Bengals): The good news for Kevin Smith fantasy owners is that he's been a factor in the Lions' passing game. Only four RBs have more receiving yards than Smith (367). The bad news is he's a "running" back and he (and the Lions) haven't run the ball effectively this season. Smith is averaging only 54.8 rushing yards per game and has only three rushing touchdowns this season. Meanwhile, the Bengals have allowed the third-fewest rushing yards (784) and is tied for the fewest rushing touchdowns (two) allowed this season. And in the past three weeks, no team has allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing running backs than the Bengals.

Brandon Jacobs, Giants (vs Cowboys): With colder weather and tougher opponents on the horizon, Jacobs was poised to come through for fantasy owners with a bigger workload and, in turn, greater fantasy production. Right? Apparently not. Jacobs still hasn't rushed for 100 yards in any game and he's averaging one touchdown per 58 rushing attempts this year. On the season, the Cowboys have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs and only the Packers and Bengals have allowed fewer rushing touchdowns than the Cowboys have.

Ryan Grant, Packers (vs Ravens): Compared with the other two running backs on this list, Grant is having the best season (890 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns). When facing defenses that rank in the top 10 of fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, here's Grant's production: CIN (10 points), MIN (10 points), MIN (5 points) and DAL (7 points). In those four games, he's averaged only 51.5 rushing yards per game. This week, Grant faces a Ravens' run defense that currently allows a league low 3.5 yards per carry. Another single-digit fantasy game is the most likely scenario for Grant.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For some, this is the do-or-die week in fantasy football as many leagues begin their playoffs in week 14. Fortunately for fantasy owners, there are plenty of favorable matchups for some second-tier running backs.

Here are five running backs that are starts for week 13:

Matt Forte, Bears (vs Rams): Since his bye in week five, this first-round draft pick has exceeded 41 rushing yards only once. However, Forte has been a contributor in the passing game as he ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards (433) among RBs. During typical fantasy football playoff weeks (14 to 16), Forte will face three elite run defenses (ranks): Green Bay (4th), Baltimore (6th) and Minnesota (2nd). In week 13, however, Forte faces St. Louis, who has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs in the past three weeks.

Knowshon Moreno, Broncos (vs Chiefs): Moreno has rushed for 80+ yards in three consecutive weeks. In week 13, Moreno faces Kansas City, which has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs over the past five weeks.

Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers (vs Raiders): Mendenhall has rushed for 400 yards against the first three AFC West opponents he's faced. The Raiders, this week's opponents, has allowed a league-high 17 rushing touchdowns in 11 games. And only the Bills and Browns have allowed more fantasy points to opposing running backs this season.

LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers (vs Browns): While 28 running backs have rushed for more yards than LT, only six have rushed for more touchdowns. Tomlinson has rushed for seven of his eight TDs in the past five weeks. This week should be more of the same as he faces Cleveland, who has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season.

Laurence Maroney, Patriots (vs Dolphins): Another RB that has had the nose for the endzone has been Maroney. Maroney has rushed for a score in six consecutive games and he has scored all eight of his touchdowns during that six-game span. In the last six games, Maroney is averaging over 14 fantasy points per game. While the Dolphins rank in the top 12 in fewest rushing yards allowed, only six teams have given up more rushing touchdowns than Miami has.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

I'm not the Seattle Seahawks head football coach, but maybe I should be as their current coach, Jim Mora, has it all wrong.

Mora says he's sticking with running back Julius Jones, who has missed the last two games with a bruised lung, as the team's starter.

"Julius is our starting running back," Mora said, per Danny O'Neill of The Seattle Times. "He's our starting running back. That's what he is."

"Justin's earned the right to carry the ball off of what he did at Arizona and what he did this week," Mora said. "So we're going to make sure he gets touches."

I suppose it doesn't really matter who "starts." When Jones was in Dallas, Marion Barber eventually got more carries than Jones as the "back-up."

If Forsett is getting a bigger workload than Jones despite being the back-up, it doesn't make a difference who starts.

But Forsett has scored four rushing touchdowns in the past three games. That's twice as many as Jones has in nine games.

Forsett has rushed for over 100 yards in two of his past three games. In the one game he did not (vs Minnesota), Forsett had 80 receiving yards.

Maybe Jones shouldn't lose his job due to injury. But he shouldn't keep it, on the other hand, for not being as good as the alternative (Forsett).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson suffered a concussion against the Washington Redskins yesterday.

That leaves his status for week 13 against the Falcons in doubt although I would expect Jackson to miss the game considering the increased awareness and risk of coming back to soon from concussions.

In the game, Jackson caught his sixth touchdown pass of the season.

On the season, he has caught 44 passes for 769 yards and his average of 17.5 yards per catch ranks fifth in the NFL.

Not only is Jackson a playmaker on offense, but he's the leading punt returner in the NFL with an average of 15.5 yards per return.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Bengals were without running back Cedric Benson for a second straight game.

For a second consecutive game, a Bengals running back went over 100 yards.

Last week, Bernard Scott had 119 yards against the Raiders. This week, Larry Johnson had 107 yards against the Browns.

LJ had 22 carries while Scott had 18 carries for 87 yards.

The Bengals have another favorable run matchup versus the Detroit Lions next week.

While it would seem likely that Benson would play, it seemed likely that he would play today. And I would expect Johnson to be a better handcuff than Scott for Benson next week, if necessary.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Falcons have lost RB Michael Turner and QB Matt Ryan for the remainder of today's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ryan suffered a toe injury during the first series and only threw three passes in the game.

Turner, who returned after missing only one game due to a high-ankle sprain, carried the ball 12 times for only 33 yards before aggravating the ankle injury.

With less than 7 minutes to go in the game, the Bucs have surprisingly held the trio of Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling to only 63 rushing yards on 22 carries.

Coming into this game, the Buccaneers ranked 32nd in the league against the run allowing 168.9 yards per game.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

According to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora, Bengals running back Cedric Benson is expected to play today against the Cleveland Browns.

Meanwhile, La Canfora reports that Bengals LB Keith Rivers will miss his third straight game.

In their first matchup of the season, Benson had a pedestrian day against the Browns -- 18 carries for 74 yards and no touchdowns.

However, the Browns are allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, which means Benson could be poised to have a huge week if the reports about his status are accurate.

Last week, Bernard Scott had 119 rushing yards against the Raiders and he would get the start if Benson can't go.

On the season, Benson is averaging 95.4 rushing yards per game and has scored six touchdowns.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith has been added to the team's injury report as questionable with sore ribs, according to Charles Chandler of the Charlotte Observer.

Smith has caught three (of his four) touchdown passes in the past two games.

If Smith plays against the Jets, however, he could have a long day as he'd likely be matched up against shutdown corner Darrelle Revis.

The Jets allowed their first 100-yard receiver (New England's Wes Welker) of the season last week. While Welker was having a career day (15 receptions for 192 yards), Revis held Randy Moss to only 34 receiving yards on five receptions.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Washington Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who has a sprained knee, will miss Sunday's game against the Eagles, per David Elfin of the Washington Times.

With Hall out, Carlos Rogers will step into the starting lineup opposite of Fred Smoot.

"I'll be ready to play," Rogers said. "It ain't nothing new. I'm not going into the game with the attitude of showing [them]. I know I can play. Obviously, they know it, too. That's just how things shaked out. I just gotta take advantage of the opportunity I get, put something good on the field right now."

The first time the Redskins faced the Eagles, Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson beat Rogers on double-move for a 57-yard touchdown.

However, Redskins coach Jim Zorn says that Rogers has "had a good week of practice."

On the season, the Redskins have allowed the fewest passing yards (161.6 ypg) in the league.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was knocked out of last week's game due to a concussion, had been cleared to play by the Steelers' medical staff and he participated fully in practice this week.

That said, Roethlisberger will not play against the Ravens in their Sunday Night Football matchup, per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.

With Charlie Batch out for the remainder of the season, that means Dennis Dixon will get the start in this key divisional matchup.

Both the Steelers, who are 6-4, and the Ravens, who are 5-5, trail the division-leading Cincinnati Bengals, who are 7-3 and hold the head-to-head tie-breaker over both teams.

If Roethlisberger had played, he didn't have as favorable of a fantasy matchup as you might have expected versus a relatively weak Ravens' pass defense. The Ravens have allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks over the past four weeks.

Dixon is a must-sit fantasy-wise and Big Ben's absence downgrades the value of the Steelers' receivers -- Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace -- as well as Rashard Mendenhall.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson didn't participate in Friday's practice due to illness and is listed on the team's injury report as questionable, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

It doesn't appear serious as coach Brad Childress said, "It's a concern today. He's sick, but that's it."

Peterson currently ranks third in the NFL in rushing with 999 yards and he is second in rushing touchdowns with 11.

While it seems as though Peterson will be play on Sunday, it would be wise to check back on Sunday. The Vikings and Bears have a 4:15 kickoff.

The Bears rank 23rd in the league against the run allowing 122.3 yards per game.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Bengals running back Cedric Benson will be a game-time decision for Sunday's game against the Browns.

"I think Ced is in a good spot right now, and we'll make that decision on Sunday," coach Marvin Lewis said, per Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, however, Lewis says that "he's ready to play now."

In last week's loss to the Raiders, rookie Bernard Scott had 119 rushing yards on 21 carries.

Meanwhile Larry Johnson, who had two carries for five yards last week, could be active again for the Bengals.

Said Lewis of Johnson: "He's been doing really good in practices. He has a pretty good grasp of things and looks comfortable. He also has fresh legs compared to the other guys."

Whether it's Benson or Scott that receives the start, either back should have a big week against the Browns, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season.

And with a victory over the Browns, the Bengals would complete a sweep of the entire division.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson was questionable and a game-time decision for today's game against the Green Bay Packers.

Meanwhile the Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford seemed to be all but out of this game after suffering a separated (non-throwing) shoulder last week.

Both Stafford and Johnson, however, are in today's starting lineup and are currently on the field for the first series of the game after Detroit recovered a Jordy Nelson fumble on the opening kickoff.

You can discuss the game in our NFL Gameday Forum here.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are three running backs that I would consider benching in week 12:

Knowshon Moreno, Broncos: During the Broncos' four-game losing streak, Moreno has received more than 10 carries only once. That was two weeks ago when he had 18 carries for 97 yards against Washington. If that performance gave you hope that he would see more of a featured role in the running game, last week's distribution should have dashed those hopes. Moreno and Correll Buckhalter saw a 10-to-7 split in carries against the Chargers, which makes banking on a workload worthy of starting Moreno a risky proposition.

Matt Forte, Bears: It's always difficult to run the ball against the Minnesota Vikings. However, Forte has found it difficult to run on nearly everyone. In the six weeks since his bye, Forte has rushed for 41 yards or less five times. The one exception (90 yards) came against the Cleveland Browns, who have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards this season. During that six-game span, Forte has more receiving yards (307) than rushing yards (245), but he has had only two games this season with more than 40 receiving yards.

Pierre Thomas, Saints: Thomas always has the potential to have a big week in the high-powered Saints offense. In his past five games, however, Thomas has 57 carries, which is an average of less than 12 carries per game. Thomas has five rushing touchdowns on the season, but he hasn't scored in his past two games. And only the Pittsburgh Steelers have allowed fewer rushing touchdowns than this week's opponent (New England).

Also see my RB Studs and my top 40 RB rankings for week 12.

More rankings: Top 20 QBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs | Top 20 Ks | Top 20 Defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Here are three running backs that I expect to have a big week in week 12:

Marion Barber, Cowboys: You could argue that the Cowboys have the most talented trio of running backs in the league. Yet they haven't exploited their ability of their backs as much as I think they could (or should) have this season. Last weekend, the Cowboys gave Marion "The Barbarian" his first 20-carry workload of the season. Although he didn't reach paydirt, MBIII rushed for 99 yards and had his best game since week 2. This week, Barber faces the Raiders, who have given more rushing touchdowns (16) than any other team this season. Only the Bills and Browns have allowed more fantasy points than the Raiders this season. On a short week, the Cowboys and Barber should be able to wear down the Raiders defensive front and get their offense back on track.

Ricky Williams, Dolphins: With Ronnie Brown out for the season, Williams had a three-TD performance (two rushing and one receiving) in his first start of the season last week in prime time against the Carolina Panthers. In the past two games, Williams has received 20+ carries and 100+ yards in both games and this week should be no different. The Bills, who have one of the league's best pass defenses, struggle against the run. In fact, no team has allowed opposing running backs to score more fantasy points on the season.

Jason Snelling, Falcons: Provided that Michael "The Burner" Turner is out for another week, Snelling should be in for a big day against the Buccaneers. With Turner suffering a high-ankle sprain two games ago, Snelling has scored three touchdowns and has put up 35 fantasy points in the past two weeks. This week, he faces the Buccaneers, who are allowing a league-worst 168.9 rushing yards per game. Turner did practice yesterday, but it is unusual for players to only miss one game with this type of injury. If Turner can go, that would diminish Snelling's fantasy value significantly so make sure to check the actives/inactives for the game.

Click here to see my top 40 running backs for week 12.

More rankings: Top 20 QBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs | Top 20 Ks | Top 20 Defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will be a game-time decision for the Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Oakland Raiders due to his sprained foot, according to the Associated Press.

"As far as I know, it's a situation where if he's not well enough, he could hurt it more," [Cowboys coach Wade] Phillips said. "That's a big concern."

Witten, who has only missed one game in his career, is having an off-year compared to his production of the past two seasons (177 receptions for 2097 yards and 11 touchdowns).

Through 10 games, he has 54 receptions for 481 yards and only one touchdown.

As ESPN's Matthew Berry points out, Oakland hasn't allowed a receiving TD to tight ends this season so Witten may be in for another long day even if he plays.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are three running backs that I would sit on my bench for week 11:

Marion Barber, Cowboys: The last time that Barber had over 53 rushing yards was in week 2 against the New York Giants. And MBIII has reached paydirt only once in his past five games. Meanwhile Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones wants to see more of Felix Jones as JJ said, "I certainly understand balance, but I'd sure like to see [Felix Jones] with the ball more." I would expect Barber to get more than five carries like he did last week. Since the Redskins have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, however, Barber's production may be limited even if he were to receive a full workload.

Marshawn Lynch, Bills: After serving his three-game suspension, Lynch has played six games and hasn't reached 70 rushing yards in any of them. And he has only one rushing touchdown this season. On the season, Lynch is averaging 42.3 rushing yards per game and 3.2 yards per carry. In the past two games, Lynch has had only nine carries in each game. Until Lynch shows that he's worthy of a starting spot on your fantasy team, he should remain on your bench.

Laurence Maroney, Patriots: In the past four games, Maroney has rushed for a touchdown every week. Considering his best performance in the first five weeks of the season was a 32-yard game with no touchdowns, Maroney has been a nice surprise for fantasy owners lately. But last week Maroney only received one more carry than Kevin Faulk and Maroney had a critical fumble inside the 5-yard line. Meanwhile Sammy Morris is a game-time decision so Maroney could receive a couple less carries should Morris play. Over the past five weeks, only five teams have allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing running backs than the Jets have.

See my RB studs for week 11.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are three running backs that should have big weeks in fantasy football for week 11:

Kevin Smith, Lions: Along with Cincinnati's Cedric Benson and Baltimore's Ray Rice, Detroit's Kevin Smith was one of my Five Running Backs to Target in Fantasy Drafts. While Benson and Rice have exceeded even my expectations, Smith has been a huge disappointment in 2009. This season, Smith has rushed for 515 yards and only three touchdowns through nine games. He has only one 100-yard rushing game (week 3) and he hasn't scored a touchdown in five weeks. Smith's fortunate should change this week as the Lions face the Cleveland Browns this week. Only the Bills have allowed more fantasy points and more rushing touchdowns to running backs this season.

Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers: Mendenhall loves playing the AFC West as his two best games of the year came against the Broncos (155 rushing yards) and Chargers (165 rushing yards). This week, Mendenhall and the Steelers visit the Chiefs, who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs this season. The Steelers should be able to establish an early lead against a bad Kansas City team that will be without its best offensive player (Dwayne Bowe) for the next four weeks. With a matchup against the Raiders in week 13, Mendenhall could have an opportunity to eclipse the century mark against the entire division.

Beanie Wells, Cardinals: In his past four games, Wells has scored three touchdowns and is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Wells is also getting a bigger chunk of the workload in his timeshare with Tim Hightower. In the past four games, Wells has 51 carries compared to 37 carries for Hightower. In the first five games of the season, the split was in Hightower's favor (51 to 35). With a favorable matchup against the Rams, who have given up the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs, Wells (and Hightower, for that matter) should have a big day Sunday.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the Saints put their unbeaten record on the line against the one-win Buccaneers, they will do so without running back Reggie Bush and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, per Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Neither Bush, who didn't practice this week, nor Ellis, who has missed the past three games, made the trip to Tampa for tomorrow's game.

According to Triplett, Saints coach Sean Payton doesn't expect Bush's injury to linger. Meanwhile Ellis returned to practice on a limited basis this week.

Last week, Bush had his best game of the season when he rushed for 83 yards (on six carries) and scored two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving).

In the three games that Ellis has missed, the Saints have allowed a league-worst 473 rushing yards, which should bode well for Tampa Bay running back Cadillac Williams.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are the stats (receptions and receiving yards) for Patriots receiver Randy Moss in his first three games of the year: 12-141, 4-24 and 10-116.

Can you guess in which of those three games Moss faced Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis?

If you recall, Moss said that it was safety help over the top that led to his lack of production in week two and that there is no such thing as a "shutdown corner."

That said, it's time for round two between these two and Revis is standing by his words.

“Everybody saw the game, everybody knew I was in man coverage,” Revis said (via the Boston Herald). “He’s supposed to say that . . . (That) day wasn’t his day. He got shut out, and he was frustrated about it. Cool. I don’t have nothing against him. I still think he’s one of the best receivers in the league. If that’s what he said, that’s on him. We play them twice a year. I have to see him again, he has to see me again.”

“I don’t feed into talking and all that crazy stuff. I’m a 12-year vet. So that stuff don’t bother me,” Moss said. “My biggest thing is, when you talk like that, you better back it up. So, we’ll see. We’ll see what goes down.”

In his past four games, Moss has 28 receptions for 524 yards and six touchdowns including three 100-yard games.

If you have Randy Moss on your fantasy football team, he's a must-start even when he's facing arguably the league's top cornerback (no disrepsect intended for Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha). That said, I would temper your expectations if you expect another 100-yard, multi-touchdown performance from Moss.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Miami Dolphins have placed running back Ronnie Brown on injured reserve (IR), which ends his season.

For the second time in the past three years, Brown will play less than ten games in a season.

When Brown played only seven games in 2007, he was playing as well as any running back in the league. In his final five games of that season, Brown had 850 combined rushing and receiving yards during that span.

After a down (but full) year in 2008, Brown was playing well in 2009 before suffering a season-ending injury to his right foot last week.

On the season, Brown had 648 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in nine games.

Last week, Ricky Williams rushed 20 times for 102 yards and he will be expected to carry the load for the Dolphins. Lex Hilliard will move into the back-up role.

This week, the Dolphins play the Carolina Panthers, who have allowed the 25th-most rushing yards in the NFL.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After serving his one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, running back Larry Johnson was waived by the Chiefs, per the Associated Press.

For teams interested in Johnson, they can make a waiver claim for him by 4 p.m. today. If a team claims Johnson off waivers, they would owe him the prorated remainder of his $4.55 million salary. If he clears waivers, then he would be free to sign with any team.

Chiefs coach Todd Haley wouldn't comment specifically on whether it was his low production or his recent off-the-field issues that were the primary reason for his release.

“It wouldn’t be fair of me to try to comment on that in any way other than to say the totality of the situation was factored in—what we felt was best for the Kansas City Chiefs,” Haley said.

In any event, Johnson, who had 2,199 yards from scrimmage in 2006, could provide some value to some teams who need help at running back.

However, those teams will likely think twice.

Not only has his production declined considerably and he's nearly 30 years old (Nov. 19th), he's a potential cancer to bring to the locker room (and to the night clubs in the team's community).

Some rumored landing spots for LJ are Pittsburgh, by whom Johnson thought he might have been drafted, and Washington, where Clinton Portis recently suffered a concussion and is doubtful for Sunday's game.

Meanwhile that leaves Jamaal Charles, who is averaging over 5 yards per carry for his career, as the starting running back in KC.

In his start Sunday, however, Charles was only given six carries (for 36 yards) while Kolby Smith, who was activated from the PUP list, received four carries.

Charles (and Kansas City) has favorable matchups down the stretch in fantasy football against average-to-bad run defenses, such as Oakland, San Diego, Buffalo and Cleveland. It remains to be seen whether the Chiefs will allow Charles to take advantage of those matchups by giving him the rock.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With six teams on a bye in week 9, you won't have the services of Adrian Peterson (Minnesota), Steven Jackson (St. Louis) and Thomas Jones (NY Jets) for your fantasy team this week.

Here are some players who are scheduled to play that I think will under-perform relative to their fantasy rankings for week 9:

Matt Forte, Bears (consensus rank 14): Last year, Forte was one of the biggest surprises in fantasy football. This year, he's one of the biggest disappointments. Through seven games, he has 408 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He's had two good games: 121 yards and a score vs Detroit and 90 yards and two scores vs Cleveland. But anyone can run on Cleveland and Detroit, who have given up the third most and sixth most fantasy points to running backs, respectively. In fact, Forte followed up his first good performance (vs Detroit) with a 23-yard game (15 carries) against a Falcons run defense that currently ranks 23rd in the NFL. This week, Forte faces the team that had led the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed heading into last week. Although the Cardinals allowed the Panthers to run the ball against them last week, they still rank eighth in the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed (96.4 ypg). And if you're looking for Forte to compensate as a receiver, only the Buccaneers have allowed fewer receptions to RBs than the Cardinals have.

Joseph Addai, Colts (consensus rank 12): The positives for Addai? Two consecutive 20-carry games and he's scored five touchdowns in seven games. But Addai is averaging only 3.3 yards per carry on the season and he's never had more than 64 rushing yards in any game this season. Donald Brown, who was injured two weeks ago and didn't play last week, is questionable for Sunday's game and will be a game-time decision. If Brown returns, that will reduce several of Addai's carries. And in the past five weeks, the Texans have allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs in the NFL.

Brian Westbrook, Eagles (consensus rank 13): Westbrook has been one of the best and most dangerous running backs in the NFL for several years. After sitting last week due to a concussion, Westbrook will be back in the starting lineup against the Cowboys. But let's take a look at Westbrook's numbers pre-concussion. He's averaging only 39.4 rushing yards per game (lowest since his rookie season) and 26 receiving yards per game (lowest since his second season). Westbrook has never received more than 13 carries in one game this season and there is only one game in which he has more than 20 receiving yards. While Westbrook has the potential to make a big play at any time, he's no longer a sure thing (when healthy) in fantasy football.

Click here to view my RB Studs in week 9 for fantasy football.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week the Texans benched running back Steve Slaton after he fumbled his only carry in favor of Ryan Moats.

Moats, who was probably the most added player in fantasy football this week, finished the game with 126 rushing yards and three touchdowns (a franchise record).

For tomorrow's game against the Colts, Texans coach Gary Kubiak has named Moats the starter, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

On the season Slaton has lost five fumbles in 110 carries. Last year he lost only two fumbles in 268 carries.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is the final of three consecutive weeks where six teams have their bye week. Some notable running backs on bye are Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, St. Louis' Steven Jackson and New York's Thomas Jones.

That said, here are three running backs that may be a little under the radar that I expect to have a big week:

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers: It should be fairly obvious that Stewart's running mate, DeAngelo Williams, is a must-start every week. And I expect Williams to have a huge game this week. That said, Stewart should have a strong performance as well. In the past four games, Williams and Stewart have combined for a total of 700 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. During that span, Stewart has scored four times including twice last week against what was the league's top-ranked rush defense. This week, the Panthers face a Saints defense that has lost defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis for several weeks and has allowed six rushing touchdowns in the past three games. Only the Giants have allowed more (7) during that span. As the Panthers enter tomorrow's game in a hostile environment as a 13-point underdog against the unbeaten Saints, look for both Stewart and Williams to get a heavy dose of carries as the Panthers try to keep the Saints' high-powered offense off the field and take the crowd out of the game.

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: As Larry Johnson finds himself in the team's doghouse again, Jamaal Charles will finally get his shot to be the offense's featured back. In 90 career rushing attempts, Charles is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. This week he faces the Jacksonville Jaguars, who allowed Tennessee's Chris Johnson to run for 228 yards last week. Charles, who was drafted in the third-round last year, should get more opportunities to start beyond this week even though LJ's suspension officially ends after this week. If so, Charles will have several favorable matchups in the weeks ahead including Oakland, San Diego, Buffalo and Cleveland to go along with a favorable matchup this week.

Pierre Thomas, Saints: The Saints can pass it and can run it. Quarterback Drew Brees is one of the league's top three quarterbacks and the Saints are tied for the most passing touchdowns (16) in the league. But what may not be as widely-known is the Saints rank fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (153.3). Of the three options in New Orleans, Thomas is the best bet (over Reggie Bush and Mike Bell). Thomas is averaging nearly six yards per carry. And running on Carolina is much easier than passing on them. The Panthers' pass defense ranks first in the NFL in yards allowed (160.6 ypg). Meanwhile the Panthers run defense ranks 24th in the league and they've allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs. In addition, no other team has allowed running backs to catch touchdown passes (four) than the Panthers have.

See week 9 consensus rankings for running backs.

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