Fantasy Fodder
Fantasy Fodder: Helping you survive the playoffs
We are into the nitty-gritty of the fantasy playoffs, so let’s get down to business with some injury updates, a few waiver-wire pickups if you’re desperate, and more. If your squad needs help, shoot me a note. And feel free to leave your fantasy sob stories in the comments section if your team has already been dismissed. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Don't overthink your playoff lineup
Assuming you are in a six- or eight-team league -- and not one of those screwy leagues that ends in Week 17 -- the fantasy football playoffs have arrived. If your team made the playoffs, give yourself a loud slap on the back. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Second fiddles stealing the show
Fellow owners of Hakeem Nicks, I feel your pain. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Orton, Peterson and much more
The timing is a little peculiar, but the Denver Broncos said adieu to former starting quarterback Kyle Orton on Tuesday. He had a good fantasy run under Josh McDaniels, but turnovers did him in with new coach John Fox. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Why Rice is still a top-five back
Grumpy Ravens coach John Harbaugh on Monday had to answer a few questions about the use of Ray Rice in Sunday’s 22-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Based on the line of questioning from reporters, I’m guessing at least one of those guys has Rice, who had 27 rushing yards on a season-low five carries, on their fantasy team. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Eagles offense, Tebowing and more
The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t been the team we expected (I’m no longer using the ‘D’ word when talking about the Eagles, and you’re welcome). They are 3-5 at the midway point of the season, and their margin for error to make it into the playoffs is slim. But have the Eagles been dreamy from a fantasy perspective? Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: My 2011 all-disappointment team
Last week, we looked at the biggest surprises of the 2011 fantasy football campaign. This time around, we will hand out dishonors to the disappointing (non-injured) players who have torpedoed our seasons so far. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: The biggest surprises of 2011 so far
Every season, a few surprise studs come out of fantasy Siberia to reward savvy owners who had the foresight to select them in the later rounds of the draft. A season ago, Adrian Foster, Peyton Hillis and Brandon Lloyd come to mind. Ray Rice, Miles Austin and Sidney Rice were unlikely heroes in 2009. And so on and so forth. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Taking stock after deadline deals
Carson Palmer will be a hot commodity on the waiver wire this week after the Cincinnati Bengals traded him to the Oakland Raiders for a pair of high draft picks. I can't imagine that someone in your fantasy league already has Palmer on his or her roster -- unless you're in a league with Mike Brown, who finally made a deal Tuesday. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Tebow, DHB, Cruz and dining on desperation
In last week's installment of Fantasy Fodder, I cautioned you to not panic and trade away one of five notable early-season disappointments if your team was stuck in the cellar. I hope this past week was better for you. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Five players you better hang on to
Desperation might be setting in inside your fantasy locker room if your squad is 1-3 or 0-4 at the quarter pole, especially if you’re in a cutthroat league where only four or six teams make it into the playoffs. We have enough data to see that trends are developing, and it looks as if some big names in fantasy are on track to be big busts. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: What to make of Torrey Smith's outburst
Torrey Smith torched the Rams in Week 3, catching five passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Now he is burning up the waiver wire, and you can be sure that someone will claim him in your fantasy league. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: So Jamaal Charles got hurt; now what?
When Jamaal Charles tore his ACL on Sunday, any hopes the Kansas City Chiefs had of making it back to the NFL playoffs were shredded. The season-ending injury to Charles, a top-five pick in most fantasy leagues, is also a devastating blow to fantasy owners who were banking on a monster season from the dual-threat back. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Why Rice looked like a top-five back
Ray Rice was both a reality and fantasy football difference-maker in Sunday's 35-7 win over the Steelers. He rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and added four catches for 42 yards and a score. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: Gearing up for Week 1 (maybe without Peyton)
The news that Peyton Manning will miss Week 1 with a neck injury -- and that his status going forward is unclear -- is good news for the Texans, Ravens, Patriots, Steelers and the other contenders in the AFC. It's bad news for fantasy football owners who were counting on Manning or other Colts to produce for their squad this year. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: A six-pack of fantasy football sleepers
My apologies for interruptions in this week's blog schedule. I was actually doing real reporting for a change. (I know, crazy talk.) But I still had time to stay on top of my many fantasy football leagues. I completed another draft last week, and I have three more between now and next Thursday's regular season kickoff. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder: When should you draft Ravens players?
The great Baltimore earthquake of 2011 has come and gone, and now that we have been allowed back in the building on Calvert Street, I can get back to writing about important things. Like your fantasy football team. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder season preview: Ranking kickers and defenses
I enjoyed writing the first four days of my Fantasy Fodder 2011 season preview. Today is not as exciting, though, because all that’s left are the kickers and the defense-special teams combinations. You guys know by now that you shouldn’t address these areas until the end of your draft, so let’s get right to the rankings. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder season preview: Ranking fantasy tight ends
There are very few slam-dunk picks in fantasy football. For years, owning LaDainian Tomlinson guaranteed you a spot in the playoffs. Peyton Manning has been an elite fantasy QB for more than a decade. And though he's now in the twilight of his career, Terrell Owens used to be good for 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns a season. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder season preview: Ranking fantasy wide receivers
Let's jump in the time machine and flash back in time to the early 2000s when Tom Cruise wasn't a known crazy person, "Freedom Fries" were an innovation in redneck culinary circles and men under the age of 40 wearing visors in public was considered to be socially acceptable. Thanks to Al Gore's Internet invention, fantasy football was starting to blow up -- and we were advised to select running backs with our first 13 or so picks. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder season preview: Ranking fantasy running backs
Chances are a running back will be the first player to come off the board in your fantasy league unless one of your fellow owners has a serious crush on Michael Vick or is the father/mother/sibling/spouse of a current NFL player. Running backs no longer the first dozen players off the board in fantasy football -- and honestly, that makes things much more interesting -- but an elite back is still the way to go if you're picking first overall. Read more ...
Fantasy Fodder season preview: Ranking fantasy quarterbacks
I'm pleased to announce that I will be bringing back my weekly fantasy football column this fall. Why am I so pleased? Because it gives me an excuse to tinker with my fantasy football teams when I'm on the clock. Read more ...
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