Week Nine Top Performers and Under Achievers

Week Nine thus far was the week of the RB as 3 out of the top 5 fantasy scorer's were RB's. If this were the NBA Peyton Hillis would be making strong considerations for comeback player of the year as he continues to make Josh McDaniel look stupid for trading him to Cleveland for a 3rd string QB in Brady Quinn. Meanwhile in Houston Arian Foster took on the bulk of the Texans offense in a losing effort to the surging Chargers, and Adrian Peterson worked to help keep Brad Childress employed for another week in Minnesota.

Here are your week nine top scorers:

• Against the Patriots Hillis rushed 29 times for 184 yards and 2 touchdowns. 
• Arian Foster had a combined 197 yards and 3 touchdowns, nearly 4, against the Chargers. 
• Adrian Peterson had 81 yards on the ground, and 63 through the air with 2 touchdowns against AZ. 
• The Cowboys and Jon Kitna kept up their losing ways by giving the Packers defense 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and scoring only one touchdown (a pass from Kitna to Dez Bryant) on them in a lopsided defeat. 
• As I tweeted last night; you could give Philip Rivers a couple of homeless guys and he would find them in the end zone. Rivers threw for 295 yards and 4 touchdowns; 2 a piece to a backup Te (Randy McMichael and Seyi Ajirotuto)

On the flip side here are some guys who underperformed you into a possibly loss yesterday:

• Matt Schaub was mediocre again yesterday as he threw for 267 yards and 1 score plus an interception. And you spent a 4th round pick on him?
• How do you follow up a 117 yard/ 2 touchdown performance against the Vikings? You run 9 times for 14 yards marking the first time in 6 weeks he didn't find the end zone. 
• One trade that McDaniels may have gotten right was the Brandon Marshall trade. Or maybe it's just that Chad Henne is an interception waiting to happen. Marshall hauled in 5 receptions for 30 yards. Save the Sunday night game against the Jets Marshall has no touchdowns for the season. 
• He's owned in over 80% of standard leagues, was probably started in most due to a 6 team bye week, and yielded his owners a 0 receptions for 0 yards performance equalling 0 points combined over the last two weeks. And you still own him why?

Check back for later for Week 9 trends and topics...

Week Nine Pickups

Picking up LeGarrette Blount is way too easy of a call this week

The short and quick recommendation would be to pickup after LeGarrette Blount after breaking out a 120 yard, 2 touchdowns on 22 carries performance, but where's the tough fantasy analysis in that? After all, every one else in your league most likely put in a waiver claim after him. Thus, you need to go elsewhere.

Remember, we're in week nine, thus your waiver options are going to be limited unless something catastrophic happens. I.e.: a line of injuries promotes a guy from the practice squad to starting lineup.

RB, Keiland Williams, Washington Redskins: a line of injuries may be just what he needs to get the amount of carries/ catches to become fantasy relevant. With Clinton Portis out and still recovering, and Ryan Torain possibly out with a hamstring promotes Keiland Williams as the starting RB. Though you can't use him this weekend because he's on bye; you should keep an eye out for him as injury reports come out of D.C.

RB, BenJarvus Green-Ellis: what else must this guy do to be owned in more then 50% of leagues? 5 straight weeks with a touchdown capped off by 2 touchdown, 122 yards on 17 carries performance should be more then enough umphh to get him off the wire and into your starting lineup.

RB, Javarris James, Indianapolis Colts: when every other RB is hurt on your team it opens up the way for you to start. The week 10 status of Addai, Brown, and Hart for next weekend all look suspicious. RB plays a very essential part of the Colts offense, and James should be used in some manner Sunday against Philadelphia simply because they have no other options!

WR, Randy Moss, FA: this is just a hunch, but sometimes ffball owners have been known to over react to news and may have dropped Moss once they heard he was waived. Though his value may be low; he would be an amazingly great pickup if you could find.

WR, Nate Washington, Tennessee Titans: before the injury of Britt Sunday Washington was fantasy crap, however, he is now their #1 deep threat and showed that with a season high tying 4 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. He's off this week, but worth watching if Britt isn't ready to go in week 10.

WR, Steve Breaston, AZ Cardinals: if he can stay healthy he helps increase the value of Larry Fitzgerald, and has a nice tendency to rack up yardage. In his 2 truly healthy games, limited by a knee issue, he has 15 receptions for 279 yards. If, and its a big if, Derek Anderson plays Sunday against Minnesota Breaston has nice value in yardage, and ppr leagues. Don't worry about touchdowns though; when you rack up 130+ yards when your knee cooperates with the rest of your body touchdowns should follow.

TE, Jacob Tamme, Indianapolis Colts: stick a TE in this offense, and Manning will find a way to throw the ball his way. 6 receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown figures to make him a nice fill in when other TE's are under performing or hurt.

K, Dan Carpenter, Miami Dolphins: Kickers are worth taking a look at; especially when they end up being the highest scorer on their team. In 4 of his last 5 games he has made at least 3 field goals and an extra point. In the last 2 weeks he has made 5 field goals in each game, and figures to be a key part of the offense against a rested Baltimore defense.

What Week 8 Taught Us

Fantasy scoring wise; week 8 was a strange weekend with no one really having a "breakout" game from notable names save for Calvin Johnson (9 catches, 101 yards, 3 scores). However, some other players had broke out performances that weren't expected of them:

• QB, David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars: 17/21 for 260 yards and 5 touchdowns
• QB, Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions: 26/45 fpr 212 yards and 4 scores
• RB, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE Patriots: 17 carries for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns
• RB, LaGarrette Blount, TB Buccaneers: 22 carries for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns
• WR, Brandon Tate, NE Patriots: 3 catches for 101 yards and 1 touchdown
• WR, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oakland Raiders: 5 receptions for 105 yards and 1 touchdown

Here's a few other things we learned Sunday in week 8...

Jon Kitna was not the smartest pickup of the week. After throwing for 2 touchdowns in relief of Tony Romo last week against NY, Kitna was expected to throw all over a terrible Jacksonville pass defense. Yet, Kitna threw for 4 interceptions with 1 touchdown coming in garbage time. Don't forget, Kitna's 2 scores last week came in garbage time as well. Another QB picked up in several leagues was Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. After 4 weeks of 2+ touchdowns in each game, 11 touchdowns in all, Fitzpatrick threw for only 1 touchdown after being projected for 300+ yards and 3 touchdowns against the 25th ranked passing defense. I wonder in how many leagues both Garrard and Stafford were left unclaimed. 

If you own Thomas Jones or Jamaal Charles it's always a good idea to start either of them. It's even better if you have both! Despite not running or receiving for a touchdown Charles tallied up 238 total yards with a 22 carry/ 177 yard performance adding 61 yards in the air. His counterpart Jones added 19 carries for 77 yards compiling 41 carries for 254 yards yesterday. 

Mercedes Lewis is poison. It's just a matter of whether your or your enemy ingests it first. Lewis had just 2 receptions yesterday, however, both of them were scores marking the second time this season he has turned in a performance where all his receptions were touchdown catches. For the season he has 4 games with a touchdown, and 4 games without a touchdown reception. Garrard is looking Lewis direction when near the end-zone, it's just a matter of if the Jaguars offense can give Garrard the opportunity to be near the goal line. 

Out of the 28 TE's that played yesterday only 6 of them scored. 

Tarvaris Jackson has scored as many touchdowns in less then 2 minutes of work then Brett Favre has in nearly 2 games worth of work (1). 

Since being drafted by the Ravens in 2007 Troy Smith has a record of 3-0, and had more touchdowns (2) then 19 other QB's who played yesterday. 

In two weeks the Raiders have scored 92 points; Sebastian Janikowski meanwhile has converted 5 field goals and 11 extra points. 

Since having no interceptions in weeks 1-5 Mark Sanchez has thrown 4 picks in 2 weeks time.