Congratulations are in order for all the winners in Sunday's Landshark Maniacs playoffs, including Big Lough O, which won the league championship by beating the Northeast Dragons, and the Southern Rebels, which beat the People's Pigskin by a score of 167-145 for the title of Best of the Rest (that is, best among fantasy football teams that didn't make the playoffs). Here's how your favorite fantasy team did in the last week of the regular season.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 4 for 6 passing, 31 yards and 1 fantasy point. The Arizona Cardinals, who had already been eliminated from the race for a first-week playoff bye, pulled most of its starters before halftime. Um...oops?
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 6 rushes, 19 yards and 1 fantasy point. Um...ditto?
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 16 rushes for 101 yards, 3 receptions for 23 yards and 12 fantasy points. Forte and the rest of the Chicago Bears showed just enough to keep themselves relevant to fantasy football players during the off season. (Of course, the fact that they were facing the Detroit Lions didn't hurt.)
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 3 receptions, 29 yards and 2 fantasy points. Once again, the Green Bay Packers managed to put up all kinds of points without any significant contribution from the man who was supposed to be their primary receiver.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 0 receptions, 0 yards and 0 fantasy points. Ochocinco slipped on the Giants Stadium turf during the pregame warmups and left the Sunday night game against the New York Jets with a knee injury. If only tweets had fantasy value...
Nate Washington, WR. The stats: 6 receptions, 83 yards and 8 fantasy points. It was heartening to see that the Tennessee Titans, who were eliminated from the playoffs the previous week, were motivated to play a strong game and help Chris Johnson reach the 2,000-yard mark.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 0 receptions, 0 yards and 0 fantasy points. Meanwhile, the New York Giants, another team knocked out of the playoffs the previous week, laid a giant egg against the Minnesota Vikings. (It's interesting how no one is complaining about the Vikings, who wrapped up a first-round bye, getting gifts from its opponents.)
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 3 for 3 in field goals, 4 for 4 in extra points and 14 fantasy points. If nothing else, we've found a kicker to target in this summer's fantasy drafts.
San Francisco 49ers, D/ST. The stats: 8 sacks, 6 points allowed and 15 fantasy points. Mike Singetary has its team heading in the right direction.
Bench. Matt Cassel, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Julius Jones got 6 fantasy points each. The Philadelphia Eagles defense/special teams got 3.
Remember, the People's Pigskin will be competing in the NFL Fantasy Playoff Challenge. We'll be back tomorrow to get your help in setting the lineup.
Showing posts with label Beanie Wells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beanie Wells. Show all posts
Monday, January 4, 2010
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 17
OK, fellow fantasy football fans. It's all come down to this.
There's one week left for the People's Pigskin to claim the title of Best of the Rest. The Southern Rebels currently hold a 2-point lead, and it's time for you, the Internet, to vote on our lineup for the final week of the NFL regular season. Here's how the lineup looks right now.
Quarterback. Our current starter is Kurt Warner, whose Arizona Cardinals face the Green Bay Packers and still have a chance at earning the NFC's No. 2 seed and a bye. If you want to bench Warner, Matt Cassel can come off the bench.
Running back. Warner's teammate, Chris "Beanie" Wells, remains a starter. He's joined by Matt Forte, who seems rejuvenated after Monday night's victory. His Chicago Bears get the Detroit Lions this week. Either one can be benched in favor of Derrick Ward. (Please note that the plan is to keep Donald Brown on the bench, since the Indianapolis Colts have shown they are quite willing to bench starters late in the season, even if a 16-0 season is on the line.)
Flex. This spot seems to be good luck for Greg Jennings, so he's staying right there. His Green Bay Packers get the Cardinals. Again, Derrick Ward is available to fill his slot.
Wide receiver. The starters remain Chad Ochocinco, whose Cincinnati Bengals play the New York Jets on Sunday night, and Nate Washington, whose Tennessee Titans visit the Seattle Seahawks. If either receiver is benched, T.J. Houshmandzadeh gets the call. (Please note that the plan is for Austin Collie, like Brown, to stay on the bench because of the Colts' bench-happy ways.)
Defense/special teams. The San Francisco 49ers won't be going to the playoffs, but they do get the starting nod here, since they get to close out their season against the Detroit Lions. If you don't like that matchup, you can vote to start the Philadelphia Eagles instead.
No changes at tight end (Kevin Boss) or kicker (Jay Feely).
The lineup poll is open and will remain open until Sunday. So will the fantasy football MVP poll right below it. Please vote now.
We'll be back with some thoughts on the Pro Bowl rosters.
There's one week left for the People's Pigskin to claim the title of Best of the Rest. The Southern Rebels currently hold a 2-point lead, and it's time for you, the Internet, to vote on our lineup for the final week of the NFL regular season. Here's how the lineup looks right now.
Quarterback. Our current starter is Kurt Warner, whose Arizona Cardinals face the Green Bay Packers and still have a chance at earning the NFC's No. 2 seed and a bye. If you want to bench Warner, Matt Cassel can come off the bench.
Running back. Warner's teammate, Chris "Beanie" Wells, remains a starter. He's joined by Matt Forte, who seems rejuvenated after Monday night's victory. His Chicago Bears get the Detroit Lions this week. Either one can be benched in favor of Derrick Ward. (Please note that the plan is to keep Donald Brown on the bench, since the Indianapolis Colts have shown they are quite willing to bench starters late in the season, even if a 16-0 season is on the line.)
Flex. This spot seems to be good luck for Greg Jennings, so he's staying right there. His Green Bay Packers get the Cardinals. Again, Derrick Ward is available to fill his slot.
Wide receiver. The starters remain Chad Ochocinco, whose Cincinnati Bengals play the New York Jets on Sunday night, and Nate Washington, whose Tennessee Titans visit the Seattle Seahawks. If either receiver is benched, T.J. Houshmandzadeh gets the call. (Please note that the plan is for Austin Collie, like Brown, to stay on the bench because of the Colts' bench-happy ways.)
Defense/special teams. The San Francisco 49ers won't be going to the playoffs, but they do get the starting nod here, since they get to close out their season against the Detroit Lions. If you don't like that matchup, you can vote to start the Philadelphia Eagles instead.
No changes at tight end (Kevin Boss) or kicker (Jay Feely).
The lineup poll is open and will remain open until Sunday. So will the fantasy football MVP poll right below it. Please vote now.
We'll be back with some thoughts on the Pro Bowl rosters.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Call It a Halftime Report
The People's Pigskin remains in contention for the highly sought title of Best Fantasy Football Team Not to Make the Landshark Maniacs Playoffs.
Our team currently trails the Southern Rebels by a score of 94-92. As of Monday afternoon, that makes our matchup the closest one in the league. Here's how we got here.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 24 of 38 passing, 313 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 rush for 10 yards, 1 fumble and 19 fantasy points. Warner's Arizona Cardinals wrapped up the NFC West title last week, and this week Warner became the second quarterback (after Fran Tarkenton) to throw at least 100 touchdowns for two teams.
Derrick Ward, RB. The stats: 7 rushes, 32 yards and 3 fantasy points. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off a mother of an upset against the New Orleans Saints, but it was despite Ward's performance, not because of it.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 17 rushes for 68 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 25 yards and 14 fantasy points. Wells will definitely go much higher this fall in fantasy drafts.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 111 yards and 11 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers played their way into the NFL playoffs, and Jennings got everything but the touchdowns.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 31 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 rush for minus-2 yards and 9 fantasy points. Ochocinco, on the other hand, got nothing but the touchdown, which wrapped up the AFC North title for his Cincinnati Bengals.
Nate Washington, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 39 yards and 3 fantasy points. You may notice that his stats are nearly identical to Ochocinco's in every way except one: no visits to the end zone.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 5 receptions, 49 yards and 4 fantasy points. Not a single New York Giant covered himself in glory Sunday in the team's final appearance in Giants Stadium, and Boss was no exception.
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 2 for 2 on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points and 8 fantasy points. A much better afternoon for Feely and the rest of the Jets than last Sunday. His team is now in "win and you're in the playoffs" status.
San Francisco 49ers, D/ST. The stats: 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 sacks, 6 points allowed and 21 fantasy points. Not bad at all for a team with no postseason bid to motivate it.
Bench. Matt Cassel, Donald Brown and Austin Collie scored 9 fantasy points each. The Philadelphia Eagles defense scored 4.
We'll be back with our lineup poll for week 17. Until then, enjoy Monday night's thrashing.
Our team currently trails the Southern Rebels by a score of 94-92. As of Monday afternoon, that makes our matchup the closest one in the league. Here's how we got here.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 24 of 38 passing, 313 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 rush for 10 yards, 1 fumble and 19 fantasy points. Warner's Arizona Cardinals wrapped up the NFC West title last week, and this week Warner became the second quarterback (after Fran Tarkenton) to throw at least 100 touchdowns for two teams.
Derrick Ward, RB. The stats: 7 rushes, 32 yards and 3 fantasy points. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off a mother of an upset against the New Orleans Saints, but it was despite Ward's performance, not because of it.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 17 rushes for 68 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 25 yards and 14 fantasy points. Wells will definitely go much higher this fall in fantasy drafts.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 111 yards and 11 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers played their way into the NFL playoffs, and Jennings got everything but the touchdowns.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 31 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 rush for minus-2 yards and 9 fantasy points. Ochocinco, on the other hand, got nothing but the touchdown, which wrapped up the AFC North title for his Cincinnati Bengals.
Nate Washington, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 39 yards and 3 fantasy points. You may notice that his stats are nearly identical to Ochocinco's in every way except one: no visits to the end zone.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 5 receptions, 49 yards and 4 fantasy points. Not a single New York Giant covered himself in glory Sunday in the team's final appearance in Giants Stadium, and Boss was no exception.
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 2 for 2 on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points and 8 fantasy points. A much better afternoon for Feely and the rest of the Jets than last Sunday. His team is now in "win and you're in the playoffs" status.
San Francisco 49ers, D/ST. The stats: 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 sacks, 6 points allowed and 21 fantasy points. Not bad at all for a team with no postseason bid to motivate it.
Bench. Matt Cassel, Donald Brown and Austin Collie scored 9 fantasy points each. The Philadelphia Eagles defense scored 4.
We'll be back with our lineup poll for week 17. Until then, enjoy Monday night's thrashing.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 16
With our recent victory over the Houston Wreckin' Crew, the People's Pigskin gets to play the Southern Rebels for fifth place (in other words, the top spot among nonplayoff teams) in the Landshark Maniacs fantasy football league. That means it's time once again for you, the Internet, to help pick this week's lineup. Here are the contenders.
Quarterback. Even though one of his touchdowns last week was changed to an Anquan Boldin run, we still have Kurt Warner in the starting lineup. He faces the St. Louis Rams this week. If that matchup isn't juicy enough, you can vote to start Matt Cassel instead.
Running back. Another Arizona Cardinal, Chris "Beanie" Wells, stays in the starting lineup. He's joined by Derrick Ward, who's coming off our proverbial bench and facing the New Orleans Saints. If you vote to bench either one, we can call on Matt Forte.
Flex. Greg Jennings worked well in this spot last week, so he's there again this week. He gets to play the Seattle Seahawks. If you want to bench him, we can pull Austin Collie off the bench.
Wide receiver. You already know about the Nate Washington poll, which will close Friday morning. The other starter, at least for the moment, is Chad Ochocinco, who plays the Kansas City Chiefs in the first home game for the Cincinnati Bengals since Chris Henry's death. Austin Collie can take this spot, too.
Defense/special teams. A switch for the Pigskin here. Our starting defense is the San Francisco 49ers. They play the Detroit Lions on Sunday. If you want to bench the 49ers, we can put the Philadelphia Eagles on the field.
Kevin Boss remains our tight end, and Jay Feely remains our kicker.
The poll is now open. We'll be back tomorrow with a Christmas Eve edition of the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Quarterback. Even though one of his touchdowns last week was changed to an Anquan Boldin run, we still have Kurt Warner in the starting lineup. He faces the St. Louis Rams this week. If that matchup isn't juicy enough, you can vote to start Matt Cassel instead.
Running back. Another Arizona Cardinal, Chris "Beanie" Wells, stays in the starting lineup. He's joined by Derrick Ward, who's coming off our proverbial bench and facing the New Orleans Saints. If you vote to bench either one, we can call on Matt Forte.
Flex. Greg Jennings worked well in this spot last week, so he's there again this week. He gets to play the Seattle Seahawks. If you want to bench him, we can pull Austin Collie off the bench.
Wide receiver. You already know about the Nate Washington poll, which will close Friday morning. The other starter, at least for the moment, is Chad Ochocinco, who plays the Kansas City Chiefs in the first home game for the Cincinnati Bengals since Chris Henry's death. Austin Collie can take this spot, too.
Defense/special teams. A switch for the Pigskin here. Our starting defense is the San Francisco 49ers. They play the Detroit Lions on Sunday. If you want to bench the 49ers, we can put the Philadelphia Eagles on the field.
Kevin Boss remains our tight end, and Jay Feely remains our kicker.
The poll is now open. We'll be back tomorrow with a Christmas Eve edition of the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Something to Celebrate: Victory!
Before we get into last week's results, we should let you know that there's a new poll up. This one concerns Nate Washington, whose Tennessee Titans will face the San Diego Padres on Friday night. (Yes, on Christmas Day.) Nate currently sits in our starting lineup. Your votes will determine if he stays there. If you vote to bench him, Austin Collie will take his spot, at least temporarily.
Now, on to last week. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he's given the People's Pigskin a chance to play for the title of "Best of the Rest."
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team hung on Monday night to seal a 150-126 victory over the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here's a breakdown of last week's portion of the results.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 23 of 37 passing, 233 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 2 rushes for minus-2 yards, 1 fumble and 13 fantasy points. The turnovers remain a concern, but Warner remains upright, and that's the important thing for Arizona Cardinals fans and fantasy football players.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 17 rushes for 110 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 13 yards and 18 fantasy points. Wells has settled nicely into the Cardinals lineup, and his value is sure to skyrocket in fantasy drafts next year.
Julius Jones, RB. The stats: 12 rushes, 65 yards and 6 fantasy points. ESPN also credits Jones with 2 receptions, but it also says he gained 0 yards on those catches. If a player gets the ball and doesn't go anywhere, did he really make a catch?
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions for 118 yards, 1 touchdown and 17 fantasy points. What's more amazing: Jennings putting up those numbers against the Pittsburgh Steelers, or the fact that a receiver puts up those numbers against the Steelers is no longer surprising?
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 1 rush for 26 yards, 3 receptions for 79 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. Frankly, he should get an extra point for the way he paid tribute to Chris Henry in the end zone.
Austin Collie, WR. The stats: 1 rush for 2 yards, 3 receptions for 27 yards, 1 touchdown and 8 fantasy points. That's about as low a point total as you can generate in a game where you score a touchdown.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 3 receptions, 57 yards and 5 fantasy points. He didn't get one of the dozens of touchdowns the New York Giants scored against the Washington Redskins, but at least he wasn't scratched.
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 0 for 2 on field goals, 1 for 1 on PATs and minus-1 fantasy points. How many of you would have voted differently in our kicker poll if you had known Feely would react the way he did to Henry's death?
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 3 sacks, 13 points allowed and 15 fantasy points. This defense may be the real key to the NFC East title.
Bench. Matt Cassel scored 22 points. (Who knew?) Derrick Ward scored 12. Nate Washington scored 9, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh scored 7.
We'll be back tomorrow with a preview of our next matchup.
Now, on to last week. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he's given the People's Pigskin a chance to play for the title of "Best of the Rest."
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team hung on Monday night to seal a 150-126 victory over the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here's a breakdown of last week's portion of the results.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 23 of 37 passing, 233 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 2 rushes for minus-2 yards, 1 fumble and 13 fantasy points. The turnovers remain a concern, but Warner remains upright, and that's the important thing for Arizona Cardinals fans and fantasy football players.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 17 rushes for 110 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 13 yards and 18 fantasy points. Wells has settled nicely into the Cardinals lineup, and his value is sure to skyrocket in fantasy drafts next year.
Julius Jones, RB. The stats: 12 rushes, 65 yards and 6 fantasy points. ESPN also credits Jones with 2 receptions, but it also says he gained 0 yards on those catches. If a player gets the ball and doesn't go anywhere, did he really make a catch?
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions for 118 yards, 1 touchdown and 17 fantasy points. What's more amazing: Jennings putting up those numbers against the Pittsburgh Steelers, or the fact that a receiver puts up those numbers against the Steelers is no longer surprising?
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 1 rush for 26 yards, 3 receptions for 79 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. Frankly, he should get an extra point for the way he paid tribute to Chris Henry in the end zone.
Austin Collie, WR. The stats: 1 rush for 2 yards, 3 receptions for 27 yards, 1 touchdown and 8 fantasy points. That's about as low a point total as you can generate in a game where you score a touchdown.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 3 receptions, 57 yards and 5 fantasy points. He didn't get one of the dozens of touchdowns the New York Giants scored against the Washington Redskins, but at least he wasn't scratched.
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 0 for 2 on field goals, 1 for 1 on PATs and minus-1 fantasy points. How many of you would have voted differently in our kicker poll if you had known Feely would react the way he did to Henry's death?
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 3 sacks, 13 points allowed and 15 fantasy points. This defense may be the real key to the NFC East title.
Bench. Matt Cassel scored 22 points. (Who knew?) Derrick Ward scored 12. Nate Washington scored 9, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh scored 7.
We'll be back tomorrow with a preview of our next matchup.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 15
Thanks to those of you who voted in our Austin Collie poll. You voted to keep Collie in our lineup for Thursday's game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The results are at the bottom of this post.
Now it's time to address the rest of our lineup for our week 15 matchup against the Houston Wreckin' Crew.
Quarterback. Despite his lackluster performance on Monday night, Kurt Warner retains his spot in the starting lineup and faces the Detroit Lions. If he gets benched, Matt Cassel gets his spot.
Running back. Our starters for this week are Julius Jones, who faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chris "Beanie" Wells, who faces the Lions. Matt Forte is available on the bench as a substitute.
Flex. This week's flex starter is Greg Jennings, whose Green Bay Packers take on the reeling Pittsburgh Steelers. Again, Matt Forte is available to take his spot.
Wide receiver. Our starters are Chad Ochocinco and the aforementioned Austin Collie. Nate Washington may substitute for Ochocinco if he's voted to the bench.
Defense/special teams. The Philadelphia Eagles keep their starting spot and take on the San Francisco 49ers, whose defense can be called off the bench if necessary.
The winner of our kicker poll will get that spot, and Jeremy Shockey remains the tight end.
The lineup poll is now open and will close early Sunday. Please vote. I'll be away from my computer Thursday and Friday, so the next update may not be until Saturday. In the meantime, enjoy the Colts-Jaguars game.
[polldaddy poll=2390270]
Now it's time to address the rest of our lineup for our week 15 matchup against the Houston Wreckin' Crew.
Quarterback. Despite his lackluster performance on Monday night, Kurt Warner retains his spot in the starting lineup and faces the Detroit Lions. If he gets benched, Matt Cassel gets his spot.
Running back. Our starters for this week are Julius Jones, who faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chris "Beanie" Wells, who faces the Lions. Matt Forte is available on the bench as a substitute.
Flex. This week's flex starter is Greg Jennings, whose Green Bay Packers take on the reeling Pittsburgh Steelers. Again, Matt Forte is available to take his spot.
Wide receiver. Our starters are Chad Ochocinco and the aforementioned Austin Collie. Nate Washington may substitute for Ochocinco if he's voted to the bench.
Defense/special teams. The Philadelphia Eagles keep their starting spot and take on the San Francisco 49ers, whose defense can be called off the bench if necessary.
The winner of our kicker poll will get that spot, and Jeremy Shockey remains the tight end.
The lineup poll is now open and will close early Sunday. Please vote. I'll be away from my computer Thursday and Friday, so the next update may not be until Saturday. In the meantime, enjoy the Colts-Jaguars game.
[polldaddy poll=2390270]
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The People's Assessment
The Landshark Maniacs regular season has come to an end, and for the People's Pigskin, it came to an end with a 74-70 loss to the D.C. Destroyers. Here's a breakdown of this week's results.
Matt Cassel, QB. The stats: 10 of 29 passing, 84 yards, 2 interceptions, 3 rushes for 17 yards, and 0 fantasy points. Cassel was pressed into service by the questions surrounding Kurt Warner's concussion. Maybe we would have been better off with this guy in the starting lineup.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 24 rushes for 91 yards and a touchdown, 1 reception for 5 yards, 1 fumble and 13 fantasy points. Another day of many touches and fewer yards than you might have a right to expect.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 13 rushes, 28 yards and 2 fantasy points. These stats are all the more glaring when you consider the way the Arizona Cardinals beat up the Minnesota Vikings.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions, 37 yards and 3 fantasy points. Another underwhelming performance for T.J. and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks offense, despite their win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 6 receptions, 77 yards and 7 fantasy points. Jennings was targeted time and time again on Monday night, but he drew more than his fair share of pass interference penalties in an ugly contest against the Baltimore Ravens. These penalties were good for the Packers, but not the Pigskin.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 9 receptions, 137 yards, 1 touchdown and 19 fantasy points. If everyone else on the Pigskin had performed as well as Ochocinco, we might be contending for the title.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 4 receptions, 47 yards and 4 fantasy points. You'd think an offense like the New Orleans Saints would find more use for its tight end, especially when that offense needs overtime to beat the Washington Redskins.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 3 on field goals, 3 for 3 on extra points, and 4 fantasy points. It's a good thing Folk doesn't kick for Jim Zorn, or he'd be on the street right now.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks, 7 points allowed and 18 fantasy points. Whew. That's better.
Bench. Kurt Warner scored 28 fantasy points. (Yes, that makes me want to scream, too.) Steve Slaton was inactive. Nate Washington scored 4.
The People's Pigskin ends the regular season in 7th place with a record of 5-9. However, our work is not over yet.
In 10-team ESPN fantasy football leagues, the top four teams make the playoffs. (Congratulations to the Northeast Dragons, Big Lough O, Tinks Revenge and the Hawaiian Surfriders for making the real postseason.) The other teams are put in a consolation bracket where No. 5 plays No. 6, No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. It's kind of like those holiday basketball tournaments where the winners meet in the championship in prime time while the losers have to be at the gym at the crack of dawn for their consolation match.
In our case, that means facing the Houston Wreckin' Crew in a two-week battle (kind of like a Jeopardy tournament final) for the right to play in the fifth-place match to end the season. And as you might have guessed from the recent poll about abandoned teams, the People's Pigskin does not believe in abandoning its fantasy football obligation simply because a team is in the consolation bracket. We will fight to the bitter end. (Insert your favorite rallying speech here.)
Be sure to vote in the waiver and trophy polls. We'll be back tomorrow with a ridiculously early set of predictions, followed by a poll on what to do with our lineup for week 1 against the Wreckin Crew.
Matt Cassel, QB. The stats: 10 of 29 passing, 84 yards, 2 interceptions, 3 rushes for 17 yards, and 0 fantasy points. Cassel was pressed into service by the questions surrounding Kurt Warner's concussion. Maybe we would have been better off with this guy in the starting lineup.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 24 rushes for 91 yards and a touchdown, 1 reception for 5 yards, 1 fumble and 13 fantasy points. Another day of many touches and fewer yards than you might have a right to expect.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 13 rushes, 28 yards and 2 fantasy points. These stats are all the more glaring when you consider the way the Arizona Cardinals beat up the Minnesota Vikings.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions, 37 yards and 3 fantasy points. Another underwhelming performance for T.J. and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks offense, despite their win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 6 receptions, 77 yards and 7 fantasy points. Jennings was targeted time and time again on Monday night, but he drew more than his fair share of pass interference penalties in an ugly contest against the Baltimore Ravens. These penalties were good for the Packers, but not the Pigskin.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 9 receptions, 137 yards, 1 touchdown and 19 fantasy points. If everyone else on the Pigskin had performed as well as Ochocinco, we might be contending for the title.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 4 receptions, 47 yards and 4 fantasy points. You'd think an offense like the New Orleans Saints would find more use for its tight end, especially when that offense needs overtime to beat the Washington Redskins.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 3 on field goals, 3 for 3 on extra points, and 4 fantasy points. It's a good thing Folk doesn't kick for Jim Zorn, or he'd be on the street right now.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks, 7 points allowed and 18 fantasy points. Whew. That's better.
Bench. Kurt Warner scored 28 fantasy points. (Yes, that makes me want to scream, too.) Steve Slaton was inactive. Nate Washington scored 4.
The People's Pigskin ends the regular season in 7th place with a record of 5-9. However, our work is not over yet.
In 10-team ESPN fantasy football leagues, the top four teams make the playoffs. (Congratulations to the Northeast Dragons, Big Lough O, Tinks Revenge and the Hawaiian Surfriders for making the real postseason.) The other teams are put in a consolation bracket where No. 5 plays No. 6, No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. It's kind of like those holiday basketball tournaments where the winners meet in the championship in prime time while the losers have to be at the gym at the crack of dawn for their consolation match.
In our case, that means facing the Houston Wreckin' Crew in a two-week battle (kind of like a Jeopardy tournament final) for the right to play in the fifth-place match to end the season. And as you might have guessed from the recent poll about abandoned teams, the People's Pigskin does not believe in abandoning its fantasy football obligation simply because a team is in the consolation bracket. We will fight to the bitter end. (Insert your favorite rallying speech here.)
Be sure to vote in the waiver and trophy polls. We'll be back tomorrow with a ridiculously early set of predictions, followed by a poll on what to do with our lineup for week 1 against the Wreckin Crew.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Emergency Update
Another week, another last-second injury-related emergency. Just another day for this fantasy football democracy.
ESPN just reported (and by "just," I mean about 30 seconds ago) that Steve Slaton has been inactivated for today's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In light of that, the People's Pigskin has moved Steve Slaton to the bench in favor of Chris "Beanie" Wells, whose Arizona Cardinals play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. You can see the updated lineup here and follow our matchup against the D.C. Destroyers here.
Good luck, everybody.
ESPN just reported (and by "just," I mean about 30 seconds ago) that Steve Slaton has been inactivated for today's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In light of that, the People's Pigskin has moved Steve Slaton to the bench in favor of Chris "Beanie" Wells, whose Arizona Cardinals play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. You can see the updated lineup here and follow our matchup against the D.C. Destroyers here.
Good luck, everybody.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Last Week's Results (and This Week's Prospects)
The People's Pigskin had a simply awful week. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team was clobbered by the Hawaiian Surfriders by a score of 94-37. The Surfriders should get the credit for a great week, but the Pigskin got subpar results from everyone on its roster. Here's a brief breakdown:
Matt Cassel, QB. The stats: 19 of 31 passing for 178 yards, 6 rushes for 22 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 1 fumble and 9 fantasy points.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 8 rushes for 27 yards, 4 receptions for 34 yards and 5 fantasy points.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 8 rushes for 20 yards, 1 reception for 21 yards and 4 fantasy points.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 53 yards and 5 fantasy points.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 2 receptions, 14 yards and 1 fantasy point.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 3 receptions, 38 yards and 3 fantasy points.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 1 reception, 15 yards and 1 fantasy point.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 2 on field goals, 3 for 3 on PATs and 5 fantasy points.
Philadelphia Eagles, DEF/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions, 1 sack, 24 points allowed and 4 fantasy points.
Bench. Steve Slaton scored 9 fantasy points. Nate Washington scored 6. The San Francisco 49ers scored 17. Kurt Warner was inactivated shortly before his game.
The Pigskin's record is now 5-7. Next up is the D.C. Destroyers, another 5-7 team. Here's how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. Matt Cassel remains in the starting spot for the moment, since Warner still seems to be battling concussion symptoms. If you believe he'll be cleared to play this Sunday, you can vote to move him into the lineup.
Running back. Matt Forte keeps his spot, and Steve Slaton returns to the starting roster. If you want either of them benched, Beanie Wells can take the spot.
Flex. This week's flex starter is Jamal Lewis. If you disagree with this, you can vote to put T.J. Houshmandzadeh in this spot.
Wide receiver. Back to the well we go with Greg Jennings and Chad Ochocinco. Again, Houshmandzadeh awaits if one of these receivers should be benched.
Defense/special teams. The Philadelphia Eagles remain in the starting lineup, unless you vote to put the San Francisco 49ers into that spot.
There are no changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) or kicker (Nick Folk).
The lineup poll is now open. Please vote. The lineup is in your hands. Thanks.
Matt Cassel, QB. The stats: 19 of 31 passing for 178 yards, 6 rushes for 22 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 1 fumble and 9 fantasy points.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 8 rushes for 27 yards, 4 receptions for 34 yards and 5 fantasy points.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 8 rushes for 20 yards, 1 reception for 21 yards and 4 fantasy points.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 53 yards and 5 fantasy points.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 2 receptions, 14 yards and 1 fantasy point.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 3 receptions, 38 yards and 3 fantasy points.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 1 reception, 15 yards and 1 fantasy point.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 2 on field goals, 3 for 3 on PATs and 5 fantasy points.
Philadelphia Eagles, DEF/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions, 1 sack, 24 points allowed and 4 fantasy points.
Bench. Steve Slaton scored 9 fantasy points. Nate Washington scored 6. The San Francisco 49ers scored 17. Kurt Warner was inactivated shortly before his game.
The Pigskin's record is now 5-7. Next up is the D.C. Destroyers, another 5-7 team. Here's how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. Matt Cassel remains in the starting spot for the moment, since Warner still seems to be battling concussion symptoms. If you believe he'll be cleared to play this Sunday, you can vote to move him into the lineup.
Running back. Matt Forte keeps his spot, and Steve Slaton returns to the starting roster. If you want either of them benched, Beanie Wells can take the spot.
Flex. This week's flex starter is Jamal Lewis. If you disagree with this, you can vote to put T.J. Houshmandzadeh in this spot.
Wide receiver. Back to the well we go with Greg Jennings and Chad Ochocinco. Again, Houshmandzadeh awaits if one of these receivers should be benched.
Defense/special teams. The Philadelphia Eagles remain in the starting lineup, unless you vote to put the San Francisco 49ers into that spot.
There are no changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) or kicker (Nick Folk).
The lineup poll is now open. Please vote. The lineup is in your hands. Thanks.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 12 (and Thanksgiving Help)
First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who have kept this blog going with your visits, comments and votes. We couldn't do it without you.
We had two polls close last night. The first one was about whether Greg Jennings and/or Nick Folk should start for the People's Pigskin today or be benched. You voted to keep them both in the lineup, so they'll stay right there.
The second poll was about how much football you plan to watch this weekend. As the results (at the bottom of this post) show, you won't exactly be camped out at your local retailer all weekend.
While you're waiting for the turkey to roast -- or fry; I'm not one to look down on those of you daring enough to do this -- it's time to consider the rest of this week's lineup for our matchup against the Hawaiian Surfriders. (And at the end of this post, we'll have a link to help you deal with relatives today. Stay tuned.)
Quarterback. At the moment we have Kurt Warner as our starter. He reportedly expects to play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, despite last week's injury. If you're nervous enough to bench him, Matt Cassel can start in his place.
Running back. Our current starters are Steve Slaton, who missed practice Wednesday with a shoulder injury, and Chris "Beanie" Wells, who is asserting himself more and more each week. If we bench one of these runners, we'll start Matt Forte.
Flex. Greg Jennings is in this slot and should be carving up the Lions at about the time you're carving up your poultry.
Wide receiver. Our starting lineup has T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Ochocinco, who hopefully won't fumble any boxing references (or footballs) this week. If either receiver is benched, Nate Washington will move into that spot.
Defense. At the moment, we have the Philadelphia Eagles ready to go against the Washington Redskins. If you would rather insert the San Francisco 49ers (who face the Jacksonville Jaguars), vote accordingly.
You already know about the kicker, and there is no change at tight end (Jeremy Shockey).
The new poll is up. Please vote.
Now a public service announcement from the People's Pigskin. If you're a fantasy football player who's visiting or hosting some non-fantasy players today, it's possible that you'll be asked the question, "What is this fantasy football everyone's talking about?" The likelihood of this skyrockets in one of the following scenarios.
1. You excuse yourself from a conversation about Uncle Henry's surgery to go to your computer and adjust your lineup.
2. You hear over your shoulder that your quarterback is out, and you immediately ask your host for permission to use his/her computer to fix your lineup.
If they ask about fantasy football while you're at the computer, you could try to fumble your way through an explanation yourself, or you could just click here for a quick video tutorial and thank the People's Pigskin later.
[polldaddy poll=2257311] [polldaddy poll=2292722]
We had two polls close last night. The first one was about whether Greg Jennings and/or Nick Folk should start for the People's Pigskin today or be benched. You voted to keep them both in the lineup, so they'll stay right there.
The second poll was about how much football you plan to watch this weekend. As the results (at the bottom of this post) show, you won't exactly be camped out at your local retailer all weekend.
While you're waiting for the turkey to roast -- or fry; I'm not one to look down on those of you daring enough to do this -- it's time to consider the rest of this week's lineup for our matchup against the Hawaiian Surfriders. (And at the end of this post, we'll have a link to help you deal with relatives today. Stay tuned.)
Quarterback. At the moment we have Kurt Warner as our starter. He reportedly expects to play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, despite last week's injury. If you're nervous enough to bench him, Matt Cassel can start in his place.
Running back. Our current starters are Steve Slaton, who missed practice Wednesday with a shoulder injury, and Chris "Beanie" Wells, who is asserting himself more and more each week. If we bench one of these runners, we'll start Matt Forte.
Flex. Greg Jennings is in this slot and should be carving up the Lions at about the time you're carving up your poultry.
Wide receiver. Our starting lineup has T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Ochocinco, who hopefully won't fumble any boxing references (or footballs) this week. If either receiver is benched, Nate Washington will move into that spot.
Defense. At the moment, we have the Philadelphia Eagles ready to go against the Washington Redskins. If you would rather insert the San Francisco 49ers (who face the Jacksonville Jaguars), vote accordingly.
You already know about the kicker, and there is no change at tight end (Jeremy Shockey).
The new poll is up. Please vote.
Now a public service announcement from the People's Pigskin. If you're a fantasy football player who's visiting or hosting some non-fantasy players today, it's possible that you'll be asked the question, "What is this fantasy football everyone's talking about?" The likelihood of this skyrockets in one of the following scenarios.
1. You excuse yourself from a conversation about Uncle Henry's surgery to go to your computer and adjust your lineup.
2. You hear over your shoulder that your quarterback is out, and you immediately ask your host for permission to use his/her computer to fix your lineup.
If they ask about fantasy football while you're at the computer, you could try to fumble your way through an explanation yourself, or you could just click here for a quick video tutorial and thank the People's Pigskin later.
[polldaddy poll=2257311] [polldaddy poll=2292722]
Monday, November 23, 2009
The People's Win (and Plans for Thursday)
The People's Pigskin bounced back this week by defeating the Houston Wreckin' Crew by a score of 68-38. The Crew didn't get any favors from Michael Turner, who was ruled inactive for the Atlanta Falcons, but even with a typical Turner performance, you, the Internet, would have prevailed in this fantasy football contest. Here's the breakdown.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 15 of 19 passing, 203 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 fumble and 14 fantasy points. The big news here, of course, is the injury Warner suffered shortly before halftime. He's saying that the injury wasn't serious, but it's well worth monitoring this week.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 14 rushes for 34 yards, 4 receptions for 20 yards, a 2-point conversion and 7 fantasy points. No member on the Chicago Bears covered himself in glory Sunday night, except perhaps for Robbie Gould.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 14 rushes for 74 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 receptions for 11 yards and 14 fantasy points. Wells' campaign for Pleasant Fantasy Surprise of the Year continues and may even get a lift if Warner can't go Sunday.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions, 126 yards, 1 touchdown and 18 fantasy points. Whew. That's more like it.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 36 yards and 3 fantasy points. It seemed as if the Seattle Seahawks offense was swallowed whole by the Minnesota Vikings.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 67 yards and 6 fantasy points. Another high-powered offense fell flat against the Oakland Raiders. Can anyone figure that out?
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 2 receptions, 17 yards and 1 fantasy point. The New Orleans Saints spread the ball around in their thumping of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Can't decide whether they spread it too much or not enough.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 0 for 1 on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points and 0 fantasy points. Ugh.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 1 interception, 1 sack, 1 blocked kick, 20 points allowed and 5 fantasy points. The Eagles late plays on defense and special teams saved their game and their fantasy value at the same time.
Bench. Matt Cassel scored 15 points, while Jamal Lewis scored 10. The 49ers defense/special teams had minus-2.
Now let's talk about Thanksgiving. The People's Pigskin has two players who will be working on that day: Greg Jennings, whose Green Bay Packers visit the Detroit Lions, and Nick Folk, whose Dallas Cowboys entertain the Oakland Raiders. A poll about whether to bench either (or both) of these players is now up and will close on Thanksgiving morning. If we bench Jennings, Nate Washington will be moved into the starting lineup, though there will be time to switch him for someone else by Sunday. If we bench Folk, a kicker will be picked up from the waiver wire.
Again, the poll is up. Please vote. We'll be back later with more football thoughts.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 15 of 19 passing, 203 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 fumble and 14 fantasy points. The big news here, of course, is the injury Warner suffered shortly before halftime. He's saying that the injury wasn't serious, but it's well worth monitoring this week.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 14 rushes for 34 yards, 4 receptions for 20 yards, a 2-point conversion and 7 fantasy points. No member on the Chicago Bears covered himself in glory Sunday night, except perhaps for Robbie Gould.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 14 rushes for 74 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 receptions for 11 yards and 14 fantasy points. Wells' campaign for Pleasant Fantasy Surprise of the Year continues and may even get a lift if Warner can't go Sunday.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions, 126 yards, 1 touchdown and 18 fantasy points. Whew. That's more like it.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 36 yards and 3 fantasy points. It seemed as if the Seattle Seahawks offense was swallowed whole by the Minnesota Vikings.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 67 yards and 6 fantasy points. Another high-powered offense fell flat against the Oakland Raiders. Can anyone figure that out?
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 2 receptions, 17 yards and 1 fantasy point. The New Orleans Saints spread the ball around in their thumping of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Can't decide whether they spread it too much or not enough.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 0 for 1 on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points and 0 fantasy points. Ugh.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 1 interception, 1 sack, 1 blocked kick, 20 points allowed and 5 fantasy points. The Eagles late plays on defense and special teams saved their game and their fantasy value at the same time.
Bench. Matt Cassel scored 15 points, while Jamal Lewis scored 10. The 49ers defense/special teams had minus-2.
Now let's talk about Thanksgiving. The People's Pigskin has two players who will be working on that day: Greg Jennings, whose Green Bay Packers visit the Detroit Lions, and Nick Folk, whose Dallas Cowboys entertain the Oakland Raiders. A poll about whether to bench either (or both) of these players is now up and will close on Thanksgiving morning. If we bench Jennings, Nate Washington will be moved into the starting lineup, though there will be time to switch him for someone else by Sunday. If we bench Folk, a kicker will be picked up from the waiver wire.
Again, the poll is up. Please vote. We'll be back later with more football thoughts.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Pick the People's Lineup - Week 11
The People's Pigskin doesn't have any players in Thursday night's game between the Miami Dolphins and the Carolina Panthers. However, this team does need to get on a winning streak in a hurry, so we'll need your help.
This week's opponent is the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here is how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. The one and only Kurt Warner is starting. He's now in the top 10 among fantasy quarterbacks, and he gets the St. Louis Rams this week. If that matchup isn't to your liking, you can vote to start Matt Cassel instead.
Running back. Last week's starters are, at least for now, this week's starters. Matt Forte gets the Philadelphia Eagles this week. Chris "Beanie" Wells gets the Rams. If you wish to bench one of these players, we can start Jamal Lewis, who gets to play the Detroit Lions at least once more before he hangs up his cleats.
Flex. For now we have Greg Jennings in this spot. If he plays, he gets the San Francisco 49ers this week. The Green Bay Packers have said he'll miss practice time with his knee injury, but so far there's no indication that he'll miss playing time. If you think Jennings should sit, Lewis can come off our bench.
Wide receiver. Yes, it's the old Bengals duo of Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Ochocinco gets to face the Oakland Raiders this week, and he might be doing this now that both the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers are in his rear-view mirror. Houshmandzadeh gets the Minnesota Vikings. If you wish to bench one of these players, Nate Washington (whose Tennessee Titans play Monday night) is ready to play.
No changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) or kicker (Nick Folk). But we have to discuss one more position.
Defense/special teams. We've started the Philadelphia Eagles every week except their bye week. They are in the starting lineup now, and they get the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Facing the Bears with Jay Cutler at the helm can be feast or famine for a fantasy football player, and the Eagles haven't exactly covered themselves in glory in games shown on NBC.
This week, and for the rest of the season, the defense/special teams will appear in our lineup poll. If you want to sit the Eagles, we can call on the 49ers, who face the Packers.
The poll is up. Please vote. This fantasy football team is counting on you.
By the way, you may remember that the folks at Fantasy Sports Shack invited me to play their Name Your Sleepers game. The result: the People's Pigskin defeated the Shack. Thanks to the Shack for inviting me to play, and yes, I'll remember next time to follow the rules, or they'll do this to me.
We'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts about everyone's favorite game of all-stars.
This week's opponent is the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here is how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. The one and only Kurt Warner is starting. He's now in the top 10 among fantasy quarterbacks, and he gets the St. Louis Rams this week. If that matchup isn't to your liking, you can vote to start Matt Cassel instead.
Running back. Last week's starters are, at least for now, this week's starters. Matt Forte gets the Philadelphia Eagles this week. Chris "Beanie" Wells gets the Rams. If you wish to bench one of these players, we can start Jamal Lewis, who gets to play the Detroit Lions at least once more before he hangs up his cleats.
Flex. For now we have Greg Jennings in this spot. If he plays, he gets the San Francisco 49ers this week. The Green Bay Packers have said he'll miss practice time with his knee injury, but so far there's no indication that he'll miss playing time. If you think Jennings should sit, Lewis can come off our bench.
Wide receiver. Yes, it's the old Bengals duo of Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Ochocinco gets to face the Oakland Raiders this week, and he might be doing this now that both the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers are in his rear-view mirror. Houshmandzadeh gets the Minnesota Vikings. If you wish to bench one of these players, Nate Washington (whose Tennessee Titans play Monday night) is ready to play.
No changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) or kicker (Nick Folk). But we have to discuss one more position.
Defense/special teams. We've started the Philadelphia Eagles every week except their bye week. They are in the starting lineup now, and they get the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Facing the Bears with Jay Cutler at the helm can be feast or famine for a fantasy football player, and the Eagles haven't exactly covered themselves in glory in games shown on NBC.
This week, and for the rest of the season, the defense/special teams will appear in our lineup poll. If you want to sit the Eagles, we can call on the 49ers, who face the Packers.
The poll is up. Please vote. This fantasy football team is counting on you.
By the way, you may remember that the folks at Fantasy Sports Shack invited me to play their Name Your Sleepers game. The result: the People's Pigskin defeated the Shack. Thanks to the Shack for inviting me to play, and yes, I'll remember next time to follow the rules, or they'll do this to me.
We'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts about everyone's favorite game of all-stars.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Behind the People's Loss
The People's Pigskin needed the Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams to come up small against the Cleveland Browns on Monday night. They didn't, and as a result, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team lost by a score of 104-84 to Big Lough O, lowering the season record to 4-6. Here's the breakdown.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 29 of 38 passing, 340 yards, 2 touchdowns and 21 fantasy points. Warner remains the straw that stirs the Arizona Cardinals. But as we'll see in a moment, he's getting some help.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 20 rushes for 41 yards, 8 receptions for 120 yards and 16 fantasy points. Lost in the tumult over Jay Cutler's performance was the fact that Forte put up solid numbers and did not turn the ball over.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 16 rushes for 85 yards, 2 receptions for 32 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 23 fantasy points. A tremendous call by you, the Internet, to put Wells in our starting lineup. He started the year as a backup, but now he's earning at least equal time in the backfield with Tim Hightower. And you have to love it when the guy you just put into the lineup is being called a "big weapon."
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 9 receptions, 165 yards and 16 fantasy points. T.J. continues to be a frequent target for the Seattle Seahawks, and his targets may rise even higher if Julius Jones misses significant time with his lung injury. (And to tell you the truth, "lung injury" is painful even to type.)
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 45 yards and 4 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers say Jennings suffered a knee contusion in Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys. He may miss practice time, but he's expected to be ready to play against the San Francisco 49ers.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 2 receptions, 29 yards and 2 fantasy points. Chad goes from facing the Pittsburgh Steelers to facing the Oakland Raiders. We'll have to hope his numbers benefit from the switch.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 3 receptions, 42 yards and 4 fantasy points. The New Orleans Saints flirted with disaster against the St. Louis Rams, and Shockey paid the price. Drew Brees threw two interceptions, and Shockey was the target both times.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 missed field goal, 1 extra point and 0 fantasy points. The Dallas Cowboys were shut down most of the day (scoring only a garbage time touchdown), so Folk got few opportunities.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 sacks, 31 points allowed and minus-2 fantasy points. The team that entered week 10 ranked second in fantasy points got pummeled by the San Diego Chargers. One factor was Philadelphia's inability to run, and that concern could be a permanent one if Brian Westbrook can't bounce back from his concussions.
Bench. Nate Washington scored 9 fantasy points. Jamal Lewis (who was benched in favor of Wells) scored 3. The San Francisco 49ers defense/special teams, who I thought would draw at least one trade offer during bye weeks, scored 17.
We'll be back tomorrow with our game plan for week 11.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 29 of 38 passing, 340 yards, 2 touchdowns and 21 fantasy points. Warner remains the straw that stirs the Arizona Cardinals. But as we'll see in a moment, he's getting some help.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 20 rushes for 41 yards, 8 receptions for 120 yards and 16 fantasy points. Lost in the tumult over Jay Cutler's performance was the fact that Forte put up solid numbers and did not turn the ball over.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 16 rushes for 85 yards, 2 receptions for 32 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 23 fantasy points. A tremendous call by you, the Internet, to put Wells in our starting lineup. He started the year as a backup, but now he's earning at least equal time in the backfield with Tim Hightower. And you have to love it when the guy you just put into the lineup is being called a "big weapon."
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 9 receptions, 165 yards and 16 fantasy points. T.J. continues to be a frequent target for the Seattle Seahawks, and his targets may rise even higher if Julius Jones misses significant time with his lung injury. (And to tell you the truth, "lung injury" is painful even to type.)
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 45 yards and 4 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers say Jennings suffered a knee contusion in Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys. He may miss practice time, but he's expected to be ready to play against the San Francisco 49ers.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 2 receptions, 29 yards and 2 fantasy points. Chad goes from facing the Pittsburgh Steelers to facing the Oakland Raiders. We'll have to hope his numbers benefit from the switch.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 3 receptions, 42 yards and 4 fantasy points. The New Orleans Saints flirted with disaster against the St. Louis Rams, and Shockey paid the price. Drew Brees threw two interceptions, and Shockey was the target both times.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 missed field goal, 1 extra point and 0 fantasy points. The Dallas Cowboys were shut down most of the day (scoring only a garbage time touchdown), so Folk got few opportunities.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 sacks, 31 points allowed and minus-2 fantasy points. The team that entered week 10 ranked second in fantasy points got pummeled by the San Diego Chargers. One factor was Philadelphia's inability to run, and that concern could be a permanent one if Brian Westbrook can't bounce back from his concussions.
Bench. Nate Washington scored 9 fantasy points. Jamal Lewis (who was benched in favor of Wells) scored 3. The San Francisco 49ers defense/special teams, who I thought would draw at least one trade offer during bye weeks, scored 17.
We'll be back tomorrow with our game plan for week 11.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The People's Choice - Week 10
You, the Internet, have spoken, and you have said a change needs to be made.
Apparently, enough of you were concerned about Jamal Lewis' injury to vote that Chris "Beanie" Wells should take his place. Wells is now in the starting lineup for our fantasy football matchup against Big Lough O. You can follow that matchup here.
You were also all over the map on our fantasy league prize poll. You can see the results for both polls at the bottom of this post.
Last night, the good folks at Fantasy Sports Shack invited me to participate in their Name Your Sleepers Matchup. Basically, the Fantasy Sports Shack and a guest picked some under-the-radar fantasy players. You can see our choices here. By the way, I think I messed up. They define sleepers as someone owned in less than half of fantasy leagues, and I think on some of the choices I was looking at how many leagues were starting that player. If the Shack is reading this, all I can say is I guess I picked the wrong week to stop doing this.
A new poll is up, and this one will stay up until Thanksgiving. We'd appreciate your vote. Enjoy the games, everyone.
[polldaddy poll=2237347] [polldaddy poll=2228017]
Apparently, enough of you were concerned about Jamal Lewis' injury to vote that Chris "Beanie" Wells should take his place. Wells is now in the starting lineup for our fantasy football matchup against Big Lough O. You can follow that matchup here.
You were also all over the map on our fantasy league prize poll. You can see the results for both polls at the bottom of this post.
Last night, the good folks at Fantasy Sports Shack invited me to participate in their Name Your Sleepers Matchup. Basically, the Fantasy Sports Shack and a guest picked some under-the-radar fantasy players. You can see our choices here. By the way, I think I messed up. They define sleepers as someone owned in less than half of fantasy leagues, and I think on some of the choices I was looking at how many leagues were starting that player. If the Shack is reading this, all I can say is I guess I picked the wrong week to stop doing this.
A new poll is up, and this one will stay up until Thanksgiving. We'd appreciate your vote. Enjoy the games, everyone.
[polldaddy poll=2237347] [polldaddy poll=2228017]
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Behind the Week 8 Loss
No two ways about it -- this one hurt.
Despite the best efforts of you, the Internet, to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, the fantasy football gods decided it wasn't enough. The People's Pigskin lost its rematch against Ravens Fan T Sizzle by a score of 74-72. Here's a breakdown of our team's performance.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 27 of 46 passing for 242 yards, 2 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 1 rush for 8 yards, 1 fumble, and 5 fantasy points. His Arizona Cardinals suffered a horrible loss to the Carolina Panthers. It felt like a fluke, and we have to hope it was.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 26 rushes for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns, 2 receptions for 31 yards, and 24 fantasy points. Now, that's the Matt Forte that was getting such high praise when everyone was having their drafts. It's too bad the Chicago Bears can't play the Cleveland Browns every week.
Steve Slaton, RB. The stats: 1 rush for 1 yard, 2 receptions for 10 yards, 1 fumble, and minus-1 fantasy point. It's one thing if you lose a fantasy player to an injury. It's another thing when your fantasy starter is benched for a fumble while his team rolls to an easy victory.
If Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak is reading this, let me say something on behalf of fantasy football players everywhere. We know you're in no rush to name a starting running back, and we know you're looking out for your team, not ours. But if you feel compelled to punish a player, we'd prefer it if you fined him or made him run extra laps or forced him to watch Cougar Town or something.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, Flex. The stats: 8 rushes for 47 yards and 4 fantasy points. Wells' fantasy stats will depend on scoring touchdowns, and the Cardinals fell far enough behind to have to throw the rest of the game.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 8 receptions for 88 yards, 1 touchdown, and 14 fantasy points. It wasn't a happy homecoming as far as Green Bay Packers fans were concerned, but Jennings continued to show his value to his team and to fantasy football.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 4 receptions for 24 yards and 2 fantasy points. The Seattle Seahawks looked flat as a whole against the Dallas Cowboys.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 5 receptions for 72 yards and 7 fantasy points. Shockey almost led the comeback against the Sizzle, but it ended up falling short.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 2 on field goals, 5 for 5 on extra points, and 8 fantasy points. Steady production is the best one can expect from a kicker.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks, 17 points allowed, and 9 fantasy points. These stats look better when you consider that they were compiled against the New York Giants, a preseason Super Bowl contender.
Bench. Nate Washington put up 8 points, while Jamal Lewis put up 6.
At this point, the People's Pigskin's record is 4-4, and I just have to hope you, the Internet, won't fire me like George Kokinis.
We'll be back tomorrow with a preview of our next matchup. In the meantime, be sure to vote, both in our polls and at your local precincts.
Despite the best efforts of you, the Internet, to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, the fantasy football gods decided it wasn't enough. The People's Pigskin lost its rematch against Ravens Fan T Sizzle by a score of 74-72. Here's a breakdown of our team's performance.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 27 of 46 passing for 242 yards, 2 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 1 rush for 8 yards, 1 fumble, and 5 fantasy points. His Arizona Cardinals suffered a horrible loss to the Carolina Panthers. It felt like a fluke, and we have to hope it was.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 26 rushes for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns, 2 receptions for 31 yards, and 24 fantasy points. Now, that's the Matt Forte that was getting such high praise when everyone was having their drafts. It's too bad the Chicago Bears can't play the Cleveland Browns every week.
Steve Slaton, RB. The stats: 1 rush for 1 yard, 2 receptions for 10 yards, 1 fumble, and minus-1 fantasy point. It's one thing if you lose a fantasy player to an injury. It's another thing when your fantasy starter is benched for a fumble while his team rolls to an easy victory.
If Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak is reading this, let me say something on behalf of fantasy football players everywhere. We know you're in no rush to name a starting running back, and we know you're looking out for your team, not ours. But if you feel compelled to punish a player, we'd prefer it if you fined him or made him run extra laps or forced him to watch Cougar Town or something.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, Flex. The stats: 8 rushes for 47 yards and 4 fantasy points. Wells' fantasy stats will depend on scoring touchdowns, and the Cardinals fell far enough behind to have to throw the rest of the game.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 8 receptions for 88 yards, 1 touchdown, and 14 fantasy points. It wasn't a happy homecoming as far as Green Bay Packers fans were concerned, but Jennings continued to show his value to his team and to fantasy football.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 4 receptions for 24 yards and 2 fantasy points. The Seattle Seahawks looked flat as a whole against the Dallas Cowboys.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 5 receptions for 72 yards and 7 fantasy points. Shockey almost led the comeback against the Sizzle, but it ended up falling short.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 2 on field goals, 5 for 5 on extra points, and 8 fantasy points. Steady production is the best one can expect from a kicker.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks, 17 points allowed, and 9 fantasy points. These stats look better when you consider that they were compiled against the New York Giants, a preseason Super Bowl contender.
Bench. Nate Washington put up 8 points, while Jamal Lewis put up 6.
At this point, the People's Pigskin's record is 4-4, and I just have to hope you, the Internet, won't fire me like George Kokinis.
We'll be back tomorrow with a preview of our next matchup. In the meantime, be sure to vote, both in our polls and at your local precincts.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 8
While you decide how to vote in our tight end and TV watching polls, it's time for a look at the week ahead.
The People's Pigskin puts its 4-3 record on the line this week in a rematch against Ravens Fan T Sizzle. Our last meeting (in week 1 of the Landshark Maniacs season) resulted in a 104-103 win for you, the Internet. Anything can happen on any given week in fantasy football, so don't let the Sizzle's 1-6 record fool you. This team is dangerous, and we need your help assembling this week's lineup. Here are our current starters.
Quarterback. Once again we feature Kurt Warner in the starting spot. As long as he stays upright, and as long as the Cardinals feature a pass-first offense, Warner will remain a fantasy football threat. If you disagree, we can pull a quarterback off the waiver wire.
Running back. Both of our starters have some tasty matchups: Matt Forte (against the Cleveland Browns) and Steve Slaton (against the Buffalo Bills). If you're tired of either of these options, we can call Jamal Lewis off the bench.
Flex. Please welcome back to the lineup Chris "Beanie" Wells, who scored 13 fantasy points (primarily from a touchdown) on the bench last week. If you think that score was a fluke, we can use Jamal Lewis instead.
Wide receiver. Greg Jennings remains in the lineup, but Chad Ochocinco has a bye week, so he's been replaced by his former teammate, T.J. Houshmandzadeh. If you want to replace one of these receivers, Nate Washington awaits on the bench.
You already know what's going with the tight end. There are no changes in kicker (Nick Folk) or defense/special teams (Philadelphia Eagles).
The new poll is up and will be open until Saturday night. The tight end poll will close tonight. Please vote.
The People's Pigskin puts its 4-3 record on the line this week in a rematch against Ravens Fan T Sizzle. Our last meeting (in week 1 of the Landshark Maniacs season) resulted in a 104-103 win for you, the Internet. Anything can happen on any given week in fantasy football, so don't let the Sizzle's 1-6 record fool you. This team is dangerous, and we need your help assembling this week's lineup. Here are our current starters.
Quarterback. Once again we feature Kurt Warner in the starting spot. As long as he stays upright, and as long as the Cardinals feature a pass-first offense, Warner will remain a fantasy football threat. If you disagree, we can pull a quarterback off the waiver wire.
Running back. Both of our starters have some tasty matchups: Matt Forte (against the Cleveland Browns) and Steve Slaton (against the Buffalo Bills). If you're tired of either of these options, we can call Jamal Lewis off the bench.
Flex. Please welcome back to the lineup Chris "Beanie" Wells, who scored 13 fantasy points (primarily from a touchdown) on the bench last week. If you think that score was a fluke, we can use Jamal Lewis instead.
Wide receiver. Greg Jennings remains in the lineup, but Chad Ochocinco has a bye week, so he's been replaced by his former teammate, T.J. Houshmandzadeh. If you want to replace one of these receivers, Nate Washington awaits on the bench.
You already know what's going with the tight end. There are no changes in kicker (Nick Folk) or defense/special teams (Philadelphia Eagles).
The new poll is up and will be open until Saturday night. The tight end poll will close tonight. Please vote.
Monday, September 21, 2009
How We Did (and What We Do Next)
The People's Pigskin is now 1-1 after a 67-50 loss to Big Lough O. Kudos to the Os, who are now also 1-1. Here's a breakdown of our team's performance.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 24 for 26 passing, 243 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 17 fantasy points. The press may be gaga over Kurt's record-setting accuracy, but a stellar accuracy percentage does not translate into stellar fantasy stats. I don't want to sound ungrateful, but you'd think a game like that would have delivered something more.
Derrick Ward, RB. The stats: 9 rushes for 32 yards, 1 reception for 5 yards, and only 3 fantasy points. Clearly, this player will have a ceiling at Tampa Bay. But one would hope it's not this low.
Jamal Lewis, RB. The stats: 14 rushes for 38 yards, 1 reception for 8 yards, and another 3 fantasy points. This against a Denver Broncos team that, despite its 2-0 record, still seems vulnerable.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, Flex. The stats: 7 rushes for 44 yards, 1 fumble lost, and 2 fantasy points. With a day like that, he's going to remain behind Tim Hightower on the depth chart for a while.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 0 catches, 0 fantasy points. He was targeted five times and didn't make a single catch. The only Packers-related people who covered themselves in glory this week were the fans who didn't flip the bird when Chad made his leap.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 62 yards, and 6 fantasy points. In fantasy, it's not just about the health of your players. It's also about the health of your player's teammates. Matt Hasselbeck's rib fracture will certainly hurt T.J.'s value for weeks to come.
Kellen Winslow, TE. The stats: 7 receptions, 90 yards, 1 touchdown, and 15 fantasy points. At least we know we can get points from the tight end spot.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 field goal, 4 extra points, and 8 fantasy points. The best part: If he hits the scoreboard at Cowboys Stadium, his fantasy points won't be hurt at all.
Eagles D/ST. The stats: 1 interception, 1 safety, 48 points allowed, and minus-4 fantasy points. We have no right to expect 35 fantasy points from the defense every week, but even if we had gotten a decent day from the Eagles, we would have been in the running for a win, despite the lack of production elsewhere. This game was brutal for those wearing green. I'm not ready to panic, though. Drew Brees is off to a stellar start this year, and I have to think the Eagles will bounce back now that Drew is in the rear view mirror.
I'm not ready to sit still, though. As baseball managers like to say, it's time to make a change. The People's Pigskin plans to dump Josh Morgan, who didn't get so much as a target this week and clearly isn't part of the 49ers offense right now. And this wouldn't be the People's Pigskin if we didn't have a poll. Here are the three contenders to take his WR spot from the waiver wire.
Brandon Stokley, Denver. He has 21 points this season and a penchant for long touchdowns, as Cincinnati learned in week 1.
Louis Murphy, Oakland. This rookie Raider has come up with 16 points of his own (while the other one has only 1) , and his value doesn't fall when JaMarcus Russell throws a pick.
Chansi Stuckey, N.Y. Jets. This guy has 15 points, and since Mark Sanchez isn't peeing his pants in big games, he could have some value.
We have until Thursday to make waiver wire requests, so this poll will close Wednesday night. Please vote now.
[polldaddy poll=2022265]
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 24 for 26 passing, 243 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 17 fantasy points. The press may be gaga over Kurt's record-setting accuracy, but a stellar accuracy percentage does not translate into stellar fantasy stats. I don't want to sound ungrateful, but you'd think a game like that would have delivered something more.
Derrick Ward, RB. The stats: 9 rushes for 32 yards, 1 reception for 5 yards, and only 3 fantasy points. Clearly, this player will have a ceiling at Tampa Bay. But one would hope it's not this low.
Jamal Lewis, RB. The stats: 14 rushes for 38 yards, 1 reception for 8 yards, and another 3 fantasy points. This against a Denver Broncos team that, despite its 2-0 record, still seems vulnerable.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, Flex. The stats: 7 rushes for 44 yards, 1 fumble lost, and 2 fantasy points. With a day like that, he's going to remain behind Tim Hightower on the depth chart for a while.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 0 catches, 0 fantasy points. He was targeted five times and didn't make a single catch. The only Packers-related people who covered themselves in glory this week were the fans who didn't flip the bird when Chad made his leap.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 62 yards, and 6 fantasy points. In fantasy, it's not just about the health of your players. It's also about the health of your player's teammates. Matt Hasselbeck's rib fracture will certainly hurt T.J.'s value for weeks to come.
Kellen Winslow, TE. The stats: 7 receptions, 90 yards, 1 touchdown, and 15 fantasy points. At least we know we can get points from the tight end spot.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 field goal, 4 extra points, and 8 fantasy points. The best part: If he hits the scoreboard at Cowboys Stadium, his fantasy points won't be hurt at all.
Eagles D/ST. The stats: 1 interception, 1 safety, 48 points allowed, and minus-4 fantasy points. We have no right to expect 35 fantasy points from the defense every week, but even if we had gotten a decent day from the Eagles, we would have been in the running for a win, despite the lack of production elsewhere. This game was brutal for those wearing green. I'm not ready to panic, though. Drew Brees is off to a stellar start this year, and I have to think the Eagles will bounce back now that Drew is in the rear view mirror.
I'm not ready to sit still, though. As baseball managers like to say, it's time to make a change. The People's Pigskin plans to dump Josh Morgan, who didn't get so much as a target this week and clearly isn't part of the 49ers offense right now. And this wouldn't be the People's Pigskin if we didn't have a poll. Here are the three contenders to take his WR spot from the waiver wire.
Brandon Stokley, Denver. He has 21 points this season and a penchant for long touchdowns, as Cincinnati learned in week 1.
Louis Murphy, Oakland. This rookie Raider has come up with 16 points of his own (while the other one has only 1) , and his value doesn't fall when JaMarcus Russell throws a pick.
Chansi Stuckey, N.Y. Jets. This guy has 15 points, and since Mark Sanchez isn't peeing his pants in big games, he could have some value.
We have until Thursday to make waiver wire requests, so this poll will close Wednesday night. Please vote now.
[polldaddy poll=2022265]
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