Flacco set to fly against ARI

Fantasy Fever is a weekly piece that provides fantasy advice on lineup calls, sleepers, waiver-wire moves and rookie spotlights, along with the occasional ramble or four. Enjoy.

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Start ‘Em

QB: Joe Flacco, Ravens
Aw, we meet again, Mr. Flacco. An infamous fantasy agitator because of his mercurial adventures, Flacco has the tendency of blowing up on owners’ benches, only to submit a stink bomb in the starter’s role. This penchant of precariousness has earned Flacco the handle of “Average Joe,” although I’m partially fond of “The Raven Rebus.” Luckily for Flacco proprietors, there seems to be a pattern to this unpredictability (and yes, I’m fully aware of the oxymoron):

As illustrated, Flacco seems to fly or falter on a weekly basis. The good news: according to this infallible illustration, Flacco is forecast for fulfillment this week. Helping that cause is the Arizona defense, which is conceding 274.2 yards per contest, third-most in the NFC. Owners may be understandably cynical towards this proposition, but have faith that Flacco will flourish this weekend.
Other starts: Tim Tebow, Ben Roethlisberger

RB: Knowshon Moreno, Broncos
John Fox’s assent into Denver was expected to invigorate the stagnant Moreno, who’s failed to fulfill his first-round selection in 2009. Instead, injuries and the revival of Willis McGahee have made Moreno an afterthought. But with McGahee sidelined for possibly a month, the former Georgia Bulldog has the opportunity to achieve statistical serenity in Week 8.

Admittedly, Moreno’s prospects are not a sure-thing, as Lance Ball will see extended action for the Broncos in the absence of McGahee. Yet quarterback Tim Tebow’s passing proficiency is clearly flawed and the Lions have been pulverized on the ground, surrendering 129.4 yards per game and 5 yards per carry. Moreno should be good for 15 runs this week, as well as five-to-six touches in the passing game.
Other starts: Darren Sproles, Ahmad Bradshaw

WR: Marques Colston, Saints
The emergence of Jimmy Graham and Darren Sproles has rendered the intention of starting a Saints’ receiver somewhat of a hazardous endeavor. Colston has put these fears to rest, hauling in 14 receptions for 216 yards and three scores in the past two weeks. More importantly, Drew Brees is looking in Colston’s direction, with 24 targets in the last three games. The Rams have given up a conference-high 13 touchdowns in the receiving game. Expect Colston to enlarge this amount.
Other starts: Anquan Boldin, Jabar Gaffney

TE: Fred Davis, Redskins
In varying walks of life, there are certain anomalies that defy all reason and logic: Thomas Jones continuing to get carries over Jamaal Charles/Dexter McCluster/Jackie Battle, even though Jones apparently retired two years ago; Lady Gaga reaching the top of the music industry despite deficiencies in talent and attractiveness; Oakland trading two high picks for the services of Carson Palmer; the remake of Footloose; the awesomeness of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard. The fact that Davis, who’s third in receiving amongst tight ends, is started in only half of FOXSports.com leagues falls into this list. I recognize the burden of trusting John Beck/Rex Grossman, but Alex Smith at the helm hasn’t stopped Vernon Davis from being a fantasy staple the past three seasons. Primary target Santana Moss will be out for the next three weeks, which should correlate to an increase of balls in Davis’ direction. Against a vulnerable Buffalo linebacker corps, the Washington tight end is a must-play.
Other starts: Aaron Hernandez, Owen Daniels

DEF: Houston Texans
The Jaguars muscled-out a much-needed win against Baltimore last Monday night, but it was no thanks to quarterback Blaine Gabbert (9-for-20, 93 yards). The Texans are without Mario Williams, but their secondary is, um, “second” to none. Anticipate Houston feasting upon the inexperience of Gabbert.
Other starts: Cincinnati, New Orleans

Sit ‘Em

QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills
After kicking tail and taking names in Buffalo’s first three games (841 yards, nine touchdowns), Fitzpatrick has considerably cooled this month with a pedestrian 636 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. The Redskins may seem like a promising play, but the Washington secondary is keeping opposing quarterbacks at bay, allowing 218.3 yards per game. Throw in the lack of home-field advantage (the contest will be held in the lifeless Rogers Centre) and I don’t like Fitzpatrick’s odds in this one.
Other sits: Philip Rivers, Tony Romo

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RB: Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers
Dear Rashard,

Quit playing games with our hearts.

Cordially,
Your fantasy owners

Not only are the Patriots stout against the run, but New England is so susceptible through the air (league-worst 322.2 yards per contest) that the Steelers may neglect the ground game. Only start Mendenhall if no alternatives exist. (I’d also like to pat myself on the back for becoming the first fantasy writer to utilize a Backstreet Boys reference in a column. Unsure if this is a good or bad thing, but we are definitely breaking ground here.)
Other sits: Jackie Battle, Cleveland RBs

WR: Sidney Rice, Seahawks
Congrats Charlie Whitehurst, your performance against Cleveland made Seahawk fans pine for the return of Tarvaris Jackson. I suppose miracles really do happen.

Rice has been a non-factor the past two weeks, and Cincinnati cornerback Leon Hall is one of the better shutdown corners in football. Add in the uncertainty surrounding Seattle’s signal caller and Rice is a risky start.
Other sits: Deion Branch, Eric Decker

TE: Vernon Davis, 49ers
Save for a fantasy conquest in Week 3 (eight receptions, 114 yards), Davis has been a colossal disappointment, snagging a scant 16 catches for 157 yards in San Francisco’s five other games this season. Cleveland’s linebackers aren’t exactly household names (in fact, try and name a Browns’ defender outside of Joe Haden and Scott Fujita), but the Browns’ unit is suffocating opposing aerial assaults to a league-low 171.5 yards an outing. I wouldn’t blame ya if you played Davis this week, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Other sits: Brent Celek, Dallas Clark

DEF: Pittsburgh Steelers
At this point, I wouldn’t start the ’85 Bears against the Patriots’ offense.
Other sits: Dallas, Denver

The Armageddon Head Scratcher of the Week
Granted, a movie based on a team of rag-tag drillers saving the world by detonating a nuke on an inbound asteroid should be taken with a grain of salt. However, there remain a few storylines that defy logic and reason that need to be examined with greater scrutiny. These preposterous plot points will be analyzed along with a questionable call from the previous week of football.

There were numerous questionable casting calls (really, we are sending Steve Buscemi up to save the world?) but are we supposed to buy Billy Bob Thornton as the head of NASA? You mean the dude from Sling Blade is directing the most cerebral and diagnostic people in the world? That was a bigger reach than believing Tim Robbins could actually throw a baseball. Maybe that’s why scientists didn’t discover an asteroid the size of Texas until 18 days before impact. God knows what was going down at NASA with Billy Bob running the show.

Speaking of questionable leadership, how about Norv Turner’s failure to challenge a crucial and controversial third-down run by Mark Sanchez? Sanchez’s scamper, which replays illustrated may have fell short of the first-down marker, gave the Jets another fresh set of downs and, more importantly, killed another minute or so off a potential Charger comeback drive. San Diego sits at 4-2, which should be cause for celebration considering the Lighting Bolts have historically underperformed at this juncture of the season. Yet a win in Jersey would have furnished a nice cushion between the Chargers and Raiders. Alas, Oakland lurks just a half-game behind. Worse, Turner’s deferral provided more evidence to the sentiment that, while he may be an offensive mastermind, the 59-year-old lacks the chops to be a championship-winning head coach.

Waiver Wire Watch: Roy Helu, Redskins
Loyal readers of this column are all too aware of my abhorrence of Mike Shanahan’s utilization of his backfield, as his erratic allotment of carries makes implementing a Washington rusher a game of fantasy Russian roulette. Yet Tim Hightower’s season-ending injury theoretically (and I cannot overemphasize theoretically) clears up some of the ambiguity with the Redskins’ ground game going forward, with Ryan Torain getting a bulk of the carries and Helu handling third down and passing duties.

However, astute owners would be quick to comment that Torain was nonexistent the past two weeks, while Helu was on the field for the entire fourth quarter against Carolina. Torain will get preferential treatment during the onset of Week 8’s matchup versus Buffalo, but don’t be surprised if Helu takes the starting reins after halftime. The rookie out of Nebraska should only be started in dire consequences; that said, owned in only 24.5 percent of leagues, Helu is unquestionably worthy of a roster spot.

The Real Debate
A number of narratives dominated the NFL headlines in Week 7: Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers’ continued dominance; Oakland’s quarterback catastrophe; Arian Foster’s rejuvenation; the Saints’ smackdown of Indianapolis; DeMarco Murray’s record-setting day in Dallas. Oh, and some Bronco backup named Tebow rallied a comeback against the Dolphins. But while these football features fueled many a discussion the past few days, the Real Debate should be this: was “Browns v. Seahawks” the worst performance of professional pigskin ever conducted?

I assure you this proclamation lacks any semblance of hyperbole. Colt McCoy’s stat line of 178 yards, an interception and QB rating of 59 may convey a sense of inadequacy, but the Cleveland quarterback essentially “outdueled” Seattle’s Whitehurst thanks to Quarterback Jesus’ masterpiece of 12 completions on 30 attempts for 97 yards. Montario Hardesty received a whopping 33 carries but somehow fell short of 100 yards, and backup rusher Chris Ogbonnaya led all receivers with 43 yards. Even the kicking game was pervious to the putridness, as Phil Dawson was credited with two missed field goals. The two teams combined for 15 penalties, and despite holding the ball for nearly 43 minutes, Cleveland scored just two field goals. Rick Moranis’s pre-Madden Bus Little Giants weren’t this incompetent.

Several highlight shows and weekly article wraps ignored the “showdown” between Seattle and Cleveland, briefly mentioning the score before jumping to the next game. However, this Cuyahoga catastrophe should not be forgotten. I propose a league-wide moment of silence before kickoff to remember those brave souls in the stadium, as well as the dozens of viewers at home, who had to weather that unfortunate storm of ineptitude. Helmets should be adorned with a “6-3” decal, and an honorary flag should be tossed by every referee. May we never forget.

Fantasy Flyer: Keiland Williams, Lions
Splitting time with Maurice Morris in the absence of Jahvid Best, Williams ran for 44 yards on a meager nine carries against Atlanta last week. Undrafted in 2010, fantasy owners remember Williams for his cup of coffee as Washington’s primary rusher in two games last season. Although 39 of his 65 carries derived from this short stint as starter, Williams was active in the Redskins’ passing game throughout the 2010 campaign, hauling in 39 passes for 309 yards. Best’s forecast is far from promising, as the multitude of concussions sustained by the Detroit back is disconcerting, and Morris has perpetually flummoxed fantasy owners when thrust into the spotlight in his career. Owned in less than one percent of FOXSports.com leagues, Williams holds a tremendous amount of second-half stock. In deeper leagues or those struggling at the running back position, Williams is worth the flyer.

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Any Given Sunday Pep Talk
Sometimes NFLers need a little inspiration, or even a kick in the behind, to get properly motivated. Luckily for us, Al Pacino will be reprising his Coach Tony D'Amato character to provide players the necessary pep talk to enable fantasy success. This week’s recipient: Curtis Painter.

“Listen kid, I know you weren’t expecting to be in this situation. Being the backup to Peyton Manning seemed like a hell of a premise, didn’t it? Hang out on the sidelines, toss out the requisite high-fives after touchdowns, maybe make an appearance or two at the end of the season while Peyton relaxes before the playoffs. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

“But anytime something seems too good to be true, it ain’t. Let’s be honest: no one envisioned you to be taking snaps after August. But it’s like I told Rashard Mendenhall a few weeks back: in life, it ain’t what happens to you that matters; it’s how you respond!

“At 0-7, you guys aren’t making the playoffs, so the season may seem for naught. But there are the seasons of countless fantasy owners, many who drafted Colts wide receivers and running backs on the basis of No. 18 under center that can still be saved. Perennial performers like Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark have become afterthoughts, and some concerned owners have posted a Missing Persons notice for poor Austin Collie. You can be that savior, my man, by leading them out of fantasy purgatory into the Promised land.

“Now I know you’ve been raked over the coals for the shellacking you took down in the Big Easy. True, you didn’t light the world on fire with nine completions for 67 yards. But last time I checked, you don’t play defense, so not sure how Drew Brees’ five TDs are your fault!

“This league son, it ain’t easy, butI know you got it in you. I saw glimpses of it against Tampa Bay and Kansas City, and you had a helluva second half in Cincinnati. And it’s not like there’s much pressure riding on this: Vegas has you +10 against a Tennessee team that lost by 34 POINTS LAST WEEK!

“So calm down, relax. You have the tools around you, all you have to do is go to work.”

Rookie Review: Christian Ponder, Vikings
Granted, the Green Bay secondary has facilitated field generals to augment their yardage totals, but the Packers lead the league with 13 interceptions and are holding opposing quarterbacks to a paltry 79.3 QB rating. In this light, Ponder’s debut (219 yards, two touchdowns, two picks) was commendable. The Florida State product’s 40.6 completion percentage leaves room for improvement, but the rookie QB was poised in the pocket and accounted for 31 yards in the ground game. Ponder displayed a proclivity of passing the ball around, and was unusually cognizant of his surroundings for a neophyte. Minnesota’s remaining slate isn’t toilsome by any means, making Ponder a solid pick as a backup in most formats.

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This Week in Kevin Walter
In this space last week, we warned the antagonistic Cortland Finnegan of K-Walt’s wrath, pleading to the Titan cornerback to keep his motor mouth shut lest he become another statistic in the Cornerback Body Count. Oddly enough, the Texan Tornado took the offensive, calling the cantankerous Finnegan a (starts with a “p” and rhymes with “kick.”), making the Titans-Texans matchup must-see TV. Alas, Foster and the running game nullified any chances of a “Walter v. Finnegan” fight, although we are holding out hope for a brouhaha when the two teams meet again in Week 17. And yes, I composed that sentenced strictly so I could type “brouhaha.”
Walter’s 2011 Stats: 18 receptions, 217 yards, two touchdowns
Walter’s Cornerback Body Count: Five.

Gatorade Shower Goes to: Tim Tebow, Broncos
Say what you want about the dude; it took some major cojones to shake off that ugly display and lead his team to victory. Hey, he’s at least not as bad as Kyle Orton, right?

Personal Foul on: Oakland quarterbacks
I have a measuring stick against supposed sensual feats in football: how hard is said accomplishment to attain in a video game? Well, trust me on this one: it’s super hard to throw six picks in one contest. Bravo, gentlemen.

FOX Fantasy Football Homepage | Fowler: Week 8 Start Sit Gallery