Free Press Staff Writer
September 16, 2008 01:01 am
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Every NFL team, with the exception of the Texans and the Ravens, has now played two games in 2008. Let’s take a look at what we’ve learned fantasy wise after two weeks of competition:
1. Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal is the real deal. He won’t be putting up numbers like he did in Week 1 on a regular basis, but he’s in a great situation. He has talent, he has an excellent and still improving quarterback in Jay Cutler, and he has Brandon Marshall drawing double teams on the other side of the field.
2. Darren Sproles, and not Jacob Hester, is the primary back-up to LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. On Sunday, Sproles had seven carries for 53 yards, caught two passes for 72 yards and a touchdown, and averaged 38.4 yards on five kickoff returns, including a 103-yard touchdown. Hester, meanwhile, did not get a carry and returned only one kick.
3. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers is well on his way to be coming a top tier fantasy quarterback. Granted, you can’t play against the Detroit Lions every week, but most of his throws are on target and he should be good for around 225-250 yards and two touchdowns nearly every week.
4. With the emergence of rookie Chris Johnson, Tennessee’s Lendale White has become more of a goal-line vulture than a regular starting running back. Unless Johnson gets hurt, don’t expect White to go over 100 yards very often.
5. New Orleans rookie Pierre Thomas has made Deuce McAllister irrelevant. Reggie Bush and Thomas are getting virtually all the play out of the Saints’ backfield this season.
6. It’s time to bench Carson Palmer (if you have a decent back-up) until the Bengals figure their offense out. They’ve been horrible the first two games so Palmer, Houzmenzadeh and Ocho Cinco are becoming liabilities. Don’t trade them away, but if you have decent options on your bench, consider using them.
7. Michael Pittman has become the goal-line guy in Denver. He’d be a nice pick-up because, if Selvin Young or Andre Hall gets hurts, Pittman could be in line for an even bigger role.
8. David Patten, not Devery Henderson, is Drew Brees’ favorite target now that Marques Colston is out. Tight end Jeremy Shockey did next to nothing again for the Saints and could be posturing for the ‘Bust of the Season’ label by year’s end.
9. With Maurice Morris out, Seattle’s Julius Jones is a decent fantasy starter at running back. He had 26 carries for 126 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.
10. It’s going to be a long season for fantasy players on the St. Louis Rams. The defense is bad and the offensive line is worse. Marc Bulger, Torry Holt and Steven Jackson should no longer be considered premier player at their positions.
Worth looking at: Here are some free agents who might be available in your league and are worth taking a flier on if you need help at their positions: Pittman (RB, Denver), Sproles (RB, San Diego), Jason McKie (RB, Chicago), Chansi Stuckey (WR, N.Y. Jets), Bryant Johnson (WR, San Francisco), J.T. O’Sullivan (QB, San Francisco), Kerry Collins (QB, Tennessee), Trent Edwards (QB, Buffalo), John Carlson (TE, Seattle).
Jim Rueda is the Free Press sports editor. To contact him, call 344-6381 or e-mail him at jrueda@mankatofreepress.com
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