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Jamey Eisenberg

Week 10 Fantasy Stockwatch

By | Senior Fantasy Writer


Each week, we'll survey the Fantasy Football landscape and provide you with a list of players whose Fantasy value has increased or decreased over the course of the past week. The arrows indicate which way a player's stock is heading, but you'll have to read what we have to say to know whether you should hold on to a player or make a move to trade him -- or trade for him.

Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore
You might be a little leery about starting Flacco in a standard-scoring league, especially with his upcoming schedule, including the Giants, Eagles, Redskins and Steelers. But Flacco has played great the past four games, averaging 201 passing yards with seven total touchdowns and no interceptions. He has validated owners who took him in a keeper league that the rookie can be useful next season. And when the matchup is right this season, with games remaining against Cincinnati, Dallas and Jacksonville, he can be a No. 1 Fantasy option if he continues to play at this level.
Jake Delhomme, QB, Carolina
You should be worried when Delhomme plays at Atlanta in Week 12, at Green Bay in Week 13, at the Giants in Week 16 and at the Saints in Week 17, and it's not because these are tough pass defenses. Delhomme has been awful on the road this year, including last week at Oakland when he passed for 72 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. At home, Delhomme has 1,101 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions in five games. On the road, Delhomme has 752 yards, two touchdowns and seven interceptions in four games. Start him at home against Detroit this week, Tampa Bay in Week 14 and Denver in Week 15. But it's questionable if he can play well when he's away from Carolina.
Jay Cutler, QB, Denver
Cutler is going to be great over the final seven games of the season, and he has good matchups against Atlanta, Oakland, the Jets, Kansas City, Buffalo and San Diego. The Broncos are going to struggle to run the ball with injuries to Michael Pittman, Andre Hall, Ryan Torain and Selvin Young, and they still can't play defense. That means Cutler will be doing plenty of passing. He has attempted 88 passes the past two weeks against Miami and Cleveland, and with the pass defenses he's going to face, look for Cutler and his receivers to have a big finish to the season.
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh
This shoulder injury has ruined Big Ben's season, and it's hard to trust him as a No. 1 Fantasy option right now. He has one touchdown and eight interceptions in his past three games against the Giants, Washington and Indianapolis. Granted, those are three of the best pass defenses in the NFL, and Roethlisberger has a better schedule coming up with San Diego, Cincinnati, New England and Dallas in the next four weeks. But if Big Ben doesn't get enough protection and help from Santonio Holmes, it's going to be hard to put him in your lineup on a weekly basis if he continues to play like this.
Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay
Grant has been a bust the first half of the season, but he's come on lately and should finish the season strong. He has a tough matchup this week against Chicago, but Grant has done well against tough defenses this season. Two of his best games have been against Minnesota, with Grant rushing for 75 yards and a touchdown last week at the Vikings. There's no reason to think Grant can't do the same against the Bears. And when he faces New Orleans, Houston, Jacksonville and Detroit later this year, Grant could be a star. It appears safe to trust him as a starting Fantasy option once again.
Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis
We'll find out if Addai is worth starting in the Fantasy playoffs with how he plays over the next five weeks. Addai, who has struggled this season and missed two games with a hamstring injury, will face Houston, San Diego, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit heading into Week 16. If he can return to form, great, but right now he's looked bad the past two weeks with 29 carries for 66 yards and no touchdowns against New England and Pittsburgh. Those are tough opponents, but Addai has been a bust this season and is still looking for his first 100-yard game. We'll out if he can rebound in time to help Fantasy owners in the playoffs.
Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans
Take your hand off the panic button and put Colston back in your lineup. He looked like his old self last week against Atlanta with seven catches for 140 yards. While he's not going to post those stats on a weekly basis, he has some good matchups ahead against Kansas City, Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit. And even with tough games against Green Bay, Tampa Bay and Carolina, you can still count on Colston to be productive because he's an elite talent and the Saints are going to keep throwing. Give Colston two thumbs up now that his injured thumb is back to normal.
Chris Chambers, WR, San Diego
Chambers had no catches last week against Kansas City and could be in danger of being phased out of the offense. Vincent Jackson has emerged as the best wide receiver in San Diego, and we know Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson remain huge factors in the passing game. With Malcom Floyd stepping up when Chambers was out with the sprained ankle, it could mean a reduced role for Chambers. Don't do anything drastic like drop Chambers at this point, but you can't start him even when he has a favorable matchup. He started the season with four touchdowns in the first three games, but he's been a non-factor ever since because of the injury and a lack of passes in his direction.
Kellen Winslow, TE, Cleveland
Brady Quinn is going to do wonders for Winslow because Quinn is accurate and doesn't make many throws downfield. It showed last week against Denver when Winslow led the Browns with 10 catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. It's hard to expect Winslow to play at that level every week, but he could be a candidate for 80 yards and a touchdown every game. Even with the bad start to his season with poor play, the staph infection and the suspension, Winslow is still the No. 7 tight end in a standard-scoring league. Because of Quinn, Winslow could finish the season at No. 1 if he continues to play at this level.
Braylon Edwards, WR, Cleveland
While Quinn will be good for Winslow, he appears to be a bad fit for Edwards, who had just one catch for 15 yards last week against Denver. Quinn didn't attempt many throws downfield, which is Edward's strength. He will play better than he did against the Broncos, but Fantasy owners are going to struggle to trust Edwards again. He had started to play well with 15 catches for 362 yards and two touchdowns in the four games prior to Week 10. But he's been a bust this season and looks like he could finish the way he started. Hopefully, Quinn can get him the ball, but the Denver game was not a good start.

You can e-mail us your Fantasy Football questions to DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Stockwatch in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.

 
 
 
Player News
Rashard Mendenhall
PUP list in Mendenhall's future
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT
2/13/2012
News: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said Monday that there's a good chance RB Rashard Mendenhall will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. If so, he'd be forced to miss at least the first six games of the regular season. Moreover, Colbert is not convinced that Mendenhall will be able to contribute at all in 2012. "I never feel good about an ACL for a year," Colbert said according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Mendenhall tore his right ACL in Week 17 of last season; recovery time for such injuries is anywhere from nine months to a year.
Analysis: With Mendenhall iffy, it's time to start giving some legit consideration to Isaac Redman as the primary rusher for the Steelers in 2012. Redman started the Steelers' playoff game at Denver and had 121 yards on 17 carries and 21 yards on two catches. He'll likely get the first crack at starting in place of Mendenhall. There's still a lot of time between now and the regular season, but for now it's probably safe to expect Mendenhall to not be at even close to 100 percent to start the year, which will absolutely impact his Fantasy value. By August, you might be drafting Mendenhall as a middle- to late-round sleeper you'll have to sit on for a while. We'll keep you posted on Mendenhall as best as we can.

Randy Moss
Moss: I'm coming back
Randy Moss, WR, TEN
2/13/2012
News: Randy Moss took to UStream on Monday morning to announce that he plans to return to football in 2012. Moss didn't play last season after fizzling out with the Titans during a tumultuous 2010. Moss answered fan questions on the live video site and made it clear at the end of his web stream that he intends to play again after stepping away for personal reasons. "Your boy will be back for the upcoming season," he said. "Hopefully I can get on a team and finish this thing the way I want to." NFL Network reports that teams have already been calling his agent following the news.
Analysis: Most people remember Moss for his incredible big plays and ridiculous stats, such as the 17 touchdowns he scored as a rookie, or the record-breaking 23 touchdowns he caught in 2007, or the 14,465 yards he gained from 1998 to 2009. But some will remember him for a very counterproductive 2010 in which he caught just five touchdowns on 28 grabs with three different teams. If he does indeed return to football, where he plays and how quick he is will ultimately determine whether he's worth a late-round flier or something far more substantial.

Calvin Johnson
Lions want to lock up Megatron
Calvin Johnson, WR, DET
2/13/2012
News: Lions president Tom Lewand, who controls Detroit’s salary cap compliance, says the team has had positive negotiations with WR Calvin Johnson over a contract extension. “(Johnson’s) got a good relationship with Matthew (Stafford),” Lewand told a local radio station in Detroit. “There’s a desire to keep that (relationship) together. When that desire exists, you can get deals done.” Johnson is entering a contract year in 2012 and is coming off a sensational season, finishing the regular season with 96 catches for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns with another 211 yards and two touchdowns in one playoff game against the Saints.
Analysis: Johnson is not going to leave the Lions if Detroit has anything to do with it, and we expect him to get a big deal soon. Regardless of if he's in a contract year or not in 2012, it's clear Johnson is the No. 1 WR in Fantasy, and he should be drafted in Round 1 in all formats.

DeSean Jackson
Eagles could franchise D-Jax
DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI
2/13/2012
News: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Eagles are going to use the franchise tag on WR DeSean Jackson. The report says the Eagles will not let Jackson, whose contract is set to expire, walk without getting something in return. Feb. 20 is the first day NFL teams are permitted to franchise one player before he reaches free agency. March 5 is the deadline. At 4 p.m. on March 13 the league year starts and players with four or more years of service who are not under contract are eligible to become unrestricted free agents. Jackson, who signed a four-year, $3 million deal as a rookie in 2008, will not reach the open market because the Eagles are expected to franchise him. The receiver would stand to earn approximately $9.5 million - nearly $9 million more than he made in base salary last season - if he played next season under the tag. Jackson said immediately following the season finale that he would be fine with the franchise designation.
Analysis: Jackson's play slipped some last season, partly due to his distraction over his contract, but he still caught 58 passes for 961 yards and four touchdowns. His deep routes and ability to take multiple defenders often opened up the Eagles offense underneath. Keep an eye on what happens with Jackson and where he ends up in 2012. With the Eagles he would be considered a No. 2 Fantasy WR with upside, but if he leaves Philadelphia then his value will be determined by who his quarterback is and his contract. He will likely be drafted around Round 5 in most leagues.

Isaac Redman
Redman in line to start for Steelers?
Isaac Redman, RB, PIT
2/13/2012
News: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said Monday that there's a good chance RB Rashard Mendenhall will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. If so, he'd be forced to miss at least the first six games of the regular season. Moreover, Colbert is not convinced that Mendenhall will be able to contribute at all in 2012. "I never feel good about an ACL for a year," Colbert said according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That would open the door for Isaac Redman to be the starting rusher entering training camp.
Analysis: With Mendenhall iffy, it's time to start giving some legit consideration to Isaac Redman as the primary rusher for the Steelers in 2012. Redman started the Steelers' playoff game at Denver and had 121 yards on 17 carries and 21 yards on two catches. He's also stepped up while working with Mendenhall and without him, though his one other start in 2011 was a flop (61 total yards, no touchdowns vs. Tennessee). By August we might recommend drafting Redman with a pick in Round 6 or 7 as a good early-season starting option with potential to be a quality Fantasy choice for the entire season. We'll see how the Steelers' run game shakes out.

Steve Slaton
Slaton, Dolphins likely parting ways
Steve Slaton, RB, MIA
2/13/2012
News: The Palm Beach Post reports that RB Steve Slaton is not expected to return to the Dolphins in 2012. Slaton played in three games this season with zero starts after being picked up on waivers before Week 4. He had 17 carries for 64 yards (3.8 average) with one touchdown and a long of 28 and also returned three kickoffs for 85 yards. Slaton was signed as insurance early in the season when both Reggie Bush (groin) and Daniel Thomas (hamstring) battled injuries.
Analysis: Keep an eye on where Slaton plays in 2012, but he likely has minimal Fantasy value. Ignore him in all leagues on Draft Day.

Doug Baldwin
Baldwin already working hard
Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA
2/13/2012
News: The Tacoma News Tribune reports that Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin is already working out with the hope of building on an impressive rookie season. As an undrafted rookie free agent out of Stanford, he was a long shot to make the team last season, let alone lead Seattle in receiving. But that’s what Baldwin did. He finished with a team-high 51 receptions for 788 yards and four touchdowns, good enough for fourth in the league among rookies in receptions and yards. Baldwin also finished 11th in the league in percentage of receptions caught for first downs (78.4 percent), and fourth in the league with 23 catches on third down to move the chains. The hard-working Baldwin said he thinks he can do better. “I felt like the stats and everything (were) real average,” he said. “But you’ve got to have that sense of confidence about yourself when you step out on the field. To be honest with you, I didn’t think I’d have the opportunity to step out on the field that early. And with that, the transition wasn’t really that difficult because we have such a great coaching staff and they explain everything so well that it makes it easier for you to understand it and grasp the offense.”
Analysis: Baldwin’s production in 2011 secured his spot as Seattle’s slot receiver. But Baldwin wants to be considered a compete receiver. “They say that I’m the slot guy, but every year they’re bringing somebody in to try to take your job – that’s the upper management’s job,” he said. “So my job is to make sure that whoever they bring in doesn’t have a chance. That’s why I’m here, to be honest with you. “I want to be known as the greatest receiver who ever played the game, and it’s going to be hard to do that strictly out of the slot.” We like the way Baldwin is talking, and he has plenty of potential heading into 2012. Plan on drafting Baldwin as a sleeper with a late-round pick in all leagues.

Hines Ward
Ward hopes to remain with Steelers
Hines Ward, WR, PIT
2/13/2012
News: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said Monday that no decision has been made on the future of Hines Ward. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported previously that if the Steelers did decide to release Ward, he was unaware of it. NFL Network reported that Ward won't be back with the Steelers in 2012 but a source close to Ward refuted the report. Ward's 2012 salary is high and he's expected to at least take a significant pay cut, if not get released altogether. Ward has said many times that he wants to end his career in Pittsburgh but he is determined to play somewhere in 2012, even if the Steelers do not want him. Ward, who turns 36 March 8, has played all 14 of his seasons in the NFL with the Steelers and holds nearly every team receiving record.
Analysis: Keep an eye on what happens with Ward and where he ends up in 2012. No matter where Ward plays, however, he would have minimal Fantasy value, and he is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues.

Josh Morgan
Morgan fine, looks at future
Josh Morgan, WR, SF
2/13/2012
News: The Sacramento Bee reports that 49ers WR Josh Morgan left the team facility after a workout Thursday as if there was nothing wrong with him. Morgan broke his lower right leg on Oct. 9 and was placed on injured reserve. He told the Associated Press that he's begun sprinting again, and he promises to be at full speed in the spring. Coach Jim Harbaugh has said the 49ers want to re-sign Morgan, who is a good fit for their power-based West Coast offense. Morgan, however, likely will test the market in free agency before agreeing to a new deal in San Francisco.
Analysis: Keep an eye on where Morgan ends up in 2012, but he has minimal Fantasy value in the majority of leagues. Morgan is the type of player who is more valuable to his team than Fantasy owners.

Jeremy Shockey
Panthers could bring back Shockey
Jeremy Shockey, TE, CAR
2/13/2012
News: The Charlotte Observer considers re-signing free agent TE Jeremy Shockey a "high priority" this offseason. Shockey was the No. 2 TE for the Panthers behind Greg Olsen, and he had a productive season when he caught 37 passes for 455 yards and four touchdowns and missed only one game to injury.
Analysis: Though not the same receiver he was a decade ago, Shockey still is a dependable target, particularly in the red zone. If his asking price is too high, Panthers could turn to Gary Barnidge, who was having a great 2011 camp before breaking his ankle. Keep an eye on what happens with Shockey, and if he returns to the Panthers as expected he would be a No. 2 Fantasy TE on Draft Day worth a late-round pick in deeper leagues.

 
 
 
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