First Response: What does Favre have to do?

Senior Fantasy Writer

Nov. 29, 2009

Enough is enough. It's time to start Brett Favre in all leagues.

What more does Favre have to do? When will Fantasy owners finally give in and use him as their No. 1 quarterback?

Coming into Week 12 against Chicago, Favre was started in just 57 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com. He was only the No. 5 quarterback in standard-scoring leagues, ahead of Matt Schaub, Tony Romo, Kurt Warner, Philip Rivers and Donovan McNabb, among others.

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He then went out and passed for 392 yards and three touchdowns against the Bears. For the season, Favre has 2,774 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has as many passing touchdowns as Peyton Manning with eight fewer interceptions. He could end up with more Fantasy points than Tom Brady and Drew Brees depending on what happens Monday night.

The reason Favre's start percentage isn't at 100 percent is likely because the owners of Manning, Brees, Brady, Rivers, Warner and Aaron Rodgers don't want to bench these guys for Favre, which is understandable. But at some point you're going to realize Favre is putting up similar if not better stats. His outing Sunday was his third game with at least 30 Fantasy points in his past four games.

No one expected Favre to play at this level. He's 40 and looked awful last year with the Jets. But he's rebounded to have an MVP season with the Vikings and should get credit for his outstanding season.

The Vikings have an amazing offensive line, which has helped Favre avoid pressure, and he has turned the Vikings receivers into stars. Percy Harvin (six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown), Sidney Rice (six catches for 89 yards), Bernard Berrian (six catches for 74 yards) and Visanthe Shiancoe (five catches for 51 yards and a touchdown) all played well against the Bears.

Favre's play has even overshadowed Adrian Peterson. Look, it's eight paragraphs into this column on his first reference. Peterson had 25 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 18 yards against Chicago, but he had another lost fumble.

Even with Peterson's outstanding talent, it's easy to see the Vikings aren't afraid to turn Favre loose. He's no longer just a caretaker of the offense as he showed earlier this season, and the Vikings aren't worried about him throwing the ball 48 times like he did Sunday.

Since the trade deadline has passed in the majority of Fantasy leagues, you are stuck with Favre. So stop waiting for him to collapse like what we saw last year with the Jets. That's not going to happen again. The Vikings are a better team, and he's in a better situation.

Favre should finish the season strong, and it's time to use him. He is one of the top Fantasy quarterbacks this year.

Let's take a look around at the rest of the Week 12 action.

Start of the Week review: Jason Snelling was relegated to a backup role when the Falcons made the decision to start Michael Turner against Tampa Bay. The move might have backfired for Atlanta with Turner re-injuring his high ankle sprain and leaving the game. Snelling finished with only four carries for 8 yards and lost a fumble. He was outplayed by Turner (12 carries for 33 yards) and Jerious Norwood (six carries for 22 yards and two catches for 28 yards and a touchdown), who returned for this game also after being out with a hip injury. When we made the decision to use Snelling as the Start of the Week on Tuesday, we anticipated Turner would miss the game. The Falcons, after seeing Turner go down, probably wish they gave him another week to rest because now he could be out even longer.

Sit of the Week review: Matt Forte has been one of the biggest Fantasy disappointments this year, and he had a tough matchup against the Vikings. Minnesota held Forte in check with eight carries for 27 yards and four catches for 34 yards. Forte should get back on track with an outstanding matchup in Week 13 against St. Louis, and hopefully he can finish the season strong. The Bears need to realize that Forte needs at least 20 touches to be successful and take pressure off Jay Cutler (147 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions), who also had another bad game against the Vikings.

Insane stat line of the day: When Julius Jones (chest) first got injured two weeks ago, we were waiting for Justin Forsett's matchup with St. Louis in Week 12. He didn't let us down. Forsett had 22 carries for 130 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams and proved to be a starting Fantasy option. Jones was trying to return this week, so keep an eye on his status for Week 13 against San Francisco. But if Jones is out again then Forsett would remain as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy running back or flex option against the 49ers.

Out-of-nowhere stat line of the day: We had Vince Young as a sleeper with his matchup against the Cardinals, but he far exceeded our expectations. Young was 27 of 43 passing for a career-high 387 yards and the game-winning touchdown to Kenny Britt on the final play. Young is now 5-0 as a starter this season and has posted some solid Fantasy performances the past couple of weeks. Young should definitely be added to your scout team, and hopefully he can continue to play at this level for the rest of the year. Once again, he beat Matt Leinart with a game-winning drive.

Guy we were way right about: I loved the Bills matchup against the Dolphins this week, especially for Terrell Owens and Fred Jackson. Owens, as you can read in the latest version of Press Box View, is starting to play well and had five catches for 96 yards and a touchdown Sunday. He now has two touchdowns and almost 300 receiving yards in his past two games. And as we suggested in our recent Playing the Waiver Wire, Jackson had the chance to shine against Miami with Marshawn Lynch dealing with an injured shoulder. Jackson had 15 carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns and five catches for 43 yards against the Dolphins.

Guy we were way wrong about: Matt Hasselbeck didn't help Fantasy owners Sunday with all his handoffs to Forsett. Hasselbeck was only 14 of 25 passing for 102 yards at St. Louis. Along with that, Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh struggled against the Rams with a combined six catches for 60 yards. We'll see if the Seahawks passing game can rebound next week against the 49ers.

Overachieving defense of the week: The 49ers and Jets defense get a tie this week. The 49ers had a tremendous game against the Jaguars in a 20-3 victory. San Francisco had six sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. The Jets, meanwhile, had four interceptions on Jake Delhomme, including one returned for a touchdown from Darrelle Revis, who locked down Steve Smith for two catches and 2 yards. The Jets also sacked Delhomme three times in a 17-6 victory and held DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to a combined 75 rushing yards.

Underachieving defense of the week: The Eagles had the Redskins at home, and you had to figure that would mean plenty of sacks and turnovers from Jason Campbell. While the Eagles had two interceptions from Asante Samuel, Philadelphia managed only one sack and allowed 24 points. It wasn't the kind of dominating game you hoped the Eagles DST would have against such a miserable offensive opponent.

Names to add to your scout team ...

Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback, Buffalo (246 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception, 50 rushing yards and one touchdown against Miami)
Josh Freeman, quarterback, Tampa Bay (250 passing yards, two touchdowns and 14 rushing yards at Atlanta)
Matt Leinart, quarterback, Arizona (220 passing yards at Tennessee)
Chris Redman, quarterback, Atlanta (243 passing yards and two touchdowns against Tampa Bay)
Chris Brown, running back, Houston (56 rushing yards, 20 receiving yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis)
Jason Avant, wide receiver, Philadelphia (five catches for 94 yards against Washington)
Kenny Britt, wide receiver, Tennessee (seven catches, 128 yards and a touchdown against Arizona)
Antonio Bryant, wide receiver, Tampa Bay (three catches, 91 yards and a touchdown at Atlanta)
Malcom Floyd, wide receiver, San Diego (three catches for 85 yards against Kansas City)

Injury alerts ...

Matt Ryan, toe, considered questionable for Week 13 against Philadelphia
Eli Manning, foot, considered questionable for Week 13 against Dallas
Michael Turner, ankle, considered questionable for Week 13 against Philadelphia
Danny Ware, concussion, considered questionable for Week 13 against Dallas
DeSean Jackson, concussion, considered questionable for Week 13 at Atlanta
Eddie Royal, thigh, considered questionable for Week 13 at Kansas City
Michael Clayton, knee, considered questionable for Week 13 at Carolina
Jordy Nelson, shoulder, considered questionable for Week 13 vs. Baltimore
Brent Celek, hand, considered questionable for Week 13 at Atlanta

The last word: Cedric Benson (hip) missed his second game in a row for the Bengals, and Larry Johnson got the opportunity he was waiting for against the Browns. Johnson had 22 carries for 107 yards while sharing carries with Bernard Scott, who also played well with 18 carries for 87 yards.

Benson was expected to return for this game, but the Bengals (unlike the Falcons) did the right thing to keep him out. If Benson remains out in Week 13 against Detroit then Johnson and Scott would be worth starting.

This was Johnson's first 100-yard game since Week 16 last year. He is worth adding if he's still available because it appears like the Bengals will use him as long as Benson is injured.

What stood out to you this week? How did your Fantasy teams do? Drop us a line and tell us about it at dmfantasyfootball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Week 12 in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state and we'll respond to as many as e-mails we can.

Griffin to be ready by camp?
Robert Griffin III, QB, WAS
11:54 AM

News: Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan suggested Thursday that quarterback Robert Griffin III has a chance to be ready for the start of training camp. "We're hoping," he said. "He's working extremely hard." Shanahan also said he wouldn't be comfortable starting Griffin without some offseason or preseason work. Griffin was spotted by NFL Network dropping back on passes to receivers while wearing a helmet along with a brace on his right knee on Thursday.

Analysis: It would be incredible for RG3 to be ready to go by late July, less than seven months after getting hurt. If the Redskins approach the injury with the long-term picture in mind then they might not rush him back unless they were convinced he was totally healthy. That seems risky, but for now any positive progress is great for prospective Fantasy owners. Here's a gameplan: Draft Griffin with a pick in Round 7 or 8 and pair him with Carson Palmer in the final rounds. Palmer has a great early-season schedule and the Cardinals take on the Panthers in Week 5 when the Redskins are on bye. We'll keep you posted on RG3.

Shanahan: Garcon had chest surgery
Pierre Garcon, WR, WAS
1:41 PM

News: Mike Shanahan disclosed Thursday that wide receiver Pierre Garcon had chest surgery this offseason. It appears he's not a candidate to miss any serious playing time, however. "I think he's really unbelievable. He's come back so fast ..." Shanahan said of his receiver. "lifting weights he shouldn't be able to lift."

Analysis: Garcon is also still battling a toe injury that capsized much of his first year in D.C. As long as he's healthy for the start of the season he's got plenty of upside to offer Fantasy owners. Garcon finished last year averaging 14.4 yards per catch, the second-highest average in his career, but he had a four-year-low 44 receptions with a three-year-worst four scores. Staying healthy is obviously the most important thing he can do to keep him relevant in Fantasy Football but one recurrence of the injury could wipe out several games. If he can stay upright -- and assuming quarterback Robert Griffin III is healthy with his knee -- Garcon can be considered a solid No. 2 Fantasy receiver worth a mid-round pick.

Casey has knee surgery
James Casey, TE, PHI
11:42 AM

News: USA Today reports that Eagles tight end James Casey will undergo arthroscopic surgery to clean out loose cartilage his right knee and will be out of action for the rest of the spring. A team spokesman said Casey should be ready to go by the start of training camp. Casey signed a three-year deal with $14.5 million as one of the first additions for the Eagles in a busy opening few days in free agency. The former Texans fullback/tight end is expected to play a key role in coach Chip Kelly's offense.

Analysis: Casey had career-highs with 34 receptions, 330 yards and three touchdowns last year, numbers that could spike with the Eagles because of the expected design of the offense and the up-tempo style that will result in more snaps. Like any player getting used to Kelly's offense, Casey would surely benefit from more reps through the rest of organized team activities and minicamp, so being sidelined for the next month isn't ideal. Still, if all goes as well as planned, Casey should get plenty of time on the field in July and August as long as he's healthy. He's not worth drafting in most leagues, but Casey is someone to monitor as a potential waiver wire addition if he's fine as expected following this procedure.

Manning to CBS: My arm is stronger
Peyton Manning, QB, DEN
11:34 AM

News: In an exclusive Q&A with CBSSports.com NFL Columnist Pete Prisco, Peyton Manning admitted to being nervous about his arm as far back as June 2011 when he had a hard time throwing at all, then again last season when he forced some things in a road game at Atlanta. But a year removed from rehabbing his arm, Manning sounds confident in his skills. "I feel much more comfortable than I was last year. I am stronger than I was last year. I am throwing the ball better now in May of 2013 than I did in May of 2012 -- significantly better," he said. "I got better throughout the season. I am not doing the monthly update reports anymore. I am past that."

Analysis: The Broncos will attempt to move into a more up-tempo approach this season and added Wes Welker to an already stacked receiving corps. Manning should be in for a very good season, perhaps even better than the one he had last year. Manning is a candidate for 300 yards and at least two scores every week. He should be considered an elite passer worth a pick between the middle of Round 2 and the end of Round 3, depending on your league's size and scoring system.

Richardson sits out of practice
Trent Richardson, RB, CLE
10:57 AM

News: The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports running back Trent Richardson is sitting out OTA practice Thursday with a lower leg muscle pull. At this point the injury is not believed to be serious.

Analysis: The Browns can't take chances with their prized running back, particularly since he'll be featured in an offense that will lean heavily on him. Richardson established himself as one of the top young running backs in the league last season with 267 carries for 950 yards with 11 touchdowns and another 51 catches for 367 yards and a score. He should be able to better those stats this season as long as he's healthy. You're taking him with a Top 5 pick.

Welker expects catches to drop
Wes Welker, WR, DEN
10:55 AM

News: The Denver Post reports that new Broncos receiver Wes Welker doesn't expect to reach his average for receptions, which was 112 over the past six seasons with the Patriots. "If I have to catch 112 balls, that probably means we're in trouble," Welker said. "(The catches) are not the goal," Welker said. "The goal is to go out there and help your team win games. However many catches that is, however many blocks that takes, however many routes I've got to run, whatever. I think we all feel the same way about that." The report says that in New England, the Patriots don't feature their outside receivers. In recent years, they have become a tight end-slot attack. Not so the Broncos. For all the questions about Peyton Manning's arm strength last year, he threw enough outside the numbers to help Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker develop into one of the NFL's top receiver tandems. "I mean, we have two really good guys. We can't ignore them," Welker said. "If one guy is catching 112 balls, the defense is focusing in on that guy. We want defenses focusing on everybody and having to worry about everybody. That was one of the main reasons I came here."

Analysis: Now, before you downgrade Welker, keep in mind it's not like the plan calls for him to go from 112 catches to 50. Manning won't forget his friends, but he won't ignore the new guy, either. Welker's Fantasy value definitely takes a hit going from New England to Denver, but he remains a solid No. 2 Fantasy receiver worth a pick in Round 4 or 5 in standard leagues. In PPR formats, look for Welker to be drafted as early as Round 3 since he should still be around 85-plus catches despite the drop-off with the Broncos.

Harvin to get time at running back
Percy Harvin, WR, SEA
10:46 AM

News: The Seattle Times reports that new Seattle receiver Percy Harvin is already making an impact. "His talent level is unbelievable, off the charts," said quarterback Russell Wilson. "He brings an explosive mentality to the game, which a lot of our guys already have. But to have him is truly tremendous. He's a guy that's been one of the best football players in the National Football League for the past several years." Harvin, 24, has averaged 1,800 total yards in four seasons and was on pace for 2,400 yards in 2012 — which would have led the NFL — before an ankle injury ended his season. In those nine games, he had 62 catches — 12 more than any Seahawk — for 677 yards. He also had 96 yards rushing and 574 yards on kickoff returns, including a 105-yard touchdown return. The Seahawks plan to use him similarly. He'll likely line up in the slot as his regular spot, but figures to get used outside, as well, and should see his share of handoffs and kickoff returns. "I'll be moving around — pretty much all around," said Harvin. "There'll be a little bit of running back coming up. But right now, we're just trying to get the foundation set, just running the base plays, and we'll see where it goes from there."

Analysis: We're excited about Harvin in Seattle because he should be able to remain highly involved on offense with better talent around him. Harvin remains a solid No. 1 Fantasy receiver, and he's worth drafting in Round 3 or 4 in the majority of leagues, especially if he continues to see time in the backfield.

Rodgers: Cobb could catch 100 passes
Randall Cobb, WR, GB
10:37 AM

News: ESPN reports that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has high expectations for third-year receiver Randall Cobb this season. Last year, Cobb made an enormous jump in his second NFL season. With Greg Jennings out with a torn abdominal muscle, Cobb played 733 snaps and caught a team-high 80 passes for 954 yards and added eight touchdowns. Rodgers thinks Cobb can do more. "I think Randall Cobb is a guy who could be a 100-plus catch guy every year," Rodgers said.

Analysis: We don't think Rodgers is far off with Cobb, who could take the next step in his career in his third season. The Packers as a team have high expectations for Cobb, and we like him as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy option. Plan on drafting Cobb in Round 4 in the majority of leagues, with his value slightly higher in PPR formats.

Williams played 'scared' in '12
Ryan Williams, RB, ARI
10:08 AM

News: Cardinals running back Ryan Williams told the Arizona Republic that he was more concerned about his knee than his play last season, saying he played scared. Williams came back from a torn patella tendon suffered in 2011 and wasn't ready for the physical punishment that comes with playing running back. Per the story, he got nervous when then-quarterback Kevin Kolb would call '39 toss' because it exposed his right side and his injured knee. The lack of confidence left him "pretty much scared all last year to get the ball in my hands." He added hurting his shoulder was a "blessing" because it allowed him time to get his knee feeling good. Now he says he's not scared anymore. "This is the healthiest I've felt in the past two years," Williams said. "It feels good to be able to run like myself, instinctive and not having to think about what I’m doing, just going out and doing it. I've been working real hard, so things are looking good. My stars are aligned this year."

Analysis: In the story coach Bruce Arians noted that Williams has his mobility back and is someone to watch when the pads come on. Williams has to fight for playing time after the Cardinals drafted Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington and signed Rashard Mendenhall. For now he's no better than a late-round flier but if he looks good in camp and runs with confidence then we could see him getting a decent amount of work.

Harbaugh: Crabtree will play in '13
Michael Crabtree, WR, SF
8:45 AM

News: 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh indicated that Michael Crabtree's torn right Achilles will not cost him the entire season. With surgery already done, it is believed Crabtree will return within six months. Linebacker Patrick Willis said Crabtree went down after making a "simple, normal cut" after going in motion and before starting his route during 7 on 7 drills. "Crab is one of those tough guys. He can get hit hard, and he'll bounce right back up," Willis told the San Jose Mercury News. "Yesterday he stayed down a little longer than normal. You say a little prayer and hope it wasn't as bad as it looked. Unfortunately it is."

Analysis: Crabtree was expected to post ridiculous numbers in 2013 after becoming Colin Kaepernick's go-to receiver last year and his promise to dedicate himself to being the Niners' top receiver this year. Eventually he should return and contribute to the Niners but the earliest it seems he could be back is Week 12 at Washington. If you draft Crabtree with what would now be a late-round pick, you'd have to dedicate a bench spot to him for most of the regular season with no guarantee you'd get him in your lineup at 100 percent, if at all. We'd rather spend the same late-round pick on Anquan Boldin or maybe even A.J. Jenkins knowing both will see a lot of work in San Francisco with Crabtree sidelined.

More Updates

1	Peyton Manning, DEN, QB
2	Drew Brees, NO, QB
3	Tony Romo, DAL, QB
4	Cam Newton, CAR, QB
5	Tom Brady, NE, QB
6	Aaron Rodgers, GB, QB
7	Robert Griffin III, WAS, QB
8	Russell Wilson, SEA, QB
9	Andrew Luck, IND, QB
10	Michael Vick, PHI, QB
All Rankings

1	Adrian Peterson, MIN, RB
2	C.J. Spiller, BUF, RB
3	Marshawn Lynch, SEA, RB
4	Alfred Morris, WAS, RB
5	Frank Gore, SF, RB
6	Arian Foster, HOU, RB
7	DeMarco Murray, DAL, RB
8	Jamaal Charles, KC, RB
9	Stevan Ridley, NE, RB
10	LeSean McCoy, PHI, RB
All Rankings

1	Calvin Johnson, DET, WR
2	Dez Bryant, DAL, WR
3	Demaryius Thomas, DEN, WR
4	Brandon Marshall, CHI, WR
5	Wes Welker, DEN, WR
6	Eric Decker, DEN, WR
7	Reggie Wayne, IND, WR
8	Steve Smith, CAR, WR
9	Victor Cruz, NYG, WR
10	Marques Colston, NO, WR
All Rankings

1	Rob Gronkowski, NE, TE
2	Antonio Gates, SD, TE
3	Aaron Hernandez, NE, TE
4	Jason Witten, DAL, TE
5	Greg Olsen, CAR, TE
6	Jimmy Graham, NO, TE
7	Tony Gonzalez, ATL, TE
8	Dwayne Allen, IND, TE
9	Kyle Rudolph, MIN, TE
10	Delanie Walker, TEN, TE
All Rankings

1	Matt Prater, DEN, K
2	Stephen Gostkowski, NE, K
3	Shaun Suisham, PIT, K
4	Adam Vinatieri, IND, K
5	Blair Walsh, MIN, K
6	Nick Novak, SD, K
7	Garrett Hartley, NO, K
8	Jason Hanson, DET, K
9	Mason Crosby, GB, K
10	Josh Brown, NYG, K
All Rankings

1	Steelers, DST
2	49ers, DST
3	Broncos, DST
4	Chargers, DST
5	Seahawks, DST
6	Bengals, DST
7	Bills, DST
8	Patriots, DST
9	Texans, DST
10	Packers, DST
All Rankings