Taking on this task of identifying those over performers and under performers from the previous week of fantasy football is Ryan Hallam's, creator of Fighting Chance Fantasy. So, join Ryan as he takes us through the Week 13 Winners and Losers. And if you have any questions for him, email rhallam@brunoboys.net for Week 13 fantasy advice.
Note: All point projections read in this recap are from standard scoring leagues (non-PPR) and are projections made by the Bruno Boys staff.
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WEEK 13 OVERACHIEVERS
QUARTERBACKS
Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia Eagles) – With the Philly fans having their boos ready, McNabb went out and had them all cheering with his best performance in a LONG time. Donovan was 27/39 for 260 yards and four touchdown passes. He also ran the ball four times for another 24 yards. I thought his projection of 18 was even high, but he blew it out of the water with a big 28 spot.
Hallam's Take: Now before you all get excited and throw McNabb back into your lineup, don't forget this was against the Cardinals who have allowed the most passing touchdowns in the league so far this year with 26 in just 12 games. Before this game McNabb was on the verge of being benched and run out of town, and the remainder of his schedule includes all three division rivals. I'm not sold on McNabb for the rest of '08.
Jay Cutler (Denver Broncos) – In the rain and the wind of NYC (well, actually Jersey)Jay Cutler got his groove back. In beating the red hot Jets Cutler was 27 for 43 for 357 yards and 2 touchdowns with one interception. Cutler was supposed to score just 14 points, but in upsetting the Jets he scored 20.
Hallam's Take: For those of you who have been reading this column all year long you know the man crush that I have on Cutler. The guy has a huge arm, tons of confidence, and a good variety of weapons. He has the big time receiver in Marshall, the speedster in Royal, and the reliable guy in Stokely. Now if he only had a run game…..the possibilities could be endless.
Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) – The Ravens kept the Bengals in their expected downward spiral in Week 13 as they dominated them in every facet of the game. Flacco had another great game, completing 19 of 29 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns. The rookie also protected the ball well and didn't turn it over on his way to a 19 point day, while being projected for just 12.
Hallam's Take: For a while it seemed that Flacco was just "managing the game" and not really a reason the Ravens were winning. Now twelve games into his rookie season it is obvious this kid has what it takes to be an NFL quarterback. Will he ever be an elite point scorer? Probably not, but he can be someone who is a fantasy starter in the coming years.
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RUNNING BACKS
Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia Eagles) – Westbrook torched the Cardinals like it was the L.A. Riots, seemingly scoring at will. He ran the ball 22 times for 110 yards and scored twice on the ground, and caught three passes for 20 yards and two of them went for touchdowns. Westbrook had a modest projection of 13 points, but was the best surprise by tripling his projection and scoring 37.
Hallam's Take: Brian "Game Time Decision" Westbrook is loved in fantasy circles because of games like this. I am not a fan of Westbrook because of his incredible inability to stay healthy, hence the nickname. He gives his fantasy owners ulcers as they wait EVERY SINGLE WEEK to see if their star running back will be available. If you have a strong stomach, then Westbrook is for you. I prefer a more consistent option.
DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers) — Williams had another career game in Week 13, perhaps his third or fourth career game this season. DeAngelo is the absolute starter in Carolina and was magnificent as he ran the ball 21 times for 72 yards and four rushing touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 14 yards. Williams scored a whopping 32 points, while being projected for just 13.
Hallam's Take: I really thought that Johnathan Stewart would have been the starter by the midpoint of the season back in August. However, about five or six weeks ago it was obvious that he was not going to give up that role this year. I'm not sure what to expect in 2009, but for the rest of the year Williams better be in your lineup every week.
Chris Johnson/LenDale White (Tennessee Titans) — The best running back tandem in the NFL had another signature game even if it was against the Lions. Johnson ran 16 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns with five catches for 66 yards. White ran throughout garbage time, and had 23 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns of his own. White was projected for 12 points but scored 22, while Johnson was expected to have 19 points and had 30.
Hallam's Take: Even though White had some stupid things to say after the loss to the Jets, you have to start either of these guys if they are on your roster. White will let you down if he doesn't score as he doesn't normally amass many yards, but Johnson is the real deal and should be a superstar for years to come.
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WIDE RECEIVERS
Mark Clayton (Baltimore Ravens) — Who saw this game coming? Clayton was perhaps the week's best performer as he caught five passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Even more amazing was Clayton threw a 32 yard touchdown pass as well. Clayton's projection was a reasonable three points, but this explosion was good for 28 fantasy points.
Hallam's Take: If you are in need of a wide receiver going down the stretch I would give Clayton a look. Flacco is improving and Clayton was a former first round pick. It goes without saying not to expect another game like this, but this is two straight games over 75 receiving yards so he could have some value down the stretch.
Bernard Berrian (Minnesota Vikings) — Berrian will forever live in NFL history as he has the longest pass reception ever with the 99 yard touchdown catch that he had against the Bears. After struggling for two weeks Berrian bounced back in a huge way, with four catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Berrian was expected to have six points, but whipped that by scoring 18.
Hallam's Take: Berrian probably shouldn't be any higher than a third receiver on your roster if your team hopes to be successful. The Vikings pass game is very inconsistent and isn't one that I would want to count on each week as an important part of my puzzle. That being said, you can do far worse than Berrian at the end of your roster as you go down the stretch.
Eddie Royal (Denver Broncos) — Royal is the best rookie receiver this season and he had another great game against the Jets in Week 13. Eddie had five catches for 84 yards and a touchdown as he continues to be a reliable target for Jay Cutler. His 15 points were more than double his projection of seven points.
Hallam's Take: Royal has been slightly inconsistent this season, but overall he has been a great find for those lucky to pluck him early out of free agency. He is the deep threat for the Broncos and a great return man as well. Royal is an every week starter, and looks to be a great guy for those of you in keeper leagues as well.
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TIGHT ENDS
Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) — Witten is a whole new man with Tony Romo back behind center and it definitely showed on Thursday. Back among the elite, Witten grabbed nine passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Witten had one of the higher projections for tight ends with 13 points, but he was even able to surpass that with the 17 he scored on Thanksgiving.
Hallam's Take: If Boldin gave his fantasy owners nothing to be thankful for on Thursday, Witten gave his fantasy owners a great start to a really important week. While Romo has been under center this season, Witten has had at least six catches in every game. So, unless Romo gets injured again, Witten goes back to being the best tight end in fantasy football.
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KICKERS
Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans) — The Titans kicker has been one of the best this season as the team has scored a decent number of points, but at times has struggled to always punch the ball into the end zone. He was a huge source of fantasy points this week against the Lions as he connected on four field goals and five extra points. His 17 points nearly doubled the ten point projection he was given before the week started.
Hallam's Take: Bironas has missed just three of 27 field goal attempts this season, and they were all at least 40 yards in length. Your team is in good hands if Bironas is your kicker as he is on one of the best teams in football and he rarely misses.
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TEAM DEFENSE
Denver Broncos (1 star) — They might have not been the best fantasy defense of the week, but given their projection, Denver was spectacular. Against the Jets, the Broncos gave up 17 points had an interception, two sacks, and one fumble that was returned for a touchdown.
Hallam's Take: Denver's defense has been horrible but they stepped up big against the Jets. They have been ravaged by injuries to key players this year and it has really hurt them. They may have come through this week, but if you have any desire to win this week, try to find a better option than Denver.
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WEEK 13 UNDERACHIEVERS
QUARTERBACKS
Brett Favre (New York Jets) — You knew the Jets were not going to win their last ten games of the season, there had to be a bump in the road somewhere. Wet weather and a surprising Denver defense kept Favre under wraps, as he was just 23 of 43 for 247 yards, no touchdowns and a pick. He was projected to be the top scorer at the quarterback position with 24 points, but was able to muster only seven.
Hallam's Take: Favre had been playing at an ultra-high level the last four weeks or so. This is a vastly different offense than he was running in Green Bay, one that focuses on the run and short passes. Favre won't be an elite scorer, but it seems more times than not he should be a solid starter for your team. The Jets' schedule down the stretch isn't exactly Murderer's Row.
Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) – Rivers and the Chargers are now officially out of the playoff race. Well, they might not be mathematically eliminated yet, but their latest lost puts them way behind the eight ball. In a game his team had to have Rivers came up very small. He was 17 of 30 for 149 yards and ran four times for 18 yards. He did not throw a touchdown or an interception, and scored six fantasy points, far short of his 24 point projection.
Hallam's Take: After leading the league in TD passes for much of the year, Rivers now has just two in the last three weeks. You should have expected this downturn in production. Not only was his team horrible, but Rivers has never been a guy who had threatened to throw 40 touchdowns. He still is already setting a career high with 23, but I would expect him to go back to this three score a game pattern he was on to start the season.
Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) — The Colts don't care about style points, they just need the wins. They didn't need Peyton to lead them to victory this week, which was a pretty good thing because he did not have a good game statistically. Manning was just 15 of 21 for 125 yards. He failed to throw a touchdown, but did have two passes intercepted. His one fantasy point was a crushing blow to his owners, they were expecting 21.
Hallam's Take: Peyton has spent more time on this bust list this season than ever before. I don't think you can say that it has anything to do with the offseason knee surgery anymore, but I'm not a doctor. Even though he is having a down year, Manning is a guy that you start every single week, unless you have someone like Warner or Cutler on your team too.
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RUNNING BACKS
Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) — It was just an all around struggle for the Indy offense in Week 13 against the Brownies and Addai was no different. Addai ran 15 times for only 57 yards. Usually a good receiver out of the backfield, he only caught one pass for six yards and lost a fumble. Although he was projected for a solid 18 points, Addai came up with only three
Hallam's Take: Still one of my favorite backs in the league, it has been a tough year all around for Addai. It is obvious that you have to lower your expectations for him this season because of injuries to both Addai and his offensive line. I believe he will be back to his elite status in 2009, but for the rest of this year it appears he will be a #2 back at best.
Frank Gore (San Francisco 49ers) — It was an ugly Sunday in Buffalo if you are someone who likes offense, or even well played football. There were only 13 combined points between San Francisco and Buffalo and Gore struggled again. Gore carried 24 times for only 66 yards and caught three passes for 23 yards. That doesn't get you a lot of points, but the killer was that Gore also lost two fumbles. The projection may have been a bit high at 17 points considering the Bills' defense is tough at home, but no one expected Gore to come up with only four points.
Hallam's Take:
Ryan Grant (Green Bay Packers) — The Pack lost a tough game to Carolina this week, and Grant didn't do much to contribute to the Green Bay offense. He toted the ball just 12 times, and gained only 39 yards . No one expected a huge game out of Grant with a projection of 12 points, but he even disappointed that guess with only three points.
Hallam's Take: Grant didn't even see the field much in the fourth quarter as second year man Brandon Jackson got a good amount of carries. He obviously hasn't been what we hoped coming into the season given his finish to 2007, but Grant has still been a viable fantasy player. He hadn't been under 65 yards rushing since Week 4, so he is still someone you can put in your lineup.
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WIDE RECEIVERS
Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts) — Are all the Colts on the bust list? The answer: Yes! Wayne caught just four passes for 46 yards and his four points were a far cry from his 14 point projections.
Hallam's Take: Just like the rest of the Colts offense all of your expectations have to be pushed back some. Wayne is far too talented to bench, however, and you have to have him in your lineup every single week.
Brandon Marshall (Denver Broncos) — Against a susceptible Jets' secondary Marshall was unable to make the big play or get into the end zone. He did catch five passes but it was for only 55 yards. He was projected for a good game with 15 points, but was able to score only five.
Hallam's Take: Another elite receiver who had a rough game, Marshall is one of the best young receivers in all of the NFL and is an absolute must start every week especially given the offensive potential of his team and the strong arm that his quarterback possesses.
Anquan Boldin (Arizona Cardinals) — The Cardinals were completely blown out by the Eagles on Thanksgiving and Boldin didn't give his fantasy owners anything to be thankful for. He was only able to catch five passes for 63 yards and lost a fumble. Boldin scored just four fantasy points, but was tapped to be one of the better receivers with a 17 point projection.
Hallam's Take: Even the best receivers have a poor game every once in a while and this was the worst game of the season for Boldin. He is an amazing talent and is probably Kurt Warner's favorite targets. You are CRAZY if you ever play a week without Boldin in your lineup.
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TIGHT ENDS
Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers) — With Rivers' play going in the toilet, Gates' production can't be far behind. In a game that could have kept San Diego in playoff contention, Gates came up short of what was expected of him. He caught just three passes for 27 yards, and with just two fantasy points he was a far cry from the 13 that was projected for him.
Hallam's Take: Given the fact that most fantasy leagues have 12 teams and there are about five or six consistent fantasy options at tight ends, if you have Gates what else can you do but throw him out there. Oh sure, he will still give you a great game every now and then, but to expect the kind of production that you have gotten from him in the past is unrealistic.
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KICKERS
Shaun Suisham (Washington Redskins) — What can you say? When your team faces the Giants you can bet that the kicker won't get a lot of chances to score. Suisham only kicked one extra point, and the one field goal attempt he got, he missed from 42 yards away.
Hallam's Take: Not too much to say here. Suisham has been very inconsistent as he has already missed ten field goal attempts this season, but the Redskins just don't score enough points for you to expect consistent points from him.
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TEAM DEFENSE
New York Jets (4 stars) — After winning five straight games, often thanks to their defense, New York's defense finally threw up a bomb as they gave up 34 points to the Denver Broncos. Not only did they give up far too many points, but the failed to sack Jay Cutler, didn't force any fumbles, and only came up with one interception. They were projected to be a four star defense, but performed like a one star unit.
Hallam's Take: I have been blowing the horn of the Jets defense for two months now, but there had to be a hiccup somewhere along the way. Don't put too much stock into this bad game. They are still nasty against the run, and force a good number of turnovers. If you can play the Jets defense every week you are in good shape heading into the playoffs.
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WEEK 14 RANKINGS (click to view)
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Kickers
Team Defenses
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Also read: Fantasy Football Start Em & Sit Em - Week 14
Also read: Fantasy Football Week 13 Waiver Wire Advice
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