Week 4: Watch List

Here is a list of players to keep an eye on.

QB Brady Quinn (CLE): Despite getting his first win last week, Derek Anderson still played very poorly. There are rumors swirling that Quinn could be taking over soon. But until we hear otherwise, they are just that: rumors.

QB Jamarcus Russell (OAK): Russell has actually put up decent numbers this year, and his yardage totals are getting better. The Raiders are a run-first team, and we will have to see what happens now with the coaching change, but he might not be a bad backup.

RB Brandon Jackson (GB): Ryan grant is struggling. Jackson has shown some promise, although I think the Packers will stick with Grant for a while longer. Keep an eye on Jackson, though, because if Grant continues to struggle, he will get his chance.

WR Kevin Curtis (PHI): Curtis is not quite ready to return from his sports hernia surgery. Apparently, he practiced last week with the scout team, but it did not go well. It may be another week or two for Curtis.

WR Chris Henry (CIN): The Bengals got a roster exemption for Chris Henry, so they will bring him in and see what he can do. If he is put on the roster, he may be worth an add. But be careful. He is likely out of shape, and with Carson Palmer hurting, he has very little value.

TE Zach Miller (OAK): I liked Miller coming into the season, but the Raiders simply did not throw the ball enough in the first few games to make him a worthwhile start. However, he showed up in week 4 with 5 catches for 95 yards and a TD. I am still not entirely sold on the Raiders passing game, but Miller is one of the better receiving options on the Raiders team.

Week 4: Waiver Wire

Here are some guys you should consider adding to your roster this week if they are available in your league:

QB David Garrard (JAX): People may have dropped Garrard due to his poor start. But he showed last week that he can still be a viable fantasy QB.  He is not consistent enough to be your QB1, but he is worth playing against weaker matchups.

RB Deuce McAllister (NO): Deuce had 20 carries for 78 yards and a TD in his first real action since last season. He was rarely in the game during weeks 1-3, but came on strong in week 4. Grab him and add him if he is available.

RB Michael Bush (OAK): McFadden’s toe injury is still an issue. The coaches in Oakland said they might have not even let him suit up for last game if they did not have issues with depth. Bush has been more productive over the past two games.

RB Mewelde Moore (PIT): Rashard Mendenhall is out for the year. Parker missed week 4, but is expected to be back in week 5. However, if he is not 100%, Moore will get the start. Keep an eye on Parker’s status.

RB Rudi Johnson (DET): Rudi Johnson is officially the starter in Detroit. He will probably not put up numbers like he did during his heyday in Cincy, but he should be a solid guy to add for depth.

WR Lance Moore (NO): I wrote about him last week as a guy to watch, and he blew up with 100+ yards and 2 TDs. If he is still available, grab him now. He should continue to put up some decent numbers, at least until Colston comes back.

WR Arnaz Battle (SF): Battle stepped in for the injured Bryant Johnson and put up 120 yards on 7 catches. Battle could be a good bye-week fill-in as long as he is starting in place of Johnson.

WR Steve Breaston (ARI): I’ve had my eye on him for a few weeks, and he finally broke out last week. Now, with Boldin injured and possibly missing some time, Breaston should become even more involved. And Arizona loves to pass the ball.

TE Owen Daniels (HOU): Daniels had 71 yards in week 3 and another 87 yards in week 4. If Schaub can play like he did last week and not like he did in his first two games, Owens should be a solid TE option going forward.

Week 4: Injury Updates

QB Carson Palmer (CIN): Palmer did not start this weekend due to a sore elbow, which was somewhat of a surprise. And now it appears that his injury might be serious.

QB Aaron Rodgers (GB): Rodgers sprained his shoulder scrambling (which he does way too much). He did throw a TD after hurting his shoulder, but also said that it was very painful. I expect him to play on Sunday.

RB Brian Westbrook (PHI): Westbrook did not play last night against the Bears. He was a game-time decision, though, so he may be ready to go this week against the Redskins. If not, Correll Buckhalter will likely start in his place.

RB Darren McFadden (OAK): Despite what McFadden says, his toe is clearly bothering him. For the second straight game, Michael Bush seemed like the better option at RB. I have never been very high on McFadden, and his lingering toe injury makes me like him even less.

RB Willis McGahee (BAL): McGahee had an eye injury coming into the game, then injured his chest, but returned only to leave again with an unspecified injury. Le’Ron McClain carried the load for the rest of the game, putting up 63 yards and a TD on 16 carries. Even if McGahee is healthy, it is safe to say that McClain will get some touches and likely the goal line carries.

RB Rashard Mendenhall (PIT): Rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall broke a bone in his shoulder on MNF and is out for the season. The Steelers expect Willie Parker to be back next week, but if he is not 100% healthy, add RB Mewelde Moore.

WR Anquan Boldin (ARI): Boldin was knocked unconscious towards the end of the game on Sunday. What initially looked like a much worse injury may end up being a concussion. It is unclear whether he will be ready for next week.

Week 4: Random Thoughts

1. Deuce McAllister looked pretty good in his first serious action of the year.

2. LT looks like himself again (finally).

3. Chad Johnson and Braylon Edwards both had their first TDs of the year (finally).

4. Larry Johnson had a huge day (and was very productive for the second week in a row).

5. I am officially worried about the Packers running game.

6. But Greg Jennings looks like a Pro Bowl WR.

7. Jason Campbell looks like a legitimate fantasy QB.

8. Michael Turner looked very average against another solid defense.

9. Denver has no defense. Which is good for Cutler, Marshall, and Royal.

10. Chris Johnson is for real.

Week 4: Watch List

Here are some names of players to keep an eye on, for various reasons:

RB Le’Ron McClain (BAL): McGahee has been beat up a little this year (most recently, he got poked — or gouged — in the eye), and the Ravens have looked to lean on McClain, rather than Rice. He had 19 carries in week 1, and another 17 in week 2 (including 2 TDs). However, he did miss practice yesterday with a migraine. If he plays, look for him to get about 15-20 touches and some goal line carries.

WR Lance Moore (NO): It seems like every other option in New Orleans is injured. Moore is not big (5-9, 185), but he caught 7 passes last week (which was every one thrown his way). Brees likes to spread the ball around, and apparently has been a big proponent of getting Moore involved in the offense. Keep an eye on him, since Henderson and Meachem have not been very reliable and Patten is slowed by injury.

WR Kevin Curtis (PHI): Curtis has missed the first three weeks of 2008 with a sports hernia, but he is recovering well and could be back in the lineup very soon. I read one report that thought he might be ready as soon as this weekend, but it seems like that is very unlikely. Keep an eye on his progress, though, as he was the Eagle’s leading WR last year.

WR Josh Reed (BUF): Roscoe Parrish will miss this weekend’s game with an injury. Reed has been around the league for awhile but has never really developed into a legitimate fantasy WR. But the Bills are solid on offense, and he could benefit from the attention opposing defenses have to pay to Lee Evans and Marshawn Lynch.

WR Chris Henry (CIN): Chris Henry will not be playing this weekend, but he is scheduled to return from his suspension for week 5. Although it will probably take him a week or two to get into “game shape”, and the Bengals have not been very effective on offense, he is a very talented (albeit apparently very stupid) WR who could have an impact upon his return (particularly with Ocho Cinco struggling).

Week 4 Start/Sit: Good Matchups

The decision to start/sit a player really depends on your alternatives. With that in mind, here are some players/teams with some good matchups this week that I would start:

QB Jay Cutler (DEN), WR Brandon Marshall (DEN): The Broncos play the Chiefs, who have surrendered an average of 26 points per game and over 350 yards. The Broncos are second only to the Cowboys in total yards on offense, which makes this a very good matchup for Cutler and Marshall. Also, RBs Selvin Young and Michael Pittman are probably worth a start.

QB Trent Edwards (BUF), RB Marshawn Lynch (BUF), WR Lee Evans (BUF): The Rams might be the worst team in the NFL. Their defense is giving up almost 39 points and over 450 yards per game.  The Bills quietly have the 13th best offense in the NFL (based on yards), so this presents a very good matchup. Also, consider starting WR Josh Reed if you are having bye week issues. He may see some extra balls with WR Roscoe Parrish out with an injury.

QB JT O’Sullivan (SF), RB Frank Gore (SF): Somewhat surprisingly, the 49ers have the 11th best offense in the NFL (based on yards). JT O’Sullivan has a passer rating of over 100.0, and he seems to be thriving in Mike Martz’s offense. Look for O’Sullivan and Gore to have big days against a porous Saints defense that is ranked 28th in the league, giving up almost 28 points and nearly 400 yards per game.

Week 4 Start/Sit: Bad Matchups

The decision to start/sit a player really depends on your alternatives. With that in mind, here are some players/teams with some bad matchups this week that I would likely sit:

QB Matt Schaub (HOU): Schaub has not been playing well this year (1 TD, 5 INTs in two games), and life does not get any easier this weekend on the road against the Jaguars. Although Jacksonville has not lived up to expectations, they do have a solid defense (ranked 14th). Rookie RB Steve Slaton showed some promise last week, putting up over 100 yards on a tough Tennessee defense, but Schaub still struggled. Unfortunately, when when Schaub struggles, so does WR Andre Johnson struggles. However, you could easily blame Johnson, and not Schaub, for his two dropped potential TD passes last week. And he did still have 10 targets. I own Andre Johnson and I am starting him this week, but I am well aware that I could end up disappointed (again).

QB Ben Roethlisberger (PIT), RB Rashard Mendenhall (PIT): The Steelers are beat up and will be missing starting RB Willie Parker. Although I previously said Mendenhall is worth a roster spot and possibly a start if you are thin at RB, do not expect much from him against a Baltimore defense that has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in over 20 games. Mendenhall will get 20+ carries and could find the endzone, but temper your expectations, particularly with Big Ben’s injuries. Also, remember that the Ravens defense has looked dominant, but it did so against the Bengals and the Browns, teams that are simply struggling in general.

QB Kyle Orton (CHI), RB Matt Forte (CHI), WR Brandon Lloyd (CHI): The Bears have been somewhat surprising on offense this year, behind rookie RB Matt Forte and newly-appointed starting QB Kyle Orton. And last week, WR Brandon Lloyd showed signs of life with his 124-yard, 1 TD performance. But that was against the Bucs, who are not as strong as the Eagles on defense. Look for Philly Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson to blitz Orton, and look for the Philly CBs to shut down Lloyd. Fotre is a better play than Orton or Lloyd, but the Eagles have allowed less than 50 yards per game on the ground this year (best in the NFL).

Week 4: Hot & Cold

Some thoughts on who is hot and who is cold after the first three weeks of the NFL season:

WHO IS HOT?

RB Marion Barber (DAL): Barber is simply a beast. He already has 5 total TDs in just 3 games. He plays for the best offense in the NFL and is nearly impossible to stop near the goal line. I have said it before and I will say it again: I think he will be the top RB in fantasy football this year.

RB Ronnie Brown (MIA): Sure, it was only one game. But his 5 TD performance last weekend was pretty incredible. The Patriots may be struggling, but they still have a pretty solid defense. Brown looks much quicker than expected coming off ACL surgery. And don’t forget, he was leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage last year before his injury.

RB Steve Slaton (HOU): The rookie RB stepped into the starting lineup last weekend against a tough Tennessee defense and rushed for 118 yards (over 6 yards per carry) and a TD. He has been named the starter going into this week, although he faces another tough defense (Jacksonville).

WR Brandon Marshall (DEN): He hauled in 18 passes in his first game back from suspension and is third in the NFL in receiving yards, despite only playing in two games.

TE Jason Witten (DAL): Witten has caught at least 6 passes in each game and is averaging 90 yards per contest. He has not caught a TD yet, but he is still leading all TEs in fantasy points.

WHO IS COLD?

The Browns: Derek Anderson. Braylon Edwards. Kellen Winslow. Jamal Lewis. They are all struggling to match last year’s fantasy output. Their offensive line, which was largely responsible for their improved play last year, has struggled so far in 2008. And unfortunately, their schedule does not get much easier.

QB Ben Roethlisberger (PIT): Big Ben was sacked 8 times by the Eagles and now has an injured hand to go along with his injured shoulder. He says his shoulder is not an issue, but it seems to be impacting his performance. As does the fact that his offensive line is struggling to protect him.

RB Kevin Smith (DET): Rudy Johnson made a pretty solid case (14 carries, 83 yards) last week to become the starting RB in Detroit. As far as I know, he has yet to officially take over as the starter, but Smith only has 3 carries last week and has not looked as good as expected. If nothing else, Rudy will certainly cut into his production.

WR Randy Moss (NE): As we learned while Moss was in Oakland, he can be a very different player depending on who is at QB and how well his team is performing. Most did not expect Moss to match his record-breaking totals from 2007, but without Brady, he may not even get halfway there.

WR Chad Ocho Cinco (CIN): Despite his name change, Chad Johnson has been very disappointing this year. He only has 88 yards (total!) through three games and has not caught a TD. The Bengals have not looked very good this year, although their OT loss to the Giants last week did provide a glimmer of hope.

Waiver Wire

Here are some players who might be available in your league who are worth adding now:

QB JT O’Sullivan (SF): He has played pretty well under Mike Martz, who loves to throw the ball. San Fran is not a great team, but Gore is running well and the offense is improved over last year. He should put up some solid numbers.

QB Jason Campbell (WAS): After struggling against the Giants in week 1, he has put together two solid outings. Portis is running the ball well and Santana Moss has re-emerged as a legitimate weapon at WR.

RB Steve Slaton (HOU): He was named the starter after his performance last week. He plays Jacksonville this week, who has a solid run defense, but he performed well against a very good Titans defense last week.

RB Le’Ron McClain (BAL): Even with Willis McGahee back in action, McClain still had an impressive day. He only had 66 yards, but he did have 2 TDs. I think the Ravens will continue to rotate him in with McGahee.

RB Michael Pittman (DEN): He is the goal line back in Denver, and it looks like they will score a lot of points.

WR Brandon Lloyd (CHI): He put up some surprising numbers last week (100+ yards and a TD) after being fairly quiet for the first two weeks. But there are not many other options in Chicago and Orton has been solid.

WR Antonio Bryant (TB): Bryant finally produced last week, although it took 67 pass attempts from Bucs QB Brien Greise for it to happen. Galloway’s mysterious foot injury could keep him out for a few more games, so Bryant is worth a roster spot as bye weeks start to hit.

Eagles Defense: Some people may have dropped them after the Cowboys put up a ton of points on them. Last week, they had 9 sacks against a pretty solid Pittsburgh team. Defensive Coordinate Jim Johnson loves to blitz, and they have three very good cornerbacks who can defend the pass.

Watch List

Here are some players who I think you should keep an eye on. They are probably not worth a roster spot right now, but keep an eye on them to see if they can consistently perform:

QB Brady Quinn (CLE): Rumors are swirling about Quinn potentially unseating Anderson as the starting QB in Cleveland. Anderson (and the Browns) have really struggled this year, but inserting Quinn into the lineup might give the offense some sorely-need energy. Keep an eye on how this all plays out.

RB Tim Hightower (ARI): He is the goal line back in Arizona, and might even be worth an add for that alone. But more importantly, there are rumors that he could start to take away some carries from Edge.

WR Miles Austin (DAL): I think he got lucky in the game against GB, but Crayton has not looked good this year as the number 2 WR in Dallas. Witten is Romo’s go-to guy on third downs, and TO is the playmaker, but Austin could develop as a pass catcher.

WR Robert Meachem (NO): Colston is out and now Shockey is injured. Patten is even beat up. So there are not a lot of other targets in New Orleans these days. Meachem has not caught many balls, but he has put up some decent yardage totals.