FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 14
BENCH/START WRAP-UP
December 12, 2006
There isn’t much to say about this week except that a lot was on the line because of the fantasy playoffs and we were happy to give you a load of great calls. Not every week can be this good, but it sure doesn’t hurt when a week like this hits at just the right time. There are too many good calls to name here, so you might as well jump right to the wrap up. Each and every week we own up to our calls both good and bad, so it is with great pleasure we present to you the week 14 bench / start wrap up.
Nostradamus (a.k.a. psychic)
Start:
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAX – We told you that the Colts run D was putrid and that was no exaggeration. Both Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor had great weeks against the Colts, but Jones-Drew had the biggest game. He tallied up 166 yards rushing, 15 yards receiving, and 122 return yards, 2 rushing TDs, and 1 kick return for a TD. Even if your league doesn’t get points for the return game, Jones-Drew had a big time game at the best time of the season.
Vince Young, QB, TEN – We thought that Young would play big in his home town because he would essentially treat this game as a big game. Young did just that with 218 yards passing, only 1 INT, 86 yards rushing, and a game winning 39 yard TD run. Young looked great and he was a great start. If you watch the game on reply, you will see Texans fans screaming, “How could we pass on Reggie Bush AND Vince Young?”
Ladell Betts, RB, WAS – We gave you examples of how the Eagles give up big games to RBs. Betts kept that trend alive and well with 171 yards rushing (the most in his career) and 14 yards receiving. Yes, a TD would have been nice, but this was a great game from a player that has turned up big in the fantasy playoffs before. If you want the heads up for week 15, Tiki Barber will be taking on this same Eagles defense. Maybe Barber is thinking about riding into the sunset with a bang (his fantasy owners sure hope he does just that).
Travis Henry, RB, TEN – We said this about Henry, “Look for Henry to get around 18 carries and 2 receptions this week. We feel like his total yards will be close to 100 with a decent chance for a TD.” Well, Henry had 20 carries with 2 receptions and his total yards were 95. That is a pretty on the money prediction. Oh yeah, he also scored 2 TDs. Henry was a great player to have in your lineup week 14.
Matt Hasselbeck, QB, SEA – Hasselbeck had a terrible performance week 13, but we told you to stick with “The Hass.” He did not disappoint with 243 yards passing, 32 yards rushing, only 1 fumble, and 3 TD passes. Hasselbeck was one of the best QB starts in week 14 not named Brees. Hasselbeck also found Darrell Jackson for one of those scores as we mentioned in our start prediction.
Donald Driver, WR, GB – Driver was a great start call. He dropped 160 yards receiving and a 68 yard TD reception. This was an awesome game from Driver.
Devery Henderson, WR, NO – Henderson had a terrible, TERRIBLE week 13 performance, so starting him was a risky call. This was especially true because of the threat of Marques Colston getting back into the lineup. We wrote this about Henderson, “Henderson excels in what the Cowboys are susceptible to … the deep pass. Roy Williams is great at stopping the run for the Cowboys, but Henderson should be able to blow right past him for a big play or two.” If you watched this game and you needed points from Henderson, you were probably sweating it out when Colston was getting all of the looks early in the game and Henderson was barley even on the field. Henderson did get a 3 yard reverse, but that was hardly going to get him into your good graces. Later Henderson had a nice 10 (or so) yard reception that was called back because of a penalty. The Saints kept everything close to the line of scrimmage with Reggie Bush dumps, quick hits to Colston, and a steady diet of runs against the Cowboys. Finally, Brees fired a long shot down the field to Henderson in the end zone, but Bress threw it out of bounds. However, we told you that Henderson should beat the Cowboys for 2 long ones and he did. He caught a 50 yard pass that ended with a horse collar tackle by Roy Williams on the 2 yard line. Later in the game, Henderson finally scored on a 42 yard bomb where both he and the defender fell down. Henderson was untouched and he was able to crawl into the end zone for the big score. He ended up being a great start with 92 yards and 1 TD.
Jeff Garcia, QB, PHI – Garcia had a great week with 0 INTs, 164 yards passing, 7 yards rushing and 2 TD passes. He wasn’t the high scorer of the week, but he had a solid game.
Bench:
Trent Green, QB, KC – 178 and a TD isn’t bad and neither is 10 yards rushing. However, 3 turnovers will kill your QB performance ever week. Green was a great bench call. This is a pretty savvy call considering that Green was coming off a huge 4 TD game just the week before.
Chris Chambers, WR, MIA – Chambers had a solid week 13, but we told you that he was not a good option week 14. Chambers helped to make our bench call a great one by only collecting 3 receptions for 11 yards.
Mike Bell, RB, DEN – Bell has had some good games here and there this season, but we told you that he would not have a good week 14 and he fulfilled that prediction. Bell did get 10 carries, but he only got 46 yards.
Eddie Kennison, WR, KC – Kennison had a big week 13, but we felt like his fortune would follow Trent Green’s bleak prediction. Kennsion only had 1 catch for 13 yards and that is a performance best left on the bench.
Morten Anderson, K, ATL – Anderson got lucky to get the chance for his 2 PATs and 23 yard FG, but he didn’t do enough to make it into the decent calls of the week. You should expect more from your kicker than 5 points.
Farmer's Almanac (a.k.a. not so bad/not so good)
Start:
Joey Galloway, WR, TAM – Galloway had some nice reception numbers, but 64 yards isn’t quiet enough. 5 receptions make him close to a starter in point per reception leagues, but no cigar for Galloway this week.
Tony Romo, QB, DAL – Romo rebounded from his week 13 performance, but not as far as we would have liked. His 2 INTs cancelled out his TD pass in most leagues and that only left his 249 yards passing. Romo didn’t have a bad game, but it wasn’t that great of a game either.
Todd Heap, TE, BAL – Heap had a pretty good game for a TE with 4 receptions for 33 yards. This wouldn’t have cut it if Heap was a WR, but those or so-so TE numbers.
Bench:
Domanic Rhodes, RB, IND – Rhodes had a pretty ugly game with only 29 yards of offense. However, Rhodes did score and that is more than enough to make him a so-so call.
Weather Forecast (a.k.a. oops better luck next time)
Start:
Marion Barber, RB, DAL – We had a feeling that a RB in Dallas would have a big week, but it was Julius Jones instead of Marion Barber. However, the Saints played really well and there wasn’t much chance Barber was going to do anything on Sunday night.
Bench:
Kevin Jones, RB, DET – Jones had 9 carries for -3 yards rushing, so that should have made for a fantastic bench call. Unfortunately, Jones managed to snag a 23 yard TD reception and 5 other receptions for a total of 67 yards. That is enough to make Jones a bad bench call.
Joe Jurevicius, WR, CLE – Well, the new QB in Cleveland must like Jurevicius because he had 7 receptions for 111 yards. That is a great effort from him.
Marc Bulger, QB, STL – Bulger stuck it to us, Many of Bulger’s yards were inconsequential because the Bears had the game well in hand thanks to the kickoff returns. However, Bulger had a great game and he was a nice addition to any fantasy squad. In fact, he made the Bears D look plain and ordinary.
