FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 5
BENCH/START WRAP-UP
October 10, 2006
Week 5 was a very good one for the FootballDocs Bench / Start. With bye weeks in full effect, it can be difficult to field a winning roster, so we did our best to lend a helping hand. This week there were very few Bench / Start calls that were missed. The only calls we did miss weren’t by much. Not all weeks can be this good, but it sure is nice when you have one. Hopefully, you were able to benefit from these calls. Without further delay, join us for a look back at our week 5 Bench/ Start performance.
Nostradamus (a.k.a. psychic)
Start:
Marc Bulger, QB, STL – It was a big week from Bulger. He is starting to hit his stride in the team’s new offense. In week 5, Bulger posted 220 yards passing, rushed for 10 more and he threw 2 TD passes with no INTs. Only 4 QBs had better weeks than Bulger in standard performance leagues. We hope you cashed in on this big game.
Chester Taylor, RB, MIN – We have no doubt that Taylor’s scoring drought continues to irk his owners, but over 150 yards of total offense with no fumbles will get the job done every week. We feel like Taylor should continue to be a solid contributor as long as he can remain healthy. For the sake of the all the Taylor owners out there, we hope that is all season long.
Byron Leftwich, QB, JAX – Leftwich didn’t have the big yardage numbers we would have liked to have seen from him, but 2 TDs with no turnovers is a solid effort any week. Leftwich is starting to turn into a very reliable option. We know that all of the Matt Jones owners out there wish that Jones could get back on the field and start helping Leftwich reach some of his potential.
Reggie Williams, WR, JAX – Speaking of Matt Jones … in Jones absence, Williams has proven himself to be very valuable. Williams caught 4 balls for 53 yards and a TD. Williams is really starting to get a nose for the end zone. Everyone who picked Williams up off of the waiver wire is sure happy to see this development.
New England Patriots Defense – The Patriots came through with a great game by totaling 2 INTs, 1 sack, and 1 fumble while only allowing 10 points. We are pretty sure this defensive score would have been even better if Culpepper would have started. As it stands, it was still a great performance from New England.
Ryan Longwell, K, MIN – Longwell posted a very solid effort this past weekend with 2 PATs and 2 FGs. That is a solid effort from a kicker that made for a nice bye week fill-in. Longwell has a bye this week, and we aren’t going to tell you to go out of your way to keep him... but the Vikings do a great job of stalling, and he should continue to be a solid fantasy option.
DeShaun Foster, RB, CAR – Foster went over a 100 yards rushing and added 3 recepotions for 12 yards. This wasn’t a stellar day, but it was very good. Anytime your player breaks 100 yards, it is a solid day.
Bench:
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT – 220 yards wasn’t bad, but ZERO TDs and 2 INTs is terrible. If you watched this game, you noticed that he looked even worse than that. Obviously, Roethlisberger hasn’t fully recovered from his off-season adventures. The Chargers have a great defense and things won’t always be this bad for Roethlishberger. However, this week he was a good bench call.
Derrick Mason, WR, BAL – only 45 yards and no TDs makes Mason a great bench. As usual, Champ Bailey shuts down an opposing player’s fantasy night. Mason hasn’t been as great as he was back in the day with Music City McNair, but this is mostly due to the fact that the Ravens have a great defense and they don’t require or want the offense to sling it all over the field. The Ravens know that they are going to win with defense and that is just the way they like it.
J.P. Losman, QB, BUF – When the Bears D is rolling through your fantasy squad, it is best to just get out of the way. Losman only managed 115 yards passing and 3 INTs. This was a negative score in most leagues and you would have been better off just starting Dan Marino this past week at QB. Hey, Marino would have gotten you a zero, but that is better than a negative score and starting Marino would have made a great story. Needless to say, benching Losman was a great call.
Donte Stallworth, WR, PHI – We made this call early last week and it was a good one. We actually saw a team that started Stallworth this past weekend, but he didn’t even play. Hopefully, you managed to get someone else in there. Stallworth has never been a sturdy WR, and he won’t start now just because he has changed teams.
Daunte Culpepper, QB, MIA – This is a call we made early this past week and apparently Nick Saban was reading our advice. Culpepper didn’t start for the Dolphins in favor of Joey Harrington (we aren’t fully buying the injury excuse). Think about that for a minute. How bad can things be when you are benched in favor of Harrigton? Pretty bad, and that is where we find Culpepper. We wouldn’t even bother keeping Culpepper on most fantasy rosters at this point.
Keenan McCardell, WR, SDG – With only 37 yards and no TDs, McCardell was a good bench call. Watching the Sunday night game, it was painfully clear that the Chargers aren’t going to be throwing the ball very much or scoring very much in the near future. We feel for all of the Charger fans out there who are pulling their hair out from Marty Ball.
Farmer's Almanac (a.k.a. not so bad/not so good)
Start:
Kansas City Chiefs Defense – Twenty points allowed was a little more than we would have like to have seen from this start call. Four sacks isn’t bad and one INT is nice, but the Chiefs just missed out on having a big week. As it stands, they make a so-so start call.
Brad Johnson, QB, MIN – Johnson was lack luster in week 5 with 1 INT to go with his 1 TD and a mediocre 201 yards passing. Johnson managed the team very well, but you don’t get bonus fantasy points for managing a team and that makes Johnson a lukewarm start in week 5.
Bench:
Rod Smith, WR, DEN – Rod Smith was well on his way to making us right on the money for calling him for a fantasy bench this week. However with 1:55 left in the game he scored on a 4 yard TD reception to make him a so-so bench call. Usually, a TD will push most anyone into a decent fantasy start, but when you only total 30 yards, you miss the cut. That is where Smith stands, so he ends up being a so-so bench call.
Weather Forecast (a.k.a. oops better luck next time)
Start:
No one this week
Bench:
Matt Leinart, QB, ARI – Let’s take this moment to tip our hat to the rookie who managed to keep us from throwing the proverbial Bench / Start no hitter. Leinart had a great game with only 1 turnover (already light years ahead of Warner in that department), 253 yds, and 2 TDs. Go out there and grab this rookie for your bench if you need a QB. He could fill in for you on bye weeks and he just might break the poor rookie performance trend. The Cardinals don’t have a good defense and they do have a favorable passing strength of schedule. As a result, Leinart could have some fantasy value.
