FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 5
BENCH/START WRAP-UP
October 9, 2007
Welcome to our weekly look back at our Bench / Start calls. Each week
we hold ourselves accountable for our good and bad recommendations. It
is easy to make predictions, but it is tough to stand behind them. Week
5 was a down week for fantasy scoring across the league, but we still managed to have a decent week. We hope
some of these calls helped you win a game or two this weekend. Without
further ado, let’s get to the weekly fantasy football Bench / Start Wrap-up.
Nostradamus (a.k.a. psychic)
Start:
Jason Campbell, QB, WAS – Campbell was a player that we called out as a great start in week 5. We made mention that he would be a great start if you were in a bind for a QB thanks to byes and/or injuries. Campbell did not disappoint. He threw for 248 yards, 2 TDs, and a 2 point conversion. On top of this, Campbell had no turnovers. Campbell’s fantasy stats don’t tell the whole story. He is a great looking passer with a solid arm. The Redskins have themselves a passer if they can continue to bring him along the way the have so far. On top of this recommendation, we told you that Antwaan Randle El and Chris Cooley would be the main benefactors from Campbell’s big week. Randle El had 100 yards while Cooley had 26 yards, a TD reception, and Cooley caught the 2 point conversion.
Ronnie Brown, RB, MIA – Brown has quickly moved himself to super-stud-do-not-bench status. Brown had another great week with 114 yards rushing, 5 recptions for 39 yards, and a TD. Wow. There are still teams out there with Brown on the bench. WHAT are you doing. Brown has to be in your lineup every week.
Houston Starting Running Back – Ron Dayne ended up being the starter and he didn’t disappoint. Dayne had only 45 yards of offense, but he scored the all important TD. We wish Dayne would have had a bigger day. He scored that TD early and could have racked up the big yerds, but things just didn’t work out that way. Still, Dayne ended up being a solid start week 5.
Edgerrin James, RB, ARI – Only 3 yards separated James from a 100 yard effort. That would have been a nice touch, but he still did well enough to warrant a start in week 5.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, BUF – Lynch will be working from behind the eight ball until his team is able to give him some more protection from the passing game. Lynch is a good running and he will get all of the significant carries. However, we don’t know how many of those there will be. Lynch nearly had 100 total yards of offense and a couple of receptions for a solid day.
Bench:
Frank Gore, RB, SF – This is what we said about Gore in week 5,
“Something like 70 -90 total yards and no TDs seems more appropriate given the circumstances.” We nailed this one as Gore had 75 yards of total offense and 0 TDs. We hope this call was able to help you pull off a victory in your league this week. Hello Kenton Keith owners!
Michael Jenkins, WR, ATL – Jenkins was coming off a career game that left some thinking that he had finally put it together. We made sure to tell you to steer clear of this train wreck. We had already seen more than enough of Jenkins to know that he is a true bust. Jenkins didn’t disappoint our bench prediction with only 1 reception for 2 yards. Hey, at least he didn’t fumble.
Michael Pittman, RB, TB – Pittman was coming off a huge game and he was a hot pickup in many leagues thanks to Carnell Williams going down for the season. We told you to steer clear of this “hot new item.” Pittman exceed our bench call expectations by not only having a bad game (5 rushes for -1 yards and 16 yards receiving), but he managed to get pretty badly injured. We aren’t about to claim we saw the injury coming, but we are pretty sure you were happy to leave this bench call on your pine.
Warrick Dunn, RB, ATL – Dunn was a back that some fantasy teams were having to lean on thanks to injuries and byes in week 5. We told you to look for another option. Dunn almost scored, but he didn’t and he wasn’t playing
hand grenades or horseshoes. Dunn finished with only 39 yards of total offense on Sunday. This was a definite bench call.
Eddie Kennison, WR, KC – It looked like Kennison might start and we told you to bench him. He ended up not playing, so we aren’t going to toot our horn too much on this one.
Farmer's Almanac (a.k.a. not so bad/not so good)
Start:
Marion Barber, RB, DAL – Barber almost ended up being a terrible start thanks to the Tony Romo turnover-fest, but Barber ended up making it a decent game. HE had 73 total yards and 6 receptions. That isn’t a bad week, but it isn’t a great week either.
Jerricho Cotchery, WR, NYJ – In a point per reception, Cotchery wasn’t terrible, but he didn’t live up to our expectations. We have to ask, “How much longer do we have to suffer Chad Pennington.” He is killing the Jets fantasy production.
Bench:
Dwayne Bowe, WR, KC – Bowe managed 70 yards and that is more than enough to bust up our bench call. Bowe is a hot rookie that you have to leave in your lineup at this point.
Weather Forecast (a.k.a. oops better luck next time)
Start:
Wes Welker, WR, NE – This was a weird game. It became the Donte Stallworth show. Just when you think the Patriots are going to zig they zag. The one thing you can count on is them winning. Welker did have 4 receptions, but he didn’t do nearly enough for our taste. If you are in a league that awards points for return yardage, you probably should never bench Welker. He had 70 yards of return yardage.
Muhsin Muhammad, WR, CHI – The Bears managed to win this game despite that fact that all of the WRs had a terrible games. Muhammad had only one catch for 17 yards. Ouch.
Bench:
Cedric Benson, RB, CHI – Most of the Bears offense stunk it up. However, Benson managed to have a good game … finally. Benson gained only 69 yards of total offense, but he did run for a 10 yards TD run. This game wasn’t anything to blow you away, but if you are a long suffering Benson owner, you are more than happy to take it.
Vincent Jackson, WR, SD – Jackson managed to get behind what looked like busted coverage and he got a TD pass. Add 84 yards to that and he laughs in the face of our bench call.
Buffalo Bills Defense – Thanks to Tony Romo having a complete meltdown on Monday Night Football, the Bills D was the best D you could have used this week. This was such a bad call that it is almost funny.
