FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 7
BENCH/START WRAP-UP
October 24, 2006
Week 7 was another wild week in the NFL. From last second field goals, onside kicks, and safeties to loads of TDs, this week had it all. The bye weeks are still in full swing, but hang in there and you will have made it past them. This week FootballDocs Bench / Start calls were very solid. We gave you 2 defenses to help you make it through the bye and both came up big time. The Joey Harrington’s 400+ yard explosion was more than we hoped for, but we did tell you to get him in there. Let’s quit wasting time with the introduction and get to our review of week 7 in the NFL.
Nostradamus (a.k.a. psychic)
Start:
Joey Harrington, QB, MIA – We told you that Harrington was a strong start week 7 and he didn’t disappoint. Harrington racked up an obscene 414 yards passing, 2 TDs, and a 2 point conversion. Now, he did throw 3 INTS that helped reduce his fantasy value, but his final stats are still outstanding. Harrington did more than just get you through week 7 because he was a solid contributor to any fantasy squad.
Arizona Cardinals Defense – The Cardinals were another one of our great start predictions this week. They only allowed 20 points (the offense allowed a safety to help give the Raiders 22 points total). The Cards stout D also totaled up 2 INTs, 5 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries. If you had the Bears or Ravens (on BYE in week 7) and you jumped on the Cards this week for a spot start, you didn’t miss a beat from your D.
Kevin Jones, RB, DET – Jones had nearly 150 yards of total offense and he found the end zone. Jones has been looking great over the past few weeks after a rocky start to the season. In week 7, he didn’t let you down. If you are in a point per reception league, Jones has been taking great care of you as well. In week 7, he had 6 receptions to go along with his other great stats.
New York Giants Defense – OK, so you couldn’t get your hands on the Cards week 7 and you still needed a defense. We provided you option 1
G to go along with 1a. The Giants were another great call in the bench / start. The Giants had 4 INTs, 6 sacks, 22 points allowed, a safety, and they returned one of those interceptions for a TD just so you would feel special for starting the G-men. If you got snaked on the Cards this week, picking up the Giants probably helped you win the game.
Brad Johnson, QB, MIN – Johnson wasn’t out of this world, but we told you not to expect that. However, he did exactly what we told you he could. He didn’t have nay costly turnovers that could have reduced his fantasy points and he threw for a TD. The best part about his TD pass is that it was a 40 yard bomb which will get you a bonus in big play leagues.
Bench:
Eric Parker, WR, SDG – Parker was coming off of two great weeks entering week 7. We told you to forget about him as an option this week. We didn’t like his matchup with the Chiefs secondary. It was a good prediction. Parker only caught 2 balls for 39 yards. That is nothing you want in your lineup in any league (unless you started Reggie Williams’ sorry butt!!! We will have more on him later.)
Charlie Frye, QB, CLE – With QBs on bye last week, some teams may have been looking to Frye to get them past the week. We told you that the Denver D was no place to try and steal point from. Frye didn’t disappoint our prediction by only having 149 yards, throwing a pick, and only having one short TD pass.
Braylon Edwards, WR, CLE – Edwards has been a potentially explosive WR at different points this season. Week 7 was not going to be one of those weeks in our opinion. This was a great call. Edwards only had 6 yards on 2 catches. If doesn’t get much worse than this.
Ron Dayne, RB, HOU – We made this call early in the week and we guess that Gary Kubiak must have been listening. Kubiak, head coach of the Texans, decided to make Dayne inactive this week against a typically stout Jaguars D. We don’t think that Dayne’s slow feet would have been nearly as impressive as Wali Lundy’s solid effort. If you owned Dayne, benching him was a good call considering that he didn’t play.
Drew Carter, WR, CAR – Here is another player that we told you to bench and they got a zero. However, Carter actually played in the game. In week 6, Carter had a hot game, so we wanted to discourage you from trying to ride the hot hand with Carter. Carter was a great bench call week 7.
Farmer's Almanac (a.k.a. not so bad/not so good)
Start:
Chad Pennington, QB, NYJ – Pennington was a decent start with a long TD pass for bonus points in big play leagues, but his INT keeps him just out of the good call of the week. We also expected much more from him this week and we didn’t qualify his start like we did Brad Johnson’s, so Pennington’s start call only gets a mediocre grade.
Laveranues Coles, WR, NYJ – Coles manages to save himself from a complete bust by rushing for 15 yards and adding in 4 receptions for those point per reception leagues out there. However, we have to state that we are shocked that he didn’t have a much better game.
Wes Welker, WR, MIA – If you get points for return yards, you play in a pretty wild league and you should probably start Welker every week. For the rest of the world, Welker was a so-so start week 7. He had right at 40 yards, but he redeems himself with a gaudy 6 receptions. When we told you to start Welker, we emphasized that he had much more value this week in point per reception leagues and he did a pretty good job of coming through for fantasy teams in that respect.
Bryant Johnson, WR, ARI – The Cardinals entire performance was pretty sad, but Johnson managed more than enough to be a decent start with 87 yards. He only had 3 receptions, but with a yards per catch average like that one more catch would have made him a great start.
Bench:
Eddie Kennison, WR, KC – Kennison only had 2 catches for 30 yards, but his TD reception makes him a so-so start. Those random TDs will get you every time.
Weather Forecast (a.k.a. oops better luck next time)
Start:
Byron Leftwich, QB, JAX – Leftwich ended up being a little banged up for this game. He REALLY let us down by having no TDs and only 125 yards passing. We blew this call and we can’t belive that: 1) Leftwich was this bad against the Texans. 2) That the Jaguars allowed a 100 yard rusher from the Texans. 3) The Jaguars lost!
Reggie Williams, WR, JAX – Williams has been pretty solid this season, but he has NOW shown the ability to give his owners pretty darn near a goose egg. This week against the TEXANS Williams only had 1 catch for 8 yards. We don’t know what to say. This type of performance is mind-boggling.
Chris Chambers, WR, MIA – Chambers had a last second TD pass thrown his way as time expired, but he wasn’t able to salvage his terrible day. Harrington had a big day, but he was sharing the ball way too much with other WRs that NO ONE owns instead of hooking up his #1 WR threat in Chambers. It is hard to explain why Chambers only had 29 yards while Harrington threw for over 400 yards. Even with Charles Woodson lurking, you think Chambers could have gotten a little more love. Performances like this one make you want to pull your hair out.
Travis Taylor, WR, MIN – The Russian Roulette of Minnesota WRs landed on Marcus Robinson this week as he had a great game. Taylor was left out in the cold with only 25 yards. This was a terrible call by us, but not as bad as stinking Reggie Williams. Speaking of disappearing, Troy Williamson should not be starting for any fantasy team and he is in danger of being a must cut in most leagues if he keeps up his current production.
Bench:
Nate Washington, WR, PIT – Much like the rest of the fee world, we didn’t expect a shootout in Atlanta when the Steelers took on the Falcons. Washington burned us with 76 yards and a TD. That is a respectable start in most leagues and a busted call for us.
Ahman Green, RB, GB – Green was healthy and looking like his old self. 118 yards and a 70 (count’em 70!!) yard TD run. A TD run like that will make any week look great. Needless to say, Green busted out bench call big time.
