NFL Week 3 Fantasy Pickups

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: SirChadwick
I've run into problems my 1st 2 weeks. L. Jordan and Portis aren't bringin it in, Hasselbeck isn't producing, and my WR's are just avg. And on top of that whichever D or K I put in the game gets the lowest... I just have bad luck. Need some sleepers or some type of gameplan to come out on top. This is for a $600 prize.

Fantasy football seems to rely on alot of luck. Every year, I always end up on the short end of the stick on the running back department. Thats part my fault though; I always edit my pre-draft rankings, and target a good quarterback and good reciever over a good running back..

 

[49erinnc]

Just a related note: Don't give up on underachieving studs just yet. Lot of high profile players are struggling but will pay off later. Examples are Larry Johnson, Antonio Gates, S. Alexander, Hasselbeck, etc. With Green down, continue to see LJ's production limited. He's still gonna rack up some yardage but will have trouble finding the endzone. Gates is gonna take a hit for a few weeks because San Diego just flat isn't gonna let Rivers make too many mistakes. LT will continue to carry the load until Rivers gets enough confidence to throw the ball more. When he does, expect big numbers from Gates again. Not sure what's up with Hasselbeck. I drafted him as my starting QB but I've been disappointed thus far. The addition of Branch will help though so I'm still expecting some big games out of him.

I jumped on Jacobs last week as well. Likely won't be starting him unless one of my other RB's (LJ, Westbrook, C. Taylor) goes down but it's a strategic move to acquire him. A fantasy tip: use free agency as a means of keeping good talent out of the hands of your competitors. I'd rather have Jacobs riding the pine for my team than starting for someone else.

As someone mentioned, Cotchery is a nice addition if you need depth at WR. The Jets only have one true offensive weapon (Coles) and Cotchery is primed to step up. Coles will get most of the attention from defensive secondaries, thus allowing Cotchery to have some big plays like yesterday.

Desmond Clark is a stud. I could kick myself for not picking him up last week when I knew I'd need a filler for Week 3 (Gates on bye). Now I'll be competing with several others who are trying to snatch him up when the window opens tomorrow.

 

[49erinnc]

Originally posted by: SirChadwick
I've run into problems my 1st 2 weeks. L. Jordan and Portis aren't bringin it in, Hasselbeck isn't producing, and my WR's are just avg. And on top of that whichever D or K I put in the game gets the lowest... I just have bad luck. Need some sleepers or some type of gameplan to come out on top. This is for a $600 prize.

Based on my experience of playing, I'd say it's:

20% strategy/skill/knowledge of the sport
80% pure luck, both bad and good

And yes, I'm including the draft as part of the 20%. Most leagues aren't gonna have more than 12 owners. So, unless you have complete idiots in your league, virtually every team is gonna have a very solid lineup that looks great on paper. But you just can't simply control what happens on the field. And you can't beat yourself up because you have 3 really good WR's but benched the one that had the best day. It's just bad luck. I've always applied the strategy of "just play your studs" and occasionaly use an obvious matchup advantage to stray from that. At least then, if you lose, you know you played your best players.

 

[vi edit]

I'd say it's more than 20/80. More like 40/60

There is some serious merit to being an active manager and looking at the waiver wires. Where things get very messy is at the end of the year and teams like Indy that lock in early start benching key players. If you are sitting on Manning and/or Harrison that is going to kill your late season production vs. what it was earlier since they are only playing a quarter or so a game the last few games of the regular season. This is the time that you need points the most to seperate yourself.

There is some skill involved in picking up late season bloomers to fill those holes.

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I'd say it's more than 20/80. More like 40/60

There is some serious merit to being an active manager and looking at the waiver wires. Where things get very messy is at the end of the year and teams like Indy that lock in early start benching key players. If you are sitting on Manning and/or Harrison that is going to kill your late season production vs. what it was earlier since they are only playing a quarter or so a game the last few games of the regular season. This is the time that you need points the most to seperate yourself.

There is some skill involved in picking up late season bloomers to fill those holes.

I agree with this. In the past 3-4 years I've played, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place managers were usually the ones that make the most transactions/moves.

In every league I've played in, I've lead the league in moves. 2005 (3rd place in two leagues), 2004 (1st and 3rd place) and 2003 (1st place) and 2002 (2nd place).

 

[t4t3r]

i like the ones mentioned here - cotchery-WR, jacobs-RB, and clark-WR/TE. i actually picked up cotchery in one of my leagues, seems to be paying off okay so far and he has the big play ability. i know its only week 3 but look for guys who have, at least so far, produced consistently versus a 1-week fluke (toomer is a good wr, but he wont have another day like yesterday the rest of his career). also look for guys who will have favorable matchups in the coming weeks.

fantasy does come down to a bit of luck, but there is still a lot of skill involved (drafting, picking your matchups week-to-week, waivers, etc). in my pay league, for example, there's a reason the same guys do well each year and always have a chance to win.

 

[Jgtdragon]

Should I drop Jacksonville defense for ATlanta?

Alex Smith (SF) is a sleeper!

EDIT: just picked up Desmond Clark from Chicago and dropped vernon davis ( not sure its a good move or not) Cooley not doing anything for me yet.

 

[SirChadwick]

If you don't have Pennington and he's still available... pick him up now! Great backup QB to have... hell, great starter at this point.

 

[49erinnc]

Originally posted by: Jgtdragon
Should I drop Jacksonville defense for ATlanta?

Depends on who your other defense is. I drafted Atlanta as my starting defense and they have been solid for me in the first two weeks. And I like their matchups (playing Carolina, NO and Tampa twice). J'ville has a really good defense as well but it's more of a suffocating defense as opposed to one that forces a ton of turnovers, resulting in high fantasy value. Both are good but I think that you're gonna get more fantasy points on a weekly basis by starting Atlanta.

 

[LordSnailz]

bump for the weekend --
Any suggestions on what I can do in the area of RB and WR? Any sleepers I can pick for the weekend?

Jacobs, Brandon RB NYG
Jones, Kevin RB DET
Green, Ahman RB GB
Williams, Cadillac RB TB

Colston, Marques WR NO
Galloway, Joey WR TB
Branch, Deion WR SEA

I got an offer to get Laveranues Coles for Cadillac Williams.

 

[49erinnc]

Originally posted by: LordSnailz
bump for the weekend --
Any suggestions on what I can do in the area of RB and WR? Any sleepers I can pick for the weekend?

Jacobs, Brandon RB NYG
Jones, Kevin RB DET
Green, Ahman RB GB
Williams, Cadillac RB TB

Colston, Marques WR NO
Galloway, Joey WR TB
Branch, Deion WR SEA

I got an offer to get Laveranues Coles for Cadillac Williams.

Keep an eye on Jacobs, especially if you're in a TD league. Tiki got a little nicked up (nothing serious) but the Giants are already saying that Jacobs would start getting some more carries. And he's gonna get most of the goal line TD's. I'm thinking about starting him this weekend, depending on Westbrook's health.

Kevin Jones is an interesting start this week. He's failed to rush for 100 yards in 16 straight games but they're playing GB, who is really bad on defense. If Kevin were ever gonna break out of the slump, this is the weekend to do it. But it's still risky until he actually proves he's back. The whole Detroit offense has just been really anemic but that could change on Sunday.

Detroit's D is pretty stout against the run (look what they did to Alexander in week 1). Not sure I'd run Green this week.

Speaking of anemic offenses, the Bucs are about as bad as it gets. However, Carolina's run defense has been abysmal so this could be a good weekend for Cadillac to break out. With that said, I would be hesitant to start him in what could be an ugly, low scoring, defensive struggle.

As for your WR's...I'd be wary of Branch this week. With it being his first game, he's gonna split time. If anyone is capable of coming into a new offense and making big plays, it's Branch. So, he could easily have a big play or two in this game but I'd only start him if you don't have better options or are in trouble because of bye week.

Galloway: See comments about Cadillac

Colston: I actually like that play this week however, the Falcons' defense has proven to be pretty solid thus far. I'm not sure that the Saints will have a lot of success against them. They've played a couple bad teams and this will be the first legit defense Brees will face. Emotional day in NO so anything could happen.

Edit: Not sure I'd do the Coles/Caddy trade, given your other RB's. Until K. Jones proves he's worth starting, I wouldn't want to get rid of a very servicable RB like Caddy just yet. Not for a WR anyway. In another week, you're gonna have a really solid wideout in Branch to fall back on. As I mentioned, that may actually prove to be true this weekend.

 

[Doboji]

Incoming Sleeper RBs

The obvious:

Malroney
Addai
D Williams

Why: Three rookies who are looking to take the reigns as startes for their teams

True sleepers:

Travis Henry - I think he's taking the starting spot in tenn within 3 weeks, if he can keep his toe under control...

Jerome Harrison - Reuben is looking more and more beat up.... and if Cleveland does indeed try to pick up the offense... Harrison is a great way to do it.

Incoming Sleeper WRs:

The obvious:

L Coles
T Williamson
D Stallworth

All three have proven to be the go to guys for their clubs... and I see these guys moving into the top of the WRs in the league as far as stats this season

True Sleepers:

G Jennings - Favre is going to be throwing his ass off all season... and this kid looks amazing... once he and Favre get solidly insync... he'll light it up

Chad Jackson - He's looking good to emerge as Brady's top reciever this season...

M Clayton(TB) - I think once Simms gets his stuff together... Clayton's gonna be the guy in Tampa Bay

 

[BRObedoza]

Frank Gore of the Niners. he's been great so far.