My brother came home Monday night at halftime asking if I could believe how bad Tony Romo was playing.”Just give it some time, we got this game,” I said to him.
After that, well, the rest is history.
This weekend’s matchup against the New England Cheaters will be tough, but only one of these teams knows what it’s like to get up off the mat when it has been punched in the mouth.
But before we get into this week’s stuff, here are my thoughts for the week:
1. Every year, injuries take a toll on every NFL and fantasy team, but this year seems much worse. Twelve of the 32 teams have lost starting quarterbacks for at least one game this season and 15 of the 32 teams have lost the starting running back. The waiver wire is the key for keeping your fantasy season alive.
2. Trades are where the real value is at for a risk taker. Trade the free agent you picked up this week that just had a monster game while his stock is high for a proven but underperforming or injured superstar. Or pick up a Derrick Ward-type and trade him to an owner who spent a high draft pick on the injured starter.
And now the main event, this week’s top three waiver wire adds and the matchups to keep an eye on.
Waiver Wire Adds:
Kurt Warner (QB-ARI): It’s official: Brenda Warner is back. The season-ending injury to Matt Leinart solidifies and extends the veteran’s role in Ken Whisenhunt’s offense and gives his wife relevance again.
Earnest Graham (RB-TB): This is a must-add for at least this weekend and could turn into more depending on his play as the feature back. Graham is forced into duty because of the injuries to Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman, but he has run well near the goal line this year and is now the primary beneficiary of a ball-control offense. Zack Crockett’s signing may diminish his value a bit, but my bet is on Graham to make his presence felt.
Dennis Northcutt (WR-JAC): The surprising leader in receptions for the Jaguars, Northcutt is a reliable option as a flex starter. He won’t give you flashy fantasy numbers, but he is a consistent performer at the wide receiver position.
Week 6 Matchups:
Houston (3-2) at Jacksonville (3-1): All signs point toward a defensive struggle for these two teams. The Texans are still severely banged up, and even with Ahman Green attempting his return this weekend, the Jaguars’ defense looks poised to shut down the Houston offense. And let’s not forget Green will be forced to knock the rust off against one of the league’s best rush defenses. On the other side of the ball, Jacksonville’s offense doesn’t make many big plays, but it won’t turn the ball over either.
Oakland (2-2) at San Diego (2-3): Last week’s game against the Broncos was more about Denver’s ineptitude than San Diego’s greatness, but the Chargers can prove themselves this week against – hold your snickering – the best team in the AFC West. L.T. should shine as he always does against Oakland, but Philip Rivers could have a difficult day against a tough Raiders secondary. Daunte Culpepper will not have five touchdowns again, but he should have solid numbers playing behind a good Oakland running game that has finally found an identity in its zone-blocking scheme. LaMont Jordan looks ready to return after resting for two games, but look for him to lose some carries to Justin Fargas and the reinstated Dominic Rhodes.
Washington (3-1) at Green Bay (4-1): Speaking of proving themselves, the Packers want to make sure that last week’s second-half debacle doesn’t spill over into this week, while the Redskins want to show their third-ranked defense is for real. I still hold that the Lions “are who we thought they were,” and beating them doesn’t prove much. The real test will be whether DeShaun Wynn has the stamina to go a whole game, because last week, when he was fresh, he was good. The other sticking point will be for Packers coach Mike McCarthy not to go conservative this week and let Brett Favre play. Remember, Favre has never lost to the Redskins.
New England Cheaters (5-0) at Dallas (5-0): I hope Beli-cheat did his “film study” before this game because he is going to need it. Dallas will win this game because the offense will do what it has to, when it has to do it. The Cowboys’ defense will not overpower the New England offense, but it will slow them down enough. If the Cleveland Browns’ defense can hold New England to two for 12 on third-down conversions, then a resilient and refocused Dallas team can close the deal and hand them their first loss. All of those facts notwithstanding, look for your usual suspects on both sides to score fantasy points for you this weekend, but leave both running backs and defenses on the bench.
