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In this week's Fantasy Mailbag Q&A, we took fantasy questions and instead of answering them ourselves, we reached out to the SB Nation bloggers of the teams involved to give you the real knowledge. These guys follow their teams 24/7 and have all the 411 when it comes to their team's players.
Without further ado...
Do you see T.O. continuing to put up numbers? Is there chemistry between him and Ryan Fitzpatrick? - Franklin G.
The two have quickly established a nice rapport, but I wouldn't jump the gun on Owens becoming the consistent force everyone is familiar with. Buffalo's offensive line is still a mess, and Fitzpatrick is still extremely erratic with his accuracy. Buffalo won't be playing rookie corners every week, either, which is exactly what the Jaguars and Dolphins have thrown at them. T.O. is a much stronger play now that Fitzpatrick is in the lineup, but Buffalo's offense still isn't consistent enough to make any of its players strong week-to-week fantasy plays.
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After Larry Johnson's return to the relevant world of NFL running backs last week, how much does his presence hurt Cedric Benson's value? - Chaz W.
In the past, the Bengals would keep pounding with Benson, averaging 22 carries a game, which is still tops in the NFL. While he's largely recovered from his hip flexor injury, Cincinnati would likely limit Benson's contributions in games in which they've built a comfortable lead. Having guys like Larry Johnson and rookie Bernard Scott, two guys whom have recorded 100-yard rushing performances with the Bengals already, allows the Bengals to remain cautious with Benson. However, Benson still figures to be the primary feature back and will get the bulk of the carries while the game is on the line.
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Is Jamaal Charles now worthy to start, maybe as a flex, each week, or should I remain cautious about him? How do you see his production over the last month of the season? - Carl C.
I believe Jamaal Charles is definitely worth a flex start each week. The Chiefs ran the ball quite a bit (considering how poor they were at it) when Larry Johnson was back there. Now that he's gone, Charles is seeing more and more time. Early in the season, Chiefs head coach Todd Haley didn't give Charles many carries because A) he wasn't sure if he could handle a big load and B) he carries the fumble label with him (four fumbles in two years).
With Charles' role in the offense, and his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, do not be cautious about Charles. In a flex spot, he should be there every week. The last month of the season should see his numbers only rise. He's been doing more when he's given the opportunity and in recent week Haley has pointed out Charles' toughness, which is something the head coach doesn't do very often.
The Chiefs historically run the ball very well against the Denver Broncos and they'll see them twice down the stretch. Add in another game against one of the league's worst rush defenses, Cleveland Browns, and Charles could have some pretty nice games down the stretch.
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What's the deal with the Cardinals backfield? Is Tim Hightower or Beanie Wells going to emerge as the primary back, or will the time-share continue? Who is going to get the goal-line carries? - Jim A.
Good question but unfortunately there's no clear cut answer. For now it's pretty clear that Tim Hightower will remain the starter, but once the game starts Ken Whisenhunt seems to just ride the hot hand and that can be said for regular carries as well as goal line carries. Sometimes that's Hightower and sometimes it's Beanie Wells. The only real difference between the two backs at this point is that Hightower is the better back catching out of the backfield so he's slightly more fantasy-relevant, but putting either of these guys in your starting lineup is a risk.
Week 13 Fantasy Mailbag Q&A: Can You Rely On A Rookie Receiver Down The Stretch?
Q: Josh Freeman, David Carr and Chris Redman are all available in my league (we have position restrictions). Which guy should I get and start this weekend (I have Matt Ryan)? - Henry
A: Henry, If you have Matt Ryan, I am tempted to advise to you to pick up his backup since that would give you the whole quarterback situation down there in Atlanta. The problem is that these days, teams seem to be going out of their way to screw over fantasy owners by not giving good information in a timely fashion about who is starting. Which leads me to ponder over who has the best matchup this weekend. Redman faces Philly, Carr faces Dallas (if Eli Manning can't go) and Josh Freeman gets Carolina. I like Freeman out of this lot. He probably has the best matchup and last week, he put up some very healthy numbers (250 yds, 2 TD).
Q: I started the season with Owen Daniels and since his injury I have been hopping from one tight end to the next. Who should I be looking at to close out my regular season and maybe get me started in the playoffs? - Patrick
A: One of my oldest draft strategies is to grab a low-end tight end that has a lot of upside and then if he doesn't pan out, take the flavor of the week until you hit on a guy who is blowing up. In a 12-14 team league, there are always tight ends available. Right now, I would look at who has had a good 2-3 week run among tight ends ranking below 12th-14th in your average league (assuming most of these guys would be available). I see Dustin Keller, Jermichael Finley and Kevin Boss as guys to look at. For my money, I would take Finley, as Aaron Rodgers seems to be warming up to the young receiving tight end. Finley faces the Ravens this weekend who have dominated opposing tight ends all year, but his value this fantasy postseason should be high.
Q: Which running back would you rather go with this weekend: Chris Brown of the Texans or Jerious Norwood of the Falcons? - Todd
A: Todd, Chris Brown has edged Ryan Moats right out of the picture it seems. Steve Slaton is still going to get his share of touches, but Brown is not going anywhere and the Texans offense is a very high-powered one. Norwood has been a sleeper for years now. With Micheal Turner hurt and Norwood returning to health, it would seem he has a real chance to cash in on some potential. Last week, Jason Snelling did nothing to blow up anyone's skirts. I like Norwood better because he is a great receiver out of the backfield and will also be getting his fair share of carries if Turner stays sidelined.
Q: Kenny Britt had a good game the other day for Tennessee. Is it time to trust him with a roster spot? - Vincent
A: A good game indeed...7 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown. Here is my philosophy on this guy: he is a rookie wide receiver just hitting everyone's radar. If you have a roster spot available, you might as well get him now, because if you wait another week, he will be gone. As for starting him, his erratic play since Vince Young took over is typical of a rookie receiver. His best games (and really his only good games since Young became the starter) were just the last two. It is hard to count on that. However, there is no Alpha Dog in the Titans' receivingcorps. If Vince Young gets comfy with Britt, he could emerge as the go-to guy quickly. So add him immediately, but only start him right away as an injury replacement.
Dec 02 3:27p by Ken Meringolo - 0 comments