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I watch all of the games so that you don't have to and every week I pick fill out my legal pad with news and notes that you will not get anywhere else. These are the notes from a fantasy football perspective and can only be told by someone who actually witnessed the moments.
Here are the recaps for NFL Week 6:
33 – Indianapolis at Houston – 28
J.J. Watt scored his third TD of the season on a fumble recovery return. He became the first player in NFL history to score a TD on a reception, interception and fumble recovery in the same season.
Andre Johnson scored a TD for the first time since week 10 of 2013. The 12 game scoreless streak was the longest of his career.
Ryan Fitzpatrick fumbled away the Texans opportunity to tie or win the game with under two minutes remaining in the half. It is amazing that Fitzpatrick continues to get work.
T.Y. Hilton went off for 9-223-1 tonight, which is nothing new against the Texans. In five career games against the Texans, Hilton is averaging 6.2 catches, 122.2 yards and 1.2 TD’s per game.
Hilton almost had another TD on a 49 yard pass play. The catch was originally ruled a TD but then overturned because it was ruled he was down by contact.
Injuries: No injuries reported
14 – Jacksonville at Tennessee – 16
Storm Johnson got the start and though he looked more powerful than Toby Gerhart, he wound up being just as ineffective. The issues here come down to offensive line play period.
With as many times as the Jaguars pass every game, both Cecil Shorts and Allen Robinson should be considered WR3 or FLEX plays every week.
Did you know that Titans QB Charlie Whitehurst was recently named one of Nashville’s sexiest people?
That’s enough Bishop Sankey for me. He was marginal in this game against the world’s worst defense and even lost goal line touches to Jackie Freaking Battle. There is nothing redeeming about him moving forward.
The Jaguars had a 54 yard field goal attempt to win the game but Josh Scobee’s attempt was blocked.
Injuries: No injuries reported.
48 – Baltimore at Tampa Bay – 17
The Ravens had 300 yards of offense and 35 points (all TD passes by Flacco) in the first 16 minutes of this game.
The Buccaneers are the first team in the last 14 seasons to be outscored by at least 35 points in one half twice in a season.
Vincent Jackson had a 35 yard TD overturned after replay showed that his back heel was touching the line.
Justin Forsett shredded the Buccaneers defense to the tune of 14-111 on the ground but failed to haul in a single catch. Do not expect these types of numbers going forward though overall Forsett is still a strong option in PPR formats.
This was a great day to use Torrey Smith in daily but please do not mistake that for using him next week in seasonal fantasy leagues. He is really not a player that should even be owned let alone started in fantasy football.
Injuries: No injuries reported
31 – Denver at N.Y. Jets – 17
This game was a lot more competitive than most of us thought it would be. The Jets hung in there but simply do not have the firepower to keep up with elite teams such as the Broncos.
Ronnie Hillman ran as the Broncos lead RB today with Juwan Thompson rolling as his backup. C.J. Anderson received no carries and wasn’t targeted in the receiving game today.
Despite some happy DeMaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas owners today there are quite a few people who had either Emmanuel Sanders or Wes Welker who were very disappointed with this outcome. Before you stay all hot on the Broncos it has become clear that they cannot support 4-5 fantasy starters every single week as they did last season. As this point it is Peyton Manning and two of his receiving options that will produce and all others will fall by the wayside. These are symptoms that will crush you in the playoffs.
The Jets had just six yards rushing in the first half, their lowest total in any half since 2002.
Jace Amaro definitely deserves more attention in fantasy but is still not in the TE1 area yet. Today’s 10-68-1 is outstanding but not really sustainable in weeks to come.
Injuries: LB Danny Trevathan (knee), LG Brian Winters (leg), LB Trevor Reilly (knee)
17 – Detroit at Minnesota – 3
The Lions defense is very good but I think this outcome is more indicative of just how bad the Falcons and Saints really are. The Lions did have eight sacks and three interceptions this afternoon however.
Matt Prater, who missed just one field goal all of 2013 missed two for the Lions today.
Theo Riddick’s performance (before leaving with a hamstring injury) is basically just what Joique Bell would have done had Reggie Bush played today. There is nothing to read into here other than if Bush or Bell misses time, Riddick would play a small role.
Jerick McKinnon started this game at RB for the Vikings and was the lead guy the entire game. It is safe to say that McKinnon has passed Matt Asiata on the depth chart at this point.
As much as I wasn’t high on Cordarrelle Patterson coming into this season, I wouldn’t necessarily drop him either. He is going to have some big games still and the Vikings really don’t have any other big playmakers on offense. Patterson is not an every week starter but definitely a guy I would keep on my bench and fill in when necessary.
Injuries: RB Theo Riddick (hamstring)
37 – New England at Buffalo – 22
Brian Tyms is an exciting player but isn’t one that you want to invest in right now in fantasy. There aren’t enough yards and points to go around in New England to support Tyms as a fantasy player. I do think that LaFell should be on rosters and is a solid FLEX play going forward however.
Speaking of Tyms, he has a 43 yard TD reception today. That pass was the first that Tom Brady has completed over 40 yards since week nine of 2013.
If early indications are correct, Patriots RB Stevan Ridley may have torn his ACL in this game. If that is the case, James White should be a high priority on the waiver wire this week.
Rob Gronkowski left the game temporarily with an elbow injury but returned on the next series. Gronkowski also had an 18 yard TD called back due to offensive holding.
Scott Chandler’s 6-105 today was the Bills first TE to gain 100+ yards receiving since the great Pete Metzelaars back in 1992.
C.J. Spiller fumbled the ball at the end of the first half which really swung the momentum of the game. The Patriots were able to kick a 53 yard field goal to close out the half as a result of the fumble and never looked back from there. Spiller is a bench player in fantasy right now.
Injuries: RB Stevan Ridley (knee), LB Jerod Mayo (knee)
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37 – Carolina at Cincinnati – 37
This game was the highest scoring tie since the NFL began granting overtime back in 1974.
You really have to start anyone and everyone at RB against the Panthers this year. Guys like Gio Bernard will put up arcade type numbers while average RB’s will be up strong starting RB fantasy numbers against them.
Mohamed Sanu proved today that he can beat double coverage against quality opponents and that he doesn’t need A.J. Green on the other side to be successful. He’s a solid WR2 while Green is out with his toe injury. In addition to his 10-120-1 he also had a 35 yard catch and run called back because of penalty.
Jeremy Hill had a 30 yard TD run called back due to offensive holding.
It was a great thing to see Cam Newton finally tuck the ball and run today. Granted 17-107-1 is a ton of running for him, but now that opponents see him able to do this again it will open up things for this Panthers offense.
Greg Olsen never left the game today but he did aggravate his ankle injury on his 13 yard second half TD.
Kelvin Benjamin had a second half TD called back because he pushed off and was flagged for offensive pass interference.
Injuries: RB Fozzy Whittaker (quad), RB Giovani Bernard (collarbone)
10 – Pittsburgh at Cleveland – 31
The Steelers have issues when inside the 10 yard line. They just don’t seem to want to run the ball when they get close for some odd reason. I have a feeling that this is a result of not having faith in Le’Veon Bell on short yardage. I expect LeGarrette Blount to become more involved on short yardage here soon.
The Browns running game is really carrying them right now. Both Ben Tate (25-78-2) & Isaiah Crowell (11-77-1) tore the Steelers defense up today. What is more is that this running game is helping Brian Hoyer and the passing game. Hoyer was 5-8, 179 yards, 1 TD on play action this afternoon.
Despite Crowell’s great game today he is no more than a handcuff for those that own Ben Tate.
Jordan Cameron finally made an impact today going 3-102-1 but don’t get too excited. This is a flukey output today as the majority of his yards came on two broken plays.
Andrew Hawkins is back to being waiver wire fodder. He is short, not very fast and cannot handle contact well whatsoever. His early season rise as a PPR threat is mostly over. I wouldn’t even roster him in 12+ team leagues at this point.
Injuries: C Alex Mack (broken ankle), DE Armonty Bryant (knee)
27 – Green Bay at Miami – 24
It was hot in Miami today. Game time temperature was in the mid-80’s and players on both sidelines were worn the heck out.
The big play was on the Packers final drive Aaron Rodgers faked that he wanted to spike the ball to stop the clock but instead threw to the right side to Davante Adams who got out of bounds and picked up a first down. If defenses do their homework they would know that this is at least the third time Rodgers has pulled this move.
When Aaron Rodgers is scrambling he always looks to Randall Cobb. Rodgers is 11-24 throwing outside of the pocket but 6-7 with three TD’s when targeting Randall Cobb.
Get used to Eddie Lacy sharing carries with James Starks. This platoon setup isn’t going to change anytime soon.
Early in the game the Dolphins had first-and-goal from the four yard line. They attempted two runs by Knowshon Moreno who was obviously still hampered by his elbow brace. Then they went for it on fourth-and-one from the one yard line to which they have it to Moreno again, who was dropped for a two yard loss.
The Dolphins read option was absolutely shredding the Packers defense in the second half. The Packers have been very bad against the read option this season.
I really like Jarvis Landry a lot. In fact I drafted him in several leagues this year and still own him in two. If he gets more snaps, he has more value from a fantasy point of view.
The Dolphins are a strong team in the trenches. But their coaching staff is absolutely awful. The Dolphins started heating up running the football with Lamar Miller late in this game and then they inexplicably decide to throw three straight times to not only give the ball back to the Packers but to leave just enough time for Aaron Rodgers to win the game.
Injuries: LB Jamari Lattimore (neck), CB Sam Shields (ankle), CB Tramon Williams (knee)
31 – San Diego at Oakland – 28
A lot will be said about the heart that the Raiders showed this week and that is very true. But the fact is that this organization really does suck and until they clean house from the top down, the team on the field will reflect that inefficiency.
I love that Tony Sparano got WR Brice Butler involved today. I have been the biggest Brice Butler supporter for the past two seasons and have no doubt that this kid could be a star in this league. Keep a close eye on his usage going forward.
Andre Holmes 77 yard TD reception in the first quarter was the longest TD reception for the Raiders since 2009 (JaMarcus Russell to TE Zach Miller).
Well I was once again wrong about Keenan Allen today. I truly have no idea what is going on here but it is ruining fantasy teams. I am going to have to start benching him moving forward which is painful because I am so sure that eventually his season will turn around.
Branden Oliver was fantastic today. I am very surprised that the Chargers gave him so many carries but he was very effective. Oliver is a short RB and thus he just isn’t going to be able to handle this type of workload longterm. But this performance today proved that he belongs in the rotation here in San Diego even after Ryan Mathews and Donald Brown return.
Injuries: WR Eddie Royal (rib)
30- Dallas at Seattle – 23
If you are one of those people who don’t believe that football is won in the trenches you haven’t paid close attention to the Cowboys this season. Their offensive line is the best in the NFL right now and completely controlling the line of scrimmage right now.
Because of this terrific offensive line play, Joseph Randle is an absolute must have in fantasy leagues of all sizes. With DeMarco Murray’s injury history, Randle is one hit away from being a top five fantasy RB.
DeMarco Murray went over 100 yards rushing for the sixth consecutive time tying Jim Brown for longest streak to start a season in NFL history.
Keep an eye on Tony Romo’s ribs this week. He got absolutely lit up early in the third quarter and appeared in pain the rest of the way.
All of you who were beating your chest about Russell Wilson’s fantasy value last week, I hope you are eating some crow this this week. Even with a TD run, Wilson’s 126 passing yards are completely awful and won’t win anybody a fantasy matchup.
Once again this is why Percy Harvin is not a top 35 fantasy WR.
Injuries: CB Byron Maxwell (ankle)
20 – Washington at Arizona – 30
Kirk Cousins proves once again that he is a solid fantasy QB. He absolutely loves to throw to the TE too which makes Jordan Reed, who is finally healthy a must add this week if he is still available in your league.
Kirk Cousins was just 4-10 for 21 yards on third down today.
Brian Orakpo had a Carson Palmer pass right in his hands in the fourth quarter that would have given the Redskins a chance to tie or get the lead.
Carson Palmer looked great considering his shoulder had been in such bad shape the past few weeks. He was moving around a lot better than I had thought he would and there was a lot more zip on his throws than I expected.
Cardinals rookie kicker Chandler Catanzaro is 14 for 14 on field goals so far this season. He has amazingly low ownership in fantasy leagues right now.
Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd have so much more fantasy value when Carson Palmer is in the lineup for the Cardinals. Fitzgerald was a maniac this afternoon which is hopefully a sign of things to come.
Injuries: CB David Amerson (concussion)
27 – Chicago at Atlanta – 13
The Bears are the very definition of Jekyll & Hyde. They can beat any team in the NFL on any given day. But they also can get their butts kicked by any team in the league on any given day as well.
There were more Bears fans than Falcons fans in the Georgia Dome today. It was very strange to hear the crowd going nuts each time the Bears sacked Matt Ryan.
Jay Cutler only targeted five receivers today, which is just the fourth time this season that a QB has five or fewer receivers in a game.
Alshon Jeffery had a TD reception overturned because he was ruled out of bounds.
Antone Smtih strikes again. Smith had a 41 yard TD catch and run today marking the third consecutive game in which he has a TD of over 40 yards. This is tied with Terrell Owens, Darrell Jackson and Josh Gordon for the longest streak since 2001. The fact that he isn’t touching the ball is the epitome of the reason why Mike Smith will be fired at the end of the year.
Falcons receivers dropped six passes today and each one seemed to be of more and more significance. The Falcons WR’s simply do not like contact and the Bears DB’s were very aggressive early on which set the tone.
Injuries: No injuries reported
0 – N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia – 27
The Giants simply didn’t show up to play tonight. They were pushed around in every phase of the game. It has gotten really difficult to figure out just which Giants team is going to show up every week.
The Larry Donnell experience is over. Donnell is an average TE who simply cannot sustain the early success he had this season. Although he did have a 5 yard TD reception called back tonight. But I cannot start him with any sort of confidence next week.
Andre Williams isn’t good folks. He is slow, has average power and absolutely no vision with the ball in his hands.
Last year Nick Foles threw 29 TD’s with just 2 INT. This season Nick Foles leads the NFL in turnovers with 10 (7 INT, 3 fumbles).
Hopefully you all bought low on Lesean McCoy recently. After tonight’s 22-149 performance tonight and with the likely loss of Darren Sproles for the rest of the season, McCoy has a lot more value than he did just a couple of days ago.
Injuries: WR Victor Cruz (torn patellar tendon), CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (back), RB Darren Sproles (knee)