^{Copyright © 2009 Jay Charles Johnson, all rights reserved}

As we enter the second week of the Fantasy playoffs, the herd is being thinned.  You are probably still among the living in your own league or you wouldn’t be reading this.  Of my eight leagues, I made the cut in three of them to advance to the next round of the playoffs.  At this juncture, all you can do is put out your best lineup and hope for the best.

On to this week’s player notes that do not include those in the Cardinals/49ers contest tonight being played in San Francisco.

Quarterbacks:

Eli Manning

One rarely sees the word “shootout” used in a discussion of Eli Manning, but an exception will have to be made this week.  Eli certainly was flinging the ball like a gunslinger and passed for 391 yards and 3 TDs in the Giants 38-27 loss to the Eagles.

Certainly falling behind 30-17 in the first half had a lot to do with this, but it is nice to know that he can air it out with of the best of them if the need arises.   I still think that a Coughlin team will always have a “run first” mentality, but circumstances seem to have resulted in a change in philosophy – at least in the short term.

Peyton Manning

Oddly it was brother Peyton who was the most inconsistent of the Manning siblings.   Peyton Manning started off red hot, throwing 3 TD passes in the first 23 minutes.  Then he went ice cold, throwing 3 picks while struggling for the balance of the game.

But, alls well that ends well, as the Colts bested the Broncos 28-16 for their twenty second consecutive regular season win, while bringing their season mark to 13-0.

Manning managed another TD in the waning minutes and his numbers for the day were 20 of 42 for 220 yards, 4 TDs and 3 INTs. 

Manning, Wayne and Clark owners all got good news from HC Jim Caldwell’s press conference Monday said that “in no uncertain terms” that the team would treat the Thursday night game against Jacksonville like the previous 13 games of the season and would not be resting their starters.

When we get to Week 15, it might be a different story.  Manning owners should note that backup Jim Sorgi was placed on IR for what is speculated to be a non-football related injury (how can you hurt holding a clipboard?).  Rookie Curtis Painter would take over if Peyton were to exit after one series, although Painter’s value is minimal as he has not taken a regular season snap and would be working with the second and third string players.

Drew Brees

Drew Brees and the Saints remain unbeaten, but it took everything they had to hold off a Falcons team 26-23, who were missing their starting QB and RB.  Yes, it was winning ugly, but a 13-0 mark reads the same no matter how it was accomplished.

As usual, Brees had nice stats, completing 31 or 40 passes for 296 yards and 3 TDs.  Fortunately for NFL fans and Fantasy owners, New Orleans is committed to playing their offensive stars for the balance of the season.

Tony Romo

The Cowboys have lost two in a row - that must mean it is December.  Yes, the end of the season swoon that has afflicted Dallas in recent years seems to be back, with the Cowboys dropping their second straight, this time 20-17 to the Chargers. Despite the loss, Romo had a fairly good Fantasy day, completing 19 out of 30 passes for 249 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs. 

The Cowboys are traveling to New Orleans to face the unbeaten Saints on Saturday.  It does look like another loss, but with the Saints being such a high scoring team, I would have expect good Fantasy numbers from Romo, either trying to match scores or (more likely) playing from behind and trying to catch up.

Matt Schaub

Matt Schaub was obviously not hindered much by his recent should injury, completing 29 of 39 passes for 365 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT in 34-7 blowout of the Seahawks.  He has a great matchup next week too, facing the Rams at Indianapolis.

Vince Young

Young was a game time decision as he entered the game with a sore knee.  He looked good for as long as he played, directing the team to a 14-0 lead before pulling up lame at the end of a 44 yard rush in the second quarter with a right hamstring injury.  As this goes to press it is not clear if he will be back for Week 15.

Bruce Gradkowski

A bad turn of fortune for this promising young player.  Gradkowski was forced to leave the game Sunday after with partially sprained ligaments in both knees.  He injured his left knee while getting sacked in the first quarter and then the right knee while trying to avoid a pass rusher in the closing minute of the first half.

He was diagnosed with a torn MCL in the left knee and a partially torn MCL in the right knee.  He will have an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury, but it would appear that his season is over.  Jamarcus Russell replaced him in second half and played as well as usual, going 10 of 16 for 74 yards, no TDs, 1 INT and was sacked 6 times.

Matt Cassel

If Matt Cassel is trying to convince Chief’s management that he is their franchise QB of the future, he is going about it in the wrong way.  He threw 4 more INTs yesterday, bringing his most recent two week total to zero TDs and 6 INTS.  His completion percentage is now 54.3 and his QB ranking has slid to a woeful 68.3.  Unless he shows something in the last three weeks of the season, Kansas City will most certainly start considering other options at QB in the offseason.

Ryan Grant

I have stated that Ryan Grant is nothing special…and don’t I wish I had him on my team yesterday.  On the Packer’s first play from scrimmage he had a 62 yard TD run and finished the contest with 20 carries for 137 yards and 2 TDs.  Green Bay once seemed out of the playoff hunt, but have now reeled off 5 straight wins control their own destiny in the final weeks of the season.

Chris Johnson

The Titans are still a long shot to make the playoffs, but you can’t tell it by the way Chris Johnson keeps playing.  Johnson rushed for 117 yards and 2 TDs, along with 3 receptions for 69 yards, including another TD in the air.  It was his eighth consecutive 100 yard game and he now has 2017 yards from scrimmage for the season, passing Earl Campbell’s franchise record of 1981 yards set in 1980.

Ray Rice

Ray Rice continues to excel, with 219 yards from scrimmage Sunday in the Ravens 48-3 domination of the Lions.  His numbers were comprised of 166 yards rushing and 1 TD, along with 4 catches for 53 yards.  What is really scary is that he could have put up even better stats if he had played for the entire game, as he was pulled early in the second half when the game became a rout.

A late add to this column is some news Monday that per The Baltimore Sun, Rice suffered a minor chest injury during Sunday’s game.  However the injury is not considered serious and he is fully expected to play against the Bears this week and receive his usual number of snaps.

Jamaal Charles.

Jamaal Charles had 20 carries for 143 yards and a TD, along with 7 catches for 38 yards in the 16-10 loss to the Bills.  If he continues to play this well, it will be hard for anyone to argue that he isn’t an every down back.  He may be an adequate replacement for Larry Johnson after all.

Maurice Jones-Drew

For the fourth straight game MJD was held to under 100 yards rushing.  However, his Fantasy numbers were respectable with 18 carries for 59 yards and a TD, along with 2 catches for 24 yards.  Are opposing defenses focusing on stopping him or is he wearing down as the season progresses?  I suspect the former, but we will have to wait for the season to play out before we will get a definite idea either way.

Kevin Smith

As feared, Kevin Smith has been lost for the season after tearing at least one ligament in his left knee.  Per Rotoworld, he will undergo surgery and surgeons will find out if there is further knee damage while performing the operation.  The injury is not considered career threatening, but the rehab time involved makes it unlikely that he will be able to fully assume the starter’s role again for the Lions when training camp opens next year.

Quinton Ganther

Ganther, in his first NFL start, rushed for 50 yards and 2 TDs in the Redskins 34-14 win over the Raiders.  He also did some damage as a receiver with 3 catches for 43 yards.  Keep an eye on this player, as he is auditioning for the # 1 RB position in Washington for next year.  Clinton Portis career is probably over and Ladell Betts has never been more than a backup.  Who knows, if he keeps doing this well, Washington may address other needs than RB in the draft.

Pierre Thomas

Although he didn’t score a TD, Pierre Thomas is starting to resemble the player that was so valuable to Fantasy owners at the end of last season.  He had 101 yards yesterday, comprised of 47 yards rushing and 53 yards receiving.  Although the absence of Mike Bell had a lot to do with his success, the Saints would be wise to continue to feature Thomas, as he is a proven commodity late in the season.

Wide Receivers

Brandon Marshall

What a day for Marshall.  Although it was in a losing effort, Marshall had 21 catches, which broke the NFL’s single-game reception record.  Those catches resulted in 200 yards and 2 TDs and made for a lot of happy or unhappy Fantasy players (depending on whether you owned him or were facing him).

With his recent play Marshall unquestionably again has to be ranked among the elite players at his position – the only downside being the risk that he will do something boneheaded off the field that will result in another brush with the law.

DeSean Jackson

DeSean Jackson continues to be one of the NFL’s biggest playmakers.  Not only did he have 6 catches for 178 yards receiving and a TD, he also ran back a 72 yard punt return for a score.  It would be an understatement to say that he has completely recovered from his recent concussion.  In a final stat note, he has posted 8 TDs of 50 yards or more this season, which ties the NFL record. 

Vincent Jackson

Vincent Jackson was certainly overdue for a good day and rewarded his Fantasy owner’s patience with 7 catches for 120 yards.  He was by far the most targeted of the Chargers receivers and was the player that Rivers consistently went to when they needed to move the ball downfield.  Antonio Gates had been getting all the attention in recent weeks, but it appears that the pendulum has swung back in Jackson’s direction. 

Randy Moss

A bad week for Moss.  He was sent home on Wednesday when he showed up late for practice.  He probably should have stayed home as he only caught one pass yesterday for 16 yards and he fumbled that away.

Actually, it was worse than the stat line showed.  According to observers, he wasn’t really trying out there.  As Peter King of SI.com noted in his Monday Morning QB column “suffice to say he’s not playing hard and is totally useless in the lineup.”

King suggested that Belichick has two options with Moss: 1) Bench him or 2) Cater to him, stroke his ego and make him feel that he still is an important part of the team in order to motivate him.  King felt Belichick would have to do the latter in that there are no other viable receiving options for the Patriots outside of Wes Welker.

How this storyline plays out will be among the closely watched of the waning weeks of the regular season.  Not only does it impact New England’s playoff hopes but it should also determine Moss’s future with this team.

For what it’s worth, Bill Belichick, at his Monday press conference took umbrage at the press criticisms of Moss, defended him and went on to say how much he “respects” his star receiver.  But if Peter King is correct, unless he is planning to bench Moss, these are the comments we would expect to hear from him.

Hakeem Nicks

Nicks started over Mario Manningham for the first time on Sunday night and has probably locked up the # 2 spot for the Giants after posting 4 catches for 110 yards and a TD.  Manningham seem to help Nick’s cause by not keeping both feet in bounds on what would have been TD catch in the final two minutes of the game (while the Giants were trying to close a 45-31 deficit).

Reggie Wayne

The Colts won and Manning passed for 220 yards and 4 TDs but Reggie Wayne was pretty much of a non-entity with only 4 catches for 43 yards.  The problem is that with Clark, Garcon, Collie and Addai all being viable receiving options, the Colts can use Wayne as a decoy and still beat opposing defenses with their passing game.

As noted above, Wayne will not be rested in Week 15, however he is too good a player for his Fantasy owners to sit him.  So many (like myself) will roll him out in our lineups and will keep our fingers crossed.

Austin Collie

Woof!  Collie hasn’t been getting that many catches or yards recently, but for the second week in a row he caught a TD pass from Manning.  He numbers for the day were 3 catches for 39 yards and 1 TD. 

When the Colts do eventually rest starters it is not clear if Collie or Pierre Garcon would be included in that group.  Arguably they would be, as they technically are starters, but certainly they could both use the additional playing time.  I would probably bench them myself due to the risk factor of getting zero points in a Fantasy playoff game.

Tight Ends

Dallas Clark

After being relatively quiet since Week 9, Dallas Clark reminded everyone he is still a very important part of the Colts offense, scoring 3 TDs on 5 receptions and 43 yards.  It will be a career year for him as far as yardage as concerned, now having 902 yards for the season (previous best was 848) however he needs another 3 scores to match his 11 TD mark of 2007.  Since the Colts may rest their players at some point past this week, don’t expect Clark to equal his TD record.

Jermichael Finley

Finley led all Packers receivers yesterday with 5 catches for 70 yards.  This follows on the heels of last week’s performance of 7 catches for 79 yards and 2 TDs.  The Packers face the staggering Steelers next week, followed by Seattle at home – so Finley may be the TE to own in the remaining weeks of the Fantasy season.

Waiver Wire

Arian Foster – RB Texans

With Steve Slaton now on IR, Foster finally got some work and carried the ball a team high 13 carries for 34 yards.  He also caught all four passes thrown to him for another 54 yards.   Chris Brown was ineffective yesterday and Ryan Moats fumbled again (causing him to be pulled from the game). 

It now appears that this undrafted rookie from the University of Tennessee will be showcased in the final three games of the season.  The Houston Chronicle quoted coach Gary Kubiak, who stated, “We’re fixing to pick it up big time for (Foster).”

This is a must grab player for those leagues in which the waiver wire is still open.

That’s all until next week.

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