Fantasy Stock Market

You know what time it is fantasy fans.  Every Wednesday here at the National Football Post we play the Fantasy Stock Market.  Break out the portfolios because we’re going to analyze which stocks are up (Homeys) and which stocks are down (Iron Mikes).  Week 11 kicks off tomorrow night, so remember to get your fantasy rosters set.

 

STRAIGHT CASH HOMEYS   (click on Homeys)

1.   Eddie Royal “With Cheese”:  Somebody forgot to give Royal the memo about rookie wide receivers struggling during their first couple of years in the league.  Denver once again abandoned the rushing attack last Thursday, much to the delight of Royal, Marshall and Cutler owners around the globe.  The rookie out of Virginia Tech caught 6 passes for 164 yards, which included a 93-yard TD pass from Jay Cutler.  Did anyone see Brandon McDonald trying to cover Royal on the TD catch?  Before the play, he was signaling to everyone in the secondary that he was isolated on an island. So rather than step up and make something happen, McDonald got turned around faster than John Madden at a deli when his number’s called, and was promptly left in Royal’s dust.  With 625 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns on the season, Royal is now a must start on a weekly basis. 

 

2.   Tony “Get Me The Hell Out Of KC” Gonzalez:  Much like the guarantee that the sun will rise in the morning, the Chiefs lost again last Sunday.  The funny thing is that as bad as Kansas City is playing right now, they have some offensive players that are starting to become very relevant in the world of fantasy football.  With the steady improvement of second year quarterback Tyler Thigpen, Gonzalez has once again risen to the top of the heap (Not Todd) for fantasy tight ends.  Tony G exploited the San Diego linebacking unit in a big way last Sunday, catching 10 passes for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Along with Gonzalez, wide receiver Mark Bradley is really starting to step up as well.  If Thigpen can continue to limit his mistakes and accurately read through his progressions, these guys will be solid fantasy performers on a weekly basis.  Let’s face it, the Chiefs are going to be trailing in every game they play, so we can at least expect the garbage time stats. 

 

3.   Thomas “Bum Rush” Jones:  I call him “Bum Rush” because that’s exactly what he’s doing to the top 10 fantasy running back’s list:  bum rushing his way to the top.  TJ stomped all over the once-again miserable St. Louis Rams three days ago, carrying 26 times for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns in a New York Jets blowout.  Over his last four outings, Jones is averaging 107.7 yards per game and has found pay dirt 5 times.  In addition, TJ is averaging 4.7 yards per carry this season, a career high.  A few weeks ago, Jones was the type of player owners would contemplate sitting.  He now finds himself as the 4^th ranked running back in standard scoring formats.  With Seattle, San Francisco and Denver still on the schedule, Jones has a few more big-time games in his future.    

4.   Special Homey Shout Out: To Giants’ running back Brandon Jacobs.  It was great to see you blast through my Philadelphia Eagles in person on Sunday Night.  Thanks for that.  Jacobs carried 22 times for 126 yards and 2 scores in New York’s predictable win over Philly.  After Andy Reid’s disastrous play calling late in the fourth quarter, I was real close to finding an Eagles’ employee and demanding reimbursement for the gas money I spent to drive down to that butt kicking. 

Honorable Homeys: Tyler Thigpen, Maurice Jones Drew, DeAngelo Williams, Todd Heap, Kellen Winslow, Ted Ginn, Michael Turner, Jay Cutler, New England defense, Peyton Manning, Steve Breaston, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Marques Colston, Willis McGahee

 

THE MIKE TYSON STOCK PORTFOLIO   (click on Tyson)

1.    Marshawn “We’re Still Waiting” Lynch:  Someone needs to talk me down off the ledge, because I’ve just about had it with this stock.  Lynch turned in another dud this weekend, carrying the rock 14 times for 46 yards.  That’s it.  No touchdowns, no receptions, no nothing.  In nine games this season, Lynch has yet to put up a 100 yard performance and has only topped 70 yards on the ground twice.  As an added bonus, he’s only scored two touchdowns in his last six games.  The upside here is that Lynch is a great buy-low candidate right now.  Buffalo’s upcoming schedule features games against Cleveland, Kansas City, San Francisco and Denver.  This could be the player that puts your team over the top during the playoffs, and he can be had for a great price. 

 

2.   Jake “The Rake” Delhomme:  His moniker is “the rake” because that’s what it felt like someone took to my back while I was watching his hideous 4 INT performance at Oakland.  Delhomme put up the tank job of all tank jobs this weekend, completing only 7 (huh?) of 27 passes for 72 yards and 4 interceptions.  If he could have somehow found a way to throw three more picks, he would have had the same amount of completions to the Raiders as his own teammates.  But that may be stretching it.  Knowing the Raiders, they would have fumbled the 7^th INT into the hands of Muhsin Muhammad, who would have taken it 96 yards the other way for a score.  Only in Oakland. 

 

3.    Plaxico Burress: Yes, I’m aware he scored a touchdown this weekend, but fantasy owners have to look at the big picture.  In his last four games, Burress has only caught 10 passes for 90 yards.  The upsetting thing about those numbers is that the Giants are 4-0 and scoring an average of 30.2 points per game during that stretch.  Burress is a physically dominant red zone target that should be much more involved in the explosive Big Blue offense.  This weekend against Baltimore should be an excellent indicator of what owners can expect from Plax for the rest of the season.

4.   Special Iron Mike Call-Out:  To the Mike Singletary/Mike Martz experience.  You guys had a chance to rain all over Arizona’s primetime parade and embarrass them on National television, and instead, you decided to give the rock to Michael Robinson from two and a half yards out.  Instances such as this one make you realize why a team like San Francisco only has two wins entering Week 11.    

Dis-Honorable Iron Mikes:  Braylon Edwards, Brian Westbrook, Bernard Berrian, Chris Johnson, Steve Slaton, Ben Roethlisberger (big time), Philadelphia Defense, All of St. Louis, Jeremy Shockey