Quick Hits About Week 2 In Fantasy Football

(Robert Sabo/New York Daily News)

Giants 41, Buccaneers 34

— But let’s start with some Week 3 stuff.

Big news out of New York today: Hakeem Nicks will NOT play tomorrow versus the Carolina Panthers (self-promotion). It’s totally unexpected after Nicks and Tom Coughlin said Tuesday that he would play in this game. Nicks had his surgically repaired foot stepped on during this victory and came up limping after a couple of plays. Ramses Barden will probably start in his place. He’s a huge target and someone to look at if you’re really desperate. Victor Cruz might see about 40 targets in the game, for serious. Tight end Martellus Bennett is a solid play as well.

— My preseason crush, David Wilson, just keeps getting pushed to the back of the line. You’d think he would get some work with Ahmad Bradshaw sidelined, but instead, Andre Brown, who spent time with four teams in 2010 alone, gets 13 carries for 71 yards and scores a touchdown. How many carries did Wilson get after Bradshaw left early in the second quarter?

One. One freakin’ carry.

Maybe that changes tomorrow, but I have to believe that Brown, even though he’s not a long-term option, is at least a flex play against a defense that has allowed the fourth-most points to running backs through two weeks.

— Also, this whole Schiano-Coughlin disagreement about how to approach a kneel-down situation shouldn’t really be a big story, but since it is, let me say that I totally agree with Schiano. And I’m a Giants fan.

It’s a one-possession game, time is running out, so you should do anything within the rules to try to get the ball back. If that means bull-rushing the offensive line, so be it. You play until the game is over. Since the game isn’t over at that point, the Giants’ front and Eli Manning should be expecting the Buccaneers to do something to force a turnover.

A bunch of people are shouting about how you can get someone hurt, and that’s not how it’s done in the pros. Well, why not? Why concede with time on the clock when all you need is one touchdown? Yes, Schiano’s defense was dreadful in that fourth quarter. But that doesn’t mean it should just pack up and head home with five seconds on the clock.

I don’t want to bring up Joe Pisarcik here because that was almost 35 years ago, but you can’t tell me there is absolutely, positively, no chance whatsoever that Manning fumbles that final snap. It’s heavily unlikely, but I am totally cool with the Buccaneers going after him in that situation. If the rest of the league doesn’t like it, return the favor, and then be ready to guard yourself on that last snap as if it was the first from now on.

2009 Fantasy Football Superlatives: 4 Out Of 5 People Owe Chris Johnson

With the help of 316 yards and five touchdowns rushing, Aaron Rodgers was the most productive fantasy QB. But he wasn't the most valuable

A few days ago, I was asked to put together my list of fantasy football MVPs, busts, surprises, etc, for a fantasy podcast. As one of my final fantasy-based posts for quite a while, I thought I would show those picks here.

Most valuable player

Quarterback: When I think most valuable, I take that value word literally. Aaron Rodgers scored the most points, but my pick is someone you could have taken 3-4 rounds later. I’m going to go with Matt Schaub. I know Brett Favre was drafted much later and put up slightly better stats. But more was expected of Schaub and he delivered. He led the league in passing yards. He shook off the injury-prone tag, even playing through the pain of a separated shoulder for the final five weeks. He was more consistently productive than Favre, especially in the weeks most important to fantasy owners (14-16). In standard leagues, Schaub outscored Favre in those weeks, 51-36. For a seventh-round draft pick in many deep leagues, Schaub ended up as the fourth-best fantasy QB. And with a full season from Owen Daniels and Steve Slaton next year to go along with Andre Johnson and all of the other weapons, I think an argument can be made that Schaub is a top-3 fantasy QB next season.

Running back: No question, it’s Chris Johnson and this stat sums it up: I play in Yahoo! fantasy football and of the top 500 fantasy football teams in Yahoo!, 79.8 percent of those them own Chris Johnson. Second on that list is Aaron Rodgers at 49.6 percent. That’s your most valuable player. And to think there were questions regarding his workload coming into this season. Most total yards from scrimmage of any running back in a single season ever? This is an easy pick.

A Fantasy Look Back at Week 3 in the NFL

I've read it; I totally relate

I should have known better than to say a few days ago that I would write about the NFL action each Sunday. An NFL Sunday to me is not just another day. It’s an exercise in stamina, thanks to fantasy football.

Every Sunday in the fall, if you ever want to find me, I’ll be at Smooth’s Sports Bar in downtown Long Beach, Calif. From my usual table, I can see 10 big-screen, high-def, plasma TVs within a 180-degree turn of my head. It’s a lovely scene, but it’s also hazardous to my health. I play in only one league a year, but that one league is the most important thing in my life every Sunday, and that turns the day into something much like a six-hour sugar rush. I spend all day swiveling my head, trying to keep up. In the moment, it’s exciting and nerve-racking. When it’s over, the crash arrives and I feel like Muhammad Ali after the “Thrilla in Manila.”

So on Sunday night, I was pretty tired — and pretty upset considering that I was facing Peyton Manning and lost my matchup by less than two points — but here is what I observed in the middle of my weariness.

Minnesota 27, San Francisco 24: OH MY GOD! BRETT FAVRE IS A MIRACLE MAN! SWEET JESUS! Truth is, through 56 minutes of this game, Favre was pretty bad. Before the 3:30 mark of the fourth quarter, Favre had thrown for an unimpressive 192 yards, one score and one interception on just 15-of-33 passing. He threw high, low and behind receivers. The fact remains that he is not a quality NFL fantasy QB. Statistically, I bet this will be his best effort of the season. Once again, I will admit that I was totally wrong on my prediction.

Much like the Bengals against Denver in week one, San Francisco should have won this game. It’s not just about the Favre prayer, but Frank Gore only had one carry in this game, which resulted in an ankle injury. Rookie Glen Coffee took over and rushed 25 times for just 53 yards. With Gore in there, there is no doubt that the Niners would have won. They were the better team. And how about 95 yards and two scores from Vernon Davis? Maybe he’s finally reaching his potential? For at least a week or two, I’m buying.

Injury update: Gore has a right ankle and foot strain. Early word is that he will miss the next three weeks and could return after a week six bye. Get Glen Coffee now! He didn’t do much against the Vikings, but most running backs are just as fortunate. He has a pretty nice schedule coming up.