THREE & OUT
It was definitely a good week 4 with a lot great IDP performances, a few wins for the fantasy teams, and I’m still alive in my survivor pool so I can’t complain.
The week was highlighted by two huge reasons why we play IDP Fantasy Football and that’s both Charles Woodson & Shaun Phillips. If you had either of those two guys on your roster, you more than likely won your week and all I can say to you is cheers!
The only downside of the week is that injuries are piling up and the bye weeks have already started, so it’s time to break down four of the guys I’m looking at for help this week and beyond.
First we’re going to get to the finer points of what went down in week 4 and how it impacts your fantasy team w/ our “Pick-6″.
• In last week’s THREE & OUT, I recommended Chris Clemons, Alterraun Verner, and Gerald Alexander to start making a big IDP impact so I hope you’ve been paying attention. Sorry for the blatantly shameless plug there but I’ve got post some reason for reading and it’s always nice to have a little bit of validation here and there.
• After watching the Giants abuse the Bears offensive line for an NFL Record 9 first half sacks, I’m starting anybody I can from the Carolina defensive line against them next week. While Everette Brown and Charles Johnson have been streaky, I would start them with confidence this week against the Bears who are very likely to have Caleb Haine in under center.
• Unfortunately one of my favorite rookie safeties, Morgan Burnett, is out for the year with a torn ACL and the Packers have a ton of injuries at the position. While Burnett’s backup, Charlie Peprah, looks to get the first crack at replacing him in the base defense, Dom Capers has more than a few creative formations to make up the difference.
• The Titans first round draft pick, Derrick Morgan, will miss the remainder of his rookie season after tearing his left ACL during last Sunday’s 26-20 loss to the Broncos. It’s very unfortunate because Morgan was coming along nicely and notched 1.5 sacks in his first two games this year. This will result in more playing time in the rotation for Dave Ball and Jason Babin.
• We here at the website are definitely big fans of TJ Ward but I’m not particularly fond of the hit he doled out to Bengals WR Jordan Shipley. Did you think it was cheap shot or part of the game? Tune in to see what the guys on IDP REPORT RADIO (Tuesday Night 11:30pm EST) think about the hit.
• Finally Colts safety Melvin Bullitt will miss the rest of the season after having shoulder surgery to repair a broken bone. The Colts recently signed veteran Aaron Francisco to their practice squad but look for former Chief DaJuan Morgan to get the start for Indianapolis against Kansas City this Sunday.
OK, It’s time for THREE & OUT… four IDP players to target on your waiver wire. Sorry three of them are DBs but they all deserve consideration in deeper leagues IMO.
GERALD MCRATH – LB – TENNESSEE TITANS Just like the Cush, he’s back from suspension but this guy is actually available on waivers. I know that might sound funny to some of you but Gerald McRath could be out there in some of your leagues and if that’s the case, I would go pick him up right now before you even read the rest of this synopsis. I’ll wait. I’m glad you’re back! McRath fits perfectly on the outside because the Titans like his speed and athleticism covering tight ends and short area zones. He’s capable of racking up tackle numbers in the Titans scheme and while he may not start out fast, he should become the more consistent option in Tennessee outside of Stephen Tulloch. Great grab if he’s still available.
STEPHEN NICHOLAS – LB – ATLANTA FALCONS This is more of a fill-in for the next week or two while rookie Sean Weatherspoon rehabs an injured ankle that the Falcons originally reported to be severe cramps. Weatherspoon was seen on the sidelines last Sunday with a brace on his ankle, so expect Stephen Nicholas to be playing his position for the foreseeable future. The logical thinking would be for the Falcons to rest the rookie against the Browns with the hope that he can suit up against the Eagles. Either way, look for Nicholas to have another big game this week against Cleveland. Maybe not 12 solo tackles but certainly enough to produce for your fantasy team.
TAYLOR MAYS – S – SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Well fine Michael Lewis, go ahead and leave! Taylor Mays was certainly the future of the strong safety position in San Francisco but it appears that the future has already arrived. Ways racked up 11 total tackles against the Falcons on Sunday and he also made a key special teams play, saving a blocked punt from going out of bounds in the end zone for a touchdown. While you can’t count on touchdowns or blocked kicks, what you can count on are those tackle numbers from the strong safety position. Mays is not very strong in coverage but he’s a tremendous hitter that loves to mix it up in the running game, so he won’t be shying away from contact and should be a consistent producer going forward.
WILLIAM MOORE – S – ATLANTA FALCONS I’ll admit that I’m a big fan of this kid first off but the bottom line is that Eric Coleman is not getting his job back for two reasons. One is the undeniable fact that Moore is playing great but the main reason is that the Falcons spent a 2nd rounder on this kid in last year’s draft with the intention of him starting this season. The coaching staff is no doubt very pleased to see the Missouri product run away with the starting spot but even if he does struggle a few games, the team will more than likely ride out the struggles as long as they possibly can. He’s definitely a great add for any roster, especially in dynasty leagues.
Thanks a ton for reading and please bang out some feedback or comments below. You can also e-mail our staff questions, comments, and even complaints to joe@idpreport.com
