Buy, watch or pass
Every week, I will examine some of the best unknown players in Fantasy Football. These are the names I came across in week 10:
Quarterbacks
Steve McNair, Baltimore Ravens – 373 passing yards, 3 TDs, 2 INT
Since Brian Billick took over the play, McNair has suddenly become a completely different quarterback. In the past 3 weeks, he has thrown for 777 yards, 5 TDs, 2 interceptions and a quarterback rating of over 90. With his team trailing 10 going into the fourth quarter, McNair showed he can still hit big shots in the field. an incredible win from behind. versus Tennessee. With the running game producing minimal yards, it looks like the Ravens will throw more and more down the stretch. Consider what happened to Michael Vick a couple weeks ago when he had 2 great games and then followed up with 2 stinky ones, so you have to be careful. However, we’ll be entering fantasy playoff territory in a couple of weeks, which means you’ll have to start preparing your lineup and bench. If you need a backup quarterback, McNair could be your man. He has some lax secondaries, including next week against Atlanta, the rest of the way. TO BUY
Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys: 308 passing yards, 2 TDs
Can you believe this guy is still available in 56% of ESPN’s fantasy football leagues? Even if you’re sailing first, it never hurts to add an elite quarterback. 3 starts, 862 passing yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 INT and a QB rating of 101.2. He still has matches against Tampa Bay, New York Giants, New Orleans, Atlanta and Detroit on his schedule. He also has Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn and Jason Witten to pitch. There really isn’t much more to say. It is not a coincidence. TO BUY
RB’s
Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants – 9 rushing yards, 2 TD
When this time of year comes around, it’s hard to find brokers that have value because they are usually gone. One that may be available that might interest you is Brandon Jacobs. Every Tiki Barber owner is disgusted with Jacobs because he has stolen all of the goal line carries and most of the touchdowns. Last Sunday against Chicago: 2 carries, 9 yards, 2 touchdowns. This isn’t a strange phenomenon either, as he now has 5 touchdowns in the last 5 games. He usually gets 7-11 carries per game, mostly as a short distance, so the opportunities are there. There’s a lot of risk involved and the amount of TD you get will depend on how well the Giants’ offense is executing. He’s fine if you’re desperate for a running back, but I hope you have someone else to trust when it’s playoff time. BUY if desperate, otherwise SKIP
Ladell Betts, Washington Redskins – 83 rushing yards
There was nothing special about Ladell Betts’ stat line on Sunday, but it emerged on Tuesday that Clinton Portis broke his hand and will be out for the season, making Betts the starting running back for the rest of the year. What can we expect from Betts? He got 20 carries the Sunday after Portis crashed, so it’s nice to know that he’ll be getting most of the load. The Redskins ‘schedule against running defenses is subdued the rest of the way, along with Betts’ current 4.5 yards per carry, he should have good value as a No. 2 running back. The Redskins announced they will go with the second-year man. Jason Campbell as his quarterback for the rest of the season, so if Campbell starts making mistakes, it could potentially lead to fewer carries. However, at this point in the season, it is worth the risk of hiring a starting running back with potential. TO BUY
WR’s
Mark Clayton, Baltimore Ravens: 125 receptions, 1 TD
When a quarterback starts throwing the ball well, everyone benefits, including Mark Clayton in Baltimore. During the last 2 games with the new and improved McNair, he caught 15 passes for 198 yards and 1 TD. Clayton had a 100-yard receiving game in Week 6, but a large part of his yardage came from 2 pointed balls that weren’t intended for him. This time, these statistics are legitimate. Clayton was selected in the first round last year with home run speed, so the talent is there. With some incomplete secondaries on the Ravens’ schedule, Clayton could certainly turn into a sleeper towards the end of this season. If you’re a risk taker or need a wide receiver, Clayton is your man. TO BUY
Malcolm Floyd, San Diego Chargers: 109 receptions, 1 TD
Everyone jumped into that high-scoring affair in Cincinnati last Sunday. Malcolm Floyd, San Diego’s third wide receiver, even caught 5 receptions for 109 yards and a TD. As good as Philip Rivers looked, Floyd is still only the third wide receiver and hasn’t produced much before this game. Until he has a starting role, mark this game as an anomaly. APPROVE
Reche Caldwell, New England Patriots: 90 receptions, 1 TD
I’ve written about Reche Caldwell before, and after watching him play against the Jets, you can clearly see that Brady is starting to develop more chemistry with him. He didn’t do much against the Colts last week, but not many wide receivers (they are allowing only 103 yards on average to receivers per game). With Green Bay next week, Caldwell could have another strong game. There are a couple of other games where you could also start over with Caldwell, so considering we’re digging into the season, he deserves a spot on your list if you have one. TO BUY
Patrick Crayton, Dallas Cowboys – 104 rec yds, 1 TD
Replacing again for the injured Terry Glenn, Patrick Crayton had another good game. He caught 5 passes for 104 yards and 1 TD. With Romo at QB, he would certainly be productive in a starting role if Glenn came down for the season. Glenn is questionable next week, but even if Crayton were to start, they will face Indianapolis, who has been tough on wide receivers this year. The rest of the calendar is gold, so if Crayton found a way to start, it would have great fantasy value. Be on the lookout for what’s happening in Dallas. LOOK
