Week 11: Start 'Em
With a time out from bye weeks and every team playing, we saw a blood bath on the injury front. Matt Schaub, Matt Cassel and Knowshon Moreno look to be done for the year. Frank Gore, Michael Vick, Jeremy Maclin, A.J Green and Julio Jones all came out of week 10 banged up and their status for week 11 is uncertain. Adding to the growing list of players out due to injury, the last foursome of teams will be on bye this week. If you are one of the guys with injury or bye week issues and one of the guys below is on your bench, put him in your starting lineup. Good luck and may the force be with you. Laurent Robinson - Robinson had 3 catches for 73 yards and 2 touchdowns. Start him as long as Austin is out. Plax - Plax caught 3 passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. Only start if need be or in great match-up. Chris Ogbonnaya - Ogbonnaya had 90 yards rushing and 2 receptions for 19 yards. Worthy of a start as long as Hillis and Hardesty are out. Roy Helu - Once again Mike Shanahan confused us all. Stay away from Redskins running backs. Brent Celek - Celek put up very ordinary numbers, but depending on the match-up can be used. Mark Sanchez - In a big loss, Sanchez passed for 306 yards and 1 touchdown as well as running for another touchdown. Only worthy of a start in a good match-up. Christian Ponder - didn’t do very much. Only worthy of a start if you’re really in need and he has a great match-up
QB Vince Young, ---
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It's been very quiet on the Vince Young front so far this season. Last time we heard from him he had just signed with the Eagles and declared them the Dream Team. Well, we all know how that has turned out. Week 11 might finally be the week we actually see him start a football game. Young missed the start of the season due to an injury and since he has been healthy he has seen the field for two plays; one was a brutal interception vs. the Redskins, the other was a 1 yard run. Both plays came when Vick had to sit out a play due to being banged up. By now everyone has learned that Vick has a few cracked ribs and might not be able to play this week. If he plays, Young makes for an interesting start this week. Young has always had the ability to put up points by running but in Philly, even with the possibility of Maclin sitting, he has more weapons than he ever had in Tennessee. With bye weeks and injuries, if Vick does sit out this week I think Young makes for a very solid start.
RB Lance Ball, ---
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Going into yesterday's game most of you hadn't heard of the running back Lance Ball and for good reason. Before the 2011 season, Ball has only played in part of eleven games over three seasons compiling 54 carries for a total 241 yards. While he has played in every game so far this season (and was on pace to just pass his 2010 totals), he wasn't on anyone's fantasy radar. That was until both Broncos running backs went down with injuries, leaving Ball to carry the load; he finished the game with a whopping 30 carries for 96 yards. Not very impressive yards per carry, but the fact that he got that many carries makes him worthy of starting consideration. Moreno is done for the season; early word is McGahee should play, but it is a short week so it is very possible he doesn't. It will all come down to how his hamstring responds. If McGahee does sit out, the door would be left open for another 25+ carry week for Ball. Follow Denver's injury report this week, but if McGahee sits out then Ball is a very solid RB2 and or Flex start this week.
RB Kendall Hunter, ---
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Starter Frank Gore has been banged up the last few weeks. While he started last week, he was ineffective -- only rushing 6 times for 0 yards, with 1 reception for 8 yards -- and failed to finish the game. While Gore was on the sidelines, rookie reserve Kendall Hunter came in and rushed 6 times for 40 yards and scored a big touchdown in the second half to help the 49ers to victory. It will be very important to follow Gore's injury status as the week goes on. The 49ers have a better than average match-up at home vs. Arizona, so they might sit Gore out or give him a small load. Either way Hunter starts or likely gets the bulk of the carries, look out for a big game.
WR Vincent Brown, ---
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With all the firepower the Chargers had going into the season, rookie Vincent Brown wasn't expected to do very much and wasn't considered to be someone on fantasy radars. That has all changed over the last two weeks with Floyd missing due to injuries and Gates and V Jax playing through injuries. This has left the door open for the rookie to step in and show what he can do. Through the first seven weeks Brown only had 2 receptions for 26 yards, but over the last two games Brown has caught 9 passes for 176 yards and his first career touchdown. Looks like Floyd will be out for at least one more week (if not more), giving Brown more opportunities to be a fantasy player. If you need a WR3 or flex starter, Brown is worth a shot.
WR Denarius Moore, ---
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Rookie Denarius Moore had a breakout game in week 2 when he caught 5 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. Many owners were so excited they threw him into their starting lineups right after that. Unfortunately, he did basically nothing for the next five weeks. Things seem to have changed since Carson Palmer took over as the starting QB. In the first game, Moore had 4 receptions for 61 yards and you saw that there was the makings of something. Then last week Moore had 5 receptions for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns. The difference between the early part of the season and now is Moore has nine weeks experience instead of one or two, and more importantly he has a QB that can get him the ball to make plays. Moore also has a good match-up vs. the Vikings. Give Moore a look in your line up
