Week 6: Start 'Em
As is most weeks in the world of NFL football there are always some players who seem to come out of nowhere to explode on the scene and become fantasy hits. Last week was no different, as Miles Austin bust on the scene with 10 catches for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns; Jeremy Maclin with 6 catches for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hopefully if you had either of those guys you had them in your starting line-up. The question one always has to ask themselves after one of his players has one of those weeks, is: was that a fluke or a glimpse of what to expect in the future? With more regular players sitting out this week with byes, and other with injuries, I will give you a few players you might want to inject into your starting line-up.
QB Matt Hasselbeck, ---
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What a difference a good quarterback can make to a struggling offense, not to mention playing against the worst pass defense in the NFL. After missing the past two and a half games, Matt Hasselbeck made his return to the Seahawks last weekend and helped Seattle defeat Jacksonville 41-0. Hasselbeck passed for 241 yards and 4 touchdowns to help pave the way for the Seahawks' blow out. This week Hasselbeck has another great match up vs. the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals are giving up an average of 310.2 yards and 2 passing touchdowns per game. If you were unsure about whether to start Hasselbeck last week, don't be this week. Make sure he is in your starting line-up.
RB Thomas Jones, ---
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Just when you thought he might never see your fantasy starting line-up again, Thomas Jones goes out and scores touchdowns in back to back weeks, including 2 on Monday night against the Dolphins. The Jets have two young running backs -- Leon Washington and Shonn Greene -- but neither of them can seem to take over the job from Jones. So far neither of them has even scored a touchdown and Jones has scored 5. Due to the fact that Jones shares the touches with other running backs, he might not be worthy of a weekly starter spot on your fantasy team; however, depending on the match-up he might be perfect for a bye week fill at RB2 or as a flex. This week the Jets face the Bills, so look for Jones to get his fair share of carries and goal line touches. Start Jones this week.
RB Sammy Morris, ---
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Over the past few seasons it seems that the talk around the Patriots camp is about some running back, not named Sammy Morris, who will be the man. The past few years it was Laurence Maroney, and then before this season it was Fred Taylor. By the middle of the pre-season there were rumors that Sammy Morris might not even make the team and after the first 3 weeks, people must have been wondering how much longer he will be around. Then Fred Taylor went down, and Sammy Morris was right back to where he was last season as the #1 back in the Patriots' back field. While most of the talk was around Maroney going into last week, Morris led New England with 17 carries for 68 yards and 2 catches for 39 yards. The Pats face the lowly Titans this week; give Morris a shot in your line-up.
WR Donnie Avery, ---
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Well it only took Avery 5 weeks to gain over 50 yards and score a touchdown. In a week 5 loss to the Vikings, Avery caught 5 balls for 87 yards and a touchdown, showing fantasy owners he is still alive. Avery struggled with injuries and inconsistent play from his quarterback and himself to start the season. Things didn't look much better for most of the day vs. the Vikings, until Marc Bulger came into the game for mop up duty and Avery caught 3 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. This week Avery faces the Jags, who are giving up a league worst 15.6 receptions for 204.6 yards and 1.8 touchdowns to receivers. If there was ever a week to start Avery, it's this one.
WR Jeremy Maclin, ---
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It was only a matter of time till the Eagles' #1 pick -- wide receiver Jeremy Maclin -- made his mark, and it only took 4 games. With regular starter veteran Kevin Curtis out due to injury, Maclin got his first start of his career and didn't disappoint, scoring a 51 yard touchdown on the Eagles' 2nd play from scrimmage. He was McNabb's most targeted receiver (8 targets) and went on to catch 6 balls for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns. If you were smart enough to start Maclin last week, then make sure to keep him in your line-up again this weekend, as he faces the pathetic Oakland Raiders.
WR Hakeem Nicks, ---
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When the Giants realized that Plaxico Burress was never going to play for them again, they had to figure out how to fix their passing game. Instead of going out and trading for a big name receiver, the Giants decided to fix the issue in house and let their group of young receivers (none over the age of 25) do the job. So far Steve Smith has proven to be a stud receiver, and Mario Manningham has had flashes of brilliance but has been inconsistent with dropping balls. Nicks dealt with some injuries in pre-season, then was injured in game 1 and missed the next 2 games. Since his return, he has scored a touchdown in each game and was the most targeted Giants receiver last week (6 targets). The Giants love his size and hands and will continue to look for him. He should be starting in your line-ups from here on in.
TE Jermichael Finley, ---
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Tight end is one of the weaker fantasy positions with not as many options available to owners, making finding a possible starter not always so easy. The Packers have had high hopes for Jermichael Finley and have been trying to make him more of a focal point of the offense. That finally happened before the bye week vs. the Vikings, when Finley went off with 6 catches for 128 yards and 1 touchdown. Look for Green Bay to build off that game and try and keep making Finley a big part of the offense. If you need a bye week fill in for your tight end, Finley should be given a shot this week as he faces the Detroit Lions.