Jason Bridge-US PRESSWIRE
Between the bye week blues and certain running back disasters, fantasy owners have a ton of questions regarding their lineups this week.
Well, I am here to answer those very questions.
Welcome to the second edition of Fantasy Mailbag! Let’s not waste any time.
Remember, to be featured in this column, feel free to tweet me your questions throughout the week @aPfeiferRS.
@apfeiferrs Even as underwhelming as Andre Johnson has been, should I start him over Nate Washington?
— Jake Pavorsky (@JakePavorsky) October 11, 2012
First off, Johnson did not practice on Wednesday. It was probably just a rest day, but keep an eye on it throughout the week. Now, while Andre Johnson hasn’t been the elite wideout we once saw, he is still Andre Johnson. A key contributing factor to his lack of productivity this year has been the transformation of the Houston Texans offense. They are simply not the high powered throwing offense anymore. Ever since the emergence of Arian Foster, the Texans have become a run heavy football team. However, I do expect the Texans to throw more this Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers and their tough run defense, so without a doubt I’d play Johnson over Washington. Trust me, you don’t want to see Washington put up a stinker on Thursday night.
@apfeiferrs what do ya think of me starting Ballard from the colts this week lol
— Dylan Pearlman (@dylanpearlman) October 11, 2012
You are not alone. I am starting Vick Ballard this week too. With Maurice Jones-Drew on a bye and Ryan Williams done for the year, I’m taking a chance on the rookie. The New York Jets have been awful so far this year against the run and have no speed on their line-backing core. Also, fantasy owners always love players who get the work. Ballard is looking at around 18-20 touches this week in place of the injured Donald Brown. Don’t expect crazy numbers, but 70 yards and a score is a possibility.
@apfeiferrs should I start James Jones who is playing against Houston or Denarius Moore who is playing against Atlanta!
— Alex littman (@Alitt30) October 11, 2012
I own James Jones myself and I must say, I love what he has been doing lately. The guy has scored 4 touchdowns in the past two weeks and 5 on the year. He is certainly taking advantage of Greg Jennings absence due to a groin injury. While his matchup this week is difficult against the Texans, more of the attention will be on Jordy Nelson, so I personally think Jones can have a nice game. Just keep an eye out on Jennings, who is likely to be a game-time decision. If he suits up, Jones’ value obviously decreases.
@apfeiferrs having problems at running back this year, im starting S.Greene but my number 2 back options are Bolden, A.Green, S.Draughn
— Nicholas Sippel (@nicksippss) October 11, 2012
As bad as Shonn Greene has been this year, I don’t know if your other options are a safer bet to play. Greene has been running with no dynamic ability and could even lose his job at some point this year to Bilal Powell. Honestly, if Vick Ballard is available in your league, I would rather start him. That clearly shows how bad Greene has been this year. Another suggestion would be to trade other positions for a back, if you have the depth. Good luck, and thanks for the question.
@apfeiferrs What do I do with Steven Jackson?
— Colin McCollick (@ColinMcCollick) October 11, 2012
Wow. Where did the time go? Steven Jackson was once an elite running back in football. Now? Not so much. I honestly don’t know if there is much you can do with Jackson besides be patient. His value is very low right now, so trading him may not be an option. He has a very difficult matchup this week against a stingy Miami Dolphins run defense, so don’t expect much. The rest of the season doesn’t look bright, as he faces defenses such as San Francisco, Seattle, Minnesota and Arizona. The NFC West is the best defensive division in football, which means Jackson has bad matchups in his future. If you can somehow trade him for a less popular name, I would.
@apfeiferrs Should I start Peyton or BigBen ?
— Devon Ruby (@Devon_Ruby) October 11, 2012
I like Ben Roethlisberger tonight against a Tennessee Titans defense that hasn’t been able to stop anything this season. Ben has been one of the top quarterbacks this year and has a plethora of weapons to use, and the return of running back Rashard Mendenhall should only help his cause. While Peyton Manning is certainly a good play as well, you really can’t go wrong in this situation.
Thank you everyone for submitting your questions and good luck in Week 6!
