Fantasy Ticker: Week Six

Week Six brings you the following teams on bye: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Titans, Cardinals and Seahawks. You're losing the services of players like QB Philip Rivers, RB Willis McGahee, WRs Dwayne Bowe, and Sidney Rice. Prepare properly as we enter the midway point of the fantasy season.

We're entering a period where the quality of players available continues to decrease, making our research that much more important. Always look long-term before dumping a quality player. Take someone like Colts TE Dallas Clark. You've given him enough time, and he's still not performing. The odds are not improving as we see QB Curtis Painter begin to favor Pierre Garcon. It's time to let go. Bills TE Scott Chandler is another one as he's useless unless he's scoring touchdowns, telling us to understand the player's role. If it's too much of a niche, let him go.

 

QUARTERBACKS

Tim Tebow, Broncos (11% owned)
Tebow's not the starter yet, but for fantasy purposes he may be worth grabbing and stashing. I say that because of his legs. He only went 4-of-10 for 79 yards and one touchdown. However he's a rushing quarterback who went 6-38-1, and that's where he'll make up for his passing shortages. Pick him up, stash him and see what happens.

QB watch list

QB Curtis Painter, Colts (8% owned)
Painter has a two-game average of 279 yards, two TDs and no interceptions against two weaker defenses in the Bucs and Chiefs. Let's see how he does against the better defenses. Watch-list him.

QB Alex Smith, 49ers (15% owned)
Smith threw for only 170 yards but three TDs and has continued to improve every week. He could become a matchup play if the improvement continues. Watch-list him.

 

RUNNING BACKS

Ryan Torain, Redskins (50% owned)
Torain has value if he can stay healthy and distance himself from Tim Hightower and Roy Helu. In his first game back he went 19-135-1, and no one doubts his ability. However, his ability to stay healthy has doubters. This will be a committee, but look for head coach Mike Shanahan to go with the hot hand. Right now, Torain has the upper hand on playing time. He's a flex position player because of the Redskins' committee approach.

Delone Carter, Colts (12% owned) and Donald Brown, Colts (2% owned)
Both Carter and Brown belong only on larger rosters. Starter Joseph Addai (hamstring) went down Sunday, and his status is unknown for Week Six. Carter (12-22-1) and Brown (8-38-0) did not do much to impress, but Carter is the goal-line back whereas the team stated Brown will see his role grow, as he averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Neither player will explode but make bye-week or injury fill-ins without much upside.

Jackie Battle, Chiefs (11% owned)
Battle had the best game a Chiefs back has had this season, going 19-119-0, and is muddling up an already muddled situation. You need to pick up backs because there are not many on the waiver wire who see enough playing time. Let's watch this play out, so stash him. Right now he makes a bye-week or injury fill-in at best.

 

WIDE RECEIVERS

Jason Avant, Eagles (2% owned)
Avant is going to be hit-or-miss. His 9-139-0 performance with a team-leading 10 targets makes you notice. He's the No. 3 wide receiver, the fourth option, so he will be inconsistent. He has a two-game average of nine targets, converting them into 7.5 receptions, 104 yards and no TDs. He's a bye-week or injury fill-in.

James Jones, Packers (12% owned)
Jones is improving every week and went off for 5-140-1 and now has two touchdowns in two games. He'll be inconsistent, but when you have a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers who will look for the open receiver, Jones will have opportunities. He's a bye-week or injury fill-in.

Darrius Howard-Bey, Raiders (9% owned)
Howard-Bey had a second great fantasy game, going 7-99-1 and leading the team with 12 targets. He has a two-game average of 9.5 targets for 5.5 receptions, 107 yards and 0.5 TDs. Pick him up as he starts, sees most of the snaps and has the team 100 percent behind him. Entering his third year, maybe he finally "gets" playing at this level. He's a No. 3 receiver based on the matchup as he will be inconsistent.

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks (6% owned)
Baldwin had a monster game (8-136-1) this past week with nine targets. He has a two-game average of 7.5 targets, converting them into 6.5 receptions for 110 yards and 0.5 TDs. He's a bye-week or injury fill-in starter when he returns from the bye.

Victor Cruz, Giants (61% owned)
Cruz is not as good as he's playing. This past week he went 8-161-1 with 11 targets and has a three-game average of 8.3 targets for 5.7 receptions, 123 yards and one TD per game. If you have a chance to grab him, do so. He'll eventually drop in production, but ride him while he's hot. He is playing like an elite wideout, but view him like a No. 3 in expected production.

 

TIGHT ENDS

Jermaine Gresham, Bengals (57% owned)
Gresham is still available in many leagues. He's only underperformed once this year, in Week Two. He has a three-game average of 7.3 targets for 4.3 receptions, 47.3 yards and 0.7 TDs per game. He's a No. 1 fantasy tight end.

Fred Davis, Redskins (38% owned)
Davis is a forgotten man by fantasy owners after a two-week average of 4.5 targets for 2.5 receptions, 28.5 yards and no TDs. This happens. Even Patriots QB Tom Brady is going through a two-week slump, averaging only 1.5 TDs. Davis should be on someone's roster. During the bye week, he stayed in town working out, studying film and playing catch with QB Rex Grossman. That's dedication. He's a matchup play for now.

Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/10/11/fantasy-ticker-week-six-3

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