Giants Daily Blitz Blog

Fantasy Football Primer: Week 6

The views expressed in this article are not of the New York Football Giants but those of an independent Fantasy Expert.

Start

Sam Bradford QB Rams

Last Week: 141 yards, 2 TD’s, INT

Bradford has shown plenty of signs that he has that big arm and all the attributes to make any throw in the league.  With a big win last week over the heavily favored Cardinals demonstrating that, Bradford will look to air it out as they face a Dolphins secondary ranking 27th vs. the pass and a rush defense that ranks the best in the business.

DeMarco Murray RB Cowboys

Last game played: 11 carries, 24 yards

Murray’s Week 1 in where he rushed for 131 yards seems like seasons ago, as he has only gained a combined 106 yards rushing in three games since.  Even though Baltimore’s reputation is known for stopping the run, Murray’s style is one that could create plenty of problems when trying to tackle an elusive runner such as himself.

Nate Burleson WR Lions

Last game played: 5 catches, 51 yards

Burleson has had a better year than most anticipated in what thought to be Titus Young’s year to take over the slot. The veteran wideout hasn’t let him take his position just yet and doesn’t seem likely at all anymore.  With much emphasis going to be focusing on how the Eagles defense can stop Calvin Johnson, Burleson will be reaping the rewards with short slants in zone coverage.

Vick Ballard RB Colts

Last Week: 6 carries, 11 yards

If you were fortunate enough to snag Vick Ballard on Monday, then you should do it justice by starting him. Donald Brown has been showing some real progress and was discouraging to see him injured. But how the Colts have been throwing lately, courtesy of Reggie Wayne and Andrew Luck, the run game should create plenty of productivity for whoever is in Indianapolis’ backfield.

Brent Celek TE Eagles

Last Week: 3 catches, 9 yards, TD

Celek’s 324 yards currently leads the league in receiving for tight ends.  With only nine total yards off of just three receptions last game, Celek will look to bounce back in a potential high scoring, high passing, offensive slug fest, when they take on the surprisingly disappointing 1-4 Detroit Lions.

Top Defense: Rams

Last Week: 9 sacks, 3 points allowed, 1 FR

The Rams defense is coming off probably their best performance in franchise history, allowing only 3 points the entire game and sacking Kevin Kolb a ludicrous nine times. Miami’s Offense currently ranks 18th in passing, as they face on Sunday a St. Louis secondary that is 12th vs. the pass through Week 5 of the regular season.  Tannehill could see a lot of pressure come his way this week, especially without Reggie Bush being at full strength.  Look for that up and coming front seven to contribute in a major way that includes future defensive stars in Robert Quinn and Chris Long vs. the Miami offensive line.

Bench

Seahawks Defense

Last Week: 12 points allowed, 2 FR, 4 Sacks

The Seattle Seahawks defense is by no means a fluke.  They rank in the top five in both pass defense and rush defense in the league.  They sacked Aaron Rodgers eight times and haven’t allowed more than 20 points to a team all year.  Having said that, this will all change this week against New England.

Mikel Leshoure RB Lions

Last game played: 13 carries, 26 yards, 4 catches, 37 yards

Leshoure had a big drop off from his first game — where he had 100 yards and touchdown in his NFL debut — to his second game with 26 yards on the ground.  To be fair he did not look healthy in his last performance and his stats showed that, averaging two yards a carry. Though the Lions are coming off a bye week, why risk it vs. the Philadelphia Eagles’ 12th-ranked rush defense.

Steven Jackson RB Rams

Last Week: 18 carries, 76 yards

The Miami Dolphins’ defense is ranked  first in the league in rushing yards allowed with 61.4 per game.  Steven Jackson has had a disappointing fantasy season so far and he may very well struggle yet again.  With his best rushing performance of the year coming last week with 76 tough yards off of 18 carries and no touchdowns all year, is Jackson’s back to his ways in the past? We shall see this Sunday.

Christian Ponder QB Vikings

Last Week: 258 yards passing, 2 TD’s, 2 INT

In Ponder’s first four games of the season he did not throw an interception.  In the last week’s game, he had two.  He’s a quarterback who could give you a solid outing like he did in Week 3 vs. San Francisco with three touchdowns or he could give you 116 total yards with no scores, like he did in Week 4 vs. Detroit.

Danny Woodhead RB Patriots

Last Week: 72 yards total

Woodhead has been used a lot as of lately for one of the best offenses in the league.  In the past three weeks, the Patriots’ back has two touchdowns, one receiving and one rushing.  Woodhead now faces a Seahawks defense that is currently third against the rush and also faces his own running backs with Bolden getting 30 carries combined (191 yards rushing, TD) in the last two games, and even Shane Vereen is getting goal line touches and scored a touchdown last weekend.  Why bother.