Yeah, about that top running back who just got injured..... Sorry.
After watching this last week's games, it's easy to want to just give up, throw in the fantasy towel and walk away from your leagues forever.
Seriously, this was one of the most frustrating weeks in both the NFL and fantasy football. You had the Cleveland-Seattle poo fest, you had Sunday night's war crime as the Saints destroyed the Colts and then Monday night's terrible affair with top running backs Ray Rice and Maurice Jones-Drew decided to just not hold the ball.
On top of that, you had rushers Darren McFadden, Tim Hightower, Beanie Wells, Marshawn Lynch and Earnest Graham slated to miss extended time with Graham perhaps losing his career and Hightower losing the rest of his season.
So yeah, here are the guys you can try to snag this week.
1. Demarco Murray, RB, Cowboys- If you didn't listen to me last week, well you are a fool. Murray crushed the Rams and could be slated for that kind of role moving forward after breaking the team's all-time single game rushing record. Not many leagues will have Murray still available after that performance, but if he's out there go get him.
2. Roy Helu, RB, Redskins- Hightower's injury allows Helu to take a bigger role in the Washington backfield. He has shown through the season that he's effective in some way, shape or form, and with the injury history of Ryan Torain, Helu can really get something going.
3. Kregg Lumpkin, RB, Buccaneers- Graham is done, and it will be interesting to see if Legarrette Blount comes back from his knee injury. Lumpkin is not going to single-handedly win you anything, but he's going to be a decent stopgap while you figure out what to do. Former Oklahoma Sooner Mossis Madu could also be signed from the practice squad, and could become an interesting play because Tampa likes him too,
4. Michael Jenkins, WR, Vikings- You couldn't have expected Christian Ponder to be effective against Green Bay, but shockingly he had a decent outing. Jenkins was one of the biggest beneficiaries of that. Worth a grab in deeper leagues for sure.
5. Jabar Gaffney or Anthony Armstrong, WRs, Redskins- Santana Moss is out for a while with his hand injury, and John Beck has to throw it to someone. I think Armstrong is the guy first after Fred Davis, so see if he's there first after he clears waivers.
6. Alphonso Smith, RB, Cardinals- This offense is bad, that's for sure, but you can't look away from guys who are the top rushers on a team. Smith will be the one taking the carries for Wells, with Larod Stevens-Howling taking the minority of the reps. We need to see the severity of Wells' injury before racing to the wire to grab this guy.
7. Justin Forsett or Leon Washington, RBs, Seahawks- Remember when Forsett was sneaky good? You may need to remember it well if Lynch is hurt for an extended time. However, if you get return yards and TDs in your league, Washington is the play. I see this backfield going committee, so if you get those return yards Washington will be the more consistent fantasy player.
8. Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers- This is all contingent if Hines Ward is hurt. If he is, Brown is worth an add, and Emmanual Sanders is worth a watch. If Ward is fine, then neither are really going to put up good numbers.
9. Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Buccaneers- If Josh Freeman ever wakes up and becomes a good quarterback again, the Bucs are going to be tough. Mike Williams is coming along, Benn is producing and now Briscoe is showing off. All three are nice flex plays in deep leagues moving forward if Freeman gets it together.
Other guys I have my eyes on: Jason Hill, Visanthe Shiancoe, Brandon LaFell, Steve Breaston, Daniel Fells, Andy Dalton, Shaun Hill.
8.
