Fantasy High 5: Playoff Runs, Trades & Jamaal Charles

Fantasy High 5 this week was pushed back to Thursday evening, but still features many buzzing fantasy topics. I’m sure you are looking to acquire fantasy sleepers for your playoff run and/or were curious about some top fantasy players on poor NFL teams like Jamaal Charles…

Who’s a fantasy playoff player I can acquire for cheap to help with my championship run?

Zhan Mourning: This may sound crazy but the Chicago Bears defense. You may be able to find an owner that doesn’t value a defense as high as a position player. The Bears have been very consistent this season regardless of the match-ups, and have scored a lot of touchdowns. Don’t go crazy, but do what you can to attempt to acquire them for your playoff run.
Mike Rodriguez: I’m not sure how affordable a player like Chris Johnson would be, it all depends on the owner, but he has turn arounded his 2012 fantasy season as of late. The matchups aren’t ideal from weeks 14 through 16, but at the right price and especially in of PPR league I think CJ2K could be a valuable acquisition
Jody Smith: How about the injured fantasy football stars- Patriots Tight End Aaron Hernandez should return and Jaguars MJD will start running next week. Both are not high on people’s radar and can be acquired for cheap.
Sean Herman: A lot of people are real low on Calvin Johnson, mainly because he has only one TD this year. He still has four 100+ yard games and continues to get his targets. I like his TD chances during fantasy playoff time and he is definitely someone you can get on the cheap right now.
Brian Jerzak: A little under the radar and has not had a great season so far, but if you are in a tight end mandatory league Anthony Fasano is a sneaky pick up. First of all, you might be able to just pick him up off the wavier wire and the Dolphins face three teams in the bottom ten of the league in pass defense. If you don’t have one of the top tight ends, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a couple of touchdowns in the last few weeks.
Ryan Miller: I would say any of the injured big names including: MJD, Pierre Gracon, Greg Jennings. Most of these would be boom or bust but they may be available on your waiver wire depending on your league.

Jamaal Charles: Buying or Selling?

Jody Smith: I would be selling Jamaal Charles because it’s about to be house cleaning time in Kansas City, but at the same time his value is so low.

Mike Rodriguez: It really boils down to price. If you can acquire Jamaal Charles for fantasy playoff run, I think you should do it. His matchups include the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts and Oakland Raiders through weeks 14 to 16. And unless he gets injured, I don’t see him throwing games just to end the season outright. Jamaal Charles to me, seems like the kind of player that would want to shoot for the rushing title, or end the season on a high note. For that I would buy him at a reasonable price.
Chris Strong: Sell, sell, sell! Kansas City is in a world of hurt and that includes Jamaal Charles. This team has been disastrous all season and things don’t seem to be looking up for either the Chiefs or Charles.

Sean Herman:ÂIf you did not sell him right after the monster 233 yard game he had this year (when he had his highest trade value) it may be too late to get real good value for him… You may not be able to get a better back for him, so hang onto him and start him strictly based on match-ups if you have the depth to do so. I want to say sell him, I just don’t think you are going to get the value you are looking for.
Zhan Mourning: This is tough. I would say sell because you just don’t know what KC will do going forward with their offense, but you can’t really expect to get much for him at this point. If you can get a good deal, then go for it. Otherwise you may be stuck with him and forced to start him. Even then you could be doing worse.
Brian Jerzak: I agree with Sean. At this point you aren’t getting much for him. It might not be worth trading him. If you own him he might not be more than a spot starter. There is a problem there also. They have tough defenses the rest of the year so if you can get anything at all for him, you might want to pull the trigger.
Ryan Miller: I would sell and not because of schedule or anything to that effect. The team is bad and it is very rare that a bad team will try to run the ball a lot and have success. I know MJD had a ton of success last year but the team offense revolved around him and the Chiefs just don’t look willing to do that this year. Charles is fantasy toast going forward.

Are the Eagles too much of a mess of Fantasy?

Zhan Mourning: They are no more of a mess than any other NFL team. There will be some good games as well as some ugly games. There is so much talent on this team you can’t just dismiss them. Maybe they are risky starts at certain positions such as Vick or Maclin, but you have to keep rolling with them.
Robert James: Unless you have a better option then the 4 main fantasy guys for Philly, they still have value. Especially since its seems like they will be playing from behind in most games for the rest of the season.

Chris Strong: Yes Michael Vick has been responsible for a majority of Philly’s turnovers, but then again the Eagles offensive line can’t seem to block for the life of them. This has been a big problem all season and continues to plague the Eagles. On Monday night, Vick led the Eagles to the redzone 4 times, yet Philly could only manage 2 field goals. This is large in part due to the O-line that’s having trouble protecting Vick.
Brian Jerzak: Yes, the only guy I would trust even a little bit is McCoy. Vick is way to inconsistent and like Chris said the offensive line has been a train wreck. Each of the main Eagle fantasy guys will have a good game here and there, but they have not shown any kind of consistency.
Ryan Miller: Well trusting any of the Eagles offensive players is playing fantasy roulette with your team. The only decent fantasy production had been from Michael Vick, but in real life quarterback play he has been garbage and most people don’t understand the difference. Vick was acquired, if you were smart in about the 6th round or later and went very late in some drafts and has been worth a late round pick. That would have given you the option to use all your early picks on RB’s and WR’s and if you a good roster and Vick you are probably 6-3 or better right now. Don’t go trade for Vick unless you are really hurting but as long as sacks count as negative points Vick is decent.

Which fantasy playoff schedule looks the worse on paper for RB’s?

Robert James: Adrian Peterson – Other than the Lions, who are the 14th ranked D against the run, the last 5 out of 6 weeks Peterson faces a top 10 D against the run. The Bears and Packers twice, the Texans, and Rams, only the Rams are out of the top 10, and they are ranked 13th.
Chris Strong: I totally agree with Robert. Adrian Peterson has probably got the toughest running schedule coming up. The Vikings started the season off with a bang, but now seem to be letting their season slip away from them and now with games coming up against the Bears and Packers twice, the Texans, and the Rams. Peterson will have a mighty hard time running against the defenses of the Bears and the Texans, who are two of the top defenses in the league. It’s going to be an uphill battle for Peterson and the Vikes in the final 6-7 games.

Mike Rodriguez: I beleive that star players step up in tough match-ups, so I can’t really give you one, although there are a few fantasy schedules the catch my eye as great fantasy match-ups through weeks 14 to 16. Here are a few: Trent Richardson (KC WAS @DEN) Shonn Greene (@JAC @TEN SD) and lastly Darren McFadden (DEN KC @CAR)

Rex Ryan was voted the most overrated NFL coach, your thoughts? who’s worse?

Chris Strong: We all know that Rex Ryan is the most animated coach in the NFL, but as far as being overrated he’s definitely the number one choice, but I think 2 other potential candidates would be Andy Reid of the Eagles and Mike Shanahan of the Washington Redskins. Reid has had his glory days in Philly and hasn’t been the same head coach in the Michael Vick era, while Shanahan has struggled since day one to re-invent the Redskins and even with the Skins getting RGIII and a more powerful offense, Washington is beginning to slide this season sitting at 3-6.
Sean Herman: Rex Ryan IS overrated but not the most overrated… How about Norv Turner, Andy Reid, and Marvin Lewis to name a few… they have all had long tenures (for NFL standards) and have yet to win the big one.

Brian Jerzak: I don’t think it is even close. He does it to himself. By opening his big mouth every week and trying to make himself the story he brings more attention to himself and puts himself under the microscope. Ryan is the product of ESPN and their unending search for NFL stories. They deny it, but East Coast bias – at least at the four letter network – is alive and well.

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