Chiefs’ Johnson Suspended Until Nov. 9
After barring ’star’ running back Larry Johnson from team activities on Tuesday in the wake of him being the latest athlete to forget, it should come as no surprise that he’s going to have to spend some time in timeout.
But in the end, his suspension until November 9 amounts to him missing all of one game, which will be against Jacksonville on November 8.
I’ll save my full comments about the suspension and Johnson’s future for another post, but perhaps they’re holding back on giving an extensive punishment right now in favor of waiting until the offsesaon to just dump him and his fat contract.
But as for the one game that he’ll be out, the carries that he was wasting will go to Jamaal Charles. Charles has some solid numbers in limited touches, averaging five yards per carry (23 carries, 116 yards) and more than eight yards per catch (14 catches, 120 yards), and a good outing against the Jaguars could be a springboard to more regular opportunities even when Johnson is back.
Seahawks’ Jones Put On IR, Career Done?
Veteran Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones is still feeling too much pain in his surgically repaired left knee, and as a result, the nine-time Pro Bowler has been placed on injured reserve.
Jones is holding out hope to play in 2010, but perhaps this could be the end of the line for the future Hall of Famer, who last played last Thanksgiving Day against the Cowboys.
Cooley’s Season Not Done
After it appeared that Redskins tight end Chris Cooley could be done for the season after fracturing his ankle against the Eagles on Monday night, but according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cooley could be playing again in four weeks after getting pins inserted in the ankle yesterday morning.
That’s good news for fantasy owners, who’ll be happy to have him back in the fold for the end of the season and the playoffs. In the meantime, it’d be a wise idea to pick up Fred Davis if you don’t have him already. Davis had eight catches for 78 yards and a score against the Eagles after having seven catches in the first six games, and he’ll be in line for a lot of looks from Jason Campbell while Cooley is mending.
Westbrook A Game-Time Decision
According to Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, running back Brian Westbrook will be a game-time decision for Sunday’s showdown with the Giants after suffering a concussion in the first quarter of Monday night’s win over the Redskins.
Westbrook didn’t practice on Wednesday, and he also didn’t do his usual weekly press conference, for what it’s worth.
Though this might normally be a matchup you’d avoid, Westbrook has had a lot of success against the Giants in his career, so it’ll be a blow to your team if he’s unable to go, which at this point seems the likeliest outcome.
That being said, LeSean McCoy is worthy of a look. The Giants are near the bottom of the league in rushing touchdowns allowed (10) and middle of the road in rushing yards allowed per game (103.6 - 15th) and yards allowed per carry (4.2 - 16th), so McCoy could be able to have a solid day on the ground, and his five receptions on Monday night show that he could bring some extra value as a receiving option.
The Eagles signed former Wisconsin star P.J. Hill to add depth, but expect McCoy to be the man if Westbrook sits.
Rookie Freeman Will Start For Bucs
Is he ready? It may well look like an act of desperation/an attempt to give the fans something to be excited about after a 0-7 start, but Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris says the future is ready for the now.
On one hand, you have to worry about Freeman’s confidence taking a hit if he bombs, but for the sake of optimism, throwing him into the fray in this kind of situation is an instant test of how well he can handle adversity.
He didn’t exactly produce stud-like numbers in his debut against New England on Sunday, but when your first two options haven’t quite worked out, why not give the kid a chance when he could well offer the best opportunity to be highly competitive?
I hope you don’t need me to tell you that Freeman isn’t worth fantasy consideration for the present, but if the other quarterbacks on your roster come from the group of Derek Anderson, Kerry Collins, JaMarcus Russell, Marc Bulger, or Jake Delhomme, then you might be in the same position Morris is in now.
Delhomme Remains Panthers’ Starting QB
But for how much longer?
If he has the same kind of performance on Sunday against Arizona that he did against the Cardinals in the divisional round of last season’s playoffs, then it’s going to be even harder to defend him than it is already after he tossed three interceptions against a bad Buffalo team.
If you remember, Delhomme threw five interceptions as the Panthers were routed 33-13, and this season has been every bit of a nightmare for him from the start. His three picks against the Bills took his season total to 13 in just seven games, putting him on a pace for 35 interceptions.
He may not have another five-interception game against the Cardinals, but it’s safe to say that you should stay away from starting him this week or next week (at New Orleans), or until he shows some significant improvement.
