We backed up two straight solid weeks of gutsy start and sit calls with another batch of sensational recommendations. Guys like Alex Smith, Josh Freeman, and Ryan Grant made us look like we know what we’re talking about. And hey, if you look at the picks’ standings for the week, we’d have to argue that we do.
Take a look at the numbers below and read on for some analysis on how this week’s 15 guys fared.
Starts: 4-1
Sits: 2-3
Sleepers: 3-2
Overall: 9-6
Winners
Matt Hassebeck, QB, Seattle Seahawks (Start)
Hasselbeck started things off the wrong way with an interception on his first pass, but completed 39 of his remaining 50 passes for 300+ yards and a touchdown. Not a bad day’s work.
Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers (Start)
Smith did his part in giving the game away to the Tennessee Titans with three interceptions and a fumble, but he threw the rock 45 times on his way to 286 yards passing and two touchdowns. The 11 yards on the ground didn’t hurt, either. Was he fantastic? No, but if you needed him in a pinch, he got the job done.
Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay Packers (Start)
Despite the Packers steering away from the ground game and falling to the Buccaneers, 38-28, Grant had himself the type of game we had imagined. Grant handled the ball 21 times for 96 yards and a touchdown, which quite honestly, is more than you can ask from the guy.
Nate Burleson, WR, Seattle Seahawks (Start)
Burleson didn’t find the end-zone, but he continued his solid work as one of Matt Hasselbeck’s favorite targets, hauling in seven catches for 75 yards. Burleson remains a quality starter in all leagues, registering as an elite WR3.
Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (Sit)
We had a strong feeling all week that Westbrook’s sore melon would either hold him back, or keep him from playing, altogether. Looks like we were right, as Westbrook wore pedestrian clothes on the sidelines for the Eagles Sunday Night game against the Cowboys.
Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans (Sleeper)
It doesn’t take much to qualify as a “win” from the sleeper category, but Young did more than enough to help his team win it’s second straight game of the season, and might have helped you if you started him, as well.
Most of the credit can be handed directly to Chris Johnson, but Young’s 172 passing yards, zero turnovers, and 14 yards and a score on the ground made him a quality stop-gap this week.
Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sleeper)
Calling all waiver wire geniuses: you’re looking at a rookie who just might be able to hang with the seasoned veterans. While it might prove to be a fluke in the long run of the 2009 season, our second sleeper really paid off in Week Nine, as Freeman tossed 205 yards and three touchdowns, while running for another 20 yards.
Kevin Walter, WR, Houston Texans (Sleeper)
Considering what Walter was giving you through the first eight weeks, you should have finished Sunday with a smile on your face if he was your WR3. He didn’t dominate or find the end-zone as we’d hoped, but his five grabs for 67 yards made him worth the start.
Knowshon Moreno, RB, Denver Broncos (Sit)
Moreno did almost nothing and deserved his “sit” candidacy, as he struggled against a very tough Pittsburgh run defense, and ended the game with just three yards on five carries. Simply pathetic. You can thanks us for the sit call later.
Duds
Chad Ochocinco, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (Start)
He did rack up a decent 66 yards on five receptions, but he lost a fumble and got some flak for “bribing” a ref. We expect more out of number 85. Don’t we?
Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants (Sit)
Manning stayed away from turnovers for the first time in three weeks, and managed to toss two touchdowns and 215 yards in a 21-20 loss, the Giants fourth in a row. Come on, like anyone saw that coming.
Ricky Williams, RB, Miami Dolphins (Sit)
For much of the first half, it looked like we made the right call. However, Williams did as he’s been doing all season; he made one big play. His 15-yard scamper for the score was the difference between being a complete dud or a fantasy winner this Sunday, and he came out (and likely helped you) on top. A touchdown and 36 total yards made him a solid Flex or RB2 play.
Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver Broncos
Whoops. The one game all season that Marshall decides to catch 10+ balls and top 100 yards, and we tell you to sit him. Just our luck. Ah, well it was in a losing effort and he didn’t score a touchdown, so we don’t feel nearly as bad as we did in the third quarter.
Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys (Sleeper)
Jones had notched at least eight touches in two straight games, but somehow fell off the Cowboys offensive map, only touching the ball four times for 10 total yards in a 20-16 win over the Eagles. I know you can’ always expect the world from a sleeper, but boy, was his performance disappointing.
Antonio Bryant, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sleeper)
Hopefully you paid attention to his status leading up to game day and took him out of your line-up, as knee swelling knocked Bryant out of the game before it began. We apologize for this one, but if it means anything, we feel he would have had a remarkable game if he had played.
