Hail to the Redskins!

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com




Let's begin:

Quarterback:
David Garrard (6.2%/25.3%)
17/21, 260 yards passing and 4 TD's; 2 Rushes for 2 Yards and 1 TD
30 Fantasy Points

Garrard had himself a career-game against the now-woeful Dallas Cowboys, reeling off a career-high 5 TD's - 4 of which were through the air. He was also VERY accurate, missing only four of his passes. The Cowboys were simply just mailing it in 9 games earlier than they normally do, and Garrard and the Jags took advantage - although, he isn't worth owning other than in deeper (12+ owners) leagues.

Running Back:
Jamaal Charles (95.6/100)
22 Carries, 177 rushing yards and 1 TD; 0 fumbles; 4 catches for 61 yards
23 Fantasy Points

Charles and the Chiefs - a good name for a band, hint, hint - have continued their DOMINANT rushing attack eight weeks into the NFL season, destroying the Buffalo rushing defense for the tune of 270+ rushing yards altogether. And I do not see them stopping anytime soon, with the Raiders (31st against the rush), Broncos (30th) and Cardinals (27th) in their next three games. So start BOTH Charles and Thomas Jones for the foreseeable future.

Running Back:
BenJarvis Green-Ellis (51.4/89.6)
17 Carries, 112 rushing yards and 2 TD's; 1 Catch for 11 Yards; 0 Fumbles
24 Fantasy Points

The guy with four names finally had his first break-out performance of the season - right when I dropped him in most of my leagues. He did so against a stout Vikings' defense (11th against the run) - running left, right and center. I had the opportunity to start him instead of Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch in my one and only keeper league, and it IMMENSELY cost me (0 pts for Lynch, while 24 for Ellis). I now sit 1-7 in the 8-team league. From having a nearly-absent rushing attack in 2009 to a potent one in 2010, Green-Ellis looks to have such great games in the foreseeable future. Start him against the Browns next week.

Wide Receiver/Running Back (Flex):
LeGarrette Blount (14.0/20.7)
22 Rushes for 122 Yards and 2 TD's; 2 Catches for 9 Yards; 0 Fumbles
22 Fantasy Points

If you haven't seen today's previous post (Click here), Blount, like Green-Ellis, also had a GREAT day yesterday, taking advantage of the NFL's 27th-ranked run defense in the Arizona Cardinals. His ownership increased from 0.3% to a whopping 20.7% (a 19.7 increase) - and the owners who did start him (14% of them) were rewarded with a 2-TD, 120+ yard performance. He is DEFINITELY worth grabbing off the waiver-wire, but should be on your bench week 9 against the red-hot Atlanta Falcons.

Wide Receiver:
Calvin Johnson (90.5/100)
9 Catches for 101 receiving yards and 3 TD's
30 Fantasy Points

Johnson - a.k.a. "Megatron" - had the game of his life against the porous Redskins' defense catching three red-zone TD's, including one on fourth down that turned the momentum in the Lions' favor in the fourth quarter. He's in-sync with second-year quarterback Matthew Stafford, and has become a top-5 receiver this year. I don't know why you would not start him (9.5% of owners must be upset after yesterday's dominant game

Wide Receiver:
Brandon Lloyd (92.0/100)
7 Catches for 169 receiving yards and 1 TD
22 Fantasy Points

Lloyd has had a MONSTROUS game this season, capping off yesterday's annual game in London, England with a 150+ yard ,1-TD game against a stout 49er-passing defense. Although ESPN projected him having 22 fantasy points, I seriously doubted he would get THAT many fantasy points, and it cost me big-time. (I got "tricked" - in honor of Halloween). I realize from now on, he is a must-start wide receiver, no matter what issue stands in front of him.





Tight End
Antonio Gates (98.1/100)
5 Catches for 123 yards and 1 TD
18 Fantasy Points

Guess who's back for this weekly slot? It's the one-and-only Antonio Gates, who has DRASTICALLY separated him from the mediocre tight-end pack this year. (He has 117 fantasy points on the year, while the TE with the second-most fantasy points is Marcedes Lewis, with 70). For the 1.9% of you who did NOT start him, SHAME on you! Like Lloyd (hey, that rhymes!), he is not worth benching, since there is no bye week ahead of him, and he looks healthy and dominant yet again.

Kicker
Dan Carpenter (1.7/3.0)
5 for 5 on Field Goals; 1 for 1 on Extra-Points
19 Fantasy Points

Guess who is back for the #1 kicker slot for the 3rd week this season? That's right, it's Carpenter, again, who had a deja-vu performance, kicking and making five-out-of-five field goals, with one extra-point made. It's VERY surprising AND shocking that the most dominant kicker the past three games (an astounding 13-for-13) is UNOWNED in 77.5% of all leagues. I have said to grab him before, but I guess no one reads this post. Grab him and START HIM!

Defense/Special Teams
Green Bay Packers (78.9/95.9)
2 Ints for 0 yards; 2 Sacks; 1 Fumble Recovery; ZERO Points Allowed
18 Fantasy Points

Who would guess that the Packers, NOT the Jets, would win this game with defense? They did in dominant fashion, being the only team this week to shut-out its opponent, and keep LT to less than 50 yards rushing and 50 yards receiving. They had an all-around great performance - this is the same team that lost to the mediocre Redskins and Bears, but win against the Lions and Vikings. They should look to put a BETTER performance next week against the terrible, TERRIBLE Cowboys next week at home.

TOTAL Fantasy Points: 206