The Watch List: Week 12
By Erik Morris, EA Expert
Even though bye weeks are well behind us, you should still be watching for late season bloomers (Kevin Smith) and players fading away (thanks again, Laveranues). There is still time to make or miss the playoffs for a number of owners and making the right late-season additions could be the little push you need to get over the top!
Week 11's Top Performers
Matt Cassel, Patriots (at Miami) - Someone wants a big new contract in the offseason! On 51 pass attempts the 4th year QB, who has started 9 games now since high school (2000), threw for 400 yards. 3 of the Patriots 30 receptions went for TDs. Throw in another 62 yards on the ground for good measure in what was easily Matt Cassel's best game in his career.
DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart, Panthers (at Atlanta) - Williams put up 120 yards on 14 carries (8.6 ypc) with 2 TDs. Stewart also scored a TD and ran for 130 yards on 15 carries (8.7 ypc). The more games the Panthers have where their running back seem to only be competing against themselves, the more likely Carolina will be heading to the playoffs. A win in Atlanta this week can get the Panthers most of the way there.
Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, Cardinals (vs. NY Giants) - Unless Seattle's gameplan was to stop Steve Breaston, Mike Holmgren's squad couldn't do much more than keep Arizona from rushing for 100 yards. Not a smart plan against a pass first offense led by potential MVP Kurt Warner. Though Warner did throw an INT, the Seahawks could not stop the two terrors from combining for 23 receptions and 337 yards. Boldin took the majority of both stats going for 13 catches in the game and 186 yards.
Players I'll Be Watching:
Quarterbacks
Shaun Hill, 49ers (at Dallas) - Aside from 2 INTs, lost fumble and a 47.5% pass completion percentage against the Cardinals in Week 10, Hill has taken to his new role as starter fairly well. Last week against the Rams, Hill threw for 213 yards and 2 TD's with a rushing TD and no turnovers. Despite being in the league for 7 seasons, with one more start Hill will have played in and started more games in this year than in any other season. In two weeks, he'll have played more this season than the rest of his career combined. It looks like he's learned his lessons well, but a good gauge will be this week against what has been an average Cowboys secondary.
Daunte Culpepper, Lions (vs. Tampa Bay) - Unless you were hoping for Derek Anderson or Matt Schaub to return this week, you probably don't need a QB. If you did though, look at Dante in Detroit. Last week against a good Carolina D, Culpepper threw for 207 yards on 20 for 35 passing with 2 TDs (1 rushing, 1 passing) and 2 INTs. Daunte is more than capable of putting up huge numbers through the air. The rust will mean that INTs will be a likely part of the stat line any game Culpepper throws more than 20 times, but depending on your scoring systems he could be a good emergency QB if you need him.
Running Backs
Kevin Smith, Lions (vs. Tampa Bay) - In his past two games, Smith has rushed for 208 yards with 1 TD. Throw in 50 yards in the passing game and it looks like the all-UCF backfield rolling in Detroit these days could have something going. More Floridians come to town this week as Kevin Smith takes his shot at beating the Bucs by trying to control the ball by (say it with me now!) running up the middle of the Tampa 2!
Carnell Williams, Buccaneers (at Detroit) - With Earnest Graham going down; possibly for the season and Warrick Dunn and B.J. Askew still not at 100%, the ball could start to fall to Cadillac who has been in the car park since Week 4 last season. Williams also has a long way to go before he'll be running at all cylinders, but this could be the game he comes out of the garage. Was that enough puns? If he does get on the field, Detroit's run defense is as close to a preseason tune-up game as one could hope for 12 weeks into the regular season.
Wide Receivers
Justin Gage, Titans (vs. NY Jets) - Back to back games have seen Justin Gage catch 4 passes. Two weeks ago Gage had 47 yards and a TD. Put a 1 and two zeros in front of that and then we'll talk last week. In 4 grabs, Gage went for 147 yards and 2 TDs against the Jaguars as the Titans continued their undefeated ways. It looks like the passing game is starting to catch up to the run game and that makes Tennessee very dangerous.
Shaun McDonald, Lions (vs. Tampa Bay) - When Calvin Johnson or one the UCF Knights don't have the ball in their hand, it looks like Shaun McDonald will be the next in line to see the pigskin. With Mike Furrey recovering from a concussion, McDonald has 18 receptions in the past four games, including his first TD of the season. Some talking heads are calling for the upset against the Bucs this week. I hope it doesn't happen, but if it does, it'll likely be because of McDonald and Kevin Smith putting up big games.
Tight Ends
Dustin Keller, Jets (at Tennessee) - The last two weeks, the Jets WRs have seen their production suffer. Dustin Keller, on the other hand, has caught 14 passes for 194 yards and 1 TD. Favre is looking for his TE often in the red zone these days. It will be interesting to see how the Titans match up against the Jets offense. If the Titans decide to play off Keller, he could have a third straight game over 80 yards. And he's available in 84.3% of EA Fantasy Football leagues.
PLAYERS WITH SOMETHING TO PROVE >>
Author's Bio - Erik Morris
Erik Morris joined EA Sports in 2003 and currently works as an Analyst for Tiburon's Central Technologies Group. You can probably find him at Ray Jay watching his beloved Bucs or alma mater USF roll through the competition. He's played Fantasy Football since 1998 and truly thinks that the Bucs are better off with Jeff Garcia this year.
Comments or Questions? Email us at fantasy@ea.com
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