Analysis by Michael Fabiano
» Robert Griffin III had his worst full-game fantasy stat line of the entire season, posting just 11.88 points on NFL.com. However, it's hard to put the entire blame on his shoulders - RG3's wideouts dropped a bunch of passes. In fact, Leonard Hankerson dropped a sure score in the first half. Keep him active in Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers. ... Alfred Morris also had a poor stat line (13 carries, 59 yards), but the Redskins had to abandon the run in an attempt to erase a huge deficit. He remains a solid option in fantasy land. ... Santana Moss had just 21 yards in this contest, but he scored another touchdown and has found the end zone three times in his last two games. He's the best fantasy wideout option in Washington right now. ... Chris Cooley failed to record a single reception in his first game back with the team.
» As expected, Ben Roethlisberger went off against a porous Redskins defense with 222 yards, three touchdowns and 21.48 fantasy points. He's a viable No. 1 fantasy quarterback. ... Despite Big Ben's nice stat line, neither Mike Wallace nor Antonio Brown had big numbers. In fact, both scored fewer than seven fantasy points. Brown has been a major disappointment in 2012. ... Heath Miller, who is somehow still a free agent in 30 percent of NFL.com leagues, scored another touchdown and now has six on the season and has become a must-start tight end. ... Jonathan Dwyer rushed for 107 yards in this contest and has 100-plus yards on the ground in two straight games. Whether or not he retains the top spot on the depth chart once Rashard Mendenhall returns remains to be seen, but Dwyer needs to be added in most leagues regardless.
Analysis by Adam Rank
» If there was ever a game when the Chargers were going to rally up for a huge victory (and fantasy points for us), this was going to be it. But it's just another disappointing performance. Philip Rivers is barely a match-play fantasy quarterback at this point, and the only time to even remotely entertain the notion to start him would be against the Chiefs and the Raiders. Incidentally (or is it coincidentally?) the Chargers play host to the Chiefs on Thursday night. ... Ryan Mathews had a solid game with 95 rushing yards, which was kind of a bummer if you get a bonus for 100 rushing yards. Mathews had a nice yards-per-attempt, but his performance will be hindered as long as Rivers remains unproductive. ... Malcom Floyd was quiet for most of the day, but again, his performance is dependent on Rivers getting him the football. Floyd spent a lot of time playing defense on some poorly thrown deep balls. ... Antonio Gates has been unproductive and Rivers was looking for Dante Rosario at the end of the game. Actually, he's been doing that a lot lately.
A lot of fantasy enthusiasts were high on Brandon Weeden this week, but he's still a rookie so temper your enthusiasm. Weeden is a nice matchup play, and had some opportunities with Josh Gordon this week, but just couldn't connect. The Browns play the Ravens in Week 9. ... Trent Richardson is the real deal. One week after being benched for being ineffective, Richardson had a real nice game against one of the most stout run defenses in the league. Richardson is a must-start when healthy and don't be afraid to play him against the Ravens in Week 9. ... Josh Gordon had some chances for big plays, but just couldn't connect. Such is life for a rookie receiver. Gordon still finished with 46 receiving yards, which isn't necessarily a weekly killer (because Gordon is likely a WR3 for you), but it's going to happen when most of his production comes from 50-yard touchdown bombs.
Analysis by Akbar Gbajabiamila
» Andrew Luck has put up single-digit points on the road, having some fantasy owners question the rookie's ability to play well away from home. Luck's 16.6-fantasy point performance answered the question. The Titans overtime defeat was the Colts' first win on the road since 2010. Andrew Luck's game-winning drive and touchdown pass to Vick Ballard makes the young quarterback a solid performer. Luck should be viewed as a bonafide spot starter.
» A pedestrian performance for a player you drafted in the first round, Chris Johnson pushed out a quiet 11.7 fantasy points. His performance was sixth-round worthy, but going up against the Chicago Bears defense in Week 9, Johnson will have to be able to take the running lanes that belong to him. It's mid-season now, you either have it or you don't.
Analysis by Jason Smith
» I have no idea how Michael Fabiano thinks Matt Ryan won't be a first-round pick in fantasy next season. His weapons far outweigh what Matthew Stafford has in Detroit. In the first quarter against the Eagles, Ryan hit seven different receivers before Michael Vick even completed a pass. Ryan is a machine right now, and it could have been an even bigger day if two drives didn't stall inside the 20.
» You're still playing Julio Jones and Roddy White every week. Sometimes you get a huge game, sometimes you don't. But I will say this about White - he's 30 now and will most likely be a No. 2 fantasy wideout next season. ... Michael Turner is what he is: a nice flex start who can get you anywhere from 5-12 fantasy points every week. But it's telling that early on when Atlanta had the ball first and goal at the 6-yard line already up 7-0 on Sunday, Turner had one carry before the Falcons went to the air. Turner may get one shot to see what he can get, and then they'll put the ball in Ryan's hands to get into the end zone.
I can't trust Michael Vick enough to start him every week - he's too inconsistent. He's a matchup-based starter now - a huge drop from the early first rounder he was a year ago. If he plays a porous 'D I'll start him. If not, he's on my bench. ... The Eagles don't give the ball enough to LeSean McCoy. He is Philadelphia's best player, bar none, and he's topped 20 carries just three times this season. He had a really good day on Sunday, despite a limited amount of touches. He could be the best RB in fantasy if the Eagles would give him the ball like the Ravens do with Ray Rice, or like the Texans with Arian Foster. ... DeSean Jackson had 59 yards receiving before getting injured, but even despite that I can' t recommend starting him in any format with just one TD on the season. The same can be said for Jeremy Maclin. He's the most frustrating player in all of fantasy. It's funny, we have this opinion that the Eagles have so many playmakers, when in reality they don't.
Analysis by Elliot Harrison
Eli Manning was a rough play for fantasy owners in Week 8, and could continue to be. Manning's 5.98 fantasy points were certainly low, but just don't expect the guy to be a consistent 18-20 point guy every week. ... Hakeem Nicks doesn't look healthy, and his pedestrian numbers (4.6 points) were indicative of that. Victor Cruz is such a big play guy that you can't bench him, but he can also disappear in games. With 2.3 points, he was actually outscored by both Reuben Randle and Domenik Hixon. Those two are bye-week plays at best with Nicks unhealthy, although Randle is a good fantasy future as he learns in his rookie year. ... Tight end Martellus Bennett is not a priority in the offense the way he was early, so I would bench him. At running back, consider Ahmad Bradshaw a must-start as he will get carries. A lost fumble ruined his 78-yard performance. Andre Brown got a touchdown, but he's a bencher at this point. Lawrence Tynes, however, is not. He has been solid for the Giants and is a good fantasy option. He scored 17 points in Week 8. That's a huge output for a kicker.
Tony Romo had almost 20 fantasy points despite four interceptions. Four picks are bad, but one of them was as a result of Dez Bryant not being where he needed to be, while another came on a desperation pass. Romo just isn't getting any help from his teammates, making him at best a matchup based play. ... One player not helping Romo or the Cowboy offense is Felix Jones, who runs tentatively, fumbled Sunday and ultimately doesn't get enough touches because Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett frequently ignores the ground game. When DeMarco Murray gets back, I'd cut Jones. ... Kevin Ogletree is a cut as well if he's still on your roster. Jason Witten is also a fourth option, after Romo looks for him first...then Miles Austin...then Bryant...then back to Witten again. As detailed in this space the last few weeks, Witten is open a lot, looks healthy and will be a top five tight end going forward. His 18 catches on Sunday were an NFL record for a tight end. Like Witten, Austin and Bryant each had 100-plus yards receiving. Both are good flex plays but be prepared for inconsistency given the state of the Cowboys offense. Neither are a WR1 at this point. However, both are too productive to sit.
Analysis by Matt "Money" Smith
» THIS is what the Bears defense does. While it wasn't their best performance of the season, they still managed to get their owners double-digit production and another touchdown return for that good feeling six-point defensive jackpot. I don't care what anyone playing fantasy says, there is no better feeling than a defense scoring a touchdown. It is the ultimate instance of "found money."
» Matt Forte found the end zone. What? Isn't that enough? If you drafted Forte, you know the great frustration of all those yards with no touchdown to show for it. Actually, Forte ought to be mighty frustrated with the play calling of Mike Tice coming out of this game, as his ground attack was all the Bears had going for it through three quarters. With a 6.4 YPC average at the half, Forte wasn't being fed nearly enough. Much like his predecessor Mike Martz, this Mike was way too quick to abandon the run game.
» While Brandon Marshall didn't score a touchdown and there wasn't a prolific point production from obscene receiving yardage, Marshall owners should be content with an honest point total from a working man's performance. Marshall dropped a good three to five passes that likely left three to six fantasy points on the field. Still, he's one of the best receivers in the game, as his production on the game winning drive showed, and the numbers will be there one week to the next. There's no sub-seven point weeks in that guy to ruin your week.
» Jay Cutler is not a fantasy quarterback. Plain and simple, he's too reckless and gives away too many points. Still, in the fourth quarter he shows why he's one of the best quarterbacks in the game. He makes throws few have the talent to make. He stands tall in the face of a pass rush, and there's a reason why he has the highest quarterback rating in the fourth quarter of any trigger man in the game. Good for the Bears, bad for your fantasy squad.
» From a fantasy perspective, Cam Newton let you down this week. But watching his every play, up close and in person, he's not as bad as people are making him out to be. The pick-six came after Steve Smith slipped on the Soldier Field turf, leaving that interception gift wrapped for Tim Jennings. While his other interception was a poor decision, he got no help from his tight end Greg Olsen, who just stood in place while Jennings made a break on the ball. If that wasn't enough to frustrate his owners, Newton had a rushing touchdown slip away because he fumbled at the goal line to put a bow on his turnover-plagued performance. All of that and you'd be hard pressed to convince me that he's not one of the biggest threats at that position going forward. He toyed with this Bears defense all day, but mistakes were his undoing. Buy him low if you can.
» It's all Jonathan Stewart going forward. Ron Rivera said before the game that DeAngelo Williams was no longer the starter, but in a two-man running back rotation, what did that really mean? Well, in this case, that there is no longer a 50/50 distribution at that position. It was all Stewart with a little Mike Tolbert mixed in and Williams had a couple Wildcat snaps and half of a single drive on the day. If he's not traded, don't bother having him on your roster.
» It was an impressive day for Steve Smith, as he posted his third 100-yard game of the season. Similar to what I said about Newton, Smith is his guy, and he gets the targets. I'm totally comfortable starting him every Sunday.
