Football Daily Dose: Dose: Pats Edge Jets On TNF
Friday, October 17, 2014
It may have taken the better part of two months, but NFL Thursday Night Football has now delivered consecutive exciting games. The New England Patriots held on for a Week 7 win over the visiting New York Jets and while this contest wasn’t exactly bursting with fantasy goodness, it was definitely more entertaining than the Thursday blowouts that NFL fans had become accustomed to watching.
New England moved to 5-2 on the season with a 27-25 victory at Gillette Stadium that included a block of New York’s game-winning field goal attempt as time expired. The Patriots were led by their suddenly rejuvenated quarterback, Tom Brady, who threw for 261 yards and a three-pack of touchdowns. Since his very public Week 4 Monday Night burial, Brady has averaged 305 yards passing in his last three games while throwing nine touchdowns with a goose egg in the interception column. Brady’s receiving weapons are still underwhelming, but his recent performance is encouraging for his fantasy outlook. Tom and his teammates host the Chicago Bears in Week 8, followed by a matchup with Peyton Manning and the Broncos in Week 9. Look for Brady to continue his strong play in both of those matchups.
This battle between AFC East opponents was also the public’s first glimpse into the “post Stevan Ridley era” Patriots backfield, and it provided some interesting developments. With Ridley and his shredded knee gone for the season, his 61% share of the New England running back carries suddenly became available and the fantasy world was left to guess how the work would be divided. On Thursday it was Shane Vereen who handled the majority of the action as he led New England in rushing yards (43) and receiving yards (71) while finding the end zone twice. The final tally showed Vereen with 16 touches, followed by Brandon Bolden with just one catch and newly activated rookie Jonas Gray with three carries. Rookie running back James White was a healthy inactive for this game, so it appears that Vereen, Bolden, and Gray will be the main rotation backs moving forward. It is also important to note that the Patriots only ran the ball 15 times on Thursday so we may not have gotten the wide-angle view of how their running backs will be utilized in the future. Through Week 6, New England was in the top-third in the NFL in rushing attempts per game (29.7/gm) so there could be more work for Bolden and Gray in coming weeks.
Jets at Patriots Quick Slants
Chris Ivory ran tough on Thursday while leading the Jets with 107 yards on 21 carries and a score. Ivory also chipped in with four grabs for 18 yards and has topped 90 total yards in four of New York’s seven games. He has only handled more than 15 touches in two games this season but he can still be relied upon as a RB2, especially through bye weeks. … Chris Johnson received 15 touches, his most since Week 1, and racked up 80 total yards although he is still on the far outer limits of running backs you would feel comfortable starting. … Rob Gronkowski led New England in targets, with ten on the night. Gronk only managed to haul in half of those targets for 68 yards, but you can’t deny that his stock is rising and a downpour of touchdowns is on the horizon. … Geno Smith turned in a standard “Geno Smith start” although he did not throw an interception in a game for the first time this season. Smith has thrown more than a single touchdown pass just once in 2014 (Week 6), and still owns a 7:7 TD:INT ratio. On the good side, Smith’s YPA (yards per pass attempt) was 6.6 on Thursday, his highest mark since Week 3.
Editor’s Note: Rotoworld’s partner FanDuel is hosting a one-week $500,000 Fantasy Football league for Week 7’s games. It’s only $10 to join and first prize is $40,000. Starts Sunday, October 19th at 1pm ET. Here’s the link.
In Other News…
Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell will attempt to enter a first-offender’s program that could assist with legal issues stemming from August DUI and marijuana charges. According to the Associated Press, Bell “will likely face a two-game NFL suspension once the criminal case wraps up, probably early next year.” This is certainly good news for Bell’s immediate fantasy future as he most likely will not face any league punishment until the 2015 season. Expect this sophomore stallion to continue producing RB1 numbers for the remainder of the year.
Jimmy Graham (shoulder) was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice and coach Sean Payton declared that he is “optimistic” about Graham’s chances of playing in Week 7. Graham’s practice status for the remainder of the week will be crucial in determining whether this was an honest statement from the Saints coach or if it was a “Belichikian” attempt to misdirect the preparations of their upcoming opponent, the Detroit Lions. Either way, stay up on the news out of New Orleans this weekend and check in with Rotoworld as we will continue to monitor the progress of Jimmy’s bad wing.
Seattle Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell told the Tacoma News Tribune on Thursday that he has to “do a better job of giving [Marshawn Lynch] the ball.” While this is the understatement of the millennium to anyone who watched Seattle’s Week 6 loss to Dallas, it is encouraging that the Seattle coaching staff is acknowledging the misuse of their top offensive weapon. Lynch handled only 10 carries last week, which was his second game in 2014 with ten or less rushing attempts. It is certainly no surprise that in Seattle’s three wins, Lynch averaged 21 carries per game so it is highly likely that Lynch will be the focal point of the Seattle game plan on Sunday at St. Louis.
News and Notes
Giants tight end Larry Donnell told NJ.com that replacing the injured Victor Cruz will be a “team effort.” This effort will undoubtedly involve Donnell, who has become non-existent in New York’s offense in recent weeks. … Jonathan Stewart (knee) was back at practice on Thursday and appears ready to start for Carolina this weekend in a nice matchup with Green Bay. … Shonn Greene (hamstring) will miss Tennessee’s Week 7 contest, giving Bishop Sankey another shot at a healthy workload. … Jacksonville running backs Storm Johnson and Denard Robinson have been sharing the first-team carries in practice this week as the Jaguars prepare for the Cleveland Browns. Neither back is a reliable fantasy asset at the moment, but Johnson is worth a spot at the end of your bench if you have space after cutting your third kicker.
Injury Quick Slants
Kelvin Benjamin (concussion) missed practice on Thursday, but coach Ron Rivera seemed optimistic that his prized rookie receiver will play in Week 7. Stay tuned for more information on Benjamin’s status as we head into the weekend. … Washington tight end Jordan Reed (hamstring) was not listed on the Week 7 injury report, which means he is ready to roll for a nice Week 7 matchup with the Titans. Plug him safely back into your starting lineups. … A.J. Green (toe) missed Thursday’s practice, so we can safely assume he will miss Week 7. Be sure to tune into the “Mohamed Sanu Show” once again this week. … Juwan Thompson (knee) was back at Denver’s Thursday practice and looks like he will be set to backup Ronnie Hillman once again this week. Thompson received eight carries in Week 6 and is an interesting addition to fantasy benches. … Robert Griffin III (ankle) practiced on Thursday, although it was in limited fashion. Rumblings out of Washington seem to point to Week 8 as a potential return date for the young quarterback. … Zac Stacy (ankle) practiced on Thursday after missing Wednesday’s session. With both Benny Cunningham and rookie Tre Mason now heavily involved in St. Louis’ backfield, Stacy is better suited as a fantasy reserve than every week starter.
It may have taken the better part of two months, but NFL Thursday Night Football has now delivered consecutive exciting games. The New England Patriots held on for a Week 7 win over the visiting New York Jets and while this contest wasn’t exactly bursting with fantasy goodness, it was definitely more entertaining than the Thursday blowouts that NFL fans had become accustomed to watching.
New England moved to 5-2 on the season with a 27-25 victory at Gillette Stadium that included a block of New York’s game-winning field goal attempt as time expired. The Patriots were led by their suddenly rejuvenated quarterback, Tom Brady, who threw for 261 yards and a three-pack of touchdowns. Since his very public Week 4 Monday Night burial, Brady has averaged 305 yards passing in his last three games while throwing nine touchdowns with a goose egg in the interception column. Brady’s receiving weapons are still underwhelming, but his recent performance is encouraging for his fantasy outlook. Tom and his teammates host the Chicago Bears in Week 8, followed by a matchup with Peyton Manning and the Broncos in Week 9. Look for Brady to continue his strong play in both of those matchups.
This battle between AFC East opponents was also the public’s first glimpse into the “post Stevan Ridley era” Patriots backfield, and it provided some interesting developments. With Ridley and his shredded knee gone for the season, his 61% share of the New England running back carries suddenly became available and the fantasy world was left to guess how the work would be divided. On Thursday it was Shane Vereen who handled the majority of the action as he led New England in rushing yards (43) and receiving yards (71) while finding the end zone twice. The final tally showed Vereen with 16 touches, followed by Brandon Bolden with just one catch and newly activated rookie Jonas Gray with three carries. Rookie running back James White was a healthy inactive for this game, so it appears that Vereen, Bolden, and Gray will be the main rotation backs moving forward. It is also important to note that the Patriots only ran the ball 15 times on Thursday so we may not have gotten the wide-angle view of how their running backs will be utilized in the future. Through Week 6, New England was in the top-third in the NFL in rushing attempts per game (29.7/gm) so there could be more work for Bolden and Gray in coming weeks.
Jets at Patriots Quick Slants
Chris Ivory ran tough on Thursday while leading the Jets with 107 yards on 21 carries and a score. Ivory also chipped in with four grabs for 18 yards and has topped 90 total yards in four of New York’s seven games. He has only handled more than 15 touches in two games this season but he can still be relied upon as a RB2, especially through bye weeks. … Chris Johnson received 15 touches, his most since Week 1, and racked up 80 total yards although he is still on the far outer limits of running backs you would feel comfortable starting. … Rob Gronkowski led New England in targets, with ten on the night. Gronk only managed to haul in half of those targets for 68 yards, but you can’t deny that his stock is rising and a downpour of touchdowns is on the horizon. … Geno Smith turned in a standard “Geno Smith start” although he did not throw an interception in a game for the first time this season. Smith has thrown more than a single touchdown pass just once in 2014 (Week 6), and still owns a 7:7 TD:INT ratio. On the good side, Smith’s YPA (yards per pass attempt) was 6.6 on Thursday, his highest mark since Week 3.
Editor’s Note: Rotoworld’s partner FanDuel is hosting a one-week $500,000 Fantasy Football league for Week 7’s games. It’s only $10 to join and first prize is $40,000. Starts Sunday, October 19th at 1pm ET. Here’s the link.
In Other News…
Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell will attempt to enter a first-offender’s program that could assist with legal issues stemming from August DUI and marijuana charges. According to the Associated Press, Bell “will likely face a two-game NFL suspension once the criminal case wraps up, probably early next year.” This is certainly good news for Bell’s immediate fantasy future as he most likely will not face any league punishment until the 2015 season. Expect this sophomore stallion to continue producing RB1 numbers for the remainder of the year.
Jimmy Graham (shoulder) was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice and coach Sean Payton declared that he is “optimistic” about Graham’s chances of playing in Week 7. Graham’s practice status for the remainder of the week will be crucial in determining whether this was an honest statement from the Saints coach or if it was a “Belichikian” attempt to misdirect the preparations of their upcoming opponent, the Detroit Lions. Either way, stay up on the news out of New Orleans this weekend and check in with Rotoworld as we will continue to monitor the progress of Jimmy’s bad wing.
Seattle Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell told the Tacoma News Tribune on Thursday that he has to “do a better job of giving [Marshawn Lynch] the ball.” While this is the understatement of the millennium to anyone who watched Seattle’s Week 6 loss to Dallas, it is encouraging that the Seattle coaching staff is acknowledging the misuse of their top offensive weapon. Lynch handled only 10 carries last week, which was his second game in 2014 with ten or less rushing attempts. It is certainly no surprise that in Seattle’s three wins, Lynch averaged 21 carries per game so it is highly likely that Lynch will be the focal point of the Seattle game plan on Sunday at St. Louis.
News and Notes
Giants tight end Larry Donnell told NJ.com that replacing the injured Victor Cruz will be a “team effort.” This effort will undoubtedly involve Donnell, who has become non-existent in New York’s offense in recent weeks. … Jonathan Stewart (knee) was back at practice on Thursday and appears ready to start for Carolina this weekend in a nice matchup with Green Bay. … Shonn Greene (hamstring) will miss Tennessee’s Week 7 contest, giving Bishop Sankey another shot at a healthy workload. … Jacksonville running backs Storm Johnson and Denard Robinson have been sharing the first-team carries in practice this week as the Jaguars prepare for the Cleveland Browns. Neither back is a reliable fantasy asset at the moment, but Johnson is worth a spot at the end of your bench if you have space after cutting your third kicker.
Injury Quick Slants
Kelvin Benjamin (concussion) missed practice on Thursday, but coach Ron Rivera seemed optimistic that his prized rookie receiver will play in Week 7. Stay tuned for more information on Benjamin’s status as we head into the weekend. … Washington tight end Jordan Reed (hamstring) was not listed on the Week 7 injury report, which means he is ready to roll for a nice Week 7 matchup with the Titans. Plug him safely back into your starting lineups. … A.J. Green (toe) missed Thursday’s practice, so we can safely assume he will miss Week 7. Be sure to tune into the “Mohamed Sanu Show” once again this week. … Juwan Thompson (knee) was back at Denver’s Thursday practice and looks like he will be set to backup Ronnie Hillman once again this week. Thompson received eight carries in Week 6 and is an interesting addition to fantasy benches. … Robert Griffin III (ankle) practiced on Thursday, although it was in limited fashion. Rumblings out of Washington seem to point to Week 8 as a potential return date for the young quarterback. … Zac Stacy (ankle) practiced on Thursday after missing Wednesday’s session. With both Benny Cunningham and rookie Tre Mason now heavily involved in St. Louis’ backfield, Stacy is better suited as a fantasy reserve than every week starter.
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