Let's start off the week with a little fantasy football trivia. What did fantasy stars Jay Cutler, Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers all have in common in Week 9?
Drum roll please...
All three quarterbacks had fewer fantasy points than Gus Frerotte. And Tyler Thigpen. And Ryan Fitzpatrick. And Joe Flacco. (Wait, I'm not done). And Dan Orlovsky.
What?
It's true. In what has been one of the most unpredictable and utterly whacky fantasy seasons I can remember, these sort of numbers can hardly be considered unusual. I mean, Kyle Orton and Matt Schaub were considered fantasy superstars heading into the week. And Orton wasn't even picked in most drafts! But in a week where a grey beard and four kids made a significant impact, owners can only shake their heads, raise their hands to the skies and ask the fantasy gods what they've done to deserve such madness.
Now the question that fantasy leaguers need to ask is whether or not any of these second- and third-teir quarterbacks have any real value going forward into the season.
While Frerotte has put up some decent numbers from time to time, I don't see him as a regular fantasy starter. In fact, I'd keep him on the sidelines in Week 10 against the Packers and their fifth-rated pass defense. Fitzpatrick, who threw for two scores against the Jaguars, is probably better left on the waiver wire. The Bengals are on a bye this week and face tough games against the Eagles, Steelers, Ravens and Colts next on the schedule. Plus, there's still an outside chance that Carson Palmer will return.
Orlovsky would have been a decent sleeper this week against the Jaguars, but Lions coach Rod Marinelli announced at his Monday presser that the quarterback has a sprained thumb. What's more, the team has agreed to terms with Daunte Culpepper, so Orlvosky's value has taken a quick hit.
The two quarterbacks with sudden fantasy appeal are Thigpen and Flacco. Thigpen has scored a combined 48 fantasy points on NFL.com over the past two starts and faces the Chargers in Week 10. The Bolts did fire Ted Cottrell and promoted Ron Rivera to defensive coordinator, but the their defense is still ranked dead last against the pass.
As for Flacco, he's really started to come into his own in recent weeks. Not only has he led the Ravens to three consecutive wins, but he's averaged a 19.6 fantasy points in those contests. Next on the schedule is the Texans, who allowed three touchdowns to Frerotte and can be inconsistent against the opposition's pass attack.
The duo of Thigpen and Flacco can be useful this week in particular, as Orton and Schaub have joined the growing list of quarterbacks who've landed in the trainer's room.
With Tom Brady and Jon Kitna already out for the season and Palmer, Matt Hasselbeck and Tony Romo sidelined due to injuries, the fact that Orton and Schaub are both hurt is very significant fantasy news. Orton sustained a high ankle sprain against the Lions and is expected to miss several weeks, while Schaub hurt his knee in a loss to the Vikings. Rex Grossman put up decent numbers against the Lions, but he faces tough pass defenses like the Titans and Packers in his next two games and is a lesser option right now.
Sage Rosenfels, a veteran signal callers who has performed well in the past when Schaub has been unavailable, joins Thigpen and Flacco as viable options off the waiver wire. I guess that it's only fitting that in a season as bizarre and wild as this one, fantasy leaguers might actually be excited to start Flacco, Rosenfels or Thigpen.
OK, let's move on to some of the best and worst performances of Week 9.
Studs
Falcons defense (28 points): The fact that the Falcons defense, which was owned in fewer than 30 percent of NFL.com leagues, led all fantasy players in points shows how weird a week it was across the board. This unit recorded four sacks, one interception, allowed 77 total yards and shut out the hapless Raiders on their home field.
Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona (25 points): Warner continues to sparkle for fantasy leaguers, throwing for 342 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Rams. He's now on pace to finish the season with over 4,800 yards and 32 touchdowns. Warner, a must-start quarterback in all formats, should continue his dominance this week against the 49ers.
Cardinals defense (24 points): It was a great all-around week for the Cardinals, as their offensive and defensive units both found success. The defense finished with two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles (one recovered) and scored a touchdown against the Rams. The Cards also held them to 13 points and a mere 61 rushing yards.
Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis (24 points): Reports indicate that Manning's knee is still not at full strength, but it didn't hinder him against the Patriots. The veteran threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns in the Sunday night win and has now scored five times the past two weeks. He faces a very tough Steelers defense in Week 10.
Gus Frerotte, QB, Minnesota (23 points): Frerotte didn't post huge yardage totals against the Texans, but his three touchdowns made him a fantasy star nonetheless. His presence has been a godsend for Bernard Berrian, who is in the midst of a breakout season. Berrian currently ranks ninth among wideouts in fantasy points on NFL.com
Other notables: Donovan McNabb, QB, Philadelphia (23 points); Tyler Thigpen, QB, Kansas City (23 points); Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Cincinnati (21 points).
Duds
Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis (1 point): Jackson returned to work after missing last week with an injured thigh, but he might has well have been inactive. He was held to 17 yards on seven carries and failed to catch even one pass in a blowout loss to the Cardinals. Despite the bad week, Jackson is still a must-start in most formats.
Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver (2 points): Marshall was the hottest wide receiver in fantasy football in his first three starts. But in his past four games, he has averaged a terrible 4.5 fantasy points. He's still too valuable to sit, but Marshall has become far less reliable for fantasy leaguers. He faces the Browns on Thursday night.
Plaxico Burress, WR, N.Y. Giants (3 points): Much like Marshall, Burress started the season on fire only to see his numbers fade. He had 34 yards with no touchdowns in a huge win over the Cowboys. Burress has now averaged just four fantasy points over his last three games and is on pace to finish the season with fewer than 900 yards.
Randy Moss, WR, New England (4 points): Notice a trend with supposed superstar wide receivers? Of course, it's hard to blame Moss for his lack of production when his quarterback can't throw an accurate deep ball. Moss is still on pace for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns, but those are weak numbers compared to what he did in 2007.
Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis (4 points): Addai returned from an injured hamstring in time to face the Patriots, but his final numbers (17 carries, 32 yards) left fantasy leaguers feeling blue. Addai hasn't been worth the first-round selection he warranted in drafts, and his struggles could continue this week against the Steelers.
Other notables: Marion Barber, RB, Dallas (5 points); Jamal Lewis, RB, Cleveland (5 points); Roddy White, WR, Atlanta (5 points).
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