Above the Rim: We talkin' bout Practice

In this edition of Above the Rim, we are once again going to look at some players who have a solid fantasy value, yet are still available to a lot of fantasy owners out there. I can sit here and tell you how great Lebron James is, but you have no chance to add him to your team, so we like to focus on players that are free agents in most leagues.

Wilson Chandler, Knicks
Around a month ago we recommended Chandler, and to those of you who followed suite, you have found yourself a stud. Wilson is getting around 30 minutes a game and is chipping in 15 points, a steal, a block, and a 3 in that time. I would like to see his FG percent rise, but there is no reason he should only be owned inn 50% of the leagues. You still have time to jump on this bandwagon and we are once again recommending that you hop aboard.

Chris Duhon, Knicks
22. That’s the New York Knick record for assists in a game and that record now belongs to Chris Duhon. Stop reading the article now and go add him to your team. He is also available in 50% of the leagues out there and that is a crime. Chris is getting 40 minutes a game and that number might even go up with the lack of available guards on the Knick roster. So far this season, Duhon is getting 11 points and 8 assists a game. He also chips in a steal and 3 pointer, but like Chandler, Duhon needs to raise his FG percent. Coach Nelson, after watching Duhon drop 22 assists on his Golden State Warriors, described the guard as a “young Steve Nash”. Nellie’s word is good enough for us and should be good enough for you.

Andrea Bargnani, Raptors
This is my man. I can honestly say I have a man crush on Bargnani’s game, but I have held off recommending him, because of his extremely inconsistent play. That seems to be changing though. He has bumped his minutes per game up to 30 over the last 5 contests, and with Jamario Moon remembering he is Jamario Moon and not a NBA starter, Bargnani looks to capitalize on Moon’s lost minutes. Andrea is only owned 41% of the leagues and his 3 pointer and block a game could really help a lot of fantasy owners out there. Andrea also started at center on Wednesday and his position flexibility is a huge positive.


Notes:

Summer 2009: With all the talk recently about the free agent class of 2010, this years free agent class is getting overlooked. While 2010 will truly be special, this year also has the ability to transform the destiny of many NBA teams. This list includes Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Rasheed Wallace, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, Carlos Boozer, and Ron Artest. That is 3 future hall of famers and 4 other all stars that may be suiting up in a different uniform come opening day 2009.

Iverson: I told you 2 weeks ago that Coach Curry was not going to tell Iverson what to do and what happens? Curry calls a Thanksgiving morning day practice and Iverson says “no thanks coach” and doesn’t even show up. There will be a hefty fine for Allen, but I don’t think he is hurting for cash. Joe Dumars is an amazing GM, but who the hell thought that making a 30-something year old, career back up the Head Coach was going to be a good idea. Rasheed and Allen will both bolt after the season and there is no way that Lebron is signing in Detroit with Michael Curry as the coach.

Extra Points: Week 13 Studs

How about that trifecta for your Thanksgiving Feast? I am going to go ahead and give you the last minute big play makers for Sunday's action in order to help you clinch that playoff spot.

49ers at Bills
How about this stat for you. In the past three weeks, Vernon Davis has had 3 catches and 17 fantasy points. In the first eight games he had 16 catches and 16 fantasy points. I like Vernon's chances of having more than three catches and his first double-digit fantasy game.

Ravens at Bengals
There's no word exactly on who will be the starting running back for the Ravens, but it really shouldn't matter. Le'Ron McClain had a big game last week versus the Eagles and should get a good amount of touches this week versus a weak Bengals team. Even if McClain doesn't get the yards he will get the score.

Colts at Browns
Think about this one. The Browns told Derek Anderson he's not coming back, yet now they are forced to play him. The Colts are near the bottom in run defense. Well, in hopes to win the game and keep Anderson from throwing interceptions expect the Browns to run the ball with Jamal Lewis. Just hope he doesn't fumble every time he touches the ball.

Panthers at Packers
The Panthers are very good in defending the long ball and Aaron Rodgers is a throw happy quarterback so expect shorter passes to move the ball down the field. A pleasant surprise this season has been Donald Lee. All three of Lee's scores have come at home this season so you can probably figure a fourth touchdown.

Dolphins at Rams
I am bound to figure out the Dolphins before the season ends. I'll play this one safe and take the kicker for the Dolphins, Dan Carpenter. I don't see much for defense in this game and that always favors a kicker. When the small things matter most, your kicker can be a valuable asset to your team. Carpenter gets a copious amount of kicks against the Rams.

Saints at Buccaneers
Drew Brees is on pace for about 30,314,091 yards this season alone give or take 25,000,000. If you were for some reason considering playing another quarterback in the hopes of a down week for Brees, think again. He tore apart the Packers last week, the Bucs aren't any better.

Giants at Redskins
If you have seen the movie, Eight Mile, you will know that Cheddar Bomb does not play for the Giants, but Plaxico Burress does and he too shot himself in the leg. I would have loved to see that. I digress but this makes a simple pick to play Amani Toomer. He is a redzone target like none else. Last year he lead the league in balls thrown at in the red zone. Toomer has 15 fantasy points in two games when Plaxico is not in the line up.

Falcons at Chargers
My rule this season has been that when the Falcons are home play their guys. Not the case this week as I'll look to the Chargers and play Chris Chambers. He has nine catches his last two weeks but hasn't scored since week 5. Things are going to change. Phillip Rivers has been very good at home this year and chances are that he will throw for at least three scores this week. Chambers should get at least one of those.

Steelers at Patriots
I am impressed at what Matt Cassel has done lately. The past two games I have picked the defense that has gone against Cassel and he has torched them for over 800 yards passing. This week I'll go with the Patriots and that's why you should play Wes Welker. The Steelers have a strong defense and short passes are in the works. Look at Welker lately too- Three straight 100-yard games and I couldn't tell you the last time he caught fewer than six balls in a game.

Broncos at Jets
Did the Raiders just beat the Broncos? And now the Broncos are flying East for a game against arguably the best team in the AFC? That is why I am playing Jerricho Cotchery this week. He will get plenty of looks in this offense and with the Broncos focus on Coles it will leave more opportunities for Cotchery.

Chiefs at Raiders
Oh, Man! I have to pick someone in this game, a guy I haven't talked about already this season? I would tell you to play Tyler Thigpen but there is something about the Raiders defense that limits opposing quarterbacks. So we will go with the Raiders run game and Darren McFadden to have a career day against the weak Chiefs defense. In week 2 McFadden ran for 164 yards against this same defense. He has ran for about the same amount since that game. Breakout week!

Bears at Vikings
Greg Olsen has become more of a target in this Bears offense. The last time the Bears went up against the Vikings Olsen had 74 yards and a touchdown. Playing at home this time around can only help his cause, especially if Desmond Clark is out.

The Puck Stops Here: Happy Thanksgiving

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Puck Stops Here. I would like to direct all readers to the article Mike Colligan recently authored about the absurdly disastrous Tampa Bay Lightning situation. It is a really interesting read and reminds us that failing to separate business from sports usually leads to disaster. Sure, sports is a business, but handle the sports part right and the fans, and their money, will follow.

This past weekend saw two major injuries take place and there is a third that revealed a little more information to the fantasy world. Before tackling each, I would like to complain about the Bill Belichick approach to injuries that NHL teams are employing this year. It seems almost impossible to get any information about injuries that aren’t season ending. Numerous players have been day-to-day yet have missed weeks without any information. For example, Brodeur started with a bruised elbow and ended up with surgery and is out 3-4 months. It is atrocious policy for the NHL to allow this to continue, passionate fans care about injuries (not just gamblers) and, with the NHL struggling, the NHL should try to please their fans, not annoy them. On to the injuries.

Brendan Morrow, LW, Dallas: This injury hurt me, bad. I was able to get Morrow surprisingly late in just about all my drafts and now I am left with nothing. This isn’t quite Brady going down, but it is pretty painful. Morrow is an official fantasy stud and many teams will be left with gaping holes at left wing. Ok, that didn’t take any kind of expertise to know, what you need to know is how to attempt to fill that hole. I look to Sean Avery or Loui Eriksson. I think each will be given a role to fill the void left by Morrow and each is capable of being a solid fantasy contributor. Eriksson currently is filling in on Morrow’s line and has a point in each game. Avery will get a chance if Eriksson struggles, but even if he doesn’t, Avery will get significant minutes on the second line and may see his numbers grow a little as a result. I like both as LW pick-ups who may be available to add. Also, take a look at Alexer Ponikarovsky, Todd Bertuzzi, and David Booth.

Roberto Luongo, G, Vancouver: Luongo’s injury didn’t look bad but his reaction was painful to see and he needed to be helped off the ice. Vancouver started by playing the recent injury game but has placed Luongo on the IR demonstrating this will be a longer variety of “day-to-day”. Be thankful Vancouver placed Luongo on IR, replacing him is impossible, but at least you don’t have to drop anyone in the process. Without knowing who is available in your league, I recommend Luongo’s replacement, Curtis Sanford. In his two outings since Luongo went down, Sanford held the Pens to 1 goal and Detroit to 2 goals. That is impressive and shows he may be reliable while Luongo is out. Vancouver plays a pretty strong defensive game and I think Sanford should be serviceable until Luongo returns. At the very least, Sanford is convenient, put Luongo on the IR, add Sanford and drop Sanford when Luongo returns, you won’t have to worry about dropping him.

Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Pittsburgh: The injury to MAF has been much of a mystery to fantasy players and Penguins fans. He has been marked with the dreaded day-to-day label but this is looking like an injury that will keep MAF out at least 2 or 3 more weeks. Speculation has ranged from high ankle sprain to muscle pulls. I wouldn’t be shocked if it was a high ankle sprain, but the fact that MAF has tried to practice tells me it may not be quite that serious. However, he still hasn’t made it through a full practice with the Pens and the team is considering shutting him down. The problem is, while all this is going on, fantasy owners are keeping dead weight on their roster because the Pens refuse to put MAF on the IR. Listen, MAF isn’t coming back in the next couple of weeks and you need to find a replacement. Find your least valuable player and look for Sabourin. Aside from this evening, Sabourin has looked pretty good and is a serviceable replacement until MAF comes back.

***Thursday morning note*** Nikolai Khabibulin, G, Chicago: Bulin left the Chicago game early last night. The Blackhawks have already labeled him as day-to-day but there isn't much information yet. I want to point out the injury because, if Cristobal Huet is available in your league, he is the replacement for Bulin if it is a long term injury and may help ease other goalie woes as well.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving. As with any SportsJudge.com article, feel free to post a comment or question. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

Extra Points: Thanksgiving Day Picks

Tomorrow might be the best holiday of the year. First of all, it was 23 years ago that I was born on this holiday and second, you get to eat a lot of good food and watch some good football with family and friends. This is the last week of most fantasy regular seasons, so if you need some confidence boosters, go with these guys. I don't know what my record is anymore in picking these guys, but I did a fair job telling you about Sage Rosenfels, Shaun Hill, and Lance Moore to name a few. Not so well with Cedric Benson, Bobby Wade, and the Dolphins D/ST.

Here are some picks to be thankful for.

Titans at Lions
I had it all lined up to pick a Lions player this week. I thought it would be a good sentimental to pick Daunte Culpepper but then the Titans lost last week and I don't see the Lions putting up more than 10 points, and 7 of them might come on defense. We will see how real the Titans are, and this is a no-brainer going with the Titans D/ST this week.

Seahawks at Cowboys
I am on the Cowboys bandwagon again, maybe it just took one good week to prove that they are still a very good team and maybe I'll jump off again if they have an ugly loss in front of a national audience. Fortunately, I don't see that happening but I do see another big offensive game. Tony Romo has five 3-touchdown games in the eight he has played in. Last week the big receiver was Terrell Owens and he could very well have 3 scores this week. Get your stuffing reading for this show.

Cardinals at Eagles
This will probably be the most exciting game of the day, it is just too bad that hardly any of us will be able to see it. NFL Network will try and broadcast a better game than the Colts demolition of the Falcons last year. The Cardinals are a very good team, mostly because of Kurt Warner, but they are traveling East on a short week. Throw the stats out on this one because I don't see McNabb shinning in the spotlight. Last time he was on the national stage with this much attention he literally 'left it all out on the field'. I'll take Larry Fitzgerald to have a massive game and I will parlay that with a McNabb 'injury'.

(Chris Carmona is a weekly contributor and can be read daily on www.sortsofsports.com)

In Between the Tackles: Hold 'em or Fold 'em?

Twelve weeks down - five to go. Hopefully you took the last few days to review your roster for your final weeks of the fantasy season and made the necessary moves to get yourself in position to make a run for the championship. Bye weeks are a thing of the past, so your bench should be filled with players you think can help protect you or allow you to benefit from any major injuries that might occur. This week let's discuss the confusing quarterback situations with the Eagles, Browns, and other teams across the NFL and how they might affect your fantasy league.

Wait, Overtime?

It's been a rough few weeks for Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid, and the Philadelphia Eagles in a town that isn't too accepting of losing teams. After embarrassingly admitting he didn't know that NFL games could end in a tie two weeks ago, McNabb was pulled in favor of Kevin Kolb, their 2007 second round draft pick, in a week 12 thumping by the Ravens. After enduring a summer of rumors which had McNabb landing in Chicago, Minnesota, and everywhere else in the NFC, it looks as if it's only a matter of time until the Eagles pull the plug on the McNabb-era and give their prospect a solid look.

Andy Reid claims he will go with McNabb on Thanksgiving Day, but I think the damage has already been done. By pulling him at halftime last week and throwing Kolb into the fire which is the Baltimore Ravens defense, Reid undermined the leadership of his star player. It only makes sense that Reid should continue to let Kolb get experience if the Eagles want to hit the ground running next year. Matt Cassel is a perfect example of the four or five week transition period that it takes new quarterbacks to get up to speed with real games on Sunday. The Eagles are stuck at 5-5-1 in the toughest division in football and without Brian Westbrook at 100%, their playoff hopes are dim. Let Kolb have a chance to face the other NFC East division foes so he can get his growing pains out of the way and they know what they have when it comes time to make a decision on McNabb this summer. Donovan can't "win" in Philly unless he wins a Superbowl, so it's probably time for a change. He would be seen as a savior in Chicago or Minnesota, as opposed to being scrutinized and questioned even when he wins games in Philadelphia.

The Other Brady

Browns QB Brady Quinn visited Dr. James Andrews (the worst three words to hear as a fantasy owner) yesterday and learned that his debut season with the Cleveland Browns would be cut short as a result of his broken index finger. Dr. Andrews felt the situation could worsen if Quinn continued to play and aggravate the injury, and felt it was best to stay off the field for the remainder of the season, especially considering Quinn's long-term value to the Browns. Thus, Derek Anderson once again enters the picture.

Is he worth a pickup for fantasy teams in desperate need of a quarterback? I tend to think no. While one bright spot is that Anderson has a chance to perform for potential suitors in the offseason, the Browns challenging schedule (Indy, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh) and Anderson's lack of success early in the year should lead to more losses and will eventually cost head coach Romeo Crennel his job. In recent weeks, TE Kellen Winslow, RB Jamal Lewis and even general manager Phil Savage have been involved in embarassing incidents that will only continue to grow with the lack of any real team leader or coach. Expect Anderson to change addresses in the offseason and Quinn to come out firing next year under a new coach (Bill Cowher?) and surrounded by plenty of new faces.

Extra Points

- Rumblings from various league sources tend to indicate that the steroid suspensions I discussed in this space a few weeks ago will be issued next week. Check out the article to see the players this will affect, but the NFL will want to make sure these likely 4-game suspensions don't affect playoff games. Also expect the decision to be upheld as the NFL has a history of being very tough on appeals.
- I took a look at one of my leagues this morning and noticed Ladell Betts still available on the Free Agent list. There is no way he should still be available, especially with the release of Shaun Alexander yesterday. Clinton Portis is on pace to touch the ball a ridiculous 386 times this season and injuries are beginning to wear him down. While Washington's schedule isn't the most favorable for running backs, in my opinion, Betts has the best chance of any backup to have a starting gig by the time fantasy playoffs roll around.
- Don't get too anxious to add Maurice Morris even after his 103 yard performance on Sunday. Mike Holmgren indicated his intentions are to start Julius Jones against his former squad on Thanksgiving and Morris' 14 carries were likely a result of Jones iffy calf injury that has been hampering him in recent weeks.
- The Packers defense suffered huge loss two weeks ago when MLB Nick Barnett tore his ACL and was placed on Injured Reserve. They were completely exposed Monday night when Drew Brees torched them for 324 yards and 4 TDs. The news doesn't get any better for the Packers this week. Starting S Aaron Rouse suffered an ankle injury and with replacements Atari Bigby and Charlie Peprah dealing with injuries of their own, Green Bay is extremely thin in their secondary. Expect your Carolina offensive players to put up major points this Sunday.

Hail Mary

Last Week: Brett Favre and the New York Jets made my prediction come true with ease as the Jets manhandled the Tennessee Titans in their own barn and ended their undefeated season. Favre relied on a short passing attack and took advantage of Tennessee's lack at depth at cornerback to strike early and often on Sunday. While Tennesee is still one of the stronger teams in the league, I had a feeling this would happen, and you will see a similar scene play out in Week 16 when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This Week: For the defensive issues I mentioned above, I'm going to take the Carolina Panthers to head into Lambeau and upset the Packers. Carolina's defense won't allow Green Bay to put up as many points as the Saints did on Monday and DeAngelo Williams, Jonathon Stewart and Steve Smith should put up well over 35 points.

Eat up tomorrow, enjoy the games, and I'll catch you back here next week for another edition of In Between the Tackles.

O'Malley's Tallies: Week 11 -- New England Air Attack

STUDS

1. Matt Cassel – If you throw for 400 yards passing two weeks in a row, it goes without question that you will sit at the top of the “Stud” list for that given week. While it is more than likely this impressive run will come to an end this week vs. Blitzburgh, a ton of credit still has to be given to a player that achieves something less than 10 other quarterbacks in NFL history have ever done. Come next season, Cassel’s paycheck will definitely have a few more zeros at the end of it as a starting quarterback somewhere else in this league…

2. Michael Turner – 117 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns?? Works for me!

3. Dallas Cowboys – Whether it was Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, the defense, or even NICK FOLK, having a Cowboy in your lineup on Sunday was definitely a bright spot this week for fantasy owners. With injuries beginning to heal and team confidence building once again, the Cowboys yet again look like a great play this week on Thanksgiving vs. the Seahawks…

4. Tony Gonzalez – You must know a player is a pretty talented individual when he goes from questionable to play earlier in the week to ending up catching 10 balls for 113 yards and a TD on Sunday. Despite a nagging sprained knee that he suffered the previous week, Gonzo found many holes in that Buffalo secondary and should do the same this coming week vs. Oakland…

5. Drew Brees - After watching Drew Brees and the Saints on Monday Night, it truly is mind boggling how a team that looked SO good is only 6-5. Playing for their postseason lives vs. the Packers, Brees stepped up and looked like a league MVP candidate by throwing for 323 yards and 4 touchdowns. With Reggie Bush expected back this coming week, Brees and the Saints are going to need a duplicate performance once again when they square up against division rival Tampa Bay next Sunday.



DUDS

1. Donovan McNabb – Two weeks in a row on this list can never be good. While in fairness his performance Sunday was on the road vs. the vaunted Baltimore defense, there is still no excuse for a 9 million dollar quarterback to get pulled in favor of a no namer in Kevin Kolb. With that million dollar cap figure expecting to crack double digits next year, it looks more and more like #5 will be changing his address next season…

2. Denver Defense – If the Oakland Raiders and Jamarcus Russell absolutely SMOKE you in your backyard, you automatically make this list. Terrible.

3. Aaron Rodgers – After a Sunday in which former Packers quarterback Brett Favre led his Jets to beat then undefeated Tennessee, laying a total egg on MNF will definitely not help put to bed those obnoxious “Favre vs. Rodgers” comparisons that the media has constantly done all year. Overall on the night, Rodgers finished with an ugly 3 interceptions and gained much of his yardage after the game was well out of reach. If it ends up that the Pack miss the playoffs while Brett the Jet leads his team to a first round bye, things could get very ugly in Green Bay this offseason…

4. LenDale White – "I really couldn't tell you what happened. I don't really know...I didn't care really.” Ah yes, the infamous words of a true team player in Titans running back LenDale White after Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets. When you add together these comments, the fact that he only touched the ball two times on Sunday, and the emergence of rookie Chris Johnson, it looks more and more likely that White will see a lot more of the bench going forward…

THANK YOU AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The Buzz Around The Bullpen: Happy Holliday For the Oakland A's?

This just in...Jeremy Affeldt signed a 2-year $8 million dollar deal with the San Francisco Giants. In other news, Ryan Dempster signed a 4-year $52 million dollar deal to remain with the Chicago Cubs. Unfortunately, outside of these two signings, the Major League Baseball free agency period has been about as newsworthy as the Detroit Lions' season.

One story that did create some news in the sports world was the trade which sent Matt Hollliday to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for RP Huston Street, SP Greg Smith and a young OF prospect, Carlos Gonzales. At first glance, my reaction was that this trade was a huge win for the Athletics. Now, after having some time to evaluate the trade, I love this trade even more for the A's. Matter of fact, I'm not quite sure what the Rockies were thinking. I believe what makes this trade so awful is when it was made.

If the Rockies would have held on to Holliday even for a couple more weeks, teams that were unable to fill needs through free agency would have started a gambling war looking to land Holliday. Essentially, Colorado could have sat back and reaped the benefits of the desperation of teams vying to land their superstar. Better yet, the Rockies could have held onto Holliday up until this upcoming season's trade deadline. As we've seen in the past, contenders are always willing to pay a little bit more for a guy that might put their team over the top.

The A's are now in a position to either make a statement and sign the superstar long term, or simply allow Holliday to flourish in their lineup and then trade him away at the deadline for a surplus of young talent. (See Billy Beane modus operandi). To the contrary, Colorado is left with a injury-prone reliever, a young starting pitcher with control issues and an outfield prospect that has not really set the minor league system on fire. Even in Gonzales's short stint with the big club, he was ordinary at best. I do believe Gonzales will become an above average Major League outfielder someday but I still feel his "upside" alone was not enough to get this deal done.

From a fantasy standpoint, some critics predict that Holliday's numbers may decline because of his move from a great hitter's park to a foul-ball abyss in Oakland. To those critics...you're absolutely correct. If you disagree, take a look at Holliday's career stats away from Coors field. In only 20 more career games at home, he has almost double the HRs as he did on the road. Also, his career batting average at home is almost 80 points higher than his batting average on the road.

While my fantasy analysis may seem contradictory to my conclusion that Oakland got the better of the deal, it is actually more of a testament of how little Colorado received in return for Holliday. I do look for Holliday's numbers to suffer but Holliday is too good of a hitter to be ignored in the first couple of rounds. Holliday has a great swing and like all great hitters, he will adapt to his home ballpark. While his power numbers will decline, I look for Holliday to learn how to utlize the gaps and cash in on some doubles.

It was great getting back to the "Buzz" and I hope for some more news from free agency. As we've seen in the past, once C.C. or one of the other high profile stars signs, we will see the domino effect.

For now, have a great Thanksgiving holiday and be sure to keep your ears open for the "Buzz Around the Bullpen."

Above the Rim: Rookies Ahead of the Learning Curve

One month into the season, the impact rookies are starting to separate themselves from the projects. While there is nothing wrong with letting a rookie develop for a season or two, some fans prefer instant returns. The following list is made up of the most productive rookies of the young season, including a few surprises.

Derrick Rose, Bulls
When you are drafted first overall, you are supposed to perform in your rookie season, but Rose has exceeded expectations in the early going. Rose is averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game. He also adds 1 steal and shoots 46.7% from the floor and 84.6% from the free throw line. From 3-point range, Rose is still shooting fairly well at a 35.5% clip.

O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
Mayo has immediately become the go to guy for a young Grizzlies team. Averaging 20.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game to go with 44.6% from the floor and outstanding shooting from downtown (40.7%) and the free throw line (89.2%), Mayo looks the leader of a team that includes Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, Darrell Arthur, and Marc Gasol. This team could be scary in a few seasons with Mayo leading the way. Mayo also chips in with over 1 steal per game on the defensive end.

Michael Beasley, Heat
Beasley was a beast at Kansas State last season and has shown promise to be the same player in the NBA. While I expected his FG% (44.5%) and rebounding (5.5) to be higher, he is contributing 14.7 points per game and shooting very well from the free throw line at 85%.

Rudy Fernandez, Blazers
Fernandez has been shooting lights out this season from 3-point range (43.8%) and the free throw line (94.4%). That translates to 12.8 points per game off the bench for a very deep and young Blazers team. Fernandez also adds 1 steal, 2 assists, and 3 rebounds per game as well.

Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
I love Gasol’s game. He is a bruiser, unlike older brother Pau. Marc’s game is efficiency as shown by his 12.4 points per game on 58.3% shooting. Gasol also shoots 77.6% from the free throw line and averages 7.2 rebounds per game. While I would like to see Gasol average more blocks (only 0.9 per game), his career has started well and should improve as the season progresses.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Bucks
Mbah a Moute was a second round pick for the picks and came in under the radar after the Bucks drafted Joe Alexander and traded for Richard Jefferson. However, Mbah a Moute is quietly averaging 10.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and shooting almost 45% from the floor and 75% from the free throw line. While his numbers do not reflect it (0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks), Mbah a Moute is an excellent defender for the Bucks, who generally resemble a sieve on defense.

Jason Thompson, Kings
The Kings’ pick of Thompson at #12 in the first round led to some headscratching on draft night, but Thompson has proven himself. Thompson, a natural power forward, is averaging 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while playing out of position at small forward. Thompson is shooting 53% from the floor, but could improve his free throw shooting which is only 60%.

Mario Chalmers, Heat
Chalmers has not disappointed since winning the championship at Kansas. In addition to a 9 steal game earlier this season, Chalmers is averaging 7.3 points and 4.8 assists per game and is the beast pure point guard in this rookie class. Chalmers is also averaging 1.8 steals per game. The weakness in Mario’s game is his low shooting percentages across the board (FG- 39.7%, 3-point %- 32.5%, FT- 59.1%).

JaVale McGee, Nets
McGee has taken advantage of an opportunity to play for Washington with Brendan Haywood out averaging 8.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game to go with 1 block per game in only 21 minutes. At only 20 years old, McGee should continue to improve this season. One are in where he should focus is free throw shooting where he is shooting a Shaqtastic 50%.

Anthony Morrow, Warriors
If anyone tells you they knew Morrow was going to be good, feel free to laugh in their face for me. Morrow was all but guaranteed to play overseas this season when he earned a contract with the Warriors and since then his production has been outstanding. Morrow is averaging 17 points and 4 rebounds per game (31 and 7.5 as a starter) in 5 games. Even better, Morrow is shooting 62.8% from the floor, 64.7% from 3-point range (that is not a typo), and is a perfect 100% (10 attempts) from the free throw line. I know it’s early, but I don’t know how this kid went undrafted. Maybe scouts should focus a little more on skill and less on potential in the future.

Greg Oden, Blazers
Since returning from his ankle injury, Oden has lived up to the expectations that led him to be drafted first overall last season. He is averaging 12 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game in only 22 minutes off the bench. Oden has also shot an efficient 57.6% from the floor and 73.3% from the charity stripe. Oden has 3 double-doubles in his last 4 games, missing the fourth by only 2 rebounds. I would expect this type of production from Oden for the rest of the season.

Russell Westbrook, Thunder
While many wondered if Westbrook was drafted to high in June, he has performed solidly so far this season. On a bad Thunder team, Westbrook is averaging 11.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while chipping in with 1.3 steals. Westbrook could improve his shooting (31.7% from the floor and 26.1% from 3), but his free throw shooting, 83.6%, has been great. With a core of Durant, Jeff Green, and Westbrook, the Thunder appear to be heading in the right direction.

Ryan Anderson, Nets
Anderson’s Player Efficiency Rating is 22.35, third on this list behind Morrow (28.25) and Oden (23.9). This means that Anderson is productive relative to the number of shots he takes and the minutes he plays. This shows up on the stat sheet as Anderson is averaging 8.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in only 16 minutes per game while shooting 52.9% from the floor, 62.5% on threes, and 90.9% on free throws. Anderson is the only other rookie that can give Morrow any competition as best shooter in this class, and both have been outstanding. I can almost see them playing horse- “Off the cheap seats, through the rafters, off the scoreboard, nothing but net.”

Kevin Love, Timberwolves
Love has been somewhat disappointing to me thus far this season. While his averages of 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds are respectable in 23 minutes per game, his FG% is only 37.8%. Also, Love’s passing ability was highly touted coming out of college, but he is averaging only 1.3 assists per game. I know he is a PF, but I thought he would contribute 3-4 assists per game out of the post this year. His free throw percentage is 86.1% which is very impressive for a post player (most post players on this list exceed my expectations here).

Extra Attacker: Lightning in a Bottle

On Thursday, "The Puck Stops Here" writer Joe Romano touched on the shocking firing of Barry Melrose after only 16 games behind the bench for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Following their 2004 Stanley Cup Championship, the Lightning have quickly become one of the most chaotic, embarassing, and rapidly imploding franchises in all of sports. As a hockey fan, one begins to wonder how and why this happened. After a complete summer roster overhaul can any coach be expected to produce wins only 16 games into the season? For a little background, let's take a look at the short version of the last few months for Tampa Bay after new ownership took over in June.

June 2008: Fired head coach John Tortorella. Hired Barry Melrose as head coach. Bought out the contract of goaltender Marc Denis. Traded assorted draft picks for the rights to sign Gary Roberts, Ryan Malone, and Brian Rolston. Traded draft pick for Janne Niskala. Signed Roberts and Malone, not Rolston.

July 2008: Traded defensemen Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich to San Jose for Matt Carle and Ty Wishart. Signed Radim Vrbata, Adam Hall, Olaf Kolzig, Ryan Craig, David Koci, Wyatt Smith, Scott Jackson, Evgeny Artyukhin, Brandon Bochenski, Mark Recchi, Andrew Hutchinson, Zenon Konopka, Chris Gratton, Mike Smith, and Steven Stamkos. Signed Vincent Lecavalier to a 11-year extension. Named Rick Tocchet and Wes Walz assistant coaches. Named Tom Kurvers assistant GM. Announced the resignation of GM Jay Feaster. Named Mike Vernon assistant to hockey operations.

Aug-Sept 2008: Traded defensemen Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard and a 1st round pick to Ottawa for Andrej Meszaros. Signed Meszaros to a 6-year contract.

October 2008: Traded draft pick to Pittsburgh for Michal Sersen. Claimed Matt Pettinger off waivers from Vancouver. Promoted Brian Lawton to GM. Signed Marek Malik.

November 2008: Traded Matt Carle to Philadelphia for Steve Eminger and Steve Downie. Claimed David Koci off waivers from St. Louis. Fired head coach Barry Melrose on November 14. Named Rick Tocchet interim head coach.

Reading through those roster moves, a number of trends stick out. First, the Lightning have obviously mortgaged the future by dealing away as many draft picks as possible in exchange for short term success. While this strategy might work for the Yankees or Red Sox, the bottom line in a salary cap league is if you head down this road you need to win immediately. Think New Orleans Saints of the NHL. After the Saints traded their entire draft for Ricky Williams in 1999 and it didn't work out, it took them years to dig themselves out of the gutter.

The next odd piece of this puzzle that might stand out to you if you're a longtime fan is that every single management move involves a big hockey name from the 90s. Now maybe it's nice to try a legend like Wayne Gretzky behind the bench as Phoenix did, but most of these former players have little or no experience coaching or managing a team. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

The third glaring mistake of the offseason was totally disregarding defense in an attempt to free up more money for big offensive names. Former Lightning Dan Boyle is currently 2nd in scoring among defensemen with 18 points through 20 games, while Filip Kuba is ranked 8th. On the flip side, Ryan Malone, who Tampa signed to a 7-year, $31.5 million contract this summer, has just 3 goals and zero assists through Friday.

So who are the ringleaders behind this circus and why have they been so obsessed with winning today instead of building a foundation for the future? OK Hockey, the ownership group that took over in June, is led by Oren Koules and Len Barrie. Koules gained his wealth as a result of the insanely successful set of "Saw" movies and worked as a day trader for the Chicago Mercantile Stock Exchange before that. Barrie hit it big with his Canadian golf club he started in Victoria. In fact, prior to that he was expelled from his golf club after he chopped down trees he claimed were on his property.

Okay, so we've got a pair of young hotheads looking for instant fame with plenty of money to burn. Koules and Barrie decide it'd be fun to buy a hockey team and hopefully they can make a quick buck in the process. Interestingly though, in a recent feature, Forbes.com shed some light on the financing arrangement: In June, OK Hockey, a group of eight owners led by Oren Koules and Len Barrie, bought the Tampa Bay Lightning, the lease rights to the St. Pete Times Forum and 5.5 axces of land in downtown Tampa's Channelside District near the arena for $210 million, of which $204 million was for the team and operating rights to the arena. The new owners believe they can increase cash flow by $18 million a year. They better. Their purchase was financed with a $105 million, three-year bullet loan, meaning in 2011 they will either have to pay the loan off or refinance it.

Now it's beginning to make sense. Koules and Barrie need to increase cash flow by $18 million a year and pay off the loan by 2011. They don't have the time to build through the draft and solid scouting like other organizations have realized is the key to long-term success in the salary cap era. Increasing cash flow can only be accomplished by packing the St. Pete Times Forum (giving away free tickets if you buy a jersey?), maximizing marketing appeal of the team, and most importantly, making the playoffs. The best approach is that of the Dallas Cowboys. High priced offensive stars (Malone, Vrbata, Roberts, etc), controversial media figures (Tocchet), and a head coach (Melrose) that has been in the living room of hockey fans every week for the last decade. Unfortunately, throwing all of these pieces together and hoping for results a month into the season is asking for a mess.

Melrose believed in players earning their playing time. Management wanted Steven Stamkos, their premiere #1 draft pick from last year, playing big time minutes right away. They wanted Gary Roberts and Radim Vrbata, their high-priced 'toys,' to play more. There are rumors that Koules was in the locker room drawing up plays in between periods. The players began to revolt against Melrose. Melrose skipped practice November 11 in an attempt to wake up the team. Losses piled up. Playoff hopes were heading down the drain. Repaying the OK Hockey ownership loan was looking nearly impossible. November 14th Barry Melrose was fired.

Will this turn the season around or was the public relations disaster just another act in this ongoing comedy? You can expect a handful of spirited games under new coach Rick Tocchet, but the same problems still exist. Tocchet has no head coaching experience and Tampa's defense is embarassing to say the least. Assume Koules and Barrie will continue to puppeteer GM Brian Lawton, especially if the team slips further and further out of playoff contention. In a way, ownership is treating this team like a fantasy team. If players don't perform, trade them, cut them, replace them. You can't run a real organization like this...but if you're looking for solid, on-the-money fantasy hockey advice, make sure to check back every Thursday for Joe Romano's segment "The Puck Stops Here."

First to Third: The Moose Retires

The Yankee pitching staff was already in trouble, having little depth behind Chien-Ming Wang, but the recent loss of Mike Mussina to retirement does not bode well for the Bronx Bombers or fantasy owners. The Moose has been good for 11 wins, 140 strikeouts, and a respectable steroid-era ERA of between 3.00 and 4.00 in each of his 17 seasons in the bigs. His consistency will be missed.

If I were Brian Cashman, I'd forget about AJ Burnett, who looks too much like Carl Pavano, and take a look at Jon Garland. GMs haven't paid too much attention to Garland yet this off-season, but in his last seven seasons he hasn't won anything less than 10 games and was a serious Cy Young candidate in 2005 with an 18-10 record, plus ALCS and World Series wins. His career 4.47 ERA is on the high side and he won't get too many strikeouts, but he's consistently around 200 innings, something Burnett has reached in only 3 of his 10 seasons.

Deputy Justice Matt Cohen Passes NY Bar Exam

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Deputy Justice Matt Cohen (pictured here third from the right) has passed the New York Bar Exam. Matt Cohen has been a member of the SportsJudge.com team since January 2007. I have no doubt he will make an outstanding attorney.

Another Above the Rim Extra: Less Bullish on Marbury Now

To update my earlier post, this afternoon's excitement over an opening in the New York Knicks rotation for PG Stephan Marbury has since subsided. As one of our readers points out, New York Knicks management -- after trading away Crawford -- then proceeded to trade Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the L.A. Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas. Presumably, Mobley (and not Marbury) will fill Crawford's vacated role in the Knicks backcourt.

Above the Rim Extra: Bullish on Marbury

Extra! Extra! The New York Knicks just traded Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for forward Al Harrington. That leaves an immediate opening in the Knicks backcourt.

With all due respect to Mardy Collins (the player that former Knicks "coach" Isiah Thomas preferred to Marbury), I'm feeling immediately bullish on Stephan Marbury.

Nov. 19: The Day Fantasy Sports Went Legal

Wednesday November 19 was a banner day for SportsJudge.com. In the span of just one hour (from 6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. EST), the Court of Fantasy Football received three new disputes. These disputes came from New York, Illinois, and Florida.

On behalf of the entire SportsJudge.com Team, I thank all of our litigants for not taking the law into their own hands ... and for spreading the word of our services.

Extra Points: Week 12 Studs

I wanted to get tonight's game in before the game started. I'll have the rest of this weekend's studs up on Friday.

First, with the game last Thursday, I picked the Jets D/ST. Note the 'ST', thankfully if you played them, much as I did, you got the special teams touchdown. So, although giving up 31 points and looking ugly in the 2nd half, the Jets got 6 fantasy points for you most likely. I'm going to consider this a push, for that reason- 31 points, and you still get 6 fantasy points. Two weeks ago I warned you about Leon Washington, and he did nothing, but I hope you considered him last week.

Bengals at Steelers
I really don't like any offensive players in this game. The Bengals 'held' the Eagles to 13 points in 5 quarters last week. I think teams don't get up for games against weaker opponents. Then again everyone is talking about Hines Ward and retaliation for the hit he laid out versus the Bengals earlier this season. No Chad Ocho Cinco tonight, and I told you about Housh last weekend, so this week, go with Cedric Benson. I wanted to say Chris Henry, but I don't know about the passing game. Benson will get his opportunities, even if the Bengals go 3 and out every time. Play him, he is worth 10 fantasy points tonight.

(Friday Update: I apologize for picking anyone on the Bengals ever. Remind me not to do it again!)

Texans at Browns
With two weeks left in the fantasy season, I figured you might be needing some late pick ups. Go ahead and take a try at Sage Rosenfels. He's not going to cost you a fantasy game, he can only be a positive. He has a good team around him and he will get plenty of opportunities in what should be a shoot out on both sides.

49ers at Cowboys
Speaking of fantasy pick-ups, you could take Shaun Hill. Again, another player that won't cost you fantasy points. The Cowboys have been known for their drama and lack of defense. If the Cowboys are going to change that ideology about their team they will focus on the running game and leave Shaun Hill open to air it out. If you have a quarterback facing a tough defense, you might consider Hill.

Buccaneers at Lions
Ike Hilliard, thanks for not showing up last week. I can give you a man who will show up this week. Warrick Dunn has taken over for Earnest Graham and fortunately for him they are playing against the lowly Lions. Will the Lions get a win before their national showdown on Thanksgiving Day against the Titans? No.

Jets at Titans
There is a lot of noise around the Jets suddenly. Could they be the team that knocks off the Titans? I doubt it, but if they are going to it will come on the shoulders of a big play from Tight End Dustin Keller. Keller has three scores this year and last week he had eight catches, a career high. Play-action will get it done versus the Titans.

Bills at Chiefs
A man who has gone quietly under the radar is Bills running back Marshawn Lynch. He hasn't scored since week 8 but did have over 175 total yards last week. It is the Chiefs and they are almost as miserable as the Rams. I think its a safe bet to say that Lynch score TWICE this week and the Bills get back on the right track, keeping the division tight.

Bears at Rams
This is an easy one. I never thought I'd mention this name in the fantasy world, but Kyle Orton will have a great game. Its the Rams, they aren't that good. They aren't good at all, and surprisingly Orton has been the savior of Chicago in a way. I love whoever is playing the Rams. I'd take Granny Grunts Crusaders over the Rams at this point.

Patriots at Dolphins
Each week that I pick against the Dolphins, they end up winning. Last week the Raiders D/ST did an okay job against the wildcat. This week I'll go with the Dolphins D/ST. I did pick the Jets D/ST last week versus the Patriots and we saw how that worked. But I've said it before, every Jerry Porter is right twice a year, and he is predicting that the Dolphins shut up the Patriots. We'll see. It's a big game.

Vikings at Jaguars
The Jaguars haven't had the best defensive year. The Vikings on the other hand have had a mix of offensive production. Some days they are on, others they are miserable. I'm thinking this will be a good week for the Vikings offense, lead by the passing game. I'm thinking that Bobby Wade will be the beneficiary of some long balls.

Eagles at Ravens
Well now that Donovan McNabb has a sense of urgency to get a win, I'd expect him to try and move the ball a bit more. That doesn't mean anything though because the Ravens still have a great defense. I'll take David Akers kicking for the Eagles. You can't stop the Eagles offense, unless you are the Bengals, but you can contain them. Akers should be a safe bet unless it is 20-degrees below with strong winds.

Raiders at Broncos
I've been slowly turning towards the Raiders as a team that will have a breakout game. When you think about the Broncos you think about their susceptible pass defense. I know Russell hasn't done much but that isn't to say that Roland Curry can't get a score. Division games are always more exciting and this isn't a local blackout for Oakland fans. Curry can be a great flex option this week.

Panthers at Falcons
The Falcons are at home. They are 4-1 in the Dome and they give up just over 20 points at home. It's not the best, but it is pretty good. I'll take the Falcons D/ST this week over an over-achieving Panthers team. Stop the run, stop the Panthers, get another home win and keep the division in your sights.

Giants at Cardinals
The G-Men have a tough passing defense so we will see how Kurt Warner does against his former team. The safer bet for the Cardinals will be to play J.J. Arrington. With Edgerrin James all but out of Arizona, Arrington is the goal line back while Hightower is getting the bulk of the carries. This will be one of the better games this week, hopefully Arrington can score in the redzone.

Redskins at Seahawks
Who scored two touchdowns last week for the Seahawks? That would be T.J. Duckett. Who's to say he won't do it again? He has been the only fantasy highlight for the Seahawks in a long time. It is a stretch, but if you are desperate, I'd take Duckett as a flex.

Colts at Chargers
Peyton Manning will have a feast with the Chargers. The only question is, who is he going to pass it to? Dallas Clark has three scores in his last two road games, and this week looks to favor Clark scoring. Clark could emerge as the second best receiver in this offense down the stretch.

Packers at Saints
This is an easy game for Lance Moore of the Saints. His stats these past three games include 20 catches, 168 yards, 3 TDs, and 44 fantasy points. Are you going to not play him this week? Here's a tip too, looking ahead at the rest of the Saints schedule says you should definitely get him on your roster. Good players shine in the spotlight on Monday night.

The Puck Stops Here: Barry, ESPN is Waiting

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Puck Stops Here. Check back this weekend for discussion on the Tampa Bay Lightning Situation. “Between the Tackles” author, Mike Colligan, feels strongly and wants to voice his opinion. Let me give my two cents.

The first mistake was hiring Melrose. He has been out of professional hockey for over a decade and commentating on ESPN doesn’t enhance any coaching skills (I am ignoring the two games he coached in the UHL). I don’t understand what made him so desirable in the first place. In his only three seasons in the NHL, he only won 82 games out of 216 games. His run to the Stanley Cup? That was his first season, coaching someone else’s team, riding Gretzky’s coattails, and got out coached. I love Barry Melrose and the style of hockey he believes in but he should never have been in charge to begin with.

The second mistake was spending money in all the wrong places. Tampa’s spending situation this summer was ridiculous. They overpaid for everyone and targeted all players who hit their ceiling and can’t match previous production. The only smart move this summer was drafting Stamkos. The entire situation is a joke and the smartest move would have been to fire the GM who is making these decisions. Ok, I hope I didn’t steal any of Mike’s thunder. Let’s move on to some fantasy points.

Steve Stamkos, C, Tampa Bay: Getting back to Stamkos, he is getting some ice time with Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, both regular strength and on the power play. Stamkos has done nothing yet this season and has been disappointing, but getting ice time with St. Louis and Vinnie may cure his slow start. The talent on that line is mind-boggling. Stamkos will get better as the season grows older and he becomes more comfortable, if he does end up on the top unit, Stamkos will be valuable. For now, play the wait and see game.

Pavol Demitra, C, Vancouver: Demitra started slowly with only 3 points in 6 games before losing time to yet another injury. After missing just under a month, he has 5 points in 3 games including a power play goal and assist. He is currently skating with the Sedin twins and anyone who skates with the twins always produces. He has also found himself running one of the points on the power play. I bet he misses another 10 to 15 games throughout the season, but if he can stay healthy long enough to continue playing with the twins then Demitra is definitely worth owning.

Ondrej Pavelec, G, Atlanta: I have seen fantasy writers on many other websites touting Pavelec as the next big thing and to pick him up while Lehtonen is injured. Don’t buy it! Pavelec does have talent and played well in the AHL, but that is the AHL. He hasn’t done anything worthwhile this season and wasn’t that great last year either. He has won a few times but the peripherals haven’t been and won’t be great. Atlanta won’t win with defense and Pavelec’s peripherals will suffer because of it. Let someone else have Pavelec.

Danny Sabourin, G, Pittsburgh: While you are passing on Pavelec, keep an eye on Sabourin. Marc-Andre Fleury is day to day in Pittsburgh and Sabourin is performing well in his absence. Fleury’s injury sounds like the groin or hamstring variety and the Pens will be very cautious with him. I expect Fleury to sit out at least another week or two to allow him to fully recover. Sabourin will continue to play well as the Pens continue to hit their stride. Think Ty Conklin last year, just without as many games played. If you own Fleury, I recommend picking up Conklin, I did.

Philippe Boucher, D, Pittsburgh: Yeah I know, I have been very Penguin-centric recently, but it is because they are pretty newsworthy. Boucher is another big story. GM Ray Shero recently sent Darryl Sydor to Dallas in exchange for Boucher. Many remember a couple very productive seasons a few years ago while running Dallas’ top power play unit and there is no reason to think he can’t reproduce this. Boucher is practicing significantly with the top power play unit and even had a few shifts with the unit in his first game with the team. Boucher will find himself on the top power play unit at least until Whitney returns in a few weeks and may hang on to it until Gonchar returns around late February. If you need a 4th defenseman, Boucher is your answer. If you don’t, keep an eye on him and pull the trigger if he clicks with Evgeni and crew.

As with any SportsJudge.com article, feel free to post a comment or question. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

In Between the Tackles: Thawing Out

Welcome back to another edition of "In Between the Tackles." Hopefully you enjoyed last Wednesday's article by Jordan Zucker and if you didn't get a chance to read it, I really recommend checking it out before we get down to business and talk some fantasy football.


Six weeks...that's all we've got left. If you play in a standard fantasy football league that doesn't use Week 17 games, there's a chance you only have two weeks left before playoffs. With that in mind, let's think about strategy.

Redraft Leagues: The approach here is fairly straightforward. Your team falls into one of two camps. If you're clinging to one of the last playoff spots or you're a win or two out of the race, then you need really put your focus on the next couple weeks. Below I will break down the running back position for the remainder of the season, and if you are one of those teams fighting for a spot, take the approach of the federal government and focus on the short-term solutions. It might cost you an opportunity to find that Week 16 stud, but you can't win your league if you don't make the playoffs in the first place. Take care of business before you start planning for the playoffs.

On the other hand, if you're perched in one of the top couple spots and you're just waiting on your first-round opponent to be named, then you need to take a totally different approach. Forget the high-risk pickups for the next week or two. Yes, you might fall a spot or two in the standings, but playoff seeding is totally overrated in fantasy football as long as you aren't playing the #1 team. One strategy that will be totally overlooked amongst the chaos of owners fighting to get into the playoffs is the potential for injury. Think about it, when a big-time running back goes down with an injury like Earnest Graham did this week, every owner will scramble to pickup the Warrick Dunn's of the world. Get ahead of the curve. We've made it through this year surprisingly with only a handful of major RB injuries, but I would be willing to bet there will be some big-time stars go down in the next few weeks and the fantasy landscape will be drastically different come playoff time. You probably have a solid core of good players that have brought you this far. Have a guy like Ahmad Bradshaw stashed away when Brandon Jacobs goes down two weeks from now and you'll be right in position for a championship run.

Dynasty or Keeper Leagues: These types of leagues can vary quite a bit, but if your league allows you to keep players from year to year or trade draft picks then you need to start to think about this. As a league leader, consider trading away your depth for a star to keep, or draft picks for next year. At this point in the year, most teams in your league still think they have a legitimate chance of making the playoffs and might mortgage the future for a chance to make a run. Swing a 3 for 1 deal for a guy like Adrian Peterson and you've set yourself up nicely for years to come. I must warn you not to overvalue future draft picks though. Take a look at the first round of your draft from this year and you'll realize how much has changed in such a short period of time.

Running Down a Dream

Before we get into specific players, I decided to first break down the easiest and toughest remaining schedules for running backs. For the sake of space, I didn't list each team's opponents but I've linked each team to their schedule. Keep in mind situations can change in the next few weeks, but at this point in the season I think we have a pretty firm grip on where each defense stands.

Weakest Remaining Schedules: San Diego, Indianapolis, Houston, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Oakland, Miami, Chicago

Toughest Remaining Schedules: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Arizona, Washington, Seattle, Dallas, Atlanta

- Warrick Dunn is the new starting running back in Tampa Bay now that Earnest Graham has been placed on season-ending injured reserve. You'll notice Tampa falls into the weakest schedule list above, especially with the hapless Lions on tap for this week. One risk with Dunn is his lack of size, especially around the goalline. Last week, he was stuffed at the end zone repeatedly but this shouldn't deter you from adding him as soon as possible. The most logical goalline back options on the Bucs are B.J. Askew and the recently signed Noah Herron. Both have the size to become a factor in leagues that heavily favor touchdowns. Keep an eye on this next week.
- The mess of a backfield in New England continues, but Sammy Morris is your best bet going forward. The Patriots were in no-huddle comeback mode for the final three quarters last Thursday which kept Morris off the field. If you want a Patriots running back, he is still the man to own.
- Tim Hightower's great rookie season is starting to lose it's momentum. Hightower has been tiptoeing to the line in recent weeks and as a result J.J. Arrington has once again become a big part of the offense. Given that the Cardinals heavily favor the shotgun formation and Arrington is their passing back, consider adding him sooner rather than later.
- I hinted two weeks ago that DeAngelo Williams might be poised for a breakout and he came through for me. Unfortunately, you need to temper your expectations going forward with Jonathan Stewart still in the picture and Tampa Bay and New York on tap for fantasy playoffs.
- If you've been patient with LT and Joseph Addai for this long you are about to be rewarded. Both looked great last week and have excellent matchups on the horizon.
- Steve Slaton ran for an impressive 156 yards last week, but what really caught my eye was the fact that Ahman Green only had five less carries than Slaton. With an easy schedule and Slaton's tiny stature possibly becoming an injury risk, think about stashing Green away for a rainy day.
*Update: Slaton mentioned he was injured after falling on the ball on Sunday - houstontexans.com
- Broncos RB Peyton Hillis underwent x-rays on his shoulder following Denver's win over Atlanta on Sunday, but he seems to be okay. Unfortunately, even after two touchdowns, his role in the offense going forward is anything but clear. Selvin Young should return from injury soon and Tatum Bell is a former Mike Shanahan favorite. Ahhh the wonderful consistency of owning a Denver running back.

Hail Mary

Just gonna throw this up and see what happens...

The Tennessee dream of an undefeated season comes to an end on Sunday when the Jets upset the Titans at LP Field. The Jets underrated defense is stout against the run and in a battle of Brett Favre and Kerry Collins I have to go with New York.

Will Michael Vick Return to the NFL?

Many have recently asked me whether I believe Michael Vick will one day return to the NFL. While I cannot speak as to Vick's current football ability, I believe that he is well positioned to challenge the NFL Personal Conduct Policy as violating his rights under antitrust law. Today, Am Law Daily cited me on this issue.

O'Malley's Tallies: Week 11 -- Very Hot in the Desert

The leaves have almost all fallen from the trees. The snow has begun to come down and stick to the field in cities like Pittsburgh. You can see all the players’ breath as they exhale in the cold temperatures. When you add all this up, it is easy to tell that it is crunch time in the NFL as well as fantasy football players all over the country.

A quarterback that may have looked like an excellent play during September in Miami may not look so hot anymore during a snowstorm in Green Bay. With the playoffs only 2-3 weeks away for most leagues, one loss from here on out could be the difference between a shot at your league title or becoming the object of your league's wisecracks. With all of that in mind, let’s get to the Week 11 Edition of “O.T’s”…

STUDS

1. Larquan Fitzboldin – If you are reading that name and wondering who this is, you clearly didn’t watch Sunday’s game between the Cardinals and Seahawks. That name in the preceding is the two headed monster that plays wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals (formerly once known as Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin). At some point earlier this season, these two officially merged together to form the league’s deadliest down-field option. With arguably the league’s MVP at quarterback, Fitzboldin cannot be stopped and once again dominated on Sunday with a total of 23 catches for 337 yards. Despite the success, the defending Super Bowl Champs roll into town next week undoubtedly looking to knock down these high flying Cardinals.

2. Brandon Jacobs – Before Sunday, all the talk about defense in the NFL was about how well the Baltimore Ravens could stop the run and how no one seemed to be having any success running against them. That was of course before they came to N.Y. and got TORCHED by the Giants! While the trio of “Earth, Wind, and Fire” all contributed positively, it was the bruiser Brandon Jacobs that led the smash mouth rout in the Meadowlands. Jacobs ran the ball 11 times for 73 times and scored 2 touchdowns (only the 2nd and 3rd touchdowns against Baltimore all year!), truly looking like a man amongst boys as he bounced off every tackler that got in his way.

3. Matt Cassell – Whenever anyone brings up the New England Patriots this season, the first thing that typically comes out of football fans' mouths (at least outside of Boston) is “they have no shot without Tom Brady at quarterback” or “Matt Cassell hasn’t started a football game since high school.” On Thursday night, however, Cassell looked like a player that could suit up for MANY teams in this league. Despite an overtime loss to the Jets, Cassell threw for a whopping 400 yards and 3 touchdowns and also ran for 62 yards on the ground. While a majority of the naysayers in the fantasy football world may have given up on Cassell already, those that were smart enough to start him at QB this week most likely got one in the win column this week.

4. Justin Gage – If I asked a room full of casual football fans to name the Titans number one wide receiver, I would bet many could not answer. Hoever, that distinct honor goes to Mr. Justin Gage, a former Missouri Tiger and Chicago Bear who has really clicked with Kerry Collins this year when healthy. On Sunday, this was again the case as Gage hauled in 4 catches for 142 yards and 2 scores to keep the Titans undefeated run going at 10-0. Owned in less than 40% of leagues in some cases, I would definitely recommend a pickup for those starving for wide receiver help.

5. Marion Barber – While the return of Tony Romo was critical to the psyche of a struggling Dallas Cowboy team, the real reason for Dallas’ big win on Sunday night was Marion “the Barbarian” Barber. This past weekend, Barber gained 114 yards and scored a touchdown to put “America’s Team” back in the playoff conversation. If Romo is able to once again achieve success and opponents stop stacking the box with 8 men, Barber owners should expect to see their ROI increase week by week going forward.

DUDS

1. Trent Edwards – I am writing this article as I watch the first quarter on MNF. So far, Edwards has thrown 3 interceptions and only 25 yards. With confidence possibly beginning to sink fast, Trent is a definitely causing Bills fans to increase their intake of antacids while watching games this season. While Edwards and the Bills have some juicy matchups going forward (including this game vs. the Browns), owners of Edwards MUST proceed with caution in starting him unless it is a 2 Quarterback format.

2. Donovan McNabb – For the sake of the Eagles, hopefully D Mac can forget about Sunday’s awful performance as quickly as he can forget the rules of the NFL. SERIOUSLY, HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THE GAME ENDS AFTER OVERTIME?!?! As we move forward, I may never know what he was thinking when he said that, but I do know that 28 for 58 with 3 interceptions is flat out awful (50.9 passer rating).

3. Matt Hasselbeck – Retirement can’t seem to come quick enough for Mike Holmgren after this season. After getting his starting quarterback back in the lineup this week and his team playing well last week in a tough defeat to Miami, one would think the Hawks would show up this week at home vs. Arizona. If you were that particular “one,” you were not correct. While a 26-20 loss may not look too bad on paper, the score does not do justice for the poor play from Matt Hasselbeck. On the day, the Hawks QB threw for only 170 yards and 3 interceptions vs. a less than stellar Arizona secondary. With poor receivers and the talented Redskin defense coming into Qwest next week, there are much better options than the quarterback from the Emerald City.

4. Vincent Jackson – In fairness, I am well aware it was snowing and very cold on Sunday in Heinz Field. However, fantasy football is not always fair, and neither is 2 catches for 25 yards from Vincent Jackson. Emerging this year as a solid #2 receiver in fantasy football, Jackson was definitely a disappointment for owners on Sunday. Playing his collegiate ball at Northern Colorado, Jackson should be used to weather like Sunday in Pittsburgh and owners definitely have begun to expect more..


TILL NEXT SUNDAY…

Above the Rim: Rudy!, Rudy!

This week, Above the Rim will cover a few important points omitted from last week's discussion of the Iverson trade, as well as three players I continue to project big things from in 2008-09 and beyond.

The Detroit "Iversons"

Teams tend to emulate their leaders and I guarantee you that Allan Iverson demands more respect in that locker room than head coach Michael Curry. Curry played with most of these current Pistons and was a reserve with that team, while Iverson is a first ballot HOF and one of the most well respected players in the league. With that said, the Pistons are no longer “your dad’s Pistons”, but rather a more up-tempo, fast paced team. Iverson will push the pace and get players easy shots in transition, as was the case on Friday during the Lakers vs. Pistons game. Rasheed Wallace worked over Gasol and looked like a re-energized player (a combination of the Iverson trade and being in a contract year). He hasn’t looked this fresh since he was a Blazer and Damon Stoudamire was pushing the pace of the game. In Friday’s game, Rasheed dropped 25 points, grabbed 13 boards and blocked 2 shots. The unsung hero of that game was former Laker, Kwame Brown. In 28 minutes of action, Kwame had 10 points and 10 boards. He is currently available in 99% of the leagues on ESPN and recently just replaced scrub, Amir Johnson in the starting line-up. Brown has never lived up to his potential but he is a solid play for the near future.


Rudy Fernandez
Once again, we here at “Above the Rim” would like pat ourselves on the back for being the first ones on the Rudy bandwagon. We were riding this wagon when it was just us and Rudy’s mom. He jumped off our radar during the Olympics when he cocked back on Dwight Howard and has done nothing but impress thus far this season. He is currently playing like a top 25 selection in most leagues and surprisingly is still available to close to 30 percent of you out there. He is still coming off the bench in Portland and is logging close to 29 minutes a game. I would assume that his sixth man role will remain but look for his minutes to increase and this should have a positive effect on his stat line.


Trevor Ariza
With all the talk about a healthy Andrew Bynum, a healthy Trevor Ariza has been just as important to the Lakers early season success Ariza is 6’ 8” with a freakish windspan that he has parleyed into over 2 steals a game. That puts him in the top 10 in steals numbers while still being available to 95% of ESPN owners. The Lakers rely heavily on their bench players and that means job security for Ariza. I think so highly of Ariza’s upside that I have added him personally to most of my teams.

JaVale McGee
JaVale is the first NBA player to be the son of a WNBA player. Pamela McGee, JaVale's mother, played in the WNBA for two seasons in 1998 and 1999. And with the mess that is the Wizard’s front court, JaVale has emerged has the one bright spot. He is an extremely athletic 7 footer who also boasts a 7’ 6” wingspan. JaVale currently is averaging close to 10 points and 6 boards with 1.5 blocks in around 20 minutes a game. He is also available in 97% of the leagues out there so get on the waiver wire and pick him up.

Women Against Fantasy Sports "Respond" to Jordan

On Wednesday, our newest SportsJudge writer Jordan Zucker (pictured here on the far left) wrote a brilliant article explaining why the group "Women Against Fantasy Sports" is completely misinformed. The WAFS have issued an "interesting" response. However, our court rules in favor of Jordan.

Stay turned next week for more from Jordan on the WAFS, and why women should love fantasy football.

And, also, my sincere apologies for Chris Carmona's recommendation of the Jets defense this week. We believe the rest of his weekly picks will fare much better.