The Official FieldGulls Fantasy Football Thread. Week 8 Edition.

It’s Vicks "Sleeper of the Week" time.  Get it, "sleeper?"  Not gonna lie.  It’s still kinda funny!   This is one of those times when I appreciate advertisers who actually try. And to be honest, in those rare instances when I am sick, I am a fan of NyQuil. As Denis Leary said (and Bill Hicks probably wrote…)  "NyQuil. The sniffling sneezing how-the-hell-did-I-get-on-my-kitchen-floor medicine."

This IS the post for fantasy football talk.  You can, if you must, add fantasy talk in additional game threads, but be warned, someone may be watching, and they may be mocking.  Here, you have free rein to talk your team’s reign or your rain of injuries.  Something to note, and this should be a true football fan’s golden ticket when it comes to heaven and hell and the voiding of the warranty on your soul.

The first rule of Fantasy Football, you do NOT root for players against the Seahawks.
The second rule of Fantasy Football, you do NOT root for players against the Seahawks.

On this site, for sake of your own health, NEVER cheer against the Seahawks due to your fantasy roster.  My personal rule is to avoid as much as possible acquiring division rivals, or to avoid playing them against the Seahawks if reasonably possible.  Statements like, "Well, at least I have Larry Fitzgerald on my fantasy team" (if) he was scorching the Hawks will unleash the hounds of hell upon you.  Please don’t be that one bastard playing the "Don’t Come" line at the craps table.  Not only will you bring bad mojo to everybody, but you’ll likely get verbally harassed, if not banned.  You’re a Seahawk fan, you aren’t "that guy" you are one of OUR guys—act like it!

Trick or Treat.

Halloween week, why not, eh?

Anyone else been living a horror with regard to money league teams?  The power has already gone out on my season.  Andre Johnson decided to go down the stairs (in the dark) to check the fuse box in the basement.  Invariably alone, of course.  And, since he didn’t reappear in a timely way, his WR squad-mate Vincent Jackson decided to go check on Andre.  They’re still both bumbling around alone in the dark, and weird creepy music is playing.  It’s not looking good.

Fortunately it’s early in the movie, and I’m hoping both will survive a while longer.  Besides, my team is ethnically diverse, so neither will get jacked because he’s the "token black guy."  If anything, Erik Decker should be terrified that he stayed upstairs with Doug Baldwin and Sidney Rice, all three of whom at this point might as well be wearing red Starfleet uniforms. 

Meanwhile, I traded Roddy White, almost out of spite.  He’s 2^nd in the league in targets, but in the bottom of the top 20 in WR scoring.   His underperformance killed me with the other two banged up on a weekly basis.  Understand, it is a keeper league, so I gave up on his $44 contract for a 6^th rounder and the hope that is a Jamaal Charles ($11) injury rebound in 2012. 

While my WR core has been stumbling around in the basement, LeGarrette Blount, Antonio Gates, and my defensive line tandem of Osi Umenyiora and Elvis Dumervil have decided to go searching for help.  They entered the woods while the moon was hidden by cloud cover. Then they decide to split up because Blount was certain "they’ll cover more ground."  Sure.. cover more ground… with their severed limbs and decapitated heads.  The moon just showed itself, and I’m hoping there’s no werewolves out there to destroy what’s left of my team.

Speaking of which… did Jason have superhuman strength?  I always wondered why everyone didn’t just band together and kick the living hell out of him.  I mean, he always seemed to lumber around in that hockey mask, why not just sit tight with a bunch of baseball bats and then attack him instead?  I mean, this guy took on like 5 crazed zombies alone with a metal bat, why couldn’t a bunch of high school kids do the same?!?  (link language NSFW).

A Southern Horror Story; The Crash of the Titans.

Is anyone still relying on the Tennessee Titan Offense?  If so, you've doomed yourself to purgatory, my friend.

This team makes zero sense.  They pulled off a win against a tough Jacksonville D (based more on Jax lack of O), and put an average of 28.5 against Cleveland and Baltimore, but struggled against injury riddled Denver (see Dumervil, Elvis), putting only 17 on the board.  The 17 they got against the Steelers sounds about right.  But then the worst D they’ve faced this year is Houston, and that was their worst performance-- in a game that was extremely significant to their post season hopes.

What’s next for our former QB?  Aside from two games against Indianapolis, a whole lot of hurt.  There are some scary defenses coming, and not a single "bad" team. Cincy, @Carolina, @Atlanta, Tampa Bay, @Buffalo (in December), hosting a New Orleans team in week 14 that will be jockeying for playoff position, then @Jax and @Houston in yet another season ending game for Houston that could determine if they get into the playoffs, or perhaps this year, at what seeding.

Yes, Matt Hasselbeck had a great start to his season.  But I notice I haven’t heard as many Seahawk fans of late bemoaning the loss of Hasselbeck, even with last week’s terrible offensive performance.  Hasselbeck’s last two weeks he was a combined 43-79 (54%) with 2 TD, 3 INT.  For the season his "comeback year" includes 10 TD/6 INT (+1 fumble lost).  His yardage appears to be better than the past couple seasons, but he’s still on pace for only around 3600 yards. Not exactly eye popping in this QB friendly era.  He’s now 13^thand falling in my league’s scoring.  He is certainly not worthy of being a QB1, and is now only a bye week option at best.  But then, if you thought anything else prior, you obviously have been wearing blinders.  As Denny Green famously said, "He is who we thought he was."

Kenny Britt of course was on his way to a true WR1 elite breakout season before being derailed in week 3. He might be a good buy low candidate in a keeper league, but his off the field issues make for troubling long term prospects.  Nate Washington has been inconsistent at best, and nobody, including TE Jared Cook else has done much to pick up numbers in Britt’s absence.  Given Hasselbeck’s dump down tendency, you would think that Cook would be a legitimate TE1 by this point in the season, but it simply hasn’t happened.  Not even the RB’s, both of whom are solid receiving threats out of the backfield, have seen an increase in pass catching.  If anything, Chris Johnson has gone downhill there as well as with his rushing.

And what exactly is wrong with Chris Johnson?  There are whispers around the league that his speed is down, though the Titans say that isn’t the case.  I’ve heard talk he’s hesitant.  Personally, I’m curious if Hasselbeck’s limitations have allowed for not only 8+ in the box, but unlike in the Collins/Young period, a lack of fear of the over-the-top throw or the running threat at QB.

Regardless, the 190 pound running back who went for 2006 yards in the 2009 season (on 358 carries, along with 50 receptions for 503 yards) hasn’t looked quite the same since.  Perhaps the "law of 370" needs to be amended to include receptions?  If so, his 408 total touches in 2009 has long term implications.  The great thing about the sourced article, it is a little dated and specifically notes Chris Johnson was safe due to being just a little short of the dreaded 370.  But again, as a receiver/runner, he took significant additional pounding.

I’m just not sure what to think.  Is Hasselbeck and the loss of Britt partially to fault?  We’re not talking about a slight dropoff.  He’s 31^st in the league in rushing yardage.  That’s unacceptable to a fantasy owner.  His trade value has never been lower.  Because of that, I would keep him around in the hope of some improved performance. 

Weekly Sleeper Pick

Pierre Thomas, RB New Orleans.  Mark Ingram has been ruled out this week, and while Darren Sproles should continue to get touches, most of those will come in the passing game.  Thomas got 125 yards last week, and when the Saints settle down and look to grind out the clock for near certain win in the 2^nd half, it will be Pierre Thomas getting the bulk of the carries.  He’s likely on the waiver wire in many leagues, and will likely put up RB1 or at worst RB2 numbers this week.  Grab him as a one week flier, with the potential for Ingram to sit through the Saints bye (week 11) if his situation does not improve prior. 

Hopefully I finally pick one right.  I don’t think my logic has been wrong yet, although the performance has been overshadowed by other "sleeper picks" on a weekly basis.  Such is life.  Good luck with your fantasy teams this week, and good luck to the Seahawks!  I would rather lose a fun game to watch than win a game like last week.  I don’t know if I can take another Field Goal fest.  This isn’t soccer.  Score some damn points!!!