Welcome back to another week of over and underachievers. I changed the format a bit and will only focus on guys who are ranked outside the top 20 for skill positions and top 10 for Qb’s and Te’s as many of you will have to always start a skill player in the top 20 regardless of matchup. This should assist more people with game day lineup decisions. Their weekly rating will always be listed in parenthesis. Last week I was able to go 6-4 for the Overachievers highlighted by Dwayne Bowe, Brandon LaFell and Andrew Luck while going 9-1 for under achievers being led by Michael Turner, Dustin Keller, and Shonn Greene. With the 1st game coming up on Thursday here is our list;
Overachievers
- Philip Rivers (11)- He does not seem to need that many weapons to have top 10 fantasy days, the Falcons got handed a few interceptions last week and will not happen again.
- Ben Roethlisberger (12)-He gets to play the Raider who made Ryan Tannehill look like a real NFL quarterback, with all their weapons and lack of running game, it means a big day for Big Ben.
- Andre Brown (25) – He literally took the ball and ran with it last week, gets a very shaky Panthers defense and with Bradshaw out, I can see him laying claim to the RB1 job.
- Peyton Hillis (28)-Jamaal Charles is already banged up and struggling with his return from the torn ACL and Hillis will control the ball against maybe the worst defense in the NFL in the Saints.
- Pierre Thomas (37)-He was able to get 100 yards on only 9 carries while playing a worse defense in the Chiefs and also at home.
- Steve Johnson (20) – In playing the Haden less Brown this week, there will be wide open lanes and areas as the Bengals saw last week.
- Reggie Wayne (24) He is tied for 2nd in targets in the NFL and has become a favorite of Andrew Luck. The Jaguars pass defense stats look okay unless you notice the Texans ran the ball the whole 2nd half last week, the Colts do not have those options.
- Wes Welker (27)-Aaron Hernandez is now out and once he came out of the game, Welker got back to his normal playing time. The Ravens also are struggling defensively a bit and should be exposed versus the Patriots.
- Brandon LaFell (29)-He stepped up last week and faces a much depleted Giants secondary in what expects to be a high scoring game.
- Dennis Pitta (11)-A major surprise with 25 targets in the new wide open Ravens offense, he will continue to be a top 5 TE.
Underachievers
- Peyton Manning (13)-The media wants to say he is back but everyone can see the lack of arm strength and uncertainty. What many fail to remember the last time he played full time, he had already taken a step back, this has continued.
- Matt Schaub (17) – He is now a very highly paid game manager going to play on the road in Denver who held Matt Ryan to only 200 yards.
- Chris Johnson (20)-It is looking worse and worse for this 1st round pick, I would bench him besides praying for a decent game until he shows something on the field.
- Jamaal Charles (21)-How people had him as a 1st/2md round pick coming off an ACL and with a job share is incredible. He is another that should not come off a bench until he gets over the knee soreness even if he is playing the Saints.
- Steven Jackson (22)-He is coming off a groin injury and playing a tough defense on the road.
- Michael Turner (24)-He will be on this list every week until the Falcons get smart and give his carries to Jason Snelling.
- De Sean Jackson (25)-He will now run into Patrick Peterson with no Jeremy Maclin this week, look somewhere else for a starting WR.
- Santonio Holmes (32) – He is catching almost 1/3 or his targets and is of course complaining, he now has not had a 100 yard game in his last 27, stay away.
- Kenny Britt (37) – Still recovering from knee surgery and getting into the new offense, he may shine but it will be way down the road.