Week 15 Slump Breakers
December 10, 2008 at 6:36 pm | Article by Paul Hickey |
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The fantasy playoffs are not the time to bench your studs, right? Well, I guarantee if you own Colts WR Reggie Wayne, Chargers TE Antonio Gates or Redskins RB Clinton Portis, you’re thinking very long and hard about that statement this week.
As some owners enter into one of their biggest games of the season, and others are simply fighting like the dickens to finish with some sort of respectability – perhaps in their league’s toilet bowl – it’s important not to be fooled by the recent slumps of these fantasy studs.
During the last four weeks, each of them has been virtually useless, combining for a grand total of zero trips to the end zone. So, if they’ve been so horrible, why should fantasy owners start them in Week 15?
Clinton Portis, Slumpbreaker RB, Redskins – At the Redskins bye in Week 10, Portis was the NFL’s leading rusher. Since then, he’s only had one performance of more than 68 ground yards, and has rushed for 32 yards or less in each of his last two contests. So, why should fantasy owners consider benching “hotter” players for the slumping Portis in Week 15? First of all, CP26 has battled four or five nagging injuries for the last five weeks, including knee, ankle, shoulder and neck ailments. On top of that he was “benched” during the second half of Sunday night’s game against the Ravens, which prompted him to verbally lash out at head coach Jim Zorn. LenDale White did the same prior to Week 13, and it worked, resulting in back-to-back HUGE fantasy days for the Tennessee ball-carrier. And, apparently, Portis’ comments have already started paying off. Zorn responded by calling Portis his “bell-cow” back, and saying that he’ll definitely be used on every down against the Bengals in Week 15. To make matters even better, Portis is finally healthy. He was on the practice field Wednesday for the first time in months. He and Zorn talked and reportedly “ironed out their differences.” Oh yeah, and Portis is expected to get 20-25 carries against the Bengals’ 23rd ranked rushing defense.
Reggie Wayne, Slumpbreaker WR, Colts – If you drafted Reggie Wayne this season, or own the 30 year old on your dynasty squad, you definitely didn’t expect him to go through a four week scoring drought at this point in the season – especially when the rest of the Colts’ passing offense seems to be picking up the production. Wayne has only 11 catches in his last three games combined, having not surpassed the 48 yard mark in any of them. So, why will Wayne breakout of his slump this week? Simple – he plays the freaking Detroit Lions. Come on folks, it doesn’t get any easier than that. The Lie-Downs just gave walking papers to starting CB Brian Kelly, and are toting out a middle school lightweight football team against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium this weekend. Wayne should finally get back on track against the league’s 17th ranked defense in passing yardage and 22nd ranked defense in passing TDs.
Antonio Gates, Slumpbreaker TE, Chargers – So, two down and one to go – and Gates is perhaps the worst of the three. After starting the season with a whopping 38 catches for more than 405 yards and six TDs in his first nine games, the 28 year old TE from Kent State has been shut down in the last four weeks. Not only has he not caught more than three balls for 28 yards in each of his last four games, but he was shut out in Week 14 by the Raiders. Shut out. Zero. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel for Gates, as he travels to Kansas City to take on the league’s 29th ranked passing defense. Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom before climbing back up the statistical mountain. Philip Rivers better realize that if he wants to help his team win games, he needs to get Gates the rock. It will be tough for Kansas City’s very young secondary to hang with one of the league’s most gifted pass catching tight ends, while also trying to stop LaDainian Tomlinson, and hang with receivers Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers and Malcolm Floyd. Look for Gates to bounce back in a big way and break his slump.
This article is also featured on Athlon/Grogan’s Fantasy Football, your spot for Cheat Sheets updated daily, and Fantasy tools to manage your team all year long.
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