Cowboys May Have No Choice But To Play Tashard

December 4, 2008 at 1:28 pm | Article by Paul Hickey |

Cowboys May Have No Choice But To Play Tashard We told fantasy owners how much we liked Tashard Choice way back before the NFL Draft this past off-season. After Dallas drafted both he and Felix Jones, it looked like Choice may not have the dynasty potential we thought he would in a different situation. However, now that Jones is out for the season, and starter Marion Barber is nursing an injured foot, the Cowboys may have no choice, but to play the talented rookie.

Our sources believe that Choice could be a major contributor for Dallas the rest of the way, as Jones is on injured reserve, making he and Barber the only active backs on the roster. Apparently Dallas has loved what they’ve seen from this guy in practice, and he looked great on Thanksgiving, toting the rock 11 times for 57 yards. The coaching staff loves not only his ability, but his maturity level and overall understanding of the game. With more and more NFL teams moving to two and three back rotations, a guy like Choice could become a valuable commodity very soon.

Jermaine Phillips Is Back - It’s sometimes easy for IDP owners to write off injured players and forget about them when they return. Case in point, Buccaneers stud safety Jermaine Phillips returned in Week 13 from an arm injury to record eight solo tackles and an interception, helping lead Tampa Bay to a win over New Orleans. The tackle machine back in the starting line-up and our sources say the 29 year old is ready to finish the year strong. He’s made everyone forget about the potential of second year man Sabby Piscitelli, who has returned to being a special-teams only player.

Marinelli May Be Right About Avril - For as much smoke as Lions head coach Rod Marinelli tends to blow with his “Captain Positive” attitude, he may be right about one thing, according to our sources - the fact that rookie DE Cliff Avril has the makings of a future stud pass rusher. The Purdue product has a sack and a forced fumble in three of his last seven games, and each of his last two. With Dewayne White and Jared DeVries out, Avril has filled in well as a starter, and looks to finish the year strong. He’s undersized at 251 lbs., but will at worst play a situational pass rusher role that could garner him strong IDP status over the long haul.

Lions Targeting Josh McDaniels As Next Head Coach - We all know the Lions are horrible, and let’s face it, Rod Marinelli is done there after this season. So, the question on the minds of Lions fans is - who is next? Well, word out of Detroit is that the team wants a young, up-and-coming mind, with experience on winning teams and for successful organizations, to come in and shake things up next year. The man perhaps perfect for the job? New England OC Josh McDaniels. McDaniels not only orchestrated the Pats’ record breaking 2007 offensive campaign, but he’s turned Matt Cassel - who hadn’t started a football game since high school - into a top tier QB. We’re not sure why McDaniels would want to end up in dismal Detroit, but the Lions would be lucky to land him. Where does that leave Marinelli? Well, with Bucs long-time defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin likely to join his son Lane’s staff at the University of Tennessee, it would only make sense for the Bucs to bring back their former D-Line coach under Kiffin - Marinelli - to take that gig.

Moore Could See Receptions Drop With Bush Back - Saints 25 year old 5′9″ WR Lance Moore has been on fire this season, catching one or more TDs in his last five games, and hauling in five or more passes in seven of his last nine outings. While there’s no reason to think he’ll lose his role as a key WR in the Saints’ offense, there is a reason to believe his production will dip slightly. With Reggie Bush returning, expect a lot of the possession receptions and short slot routes to go back to the star running back. The third year man from USC caught 46 passes in only six games prior to his injury, and caught more balls than Moore in Week 13 - his first game back. Fantasy owners may want to either deal Moore while his value is ridiculously high (and get something solid for him), or proceed with caution when putting him in their PPR league starting line-ups.

Welker Is A “Little Tough Guy” - Patriots reception hog Wes Welker, a 5′7″ undrafted slot receiver from Texas Tech, appears fine to play the rest of the way after likely being concussed by a brutal hit from Steelers safety Ryan Clark in Week 13. Welker is second in the NFL in catches with 84, and is on pace to break his 2007 season total of 111 receptions. He’s a must start in all fantasy leagues. Our sources believe that since Welker has been present during media portions of practice, for which “injured” players are normally held way from by the Pats, that he’s good to go.

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