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Take It To The Bank- NFL Week 14

By Brett Malamud

Let’s take a look at some names that have been active in fantasy over the last week as we head into the fantasy playoff race.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Bortles

The quarterback who is surprisingly a great play this week. You can trust Bortles, who has remained consistent through most of the season. Obviously if you have guys like Rodgers and Newton, start them, but Bortles will help many teams on their playoff runs.

Flying with the Jets

With the fact that the tallest Titans DB stands at a measly 6-foot-1, you can bet that Eric Decker (6-foot-3) and Brandon Marshall (6-foot-4) will both have nice days. I think that the Jets receivers are a great play this week.

Cooper Scooper

That’s about all I can say about Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper this week as he faces the Denver Broncos. They’ve proven that they’ve had the top defensive secondary all season. Cooper will be benched for me this week, and should be for many of you.

Richard Rodgers…One Hit Wonder?

I know that last week, Rodgers was the hero (both of them actually). But this week is different. Richard Rodgers has been invisible for most of the season, and his 61 yard catch to win the game is simply boosting his stats. I’d beware of him today, even against a weaker Dallas Cowboys defense.

Richard Rodgers made the game winning catch last week, but can he repeat his performance in week 14 against the Cowboys? Probably not. (Via AP)

Brett Malamud is an English Rhetoric Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy

11/29/15

Take It To The Bank-NFL Week 12

By Brett Malamud

Over the Hillman
Broncos RB Ronnie Hillman had a day last weekend, racking up 102 yards on 21 carries. Denver will be missing QB Peyton Manning again and so Hillman will make for a great flex play against the Patriots.

Gore Wants More
With Frank Gore in the backfield for the Indianapolis Colts, The team tried to establish the run without Andrew luck under center. That didn’t really work out the way fantasy owners wanted to, but I look for Gore this week to establish his running game and have a big game.

Decker the Halls
Jets wide receiver Eric Decker led the team in routes, targets, and yards in week 11 against the Texans. With so much of a threat to score a touchdown, Decker makes for a great WR2 option this week against a struggling Miami Dolphins team.

What the Buck?
When Justin Forsett left the game with a fractured arm last week, it was obvious that Ravens RB Javorius “Buck” Allen would be a nice waiver wire pickup. But then quarterback Joe Flacco wedding down with a torn ACL. That changes everything for Allen as he looks to lead Baltimore’s offense. He should string together A nice day against the Cleveland Browns.

11/22/15

Take It To The Bank- NFL Week 11

By Brett Malamud

Here’s some tips as your fantasy football playoff race heats up in week 11:

The Coop Troop

Starting Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper this week will be vital to your team’s success, and I’ll even name him my Start of the Week. Cooper has been an extremely reliable option at wideout thus far, and the last few weeks are proof of that. In his last three weeks, Cooper has been targeted 31 times. This number makes it very intriguing to play him, considering the recent success of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (who should be started as well). The Detroit Lions defense have given up at least 73 yards to seven out of the nine top receivers they’ve faced this season, so Cooper is expected to have a big day.

Amari Cooper is a must start this week against the Lions (Via Getty)

Remember him?

It’s been a while since Danny Amendola was a reliable fantasy wide receiver option. You’d have to go back to his days in St. Louis to compare the hype that he’s been getting this week. Amendola will have the opportunity to return that level after the losses of pass catching running back Dion Lewis and wide receiver Julian Edelman. This obviously gives a major boost to a player like tight end Rob Gronkowski, who will certainly see an increase in targets. I’m looking at Amendola to step up though, especially after having 10 catches last week. I’d definitely play Amendola as a flex this week.

Tony’s Back

This week marks the return of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to the starting lineup. Not much to say here. He’s going to have a nice day against a struggling Miami Dolphins team.

Don’t(e) Play Donte

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Donte Moncrief is my buyers beware player of the week this week. Of the five touchdowns that Moncrief has this week, every one has been from quarterback Andrew Luck, who is prepared to come back in mid-December. The last time that Matt Hasselback started for the Colts, Moncrief had just one catch. Plus there’s the fact that the Falcons have been great against opposing wide receivers. I’d keep Moncrief on the bench, as you probably have a better option.

11/15/15

Take It To The Bank: NFL Week 10

By Brett Malamud

A short week this week, as I am molding our next MLB hot stove preview. Let’s take a look at Week 10:

The Legs on Langford
Last week, we were treated to a running display by Bears running back Jeremy Langford after an injury in week eight to Matt Forte. Langford finished the game with 72 yards rushing and a touchdown, plus 70 yards receiving. Langford demonstrated that he can be deadly on the ground and in the air. This week, he’ll take on a St. Louis Rams team that has been pretty good against the run, but will be the lead man, as Matt Forte is inactive. Temper your expectations but he’s a RB2 for me, and will get a good workload, even when Forte returns.

What Can Brown Do For You?
Antonio Brown had the biggest performance you could have hoped for, making 17 catches for 284 yards, and two rushes for 22 yards. But doubt sets in as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was injured and will sit in week 10, setting up Landry Jones to start. Antonio Brown is still a top 10 wide receiver as he’s matches up with the Cleveland Browns.

Tyler On Top
The Cincinnati Bengals are rolling right now. If you have A.J. Green, you’re going to start him. Same with Andy Dalton. But the player that I want to feature is tight end Tyler Eifert. The thing about Eifert is that he only had five targets, and got four of them in the red zone. He only had 53 receiving yards. So while he produced over 20 fantasy points last week, he’s only going to get those high numbers if the Bengals can get in the red zone. The tight end pool is thin and so Eifert is still a good option, but don’t expect him to be great every week.

11/08/15

Take It To The Bank: NFL Week Nine

By Brett Malamud

Digg for gold

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs has scored 43 fantasy points over the last three weeks, making him one of the most intriguing names on the fantasy football waiver wire. He’ll take on a St. Louis Rams defense that has a tough secondary. I’m not sure that this will be a huge outing, but Diggs should still be considered as a flex play.

Big Ben’s Back

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned from a sprained MCL injury last weekend, completed 28-of-45 passes for 262 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions Sunday against the Bengals.. Not such great numbers. I think that this week, Big Ben returns to his old self, and has a big day against an Oakland Raiders defense that has allowed the most passing yards in the league. Look for wide receiver Antonio Brown to have a huge day as well.

Same Face, New Place

Headlines were made this week as the Denver Broncos traded two sixth round picks this week to acquire two time pro bowler, tight end Vernon Davis. This had me intrigued for the main reason that quarterback Peyton Manning loves his tight ends. Let’s take a look back. Julius Thomas had 24 touchdowns from Manning in his final two seasons as a Bronco. I think that can be Davis this season, and am highly attracted by the potential that this trade has. He does have two other tight ends on the roster to compete with (Owen Daniels and Virgil Green), but there’s a reason why Denver traded for him. I say take a number and stash Davis on your bench this week.

The time to pick up Vernon Davis is now (Via Fox)

Waiver Wire Pickups

Last week we saw many players go down with major injuries, crippling fantasy teams everywhere. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell tore his MCL and PCL, and he is done for the season. DeAngelo Williams is going to replace him, and if you were lucky enough to snag him on the waiver wire, he should be in your lineup right away. Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte suffered damage to his MCL and will be out for a few weeks. Enter Jeremy Langford. I expect him to have a big week against the Chargers on Monday Night Football.

Your Bold Prediction

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski takes on the Washington Redskins this week, who have allowed the 12^th fewest yards per game to tight ends. Of course, they’ve yet to face Gronkowski and I’m predicting three touchdowns today from Gronk.

10/31/15

Take It To The Bank: NFL Week Eight

By Brett Malamud

Happy Halloween! We’ve taking the Take it to the Bank report this week and giving it a Halloween feel with today’s section: Trick or Treat! Use this section as you look to this week and beyond as you set your fantasy football lineups.

Trick: Charcandrick West

Yes, many people had Jamaal Charles in their running back slot and are looking to West to produce. Yes, West had a big game last week, rushing for 110 yards and a touchdown. Yes, I did say to pick him up (and he should be picked up), but I’m not that big on him. This player is not a RB1, and I’m not sure he’s a reliable RB2 option. You can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge West by one big game. He’ll probably have a good game this week, but don’t expect huge numbers every week.

Treat: Gurley Owners

Gurley owners that stuck through the thick and thin are now grinning at the results. Gurley has been the league’s most productive player, especially in an offense that has become run-heavy. Continue to enjoy Gurley having big games almost every week.

Trick: The Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are an interesting story. Yes they took a heartbreaking loss to the Giants last week, letting the Giants return a kickoff for a touchdown just after tying the game. But they also found new life in running back Darren McFadden. With Joseph Randle possibly out for a few games due to violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy, the Cowboys will look to McFadden, Christine Michael and Rod Smith. Flashback to a week ago when Jason Garrett planned on making Michael the starter. Yeah, so that didn’t happen, and you can look elsewhere for a better running back on your team. McFadden however is a flex play at best this weekend as the Cowboys welcome in the Seattle Seahawks, so don’t be tricked by last week’s big performance.

Treat: The New York Jets

The Jets are another interesting story. The offseason changed everything for them, bringing in cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, along with wide receiver Brandon Marshall and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Many members of the New York media propelled them to Super Bowl contenders. Then the season came, and Geno Smith got punched in the jaw by his now-former teammate I.K. Enemkpali, sending the Jets predictions out the window. There was no way that Ryan Fitzpatrick could pick up the pieces right? Wrong. The Jets headed into New England last week at 4-1. They played till the final whistle and although they sit at 4-2, look at their schedule. Eight out of their remaining 10 games come against teams that are currently at or below .500 and that should be looked at closely. Fitzpatrick should be looked at if he’s still available in your leagues, and Brandon Marshall and Chris Ivory should be starting in your lineup. The defense should be starting most if not all weeks. If you want that sneaky play, look to Eric Decker, as teams are focused on stopping Brandon Marshall.

Brandon Marshall is a player worth looking at trading for this fantasy football season (Via NYDN)

Trick: The New York Giants

While I’d like to stick the entire NFC East in the tricks section, I’m not going to do that because I’m not that mean. But I will stick the Giants in here with the Cowboys because of their fantasy impact. I understand that the team is 4-3, but with a lot of tough teams (looking at you AFC East and Carolina Panthers) coming up on their schedule, it’s not really an ideal situation. I definitely do not trust any of the Giants running backs, and other than Odell Beckham Jr., I don’t trust any of their wide receivers. I’d consider Ruben Randle in deeper leagues, but only if you don’t have other options due to the bye week. Quarterback Eli Manning certainly cannot be trusted in fantasy leagues, compiling just 14 fantasy points in ESPN standard leagues over the last two weeks. I’d look elsewhere for impactful fantasy players.

Treat: San Diego Chargers Tight Ends

So Antonio Gates came into the season off a four game suspension, and immediately made a major impact. Gates had two touchdowns in his first game back, and has had 90+ receiving yards in both games that he has played in. But with a sprained MCL, the Chargers looked to Ladarius Green and he has been contributing all season. Quarterback Philip Rivers loves to throw to his tight ends, and while Gates is taken in most leagues, Green isn’t so pick him up now.

10/25/15

Take It To The Bank: NFL Week Seven

By Brett Malamud

We took a bye week in week six, but we’re back in week 7 with some more bold predictions:

Danny’s Day
San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon will sit out Sunday. With that said, time to put Danny Woodhead back in your lineup. Woodhead will be due for a nice day against the Oakland Raiders.
The Best Running Back in the NFL?
I know, I know. The obsession with St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley is real but I’ve been big on him all season. Gurley will be a sure fire big deal for the rest of the season. No doubt. But barring injury, this is the one guy that I’d only give away if big pieces are coming back. I still have Gurley on one of my teams, and plan to keep him. But as my second team was deep at running back, I flipped Gurley to my brother Zachary along with buy low candidate Jimmy Graham to net Frank Gore and the incomparable A.J. Green. Now many will ask both of us why we did the deal and the answer is quite simple. For me, I get one of the top receivers in the NFL who had a week where he scored 34 fantasy points earlier this season, plus a proven running back in Frank Gore who shows no sign of slowing down. For Zachary, he gets Todd Gurley. Yes, Jimmy Graham is great too and will get overlooked because of his low output, but I’m still a believer in him. Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert has me thinking otherwise though and if you have him and Graham, you should look to trade Graham because he does still have a lot of value. We’ll revisit this trade at the end of the season, but for now I’m going to say that it’s a tie.
The Load on Landry
The Pittsburgh Steelers seemed to be in a bad situation when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with injury. Michael Vick didn’t prove to be a major factor. Enter Landry Jones. The 26 year old will get his first start this week and will face a Kansas City Chiefs team that has allowed the fourth most fantasy points to quarterbacks. He’s got good value in daily fantasy games and should be counted on until Big Ben gets back.

The injury Bug Hits

Sunday’s inactive list came out and on it is Patriots running back Dion Lewis. LeGarrette Blount is going to get the carries but will face a tough New York Jets run defense. Not sure if you can start Blount regularly though because Brady will be forced to throw. Out west, Chargers tight end Antonio Gates may miss the game and that means Ladarius Green should be in your fantasy lineup. He’s due for a big day

10/11/15

Take It To The Bank: NFL Week Five

By Brett Malamud

It’s another edition of your weekly guide to fantasy football with some intriguing pickups and some must-starts. Here’s week five’s installment of Take It To The Bank:

Jumpin’ for Julio

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones finally came down to earth this week, bringing in just four catches for 38 yards. That was pretty surprising to owners, as the Falcons put up 48 points in a rout of the Houston Texans. Jones practiced on a limited basis this week, complaining of tightness in his hamstring. He is active Sunday and will play the Washington Redskins. Not too many worries here, and you should keep him in your lineup.

Return of the Gurley Birds

Maybe it’s my fascination with St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley, but he put on a show last week. Gurley ran for 146 yards in just his second career NFL game. He is who we thought he was, and now he’ll look towards that first big touchdown. While he plays the Green Bay Packers this week, he should still produce numbers. Keep him locked in your lineup and get ready for Gurley to take over.

Todd Gurley is ready to roll now that he’s settled in. (Via SR)

Brees Easy

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees played ok for most of last week’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, with the walk off 80-yard touchdown to C.J. Spiller being his big play of the day. This week, Brees heads into Philadelphia to face the Eagles, and I think that it could be another good week for the veteran QB. He’s a must start for me.

Alex the Great

Many are looking into possibly using their bye weeks to pick up a possible replacement for their players sitting out. One of these players to look in to is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. Smith is at home Sunday against the Chicago Bears and that is an interesting matchup. Smith has the second most dropbacks in the entire league right now, and with a weak Bears defense, Smith is an intriguing play.

10/04/15

Take It To The Bank- NFL Week Four

By Brett Malamud

The injury bug has taken its hit on fantasy football lineups everywhere. Here’s some guys to replace them, including a guy who you should probably look into trading for (if the person who owns him will even give him up). Here’s week four’s installment of Take it to the Bank:

Can’t Catch Karlos

With LeSean McCoy out, Rex Ryan turned to running back Karlos Williams, who led the Buffalo Bills with 110 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He’ll be back there again this week at home against the New York Giants and is going to have another big game.

Karlos Williams has done a great job taking over for LeSean McCoy (Via Miami Herald)

Rueben’s Revival

Speaking of the Giants, week three saw the reemergence of wide receiver Ruben Randle. We all knew what he could do at his best, but it took a few weeks for Randle to get back to himself. He finished last week with seven catches, 116 yards and a touchdown. Don’t expect this kind of performance every week, but every now and then, Randle will go off.

Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard

Up to this point, the league’s top wide receiver has been Atlanta Falcons wideout Julio Jones. In three weeks, he’s had 34 catches for 440 yards and four touchdowns. Not bad, huh? This is the guy to break the bank on if you’re looking to make a blockbuster trade in your league. Fantasy owners, keep riding Julio, who has no intentions on having any ordinary appearances.

CJ2K15?

Arizona Cardinals running back Chris Johnson came out and looked like the Chris Johnson of old. Not the guy we saw with the New York Jets. Nope. Johnson looked like he was back on the Tennessee Titans, carrying the ball 22 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson also had a 40-yard catch that almost went for a touchdown. While I’d only take Johnson in deeper leagues, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians has said that Johnson will start this week no matter what the status of Andre Ellington is. It’s a situation worth monitoring over the next few weeks.

09/27/15

Take It To The Bank- NFL Week Three

By Brett Malamud

Another week is here and you know what that means! Here is week three’s installment of Take it to the Bank:

Take a Chance(llor)

After weeks of frustration in Seattle, strong safety Kam Chancellor ended his holdout and returned to practice this week. The Seattle Seahawks are 0-2 headed into their home opener on Sunday, and with Chancellor back in the mix, look for this defense to return to being one of the league’s best.

While we’re on the topic of the Seahawks, tight end Jimmy Graham made headlines this week when it came out that Graham was frustrated with his reduced role. Now as I pointed out a few weeks back, we knew that this would happen. With an elite running back like Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks are destined to run the ball. Graham is being utilized as a blocker right now, but don’t expect him to NOT make an impact. Graham has the second most red zone targets (four) out of all of the league’s tight ends (New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has the most with five). Expect Graham to catch some for touchdowns. Now is the time to buy low on Graham.

Now is the time to buy low on Jimmy Graham (Via USA Today)

Fitz and the Tantrums

I think we were all shocked by the three touchdown performance by Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Now, this was against a weak Chicago Bears defense, but the hype is real. I believe that Larry Fitzgerald proved that he is not done yet. Expect a healthy dose of Larry Fitz as he takes on a weak San Francisco 49ers defense.

Devin’s Day

With news that New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker is out this week, the number-two receiver slot is up for the taking. With Chris Owusu also out this week, timing couldn’t be better for second round pick Devin Smith to make his NFL debut. Smith was a long ball threat and speed receiver at Ohio State, and I’m expecting him to channel that with the Jets. You probably won’t see a big impact immediately, but with the possibility that Decker might miss multiple weeks, Smith could be a sneaky addition to your fantasy team in deeper leagues.

Matthews, Matthews, Matthews

With news of the Philadelphia Eagles setting DeMarco Murray inactive for week three, running back Ryan Matthews will get the start against the Jets. This is where I stay away, as the Jets have the fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Then we head to the other Matthews for the Eagles at wide receiver with Jordan Matthews. This is my “buyers beware” player of the week. Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis will likely be on Matthews for the entire game. This matchup would essentially take Matthews out of the game and out of your lineup.