Tuesday December 14th, 2004 Page updated at 5:40pm
FantasyFootball Grab Bag For Week 15
By: David Bachman
Fantasy Football Editor For WagerOnFootball.com

Week 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14  .15 . 16 . 17

Some Tuesday Thoughts

Entering week 15, the Atlanta Falcon's backfield situation was a bigger mess than the entire BCS system. The team's running backs had gone three consecutive games without scoring a touchdown on the ground. Sadly, however, their murky backfield situation became even messier after Atlanta thrashed the Oakland Raiders in week14. Warrick Dunn turned in a solid performance in the Falcons' victory, carrying the ball 25 times for 103 yards. These fantasy statistics paled in comparison, however, to what fellow running mate T.J. Duckett fashioned on the day: 12 carries, 65 yards, four touchdowns.

Coming into the game, Dunn had actually outscored Duckett seven touchdowns to four, though it should be noted that six of Dunn's seven touchdowns came in the Falcons' first five games. Obviously, it was T.J's most productive scoring day as a pro, but it wasn't a total surprise, as the guy did score 11 touchdowns in the 2003 season. The real question is: how many people had him in their starting lineup? The reality is that there just wasn't a great, growing body of evidence to suggest that head coach Jim Mora, Jr. would start featuring Duckett exclusively at the goal line. Undeniably, many fantasy games were impacted by the exploits of the Falcons' large running back in week 14. In fact, many leagues began their playoffs and you can bet that Duckett single-handedly determined people's fortunes.

His big game also underscores how an abundance of depth on a fantasy squad can be a doubled-edged sword in the playoffs. During the regular season, you need depth to get you through the bye weeks; however, this same depth can pose a challenge in the playoffs when you need to decide between good players. The rationale for deciding who to start often times rests solely on favorable/unfavorable matchups, and inevitably, blunders get made, which leads to fantasy owners "chasing a loss" the following week, hoping that history will repeat itself. Newsflash: it rarely materializes. I was sure all along that Bell was the best back in the Denver RB stable. I was annoyed when Reuben Droughns took the reins because I wouldn’t get any benefit from having Bell on my roster. At this point, I was hoping Bell’s season would be a wash, and hence I could get him cheap in next year’s drafts.

That probably isn’t going to happen now.

Another player who seems to be thwarting me in my hopes that he’ll remain quiet for the remainder of the season is Buffalo’s Lee Evans.

The rookie out of Wisconsin has been explosive and has shown the kind of playmaking ability that I feel will make him a strong contender for a top-20 slot on my WR board next year. I, of course, was hoping that Evans would do just enough to assure me that my thoughts were correct while still staying somewhat under the radar.

Guess that probably isn’t going to happen either.

Nonetheless, these final weeks (even if you are unfortunately out of the running for league titles like I am) can be extraordinarily beneficial by seeing what might be coming up on the fantasy football horizon.

If you can get over your disappointment, this is a good time to be paying attention.

Bills scoring points on offense, defense and special teams

It’s amazing what some confidence and momentum can do for a team. The Bills are living proof this season, as they have gone from a team that struggled to run the ball, protect its quarterback and score points to an offensive force that has piled up 37, 38, 42 and 37 points the last four weeks. Granted, the special teams and defense have helped out with return scores over that span, but the infusion of RB Willis McGahee (six 100-yard games in seven starts) and the emergence of WR Lee Evans (four TD receptions the last three weeks) has helped the offense become more explosive. Defensively, CB Terrence McGee is emerging as a playmaker to match his play as the league’s leading kickoff returner.

The addition of Troy Vincent (interception last week while playing free safety) to the secondary after he missed nine-plus weeks with a knee injury, further stabilizes the DB corps. The Bills’ defense is becoming opportunistic, with 23 takeaways in the last nine games. And the Bills’ special teams have scored five return touchdowns, including three by McGee on kickoff returns.

Davis is healthy again and running like an elite back

After winning the NFL’s Rookie of the Year Award last year, much was expected of Texans RB Domanick Davis this season. He was a top-20 pick in most leagues, but he battled injury early in the season and struggled mightily. Now that he’s apparently healthy again, Davis has been piling up yards, both as a runner and as a receiver, and is the main weapon for Houston’s offense. Against Indianapolis last Sunday, Davis ran 23 times for 128 yards and made six catches for 73 yards. He now has 786 total yards and eight touchdowns in his last six games. Keep him in the lineup the rest of the way.

Lewis’ ankle still isn’t 100 percent; Taylor is good play

It was a major surprise when the Ravens decided to dress RB Jamal Lewis vs. the reeling Giants despite the fact that he had missed the previous two games with an ankle injury, was listed as doubtful, and hadn’t practiced all week. Sure enough, Lewis had to leave the game after eight carries and 32 yards when he reaggravated the injury to his left ankle. His status is uncertain for this week’s game at Indianapolis and beyond. Monitor this closely if you have him on your team. If you have Chester Taylor, definitely start him vs. the Colts’ weak run defense. He has rushed for 100-plus yards two straight weeks.

In recent weeks, Kyle Boller's fantasy statistics have blossomed more than former "Life Goes On" actress Kellie Martin (Corky's sister). If you haven't seen her lately, trust us—it's all good. Real good. What were we talking about again? Oh yes, the Ravens' passing offense. It seems that tight end Todd Heap's presence on the gridiron was all Boller needed to post the most prolific touchdown-passing day of his young career. Actually, Boller probably also needed the porous New York Giants' defense in order to turn in the game that he did, but you get the point. Be that as it may, it was still impressive, nonetheless, how Boller was able to guide the Ravens' offense to an easy victory, keeping Baltimore alive in the competitive AFC playoff race.

Heap, who returned to the field in week 13 after missing eight games, had modest statistics: three receptions for 22 yards. In week 14, however, he was a force to reckon with, catching five passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns. One of the best tight ends in football, Heap could, in the final three games of the season, become to the Ravens' offense what Antonio Gates has meant to the San Diego Chargers' offense. Lewis not 100% and the Ravens up 20 at halftime, resulted in Jamal not having a single touch in the second half and splitting carries with Chester Taylor, Heap's importance to the Baltimore offense cannot be understated.

Palmer’s absence shouldn’t hurt Bengals with Kitna in relief

Although Bengals QB Carson Palmer has been emerging as a force to be reckoned with in recent weeks and has established a strong rapport with starting WRs Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the Bengals should be OK in his absence thanks to backup Jon Kitna. Palmer completed 18-of-24 passes for 202 yards, two touchdowns and one interception before departing last Sunday’s 35-28 loss at New England with sprained left knee. Kitna, who took every snap for the Bengals last season, came in and did a nice job, finishing 9-of-13 passing for 126 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Bengals didn’t seem to miss a beat, so don’t shy away from using RB Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson or Houshmandzadeh (22 catches the last two weeks) this week vs. the Bills. The extent of Palmer’s injury still was to be determined as of presstime.

Need a TE? - Among the leaders in the tight end position, Redskins halfback/tight end Chris Cooley doesn't exactly stand out. His season totals—a rather pedestrian 28 catches for 245 yards and five touchdowns—project a goal-line option who is not very involved in the base offense. However, as is often the case with our Pickups of the Week, there is more to the Cooley than meets the eye—and the former Utah State star who had more catches than Kellen Winslow Jr. in their final collegiate season has quickly been transformed into a fantasy contributor.

Sunday night against the Eagles, third-round rookie recorded a season high in yardage and ranked second only to Laveranues Coles with five catches for 75 yards. Yet again, there was more to last night's game than the numbers alone. Redskins quarterback Patrick Ramsey demonstrated a clear affinity for looking for Cooley throughout the game, throwing at him nine times on the night, many of them in critical situations and in scoring opportunities.

In a no-huddle situation to close the first half, the Skins were looking for a big play on third-and-long from the 25-yard line. Ramsey threw 25 yards down the seam to a streaking Cooley, who had his man beat but couldn't quite haul in a slightly overthrown pass in the end zone. A similar play was called on second-and-long from the Eagles' 26-yard line in the third quarter, and this time Cooley made it count for 24 yards, setting up a Clinton Portis touchdown.

Finally, with Washington needing a late score to tie or beat their rivals, Ramsey again went to Chris on consecutive big pass plays, a 31-yarder deep down the middle of the field and a nine-yarder on which Cooley broke a tackle to gain a first down. Unfortunately, Patrick went to the well once too often, firing at his man for the third straight snap, this time in triple coverage in the end zone—which of course resulted in an interception.

Don't let the interception, nor the lack of a Cooley score on Sunday, distract you from the fact that Ramsey is looking for him often. The outing marked a third straight solid effort; after catching three passes in a game only once in the first 11 weeks of the season, he now has 15 catches in his last three games with 127 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

What I'm Hearing Tonight As I Type This
- McNair might miss the remainder of season
- Falcons RB Duckett will undergo arthroscopic surgery Tuesday
- Urlacher injured again
- Rams RB Jackson runs at full speed
- Faulk could miss Arizona contest
- Chandler likely to get the nod in Arizona
- Falcons Griffith out for the season
- Shanahan says Bell could play in KC
- Testaverde a likely start in Philly

I've Rambled On Long Enough So Here We go

The Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups

QB Patrick Ramsey, Washington: Ramsey has been playing better in his last two games (174 yards, 3 TDs in week 13, and this week he had 275 yards). Ramsey could be worth a roster spot, as he actually has a favorable schedule against the 49ers, Cowboys, and Vikings pass defenses the rest of the season.

QB Kyle Boller, Baltimore: Boller has been very inconsistent this year, but in week 14, he threw for 219 yards and 4 TDs. He is another QB I would not advise starting, but could serve as a backup on your fantasy roster. I personally would not want Boller as a starter on my team, but if you are in a very large league (14-16 teams) notice that next week he has the Colts on the schedule, and the Ravens could fall behind early, and he would be forced to throw the ball on Indianapolis' weak secondary.

QB Jon Kitna, Cincinnati: Carson Palmer left the game with a knee injury, and Kitna came in to throw 9 of 13 for 126 yards, 1 TD this week. I would keep an eye on Palmer's injury status before picking him up, Kitna is familiar with the Bengals offense and their receivers since he was their starting QB last year, so that he could provide a nice fill in with a spot start if Palmer is unable to go this week.

RB Maurice Hicks, San Francisco: Hicks started for the 49ers this week filling in for the injured Kavan Barlow, and on the day, Hicks recorded 168 total yards and a touchdown. Since Barlow has struggled all year, Hicks could see his role increased over the last few games, so he should be worth a roster spot if you looking for some depth at RB.

RB TJ Duckett, Atlanta: Although Warrick Dunn got the majority of the carries and the yards, Duckett stole the goal line carries for 4 TDs this week. I don't think you can expect that every week, but with favorable matchups against some of the weaker run defenses of the Panthers, Saints, and Seahawks, he could get some touchdowns in those games.

Don't I mention him every week now ----> WR TJ Housmandzadeh

Houshmanzadeh had his third straight productive game for Cincinnati (week 12 was 4 receptions for 79 yards, 2 TDs, week 13 was 10 receptions for 171 yards, 1 TD, week 14 was 12 receptions for 145 yards). He should continue having good games with the Bengals falling behind early each game, and having to throw to catch up each week. If Housmandzadeh is available in your league, grab him as he is worth starting as a #3 WR, and a #2 in large leagues.

TE Chris Cooley, Washington: Since Patrick Ramsey took over as QB for Washington, he has gotten more involved in the offense each week. He caught 5 passes for 75 yards against the Eagles, and has a touchdown in three of his last five games. If you looking for a backup TE to get you through the playoffs in your league, then pickup Cooley, and he could be a starter for teams needing a TE this late in the season.

San Diego Defense: The Chargers have one of the best run defenses in the NFL this year (#2 ranked heading into this past weekend). Week 15 they head to Cleveland to play the Browns, who have lost 7 straight games and are struggling lately only scoring 22 total points, so San Diego's defense could be a good start this week.

Clarence Moore, WR, Ravens (3 catches, 37 yards, 2 TDs): Moore likes to score in bunches against New York teams (his other two scores came against the Jets), but Boller should try to use his huge frame more often.


Lee Evans, WR, Bills (4 catches, 38 yards, 1 TD; 1 carry, 48 yards): He's now scored four TDs the past three games. Drew Bledsoe's total stats weren't much on Sunday, but Evans still found his stats.

Tatum Bell, RB, Broncos (17 carries, 123 yards, 2 TDs; 1 catch, -6 yards): What took all of these rookie running backs so long to get going? Both Kevin and Julius Jones have torn things up in recent weeks, and now Bell, taken not too long after Jones in the draft is proving yet again that any running back can thrive behind Denver's offensive line.

Bobby Engram, WR, Seahawks (4 catches, 79 yards, 1 TD): While Darrell Jackson had a huge game Sunday, Engram also put up good numbers returning from injury. Engram and Jerry Rice have some marginal value down the stretch if Hasselbeck continues to play like he has been.

Arlen Harris, RB, Rams (19 carries, 61 yards; 4 catches, 41 yards): With Steven Jackson and Marshall Faulk hurting, Harris did a decent job, much like he did last year.

Ken Dorsey, QB, 49ers (18-34, 191 yards, 3 TDs; 2 carries, 2 yards): Preface this by saying that he was playing Arizona, but Dorsey had some nice numbers and showed some resolve in leading the game-winning drive despite San Francisco blowing a 25-point lead.

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As always folks check back for my Fantasy Football column tomorrow, and until then good luck with your Tuesday Night waiver wire pickups.

Week 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14  .15 . 16 . 17

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