Player News – Page 86 – FantasySP Blog

Blake Wheeler Is Heating Up

Winnipeg right winger Blake Wheeler has been a top fifty fantasy player over the last two weeks.

Analysis: Blake Wheeler has been huge for the Jets over the past few weeks and a few fantasy owners are taking notice. Wheeler has amassed five assists, two goals and a plus six rating in his last seven games. Throw in sixteen shots in that seven game span and you have yourself one hot forward. Despite his recent hot streak he is still available in about seventy percent of fantasy hockey leagues and not many people are giving him much attention.

It feels like Wheeler has been around forever but he is just twenty-five years old. He had an excellent rookie season with twenty- one goals but he has yet to play up to his top five pick potential until recently. Since he is so widely available it cannot hurt to add Wheeler and see how long it lasts. He has been getting some serious minutes as of late and he has always been a solid plus/minus guy. It just may be his break out year and now is the time to pick him up.

Williams, Ingram, Branch Available

Tampa’s Mike Williams along with Mark Ingram and Deion Branch are still available in a small percentage of fantasy leagues. These three guys are all must owns in all formats.

Analysis: Tampa’s Mike Williams has not been the touchdown machine he was last year, but as of late he has been special. Williams now has back to back eighty plus yard games and he has scored in both contests. Tack on twenty-two targets in those two games and you have yourself a WR2(again) available in ten percent of ESPN and ten percent of CBS leagues.

Mark Ingram is coming off of a thirteen carry, eighty yard performance against the Giants in week twelve. Ingram now has four touchdowns in nine games played this year, that’s pretty good. Ingram is available in seven percent of ESPN and ten percent of CBS leagues. Whether he is a RB3/Flex option or just another depth back… he should be owned.

Deion Branch is another interesting case. I find it hard to believe that a wide out with four touchdowns and 628 receiving yards(22nd among NFL wide outs) is still available in eighteen percent of ESPN leagues and six percent of CBS leagues. There is plenty of talent available on the wire regardless of league format. These three playmakers are just a small sample of what is out there for you.

Donald Brown Is Available

With another fine rushing performance against the Panthers Sunday, Donald Brown is quietly putting together a solid four weeks of fantasy numbers.

Analysis: Although the Colts are awful, Donald Brown has been relatively impressive recently. Brown rushed for eighty yards on fourteen carries with a score Sunday. Brown now has double digit carries in his last four games with two scores. On the other side of the coin, Joseph Addai only managed seven carries for twenty-three yards against Carolina in his first game back from a hamstring injury.

As of Sunday, Brown is only owned in about ten percent of fantasy leagues. Backs who are this fresh this deep into a season who are getting double digit carries need to be seriously considered. He may be a fringe RB3/FLEX play but he is certainly worth owning at the moment. Meanwhile, Joseph Addai looked old and slow in the first quarter on Sunday. Donald Brown is the hot hand in Indy and in standard leagues we may not have seen his peak in terms of numbers this year.

Keep expecting double digit carries going forward from Donald Brown while Joseph Addai continues to look fifty-six years old in running back years. Brown is widely available and the touches are there.

Pick Up Toby Gerhart

Adrian Peterson is most likely out for Minnesota’s week twelve matchup with Atlanta as the fantasy world turns its attention to Toby Gerhart .

Analysis: While the injury to Adrian Peterson is not as severe as once thought, high ankle sprains do tend to linger. Even if Peterson was somehow able to go next Sunday, why risk it? At 2-8, the Vikes are going nowhere this year and there is no point to putting the top back in the league out there.

Toby Gerhart who is available in well over ninety-seven percent of fantasy leagues is the logical fantasy replacement for Peterson. He should be in line for a solid chunk of carries in week twelve. He’s physical enough to be playing in goal line situations and he is one fresh back at this point in the season.

It isn’t all good when it comes to Gerhart’s potential this week and beyond. Atlanta is second in the NFL is rushing yards allowed and seventh in yards per carry against. Atlanta is at home and if they can put the Vikes in a hole early- it will not be a good fantasy day for Gerhart. Either way, he is an absolute must pick up this week. Start him at your own discretion.

Selling High- Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby returns to action Monday night against the Islanders after a ten month layoff.

Analysis: The window to sell high in Sidney Crosby’s case may be rather short. We do not know how his body will react nor do we know if any opposing teams will head hunt the overrated center. What we do know is that with all the hype surrounding Crosby at the moment, the intelligent play here is to sell him. Yes, when he suits up he is a top five fantasy player but how often will he suit up this year? The Pens have sixty-two games remaining on their schedule and if Crosby cannot play in at least fifty games then his top five to ten value will go out the window.

It is unpredictable how Crosby will acclimate back into a rigorous NHL schedule and with the nature of concussions I do not expect Crosby to play in more than forty games. Now is the time to capitalize on the hype of his return and land an elite, reliable player. After all, Crosby is only scheduled for twelve minutes of ice time Monday night and with four games this week it is likely that he will miss a game or two.