I got a lot of curious looks this week for ranking Cam Newton as my number two QB behind Peyton. Pretty sure I was the only one that ranked him that high. Via FantasyPros, his highest rank was 2 so I guess there COULD be another person just as crazy as me out there, but not moreso. The naysayers said things like ‘The Panthers have looked terrible’ and ‘Cam’s been a bum all year so far’ and ‘You can’t do that on television!’ and other nonsensical senselessness. Well, ok all things true but I’ll say this. For how ‘bad’ the Panthers have looked on offense, the Giants defense has looked like the Invisible Man out there for most of the year. Something had to give and on this Sunday, Cam went HAM on the poor Giants defense, going 15/27 for 223 passing yards, added 45 on the ground and chucked in a total of 4 TDs with one being a rushing TD.  I can hear you now saying ‘Is Cam back?’ and all I can say is he’s never really left. Sorry everyone, this is the life of being a Newton owner. He has limited weapons surrounding him unless either LaFell or Ginn step up along side Steve Smith like they did today on a consistent basis. Moving forward, Cam is still Cam and Cam can still go HAM at any given time but this is one of the few times the Panthers have really utilized his wheels as much as they did today. Clearly it was effective and I’m sure Cam and his owners hope this change is here to stay. In other 2013 Fantasy Football news…
Giovani Bernard – GOB keeps showing us what kind of an illusion BJGE really is: 50 and a TD on 10 carries to go with 49 yards on 4 receptions. Meanwhile, The Law Firm fumbled and only touched the ball 10 times. From a 30/70 timeshare to a 60/40 in a week swing. Next week, let’s making it come full circle and go 70/30 please. Signed, fans of football that’s enjoyable to watch.
Johnathan Franklin – After Starks went down, we finally got to see a bit of what Murph was talking about as Franklin went for 103 on 13 carries with a TD while chipping in 3/23 through the air. Unfortunately, he also fumbled the win away late in the game. So far, we’ve only seen about 6 quarters of Lacy, another 6 of Starks and now about 3 of Franklin. Next up, DuJuan Harris! Aren’t we happy we drafted a Packers back?
Jordan Cameron – All Cams go HAM apparently. Despite a new QB at the helm, Jordan finished the day with 3 touchdowns on 6/66. Meanwhile, Josh Gordon caught a TD and went 10/146 as the Browns defeated the Vikings after putting most of their players on Craigslist.
Kenbrell Thompkins – The ball not only hit him in the hands but he actually caught it! Had 2 touchdowns on 3/41. Think this is gonna be the week you regretted sitting him so you start him next week and get a goose egg. You’ve been warned.
DeAngelo Williams – So many yards (120 on 23 carries) but so little red zone love. Ran the ball well and got to grind the clock a bit in the 4th to ice it for the Panthers win. I had him as a low end RB1 this week and he didn’t disappoint. Ok, he did but it’s not his fault Tolbert threatens to eat him any time the Panthers are within 5 of the goal line.
Joique Bell – Had a very Reggie-like line, finishing with 63 yards on 20 carries and a TD while taking on 4/69 through the air. And this is why the Lions spent millions to get Bush. Wait, what? Joique-ing off would be a thing in Detroit if the GMs knew what they were doing.
Brandon Bolden – Had 51 yards on 3 rushing attempts and chipped in 49 on 5 through the air. Meanwhile, Ridley finished 11/35 on the ground and 1/8 through the air. Bolden wasn’t even at 100% on Sunday. When I told you to Buy him two weeks ago, I said ‘You could probably pick up Bolden…with the hopes he gets a piece of that Vereen pie.’ Well it might be that Ridley starts getting some humble pie along the way if Bolden keeps playing this well.
Eli Manning – The Giants are looking like one of the worst teams in the NFL. Now I’ll forgive the Denver game but their defense has now given up 30+ in every game and they’re just not protecting Manning at all to make a stance. The Panthers had 3 sacks coming into the game. They leave it with 10. Yuck sticker. I’m sure this team will regroup and this will also lead to plenty of come from behind yardage/scoring for Eli but with it comes these kinds of days. And I thought just the streets of New York were dirty…
Bernard Pierce – I’m sorry Tehol, I was 1 rec and 8 yards off.
Daryl Richardson – Had the toe that was troubling him stepped on and sat out the rest of the game, leading to Pead’s 63 yard day. It was a game of nothing going right for the Rams. Givens long catch turns into a fumble, Jake Long getting pulled for sucking and Bradford adding a lot of green to his jersey with no time to throw. It even limited the upside of starting Romo today because he had shortfield play for most of his day (17/24, 210 with 3 TDs). Basically, if you didn’t start DeMarco Murray in this game, you’ve got a little regret in you and even then, you’re ticked Dez Bryant got a 2 yard TD. Sometimes real football farts in our general direction.
Calvin Johnson – Just checking in *Sees stats*. Yup, still good.
Ahmad Bradshaw – Goes for 95 on 19 carries and a TD and 3/16 through the air as I dropped him in one league and started Chris Ivory. I’m not crying, I swear! Don’t worry, Trent Richardson owners, you’re not in a timeshare but you did have to share the fantasy goods today (13/35/1). Now pardon me while I go stop not crying.
Bilal Powell – Did what I thought Ivory would do taking advantage of a defense that could be run on, going for 149 on 27 carries and throwing in 2/9 through the air. I give up on Ivory at this point. I’ve seen people who stay healthier longer in a retirement center. Even Sally Fields thinks you need Boniva, bro.
Colin Kaepernick – I can count on my third hand the amount of people who predicted this against the Colts. BTW, I lost all my fingers on my third hand in a freak chainsaw juggling accident. BTW2, there’s no such thing as a third hand. BTW3, you’re crazy for believing me.
Jake Locker – 299 passing yards to go with 68 on the ground and a TD in each scenario. For those about to ask, no, he’s still not that good but the Chargers defense really isn’t either. Don’t believe me? Watch him play the Jets next week. Ah heck, you don’t even have to do that to find out. Just re-watch this game.
Jimmy Graham – Remember when I said ‘don’t draft this guy, he’s not worth the 2nd round pick’? Eh, mea culpa. Right now, he’s scoring on par with most top end WRs right now and probably won’t have many matchup issues from week to week. Graham Cracker Crunch!
Marshawn Lynch – I saw Pete Carroll lean in and say to him after Wilson chucked his first TD of the game to Miller ‘Don’t worry, you’ll get the next one’. Seattle scored 38 points. There’s 5 TDs in there. None of them were from Lynch. YOU. LIED. PETE. Meanwhile, MJD scored a TD on 44 yards and 18 carries. Had Lynch in plenty of leagues. Sat MJD wherever I had him today. With my Ahmad blunder above, I’m currently curled up in the shower. I’m still fully clothed, rocking back and forth and humming that Daniel Powter tune. On the plus side, my wife is used to this so no trip to the mental hospital for me.
Jason Snelling – Surprisingly, was on the wrong end of the carry split with Rodgers (11 vs 18) but ended with double the receptions (4 to 2) and actually scored his TD on one of said receptions. I was expecting 60 on the ground and a score. He gave us 111 total yards and the EZ love. So even though nothing of what I thought would happen actually happened, I still came out Snelling like a rose. Thanks Jason!
Matt Ryan – Had a pedestrian 231/2/1 day and by ‘pedestrian’ I mean he was outscored by Tavaris Jackson. In fact, Tavaris outscored guys like Luck, Kaep, Bradford, and even Aaron Rodgers on Sunday. We can’t all play the Jaguars, I guess…oh wait, Lynch can! And he can still not outscore Tavaris Jackson…
Doug Martin – Another boring yet useful line on the day (108 total yards, 2 rec/20 carries). It’s hard to get worried about The Muscle Hamster because he’s still putting up solid numbers and is clearly the only option in TB. But then he goes and gets outscored by Tavaris Jackson and it makes you wonder what his upside is the rest of the way…I keed, I’m still buying but I do it realizing he may be the 5th or 6th best RB this year rather than a top 3 play. Now if you’ll pardon me, I have to go pick up Tavaris Jackson…
