Fantasy Island

Fantasy Basketball: Howard Goes off...and makes his Free Throws

Dwight Howard continues to impose his will on the NBA, and last night he had his best showing of the season against the Sonics with 39 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. And most impressive about this was he made 15-of-20 from the Free throw line. For a guy who has never shot about 60% from the line, this was encouraging.

On a sidenote, J.J. Redick finally scored his first points of the season, making 4-of-5 shots and two three pointers on his way to 11 points.

Kevin Durant had his third straight game over 20 points but after improving from the field over his last two games, he struggled last night, going 6-for-21. The kid can shoot free throws though and he made all 10 last night. For the season he's over 83%.

Watch out for Wally Sczerbiak too. He has been coming off the bench and had his second nice game in three outings. Definitely someone to watch.

-- Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani both left last night's game against Memphis with injuries. It sounds like Bosh will be OK, but Bargnani is questionable for the Raptors next game. I dropped Bargnani in my league today, I've had enough for now. I had high hopes, but when you lose your starting job to Rasho Nesterovic, things aren't pretty.

-- I hate, HATE the fact that Zaza Pachulia is cutting in to Al Horford's minutes and production. Zaza had 14 points and 8 boards in 27 minutes. Horford was just OK with 12 points and six boards. C'mon Zaza, isn't it time for you to go away with another injury? Please.

-- Lebron James left last night's game with a sprained finger. The X-Rays were negative and the Cavs are hoping it doesn't slow down his sick production of late. The Cavs got hammered by the Pistons by the way

-- Tony Parker is on pace for the best season of his career, and last night he kept up the pace with 29 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in a blowout win over the Wizards.

-- Golden State has rebounded from its 0-5 start and evened its record against the Kings last night at 7-7. Andris Biedrins continues to impress and had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Stephen Jackson has been great since returning to the court and dropped 21 points to got with five steals and three 3's.

I dropped Francisco Garcia today, I just can't roster him anymore. His value will shoot up though if/when Artest finds himself in more trouble.

-- Jeff Foster is a nice, cheap source of rebounding as long as Jermaine O'Neal is injured. He grabbed 17 last night and is still on one of my waiver wires. The problem is he offers nothing else besides boarding.

-- Andrei Kirilenko's lines have been pretty disappointing lately. He's only had eight rebounds and one block the past two games.

Fantasy Basketball: Jaric Alert

I mentioned in an earlier blog how much I despised Marko Jaric for his inconsistent play over the years, but like a sucker I am back for more, having picked him up AGAIN.

Jaric has been too good to ignore, scoring 20 and 21 points over his last tow games and totalling 12 assists, three steals and three blocks.

For now it appears Jaric is safe to rely on, at least until Randy Foye returns. At the very least, ride the hot streak. Sebastian Telfair also had a nice game, and is worth watching.

-- I am kicking myself for not accepting a Kobe for LeBron trade that was offered to me after the first game of the season. LeBron continues to post sick numbers and was HUGE last night in a win over the Celtics. Kobe, meanwhile, had a huge game last night, but that was against the Sonics. A good sign, but I need Kobe to get healthy and stay healthy quick.

-- Vince Carter finally got a start last night after returning from injury a few games back. He was real big against Memphis, scoring 32 points with nine rebounds and seven assists.

-- Juan Carlos Navarro continues to get minutes and continues to produce. I snagged him in both of my leagues and over the last three games has scored 60 points, drained nine threes, and last night pulled down 11 rebounds. A great waiver wire find for lots of owners. Ride it.

-- I haven't talked to my buddy, but he has to be kicking myself for dropping Jamaal Tinsley. It's no secret that if he's healthy, he puts up big assist, steal and three-point numbers. I have been reaping the benefits, even though that particular team of mine is struggling big time with injuries. I have to admit I made a flub of my own the last couple days, dropping Stephon Marbury before his last two big games. Ouch.

-- If Jermaine O'Neal can't stay healthy (which is a good bet), Shawne Williams appears to benefit most. WIlliams got the starting nod over Troy Muprhy and scored 21 points in a win in Denver. O'Neal is wearing knee brace and is a game-time decision tonight.

-- Lots of big games to go around for the Sixers last night. Dalembert (22 points, eight boards, three blocks), Korver (20 points, 4 three's), Iguodola (20 points, 11 assists) and Andre Miller (18 pts, 9 assists and 8 rebounds) all were huge. Don't bank on any of these guys night after night except Iguodola.

-- Al Horford continues to be a beast on the boards, pulling down 14 last night against the Bulls. Love this rookie and he should only get better.

-- It looks like Nick Collison has a broken nose. No news yet if this will require surgery or what, but consider him doubtful for tonight's game.

Fantasy Football: Brady and Moss Slowed....

So far, the Eagles have done what no one else has: Stop Brady and Moss.

It's only the first half, but the Eagles are winning 21-17 and Brady and Moss have yet to find the end zone. Let's see what happens.....

Fantasy Football: Ocho Cinco's Revenge

After watching Terrell Owens and Randy Moss go off week after week, Chad Johnson owners finally got their share today as Johnson caught three touchdown passes and racked up 103 yards. It was about time too, as Johnson hadn't caught a TD pass since Week 2.

Rudi Johnson finally got in to the act too, rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown.

Vince Young didn't fare well at all in what looked to be a good matchup, but Justin Gage did catch four balls for 98 yards.

-- I am pleased with myself for starting Drew Brees over Ben Roethliberger this week. Brees had a big game, scoring four touchdowns against Carolina.

-- Picking up Justin Fargas has proven to be one of the smartest moves I've made all season. Fargas rushed for 139 yards on 22 carries (a 6.3 ypc average) and got a late touchdown. Nice.

-- We weren't sure what to expect of Kolby Smith, but we knew he had a real nice matchup with Oakland. Well, Smith owners hit the jackpot as Kolby rushed for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns.

-- Two years ago I was at Giants Stadium when Eli Manning threw four picks against the Vikings. Surely it wouldn't happen again, right? WRONG. Eli stunk up the joint again, and AGAIN threw four picks. Inexcusable performance by Eli and the Giants. Plaxico Burress did pick up a touchdown late though, placating his owners.

-- Encouraging performance by Steven Jackson as he gained 90 yards and had a touchdown, and finished the game. Bulger owners got burned when he left the game early with a concussion. Seattle's Deion Branch looked great, getting 90 yards and a touchdown. A must-start from here on out.

-- Earnest Graham continues to be a reliable RB2. Though not spectacular, Graham had 75 rushing yards and a touchdown. He's been good for that much the last month, and I love to bank on performances like that. He is carrying the load right now and will continue to do so.

-- Clinton Portis had a dreadful performance, fumbling twice. Thankfully I stayed away from him in all my drafts this season.

More later....

Fantasy Basketball: B-Diddy, Butler and more....

There were some sick lines posted last night by several players. The Washington-Golden State game showcased a battle between Baron Davis and Caron Butler, as both put up triple-doubles.

Davis had a ridiculously big game, scoring 33 points with 15 assists and 11 rebounds while Butler had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. This is the kind of stuff that can by itself propel your fantasy team to a win in head-to-head leagues and shoot you up the standings in roto leagues. Great stuff.

-- Dwight Howard has been having a true breakout season. His numbers were great last year, but this year he's taken his game to another level. Last night he scored 34 points and had 17 rebounds with three steals and four blocks. His season averages have taken a big jump but his free throw shooting continues to be a problem in roto leagues. He's shown some improvement, but has been too inconsistent to permanently boost his FT%.

In the same game, Emeka Okafor pulled down 18 rebounds. He's another FT% killer in roto leagues, forcing owners to adjust their rosters accordingly. Lots of times, a guy like Okafor just isn't worth having, and his gaudy rebounding numbes can bring back lots in terms of trade value.

-- Rasheed Wallace missed last night's game with a sore knee, and sleeper Jason Maxiell started in his place. Maxiell was solid in his place and is worth rostering if Wallace misses an extended period of time.

-- Luis Scola continues to frustrate me. Last night he came off the bench to score 20 points again. If you have dead weight, you should pick him up. But I think he'll continue to be inconsistent until he supplants Chuck Hayes in the starting lineup.

-- So much for Shaq having no worth. He had a big game last night and has overall been very solid, espcially since Dwyane Wade called him out. Most of the experts have so far been wrong on Shaq.

Fantasy Basketball: Scola and other stuff....

So, just as I pimp Luis Scola on my blog, he goes out and lays a big fat egg. Typical.

On Wednesday he played a whole nine minutes, took one shot (which he missed) and had a massive total of two rebounds. Think this has anything to do with the return of Tracy McGrady to the lineup?....uh...YEAH!

So, in summation, it looks like Scola will only be useful if McGrady and others in the Rocket lineup are hurting. Otherwise, he's probably waiver wire fodder.

One last comment on Scola...I truly hope he doesn't become the next Marko Jaric, another Eurpoean import who has teased fantasy owners with flashes of brilliance only to disappoint in the long run. One year, I think I dropped and added Jaric at least ten times.

-- Ron Artest has been absolutely beastly this year and as his owner I was absolutely giddy when I saw his line of 33 points and 12 rebounds on Tuesday. But much to my chagrin, Artest was not in the lineup on Thursday. I saw that blank line and thought the worst, like, he bruned his neighbor's house down and was arrested. But, he only missed the game because his daughter was sick, so that is good news. Still, I need him in my lineup at all times. He's too damn good.

-- I had my league mates cursing a blue streak as I beat them to Antonio Daniels after word of Gilbert Arenas' injury broke. But so far, the real steal from the Washington Wizards has been Andray Blatche. Even with Brendan Haywood returning to the lineup tonight against the Warriors, he's been solid.

- Is there anyone more maddening than Troy Murphy? His stats have been terribly inconsistent. On Wednesday, Murph put up a sick line: 20 pts, 9 rebs, 3 three-pointers, a steal, a block, and good percentages. But there's always the risk of him putting up this kind of line from November 17th: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 0 blocks. Still, I like Murph and should be rostered in all leagues.

--

Fantasy Basketball: Arenas Out for 3 Months

Gilbert Arenas had surgery today on his knee and will be out for three months.

Horrible news for Agent Zero owners. But, Antonio Daniels is on most waiver wires and should be picked up immediately. Daniels has posted very solid numbers over the last two games Arenas missed. DeShawn Stevenson will also benefit from Arenas' absence.

Fantasy Football: Stock Report

Here's a look at what player values rose and whose took a hit over the past week. In parentheses is this week's upcoming matchup.

Stock Up

Chester Taylor, Minnesota (at Giants): Peterson will be sidelined for a while and judging by Taylor’s three-touchdown performance on Sunday, he is a solid play at running back. As good as Peterson is, he wasn’t doing it all himself. The Vikings offensive line should keep Taylor productive.

Santana Moss, Washington (at Buccaneers): Finally showing signs of life and a good guy to have as a flex as you push for the playoffs and beyond.

Andre Johnson, Houston (at Browns): Andre made a triumphant return on Sunday against a sorry New Orleans secondary and gets an equally good matchup against the Browns this week.

Donald Lee, Green Bay (at Lions): Lee continues to get in to the end zone. Don’t question it, just ride it and hope it lasts.

Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay (vs. Redskins): Graham has emerged as a reliable RB2 and coach Jon Gruden promises to keep getting him the ball.

Maurice Morris, Seattle (at Rams): He’s been more reliable than Alexander was at any point this season. He’s the man for now and is a serviceable RB2 and a very solid flex play.

Chris Henry, Cincinnati (vs. Titans): This guys simply gets in the end zone. There were concerns about how he would fit in around Chad Johnson and Houshmandzadeh, but those were unfounded. He’s just a playmaker.

Roy Williams, Detroit (vs. Packers): Too talented to stay down for long. Williams rebounded nicely against the Giants with 106 receiving yards. Only a matter of time before he gets in the end zone.

Kolby Smith, Kansas City (vs. Raiders): Priest Holmes injured his neck and Smith has a dream mathcup this weekend with the porous Oakland run defense.

Stock Down

Priest Holmes, Kansas City (vs. Raiders): Hurt his neck, might not play this week against Raiders. His comeback has been less than spectacular.

Laveranues Coles, New York Jets (at Dallas): Hurt, most likely out against Dallas. Hasn’t done much the last couple weeks.

Willie Parker, Pittsburgh (vs. Dolphins): Not churning up yards like he used to, not getting in the end zone. Frustrating owners to no end.

Marion Barber, Dallas (vs. Jets): Two subpar games in a row. No touchdowns in either game, not close to getting 100 yards on the ground. Presence of Julius Jones continues to hurt.

Plaxico Burress, New York Giants (vs. Vikings): He’s not getting the deep ball downfield and his ankle injury is obviously limiting him.

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis (at Falcons): Manning has been hurt by all the injuries around him and the lack of weapons is showing. Gone are the days, it seems, when Manning could alone carry your fantasy team. A guy like Derek Anderson could outproduce him the rest of the way.

Patrick Crayton, Dallas (vs. Jets): Hurt his ankle, may not play on Thanksgiving.

Fantasy Basketball: Scola on the Rebound

After a great preseason, the hype around European import Luis Scola started reaching fever pitch. I featured him in my weekly Page 2 piece in The Record and he was rostered in almost every league beofre opening night.

Well, he started the season with a thud and was cast to the waiver wire just as quickly as the hype began.

But don't look now because Scola is finally getting those minutes and is really producing. In the last two games he's scored 20 points. In Saturday's game against the Suns, he also pulled down 11 reobunds.

Now, granted, you have to consider that Saturday's performance was done in a blowout, but you can't ignore these signs of life. If he's still out there, grab him. At the least, Scola is a good lesson that even when you drop a player, he should never drop completely from your radar. I re-picked up Scola in both my leagues yesterday and hopefully it will pay off.

Week 11: Good Matchups

Mark Clayton, Baltimore - Going up against the horrendous Cincinnati Bengal defense. He's coming on and he's a a great play this weekend.

Chester Taylor, Minnesota - Adrian Peterson is sidlined and he's facing the porous Oakland Raider defense. Poised for a huge game.

Andre Johnson, Houton - Yes, he's finally back and needs to be in your lineup against the New Orleans Saints.

Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh - Ben Roethlisberger is on fire and Holmes is going up against the Jets. A dream com true.

LenDale White, Tennessee - The Titans love to run, and against Denver, you have to start White.