Script: /john_halpin/go/tag/view/blog_post/Fantasy+Football
Owner:
Subdir: john_halpin

    john_halpin
    Lifetime Points: 63130


    Location:
    Charlotte, NC; on Twitter @jhalpin37; here blogging about fantasy football (M-Tu-Th-F)
    About Me: Fantasy sports analyst for FOXSports.com and FOXNews.com ... Co-host a weekly fantasy football video segment ("Wide Write") on FOXNews.com ... Turned down the role of Jack Bauer in "24"
    Marital Status Married
    School Rutgers
    Writer


    Location:
    Charlotte, NC; on Twitter @jhalpin37; here blogging about fantasy football (M-Tu-Th-F)
    About Me: Fantasy sports analyst for FOXSports.com and FOXNews.com ... Co-host a weekly fantasy football video segment ("Wide Write") on FOXNews.com ... Turned down the role of Jack Bauer in "24"
    Marital Status Married
    School Rutgers
Results for tag: Fantasy Football
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 24, 2009 at 07:21:55 AM

After the Titans beat the Texans last night, I wondered how much it was possible to like a quarterback that finished a game 12-for-22 with 116 yards passing and a touchdown? The answer is "a lot," but seeing Vince Young add 73 yards rushing and run the option a few times with Chris Johnson didn't hurt. Maybe he's not great for fantasy purposes, but I guess I can live with that.

On to the news:

  • Cardinals QB Kurt Warner was scheduled to undergo tests to determine the severity of the head injury he suffered on Sunday. The Cardinals say they're optimistic about Warner's chances to play, but since he might have gotten a concussion, we'll have to wait and see. If Matt Leinart has to play instead, I might pick up the Titans' defense to play against him.
  • Speaking of the Cardinals,
...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 23, 2009 at 07:29:56 AM

Hey, how about those Giants? As my dad said, they can't stop anybody, and Steve Politi of the Newark Star-Ledger writes that Eli Manning is "the one thing separating the Giants from oblivion." I guess that means he's going to keep throwing a lot, huh?

On to the news:

  • Rookie WR Brandon Gibson caught five passes for 61 yards for the Rams yesterday, and that's good. Even better is that he got targeted 18 times (if you count the two targets on plays nullified by penalties, anyway). That accounts for almost half the team's pass plays, for crying out loud. Gibson apparently ran some bad routes, but it's not like QB Marc Bulger has a ton of alternatives. Gibson got some looks on the free-agent wire last week, but you need to check his availability in your league. Get him if you can.
  • Steelers
...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 20, 2009 at 07:51:37 AM

Wow - nice job by Ricky Williams last night. His fantasy owners are going to make out like bandits on the Ronnie Brown injury.

Here's where to get your last-minute lineup advice on Sunday:

  • Listen to FOX Fantasy Freaks Mike Harmon, Nate Lundy and Peter Burns from 10 a.m. until noon ET on XM 142 or foxsportsradio.com. You can also send them questions beforehand on Twitter by following them at @FantasyFreaks.
  • Chat with Roger Rotter from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Send him your questions anytime.
  • E-mail me questions at jhalpin37@gmail.com, or tweet me @jhalpin37.

On to the news:

  • Cedric Benson probably won't play for the Bengals due to his hip injury, and I'm sure that this week's opponent (the Raiders) has something to do with that decision. After a solid performance last week,
...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 19, 2009 at 07:32:26 AM

Continuing with running back carnage week, Wednesday brought two big news items:

1. Miami's Ronnie Brown is done for the year with a fracture in his right foot. John Juhasz offers a take on the fantasy fallout, and the Miami Herald advises that Lex Hilliard "is expected to see an increased workload as Williams' backup in the Dolphins' base offense." The 240-pound Hilliard has zero carries this season, and you'd probably have to be in a pretty deep league to pick him up. Here's a Palm Beach Post article from August about Hilliard, in which head coach Tony Sparano called him "a big back that runs big." Short yardage, anyone?

2. Brian Westbrook was tested by some concussion specialists, who "expect a full recovery" and will repeat the testing sometime in the next 2-3 weeks. So,

...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 17, 2009 at 08:00:37 AM

Larry Johnson is apparently on the verge of signing with the Bengals, which is a big bummer for fantasy owners since he'll have less opportunity there than he would have elsewhere as long as Cedric Benson is healthy (his hip injury isn't supposed to be too serious). Jay Glazer reports that Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis views Johnson as a fourth-string running back.

The Bengals host Johnson's former team, the Chiefs, in Week 16, and the always classy Johnson is already talking trash. Here's what he reportedly posted on his Facebook page last night: "Gonna gallop all over the Chiefs. Cleat prints on the chests. Mud in the face masks." Football is more fun when backups taunt their opponents, isn't it?

On to the news:

  • The Falcons probably won't announce Michael Turner's prognosis
...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 16, 2009 at 07:51:10 AM

Man, that Pats-Colts game lived up to the hype, didn't it? Fourth-and-two on your own 28, huh? I probably wouldn't have gone for it, but I won't kill Bill Belichick over that one. Here's a statistical argument supporting Belichick's decision (thanks to @pudge44 on Twitter for the link).

On to the news:

  • There were a bunch of running back injuries yesterday, but let's start with the Eagles' Brian Westbrook, who suffered another concussion. Some Philly media are wondering if Westbrook might be done for the season - or longer - and you have to think the team will be very cautious with him. You should plan to be without Westbrook for the rest of the fantasy season. LeSean McCoy, welcome to every-week fantasy starterhood.
  • We'll find out more today
...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 13, 2009 at 07:49:24 AM

Five interceptions, Jay Cutler? I'm really glad I recommended you in a column this week. When I wrote that you'd throw the ball a lot, I assumed that maybe a few of them might be headed in the general direction of your teammates. Damn you for causing millions of fantasy owners to have a disaster on their hands before the weekend has even started.

If you're looking for some Sunday morning help to repair the Cutler-caused damage, here are some options:

  • Listen to FOX Fantasy Freaks Mike Harmon, Nate Lundy and Peter Burns from 10 a.m. until noon ET on XM 142 or foxsportsradio.com. You can tweet them your questions @fantasyfreaks.
  • Chat with Roger Rotter from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. ET. Send your questions now if you like.
  • Send me an e-mail at jhalpin37@gmail.com, or tweet me @jhalpin37.
...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 12, 2009 at 07:51:29 AM

Time to set your lineups, or at least part of them. The Bears and 49ers battle tonight at 8:20 p.m. ET, and the only sort-of-news you need to know is that backup RBs Glen Coffee (Niners) and Garrett Wolfe (Bears) won't play. Otherwise, I think I'd really be looking forward to seeing Michael Crabtree if I had NFL Network. Oh, well.

On to the news:

  • I feel like Darren McFadden's return to the Raiders this week is flying under the radar. McFadden was a popular breakout pick in the preseason, but after three mediocre games, he suffered a knee injury and hasn't been heard from since. Now he's owned in about half of leagues on our site and others, making him a good pickup/buy-low candidate. McFadden is only in his second season, and even though he plays for a really bad team, it's not like
...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 10, 2009 at 07:45:32 AM

Two follow-up items on the Chiefs' release of Larry Johnson, which has been covered already by John Juhasz:

1. The Chiefs appear headed toward a running back committee that includes Kolby Smith, Jamaal Charles and even Dantrell Savage. Charles was the hot fantasy free agent name last week, but the Kansas City Star says that the Chiefs "still appear hesitant to hand the ball to Charles in running formations. Many of his runs have either been on the perimeter or on open-field plays like draws." I'll say it again: Smith is your man here. He won't be a star, but he'll get his share of carries, and probably any goal-line opportunities as well.

2. As I noted yesterday, I really think this change will help QB Matt Cassel. Remember that Chiefs head coach Todd Haley came to KC from a job as the

...
Posted by: john_halpin on Nov 9, 2009 at 08:07:05 AM

Remember when Anquan Boldin got angry at the Cardinals during and after last year's NFC championship game win? He did it again yesterday, saying he wished someome - presumably head coach Ken Whisenhunt - had been "man enough" to personally inform him about his deactivation against the Bears. The Cardinals won 41-21, by the way. You know the old saying: There's no "Anquan" in "TEAM."

On to the news:

  • Looks like we have a new matchup tight end to consider this season. Lions rookie Brandon Pettigrew caught seven passes for 70 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Seahawks. Pettigrew was a popular sleeper pick before the season, and had a couple of four-catch games before struggling for a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury. The Lions have a tough matchup against the Vikings
...