Worry, Don’t Worry or Panic
By Adam Helbling
In the past two articles of ‘Don’t Worry, Worry or Panic’ we omitted the panic section of the article. Under-performing for one week could just be a fluke. Two weeks could be a tough part of the schedule, but three weeks is a problem. This week we point out two players who you should start panicking about along with players you should simply worry or don’t worry about.
Don’t Worry
QB Tom Brady New England Patriots
In most drafts, Brady was taken as one of the top three quarterbacks and his 290 yards passing and one touchdown per contest is not what owners were looking for. The most important thing to keep in mind is that Brady is coming off a pretty serious knee injury. As good as Brady is, he is not immune to the complications and rust that develops from major injuries. Another important factor to remember is the health of Wes Welker. With Welker injured and Joey Galloway struggling, the Patriots are missing a key component in their passing game. Once Welker returns and Brady gets additional time to shake off the rust from last seasons injury, fantasy owners should feel good about selecting Brady.
RB Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons
Turner, like Brady, isn’t living up to his draft status. In many leagues Turner was the No. 2 selection and 75 yards rushing and 0.7 touchdowns per game doesn’t cut it for a top five pick. Turner holds on to his ‘Don’t Worry’ status because even though his numbers have been disappointing he has still scored touchdowns in two out of three games this season. Turner’s schedule hasn’t been all that favorable either. Two of the three teams the Falcons have faced this season rank in the top 11 in limiting rushing yards to opposing running backs.
Worry
RB Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams
After the team spent money and draft picks to strengthen the offensive line during the off season, a number of experts and owners were expecting a big season from Jackson. Jackson is averaging a solid 96 yards rushing per game. The problem is that he has yet to record a touchdown this season. For the season, Jackson is getting just three red zone plays (rushes/pass targets) per contest. In many leagues a touchdown is worth the equivalent of 50-60 yards rushing. Without that cushion, Jackson could have several weeks where he hurts a fantasy team more than he helps.
Panic
It isn’t just Forte’s 2.5 yards per carry. It isn’t just Forte’s 50 yards rushing per contest. It isn’t just Forte’s lack of a single touchdown over the first three games of the season. It is all of those things. Unlike Turner, Forte doesn’t have the excuse of playing a particularly tough schedule. Two of the teams the Bears have faced over the last three weeks rank in the top 12 in rushing yards given up to opposing running backs.
RB Steve Slaton, Houston Texans
Last season there were only four games where Slaton had less than 15 carries in a game. Slaton is halfway to that number after only three games into the 2009 season. A large part of that has to do with the Texans defense that has given up the most offensive yards in the league and the fifth most points allowed. Playing in continual shoot-outs is going to limit Slaton’s touches as the Texans are forced to score points more often than control the clock. As well, Chris Brown continues to poach carries from Slaton especially in the red zone and they both have failed to hit pay-dirt this season.
