RADIO
As bye weeks begin around the NFL, it may take a little bit of extra digging to figure out how you will replace the players that are off in your lineup.
I am here to try and steer you in the right direction, as I look at players that you may or may not be on your radar.
Below are my Week 4 lineup picks for players that can be booms and busts for fantasy football owners. Hopefully I can help you shape you optimal lineups to win this weekend. Onto the picks!
Week Four Booms
QB Philip Rivers, SD (vs. CLE): Rivers has come back to Earth after throwing for 404 yards and two touchdowns in his first game of the season against the Lions. Road games against solid defenses in Cincinnati and Minnesota will do that. But this week the Chargers host the Browns, who just allowed more than 300 yards in the air at home to Derek Carr and the Raiders. I look for Rivers to recapture some of that home magic against a team that hasn't faced an offense as potent as San Diego's this season.
RB Ameer Abdullah, DET (vs. SEA): Okay, I admit this one requires a little bit of faith. The Lions are 0-3 and head into Seattle on Monday night as almost double digit underdogs. Detroit's offense has been uneven all season and Abdullah has only shown glimpses of the talent that made him a preseason darling of fantasy scribes everywhere. But I have to believe that the Lions have to acknowledge sooner or later that Joique Bell simply doesn't have it. Bell has 20 rushes this season for a grand total of 22 yards. Even if for some reason the Lions give Joique the ball early, I expect Abdullah to get a lot of work, as the Lions will likely be playing from behind most of the night. If the game plays out like that, Abdullah and Theo Riddick will get the majority of snaps, as they can make a difference in the passing game. I think Abdullah will show off some of the cutback moves and explosion that caused him to rocket up fantasy draft boards this summer on his way to 10+ points against the Seahawks.
TE Jason Witten, DAL (vs. NO): It is fitting that Jason Witten's Sunday Night Football game will be on the same night and time that The Walking Dead is usually on. Like the zombies on AMC's hit show, Witten keeps chugging along slowly but surely and does not go down easily. The Cowboys tight end is fighting off issues with his legs, but is always ready to go come game time. As somebody that watched Greg Olsen run wild against the Saints defense last week, it is clear that New Orleans has trouble guarding tight ends. Brandon Weeden relied heavily on Witten last week (6 receptions for 65 yards on 8 targets) as he adjusts to becoming Dallas' starter. I look for more of that this week, with a few potential scoring chances mixed in.
Week Four Busts
QB Carson Palmer, ARI (vs. STL): Palmer has played as many hoped he would following last year's torn ACL. The Cardinals passing game has fired on all cylinders this season and Larry Fitzgerald has risen like a Phoenix (alright, I admit it, the pun was intended). But with all that being said, Arizona has beat up on some pretty bad defenses so far (New Orleans, Chicago and San Francisco). This week the Cardinals draw the Rams and their fearsome front four. While the St. Louis D plays better at home, I think they will still be a force since the game is indoors on a relatively "fast track". Palmer isn't the most mobile quarterback in the league and could struggle staying comfortable in the pocket against the fierce Rams pass rush. I would not expect things to be as easy as they have been for Palmer and the Cardinals the first three weeks.
RB Andre Ellington, ARI (vs. STL): This isn't a "gang up on the Cardinals" pick, because I do love the Arizona offense in general. This is more about how impressed I have been with Chris Johnson so far this season. The running back formerly known as CJ2k (as well as CJ1k and CJ0k), has run with a purpose that hasn't been seen since his early Tennessee days. He is also finishing runs and punishing defenders in the blocking game. I think Bruce Arians and the Cardinals would like Johnson to become their lead back, while Ellington and rookie speedster David Johnson do damage as change of pace backs. Since this will likely be Ellington's first game back from a sprained PCL, I expect the Johnson backs to handle the heavy lifting. If you are an Ellington owner, look elsewhere for at least a week and let Arizona figure out how they will incorporate him into the game plan as the season progresses.
WR Travis Benjamin, CLE (vs. SD): While many people may not believe in Benjamin, I do. Benjamin leads or is tied for the lead on the team in targets, receptions, yards, and receiving touchdowns. In Cleveland's last game, Benjamin was targeted 10 times (catching four passes), while hauling in a four-yard TD. This tells me that the young receiver is not just a home run threat, but a big part of the offense from goal line to goal line. THAT BEING SAID, I think he will struggle against a Chargers secondary that has allowed the 2nd least amount of points to wide receivers this year in fantasy. I think Benjamin has some more impressive games in him this year, but I don't see big production this week in San Diego.
