So here we are, seven weeks gone in this 2011 season. For many fantasy owners, the halfway mark has come and gone, and now teams are either thinking about the playoffs, trying to find a way to make the playoffs, or are already thinking about next season. It's a fast and furious ride, and one that won’t slow down anytime soon. So while we have a moment to catch our breath, let’s look back at some of the top (and bottom) performers from a crazy Week 7.
Winners
Arian Foster, RB, HOU
This one is pretty obvious and anyone who owned him probably won this week. Foster exploded for 115 rushing yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns as well as 119 yards on 5 catches and another touchdown against the Titans. That’s 40 points in standard scoring, for you math majors out there. Even Ben Tate rushed for over 100 yards in this game, that’s how ugly it was for Tennessee. I think it’s safe to say that Foster is back and is once again a top, if not the top, running back in fantasy land.
DeMarco Murray, RB, DAL
I knew this kid would have himself a game against the Rams. But even I didn’t predict this. 25 carries, 253 yards rushing and a touchdown for the rookie out of Oklahoma. The touchdown came on his first carry, which went for 91 yards. He broke the Cowboys’ record for most rushing yards in a single game, previously held by Emmitt Smith, who rushed for 237 in a game. Even when Felix Jones comes back, Murray should have at least earned himself a few more carries. Are we looking at a possible time share? Only time will tell in Big D.
Chiefs’ Defense
Let’s show some love to the Kansas City defense. Granted, they did face a Raider team which was starting Kyle Boller (and later Carson Palmer). But still, six interceptions, two of them were returned for touchdowns. So, raise your hand if you started the Chiefs’ D? Put your hands down, liars. Can they keep this up? It will be tough, especially with a date with Philip Rivers and the Chargers next Monday Night.
Any Fantasy owner who didn’t suffer an injury
Honestly, when was the last time this many players got banged up during a game? Let’s count some of them. Wells, McFadden, McGahee, Ryan, Stafford, Jennings, Addai, and Lynch are among the many players who suffered some sort of injury in Week 7. I somehow still won this week, despite losing Wells and McGahee for some time. So if no one on your team suffered an injury, then you are pretty darn lucky.
Losers
Tim Hightower, RB, WAS
This isn’t so much a poor fantasy effort as it is just the fact that Hightower tore his ACL on Sunday against the Panthers, and it goes without saying, he is done for the year. And he was performing well in that game before he went down, 17 carries for 88 yards. Unfortunately for Hightower, those were probably the last 17 carries he will have as a Redskin. Now, everyone is jumping on the Ryan Torain bandwagon. Remember, we are still dealing with Mike Shanahan here. There’s a chance Torain will bust and Shanahan starts putting Evan Royster on the field, and perhaps he has a good fantasy game or two.
Earnest Graham, RB, TB
Again, the same reason as Hightower, not so much a poor fantasy day, just the fact that his season is done as well. Graham suffered a torn Achilles in London against the Bears. Just when Graham was starting to get going, boom, he is out also. In general, you can say the entire Buccaneers’ RB corps is a loser right now. Kregg Lumpkin is the only healthy running back on the Tampa Bay roster. Tampa Bay does have a bye in Week 8, so we will wait and see if LeGarrette Blount can come back for Week 9.
Eric Decker, WR, DEN
Just throwing this one in because I was very high on Decker this week, and he completely bombs. Two catches for just 21 yards on only three targets in his first game with Tim Tebow at quarterback. I have a feeling we will see a merry-go-round when it comes to the Denver wide receivers. You just won’t know who will be the one to produce each week, whether it is Decker, or Demaryius Thomas, or Eddie Royal.
Fantasy owners of any Baltimore Raven
Yikes, that Monday Night game was just downright ugly. I don’t even know how I watched the whole thing. I can only imagine what it was like for Ravens fans. I can also imagine what it was like if you owned any Raven on your fantasy team. Unless you started Anquan Boldin, or even if you started Anquan Boldin, chances are you may not have been happy with their production. Joe Flacco put up a measly seven points, throwing for just 137 yards on 21/38 passing, one touchdown late to Boldin, and the interception that ended the game. Boldin at least got you double digit points, posting 40 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. But for some owners, that may not have been enough. But if you owned Ray Rice, I am terribly sorry. In what looked like a really, really sweet matchup, Rice rushed eight times for just 28 yards, caught five passes for 35 yards, and lost one fumble for a grand total of three standard scoring points. Yeah, it was that kind of night.
Any fantasy owner who suffered multiple injuries
As mentioned earlier, if you got through Week 7 without an injury to one of your players, congrats. However, if you owned multiple players who got injured, you may or may not have been lucky. I mentioned earlier my injuries, but the good news is most of these players aren’t expected to miss too much time. On the other hand, some players we don’t know the extent of the injury. Wells is only expected to miss 1-2 weeks, McGahee should be back in about a week or two, Stafford is day-to-day, Ryan came back after getting his ankle stepped on. But for guys like McFadden, Lynch, Peyton Hillis and others, we don’t know if they will miss any time, or any more time in some cases. Ah, the beauty and agony of fantasy football.
Good luck to everyone as we approach the second half of this glorious 2011 fantasy season.
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