Your campaign has reached a point where the organization needs some outside help. A little outside consulting to insure you're in prime position to take down the opposition. It's the type of call no one ever feels comfortable making.
You don't want these guys hanging around your organization for any length of time. They're often unsavory, too independent, or a few minutes past psychotic. Assassins. Wet Workers. Contract Killers. Hardballers. Cleaners. Sandmen. Whatever you call them, it's time for your fantasy squad to send word for their services.
And I'm your connect. The standard fees and conditions apply, including the fact that I don't vouch for any of these fellas long-term. Keep one eye open in the back of your skull at all times.
[Quick aside: Some of you have expressed reticence about contacting me since my recent communique regarding the unfortunate Kenny Bryers. If you're worried about reaching out after that then you probably shouldn't be. Just make sure you do it by email or Twitter and address me differently than a narcissistic reality star might address her hired help and we'll be copacetic.]
Skeptical? Need I remind you of the Boston Mafia's recent acquisition of its regular sandman LeGarrette Blount? Between you and me I wouldn't be surprised if Don Beli planted Blount in Iron City this spring with every intention to call him back home at the right time. Operation Titan.
Goodell is under too much heat right now to erase any more of their spy tape.
Some of these players have the potential to give you high-end starter production, but many of these suggestions are designed for you seeking sneaky points production in competitive leagues where you're not choosing between Stud A, Stud B, or Stud Z, if you know what I mean.
Running Back Hardballers
It's not necessary to write anything else about Isaiah Crowell, C.J. Anderson, or Bryce Brown. All three are more talented than their NFL Draft round, but they were not in the major college scouting spotlight for much of their careers due to off-field, locker room, or assigned roles by their college teams. I'd remain leery of Fred Jackson's groin until he proves it in a big way on the field. See Montee Ball.
In addition to the seven mentioned aferward, the best options are often the reserve backs on teams that should be playoff bound and don't have meaningful divisional games down the stretch:
- James Starks: Eddie Lacy could get a breather or mini breathers against the likes of Atlanta, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay during the fantasy playoffs. Starks is worth consideration because he's a hard runner with good vision. Even if he's not a special back, can carry the load and the Packers trust him.
- Knile Davis: Oakland and Pittsburgh are a favorable duo for the likes of the Chiefs ace return specialist and second-string runner in Weeks 15-16 if the Chiefs solidify its playoff position by that time.
- Joseph Randle/Lance Dunbar: If the Cowboys set their playoff destination in concrete within the next two weeks, Randle or Dunbar might see more time. Randle has the size and the current standing with the coaching staff as the first-call reserve, but Dunbar is a more creative, determined runner despite his size. Think of Dunbar as the potential Ahmad Bradshaw complement to whomever you consider Randle. The usage between the two has favored one over the other in any given week. Dunbar has been pegged as more of a passing down option.
- Chris Polk: Polk is a lot like Starks in the sense that he's a special athlete, but he's a versatile, powerful, and capable back who could see more playing time against Washington in Week 16 if Philadelphia ties up the division.
- Carlos Hyde: The rookie has earned steady looks and some red zone carries in recent weeks. Either way the 49ers solidify its postseason destiny, expect Hyde to see more carries. Even if San Francisco's postseason comes down the wire, Hyde should remain a flex with a puncher's chance at a touchdown every week.
LeGarrette Blount: Might as well start with the best-known mercenary on the east coast. While it's true that Blount earned most of his production in the fourth quarter of a blow-out of the Lions, Jonas Gray violated a huge tenet of NFL organizations: He was late for a meeting.
My friend Ryan Riddle told me several stories about how serious an infraction a missed meeting is in the eyes of the NFL. The former NFL edge defender-turned-writer said he had it on good authority that things were never the same for Randy Moss and Adalius Thomas in New England after they were late to a meeting because they didn't properly plan for the commute during a snowstorm.
Gray had a great game in Week 11, but one game does not equal what Moss and Thomas did for the Patriots before their tardiness cost them the trust of the coaching staff. If Blount weren't in line for a bigger payday last spring, it's unlikely the Patriots would have ever considered the likes of a Gray.
Say what you want about Blount throwing a temper tantrum to get kicked off the Steelers versus Gray being late to a meeting, but Blount was a good enough citizen in New England that the Patriots had no compunction about using the big fella immediately. I'm not saying it's "right" that Blount walked off the field in Pittsburgh because the team wasn't using him, but I do understand how it can be difficult to migrate from an inclusive offensive culture of a running back rotation to a feature back scenario with the Steelers.
Need I remind you of what I just cautioned: These Hardballers aren't all choirboys. You don't whine about reputation when your'e hiring a fantasy contract killer.
The best case for Blount is that he resumes his role during the 2013 stretch run: 73 carries, 411 yards, and 5 touchdowns during the final 6 weeks that earned him the No.11 spot among fantasy runners during that span. And that "best case" wasn't feature back opportunities. Blount still split time with Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen.
Considering that New England could choose from Blount, Vereen, Ridley, and Bolden down the stretch, 2014's depth chart of Vereen and Gray makes Blount's fortunes seem more stable than his RB1 stretch run from last year.
I'm a believer in talent and I've held onto Blount all year in the only league where I could acquire him -- even when LeVeon Bell's opportunities were burying the agile bruiser in Pittsburgh. If your leaguemates think Blount was a fluke and Gray will be back to starting in New England in Week 13, I'd take a shot on this hard-punching hardballer.
Ryan Mathews: Didn't I tell you to raid the infirmary for Mathews on September 30? His 12-105-1 against the Rams this weekend was considered a "Bad Matchup" and he still out-performed every projection. Baltimore, Denver, and San Francisco are imposing rush defenses on paper, but so were the Rams. New England is also on the schedule and allows 21 fantasy points per game to running backs. I'll take my chances with a healthy and fresh Mathews as a flex option with RB2 upside down the stretch. If your trade deadline hasn't passed, Mathews is worth consideration.
Rashad Jennings: The Giants have a favorable schedule, a budding superstar at wide receiver, and Jennings is healthy enough that his 120 total yards from scrimmage against the Cowboys should be par for the course that features Jacksonville, Tennessee, Washington, and St. Louis ahead. If you can deal for his services as an RB3 or serivceable RB2, do it.
Joique Bell: Reggie Bush remains iffy and outside of some minor PPR value, Theo Riddick remains a tease on the lips and pens of fantasy analysts, Bell is the guy to own against the likes of the Buccaneers, Vikings, and Bears (twice). This trio of defenses aren't the most giving of units against running backs during the past five weeks, but when factoring the entire season of production against them, Minnesota and Tampa Bay are the seventh and eight most charitable units against running backs.
Realistic Acquisitions in Deeper Leagues
Pierre Thomas: With Brandin Cooks out and Jimmy Graham hurting, Thomas is in prime position to earn his pay with 11-15 touches per game. Although his touchdown totals have been erratic the past few years, he's in position to earn 3-5 scores down the stretch due to the Saints' injuries. Pittsburgh, Carolina, Chicago, and Atlanta is also a favorable schedule for Thomas to help your fantasy squad put your opposition out of its misery as a flex or a desperation RB2 in PPR leagues.
Marcel Reece: Tony Sparano said he could envision Reece as the primary running back again after a 46-yard performance on a 17-play, 80-yard drive against the Chiefs on Thursday night. Sparano has said a lot of things in recent weeks, including how much more involved he'd like to get Kenbrell Thompkins and Vincent Brown into the offense, so there's reason for caution. However, Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden are no longer viable options this year and Latavius Murray offered just enough excitement to see more looks once he recovers from a concussion.
Reece has been this generation's potential Larry Centers, but without a coach that believes in his ability long-term. Reece has helped more than a few fantasy teams down the stretch in previous seasons, mine included with his 21 touch, 161-yard, 1-score day against the Jets in Week 14 and 70 total yards against the Chiefs a week later. If he can sustain a viable role in Weeks 15-16, the Chiefs and Bills are an enticing schedule. I also wouldn't be too afraid of San Francisco's defense sans Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis, which has allowed 304 yards to lead backs during the past three games.
Dan "Boom" Herron: Well, I suppose Sigmund Bloom some might say I need to restore Herron's nickname to simply "Boom" rather than "Boom-Fizzle or Snap-Bang-Fizzle" after a decent performance against the Jaguars on Sunday. However, Jacksonville allows the 10th most fantasy points to running backs this year so don't be surprised if this week was the "Boom" and the Washington, Cleveland, and Houston are more likely the "Snap-Bang-Fizzle." Regardless of how tepid our endorsement was of Herron on Thursday night's Audible Podcast, Herron out-produced Trent Richardson in every category. Plus, he has a nickname that matches well with a hit man, don't you think? As Bloom said last week, "Herron runs in the right direction." While I laughed my ass off when he made this statement, it's something Richardson has failed to do.
Devonta Freeman: The Falcons are a loss or two from postseason elimination. When this happens, Atlanta could turn to Freeman for the final 3-4 games, which includes Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans. He's a wild card among these candidates,and despite not winning the job from Steven Jackson as some folks predicted, Freeman has run hard and I could see Atlanta increasing his carries after the games don't matter as much.
(Avoid) Alfred Blue: Ryan Mallett tore his pectoral and is out for the season, which means the 5-6 Texans are back to using Ryan Fitzpatrick as its starter. Not a confidence booster for a team that now has to reel of five in a row for a decent shot at playoff contention. If there's even a shred of it happening, Blue will not be the starter. The problem for those desperate for running back help down the stretch is that if Foster returns Week 13, the Texans have a favorable schedule to with the next two against Tennessee and Jacksonville, meaning that Blue might not earn significant playing time until Week 16 against Baltimore. I'm listing him because readers seems obsessed with the Texans runner, but I'm not endorsing him.
In short, good luck with finding a useful running back at this point without a trade. Herron, Reece, and Thomas seem like the types that would be available on some waiver wires in deeper leagues. But for those of you who play in leagues where everyone has superstars then Anderson, Crowell, and Blount may still be hanging around.
Wide Receiver Cleaners
Roddy White: The Falcons' veteran has been dealing with a hamstring injury since Week 2 that has limited his upside. He shared this with the CBS broadcast crew before the Browns game, admitting that he has felt close to 100 percent the past two weeks. White's production matches his status report, catching 23 passes for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns during this time-- and he is No.10 among all fantasy receivers since Week 7. Arizona, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans are all in the top half of the easiest defenses against fantasy wide outs. White offers a precision short and intermediate element in the Falcons' passing game that is difficult to cover. Don't be surprised if White out-paces Julio Jones down the stretch and offers strong WR2 production the rest of the way.
Jarvis Landry: Don't look now, but there's yet another rookie receiver making his move as a viable fantasy option down the stretch. Landry has four touchdowns between Weeks 9-12 and he's earning between 6-11 targets and a more consistent basis. Earlier in the year, Landry was earning between 3-6 targets a week and converting 3-5 receptions. The rookie has been catching 5-7 balls for 45-50 yards. It's not a lot, but the touchdowns help and this Hines Ward-like option with better hands, but not as good skill after the catch is developing into a more reliable producer. The Jets, Ravens, and Patriots are ahead on the schedule and all three are in the top half of the easiest units against fantasy receivers.
Keenan Allen: While folks are lamenting how disappointing Allen's season has been, the Chargers' receiver has been the No.25 producer at his position for the past three weeks and the No.10 producer during the past two. With Ryan Mathews back and a favorable fantasy schedule of Baltimore, New England, and Denver ahead, Allen just might finish with his second top-20 fantasy year in as many seasons that he has been a pro.
Andrew Hawkins: I'm not sure whether is was this column or a podcast where I mentioned Hawkins as the guy to consider as the beneficiary of Josh Gordon's return, but it's worth noting that Hawkins is the No.12 fantasy receiver during the past two weeks and his 5-catch, 93-yard day against Atlanta with Gordon back was quality work that should continue because of the wider zones Gordon creates with his presence. Put the small, quick, and crafty Hawkins in this kind of situation and he's in a prime spot to earn a lot of yards after the catch. The Browns' schedule of Buffalo, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Carolina is a boom-bust journey, but Gordon is enough of a game-changer, that Hawkins is worth consideration as an every-week start in PPR leagues where a lineup of Mike Evans, Calvin Johnson, and Jordy Nelson is considered mediocre in your league.
Charles Johnson: The second-year wideout was a UDFA signing fo the Packers after impressive showings in pre-draft workouts. Johnson is 6-2, 215 pounds, fast, and he can leap out of the gym. Johnson has bounced from Green Bay to Cleveland to Minnesota in short order, but he's developing a rapport with Teddy Bridgewater in recent weeks, accumulating 18 targets, 9 catches, 139 yards, and a score during the past two. Bridgewater is a timing passer by trade and it requires having rapport with his receivers.
Recall what Peyton Manning's receivers say about the future Hall of Famer's attention to detail when it comes to route and placement in a variety of situations. Demaryius Thomas noted that he learned run routes like a pro once Manning arrived to town. Cordarrelle Patterson has Thomas-like athleticism (better), but his raw skills with routes limits Bridgewater's development to a steady pace without any huge jumps. Greg Jennings is a fine receiver, but his best years were in a Packers offense with talented and refined options and two great quarterbacks.
Johnson has a couple of weeks of decent value against the Panthers and Jets, but Detroit and Miami could be problematic in the playoffs. If you're desperate, Johnson's athleticism and work with Bridgewater gives you a puncher's chance at starter production.
Nate Washington: Again, I'm not addressing the problems of those of you playing in "everyone has a stud" leagues. You can email me for that kind of advice (see note at the beginning). Washington is a perfect example of a player you may have to consider if you're grinding out wins and clawing your way into contention with expert lineup management. Washington has been up and down with his targets over the past month, but three of the past four weeks he's earned at least 60 yards and offers PPR leagues some hope as a flex due to his big-play production and growing rapport with Zach Mettenberger. The Texans, Giants, Jets, and Jaguars pass defenses are soft enough to take a chance on Washington.
Stedman Bailey and Kenny Britt: This duo is like one of those buddy movies where two bumbling fools wind up heroes after getting suckered into some nutty, unrealistic caper. The Rams offense has a bit of that feel lately with Shaun Hill at the controls. One of the two has shown up the past two weeks. The problem is predicting which one will give fantasy owners quality work each week. Oakland, Washington, Arizona, and the Gaints are enticing enough opponents to consider one of them as a desperation flex. I get queasy just considering these two, but I'm trying to dig deep for the tougher situations and not the "pick up John Brown...he's good...ain't I a genius" set.
Tight End Tough-guys
Brent Celek: Mark Sanchez favors Celek and the tight end has jumped from the No.20 fantasy option at his position since Week 7 to the No.4 option since Week 10. As long as Sanchez is healthy, count on this blocker and seam-buster to get the job done in the yardage department. Remember Dustin Keller? He had some TE1-caliber seasons for the Jets with Sanchez, so there's a bit of precedence.
Andrew Quarless: The Packers tight end has earned two receptions in every game since Week 8. It's not an inspiring total, but his production from those targets has jumped from 19 and 10 yards in Weeks 8 and 10 to 35 and 50 the past two games. If you're desperate you could do worse than placing this cheap, but effective lottery ticket into your lineup.
Tony Moeaki and Cooper Helfet: Injury, injury, injury, injury, injury, injury, injury, injury, injury, injury. This is the only salient analysis you're going to get from a variety of outlets. Yeah, he's been hurt a lot, but if you're even reading this take then you aren't playing some in some version of a Celebrity Fantasy Football. Moaeki is earning consistent looks in Seattle despite only joining the team a couple of weeks ago. When healthy at the beginning of his career (I know, it seems like a long time ago), Moeaki had TE1 upside. The Seahawks offense won't supply a high volume of targets to tight ends, but it does offer high-leverage situations in the red zone and off play-action to generate what we could call "fantasy chunk plays." Moeaki's 4-34 stat line against the Cardinals follows up a red zone touchdown the week before. Don't be surprised if Moeaki has more decent outings in a rematch with Arizona's tight end friendly defense, and the decimated linebacker corps of San Francisco and Philadelphia.
Quarterback sAndmen
Zach Mettenberger: The former Oconee High School quarterback (a neighboring county in Athens, Georgia where many of the UGA faculty and Athens business owners escape to) has been a top-8 fantasy quarterback for the past three weeks and the schedule (see Nate Washington) is favorable for more good fantasy work ahead. Stylistically, Mettenberger is a young Kerry Collins. It's not exciting, but there is a reliability factor with the former LSU/UGA quarterback in the sense that he's at his best in the pocket and he has enough arm and moxie to squeeze the ball into tight windows. As long as the weather holds during Weeks 14-15 in New York, Mettenberger has a shot at continuing his productive ways and earning a lot of "2015 sleeper" articles from aspiring fantasy writers in June and July.
Brian Hoyer: Some of you need more encouragement than others. Ironically, it's those of you who are truly desperate who seem to question things the most:
"Help!!! Help!!! My curtains are on fire!"
"Here's an extinguisher, I'll grab a bucket of water."
"Are you bonded and insured to do this kind of thing?"
Dude, your house is on fire. Don't remind me that Hoyer has four interceptions and one touchdown during the past three weeks. He's also averaging nearly 300 yards per game, he just got Josh Gordon back, and there's a decent possibility that Cleveland has figured out enough of its ground game to be a decent unit down the stretch.
If you're desperate for a quarterback, it's good to consider the offense that has multiple big-play weapons. The Browns might Jordan Cameron returning any week now. Considering Jim Dray's mistakes last week, that will be one fewer drive killer on the field each week.
I look at it this way: If Hoyer is average nearly 300 yards per week and just got Gordon back, it can only get better.