FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 1/9/2010 11:43am et

Robert Lee, of the Providence Journal, reports New England Patiots RB Laurence Maroney is expecting to have a heavy workload in the team's Wild Card game Sunday, Jan. 10. Maroney was benched after fumbling the ball on the team's opening drive Week 16, and then he was inactive for the team's Week 17 game. Head coach Bill Belichick isn't concerned about Maroney and expects him to perform well in the game.

The Huddle Take: Maroney should prepare for disappointment, as it's far more likely the Pats will give Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, and Kevin Faulk—as well as Maroney—10 touches each rather than load one back up with a full workload.

Posted: 1/8/2010 11:48am et

Ian Rapoport, of the Boston Herald, reports New England Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears said the team trusts RB Laurence Maroney with the football even though he has had some problems with fumbles during the season. "We trust him to carry the ball, and we expect him to hold onto it just like anybody else. He understands that's very, very important. That's something he's got to work through. Keep working at it, keep emphasizing it, and have the guys go after him in practice. Do all you can to try to get him to concentrate on the ball," Fears said.

The Huddle Take: The Patriots say they trust him, but since fumbling on the goal line in Week 16 Maroney has been all but stripped of significant carries. Fred Taylor has moved to the front of the line in New England's RBBC.

Posted: 12/1/2009 10:17am et

New England Patriots RB Laurence Maroney had 15 carries for 64 yards with two rushing touchdowns Week 12. He also caught three passes for 23 receiving yards.

The Huddle Take: Every time Tom Brady completes a pass and the receiver is tackled inside the five now, Brady owners will groan. The reason is that Maroney will likely be called on to punch the ball over the goal line, rather than Brady completing a short TD pass. Maroney now has at least one touchdown in six straight games, with two each in his last two. He's earned the status of must-start in all Fantasy leagues.

Posted: 11/23/2009 10:56am et

The Associated Press reports New England Patriots RB Laurence Maroney had 22 carries for 77 yards with two rushing touchdowns Week 11.

The Huddle Take: Maroney wasn't overly effective, but he did give New England the semblance of a ground game. He very nearly didn't get the second touchdown, as Tom Brady tried to quarterback sneak from the one—twice—before giving Maroney a shot at a second score.

Posted: 11/17/2009 6:55pm et

The Boston Herald reports the New England Patriots still have confidence in RB Laurence Maroney after his costly fumble in the red zone against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10. 'Offensively and from a coaching standpoint, we have a lot of confidence in Laurence and his ability and I'm sure he's anxious to bounce back this week. The next opportunity that arises, he'll look to step up to the challenge,' director of player personnel Nick Caserio said.

The Huddle Take: Maroney will probably still get his normal amount of carries this week, even though Sammy Morris is expected to return Week 11 against the Jets. New York did an effective job bottling up the Patriot offense in the two teams' prior meeting this season, but the Jets have been in a downtun since and the Patriots will be foaming at the mouth to redeem themselves after last week in Indianapolis. If you're in a deeper league, Maroney could be a solid Fantasy start. In leagues with fewer teams, however, there are probably many better options.

Posted: 9/2/2009 11:14am et

Karen Guregian, of The Boston Herald, reports New England Patriots RB Laurence Maroney still looks tentative at the line, but has made a positive impression with his improved skills as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.

The Huddle Take: Sounds as if Maroney is competing with Kevin Faulk for playing time rather than with Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris for a significant share of the Patriots' running game workload.

Posted: 8/18/2009 11:02pm et

The Associated Press reports New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said RB Laurence Maroney has had a productive training camp and improved in the passing game. Maroney made it through training camp without suffering any injuries.

The Huddle Take: Maroney isn't even being drafted in some leagues this year, but he could have a bit of a comeback and would make for a great late round flier. With all the backs in the fold, he won't be a stud, but he's worth stashing away on your roster for a possible sleeper surprise.

Posted: 8/3/2009 12:42pm et

Jeff Zillgitt, of USA Today, reports New England Patriots RB Laurence Maroney wasn't upset the Patriots added RB Fred Taylor during the offseason. Instead, he has looked at it as a "blessing." Maroney said he has learned a lot from Taylor, who also dealt with frustrating injuries throughout his career. Taylor didn't play a full season until his fifth year in the league. RB Kevin Faulk said Maroney has spent a lot of time this offseason working hard to rehab his shoulder. "He wants to be the first guy," Faulk said. Maroney, who feels more comfortable in the offense now, said he feels like he is due for a healthy season and is looking to prove he can avoid injuries. "I feel like the best I've been in a while. Everything's feeling great. Legs feel good. Shoulders feel good," Maroney said.

The Huddle Take: The Taylor/Maroney comparison is an apt one, though Freddy got in at least one good season before the injury bug started biting while LoMo is at this juncture largely unfulfilled potential. There are too many backs in New England to consider one a viable fantasy starter, not to mention their track record of fielding RBBCs, but of the options Maroney has the most talent and thus the most upside.

Posted: 5/18/2009 3:24pm et

Christopher L. Gasper, of The Boston Globe, reports New England Patriots RB Laurence Maroney said that the shoulder injury that limited him to three games last season was because of a broken bone. Maroney said, "I had a broken bone and I was trying to play with it. It's kind of hard to sit here and play and not tell people what is going on. Everybody is going to think one way because they don't really know what's going on." Maroney added, "Doing it the second game and still trying to play, I feel like it still shows my toughness and my dedication to the team and how much I really want to contribute. The shoulder is great. Not good, great."

The Huddle Take: The Patriots weren't entirely forthcoming on an injury report? What next, the sun will rise in the east tomorrow? New England did nothing wrong here, as Maroney was trying to play through the injury and there's no rule requiring them to state the exact nature of the injury—just whether he participated in practice and his availability for the upcoming game. However, if you hadn't already been taking the Patriots injury report with a grain of salt... well, now you will.