FANTASY FOOTBALL IN-SEASON FEATURES

Calvin Johnson, Lions –
So much for suffering a setback with another quarterback change.  The Lions seem to be getting the point that they just need to keep putting the ball up for one of the most gifted receivers we’ve seen in some time.  He has 528 yards and 8 touchdowns in his last six games – which includes a one catch for 13 yards performance against the Jets two weeks ago, which speaks volumes about his ability.  He’s still on pace to hit 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns, and very likely will. 

Reggie Wayne, Colts –
Things just haven’t been quite right for Wayne this year.  He’s still getting plenty of targets and a decent number of catches, but he’s not scoring many touchdowns and just isn’t living up to what we’ve come to expect from him.  In the last four games his percentage of catches to targets has slipped from about 65% to just over 50%, possibly due to a hamstring tweak, but that corresponds to only about 55 yards per game over that stretch.  Those are not good numbers for someone like Wayne and he slips because of it.

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals –
Larry is getting all kinds of targets, but with the quarterback situation as bad as it is, he’s having to do what he can with the ones that are actually good throws.  He’s a great player in a bad situation and he’s handling it well, always good to see.  He slides back up as things seem to be moving back in a good direction for him on the field.

Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs –
Some things don’t add up well when you study them.  No question Bowe is performing well for fantasy owners at the moment, but will it hold up?  In his last five games he has over 450 yards and 8 touchdowns.  The kick is, in two of those games he had just shy of 300 yards and 4 touchdowns; in the other three he had 160 yards and 4 touchdowns.  In the good two games he caught 70% of the balls thrown his way, in the other three, only 40%.  If he quits getting that TD a game, some of those games will be stinkers.  He gets a cautionary move up.

Mario Manningham, Giants –
Manningham moves up in light of Steve Smith being set to miss a few weeks to injury.  Manningham has been a bit of feast-or-famine this year, great one minute, then disappearing the next.  This is primarily due to his number three receiver status.  Now that he’ll be the number two guy for a while, look for him to be much more consistent.

Brandon Marshall, Dolphins –
After a solid start – minus touchdowns – Marshall has become almost a non-factor for fantasy owners.  The quarterback situation isn’t helping him, it is clear.  His targets and catches are both down about 40% over the past four games, a dramatic drop.  Until the team remembers why it brought him to town, his stock plummets going forward.

Michael Crabtree, 49ers –
The biggest difference between Crabtree’s first four games, where he was pretty much pathetic, and last five games, where he’s not been great, but quite good, is his catch percentage.  He’s gone from a 44% rate in that first stretch to a 69% rate in the last five, a span in which he has 300 yards and 4 touchdowns.  These aren’t WR1 numbers, but certainly are good WR2 stats.  With a quarterback that seems to be a big improvement from Alex Smith, Crabtree should finish strong.

Steve Smith, Giants –
He’ll return this season, possibly in time to help fantasy owners in their playoffs, but for now he’s on the shelf and likely will miss at least 2, but possibly three weeks.  The worst part about it is that his stock had actually started to rise as he’d been on something of a hot streak the past four games or so, but for now he slides as his future production takes a serious hit.

Nate Burleson, Lions –
Since returning from an early season injury, Burleson has averaged 8 targets, just over 5 catches, and 60+ yards per game, with three touchdowns in those five games.  He’s quietly putting up numbers that wouldn’t disappoint most fantasy owners from a guy likely sitting in most owners’ WR3 or WR4 spot.  With teams having to give all their attention to Calvin Johnson, Burleson is going to have all kinds of opportunity the rest of the season.

Santonio Holmes, Jets –
It’s taken him some time to get adjusted, and the passing game isn’t prolific, but Holmes has had two nice outings in a row and seems to be settling in with his quarterback.  Look for him to finish strong with a nice stable of offensive weapons to keep the pressure off. 

Jason Avant, Eagles –
He’s not lighting the world on fire, but he’s made a bit of a jump over the last four weeks, significantly improving his yards per catch.  With Michael Vick back and playing at such a high level, Avant could be a nice surprise down the stretch in deep leagues especially.  He isn’t moving way up, but he breaks the top seventy.