It’s officially fantasy crunch time now. Or to paraphrase one NFL player, it may not be must win time, but it’s probably have to win time. Don’t ask me exactly what the difference is between the two.
There may be some late season waiver wire possibilities out there (like, say, Houston RB Ryan Moats), and depending on the trade deadline in your league, you may still have a shot to swing a deal. But for the most part, you’re going to be dealing with the players already on your roster down the stretch.
That means match-ups and game day information are critical. You sh0ould have already checked out Dale’s rankings for the week, and we’ve also got injury and player news supplemented by each team’s local media to help you make the right calls for your critical Week 9 contests:
Detroit: There were some high hopes for promising second-year RB Kevin Smith before the season started, but the outlook is dimmer now. It appears Smith will be stuck in a running-back-by-committee situtation for the time being, sharing time with Maurice Morris and Aaron Brown. It doesn’t help that Smith hasn’t been completely healthy. He’s still the starter, but don’t be afraid to go with someone else if you are on the fence.
Carolina: If you are hurting at WR and looking for a spark, don’t expect it to come from Muhsin Muhammad. Moose is still unable to play as a result of a sprained MCL. In more pleasant news, RB Jonathan Stewart did practice some this week and should be fine to play. He seems to be coming on now that he’s healthier.
Dallas: Perhaps still trying to convince himself that he’s not a bust in Big D, WR Roy Williams has been working with Tony Romo in special practice sessions to try to boost his game day production. Hopefully if you drafted Roy this year you’ve been able to snag Miles Austin off of waivers. If not? Well, this news may make you feel a little better, but you still shouldn’t expect too much, especially tonight against the Eagles.
Denver: Could rookie Knowshon Moreno end up riding the pine? There are some calls for him to be benched thanks to fumbling problems and general inconsistency, plus the fact that Correll Buckhalter has averaged six yards a carry so far in 2009. It appears Knowshon is still the starter, but don’t be shocked if the Broncos give Buckhalter more of the carries if Moreno starts slowly against a tough Pittsburgh run D.
Houston: Speaking of problems holding onto the ball and benchings, the saga of Steve Slaton continues. After it looked like he would keep his starting spot earlier in the week, coach Gary Kubiak officially demoted Slaton on Friday. That means waiver wire darling Ryan Moats will get the call, and fantasy owners will cross their fingers and hope he wasn’t just a one-week wonder.
Atlanta: Worried about the health of wideout Roddy White? He’s still dealing with a knee problem, but he did practice Friday and is expected to play this week. Of course, if you have White, you are starting him unless you have a very good alternative.
Tampa Bay: This season has been one to forget for Antonio Bryant, and he’s probably not going to be much help for fantasy teams this week either. He’s officially questionable for Bucs-Packers, but I’d say he may be leaning more toward not playing after missing Thursday and Friday practices. Considering rookie QB Josh Freeman is starting his first game, you’d be well served to avoid Bryant even if he does suit up.
Chicago: Receiver Devin Hester makes his living with his speed, so it’s never good when you hear he has a sprained ankle. Nonetheless, Hester will be playing today against Arizona and says he should be fine. He’s actually having a decent fantasy season and very well could continue in that vein against the Cards.
Philadelphia: Figuring out the health status of Brian Westbrook has been an ongoing headache for his fantasy owners this season, and it’s not going to let up for Philly’s big Sunday night tilt with the Cowboys tonight. Westbrook is listed as questionable, and reading between the lines gives one the impression that he may be the subject of the ever popular game time decision. LeSean McCoy owners will obviously want to pay attention here as well.
