March 6th will go down as a pretty boring day in the NFL, am I right? Oh wait….Did something happen? There is that whole “bounty” situation down in New Orleans. And then there is some break-up happening with the Colts.  They are releasing some player named Manning?

But the REAL story of March 6th is NFL off-season drug testing, and there’s a lot of it!  Players have been tweeting about their random tests, and mostly, the positive drug results are only for EXCELLENCE!

Chad Ochocinco got tested not ONCE, but TWICE (don’t know the reasoning of that)! And he tweeted some AWESOME play-by-play. » Continue reading “NFL Players Test Positive for Excellence?”

Any experienced Fantasy Football team manager understands that your players’ value can fluctuate from week to week. Which players’ values are going up in Week 4 & whose are going down?

Players whose value is on the rise…

• Nate Washington (TEN) – WR: Chances are you didn’t draft him originally, but after Kenny Britt left Sunday’s game with a torn ACL Washington became Matt Hasselbeck’s top target. If he is still available in your league, pick him up ASAP.
• Curtis Painter (IND) – QB: By no means would I suggest you start him this weekend. However, with Kerry Collins & Peyton Manning out in Week 4, Painter will take over as the Colts QB. FF owners will get a better picture of his fantasy potential after this weekend’s game.
• Bernard Scott (CIN) – RB: If Cedric Benson’s 3 week suspension is not overturned; Scott will be the main running back in Cincinnati. Benson is appealing & still expected to play in Week 4. Chances are high it won’t be overturned; if it is chances are still high Benson won’t stay out of trouble for the entire season. This could be a good pick up if you have the room on your bench to do so.
• Dez Bryant (DAL) – WR: He missed Week 3 but will be back in the action on Sunday. His value remains high since teammates Miles Austin is still out.
• Darren McFadden (OAK) – RB: McFadden injured his groin during Sunday’s meeting with the Jets. He will return in Week 4 versus the Patriots. Keep this in mind if you own Michael Bush, as McFadden will continue to dominate the Raiders rushing offense.
• Peyton Hillis (CLE) – RB: Hillis shocked most owners on Sunday when he sat out due to strep throat. Don’t worry he’ll be back this week & is guaranteed to put more points up than last week.

 Players whose value is sinking quickly…

• Antonio Gates (SD) – TE: Gates is battling with a foot injury & did not play last week. He is still questionable for Sunday. Make sure to monitor this situation if you own him.
• Ryan Grant (GB) – RB: The Packers running back was having a great day before sustaining a bruised kidney. His status is unknown for Week 4. Keep your eye on him before starting him on Sunday.
• Ben Tate (TEX) – RB: Ben Tate is the Texans main running back, only when Arian Foster is out. Foster has been battling a hamstring injury so far this season, but is expected to return for Week 4. Don’t drop Tate, as Foster could continue to have issues, but starting him this week would be risky.
• Alfonso Smith (ARI) – RB: After Beanie Wells missed Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury sustained during last Thursday’s practice. Smith received a majority of the carries on Sunday instead of Chester Taylor. Wells is expected to return in Week 4 so his future value unclear.
• Cadillac Williams (STL) – RB:  Steven Jackson will return in Week 4. If you own Cadillac Williams make sure you take this into consideration, as Jackson will receive most of the carries.
• Anthony Armstrong (WAS) – WR:  Armstrong left the MNF matchup versus the Cowboys. He injured his hamstring but there has been no information of how severe the injury is. Keep your eye on this for Week 4.

Corinna is the senior reporter for the Jacksonville Jaguars & a contributor for Aerys Offsides. Make sure to check out Offsides every Friday for your Fantasy Football Fix. Follow me on Twitter @RoarBlackNTeal or on Facebook.

Only two weeks into the season & it seems as though the league is already plagued with injuries. If your fantasy team is looking rough, don’t worry it’s only week 3 & there are solutions to your team’s injuries. Here are the top 10 injuries you need to be aware of & some helpful alternatives.

1.      Michael Vick (Concussion) – Vick reportedly “wants to practice on Wednesday” but the team doctor has made it clear he must pass a concussion test before being cleared. He is questionable for Sunday but hopefully will be ready to go. The Eagles said on Thursday that Vick was a full participant with no restrictions.

2.      Arian Foster (Hamstring) – The Texans star running back can’t seem to shake this hamstring injury. Ben Tate is expected to carry most of the load short term. Foster didn’t practice on Monday or Tuesday with the team but is probable for week 3. He did return to practice on Thursday but was “limited”.

3.      Tony Romo (Ribs) – As most NFL fans heard, Romo left the game last Sunday only to return & win it in OT. It was reported he had two fractured ribs, but it turned out to be one fractured rib & a punctured lung. He is listed as probable for Sunday. “I would not think there’s any reason to think that he would not play (next) Monday,” head coach Jason Garrett stated. “We’re certainly hopeful.” Keep your eye on this over the next few days before benching Romo.

4.      Miles Austin (Hamstring) – After a huge fantasy week it is reported that Austin will be out until October 16^th versus the New England Patriots. There is a chance he could come back before that but is expected to recover through the Cowboys bye week in week 5 before returning.

5.      Mario Manningham (Concussion) – The Giants WR left the game on Monday night versus the Rams with a concussion. Domenik Hixon filled in during the MNF game but tore his ACL. He will be out for the season. With the Giants suffering from injuries in the WR slot, Victor Cruz will become the main target for Eli Manning.

6.      Aaron Hernandez (MCL) – The Patriot TE sprained his MCL & is expected to be out for 1-2 weeks. This means the Patriots will rely on Ron Gronkowski heavily, his fantasy value will go up significantly.

7.      Steven Jackson (Quad) – The Rams RB is questionable for Sunday. If he does not play Cadillac Williams will become the main target & his fantasy value will go up. He will likely be a game time decision again this week.

8.      Calvin Johnson (Ankle) – Detroit’s WR missed practice Wednesday, but it is just to rest. He is still expected to play on Sunday versus the Vikings.

9.      Lee Evans (Ankle) – The Ravens WR is listed questionable for Sunday’s game versus the Rams. “To me, if he can do the things we need him to do, he plays. If he can’t, he won’t play,” stated head coach John Harbaugh. If Evans is out, Anquan Boldin will have a higher fantasy value in week 3. There has been talk about Evans resting his ankle over the weekend & possibly sitting out on Sunday.

10.  Roscoe Parrish (Ankle) – Buffalo’s WR has been placed on injured reserve & will be out for the season. Steve Johnson & David Nelson will now be the main targets for Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Corinna is the lead Jacksonville Jaguars writer for Aerys Sports and a regular contributor to Aerys Offsides. Have a specific Fantasy Football Question? Need a second opinion on who to start & who to sit? You can send in your questions for next week’s mailbag featured on Aerys Offsides. Let us know on Facebook or tweet us, @KristineReese or @RoarBlackNTeal.