Welcome
Sports Outlaw's Scott Henkel brings you a weekly look at the fantasy football stock exchange known as Ballin' or Fallin'.
Scott evaluates quarterbacks, runningbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, and defenses from across the NFL and lets you know if the player or team is on the rise or falling. If a player or team is Ballin' their stock is on the rise. If a player or team is Fallin' they are losing stock.
Are your players on his list? Find out each week in Ballin' or Fallin'!
Ballin' or Fallin' - Week 2
Welcome to Sports Outlaw's Fantasy Football stock exchange known as Ballin' or Fallin'.
Simple concept: If a player is Ballin' he's making defenders cry and is someone who's stock is on the rise. If a player is Fallin', he's not living up to the hype.
We'll take a weekly look at the players that matter in the realm of fantasy football.
Ballin'
Quarterbacks:
Donovan McNabb - Possibly one of the bigger risk/reward pre-season plays starts off hot as usual. But is this because McNabb and the Eagles are that good or are the Rams that bad?
Drew Brees - Took a while to warm up and then took apart a very good Bucs defense
Jon Kitna - Helps to have studs at wideout and playing the Falcons but he looked good in a new offense.
Chad Pennington - Looks like the Dolphins have a quarterback that will be good for what they want to get done on the field.
Jake Delhomme - No Steve Smith? No problem as Jake looked like a man in charge of the offense on a stellar 2 minute drill to win against the Niners.
Jay Cutler - Rolled against last years best pass defense without any problems.
Runningbacks:
Michael Turner - Debuts for his new team and with a rookie quarterback and all he does is set a franchise record for yards. Another preseason question answered…but against a pourous Lions rush defense. Stay tuned before you annoint him the next coming.
Willie Parker - People were shocked when the Steelers selected Rashard Mendenhall in the first round. The resulting fall for Fast Willie proved in week one to be a potential HUGE value pick as he's showing the stuff that had him leading the league before injury. Also of note is the offensive line looked dominant so these kind of performances will come often.
Matt Forte - He looked polished against what was thought to be one of the better defenses in the NFL in prime time Sunday night. Forte showed vision and a violent cut back. The Bears formula is solid running game, field position through special teams, game management at qb, and attacking defense. Through Forte it looks like they have one more piece lacking in recent past.
Frank Gore - He's trimmed down and re-devoted himself to the game and it showed week 1. He should get more looks in the passing game in the future which will only increase his value. Although 4 catches for 55 yards ain't bad.
Chris Johnson - Living up to the hype machine against a terrible defense is one thing. Living up to the hype against one of the elite NFL defenses is another one entirely. Johnson is the other rookie that is showing stuff to make owners excited for the future.
Reggie Bush - He only had 50 yards rushing but added another 112 receiving. This is what Bush does best and he did it against the Bucs.
Wide Receivers
Plaxico Burress - He got paid and then went out and showed people WHY he got paid. It looked like no one could cover him. His time away from camp doesn't seem to hold him back too much.
Randy Moss - No Brady? No problem. His production will likely go down a bit without Brady but Cassell is getting told all day every day, "If all else fails, chuck it to Randy."
Calvin Johnson - Lots of hype surrounding him this off season and he delivered. With his height, hands, and leaping ability he is not going to go many more games without a td.
DeSean Jackson - The Cal rookie picked up right where he left off in the preseason by getting open early and often against a befuddled Rams secondary. His stock is on the rise.
Andre Johnson - He looked healthy and fast against the Steelers. His quarterback got shelled but AJ still came away with ten grabs and 112 yards. He has been one of the more consistent producers over the years and appears healthy.
Hines Ward - The old man managed a solid performance even if he got a td called back which would have given him 3 on the day. Most people overlooked him because he's been playing for so long but he's showing some vigor.
Eddie Royal - He and DeShaun Jackson are showing veteran skill with rookie speed in the absence of a defined starter. He looks to be a lock to start the rest of the year and appears to have built a rapport with Cutler.
Tight End:
Dante Rosario - He didn't look like a tight end against the Niners and came out of nowhere to prove to be uncoverable most of the game. While Steve Smith is serving a suspension his numbers will be outstanding and some in the Carolina area (including his quarterback) feel he can produce even with Smith in the lineup.
Anthony Fasano - Now out of Jason Witten's shadow he's showing a rapport with Chad Pennington. He's always had the talent and now has the opportunity.
Defenses:
Chicago - They showed a relentless attacking style that left one of the game's greats looking shocked and frustrated. If you get points for special teams this is a must have defense.
Bills - Five sacks and a pick against one of the more experienced and quality quarterbacks in the leage plus shutting down the run game to 85 yards might be a coming out party.
Titans - That was just mean. 7 sacks, two picks, and allowed 33 yards rushing against last season's leading rushing team. Wow. These guys looked relentless.
Fallin'
Quarterbacks:
Carson Palmer - Made the game close with the Ravens that started a rookie quarterback and runningback. Not what we expect of an elite quarterback.
Jeff Garcia - Bitching about not getting paid after last season is justified. But if you were going to stake a claim for the cash it was against the burnworthy secondary of the Saints.
Eli Manning - Did just enough to win but continued his erratic play. He is a prime Sell High candidate if he ever puts 4 good quarters together.
Matt Hasselbeck - His wide receiver corps is depleted and it showed.
Matt Shaub - He showed some ability but was pressured relentlessly. Most expected more from him in his second full season.
Runningbacks:
Ray Rice - He had an "ok" debut but was upstaged by a 260lb fullback and pulled after a costly fumble. He needed to light the world on fire to make an early run at the starting job. Willis is slated to be worked back in the rotation sooner rather than later.
Larry Johnson - This once dominating runningback is getting hit in the backfield due to poor offensive line play and inexperience at quarterback. Huard might be better for a week until defenses game for him but LJ's long term prospects are bleak.
Julius Jones - With Mo Morris sidelined he showed nothing. Don't pin your hopes on him in the near future.
Chris Perry - Tough outing against the Ravens but he needed to show something to validate Marv's confidence in him.
Lendale White - The big back of the Titan duo seems to be getting hurt in production more than Jeff Fisher said during pre-season.
Wide Receivers:
Chad Ocho Cinco - The entire Bengal offense looked bad but Chad is their superstar and needed to step up. He's shined against the Ravens in the past.
Joey Galloway - Pedestrian production against a team he traditionally owns and some unflattering descriptions of his attitude drops his outlook.
Santonio Holmes - Most expected him to be the main target in the passing clinic Ben put on Houston. Hines Ward showed up and Holmes became invisible.
Marques Colston - New Orleans number one receiver wasn't the prime pass target which doesn't bode well for his future games. Expect up and down production.
Braylon Edwards - A lot was expected from the Browns offense and not much was delivered. Edwards needs to up his separation to help out Anderson.
Torry Holt - Maybe the best way to sum up the game for the Rams was that Big Game Holt was held to one catch for nine yards. With Drew Bennett gone for 4 weeks things will only get tougher for him.
Tight End:
Alge Crumpler - Crumpler was the tight end the Titans got in free agency to put up big numbers for their struggling quarterback. Bo Scaife out performed him which we don't feel is going to be the norm but expectations should be tempered.
Defenses:
Seattle - This was a defense most thought would be stout fantasy football producers this season. They were blown out by the Bills which isn't the biggest vote of confidence.
Tampa Bay - The Bucs held tight for the first few quarters even making a pick for six only to end the day near the bottom of defenses
If there is someone we missed tell us about it in the comments section below.
Like the stock market the fantasy football value market will fluctuate so make sure you are in the know by subscribing to this blog. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in the forums!
Scott Henkel
"The Ram"
Simple concept: If a player is Ballin' he's making defenders cry and is someone who's stock is on the rise. If a player is Fallin', he's not living up to the hype.
We'll take a weekly look at the players that matter in the realm of fantasy football.
Ballin'
Quarterbacks:
Donovan McNabb - Possibly one of the bigger risk/reward pre-season plays starts off hot as usual. But is this because McNabb and the Eagles are that good or are the Rams that bad?
Drew Brees - Took a while to warm up and then took apart a very good Bucs defense
Jon Kitna - Helps to have studs at wideout and playing the Falcons but he looked good in a new offense.
Chad Pennington - Looks like the Dolphins have a quarterback that will be good for what they want to get done on the field.
Jake Delhomme - No Steve Smith? No problem as Jake looked like a man in charge of the offense on a stellar 2 minute drill to win against the Niners.
Jay Cutler - Rolled against last years best pass defense without any problems.
Runningbacks:
Michael Turner - Debuts for his new team and with a rookie quarterback and all he does is set a franchise record for yards. Another preseason question answered…but against a pourous Lions rush defense. Stay tuned before you annoint him the next coming.
Willie Parker - People were shocked when the Steelers selected Rashard Mendenhall in the first round. The resulting fall for Fast Willie proved in week one to be a potential HUGE value pick as he's showing the stuff that had him leading the league before injury. Also of note is the offensive line looked dominant so these kind of performances will come often.
Matt Forte - He looked polished against what was thought to be one of the better defenses in the NFL in prime time Sunday night. Forte showed vision and a violent cut back. The Bears formula is solid running game, field position through special teams, game management at qb, and attacking defense. Through Forte it looks like they have one more piece lacking in recent past.
Frank Gore - He's trimmed down and re-devoted himself to the game and it showed week 1. He should get more looks in the passing game in the future which will only increase his value. Although 4 catches for 55 yards ain't bad.
Chris Johnson - Living up to the hype machine against a terrible defense is one thing. Living up to the hype against one of the elite NFL defenses is another one entirely. Johnson is the other rookie that is showing stuff to make owners excited for the future.
Reggie Bush - He only had 50 yards rushing but added another 112 receiving. This is what Bush does best and he did it against the Bucs.
Wide Receivers
Plaxico Burress - He got paid and then went out and showed people WHY he got paid. It looked like no one could cover him. His time away from camp doesn't seem to hold him back too much.
Randy Moss - No Brady? No problem. His production will likely go down a bit without Brady but Cassell is getting told all day every day, "If all else fails, chuck it to Randy."
Calvin Johnson - Lots of hype surrounding him this off season and he delivered. With his height, hands, and leaping ability he is not going to go many more games without a td.
DeSean Jackson - The Cal rookie picked up right where he left off in the preseason by getting open early and often against a befuddled Rams secondary. His stock is on the rise.
Andre Johnson - He looked healthy and fast against the Steelers. His quarterback got shelled but AJ still came away with ten grabs and 112 yards. He has been one of the more consistent producers over the years and appears healthy.
Hines Ward - The old man managed a solid performance even if he got a td called back which would have given him 3 on the day. Most people overlooked him because he's been playing for so long but he's showing some vigor.
Eddie Royal - He and DeShaun Jackson are showing veteran skill with rookie speed in the absence of a defined starter. He looks to be a lock to start the rest of the year and appears to have built a rapport with Cutler.
Tight End:
Dante Rosario - He didn't look like a tight end against the Niners and came out of nowhere to prove to be uncoverable most of the game. While Steve Smith is serving a suspension his numbers will be outstanding and some in the Carolina area (including his quarterback) feel he can produce even with Smith in the lineup.
Anthony Fasano - Now out of Jason Witten's shadow he's showing a rapport with Chad Pennington. He's always had the talent and now has the opportunity.
Defenses:
Chicago - They showed a relentless attacking style that left one of the game's greats looking shocked and frustrated. If you get points for special teams this is a must have defense.
Bills - Five sacks and a pick against one of the more experienced and quality quarterbacks in the leage plus shutting down the run game to 85 yards might be a coming out party.
Titans - That was just mean. 7 sacks, two picks, and allowed 33 yards rushing against last season's leading rushing team. Wow. These guys looked relentless.
Fallin'
Quarterbacks:
Carson Palmer - Made the game close with the Ravens that started a rookie quarterback and runningback. Not what we expect of an elite quarterback.
Jeff Garcia - Bitching about not getting paid after last season is justified. But if you were going to stake a claim for the cash it was against the burnworthy secondary of the Saints.
Eli Manning - Did just enough to win but continued his erratic play. He is a prime Sell High candidate if he ever puts 4 good quarters together.
Matt Hasselbeck - His wide receiver corps is depleted and it showed.
Matt Shaub - He showed some ability but was pressured relentlessly. Most expected more from him in his second full season.
Runningbacks:
Ray Rice - He had an "ok" debut but was upstaged by a 260lb fullback and pulled after a costly fumble. He needed to light the world on fire to make an early run at the starting job. Willis is slated to be worked back in the rotation sooner rather than later.
Larry Johnson - This once dominating runningback is getting hit in the backfield due to poor offensive line play and inexperience at quarterback. Huard might be better for a week until defenses game for him but LJ's long term prospects are bleak.
Julius Jones - With Mo Morris sidelined he showed nothing. Don't pin your hopes on him in the near future.
Chris Perry - Tough outing against the Ravens but he needed to show something to validate Marv's confidence in him.
Lendale White - The big back of the Titan duo seems to be getting hurt in production more than Jeff Fisher said during pre-season.
Wide Receivers:
Chad Ocho Cinco - The entire Bengal offense looked bad but Chad is their superstar and needed to step up. He's shined against the Ravens in the past.
Joey Galloway - Pedestrian production against a team he traditionally owns and some unflattering descriptions of his attitude drops his outlook.
Santonio Holmes - Most expected him to be the main target in the passing clinic Ben put on Houston. Hines Ward showed up and Holmes became invisible.
Marques Colston - New Orleans number one receiver wasn't the prime pass target which doesn't bode well for his future games. Expect up and down production.
Braylon Edwards - A lot was expected from the Browns offense and not much was delivered. Edwards needs to up his separation to help out Anderson.
Torry Holt - Maybe the best way to sum up the game for the Rams was that Big Game Holt was held to one catch for nine yards. With Drew Bennett gone for 4 weeks things will only get tougher for him.
Tight End:
Alge Crumpler - Crumpler was the tight end the Titans got in free agency to put up big numbers for their struggling quarterback. Bo Scaife out performed him which we don't feel is going to be the norm but expectations should be tempered.
Defenses:
Seattle - This was a defense most thought would be stout fantasy football producers this season. They were blown out by the Bills which isn't the biggest vote of confidence.
Tampa Bay - The Bucs held tight for the first few quarters even making a pick for six only to end the day near the bottom of defenses
If there is someone we missed tell us about it in the comments section below.
Like the stock market the fantasy football value market will fluctuate so make sure you are in the know by subscribing to this blog. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in the forums!
Scott Henkel
"The Ram"
Total Comments 2
Comments
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Ballin' - Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings
A lot of people were down on them this off-season thinking that Rodgers would be a bust and that Jennings could not repeat last years performance. Well the passing yards weren't impressive but Rodgers made the plays that he needed to and Jennings was his main target. Their stock is on the rise as we should see a lot of Rodgers to Jennings this year.Posted 09-09-2008 at 10:40 PM by var8rfan
- In the Fallin category The Vikings Defense, rated by most as the #1 D, rolled snake eyes vs the Packers. Most fantasy owners were greeted with zippos the following morning.Posted 09-09-2008 at 10:52 PM by Coachnorm
