I don't normally pat myself on the back (yeah, right) but today I am considering the great pickup I made at crunch time last week that got me the big win.
Heading into last week, my running back situation was incredibly grim. Over the course of the season, I have seen my running back corps become depleted, one by one, thanks to injury. With a bye week here for one of my starters, a move had to be made.
Checking the free agent pool in my league, I made the instinctive decision to pick up New York Giants rusher Brandon Jacobs. As you may know the Giants have had a miserable rushing attack this season and as far as Jacobs was concerned this wasn't 2008 — but something just pointed me into clicking him into my starting lineup minutes before the Giants' Thursday night kickoff.
Well, 106 yards and two touchdowns later, my fantasy week was off to a great start and would finish with a close 114 – 109 win, thanks to Jacobs turning back the clock.
For those of you wondering, the moral of this story is something I've preached often — a successful fantasy season is made by luck as much as it's about knowledge, so don't be afraid to take a gamble if you are in need of a spark.
James LeBeau is an avid fantasy football participant and a sports contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @Jlebeau76 or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
Week 7 Love Hate
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Arian Foster RB – Houston Texans
Over the past three games, Foster has been on a tear, racking up 341 yards on the ground along with 149 yards receiving and two touchdowns. However, the Texans run into the defensive buzzsaw of the Kansas City Chiefs this week and they are even hotter than Foster. The Chiefs defense ranks first overall in the league in points allowed, turnovers, interceptions, and passing yards per attempt. With a backup QB possibly getting the start for Houston (Matt Schaub is nursing an injured leg), expect all eyes to be on stopping the running game.
HATE
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Danny Woodhead RB – San Diego Chargers
Woodhead, despite not being the featured back in San Diego, is set to have a great game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Woodhead has had at least five catches in each of the past five games and has reached the endzone three times. Couple that with a Jags defense that has allowed the fifth most fantasy points to running backs and you can bank on a good day from the back.
LOVE
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Eli Manning QB – New York Giants
If Eli Manning continues on the horrendous interception pace he's been on, he will throw 40 interceptions this season. Ok, bad news out of the way, now onto the good. The Giants face a Minnesota Vikings team on Monday night that just allowed Cam Newton to go off for four touchdowns. On average this season, the Vikings give up 308 passing yards and have allowed the fourth most passing touchdowns with 13. Throw in a running game showing signs of life and it should be enough for Manning to resurrect some old school fantasy success for at least one week.
LOVE
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Philip Rivers QB – San Diego Chargers
I know, if I pick Philip Rivers again he may have to get a restraining order against me. But like the last Love-Hate, I just can't see him putting up good fantasy numbers in week seven despite playing the Jacksonville Jaguars. Call this pick a gut call as by all appearances Rivers against the Jaguars is a recipe for big points. In my favor, the Jaguars have had success holding opposing teams to limited passing yards, though they have given up 14 touchdowns. Overall, I have nothing concrete to give you for thinking Rivers will struggle other than a gut that never....well, seldom fails me.
HATE
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Reggie Wayne WR – Indianapolis Colts
Don't think that Wayne isn't going to be fired up when his Colts face Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos this week. Despite Peyton going to Denver, Wayne has remained a fixed point in the Indianapolis offense as Luck continues to look his way early and often. Over the past three weeks, Luck has targeted Wayne 28 times (or 9.3 per game) and that should even get better this week as the Colts will need to score big points to keep up with the Broncos. One another note, the Broncos give up an NFL high 338 passing yards per game.
LOVE
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Torrey Smith WR – Baltimore Ravens
Smith has flourished this season as the leading receiver for the Baltimore Ravens. Smith ranks fourth in the league with 568 yards, and while he has had his bad games, the good has trumped them so far. This week, don't look for that to happen as the Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though off to a rough start this season, the Steelers still know how to play great defense and have only allowed one receiver to cross the century mark so far this year. Expect them to bottle up Smith and make the Ravens beat them by other means.
HATE
