Fantasy Rewind for Week 9
LOS ANGELES AT ARIZONA
Down 38-24, the Rattlers broke the game wide open by scoring 27 consecutive points, outscoring the Avengers 34-10 in the 2nd half. QB Sherdrick Bonner had another great game, surpassing 700 career TD passes by going 16 of 29 for 236 yards and an amazing 7 TDs. If you've been stashing Bonner on your squad, now would be the time to get him in the lineup. WR Randy Gatewood was simply unstoppable, finishing with 7 catches for 115 yards and 5 TDs. Gatewood added 3 tackles to his night, as well. The Rattlers didn't need much else but WR Cosmo DeMatteo (4 for 62, 1 TD) and WR Curtis Fagan (4 for 53, 1 TD) pitched in some. OS Darrel Jones had a huge game last week and didn't score a single point in this game.
Avengers QB Sonny Cumbie has had a couple of disappointing weeks, finishing this one with 257 yards and 4 TDs. OS Tony Locke woke up from his recent slumber, with 7 catches for 105 yards (no TDs) but the real star for Los Angeles was WR Kevin Ingram, who ended up with 5 for 51 and 2 TDs. FB Lonnie Ford rushed for another TD and this time of year it becomes like a multi-vitamin for Ford: One a Day.
KANSAS CITY AT NEW YORK
QB Nick Browder is looking more comfortable in the Dragons offense and had an outstanding day against the Brigade. Browder connected on 21 of 28 passes for 249 yards and 6 TDs. He also ran for 22 yards and could be a nice fantasy contributor from here on out. OS Kevin Swayne had a decent day (4 for 54, 1 TD) but the object of Browder's affection was WR Mike Horacek, who chewed Kansas City up and spit them out to the tune of 14 catches for 174 yards with 4 TDs. DS Mark Ricks (5 tackles) continued filling in well for injured Dahnel Singfield and WR Will Holder (playing DS) collected 6 tackles of his own.
The Brigade took two more quarters off and then woke up with a vengence in the 2nd half. QB Chris Sanders put together a very impressive fantasy game, throwing for 320 yards and 5 TDs. Sanders also added 2 rushing TDs for a nice 42 fantasy points. WR James Jordan continued his fine season for a floundering franchise, collecting 5 catches for 85 yards with a TD, with 4 tackles as well. OS Jerel Myers (8 for 93, 2 TDs) benefitted from Steve Smith being traded and WR John Booth (4 for 59, 2 TDs) got his first extensive playing time.
LAS VEGAS AT UTAH
This game was all about Las Vegas slowing down the potent Blaze offense by pounding the running game. FB Marlion Jackson returned from injury with a skip in his step, rushing for 27 yards and 2 TDs. WR Joe Douglass added 13 rushing yards and 2 TDs of his own (along with 3 for 31 receiving and 1.5 tackles). QB Jason Fife was expected to shine in this one, but had a truly shaky game, completing 17 of 27 for only 195 yards, with 3 scores and an INT. OS Marcus Nash was affected by Fife's growing pains, finishing with 6 catches for 53 yards and 2 TDs. Expect better from both in weeks to come. DS TJ Hill returned from his mid-season slump with 10 solo tackles, although he's no longer playing offense.
Utah's QB Jason Gesser made steady improvements this week, finishing with an efficient 25 for 35, 309 yards and 6 TDs. With Joe Germaine still out, Gesser makes a nice pick up in the fine Utah offense. OS Siaha Burley had his normal good (but not great) game (6 for 104, 2 TDs). His stats will improve when Germaine returns, although I still wouldn't complain if I had him on my squad. WR Tom Pace (4 for 29, 2 TDs) and WR Orshawante Bryant (7 for 70, no TDs, 3 tackles) had decent efforts. K Steve Videtich had a last second FG blocked and missed another, finishing with a miserable 5 fantasy points.
SAN JOSE AT NASHVILLE
We expected a close, low scoring game and that's what we got. QB Leon Murray didn't have a good game, throwing for 199 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. But Murray's not asked to win games as much as manage them, and that's exactly what he did. WR Corey Fleming had his first good game of the season, playing like, well, like Corey Fleming used to with 7 catches for 85 yards, 2 TDs and returning an onside kick for a TD as well, dragging Sabercats into the end zone with him. OS TT Toliver continued rolling fantasy-wise, with 3 for 51, 2 TDs and a passing TD (to Fleming). FB Dan Alexander scored twice (and fumbled away a third on the goal line) and should continue to get chances in the conservative Kats offense.
Did anyone at all see this game coming from FB Brian Johnson? A week after FB Phil Glover ran for 3 TDs, it was Johnson's turn, as he finished with 17 yards rushing and 3 TDs of his own. Glover didn't carry the ball once and finished with only one tackle. The Sabercats running game is one of the best, but obviously it's hard to predict. QB Mark Grieb didn't have a bad game but didn't have a great game either, finishing with 298 yards and 4 TDs. Grieb is still one of the game's best QBs and will continue to put up consistent stats. WR James Roe (5 for 53, 1 TD) is the Forgotten Man, lost in the emergence of WR Ben Nelson, who had yet a third amazing game with 9 catches for 138 yards and 3 TDs. Play Nelson if you've got him, but Roe is too good to sit.
PHILADELPHIA AT DALLAS
Ok, I checked three times and that final score was no misprint. I don't know what devil the Philadelphia players sold their Souls to, but it sure helped in the stats. QB Tony Graziani played inspired, completing 26 of 48 for 363 yards and 5 TDs. You'd like to see that completion percentage creep up, but you can't complain about those numbers considering the recent performances. More amazingly, WR Sean Scott returned from his vacation, catching 7 for 131, 2 TDs, running a score in and collecting 4 tackles on defense. Now THAT'S what Sean Scott is supposed to do each and every week. WR Mike Brown collected 9 for 113 and a TD and new OS Steve Smith went for 8 for 98 yards and 2 TDs. I think I may have used up my yearly quota of positive words about the Soul in this one paragraph. DS Eddie Moten also finished with 9 solo tackles. Hopefully whatever internal strife was plauging the Soul is now purged. Let the good times roll.
In spite of losing a shocker at home, QB Clint Dolezel was still outstanding, going 20 for 29, for 295 yards and 6 TDs. Just to show his humanity, he was picked off twice, giving him a 61 to 5 ratio of TDs to INTs on the season. Hardly bad times for Clint. The Dallas Three-headed Receiving Monster (TRM) continued to put up outstanding stats, but this week WR Will Pettis (8 for 128, 2 TDs, 5 tackles), OS Terrill Shaw (3 for 30, 1 TD) and WR Dialleo Burks (5 for 72, 2 TDs, INT) were joined by WR Jason Shelley (3 for 50, 1 TD, 1 tackle) who looks recovered from his injury and will cloud the TRM stats a bit in future games. DS Jermaine Jones had 9 solo stops and DS Hamin Milligan recorded 8 tackles.
ORLANDO AT AUSTIN
I know players in the AFL are getting more athletic, but I'm no fan of this defensive trend I see developing. Orlando's defense shut down the Austin Wranglers, holding QB John Fitzgerald to 221 yards passing and 2 TDs, with 2 INTs as well. Maybe you'd take that in an NFL fantasy league, but no way that holds water in an Arena Fantasy League. OS Derrick Lewis had a nice game with 8 catches for 88 yards and both receiving TDs, and WR Kevin Nickerson continued his hot streak with 8 for 73, 19 rushing yards, a rushing TD and 3 solo tackles, but had no receiving TDs for the second consecutive week. If you waited all year long for DS Donvetis Franklin (6 tackles, fumble return TD) to have a good game for your squad, congratulate yourself on your perseverence.
Orlando's offense was contained as well, with QB Joe Hamilton turning in Hamilton-esqe stats, with 255 yards passing and 4 TDs. WR Javarus Dudley caught 9 balls for 98 yards, but failed to score. WR Jerrian James continued his high-energy play with 6 catches for 64 yards and a TD, contributing 4 tackles and forcing a fumble. Good to see OS Jimmy Fryzel back as well. Fryzel finished 6 of 72 with 3 TDs and was easily the offensive star for Orlando. FB Marlon Moye-Moore shook off two disappointing weeks to score twice on the ground. New DS Khalil Carter had 7 tackles and an INT, but saw no time on the offensive side with Fryzel back.
COLUMBUS AT COLORADO
Once again, I assure you that this box score was correct. And if the score wasn't shocking enough, how about that performance by Destroyer's DS Brandon Hefflin! 13.5 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 INT (that's 35 fantasy points) helped Columbus stifle the Crush all night long. QB John Kaleo threw for only 155 yards with 3 TDs, but ran two in and made no mistakes. Rookie FB Harold Wells ran for 2 TDs as well, but the receiving numbers for Columbus were mediocre at best, with WR David Saunders having a fair game (5 for 55, 1 TD, 2 tackles) and WR Thabiti Davis (4 for 43, 1 TD, 2 tackles, INT return TD) the best of the bunch. OS Carl Bond is tough to gauge, with 2 for 17 and a TD, and new OS Marcus Knight isn't showing much (2 for 18, no TDs).
The Crush must be very disappointed with their performance, at home no less, with only OS Damien Harrell compiling good stats (10 for 124, 2 TDs). QB John Dutton had his worst game of the season, completing only 19 of 36 passes for 180 yards, 2 TDs and 3 INTs. He did sneak in a rushing TD, but better things are expected of Dutton. I suspect he won't have another game like this all year long, so Dutton owners take heart. WR Andy McCullough was back a week after being carted off the field on a stretcher and responded with 8 catches for 75 yards, adding 2 tackles on the defensive side. McCullough is a class player and it was good to alleviate concerns about his injury. DS Rashad Floyd ended with 6 solo tackles, giving him double-digit fantasy points in 8 of 9 games this season.
TAMPA BAY AT GEORGIA
If you've ever felt the wind blow briskly through a tunnel, you'll know what the Tampa Bay Storm felt when Force OS Chris Jackson was on the field. Jackson was completely unstoppable, putting forth one of the most outstanding efforts of the season, catching 10 for 124 yards with 7 total TDs (6 receiving and 1 return). QB Matt Nagy only threw 4 incompletions all day long, finishing with 237 yards and 8 TDs, taking over the all-time passing yardage record for Georgia. WR Jamin Elliot pitched in with 5 catches for 66 yards and a TD, while FB Robert Thomas ran for 24 yards and caught a TD pass, as well. When one player dominates like Jackson did, someone's numbers will suffer. Todays martyr was WR Derek Lee, who finished with 6 for 35 and zero TDs. DS Nate Coggins and DS Chris Brown each had 8 solo tackles for the Force.
Even though Tampa Bay was frustrated throughout the game, the Storm still managed good fantasy stats. QB Shane Stafford finished with 316 yards, 5 TDs passing and 2 TDs running. OS Freddie Solomon (8 for 109, 2 TDs), WR Bobby Sippio (6 for 85, 3 TDs) and WR Lawrence Samuels (9 for 110, no TDs) all had decent fantasy games. DS Jonathan Ordway finished with 6 solo takedowns and K Bill Gramatica was 6 of 7 on extra points and nailed a 35-yard FG.
GRAND RAPIDS AT CHICAGO
The Rush pulled out this game with an outstanding 2nd half, which they surely needed because their 1st half was horrendous, netting only 16 points. Both of their 1st half TDs came in the last 27 seconds on 1-yard sneaks by QB Matt D'Orazio. D'Orazio finished with 257 yards and 3 TDs passing, but those runs saved his fantasy day. WR Cornelius White did the receiving damage, with 6 catches for 81 yards and 2 TDs. OL/DL Charlie Cook (from Harlem, NYC) finished his dream day with 2 TDs rushing. WR Dennison Robinson deserves a notice, with his 8 solo tackles to go along with 3 catches for 24 yards. DS Jeremy Unertl finished with 4 tackles, forced a fumble and picked off a pass.
Grand Rapids was in control of this game but it all slipped away from the Rampage pretty quickly. OS Anthony Hines (9 for 119, 1 TD), WR Josh Bush (5 for 34, 1 TD, 1 tackle) and WR Timon Marshall (8 for 95, 2 TDs, 2 tackles, INT) all produced from a fantasy standpoint and QB Chad Salisbury (266 yards, 5 TDs) is a consistent, if not flashy, option. FB Chris Ryan had his first big game of the year, rushing for 11 yards and a TD while catching a TD pass with his big, soft hands. DS Johnnie Harris had 5 solo tackles and recovered a fumble, continuing his good season.
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