The theme for this edition the FANtasy Factory will be recap and evaluate. We will take a look back at the previous week's action and give you slight hints at what to expect this week.
Studs That Continued to Impress:
Cam Newton – If you weren't a believer in Cam Newton's skills before Sunday, it looked as if he took it personally against the Packers. Newton threw for a rookie record 432 yards. He's also the first rookie to throw for over 400 yards in his first two games. Although he did throw three interceptions, he also threw for one touchdown and rushed for 52 yards and another touchdown. This guy is a true fantasy beast. I'll be shocked if he can repeat this performance again next week, but who knows with this guy, or should I say kid, since he is only 22 years old.
Studs That Were Dudly:
Cadillac Williams – Ugh. That's all I can say after watching Cadillac Williams on Monday night against the Giants. He looked awful, pitiful even. I don't know what I was thinking mentioning him as a stud of the week, maybe I had high hopes because I was starting him in all of my leagues. He ended the night with 36 yards rushing and four yards receiving. Cadillac looked more like a go-cart on Monday night. Anyone who was starting Caddy as an injury replacement for Steven Jackson should be hoping that Jackson can return this week against the Ravens.
Jermaine Gresham –Now here's a real disappointment. Gresham had two catches for eight yards on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, which is terrible for a guy with that much athletic ability. Either something is wrong with the guy, or something is wrong with the team. Andy Dalton threw for over 300 yards for the first time in his short two-game career, so you can try and decide what the issue is.
Sleepers That Woke Up:
Devery Henderson –Henderson had just three catches, but he made them count. Henderson went for 103 yards and scored on a 79-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. I'd say that's a pretty good day for a guy who has a career average of just over two catches and 40 yards per game. Although the catch totals weren't there this week, I'd say get Devery on your radar and scoop him up, if you can.
Rex Grossman – Grossman didn't wow anyone on Sunday afternoon, but he quietly had a solid performance, going for 291 yards passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Depending on how deep your league is he may be a guy you want to monitor over the next couple weeks to see if he can stay consistent this season.
Jordy Nelson – If I told you that Jordy Nelson only had one catch this weekend you'd probably ask why he's being mentioned in this segment. That's all well and good, except that one catch went for an 84-yard touchdown. Now, I don't expect him to be a shoe-in to start on any roster next weekend, since he was only targeted two times by Aaron Rogers, but he is still young and shows tons of promise. He's one you definitely want to keep an eye on, especially with Rogers as the general of that offense.
Duds That Were Dudly:
Lee Evans – Evans played like a thirty-year old this past weekend. Although he does have a lingering ankle injury, that doesn't matter to the fantasy freak in us. He had another mediocre showing on Sunday against the Titans going for just two catches for 45 yards. It's better than his week one output, but still not what you'd expect from a guy with his skill set. Keep an eye out for how the ankle injury progresses, but for the time being I'd say keep Lee on your bench moving forward, at least until the ankle heals and he can prove to be effective again.
Chad Ochocinco – Talk about an enigma. Like Evans, Ochocinco only had two catches for 45 yards. I really don't know why or how he has fallen so far, though things may be looking up. It looks like Aaron Hernandez is going to be out this weekend, so Ocho-stinko might be in line for his first big game as a Patriot. Even with the injury to Hernandez, there is no way I could, in good conscience, recommend him as a play this weekend. So, like Evans, continue to monitor the situation until Chad can show that he can produce in Tom Brady's high-powered Patriots offense.
DeAngelo Williams – Where do we begin? Here's a start: five carries for a whopping 13 yards while also snagging four catches for 23 yards. It looks as if D-Will has fallen out of favor in Carolina. His counterpart, Jonathan Stewart, wasn't really able to get it going on the ground either, but he did come away with seven receptions for over 100 yards receiving. Stewart looks to be the more explosive back at this point and I anticipate him pirating more touches from Williams as the year goes on. The most notable stat about Williams week two performance, he made $275,000. Regardless of his performance, I'd say that's a pretty good day at the office.
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