Fantasy football: Week 9 picks and pans

By Ladd Biro, Special to the Rocky

Published October 31, 2008 at 10:16 p.m.

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You don’t need me advising you to start Brian Westbrook and Larry Fitzgerald, or to steer clear of Brad Johnson and Jerry Porter. So I’ll spare you the obvious recommendations, focusing instead on the players typically on the bubble of most fantasy rosters. Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 9.

Watch 'em roll

Kyle Orton, QB, Bears vs. Lions: When I’m debating whether to start Kurt Warner or Orton in one of my leagues, you know there must be a glitch in the matrix somewhere. I’m sticking with Warner, but Orton is a very close runnerup. Quarterbacks earn huge raises when they play the Lions, and Orton already put up 334 yards and two touchdowns on them once this year.

Michael Turner, RB, Falcons at Raiders: He has struggled over his last two games, with 54 and 58 rushing yards, respectively, and no touchdowns. Look for a return to fantasy greatness Sunday against an Oakland defense that has surrendered an average of 120 yards per game and 12 combined scores to opposing running backs.

Ronnie Brown, RB, Dolphins at Broncos: Like Turner, Brown has been disappointing over his last two outings. Though he continues to get roughly double the carries of Ricky Williams, the latter has scored twice in the last three games. The Broncos present an ideal opportunity for Brown to translate opportunity into production, as they are the second-most generous rush defense in the league.

Donnie Avery, WR, Rams vs. Cardinals Steven Jackson is still hampered by a thigh injury and may sit out again, limiting the Rams’ rushing attack. Meanwhile, Warner and Company are on fire and will force Marc Bulger to pass frequently to keep pace with their prolific aerial attack. Avery has quickly overtaken Torry Holt as the Rams’ big-play receiver, and should have little trouble continuing his string of excellent outings against the league’s second-worst pass defense.

Eddie Royal, WR, Broncos vs. Dolphins: The rookie hasn’t found the end zone since Week 2, but he remains a favorite target of Jay Cutler. Miami’s secondary is very porous and lacks the manpower to slow Denver’s receiving duo. Brandon Marshall is a no-brainer, and Royal is equally attractive this week.

Roll 'em back

Matt Cassel, QB, Patriots at Colts: He’s shown dramatic improvement over recent weeks against some of the NFL’s weakest secondaries. But he’ll be tested more severely Sunday night by an Indy pass defense that has allowed just 178 yards per game and a league-best two touchdowns all season. Methinks he’s due for a setback.

Julius Jones, RB, Seahawks vs. Eagles: After rushing for just nine yards on six carries (plus 22 yards receiving) against the 49ers, Jones should be nowhere near your starting lineup against Philly. The Eagles are playing solid run defense these days, and Jones’ carries (and production) have dropped precipitously since their Week 3 peak.

Fred Taylor, RB, Jaguars at Bengals: He has a tasty matchup against the lowly Bengals, but he came up short against other soft opponents (Denver, Cleveland) over the last two weeks. Maurice Jones-Drew is getting the red zone work, along with a majority of the carries, so Taylor is best left on your bench against Cincinnati.

Donald Driver, WR, Packers at Titans: Though tight end Dallas Clark scored twice against Tennessee on Monday night, no opposing wide receiver has reached the end zone against them all season. Greg Jennings is too explosive to bench, but his counterpart is unlikely to fare well against the Titans’ smothering secondary.

Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns vs. Ravens: Cleveland continues to struggle against a Murderers’ Row of opposing defenses. The passing game has suffered most, with Edwards failing to catch more than five passes in a game all season. The Ravens will likely extend his streak of mediocre performances to three Sunday.

Taking a flyer

Chad Pennington, QB, Dolphins: With some of the top fantasy passers injured or on bye this week, you may need to scramble for help. Believe it or not, Pennington has quietly delivered solid production over the last three games, with 893 yards and four touchdowns over that span. He’ll need to stay sharp to keep up with Jay Cutler and the Broncos, so consider him a decent play against a Denver secondary that has given up 12 passing touchdowns to date.

Don't be the bonehead who . . .

benches Torry Holt against the Cardinals. The veteran has been a major bust this season, while Avery has emerged as the Rams’ new deep threat. But Holt has a long and virtually unblemished history of outstanding performances against Arizona. Don’t give up on him just yet. Sunday’s matchup could be just what the doctor ordered.

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