Another week means another opportunity to sit in judgment of Jeff Mans!  I have poured over Jeff’s rankings and opinions and, well, let us see how he did.  Oh, and as usual, I will pepper this piece with a few of my own masterpieces and pieces of [use a word for dung] from the past week.

Here is the 2015 Week 9 edition of Right, Wrong or Indifferent:

RIGHT

Cam Newton:  Maestro Mans was dead on when he penned:  “Cam has one of the highest floors of any fantasy QB week after week. The Packers give up the most rushing yards to QBs this season and I am expecting a very back and forth competitive game here this week.”  If he just threw for 297 yards and three passing touchdowns I would likely have given Jeff the “Right”.  However, Cam added another 57 yards rushing and a rushing score.  In most leagues, that is the equivalent of almost three more TD passes.  Cam has been a monster this year.  With Tennessee and Washington up next, Cam is a must start and must roster.

DeAngelo Williams:  Mr. Mans was spot on regarding D-Will.  Jeff wrote: “It is going to be very difficult to not roster DeAngelo this week at this low price. Remember he led the NFL in rushing and RBs in fantasy points when he filled in for Le'Veon Bell the first two weeks of this season. He also outproduced Bell in just 1.25 quarters of play last week. That is not to say he is better than Bell, obviously, but I do not expect a huge plunge in production here either.”  I doubt even Jeff expected the explosion Williams provided.  225 total yards and two TD says ca-ching!  With three strong starting games under his belt and the Browns next up on the schedule, D-Will is a top-10 RB.  Yep, I said it.

Michael Crabtree:  Jeff is looking good here as he wrote about Michael Crabtree:  “I love Amari Cooper this week also, but Crabtree has been the hidden gem of the DFS NFL world this season. He is constantly low priced and has actually outproduced Cooper most weeks this season. The Steelers are the second-worst pass coverage team according to PFF and have given up the seventh-most passing yards per game this season.”  Seven catches for 108 yards and two TD says yes sir!  That’s 20 catches for 273 yards and four TD in the last three weeks.  Crabtree is back and is still underrated and underpriced!  Act accordingly.

Andrew LuckOK, one for me.  Week after week people ask whether they should sit their stud players in favor of seemingly better matchups.  Week after week, I say no. This week, Andrew Luck, who has not been the real Andrew Luck this year, proved the point.  252 yards passing, two TD and the ever valuable 34 yards rushing (which in most leagues is worth close to another passing TD) says sticking with your star worked out.  Remember this when you set your lineups in Week 10.  

WRONG

Eli Manning:   Well, now for the other side of the coin.  This Mans prediction hardly came to pass:  “Please don't expect another six TDs out of Eli this week but I think a three-TD, 275-plus yard effort is a very fair assumption against the Bucs this week. The Buccaneers are second-worst in PFF overall defense ranking, worst in PFF pass coverage ranking and give up the third-most fantasy points to QBs.”  213 and two TD is not getting it done with the other QB performances out there.  As I told you last week, Manning is just unpredictable in fantasy.  Next week he should struggle against the Pats but who knows?  There are better options in Week 10.

Doug Martin:  I think Jeff got twisted around a bit when he wrote, “The thing that can hurt Martin here is game script as most expect the Giants offense to get out to a lead which means more Charles Sims. But Martin has been very productive this year and the Giants' defense ranks last in the NFL in total yards surrendered per game, fourth in yards per play average and sixth in PFF's defense against the run. The Giants defense also ranks in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to QB (4th), RB (8th), WR (9th) and TE (1st).”  Yuck.  11 carries, 31 yards and a brutal dropped pass.  Yuck.  I do not like Martin next week against a Cowboys team that plays better on the road and will be motivated to get a win in their last game without Romo to give him a fighting chance. 

Jordan Reed:   Jeff booted this grounder when he said:  “Reed has been one of the most stable TEs in fantasy this year when on the field. He averages 9.4 targets per game, seven receptions, 70 yards and 0.6 TDs per game this season. With the Redskins trailing all day I expect a ton of garbage time production for Reed this week.”  Yeah, Reed got a late TD but three catches for 18 yards is hardly a big game like the seven catches, 70 yards predicted.  The good news is that New Orleans is next on the schedule so do not give up on Reed just yet!

Heath Miller:  In all fairness, I have to look in the mirror and scold myself at least once.  I was so sure that Heath Miller would have a big game.  The Raiders have not stopped a TE all year.  Plus, Ben Roethlisberger was going to need his safety blanket with Bell out.  Well, that was wrong, wrong, wrong.   Three catches for 32 yards is hardly worth my hyping Miller all week.  Without Roethlisberger next week, Miller should not be in your lineup.  Next!

INDIFFERENT

Chris Ivory:  Jeff noted: I'm feeling better about Ivory now than I did on Thursday. A price decrease for Ivory is just what the doctor ordered here. Both Jets QBs and WRs are banged up and Ivory is finally practicing in full this week. I expect him to be the center of the Jets' offense this week against the Jaguars. The Jags are fifth-worst in PFF's run defense rankings and have given up the sixth-most points to RBs this season.”  26 yards on 23 carries.  Two TDs saved him but it does not bode well in a short week matchup with Rex Ryan and the Bills. 

Mike Evans:   Jeff was pretty high on Mike Evans:  “The Giants defense ranks last in the NFL in total yards surrendered per game, fourth in yards per play average and sixth in PFF's defense against the run. The Giants' defense also ranks in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to QB (4th), RB (8th), WR (9th) and TE (1st). If the Giants score early and build a lead, the Bucs will have to rely on their only viable passing game playmaker here in Evans to help close that gap.”  Ordinarily, I would give Jeff a win here given that Evans’ stat line shows eight catches for 152 yards.  However, Evans dropped everything not taped to his jersey.  Of course, you stick with Evans if you own him but players are human and drops can get in your head.  Proceed with caution (unless he gets himself some Lester Hayes stick-em).

Tom Brady:  About Brady, Jeff penned as follows:  “Tom Brady is always a great cash game QB in any format. The Patriots rank first in points per game, fifth in yards per game, second in red zone TD percentage, second in passing yards, second in pass play percentage and third in passing yards per attempt. The Redskins don't have the means to slow Brady down at home whatsoever.”  299 and two TD is solid but hardly setting the world on fire and that is what you needed Brady to do if you paid his DFS price.   Of course, if you own Brady in season-long, you are playing him no matter what, so no real reason to think about it.

Ok, let’s use what we learned and win in Week 10.  Good luck!