FANTASY
Don’t expect Romo to be an instant savior at QB
Dallas fans may expect Tony Romo’s triumphant return to restore the Cowboys to their rightful place as the greatest team in the history of American sports, but fantasy football owners shouldn’t expect an instant bailout.
When we next see Romo on Sunday night at Washington, it’s safe to assume he won’t be quite the same guy who was good for the automatic 300 yards and three scores that boosted so many fantasy teams to a 6-0 start.
He hasn’t played in a month, has nine fully operational fingers and his surrounding cast has gone from unstoppable to incompetent. Romo did throw three touchdowns the last time he faced the Redskins, but Washington’s eighth-ranked pass defense has allowed just three TD passes in the five games since.
So if you have a reliable backup, keep him in there until you see exactly what a nine-fingered QB can do.
As you again wonder how one guy’s pinkie torpedoed your fantasy team, here’s a look at some players to start and some to avoid in Week 11:
Quarterbacks
Take a shot:
• Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers owes fantasy owners after laying his first egg as a starter last week. He should be able to make up for it against Chicago’s 30th-ranked pass defense that last week made Kerry Collins look like Tom Brady.
• Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger (one TD, eight INTs in past three games) has devolved into a guy you don’t want to start unless you have absolutely no other options. But he should pull out of his slump against San Diego’s NFL-worst pass defense, which was recently befuddled by the skills of Tyler Thigpen.
• Brady Quinn is worth a start when the Browns and Bills duke it out for three quarters then see who can collapse first. Unlike Derek Anderson, it appears Quinn will at least look elsewhere after Braylon Edwards drops three straight passes. Back away slowly:
Please, in the name of Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger, don’t start these guys:
• Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck also is set to make his return, but he’s coming back to an absolute disaster and could get hurt again. Even though Arizona’s given up more TD passes than anybody, Hasselbeck’s too risky.
• Whichever Bear faces the Packers will probably be good for a handful of interceptions, or just hand off a lot. The Pack leads the league with 16 interceptions but can’t stop the run.
• Chad Pennington has looked pretty good when the Dolphins actually hike it to him. The Raiders are sure to fall for all that Wildcat business, so expect Pennington to be split out wide most of the day.
Running backs
All day long:
• Overthinker Alert: Big giant Giant Brandon Jacobs is trampling people exceptionally well lately (eight TDs, three 100-yard games in last six outings), so don’t consider benching him even against the Ravens’ run defense that’s only allowed one scoring run and gives up an NFL-low 65 yards on the ground each week.
• Both Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown should get plenty of carries as Miami plays keepaway from Oakland, foiling the Raiders’ game plan of kicking three or four ridiculously long field goals.
• Coach Sean Payton seemed to realize this week that his refusal to run the ball might have something to do with the Saints’ losing record. Look for him to dust off Deuce McAllister for a short TD run or two against the Chiefs’ NFL-worst run defense.
• Apparently longtime backup Michael Turner has taught Jerious Norwood how to be a great longtime backup. He’s scored or gone over 100 yards every time the Falcons have faced a losing team. Denver’s not a losing team but has a defense built for defeat. Red flags:
• Don’t be too eager to start Willie Parker in his scheduled return. The normally reliable Steeler was awesome for the first two weeks, but since has missed five games and struggled to find running room in the two games he did play (about 2.6 yards a carry).
• After vacationing in Detroit, the Jags are back to playing real NFL teams — the best one, even, in Tennessee — so expect Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor to go back to not producing. They combined for 31 yards last time against the Titans.
• Cincinnati’s Cedric Benson’s coming off a 100-yard game, and the Eagles just gave up 219 yards rushing. All of which means . . . nothing. Look for a swell 37-yard game from Benson.
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