FFToolbox - Cardinals RB Andre Ellington active for MNF; Chargers TE Antonio Gates also active plus 3 more

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Cardinals RB Andre Ellington active for MNF; Chargers TE Antonio Gates also active
Week 1: Beyond the Box Score
Ravens release RB Ray Rice in light of new video of domestic assault; NFL suspends him indefinitely
Week 2: Player Upgrades

Cardinals RB Andre Ellington active for MNF; Chargers TE Antonio Gates also active

Posted: 08 Sep 2014 07:09 PM PDT

Despite a slightly torn tendon in his left foot, Cardinals running back Andre Ellington is active for tonight's game against the Chargers. He isn't expected to receive a full workload and will likely share carries with Jonathan Dwyer and Stepfan Taylor. On the Chargers' side, tight end Antonio Gates is also active despite being limited by a hamstring injury. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Hopefully you didn't wait on Ellington. Yes, he will play, but it's impossible to tell how much -- I think he'll be very limited -- and the matchup isn't great. This backfield should be avoided right now. Gates should also see decreased snaps. This news puts a little dent into Ladarius Green's upside for this game, but he is still a worthwhile fantasy start. The Cardinals' defense struggled like no other against tight ends last season.

Week 1: Beyond the Box Score

Posted: 08 Sep 2014 03:39 PM PDT

A recap of interesting stats situations with a Fantasy twist from this week's games.

Ravens release RB Ray Rice in light of new video of domestic assault; NFL suspends him indefinitely

Posted: 08 Sep 2014 01:03 PM PDT

The Ravens have terminated the contract of running back Ray Rice. The team announced the move via Twitter on Monday. Shortly afterward, the NFL decided to suspend Rice indefinitely. Rice's release and suspension come mere hours after a video released by TMZ.com showed what happened between Rice and his then-fianceacute;e and now-wife Janay Palmer during their domestic dispute in February. In the video, you see Rice and Palmer enter the elevator. As the door closes, Rice appears to try to strike Palmer. After Rice steps back, Palmer advances toward him but is hit on the right side of her head by Rice. Palmer falls into the elevator's back wall and off of its hand rail. She hits the ground obviously unconscious. Until now, only video of Rice dragging Palmer out of the elevator had been seen by the public. The league and the Ravens said they have not seen this new video prior to today. The league suspended Rice for the first two games of this season back in July for his role in the incident. Rice signed a five-year, $35 million contract with $24 million guaranteed in the summer of 2012. Cutting Rice costs the team $5.5 million in cap space. The Ravens, who play this Thursday against the Steelers, will move forward with Bernard Pierce and Justin Forsett as their top two running backs. FANTASY ANALYSIS: There are so many subjects to talk about here, such as how did the league and the team never see this tape while conducting their investigations this spring and summer. But since this is a fantasy site, I'll stick mostly to the football side of it all. The Ravens must now rebound quickly and do so with kind of a muddled running game. Pierce struggled as the starter yesterday versus the Bengals, rushing for just 14 yards on six carries, and he was benched after a fumble. The veteran Forsett replaced him and gained 84 total yards on 16 touches -- 11 carries, five receptions. I can't really say who is No. 1 RB in Baltimore right now. It might be Forsett, but I think you'll see the Ravens split the workload between the two, give them a chance to prove who the "hot hand is, and then give more work to the more productive player. Forsett definitely needs to be owned, and rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro, now the third man in this group, is worth stashing in some deep leagues. As for Rice, he is rightfully banned for an uncertain period of time. It's naive to think that this video will end his career; the NFL, time after time, forgives. However, the league is trying to take a tougher stance against domestic violence toward women, in large part because of the immense criticism it received regarding its light-slap-on-the-wrist penalty to Rice a couple of months ago. His season should be considered effectively over. Considering the PR backlash that will surely come to whichever team signs him, I expect that his market will be ice cold for some time after the league lifts his suspension, whenever that is. He should obviously be released in all fantasy leagues and formats. The Ravens' and the league's decisions today are beyond just and go far, far beyond football.

Week 2: Player Upgrades

Posted: 08 Sep 2014 10:30 AM PDT

The best Fantasy options to target because they are on the rise in the short or long term. This week's picks include Matt Ryan, Le'Veon Bell, Jonathan Dwyer, Marshawn Lynch, and Kelvin Benjamin.