FFToolbox - Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin posts second big game plus 8 more

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Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin posts second big game
Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart's injury not thought to be serious
Colts don't think T.Y. Hilton's ankle injury is 'too severe'
Blake Bortles is Jaguars' starting QB
Vikings QB Matt Cassel breaks foot; TE Kyle Rudolph injures groin
Chargers RB Danny Woodhead suffers injuries to ankle, fibula; team fears season lost
Ravens TE Dennis Pitta suffers hip injury, likely done for year
Who's in and who's out of the early games in Week 3?
Former Titans kicker Rob Bironas killed in car accident

Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin posts second big game

Posted: 22 Sep 2014 06:53 AM PDT

Rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin had his second big game for the Panthers on Sunday night football, reeling in eight catches for 115 yards and a touchdown. Benjamin now has 16 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns in three games. His final catch of the game was a 35-yard touchdown pass thrown by backup Panthers QB Derek Carr. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Benjamin was targeted by QB Cam Newton early and often, and barely missed scoring a second touchdown on a deep pass thrown by the starter. Benjamin has demonstrated excellent connection with both Newton and Anderson, so fantasy owners shouldn't be worried about starting him if Newton's injury woes continue. There will be some down weeks for Benjamin this year as he works through his rookie growing pains, but for the foreseeable future he should be considered a low-end WR2 with upside, due to his high-volume role and touchdown potential.

Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart's injury not thought to be serious

Posted: 22 Sep 2014 06:40 AM PDT

Jonathan Stewart left Sunday night's game against the Steelers with a leg injury, but it's not thought to be a serious condition according to ESPN.com. Stewart left the game in the third quarter with what is reportedly a right knee contusion. RB Mike Tolbert briefly filled in for Stewart before leaving with an injury of his own. Stewart ended up with five carries for 31 yards and three catches for 19 yards. FANTASY ANALYSIS: All of the sudden the Panthers looked very thin at RB last night. With RB DeAngelo Williams ruled out in the pregame with a thigh injury, Stewart was widely expected to carry the rushing load for the Panthers. Unfortunately he was able to touch the ball just eight times before leaving the game. With Williams, Stewart and Tolbert all struggling with injuries, this backfield is one of the murkiest in the league. There is a possibility that all three will return in Week 4 against Baltimore, but owners should keep an eye on their progress in practice this week.

Colts don't think T.Y. Hilton's ankle injury is 'too severe'

Posted: 21 Sep 2014 11:27 PM PDT

T.Y. Hilton, after two disappointing weeks to begin the season, was on his way to a monster Week 3 in Jacksonville before his body got in the way. Hilton caught five passes for 80 yards in less than two quarters, but also suffered an ankle injury before the half that forced him to sit out the rest of the Colts' 44-17 romp over the Jaguars. Head coach Chuck Pagano said after the game that he doesn't think Hilton's ankle injury is quot;too severe." The Colts host the Titans in Week 4. FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's been a tough start to the season for Hilton. He began with two games with less than 70 yards in each. Then, right as it looks like he is about to regain his owners' trust, an ankle injury pops up. He still hasn't been in the end zone yet, either. We'll keep tabs on Hilton's status throughout the week. He'll be a good WR3 if he's healthy by Sunday. Hakeem Nicks, who scored against the Jags, and Donte Moncrief would see more snaps and targets if Hilton is out for any period of time.

Blake Bortles is Jaguars' starting QB

Posted: 21 Sep 2014 11:12 PM PDT

Unlike with Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota, the Jaguars didn't wait for an injury to get their first-round quarterback on the field; they had just seen enough of Chad Henne. After a 33-yard first half, Henne was benched in favor of No. 3 overall pick Blake Bortles. Bortles entered the game against the Colts with the Jags trailing, 30-0. He played the entire second half and completed 14 of 24 passes for 223 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed a couple of times for 30 yards. After the game, head coach Gus Bradley announced that Bortles is now the team's starting quarterback for the rest of the season. FANTASY ANALYSIS: That line looks pretty good for a rookie's first-ever half, but it's hard to judge Bortles' performance in a game that was so out of hand, against a defense that was playing loose. But hey, his two TDs were one more than the Jags scored with Henne in the previous nine quarters. Bortles has been drawing nearly non-stop praise from his coaches since training camp opened. Their initial plan was to have him quot;redshirt" this season, but Henne is not even a decent starting quarterback and was unable to keep the coaches from making a move. So, the future begins in Jacksonville. The 6-foot-5 and mobile Bortles shouldn't be owned outside of two-quarterback leagues, but at least he gives this entire offense more hope and potential than it ever had with Henne. Bortles' first start will be an especially tough task: Sunday versus the Chargers in San Diego.

Vikings QB Matt Cassel breaks foot; TE Kyle Rudolph injures groin

Posted: 21 Sep 2014 06:34 PM PDT

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel suffered what head coach Mike Zimmer called quot;several broken bones" in his foot Sunday. Cassel left the game in the second quarter of the team's 20-9 loss at the hands of the New Orleans Saints. Cassel was 5-of-10 for 53 yards at the time of the injury. A prognosis has not been stated yet, but it's likely that Cassel will be done for a while, possibly the remainder of the season. Rookie Teddy Bridgewater took over after Cassel's exit and will be the starter going forward. Tight end Kyle Rudolph could potentially be lost for a while as well. He injured his groin in the second half and did not return. Rudolph said he "heard something pop". He is scheduled for an MRI on Monday. FANTASY ANALYSIS: There may not be a fan base that deserves more sympathy right now than that of the Minnesota Vikings. Their superstar running back is lost for the foreseeable future due to off-field issues. Now, they've lost their starting quarterback and stud tight end as well. While it sounds certain that Cassel could miss extended time, potentially the rest of the season, the prognoses on he and Rudolph aren't certain just yet. Regardless, it looks like the Teddy Bridgewater era has officially begun in Minnesota. He doesn't have his star running back to hand off to, and he may be without his tight end. Those are the two positions that rookie QBs like to lean on, and Bridgewater will be without his best players at those spots. TE Rhett Ellison will take over for Rudolph for any time he misses. Ellison is not a fantasy option to consider. With the change to Bridgewater and the possible loss of Rudolph, expect defenses to key in on WRs Cordarrelle Patterson and Greg Jennings. The fantasy value of both took a hit today.

Chargers RB Danny Woodhead suffers injuries to ankle, fibula; team fears season lost

Posted: 21 Sep 2014 06:03 PM PDT

The San Diego Chargers' backfield took another hit Sunday. Running back Danny Woodhead was injured on the team's first possession of the game and did not return. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport is reporting that the versatile Woodhead injured his ankle as well as his fibula. The fear is that the fibula injury may be a fracture. Woodhead was quiet in Week 1, but provided the Chargers with 60 combined yards, including four receptions, in their Week 2 win versus defending Super Bowl champ Seattle. FANTASY ANALYSIS: With running back Ryan Mathews expected to miss a month, this news is borderline devastating for the Chargers' running game. We don't want to jump to conclusions just yet, but if the concern of a broken fibula proves to be valid, Woodhead will be done for the season. This would elevate running back Donald Brown's value as well as anyone in the Chargers' passing game since they won't have the depth that they expected to have in the backfield with Mathews, Woodhead and Brown.

Ravens TE Dennis Pitta suffers hip injury, likely done for year

Posted: 21 Sep 2014 05:46 PM PDT

The Baltimore Ravens won their game Sunday but suffered a big loss in the process. Tight end Dennis Pitta, one of quarterback Joe Flacco's favorite targets, dislocated his right hip in the game and is likely done for the season. Pitta suffered the injury in the second quarter. He had three catches for 12 yards prior to the injury. He will undergo tests Monday to determine if there is also a fracture and to see if he needs season-ending surgery. Pitta had 13 catches for 113 yards prior to Sunday's game. Owen Daniels is likely to take his place as the team's top tight end. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Sad news for Pitta and his fantasy owners. It's the same hip Pitta dislocated and fractured during training camp last year, forcing him to miss most of the season. He was widely projected to be in the next tier of fantasy TEs after Jimmy Graham, Julius Thomas and Rob Gronkowski coming into the year. Daniels is rosterable at this point. He has had success as a pass-catcher and has been involved in the Ravens passing game so far this year, catching 10 balls for 70 yards and two touchdowns. While Daniels doesn't offer the athleticism that a healthy Pitta does, he's a little better than serviceable. Expect Daniels to be a low-end TE1 option in most fantasy formats, as Ravens' offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak uses the tight end more than any other OC in the league.

Who's in and who's out of the early games in Week 3?

Posted: 21 Sep 2014 08:53 AM PDT

After a week in which a seemingly unprecedented number of big names were fell by injury, you better believe this will be a busy morning. Stay with this post and keep refreshing it consistently as we bring you the latest regarding all of the notable actives and inactives in the early kickoffs. We'll be tracking DeSean Jackson, Arian Foster, A.J. Green, Jordan Cameron, Keenan Allen, Dez Bryant, Bernard Pierce and many more. Whew. -- According to NFL Network's Steve Wyche, Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew is out for today's game agianst the Patriots. He is still recovering from hand surgery this week. Darren McFadden will start again in MJD's place and is an uninspiring flex play in a likely blowout at New England. -- In case you haven't heard already, Jamaal Charles and Arian Foster are expected to sit out today's action. Knile Davis is a strong RB2 in place of Charles while the Texans will likely go with a committee attack, led by Alfred Blue, against the Giants. Blue is a very risky flex option. -- Aaaaaand, Foster is officially inactive. I don't really want any part of the Houston backfield today. -- Here's a Monday night note: Bears WRs Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) and Brandon Marshall (ankle) are expected to play against the Jets. Both made it through limited practices this week and are WR1s against the Jets' poor secondary. -- Ravens RB Bernard Pierce is inactive because of a thigh injury. Justin Forsett will start and is a decent flex option. Lorenzo Taliaferro should get some carries as well against the Browns today. -- Browns TE Jordan Cameron is back from his shoulder injury. He didn't play in Week 2. He's a risky start against a tough Baltimore D. -- Chargers WR Keenan Allen is active despite a groin injury. He is still a WR2 against the Bills. -- Redskins WR DeSean Jackson is active. Reports state he will be limited by his shoulder injury, but facing his old team, you know he is going to be motivated to perform. I would lean toward starting Jackson, even on limited snaps, because I think the Redskins will try to get him into the end zone. -- Bengals WR A.J. Green is active. He's a bit of a risk after he left last week's game early due to a lingering foot injury, but you're still starting him. -- Rams WR Tavon Austin is out due to a knee injury. He's still a bust .... -- Colts WR Hakeem Nicks has been ill this week, but he will be active against the Jaguars. Even with the good matchup versus the Jaguars, He's a WR5. -- Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph is active. He was listed with an abdomen injury. He's a good garbage-time bet against the Saints. I'd probably play him over Jordan Cameron. -- Raiders WR Rod Streater is active despite hip injury. Another garbage-time hopeful, but I'm not as optimistic here. -- As expected, Jaguars WRs Cecil Shorts and Allen Hurns are active. Shorts is making his debut, and Allen Robinson will actually get the start over Hurns. None of these guys are more than a WR4 against the Colts. -- WR Aaron Dobson is a healthy scratch once again. He has been replaced in the Patriots' lineup by Kenbrell Thompkins, who was scratched last week for Dobson. In the end, Julian Edelman is the only Patriots WR you can trust. -- Patriots RB Shane Vereen, who had been listed as questionable, is active for today's game against the Raiders. He is an RB2 in PPR leagues only, and I am skeptical if game flow will go against him again this week. -- Cowboys QB Tony Romo and Dez Bryant are both active. Both were listed as probable. Romo is a low-end QB1 in St. Louis. -- Another late-game note: Broncos WR Wes Welker will play this afternoon in Seattle, but he won't see a full complement of snaps. He'll likely be limited to third-down and red-zone snaps. However, I think Peyton Manning will be looking to get him involved when he is on the field. Welker is a risk-reward WR3 in his season debut. -- Rams QB Shaun Hill is active after missing last week's game. However, he is still expected to be Austin Davis' backup versus Dallas; the Rams haven't announced yet who will start. Neither QB should be anywhere near your lineups. Players who have already been ruled out for Week 3 include Robert Griffin III, Carson Palmer, Ryan Mathews, Knowshon Moreno, Mark Ingram, Marqise Lee and Jordan Reed. For a full rundown of injuries across the league this week, click the link below to the NFL's official injury report. FANTASY ANALYSIS: -- Griffin dislocated his left ankle last Sunday. He doesn't need surgery, but he will miss numerous weeks. The Redskins hope to have him back by late October, but that may be too optimistic. Kirk Cousins replaced Griffin looked awesome against the Jaguars. Granted, it was the Jaguars, but he is a solid QB2 and a worthy replacement for a Griffin owner today against Philadelphia. Don't expect Washington's offense to fall off without their 2012 first-rounder. If Cousins plays well enough, he might keep the starting gig even when Griffin is ready to return. -- The overly vague quot;nerve issue" in Palmer's right (throwing) shoulder that kept him sidelined in Week 2 will keep him out of today's game against the 49ers. Palmer has thrown sparingly in practice through the past two weeks, and basically all Palmer and the team can do is wait until the troublesome nerves in his shoulder begin to fire again. There's no telling when that will happen. Consider Palmer out indefinitely. Drew Stanton will get another start in Palmer's place. He was serviceable against the Giants, but San Francisco's defense presents an entirely different kind of challenge. Downgrade Michael Floyd, who caught one pass for 19 yards with Stanton under center last Sunday. -- Mathews will miss at least month due to a sprained MCL. Donald Brown will step in to Mathews' role, taking on most of the early-down work against the Bills. He is a worthy flex play. Danny Woodhead's role remains the same, and he is only worth a chance in PPR leagues per usual. -- Speaking of lead running backs who will be out for a month, Ingram's broken hand will need at least a month to heal. The NFL's leader in rushing touchdowns had two screws inserted into the hand earlier this week. This situation is very similar to the one in San Diego backfield. A third-string back, Khiry Robinson, has been elevated to the first string and will see a lot of early-down work in place of Ingram. Meanwhile, pass-catching force Pierre Thomas will continue to see most of his touches come through the air. Robinson is a solid start against a Vikings defense that got run over by Stevan Ridley last week. -- Moreno will miss at least four weeks due to a dislocated left elbow. This is Lamar Miller's chance to be the No. 1 RB that the Dolphins and many analysts have predicted him to be. He opens up this stretch with an exploitable matchup against the Chiefs. However, since Miller will be playing with a sore ankle, expect Damien Williams and Orleans Darkwa to see snaps as well. -- Injures have been rampant throughout Jacksonville's receiving corps this season, and Lee is the latest to go down. He has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. The good news for the Jaguars is that Cecil Shorts is ready to make his regular-season debut, and Allen Hurns has rebounded quickly from his Week 2 ankle injury. Both players are Hail Mary flex plays against the Colts. -- Reed will miss his second consecutive game thanks to a strained hamstring. Niles Paul stepped in against the Jags and saw 11 targets, catching eight of them for 99 yards and a touchdown. He's another one of those waiver-wire pickups, like Robinson and Brown, who deserve to be started right away. His matchup against the Eagles is not daunting, and as a former wideout, Paul has tremendous athleticism for a tight end.

Former Titans kicker Rob Bironas killed in car accident

Posted: 21 Sep 2014 08:32 AM PDT

Awful news out of Tennessee to pass along this morning. Longtime Titans kicker Rob Bironas was killed in a car accident Saturday night. He was 36. Bironas was released by the Titans in March after spending nine seasons with them. quot;We are deeply saddened to hear the tragic news from last night about Rob Bironas," the Titans said in a statement. "Rob made a significant impact as a player in his nine years with the team and more importantly touched many lives in the Nashville community off the field." Bironas was a first-team All-Pro in 2007 when he led the league with 35 field goals made. He finished among the top 10 in points three times and holds the Titans' record for game-winning field goals with 11. He had worked out for the Lions earlier this week. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Condolences have been pouring in from everyone in Tennessee and around the football world. We at FFToolbox and Scout Fantasy pass along our deepest sympathies to Bironas' friends and family. Around these parts, he will be remembered as a fantasy force for the better part of a decade.