Just Shanny Being Shanny

Well I guess Alfred Morris IS for real. The 2012 6th rounder was hyped as the starter following a strong preseason, but most of us figured it was just typical Shanny-speak. Apparently, that's not the case. Apparently, Morris is the new Terrell Davis. In what I argue is by far the biggest surprise of the first quarter-season, Morris is the No. 5 RB in fantasy, averaging a robust 15 points per game. I didn't see that coming (heck I didn't see him lasting as the starter this long) and if you say you did, you're lying. But good luck with that.

It would be a risk, sure, but why not sell him high now? Chances are he wasn't slated to be one of your top two RBs anyway, so unless you drafted Roy Helu as one of those, you should be in good shape to sell as a lucky-duck Morris owner. Aim for a struggling RB that is an odds-on favorite to outproduce him over the remainder of the season, and none is a better legitimate target than Ryan Mathews. I'm in strong agreement with Rotoworld's recommendation on seeking Mathews cheap. And I consider Morris cheap, although some may disagree. I'm just not convinced a sixth-rounder will last the whole season as the bellcow in the extremely unpredictable Shanahan system. Time to cash out while you still can.

Same thing for Reggie Bush. He's one false step away from total oblivion. Unfortunately, you probably DID draft him as a starter, so you may be stuck unless you can get a reliable return, and Mathews and Chris Johnson aren't exactly reliable.... yet. Of further misfortune is that fact that Bush does not have a clear handcuff for you to roster should Bush get injured. Daniel Thomas and Lamar Miller would probably form some kind of timeshare similar to Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in Carolina, ultimately limiting each to roughly RB3 status. Tough to roster either guy as a handcuff. 

Carolina's RBs may be tough to play as anything more than a flex, and now Cam Newton's growing pains are making most of the team at least temporarily hands off for fantasy purposes. But what the Panthers do offer to fantasy owners is one of the most attractive matchups, having surrendered 25+ fantasy points to opposing RBs in each of the past three weeks. That should make Marshawn Lynch owners very very happy headed into this week as he is by far the best RB the Panthers have faced so far. The plodding 30-year-old Michael Turner exploded for 171 yards on just 16 touches last week. I would like to say Marshawn Lynch is a near lock for the No. 1 RB this week, but Ray Rice has a similarly favorable match at KC and Arian Foster is unlikely to lose too many snaps to a less-than-100-percent Ben Tate against a rather suddenly susceptible NY Jets rush defense.

Turner is unlikely to have the same kind of game in him this week, but no doubt he'll find the end zone against Washington's suspect defense. I like Matt Ryan to have a near-career day against the Redskins and obviously he'll take Roddy White and Julio Jones with him. With Robert Griffin capable of leading the offense back regardless of opponent, this one is going to be a shootout. Play your 'skins and 'cons (Falcons) with confidence. (And that includes Morris!)