Thursday Night Football: Cardinals vs. Rams Fantasy Football Preview
Sept. 30, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Andre Roberts (12) celebrates with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) after scoring a 46 yard touchdown during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals beat the Dolphins 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE
Normally, the Cardinals and Rams don’t usually have that much fantasy football intrigue, and tonight may turn out to be no different, but I think there are some players worth looking out for in tonight’s game.
The Obvious
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
How are the Cardinals 4-0? Certainly not because of their offense. The Cards rank 31st in the NFL in total offense, and just 16th in scoring at 22.8 points per game. The one constant for the Cardinals is, has been, and always be wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. He is an obvious play tonight against the Rams, as well as every week the Cardinals are out on the field. Fitz is a bona fide superstar.
RB Steven Jackson, Rams
Jackson is averaging a mere 3.3 yards per carry with no rushing touchdowns, but as high as you probably drafted him, can you afford to keep him on your bench, even against a tough Cardinals’ defense? No. Play Jackson, and roll the dice the rest of the year. This year’s RB crop is pretty thin, it seems.
K Greg Zuerlein, Rams
Greg “The Leg” is unstoppable. The kid hasn’t missed a field goal all year, including a 60 yarder last weekend. I remember watching a Rams preseason game (no life) and they were talking this kid up like the next great thing. You’d think the Rams spent a first rounder on the kid. Well, they might as well have, he is already one of the best kickers in the game of football. I managed to snag Greg in most of my leagues, and he’s been huge all year for me, getting WR or RB points most weeks. This is a must play every week. A gem in its purest form.
Arizona D/ST
The Cardinals have one of the best punt returners in the NFL in Patrick Peterson, capable of returning any punt for a touchdown at any given time. They also have 16 sacks through the first four games, and a turnover ratio of +4. These guys are for real, and the main reason why Arizona is 4-0 at the moment.
Underrated
WR Danny Amendola, Rams
If your league is PPR or return yardage, or a combination of both, Amendola has been a steal. If not, he’s still a solid play but he is a must-play in PPR formats. Amendola has 31 catches already this year for 351 yards and two scores. The next closest on the Rams is Brandon Gibson with 10 catches. Amendola is Sam Bradford’s go-to man.
WR Andre Roberts, Cardinals
Roberts isn’t flashy, but he has four touchdowns in four games. If you are in desperation mode or have a couple players with bye weeks, Roberts would be a wise pickup for tonight’s game.
Take a Chance?
QB Kevin Kolb, Cardinals
Kolb has seven TD passes and has seemingly rejuvenated the Cardinals’ passing game, but he’s a big risk. I need to see more consistency out of him before I advise you to use him, unless the situation is desperate enough.
RB Ryan Williams, Cardinals
You might as well, especially if you’re hurting for production out of your backs. Williams is sure to have a breakout game one of these weeks, why not against the Rams? It might be a tall order, though, with Michael Brockers returning from injury.
Stay Away
I’m not going to advise anything here, because I’ll just get burned and whatever player I put on this list will have a huge game.