I laughed out loud -- yes I LOL at times -- when I read the ESPN Fantasy projection write-up for this week on Washington Redskins wide receiver Anthony Armstrong. If you haven't seen it yet, here it is: "Up until last week, we thought this was the guy who caused 'Law and Order's' cancellation. Then we realized our mistake -- that was Jeremy Sisto." OK, that is funny, especially since I used to watch that show and didn't find it so funny when it was gone.
Regardless, nothing was noted about Armstrong's fantasy value, which might lead one to believe there isn't any. That's just not true. The unknown Armstrong -- 27 years old, undrafted, Arena League veteran -- is turning into a nice playmaker for the Redskins; last week he caught three passes for 84 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown from Donovan McNabb. He snagged a 57-yarder in Philadelphia a week prior. While Armstrong didn't make the staff top 50 this week -- although I stuck him at No. 50 -- I have a feeling his insertion into the team's starting lineup is just a harbinger of more big plays, and soon, fantasy relevance. Who really believed Joey Galloway would have a big season, anyway?
I wouldn't call Armstrong a must-own for 10- or even 12-team fantasy leagues yet, but the point of this weekly Friday blog is to prepare owners by offering up readily available names to stash away. Armstrong, owned in 1.2 percent of leagues, still seems a bit raw, and the Redskins aren't treating him as more than an underutilized home run hitter, but ESPN Fantasy does project three receptions for 48 yards this week. I could see more than that, especially since the degree to which teams have successfully run on the Indianapolis Colts since the Week 1 Arian Foster performance has dropped precipitously. And the Redskins do play the Detroit Lions in Week 8, and Galloway is 74 years old. Anyway, watch Armstrong.
Here are a few more players on the radar screen, not necessarily for this weekend, but beyond:
For more of Eric's sneaky pickups for the week, including players from the Packers, Seahawks and Texans, you must be an ESPN Insider!
Eric Karabell | email
ESPN.com Senior Writer- ESPN contributor on TV, radio, podcasts, blogs, Magazine
- Charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame
- Author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments"
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Eric Karabell
Eric Karabell is an ESPN.com senior writer. He has worked at ESPN since 1997 and covered fantasy sports for ESPN since 2001, specializing in baseball and football. Eric appears several times per week on SportsCenter, NFL Live and other ESPN shows, contributes to ESPN Radio and ESPN The Magazine and is the host of the Baseball Today Podcast. He has been honored twice as fantasy sports writer of the year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, his blog was named best fantasy baseball series for 2007 and he was inducted into the inaugural FSWA Hall of Fame class in 2010.
Eric grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, and accordingly, favors Philly teams first, his fantasy teams second. He previously served as ESPN.com's lead NBA editor, and is a former Washington Post and Philadelphia Inquirer sports writer. Eric is also the author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments," published by Source Books and available in bookstores and online.
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