No one is immune from a bad fantasy beat, including NFL players themselves. This week, Giants tight end Larry Donnell opted to bench himself in favor of Vernon Davis, as Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record writes. If Donnell had enough confidence in himself, he would have been the beneficiary of his career-best performance that included seven catches for 54 yards and three touchdowns and he wouldn’t have lost by 15 points. They say you should always start your studs, but there are always exceptions. And besides, Donnell himself is looking like a stud performer himself. Here’s more from exit 16W..
- Falcons veteran Osi Umenyiora wouldn’t come right out and say it, but it sounds like he misses being with the Giants, Tom Rock of Newsday writes. “I think I did what was best for me and the Giants did what was best for them,” he said. “That’s pretty much the only way I can answer that. Do I wish I was still there? Who knows what would have happened if I was still there? Nobody knows, so I can’t look back at that with regret and I’m sure they don’t look back at it with regret either.”
- Jets coach Rex Ryan clarified a comment made earlier in the week and explained that any decision to bench a player mid-game would be his to make, writes Jane McManus of ESPNNewYork.com. Ryan’s previous comments indicated that an in-game change like, say, benching Geno Smith for free agent pickup Michael Vick, would take the input of GM John Idzik.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) has the goods on the Jets‘ most recent signings. Wide receivers T.J. Graham and Chris Owusu got identical two-year, $1.23MM contracts with no money guaranteed. Fullback John Conner‘s one-year deal is worth $730K and is also non-guaranteed.