never had to go into the game?

I was also upset to come home and see 0 points for Marshall. But, at around 7:30 EST, sportsline updated to credit him with a tackle, an assist, and a pass defensed (?defended?). Its not much, but its something.

But, his performance opens up the bigger question...Was it wise to draft a nickel back as my #2 DB? Should I be playing a NB on a week to week basis, or only be playing him according to the matchup? I would think you play him against pass first teams, because the nickel D will be on the field more. So, I looked at his game splits for last year (which were way up and down from week to week), and while he had good games against passing teams like NO and Seattle, he also had bad games against passing teams such as Arizona and Ind. He also had a good game against a run first team, the Titans. So it was a little difficult to make any predictions based on the offense type he would be facing.

I'm thinking about getting over the headache and going after a less flashy, more steady DB. Y. Bell in Miami seems to be someone I would target if I decide to drop Marshall.

Some people were suggesting Marshall > Harris this year, but seeing today's game today only reassured my confidence in Harris who picked up right where he left off last year.

jene what is your thoughts on this guy

I'm with you guys...I locked him up in all leagues as my DB #2....Gene and John whats up with Marshall?

He got to Rivers pretty quickly on the play Gates fumbled for the Carolina TD - could almost have had the sack.

They were only in the nickel a dozen or so times, and not too many looks his way by my count.

Methinks he will have many better days than yesterday throughout the year.

(Hard not to I guess!)

And even worse this week... Wasnt he like a top 5 DB in the projections? How does one fall off the face of the earth like that?

I dropped the bum.

Godfrey has been a godsend to that secondary, and I think he's going to make everyone around him better. With Godfrey effectively patroling centerfield, Harris has clearly been given a green light to attack the line of scrimmage and he is just blowing things up out there. Add to that aggressiveness that patented "scorpion tackle" he employs on a regular basis (simultaneously rapping up the ball carrier with one arm and then whip/stabbing at the ball with the other) and he could approach or even surpass the eight FF he was responsible for last year. Chris Gamble seems to be equally benefitting from the freedom to play more aggressively that Godfrey's presence affords. In fact, he seems like a completely different player this season - quicker, more aggressive, more instinctive, in much better shape...he could easily have 4 INTs already this season, and it won't be long before he starts to convert some of those opportunities. He's already the top DB IDP in Zealots scoring...imagine tacking on the odd INT to his totals. This Panther defense is just bristling with IDP talent right now, and I'd hold guys who haven't started to put up the numbers yet. They will come. Marshall was a fraction of a second away from getting a likely sack-cum-FF, and only an intentional grounding by Orton prevented it. I take it as a good sign that they have the confidence to unleash Marshall on the blitz. There is zero credible threat on passing downs from the Brayton/Johnson side of the line, and Peppers is facing constant double-teams (and holds) again. I think you're going to see a lot of cornerback blitzes in the coming weeks from this team to compensate for that weakness. As the nickelback, Marshall's going to have those days where the fantasy numbers just aren't there. But you sit him at your peril, because he's going to have his big games, too. He's just too talented not to eventually make an impact. On the defensive line, don't give up on Peppers, either. He was getting penetration despite the constant double-teams and holds.

Where is he? I think he's in Charlotte backing up an inferior CB.

Thanks Onionsack, great insight. I wasn't able to catch the game today so really appreciate posts like this.

That had to be a huge issue yesterday because the Bears don't pass the ball much and don't use 3 wides very often. But this is still concerning.

Anyone who owned Marshall last year will tell you that patience is rewarded. He's one of the very few IDPs who is absolutely worth holding to wait for the injury/demotion of the starters ahead of him, because he's an instant top 5 stud when he's a starter. He's good enough on the snaps he does get that he's a fine "shot in the dark" bye week/injury guy. He's going to get that sack/FF that he's just missed for two weeks now, and when Marshall gets the ball in his hands, he looks to score.

If you drop Marshall, you'll be watching someone else ride him to victory in the playoffs. You were warned.

What makes you so confident he'll start?

Lucas is injury prone, Gamble has been inconsistent, Marshall finds a way to make plays. It has happened both of the last two seasons, so I would bet on it happening again.

If I drafted him to be my DB1 or DB2, I'd be pretty disappointed with his lack of production. In one of my Zealots leagues, I picked him up last week off the waiver wire, as an owner got tired of waiting.

Here's to hoping he starts getting on the field

Today he had a pick return for a TD canceled out due to a questionable Julius Peppers helmet to helmet penalty.

Just traded him for Charles Tillman in a start 3 db's league. I had only started him in week 1 and have better options to start over him. If he starts putting up good numbers, oh well. I have B. Williams, Ndukwe, Kaesviharn, K. Rhodes and Tillman who have all outscored Marshall so far.

I think thats exactly the kind of scenario where you can afford to be patient with Marshall. You start the others until he gets in the lineup due to injury/demotion. The last two years have proven that Marshall as a starter = top 5-10 DB.

I think Marshall is getting there. Each week he's getting more tackles and more active and last week had an INT/TD called back due to penalty. So he's ramping up perfectly to start being a good bye week fill in.

M.I.A again.......

Bye week fill in? That's quite a drop in my opinion.

I would never draft an inconsistant corner to be one of my top 3 starters. My #4 starter/bye week fill in, sure. Tillman and only a couple others would I draft to be a starter (combined DB position).

I don't even know why people are talking about this.
how much production do you expect from the nickelback?

Look, you draft and hold Marshall for the possibility of him becoming a starter, knowing you wont start him until that happens except out of desperation. It's like taking a RB handcuff that you know is good enough to produce big time numbers if the starter goes down, like Chester Taylor. The starters are playing well and staying healthy, so we wait. Marshall helped me win championships each of the last two years, and I will hold him and hope he does it for a third straight year when it counts the most.

While not as rabid as Bloom, I've been a reasonably vocal Marshall supporter as well.

Marshall has been a nickel back for the bulk of his two plus seasons thus far. He's definitely a risk because of his role, but an 06-07 average of nearly 75 solos and 13 PDs in that role a majority of the time should put anyone in a discussion about superior IDP value.

mmmmm, who knows

2006 - 70 solo
2007 - 79 solo
2008 - 42 projected

yeah, how many games did he start last year?
how many games has he started this year?

last year after 5 games ?? ZERO

21 solo
1 int
2 pd

A glimmer of life against the Falcons.