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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Picks For Week 5
Here is what everyone is waiting for, the FFLockerRoom’s Waiver Wire pickups for week 5. I am going to put these guys in order of what I believe to be the most important guys first, top down.
By Tom Schriner, The Fantasy Football Junkie
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Players I think are safe to drop: Ryan Broyles, Brandon Jacobs, Greg Little, Kenny Britt, Jonathan Dwyer, Aaron Dobson and Mark Ingram
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Click HERE for the FFLockerRoom Week 5 Rankings.
MUST OWN
1. Danny Woodhead, RB, San Diego Chargers (16.5%*) - We suggested last week that you take a chance on Woodhead and it paid off if you did. Two touchdowns later, he’s officially the hottest pickup in the league and should be owned in all PPR formats.
2. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots (63.8%) - Normally I wouldn’t suggest a player that is owned in more than 50 percent of leagues but I thought Edelman in only 63 was worth noting. He finally broke out with 118 yards in week 4 and should be played in week 5 with Amendola likely still not back.
3. Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (24.4%) - We told you to nab Miller last week but after catching 6 for 70 it might be tougher to get him off waivers. He was on the field for almost every offensive snap for the Steelers so his injury worries are behind him.
4. Kenbrell Thompkins, WR, New England Patriots (62.4%) - Again, I don’t like pointing out guys that are owned in 50 percent of teams or more but Thompkins is quickly gaining the favor of Brady. And when Amendola comes back, it will not be Kenbrell on the outs.
TAKE A CHANCE
5. Nate Washington, WR, Tennessee Titans (16.5%) - Nate would have made the must own category were it not for Jake Locker going down with his hip injury. I have all the confidence in the world that Ryan Fitzpatrick can get it to Washington but he could favor Kendall Wright more. A situation to watch for sure.
6. Johnathan Franklin, RB, Green Bay Packers (Owned 6.8%) - Before the draft, I had Franklin rated as my #1 rookie RB. The packers face the Detroit Lions in week 5 and will have Eddie Lacy back. Even though Lacy should be a full go, I feel like Franklin could get involved heavily if the Lions can keep pace on offense.
7. Coby Fleener, TE, Indianapolis Colts (19.9%) - Since Dwayne Allen went on injured reserve, Coby Fleener has made the most of his opportunity. As long as he keeps catching the ball and not drop many passes, Luck will continue throwing his way.
8. Alex Smith, QB, Kansas City Chiefs (45.6%) - You can’t argue with what Smith has been able to do thus far. And he will be a decent option most weeks. With byes coming up, Smith will fill-in nicely for most fantasy teams.
9. Charles Clay, TE, Miami Dolphins (17.4%) - Clay hasn’t had less than 4 receptions in any game this year. It is obvious that Ryan Tannehill likes to throw Clay’s direction.
PLAYING WITH FIRE
10. Jerome Simpson, WR, Minnesota Vikings (2.7%) - I don’t know if there is a more maddening player on the waiver list this week. He was probably dumped last week from the majority of his owners only to go off with Matt Cassell as his QB. Who knows, maybe Matt can help make the passing game of the Vikings relevant.
11. Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals (1.8%) - If you are in a deeper league and want to take a chance on a rookie, pick up Andre Ellington. With Rashard Mendenhall struggling, Ellington has come in and done a really nice job with his limited touches. He could be looking for an increase in work in the coming weeks.
12. Robert Woods, WR, Buffalo Bills (4.6%) - Woods and EJ Manuel have a chance to grow together and with Stevie Johnson commanding the defenses best defenders most weeks, that should help open things up for the rookie. Woods only has 11 receptions to date but 8 of those went for first downs and he’s added two touchdowns.
13. Chris Ogbonnaya, RB, Cleveland Browns (1.2%) - I probably wouldn’t pick him up in standard leagues, but I might in a PPR. Willis McGahee is going to get the carries but Chris finished with 5 receptions last week with a score. And he could probably catch 3-5 passes a game. Only the very deepest of leagues need apply.
If you find yourself with some extra time and want to read my recap of Sunday’s action, here is The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.
And if you think I forgot someone for the Waiver Wire, please tell me in the comments below. Who knows, you even might be able to help someone land their next waiver wire stud.
*Owned percentage taken from ESPN leagues.
The post Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Picks For Week 5 appeared first on FFLockerRoom.
Fantasy Football PPR Rankings – Week 5
Every week the FFLockerRoom Staff will dissect the match ups, delve into the positional competition and do our absolute best to rank the players in order from top to bottom. Make sure to come back during the week and before game time to get the absolute latest rankings. Our staff will change the rankings based on reports that come in during the week and especially after injury reports are given out on Wednesday. If you have any glaring disagreements with our rankings, just leave us a note below. It’s possible that we may have overlooked something and it also gives us a great forum to tell our readers why we may have ranked a player the way we did.
We are proud to be a part of the Fantasy Pros network where we are considered experts in the field of fantasy football ranking.
Bye Week Teams: Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
Here are our Fantasy Football PPR Rankings for Week 5.
Standard Rankings | PPR Rankings | IDP
(Table may not be visible through any RSS Feed Reader, including syndicated sites.)
The post Fantasy Football PPR Rankings – Week 5 appeared first on FFLockerRoom.
25 Million Americans Screwed In Conspiracy: Nine Japanese Companies Inflated And Fixed Auto Parts Prices
Price-fixing conspiracies by auto parts manufacturers may have inflated the cost of your new car. In announcing guilty pleas by nine Japan-based auto parts makers and two executives, the Justice Department laid out details of brazen collusion schemes to rig the prices of more than 30 kinds of car parts—like seat belts, radiators, and windshield wipers—sold to U.S. car makers.
The conspiracies—some lasting a decade or more—affected more than $5 billion in automotive parts and more than 25 million cars purchased by U.S. consumers.
“The scheme directly impacted your bank account,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Ronald Hosko at a press conference, where he was joined by Attorney General Eric Holder and Scott Hammond, head of the Criminal Enforcement Program in the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “These individuals and companies drove up costs for both vehicle makers and buyers, which caused you to spend more.”
Automakers affected include Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, as well as the U.S. subsidiaries of Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota. Auto plants in Detroit and 13 other states were victims. FBI agents in 11 field offices investigated the cases.
Charges filed in Detroit, Cincinnati, and Toledo reveal the lengths conspirators went to gain unfair advantage. In phone calls and secretive meetings—sometimes using code names—the companies agreed to rig bids, set prices, and manipulate the supply of parts to U.S. car makers.
Hammond said car makers—which already operate on tight margins—were victimized along with consumers. When car makers put out requests for bids, he said, “What they didn’t realize is that in back rooms and secret meetings in the United States and Japan, their suppliers were getting together and allocating business and fixing the prices.”
The guilty pleas announced Thursday bring to 20 the number of companies charged in the Justice Department’s ongoing multi-year investigation of the auto industry. Seventeen of 21 executives have also been charged, with most of them facing or already serving prison time. Additionally, heavy fines have been imposed—more than $740 million since the investigation began in 2011. With the recent charges, criminal fines could reach $1.6 billion.
In one case, Gary Walker, an American executive with a Japanese company operating in Auburn Hills, Michigan, rigged bids between 2003 and 2010 to fix the prices of seat belts sold to Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Mazda manufacturers, according to the federal charges. Other defendants—including Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and Jtekt Corporation—rigged bids on starter motors, alternators, ignition coils, bearings, and other essential vehicle components.
The FBI and Antitrust Division worked closely on the case with counterparts overseas, including the Japan Fair Trade Commission. Search warrants in the U.S. were coordinated with searches overseas.
Hosko said companies trying to game the system should note the stiff penalties meted out as a result of the investigation and prosecutions. Recent "events and the last few years of investigation should send a clear message to companies that suffer from the notion that they don’t need to follow the rules,” he said. “If you violate the laws of this country, the FBI and the Justice Department will investigate and stop the threat you pose to our economy and to hardworking Americans.”
Each of the companies and executives charged has agreed to cooperate with the department’s ongoing antitrust investigation. The plea agreements are subject to court approval. The companies’ and executives’ agreed-upon fines and sentences are:
Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd. to pay a $195 million criminal fine
Jtekt Corporation to pay a $103.27 million criminal fine
Mitsuba Corporation to pay a $135 million criminal fine
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) to pay a $190 million criminal fine
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. to pay a $14.5 million criminal fine
NSK Ltd. to pay a $68.2 million criminal fine
T.RAD Co. Ltd. to pay a $13.75 criminal fine
Valeo Japan Co. Ltd. to pay a $13.6 million criminal fine
Yamashita Rubber Co. Ltd. to pay a $11 million criminal fine
Tetsuya Kunida, a Japanese citizen and former executive of a U.S. subsidiary of a Japan-based automotive anti-vibration rubber products supplier, to serve 12 months and one day in a U.S. prison and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine
Gary Walker, a U.S. citizen and former executive of a U.S. subsidiary of a Japan-based automotive products supplier, to serve 14 months in a U.S. prison and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine.
MELCO and Hitachi conspired with each other and other co-conspirator firms not charged on sales of certain auto parts, including starter motors, alternators, and ignition coils, the department said. Mitsuba and Mitsubishi Electric conspired together and with other co-conspirators not charged on certain sales of starter motors. Each of the other companies charged colluded with other unnamed co-conspirators.
Credit: http://aara.com/
Generally, the companies, executives, and co-conspirators engaged in the various price-fixing schemes by attending meetings and communicating by telephone in the United States and Japan to reach collusive agreements to rig bids, set prices, and allocate the supply of auto parts sold to the car manufacturers. They took measures to keep their conduct secret by using code names and meeting in remote locations. Those charged also had further communications to monitor and enforce the collusive agreements.
The multiple conspiracies also harmed U.S. automobile plants in 14 states: Alabama; California; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Kansas; Kentucky; Michigan; Mississippi; Missouri; Ohio; Tennessee; Texas; and Wisconsin, the department said.
The department has coordinated its investigation with the Japanese Fair Trade Commission, the European Commission, Canadian Competition Bureau, Korean Fair Trade Commission, Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission, and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
The following charges were filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit:
Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd.
According to a one-count felony charge, Hitachi and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to rig bids for and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of auto parts it sold to Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota in the United States and elsewhere. The affected auto parts include starter motors, alternators, air flow meters, valve timing control devices, fuel injection systems, electronic throttle bodies, ignition coils, inverters, and motor generators. According to the charge, Hitachi and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from at least as early as January 2000 until at least February 2010.
Hitachi manufactures and sells auto parts to automobile manufacturers throughout the world. The affected auto parts perform an array of functions in automobile engines, from regulating air and fuel flow to starting the engine to controlling the timing of engine valves.
Mitsuba Corporation
According to a two-count felony charge, Mitsuba and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to rig bids for and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of windshield washer systems and components, windshield wiper systems and components, starter motors, power window motors, and fan motors it sold to Chrysler, Honda, Subaru, Nissan, and Toyota in the United States and elsewhere. According to the charge, Mitsuba and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from January 2000 until February 2010. Mitsuba also agreed to plead guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, because of the company’s efforts to destroy evidence ordered by a high-level U.S.-based executive after learning of the U.S. investigation of collusion in the auto parts industry.
Mitsuba manufactures and sells numerous automotive parts to automobile manufacturers throughout the world. The affected auto parts perform an array of functions in automobiles. Windshield washer and wiper systems include a number of components and are designed to clear water or snow from vehicle windows. Starter motors are small electric motors used in starting internal combustion engines. Power window motors are small electric motors used to raise and lower vehicle windows. Fan motors are small electric motors used to turn radiator cooling fans.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO)
According to a one-count felony charge, MELCO and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to rig bids for and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of automotive parts, including starter motors, alternators, and ignition coils, it sold to Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (Subaru), Nissan, and certain of their subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. According to the charge, MELCO and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from at least as early as January 2000 until at least February 2010.
MELCO manufactures and sells automotive parts, including starter motors, alternators, and ignition coils. Starter motors are small electric motors used in starting internal combustion engines. Alternators generate an electric current while the engine is in operation. Ignition coils are part of the fuel ignition system and release electric energy suddenly to ignite a fuel mixture.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
According to a one-count felony charge, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to rig bids for and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of compressors and condensers it sold to General Motors and Mitsubishi Motors North America in the United States and elsewhere. According to the charge, MHI and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from at least as early as January 2001 until at least February 2010.
MHI manufactures and sells compressors and condensers. A compressor produces and circulates highly pressurized refrigerant gas throughout the car air conditioning system. A condenser cools the engine by condensing the refrigerant gas into liquid and releasing heat.
T.RAD Co. Ltd.
According to a one-count felony charge, T.RAD Co. Ltd. and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to rig bids for and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of radiators it sold to Toyota and Honda and the prices of automatic transmission fluid warmers (ATF warmers) sold to Toyota in the United States and elsewhere. According to the charge, T.RAD and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from November 2002 until February 2010.
T.RAD manufactures and sells heat exchangers, including radiators and ATF Warmers. Radiators are devices located in the engine compartment of a vehicle that cool the engine. ATF warmers are devices located in the engine compartment of a vehicle that warm the automatic transmission fluid.
Valeo Japan Co. Ltd.
According to a one-count felony charge, Valeo Japan Co. Ltd. and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to allocate the supply of, rig bids for, and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of air conditioning systems it sold to Nissan North America Inc., Suzuki Motor Corporation, and Subaru in the United States and elsewhere. According to the charge, Valeo and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from April 2006 until February 2010.
Valeo was engaged in the manufacture and sale of automotive air conditioning systems, which are systems that cool the interior environment of a vehicle. Air conditioning systems, whether sold together or separately, are defined as automotive compressors, condensers, HVAC units (typically consisting of a blower motor, actuators, flaps, evaporator, heater core, and filter embedded in a plastic housing), control panels, sensors, and associated hoses and pipes.
Gary Walker
According to a one-count felony charge, Gary Walker, a U.S. citizen and former executive of a U.S. subsidiary of a Japan-based automotive products supplier, engaged in a conspiracy to rig bids for and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of seatbelts sold to Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota in the United States and elsewhere. According to the charge, Walker and his co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from at least January 1, 2003 until at least February 2010.
The following charges were filed last week in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati:
Jtekt Corporation
According to a two-count felony charge, Jtekt and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to allocate markets, to rig bids for, and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of bearings it sold to Toyota and electric powered steering assemblies it sold to Nissan in the United States and elsewhere. According to the charge, Jtekt and its co-conspirators carried out the bearings conspiracy from 2000 until July 2011 and the steering assemblies conspiracy from 2005 until October 2011.
Jtekt manufactures and sells bearings and steering assemblies. Bearings are widely used in industry in numerous applications for many products. Bearings reduce friction and help components to roll smoothly past on another. Electric powered steering assemblies provide electric power to help the driver more easily steer the automobile. Electric powered steering assemblies link the steering wheel to the tires, and include the column, intermediate shaft, and electronic control unit, among other parts, but do not include the steering wheel or tires.
NSK Ltd.
According to a one-count felony charge, NSK and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to allocate markets, to rig bids for, and to fix, stabilize, and maintain the prices of bearings it sold to Toyota in the United States and elsewhere. NSK manufactures and sells bearings. According to the charge, NSK and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from 2000 until July 2011.
The following charges were filed last week in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in Toledo:
Yamashita Rubber Co. Ltd.
According to a one-count felony charge, Yamashita Rubber Co. Ltd. and co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to rig bids for and to fix, raise, and maintain the prices of automotive anti-vibration rubber products it sold in the United States and elsewhere to Honda Motor Co. Ltd., American Honda Motor Company Inc. and Suzuki Motor Corporation. According to the charge, Yamashita Rubber Co. and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from at least April 2003 until May 2012.
Automotive anti-vibration rubber products are composed primarily of rubber and metal and are installed in automobiles to reduce engine and road vibration.
Tetsuya Kunida
According to a one-count felony charge, Tetsuya Kunida, a former executive of a U.S. subsidiary of a Japan-based automotive anti-vibration rubber products supplier, engaged in a conspiracy by agreeing during meetings and conversations to rig bids for and to fix, raise, and maintain the prices of automotive anti-vibration rubber products. The conspiracy affected sales of automotive anti-vibration rubber products to Toyota Motor Corporation and other automakers in the United States and elsewhere. ccording to the charge, Kunida and his co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from at least November 2001 until May 2012.
DENSO Corporation, Nippon Seiki Ltd., Tokai Rika Co. Ltd., Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd, Yazaki Corp., G.S. Electech Inc., Fujikura Ltd., Autoliv Inc., TRW Deutschland Holding GmbH, Diamond Electric Mfg. Co. Ltd., and Panasonic Corporation have already pleaded guilty. Fifteen individuals have been sentenced to pay criminal fines and to serve prison sentences ranging from a year and a day to two years each.
The companies and individuals are charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries maximum penalties of a $100 million criminal fine for corporations and a $1 million criminal fine and 10 years in prison for individuals. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine. Additionally, Mitsuba was also charged with obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum penalty of a $500,000 criminal fine.
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