Dwayne Bowe

Week Twelve Analysis: A little like Larry Fitzgerald, Dwayne Bowe is a very good receiver, playing for a very bad football team. His quarterbacks simply can't get him the ball, especially in the end zone. And now he's got a knee injury to contend with. Compounding matters, when he's healthy enough to play, he's got a tough schedule, with only one particularly favorable matchup left. Even if he doesn't miss any time with the injury, I don't know that he'll get a starting grade more than once the rest of the year.

Week Nine Analysis: Brady Quinn's concussion means that he can't remember who Dwayne Bowe is. Then again, it seems like he didn't recognize him before he suffered the brain damage. Since Brady Quinn has taken over at quarterback in Week 6, Bowe is averaging three catches for 43 yards. He also hasn't had double digit targets in a game since the last time Cassel finished a ballgame in Week 4. Fortunately, Matt Cassel returns to the starting lineup, which can only help Bowe. Prior to last week's impossible passing conditions in Cleveland, the Chargers had given up seven touchdowns to wide receivers in their last two games. For the season, they've allowed the fifth-most touchdowns to Bowe's position.

Week Eight Analysis: Only five wide receivers in the league are averaging 11 or more targets per game this season. Dwayne Bowe is one of them, although he's probably the one in the least ideal passing situation. The Chiefs have turned over the offensive keys to quarterback Brady Quinn, who looks like a frightened bunny under center. In their last game Quinn could only hook up with Bowe for three catches and 21 yards against an unspectacular Bucs defense. This week Bowe faces another brand of pirate in the Raiders. It's only fitting that Oakland's stadium is nicknamed the Black Hole because everything sucks. The Raiders have allowed five wide receivers to both top 70 yards and score in the last four games.

Week Six Analysis: Only Reggie Wayne has been targeted more than Dwayne Bowe. Despite lousy quarterback play, Bowe has had six or more receptions and 60 or more yards in four games this year. No matter who starts at quarterback, Bowe should do well against the Bucs defense. Tampa has allowed every receiver with a pulse to top 100 yards against them, the list includes; Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Miles Austin. The Bucs are allowing the most receptions per game to wideouts (just under 17 per game) and the most yards to wide receivers at 262 per game.

Week Five Analysis: Dwayne Bowe has remained a reliable option in the passing game despite crappy quarterback play in Kansas City. In his last three games, Bowe is averaging seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. Impressive. With the possibility of Brady Quinn starting or Matt Cassel receiving the quick hook, his matchup against the tough Ravens defense looks even less promising than usual. Baltimore has given up 320 passing yards or more in each of their last three games, but has allowed only two touchdowns through the air all season. It sounds like too many moving pieces and too few touchdowns for Bowe to have a big game.

Week Four Analysis: Only Reggie Wayne has more targets than Dwayne Bowe this season. Bowe's 15 and 16 targets in the last two weeks have brought his average to 12 targets per game. If any stat dictates success for wide receivers in the NFL, it's targets. In the last four seasons, wideouts that have been targeted more than 150 times have averaged nine touchdowns a season. Bowe is on pace for over 190 targets right now, so his chances of hauling in double digit touchdowns is great. This week Bowe matches up against a familiar foe in San Diego. Bowe has scored more touchdowns against the Chargers than any other team in his career and the Chargers have allowed a touchdown to a wide receiver in each of their three games this year.

Week Three Analysis: In watching a replay of the Chiefs performance against Buffalo last week, three things are painfully obvious. First, the Chiefs can't figure out their running game. Second, Matt Cassel looks barely serviceable as an NFL quarterback. And finally, he only looks serviceable when throwing to Dwayne Bowe. Bowe came up with a couple of late touchdowns last week against the Bills, which is a hopeful sign that he's about to break out. This week he has a great chance to do just that as he faces a Saints defense that has allowed three receivers to top 90 yards already this season and allowed over 200 yards to the wide receivers in four of their last six games.

Week Two Analysis: I still like Dwayne Bowe despite the Chiefs' commitment to the run and the emergence of Dexter McCluster as a viable wide receiver option. Why do I like Bowe? He's six inches taller than McCluster, he's only a season removed from a 15-touchdown season and everyone on the Kansas City offense is healthy at this moment. The opponent this week, the Buffalo Bills, were toasted by rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill in his first NFL start. Maybe the Jets were on to something and the Bills are exploitable for the long ball, it's something that the Chiefs and Dwayne Bowe will likely explore on Sunday.

Week One Analysis: To say Dwayne Bowe was a bit of a disappointment last season is like saying Titanic was a good-sized boat. Going from 15 touchdowns in 2010 to only scoring five last year was a huge letdown for fantasy owners everywhere. Why will it be any different this year? This week? Bowe simply has everything to lose. Playing under the one-year franchise tender, Bowe's going to do everything possible to hit the big pay day. That starts with a matchup against the Falcons. Atlanta allowed 10 wide receivers to top 80 yards last season and tied for tenth most touchdowns to opposing wideouts with 17. The secondary in Atlanta improved with the addition of Asante Samuel this offseason though, so while we'll start Bowe, we aren't overly optimistic about a breakout performance.

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