Start’em
Carson Palmer, Bengals. Heard on Atlanta sports talk today that for several days Marvin Lewis had been telling people Palmer probably would not play and could not grip the football. A press release might have been nice. Palmer did not play, so that is big loss for me.
JT O’Sullivan, Niners. JT went 18-36 for 257 yards and a touchdown. That sounds great until you figure in the 2 interceptions and 6 sacks. O’Sullivan put up some Fantasy points for owners and for the Saints’ defense. I am calling this a win.
Matt Forte, Bears. Forte finished the game with 85 total yards rushing and receiving. Clearly, this was not a great game for Fantasy owners, but Forte was vital to the Bears’ offense. He is the only running back they can put into the game with confidence.
Hines Ward, Pittsburgh. Wow, do I need Hines Ward to come through with a big game tonight. He must score a touchdown. This is the worst game I have watched the Steelers play in a long time. Hines might not even have a catch in this game. No matter what happens I am calling this a loss and the game is still in the 3rd quarter. Hines finished with 57 yards on 2 catches.
Marshawn Lynch, Bills. He finished the game with only 81 combined rushing and receiving yards. Lynch should get into the end zone every week. Against St. Louis, he has to at least get a touchdown—I was counting on 2 TDs this week.
Sit’em
Jake Delhomme, Panthers. The Falcons’ defense let me down. Delhomme passed for 294 yards and 2 TDs. This included a 56 yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith. With Smith back, Delhomme has some weapons to spread the football around to on offense. Muhsin Muhammed is a great number two wide receiver and complement to the speedster Smith. In a weak division, Delhomme is capable of scoring in the high teens in Fantasy each week.
Philip Rivers, San Diego. Going into week 4, Rivers was the number 1 Fantasy scorer. The Raiders were able to shut him down, but LT ran wild on Oakland in the 4th quarter. Rivers finished the game 14-25 for 180 yards with a touchdown and 2 interceptions. Rivers is still a must start, but I always get nervous when everyone is comparing a QB to Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
Michael Turner, Falcons. 56 yards on 18 carries is not even an average game for Turner. Everyone’s expectations have been raised by his quick start for the Falcons. Depending on your running back situation, Turner might only be a start when the Falcons play at home. He is the main option at running back, so he is going to have opportunities every week. This is clearly a win for me.
Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals. The Cardinals versus Jets game was unbelievable. Fantasy points were piling up for lots of different players. For some reason, I thought this game was going to be low-scoring and be played in a rain storm. That prediction could not have been more wrong. Fitzgerald had another solid game with 122 yards on 8 catches.
Adrian Peterson, Vikings. With 80 yards rushing, Peterson matched what I thought he would accumulate yardage wise. My problem is that he scored 2 touchdowns. Peterson has not had the monster weeks like he did last year, but he is clearly one of the top 2 running backs in the NFL. Play him every week and forget what I said about him losing a step!
Totals: 3-6-1 (Overall 21-14-3)
My Picks
Wins: Texans, Panthers, Saints, Jets, Buccaneers, Titans, Chargers, Redskins
Losses: Bengals, Broncos, Rams, Eagles, Steelers
Total: 8-5 (Overall 35-24-1)
Eliminator Contest. My season is over. The Chiefs just ran over the Broncos on Sunday. The Broncos defense was awful and Larry Johnson had a great day. The coronation of Jay Cutler as the next John Elway will have to wait.
Fantasy Games. I won my Dallas league game and moved to 2-2 despite getting 0 points from Bills’ TE Robert Royal and 0 points from the Atlanta Falcons’ defense. Starting David Garrard in place of Roethlisberger paid off with a big game from Garrard. My receivers, Santana Moss and Jericho Cotchery, exploded for big points. In my Atlanta league, I made some terrible plays this week. I started Selvin Young instead of Edgerrin James, because I figured Denver would put up a ton of points against Kansas City. In the first few weeks, I have been alternating Donald Driver and Tory Holt at WR. Driver was awful yesterday. Right now, I am 18 points behind with the Steelers’ defense and Hines Ward left to play tonight. Ended up losing my game by 3 points. I really needed a touchdown from Hines tonight.
*On a personal note, I could not be more frustrated right now by the Steelers’ performance tonight. Steelers look confused on both sides of the ball. Finally, Hines Ward just caught a pass. Okay, let me watch this comeback. Steelers won on a Jeff Reed field goal in overtime.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Start'em or Sit'em - Week 4
Start’em
Carson Palmer, Bengals. The Bengals will ride the confidence of last week’s game and put up lots of points this week versus the Browns. This game could be a shoot out. Palmer will throw for a couple of touchdowns and near 300 yards. Expect Palmer to make a strong effort to find Ocho Cinquo.
JT O’Sullivan, Niners. There’s something about JT. Niners are scoring lots of points and the Saints are giving up lots of points. O’Sullivan has weapons at almost every skill position. The wide receivers are deep and solid if not spectacular. Plus, Gore is going to be hard to handle for the Saints.
Matt Forte, Bears. This pick seems to be in the wrong place after what the Eagles did to the Steelers’ running game last week; but there is a big difference between blitzing at home and blitzing on the road. The Cowboys were able to run against the Eagles. If Forte can get off to a fast start, he runs for over 100 yards on Sunday night.
Hines Ward, Pittsburgh. This game has all the ingredients in the recipe for a big game for Ward--national TV game versus the hated Ravens, Steelers coming off a loss, and a frenzied home crowd. Expect Ward to catch at least one touchdown pass. He also will throw a couple of big blocks and maybe draw one “unnecessary roughness” penalty. Sometimes, those penalties set a physical tone for the game. Here we go Steelers, here we go!
Marshawn Lynch, Bills. I know, I know, Marshawn is a must start every week. With the risky picks in the next section, I need a guaranteed win. Lynch on turf against the Rams is perfect conditions for a huge Fantasy game. If Coach Jauron lets him play, Lynch might be looking at 3 touchdowns.
Sit’em
Jake Delhomme, Panthers. The Panthers versus the Falcons is going to be a low scoring, physical game. Both teams are going to run the football and eat up the clock. Delhomme is a leader, but I do not see him throwing the football downfield. The short passing game works to win NFL games, but it does not mean big statistics for Delhomme. The Falcons’ defense is underrated, and John Abraham should be all over Delhomme.
Philip Rivers, San Diego. San Diego has a lot of weapons on offense, but I am not totally sold on Rivers. Every week when a QB has a great game, the fans and the columnists overreact and anoint the guy the best quarterback in the league. When teams play against divisional rivals, the games are very unpredictable. The strength of the Raiders’ defense is in their secondary. San Diego wins a close low scoring contest.
Michael Turner, Falcons. Turner has been a dominant force in the Falcons’ two home games. On the road, he was not effective against Tampa Bay. Coach John Fox and the Carolina Panthers are going to take away the running game. Matt Ryan will have to make the plays to win for the Falcons. Look for Turner to have around 80 yards rushing, but no touchdowns.
Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals. The players in this section are Fantasy studs. The big reason Fitzgerald makes this list is that the weather is supposed to be terrible in New York this weekend. The Cardinals passing game might not be able to function if the weather is bad. Also, Fitzgerald is the key to the offense and the Jets have Darelle Revis at cornerback. Revis should draw the task of shutting down Fitzgerald.
Adrian Peterson, Vikings. The Tennessee Titans defense will stop Peterson. I think Peterson is not the same back on grass as he is on turf. The Titans bandwagon is filling up and another win this Sunday will make them 4-0. Has Peterson lost a step?
My Picks
@Bengals -3.5 Browns - Bengals
@Jaguars -7.5 Texans - Texans
@Panthers -7.5 Falcons - Panthers
Broncos -9 @Chiefs - Broncos
@Saints -6 Niners - Saints
@Jets -1 Cardinals - Jets
@Buccaneers -1.5 Packers - Buccaneers
@Titans -3 Vikings - Titans
Chargers -7 @Raiders - Chargers
Bills -8 @Rams - Rams
@Cowboys -11 Redskins - Redskins
Eagles -3 @Bears - Eagles
@Steelers -5.5 Ravens - Steelers
Eliminator Contest. After that narrow escape last Sunday, I want a stone cold lead pipe lock. At first glance, I do not see any of those. Most of the time before I make a pick I consider the Vegas odds. In Vegas, your money and your job depend on setting these lines. Also, these guys have inside information from all kinds of sources. According to the spreads, this week I am taking the Broncos to beat the Chiefs.
Trade Proposals. I tried to make a blockbuster trade Tuesday night in my Atlanta league. I offered Kurt Warner and Anthony Fasano to another owner in exchange for Randy Moss and Trent Edwards. Tony Romo is my weekly starting quarterback, so giving up Warner for Edwards is not a major sacrifice. Plus, my potential trading partner lost Jeremy Shockey his only TE. Of course, he quickly rejected the deal. He said he was worried that Warner was going to get hurt. Warner is like mortgage derivatives—you might as well take a chance and make some money on them, because the government will bail you out if something bad happens. Now, I am determined to make a deal just for the sake of making a deal.
Handcuffs. On Sunday night, one of my friends that checks out this blog asked me what “handcuffs” means in Fantasy football. A handcuff is when you draft (or acquire) one of your starting players’ back up in case your starter gets hurt. For example, two years ago I drafted LaDainian Tomlinson with the first pick in the draft. Then, in a later round, I took Michael Turner. Turner is handcuffed to Tomlinson. The value of the move is determined by draft position and if you ever even play the other guy. Here is the danger--the back up starts playing well; and you start thinking about playing them both at the same time. This week I was able to win a game against an owner that started Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw ended up having a terrible week, but when you do not play the handcuff / backup player and they play well it’s frustrating.
Carson Palmer, Bengals. The Bengals will ride the confidence of last week’s game and put up lots of points this week versus the Browns. This game could be a shoot out. Palmer will throw for a couple of touchdowns and near 300 yards. Expect Palmer to make a strong effort to find Ocho Cinquo.
JT O’Sullivan, Niners. There’s something about JT. Niners are scoring lots of points and the Saints are giving up lots of points. O’Sullivan has weapons at almost every skill position. The wide receivers are deep and solid if not spectacular. Plus, Gore is going to be hard to handle for the Saints.
Matt Forte, Bears. This pick seems to be in the wrong place after what the Eagles did to the Steelers’ running game last week; but there is a big difference between blitzing at home and blitzing on the road. The Cowboys were able to run against the Eagles. If Forte can get off to a fast start, he runs for over 100 yards on Sunday night.
Hines Ward, Pittsburgh. This game has all the ingredients in the recipe for a big game for Ward--national TV game versus the hated Ravens, Steelers coming off a loss, and a frenzied home crowd. Expect Ward to catch at least one touchdown pass. He also will throw a couple of big blocks and maybe draw one “unnecessary roughness” penalty. Sometimes, those penalties set a physical tone for the game. Here we go Steelers, here we go!
Marshawn Lynch, Bills. I know, I know, Marshawn is a must start every week. With the risky picks in the next section, I need a guaranteed win. Lynch on turf against the Rams is perfect conditions for a huge Fantasy game. If Coach Jauron lets him play, Lynch might be looking at 3 touchdowns.
Sit’em
Jake Delhomme, Panthers. The Panthers versus the Falcons is going to be a low scoring, physical game. Both teams are going to run the football and eat up the clock. Delhomme is a leader, but I do not see him throwing the football downfield. The short passing game works to win NFL games, but it does not mean big statistics for Delhomme. The Falcons’ defense is underrated, and John Abraham should be all over Delhomme.
Philip Rivers, San Diego. San Diego has a lot of weapons on offense, but I am not totally sold on Rivers. Every week when a QB has a great game, the fans and the columnists overreact and anoint the guy the best quarterback in the league. When teams play against divisional rivals, the games are very unpredictable. The strength of the Raiders’ defense is in their secondary. San Diego wins a close low scoring contest.
Michael Turner, Falcons. Turner has been a dominant force in the Falcons’ two home games. On the road, he was not effective against Tampa Bay. Coach John Fox and the Carolina Panthers are going to take away the running game. Matt Ryan will have to make the plays to win for the Falcons. Look for Turner to have around 80 yards rushing, but no touchdowns.
Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals. The players in this section are Fantasy studs. The big reason Fitzgerald makes this list is that the weather is supposed to be terrible in New York this weekend. The Cardinals passing game might not be able to function if the weather is bad. Also, Fitzgerald is the key to the offense and the Jets have Darelle Revis at cornerback. Revis should draw the task of shutting down Fitzgerald.
Adrian Peterson, Vikings. The Tennessee Titans defense will stop Peterson. I think Peterson is not the same back on grass as he is on turf. The Titans bandwagon is filling up and another win this Sunday will make them 4-0. Has Peterson lost a step?
My Picks
@Bengals -3.5 Browns - Bengals
@Jaguars -7.5 Texans - Texans
@Panthers -7.5 Falcons - Panthers
Broncos -9 @Chiefs - Broncos
@Saints -6 Niners - Saints
@Jets -1 Cardinals - Jets
@Buccaneers -1.5 Packers - Buccaneers
@Titans -3 Vikings - Titans
Chargers -7 @Raiders - Chargers
Bills -8 @Rams - Rams
@Cowboys -11 Redskins - Redskins
Eagles -3 @Bears - Eagles
@Steelers -5.5 Ravens - Steelers
Eliminator Contest. After that narrow escape last Sunday, I want a stone cold lead pipe lock. At first glance, I do not see any of those. Most of the time before I make a pick I consider the Vegas odds. In Vegas, your money and your job depend on setting these lines. Also, these guys have inside information from all kinds of sources. According to the spreads, this week I am taking the Broncos to beat the Chiefs.
Trade Proposals. I tried to make a blockbuster trade Tuesday night in my Atlanta league. I offered Kurt Warner and Anthony Fasano to another owner in exchange for Randy Moss and Trent Edwards. Tony Romo is my weekly starting quarterback, so giving up Warner for Edwards is not a major sacrifice. Plus, my potential trading partner lost Jeremy Shockey his only TE. Of course, he quickly rejected the deal. He said he was worried that Warner was going to get hurt. Warner is like mortgage derivatives—you might as well take a chance and make some money on them, because the government will bail you out if something bad happens. Now, I am determined to make a deal just for the sake of making a deal.
Handcuffs. On Sunday night, one of my friends that checks out this blog asked me what “handcuffs” means in Fantasy football. A handcuff is when you draft (or acquire) one of your starting players’ back up in case your starter gets hurt. For example, two years ago I drafted LaDainian Tomlinson with the first pick in the draft. Then, in a later round, I took Michael Turner. Turner is handcuffed to Tomlinson. The value of the move is determined by draft position and if you ever even play the other guy. Here is the danger--the back up starts playing well; and you start thinking about playing them both at the same time. This week I was able to win a game against an owner that started Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw ended up having a terrible week, but when you do not play the handcuff / backup player and they play well it’s frustrating.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Quick Slants - Week 3
Waiver Wire:
The bye weeks begin this week. Six teams with big name players have the week off. Most Fantasy owners already have made a couple of moves to tweak their rosters; but this week should see a big increase in waiver wire and trade activity. Besides the major injury to Tom Brady, top tier quarterbacks are staying healthy. A few quarterbacks have been benched for poor play. The backups on these teams might be able to step up. My advice is to look at a couple of young guys that have already been playing. JaMarcus Russell and Matt Ryan are available in most leagues. Be aware that Russell has a bye week next week. That fact could work to your advantage, because you can pick him up and sit him for one more week. After three weeks, he has more Fantasy points than Peyton Manning. I have watched the Falcons and like Matt Ryan. He has weapons around him. He is an accurate passer. He is worth a start when the Falcons play at home. Other quarterbacks: I like Griese (and keep an eye on Kevin Kolb if McNabb can't play), but stay away from Collins, Huard, Quinn, and Trent Green. I pretty much can guarantee Green not lasting the whole game this weekend.
At the running back position, the big move this week is to go after Rashad Mendenhall. In deeper and competitive leagues, he is probably already taken. I have seen some columnists saying to not play him against the Ravens. If he does not fumble, Mendenhall will gain yards against the Ravens. Their wins have come against the Bengals and Browns! Plus, the Steelers traditionally can run the football against the Ravens. The other player to seriously consider is Correll Buckhalter. Westbrook is going to be hobbled and Buckhalter fits right into Westbrook’s role in the offense. The big drawback is that every week Westbrook will not practice and then try to play on Sunday. Every week, you will be frantically checking the active / inactive list to see if Westbrook is going to play. I still like Warrick Dunn and Michael Bush, but stay away from Leron McClain of the Ravens until you see if McGahee is going to return to full strength.
The wide receiver position makes Fantasy Football great. Every week is different for these players. Guys come out of nowhere for big games and then disappear for weeks. Even top draft picks, like Terrell Owens, are not guaranteed to get opportunities. Managing your WRs and picking the right guys to play is key to winning your games. I am still promoting Bobby Meachem and Chansi Stuckey. Favre is looking for this guy. Check out the 49ers’ receivers. JT O’Sullivan is getting better each week and you know Coach Martz is going to through the football. Other guys I like are Roscoe Parrish and Miles Austin. I think Patrick Crayton’s bad year is going to continue. Players I don’t like are Ike Clayton, Antonio Bryant, Mark Clayton, Brandon Lloyd, and Hank Baskett.
You probably need someone to replace the oft-injured Jeremy Shockey. The TE position has killed me this year. I have four total on two teams and last week I played the wrong two. That means take this advice for what it is worth. Pick up Donald Lee of the Green Bay Packers.
Pop Culture / State of the Union. The economy is keeping me from checking out www.MTV.com and watching The Hills. Whitney could probably do something to get this country moving again. George Bush’s press conference comes on in a few minutes. When someone in this Administration tells me that unless we do something there is going to be a calamity, I pause and think about how often these guys have been wrong. That list is endless. I have to agree with CNN’s Lou Dobbs tonight--we have to reject politics by fear and threats of disaster. We need to know what this bailout plan involves. Debate and intelligent discussion must occur. I actually found myself nodding my head when Pat Buchanan was talking about this issue. Scary. E-mail your national representatives and tell them not to bail these guys out!
The bye weeks begin this week. Six teams with big name players have the week off. Most Fantasy owners already have made a couple of moves to tweak their rosters; but this week should see a big increase in waiver wire and trade activity. Besides the major injury to Tom Brady, top tier quarterbacks are staying healthy. A few quarterbacks have been benched for poor play. The backups on these teams might be able to step up. My advice is to look at a couple of young guys that have already been playing. JaMarcus Russell and Matt Ryan are available in most leagues. Be aware that Russell has a bye week next week. That fact could work to your advantage, because you can pick him up and sit him for one more week. After three weeks, he has more Fantasy points than Peyton Manning. I have watched the Falcons and like Matt Ryan. He has weapons around him. He is an accurate passer. He is worth a start when the Falcons play at home. Other quarterbacks: I like Griese (and keep an eye on Kevin Kolb if McNabb can't play), but stay away from Collins, Huard, Quinn, and Trent Green. I pretty much can guarantee Green not lasting the whole game this weekend.
At the running back position, the big move this week is to go after Rashad Mendenhall. In deeper and competitive leagues, he is probably already taken. I have seen some columnists saying to not play him against the Ravens. If he does not fumble, Mendenhall will gain yards against the Ravens. Their wins have come against the Bengals and Browns! Plus, the Steelers traditionally can run the football against the Ravens. The other player to seriously consider is Correll Buckhalter. Westbrook is going to be hobbled and Buckhalter fits right into Westbrook’s role in the offense. The big drawback is that every week Westbrook will not practice and then try to play on Sunday. Every week, you will be frantically checking the active / inactive list to see if Westbrook is going to play. I still like Warrick Dunn and Michael Bush, but stay away from Leron McClain of the Ravens until you see if McGahee is going to return to full strength.
The wide receiver position makes Fantasy Football great. Every week is different for these players. Guys come out of nowhere for big games and then disappear for weeks. Even top draft picks, like Terrell Owens, are not guaranteed to get opportunities. Managing your WRs and picking the right guys to play is key to winning your games. I am still promoting Bobby Meachem and Chansi Stuckey. Favre is looking for this guy. Check out the 49ers’ receivers. JT O’Sullivan is getting better each week and you know Coach Martz is going to through the football. Other guys I like are Roscoe Parrish and Miles Austin. I think Patrick Crayton’s bad year is going to continue. Players I don’t like are Ike Clayton, Antonio Bryant, Mark Clayton, Brandon Lloyd, and Hank Baskett.
You probably need someone to replace the oft-injured Jeremy Shockey. The TE position has killed me this year. I have four total on two teams and last week I played the wrong two. That means take this advice for what it is worth. Pick up Donald Lee of the Green Bay Packers.
Pop Culture / State of the Union. The economy is keeping me from checking out www.MTV.com and watching The Hills. Whitney could probably do something to get this country moving again. George Bush’s press conference comes on in a few minutes. When someone in this Administration tells me that unless we do something there is going to be a calamity, I pause and think about how often these guys have been wrong. That list is endless. I have to agree with CNN’s Lou Dobbs tonight--we have to reject politics by fear and threats of disaster. We need to know what this bailout plan involves. Debate and intelligent discussion must occur. I actually found myself nodding my head when Pat Buchanan was talking about this issue. Scary. E-mail your national representatives and tell them not to bail these guys out!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Wrap Up - Week 3
Start’em
Jason Campbell, Redskins. Campbell orchestrated a great win for the Redskins. He was 22-30 for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns. Also, he added 26 yards scrambling for important first downs. With Cooley, Moss, and Randle El, Campbell is a must start for Fantasy owners.
Matt Ryan, Falcons. Why was the Georgia Dome so empty? Were people just late arriving to the game because of church? It is a shame, because Ryan managed a great game. He finished with 192 yards passing and 15 yards rushing. He came through for me with the predicted long touchdown pass to Roddy White. Ryan’s accuracy makes him a player the Falcons can build a team around. Ryan might be a play when the Falcons are at home.
Michael Bush, Raiders. The Raiders almost pulled off a great upset, but Bush did not come through with a great game. Against a mean-spirited Bills’ defense, he earned a tough 60 combined rushing and receiving yards. I need more though and Bush’s performance goes down as a loss.
Chester Taylor, Vikings. As soon as I saw that Adrian Peterson was going to play, I knew that Taylor would be limited in his opportunities. He managed to gain 66 combined rushing and receiving yards. The Vikings’ defense was relentless. Another loss marked down for my picks.
T.J. Houshmanzadeh, Bengals. Housh had 146 combined receiving and rushing yards with a 17 yard touchdown pass. After 5 total fantasy points in the first two weeks of the season, this game is an explosion for Houshmanzadeh. He had better start playing well, because he is in a contract year! Bengals are a dangerous team if their offense starts playing better.
Sit’em
Matt Cassell, Patriots. The coronation of Cassell will have to wait. He has to find a way to stretch the field and find Randy Moss. Against Miami, he was 19-31 for 131 yards passing with a TD and an interception. With former Steeler Joey Porter in his face, he had a very hard time throwing the football downfield. Now, Moss is basically a non-factor for the Patriots.
Donovan McNabb, Eagles. #5 was 24 for 35 for 196 yards passing. He had a 20 yard touchdown pass to Correll Buckhalter. With a subtraction for an interception, McNabb finished with 8 Fantasy points. He was averaging 19 fppg in the first two weeks. I am calling this a tie.
Earnest Graham, Buccaneers. When the statistics ticker on the bottom of my TV screen flashed that Brian Griese threw the ball 67 times, I figured Graham was injured or something. He was nonexistent this week. The Bears dominated the Bucs' run blocking. Graham finished with 16 total yards rushing and receiving for 1 measly Fantasy point.
Braylon Edwards, Browns. To be fair, Edwards is dealing with an injury, but he was active this week. Even with all the dropped passes, Braylon is supposed to be a Pro Bowl quality wide receiver. He totaled 27 combined rushing and receiving yards. Ouch. Browns’ fans will be calling for Brady Quinn this week.
Santonio Holmes, Steelers. In most drafts, Holmes was a high wide receiver selection. Most owners figured this year to be a break out year for Santonio. Instead, he is struggling in the Steelers’ offense and Hines Ward has emerged as the main scoring threat. Holmes only could muster 32 combined rushing and receiving yards. Give a ton of credit to the Eagles’ defense which repeatedly sacked Big Ben.
Totals: 7 wins, 2 losses, 1 tie (Overall 18-8-2)
My Picks
Wins: Falcons, Raiders, Titans, Vikings, Dolphins, Bengals, Redskins, Niners, Jaguars, Ravens, Cowboys
Losses: Bears, Rams, Broncos, Steelers, Jets
Total: 11-5 (Overall 27-19-1)
Fantasy Games. This week was another 1-1 record for me in my two Fantasy leagues. But, I had a huge win in the Dallas League. I beat an undefeated team with a great line up. Luckily for me, Terrell Owens was a non-factor in the Sunday night game. In the Atlanta league, I fell to 2-1 with a divisional loss. My opponent had monster games from Drew Brees, Frank Gore, and Reggie Bush.
Eliminator Contest. I ended up picking the Bills to beat the Raiders. About 1/3 of the people in this contest picked the same winner. At 4 pm on Sunday, I was in a panic. Thank goodness for Trent Edwards and Ryan Lindell. Bills win and I survive elimination. My wife was not so lucky. Of course, she picked New England which seemed like a lock to beat the Dolphins. She blamed me, but she should be blaming Ronnie Brown and Joey Porter. We are down to a single entry in this contest.
Trade Proposal. An owner in my Dallas league offered me Desean Jackson and Selvin Young for Reggie Bush. Are you kidding me? Rejecting that trade was a no-brainer. I turned around and offered him Ryan Grant for Reggie Wayne. Grant was a higher draft pick and his value is increasing each week as he gets healthier. I thought that was a fair offer, but he immediately rejected the deal.
Jason Campbell, Redskins. Campbell orchestrated a great win for the Redskins. He was 22-30 for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns. Also, he added 26 yards scrambling for important first downs. With Cooley, Moss, and Randle El, Campbell is a must start for Fantasy owners.
Matt Ryan, Falcons. Why was the Georgia Dome so empty? Were people just late arriving to the game because of church? It is a shame, because Ryan managed a great game. He finished with 192 yards passing and 15 yards rushing. He came through for me with the predicted long touchdown pass to Roddy White. Ryan’s accuracy makes him a player the Falcons can build a team around. Ryan might be a play when the Falcons are at home.
Michael Bush, Raiders. The Raiders almost pulled off a great upset, but Bush did not come through with a great game. Against a mean-spirited Bills’ defense, he earned a tough 60 combined rushing and receiving yards. I need more though and Bush’s performance goes down as a loss.
Chester Taylor, Vikings. As soon as I saw that Adrian Peterson was going to play, I knew that Taylor would be limited in his opportunities. He managed to gain 66 combined rushing and receiving yards. The Vikings’ defense was relentless. Another loss marked down for my picks.
T.J. Houshmanzadeh, Bengals. Housh had 146 combined receiving and rushing yards with a 17 yard touchdown pass. After 5 total fantasy points in the first two weeks of the season, this game is an explosion for Houshmanzadeh. He had better start playing well, because he is in a contract year! Bengals are a dangerous team if their offense starts playing better.
Sit’em
Matt Cassell, Patriots. The coronation of Cassell will have to wait. He has to find a way to stretch the field and find Randy Moss. Against Miami, he was 19-31 for 131 yards passing with a TD and an interception. With former Steeler Joey Porter in his face, he had a very hard time throwing the football downfield. Now, Moss is basically a non-factor for the Patriots.
Donovan McNabb, Eagles. #5 was 24 for 35 for 196 yards passing. He had a 20 yard touchdown pass to Correll Buckhalter. With a subtraction for an interception, McNabb finished with 8 Fantasy points. He was averaging 19 fppg in the first two weeks. I am calling this a tie.
Earnest Graham, Buccaneers. When the statistics ticker on the bottom of my TV screen flashed that Brian Griese threw the ball 67 times, I figured Graham was injured or something. He was nonexistent this week. The Bears dominated the Bucs' run blocking. Graham finished with 16 total yards rushing and receiving for 1 measly Fantasy point.
Braylon Edwards, Browns. To be fair, Edwards is dealing with an injury, but he was active this week. Even with all the dropped passes, Braylon is supposed to be a Pro Bowl quality wide receiver. He totaled 27 combined rushing and receiving yards. Ouch. Browns’ fans will be calling for Brady Quinn this week.
Santonio Holmes, Steelers. In most drafts, Holmes was a high wide receiver selection. Most owners figured this year to be a break out year for Santonio. Instead, he is struggling in the Steelers’ offense and Hines Ward has emerged as the main scoring threat. Holmes only could muster 32 combined rushing and receiving yards. Give a ton of credit to the Eagles’ defense which repeatedly sacked Big Ben.
Totals: 7 wins, 2 losses, 1 tie (Overall 18-8-2)
My Picks
Wins: Falcons, Raiders, Titans, Vikings, Dolphins, Bengals, Redskins, Niners, Jaguars, Ravens, Cowboys
Losses: Bears, Rams, Broncos, Steelers, Jets
Total: 11-5 (Overall 27-19-1)
Fantasy Games. This week was another 1-1 record for me in my two Fantasy leagues. But, I had a huge win in the Dallas League. I beat an undefeated team with a great line up. Luckily for me, Terrell Owens was a non-factor in the Sunday night game. In the Atlanta league, I fell to 2-1 with a divisional loss. My opponent had monster games from Drew Brees, Frank Gore, and Reggie Bush.
Eliminator Contest. I ended up picking the Bills to beat the Raiders. About 1/3 of the people in this contest picked the same winner. At 4 pm on Sunday, I was in a panic. Thank goodness for Trent Edwards and Ryan Lindell. Bills win and I survive elimination. My wife was not so lucky. Of course, she picked New England which seemed like a lock to beat the Dolphins. She blamed me, but she should be blaming Ronnie Brown and Joey Porter. We are down to a single entry in this contest.
Trade Proposal. An owner in my Dallas league offered me Desean Jackson and Selvin Young for Reggie Bush. Are you kidding me? Rejecting that trade was a no-brainer. I turned around and offered him Ryan Grant for Reggie Wayne. Grant was a higher draft pick and his value is increasing each week as he gets healthier. I thought that was a fair offer, but he immediately rejected the deal.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Start'em or Sit'em - Week 3
Start’em
Jason Campbell, Redskins. The Redskins at home are a totally different team than on the road. Last week was a huge confidence builder for Campbell and for Coach Jim Zorn. The running game should be solid against the Cardinals. That fact should open up the field for Campbell and his receiving corps.
Matt Ryan, Falcons. Most of you probably are in a league in which Matty Ice is still available. If you do have him, this is the week to play him against Kansas City. The Falcons’ skill players are faster and more comfortable on the turf field of the Georgia Dome. KC is beat up, down, and the secondary is very young. Look for Ryan to throw for 2 touchdowns, a long completion to Roddy White, and a long screen pass to Jerious Norwood.
Michael Bush, Raiders. Raiders are terrible in the passing game. Every other running back is hurt (McFadden has a steel plate in his shoe?) Bush averaged around 9 yards per carry last week and should take any goal line carries. Raiders probably lose, but Bush is the only player they have to run the football. He should score a touchdown at least.
Chester Taylor, Vikings. Various reports have AD on the shelf this week and not practicing. That should scare Fantasy owners and also Vikings’ fans. Starting Frerotte should help the offense. Even if Peterson plays, Taylor should get plenty of touches on the ground. The bonus for him is that Frerotte will be able to find him in the short passing game. Taylor is great at running screens and picking up yards after the catch.
T.J. Houshmanzadeh, Bengals. What has happened to the Bengals? My spies in Cincinnati assure me that Housh will break out of his slump this week. Bengals are at the Giants which will make life miserable for QB Carson Palmer. This pick looks dumb, but at some point these guys have to break out and have a big game. Right?
Sit’em
Matt Cassell, Patriots. The reports of Cassell’s prowess are greatly exaggerated. The Dolphins have had a couple weeks to study the guy; and they do have guys that pressure the quarterback. The Patriots might run for over 200 yards, but Cassell will not have a good statistical game—no touchdown passes this week.
Donovan McNabb, Eagles. Listen, I think McNabb is great. He was one of my sleepers in a pre-draft column for this blog. He was unbelievable last weekend. The Eagles are going to throw the ball over 40 times this week. Everything is pointing to McNabb having a monster game. Everything except an aggressive, physical Steeler defense. Predicting injuries is not a nice thing, but look out for Blitzburgh’s linebackers.
Earnest Graham, Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is headed to Chicago and the Bears are coming off a tough loss to Carolina. Galloway is out. For some reason, this game feels like a classic 13-3 win for the Bears. Urlacher has a big game and stuffs Graham all day long.
Braylon Edwards, Browns. This one is too easy. Edwards is dropping balls and getting boos from the home crowd. Going on the road does not make anything better. I predict an 0-3 start for the hapless Browns, a Kellen Winslow meltdown (now that is an easy prediction), and Brady Quinn starting for the Browns in Week 4.
Santonio Holmes, Steelers. This pick hurts me. The Steelers are my team. While I think they win the game this week, the passing game is going to suffer. Roethlisberger is hurt and limited to intermediate passes. Plus, the Eagles secondary responds after being embarrassed Monday night and takes Holmes out of the game. Steelers probably score 2 defensive touchdowns and escape with a huge 23-21 road win.
My Picks
@Falcons -5.5 Chiefs - Falcons
@ Bills -9.5 Raiders - Raiders
@ Bears -3 Buccaneers - Bears
@ Titans -5 Texans - Titans
@ Vikings -3.5 Panthers - Vikings
@ Patriots -13 Dolphins - Dolphins
@ Giants -13 Bengals - Bengals
@ Redskins -3 Cardinals - Redskins
@ Niners -4 Lions - Niners
@ Seahawks -9.5 Rams - Rams
@ Broncos -5.5 Saints - Broncos
@ Eagles -3 Steelers - Steelers
@ Colts -5 Jaguars - Jaguars
@ Ravens -2.5 Browns - Ravens
Cowboys -3 @ Packers - Cowboys
@ Chargers -10 Jets - Jets
Eliminator Contest. I need to think about this pick more on Saturday and add it to the post. I want to pick the Falcons, but I just do not have the confidence yet. My wife picked New England to beat Miami. I ended up taking Buffalo to beat Oakland. Early on, these picks look like trouble.
Trade Proposal: I logged onto my Dallas League site, and I had a trade proposal banner waving on the home page. There hardly ever are any trades in this league, because the owners are too smart and too competitive. No one wants to get burned. One of these guys still is living down taking TE Stephen Alexander of Denver with a high draft pick a couple of years back. The proposal is Selvin Young and Desean Jackson for Reggie Bush. This actually makes sense for me because I am weak at WR. I have to consider Jackson’s tendency to make ridiculous errors; and my belief that Michael Pittman is really the Broncos’ goal line back. Plus, I want to say "I told you so" when Bush scores 12 total TDs this year. No way I make this deal. Reggie Bush for Reggie Wayne, maybe?
Ryder Cup. What is Nick Faldo thinking? Hey, I am rooting for America in this, but is Faldo trying to give away the Ryder Cup? Sitting Garcia and Westwood is like Phil Jackson sitting Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant in game 3 of a 5 game series against the Knicks in 1991 (Padraig Harrington clearly is the Jordan on this team). Westwood has scored points in 12 straight matches. Stupid. Maybe Garcia and Westwood questioned the crazy decision to leave Colin Montgomery and Darren Clarke off the team. I would have paid to see Monty today playing against Boo Weekley. That would have been priceless.
Jason Campbell, Redskins. The Redskins at home are a totally different team than on the road. Last week was a huge confidence builder for Campbell and for Coach Jim Zorn. The running game should be solid against the Cardinals. That fact should open up the field for Campbell and his receiving corps.
Matt Ryan, Falcons. Most of you probably are in a league in which Matty Ice is still available. If you do have him, this is the week to play him against Kansas City. The Falcons’ skill players are faster and more comfortable on the turf field of the Georgia Dome. KC is beat up, down, and the secondary is very young. Look for Ryan to throw for 2 touchdowns, a long completion to Roddy White, and a long screen pass to Jerious Norwood.
Michael Bush, Raiders. Raiders are terrible in the passing game. Every other running back is hurt (McFadden has a steel plate in his shoe?) Bush averaged around 9 yards per carry last week and should take any goal line carries. Raiders probably lose, but Bush is the only player they have to run the football. He should score a touchdown at least.
Chester Taylor, Vikings. Various reports have AD on the shelf this week and not practicing. That should scare Fantasy owners and also Vikings’ fans. Starting Frerotte should help the offense. Even if Peterson plays, Taylor should get plenty of touches on the ground. The bonus for him is that Frerotte will be able to find him in the short passing game. Taylor is great at running screens and picking up yards after the catch.
T.J. Houshmanzadeh, Bengals. What has happened to the Bengals? My spies in Cincinnati assure me that Housh will break out of his slump this week. Bengals are at the Giants which will make life miserable for QB Carson Palmer. This pick looks dumb, but at some point these guys have to break out and have a big game. Right?
Sit’em
Matt Cassell, Patriots. The reports of Cassell’s prowess are greatly exaggerated. The Dolphins have had a couple weeks to study the guy; and they do have guys that pressure the quarterback. The Patriots might run for over 200 yards, but Cassell will not have a good statistical game—no touchdown passes this week.
Donovan McNabb, Eagles. Listen, I think McNabb is great. He was one of my sleepers in a pre-draft column for this blog. He was unbelievable last weekend. The Eagles are going to throw the ball over 40 times this week. Everything is pointing to McNabb having a monster game. Everything except an aggressive, physical Steeler defense. Predicting injuries is not a nice thing, but look out for Blitzburgh’s linebackers.
Earnest Graham, Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is headed to Chicago and the Bears are coming off a tough loss to Carolina. Galloway is out. For some reason, this game feels like a classic 13-3 win for the Bears. Urlacher has a big game and stuffs Graham all day long.
Braylon Edwards, Browns. This one is too easy. Edwards is dropping balls and getting boos from the home crowd. Going on the road does not make anything better. I predict an 0-3 start for the hapless Browns, a Kellen Winslow meltdown (now that is an easy prediction), and Brady Quinn starting for the Browns in Week 4.
Santonio Holmes, Steelers. This pick hurts me. The Steelers are my team. While I think they win the game this week, the passing game is going to suffer. Roethlisberger is hurt and limited to intermediate passes. Plus, the Eagles secondary responds after being embarrassed Monday night and takes Holmes out of the game. Steelers probably score 2 defensive touchdowns and escape with a huge 23-21 road win.
My Picks
@Falcons -5.5 Chiefs - Falcons
@ Bills -9.5 Raiders - Raiders
@ Bears -3 Buccaneers - Bears
@ Titans -5 Texans - Titans
@ Vikings -3.5 Panthers - Vikings
@ Patriots -13 Dolphins - Dolphins
@ Giants -13 Bengals - Bengals
@ Redskins -3 Cardinals - Redskins
@ Niners -4 Lions - Niners
@ Seahawks -9.5 Rams - Rams
@ Broncos -5.5 Saints - Broncos
@ Eagles -3 Steelers - Steelers
@ Colts -5 Jaguars - Jaguars
@ Ravens -2.5 Browns - Ravens
Cowboys -3 @ Packers - Cowboys
@ Chargers -10 Jets - Jets
Eliminator Contest. I need to think about this pick more on Saturday and add it to the post. I want to pick the Falcons, but I just do not have the confidence yet. My wife picked New England to beat Miami. I ended up taking Buffalo to beat Oakland. Early on, these picks look like trouble.
Trade Proposal: I logged onto my Dallas League site, and I had a trade proposal banner waving on the home page. There hardly ever are any trades in this league, because the owners are too smart and too competitive. No one wants to get burned. One of these guys still is living down taking TE Stephen Alexander of Denver with a high draft pick a couple of years back. The proposal is Selvin Young and Desean Jackson for Reggie Bush. This actually makes sense for me because I am weak at WR. I have to consider Jackson’s tendency to make ridiculous errors; and my belief that Michael Pittman is really the Broncos’ goal line back. Plus, I want to say "I told you so" when Bush scores 12 total TDs this year. No way I make this deal. Reggie Bush for Reggie Wayne, maybe?
Ryder Cup. What is Nick Faldo thinking? Hey, I am rooting for America in this, but is Faldo trying to give away the Ryder Cup? Sitting Garcia and Westwood is like Phil Jackson sitting Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant in game 3 of a 5 game series against the Knicks in 1991 (Padraig Harrington clearly is the Jordan on this team). Westwood has scored points in 12 straight matches. Stupid. Maybe Garcia and Westwood questioned the crazy decision to leave Colin Montgomery and Darren Clarke off the team. I would have paid to see Monty today playing against Boo Weekley. That would have been priceless.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Quick Slants - Week 2
Waiver Wire:
If you are looking for a quarterback on the waiver wire, you are looking at very few options. My advice would be to see if someone in your league will make a trade. Kerry Collins is an option, but he played well last week and did not score many Fantasy points. I do see him starting for the Titans for awhile. The Tampa Bay situation is hazier. Griese and Garcia almost are interchangeable for Coach Jon Gruden. A quarterback that you can take a chance on is Gus Frerotte. He most likely will be starting in Week 4. Depending on your situation, he is worth a gamble. (I actually wrote this part before Coach Brad Childress named Frerotte the starter. Frerotte is a great pick up and a starter depending on the Vikings’ match up).
At the running back position, there are interesting players that should be available in your league. Darren Sproles, backup RB for the Chargers, had a huge game this weekend. He is a big play guy, but you cannot be sure of how many touches he will have week to week. I like Brandon Jackson from Green Bay and Warrick Dunn from Tampa Bay. I have Ryan Grant in my Dallas league. The hamstring injury is clearly bothering him. He barely broke the line of scrimmage against the Lions. Jackson is Grant’s backup and someone to keep in mind. With Galloway’s injury, Dunn is a scoring option for Tampa Bay. He is an older version of Sproles. Earnest Graham is going to carry the rushing load for the Buccaneers, but if you need running back help Dunn should get more opportunities each week.
Wide receiver is always the most volatile position in Fantasy Football. Devery Henderson of the Saints is a perfect example. In week 1, he had a huge game with a touchdown. On Sunday even with the Marques Colston injury, he did not even muster one Fantasy point. Last week, I threw out Jets #3 WR Chansi Stuckey as a possible pick up and he came through for the Jets. Favre likes to hit the slot guy on underneath crossing routes. I have had Amani Toomer in past seasons and he will be solid each week playing opposite Plaxico. For Green Bay, consider WR James Jones, because if Aaron Rodgers stays healthy they will score points every weekend.
Forget about the TE position. I am in no position to comment on this position. Last week, I picked up two guys—one in each league. I started both players and neither guy scored a Fantasy point!
If you think kickers matter, Ryan Longwell is a great pick up. In Minnesota, Longwell kicks indoors for half the season. The Vikings will move the ball with Peterson, but even with Frerotte at quarterback, they have a hard time scoring in the red zone because of their untalented receiving corps. Did you see the horrible dropped pass by their TE last week against Indy? Plus, Longwell has the range to kick 50+ yard field goals.
Pop Culture:
Sometimes, life breaks the right way for you. Terrible, awful (somewhat demoralizing) day at work today. When I arrived home from work, some magic happened. We do not have our cable hooked up, but for some reason when I got home from work, cable was working—a beautiful, crystal clear picture. Maybe, I can watch The Daily Show tonight on cable and not on http://www.hulu.com/. Yes! (in appropriate Marv Albert voice.)
Sometimes, art reflects other art. I am reading the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. Very American story. Very quick read. Check out the book sometime and it will remind you of the Hills theme song lyrics - http://www.stlyrics.com/. LC is trying to find her way in the wilderness of Los Angeles.
If you are looking for a quarterback on the waiver wire, you are looking at very few options. My advice would be to see if someone in your league will make a trade. Kerry Collins is an option, but he played well last week and did not score many Fantasy points. I do see him starting for the Titans for awhile. The Tampa Bay situation is hazier. Griese and Garcia almost are interchangeable for Coach Jon Gruden. A quarterback that you can take a chance on is Gus Frerotte. He most likely will be starting in Week 4. Depending on your situation, he is worth a gamble. (I actually wrote this part before Coach Brad Childress named Frerotte the starter. Frerotte is a great pick up and a starter depending on the Vikings’ match up).
At the running back position, there are interesting players that should be available in your league. Darren Sproles, backup RB for the Chargers, had a huge game this weekend. He is a big play guy, but you cannot be sure of how many touches he will have week to week. I like Brandon Jackson from Green Bay and Warrick Dunn from Tampa Bay. I have Ryan Grant in my Dallas league. The hamstring injury is clearly bothering him. He barely broke the line of scrimmage against the Lions. Jackson is Grant’s backup and someone to keep in mind. With Galloway’s injury, Dunn is a scoring option for Tampa Bay. He is an older version of Sproles. Earnest Graham is going to carry the rushing load for the Buccaneers, but if you need running back help Dunn should get more opportunities each week.
Wide receiver is always the most volatile position in Fantasy Football. Devery Henderson of the Saints is a perfect example. In week 1, he had a huge game with a touchdown. On Sunday even with the Marques Colston injury, he did not even muster one Fantasy point. Last week, I threw out Jets #3 WR Chansi Stuckey as a possible pick up and he came through for the Jets. Favre likes to hit the slot guy on underneath crossing routes. I have had Amani Toomer in past seasons and he will be solid each week playing opposite Plaxico. For Green Bay, consider WR James Jones, because if Aaron Rodgers stays healthy they will score points every weekend.
Forget about the TE position. I am in no position to comment on this position. Last week, I picked up two guys—one in each league. I started both players and neither guy scored a Fantasy point!
If you think kickers matter, Ryan Longwell is a great pick up. In Minnesota, Longwell kicks indoors for half the season. The Vikings will move the ball with Peterson, but even with Frerotte at quarterback, they have a hard time scoring in the red zone because of their untalented receiving corps. Did you see the horrible dropped pass by their TE last week against Indy? Plus, Longwell has the range to kick 50+ yard field goals.
Pop Culture:
Sometimes, life breaks the right way for you. Terrible, awful (somewhat demoralizing) day at work today. When I arrived home from work, some magic happened. We do not have our cable hooked up, but for some reason when I got home from work, cable was working—a beautiful, crystal clear picture. Maybe, I can watch The Daily Show tonight on cable and not on http://www.hulu.com/. Yes! (in appropriate Marv Albert voice.)
Sometimes, art reflects other art. I am reading the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. Very American story. Very quick read. Check out the book sometime and it will remind you of the Hills theme song lyrics - http://www.stlyrics.com/. LC is trying to find her way in the wilderness of Los Angeles.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Wrap Up - Week 2
Start’em
Jon Kitna, Lions. My observation that Kitna is aggravating for Fantasy owners was right on the mark. Kitna led the Lions back to take the lead, but at the end of the game, Kitna threw 2 interceptions that resulted in 2 touchdowns for the Packers' defense. Kitna finished with 276 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The numbers were decent, but not worthy of a start this week. Call this a loss.
Eli Manning, Giants. Talk about a guy playing with a huge amount of confidence. Manning had a huge game against the Rams. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 260 yards and 3 touchdowns. Three different receivers caught passes for touchdowns. Manning now is a must start for Fantasy owners.
Edgerrin James, Cardinals. The Edge rushed for 55 yards on 18 carries; and in the process, he became only the 14th player in NFL history to surpass 15,000 yards from scrimmage. He is getting the carries of a starting back, but not the opportunities near the goal line. This is another loss for me. Whether to play James or not is a weekly dilemma for owners.
Julius Jones, Seahawks. Wow, what got into Julius Jones yesterday? He was motivated and ran hard against a physical Niners’ defense. Jones finished with 26 carries for 127 yards and a TD. He also caught 3 passes for 14 yards. Starting Jones every week is a murky proposition. You must keep an eye on the Seattle team and who they are playing.
Donald Driver, Packers. The emergence of QB Aaron Rodgers makes Driver a solid #2 wide receiver. He had 52 combined rushing and receiving yards with a 2 yard touchdown catch. After being the 48th ranked receiver in Week 1, Driver responded with a great Fantasy game.
Sit’em
Derek Anderson, Browns. The wind was a major factor in the Sunday night game, but Anderson would have struggled regardless. He passed for 166 yards with 2 interceptions. The Steelers defense was dominant and Troy Palomalu played like he did during the Super Bowl run. Anderson was probably a high pick for you, but I would think about looking for QB help in a trade or on the waiver wire.
Joseph Addai, Colts. The Colts’ offensive line is in trouble and Addai is feeling the pain. He was bottled up by the Vikings defense and could only garner 33 combined rushing and receiving yards. Fantasy owners received a gift TD from Addai after the Anthony Gonzalez lateral. Peyton Manning’s two failed sneak attempts led to Addai getting a chance to score. Addai was a top 10 pick in most drafts and he has to score in double digits for Fantasy owners.
Lee Evans, Bills. This is a typical game for Evans. He does just enough to make you think about playing him again next week. He finished the game with 77 combined rushing and receiving yards. I think he should do more, but he was effective and the Bills won the game. This is close call—let’s call this one a tie!
Chris Chambers, San Diego. Philip Rivers and Chambers have developed chemistry. Chambers was clearly the go-to guy on Sunday. He finished with 83 combined rushing and receiving yards with 2 touchdowns. In most leagues that is 17 total points. At this stage of the season, Chambers' owners should start him every week.
Totals: 5-3-1 (Overall 11-6-1)
My Picks
Winners: Titans, Buccaneers, Packers, Giants, Cardinals, Raiders, Broncos
Losers: Vikings, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Jets, Steelers, Cowboys
Push: Panthers
Totals: 7-7-1 (Overall 16-14-1)
Fantasy Games: We went to a Decatur restaurant for lunch, and we watched the early Sunday games. It is kind of crazy to see lots of diverse people with laptops checking Fantasy scores. Another 1-1 week for me. I am now 2-0 in my Atlanta league and 0-2 in my Dallas league. The great part is that in the Atlanta league I have played very tough competition. In my Dallas league, I have a solid team that can score points, but I need to get a win. Both of my squads are struggling mightily at the TE position. After picking up Anthony Fasano and Robert Royal (from the Bills), I had no points from the TE position. Call Lehman Brotgers, that is the definition of a bad investment. Santana Moss was a great surprise this week and probably a certain starter next week.
Eliminator Contest. Whew, this week was a close call. I picked Seattle and then after some soul searching I switched to the Giants. Stayed alive for another week. My wife picked Arizona and she still is alive. 11% of the losers this week took Kansas City to beat Oakland and 10% took Seattle. After two weeks, 55% of the players already have been eliminated from this game.
Jon Kitna, Lions. My observation that Kitna is aggravating for Fantasy owners was right on the mark. Kitna led the Lions back to take the lead, but at the end of the game, Kitna threw 2 interceptions that resulted in 2 touchdowns for the Packers' defense. Kitna finished with 276 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The numbers were decent, but not worthy of a start this week. Call this a loss.
Eli Manning, Giants. Talk about a guy playing with a huge amount of confidence. Manning had a huge game against the Rams. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 260 yards and 3 touchdowns. Three different receivers caught passes for touchdowns. Manning now is a must start for Fantasy owners.
Edgerrin James, Cardinals. The Edge rushed for 55 yards on 18 carries; and in the process, he became only the 14th player in NFL history to surpass 15,000 yards from scrimmage. He is getting the carries of a starting back, but not the opportunities near the goal line. This is another loss for me. Whether to play James or not is a weekly dilemma for owners.
Julius Jones, Seahawks. Wow, what got into Julius Jones yesterday? He was motivated and ran hard against a physical Niners’ defense. Jones finished with 26 carries for 127 yards and a TD. He also caught 3 passes for 14 yards. Starting Jones every week is a murky proposition. You must keep an eye on the Seattle team and who they are playing.
Donald Driver, Packers. The emergence of QB Aaron Rodgers makes Driver a solid #2 wide receiver. He had 52 combined rushing and receiving yards with a 2 yard touchdown catch. After being the 48th ranked receiver in Week 1, Driver responded with a great Fantasy game.
Sit’em
Derek Anderson, Browns. The wind was a major factor in the Sunday night game, but Anderson would have struggled regardless. He passed for 166 yards with 2 interceptions. The Steelers defense was dominant and Troy Palomalu played like he did during the Super Bowl run. Anderson was probably a high pick for you, but I would think about looking for QB help in a trade or on the waiver wire.
Joseph Addai, Colts. The Colts’ offensive line is in trouble and Addai is feeling the pain. He was bottled up by the Vikings defense and could only garner 33 combined rushing and receiving yards. Fantasy owners received a gift TD from Addai after the Anthony Gonzalez lateral. Peyton Manning’s two failed sneak attempts led to Addai getting a chance to score. Addai was a top 10 pick in most drafts and he has to score in double digits for Fantasy owners.
Lee Evans, Bills. This is a typical game for Evans. He does just enough to make you think about playing him again next week. He finished the game with 77 combined rushing and receiving yards. I think he should do more, but he was effective and the Bills won the game. This is close call—let’s call this one a tie!
Chris Chambers, San Diego. Philip Rivers and Chambers have developed chemistry. Chambers was clearly the go-to guy on Sunday. He finished with 83 combined rushing and receiving yards with 2 touchdowns. In most leagues that is 17 total points. At this stage of the season, Chambers' owners should start him every week.
Totals: 5-3-1 (Overall 11-6-1)
My Picks
Winners: Titans, Buccaneers, Packers, Giants, Cardinals, Raiders, Broncos
Losers: Vikings, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Jets, Steelers, Cowboys
Push: Panthers
Totals: 7-7-1 (Overall 16-14-1)
Fantasy Games: We went to a Decatur restaurant for lunch, and we watched the early Sunday games. It is kind of crazy to see lots of diverse people with laptops checking Fantasy scores. Another 1-1 week for me. I am now 2-0 in my Atlanta league and 0-2 in my Dallas league. The great part is that in the Atlanta league I have played very tough competition. In my Dallas league, I have a solid team that can score points, but I need to get a win. Both of my squads are struggling mightily at the TE position. After picking up Anthony Fasano and Robert Royal (from the Bills), I had no points from the TE position. Call Lehman Brotgers, that is the definition of a bad investment. Santana Moss was a great surprise this week and probably a certain starter next week.
Eliminator Contest. Whew, this week was a close call. I picked Seattle and then after some soul searching I switched to the Giants. Stayed alive for another week. My wife picked Arizona and she still is alive. 11% of the losers this week took Kansas City to beat Oakland and 10% took Seattle. After two weeks, 55% of the players already have been eliminated from this game.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Start'em or Sit'em - Week 2
Start’em
Jon Kitna, Lions. Kitna is such an up and down player for Fantasy owners. He absolutely drove me crazy when he was on my team. You want to start him because he should put up great numbers, but he is capable of throwing up a negative number. The Packers defense is very good, but this is a good match up for Kitna, because of the embarrassing loss last week and because the Lions are playing on turf. Kitna’s receivers will be flying all over Ford Field.
Eli Manning, Giants. Although he won a Super Bowl, Eli is by no means a no-brainer Fantasy start unless he is playing the Rams. The Ram defense is porous at best. Look for Manning to have over 250 yards in the air and 3 touchdowns this week.
Edgerrin James, Cardinals. Last week, Tim Hightower had the goal line carries for the Cardinals, but do not count out the Edge. He is going against his hometown team the Miami Dolphins. Dolphins played hard at home last Sunday, but the trip to Arizona will take some fight out of them. Plus, teams must take away Kurt Warner and the wide receivers first. That means the running game should be strong for the Cardinals.
Julius Jones, Seahawks. Look for Jones to have a big game in his first start this week against the Niners. Seattle is at home where the frenzied crowd should give them a boost. Holmgren had to be embarrassed after last week’s loss. Seattle might have had the pads on some this week to practice hitting and tackling. Maybe, work on the special teams a little after giving up 14 points to the Bills’ trickery and Roscoe Parrish’s quick feet. The Seahawks have no receivers and Maurice Morris is hurt! Jones is the only skill player healthy. By default, he should score one TD.
Donald Driver, Packers. Driver did not get many opportunities last week, but he did have a long touchdown reception called back because of a penalty. If that play would have counted, he would have been near the top in WR scoring last week. Mix that up with the inept Lions defense and you have a recipe for a big game for Driver.
Sit’em
Derek Anderson, Browns. In Week 2 of 2007, Anderson announced his presence with authority in a huge Fantasy game against Cincinnati. On Sunday night in front of a wild atmosphere on Lake Erie, the exact opposite should happen. The Steelers linebackers and defensive line will dominate this game. Cleveland fans will go home angry, cry on their message boards, and nurse their hangovers all day at the docks and factories on Monday.
Joseph Addai, Colts. Addai was not himself on Sunday night. He was not making many people miss or gaining yards after first contact. The Vikings run defense is better than the Bears’ run defense. He gets some yards in the short passing game, but the prediction here is no touchdowns this week for Addai. Colts drop to 0-2. Manning and Brady did need some pre-season game action.
Lee Evans, Bills. Evans is so inconsistent. It might be unfair for me to pick him this week, because he played well last week. That means it is a lead pipe lock that he will be invisible this week against Jacksonville. Plus, the Jags defense might have to shutout the Bills to win this week.
Chris Chambers, San Diego. San Diego should move the football up and down the field on the Broncos. They should score plus 20 points and amass plenty of yards, but Chambers will be neutralized by the Broncos secondary. Look for Tomlinson (do not let the injured toe worry you), Gates, and Rivers to do most of the damage this Sunday.
My Picks
@ Bengals -1 Titans - Titans
Colts -2 @ Vikings - Vikings
@ Panthers -3 Bears - Panthers
@ Buccaneers -7 Falcons - Buccaneers
@ Redskins PK Saints - Saints
@ Jags -5 Bills - Jags
Packers -3 @ Lions - Packers
Giants -8.5 @ Rams - Giants
@ Seahawks -7 Niners - Seahawks
@ Cardinals -6.5 Dolphins - Cardinals
@ Jets -1 Patriots - Jets
@ Chiefs -3.5 Raiders - Raiders
Chargers -1.5 @ Denver - Denver
Steelers -6 @ Browns - Steelers
@ Cowboys -7 Eagles - Cowboys
Eliminator Contest. The games in the NFL this week are agonizingly close to call—only one point spread was larger than 7 points. The Giants are heavily favored versus St. Louis. I know the Rams are terrible, but in the dome, I am just scared they can beat the Giants. They can score points. That worries me. I ended up taking Seattle to beat San Francisco at home. Holmgren and Qwest Field should be the difference. My wife took Arizona at home to beat Miami. Wow, I just reread that paragraph. Frightening. Okay, I just watched a movie and this pick was bugging me the whole two hours. Checked out the Seahawks' stories in today's Seattle Post Intelligencer and changed my pick to the Giants.
P.S. Remember when Meg Ryan was a star and was kind of crazy cute. She was just on David Letterman and she looked like the 1980's Jack Nicholson version of the Joker. Her mouth was frozen in place. You have to feel pretty badly if you are Ricky Gervais, and you are the 2nd guest on Letterman after Meg Ryan.
Jon Kitna, Lions. Kitna is such an up and down player for Fantasy owners. He absolutely drove me crazy when he was on my team. You want to start him because he should put up great numbers, but he is capable of throwing up a negative number. The Packers defense is very good, but this is a good match up for Kitna, because of the embarrassing loss last week and because the Lions are playing on turf. Kitna’s receivers will be flying all over Ford Field.
Eli Manning, Giants. Although he won a Super Bowl, Eli is by no means a no-brainer Fantasy start unless he is playing the Rams. The Ram defense is porous at best. Look for Manning to have over 250 yards in the air and 3 touchdowns this week.
Edgerrin James, Cardinals. Last week, Tim Hightower had the goal line carries for the Cardinals, but do not count out the Edge. He is going against his hometown team the Miami Dolphins. Dolphins played hard at home last Sunday, but the trip to Arizona will take some fight out of them. Plus, teams must take away Kurt Warner and the wide receivers first. That means the running game should be strong for the Cardinals.
Julius Jones, Seahawks. Look for Jones to have a big game in his first start this week against the Niners. Seattle is at home where the frenzied crowd should give them a boost. Holmgren had to be embarrassed after last week’s loss. Seattle might have had the pads on some this week to practice hitting and tackling. Maybe, work on the special teams a little after giving up 14 points to the Bills’ trickery and Roscoe Parrish’s quick feet. The Seahawks have no receivers and Maurice Morris is hurt! Jones is the only skill player healthy. By default, he should score one TD.
Donald Driver, Packers. Driver did not get many opportunities last week, but he did have a long touchdown reception called back because of a penalty. If that play would have counted, he would have been near the top in WR scoring last week. Mix that up with the inept Lions defense and you have a recipe for a big game for Driver.
Sit’em
Derek Anderson, Browns. In Week 2 of 2007, Anderson announced his presence with authority in a huge Fantasy game against Cincinnati. On Sunday night in front of a wild atmosphere on Lake Erie, the exact opposite should happen. The Steelers linebackers and defensive line will dominate this game. Cleveland fans will go home angry, cry on their message boards, and nurse their hangovers all day at the docks and factories on Monday.
Joseph Addai, Colts. Addai was not himself on Sunday night. He was not making many people miss or gaining yards after first contact. The Vikings run defense is better than the Bears’ run defense. He gets some yards in the short passing game, but the prediction here is no touchdowns this week for Addai. Colts drop to 0-2. Manning and Brady did need some pre-season game action.
Lee Evans, Bills. Evans is so inconsistent. It might be unfair for me to pick him this week, because he played well last week. That means it is a lead pipe lock that he will be invisible this week against Jacksonville. Plus, the Jags defense might have to shutout the Bills to win this week.
Chris Chambers, San Diego. San Diego should move the football up and down the field on the Broncos. They should score plus 20 points and amass plenty of yards, but Chambers will be neutralized by the Broncos secondary. Look for Tomlinson (do not let the injured toe worry you), Gates, and Rivers to do most of the damage this Sunday.
My Picks
@ Bengals -1 Titans - Titans
Colts -2 @ Vikings - Vikings
@ Panthers -3 Bears - Panthers
@ Buccaneers -7 Falcons - Buccaneers
@ Redskins PK Saints - Saints
@ Jags -5 Bills - Jags
Packers -3 @ Lions - Packers
Giants -8.5 @ Rams - Giants
@ Seahawks -7 Niners - Seahawks
@ Cardinals -6.5 Dolphins - Cardinals
@ Jets -1 Patriots - Jets
@ Chiefs -3.5 Raiders - Raiders
Chargers -1.5 @ Denver - Denver
Steelers -6 @ Browns - Steelers
@ Cowboys -7 Eagles - Cowboys
Eliminator Contest. The games in the NFL this week are agonizingly close to call—only one point spread was larger than 7 points. The Giants are heavily favored versus St. Louis. I know the Rams are terrible, but in the dome, I am just scared they can beat the Giants. They can score points. That worries me. I ended up taking Seattle to beat San Francisco at home. Holmgren and Qwest Field should be the difference. My wife took Arizona at home to beat Miami. Wow, I just reread that paragraph. Frightening. Okay, I just watched a movie and this pick was bugging me the whole two hours. Checked out the Seahawks' stories in today's Seattle Post Intelligencer and changed my pick to the Giants.
P.S. Remember when Meg Ryan was a star and was kind of crazy cute. She was just on David Letterman and she looked like the 1980's Jack Nicholson version of the Joker. Her mouth was frozen in place. You have to feel pretty badly if you are Ricky Gervais, and you are the 2nd guest on Letterman after Meg Ryan.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Quick Slants - Week 1
Waiver Wire:
Tom Brady owners are devastated like Owen Wilson last year when Kate Hudson broke up with him. However, unlike for Owen, there are no starlets to take Brady’s place. Here are some quarterbacks that are likely available in your league: Jon Kitna, Kerry Collins, Matt Cassel, Aaron Rodgers, Chad Pennington, and Brian Griese. My pick is Pennington. The Jets’ defense is not very good, but I liked what I saw on Sunday. The Dolphins are going to run the football, but Pennington will get chances to throw. Plus, the Dolphins are going to max protect for Pennington. I had Kitna a few years ago and it was a nightmare. Kerry Collins is not good and Garcia will be back soon for Tampa Bay. With Cassel and Rodgers, I fear an injury. What makes Brady, Manning, Favre, Marino, etc. great is their ability to perform consistently every week. Can Rodgers stay healthy?
In my Fantasy leagues, there are not very many options at running back. Kenny Watson from Cincinnati is a good pick up. He should be starting soon. Other options are Sammy Morris or Kevin Falk. Wait for other options to emerge from the shadows.
The injury to Marques Colston automatically increases the value for the other Saints’ WRs. David Patten, Devery Henderson, and Bobby Meachem are worth a waiver wire look. Of these three, my pick is Patten. He has better hands and a stronger bond with Brees. Keep an eye on Meachem over the next several weeks. I would drop Colston altogether. Other WRs possibilities are Eddie Royal and Darrell Jackson from Denver (Cutler looked very good Monday night), DeSean Jackson (over Hank Baskett), Kevin Walter, Chansi Stuckey (the Jets’ third WR), and Ashley Lelie (I know, I know that is awful; but, someone has to catch passes for the Raiders). Royal probably will be the first waiver wire pick in most leagues. I need to replace Drew Bennett--terrible draft choice.
At the TE position, there are a plethora of options. In one of my leagues, 6 out of the top 10 TEs are free agents. I like Anthony Fasano from the Dolphins. Others possible TEs are Robert Royal, Dante Rosario, Bo Scaife, and David Martin. Dante Rosario did put up better statistics, but his production will go down when Steve Smith comes back from suspension. The Panthers were using him wide most of the game. Dustin Keller of the Jets and Robert Royal of the Bills are rookies and bonafide options. I go with Royal over Keller.
Bananas. The Patriots are done. The party is over. You cannot replace Tom Cruise with Ryan Reynolds and expect big box office. Tom Brady is the most valuable player in the NFL. He is the leader on that offense. Guys play hard because they do not want to let him down. Do you think Randy Moss is going to run his pass patterns hard every play when he knows Matt Cassel cannot get him the football? Plus, the Patriots’ running game is not strong enough to get them to the playoffs. The line is built to pass block and their running backs are not All Pro caliber. People have been saying great things about Belichick making adjustments and so forth. The only reason the Patriots can make changes is that Brady covers up the mistakes. The only saving grace for this team is that they have the weakest schedule in the NFL.
My question is, if Vince Young is a grown man, why is his family even around to know he left the house without his cell phone? Buy your mother and sister a separate house. If my mommy had called the police every time I left the house in a bad state of mind, she would have been on the telephone every day. Vince has to grow up, and he has to realize the NFL is a “big boy” league. In LA, Norm Chow is smiling.
The whole BYU v. Washington celebration penalty is ridiculous. I am sure someone has mentioned this solution, but I have not heard it yet. Simply, allow the officials to call celebration penalties whenever the penalties are warranted, but enforce the penalty yards on the kick-off. Keep the PAT at the three yard-line. It is an untimed down. Additionally, you do not take away the opportunity to go for a 2-point conversion. Control the end zone celebrations, but do not affect the scoring chance of the PAT.
In my pre-season predictions, I had James Harrison, the defensive end for the Steelers, as my Defensive POY. All he did this week was bulldoze the Texans for 3 sacks and harass Matt Schaub all day long. Harrison played great and he is not getting the attention he deserves.
Monday night, I was reminded of Brent Musberger’s comments during Game 7 of the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics 1988 playoff series. He was talking about the greatness of Larry Bird. On Monday, I watched Roger Federer dominate Andy Murray in the US Open final. Federer is one of the true great players in all of sports. He hardly ever breaks a sweat, but last night you could see his determination and will to win. The only area where Andy Murray beats Federer is in the quality of girlfriend category. Awesome.
Other thoughts from Monday night, why is Audrina with Justin Bobby? And can we get more Whitney on the Hills?
Tom Brady owners are devastated like Owen Wilson last year when Kate Hudson broke up with him. However, unlike for Owen, there are no starlets to take Brady’s place. Here are some quarterbacks that are likely available in your league: Jon Kitna, Kerry Collins, Matt Cassel, Aaron Rodgers, Chad Pennington, and Brian Griese. My pick is Pennington. The Jets’ defense is not very good, but I liked what I saw on Sunday. The Dolphins are going to run the football, but Pennington will get chances to throw. Plus, the Dolphins are going to max protect for Pennington. I had Kitna a few years ago and it was a nightmare. Kerry Collins is not good and Garcia will be back soon for Tampa Bay. With Cassel and Rodgers, I fear an injury. What makes Brady, Manning, Favre, Marino, etc. great is their ability to perform consistently every week. Can Rodgers stay healthy?
In my Fantasy leagues, there are not very many options at running back. Kenny Watson from Cincinnati is a good pick up. He should be starting soon. Other options are Sammy Morris or Kevin Falk. Wait for other options to emerge from the shadows.
The injury to Marques Colston automatically increases the value for the other Saints’ WRs. David Patten, Devery Henderson, and Bobby Meachem are worth a waiver wire look. Of these three, my pick is Patten. He has better hands and a stronger bond with Brees. Keep an eye on Meachem over the next several weeks. I would drop Colston altogether. Other WRs possibilities are Eddie Royal and Darrell Jackson from Denver (Cutler looked very good Monday night), DeSean Jackson (over Hank Baskett), Kevin Walter, Chansi Stuckey (the Jets’ third WR), and Ashley Lelie (I know, I know that is awful; but, someone has to catch passes for the Raiders). Royal probably will be the first waiver wire pick in most leagues. I need to replace Drew Bennett--terrible draft choice.
At the TE position, there are a plethora of options. In one of my leagues, 6 out of the top 10 TEs are free agents. I like Anthony Fasano from the Dolphins. Others possible TEs are Robert Royal, Dante Rosario, Bo Scaife, and David Martin. Dante Rosario did put up better statistics, but his production will go down when Steve Smith comes back from suspension. The Panthers were using him wide most of the game. Dustin Keller of the Jets and Robert Royal of the Bills are rookies and bonafide options. I go with Royal over Keller.
Bananas. The Patriots are done. The party is over. You cannot replace Tom Cruise with Ryan Reynolds and expect big box office. Tom Brady is the most valuable player in the NFL. He is the leader on that offense. Guys play hard because they do not want to let him down. Do you think Randy Moss is going to run his pass patterns hard every play when he knows Matt Cassel cannot get him the football? Plus, the Patriots’ running game is not strong enough to get them to the playoffs. The line is built to pass block and their running backs are not All Pro caliber. People have been saying great things about Belichick making adjustments and so forth. The only reason the Patriots can make changes is that Brady covers up the mistakes. The only saving grace for this team is that they have the weakest schedule in the NFL.
My question is, if Vince Young is a grown man, why is his family even around to know he left the house without his cell phone? Buy your mother and sister a separate house. If my mommy had called the police every time I left the house in a bad state of mind, she would have been on the telephone every day. Vince has to grow up, and he has to realize the NFL is a “big boy” league. In LA, Norm Chow is smiling.
The whole BYU v. Washington celebration penalty is ridiculous. I am sure someone has mentioned this solution, but I have not heard it yet. Simply, allow the officials to call celebration penalties whenever the penalties are warranted, but enforce the penalty yards on the kick-off. Keep the PAT at the three yard-line. It is an untimed down. Additionally, you do not take away the opportunity to go for a 2-point conversion. Control the end zone celebrations, but do not affect the scoring chance of the PAT.
In my pre-season predictions, I had James Harrison, the defensive end for the Steelers, as my Defensive POY. All he did this week was bulldoze the Texans for 3 sacks and harass Matt Schaub all day long. Harrison played great and he is not getting the attention he deserves.
Monday night, I was reminded of Brent Musberger’s comments during Game 7 of the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics 1988 playoff series. He was talking about the greatness of Larry Bird. On Monday, I watched Roger Federer dominate Andy Murray in the US Open final. Federer is one of the true great players in all of sports. He hardly ever breaks a sweat, but last night you could see his determination and will to win. The only area where Andy Murray beats Federer is in the quality of girlfriend category. Awesome.
Other thoughts from Monday night, why is Audrina with Justin Bobby? And can we get more Whitney on the Hills?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Wrap Up - Week 1
Start’em
Brett Favre and Thomas Jones, Jets. Favre was 15-22 for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns. Thomas Jones rushed for 101 yards and 1 touchdown on 22 carries. He matched his touchdown total for last season. I was right on these two guys.
Earnest Graham, Buccaneers. Graham rushed for 91 yards on 10 carries. He also caught 3 passes for 27 yards. Graham continues his success from the end of last season. At this point, he is a must start for Fantasy owners.
Larry Johnson, Chiefs. Johnson had 22 rushes for 74 yards and caught 1 pass for 12 yards. This is a respectable week for a number two Fantasy back. Unfortunately for me, LJ is a number one Fantasy back. Count this as a loss.
Isaac Bruce, Niners. This pick was an embarrassment. Yesterday was only the 7th time in Bruce’s career that he was held without a catch. This is panic time for Bruce owners. Do not play him until he produces. Start thinking about a waiver wire pick up.
Roy Williams, Lions. Williams only had 47 total yards, but he did get into the end zone on a great catch against the Falcons. Scoring touchdowns is what Fantasy Football is all about.
Sit’em
Roddy White, Falcons. White could only muster 54 total yards. He was not much of a factor this week with Michael Jenkins catching a long TD pass from QB Matt Ryan. If the Falcons run the ball like this, keep playing White.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers. I missed on this prediction. Rodgers was very solid for the Packers. He threw for a touchdown, ran for a touchdown, and totaled 214 yards. In most leagues, this is 20 Fantasy points.
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks. Hasselbeck was able to throw for a TD and 190 yards passing, but he also tossed an interception. Less than 10 Fantasy points for your starting quarterback will not get you many wins in any league.
Total: 6 right and 3 wrong
My Picks
Wins: Giants, Jets, Chiefs, Steelers, Saints, Bills, Panthers, Dallas, Bears
Losses: Bengals, Lions, Jaguars, Niners, Rams, Vikings, Oakland
Total: 9-7
Fantasy Games: In my weekend match ups, I was 1-1. Both of my opposing owners had monster running back games. One had Michael Turner, and the other guy had Willie Parker. I was fortunate to come out with one victory. I had very good Fantasy performances from Marion Barber, Tony Romo, Big Ben, Reggie Bush, Hines Ward, and some others. My TE position is in terrible shape. I definitely am looking for an upgrade at that position. Also, Tory Holt gave me 0 points which is a huge surprise. As bad as the Rams looked, will Holt even be a factor in the offense this season.
Eliminator Contest: I picked the Patriots. I survived this week even with the near fatal, early injury to Tom Brady. My wife picked the Giants, so she could relax and enjoy the games this weekend.
Brett Favre and Thomas Jones, Jets. Favre was 15-22 for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns. Thomas Jones rushed for 101 yards and 1 touchdown on 22 carries. He matched his touchdown total for last season. I was right on these two guys.
Earnest Graham, Buccaneers. Graham rushed for 91 yards on 10 carries. He also caught 3 passes for 27 yards. Graham continues his success from the end of last season. At this point, he is a must start for Fantasy owners.
Larry Johnson, Chiefs. Johnson had 22 rushes for 74 yards and caught 1 pass for 12 yards. This is a respectable week for a number two Fantasy back. Unfortunately for me, LJ is a number one Fantasy back. Count this as a loss.
Isaac Bruce, Niners. This pick was an embarrassment. Yesterday was only the 7th time in Bruce’s career that he was held without a catch. This is panic time for Bruce owners. Do not play him until he produces. Start thinking about a waiver wire pick up.
Roy Williams, Lions. Williams only had 47 total yards, but he did get into the end zone on a great catch against the Falcons. Scoring touchdowns is what Fantasy Football is all about.
Sit’em
Roddy White, Falcons. White could only muster 54 total yards. He was not much of a factor this week with Michael Jenkins catching a long TD pass from QB Matt Ryan. If the Falcons run the ball like this, keep playing White.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers. I missed on this prediction. Rodgers was very solid for the Packers. He threw for a touchdown, ran for a touchdown, and totaled 214 yards. In most leagues, this is 20 Fantasy points.
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks. Hasselbeck was able to throw for a TD and 190 yards passing, but he also tossed an interception. Less than 10 Fantasy points for your starting quarterback will not get you many wins in any league.
Total: 6 right and 3 wrong
My Picks
Wins: Giants, Jets, Chiefs, Steelers, Saints, Bills, Panthers, Dallas, Bears
Losses: Bengals, Lions, Jaguars, Niners, Rams, Vikings, Oakland
Total: 9-7
Fantasy Games: In my weekend match ups, I was 1-1. Both of my opposing owners had monster running back games. One had Michael Turner, and the other guy had Willie Parker. I was fortunate to come out with one victory. I had very good Fantasy performances from Marion Barber, Tony Romo, Big Ben, Reggie Bush, Hines Ward, and some others. My TE position is in terrible shape. I definitely am looking for an upgrade at that position. Also, Tory Holt gave me 0 points which is a huge surprise. As bad as the Rams looked, will Holt even be a factor in the offense this season.
Eliminator Contest: I picked the Patriots. I survived this week even with the near fatal, early injury to Tom Brady. My wife picked the Giants, so she could relax and enjoy the games this weekend.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Start'em or Sit'em - Week 1
Start’em
Brett Favre and Thomas Jones. The most improved unit on the Jets is the offensive line. Alan Faneca is a first ballot Hall of Famer. He brings an attitude and physical style of play. People are overestimating the Pennington / Parcells factor. Miami lost 15 games last year and lost their best defensive player. Jets should win big.
Earnest Graham. Very few people are talking about Graham, but he should be your starting line-up every week. Tampa Bay needs to keep QB Garcia healthy. That means more of a commitment to the run. Graham was very good down the stretch in 2007.
Larry Johnson, Chiefs. This guy will be back with a great year this year. He really is the only Fantasy or real life option on the Chiefs’ offense. New England’s defense feels soft. Look for 30 carries from Johnson as Herm Edwards keeps the clock running in the 2nd half. Plus, this game might be played in monsoon weather conditions.
Isaac Bruce, Niners. Wide receiver is the most volatile position in Fantasy week to week. Bruce is a good play this week, because he understands the Martz offense and how to get open. He is a step slower, but he will be the Niners’ main target against Arizona.
Roy Williams, Lions. Former Georgia Tech WR Charles Johnson has the cool nickname (Megatron) and all the hype, but QB Kitna has great rapport with Williams. Atlanta’s secondary is very, very suspect and small in stature.
Sit’em
Roddy White, Falcons. 2007 was supposed to be a breakout season for White, but it was more of a mirage of Bobby Petrino’s offense. Expect more running from the Falcons and less opportunities for White in this season’s first month.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers. Expect Rodgers to get injured in this game. National television. Jared Allen. The Packers’ O-Line was horrible in preseason. Rodgers does not have a quick release. 4 bad ingredients for Packers’ fans.
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks. Now, Tim and Elizabeth are both on TV? I have never been a Hasselbeck fan and the wide receiver corps is decimated by injury. And, Buffalo should control time of possession and keep it a low scoring game.
My Picks
@ Giants -4 Redskins - Giants (check Thursday post)
Bengals -1.5 @ Ravens - Bengals
Lions -3 @ Falcons - Lions
Jets -3 @ Dolphins - Jets
@ Patriots -16.5 Kansas City - Kansas City
@ Pittsburgh -6.5 Houston - Pittsburgh
Jacksonville -3 @ Tennessee - Jacksonville
@ New Orleans -3.5 Tampa Bay - New Orleans
Cardinals -2.5 @ San Francisco - San Francisco
@ Buffalo -1 Seattle - Buffalo
@ Eagles -7.5 Rams - Rams
@ San Diego -9 Carolina - Carolina
Dallas -5.5 @ Cleveland - Dallas
@ Colts -9.5 Chicago - Chicago
@ Green Bay -2.5 Minnesota - Minnesota
Denver -3 @ Oakland - Oakland
Eliminator Contest. I picked New England to survive in Week I. My philosophy for the first month of the season is just to survive. Try to pick the guaranteed winners and do not use the strategy of saving teams for later in the season. Two years ago I was out after Week I. Last year, I lasted into November. My wife picked the Giants this week, so she already is safe and sound.
Brett Favre and Thomas Jones. The most improved unit on the Jets is the offensive line. Alan Faneca is a first ballot Hall of Famer. He brings an attitude and physical style of play. People are overestimating the Pennington / Parcells factor. Miami lost 15 games last year and lost their best defensive player. Jets should win big.
Earnest Graham. Very few people are talking about Graham, but he should be your starting line-up every week. Tampa Bay needs to keep QB Garcia healthy. That means more of a commitment to the run. Graham was very good down the stretch in 2007.
Larry Johnson, Chiefs. This guy will be back with a great year this year. He really is the only Fantasy or real life option on the Chiefs’ offense. New England’s defense feels soft. Look for 30 carries from Johnson as Herm Edwards keeps the clock running in the 2nd half. Plus, this game might be played in monsoon weather conditions.
Isaac Bruce, Niners. Wide receiver is the most volatile position in Fantasy week to week. Bruce is a good play this week, because he understands the Martz offense and how to get open. He is a step slower, but he will be the Niners’ main target against Arizona.
Roy Williams, Lions. Former Georgia Tech WR Charles Johnson has the cool nickname (Megatron) and all the hype, but QB Kitna has great rapport with Williams. Atlanta’s secondary is very, very suspect and small in stature.
Sit’em
Roddy White, Falcons. 2007 was supposed to be a breakout season for White, but it was more of a mirage of Bobby Petrino’s offense. Expect more running from the Falcons and less opportunities for White in this season’s first month.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers. Expect Rodgers to get injured in this game. National television. Jared Allen. The Packers’ O-Line was horrible in preseason. Rodgers does not have a quick release. 4 bad ingredients for Packers’ fans.
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks. Now, Tim and Elizabeth are both on TV? I have never been a Hasselbeck fan and the wide receiver corps is decimated by injury. And, Buffalo should control time of possession and keep it a low scoring game.
My Picks
@ Giants -4 Redskins - Giants (check Thursday post)
Bengals -1.5 @ Ravens - Bengals
Lions -3 @ Falcons - Lions
Jets -3 @ Dolphins - Jets
@ Patriots -16.5 Kansas City - Kansas City
@ Pittsburgh -6.5 Houston - Pittsburgh
Jacksonville -3 @ Tennessee - Jacksonville
@ New Orleans -3.5 Tampa Bay - New Orleans
Cardinals -2.5 @ San Francisco - San Francisco
@ Buffalo -1 Seattle - Buffalo
@ Eagles -7.5 Rams - Rams
@ San Diego -9 Carolina - Carolina
Dallas -5.5 @ Cleveland - Dallas
@ Colts -9.5 Chicago - Chicago
@ Green Bay -2.5 Minnesota - Minnesota
Denver -3 @ Oakland - Oakland
Eliminator Contest. I picked New England to survive in Week I. My philosophy for the first month of the season is just to survive. Try to pick the guaranteed winners and do not use the strategy of saving teams for later in the season. Two years ago I was out after Week I. Last year, I lasted into November. My wife picked the Giants this week, so she already is safe and sound.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Panic and Predictions
Last night, I was checking my lineups and my league message boards (I mainly wanted to confirm a small side bet for this week’s match up in my Atlanta league) when I saw a blurb about Ben Watson not practicing yesterday for New England. Talk about a Fantasy Football panic situation. Watson is my starting TE in both my leagues. Kind of a stupid move, but my feeling was the Patriots were going to expand his role this year and use him more like a 3rd wide receiver, i.e. Dallas Clark or Kellen Winslow, Jr. Before my draft, Watson seemed to be fine after ankle surgery in March, and he started training camp without missing practice. Although he does not get a lot of touches, Watson scored 6 touchdowns in 2007. Now, I have to start Kevin Boss of the NY Giants (I know there is a bye week conflict as well, but Boss ranked high on my sleeper board, and I picked him in the 15th round). Boss is a wild card. He could grab some fantasy points, but my problem is I can't wait and see if Watson practices on Friday. I have to play Boss or risk having a DNP on Sunday. In my other league, my back up TE is Owen Daniels. I drafted him pretty late with a great value pick. The Texans will score a ton of points this year, so Daniels is fine if Watson does not produce.
After checking several other Fantasy blogs and articles, analysts are saying not to start Ryan Grant of the Green Bay Packers. I drafted this guy with my 2nd round pick and out of principle Grant should start; but, he played one snap in the preseason and has a sore hamstring. That can not be good. Grant just got paid lots of money and he claims he is ready to play. Is he? The question is how hard will he run? How many carries? Does playing Minnesota mean not to start him? My 3rd running back is Reggie Bush. He has a great match up in the Superdome versus Tampa. I am leaning toward starting Bush.
Here are my predictions for final conference standings, playoffs, and post season awards for the 2008 NFL season:
NFC East: Giants, Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins
NFC North: Vikings, Lions, Packers, Bears
NFC South: Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Falcons
NFC West: Cardinals, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers
AFC East: Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins
AFC North: Steelers, Bengals, Browns, Ravens
AFC South: Colts, Jaguars, Texans, Titans
AFC West: Chargers, Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs
NFC Wild Cards: Cowboys, Saints
AFC Wild Cards: Jaguars, Jets
NFC Championship Game: Cowboys vs. Saints
AFC Championship Game: Steelers vs. Chargers
Super Bowl: Steelers vs. Cowboys
NFL MVP: LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
Offensive Player of the Year: Tony Romo, Cowboys
Defensive Player of the Year: James Harrison (Mr. Monday Night), Steelers
Coach of the Year: Eric Mangini, NY Jets
Rookie of the Year: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers
After checking several other Fantasy blogs and articles, analysts are saying not to start Ryan Grant of the Green Bay Packers. I drafted this guy with my 2nd round pick and out of principle Grant should start; but, he played one snap in the preseason and has a sore hamstring. That can not be good. Grant just got paid lots of money and he claims he is ready to play. Is he? The question is how hard will he run? How many carries? Does playing Minnesota mean not to start him? My 3rd running back is Reggie Bush. He has a great match up in the Superdome versus Tampa. I am leaning toward starting Bush.
Here are my predictions for final conference standings, playoffs, and post season awards for the 2008 NFL season:
NFC East: Giants, Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins
NFC North: Vikings, Lions, Packers, Bears
NFC South: Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Falcons
NFC West: Cardinals, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers
AFC East: Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins
AFC North: Steelers, Bengals, Browns, Ravens
AFC South: Colts, Jaguars, Texans, Titans
AFC West: Chargers, Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs
NFC Wild Cards: Cowboys, Saints
AFC Wild Cards: Jaguars, Jets
NFC Championship Game: Cowboys vs. Saints
AFC Championship Game: Steelers vs. Chargers
Super Bowl: Steelers vs. Cowboys
NFL MVP: LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
Offensive Player of the Year: Tony Romo, Cowboys
Defensive Player of the Year: James Harrison (Mr. Monday Night), Steelers
Coach of the Year: Eric Mangini, NY Jets
Rookie of the Year: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Quick Slants
When did http://www.tmz.com/ start covering athletes so closely? Fred Taylor was on the web site this weekend. Do not fear Fred Taylor will not be affected by his run in with the Miami police department. If you have him this weekend, he is a solid starting option as your second running back. After reading today’s article at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/, the NFL should not suspend Taylor. On its face, the incident is a combination of the police overreacting and Taylor losing his cool. The confrontations happen when the police pull you out of your car in front of your friends and search your vehicle. Usually, you get angry when you are not doing anything illegal and the cops are searching your car. No harm done, no crime committed. Look for Taylor to have an above average season with over 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns.
ESPN published an article last week proclaiming the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the NFL’s best. I wholeheartedly agree. The Steelers have been my team for over 25 years. I have a Rod Woodson jersey and a real Terrible Towel. I lived in Pittsburgh for a few years and the devotion of the entire city is hard to believe. In hospitals, nurses wear Steelers’ jerseys on game day! Enough said. Check out the article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview08/columns/story?id=3530077
The Detroit Lions signed former Bengals' running back Rudi Johnson and cut Tatum Bell. That move makes Johnson the Lions’ back up running back. If your running back situation is murky, Johnson is a great pick up on the waiver wire. He definitely will get carries in the red zone. Just two years ago, he rushed for over 1,300 yards. Kevin Smith was running for Central Florida last year. Expect some growing pains from the rookie Smith, and if Rudi can stay healthy, he will handle more carries each week.
If you have players on the Redskins or Giants on your Fantasy team, you have to make sure your line-ups are in by Thursday game time. Do not buy stock in the pre-season results. Throw those records out the window. However, I do not remember seeing a team blown out like the Redskins were against Carolina. If I were a Redskins’ fan, I would be very nervous starting the season with rookie Head Coach Jim Zorn. Sometimes, my gut feelings are reinforced in random ways. Listening to Colin Cowherd on ESPN today, Colin interviewed Clinton Portis. Portis described training camp as “fun”. He then praised Zorn and offered up the idea that Zorn “puts guys in positions where they can succeed.” Allow me to translate what those two statements mean. Zorn is soft and not very demanding. Training camp has not been tough enough. If Clinton Portis is having fun and liking Zorn, the Redskins are in trouble. I remember when Cowher first took the Steelers’ job. The Steelers were blown out in weeks 1 and 2. Cowher quickly figured it out that being a player’s coach does not go very far in the NFL. Guys have to be pushed to work hard. My prediction is a Giants win by 14+ points.
Start’em or Sit’em – Redskins
Portis is the only guy on the Redskins’ offense that I would play this week. Maybe, you can play Santana Moss or Chris Cooley depending on your roster. The Giants’ defense should be all over Jason Campbell. Portis will get his stats, but no one else is a legitimate fantasy starter this week.
Start’em or Sit’em – Giants
Start Eli, Plaxico, Brandon Jacobs, and the Defense. I am not a fan of Jacobs, but look for him to be the feature back this week. At this point, Eli is a must play. His confidence should be sky high early in the season. The Giants are going to score 30+ points in this game, so if you have other skill players consider playing them, but most likely they are your backups. For example, I drafted Kevin Boss as my backup TE. He could have a big week, but I am not playing him until he consistently produces.
Check back on Friday for my player picks for this weekend’s games.
ESPN published an article last week proclaiming the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the NFL’s best. I wholeheartedly agree. The Steelers have been my team for over 25 years. I have a Rod Woodson jersey and a real Terrible Towel. I lived in Pittsburgh for a few years and the devotion of the entire city is hard to believe. In hospitals, nurses wear Steelers’ jerseys on game day! Enough said. Check out the article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview08/columns/story?id=3530077
The Detroit Lions signed former Bengals' running back Rudi Johnson and cut Tatum Bell. That move makes Johnson the Lions’ back up running back. If your running back situation is murky, Johnson is a great pick up on the waiver wire. He definitely will get carries in the red zone. Just two years ago, he rushed for over 1,300 yards. Kevin Smith was running for Central Florida last year. Expect some growing pains from the rookie Smith, and if Rudi can stay healthy, he will handle more carries each week.
If you have players on the Redskins or Giants on your Fantasy team, you have to make sure your line-ups are in by Thursday game time. Do not buy stock in the pre-season results. Throw those records out the window. However, I do not remember seeing a team blown out like the Redskins were against Carolina. If I were a Redskins’ fan, I would be very nervous starting the season with rookie Head Coach Jim Zorn. Sometimes, my gut feelings are reinforced in random ways. Listening to Colin Cowherd on ESPN today, Colin interviewed Clinton Portis. Portis described training camp as “fun”. He then praised Zorn and offered up the idea that Zorn “puts guys in positions where they can succeed.” Allow me to translate what those two statements mean. Zorn is soft and not very demanding. Training camp has not been tough enough. If Clinton Portis is having fun and liking Zorn, the Redskins are in trouble. I remember when Cowher first took the Steelers’ job. The Steelers were blown out in weeks 1 and 2. Cowher quickly figured it out that being a player’s coach does not go very far in the NFL. Guys have to be pushed to work hard. My prediction is a Giants win by 14+ points.
Start’em or Sit’em – Redskins
Portis is the only guy on the Redskins’ offense that I would play this week. Maybe, you can play Santana Moss or Chris Cooley depending on your roster. The Giants’ defense should be all over Jason Campbell. Portis will get his stats, but no one else is a legitimate fantasy starter this week.
Start’em or Sit’em – Giants
Start Eli, Plaxico, Brandon Jacobs, and the Defense. I am not a fan of Jacobs, but look for him to be the feature back this week. At this point, Eli is a must play. His confidence should be sky high early in the season. The Giants are going to score 30+ points in this game, so if you have other skill players consider playing them, but most likely they are your backups. For example, I drafted Kevin Boss as my backup TE. He could have a big week, but I am not playing him until he consistently produces.
Check back on Friday for my player picks for this weekend’s games.
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