Buy Greg Jennings for Wal-Mart cheap

Want the low down on Greg Jennings? One word: Gamble.

You know how you win your league? Gambling.

This is an opportune time to snag one of the more underrated #1’s in the league. Yes he plays for the Packers and yes he has had only one huge season for a top-8 wideout. He also plays on one of the most explosive offenses we’ve seen in years.

And he’s out for at least 3 weeks.

I expect with a repaired sports hernia that its going to take longer. In the past, some guys shut it down for the year. I don’t know the severity of Jennings’ injury but what I do know is that he opted for this now because he can come back later in the season. A guy in my main league dropped him. DROPPED him…and though I may look like a simplejack down the road for holding on to him, I couldn’t resist such a gimmie. Let’s say he doesn’t come back until week 12, at the earliest. This is against the Giants in New York, a secondary giving up a ton of points to opposing WR’s. Then you’ve got Minnesota at home, a team that just lost Chris Cook, their starting CB, likely for the season. Detroit follows, then @ Chicago and Week 16 (championship week) you’ve got the Titans at home. People, this is the kind of bargain that could win you the league. Titans at home!? Trust me, that Tennessee secondary isn’t getting fixed this season.

So…the guy in your league that has Jennings is likely batting .500 or less. He or she spent a high draft pick on him and they are so frustrated right now. Their record stinks and/or Jennings is killing them. They want to unload but can’t. So…take a risk. If your bye weeks are set up right or you’ve already gotten through them for the most part like myself, send out a crummy trade that’s almost unbearable. Trust me, these owners are beyond fed up, they’ll bite. And if at first you don’t succeed, try try again.

Greg is in a contract year and is hitting free-agency at the end of the season. There is PLENTY of motivation for him to come back this year and catch some passes from the most valuable fantasy quarterback in the league.

Week 8 Warm-ups

I’m almost upset to announce that we are at the NFL halfway point come Monday night. We don’t count Week 17 much anymore since this game has become so violent that coaches jump at any chance to pull their players early or bench them altogether. If you’re undefeated (not likely unless your league has 4 teams or you play with peeps that ride the short bus), 6-1 or 5-2, congrats and keep doing what you’re doing. It’s working. If you’re anything else, then you’re likely to be unsatisfied. Each week this blog is going to get a bit more in depth. It will get prettier, but the content is what matters and if you’re 4-3 you need me. Plus, I’m a nice guy…so I’m here for you. Read on, lovers of all things fake.

Let’s discuss Thursday night’s game first. In terms of entertainment purposes, they have been much like Vincent Jackson this year: hot, cold, hot cold. Most of my friends, myself included, don’t like these Thursday games every week. The players are coming off minimal rest, sloppy play, sluggishness at times, they’re EVERY Thursday, we are more traditionalists of Sunday/Monday games with the occasional Thursday “treat” other than turkey day, and most importantly, THE LEAGUE IS ON FX ON THURSDAY. Damn you Goodell! Damn you!!! Other than the Steelers @ Titans game two weeks ago, these games have sucked. Here’s to hoping that tonight is different.

TAMPA BAY:   19

MINNESOTA:  22

These defenses are just good enough to have both kickers start. Blair Walsh and Conner Barth, don’t ever say I didn’t give you any love. First, for the Vikings, it is all about some AP. He has a nagging ankle injury and he limited his practice time LAST week with this game in mind. He knew, barring setback, that he was going to be healthy, but staying off that ankle is the best medicine. He came out of Sunday’s game unscathed for the most part and he is ready for tonight’s showdown. He may have his toughest matchup yet in a front four that is shutting down the run. T.B. silenced the Panthers rush attack, Jamaal Charles and Demarco Murray. Additionally, as of this afternoon D’Qwan Bowers is playing tonight, his first action since late last year. How much he is used remains to be seen, but let’s just put it this way: On 21 plays where the run was directed directly at him last year, the ypc was 1.7. This front four is about to get better. AP is always unpredictable and is unofficially at full speed post-ACL surgery. He looks great, and he is what determines who wins this game. I’m downgrading him to lukewarm. He’s going to run hard and with attitude, but he’s not going to hit paydirt. He will gets his yards, and I’m predicting 107. Ponder has looked rough his past several games, made some terrible decisions, turned the ball over and in general being ineffective. The Bucs are giving up the 3rd most points in the air in fantasy, the opposite of the run game. If the Vikes want to move the ball tonight, AP can’t do it alone. Percy is in line for a big night if utilized appropriately and often. Kyle Rudolph may look to get back to his old ways of sneaking in at the end of a half with a 3 yd td reception. Look for lots of FG’s and stalled redzone drives tonight from the Vikings.

For the Bucs, their fate rests in Josh Freeman’s arm. He has to make some plays tonight to keep his team in the game and quiet that noisy crowd. This is their first primetime game since ’08. Freeman has looked good this season, managing games better, making plays when he should and taking advantage of shoddy secondaries. The Vikings are no slouch in the pass rush, leading the league in sacks since the beginning of the 2011 season. Going up against one of the better overall offensive lines in football in the Bucs, the men in purple are going to have their work cut out for them. Great matchup to watch between the two lines tonight. Blount is apparently losing touches to Doug Martin who had his first big game last week against the Saints. Shocker. He’s going to have to contribute in moving the sticks because the Bucs aren’t mature enough to win games with a one-sided offense like the Saints do. Vincent Jackson has scored in three straight, so its time for him to be scratched off the ‘start em’ list. Seriously, bench him. Winfield still has what it takes at corner, and if he is assigned solely to him tonight, expect little production, especially on the short week. Mike Williams is a sneaky play, but he may come out struggling as well. In the end, this is going to be a tight football game with lots of hits, punts, field goals and a big play here and there. Both these teams have above average offensive lines (Bucs win that battle) and two of the better defensive lines in the league. Should make for another Thursday night, low-scoring brawler.

YES: Percy Harvin, AP, Barth, Walsh,  Vikes D

NO: Ponder, J. Simpson, VJAX, Blount, D. Clark

MAYBE SO: Freeman, M. Williams, D. Martin, Bucs D

SLEEPER: K .Rudolph

 

CAROLINA 10

CHICAGO   30

This is going to be a blowout. Weather is not an issue today like it sometimes is in Chicago. The issue is Cam. Not only does he need some fashion coaching after that sweater he was wearing in last Sunday’s postgame conference, but he needs some mental coaching as well. He’s not making good decisions on the field and he’s not saying the right things off of it. This team lives and dies with Cam, and until he shows you he’s all there, I’d bench him. I don’t think today will be any different. He and Steve Smith STILL haven’t connected in the endzone this year. They are benching Deangelo Williams in favor of a power running game with Jonathan Stewart. They are getting away from the zone-blocking in hopes of amping up a cold offense. I like Stewart when he gets a lot of carries but in Chicago against a seemingly stout defense? I don’t see this offense competing. For fantasy purposes I don’t like anything about the Panthers. For the Bears, life is good today. Expect their offense to be clicking on all cylinders. After watching them on Monday night it is seemingly apparent that the Bears are officially contenders this year. Barring injury to any major players, expect the Bears to make some noise all the way into the postseason. Cutler is different. Whether he is comfortable with the scheme, the line is getting better at pass-protection (not by much), whatever it is, things in the windy city are different this year. Upgrade Cutler and Co. against a bad, and now injured defense. This isn’t going to be much of a game from the start.

HOT: Cutler, Forte, B. Marshall, Bears Def

COLD: Cam, D. Williams, Car Def

RISK: S. Smith, M. Bush

SLEEPER: J. Stewart

 

SAN DIEGO     20

CLEVELAND   17

The Chargers defense has stepped it up at times this year. No one knows which defense is going to show up this week, especially on the road. I expect this to be a low-scoring game, with both defenses keeping the offenses honest. Rivers and Norv are not on the same page this year and people are starting to talk about Rivers losing the “elite” tag. I have to agree. He doesn’t have any true weapons outside of Gates, and even they have had a tough time connecting this season. I do like Gates in this one but don’t expect much from the rest of the receiving corp. As for the running game, Mathews still isn’t getting all of the love as he has yet to prove he can handle it. Expect more of the same this week. The Cleveland defense is much like their offensive line: underrated. Weeden will continue to look like a second or third year starter. He is improving every week, making better reads and less mistakes. I know their record doesn’t show it, but Cleveland finally has something to work with offensively. Weeden is the guy for the Dog Pound for years to come. Trent Richardson is about as promising as any rookie running back in the last few years. He has not been healthy the entire year but this guy is going to make some noise. As far as today goes, avoid him if possible. He’s got an injury I will discuss in greater detail later in another article that will linger the rest of the year more than likely. He’s going to be a nuisance at times for you. Josh Gordon is a deep threat every week. Again, don’t expect much out of this game, but you can expect it to be close.

WARM: Rivers, Gates, Weeden

COLD: SD Def, CLE Def

RISK: SD WR’s, T-Rich, Mathews

SLEEPER: J. Gordon

 

SEATTLE      16

DETROIT       10

This is going to be another close game. I think Seattle and their defense pull out the win on the road at the end. Megatron continues to receive a lot of extra attention and as I mentioned in my article earlier in the week, this is not going to get any better with Burleson going down. Detroit is simply going to have to overcome the pressures if they want to contend. You have a strong-armed QB and the best WR in football. Get off your ass and make it work. If Detroit can do that today against one of the most effective defenses in the league, I’m all about it (especially since I have Johnson in my main league). The run game is nonexistent and that’s Schwartz’s fault. LeShoure can make some noise at times but I don’t expect much against this nasty D. Titus Young and Ryan Broyles, along with Pettitgrew are simply going to have to make themselves into viable threats to take some of the pressure off Calvin. It can, and should happen, but not in this game. Expect another low scoring affair from both teams. Russell Wilson continues to manage the game and get the wins for his team. He has an above average line that he is going to need against that intimidating front four of the Lions. He will be pressured, he will make mistakes as he normally does on the road, but he gets the win. It’s hard to predict any receiver to make any noise consistently for the Seahawks , but Sidney Rice might snag one today. This is going to be all Skittles. Lynch continues to prove that he is worth his contract (and DUI) by making yards after the hit and generally dominating rush defenses. I might be feeling a highlight from him today. This should be a close finish.

HOT: Stafford, Megatron, Lynch, Rice, Seahawks Def

COLD: Pettigrew

RISK: LeShoure, T. Young, R. Wilson, All other SEA WR’s

SLEEPER: R. Broyles

 

NEW ENGLAND   27

SAINT LOUIS       13

It’s going to be a football weather kind of day at Wembley stadium in London. 50% chance of showers, winds at 12 mph, overcast and cold. Jeff Fisher continues to prove his worth for this lowly Rams team. They can beat anyone with the right gameplan and a bit of luck, but they are simply not that talented and lack experience on both sides of the ball. For the Rams, I expect Bradford to see a lot of pressure from that NE front seven. His line continues to be one of the league’s worst in pass protection and Sam doesn’t get the job done enough with his receivers to keep a defense honest. Amendola may return today, which is ridiculous considering the nature of his clavicular injury. Upgrade the offense if he plays. Sjax seems to be losing touches consistently the last few weeks mucking up the backfield even more. He never had a consistent nose for the endzone so I’m simply downgrading the backfield entirely. People have been calling this an upset alert, but I simply do not see it happening. The Rams secondary has improved by leaps and bounds this year. This is the ultimate test for the Rams going against Tom Brady and the no-huddle. Hernandez is out. The Patriots won’t really miss him though. B. Lloyd plays his old team so he may be a little extra motivated. The Pats backfield has a bit of a question mark in terms of who is getting the ball. Ridley should be your guy as long as he doesn’t fumble. Belichick has no tolerance for fumbles. The Pats will not explode all over the Rams today but they will get the win and it will not be close as the Pats defense stuffs the Rams.

HOT: Brady, Welker, Gronk, Ridley

COLD: Bradford, Rams backfield, Rams Def

RISK: Gibson

SLEEPER: B. Lloyd, Pats Def

 

MIAMI          17

NY JETS     16

Weather is going to be an issue in this game as well. The Jets are struggling and they don’t have a good history with the Dolphins recently, both on and off the field. Expect an upset. The Jets defense is not good against the run but they are improving. They are decent against the pass even without Revis. Bart Scott is not playing today, however, so I expect the Dolphins to win this one on the ground. Upgrade Bush, with Tannehill continuing to improve each week. He won’t score you a bunch of points today but he is becoming startable material based on the matchup in two-QB leagues. Miami’s defense has sleeper status written all over it.  For the Jets, their offensive woes will continue. Miami is very strong against the run and not good against the pass. Will Sanchez envelop the role of Jeckyl or Hyde this week? He is so terrible. Ugh. He seems to like Kerley and Keller, so have them on your shortlist. As for Shonne Greene, one of the most annoying backs in the league, you can expect him to do nothing against that front four. Can he sneak in for a 1 yard TD? Sure. But he isn’t going to light it up. He shouldn’t be on your team. None of the Jets should other than in a reserve role. And you thought Testaverde and Coles was annoying…

HOT: R. Bush, Miami Def

COLD: Sanchez, Greene,

RISK: Tannehill, Hartline, Jets D

SLEEPER: Fasano, D. Keller, J. Kerley

 

ATLANTA                27

PHILADELPHIA     30

This game is going to have rain and wind throughout. Temper expectations. This is not going to be a pretty game for either team I am afraid. Andy Reid is 13-0 all time coming off the bye week. If he loses today, he will be hounded even more by the press. As much as I want to say the Falcons extend their streak and Reid loses for the first time post-bye as an Eagle…it ain’t happening. Vick and co get it together and come out with a win. I like both WR’s in this game and Celek to move the chains. I do not expect too much from Lesean but he could sneak one in. The Falcons defense is not amazing and surely not bad, but they don’t hold Vick in check today as much as you would think. Matt Ryan knows there are plenty of things to fix on his undefeated team. The only question is did they improve on any of them? I like Ryan to do some things against one of the better secondaries in the league. With a new DC in Philly, this is going to be a great test for them. I like Roddy to move the chains and Julio to grab maybe even two scores. Gonzalez continues his amazing career with solid outing and maybe a TD. Turner isn’t really the Burner anymore, and against this tough Philly D I don’t see him doing much at all. Find a better option this week.

HOT: Ryan, Roddy, Julio, Gonzo, Vick, Maclin, D. Jackson

COLD: Turner, ATL Def

RISK: McCoy, PHI Def

SLEEPER: Celek, Douglas

 

WASHINGTON        24

PITTSBURGH          23

RGIII continues to look unstoppable. Even without a true #1 in Garcon, the guy is making it work. It sure has been a ton of fun to watch. Albert Morris should be commended for his fantasy consistency this year. The offense is finding ways to get points on the board and it starts with Griffin. Fred Davis is out for the year and Cooley is back in the mix. His knees remain in question. This aging Steeler defense won’t keep up with the speedy rookie today and as a result, questions will start to reign down in the steel city after this game. For the Steelers, Big Ben continues to make plays, just not enough of them. Mike Wallace has a terrible game last week so expect him to bounce back against that horrible Washington secondary. Antonio Brown continues to rack up the looks and yardage. He will have a few highlights today considering the lack of talent in Washington. He’s a mismatch for them. I expect a TD from him, possibly two. Jonathan Dwyer is the man stepping up in the backfield but this not a rushing game I like this year. Between the offensive line, the weekly gameplan to air it out more, and the talent, I just don’t want any of that mess. Heath Miller continues to find a TD almost every week so he is a must start as well. In the end, Pitt just doesn’t get it done as the Skins get a well-dserved win. Polamalu makes all the difference in the world.

HOT: RGIII, Morris, Big Ben, A. Brown, Wallace, Miller,

COLD: Redskins D, Steelers D

RISK: Dwyer, Cooley

SLEEPER: S. Moss

 

JACKSONVILLE    13

GREEN BAY           42

This is not going to be a close game. Jacksonville has no offense to speak of, their star RB is out for an unknown amount of time (and maybe for the year), they have the worst starting QB in the league, no WR’s stepping up, and a defense that can only do so much considering how much they are on the field. Rough times in Jacksonville but they’re used to it. For the Packers, expect them to be clicking on all cylinders even without Jordy if he cant go. I expect a big day from all Packers as I feel Rodgers will spread the ball around. Alex Green is getting the carries and McCarthy had some motivating words for him earlier in the week, so expect Green to answer today. He will score a TD, albeit in garbage time.

HOT: Rodgers, Jordy, Cobb, J. Jones, A. Green

COLD: J. Finley, Gabbert, Jax WR’s, Jax Def

RISK: Anyone wearing a Jacksonville jersey

SLEEPER: R. Jennings, GB Def

 

INDIANAPOLIS   27

TENNESSEE        28

Luck continues his excellent rookie season against one of the worst defenses in the league. Look for Wayne to make some serious noise and maybe a little T.Y. Hilton or Avery to mix it up with a score as well. We are still waiting on Fleener as well so maybe today is his day. Don’t rule out any Colts. Still no news on if D. Brown is going to return from his knee scope so we have Vick Ballard in there against a bad run defense that is only going to get worse with their LB injuries. Hasselbeck makes another start and likely makes some noise at home against a porous Indy secondary. CJ2Bust does have another huge game. Sell high if you have him, his schedule gets harder and I don’t see him carrying his success over against real defenses not named the Titans or the Bills. Look for everyone to have some fantasy fun in what is shaping up to be a game that is NOT about defense. Fantasy points abound.

HOT: Luck, Wayne, Hasselbeck, CJ2STAIN, Washington, Britt,

COLD: TEN Def, IND Def

RISK: Cook, Fleener, Hilton, Ballard

SLEEPER: Avery, Wright

 

OAKLAND           20

KANSAS CITY   13

This is not going to be a pretty game. Both teams are absolutely desperate for a win. Oakland’s defense just isn’t good, and Kansas City’s is on paper, but in reality they are equally as awful. Downgrade everyone on the KC side except for the run game, which gets a slight upgrade in terms of consistency with Hillis back in the mix. For Oakland, we’ve been waiting on Palmer all year to get it going. Maybe today is his day with DHB or Jacoby catching some balls in the endzone. McFadden has to get it going sometime this year, right? Today is the day let’s hope. They’re still tweaking their run game by installing more power running packages to aide McFadden. I think he just needs a bad defense to jumpstart his talents. Sorry I don’t have more to say on this game, but there’s not much to talk about.

HOT: Charles, DMac

COLD: Quinn #gross, KC Def, OAK Def

RISK: Bowe, DHB, Ford

SLEEPER: Hillis, Palmer, B. Myers

 

NY GIANTS       24

DALLAS             29

The Cowboys need a big win badly. They have a great record against the men in blue in recent years and Romo should have a big game. I have him scoring more points than Matt Ryan this week if that says anything. Week to week you just never know with Dez. Miles should take advantage of the G-men’s secondary. Witten needs to get his game together and I’m hoping this is his bounceback game. Felix Jones is just not a good rb. He’s injury prone, inconsistent, and not good between the tackles. He’s simply not an all-around back and therefore a fantasy risk every week. The clown I’m playing this week has him starting and benched Doug Martin. I’m still laughing at his ignorance. Glad he doesn’t know about this blog. The Dallas Def will hold their own, pick up a few sacks, an interception, and help to win the game for the Cowboys. For the Giants, Eli should have another strong outing against a solid defense from top to bottom. I believe he has proved what he is capable of and he and Coughlin should never be underestimated. Bradshaw seems very questionable with his chronic foot issues so if he doesn’t go, Andre Brown is decent start every week with how well this offensive line is playing. Victor Cruz is having a huge season and is always capable of breaking off a big play. He’s going to be a star and he’s proven last year was no fluke with his play through week 7. He is so impressive. Nicks says he is better than last week with his injuries, so we shall see what he is made of today at 4. He’s due for a score. Giants Defense does not seem attractive to me this week. They will put pressure on Romo, force him from the pocket, and then he will light them up. This should be an excellent game, per usual.

HOT: Romo, Miles, Manning, Cruz

COLD: Felix, NYG Def

RISK: Dez, Witten, Bradshaw (limited carries if he plays)

SLEEPER: Nicks, A. Brown, DAL Def

The Case for Megatron

The irony in this photo is priceless. As fantasy footballers we always expect our players to perform to the fantasy stats of last year; only this year it must better. Last year Calvin posted a 96/1681/16 regular season stat line. One of the best seasons ever. This season? Well CJ’s visor says it all: Covered.

This has been a rough season for Megatron owners. I should know, I am one of them. We paid a high draft pick for 592 yards and 1 TD through 6 games. The schedule isn’t getting easier, the Lions aren’t winning, and Matt Stafford is still playing more like Matt Leinart. I’m not sure there is a more frustrating team right. Cursed. Possessed. Eternal losers of the Motor City. The hopes and dreams that continued from last year’s playoff loss have quickly been dashed as the 2-4 Lions remain stuck in their rut.  Let’s take a look at why Johnson isn’t having a more productive season.

We’re going to just get this out of the way right now. Drops. Not sure why CJ’s bigfoot hands are not consistent this year but when Stafford isn’t throwing like a Pop Warner 4th grader noodle-armed QB, Johnson is having a hard time coming up with the ball. It’s been painful to see and it’s going to continue. That drop across the middle in Monday night’s game was gross. It was his first target and he would have been gone for the TD. But instead, he dropped it. This isn’t going to change. Expect it all season. He’s currently tied for 12th with 4 dropped passes, but he also makes other catches most wideouts can’t. He isn’t doing that with ease through 6 games. I’ve watched him closely this season, he’s got way more than four official drops. It’s not all on Stafford.

Titus Young has been injured, and now Burleson is done for the year. Inconsistencies with the receivers have hurt Johnson’s ability to get more one-on-one coverage. No other threats exist due to dropped passes, injuries, lack of chemistry or lack of talent. Megatron was essentially all they had BEFORE Nate got hurt. His injury will only worsen CJ’s end of the year stats. I know, it’s depressing. Until Pettigrew learns how to stop dropping the ball, Titus Young keeps his head in the game, and rookie 2nd rounder Ryan Broyles develops some comfort and some chemistry with Stafford, its going to be a long haul for our lovable 6’5″ 235 lb teddy bear.

Don’t even THINK about blaming the line. Click and learn here: Proof is in the pudding.

The defenses haven’t been allowing Stafford’s toy much room. He has been most successful in the slot because defenses have been blanketing him with a corner and safety so often that it is stunting the offense. It’s become a problem as the Lions run game is inept and there’s no consistent receiving threat outside of our guy.

And finally, Matthew Stafford. Year 1: 10 games, injured, done. Year 2: 3 games, injured, done. Year 3: Healthy, 5,000+ yards, 41/16 line. Season 4: 1700+, 5 TD’s, 6 INT’s. In his 4 seasons, when he’s played hurt, he’s been noticeably less effective. He came up lame a few games with a strained hammy near his glute that nagged him but he claims to be over it. His line play as proven above is top 5 in the league. He has time. He has protection. He is inaccurate, his throws are hurried at times, his mechanics are poor, his decisions are questionable, his spirals are hardly spirals at all and he is playing like a rookie. No one knows why Matt is playing the way he is. Remember Rivers last year? Was he hurt? Contract? Personal life? We may never know, but what I do know is that this isn’t going to change. They’ve already had their bye week, and they came out flat. Stafford’s QB rating by quarter:

• 1st  46.8
• 2nd 61.4
• 3rd  79.6
• 4th 100.2

So there you have it, all these stats and numbers to say that Stafford is a slow starter. You’re welcome. Unless Matt gets his act together, expect CJ to continue to post solid yardage and minimal TD’s. And expect the Lions to keep losing as well. This is Stafford’s team and they live and die with his success.

So, after reading this, there isn’t much of a case for the league’s best wide receiver, is there? If you get the right offer for a trade, well, that’s on you. Just remember, his value has never been so low and you still own the biggest football freak/physical specimen we have ever seen at the wide receiver position. So sell low or be patient are your only two options because you simply have to start him. He’s still Megaton. Patience grasshopper.

He’s only going to be as good as his quarterback. As soon as the Lions adjust their schemes, find ways to get their playmaker the ball, put points on the board, and start beating defenses circa 2011, our All-Pro will help you win games. Expect things to smoothen out whenever these two connect for their first TD pass of the year. I’m just hoping its sooner than later.

Why Jim Harbaugh needs to slow his role

 

 

As of today, I am officially labeling Jim Harbaugh as a media prostitute. He’s always been a bit off and as a former NFL quarterback, he likely got concussed a dozen times too many. His behavior during games, after games, and addressing the media is part psycho/part clown/part traumatic brain injury.

1.) He screwed up last year when he beat the Lions and slapped HC Jim Schwartz’s hand postgame and then didn’t admit any wrongdoing until it was too late. #Cocky

2.) He blew off comments by NYG OC Kevin Gilbride earlier this season regarding 49er DE Justin Smith and his tactics in penetrating offensive lines. Smith isn’t a dirty player but he was pushing the rules and everyone knows it. Harbaugh claimed Smith is always clean and that this was simply a ploy by the Giants to tip the officiating scales in the Giants favor leading up to their matchup that weekend. #BadLiar

3.) Following last Thursday nights game against the Seahawks in San Fran, Harbaugh took the time out of his….crazy day….to complain about how the Seahawks secondary was pushing the rules of physicality on his receivers. Basically, he didn’t like how rough the corners and safeties were with his wideouts. And yes, they were quite physical. This is also football. Harbaugh said he planned on taking this issue up with the league. #TattleTale

Seattle’s HC Pete Carroll implied via radio show that Jim doesn’t need to be so public with everything. Basically saying “Hey Jim, shut your mouth, stop dicking around with the media, and just play some football.” A Seattle player referred to him as ‘obnoxious‘.  Harbaugh looks like a hypocrite. No, he doesn’t care what you think. But he is hurting his image with his erratic and illogical behavior. I’m tired of reading about you Jim. Your offense is boring, your QB blows, and you are crazypants. Stop it.

I wonder if his pacifier is red and gold or just pink?

 

Week 7 Early Recap

Another wild weekend in the books. My record for the winning picks for the week  = 11-2. Like my blog says…”look no further”. Read on to see how accurate some of my predictions for the weeks have been. Help me help you by getting the word out. This is free fantasy gold right here and it’s going to make your team suck less. Period!

Fantasy Advice: Week 7

Welcome back to another edition of fantasy goodness. This week we’re going to be focusing on digging a bit deeper for those valuable points due to the ugly bye week. Chances are you’ve been affected: Falcons, Eagles, Dolphins, Broncos, Chargers, and Chiefs are off this week. I’m one practice injury or ‘no-go’ away from being completely screwed Sunday. You take risks in this game if you want to win. Most of the time they pay off if you’re playing your cards right. We are taking risks in week 7. Buckle up.

SAN FRANCISCO 13

SEATTLE                 10

This is going to be a battle of the defenses. Neither offense is predictably and consistently fantasy friendly, making this a tough game to call from a fantasy perspective. Seattle’s defense is getting stronger with each season/game, and we all know how the 49ers defense rolls. Start both, SF w/ confidence, and SEA if you have no one else or are suffering from the bye week blues. Both D’s are top 9 in points allowed to QB’s, WR’s, and RB’s (1 and 2 to RB’s). I don’t feel good about any offensive players. Joe Staley, the SF LT sustained a concussion on Sunday and has to be pretty questionable on a short week. If he doesn’t go, mark the Hawks D up a notch. Manningham and Jacobs are questionable as well. Smith had a 3 int game on Sunday and looked like his old self at times. It doesn’t take much to start worrying about Smith and his antics. Smith threw for 303 yds/0 tds/0 ints last year in two games. Rookie QB Russell Wilson has had an incredible season knocking off the likes of Romo, Rodgers, Newton, and Brady. At home he has 6 tds and no ints. On the road he is 2/6. Big difference but expected for most 2nd tier qb’s and rookies. Gore scored once last year against SEA, not much yardage, expect the same. Skittles/Beastmode/Lynch was the first to notch a rushing TD last year against SF…in WEEK 16. Crazy stuff. Before last week Skittles had eclipsed 85 rush yds/game. Expect him to get right around that again. No standout receivers for either team this week. This is the NEW AFC North people. Get used to it. All 4 defenses are seemingly legit on the ground and through the air. This will be a hard-hitting, low-scoring affair. #Snore

HOT: 49er D

NOT: Wilson, SEA WR’s, 49er WR’s

TOSSUP: Lynch, SEA D, A. Smith, Gore, V. Davis

SLEEPER: Randy Moss will be you guy against a physical secondary, especially if Manningham is held out

TENNESSEE   33

BUFFALO         37

Shootout eminent. People we are talking about two of the worst defenses from top to bottom. The only difference is that Buffalo was supposed to be GOOD. I’m going against peers, experts, ESPN, and whomever else is hating on this game: it’s going to be a fantasy explosion. I’ve got FIVE guys starting in my money league (not all by choice – thank you bye weeks scheduler). A home game couldn’t have been more appropriate for the Bills after playing two NFC West opponents in the 49ers and Cardinals. Fitzpatrick will get it together, and by together, I mean scoring you some fantasy points. The Titans defense has been like Santa: giving. Ground. Air. Heck, maybe even special teams. This is a defense that just simply doesn’t have it together. They could be singing a different tune by seasons end but for right now, this is going to be a shootout. The CJ Spiller show is going to have to wait until Coach Gailey either makes an executive decision on carries or Fred Jackson gets hurt again. Until then, this is a two-series per player 50/50 committee. Spiller is between the 20’s, Fjax does the rest. Most weeks, this is a fantasy nightmare. But this week, I expect both to get some love. You’ve got screens, a lack of viable receivers, a busted up but still above average O-line, and a shoddy Titans defense. On the other side of the field, we’ve got Matt Hasselbeck. Ahhhh. My league renamed this guy Matt Hasselstain years ago, but even THiS guy is going to have a fantastic Sunday. The critics are hating on this porous  Titans offense through six weeks, and notably so. But this will simply not be the tune by seasons end. The O-line has a lot of talent that they are not exemplifying right now and they simply have got to get it together. They will. Maybe this is the week. With Locker out again, the continuity takes a big sucker-punch to the jaw. However, the Titans are loaded from a talent standpoint. Give it time, give it a healthy Locker, some consistency, and you’ll see that this is a fresh, young offense capable of fantasy magic. The Titans receivers are a crapshoot. The Bills are second worst against the TE. Jared Cook is an excellent bye-week fillin. CJ2FAIL knows the fantasy community is beyond fed up. He smells blood this week. The man hasn’t scored since Week 13 of last year. Against the Bills IN Buffalo. Heard enough? Here’s more: 153 yards and two TD’s. Play him. Mario Williams isn’t a bust, he’s drawing double teams for his name alone, but he is not getting it done for what he is getting paid and the front office knows it. This is going to be a high scoring game where the Bills playing at home is the only thing that keeps it close. Laugh now….just wait.

Hot: Hasselbeck, CJ2AWFUL, J. Cook, Fitzpatrick, S. Johnson, Spiller

Not: Both Defenses

Tossup: N. Washington, K. Wright, K. Britt, F. Jackson

Sleeper: S. Chandler

CLEVELAND         23

INDIANAPOLIS     28

This is going to be another potential high-scoring contest. Both defenses have major holes and have proven they cannot get it done through 7 weeks. For the Colts, this is a passing offense. The defense is simply not good, as it hasn’t been in the past, and for Andrew Luck to keep the game close, he’s going to have to air it out. D. Brown is out, leaving Vick Ballard to carry the load. Who is that? Yeah, exactly. The Browns defense is slighty underrated, and honestly, if the best you can do in a major bye week is Ballard…well, you deserve it. Wayne is going to be covered by the up-and-coming Joe Haden, who is coming off a 4 game suspension. Last week Haden gave up a huge game, including 2 TD’s to AJ Green. He got fatigued due to his 4 game suspension and the Ginger Felon and AJ capitalized. Wayne will get his looks, and is a must start every week regardless. For the Browns, Weeden has shown the poise you would expect from a 29 year-old. He’s done well, he’s admitted to mistakes, and he’s taking on a crummy defense that hasn’t proven anything this season. Bad news? Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, who are now both playing OLB, might both be back and healthy. We shall see how this goes, but this may be the determining factor. T. Richardson is also huge here. He’s wearing a flak jacket to protect his rib cartilage injury, and it remains to be seen whether he can handle a full load. I do not recommend starting either one of the backups at RB.  Josh Gordon is a legit threat to score in his third straight game. Weeden has an arm and needs someone to throw to until Greg Little can show his team that he is able to make plays, catch the balls, and just play receiver in general. This is going to be an interesting game with not much defense, a lot of passes, and a possible T-Rich rushing explosion. Fantasy points abound. Luck stats at home.

HOT: Luck, Wayne, Weeden, Richardson

NOT: Both Defenses

SLEEPER: Gordon, Avery

 

BALTIMORE   20

HOUSTON       31

The Ravens became a different team overnight due to the major injuries they experienced last week. With Ladarius Webb and the ageless Ray Lewis out for the year this defense has taken a huge shot. Add Ngata with an MCL injury to the mix (limited this week’s game) and you’ve got a defense that has lost its biggest disruptor on all three levels of the defense. Huge impact. Expect the Ravens D to go from top 5 to average at best for the rest of the season. What does this mean? More Flacco, that’s what. Flacco is Jeckyl-Hyde in home vs away matchups. They will be playing catch-up. Ray Rice will at times this season be eliminated from the run game and will be catching dump-off passes more often than not. I’m not downgrading the Ravens offense just yet, just be aware that things are going to be different and it remains to be seen how head coach Harbaugh is going to adjust. Against a Texans defense that was unstoppable until the week 6 injury to LB Cushing, this game is going to tell us a lot about the two top teams fighting for homefield advantage in the AFC. The Texans are also reeling and I expect this to be a higher scoring game than what Vegas is expecting. Schaub is a glorified Alex Smith in terms of managing the game. You ask him to do too much and he usually falters. The Texans O-line is not playing at as high of a level as you may think and Arian Foster’s productivity has been a direct result of this. He’s obviously a must-start but his ypc avg is down and Tate is now healthy. Andre Johnson is an afterthought until proven otherwise. TE Owen Daniels is hot and its pretty obvious that if AJ isn’t open then Daniels is Schaubs second look.

HOT: Flacco, Rice, Foster, T. Smith

NOT: Both Defenses

TOSSUP: Schaub, A. Johnson, O. Daniels, Boldin

SLEEPER: Jacoby Jones, Pitta

GREEN BAY   20

ST. LOUIS      10

Green Bay showed some life in Houston and we are left to wonder whether that was due to Cushing’s injury or if Rodgers has found his groove. He will be without Jennings yet again this week. Randall Cobb looked like a future gamer for the Pack and Jordy will once again be the guy to cover. Finley continues to be a disappointment and the run game is shaky at this point. The Rams have been surprisingly stout this year in not giving up big plays, points, pretty much everything. While Rodgers looked like a fantasy robot on Sunday throwing for a team-record 6 TDs against Houston, we need to be convinced the Pack is back. I do not think they are. Expect a close game with the Rams playing at home, Fisher’s gameplan, and a concerted effort by the Rams to run the ball and keep GB off the field. For Bradford, his struggles may continue. You can expect Dom Capers GB defense to bring the house against a dismal offensive line. The Rams will find a way to keep it close, but from a fantasy perspective, it is not a good idea to bank on a lot of points for your team, regardless of side.

WARM: Rodgers, Nelson, J. Jones

NOT: Finley, Alex Green

TOSSUP: Rams run game

SLEEPER: Cobb, B. Gibson, Pack DEF

 

NEW ORLEANS     27

TAMPA BAY           24

I doubt the Saints have done much in their bye week to revamp their wretched defense. Vilma is back but he is somewhat raw and will only be playing in certain packages. TB’s gameplan this week is to run the ball and keep Brees off the field. This may work in the 1st quarter, but from there it remains to be seen. Martin and Blount will bring it against a swiss cheese front 7, but despite their impressive run blocking, they haven’t made much noise. Freeman had an impressive game last week and if this turns into a shootout, he’s going to thrive. Vjax is a must-start and M. Williams is the most intriguing FA out there this week. For the Saints, Brees has struggled more against the Bucs than any other team he’s played in his career. Colston is getting healthier and had a hot two games before his bye. Expect more of the same, but as always we don’t know who’s going to get the love. This may be the easiest week for you, as Jimmy Graham is out. Upgrade Lance Moore, Colston, and maybe even Devery.

HOT: Brees, Colston, Freeman, Vjax

COLD: Saints RBs, Saints Def

TOSSUP: Martin & Blount, Bucs Def

SLEEPER: M. Williams, L. Moore, D. Henderson

 

DALLAS          31

CAROLINA     17

The Cowboys need a win badly. They are under the media microscope the most only behind the NY teams. This is a great opportunity, albeit on the road, against a crummy defense that just got worse due to injuries to starters Gamble and Beason. Romo has been slightly above average this season. Personally, he’s been dull, showed little spunk, and has made a few decisions a high school quarterback arguably would never make. Dez is coming off a 2 td game and has supplanted Miles as the go to receiver recently. Both are must-starts against this Panther D. Felix Jones has never gotten the job done week in and week out, so don’t expect anything different. He may break a long one or he may end up getting into the endzone but this guy has never reached the level comparable to where he got drafted. Witten continues to be a big fat question mark this season. That splenic injury really did him in I think, initially physically and down the road mentally. Dallas defense is not the greatest fantasy point producer but they are top twelve against the run and the pass. For Cam and co. they spent the off-week trying to find a groove. Cam’s sophomore slump is going to be tough to get out of this week.  Expect him to shake it up with some deep passes and a few long runs as the Panthers try to get back to what they did last year that made Cam so tough to beat. Steve Smith WILL score this week. It’s quite simply a priority and the Panthers spent that downtime trying to get Cam and Smith on the same page. Zero TD’s going into the bye is simply unacceptable. The backfield committee continues to stain fantasy teams across the globe and this game will be no different. LaFell is also growing into his own and may get some love as well. This should be a great game to watch and fantasy points will be gotten here.

HOT: Romo, Bryant, Austin, Cam, S. Smith, Dallas Def

NOT: Carolina Def, Olsen

TOSSUP: Witten, F. Jones, Stewart, D. Williams

SLEEPER: LaFell

 

ARIZONA           6

MINNESOTA     30

This is going to be a rough game for Arizona. Not only are they starting the worst offensive line in football, but Skelton is in for a broken Kolb and he is not 100% healthy from that ankle injury suffered early in the season. This team has no running game to speak of. Fitzgerald is the lone bright spot, and he won’t do much Sunday against the Vikings. Skelton and Larry don’t have much chemistry this season and have been average in the past considering Fitz is one of the best in the game. The stats are not there.  Bench everyone. I’ve got the Vikings Def coming in at #2 this week. They’re sneaky and on a lot of teams out there so pick them up if you can. Look for Ponder to right the ship this week and get back into a groove. Percy was underutilized last week in Washington and they paid dearly for it. He will make a lot of noise this week as the Vikings get back to their roots. Jerome Simpson may be active as well. Rudolph continues to be a TD machine and is reaching ‘must-start despite matchup status’. AP also looks to get into the endzone for the first time in 5 games. The Cardinals defense is damn good. But they are going to be on the field so much for this game that if the game is close late into the second half, expect and aerial and ground assault as the Cards def simply wears down from fatigue. Add that Metrodome crowd to the mix and you’ve got a blowout.

HOT: Ponder, AP, Harvin, Rudolph, Vikings Def

NOT: Skelton, AZ backfield, Fitzgerald, A. Roberts

TOSSUP: AZ Def

SLEEPER: Simpson

WASHINGTON       27

NEW YORK G          31

This is going to be a great game from beginning to end. RG III is quickly silencing any critics and becoming the new face of the NFL. Yes, maybe a bit premature, but name one thing this guy is doing wrong. Taking too many hits? Maybe, but he’s still showing leadership every single play and managing the game correctly. He’s simply not doing much of anything wrong. He’s accurate, he’s lighting-fast, he hangs in the pocket unless it’s time to run, he’s not hurried, he’s calculated and he can make a big play every time the ball is snapped. Basically, he scares the piss out of any defense he plays. Sunday will be no different. The Redskins receivers suck, but each week someone is stepping it up. With Garcon still out, they lack the true #1 threat and it makes it difficult to spread the field. A. Morris continues to shine in Shanahanigans system and he is officially in “must-start despite matchup” mode. If you’ve got him, don’t trade him unless the price is VERY right. Redskins will put up points against a crummy Giants secondary. Coughlin is a mastermind at his craft but he left it on the field twice last year as the Skins got their number. Now they have RGIII. All of this is huge, but Eli and co. still find a way to get it done this time in the Big Apple. Eli will bring in some points against a shoddy Washington secondary. Bradshaw is questionable with those foot issues, so A. Brown could be in the mix for some carries. Stay tuned Sunday morning to find out more. Cruz is a must start, Nicks needs to get back in his groove but he seems so hampered by injury I’m starting to wonder if this is going to become chronic. M. Bennett has been quiet starting week 4, so look for him to possibly get involved against a Orakpo-less LB corp. This is going to be the kind of NFL game you want to see every Sunday.

HOT: Manning, Cruz, RGIII, A. Morris

NOT: Wash Def,

TOSSUP: Bradshaw (inj), Nicks (inj), M. Bennett,

SLEEPER: Giants Def, Wash WR’s, F. Davis, D. Hixon

JACKSONVILLE     22

OAKLAND                24

These two teams just aren’t very good. Gabbert is the worst starter in the NFL. Blackmon has yet to get anything going this year mainly due to his QB. MJD took the offseason to complain about getting a new contract that has hurt him and his team as he tries to get back into game-shape, not physical-shape. For the Raiders, Palmer is the answer and you’re going to see it the second half of the season with a cakewalk schedule. His problem is not much continuity with his wideouts due mainly to injury and lack of talent. Denarius Moore is showing some signs of life while DHB didn’t register a catch last week after suffering a brutal hit to the head two weeks prior to that. Let’s hope the Raiders can get something going in that backfield. Jaguars Def isn’t as crummy as you may think and they show flashes of top-10 potential at times. But I believe McFadden finally gels at home with that zone-blocking.

HOT: Palmer, McFadden, D. Moore, MJD

NOT: Gabbert

TOSSUP: DHB, M. Lewis, JAX Def, OAK Def

SLEEPER: B. Myers, Blackmon

 

NEW YORK JETS    20

NEW ENGLAND       38

This isn’t going to be a game. Just look at the Vegas line. Expect all Patriots to be in the mix Sunday. The Jets are horrible against the run and above average against the pass. However, playing Brady at home is a different animal altogether. The Patriots defense is quietly becoming the defense of last year: poor. They’re giving up yards, the secondary looks lost at times, and they look to be digressing. Today will be a good test for them. Sanchez is unpredictable. You simply do not know if he is going to explode for your team or get you negative points for int’s. I continue to advise you to not have any Jets on your team. Garbage points are almost obvious, and I like Keller to be a sneaky play this week. For the Patriots, Brady is going to have a superb game against one of his rivals. Upgrade all TE’s and WR’s this week, and Ridley is likely to have a huge game 2nd half when the game should be out of hand. Brandon Lloyd will be covered by Cromartie most of the day, but Brady will throw to him.

HOT: Brady, Ridley, Welker, Gronk, Hernandez

NOT: S. Greene, Jets Def

TOSSUP: Lloyd, Pats Def, Sanchez

SLEEPER: Keller

 

PITTSBURGH        28

CINCINNATI          23

Gone are the days of defensive struggles in the AFC North resulting in a 9-3 score. Pitt is 0-3 on the road this year and the Bengals have lost their last two against the Browns and Dolphins. Something has to give. Expect this to be a great game that will remain close with lots of points. Rothy’s ankle sounds fine for Sunday and he should have a good game. Wallace and Brown should thrive in the night game, as well as Heath Miller sneaking his way into the endzone yet again this season. The Steelers aren’t going to have much of a run game with Mendy and Redman out. Here’s to hoping that Antonio Brown gets in the endzone this week. He’s overdue. For the Bengals, your favorite Ginger Dalton continues to impress in his second season. AJ Green looks absolutely unstoppable and the Bengals have some sneaky, young players as well. BJGE must get his mojo back because they are counting on him.

HOT: Rothy, Wallace, A. Brown, H. Miller, Dalton, AJ Green

NOT: CIN Def, PIT backfield, PIT Def

TOSSUP: Gresham, BJGE

SLEEPER: A. Hawkins

 

DETROIT        23

CHICAGO     27

Stafford has got to get his act together. He has yet to connect with Calvin Johnson in the endzone. You read that right. Yes, it is week 7. We’ve had enough, Matthew, quit screwing around, fix your mechanics, and get the ball down the field. The o-line is effective, LeShoure is not a solid option, and the wideouts are talented. No more excuses. The defense is playing well, but the secondary remains a problem. I want Stafford to finally get it going in the Windy City but it’s unlikely to happen with that stingy defense. Cutler is going to be feeling the pressure with his o-line, but there is some chemistry brewing with those five and tonight will be a great test of what to expect the rest of the season. Cutler rarely has three solid outings, so if history means anything to you then you should temper your expectations. Forte should have a great game in terms of yards, he’s just always iffy to score a TD. Bush may vulture one inside the 10. Alshon Jefferey is out leaving Marshall as the man to stop against a poor secondary. He should have a strong game if he brings his endzone stickum with him. The Bears D is just a force this season and can make a play at the drop of a hat. This one could go either way, and even Vegas is looking a bit confused on what to expect. Regardless of what happens, it should be a fun, close game.

HOT: Stafford, Megatron, Forte, B. Marshall, Bears Def

NOT: Pettigrew, Lions Def, 

TOSSUP: T. Young, M. Bush

SLEEPER: Burleson

Quick Week 6 Recap

                                                                 

And what a wild week that was. The week started off in epic fashion with the Titans upsetting the Steelers in Nashville. Um, yeah, not a lot of experts saw that one coming, hence the lofty fantasy predictions for the Steelers offense. The week continued with an absolute mauling of the 49ers at home to the Giants. Coughlin really is the man. The week ended with one of the most impressive second half comebacks in recent memory with the Peyton Manning-led Broncos scoring an amazing 35 points in the second half after being shutout in the first 30 minutes. 

Record last week was 8-5 (Thursday night game excluded). I’m pretty pleased with the week considering how wild the games were. It was easily the toughest week for predictions. This week should be a shy bit easier. For the year I am 54-37. That number needs to go up despite being in the 91st percentile in one fantasy website tourney. That’s 59% in terms of picking the winner. Let’s get on to week 7!

                                                                        

Week 6 Fantasy Football Insight

This is more of a fantasy/real football analysis article. Hope you enjoy, leave me any feedback or thoughts.

We’re going to hit the high points. If you’ve got more questions, feel free to hit me on my twitter machine @FantasyFB4U

Follow @FantasyFB4U

 

 

OAKLAND @ ATLANTA

FALCONS – Isn’t it fun having Matt Ryan on your fake team? No, it’s not like Aaron Rodgers of years past…yet. That may change. This one could be brutal. Roddy White seems to be warming up as of late. Julio is the next big thing since Megatron (and maybe AJ Green is in that mix), but Julio is inconsistent, and albeit quietly, continues to have a nagging hand injury. Plus, Julio really hasn’t been that good at home, eclipsing all his yardage and TD damage on the three road games. Gonzo is almost a lock for some action as the Oakland defense from top to bottom is poor. Shocker. Turner will get his looks as well. You can’t go wrong with any Falcons this week. Look for some screens, Jacquizz could be a sleeper surprise, as well as some deep balls. The Raiders secondary is banged up and not talented, FS Huff is playing at corner, they’re not getting any pass rush, and the linebacking corp has been underwhelming. Not convinced? Then you’re hopeless.

RAIDERS – The Falcons defense  isn’t officially shutdown status, but their secondary has been legit despite losing their best player for the year in Brent Grimes. Palmer may score some points this week despite the lack of WR talent. Heyward-Bey is about the only real threat from a fantasy standpoint you can count on each week to at least get you some yardage. The Raiders spent their bye week trying to get that zone-blocking run game going. It’s got to be frustrating for McFadden owners. Over the years he’s either hurt or not putting up points, right? The key will be if the Falcons jump on them early and take the run game out of the picture. Maybe they get it together, as the Falcons rush D can be abused this season.

Falcons: 35

Raiders: 13

INDIANAPOLIS @ NYJ

COLTS – This isn’t going to be a pretty game. The Jets secondary has held up, its their run defense that is so wretched. Donald Brown is out for at least 2 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. That leaves rookie RB Vick from Miss. St. to do the work. Is he up to the task? If you’re on a bye week with your main backs or you are in a 12-team or bigger league, this guy may make you look smart. Outside of Wayne, I don’t see the point in starting anyone as this is still likely to be a low-scoring game. Luck will continue to air it out, especially with no run game that we know of, but he’s not going to light it up. Unless you’re desperate, stay away from everyone, even Wayne with Cromartie on him all day.

JETS – Yuck. Do I have to write? Shonn Greene is simply not an every-down back. Period. He shouldn’t be on your team, and this is the THIRD year I’ve been telling guys this. Stop it. Stop it right now. Sanchez is playing so poorly right now, it’s making me smirk as I write this. Look for him to get back on track this weekend. Why? Dustin Keller. He’s back. He opens things up, is a big target across the middle, and Sanchez has been depending on him since day 1. He’ll throw for 2 tds, one to Keller, in a rebound game. They need a spark, and they need it now.  Still, if you have any Jets you regularly start, you’re probably 1-4.

JETS: 23

COLTS: 17

CINCY @ CLEVELAND

BENGALS: This is going to be a great game. Big plays, not much defense, and a hungry band of Browns playing at home. Joe Haden returns for the Cleveland secondary, and that’s going to cause some problems. He’s hungry, he’s pissed off from the suspension as well as AJ Green owning him, and I think the tide turns this weekend. AJ Green is a beast, no doubt, but he doesn’t light it up this week. I’m thinking 75/0 or 60/1, roughly something along those lines. Dalton has been decent this season, I think he’s a bit undervalued and he has a good game as well. Look for that sneaky fast Andrew Hawkins to crush it in the slot. This is the week he opens it up. The Browns are indeed underrated on defense, but their speed won’t match up with Hawkins. BJGE has simply got to get it done this week. He is proving quite quickly that he is not an every-down back. His fumbles are quite simply…confusing. But with Bernard Scott out for the year, this is BJGE’s show. Man up.

BROWNS: These guys look much better than expected. Yes, they’re 0-5, but they have competed every game, and the bottom line is this: Weeden and Richardson. These two rookies are going to make this Browns team competitive again for years to come unless the front office screws it up. Richardson has been a fantasy darling this season, and he is going to light it up at home for his Cleveland faithful. 120/1 with 40 rec. and another TD. Huge game for him as the Browns will rely on him heavily. Weeden is not a kid (29 y/o), he knows what he needs to do and spoke about it openly this week. I respect that. They’re going to have three healthy receivers this week. Josh Gordon could again make some noise. Greg Little has so much talent, he simply needs to get his $H!@ together. Enough already. You’re a receiver, you get paid to catch the ball. Make the catch. Weeden looks like a seasoned vet this week as the Browns rumble past the Bengals for their first win in the new era. This team is no longer a lock for just another loss, they can compete.

BROWNS: 33

BENGALS: 27

KANSAS  CITY @ TAMPA BAY

CHIEFS: Not much to like here. The Chiefs will rely heavily on Charles since Hillis remains injured. Such a bust. The hope is that with Quinn in for Cassel as the game-manager, the defense can hold the Bucs down enough to keep giving Charles the ball and hope for a big play. But with the Bucs front four playing the way that they are…you have been warned. This game could be another 9-6 score like last week or it could be a TB blowout. Either way, Charles is your only starter. Chiefs = gross.

BUCS: Freeman has been putting in the time this offseason. He spent the bye week going over every single offensive play. I mean, you get paid millions of dollars, you should be busting your ass, but this is not the case. Anyway, all his hard work has not really paid off. But much like the Browns, this is a young offense that if kept intact, will blossom. The Bucs have the potential to explode this week, both sides of the ball. VJax is like clockwork, he shows up for a game, gets you points, then disappears. Then reappears. Literally, he takes a game off every other game. Not sure how this Houdini math works within the bye week, but I say Vincent shows up Sunday. Freeman has other options as well. Mike Williams is not lazy this year, unlike last year. VJax is pushing him to step his game up. Doug Martin has yet to get it going, and Blount is going to to be getting more carries, initiating the dreaded committee backfield. I’d start both receivers, temper your expectations for the backfield, and Freeman provides a solid start.

BUCS: 24

CHIEFS: 10

ST. LOUIS @ MIAMI

ST. LOUIS – I know I know, I am super-psyched as well for these offensive juggernauts to finally be duking it out. Vomit. I’ll keep this short. Jeff Fisher is the real deal and likely the most underrated head coach in the NFL. He makes this team waaay better than it should be. The Rams O-line is horrible. Can’t fix that. Bradford could be a good QB if he had someone to throw to and enough time to actually find an open receiver. But he has neither, so he isn’t startable material for your squad unless he is a bye-week fill in. Steven Jackson continues to be one of my favorite players. I feel so sorry for him. Such talent. 6-2, 245 lb with 4.4 speed. So sad. He’s never been the TD machine he was built to be, and the Miami D-line is straight-up stout against the run. Bench all Rams. Defense may be worth a start, but Miami’s defense is more startable.

MIAMI: The Rams defense has been a surprise this year. They’re not flashy, they just dont give up much. It’s impressive. Don’t expect much from the Fins this week. Bush is pretty much an every week starter from now on. Everyone else is a gamble, including Hartline. Tannehill has surprised a bit this season, but don’t expect much from him this weekend. Give him someone legit to throw to and we may have something to work with. This will be a boring, ugly game with turnovers and sub-par players making the occasional play. Not saying the ending won’t be good…

MIAMI: 16/OT

RAMS: 13

DALLAS @ BALTIMORE

DALLAS – This is going to be a strong game. Romo is solid coming out of the bye week. Start him. Ignore that it is in Baltimore and against a strong defense. Ignore that he was just plain foul last game throwing FIVE picks. Romo knows what he needs to do. I’ve benched him in multiple leagues this season when I knew he was going to crap the bed, and he did. But stats don’t lie. The Cowboys obviously don’t handle the pressure from Jerry Jones or the media well. They don’t falter all the time either. They’re getting Phil Costa back on the line (which may not even be a good thing, we shall see). Demarco Murray really does seem like he could be a player and he’s one of those frustrating players that you’re almost forced to start each week regardless of matchup. The Ravens defense has not been impenatrable against the run. Dez has got to get his act together at some point. Why not on the road against one of the better secondary’s in the league? Miles and his hamstrings are always a potential for a big play or a big injury, but you have to start him. The Dallas defense is intriguing. They have the cover corners to slow down Flacco. The big question is: Will they stop Ray Rice?

BALTIMORE – Ray Rice is the key to this game. If he does well, the Ravens will win. He’s expected to have a huge day, but then again, when is he not? He’s one of the most versatile players in the game. Flacco at home? Good. Flacco on the road? Bad. Cam Cameron (Balt. OC) = annoying. Sometimes Cam is to blame, and there is questionable chemistry between the OC and QB. Last week in KC is a prime example of crummy game planning. The Chiefs played press against Jacoby Jones and Torrey Smith the entire game, and you saw what happened. Will Bob Ryan and the Cowboys do the same? This could be a surprise game. The Chiefs exploited the pass game by playing physical and jamming the receivers off the line…and it worked. You may see that again, and if that happens, it could be a long day. But, it is at home and for whatever reason, Flacco is consistently more accurate at home. They are tough to beat, but the Cowboys pull it off this week with the extra week to gameplan.

COWBOYS: 19

RAVENS: 17

DETROIT @ PHILADELPHIA

DETROIT: What the hell is wrong with Matthew Stafford? He plays poorly when he’s hurt, and he may be hurt. His hammy/glute may still be nagging. The problems with the Lions are Stafford’s. The run game is a problem, but it was last year and they still made it work. Lots of defenses are playing two deep safeties and its proven effective in slowing down the league’s most talented wideout. Megatron, Burleson, Pettigrew and T. Young all need to improve their catching, routes, and seperation. With the bye week, let’s hope they get it going. Stafford and Calvin are must-starts. Anyone else is a risk against this secondary. This is not going to be a high scoring affair, as it should be. You’ve been warned.

PHILADELPHIA : Expect Vick to again turn the ball over and make some mistakes. I don’t see him turning it around this week with the pressure from that massive front four. The Lions are pissed off about all the criticism and that front four has gotten a lot of verbal abuse over the past two weeks. Expect them to come out of the gates hungry. Vick and his spotty O-line are going to feel it. Vick will turn the ball over. He will also make some plays as that Lions secondary is beatable. LeSean hasn’t been getting as many carries as normal which is affecting his performance. It’s not all on him though. He’s a must start, and Maclin and Desean are good-looking plays this week, but only one of them scores. Watch out for the deep ball with Jackson, they’re going to take some shots.  It’s going to be a grinder, it’s not going to be pretty, but the Eagles again get through the day with a win. Playing at home makes the difference.

DETROIT: 23

PHILADELPHIA: 24

BUFFALO @ ARIZONA

BUFFALO – Such a sad state of affairs in Western NY. I loved this team in the preseason. Not even the ownership really understands what is going on with their team, but Chan Gailey has got to get his guys playing better or its on him. This week is the defenses chance to prove they are legit. They were embarrassed in San Fran last week and it has got to stop. Fitzpatrick wins games when he doesn’t turn the ball over, period. Fred Jackson and Spiller are potential fantasy beasts but injuries have curbed their early season expectations. The offensive line is a freaking trainwreck right now. They have two healthy starters. Injuries have plagued both sides in recent weeks. It was a good call to stay out west this week after San Fran and before Arizona and hopefully regain some continuity. We shall see what happens. Against the Cardinals defense, though, don’t expect too much. Fitzy will again turn the ball over due to pressure, unfortunately. He and Stevie are not on the same page. Maybe that will change this weekend. Let’s hope the run game gets going or these guys are going to find themsevles quickly competing for last in the AFC east.

ARIZONA – No running backs, horrid o-line, a busted overpaid QB and they’re 4-1. Crazy. The Cards are going to be throwing a lot this Sunday. Fitzgerald is going to have a monster game. I love Andre Roberts this week too, as Kolb has obvious chemistry with him. Kolb should be a good game manager if the Buffalo d-line continues to play below expectations. With no running game to speak of, I’m not quite sure how else they’re going to move the chains. Expect a sloppy fairly high-scoring affair.

BUFFALO: 24

ARIZONA: 27

NEW ENGLAND @ SEATTLE

NEW ENGLAND – The entire league is quietly in a frantic right now about how to gameplan for the Patriots offense. No team is executing play after play the way Nasty Bill’s offense is right now. At times they are getting plays off every 12 seconds, and the results have been ideal. They’re getting a lot of first downs, and when they get to third down, they are converting. Seattle’s defense had a completely different week of practice to prepare “as best they could” for the Brady-led offensive onslaught. However…this game is in Seattle. That’s a 2500 mile cross-country trip. All of the above factors will be a part of this Sunday’s game. Brady’s O-line is not that good. The Seahawks front seven can stop the run and the pass, they rank in the top of both categories. Ridley is going to have a hard time finding holes. Gronk and Hernandez are not 100%, Lloyd has yet to find his groove with Brady. Welker is always reliable and is key to the type of offense they want to run: short slant routes and dump off passes with some screens thrown in there. Don’t expect a ton of fantasy production from NE.

SEATTLE – Carroll continues to put his faith in Rookie QB Wilson. For how much longer remains to be seen. He is managing the game, but he’s still turning the ball over and not making down the field big plays. Seattle’s offense is geared to help Wilson succeed, much like Alex Smith. But they’re not putting up a lot of points, none of the wideouts are stepping up, and it’s up to Skittles to keep the chains moving. He’s got 85 yards rushing in every game this season and he’s going to be fine again on Sunday, look for around 100/1, maybe 2 tds. Does anyone else think Sidney Rice has all the intangibles to be a star? What is this guy waiting for? He’s finally healthy, I don’t see why they don’t just throw it up there to him in single converage and see what he can do. This game won’t be pretty, but Seattle’s 12th man is downright insane, and it wins the Hawks the game.

SEATTLE: 17

PATRIOTS: 16

NEW YORK GIANTS @ SAN FRANCISCO

GIANTS – The Giants are one of the better traveling teams in the league. They simply know how to get it done and it boils down to Coughlin’s preparation and approach. He’s just a damn good coach that knows how get his team ready to play, whenever, wherever. The 49ers secondary has been beatable the past two seasons. This is a dominating defense, but it isn’t perfect. They are going to be under the gun, and they aren’t as strong as they were last year, mainly for two reasons: Manningham and Jacobs. Both of these guys are now on the opposite side of the field. Funny how things work out. The O-line is really gaining some continuity and it showed last week in Bradshaw’s dominating performance. A. Brown is out, so it will be Bradshaw and rookie David Wilson trying to get the tough yards. I do not recommend any RB’s against this 49er line. They’re just too dominating. Remember, they didn’t give up a rushing TD until WEEK 16 last year. Crazy. If the Giants win this thing, it’s through the air. It sounds like Nicks is going to play, and they must have him to win. The WR depth is going to be called upon regardless. Cruz and an unhealthy Nicks can’t get it done alone. Bennet is a good play too. Give the Giants some credit, they will be ready to play.

49ERS – Alex Smith continues to surprise me, especially last week when he threw for 300/3. Who’da thunk? His finger is fine, other than how much he’s probably been using it to flick at the critics. Can’t blame him. His O-line is stellar, he’s got endless weapons, and the Giants secondary reminds me of my childhood: Playdough. If you’re in 12 team leagues or you need a plug-in for your bye, Randy Moss and Manningham are good options. Gore has been surprisingly effective this year putting up good stats with that crowded backfield. This game should be a true grind-it-out guts n’ glory win for whoever walks away.

49ERS – 31

GIANTS -23

MINNESOTA @ WASHINGTON

VIKINGS- Ponder continues to be a manager of the offense while mixing it up with some highlights here and there. He’s young, doesn’t have great chemistry with anyone yet, but he’s going to get there. This guy is going to start for the Vikings for at least a few years. Harvin is an early MVP candidate and the Vikes are using him all over the field. It’s a lot of fun to watch. Kyle Rudolph is a big target, and ponder likes him, especially in the endzone. AP’s ankle is not much of a concern, and he’ll be getting the carries like always. Washington’s defense is not what it was with Carriker and Orakpo. With both guys donezo for the year, they’re having to drop linebackers into coverage. Add AP in there, and it should be a very even matchup. This one should be close. The Vikes are hot and the Skins have lost 8 straight home games.

Redskins – RGIII will be playing. The question is if he has learned anything. Sounds like Garcon had a setback in his mysterious foot injury. As a person in the medical field, it sounds like a Lisfranc. It’s lingering too much for it to be anything else. Who knows with the Shanahanigans. The WR’s are going to have to step up. I don’t recommend starting any of them. Alfred Morris continues to be the surprise of the year for RB’s in fantasy. Vikes D is stout, but I wouldn’t underestimate the Skins determination, the home crowd, and that O-line. RGIII is going to be the difference maker. He could open this one up. If he can stay healthy and continue to make sound decisions, then I see the home-losing streak ending.

REDSKINS – 20/OT

VIKINGS – 17

GREEN BAY @ HOUSTON

PACKERS – There is something wrong in Green Bay. It starts with Aaron Rodgers. He’s just not playing at the high level we’ve come to expect from the past two years. He’s not as accurate, not as aggressive, and at times, not even pretty to watch. No run game. The offensive line is giving up a ton of sacks. They can’t seem to get it going. Take Greg Jennings out of the mix with Jordy slumping and you’ve got yourself another week of the new-look bunk Pack. The running game reminds me of the Lions, but worse, and the O-line is average. It’s sad I don’t have more to say, but I just don’t see the Pack turning it around this week IN Houston. No way.

TEXANS – Schaub continues to manage the game behind the best rushing attack in the NFL. He’s doing an excellent job at not making too many mistakes, but damn is he boring as hell to watch from a fantasy perspective. He’s not even in my top 15, as most experts have him. Foster’s ypc and ypcatch are down from the last two years. The o-line is not ranked as high as it has been in the past. Not sure what the details are as to why, but it’s obvious the Texans are not executing with as much dominance as in the past when it comes to the rush. Regardless, they are getting it done. Tate’s toe is healing up, and Foster is still the most productive fantasy back. Andre Johnson has never been on any of my teams. I’ve never trusted him. He’s injury prone and inconsistent. Now, he’s dropping balls and looks to be slowing down. Hate to say it, he hasn’t been the same since that severe hammy injury last year. Sad. Even if you don’t believe it, he’s still the only legit downfield threat and gets double-teamed often. Defense remains stout. Even without Cushing I imagine this team is going to make some serious noise in the playoffs. It’s going to be a rough one for owners of any Packers. And don’t trust that GB defense too much, Capers knows what he’s doing but he can only stop the rush for so long.

TEXANS – 23

PACKERS – 20

DENVER @ SAN DIEGO

DENVER: Of what a great game this is going to be. Chargers defense has stepped it up and they are once again competitive. Willis will have some room to run, and he should have a good game. The line is playing well despite some injuries. The key of course is Peyton. He has looked so sharp. In his last three games, he has thrown for 8 tds, no int’s, and over 1000 yards. Only been done twice before in the history of the league in a three game span. He has been clutch and that offense is just getting started. They’ve only had 5 games together, so buckle up and hope you have some Broncos on your team. The old Peyton is so back. D. Thomas is vowing to not fumble anymore…don’t hold your breath. He should have a huge game. Decker and Stokely are going to get some love as well. That Chargers secondary is so inconsistent. Broncos should post some numbers on offense.

CHARGERS: Big news that LT Gaither is doubtful for Monday night under the lights. Downgrade everyone. Rivers’ protection will be a problem, and the Broncos defense could have a huge game. The run game is in a state of flux with Mathews. The sooner they get it together, the better. You can’t start with confidence anyone in that backfield right now until we have some answers or the Chargers start winning. Rivers doesn’t have the weapons. Floyd is questionable with a groin but sounds like he is suiting up. Meachem hasn’t gotten a lot of looks but he will shine with time. What the hell is up with Antonio Gates!? I’m stunned. He has been downright pathetic from a fantasy perspective. If you’re an owner, I’m sorry. Gates makes Rivers and Rivers makes Gates. This has been an entire team of fantasy busts through 5 games. Norv, where’s that high-powered offense?

BRONCOS: 28

CHARGERS: 17

Thanks for tuning in folks. I’m around Sunday for the games. @FantasyFB4U

Good luck, hope this helps. Spread the word. More to come as I have more time to tweak this blog.

Friday Funday! NFL Divisional Breakdown: AFC South

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON TEXANS

Peeps are saying this is the year the Texans go all the way. It is indeed a possibility. They’ve got a backup RB that’s a potential starter in most leagues, a game-managing QB, a beast run game, Andre Johnson and his hamstrings, and a defense that Wade Philips is operating like a video game set on “so easy you’ll vomit”.

Matt Schaub is injury-prone, but not horrible. He’s going to get you points, but he is always rated too high. It’s a run-first offense and Schaub is a perfect fit for it. He can make plays but from a fantasy perspective, he should not be your starting QB. He has Owen Daniels, Foster, and Johnson, and honestly, it’s not that much. But with the run game operating so efficiently, it helps get guys open when the defense is stacking the box trying to stop that one-cut scheme. Expect Schaub to be his normal self in Denver this weekend, 210 yards, 2 TD (1 rushing).

Foster continues to quietly rack up the stats. He is the perfect blend of size, speed and vision for the zone-blocking one cut run scheme. If you own him, you own Tate. Tate is one play away from becoming a fantasy star, as we have seen in the past. This is easily the best tandem in the league. Foster is going to reward you all year. Don’t ever bench him.

Andre Johnson is a must start every week, but if you have him on your team, wait until he starts putting up some points and then trade him. He is as injury-prone as a wideout comes these days, and has never finished a season with 10 touchdowns. Personally, I find it unacceptable where he is continually drafted every single year. It’s old, trade him at peak value before his hamstrings explode…again.

Owen Daniels is two seasons removed from that ACL injury. He’s never had many TD’s, but he can rack up the yards and Schaub has never had much to throw to. He’s a sleeper coming into the season, and he’s worth taking a gamble on if you’re hurting in the TE department. The Broncos have allowed touchdowns to tight ends both games this season in Heath Miller and Gonzo.

The defense is simply just a shutdown defense. They don’t always get you the most fantasy points, but they sure are consistent. Mario who?

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

In my main league, I’ve got a guy who drafted Luck in the 6th round with the first pick, as his keeper pick for the next four years. The other 9 of us were jealous, and would have ridiculed him if he didn’t take him. RGIII was already gone, and I was proud of his decision because it was just the smart thing to do. Luck is already finding himself onto the starting rosters of some 2 QB leagues, and rightfully so. The defense stinks and they’re going to have to go to the air early and often this year. Luck has all the tools, as you’ve already seen, and he will be a star one day. He is, at this point, a matchup based QB in 2 QB leagues, but he’s going to get his yards. I just hope his pass protection can keep him upright. He’s already taken some nasty shots through two games.

Donald Brown’s time is up. This is his year to shine, or he’s gone from Indy. He’s got the reigns to the backfield, but he doesn’t have the greatest line to run behind. He looked amazing at times in the preseason and has looked decent thus far. Time will tell, but Indy needs him to step up to prevent Luck turnovers.

There was something about Reggie Wayne prior to draft time that made me want to take a gamble on him. What star rookie QB wouldn’t want a veteran like Wayne around to throw to? I love the dynamics here, and Wayne had a pretty TD in week 2, along with plenty of yards. He’s going to be a strong option all year long, and I bet he was taken much lower in most drafts than he should have been, given his productivity. Austin Collie makes me frown. I feel for the guy. This is his last year in the league, as I don’t seem him making it through another season. He’s had some really disturbing concussions, he’s obviously more prone to big hits, and despite his heart, his poor body can’t afford going across the middle.  He’s a risk to start every week.

Coby Fleener is the guy to own at TE for the Colts. You cannot deny the Stanford chemistry between the two. He’s getting the most looks.

Donnie Avery has had a rough go of things in his short career. Despite his injuries, he still has speed, and if he wants to make a comeback in this league, Luck is going to have something to do with it. Consider him a deep sleeper, especially with Collie coming back.

The defense is intriguing with Freeney and Mathis now standing up as linebackers. But Freeney’s got the dreaded high ankle sprain, so this defense is useless until he is in better shape.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Well, it didn’t take long for MJD to get his fingers wrapped back around this team. With Rashad Jennings doubtful for this Sunday’s game, it’s MJD’s time to shine. He’s still rusty, and not in football shape, but give him time, he will be. He’s got a good offensive line backing him up and he’s going to get his TD’s and yards. Last year, with Gabbert as a rookie at the helm, Pocket Dynamite won his first rushing title. We are talking about 8 and 9 man boxes here. Gabbert is terrible, the scouts hate him, his footwork is sloppy, he makes poor decisions, but he can’t be worse than he was last year, right? Especially with Blackmon added to the mix. So I see MJD paying the price for his holdout early, but by midseason he’s going to be crushing it for you again.

Blackmon is only as good as his QB. Gabbert showed flashes of legitimacy in week 2 against the Vikings, but its going to be a long year with Blackmon, as he quickly learned with that horrible throw by Gabbert when he was wide open in the endzone week 2. Ugly stuff.

Marcedes Lewis is a bust since he got paid, do not touch him.

jags defense has been known to make some noise, especially at home. Keep them in mind each week based on their matchups. This week at Indy is a possibility if you’re thin on options.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Jake Locker and friends haven’t quite gotten it together yet. But they will. But I’m not saying it’s this year. Locker didn’t outright win the starting job in the preseason over Hasselbeck, but given his situation and upside, he was awarded the starting spot. He’s having some growing pains right now, feeling pressure in the pocket, forcing the ball, and trying to make something happen every single play. His defense isn’t helping him, as the Titans are getting down early and often through two weeks, forcing Jake to play catchup. Not always a good idea with a raw QB. The weapons are there, with Kenny Britt when he’s not in jail, Kendall Wright, Damien Williams, veteran Nate Washington, speedy TE Jared Cook, and of course, Chris Johnson. The offensive line has been underwhelming through two, so let’s hope they can get it together. With better blocking, better running, and more chemistry, you’re looking at a young offense that has the potential to be a top five offense in the coming years. We will likely start seeing that as soon as later this season. Locker this weekend is an intriguing start. He’s likely to be airing it out again against a banged up Detroit secondary, and we could see a lot of points go on the board starting in the first quarter.

Everyone has their theories on CJ2WISH. I’m not giving up on him yet. What most people aren’t talking about is the system. They speak of contracts, offensive line, coaching, hesitation, and on and on. When CJ was holding out last year, he was missing a new coach implement a new system. Javon Ringer was quoted in the second week of last years preseason as saying that the sooner CJ gets into camp, the better, because the run game system is complex, and is the opposite of what CJ was used to under Jeff Fisher, a cut and go type system. Time was key in learning this system. Repititions, practice. CJ showed up just in time for the regular season to start. We know how that ended. Throw in the fact that he was in great physical shape but not game shape and you were screwed if you drafted him. So most of us thought this year was going to be different? Well, it still could be, but its not looking too promising through two games. He is indecisive, lacks the burst we all know he has, isn’t hitting holes hard, is blaming his offensive line for his troubles. Ugly situation. Munchak needs to get control over this situation immediately.

The receiving corp is a little muddled right now. Washington appears to have been concussed in week 2, though they are calling it a knee issue right now…pretty shady to me. Britt hasn’t been around long enough to really expect him to blow up, but he’s such a deep threat you consider starting him if he’s on your roster. Kendall Wright and Damien Williams are relatively unknown, young, talented receivers that we could very easily be drafting one day.  Jared Cook is also a vertical deep threat who is a sneaky play since he’s a TE. All these guys have talent and Locker makes them all better, but they’re just not there yet. Not good enough to start in most 10-team leagues. We will see signs of offensive life on Sunday against the Lions. Let’s hope after Sunday’s offensive productivity that the Titans will have something to build on.

Defense is struggling right now. They’re giving up points early, they aren’t focused, and they’re killing their offense and losing games before the games even start. There have been some problems identified in the defense, namely the two starting safeties. Fingers are being pointed at them, but Munchak is sticking to his guns, and they are again starting this weekend. Megatron and Stafford owners are salivating…it could get ugly.

Friday Funday! NFL Divisional Breakdown: AFC West

AFC WEST

DENVER BRONCOS

This is an exciting team with a ton of potential from a fantasy perspective. Manning is not an every week starter, even in 2 QB formats after his performance on Monday night against the Falcons. But, everyone needs to just give this guy a damn break. Not having him around last year just didn’t feel right, did it? I was almost sad inside all year, like a family member missing at xmas. Sad face. I’m relieved he’s back, he’s with a new team, he’s going to make it work, and I have less frowns. Give him some time, be patient, and trust your gut. If it makes you feel any better, he never had the prettiest deep ball to begin with and he had some cobwebs to shake off in his first road game. While his record in outdoor games isn’t exactly enticing, he is going to score you points all season long. In 11 games where the temperature was below 40, he had 15 TDs and 12 picks. Bench him this week if you have a better option, but he is at home.

Damaryius Thomas. Peyton is giddy over this dude. Why? He’s an athletic freak of nature. Peyton has never had someone as physically gifted, as D.T. is large, strong, fast, and yes, injury prone. Wah wahhhh. However, through two weeks you can see he is going to be a factor. Be patient with Eric Decker, he is going to come around as well. Chemistry is still a work in progress, much like what Brady is going through, and the second half of the season may be better than the first. If you have a better option, consider using it this weekend, as the Broncos play at home to the Texans, who once again have come out of the gates with a shutdown defense. I’m considering benching Thomas this weekend as well. If it wasn’t at home, it would be a definite.

McGahee apparently came into camp in the best shape of his life. He looked amazing on Sunday. He had a great week 2. Moreno is officially a bust, and it’s Willis’ party all year long. He and BJGE are two big backs I love. They’re getting almost all the carries, there are no goal line vultures, and they’re nasty.

O-line looks good. They’re blocking well and while they can improve, Peyton has got this team moving in the right direction. Don’t forget they almost came back and won on Monday night in Atlanta.

Defense is likely to be hit or miss this season. They have talent and they’re going to get you some sacks and turnovers, but think more along the lines of a matchup-based start/sit.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

High expectations coming into the season for the Crennel and the Chiefs. Sadly, it’s already looking rough. The Falcons walked all over them at home, and then the Bills decimated them on the road. Ugly two games.

Cassel is not your answer. He never was. Cassel in New England was much like Kevin Kolb in Philly: a product of the system. Both are busts. Get another QB, he’s going to drive you crazy all year. Jonathan Baldwin can’t seem to get enough looks to prove to us whether he is legit or not. Bowe is going to take a little while to get into game shape. The offensive line is solid for the most part, but Cassel makes the team go, and they aren’t going very far this year, or ever, as long as Cassel is the guy. Nobody for the Chiefs is a bad option against the Saints D this weekend though. These opportunities won’t cpme often.

Chiefs are being somewhat secretive about the status of Jamaal Charles’ reconstructed knee. It sounds like maybe a tweak or he got hit awkwardly, as he was seen limping off in the first half only to ride the stationary bike 2nd half. He is, as far as we know, good to go this weekend against the Saints in New Orleans. Do not be afraid to use this guy. You drafted him, you knew what you were getting. He isn’t going to get a lot of carries, especially with Hillis and a below average defense. You’re also playing what is shaping up to be the worst defense in the league. Start him with confidence as this is his week to shine. Hillis continues to fumble the ball and still has a lack focus. I just dropped him in week 2, and no one touched him. Until he does something, or the Chiefs D figures out how to keep it close, everyone but Bowe and Charles (matchup based) are not going to come close to smelling my roster/bench.

Not sure what’s going on with a talented Chiefs defense. Expect them to pick it up after a few more games together. But for now, they do not look good. Crennel is fighting for his job this year.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

If you weren’t already tempering your expectations for the Raiders offense this season, go ahead and start. Palmer has been criticized for not fitting the scheme they’re now running in Oakland. He had an ugly preseason and hasn’t looked great thus far. He lost Jacoby Ford last week for the season, and the weapons simply aren’t there outside of DHB and DMAC. He is a matchup-based QB in single QB formats until he shows otherwise. Mid-tier #2 until they add Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, or Plax. Don’t worry, its the Raiders, they’re one receiver injury away from pulling the trigger.

The offensive line is partly to blame for McFadden’s early season ugliness. The scheme is also something that Darren is still learning as well, by his own admission. I love Darren, and if he would have fallen to my in my main league, I’d have snagged him. And been very disappointed. You gotta keep starting him though.

Oaklands defense crapped the bed last week in Miami. A buddy of mine started them as a logical gamble, and it got him -3.  Another year in Oakland. Those poor fans.

Bench all Raiders except DMAC at home against Pittsburgh. If you have a better option than McFadden based on matchup, roll the dice.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

The mystery team at it once again with its headache-doling coach Norv Turner. We know one thing is for certain: The Chargers will suck in September, and turn it up as we inch towards the playoffs. Phillip Rivers did not play well last year, and we may never know why. He’s a competitor, with a below average line missing one if its best lineman right now in LT Gaither. Rivers can get it done, and he doesn’t need an all-pro to do it with. If he has Gates across the middle attracting attention, the rest will work itself out. Rivers’ days of fantasy stardom may not be over, but expect numbers like last year. He simply doesn’t have all the pieces to be as successful from a fantasy perspective as he has in the past. He is an every-week starter, but he’s going to let you down sometimes.

The run game is a sure bet to be a thorn in your side if you own Ryan Mathews. He will get hurt again, likely his collarbone, especially is he plays this weekend. He’s coming back too soon, and he’s going to pay for it. They have no backup run game. Poor planning. IF he can stay healthy, enjoy top-8 productivity from a super-talented halfback.

Gates is Gates. He is healthy, his foot doesn’t appear to be an issue thus far, and he’s just one of the best. He’s got a few more years left in him to score fantasy points in bunches like a high #2 WR.

Meachum and Floyd are the go-to-guys this year. Be patient with Meachum as the chemistry continues to build in San Diego. He will come along. He’s got a lot of talent and I feel he deserves a shot as the new guy in SD. There are a lot of doubters out there, but he hasn’t even had enough looks for us to judge yet, so be patient.  Malcolm Floyd has done a fine job through two weeks. He’s getting looks, he’s a massive target, and Rivers knows him. I’ll let you know when he gets hurt. It’s not an “if”, rather a “when”.