Week 8 NFL Predictions

I have spent 20 years on this Earth avoiding the very sight, smell and taste of pie. I've never been a pie person, or even a casual supporter of pie in the workplace or home. My love for cake has caused me to develop some pronounced bigotry towards pie as of late, as I am unable to control the urge to gag at the thought of pie.  This week, the type of pie I will certainly not be eating is Humble Pie. Indeed, this probably isn't something i'm in great need of fasting on, but for one week I have decided to sit back and enjoy a great set of picks for what it is worth. And if that bothers you, I would suggest you go eat some nasty apple pie in the corner. Or pumpkin. Or just bow to my greatness.

Just like momma used to make it!

So my week 7 predictions went pretty well, as you can probably assume. I managed to secure a 10-3 pick set, bringing my YTD totals to 64-39. ESPN spewed out a respectable 8-5 set and currently sits at 68-35.  As I slowly cut down their lead, I will attempt to pass them up and finish ahead of them in game predictions this season. With that being said, here are our week 8 predictions...

Indianapolis vs. Tennessee

ESPN Pick: Tennessee 27 Indianapolis 20

Committed Fan Pick: Tennessee 24 Indianapolis 17

Indianapolis is awful. I mean, super awful. I have never seen a team get beat so badly as I did this team last week. Drew Brees and the Saints lit the Colts up all night long on their way to a 62-7 victory. Either Indy is making their Suck for Luck case very obvious or they are just that bad without Peyton Manning. 

New Orleans vs. St.Louis

ESPN Pick: New Orleans 34 St.Louis 21

Committed Fan Pick:New Orleans 38 St. Louis 17

 I already mentioned above; the Saints are very good. The Rams, for whatever reason, have been incredibly awful this year after showing a whole lot of progress last season. They showed why they have the league's worst run defense last week, when they let DeMarco Murray loose for a 91 yard TD run in which no Rams defender had a shot at tackling him. They won't get 62 put on them, but this one will get ugly. 

Miami vs. New York (Giants)

ESPN Pick: Miami 20 New York 28

Committed Fan Pick: New York 34 Miami 14

Miami comes to town looking for its first win. The Giants look to take a strong step towards a playoff push by knocking off the Fins at home. Eli Manning versus....Matt Moore. Yeah, I don't predict a close game here. 

Minnesota vs. Carolina

ESPN Pick: Minnesota 24 Carolina 23

Committed Fan Pick: Carolina 28 Minnesota 21

I won't flatter myself and guess that Cam Newton reads my blog, but he certainly acted on what I said last week about winning games. Cam led a determined Panther's squad and got it done against Washington.  Now he gets Minnesota, a tough team with a new quarterback, rookie QB Christian Ponder. 

Baltimore vs. Arizona

ESPN Pick: Baltimore 34 Arizona 20

Committed Fan Pick: Baltimore 28 Arizona 17

Expect a big day from the Raven's run game, as they struggled so badly last week against Jacksonville. Joe Flacco can also rebound here against what has been a truly awful secondary this year. On the other side of the ball, Kevin Kolb will be facing a tough Raven's defense which excels in getting after the quarterback. 

Houston vs. Jacksonville

ESPN Pick: Houston 27 Jacksonville 14

Committed Fan Pick: Houston 28 Jacksonville 17

While Jacksonville certainly turned heads last week by beating Baltimore, they don't seem to be a tough matchup this week against a Texans team that has been on a real roll offensively lately. Halfback Arian  Foster continues his dominant season rushing the football and will pound the Jacksonville defense early and often. 

Buffalo vs. Washington

ESPN Pick: Buffalo 24 Washington 20

Committed Fan Pick: Buffalo 21 Washington 17

Coming off a bye week, this young Buffalo team gets the battered Redskins,a team that has struggled as of late and got hit hard by injuries last week. The two teams hit it off in Toronto, largely a neutral site which doesn't seem to give either team a home field advantage. 

Detroit vs. Denver

ESPN Pick: Detroit 27 Denver 17

Committed Fan Pick: Detroit 24 Denver 17

Detroit heads to Denver this week, where they play at Mile High Field in Colorado. The Lions have quickly established a "bad boy" image and may look to make this rough, physical game play a calling card for their team. 

New England vs. Pittsburgh

ESPN Pick: Pittsburgh 26 New England 24

Committed Fan Pick: New England 28 Pittsburgh 24

 Easily one of the better games this week, as the Steeler's look to exploit the Patriot's and their awful pass defense at home at Heinz Field. Tom Brady looks to test the Pittsburgh D, which has looked downright awful at times this year. 

San Francisco vs. Cleveland

ESPN Pick: San Francisco 24 Cleveland 7

Committed Fan Pick: San Francisco 21 Cleveland 10

The 49er's are trending upwards as of late, and Cleveland just got done edging the Seahawks 6-3. Neither team will light up your screen with big plays, but  a win here for either team could be big and decisive for playoffs. 

Cincinnati vs. Seattle

ESPN Pick: Cincinnati 14 Seattle 10

Committed Fan Pick: Cincinnati 17 Seattle 9

The Bengals head to the notoriously difficult Seattle home stadium to play the Seahawks this week. Cincy brings a talented defense and one of the leagues youngest QB-WR combos in Andy Dalton and A.J Green. Dalton needs to keep a cool head and tune out the 12th man to get the big W for his team. 

Eagles vs. Cowboys

ESPN Pick: Dallas 24 Philadelphia 23

Committed Fan Pick: Dallas 28 Philadelphia 21

Wow, I get excited just typing this out. The Eagles and the Cowboys always play good games, and I'm sure this week will be no exception. Neither team has been exceptionally dominant this year, so they both need a big win to gain momentum.

San Diego vs. Kansas City

ESPN Pick: San Diego 17 Kansas City 21

Committed Fan Pick: San Diego 23 Kansas City 17

Kansas City has certainly struggled a fair deal this year, but so has San Diego. The Charger's seem to have a lot of issues holding them back from their true potential. The Chiefs, racked by key injuries, are mostly playing for pride now and can still be a dangerous team to play against. 

Week 8 Fantasy Pickups

RB Jackie Battle, Chiefs: I mentioned Battle already in my Tuesday column, but I'd just like to re-enforce my belief in the guy. He seems to have won the No.1 spot in KC and that has got to count for something against a Charger's run defense ranked 21st in the league. 

WR Antonio Brown, Steelers: Brown is a small, fast receiver who also returns kicks for the Steeler's. After fighting for the No.3 spot in the Pittsburgh air attack he seems to have once again moved up as he gains more and more trust from Big Ben. He plays the worst pass defense in the league this week and has an excellent matchup, as the Patriots will be focused on Mike Wallace.

TE Jared Cook, Titans:  Cook seems to be a favored target in Tennessee and will see more targets as his role in the offense expands. He's talented and pretty quick, and could cause matchup problems for Indy. While the Colts have been decent against tight end's this season, they gave up two red zone scores to TE Jimmy Graham last week. 

RB Ryan Torain, Redskins: Obviously, losing Hightower for the season was a blow to the 'Skins. And, most likely, Torain isn't available in your league still. If he is, however, he makes for a good bye week fill in against the Bills. Torain is a proven runner who has shown the ability to produce big fantasy days. 

RB Bernard Scott, Bengals: Listen, its a tough matchup against the Seahawks. Scott will not get many easy yards against these guys. However, if you can handle the risk, you might reap the rewards. Scott could make for a sneaky bye week fill in as he takes the No.1 role in Cincy while Cedric Benson serves his one game suspension. 

Week 7 Observations

I'm not very brave.

I'm a mildly superstitious individual, who is easily scared and doesn't particularly like the dark. Those factors combine to make me a big ole' pansy.  It also makes me a survivor. We have all seen the movies, where the wounded, disoriented individual hears a suspicious noise and then, disregarding all reason or logic, walks towards it. Their inevitable death makes me chuckle, because I know that I would have booked it in the opposite direction as soon as I heard whatever god awful scary noise there was.

"That dark hallway seems legit. Wait, did I just see movement?"

I wasn't scared by much of anything this weekend. The most unsettling thing to me (other than the Browns and Seahawks playing that riveting 6-3 thriller) was the absolute onslaught of injuries that hit many key players this week. Many primary and fantasy relevant team options were injured throughout their games, and it certainly lacks any logical explanation. (Cue suspicion of witchcraft) I've never witnessed so many pivotal players go down with injuries in the same week like this, they literally dropped like flies. I mean, Paranormal Activity 3 did come out this week, maybe that has something to do with it. 

"Honey calm down. It was just a bye week, go back to bed."

Like I said, a lot of important players went down with injuries, and some appear to be quite serious. Earnest Graham's career might be over, his ACL tore so badly. Tim Hightower looks to be done for the season. Beanie Wells, Darren McFadden, Willis McGahee, Mark Ingram and Joseph Addai all suffered injuries that may keep them out for anywhere from a week to a month. QB's Matt Ryan and Matt Stafford both got looked at for injuries, and both appear to have avoided anything long term. WR Santana Moss broke a bone in his hand, which obviously limits his job capabilities, and Percy Harvin re-injured his ribs. 

As a casual fan of any team that these players belong to, the question might become; what now? Well, take a deep breath and relax, because your team will be just fine without these guys. Every team has backups, and this is the reason why. Conversely, where does that leave you from a fantasy perspective? Well, if you are in the same boat as this enterprising young sports writer and own one or more of these players on your team, then look for a paddle store, because you are up Shits Creek. 

Ha! I took the last good RB off waivers!

If these injury issues affect just one of your players, you need not worry, for I have a few suitable pickups that could help to ease the suffering through these hard times. 

RB Montario Hardesty, Browns: Okay, I can't like the YPC average that 35 rushes for 95 yards equals out to, but I can like the 35 rushes and the 2 pass completions. If the Browns are willing to give him 35 rushes against a good run defense like Seattle, he could be in line for a lot of carries down the road. 

RB DeMarco Murray, Cowboys: Better hurry on this one, as Murray probably won't last long in the FA pool. Murray ran wild against the Rams, going off for 253 yards on 25 rushes, including a 91 yard touchdown scamper where he showed great burst and open field elusiveness. When Felix Jones returns from injury, he might find more of a committee than he hoped for. 

RB Jackie Battle, Chiefs: Only had 16 rushes in this Sunday's game, as the Raider's pretty much dismantled themselves and didn't force the Chiefs to work very hard. The worry here is that Battle received just a bit more than 1/3 of the RB workload Sunday. Battle is the feature back, but the Chiefs might try and get Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster into the mix. 

QB Christian Ponder, Vikings: Ponder made his first start on Sunday, and while it as hardly great, he showed some good promise, and he gets the Panther's this week. Ponder can run pretty well for a quarterback, and the Panthers allow roughly 24 points to the run game this year. Makes for a risky, but interesting bye week fill in. Although, you could always goes with Kyle Boller. 

WR Jason Hill, Jaguars: Hill has emerged as the favored target of Blaine Gabbert's, and he has an okay matchup this week against the Texans. Without Mario Williams rushing, Gabbert will have more time to throw and, theoretically, find Hill downfield. 

RB Delonte Carter, Colts: Ahhh, finally. Finally Carter got the memo and (for a while at least) outperformed Donald Brown. There wasn't a whole lot of good to take from that drubbing by the Saints, but this is the salvageable truth. Carter is the guy in Indy. He got the carries, he got the TD, and this week he gets the Titans and their 24th ranked run defense, allowing 20 ppg to opposing running backs. 

Equal Exchange

A list of guys I'd drop if you owned them, followed by a list of guys I'd pick up if you don't.

Drop List: QB Donovan McNabb, QB Sam Bradford, RB Tim Hightower (inju.), RB Dexter McCluster, RB DeAngelo Williams, TE Lance Kendricks, WR Nate Burleson, WR Titus Young, WR Eddie Royal, QB Curtis Painter, WR Chad Ochocinco, WR Donald driver, WR Hines Ward, RB John Kuhn.

Add List: WR Michael Jenkins, RB Ryan Torain, RB Michael Bush, WR Jabar Gaffney, WR Greg Little, TE Fred Davis, D/ST Cincinnati Bengals, D/ST Houston Texans, RB James Starks, RB Knowshon Moreno ( McGahee may miss time), WR Harry Douglas, RB Maurice Morris. 

Week 7 NFL Predictions

Well, the trade deadline came and went without so much of a sneeze from the league, short of one (potentially) playoff helpful trade between the Bengals and the Raiders. Holdout QB Carson Palmer was acquired by the Raiders for two first round picks. Bengals owner Mike Brown had been very adamant about not trading Palmer to another team, which adds a measure of surprise in this trade. It reminds me of that old favorite by Aaliyah " If at first you don't succeed, make a new deal and try again, you can offer picks and try again, try again". While I think the price was quite steep, especially if Carson continues to be plagued by his bum elbow, I love the move. Palmer was arguably the best available QB on the market, and when Oakland lost Jason Campbell, you just cannot turn the reigns over to Kyle Boller. I mean, I typically like quarterbacks who complete passes. *cough Tim Tebow*In any case, Oakland is 3-3 and still in the proverbial "hunt", which means they couldn't sacrifice the production from a good quarterback. Palmer made be a shadow of his former glory, but he'll win you some football games, something I'm not too confident about Kyle Boller doing.



Ouch. I had an infectious, festering wound of a pick set last week, as ESPN blew their lead wide open by going 11-2 to my 7-6. That brings me to 54-36 and them to 60-30. I'm going to move right along here and let my picks do the talking:


Cleveland vs. Seattle
ESPN Pick: Seattle 17 Cleveland 14
Committed Fan Pick: Cleveland 17 Seattle 14

Seattle has the momentum, the win streak, and the stingy run defence. But I believe in Colt McCoy and the Browns. To right the ship and end the losing streak, they'll have to bring their A game to their home fans and take care of business.


Atlanta vs Detroit
ESPN Pick: Detroit 27 Atlanta 20 
Committed Fan Pick: Detroit 31 Atlanta 20

I saw the loss coming for Detroit last week. It was inevitable that they would lose some momentum after the strong start to the season, but the NFL season is forgiving, and Atlanta is a shot at redemption. At home, against an awful Falcons pass defense, I could see Detroit getting back in the win column.


Tennessee vs. Houston
ESPN Pick: Tennessee 24 Houston 20
Committed Fan Pick: Tennessee 17  Houston 21

Houston is a good team, a tough team, but their strength is the run game, which Tennessee excels at stopping. If Matt Schaub is forced to throw a lot, he'll have to do it against one of the better secondaries in the NFL.  If Houston runs well, they could win, if not, they probably won't.

Denver vs. Miami
ESPN Pick: Denver 23 Miami 21
Committed Fan Pick: Denver 24 Miami 20

Denver needs a win to rationalize starting Tim Tebow, Miami needs a win to save Tony Sparano's job. Who wins? Miami looked quite poor coming out of a bye week against the Jets, scoring just 6 points. There are problems on this team that run much deeper than their awful record.

San Diego vs. New York (Jets)
ESPN Pick:San Diego 27 New York 20
Committed Fan Pick: New York 24 San Diego 21

If you thought you would make it through an entire week without hearing smack talk from the Jets, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? Norv Turner and Rex Ryan have been trading jabs this week, and given the wonderful chemistry between the two, it'll be interesting who gets the last laugh in this one.


Chicago vs. Tampa Bay
ESPN Pick: Chicago 24 Tampa Bay 23
Committed Fan Pick: Chicago 21 Tampa Bay 17

A good matchup this week, as Chicago and electric back Matt Forte face the Tampa Bay defense, notoriously a tough nut to crack. On the other side of the ball, Tampa Bay has underachieved offensively, but could get the run game going strong against the Bears, who have been surprisingly soft stopping the run this year.


Washington vs. Carolina
ESPN Pick: Carolina 23 Washington 20
Committed Fan Pick: Washington 23 Carolina 20

Carolina seems to have picked up quite a dynamic crowd pleaser in QB Cam Newton, but there's only one problem; he's only won one game. Putting up the stats he has means nothing for the team if he isn't doing what they need to win. Washington was quite awful last week, and QB John Beck is getting his first start of the season. He has an excellent opportunity to win the starting position with a strong effort here.


Oakland vs. Kansas City
ESPN Pick: Oakland 28 Kansas City 21
Committed Fan Pick: Oakland 31 Kansas City 17

In what would appear to be Carson Palmer's first start for the Raider's, I would expect them to lean heavily on the run game, and why not? They feature Darren McFadden, the league leader in rushing yards, who s having a great season. Kansas City has struggled to consistently put out a team effort week in and week out this season, and will look to rebound against the Raiders.


Pittsburgh vs. Arizona
ESPN Pick: Pittsburgh 21 Arizona 17
Committed Fan Pick: Pittsburgh 24 Arizona 20

In this matchup, we see the surprisingly vulnerable Steelers facing off against the puzzling Cardinals, who, despite the talent they have, have been unable to win many games this season.  Look for the Steeler's to capitalize on the poor secondary of the Cardinals in this one.


Dallas vs, St. Louis
ESPN Pick: Dallas 27 St. Louis 17
Committed Fan Pick: Dallas 28 St. Louis 17

For as outspoken as his brother is, Bob Ryan keeps more to himself and his defense. The defensive Guru has his squad looking sharp and Dallas is looking to rebound against a frail Rams team after a crushing loss last week.


Green Bay vs. Minnesota
ESPN Pick: Green Bay 28 Minnesota 21
Committed Fan Pick: Green Bay 31 Minnesota 10

Christian Ponder makes his first NFL start on Sunday, ad I'm sure Green Bay will give him the warmest of welcomes to the NFL. This ain't Florida State, and Green Bay is a tough team to beat this year.


Indianapolis vs. New Orleans
ESPN Pick: New Orleans 31 Indianapolis 14 
Committed Fan Pick: New Orleans 34 Indianapolis 14

If Peyton Manning were healthy, this would be an excellent game to watch, as Drew Brees and Manning are two consensus Top-5 QB's in this league. Instead we get to watch Curtis Painter play catch up while Brees watches touchdown replays on the big screen all game.


Baltimore vs. Jacksonville
ESPN Pick: Baltimore 31 Jacksonville 13
Committed Fan Pick: Baltimore 34 Jacksonville 18

Despite playing the Steeler's rather close last week, Jacksonville has been less than impressive all season long. Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert may be the franchise guy though, and they are getting him valuable experience. Well here's a good one: the Ravens Defense. Good luck kid.



Week 6 Fantasy Pick-ups


QB Carson Palmer, Raiders: Yes, he just got traded here, and yes, he will have had about 3 days practice before starting on Sunday. However, Palmer knows coach Hue Jackson well, and Darren McFadden should go off on Sunday, leaving Palmer with a very simple and easy job; take advantage of the open spaces. As a bye week fill in for QB/ possible long term starter, I think you could do a lot worse than Palmer.

TE Greg Olsen, Panthers: A very good pass catching tight end, and one of Cam Newton's favorite targets. Should be a big factor in the passing game going forward.

WR Jason Hill, Jaguars: I'm not especially enthused by the matchup here, but its not like you can't throw against the Ravens. Hill has quickly become Blaine Gabbert's biggest target, and is likely to get a lot of looks this week.

RB Jackie Battle, Chiefs:  Battle is not the only back that will get looks in KC, but he has looked the most impressive, and will be the most likely one to assault the Raiders run defense, which has been in the middle of the pack this season.

QB Matt Cassel, Chiefs: If the Chiefs don't try to attack aggressively with battle, they'll throw it against Oakland's 28th ranked pass defense. Cassel could have a nice game here, as he certainly has the eapons at his disposal.

World Series Preview

As we near the start of the Major League baseball World Series, I thought I'd break down the match-up between the stubborn Cardinals and the overpowering Rangers.

The Ranger's path to the World Series:
Finished regular season at 96-66
Def. Tampa Bay Rays 3-1
Def. Detroit Tiger 4-2


The Cardinal's path to the World Series:
Finished regular season at 90-72
Def. Philadelphia Phillies 3-2
Def. Milwaukee Brewers 4-2


These two teams had fairly even seasons, with a slight edge to Texas. In the playoffs, both of these teams have relied on clutch power hitting and shut down relief pitching to close out games.  Both of these teams have some truly great hitters, but one hitter form each team really stands out to me.

Nelson Cruz, OF Rangers

Cruz has been on fire this postseason, hitting 6 home runs and compiling 13 RBI's to lead his team. In the series against Detroit, he ended one game with a walk off grand slam and hit a go ahead home run that proved to be the game winner in the first game of the series. Detroit made the mistake of pitching to Cruz instead of walking him, and he made them pay all series long. The Cardinals have a strong rotation of pitchers to match up against Cruz, but they'll have to be on their best to escape him.


David Freese, 3B Cardinals

Freese has been the surprise of the postseason for the Cardinals, outperforming the major sluggers on the roster and creating runs for the Cardinals. Freese is hitting .425 with 4 home runs and 14 RBI, with an OPS of 1.315. Freese compiled these numbers against some tough pitchers as well, facing the Phillies and the Brewers.



The Difference Maker
I think these teams are fairly similar, as they both combine some great sluggers with some dominant pitching and have advanced through the postseason fairly easily.  It will be tough to predict how well each team will pitch in the series, but I have to believe that the Ranger's starting rotation will rise tot he challenge. The Ranger's starters were top 5 in the league in quality starts and WHIP rankings in the regular season. Let me tell you why that matters. When your starters are having that many quality starts, its put the bullpen pitchers in a great spot and allows them to throw their best pitches and shut down opposing batters. As a team, the Ranger's were 6th in the league in Batting Average Against (.244).


Prediction
Rangers in 5
As I mentioned, both teams can hit. Expect to see a fair amount of offense, but I think that the Ranger's starters will outperform their Cardinal counterparts, and that will be the difference maker in this series.

NFL Week 6 Observations

Before I even start this post, I'd like to recognize the passing of Dan Wheldon, a two time Indy 500 winner who died Sunday in the midst of a 15 car pile-up on the racetrack.




Taxes. Death. Football.

These three things are the only constants in a life that is always changing. In fact, I've had my fair share of highs and lows with football, which, combined with my amount of committment to it, essentially make it a whole new person in my life. Football is always there for me to vent my frustrations on, and is sometimes even kind enough to add several more frustrations before the day is done. So in honor of my football fandom anniversary, I'm recounting the most poignant of memories of my time spent together with football.

 The first time I won my fantasy league, the raw joy of which I will only feel again at the birth of my child.

Those first few years of futile fantasy football play as a youth, trying to figure out what the term "waiver wire" even meant.

My growing dream of catching a Bears game at Soldier Field in which they actually make it worth my while to watch.

The pure depravity I felt after my first fantasy loss, (a crushing defeat no doubt) and the awful feeling of the walls closing in and the world fading to black......

Being able to say to my child one day that I saw ALL of Brett Favre's retirements in all of their torturous glory.

Being able to tell my son that when I watched the NFL, they used to hit people.....with their bodies. You know what else? They didn't even get a flag for it. Mind= blown. I can't even wait, he'll be so excited.

Knowing that for as long as I live, the most infamous moment in Super Bowl halftime history  happened while I was in the John.


To say me and football have led a charmed life together is a stretch, but she has been good to me. Beyonce has said, "if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it". Well said, Beyonce, well said. How about this one?

I wonder if it's possible to get it with less diamonds?

Well, another week of games is in the books, and for the most part, I'd say I wasn't surprised with how the games went this week. Around the league there was an overall lack of excitement, capped off with a ho hum Monday Night Football game. The Lions felt the bitter taste of defeat for the first time in quite a while, and at least one man on the team didn't care for the taste. I'm looking at you, Jim Schwartz.  On the other end of the spectrum, the Dolphins are still chugging along in the Suck for Luck campaign, although they face stiff competition from the Rams, quite puzzling considering the Rams have a good QB and have no need for the services of Andrew Luck (top rated QB prospect out of college, in case you didn't know). We had a John Beck AND a Christian Ponder sighting, as both men replaced their anemic starters in blowouts. The Raiders felt the cold bite of the injury bug as starting QB Jason Campbell injured his shoulder and looks to be out for the season. With Kyle Boller as the heir apparent, one has to wonder if Oakland might not just turn the reigns over to rookie Terelle Pryor now and see what he's got. However, smart money would probably be against the Raider's making the playoffs if that were to even happen. There are some good QB's out there right now, such as Kyle Orton and Carson Palmer, so it will be interesting to see if the Raider's make a move for either. 

Fantasy Outlook

WR Danario Alexander and WR Greg Salas, Rams: I put these two together because they both appear to be the feature wideouts going forward for the Rams. QB Sam Bradford looked for Alexander in the red zone but instead found Packer's DB Sam Shields. Alexander also dropped a long bomb that could have been a touchdown. These two will get the targets (10 each on Sunday), but their value will struggle as long as Sam Bradford does. Proceed with caution.

Donald Brown RB Colts: Brown should be the feature back moving forward, not Delonte Carter, who has repeatedly gotten chances to win the starting gig and has not used them well. Brown is the better receiving back and performed much better on Sunday. If the Colts pay attention, Brown should be the guy moving forward, and he is worth an add if they decide he is the guy. 

Michael Crabtree WR 49er's: Crabtree showed some life Sunday, and has 20 targets over the past two weeks. This could be a sign that he is heating up and going to start producing going forward. 

Earnest Graham, RB Bucs: Graham got the nod at starting RB in place of injured LeGarrette Blount on Sunday, and he did not disappoint. Graham showed surprising burst and carrying ability, going for 109 yards on the ground and another 20 through the air.  Graham is a solid pick up because he can run the ball well, is a goal line back and he also has ability in the passing game. 

Kevin Walter WR Texans: Walter and Jacoby Jones are kind of stuck in a timeshare right now. The injury to Andre Johnson has left a monumental hole in the Texan's passing game, and someone needs to pick up their game and take his spot. I like Walter over Jones, as Walter has been the more consistent receiver over his career. 

Equal Exchange

A list of guys I'd drop if you owned them, followed by a list of guys I'd pick up if you don't.

Drop List: QB Donovan McNabb, QB Sam Bradford, RB Tim Hightower, RB Roy Helu, QB Rex Grossman, TE Scott Chandler, WR Victor Cruz,  TE Marcedes Lewis, WR Mike Thomas, WR Antonio Brown, TE Ed Dickson.

Add List: RB Donald Brown, WR Jason Hill, TE Jake Ballard, WR Greg Little, RB Montario Hardesty, RB DeMarco Murray, WR Jerome Simpson, WR Dane Sanzenbacher (*very low value). 

NBA Lockout: Here to stay?

Well, as I'm sure some of you may have heard, the NBA Lockout caused its first casualties the other day, as commissioner David Stern canceled the first two weeks of the regular season as a result of continuing contract disputes. Try as they might to reach a new deal, the owners and players seem to be very far away from reaching a deal. While this prospect is costly for the owners and players both, the impact on the fans, both economic and entertainment wise, have not been considered at all.  Those players not heavily involved with the disputes have spent their time doing a variety of things, however a significant portion, even up to half of current NBA players have received interest to play overseas. Teams in Europe are scooping up NBA players at bargain prices to play one or two year deals, (or even one game deals, such as the Italian club trying to secure Kobe Bryant) even though many of the deals contain opt out clauses if the lockout does end. The NBA is effectively shooting itself in the foot by forcing its players to play elsewhere, canceling games and generally annoying its fan base.

One of the more curious and entertaining lockout ideas came from the NBA's biggest star, LeBron James. James took to his Twitter account, asking ESPN Analyst John Clayton when the deadline for a team to sign  free agents was up. While LeBron has flirted with the notion of playing in the NFL for a while now, the idea still gets me a little excited. I can see it now, LeBron tearing up secondaries, dunking on uprights after touchdowns, and getting gloves with internal powder pouches to allow him to do his customary celebration anytime. Alas, I know it won't happen, because no NBA player would give up his spot in the league with the highest professional salaries to go to the No Fun League.

For now, we won't have the first two weeks of the season. If the two sides cannot reach a deal soon, more games will be lost, which will result in a severely damaged final product. For the sake of the fans, players and NFL cornerbacks, lets get this lockout settled, eh David Stern?

Week 6 NFL Predictions

Hello fans of football, I come to you today with some very disconcerning and troublesome news. It seems that the near constant rumbling from sports fans everywhere about Tim Tebow has been steadily accumulating and has now formed a potentially dangerous cloud of smog. If I were you, I would board up the house to protect my family, bring the dog in from outside, and whatever you do, DON'T turn on the NFL League Pass. Having the game on will just add to the dangerous smog cloud. Instead, tune to the weather channel and watch for any sign of a reprieve.

                                               Cloudy with a 48.9% chance of a completion.


I'd love to spend the rest of this post ranting about how I don't think Tebow is the best choice but I'd be wasting my time. I have more important things to do, such as catch up on Gossip Girl. And I guess maybe I'll make predictions for week 6 in there somewhere as well. I just REALLY want Nate and Blair to get back together! Ahh...focus. Right, well it was a rough week for prediction last week, as I finished up at a measly 7-6 mark. ESPN edged me ever so slightly with 8-5, putting them ahead in the overall standings, 49-28 to my 47-30.  Without further ado and while GG is on commercial break, lets hit week 6.


Carolina vs. Atlanta
ESPN Pick: Atlanta 27 Carolina 21
Committed Fan Pick: Carolina 28 Atlanta 22

I hate to use the upset pick of the week so soon, but there it is. I'm a believer in Cam Newton, and he has torched every defense p to this point, so why not Atlanta's? Newton has a completion percentage 6% higher away from home, as well as a QB Rating that is 20 points higher on the road. Atlanta has underperformed all season and could easily lose to Carolina this week.

Cincinnati vs. Indianapolis
ESPN Pick: Cincinnati 24 Indianapolis 10
Committed Fan Pick: Cincinnati 24 Indianapolis 14

This game is a great chance for Andy Dalton to test out the offense against a rather unthreatening defense and more than likely get the better of them. The Bengals have the ability to crush the Colts with the run or burn them with explosive WR A.J Green. Look for them to do both.

San Francisco vs. Detroit
ESPN Pick: Detroit 21 San Francisco 17
Committed Fan Pick: Detroit 27 San Francisco 21

The 49er's have excelled this season due to a tough running game, but have complimented it very nice with the passing game. Chances are that they'll need to throw it against the Lions, who have been one of the league's stingier run defenses. The 49er's have a good (not great) secondary that will be challenged by Calvin Johnson all day long.

Green Bay vs. St. Louis
ESPN Pick: Green Bay 34 St. Louis 17
Committed Fan Pick: Green Bay 38 St. Louis 14

Green Bay has been nothing short of dominant this year offensively. Aaron Rodgers can pick apart a defense as well as anyone, and he is on a hot streak right now. Conversely, the Rams have suffered due to inept play from their QB Sam Bradford and are looking to stop a 4 game slide coming off a bye week.


Buffalo vs.  New York Giants
ESPN Pick: New York 24 Buffalo 23
Committed Fan Pick: Buffalo 28 New York 21

 Buffalo has shown all season that their are for real and the team to beat in the AFC. New York has remained largely invisible this season, despite a good season so far from Eli Manning. Buffalo will run against this defense, and they will be successful.


Pittsburgh vs. Jacksonville
ESPN Pick: Pittsburgh 27 Jacksonville 17
Committed Fan Pick: Pittsburgh 27 Jacksonville 14

Pittsburgh has struggled at times this season, losing some pivotal games and allowing teams to score on their defense quite easily. But I think the Steeler find their old form against Jacksonville and its rookie QB Blaine Gabbert. Just a hunch.


Philadelphia vs. Washington
ESPN Pick: Philadelphia 23 Washington 21
Committed Fan Pick: Philadelphia 21 Washington 24

A tough one for the Dream Team, as Washington has a stingy defense and an improved offense with second wind starter Rex Grossman at the helm. Sexy Rexy has got the 'Skins feeling fine.


Oakland vs. Cleveland
ESPN Pick: Oakland 21 Cleveland 17
Committed Fan Pick: Oakland 24 Cleveland 17

After their inspiring win last week in which in they won without their running game, look for the Raider's to try and get back to their bread and butter against Cleveland and their 25th ranked run defense.  On the other end, young gun Colt McCoy has led this Browns lead very well this season and looks to challenge a secondary which has been lackluster since losing CB Nnamdi Asomugha.


Houston vs. Baltimore
ESPN Pick: Baltimore 23 Houston 14
Committed Fan Pick: Houston 25 Baltimore 24

I'm looking forward to this matchup, because the Houston Texans greatly need this win to secure some respect in the NFL. The Ravens are always a tough matchup, with an aging but still effective defense and a capable offense led by Ray Rice and Joe Flacco.


Dallas vs. New England
ESPN Pick: New England 24 Dallas 23
Committed Fan Pick: New England 31 Dallas 17

I don't expect alot of defense out of this game, as I think both teams will try to throw early and often to try and outpace their opponent. If that ends up being the case, I see Tom Brady having a field day against this Dallas D.


New York Jets vs. Miami
ESPN Pick: New York 27 Miami 17
Committed Fan Pick: New York 24 Miami 10

Miami looks inept this season and by all means, just plain out lost this season. Losing QB Chad Henne isn't going to help, as coach Tony Sparano has to win games fast to keep his job. The Jets could be a likely candidate, as they have struggled to find a team identity all season and have not been dominant in any way.


New Orleans vs. Tampa Bay
ESPN Pick: New Orleans 24 Tampa Bay 17
Committed Fan Pick: New Orleans 28 Tampa Bay 17

Coming off their worst loss in franchise history, this Bucs team has to be feeling pretty awful about last game. Things don't look much better against the Saints, who teams just can't seem to put away late in games. Maybe Drew Brees has something to do with that, I don't know.


Chicago vs. Minnesota
ESPN Pick: Chicago 21 Minnesota 20
Committed Fan Pick: Chicago 23 Minnesota 17

Chicago has been less than spectacular this season, and Monday night's loss didn't help that at all. The O-Line is terrible, and its scary to think about how good this team would be if it wasn't as bad. Minnesota showed some life against the Cardinals last week, but it was against the Cardinals, so don't get too excited.



Fantasy Picks for week 6 


A.J Green WR Bengals: If he is available (which he shouldn't be) pick him  up. If you can get him for a low enough price, do it. He is "the guy" in Cincinnati and he seems to have a strong rapport built up with QB Andy Dalton. He's a great deep threat and hauls in a long bomb or two every game.

Daniel Thomas RB Dolphins:Thomas has been on of the few bright spots on the year for the Dolphins. He has a good matchup here, as the Jets got pounded by another big back last week, Benjarvus Green-Ellis, who doesn't have much more speed or shiftiness than Thomas. He's the feature and goal line back wrapped up in one. Start him.

Earnest Graham RB Buccaneers: Graham doesn't have a cake walk of a matchup here, as the Saints are 15th in run defence. However, Graham will be the goal line back, and he is a viable art of the receiving game as well. It appears LeGarrette Blount will miss some time with an injury so pick up Graham as a weekly plug in.

Mike Thomas WR Jaguars: Not the most well known of the available wideouts, but he has seen significant targets this season and has produced decent numbers. Not a good matchup this week but you can sit on him and use him later on down the road.

Greg Olsen TE Panthers: One of Cam Newton's favorite targets, he has had at least 3 catches and a touchdown in the past 3 games. This week, he gets the Falcons, who have allowed the 28th most passing yards in the league. Olsen should get a big piece of that pie.

Week 5 NFL Observations

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump

I like to think that Forrest Gump, had he been a fan of the NFL, could have used this phrase just about every week to describe what had happened in the games that had been played. Indeed, the true beauty of this league comes from the variety and many different facets of the game that you can observe from game to game. This season in particular has been fun to watch as the power balance seems to have shifted. Teams such as the Lions and Bills, notoriously bad teams for the past decade, have risen up and have greatly surpassed their previous marks of incompetence. Conversely, perennial power teams like the Steelers, Colts and Jets have struggled this season.

The NFL is hardly a perfect league. Labor negotiations almost wiped out the season entirely, players have begun to openly criticize their commissioner as of late, and many players face legal issues outside of football. However, we have seen the fan base of several teams completely rejuvenate this season, which has given a second wind to the likes of Buffalo and the downtrodden Detroit. Furthermore, if the power landscape of the NFL is indeed shifting, it only makes watching the league that much more entertaining, as different teams could be in contention for the Super Bowl.

Don't be "that Fan"


As a special addition to this week's article, I present "those fans" that complicate the world of sports and tend to irritate both each other and the typical die hard fan. All feelings presented are those of disgruntled fans from a large base of varying interests and interests. Enjoy the section and above all; don't be "that Fan"

1. Don't be the over the top fan. At the end of the day, guys or ladies, sports should be a hobby, not something you measure your life successes by.
2. Don't be the stuck in the past fan. We understand you once watched Jerry Rice light it up for your team. We  also understand they haven't been good since then. Why can't you?
3. Don't be the "logic" sports fan.  Well, my team beat Bohampton State, and they beat Cocomain College, who beat Florida, so that must mean my team could beat Florida. No, it doesn't. Not at all.
4. Don't be the vulgar sports fan. Do you remember going to watch your team with your parents as a young kid? Do you remember the person behind you cussing up a storm? No?  Then why are you doing it now
5. Don't be the unaccountable fan. Cutting down your friends and dissing their sports teams gets pretty easy when you don't associate with any team yourself. If you care enough to give it out, have the pride to be willing to get it back.
6. Don't be the bandwagon fan. Its tough sometimes to not jump on the bandwagon. Its hard to prove that you aren't once the wagon gets-a-rollin. Being a fan means being with a fan through thick and thin, not choosing to like them only when they start doing well. Easily makes you much less respectable if you are a bandwagon fan.
7. Don't be the "top dog" fan. Simply being a "fan" of the top 2 teams in each professional sports league does make you the God of sports. Everyone tastes the humble pie as some point my friend, perhaps you should give it a try.
8. Don't be the status fan. We get it, its cool to be a fan of certain teams that are popular amongst your friends. It might even make you feel good to wear that team's apparel. That's fine. But if you cannot name at least 5 players off of a team, you're a casual fan, nothing more. Don't try to tell us otherwise.
9. Don't be the close minded fan. Yes, I grew up in the Midwest. Yes, I like certain teams that do not hail from this area. Think that's an issue? Well, you're "that fan". Don't be.
10. Don't be the "coach fan". Sometimes, normally when a team is doing badly, certain fans make a generous sacrifice and "volunteer" to replace the current head coach or GM of a team and act in their place. Yes, we understand you're frustrated that he won't do a fake punt on 4th and 22. Yeah, I'm sure you could....do...better. I'll tell you what, how about we let the professionals call the shots?


Well, there you have it, at least 10 different types of fans that you want to try to avoid and, if you match the description of, avoid becoming. The reality is that these people will always exist. For every Fireman Ed and Jack Nicholson's of the world, there are several much less desireable fans out there.



Rising Stock, Falling Stock:


Rising: Detroit Lions- Boasting one of the leagues better defenses and an offense that is firing on all cylinders has got the Lions moving upwards with no signs of slowing down.

Rising:  Buffalo Bills- One of the more consistently good teams in the league this year. Has some issues to work out on defense, but features a dangerous offense that can hurt you on the ground or through the air.

Rising: San Francisco 49ers- Undefeated in regulation this year and coming off a huge win against the talented Tampa Bay Bucs, this team is surprising many people with its balanced, methodical approach to winning and the success it has achieved thus far.

Falling: Indianapolis Colts- Lost the battle of the cellar dwellers this past weekend against Kansas City, and is now winless this season. A lethargic offense and suspect defense has got Colts fans groaning before the half point of the season.

Falling: Philadelphia Eagles- Struggling to get Michael Vick enough time to throw, and making plenty of bad mistakes after he does. This team is in serious panic mode and needs to right the ship, soon.

Falling: Arizona Cardinals- Only 1-4 this season after failing to win several close games. New QB Kevin Kolb has struggled more than expected with this new offense, and needs to develop chemistry with his guys to score more points than the awful defense gives up.

Fantasy Outlook

Damien Williams WR Titans: In the wake of the Kenny Britt injury, it appeared that Nate Washington was the most likely to benefit from the hole in the offense that remained. After catching 6 balls on 11 targets for 66 yards and a score, Williams appears to have outplayed Washington for the top spot. 

Mark Ingram RB Saints: I'll admit, I'm not crazy about this idea. He's big and pretty fast, but has yet to have a breakout game this year. That being said, he gets Tampa Bay this week, fresh off giving up 231 yards to San Francisco. Ingram is the primary back in an offense featuring Drew Brees and while he will give up some snaps to Darren Sproles, you know they won't call on Sproles for goal line duty. 

Jared Cook TE Titans: Got 9 targets on Sunday, second on the team behind Damien Williams. Look, with Kenny Britt out and the Titans itching to throw, Cook makes for an attractive security blanket for Matt Hasselbeck. He's big, runs the field well and has good hands. If he's available in your league, pick him up and hold him, his value might very well increase. 

Doug Baldwin WR Seahawks: Not many people know who Baldwin is, but he very quietly appears to have become the No.2 option at least, if not the No.1 in Seattle. Either way, his value won't take a nosedive if Sidney Rice becomes a bigger option.

Early Doucet WR Cardinals: I don't know what kind of world is it where Doucet garners twice as many targets as Larry Fitzgerald, but it happened. Doucet has 21 receptions on the year so far, including 8 on Sunday, and looks to be a favored target of Kevin Kolb. 

Equal Exchange 

A list of guys I'd drop if you own them, followed by a list of guys I'd pick up if you don't.

Drop List: QB Donovan McNabb, TE Lance Kendricks, TE Marcedes Lewis, TE Dallas Clark, WR Austin Collie, RB Dexter McCluster, WR Mike Williams (seattle version), RB Knowshon Moreno, RB Michael Bush. 

Add List: QB Matt Hasselbeck, WR Pierre Garcon, WR jason Hill, TE Jermaine Gresham, RB Jackie Battle, WR Malcolm Floyd, Shonn Greene, TE Aaron Hernandez.

Well there you have it people, make sure you check back in on Thursday as I'll have Week 6 predictions and up to date fantasy advice available.

* Special Thanks to tommy for making this article happen. You're a champ buddy. 

Week 5 NFL Predictions

Ahhh, bye weeks. The gift that keeps on giving. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is that most wonderful time of year where every week 1/3 of your team will have the week off, and you will have to scour your bench or the waiver wire for a replacement. This week starts that magical time when you have to start your Matt Cassel's and your Donovan McNabb's, when all you really want to do is to keep Drew Brees as your starter. That oh so magical time when you truly actually consider picking up that fullback because Adrian Peterson is on a bye week. NFL bye weeks are like christmas with the in-laws, or that hideous old wool sweater your grandma made for you, or that marathon of Three's Company that seems to be the only thing on TV. Bye weeks are fantasy karma's way of jeopardizing your win streak, or guaranteeing you won't be seeing the playoffs this season.

Don't worry, my friend. You are in good hands. Later on in this column, I'll give you some advice on who to pick up this week to make it through the bye week. We will get through this together. And then again next week. And the week after that. See how awful these things are?


Week 5 Game Predictions

Alrighty, well last week I made my predictions, and listed ESPN's predictions as well for comparison. It seems I predicted pretty well, as I went 13-3, compared to 10-6 for ESPN. That brings me to 40-24 on the year, just slightly behind ESPN at 41-23. Our week 5 game prediction are as follows:


Tampa Bay vs. San Francisco
ESPN Pick: Tampa Bay 20 San Francisco 19
Committed Fan Pick: San Francisco 21 Tampa Bay 17

San Francisco is a 3-1 team that absolutely no one is talking about right now. They come into Raymond James Stadium riding a two game win streak and looking for more. They have a decent QB, a dominant tight end and, with a healthy Frank Gore, a reason to run the ball. If it is a close game in the 4th quarter, however, you can't sleep on this Bucs team, whose quarterback excels in comeback and 4th quarter wins.


Philadelphia vs. Buffalo
ESPN Pick: Philadelphia 28 Buffalo 27
Committed Fan Pick: Philadelphia 27 Buffalo 24

In a battle of two pretty bad defenses, this high scoring game will ironically be won by the Philadelphia defense and a pivotal stop. Philly needs a win desperately after shredding the "Dream Team" moniker earlier this week. Buffalo, also needing a win, should be primed and ready for the upset.


Kansas City vs. Indianapolis
ESPN Pick: Indianapolis 20 Kansas City 17
Committed Fan Pick: Indianapolis 24 Kansas City 20

Both of these teams have had their share of injury woes and are not fielding the team we thought they would this season. Curtis Painter makes his second NFL start against one of the NFL's most suspect defenses right now, and if he can stay out of the clutches of Tamba Hali, he should be able to get the job done for Indy.

Minnesota vs. Arizona
ESPN Pick: Minnesota 20 Arizona 17
Committed Fan Pick: Arizona 20 Minnesota 17

Kevin Kolb has struggled to find his rhythm in this Arizona offense, but he hasn't been awful. Perhaps this week he can spread the ball out more and exploit the Minnesota secondary. He'll need to get Arizona points early and often to neutralize Adrian Peterson's game changing ability on the other side.


New York Giants vs. Seattle
ESPN Pick: New York 28 Seattle 10
Committed Fan Pick: New York 31 Seattle 13

Despite a huge rash of injuries, the Giants have started off 3-1 and are looking to be a lot better than people had predicted. Eli Manning is playing some of his best football right now, which is something we cannot say about Seattle.


Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee
ESPN Pick: Pittsburgh 21 Tennessee 20 
Committed Fan Pick: Tennessee 24 Pittsburgh 21

Upset pick of the week is once again in the Steeler's game, as I think they have a good chance of losing this game. The Titans are red hot this year, led by the resurgent Matt Hasselbeck and good defensive play. The Steeler's, on the other hand, are stumbling around aimlessly, losing 2 games already and not seeming to be bothered by it. Even Troy Polamalu, the vaunted playmaker of this defense, has been missing tackles left and right. The Titans get all of their weapons going and get the job done against the Steeler's.


New Orleans vs. Carolina
ESPN Pick: New Orleans 27 Carolina 24
Committed Fan Pick: New Orleans 30 Carolina 21

Cam Newton is good. That Drew Brees guy? He's even better. I'm not saying Newton does badly in this game, heck, i'm not saying the Panthers do badly in this game. I'm just saying, Brees won't let the Saints drop this one.


Jacksonville vs. Cincinnati
ESPN Pick: Jacksonville 24 Cincinnati 14
Committed Fan Pick: Cincinnati 24 Jacksonville 14

In a battle of rookie quarterbacks on bad teams, Andy Dalton has proven more to the world so far and I believe he gets the win in this game.


Houston vs. Oakland
ESPN Pick: Houston 27 Oakland 17
Committed Fan Pick: Houston 31 Oakland 24

This game should be an exciting one, as it features two of the best running teams in the NFL. Oakland and its two feature backs will try to outperform the Houston Stable, led by the versatile back Arian Foster, last years NFL leading rusher. Look for both teams to establish an early running game to control the clock and game.


San Diego vs. Denver
ESPN Pick: San Diego 27 Denver 17
Committed Fan Pick: San Diego 31 Denver 14

San Diego has shown both dominance and sloppiness in its 3-1 start to the year, but will look to limit the latter and rise to the top tier level this year as a team. It starts with a win here in Denver.


New England vs. New York (Jets)
ESPN Pick:New England 24 New York 20
Committed Fan Pick: New England 34 New York 21

One of the more exciting rivalries in football, this matchup normally has a fair amount of trash talking in the week leading up to the game. The biggest question every time these two teams step onto the field, is who is gonna back up the talk?


Atlanta vs. Green Bay
ESPN Pick: Green Bay 35 Atlanta 27
Committed Fan Pick: Green Bay 27 Atlanta 21

While Atlanta has the ability to be an elite team, they have struggled at times this year to play to that level in meaningful games. This is a tough game against young gun Aaron Rodgers and his dynamic offense, and I don't think Atlanta will be up to the challenge.


Detroit vs. Chicago
ESPN Pick: Detroit 24 Chicago 14
Committed Fan Pick: Detroit 24 Chicago 21

Detroit has certainly looked like the better of these two teams so far this season, but this is a division game and it always seems to be a close game. With the controversial games of last year fresh in their minds, look for Detroit to try and open this one up fast and keep it that way. Chicago will try and force the run on Detroit, which could end up backfiring and put too much pressure on Jay Cutler.




Bye Week Pickups

RB Isaac Redman, Steelers: Redman appears to be the clear option to get the carries for Pittsburgh this week, as Rashard Mendenhall appears to be quite limited with an injury.

RB Stevan Ridley: Be careful with Ridley, as Bill Belichick is known for shuffling his running backs around and rarely making one a feature back. But Ridley has upside, as he is bigger and also shiftier than Benjarvus Green-Ellis. Going forward, Ridley could see some more of the feature back carries as his trust with Belichick grows.

Michael Jenkins WR Vikings: His performance last week probably scared alot of people away, but I'm staying strong on Jenkins. He is a much bigger and taller receiver than Percy Harvin, and he has a very favorable matchup this week against the Arizona Cardinals. His value is also helped by the emergence of the Viking tight Ends as receiving threats.

DeAngelo Williams RB, Panthers: If a frustrated owner in your league dropped Williams, he might be worth a look as a bye week pickup. He has a good matchup this week, and had a good game last week. The committee system in Carolina will get annoying, but of the two backs, DeAngelo Williams is definitely the better goal line option.

RB Dexter McCluster, Chiefs: Okay, so Indy's run defense isn't as bad as it used to be. Luckily for fantasy owners, McCluster can be a weapon in various different ways, so he still has value against a defense that should have its hands full with Dwayne Bowe.

TE Jared Cook, Titans: He's there. I promise. He's in your league's free agent pool. The potential is there, the man throwing the football in Tennessee is pretty dang good this year, and Pittsburgh got destroyed by Houston's TE Owen Daniels last week.

Week 4 Reflections

Bartender!.....Hey, yeah umm.... is that the Houston Texans down there? What's that their drinking? Whoopass Punch you say?

Yeah, I think I will have what they're having. 


I've been saying since the beginning of this season that this team is really good. This is nothing new people, they were building to this point last year, but an improved defense and a punch-you-in-the-mouth running game have led the charge as this team is (hopefully) starting to turn some heads. Yes, I know Peyton's abscence from the Colts weakens the division. Yes, I know they don't have a particularly hard schedule this season and yes, I know its the Texans. At this point though, none of that matters to me. Yesterday they dominated the Steeler's in every facet of the game, the only sloppiness taking the form of 9 penalties which more or less held them back enough to make it interesting. I don't think the Texans will have much trouble taking their division, and could possibly make it all the way to the AFC Championship game before playing a team that is on par with them.


Detroit eeked out another win this week, beating hapless Dallas behind two straight pick sixes thrown by Tony Romo. Tony Romo is truly an enigma to everyone in the football world. One week he's the tough, play through the injury guy we all love to see so much, and he gets the win, the next week, his team is finishing out a game on auto pilot and he suddenly turns a blowout into a close game. The problem doesn't seem to be his physical game, where he has shown flashes of pure brilliance and a cannon for an arm. No, Tony Romo seems to have trouble with his mental game, whether it be from the attention of the media or the scrutiny of his teams' egotistical owner. You want to root for the kid, but there must be a magnet in my hand because I end up face palming just about every week as a result of a Tony Romo blunder or mishap.

Just let it out man, there you go. 

Top 5 NFL teams having a "rebuilding year"

1. Miami Dolphins-  Tony Sparano is reportedly safe through the bye week at least,  but at 0-4, the Dolphins just aren't making much headway. Recent insider information caught Sparano trying to play his team against the San Jose Sharks of the NHL, figuring that might be the one time the Dolphins might be favored to win. 

2. St. Louis Rams- More like Panic Mode than a rebuilding year, this team is one year removed from a marked improvement to a 7-9 record. No one on this team is playing up to their potential, and the losing seems to be contagious around the locker room.  There is still time to turn things around, but at this rate, reaching 7-9 again is truly an uphill battle. 

3. Minnesota Vikings- I'm surprised I'm gonna say it, but I actually think I like Joe Webb at quarterback in Minnesota better than McNabb. He can't seem to get back to form and hey, since when does this team not rely on Adrian Peterson anymore? Hello?!? 

4. Kansas City Chiefs- Its probably not totally fair to put the Chiefs on this list because of the rash of injuries they have suffered to their playmaker's, but since they just got their first win and it wasn't pretty, they'll grab a spot. This team still has a lot of talent on its roster that can play, they just need to figure out ho to best utilize it. 

5. Jacksonville Jaguars- Giving Blaine Gabbert the work at quarterback won't translate to many wins this season, but could bode well for Jacksonville in the future. I mean, how long did you really think you'd rely on Luke McCown? The kid is the future and your team is pretty bad, why not hand him the reigns a little early?

Fantasy Reflections from Week 4 

Arian Foster: Had 30 carries on Sunday and ran well, racking up 155 yards and a score against what is supposedly a good rush defense. I don't think any of his owners WON'T be starting him next week, but Ben Tate left the game due to an injury, so Foster is good to go for next week and he's rolling.

Ande Johnson- Johnson caught a pass on Sunday, cut upfield and....fell.  In all actuality, Johnson injured himself badly enough that he hit the ground before a defender even got to him. Preliminary reports say he injured his right hamstring, and that he could miss up to a few weeks. Check back on his status throughout the week before game time on Sunday. 

Julio Jones- Got a ridiculous 17 targets from Matt Ryan Sunday, as the Seahawks elected to shift coverage to Roddy White (11 targets).  As long as defenses fear White more than Jones, Jones should be able to make them pay, and Matt Ryan is putting him in a positions to do so. 

Matt Forte-  Had a breakout week against the Panthers once again, as he went for 205 rushing and added 23 yards receiving. The dual threat is starting to heat up this season and can contribute to any fantasy team as a full time starter. 

Frank Gore- Got the start, did the work. Play him with confidence for now. If Gore gets dinged up, however, don't underestimate how much the Niner's like Kendall Hunter. This backfield could easily turn into a timeshare if Gore gets injured or starts to play worse. 

Other noteworthy Fantasy points:

Michael Jenkins caught a touchdown Sunday, which would have been excellent if it hadn't been a 1 yarder and his only catch. Jenkins still seems to be the No.2 receiver, so he should get the targets. 

DeAngelo Williams Just when everyone starts to drop Williams, he has a decent game against a good defense. However, this backfield is a committee all the way, as Jonathan Stewart gets half of the carries as well. 

Jared Cook finally showed up this Sunday, hauling in two catches for 93 yards and a touchdown on 6 targets. Caught a nice pass on the touchdown grab but his run to the end zone is what gets me more excited. Cook sprinted up the sideline, avoiding getting pushed out by one defender and leaving Scott Fujita in the dust as he turned on the jets to score. Going forward, Cook could factor into the passing game more with Kenny Britt done for the season. 

Peyton Hillis has failed to impress so far this season, showing none of the dominant running that put him on the grid last year. His numbers this season are lower than some number 2 backs in the league, and he has had just one solid fantasy game this year. A potentially good sell high trade candidate. 

Antonio Brown has steadily worked his way into the Steeler's passing attack in the past few weeks, and again on Sunday. He's fast, runs good routes and was wide open in the end zone for a great touchdown, but Ben Roethlisberger overthrew him. Nonetheless, received 10 targets on the day, caught 5 for 67 yards, and looks to be the No. 2 receiver in Pittsburgh going forward. 

Equal Exchange

A list of guys I'd drop if you own them, followed by a list of guys I'd pick up if you don't. 

Drop List: QB Matt Cassel, QB Donovan McNabb, QB Josh Freeman, TE Lance Kendricks, TE Chris Cooley, RB Ronnie Brown, WR Nate Burleson, WR Andre Roberts, TE Kellen Winslow Jr., WR Johnny Knox, RB John Kuhn, WR Chad Ochocinco, WR Jacoby Ford, RB Reggie Bush, WR Derrick Mason. 

Add List: TE Jared Cook, TE Ed Dickson, WR Michael Crabtree, WR Laurent Robinson, RB Ryan Torain, RB Stevan Ridley, WR A.J Green, WR Pierre Garcon (targets people, targets), WR Kevin Walter.