Fighting Chance Fantasy

On The Radar–Week 9

Ryan Hallam — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:15:57 +0000

Ryan Moats, RB, Houston Texans. We often say that opportunity and injury change player’s fantasy value in a big hurry and Moats’ day on Sunday was a perfect example of that. Once relegated to the bench with little value, Moats came into the game early on Sunday and ran wild. He carried the ball 23 times for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Moats also hauled in two passes for an additional 25 yards. It was quite a surprise that Slaton was given such a fast hook after his latest fumble and he wasn’t brought back into the game at all. Now the question is what does the future hold for the Texans backfield? Without hearing anything official, I am going to say that Slaton is back in there next week, but I believe that Moats will now at least get a handful of carries in each game, and if he continues to play this well he could be more and more involved. I wouldn’t freak out and drop someone great for Moats, but if you are in a league with no starting runners in free agency, I would make a move on the guy just in case this is a long term thing.

Dustin Keller, TE, New York Jets. Another guy who could stand to get a good bump in value with the injury to Leon Washington would be Keller. He is an extremely talented tight end, who just hasn’t had the type of season that I expected when the year started. Keller is on pace to match last year’s numbers, but I expected a nice increase from him in 2009, what with young quarterbacks often favoring the tight end and just a natural progression and maturity in his game. He showed that flash last week with eight catches for 76 yards and a touchdown, and I see big things from Keller in the second half. Be careful who you let go for him, but I would certainly try to find a spot for him on my roster if your tight end spot has been giving you trouble this year.

Malcom Floyd/Legedu Naanee, WR, San Diego Chargers. Earlier in the week the Chargers finally cut ties with Chris Chambers after an unproductive partnership that lasted two and a half seasons. Floyd now steps in as the number two guy, with Naane as the number three, and it will be interesting to see how these guys respond to their new roles. At 6′5″ and 225 pounds, Floyd seems to be more of the big play guy, the red zone target, and perhaps the all or nothing type fantasy receiver. He had a few good games at the end of last year, but so far this year hasn’t had more than three catches in a game and has just one touchdown. Floyd could blossom into a nice downfield threat for the Chargers, but I’m still a little skeptical on him. Naanee, on the other hand, has been more of a possession type receiver, and could also see an increase in his fantasy value with more playing time. I haven’t seen too many Charger games this year, but Naanee has impressed me with his hands in the limited action that I have been able to catch. He seems to run fairly crisp routes, and has made a few impressive catches. His best game this year was a five catch, 49 yard effort in the opening week, and you could see more of those in the future now that Chambers is gone from San Diego. I don’t think I would make a move on either right now unless you are in a league that forces you to play four or more receivers, but I honestly think I have more confidence in Naanee to be a more consistent producer than Floyd, but it could go either way. How’s that for walking a tightrope!

Justin Forsett, RB, Seattle Seahawks. Another opportunity to improve his status with a roster is Forsett. The Seahawks parted ways with Edgerrin James, giving Forsett the backup running back job. If he is able to succeed, Forsett could play himself into an even bigger role, because the current starter, Julius Jones, hasn’t had even a decent game in well over a month. However, Forsett hasn’t done much with the opportunities that he has been given, and has especially had trouble holding on to the football as he has lost three fumbles in just 19 carries. If I were to choose between Forsett and Moats short term I would choose Moats, but long term I like Forsett’s chances of getting an opportunity to show what he is capable of doing. How he handles that chance remains to be seen.

Spencer Havner, TE, Green Bay Packers. Ok folks, let’s keep this one under control. I know Havner has three touchdowns in the past two weeks on four catches, but this guy barely made the team. He was a special teamer or a backup linebacker. Sure he has been more involved in the offense, but you can not expect this to continue. This is a case of a guy not being accounted for a few times and scoring a few lucky touchdowns. Havner is not a pass catcher, and if you are hanging your hopes on him you will be disappointed.

Kevin Boss, TE, New York Giants. It hasn’t been a very good season for Boss, but for one week he certainly got the defense’s attention. The Giants’ tight end brought in three passes for 70 yards and a touchdown in what was his best game of the season. During their Super Bowl run a couple of years ago, it looked like Boss would step right into the role that Jeremy Shockey held for years in New York. A season and a half later it is obvious that Boss does not have the skills of his predecessor, and honestly doesn’t seem to be a part of the game plan. He had only topped 50 receiving yards in one game before this past Sunday, and he hasn’t had more than four catches in a game. Boss is a bye week replacement at best, and likely shouldn’t be on a roster unless you are in a league with more than 12 teams.

Matt Moore, QB, Carolina Panthers. Moore got into the game on Sunday, and I guess that signfies that if something were to happen to Delhomme (which is possible), or if Jake is benched (also possible), it seems that the Panthers would go to Moore instead of A.J. Feeley. However, this guy is only useful information if you are in a two quarterback league and every other quarterback is taken. I suppose Moore could be succesful, but you have almost no experience to go by when assessing how he might do in the NFL. Also, the Panthers have little or no good options at wide receiver past Steve Smith, so it doesn’t bode well for Moore to put up good numbers even if he gets in the game.

I welcome your comments and questions at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I can help you with roster questions, who to start/sit, etc. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Also, don’t miss the Fantasy Football Tonight podcast every Tuesday night at 10pm EST with myself and Jeff Mans. We will cover all the latest and greatest in fantasy football, and there is always some crazy things being discussed outside the world of football as well. Please join us, to listen go to www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-football-tonight . If that isn’t enough of Jeff and I for you, you can also now join us on the Fantasy Sports Channel on Blog Talk Radio for the Midnight Oil show. We will give you another hour leading into the weekend starting on Friday at midnight EST. Go to www.fsc.fm to listen.

Five Game Parlay–Week 9

Ryan Hallam — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:38:31 +0000

It was a pretty tough week to be picking games by the spread in Week 8, and considering that I didn’t think we did too bad. The big winner of the week was Marc Caviglia of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football, who had been 3-2 for three consecutive weeks but that late field goal by the Falcons gave him a 4-1 record for the first time all season. I continued to hold on to my lead, but it certainly is getting a little more crowded towards the top as I posted another solid 3-2 week, also aided by that kick from Jason Elam. My 49ers pulled the double stab in the heart on me. I had picked the Colts to hammer them, so not only did they not allow the Colts to cover, but they failed to win a close game. Oh well, baby steps I guess for a franchise that has seen some hard times the past few years. In fact, I realized recently that my team hasn’t been to the playoffs since the year before I got married. Hmmmmm. Is there something to this? Should I start to weight my options? Wife and kids or Super Bowl? Wife and kids or Super Bowl? Man, that is not an easy one! Anyway, back on track. Jeff Mans n0w appears to have figured this thing out again with another solid week of 3-2 picking. It looked at first as though Jeff would be living in the basement of this little competition. He was starting to pick out the carpeting and even looking at some nice curtains to hang up in the basement, seeming as though he would be there for a while. But he has pulled himself together and has gotten within four games of first place. Sara Holladay fell victim to picking the Raiders, something that I made fun of Marc for a few weeks back, and she was also finally snakebitten by her beloved Broncos. It seems as though ever since she had to eat that brussel sprout that things have gone a little south for her. Can’t say I blame her, as it would take me a long time to recover from such an awful experience too. Maybe she needs to eat another one to counteract the one that she ate. Some guy on her site left her a recipe with a brussel sprout wrapped in bacon. Mmmmm, bacon. Gotta know that if I ever lose my sprout bet, I’ll be finding a way to use bacon to get me through. I took another gamble with that culinary disaster this week, as I can’t let Sara be the only one to put her money (or her taste buds) where her mouth is. Finally, Brian Sinkoff’s picks were not up last week, he got them in really late, but I was dealing with a wicked sinus headache last Sunday (which is still going on) and I wasn’t able to post them. But rest assured they were in on time. Brian’s picks were: New Orleans, Tennessee, Chicago, Minnesota, and Indianapolis for a 2-3 record. I am here on Saturday again waiting for his picks, and they will be posted ASAP.

Here are the current standings:

Ryan: 17-8 (3-2 last week)
Marc: 15-10 (4-1)
Jeff: 13-12 (3-2)
Brian: 12-12-1 (2-3)
Sara: 10-14-1 (2-3)

So, it is going to be a weird post this week, as we have picks but not analysis from Marc as he is traveling this weekend, but I am going to take the liberty to make the analysis on his picks. Hey, when you leave the door open like that for me, I’m going to walk right through. As always, below the picks is some information about each of our competitors, and as we head into the second half of the season, this should really start to get close. Enjoy Week 9 everyone, and look forward to seeing you next week.

Sara Holladay of the Fantasy Football Librarian (www.fflibrarian.com)

Denver Broncos (+3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - You all saw this one coming from a mile away - of course I’m taking my Broncos again! Sure, the Broncos defense looked like a shell of itself last week against the Ravens but I’m guessing they bounce back a bit against the Steelers and will win this one in the air.

New Orleans Saints (-13) vs. Carolina Panthers - It’s a pretty big line to start with but I’m seeing a massive game from the Saints even though the Panthers have a seven-game winning streak against the Saints in the Superdome. The Panthers may have some folks confused after their win against the Cardinals last week, but I don’t see Brees pulling a Warner and committing 6 turnovers. Saints win big here.

Miami Dolphins (+10) at New England Patriots - This is a big game for the Pats and while I’m pretty confident that they’ll pull out a victory here, I doubt they’ll be able to put up/maintain a 10 point lead up on the Dolphins. Miami has played it close with the Colts and Saints, arguably the two best teams in the league, and that level of play will continue this week. I see Brown & Williams keeping it close against a middle-of-the-road NE run defense.

New York Giants (-4) vs. San Diego Chargers - You just know the Giants are really jonesing for a win here and San Diego hasn’t exactly faced a tough team in several weeks - plus the Giants remain the 3rd best pass defense in the league, which should force the Chargers to lean on LT and Sproles - but the Chargers haven’t had a lot of luck on the ground lately…I say add in the Meadowlands venue and this all leads to a bigger win for the Giants than the oddsmakers give them credit for. Bonus fantasy thought: SD can’t stop opposing TEs. Expect Kevin Boss to have another decent week.

San Francisco 49ers (-4) vs. Tennessee Titans - One of the best rushers in the league (Chris Johnson) meets the 2nd ranked rush defense (49ers)…should be interesting! No one really knows exactly what Alex Smith can do (except maybe Vernon Davis) and I think the mystery of Smith plus Frank Gore, who is only getting better each week back from injury, will attack this weak Titans defense. I’m banking on the 49ers being able to put up at least a TD on the Titans.

Marc Caviglia of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football (www.brunoboys.net)

Just a reminder, Marc is away so this is my take on his picks.

San Francisco 49ers (-4) vs. Tennessee Titans - Marc is a California guy, going with his home town Niners. San Francisco is having a better season than expected and should be able to cover this number against the Titans. Their run defense should be able to keep the speed of Chris Johnson and the fatness of LenDale White down enough to cover this number.

Green Bay Packers (-9.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers -You will read below that I also pick this game, for I’m sure many of the same reasons that Marc likely had. Look for the Pack to roll over the hapless Bucs.

Indianapolis Colts (-9) vs. Houston Texans - It is hard to pick against the Colts right now, but I think the point spread is just a little too high here. The Texans have a high powered offense of their own, and I think they will be able to keep it close. Indy could cover based on their defense which, even with the loss of Bob Sanders, is still better than Houston’s.

Seattle Seahawks (-10) vs. Detroit Lions- What in the world is he thinking here? Ha, ha, just kidding. I don’t really like the Seahawks in this game, although their passing game could have their way with the subpar Lions defense. Seattle will need a bounceback game from Julius Jones, or a breakout from Justin Forsett. We shall see what happens.

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) vs. Dallas Cowboys - I like this pick as the Eagles are a very rough, physical defense and I don’t think the Cowboys like to get smacked in the mouth too much. The return of Brian Westbrook should help out the Eagles, and the addition of Will Witherspoon to the defense made it even stronger. This should be a close game, but I think Marc made the right call.

Jeff Mans of Fantasy Football Search (www.fantasyfootballsearch.com)

Arizona Cardinals (+3) at Chicago Bears - I can’t believe I am GETTNIG points in this game. The Bears pass defense is horrible and the Cardinals possess one of the best passing attacks in all of football. I expect a monster game out of Larry Fitzgerald who the Bears have no answer for. Cardinals win this game outright on a sunny afternoon in Chicago.

Houston Texans (+9) at Indianapolis Colts - The Colts are banged up on defense with both Bob Sanders and Kelvin Hayden both out. The Texans offense is clicking of late and will be able to to pretty much what they want against this Colts defense. The key will be how well the Texans defense can rush Peyton Manning. I think that they will and not only will cover the 9 points but may actually come away with the upset in Indianapolis.

Green Bay Packers (-9 ½) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Aaron Rodgers is fine after dealing with sprains in both ankles and will lead the Packers to a large margin of victory over the lowly Buccaneers. The Bucs will start rookie QB JOSH Freeman who is a very raw prospect and will likely turn the ball over quite a bit in this contest.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) at Denver Broncos - I just don’t believe in Denver. They had a very nice start but now that teams have some tape on Kyle Orton in this offense they will be able confuse the heck out of him in the weeks to come. I think Pittsburgh gets another big road victory here in easy fashion…SORRY SARA!!

Detroit Lions (+10) at Seattle Seahawks - This is my gut call of the week. With Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford and Kevin Smith all coming back for the Lions I think that they can keep it close to the fading Seahawks. Seattle should win but Jim Schwartz’s team should be able to keep it within’ a TD at the end.

Ryan Hallam of Fighting Chance Fantasy Sports (www.fightingchancefantasy.com)

New Orleans Saints (-13) vs. Carolina Panthers - The Panthers had a nice game last week, but the Saints offense is just too strong and Carolina shouldn’t be capable of putting up enough points to stay close to them. Even when a team like Miami got a big lead on New Orleans, they didn’t have enough firepower or defense to hold on to that lead. The Panthers are one-dimensional at this point and should have a long afternoon trying to figure out how to stop Brees & Company.

Green Bay Packers (-9.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - This one is for a sprout! That’s right, I’m going to put it on the line again. If the Packers don’t cover the spread here, I will eat a (YUCK) brussel sprout! Damn it, I can’t believe this. Aaron Rodgers and the Pack offense is on a roll, and they should continue to stay that way against an atrocious Tampa team that will start rookie Josh Freeman at quarterback. The aggressive Green Bay defense should force him into some mistakes, and the offense should have a big day. This one could be over quickly.

San Francisco 49ers (-4) vs. Tennessee Titans - I’m hedging on this one, but have to believe that San Francisco is good enough to beat Tennessee at home. Their defense should be good enough to keep Chris Johnson from going off, but they will be without most of their starting secondary due to injury. Alex Smith and Frank Gore will do enough for the Niners to pull this one out and cover the spread by a little bit.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) at Denver Broncos - I just like Pittsburgh in this game, especially coming off a bye. Denver had an incredible first half run, but there has to be a correction coming here in the second half because they aren’t going 14-2. It could help that they are at home, but give me Big Ben, Mendenhall, and the best defense in football.

Detroit Lions (+10) at Seattle Seahawks - I am not buying into the Seahawks here. Detroit has a few decent players, and they should have both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson in the lineup. Ten points is just too much for me to give with a struggling, not that talented Seattle team, and I can possibly smell win number two coming for the Lions.

Brian Sinkoff or WTMM, ESPN Radio Albany, NY (www.wtmm.com)

As promised, here is the 411 on each person picking the games.

Brian Sinkoff, host of the “Sound-Off With Sinkoff” radio program on WTMM ESPN Radio out of Albany, New York (www.wtmm.com). Brian is on the airwaves every weekday from 3pm to 7pm, and does a damn fine job. He covers local sports (high school, college, pros) but is also knowledgeable about national sports and can talk to you about just about anything. I have been a guest on his show numerous times, on his weekly segment called “The Fantasy Freakout” (Wednesday at 5pm EST), and it s always a blast. It is a chance for the listeners to call in and get their question answered by either the guest or Brian and his crew of Alan Fish and Scott Blaine will also throw down the knowledge. He often injects the fantasy spin on the news during the rest of the week as well, and definitely knows his stuff. Just don’t hold it against him that he is a Redskins fan, it will be a tough enough season for him just watching the games.

Sara Holladay is the Fantasy Football Librarian (www.fflibrarian.com), a wildly popular site on the web that brings a lot of the best information out there and makes her site a one stop shop for the fantasy player. Sara combs her favorite sites and gives you links to what she finds to be top notch work and puts it in one post for you. She also does a weekly column in the New York Times Fifth Down blog. She has brought good traffic to my site when my articles show up there, and she has also been a guest on the Fantasy Football Tonight podcast with Jeff and myself. She knows her stuff backwards and forwards (even if she is a Broncos fan) and has made quite a name for herself around the internet.

Marc Caviglia is one of the founders of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football site (www.brunoboys.net), one of the most complete and respected football sites on the ‘net. I was able to hook up with Marc and the Boys last season and they were kind enough to let me write a weekly column on their site. It has been a great experience working with Marc, and he is a very knowledgeable guy about football, both from the game angle and the fantasy side. The Bruno Boys has grown into an internet powerhouse when it comes to fantasy football, and their next stop is world domination. Plus it doesn’t hurt that the guy is a Niners fan like me. And being out in California, he often is able to give me the local perspective on my team when I am 3,000 miles away.

Finally, Jeff Mans from Fantasy Football Search (www.fantasyfootballsearch.com). Jeff is definitely one of the most plugged in guys that I have met since doing this fantasy project, and I have an incredible respect for his work. No one knows more about the lower levels of team’s depth charts than Jeff. He is always able to find the next guy well before they get on the field which is how he got the name The Fantasy Scout. We do two podcasts together on Tuesday night at 10 pm EST (www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-football-tonight) and Friday at midnight EST (www.fsc.fm) on the Fantasy Sports Channel. His passion for the game is tough to match and he was kicking my ass at this before I got the bright idea to start over. He is the heavy favorite in this competition, even though he has an unnatural love for Peter Gabriel (is that enough of a jinx?).

You can always email me at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com for any fantasy question. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Also, don’t miss the Fantasy Football Tonight podcast every Tuesday night at 10pm EST with myself and Jeff Mans. We will cover all the latest and greatest in fantasy football, and there is always some crazy things being discussed outside the world of football as well. Please join us, to listen go to www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-football-tonight . If that isn’t enough of Jeff and I for you, you can also now join us on the Fantasy Sports Channel on Blog Talk Radio for the Midnight Oil show. We will give you another hour leading into the weekend starting on Friday at midnight EST. Go to www.fsc.fm to listen.

Who To Start, Who To Sit–Week 9

Ryan Hallam — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:05:53 +0000

Quarterbacks

Start: Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars. Cassel has had a pretty up and down season as he has three games in which he has thrown two touchdown passes and two where he didn’t throw any. The good part of Cassel was that he wasn’t turning the ball over, as he had only thrown two interceptions before last week where he failed to throw for even 100 yards and had three picks. But this week he will face the Jaguars, who even made Vince Young look like a viable quarterback again last week. Jacksonville has allowed nearly 250 yards per game through the air and 13 passing touchdowns through the first seven games. I’m not sure how much the addition of Chris Chambers will help the Chiefs’ offense, but I guess it can’t hurt since they don’t have a quality receiver after Dwayne Bowe. Perhaps it will be addition by subtraction getting Larry Johnson out of the lineup this week. I still think that Cassel has a few good games in him for the rest of the year, and this appears to be a quality matchup for him to have one.

Start: Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions. I know that this might seem easy with the Seahawks playing the Lions and all, but Hasselbeck hasn’t been very popular among fantasy players this year as he has been dealing with broken ribs and two games with horrendous yardage totals and no touchdown passes. He was almost unable to finish the game last week against Dallas as he was hit pretty good. He isn’t expected to practice much, if at all this week, but is all but a lock to play. I think this is going to be a close game, and the Seahawks have shown little ability to run the ball, so if they are going to score it is going to have to be through the air. It shouldn’t be too difficult, as the Lions allow over 250 yards per game through the air and have given up 18 passing touchdowns in just seven games. He might not be your favorite guy, but Hasselbeck should be an easy pick for a good game.

Sit: Eli Manning, New York Giants vs. San Diego Chargers. Manning has been in quite the funk lately, with just three touchdown passes against six interceptions over the last three games with tough defenses in New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Arizona. It doesn’t get any easier this week as the Chargers are giving up less than 180 yards per game and about one passing touchdown. Eli has really been having trouble with accuracy lately, as he is barely completing 50% of his passes over the last month. The Giants have also been beset by injury. They were without wide receiver Mario Manningham last week, and could be down him and Dominik Hixon this coming Sunday. Ahmad Bradshaw is also dinged up with his fractured foot, and while he is going to play through it, I don’t see the Giants pushing him as much as they were in the past. I think Eli is a decent quarterback, but things are just not good for the G-Men right now, and I don’t see it improving this week.

Sit: Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys. Philly has been on a roll lately offensively, but Dallas has been pretty stout on the defensive side since coming out of their bye, and I see this being another good game for Dallas. McNabb has a couple of really good games this season, but he has also had just as many bad ones. He has nine touchdown passes on the season, but eight of them have come in three games. Dallas has been allowing two touchdown passes in each of the last two games, but I could definitely see them holding McNabb to one this week. Dallas is giving up just under 240 yards a game, and have also allowed 12 touchdown passes over their first seven games. This easily could be a game that is decided on the ground, as it appears that Brian Westbrook will be back on the field for the Eagles. This is a bit of a stretch, but I think you might have a better option than McNabb this week.

Running Backs

Start: Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears. Ok, so after his first big game, Wells didn’t exactly follow it up with another good effort. However, it has to be taken into consideration that his team fell behind big and early, and had to abandon the running game in hopes of coming back. Wells might have only gotten eight carries, but his backfield mate, Tim Hightower, also only got eight so it isn’t like Wells was forgotten about. This week they play the Bears who allow over 110 yards on the ground per game, and the Cardinals shouldn’t get blown out of this one and I could easily see Wells getting at least 15 carries, and once he gets the opportunities the kid is going to succeed.

Start: Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Again, this doesn’t seem like a tough one as the Bucs are one of the worst defenses against the run in the entire NFL. However, there are a lot of games with good teams against really bad teams, so I went with this one. I also know that Ryan Grant isn’t exactly the most popular fantasy player anymore, especially after his bad outing last week. But Grant has beaten up on the bad teams all season long, and there’s no reason to think he won’t again on Sunday. Tampa Bay is giving up over 160 yards per game on the ground and it seems like a slam dunk that Grant is worth a start this week. He has a good chance of breaking the 100 yard plateau, and a touchdown isn’t out of the realm of possibility either.

Sit: Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens. I know, I know, this is a tough one to follow through on. Benson has had an outstanding season, and he ran all over the Ravens for 120 yards and a touchdown. While the Ravens defense has certainly not looked like the unit that it has in the past, they have still been tough on the run allowing just 87 yards a game, with only four rushing touchdowns. Those of you who have emailed me in the past know that I always call Benson an every week starter regardless of the matchup, but I think he might be in for a rough week here. This is obviously a case by case basis call here. If you are in a tough, ultra-competitive league, it will probably be tough to sit Benson. However, if you are in a league with a bunch of guys who don’t know what they are doing, like the league run by Wences Rodriguez, which is comparable to the XFL while all other fantasy leagues are the NFL, then you could get away with sitting Benson.

Sit: Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. Moreno has been getting more carries for Denver, and is certainly the starter over Correll Buckhalter but this is not a great week to play either. The Steelers are the number one defense against the run, giving up just 76 yards per game on the ground and only two rushing touchdowns. This will certainly be a game that is won and lost on the ground, as it features two teams that love to run the ball, but also have good defenses at stopping the run. Moreno has averaged under four yards a carry for the last two games, and I could easily see him being under that mark again versus Pittsburgh. I do like Moreno, and think he has a bright future, I just think that you have to have a better option.

Wide Receivers

Start: Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Kansas City Chiefs. Sims-Walker quickly became a fantasy darling after he had four straight games of at least six catches and 80 yards. Last week it seemed that all the planets were aligned for perhaps his best game yet as the Jags faced the horrendous Titans defense and Sims-Walker had just two catches for nine yards. However, I urge you not to fall off the MSW bandwagon because of one bad game, as he will face an equally bad defense this week in Kansas City and I put my stamp and guarantee that he will top 85 yards and while I won’t promise a touchdown I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he scored.

Start: Nate Washington, Tennessee Titans at San Francisco 49ers. I am a card carrying member of the Haters of Vince Young’s Quarterbacking Skills, but I still think he will be able to succeed over the next couple weeks since his opponents don’t really have anything to go by when they are preparing to face Vince. I don’t expect him to throw for a ton of yards or a ton of touchdowns, but I think Washington is the best bet out of the Titans subpar receiving corps. Washington only had two catches this past week for 22 yards, but one was for a touchdown. It is hard to put too much stock in the Titans passing game, but I think for another couple of weeks they could have a little bit of success.

Sit: Roy Williams, Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles. It has been an incredibly disappointing season for Roy, as many thought that he would step into the statistics that Terrell Owens put up last year for the Cowboys. However, Roy hasn’t had more than four catches in a game, and has topped 35 yards receiving only twice all season long. Add to that the fact that Miles Austin is enjoying a breakout season, and has pretty much assumed the role as the number one receiver in Dallas, and Williams has certainly lost most of his value. This week he will go up against the ultra-tough Eagles defense, who allow under 200 yards per game through the air. You would have to think that if Dallas is able to throw a touchdown pass this week, Williams would be the fourth or fifth best option to choose from. I hope that you have a better option than Williams this week.

Sit: Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos. The Steelers continue to throw the ball more than they ever have before, and Holmes continues to be just an average receiver, week after week after week. Sure, he did have a 100 yard game two weeks ago, but that was his first since Week 1 and it was against the Browns. So, I think that counts as about a 65 yard game against anyone else. When playing Cleveland you have to take about 60-70% of your stats and that is what you would have done against a real team. Ok, maybe that’s harsh, but Holmes has been one of my bigger disappointments of the year. Denver, on the other hand, is eighth in the league against the pass, and has only allowed four scores through the air so far this year. I’m not saying that the Broncos shut down Big Ben, but there won’t be as many yards to go around as usual in Week 9, making Holmes a week play. Look for a tough, physical receiver like Hines Ward to do well.

Tight End

Start: Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears vs. Arizona Cardinals. Olsen did have a nice streak in which he scored touchdowns in three straight weeks, but since then he has just 64 yards over the past two games. But he is a very talented receiver and he gets a good matchup this week against the Cardinals. Arizona is in the bottom third in the league against the pass, and has allowed 11 touchdown passes so far this season. Olsen is a big target with great hands, and should get back on track this weekend with a favorable matchup. He is a guy that could definitely have a much bigger second half than he did a first half.

Sit: Jeremy Shockey, New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers. It might be fascinating to you, but the Carolina Panthers are the number one defense against the pass as far as yardage is concerned as they allow only 160 yards a game through the air. The Panthers have only given up nine passing touchdowns to start the season, but they will be tested to the extreme as they go against the high powered Saints offense. Shockey has been doing well the past couple weeks, but before that he hadn’t even reached 50 receiving yards in five straight games. Shockey isn’t worth anything near the value that his name seems to get him, and he is borderline play most weeks. It’s hard to say how Carolina does against the Panthers, because the past few weeks they haven’t faced a team that even has a pass catching tight ends. When they faced the Bucs and Kellen Winslow, he was held to under 30 yards. Going against the strong Panthers’ defense, I would see if there is a better option available for you to play at tight end this week.

Five Game Parlay–Week 8

Ryan Hallam — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:07:18 +0000

It was a great week for the Fantastic Five as all of us at least picked at a .500 level for the first time all year. The standings are still very close as only five and a half games separate first from last and as any of you know who pick games regularly, that can change in a hurry. These last few weeks have been difficult with the bye weeks, as there have been fewer games to choose from and the point spreads have been huge. Unfortunately for our pickers, this week is the most extreme of them all as far as that is concerned. Personally, I am concerned this week, as I was not overly confident about most of my picks. However, I stand committed to them as what I think will happen.

I continued to hold the lead with a decent 3-2 week, which was extra exciting for me as I won my brussel sprout bet with the Colts taking care of business with the Rams. So, unfortunately for Sara, she is still the only one who has had to “enjoy” an absolutely disgusting food so far. Jeff continues his surge with his second consecutive 4-1 week, and he has now jumped out of the cellar and in to fourth place. Of course, like I said earlier it is so close that he is now just one game out of second! Damn it, I knew he would turn it around, I just didn’t think it would be this fast. I called him the favorite coming into the piece, and he is starting to show why. Brian Sinkoff continues his great picking (and his witty analysis of each game, love that!) with a 3-1-1 week, with his only misstep being the Raiders which I also picked as one of my games. Hey Silver and Black, thanks for showing up! And finally, Marc Caviglia did it again. The guy is just all about consistency. For the third straight week he was 3-2, and thanks to the Niners pulling a tie (by the spread) with the Texans, Marc has pulled a half game up on Brian for second place. Everything continues to heat up as we get farther and farther into the season. This should be exciting all the way to the end. As always, there is a small profile on each of our players below the picks. Enjoy Week 8 everyone and we will see you back here next week!

Here are the updated standings through Week 7:

Ryan 14-6
Marc: 11-9
Brian: 10-9-1
Jeff: 10-10
Sara: 8-11-1

Ryan Hallam of Fighting Chance Fantasy Sports (www.fightingchancefantasy.com)

Indianapolis Colts (-12) vs. San Francisco 49ers - The Colts will have just far too much offense for the Niners to handle and should get up early and just pour on the points. I’m still not buying Alex Smith as the starter in San Francisco and I think this is going to be a long day for the Crimson and Gold. Look for Indy to stay undefeated and absolutely roll.

Atlanta Falcons (+10) at New Orleans Saints - The comeback the Saints made last week was legendary, and while I do think they will win, ten points is just too much to give Atlanta. The Falcons are a quality team with a quality offense and I don’t think there is much doubt that they will keep this game to within a seven to ten point margin. The Saints defense is good, but Atlanta’s offense is no slouch. Look for the Falcons to keep this one relatively close.

Green Bay Packers (-3) vs. Minnesota Vikings - The Pack have got to be up for this game. Their face of the franchise returns wearing a different jersey, and they have to be motivated to squash him. Not to mention Antoine Winfield being out for the Vikes helps out the potent Packer passing game. Aaron Rodgers will continue his great season, and Green Bay will win the game and stick it up Favre’s ass!

Tennessee Titans (-3) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - My father has a saying when it comes to picking football games that often seems to come true. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is. I don’t know if anyone in their right mind would pick Tennessee when they have to give points here in 2009 as the Titans have been horrible. I just think the change in quarterback and the change in the offense will be something totally different for Jacksonville, and something they haven’t prepared for. Young will do more damage with his legs than he does with his arm, but it will be enough to beat the Jags. This will be an ugly game, but I see the Titans getting their first win.

Baltimore Ravens (-3.5) vs. Denver Broncos - This pick is more to do with my faith in the Ravens than it does with my lack of faith in the Broncos. I have finally come to grips with the fact that Denver is for real, and they are no longer a team to overlook. Former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan has that defense playing as a cohesive unit, and they have been perhaps the best in the league. But I see Flacco being able to move the ball down the field, and while it might not be a high scoring affair, Baltimore will get enough points to squeak out a win by a hair enough to cover this spread.

Jeff Mans of Fantasy Football Search (www.fantasyfootballsearch.com)

Baltimore Ravens (-3.5) vs. Denver Broncos - This is the week the Broncos winning streak stops and the Baltimore Ravens elevate themselves back into the AFC playoff race. Coming off the bye week the Ravens will recommit to the run and go right through the Broncos heralded defense.

Minnesota Vikings (+3) at Green Bay Packers - All the hype that surrounds Brett Favre and his return to Green Bay cannot conceal that the Vikings are the better football team on grass or on the turn in a box or with a fox. Give me the 3 points and the better team and call it an easy winner.

New York Giants (Pick’em) at Philadelphia Eagles - The Giants have had a couple of stinkers in a row now and will correct that this week in Philadelphia. The Eagles offensive and defensive lines haven’t really played up to their potential this season and the Giants will certainly blow them right off the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Houston Texans (-3.5) at Buffalo Bills - I am always leery of giving up points on the road especially to teams like the Houston Texans but I just have to in this case. Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Bills to a big win last week but his magic will run out this week mark my words. The Texans offense is just too much for the Bills to overcome and I believe they win by at least 4 points on Sunday.

Seattle Seahawks (+9.5) at Dallas Cowboys - This is my risky play of the day but I am just not sold on the Cowboys whatsoever. They seem to beat up on all of the weaker teams but cannot get anything going against stronger competition. I think that Seattle having 2 weeks to plan for this contest and coming off a terrible home loss in week 6 is enough to keep them close in this game.

Sara Holladay of the Fantasy Football Librarian (www.fflibrarian.com)

Denver Broncos (+3.5) at Baltimore Ravens - Where is the love? I know, I know, the Ravens will give my undefeated Broncos a run for their money but the Ravens secondary is not that awesome, and opposing QBs have had a fair amount of success against the Ravens lately. I see the Broncos coming in strong, fresh off a bye week with a desire to prove that they are for real - Orton will help them win this one in the air. Go Broncos!

Jacksonville Jaguars (+3) at Tennessee Titans - Seriously, Vince Young is supposed to be the magic cure here to give the Titans their first win? I think not. Jags easily win this one.

Atlanta Falcons (+10) at New Orleans Saints - I have no delusions here that the Falcons will beat the Saints in New Orleans but I think it will be a bit closer with the Saints winning by a TD or less. Last week Miami showed it’s possible to put a lot of rushing TDs up on the Saints and I’m intrigued by what Turner can do this week.

Oakland Raiders (+16.5) at San Diego Chargers - Two words for you: Zach Miller. The Chargers are weak against opposing TEs and Zach Miller is muy bueno. With the Bolts coming off of a pretty monstrous win last week, my guess is that they might not take this game quite so seriously and no, no way in hell do the Raiders win, I’m just saying 16.5 is a lot of points.

Miami Dolphins (+3.5) at New York Jets - Clearly I like the underdogs this week. So the Jets are not what they were even a few weeks ago - the defense is struggling, all we hear about with Sanchez is his hot dog guzzling, and Leon is a bygone. Miami put up a good fight against the Saints and will just run, run, run all day long. Here’s to another 3 TD effort from Ricky Williams!

Marc Caviglia of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football (www.brunoboys.net)

Chicago Bears (-13) vs. Cleveland Browns - Both teams look to rebound after horrible showings in Week 7 but look for Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears offense to have a field day against a Cleveland Browns defense that allows 25 points per game and a league worst 414 yards of total offense per game. To make matters worse, the Browns offense averages just 10 points per game and has scored one offensive touchdown over the last three games.

Seattle Seahawks (+9) at Dallas Cowboys - In what looks to be a game in which both offenses steal the show the Cowboys’ being big time favorites is a bit of a stretch to me. Yes, they did handle a solid Atlanta Falcons squad in Week 7, but prior to that game the Cowboys struggled to the Kansas City Chiefs and failed to beat a tough Denver Broncos team. As for Seattle you don’t know which team will show up but on paper you have to like Matt Hasselbeck & Co. attacking a Cowboys’ secondary that has allowed 10 passing TDs in six games. Take the over and the Seahawks in this match-up.

Minnesota Vikings (+3) at Green Bay Packers - Perhaps a bit of a risky pick as the Green Bay Packers have won two in a row and get to defend their home turf but Brett Favre is all so familiar with Lambeau Field. Expect ole’ man Favre to travel back home and have another epic Favre afternoon to the tune of 250 passing yards and 2-3 touchdowns. Plus, a lot of people are hyping up the Packers’ defense but the last time they played a real offense, the Vikings in Week 4, they allowed 30 points and failed to record a quarterback sack. Expect Minnesota to head into Green Bay and take care of business during a crucial NFC North match-up.

Tennessee Titans (-3) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - Gut call here because at 0-6 the Titans have little reason being favorites in this football game but Las Vegas is always on top of things, right? Perhaps they know something we don’t know? Regardless, this Tennessee team is not 0-6 bad and they are starting to get healthy in the secondary which should lead to improved play against the pass. With Vince Young making his first start of the year it should open up the offense and let Chris Johnson find more holes. This will be a dogfight but in the end look for the Titans to prevail and win their first game of 2009.

Atlanta Falcons (+10) at New Orleans Saints - Traveling to the Super Dome to take on a red hot 6-0 New Orleans Saints team will be no easy task for the Atlanta Falcons but the fact that they are 10 point underdogs is intriguing. Don’t expect the Falcons to contain a high powered New Orleans’ offense that averages 39 points per game but with the Saints allowing over 50 combined points since Week 6 something tells me this game is going to be a shootout and decided in the 4th quarter. The two teams split their season match-up in 2009 and with playmakers all over the football field I can’t see this game being a route in either direction.

Brian Sinkoff of WTMM ESPN Radio Albany, NY (www.wtmm.com)

As promised, here is the 411 on each person picking the games.

Also, don’t miss the Fantasy Football Tonight podcast every Tuesday night at 10pm EST with myself and Jeff Mans. We will cover all the latest and greatest in fantasy football, and there is always some crazy things being discussed outside the world of football as well. Please join us, to listen go to www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-football-tonight . If that isn’t enough of Jeff and I for you, you can also now join us on the Fantasy Sports Channel on Blog Talk Radio for the Midnight Oil show. We will give you another hour leading into the weekend starting on Friday at midnight EST. Go to www.fsc.fm to listen.

Team Defense Rankings–Week 8

Ryan Hallam — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:36:16 +0000

In this column we will be highlighting some of the team defenses that aren’t among the best in the league, but might be able to help you if you are one of those people who play the rotating game with your DEF, or if your team is on bye. I will not tell you to start any of the following in this article because they are no brainers:

Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings

Two Matchups To Target

Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals defense are coming off two straight impressive games with wins over Seattle and the New York Giants, and it looks like this will be another chance for the defense of the Cardinals to shine. It is still up in the air who will be behind center for Carolina, as they are a team that is in flux and still looking for an identity as they are not running the ball as well as they did last year. For the season now Arizona is giving up just 18 points a game, while the Panthers are even worse as an offense as they score just under 16 points a game. Arizona has been one of the better defenses at getting to the quarterback as they have recorded 16 sacks on the season, coming off a game in which they got to Eli Manning three times. Carolina isn’t great at protecting Jake Delhomme as they have allowed 15 sacks on the year. The stat that really makes Arizona a good play is on turnovers. Carolina has had the most turnovers in the league as they have 21 giveaways, while the Cardinals also are pretty decent forcing the turnover with 12 on the year. Carolina is just an inept team right now, and it seems that Arizona is just hitting a hot streak and are a good defensive play this week.

Houston Texans at Buffalo Bills. Houston has been far from a productive defense this season, but the last two weeks they have been better against San Francisco and Cincinnati. Buffalo’s 20 point “explosion” last week was the first time they had that many points since Week 2 when they put up 33 against the Bucs. Especially now with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, the Bills offense will likely continue to struggle, although Marshawn Lynch is looking like he is back on track. Buffalo is scoring just 16 points a game, and they have allowed the fifth most sacks in the NFL with 21. However, Houston has recorded the third least number with just nine, but they have the talent including Mario Williams so that number should go up at any time. There will likely be a couple of turnovers, as Houston has forced 13 and Buffalo has committed 13. It is easy to see Buffalo giving it over to Houston on more than one occasion. The Texans are not a strong defense by any means, but this is a good matchup for them on many levels. If Arizona isn’t available, give the Texans a try for Week 8.

Two Matchups To Avoid

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans. The Titans are going to switch to Vince Young this week, and that will bring a whole new dimension to their offense that was severly lacking with Kerry Collins at quarterback and that is the ability of the signal caller to run the ball. I don’t like Young very much at all for his ability to throw the ball, but between him and Chris Johnson running the ball, I’m not sure how much he will actually throw. Jacksonville is allowing over 24 points a game and have the least number of sacks in the NFL with just five. They are also about average in the league in forcing turnovers with just ten, and they do stand to get one or maybe two with Young likely being rusty after not starting in so long. Tennessee has not been an explosive offense so far, with just 14 points a game, but like I said this could be a whole different looking offense. Not only is Jacksonville horrible at getting sacks, but the Titans have allowed the second fewest hits on their QB with just six. This could be a bad game for Jacksonville since there isn’t going to be much tape for the Jags to study with Vince Young at quarterback, so the Titans could be able to surprise Jacksonville with things they aren’t ready for.

Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans. The Texans are a very high powered offense and have scored at least 20 points in every game that they have played this year outside of Week 1 against the Jets. Buffalo has been playing pretty strong defense as they haven’t allowed 20 points since Week 4 against Miami, but I don’t see them holding back Matt Schaub and Houston. The Texans are scoring nearly 24 points a game, while Buffalo is allowing just under 20. The Bills have been surprisingly good at getting to the quarterback, as they have recorded 16 sacks so far this season, but it could be counteracted by the solid Houston offensive line. Matt Schaub has only been brought down 12 times in the team’s first seven games. And again, the Bills have been solid at forcing turnovers with 15 on the season, but Houston has also been good at protecting the ball with just ten turnovers through seven contests. Buffalo does have a chance to do well if All-World wide receiver Andre Johnson doesn’t play, but right now between Steve Slaton, Owen Daniels, and the rest of houston’s offensive players, the team is just firing on all cylinders. Buffalo has been strong defensively, but I just see them giving up big points in Week 8.

On The Radar–Week 8

Ryan Hallam — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:55:01 +0000

On The Radar is what I believe will be the most added guys in your leagues this week, and I will give you an idea of if you need to think about adding them, just keep your eye on them, or let someone else be the dope who picks up the one week wonder.

Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers. Once the number one overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Smith had to take a massive pay cut just to avoid being cut by the 49ers coming into this season. Smith has had his share of chances to lead the 49ers offense in the past and he has done nothing to instill any confidence that he could do that effectively. I will say in his defense that he never had the kind of weapons on the team then that he does now, so he does have a better chance to succeed now. However, Smith has had a laundry list of injuries including major shoulder problems, and he has turned the ball over way too much. I am still far from sold after one good half against a shaky defense, but Smith does have a chance to do well.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets. Now this is a guy that I would try to find space for on my roster. Greene was a third round pick of the Jets in this past draft,and he will now get his chance to prove his worth with the season ending injury to Leon Washington. Greene isn’t a huge guy at 5′11″, but he has a nice combination of speed and power, and isn’t afraid to lay a hit on a defender trying to take him down. Now, you can’t expect him to run for over 140 yards a game like he did against the Raiders, but he will get his fair share of carries in the Jets offense and he should be among the better backup running backs to own. i would definitely take a look at my roster to see if Greene makes sense for you, and if you want to email me about him, I would be more than happy to evaluate your roster.

Sam Aiken, WR, New England Patriots. With the Patriots cutting Joey Galloway right before the trade deadline, it now leaves a competition between Aiken and Brandon Tate for the third receiver spot for New England and it was Aiken who was the more targeted receiver against the Bucs. He did only come up with two catches, but one of them was a 54 yard touchdown from Tom Brady. The Patriots are on a bye this week, so he isn’t someone to pick up right away, but perhaps in Week 9 he could be worth a look. Keep your expectations well under check though, because it was Tampa Bay that New England was playing, but most receivers for the Patriots have some level fo fantasy value even if it is a low end.

Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins. The injury to Chris Cooley has not been confirmed as season ending quite yet, but the Redskins tight end will miss a month at the bare minimum and it will be Davis getting the majority of the looks while he is out. Davis looked like an incredible athlete for a guy his size, but his hands did come into question a couple of times including a touchdown that he dropped. However, it was obvious that the ‘Skins were trying to get the rookie from USC into the flow of the offense, so as a free agent tight end at this point of the season he certainly has value for those of you struggling at that position. He can’t block worth a damn, but there are no fantasy points for blocking, so don’t worry about that. If you have any need for a tight end, Davis is likely your best option at this point.

Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs. The situation in Kansas City with Larry Johnson has hit a new low as he has called out his head coach and the media using insensitive comments with homosexual slurs. The Chiefs have told Johnson to go home, and are looking into the language of his contract and perhaps ways to get out of paying him what they owe him. Johnson has been suspended by the team until November 9th, and I don’t think it is out of the realm of possibility that he still could be cut. Either way it looks like Charles will get a chance to get a good number of carries, and if he can avoid fumbling, perhaps he can have some fantasy value. However, the Chiefs offensive line has been horrendous so he could be limited, but he is quick and has good hands as a receiver out of the backfield, two things that Johnson doesn’t bring to the table. If Larry is suspended and you are in a deep league, Charles’ value goes way up.

Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have decided that the future is now, as they have named Josh Freeman the start when they come out of their bye in Week 9. Freeman had a great college career at Kansas State, and many predicted that he would be a success at the NFL level, perhaps more so than guys who were drafted ahead of him. Freeman has all the physical tools to play the position. He is a big guy at just about 6′6″ and 250 pounds, and not only does he have the arm strength to make the throws he needs, but he is also incredibly agile for a guy his size. All that being said, the problem is he is on a bad team. They do have a few weapons, but they are all very inconsistent. Antonio Bryant, Cadillac Williams, Kellen Winslow could all help Freeman’s progression, but unless you are in a keeper league, I don’t think you can put too much stock in Freeman right off the bat.

Javon Ringer, RB, Tennessee Titans. This one seems to be for your deeper leagues, and might have lost some of its appeal when Ringer left practice this week with what appeared to be a lower back injury. However, with LenDale White likely to miss the game against Jacksonville (not that he was doing anything anyway), Ringer may get his chance to show what he can do spelling Chris Johnson. He did get seven carries in Week 6 and ran for 47 yards, including a 32 yard run. He isn’t a big guy at 5′9″ and 202 pounds, but he is pretty fast and also runs surprisingly strong for guy his size. Ringer is also a pretty good receiver out of the backfield, which may give him another way to get his way on to the field to be productive. At this point it would only be in deep leagues or people in desperate situations that would think of grabbing Ringer, but while you are watching games this weekend, keep your eye on how he does.

Brian Hartline, WR, Miami Dolphins. With the transition to Chad Henne now complete, it is bringing a little more life into the Miami passing game, and with the inconsistency of Ted Ginn Jr., perhaps Hartline is now worth a look. Apparently he has been practicing with the first team offense this week, and could possibly be in line to start this week against the Jets. Hartline had his best game of the season last week with three catches for 91 yards. He isn’t a huge guy at 6′1″ and 185 pounds, but he has shown the ability to get open which sounds very fundamental but it is a skill. As of now I would view Hartline as an injury/bye week replacement as the Dolphins offense still doesn’t throw enough for him to make a huge impact. But as a POSSIBLE WR3 or even better, as a flex guy, Hartline could find his way on to your rosters this week if you league is deep enough.

Who To Start, Who To Sit–Week 8

Ryan Hallam — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:13:12 +0000

I have to start out this week by wishing my brother Scott a very Happy Birthday this Tuesday (10/27) as the old bastard turns 36. He is one of the best and most fun guys that I know in my life and he has taught me and inspired so much in my life. Have a great day Bro, and may there be many more! You are awesome!

Quarterbacks

Start: Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns. I know this one seems like an easy one, but there weren’t many choices that I didn’t think were either too easy or not great matchups. I kinda feel bad about some of these picks. Before last week’s debacle, Cutler had been on a pretty good roll, as he had thrown nine touchdowns in the last four weeks with just three interceptions. But when Cutler is bad, boy is he bad. Seven of his ten interceptions have come in two games. Cleveland is in the bottom third in the league against the pass, and should be easy pickings for Cutler as he will throw for over 275 yards and at least two scores.

Start: David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans. Anyone who is a regular follower of this site knows that I am not a fan of David Garrard at all. I feel that he runs an offense that revolves around the run, and his accuracy needs a lot of work. However, the Titans pass defense has been so bad that it is legendary,and there’s no reason to suggest that it will improve next week. This is going out a limb somewhat as Garrard hasn’t thrown a TD pass in two straight weeks, but between the Titans being horrible and the emergence of Mike Sims-Walker, this is a matchup that I actually have some confidence in Garrard and will actually suggest starting him if your quarterback is on bye. I would be shocked if he threw more than two scores, but he could have upwards of 225 yards to go with them.

Sit: Mark Sanchez, New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins. Some of the shine has come off of his star, and I think most people have put a hold on the order of his bust to go to Canton. Sanchez has two touchdowns through the air against eight interceptions over the past four weeks and the last time that he faced the Dolphins he threw for just 172 yards and a single touchdown. Sure, Miami just gave up a ton of points to the Saints, but let’s be honest, who hasn’t! Sanchez is still going to be unbelievably inconsistent throughout the season, and this isn’t a great matchup for him to do well. These are two teams that run the ball for the majority of their offenses, which doesn’t bode well for either quarterback to have a good game fantasy wise.

Sit: Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens. I think if I continue to pick against the Broncos, eventually I have to get it right, so let’s say that Orton will have a bad game. But Orton has thrown two touchdown passes in three straight games, and his only interception of the entire season came on a hail mary to end the half. He has been incredibly consistent, and has never seemed more comfortable in an offensive scheme. And the always potent Ravens’ defense has been more vulnerable than ever against the pass, as they have allowed nearly 250 yards per game. However, the clock has got to strike midnight on the Broncos sometime soon and Orton has to turn back into a pumpkin and I think it will be this week. Look for the Ravens to show up big time for this game and hold Orton to under 200 yards with one touchdown and two or three interceptions.

Running Backs

Start: Stephen Jackson, St. Louis Rams at Detroit Lions. Has there ever been a guy who has tried more and ran harder without any reward than Jackson? The more you watch Jackson, the more you can see that he is giving 300% out there, and the fact that his team sucks has got to be killing him. He is still running over defenders and making more guys miss, however, he is still without a touchdown either rushing or receiving. Well, if he is going to break out of this scoring funk it better be this week against the Lions. I can see Jackson breaking the 100 yard barrier for the third time this season, and I am assuring that he will reach paydirt for the first time all season.

Start: Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers. Even though he was written off by a lot of prognosticators to start the season, Addai has responded with a pretty solid season, and has now scored a rushing touchdown in three straight weeks, and with Donald Brown getting nicked up, Addai seems a safer play than ever right now. Not only is he running good, but he has already exceeded his receptions from last year, and is a sure thing to have his best season as a receiver out of the backfield. San Francisco has been a pretty tough defense against the run, but they have allowed scores by the last two backs that they have faced in Michael Turner and Steve Slaton. Addai’s yards per carry have been far from spectacular, but he should see enough action in the second half with his team way ahead that he will be a strong play this coming week. Look for him to have over 120 total yards and one score at the minimum.

Sit: Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers at Indianapolis Colts. While he is a supremely talented running back, there are too many games each year where Frank Gore just decides not to show up, and I could certainly see this being one of those days. Gore has played in four games this season, and in three of them he has had less than 35 yards rushing, while in that one good game he ran for over 200 yards. Not only has Indianapolis allowed just four rushing touchdowns all season long, but I can see the Colts’ offense putting up so many points that the 49ers are forced to alter their game plan and throw the ball a lot more. Gore will likely have less than 70 yards and I’d be surprised if he scores.

Sit: Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings. While he just got done torching the Browns defense, running won’t be quite so easy for Grant this week as he faces the always tough Vikings’ run defense. The first time these two teams squared off, Grant did OK considering he only got 11 carries. His 51 yards were his second worst output of the season, but Green Bay didn’t give him a chance to get involved in the game. Exect much of the same for Grant this week, as he won’t even get anywhere close to the 100 yard mark against Minnesota, and I would be even more surprised if he scored a touchdown.

Wide Receivers

Start: Kevin Walter, Houston Texans at Buffalo Bills. Andre Johnson had been diagnosed with a bruised lung, and his status for this week’s game is going to be up in the air. Now, Walter has been a bitter disappointment, as he has looked better in the past. Whether Johnson plays or not, this should be the week that Walter is a bigger part of the offense and has a chance to put a decent fantasy game together. He did have one game this year with seven catches and 96 yards, so he is capable of being a major contributor to your team. The Bills are actually a pretty good defense against the pass, but Schaub and the Texans are so hot right now offensively, that if Johnson is unable to go, Walter should be good enough to pick up the slack.

Start: Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers. Rice has 17 catches and over 300 yards in the last two games, and there is no longer an arguement who is the number one receiver in Minnesota. It is also obvious that the Vikings are going out of their way to throw the ball more than they should, especially down near the red zone. The Packers are allowing just 175 yards per game through the air, but they have given up nine passing touchdowns. Look for Rice to break 100 yards, or at least get very close, and likely find the endzone even if it is from only a few yards out.

Sit: Derrick Mason, Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos. Mason is one of my favorite receivers in fantasy, not because he is an elite receiver, but he is someone that you can take pretty late in drafts, and get production that is the same as guys that were drafted five or six rounds earlier. He is averaging five catches a game for about 80 yards and has three touchdowns in five games. That is better than Dwayne Bowe, Santana Moss, and Greg Jennings. Now I’m not saying that he will end the season better than those guys, but he should at least be in the neighborhood and he was taken much later. However, this week he faces the stiff Broncos offense who are allowing just over 180 yards per game through the air and have given up only three passing touchdowns this entire season. I like Mason, but this week you might have a better option somewhere on your roster.

Sit: Steve Smith, New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles. Since his 11 catch, 134 yard effort with two touchdowns three weeks ago, Smith has certainly seen a decrease in his role and his production. Since then he has failed to have more than four catches in a game, and he hasn’t scored a single touchdown. I think the reason for this is twofold. One, Smith was playing outside of his abilities. He is a good receiver, but not an elite player at his position. Second, the defenses in the NFL have certainly adjusted to Smith’s new found statistics. He can still be a guy who will be helpful as your third receiver, but to expect him to continue the way he started the season is just setting yourself up to be disappointed. The Eagles are among the top defenses in football, and you can expect another subpar week from “the good” Steve Smith.

Tight End

Start: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions vs. St. Louis Rams. If the Lions, and more importantly Pettigrew, are ever going to break out, this is the week to do it. St. Louis has one of the worst pass defenses in the league, and perhaps this is the week that the rookie tight end can get it going. There is an outside chance that quarterback Matthew Stafford will be able to play, and that should greatly increase the offense’s chances to succeed. I wouldn’t start Pettigrew if you have one of the better tight ends in the league (Witten, Gonzalez, Daniels, etc.), but if you have a questionable player, perhaps Pettigrew is worth a chance.

Sit: John Carlson, Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys. What the hell has happened to this guy? Carlson was one of the more popular tight ends once the elite guys were off the board on draft day and then in the opener he caught two touchdowns. Since then, he has broken 50 yards just once, and has three or fewer catches in three of the five games. Dallas is coming off a huge win against the Falcons, a game in which they really shut down one of the best at the position in Tony Gonzalez. Carlson has gone from a must start, to a guy who is borderline to even be on your roster. Hold out hope for him to turn it around, just don’t do it in your starting lineups this week.

Five Week Parlay–Week 7 (Brussel Sprouts Edition)

Ryan Hallam — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:50:43 +0000

Well, it seemed like a very unimportant sentence at the time, and perhaps she didn’t realize that I would take it seriously when she wrote it, but our friend Sara Holladayof the Fantasy Football Librarian made a colossal error when she wrote the following line in last week’s picks when talking about the Eagles/Raiders game:

Philly will no doubt win by more than 14 points against the Raiders. If they don’t, I will be stunned. I will eat a brussel sprout. And I hate brussel sprouts.

Well, ladies and gentleman, I want everyone to take this seriously so I wrote Sara before the game started and told her that I wanted her to live up to that statement. By now we all know that the Eagles did indeed fall to the Raiders much to my surprise too as I picked the Eagles. Lucky for us Sara is a great sport and she actually followed through with her promise. Throughout this article are pictures of Sara going through the process of eating (YUCK!) a brussel sprout. I guess you can say by the pictures it will likely be her last. I love how she is all bad-ass in the first one thinking that it will be no big deal, and as you will see it just gets progressively worse, until nausea obviously ensues! However, I hate brussel sprouts too, and I told her if she was a trooper, that I would put a similar bet on one of my games this week, so you will have to scroll down to see where I went with my sprout bet. UGH, this just hit a whole new level! This article was supposed to be just for fun! Not so I would have to eat something I can’t stand!

As you can see to the left, Sara is realizing how bad brussel sprouts really taste! Week 6 saw a tightening of the standings as Jeff fired back and pulled himself into a tie for last rather than inhabiting it all by himself. He is tied with Sara now, and is only two games out of second place. Quite a turnaround in one week for Mr. Mans. Both Brian Sinkoff and Sara Holladay were 1-4 last week, with the Cardinals saving Sink and her beloved Broncos saving the Librarian yet again. Ryan and Marc Caviglia were both 3-2, as that is now three straight weeks that the Godfather of the Bruno Boys has either been 3-2 or 2-3. No wonder I call him Mr. Consistency.

So, as we head into Week 7 here is a recap of the current standings:

Ryan Hallam - 11-4
Marc Caviglia - 8-7
Brian Sinkoff - 7-8
Sara Holladay - 6-9
Jeff Mans - 6-9

As the standings start to tighten up, here comes all of our picks for Week 7. And of course after the picks is some information on each of our participants. Enjoy everyone and we love to hear your feedback.

Jeff Mans of Fantasy Football Search (www.fantasyfootballsearch.com)

New York Jets (-6) at Oakland Raiders - Philadelphia made the terrible mistake of not running right at the Raiders. The Jets won’t make that same mistake and will be able to run at will in this game and I expect some good numbers for both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. Jets win this game by at least 10 points.

San Diego Chargers (-4 1/2) at Kansas City Chiefs - Obviously the odds makers think the Chiefs will keep this one close and be within reach for the upset. But, when all is said and done, the Chargers have too much firepower on offense and the Chiefs just don’t have enough on offense or defense to keep up.

Indianapolis Colts (-13) at St. Louis Rams - I hate giving up this many points to anyone no matter how good or bad the teams are. But, the fact is Indianapolis coming off a bye week, in a dome, getting Bob Sanders back finally just spells doom for the lowly Rams. I would be more hesitant to give up this many points if Tony Dungy were still in charge of the Colts. He would take it easy on opponents after his team got out to a big lead, Jim Caldwell has shown just the opposite. Peyton Manning was throwing for the endzone up 31-9 on the Titans with 3 minutes left in the game.

Philadelphia Eagles (-7) at Washington Redskins - Coming off a horrible loss to the Raiders, I see Philly being incredibly focused this week and take it out on the struggling Redskins. I don’t see offensive coordinator Sherman Smith calling the offensive plays for the ‘Skins as making any kind of improvement and in fact it is going to be a ball control type offense at that. Easy win for the Eagles and I think they pull it out by double digits.

Minnesota Vikings (+5 ½) at Pittsburgh Steelers - A full point jump in the line this week is tempting me just a little too much probably, but I am goint to bite. I think the Steelers win, but I think it will be another close game in which the Vikings stay within 5.5 points. This one is probably going to upset me come Monday, but what the heck!

Sara Holladay of Fantasy Football Librarian (www.fflibrarian.com)

Chicago Bears (+1) at Cincinnati Bengals - Cincinnati’s loss to Houston last week was a bit of a reality check for them, plus the loss of DE Odom certainly will not help their case against the Bears. The Bengals might manage to keep it within a field goal or so but ultimately I think the Bears will pull out a win here.

Indianapolis Colts (-13) at St. Louis Rams - Oh don’t worry, the brussels sprouts extravaganza won’t stop me from assuming that oddsmakers are too kind to the basement dwellers of the league. Sorry, but I just can’t see Peyton Manning and his Colts putting up any less than 2 TDs on the Rams.

Tampa Bay Bucs (+14.5) vs. New England Patriots - Meanwhile I think the time zone change, the soggy field, and maybe the funny British accents will phase the Pats just enough that they’ll only beat the Bucs by 10 or less (though honestly it’s the Irish accent that really gets me - seriously, are we speaking the same language? Throw in some beer and jamming pub musicians and it’s no wonder I could hardly get around in Ireland). My guess is that this will be a messy, ugly game.

San Francisco 49ers (+3) at Houston Texans - If Frank Gore returns and plays as expected, the 49ers will not lose this game. The Texans might have a high-flying offense these days but I’m very confident in what Gore brings to the 49ers game, not to mention the fact that SF has had a bye week to rest up after their embarrassing 45-10 loss against Atlanta…all signs point to a 49ers win here.

Philadelphia Eagles (-7) at Washington Redskins - Speaking of teams that were embarrassed (and librarians that were thusly embarrassed as well…), the Eagles must be pissed about their loss to the Raiders last week. Other than a dinner of brussels sprouts, what could be a better remedy than a routing of the sad and sorry Redskins on Monday Night Football?

Brian Sinkoff of WTMM ESPN Radio, Albany New York (www.wtmm.com)

Houston Texans (-3) vs. San Francisco 49ers - I finally think the Texans are playing up to their potential. PS: Michael Crabtree, the season starts in early September — not on October 25th.

Philadelphia Eagles (-7) at Washington Redskins - 2 weeks ago, I sang Young MC’s “Bust A Move” at a karaoke bar. Does that mean I can call the plays for the Redskins next week?

Green Bay Packers (- 8 1/2) at Cleveland Browns - Fantasy tip for the kids — please start all your Packers in this one. This won’t even be close.

Indianapolis Colts (-13 1/2) at St. Louis Rams - The Rams can’t cover much of anything right now, even if I gave them a Snuggie. They certainly won’t cover the spread.

Oakland Raiders (+6) vs. New York Jets - UPSET ALERT!! No, I don’t think the Raiders will actually win this game….but they will cover here. Keep in mind — since the early 60’s, “Gang Green” has just 2 wins on the road against the Raiders in 15 games.

Marc Caviglia of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football (www.brunoboys.net)

San Diego Chargers (-4) at Kansas City Chiefs - Yes, Kansas City did beat the Washington Redskins for their first win of the 2009 season but this spread is somewhat surprising to me. I know San Diego is struggling to finish drives this season and has it’s issue on defenses but they should have no problem covering just four points against a Chiefs team that is towards the bottom of the league in points scored on offense and points allowed on defense.

Green Bay Packers (-9) at Cleveland Browns - Despite losing for the fifth time in six games the Cleveland Browns played the Pittsburgh Steelers tough in Week 6. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Browns move the football and score some points on Green Bay but expect Aaron Rodgers to put on a passing clinic while Ryan Grant has his best game of the 2009 season. Look for this to be a double digit victory for the Packers.

New York Giants (-7) vs. Arizona Cardinals - After getting embarrassed by the New Orleans Saints in Week 6 the New York Giants should have no problem rebounding on the national stage. New York has had no trouble scoring points this season and this Arizona Cardinals offense is solid but not as high powered as last season. Look for the Giants to get to quarterback Kurt Warner and force him into a few bad throws that will turn out to be the difference in this football game.

Indianapolis Colts (-13) at St. Louis Rams - The only thing preventing this spread from being 17-18 points is the fact that the game will be played in St. Louis. Still there is NO reason why the Colts can’t dominate from start to finish and drop a seventh loss on the lowly St. Louis Rams. Expect another 300 yards passing a multiple touchdown afternoon from Peyton Manning.

Chicago Bears (+1) at Cincinnati Bengals - Chicago is the only underdog I am taking this week but I have been saying for three weeks now that the Cincinnati Bengals hot start was not the real deal and I expect the Bears to prove me right once again. Look for Jay Cutler to pick apart an overrated secondary while Matt Forte finally gives the Bears’ some balance on offense.

Ryan Hallam of Fighting Chance Fantasy Sports (www.fightingchancefantasy.com)

New Orleans Saints (-6) at Miami Dolphins - This one seems so easy to me that something is wrong. The Dolphins can run the ball with the Wildcat and not much else. The Saints defense has been shutting down the run game all year long. And after torching great defenses like Philly and the Giants, who thinks that Drew Brees and Company can’t roll up at least 30 on the Dolphins?

Atlanta Falcons (+4) at Dallas Cowboys - The Falcons are getting points????? Sign me up! Atlanta has been rolling since coming off their bye, while the last time we saw the Cowboys they needed a late touchdown to beat the lowly Chiefs. Am I missing something here? Even if Atlanta doesn’t win, I really can’t see Dallas pulling the game out by more than a field goal.

Arizona Cardinals (+7) at New York Giants - This isn’t based on the shellacking that the Giants took at the hands of the Saints completely, but you can’t ignore that the Boys in Blue are banged up and going against their second consecutive high powered offense. While I still can see the Giants winning the game, a full touchdown seems a bit much to give up. At full strength I pick the G-Men, but right now I think Warner and the gang can do enough to stay close.

Oakland Raiders (+6) vs. New York Jets - The Jets have historically struggled when traveling to the West Coast, including losing all four games (with one being to the Raiders) they played out there in 2008. Now, I understand that one year has nothing to do with the next and this is a whole new regime, but it just seems that they are struggling right now and the Raiders must have their confidence at an all time high (which is probably still pretty low). I would guess this will be a low scoring game and the Raiders can stay within six.

Indianapolis Colts (+13) at St. Louis Rams - I can’t believe that I am writing this, but here we go. If the Colts don’t cover the spread, I will also eat a brussel sprout. UGH! There, I promised I would, and I did. I just don’t see ANY POSSIBLE WAY the Rams keep this close. Their offense is putrid and the Colts defense has been playing above their heads this year. Peyton Manning is having one of his best seasons to date, and that is saying something. Meanwhile, the Rams are among the worst defenses against the pass. I know 13 points is a lot, and I believe that is the same spread that just caused Sara to have to chow on a sprout, but I’m throwing it out there. Oh, I pray to everything holy that the Colts come out and whitewash St. Louis! It has to happen, right?

As promised, here is the 411 on each person picking the games.

Also, don’t miss the Fantasy Football Tonight podcast every Tuesday night at 10pm EST with myself and Jeff Mans. We will cover all the latest and greatest in fantasy football, and there is always some crazy things being discussed outside the world of football as well. Please join us, to listen go to www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-football-tonight . If that isn’t enough of Jeff and I for you, you can also now join us on the Fantasy Sports Channel on Blog Talk Radio for the Midnight Oil show. We will give you another hour leading into the weekend starting on Friday at midnight EST. Go to www.fsc.fm to listen.

Team Defense Rankings–Week 7

Ryan Hallam — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:30:39 +0000

Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings

Two Matchups To Target

New Orleans Saints at Miami Dolphins. Miami is also coming off their bye week, and those of you who watched them dismantle the Jets defense might not think this is a good pick, but hear me out. I know Chad Henne had that beautiful bomb to Ted Ginn last Monday, but let’s be realistic, the Dolphins are a pretty one dimensional offense and that is the run game. The Dolphins are the number one rated run offense with over 175 yards per game on the ground, which is more than the passing yards that they average. So, what is the strength of the New Orleans’ defense? That’s right, they are tough against the run. The Saints allow just 83 yards per game on the ground, and have given up just four rushing touchdowns. New Orleans is also has forced the most turnovers in the NFL with 15, and has sacked the quarterback 12 times. It should be a great matchup of a great run team against a great run defense, but besides the fact that I think the Saints will win that matchup, New Orleans will also put up enough points that the Dolphins won’t be able to run as much because they will be playing catchup. I can’t see the Dolphins scoring 20 points, unless there is a lot of garbage time like last week when New Orleans played the Giants.

Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys. The Falcons have been on a nasty roll the past two weeks, giving up just 24 points in those games. Dallas was on bye last week, but the last time we saw them they needed a late touchdown and a Herculean effort from their number three receiver to beat the lowly Chiefs. But it is not just the directions the team’s are going that make this pick. The Falcons have been studly on defense all year long as they are giving up just an average of 15.4 points a game, not to mention that they are among the league’s best at forcing turnovers with 12. Atlanta is just middle of the pack as far as getting to the quarterback, as they have 10 sacks in their first five games, but John Abraham could go nuts without warning. I could see the Cowboys scoring about 17 points, but they are also pretty likely to turn the ball over a couple of times. Dallas has only committed eight turnovers to this point, but they have just looked sluggish in their past couple games, and I could see the Falcons making them do a few things that they don’t want to do.

Two Matchups To Avoid

Buffalo Bills at Carolina Panthers. This pick is much like the New Orleans pick, except the opposite. The Bills are the worst defense in the NFL against the run, and what does the entire Carolina offense revolve around? That’s right, the run game. Both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart were over 100 yards and a touchdown last week, and it seems that they are ready to roll now while they had struggled most of the season. Buffalo has allowed one 181 yards a game on the ground, and I could see the Panthers getting way more than that on Sunday. The rest of the fantasy stats don’t really make it seem like this is a good play, as Buffalo is pretty good at forcing turnovers with 11, and have gotten to the quarterback 14 times this season. Carolina is only scoring 17 points a game and are one of the worst at turning the ball over with 17 giveaways. But believe me the Bills are going to get run all over this week and the Panthers are going to be able to put up at least 24 points and maybe turn the ball over once at the most. If you are looking for a defense out there, there is a better choice than Buffalo.

San Francisco 49ers at Houston Texans. The San Francisco defense was great to start the year before getting absolutely torched by the Falcons, and now they have another tough matchup in the Texans on the road. Houston has been a great offense scoring almost 24 points a game. They only have turned the ball over nine times, and allowed Matt Schaub to be sacked just ten times. The Texans are passing the ball for 292 yards and 14 touchdowns in their first six games, which is very impressive. San Francisco has been giving up 234 yards per game through the air, and I could certainly see Schaub throwing for 300 yards or at least close to it with two or three touchdowns. San Francisco continues to struggle putting pressure on the quarterback as they have only gotten 11 sacks on the season. It could be ugly again for San Francisco as they are facing an even better offense even than in Atlanta, and they haven’t been doing the secondary things that will give them enough points to make up for the fact that the Texans will score on Sunday.

On The Radar–Week 7

Ryan Hallam — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:58:01 +0000

Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans. It is coming down from the owner that Young is going to get more playing time when the Titans come out of their bye, and given their winless season through six games it only makes sense. Kerry Collins has two touchdown passes in the last four weeks to go against six interceptions, and the season has really spiraled out of control and there can be no legitimate talk of the playoffs. Enter former number three overall pick Vince Young who didn’t do much of anything when given the chance to lead the team last in 2007. He has also contemplated quitting football according to reports. In his defense, Young didn’t have Chris Johnson and LenDale White running the ball the last time that he was a starting quarterback, so perhaps he will be better this time around. I don’t believe in him, and I wouldn’t suggest picking him up unless you are in a two quarterback league and need a warm body to play the position.

Keenan Burton/Danny Amendola, WR, St. Louis Rams. With injury comes opportunity and that is why you should get to know the name of Keenan Burton. Since the season ending injury to Laurent Robinson, Burton has had back to back weeks with five receptions and if the Rams offense ever does kick it into gear, Burton could be a big reason why. He isn’t likely to be a guy that I would run out and grab right now, but continue to monitor the situation in St. Louis and if this guy has a game where he hauls in seven passes for 75 yards and a score, then you might want to make the move on him. Danny Amendola came into last week’s game after Donnie Avery was nicked up early in the game, and he even looked decent. Amendola, who has been returning kicks and punts for the Rams, had three catches for about 25 yards. So, again, his value is linked to the opportunity he would get if Avery is forced to miss more time. At this point, it seems that Avery will be able to play in Week 7, but just keep the name of Danny Amendola in the back of your mind, especially if your league rewards for return yardage.

Tony Scheffler, TE, Denver Broncos. In one game on Monday Night Scheffler nearly doubled his production from the entire season. Against the Chargers the Broncos tight end had six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, and the question is now was this a one week spike in production or is Scheffler going to turn into someone that you can count on? It is hard to say because the scheme that Josh McDaniels has put into place doesn’t really favor the use of a tight end, but Scheffler has great talent and has good hands and speed for a guy his size after he catches the ball. He is no more than a bye week replacement, so if you don’t have a second tight end and yours is on bye, perhaps Scheffler can help you out.

Laurence Maroney, RB, New England Patriots. When Sammy Morris left the game in the first quarter (and to no one’s surprise we haven’t gotten an update), Maroney came in and made the most of his opportunity as he ran for 123 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. The problem with New England was all year they had too many running backs for you to be able to count on one. But much like last year, they are dropping like flies due to injury and the picture is getting clearer. Unfortunately, we likely won’t know about Morris’ condition until much later in the week. If you are in need of running back help, Maroney might be worth a flier. He isn’t tall, but he is a hard runner and a former first round pick. The Pats’ offense seems to be clicking lately, and perhaps Maroney will have a good run of a few weeks.

Mark Clayton, WR, Baltimore Ravens. As much as I don’t trust Clayton to be a consistent performer week in and week out, I do believe that he is good enough to be on someone’s roster in your league. Yet going into Week 7 he is owned in just 42% of Yahoo leagues, and 11% in ESPN leagues. Let me say again, this is not a guy who is going to bring you to the promised land, he is merely depth to have on your bench. However, Clayton did have one season in which he had nearly 1,000 yards receiving, and he has two touchdowns through six games in 2009. The Ravens are throwing the ball more than they have in the recent past, so Clayton does have some value as a bye week replacement or perhaps your second receiver on your bench. Take a look to see if he is out there and what you have on your bench. You can send me an email if you would like and I will help you decide if Clayton is right for you.

Lance Moore, WR, New Orleans Saints. Something happened on the way to the 2009 season, and Moore was largely a forgotten man in the Saints offense. He only had two catches in Week 1, before a hamstring injury forced him to miss a couple more games. Upon his return he had just a one yard reception, but Drew Brees remembered who he was this past week and Moore stirred up memories of 2008 with his six catch, 78 yard effort with a touchdown. Three of his catches were on the first drive, so the numbers might be a little misleading, but Moore had 79 catches and ten touchdowns last season so the talent is there. Unless you are in a situation where you are able to take chances on a wide receiver, I would want to see one good game out of Moore. However, it is very possible that this could be the start of something good.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills. With Trent Edwards hurting with his concussion, it is possible that Fitzpatrick might be taking the reigns of the ship in Buffalo. This is two years in a row that he might get playing time due to the fact that the starter got hurt, and if I were a QB I would start to worry about my health if he is on the team (ha, ha). He was pretty much the same player that he was last year in Cincinnati, decent but far from anything useful in fantasy. After coming in for Trent Edwards, Fitzpatrick was 10/25 for 116 yards with a touch and a pick. He was barely useable at best for the Bengals in 2008, with eight passing touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 games. I think if I was desperate for a QB and Fitzpatrick and Vince Young were available I would go with Young, at least he has a chance to get you points running the ball too.

Mike Bell, RB, New Orleans Saints. He may have been held on to through his two week absence due to injury, but I think there is a good chance that he was available in your league heading into this week. I know his stat line wasn’t impressive against the Giants, but he did have a touchdown and he was involved in the goal line carries for the Saints. Bell is not a guy that I am high on. The man to me in New Orleans will be Pierre Thomas. Bell and Thomas are a similar size, so I don’t see one being more adept at handling the ball at the endzone than the other, and Thomas had six scores in the last six weeks in 2008, so he has proven that he can finish off drives. If you are just looking for RB depth and are carrying a guy like Justin Forsett from Seattle, then I would look to pick up Bell. But to me this job is Pierre Thomas’ and he will get the majority of carries and I don’t believe that the Saints will hand the ball off to Bell when it counts on a consistent basis.