By Ralph Mancini, NFL Draft Bible Senior Writer
In looking back on Green Bay’s unexpected return to prominence in the NFC North this year, most fans will immediately point to Brett Favre’s dramatic comeback season or the defensive unit’s coming of age as key factors, but one component that’s been often overlooked is rock-solid kicking phenom, Mason Crosby who’s been delighting diehard cheeseheads with his pinpoint- accurate field goals and booming kickoffs.
Pegged by many to fall within the first three rounds of the 2007 NFL Draft, the University of Colorado placekicker was finally chosen with the 193rd pick of the sixth round on the heels of a collegiate career that saw him become the first player in the Big 12 to be named player of the week eight times.
During his four-year experience, the Lubbock, Texan dazzled fans by converting 138 of his 203 kickoffs into touchbacks. His accuracy, additionally, was also off the charts as he connected on 66 of 88 field goal attempts.
At the start of his first professional season, Crosby was faced with challenge of unseating incumbent kicker Dave Raymer who scored 109 points for the Green and Gold in 2006.
The 23-year-old wasted no time in making a case for himself by nailing a 52-yard field goal in his first preseason game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field---the longest field goal ever kicked in that stadium.
Upon claiming the starting kicker’s role, the former Buffalo began the regular season in grand style by going three-for-three on his field goal attempts which included a 53-yarder and a 42-yard kick with only seconds remaining as Green Bay outscored Philadelphia 16-13 in an early-season thriller.
The 6’ 1” 212-pound Crosby went on to become a very reliable contributor to a high-scoring offense and dispelled all concerns that his success as a collegian was nothing more than a product of the thin Colorado air.
A howitzer leg along with a perfect success rate on extra points have allowed Crosby to lead all NFL kickers in scoring with 131 points heading into the last week of the season.
Ranked first overall among placekickers by the 2007edition of the NFL Draft Bible , Crosby may very well be the best kicking prospect to enter the professional ranks since Sebastian Janikowski entered the league in 2000.
In the past, this special-teams marvel has proven to have the temperament to handle pressure when called upon to make game-deciding plays and is also versatile enough to handle punting duties if necessary.
In a league where field position is vital to the outcome of games, Crosby’s kickoff prowess is the ultimate secret weapon in forcing opposing squads to put together long drives in their hopes to generate points. Crosby’s exceptional ability in this area may prove crucial during postseason play, particularly in home games that may very well be played in less-than-desirable winter conditions.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Ones To Watch
By Ralph Mancini, Fantasy Football Insiders Senior Writer
With another action-packed fantasy football season in the books, it’s time to look ahead and gauge which players could see a dramatic rise in production.
MATT MOORE (QB-CAR)- Much like Tony Romo, Moore started his NFL career as an overlooked rookie who went undrafted last April. Due to the health issues and overall ineptness of those ahead of him on the depth chart, Moore was given an opportunity to start for Carolina in week 15. Despite the low expectations many had for the disappointing Panthers versus the playoff-bound Seahawks that week, Moore led his team to a 13-10 upset victory. Ranked ninth overall by the 2007 edition of the NFL Draft Bible, the 6’ 3” 195-pound signal caller throws a good deep ball and has the ability to read defenses which has helped him avoid costly errors. Moore could be in line for a starting role next season provided he puts on some weight and develops better accuracy. It will be interesting to see if the coaching staff will allow the Oregon State product to battle it out with veteran Jake Delhomme for the top spot at the quarterback position.
NAJEH DAVENPORT (RB-PIT)- This career backup proved to be ready, willing and able to fill in for an injured Willie Parker as he carried the load in Pittsburgh’s 41-24 victory over St. Louis. The 250-pound Jerome Bettis-clone plowed through the Rams defense for 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and displayed tremendous power and surprising speed once he got past the first level of defense. If the former Miami Hurricane continues to pulverize the opposition in the playoffs, he may be looking at more carries next season in a time-share role with the aforementioned Parker.
JUSTIN GAGE (WR-TEN)- Viewed by many as an underachiever going into the 2007 season, the 26-year-old Gage finally established himself as a starter and as one of Vince Young’s go-to guys alongside Roydell Williams. Though not blessed with electrifying speed, the 6’4” wide out specializes in making tough grabs over the middle, as well as breaking tackles after the catch. Look for the former Bear to improve upon his career-best 646 receiving yards (through 15 games) next season as Young develops as pocket passer.
LAURENT ROBINSON (WR-ATL)- If you’re in search of a blossoming player with true superstar potential, then look no further than Laurent Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons. Buried for part of the season behind the fading Joe Horn, the rookie speedster emerged from the shadows this Sunday by recording seven receptions for 114 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown catch in which he clearly burned Arizona’s Antrel Rolle. Entering the 2007 NFL Draft, Robinson was clocked at 4.38 in the forty and amazed talent evaluators with his 39-inch vertical jump. With a year under his belt and a more stable offense around him, this up-and-coming talent has all the tools to develop into a consistent playmaker.
BRENT CELEK (TE-PHI)- With starting tight end L.J. Smith probably on his way out as he assumes free agent status, Philadelphia will be hoping to replace the former Rutgers standout with their 2007 fifth-round pick--Brent Celek from the University of Cincinnati. Following a stellar preseason in which the 6’4” 255-pound tight end showcased superior hands and the skills to gain yards after the catch, Celek had a relatively quiet first year. However, following recent injuries to Smith and Matt Schobel, the promising youngster made noteworthy contributions to the Eagles offense in weeks 15 and 16 by catching five receptions for 85 yards, including a 29-yard pass.
GREG OLSEN (TE-CHI)- The 6’ 6” 252-pound physical specimen entered the league as the most athletic rookie at his position in 2007. So impressive was Olsen in training camp, that Chicago’s coaching staff began drawing up specific plays intended to get the ball into the hands of their prized first-year tight end. Those early plans were scrapped when Olsen suffered a knee injury late in the preseason. Despite showing flashes of his playmaking ability upon his return, including a five-week stretch in which he posted 22 receptions, the Wayne, New Jersey native was often victimized by poor play at the quarterback position along with the fact that he was frequently forced to play second fiddle to veteran tight end Desmond Clark. Ranked first overall among tight ends in the latest edition of the NFL Draft Bible, there’s no doubt that Chicago’s coaching staff will be devising new ways to maximize Olsen’s outstanding leaping ability in 2008.
With another action-packed fantasy football season in the books, it’s time to look ahead and gauge which players could see a dramatic rise in production.
MATT MOORE (QB-CAR)- Much like Tony Romo, Moore started his NFL career as an overlooked rookie who went undrafted last April. Due to the health issues and overall ineptness of those ahead of him on the depth chart, Moore was given an opportunity to start for Carolina in week 15. Despite the low expectations many had for the disappointing Panthers versus the playoff-bound Seahawks that week, Moore led his team to a 13-10 upset victory. Ranked ninth overall by the 2007 edition of the NFL Draft Bible, the 6’ 3” 195-pound signal caller throws a good deep ball and has the ability to read defenses which has helped him avoid costly errors. Moore could be in line for a starting role next season provided he puts on some weight and develops better accuracy. It will be interesting to see if the coaching staff will allow the Oregon State product to battle it out with veteran Jake Delhomme for the top spot at the quarterback position.
NAJEH DAVENPORT (RB-PIT)- This career backup proved to be ready, willing and able to fill in for an injured Willie Parker as he carried the load in Pittsburgh’s 41-24 victory over St. Louis. The 250-pound Jerome Bettis-clone plowed through the Rams defense for 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and displayed tremendous power and surprising speed once he got past the first level of defense. If the former Miami Hurricane continues to pulverize the opposition in the playoffs, he may be looking at more carries next season in a time-share role with the aforementioned Parker.
JUSTIN GAGE (WR-TEN)- Viewed by many as an underachiever going into the 2007 season, the 26-year-old Gage finally established himself as a starter and as one of Vince Young’s go-to guys alongside Roydell Williams. Though not blessed with electrifying speed, the 6’4” wide out specializes in making tough grabs over the middle, as well as breaking tackles after the catch. Look for the former Bear to improve upon his career-best 646 receiving yards (through 15 games) next season as Young develops as pocket passer.
LAURENT ROBINSON (WR-ATL)- If you’re in search of a blossoming player with true superstar potential, then look no further than Laurent Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons. Buried for part of the season behind the fading Joe Horn, the rookie speedster emerged from the shadows this Sunday by recording seven receptions for 114 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown catch in which he clearly burned Arizona’s Antrel Rolle. Entering the 2007 NFL Draft, Robinson was clocked at 4.38 in the forty and amazed talent evaluators with his 39-inch vertical jump. With a year under his belt and a more stable offense around him, this up-and-coming talent has all the tools to develop into a consistent playmaker.
BRENT CELEK (TE-PHI)- With starting tight end L.J. Smith probably on his way out as he assumes free agent status, Philadelphia will be hoping to replace the former Rutgers standout with their 2007 fifth-round pick--Brent Celek from the University of Cincinnati. Following a stellar preseason in which the 6’4” 255-pound tight end showcased superior hands and the skills to gain yards after the catch, Celek had a relatively quiet first year. However, following recent injuries to Smith and Matt Schobel, the promising youngster made noteworthy contributions to the Eagles offense in weeks 15 and 16 by catching five receptions for 85 yards, including a 29-yard pass.
GREG OLSEN (TE-CHI)- The 6’ 6” 252-pound physical specimen entered the league as the most athletic rookie at his position in 2007. So impressive was Olsen in training camp, that Chicago’s coaching staff began drawing up specific plays intended to get the ball into the hands of their prized first-year tight end. Those early plans were scrapped when Olsen suffered a knee injury late in the preseason. Despite showing flashes of his playmaking ability upon his return, including a five-week stretch in which he posted 22 receptions, the Wayne, New Jersey native was often victimized by poor play at the quarterback position along with the fact that he was frequently forced to play second fiddle to veteran tight end Desmond Clark. Ranked first overall among tight ends in the latest edition of the NFL Draft Bible, there’s no doubt that Chicago’s coaching staff will be devising new ways to maximize Olsen’s outstanding leaping ability in 2008.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Week 16 Fantasy FFI Head to Head Preview
For the last season, Fantasy Football Insiders spent a little extra time to ensure you have every possible perspective. On this weeks games we place each others analysis one above another (in no order whatsoever). If they agree, you get not one but two Insiders analysis, but where do you put your money if they disagree? We give you information, you make the educated call…
Saturday 8:15 PM
Dallas at Carolina
Brad Kurtzberg
Can the Cowboys bounce back after last week’s poor offensive performance against the Eagles? They need a win to secure home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. How badly is Tony Romo’s thumb injured? Would it be wise to rest Romo for a week or two before the playoffs? The Panthers upset the Seahawks last week to earn a little bit of respect after a tough season. They started their fourth different QB and each of them has at least one win. QB Matt Moore was cut by Dallas after the preseason and would love to show his former team he is an NFL caliber QB.
Stud: Marion Barber, RB Dallas. Barber was Mr. Everything against Detroit but was ignored for the most part in the loss to the Eagles. With Romo’s thumb hurting, look for the Cowboys to emphasize the running game even more than usual and that means Barber will shine against the Panthers’ 19th ranked run defense.
Dud: Matt Moore, QB Carolina. Moore was 19-of-27 for 207 yards with 0 TDs and 0 INTs in his first NFL start. He will be lucky to duplicate those numbers against Dallas’ tough defense. Look for the rookie to face all kinds of pressure and make some critical mistakes. If the Panthers are going to win, they have to run the ball more than throw it.
Sleeper: Jason Witten, TE Dallas. Witten has more than 1,000 yards receiving, a rarity for an NFL TE and he has scored 7 TDs on the season. He also has back-to-back 100-plus yard games coming into Saturday night’s contest. Safety Chris Harris is tough and physical but will have trouble keeping up with Witten over the course of the game.
Dan Lewis
Dallas @ Carolina
Carolina’s defense is actually better than you might expect given their lame season, but not good enough to merit benching any of your Cowboys (except for Julius Jones, who I don’t consider a start anymore at all). Steve Smith hasn’t been catching touchdowns, but has still been active, and is a start this week. Last week also saw DeAngelo Williams edge out DeShaun Foster in carries. It seems like the coaching staff is starting to favor Williams, but neither is a good play this week against Dallas.
Sunday 1:00 PM ET
Green Bay at Chicago
Dan
Ryan Grant is a definite start against the Bears’ overrated defense (can you even say they’re overrated anymore?). Donald Driver is a start as usual. Greg Jennings, who can’t stop catching touchdowns and has caught at least one in all but 2 of the games he’s played, is also obviously a start. Sit all your Bears. Yes, even Kyle Orton. I have a feeling he’s not a good player…
Ryan Grant is a definite start against the Bears’ overrated defense (can you even say they’re overrated anymore?). Donald Driver is a start as usual. Greg Jennings, who can’t stop catching touchdowns and has caught at least one in all but 2 of the games he’s played, is also obviously a start. Sit all your Bears. Yes, even Kyle Orton. I have a feeling he’s not a good player…
Brad
The Packers beat the Rams handily last week in yet another record-breaking game for Brett Favre. The Bears fell to the Vikings on Monday night after holding an early first half lead. Kyle Orton is the latest starting QB for the Bears to show that he is not the long term answer. Orton just doesn’t have the arm to be more than a steady backup. The Bears won the first meeting between these two teams and the Pack will be looking for revenge. Green Bay can still secure home field advantage for the NFC playoffs if the Cowboys loose one of their remaining games and the Pack wins both of theirs.
Stud: Ryan Grant, RB Green Bay. Even though Grant only had 60 total yards last week against St. Louis, he scored a TD for the fourth straight week to keep fantasy owners happy. The Pack will be playing in windy and cold Chicago rather than a dome so look for the running game to get more emphasis. Chicago can’t stop the run (ranked 25th in the league) so Grant should do well.
Dud: Adrian Peterson, RB Chicago. Peterson just doesn’t have it as a runner. He gained only 26 yards against the Vikings although he did catch 51 yards worth of passes. Peterson didn’t find the end zone either. The Bears’ offensive line is not a great run blocking unit. The Green Bay run defense is good enough to bottle up Peterson.
Sleeper: Brett Favre, QB Green Bay. Favre will be facing a Bears’ defense that ranks 26th against the pass. He may throw a pick or two, but Favre will put up good numbers after watching his receivers make big gains after the catch all game long. Donald Driver is already over 1,000 yards for the season and Greg Jennings needs 122 total yards in two games to join him. Jennings has 12 TD catches and has scored in six straight games.
Cleveland @ Cincinnati
Dan
Remember what happened last time these teams met? Carson Palmer threw 6 TDs, 2 each to Chad and Houshmandzadeh, and Rudi Johnson ran for 118. Derek Anderson, in his first start of the season, by the way, threw 5 TDs, 2 each to Braylon and Joe Jurevicius, and 1 to Kellen Winslow, and Jamal Lewis ran for 216 and a TD. Rudi Johnson is dinged up so keep an eye on his status as the week progresses, but whoever starts at RB for the Bengals this week has a great matchup. Not much has changed with these teams since Week 2, so start all your normal Bengals and Browns. Even Chris Henry (watch his injury status as well) and Joe Jurevicius are decent plays here if you need an extra WR.
Brad
The Battle of Ohio means a lot to one of these teams and before the season started, most people would have guessed it would have been the Bengals. Cincy fell to 5-9 after an embarrassing loss to the 49ers last week. Cleveland improved to 9-5 and is in the driver’s seat for a Wild Card and may even win the AFC North if the Steelers stumble again. The weather is expected to be wet which would be the second straight bad weather game for the Browns.
Stud: Jamal Lewis, RB Cleveland. Lewis has gone over 100 yards in three of the Browns’ last four games. In the snow a week ago, he ran for 163 yards. If the weather is wet and nasty again on Sunday, Lewis will continue to be the mainstay of the Cleveland attack. Cincinnati’s run defense (24th in the league) has struggled all year.
Dud: Kenny Watson, RB Cincinnati. Watson has lost playing time to Rudi Johnson since RJ’s return to health. Look for Watson to play second fiddle again on Sunday.
Sleeper: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR Cincinnati. The Bengals star wideout has 101 catches and 11 TDs already this year. If the Browns put CB Eric Wright on Chad Johnson, Houshmandzadeh will get a more favorable matchup against CB Leigh Bodden. It’s time for T.J. to find the end zone again.
Kansas City at Detroit
Brad
The good news is that one of these teams is going to have a lengthy and embarrassing losing streak come to an end. The Lions have lost six straight after getting off to a 6-2 start and have now been eliminated from playoff competition. The Chiefs have done them one better by losing seven in a row after getting off to a 4-3 early season record. The Lions were embarrassed by the Chargers last week while the Chiefs fell to the Titans. Both of these teams play against each other’s strengths. The Lions defense can’t stop the pass but the Chiefs aren’t a good passing team. The Chiefs can’t stop the run and the Lions are next-to-last at rushing the football. Something has got to give.
Stud: Kolby Smith, RB Kansas City. Smith was stopped cold last week after two strong games in a row. The Lions are bad at stopping the run but horrible against the pass. That means that Smith should have some room to maneuver against the Lions’ defense. Kansas City coach Herm Edwards likes conservative game plans and this week will be no different.
Dud: Jeff Webb, WR Kansas City. Webb has eight catches total in the last seven games and has become a non-factor for the Chiefs. In those seven games, he has never topped the 33 yard mark and has no TDs.
Sleeper: Kevin Jones, RB Detroit. Jones has the talent to run effectively, especially against the Chiefs 26th ranked run defense. The problem is that the Lions coaching staff tends to abandon the run too easily. They would be foolish to do that this week, wouldn’t they?
Dan
Detroit has completely collapsed. Who else is stunned beyond belief? I know I am!
…
Seriously, the Lions stink, but they still had some relevant fantasy WR performances reminiscent of last season when garbage time alone made Mike Furrey playable. KC’s defense is decent against the pass, though, and when you add that to the whimsy of Mike Martz you get a cloudy picture. Start them at your own risk. KC has had less success against the run, but the Lions also are inconsistent in their decision to commit to Kevin Jones. He is also a risk-reward play. Kolby Smith has a great matchup and is nearly a must-start.
Philadelphia @ New Orleans
Dan
New Orleans is great news for Eagle WRs, so monitor Reggie Brown’s injury status this week. If he plays, he has a great matchup. If not, Kevin Curtis should see even more passes thrown his way. I wouldn’t trust the other Eagle WRs, though: McNabb targets different ones from week to week, so you can’t count on any particular one for your playoff game. For the Saints, David Patten has seen the second most looks behind Colston lately, and has a TD in his last 2 games. Philly isn’t great against WRs, so Patten is worth a start if you need someone. Aaron Stecker has been great, so start him again even if Reggie Bush is active.
Brad
The Eagles are coming off the biggest win of their season when they upset the conference leading Cowboys. Although it will be too little too late as far as the playoffs go, the Eagles are looking to gain respect as they build towards next season. The Saints are 7-7 and edged the Cardinals last week to keep their playoff hopes alive. A loss would end the Saints chances of catching the Vikings for the last Wild Card spot.
Stud: Brian Westbrook, RB Philadelphia. Westbrook gained 144 total yards against Dallas last week. The New Orleans defense has trouble stopping the pass and Westbrook should rack up a lot of receiving yards even if his rushing output is only average. Westbrook is a fantasy stud.
Dud: Reggie Bush, RB New Orleans. Bush is expected to be available against the Eagles but stay away. He has an injured knee and the Saints have a good rushing defense. Bush just hasn’t been a big factor on the field or as a fantasy player this season.
Sleeper: Marques Colston, WR New Orleans. Colston has been hot lately, catching 17 passes for more than 200 yards and 3 TDs in the past two games. He has been Drew Brees’ favorite receiver in the recent Saints revival. Colston has a big size advantage over the Eagles CBs and should have another big game.
Houston at Indianapolis
Brad
The Colts have nailed down the second slot in the AFC playoffs and a first round bye. The Texans are out of the playoff hunt but can still secure the first winning season in franchise history by earning victories in their last two games. Tony Dungy would be foolish to ruin the team’s momentum now by resting his top players unless the game gets out of hand. Indianapolis is riding a five-game winning streak and in the past, attempts to rest the team and have them slow down have backfired.
Stud: Andre Johnson, WR Houston. Johnson is one of the best fantasy players in the league. Last week he grabbed six passes for 86 yards and a TD, giving him seven TDs in seven games this year. Regardless of whom the QB is and who is covering Johnson, he always has productive games from a fantasy viewpoint.
Dud: Sage Rosenfels, QB Houston. Rosenfels will struggle a bit against the league’s top rated pass defense. Look for him to have decent but not good stats before the game is over as the Colts slow down the Texans’ offense.
Sleeper: Peyton Manning, QB Indianapolis. Manning is “downgraded” to sleeper just because the game means nothing to the Colts. It would be foolish for the Indy coaching staff to remove Manning unless one team has huge lead so look for him to play at least three quarters Sunday.
Dan
Ron Dayne is dinged up, but neither he nor Darius Walker has a good matchup against the Colts. Look elsewhere. Since coming back from injury Andre Johnson has been a weekly monster, but Kevin Walter has stayed involved. He’s an option this week, but not a great one. Tony Dungy has said he may play his starters more going into the playoffs this year than he has in the past, but Joseph Addai and Reggie Wayne may see less playing time this week and next. Kenton Keith will likely get more carries going forward, especially in Week 17. Anthony Gonzalez is a start this week, especially with Wayne possibly playing less.
New York Giants at Buffalo
Brad
The Giants failed to clinch a playoff spot last Sunday night in the wind swept Meadowlands while the Bills were eliminated by losing in blizzard-like conditions in Cleveland. The Giants are without TE Jeremy Shockey for the rest of the season. The Bills would love to finish with a winning record even though the playoffs are now out of reach. They are an improving team heading in the right direction.
Stud: Plaxico Burress, WR N.Y. Giants. Burress is 6’5” and has a huge height advantage over the Bills’ two starting CBs, Jabari Greer (5’11”) and Terrence McGee (5’9”). The Bills’ pass defense ranks 28th in the league and they have had problems putting pressure on opposing QBs all year. This should be a banner day for Burress.
Dud: Trent Edwards, QB Buffalo. Edwards has thrown 5 TD passes all season and four of them came in one game against the dreadful Dolphins. He’s only topped the 200-yard mark in a game twice this season. While Edwards has a lot of potential as an NFL QB, he is not a good fantasy option this week.
Sleeper: Brandon Jacobs, RB N.Y. Giants. Jacobs gained 130 yards last week against the Redskins and should get plenty of carries as the weather doesn’t expect to be wonderful up in Buffalo either. The Bills run defense is 22nd in the league. Jacobs will also pick up some receiving yards but the Giants usually turn elsewhere in short yardage.
Dan
Marshawn Lynch got more carries than Fred Jackson last week, and should again this week, so start him. Start Lee Evans also. Brandon Jacobs is coming off 120 yards against Washington, and has an excellent matchup against Buffalo, so make sure he’s in your lineup. Plaxico Burress is a definite start, but the interesting Giant WR is Sinorice Moss, who saw an expanded role in the offense after Jeremy Shockey went down with a broken leg. He’s a risky play for the playoffs, though, so I’d stay away.
Oakland @ Jacksonville
Dan
Justin Fargas is out for the year, so it looks like LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes will split carries for the rest of the season. None are starts this week against Jacksonville, though, but watch to see who gets the bulk of carries because their matchup against San Diego in Week 17 is a favorable one. Ronald Curry is really the only borderline-worth a start Raider, but even he will have difficulty against the Jags. The Raiders’ defense is 31st against the run and 7th against the pass, so the Jags would be crazy not to pound them with Fred Taylor and MJD. Start both with confidence.
Brad
The Jaguars have clinched a Wild Card berth while the Raiders are playing for next year. First overall pick JaMarcus Russell is not scheduled to start but should see some playing time. The Raiders will also be without RB Justin Fargas who is out for the year with a sprained knee. Jacksonville has been on a roll and should not let up as they head for the playoffs.
Stud: Fred Taylor, RB Jacksonville. Taylor has topped the 100-yard mark in four straight games and has scored a TD in three of them. The Raiders are 31st in the league at stopping the run. Taylor should have a field day.
Dud: Josh McCown, QB Oakland. McCown hasn’t topped 160 yards in a game since opening day and he is unlikely to play the entire contest this Sunday as JaMarcus Russell will almost certainly play. The Jaguars have a vulnerable pass defense but the Raiders won’t be able to take advantage.
Sleeper: Maurice Jones-Drew, RB Jacksonville. The Jaguars running game is a two-man party and Jones-Drew should also be very productive. He had 99 total yards last week against a tough Pittsburgh defense. He should add to that against a weak Raiders unit.
Sunday 4:00 PM ET
Atlanta at Arizona
Brad
The Falcons are a mess and must be looking forward to the end of this season that was over before it began. Interim Coach Emmitt Thomas is a good coach who is in a thankless situation. He deserved a shot at a head coaching job many years ago but probably didn’t get it because of racial considerations. To judge him by the performance of the Falcons now is unfair. The Cardinals are out of the playoffs now but are heading in the right direction under rookie head coach, Ken Whisenhunt. Two more wins and the Cards can finish at .500.
Stud: Edgerrin James, RB Arizona. James has quietly gone over 1,000 yards for the season and had 95 total yards last week. The Falcons have trouble stopping the run and James should have a good game.
Dud: Warrick Dunn, RB Atlanta. Dunn has carried only 24 times for 52 yards in the last three games and is losing playing time to Jerious Norwood. Don’t look for a big game from Dunn this Sunday.
Sleeper: Chris Redmond, QB Atlanta. No, you’re not going crazy. Redmond has a favorable matchup. As a fantasy QB, Redmond had two good games and one disaster which came last week. The Cardinals pass defense is one of the league’s weakest and Redmond should be able to put up good numbers.
Dan
Atlanta, they are terrible. Jerious Norwood is getting more carries, and is a lot more explosive than Warrick Dunn, but you probably have better options if you’re in the playoffs. Michael Jenkins has been more involved of late, but Roddy White has been the man in the passing game all year. I still give Roddy the nod in this one. It looks like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin will both play this week, so Bryant Johnson, Jerheme Urban and Steve Breaston likely lose whatever value they had. Edgerrin James has a great matchup here.
Tampa Bay @ San Francisco
Dan
Frank Gore has been more involved lately, and ran for 100 yards last week. His matchup isn’t great this week, but he is their entire offense right now, so he’s worth a play unless you have better options. Tampa completely dominated Atlanta last week, and San Francisco’s defense isn’t any scarier than Atlanta’s. Start your usual Bucs this week.
Brad
Even though they’ve clinched a playoff berth and cannot earn a bye, the Bucs are still hoping to finish as the NFC’s third seed so don’t look for them to let up. Jon Gruden isn’t the kind of coach who knows how to take his foot off the accelerator anyway. The 49ers are coming off one of their best efforts of the season, a mistake free victory over the Bengals on national TV. They may be playing for Coach Mike Nolan’s job.
Stud: Tampa Bay Defense. The 49ers have one of the least effective offenses in the league and the Bucs’ defense is stellar. If the Bucs can contain Frank Gore, they will shut down the San Francisco passing game as well. Tampa Bay ranks third in the league against the run and is tied for first in points allowed.
Dud: Shaun Hill, QB San Francisco. Hill played a good game last week but is not prime fantasy material. At his best, he’s an average fantasy QB and the Bucs’ defense will keep him from playing his best on Sunday.
Sleeper: Earnest Graham, RB Tampa Bay. Graham has been a great mid-season pickup in most leagues. Last week, Graham had 119 total yards and scored a TD for the sixth straight game. San Francisco is 23rd in the league against the run.
Miami at New England
Brad
The Dolphins are finally off the snide after beating the Ravens in overtime last week. The Patriots are two games away from being the first team since Don Shula’s 1972 Dolphins to finish the regular season with a perfect record. The cold weather slowed down the New England offense a week ago and the team has struggled (relatively) for the past few games. That being said, they still haven’t lost a game. The Dolphins are very banged up and severely outclassed but they still haven’t quit and should give the Pats a game. Don’t expect New England to let up in their quest for perfection.
Stud: Tom Brady, QB New England. Brady hasn’t been as dominant the past few weeks but he’s still the league’s MVP. He wants to break Peyton Manning’s season TD mark and lead the Pats to a perfect season. Miami may not have Jason Taylor available which would only make Brady’s job easier. Dud: Miami Defense. The Dolphins defense is overmatched against New England. Unless the weather is very bad, stay far away from the Fish’s defense.
Sleeper: Randy Moss, WR New England. Again, Moss has been relatively quiet the past few games but he should bounce back this Sunday. In the first meeting with Miami this season, Moss had 122 yards and 2 TDs.
Dan
This will be all that Jets-Patriots should have been. Start all your Patriots. Samkon Gado hasn’t been great, but he’s been scoring touchdowns. Gado will lose carries with Jesse Chatman likely playing this week, so both are risky plays. But, New England has been run on at times this season, and Miami ran well against them in their last matchup, so if you’re desperate, monitor this situation and play Chatman if he’s healthy.
Baltimore @ Seattle
Dan
Seattle can be run on this year, so start Willis McGahee if you haven’t been using him for some reason. With Marcus Trufant likely on Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton has a chance to make some noise. Only start him if you’re desperate, though. Seattle can’t run lately and probably won’t try to against Baltimore’s stout run D. Deion Branch and Bobby Engram have great matchups here and are definite starts. Nate Burleson is also worth a look.
Brad
The Seahawks are battling for the third spot in the NFC playoffs with the Bucs but other than that, have little incentive. The Ravens are toast, having lost eight straight games including an embarrassing defeat against the previously winless Dolphins last Sunday. It may already be too late for the Ravens to save Brian Billick’s job.
Stud: Matt Hasselbeck, QB Seattle. The Ravens run defense is still solid but the pass defense ranks 23rd in the league. The Seahawks struggle to run the ball but throw it just fine. Hasselbeck threw for only one TD last week but has 25 for the season and should fine easy pickings against the Ravens.
Dud: Shaun Alexander, RB Seattle. Baltimore’s run defense is 2nd in the league and Alexander has only gained 50 yards or more in a game once in the last seven games he’s played. Maurice Morris will split carries with Alexander as the Seahawks struggle to find a running game in time for the playoffs.
Sleeper: Willie McGahee, RB Baltimore. McGahee topped 100 yards again last week against the Dolphins. He remains the only constant in the Ravens’ attack and the Seahawks run defense is average at best.
N.Y. Jets at Tennessee
Brad
The Jets played the Patriots tough last week but lost yet again while the Titans gutted out a win over the Chiefs that kept their playoff hopes alive. The Jets will likely start Chad Pennington at QB as Kellen Clemens injured his rib although Coach Eric Mangini will not make an official announcement. Tennessee needs this game more than the Jets who are just playing out the string.
Stud: LenDale White, RB Tennessee. White has gained 216 rushing yards in the last two games. The Jets run defense is 30th in the league. With the Titans unable to rely on their passing attack, White will be their main weapon.
Dud: Justin Gage, WR Tennessee. The Titans are very inconsistent when throwing the ball and Gage has been a non-factor the past two games, catching four passes for 57 yards and 0 TDs. The Jets pass defense is not bad but the biggest problem Gage faces is the inconsistency of Vince Young
Sleeper: Tennessee Defense. The Jets can’t throw the ball down the field with Pennington at QB and the Titans should be able to slow down the New York running game. The Jets shouldn’t put up too many points.
Dan
LenDale White is back to getting most of the carries for the Titans, and he will pound the Jets all day. He’s a must-start. Roydell Williams and Justin Gage have been the most active in the Titans’ passing attack, but Williams has caught more TDs. He’s worth a look against this Jets pass D. The Titans can be run on lately, but who is still starting Thomas Jones? Laveranues Coles and Jericho Cotchery are both usable this week, but Coles may be out with a knee, so monitor his status.
Sunday 8:15 PM ET
Washington at Minnesota
Dan
Adrian Peterson will be the focal point here, and is a start as always. Tarvaris Jackson looked bad last week against Chicago, and Sidney Rice, who is unlikely to play this week, was the only receiver in Minnesota who was worth even a look, so sit the rest of your Vikings. Clinton Portis has been running very well lately, but he’s benchable against Minny if you have other options. The Vikings have among the worst pass defenses in the league, so Santana Moss is a start.
Brad
The winner of this game will have the inside track to the final NFC playoff spot. Minnesota controls their own destiny and just needs to win their final two games to make the postseason. They have won five straight games despite an inconsistent passing game. The Redskins have dedicated their season to the late Sean Taylor who was murdered earlier this month in his home. This is a big game for both teams.
Stud: Adrian Peterson, RB Minnesota. Peterson had 95 total yards and 2 TDs against the Bears. The Redskins have a good run defense but Peterson should be rounding back into form as he gradually recovers from his knee injury.
Dud: Clinton Portis, RB Washington. Portis will have trouble against the Minnesota run defense which is the league’s best. Portis is at his best in between the tackles and that’s where the Vikings’ run defense is strongest. Look for a lower rushing total for Portis than usual.
Sleeper: Todd Collins, QB Washington. While the Vikings run defense is the league’s best, their pass defense ranks dead last. Collins is a wily veteran who made his first start last week in 10 years and led the Redskins to a big win in the swirling winds of Giants Stadium. He should have a very good game against Minnesota.
Monday 8:30 PM ET
Denver at San Diego
Brad
The Broncos are playing out the string and are just 2-5 on the road. The Chargers overcame a slow start to clinch the AFC West title but they cannot earn a first round bye in the playoffs. Denver was beaten handily by Houston last Thursday while the Chargers crushed the Lions.
Stud: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB San Diego. Tomlinson is on his usual late-season roll and has been the catalyst for the Chargers offense. The Broncos have had trouble stopping the run all year and are ranked 29th.
Dud: Travis Henry, RB Denver. Henry is playing but he has admitted his knee won’t be 100 percent for the rest of this season. He will also split carries with Selvin Young and other backs so don’t look for a big game from him Monday night.
Sleeper: Jay Cutler, QB Denver. The Chargers weakness on defense is their secondary and Cutler has been improving in fits and starts over the course of the year.
Dan
LaDainian Tomlinson is dominating again, and just in time for the fantasy playoffs too. Who does he have this week: the NFL’s 4th worst run defense? I’d sit Chambers and Vincent Jackson against Denver’s Champ-Bly combo. Brandon Marshall has been the only active Denver WR lately, so sit the others. San Diego has also been weak against the run, so Selvin Young and Travis Henry have good matchups. It’s up to the evil Mike Shanahan who gets more touches, so start them at your own risk as usual.
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Saturday 8:15 PM
Dallas at Carolina
Brad Kurtzberg
Can the Cowboys bounce back after last week’s poor offensive performance against the Eagles? They need a win to secure home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. How badly is Tony Romo’s thumb injured? Would it be wise to rest Romo for a week or two before the playoffs? The Panthers upset the Seahawks last week to earn a little bit of respect after a tough season. They started their fourth different QB and each of them has at least one win. QB Matt Moore was cut by Dallas after the preseason and would love to show his former team he is an NFL caliber QB.
Stud: Marion Barber, RB Dallas. Barber was Mr. Everything against Detroit but was ignored for the most part in the loss to the Eagles. With Romo’s thumb hurting, look for the Cowboys to emphasize the running game even more than usual and that means Barber will shine against the Panthers’ 19th ranked run defense.
Dud: Matt Moore, QB Carolina. Moore was 19-of-27 for 207 yards with 0 TDs and 0 INTs in his first NFL start. He will be lucky to duplicate those numbers against Dallas’ tough defense. Look for the rookie to face all kinds of pressure and make some critical mistakes. If the Panthers are going to win, they have to run the ball more than throw it.
Sleeper: Jason Witten, TE Dallas. Witten has more than 1,000 yards receiving, a rarity for an NFL TE and he has scored 7 TDs on the season. He also has back-to-back 100-plus yard games coming into Saturday night’s contest. Safety Chris Harris is tough and physical but will have trouble keeping up with Witten over the course of the game.
Dan Lewis
Dallas @ Carolina
Carolina’s defense is actually better than you might expect given their lame season, but not good enough to merit benching any of your Cowboys (except for Julius Jones, who I don’t consider a start anymore at all). Steve Smith hasn’t been catching touchdowns, but has still been active, and is a start this week. Last week also saw DeAngelo Williams edge out DeShaun Foster in carries. It seems like the coaching staff is starting to favor Williams, but neither is a good play this week against Dallas.
Sunday 1:00 PM ET
Green Bay at Chicago
Dan
Ryan Grant is a definite start against the Bears’ overrated defense (can you even say they’re overrated anymore?). Donald Driver is a start as usual. Greg Jennings, who can’t stop catching touchdowns and has caught at least one in all but 2 of the games he’s played, is also obviously a start. Sit all your Bears. Yes, even Kyle Orton. I have a feeling he’s not a good player…
Ryan Grant is a definite start against the Bears’ overrated defense (can you even say they’re overrated anymore?). Donald Driver is a start as usual. Greg Jennings, who can’t stop catching touchdowns and has caught at least one in all but 2 of the games he’s played, is also obviously a start. Sit all your Bears. Yes, even Kyle Orton. I have a feeling he’s not a good player…
Brad
The Packers beat the Rams handily last week in yet another record-breaking game for Brett Favre. The Bears fell to the Vikings on Monday night after holding an early first half lead. Kyle Orton is the latest starting QB for the Bears to show that he is not the long term answer. Orton just doesn’t have the arm to be more than a steady backup. The Bears won the first meeting between these two teams and the Pack will be looking for revenge. Green Bay can still secure home field advantage for the NFC playoffs if the Cowboys loose one of their remaining games and the Pack wins both of theirs.
Stud: Ryan Grant, RB Green Bay. Even though Grant only had 60 total yards last week against St. Louis, he scored a TD for the fourth straight week to keep fantasy owners happy. The Pack will be playing in windy and cold Chicago rather than a dome so look for the running game to get more emphasis. Chicago can’t stop the run (ranked 25th in the league) so Grant should do well.
Dud: Adrian Peterson, RB Chicago. Peterson just doesn’t have it as a runner. He gained only 26 yards against the Vikings although he did catch 51 yards worth of passes. Peterson didn’t find the end zone either. The Bears’ offensive line is not a great run blocking unit. The Green Bay run defense is good enough to bottle up Peterson.
Sleeper: Brett Favre, QB Green Bay. Favre will be facing a Bears’ defense that ranks 26th against the pass. He may throw a pick or two, but Favre will put up good numbers after watching his receivers make big gains after the catch all game long. Donald Driver is already over 1,000 yards for the season and Greg Jennings needs 122 total yards in two games to join him. Jennings has 12 TD catches and has scored in six straight games.
Cleveland @ Cincinnati
Dan
Remember what happened last time these teams met? Carson Palmer threw 6 TDs, 2 each to Chad and Houshmandzadeh, and Rudi Johnson ran for 118. Derek Anderson, in his first start of the season, by the way, threw 5 TDs, 2 each to Braylon and Joe Jurevicius, and 1 to Kellen Winslow, and Jamal Lewis ran for 216 and a TD. Rudi Johnson is dinged up so keep an eye on his status as the week progresses, but whoever starts at RB for the Bengals this week has a great matchup. Not much has changed with these teams since Week 2, so start all your normal Bengals and Browns. Even Chris Henry (watch his injury status as well) and Joe Jurevicius are decent plays here if you need an extra WR.
Brad
The Battle of Ohio means a lot to one of these teams and before the season started, most people would have guessed it would have been the Bengals. Cincy fell to 5-9 after an embarrassing loss to the 49ers last week. Cleveland improved to 9-5 and is in the driver’s seat for a Wild Card and may even win the AFC North if the Steelers stumble again. The weather is expected to be wet which would be the second straight bad weather game for the Browns.
Stud: Jamal Lewis, RB Cleveland. Lewis has gone over 100 yards in three of the Browns’ last four games. In the snow a week ago, he ran for 163 yards. If the weather is wet and nasty again on Sunday, Lewis will continue to be the mainstay of the Cleveland attack. Cincinnati’s run defense (24th in the league) has struggled all year.
Dud: Kenny Watson, RB Cincinnati. Watson has lost playing time to Rudi Johnson since RJ’s return to health. Look for Watson to play second fiddle again on Sunday.
Sleeper: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR Cincinnati. The Bengals star wideout has 101 catches and 11 TDs already this year. If the Browns put CB Eric Wright on Chad Johnson, Houshmandzadeh will get a more favorable matchup against CB Leigh Bodden. It’s time for T.J. to find the end zone again.
Kansas City at Detroit
Brad
The good news is that one of these teams is going to have a lengthy and embarrassing losing streak come to an end. The Lions have lost six straight after getting off to a 6-2 start and have now been eliminated from playoff competition. The Chiefs have done them one better by losing seven in a row after getting off to a 4-3 early season record. The Lions were embarrassed by the Chargers last week while the Chiefs fell to the Titans. Both of these teams play against each other’s strengths. The Lions defense can’t stop the pass but the Chiefs aren’t a good passing team. The Chiefs can’t stop the run and the Lions are next-to-last at rushing the football. Something has got to give.
Stud: Kolby Smith, RB Kansas City. Smith was stopped cold last week after two strong games in a row. The Lions are bad at stopping the run but horrible against the pass. That means that Smith should have some room to maneuver against the Lions’ defense. Kansas City coach Herm Edwards likes conservative game plans and this week will be no different.
Dud: Jeff Webb, WR Kansas City. Webb has eight catches total in the last seven games and has become a non-factor for the Chiefs. In those seven games, he has never topped the 33 yard mark and has no TDs.
Sleeper: Kevin Jones, RB Detroit. Jones has the talent to run effectively, especially against the Chiefs 26th ranked run defense. The problem is that the Lions coaching staff tends to abandon the run too easily. They would be foolish to do that this week, wouldn’t they?
Dan
Detroit has completely collapsed. Who else is stunned beyond belief? I know I am!
…
Seriously, the Lions stink, but they still had some relevant fantasy WR performances reminiscent of last season when garbage time alone made Mike Furrey playable. KC’s defense is decent against the pass, though, and when you add that to the whimsy of Mike Martz you get a cloudy picture. Start them at your own risk. KC has had less success against the run, but the Lions also are inconsistent in their decision to commit to Kevin Jones. He is also a risk-reward play. Kolby Smith has a great matchup and is nearly a must-start.
Philadelphia @ New Orleans
Dan
New Orleans is great news for Eagle WRs, so monitor Reggie Brown’s injury status this week. If he plays, he has a great matchup. If not, Kevin Curtis should see even more passes thrown his way. I wouldn’t trust the other Eagle WRs, though: McNabb targets different ones from week to week, so you can’t count on any particular one for your playoff game. For the Saints, David Patten has seen the second most looks behind Colston lately, and has a TD in his last 2 games. Philly isn’t great against WRs, so Patten is worth a start if you need someone. Aaron Stecker has been great, so start him again even if Reggie Bush is active.
Brad
The Eagles are coming off the biggest win of their season when they upset the conference leading Cowboys. Although it will be too little too late as far as the playoffs go, the Eagles are looking to gain respect as they build towards next season. The Saints are 7-7 and edged the Cardinals last week to keep their playoff hopes alive. A loss would end the Saints chances of catching the Vikings for the last Wild Card spot.
Stud: Brian Westbrook, RB Philadelphia. Westbrook gained 144 total yards against Dallas last week. The New Orleans defense has trouble stopping the pass and Westbrook should rack up a lot of receiving yards even if his rushing output is only average. Westbrook is a fantasy stud.
Dud: Reggie Bush, RB New Orleans. Bush is expected to be available against the Eagles but stay away. He has an injured knee and the Saints have a good rushing defense. Bush just hasn’t been a big factor on the field or as a fantasy player this season.
Sleeper: Marques Colston, WR New Orleans. Colston has been hot lately, catching 17 passes for more than 200 yards and 3 TDs in the past two games. He has been Drew Brees’ favorite receiver in the recent Saints revival. Colston has a big size advantage over the Eagles CBs and should have another big game.
Houston at Indianapolis
Brad
The Colts have nailed down the second slot in the AFC playoffs and a first round bye. The Texans are out of the playoff hunt but can still secure the first winning season in franchise history by earning victories in their last two games. Tony Dungy would be foolish to ruin the team’s momentum now by resting his top players unless the game gets out of hand. Indianapolis is riding a five-game winning streak and in the past, attempts to rest the team and have them slow down have backfired.
Stud: Andre Johnson, WR Houston. Johnson is one of the best fantasy players in the league. Last week he grabbed six passes for 86 yards and a TD, giving him seven TDs in seven games this year. Regardless of whom the QB is and who is covering Johnson, he always has productive games from a fantasy viewpoint.
Dud: Sage Rosenfels, QB Houston. Rosenfels will struggle a bit against the league’s top rated pass defense. Look for him to have decent but not good stats before the game is over as the Colts slow down the Texans’ offense.
Sleeper: Peyton Manning, QB Indianapolis. Manning is “downgraded” to sleeper just because the game means nothing to the Colts. It would be foolish for the Indy coaching staff to remove Manning unless one team has huge lead so look for him to play at least three quarters Sunday.
Dan
Ron Dayne is dinged up, but neither he nor Darius Walker has a good matchup against the Colts. Look elsewhere. Since coming back from injury Andre Johnson has been a weekly monster, but Kevin Walter has stayed involved. He’s an option this week, but not a great one. Tony Dungy has said he may play his starters more going into the playoffs this year than he has in the past, but Joseph Addai and Reggie Wayne may see less playing time this week and next. Kenton Keith will likely get more carries going forward, especially in Week 17. Anthony Gonzalez is a start this week, especially with Wayne possibly playing less.
New York Giants at Buffalo
Brad
The Giants failed to clinch a playoff spot last Sunday night in the wind swept Meadowlands while the Bills were eliminated by losing in blizzard-like conditions in Cleveland. The Giants are without TE Jeremy Shockey for the rest of the season. The Bills would love to finish with a winning record even though the playoffs are now out of reach. They are an improving team heading in the right direction.
Stud: Plaxico Burress, WR N.Y. Giants. Burress is 6’5” and has a huge height advantage over the Bills’ two starting CBs, Jabari Greer (5’11”) and Terrence McGee (5’9”). The Bills’ pass defense ranks 28th in the league and they have had problems putting pressure on opposing QBs all year. This should be a banner day for Burress.
Dud: Trent Edwards, QB Buffalo. Edwards has thrown 5 TD passes all season and four of them came in one game against the dreadful Dolphins. He’s only topped the 200-yard mark in a game twice this season. While Edwards has a lot of potential as an NFL QB, he is not a good fantasy option this week.
Sleeper: Brandon Jacobs, RB N.Y. Giants. Jacobs gained 130 yards last week against the Redskins and should get plenty of carries as the weather doesn’t expect to be wonderful up in Buffalo either. The Bills run defense is 22nd in the league. Jacobs will also pick up some receiving yards but the Giants usually turn elsewhere in short yardage.
Dan
Marshawn Lynch got more carries than Fred Jackson last week, and should again this week, so start him. Start Lee Evans also. Brandon Jacobs is coming off 120 yards against Washington, and has an excellent matchup against Buffalo, so make sure he’s in your lineup. Plaxico Burress is a definite start, but the interesting Giant WR is Sinorice Moss, who saw an expanded role in the offense after Jeremy Shockey went down with a broken leg. He’s a risky play for the playoffs, though, so I’d stay away.
Oakland @ Jacksonville
Dan
Justin Fargas is out for the year, so it looks like LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes will split carries for the rest of the season. None are starts this week against Jacksonville, though, but watch to see who gets the bulk of carries because their matchup against San Diego in Week 17 is a favorable one. Ronald Curry is really the only borderline-worth a start Raider, but even he will have difficulty against the Jags. The Raiders’ defense is 31st against the run and 7th against the pass, so the Jags would be crazy not to pound them with Fred Taylor and MJD. Start both with confidence.
Brad
The Jaguars have clinched a Wild Card berth while the Raiders are playing for next year. First overall pick JaMarcus Russell is not scheduled to start but should see some playing time. The Raiders will also be without RB Justin Fargas who is out for the year with a sprained knee. Jacksonville has been on a roll and should not let up as they head for the playoffs.
Stud: Fred Taylor, RB Jacksonville. Taylor has topped the 100-yard mark in four straight games and has scored a TD in three of them. The Raiders are 31st in the league at stopping the run. Taylor should have a field day.
Dud: Josh McCown, QB Oakland. McCown hasn’t topped 160 yards in a game since opening day and he is unlikely to play the entire contest this Sunday as JaMarcus Russell will almost certainly play. The Jaguars have a vulnerable pass defense but the Raiders won’t be able to take advantage.
Sleeper: Maurice Jones-Drew, RB Jacksonville. The Jaguars running game is a two-man party and Jones-Drew should also be very productive. He had 99 total yards last week against a tough Pittsburgh defense. He should add to that against a weak Raiders unit.
Sunday 4:00 PM ET
Atlanta at Arizona
Brad
The Falcons are a mess and must be looking forward to the end of this season that was over before it began. Interim Coach Emmitt Thomas is a good coach who is in a thankless situation. He deserved a shot at a head coaching job many years ago but probably didn’t get it because of racial considerations. To judge him by the performance of the Falcons now is unfair. The Cardinals are out of the playoffs now but are heading in the right direction under rookie head coach, Ken Whisenhunt. Two more wins and the Cards can finish at .500.
Stud: Edgerrin James, RB Arizona. James has quietly gone over 1,000 yards for the season and had 95 total yards last week. The Falcons have trouble stopping the run and James should have a good game.
Dud: Warrick Dunn, RB Atlanta. Dunn has carried only 24 times for 52 yards in the last three games and is losing playing time to Jerious Norwood. Don’t look for a big game from Dunn this Sunday.
Sleeper: Chris Redmond, QB Atlanta. No, you’re not going crazy. Redmond has a favorable matchup. As a fantasy QB, Redmond had two good games and one disaster which came last week. The Cardinals pass defense is one of the league’s weakest and Redmond should be able to put up good numbers.
Dan
Atlanta, they are terrible. Jerious Norwood is getting more carries, and is a lot more explosive than Warrick Dunn, but you probably have better options if you’re in the playoffs. Michael Jenkins has been more involved of late, but Roddy White has been the man in the passing game all year. I still give Roddy the nod in this one. It looks like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin will both play this week, so Bryant Johnson, Jerheme Urban and Steve Breaston likely lose whatever value they had. Edgerrin James has a great matchup here.
Tampa Bay @ San Francisco
Dan
Frank Gore has been more involved lately, and ran for 100 yards last week. His matchup isn’t great this week, but he is their entire offense right now, so he’s worth a play unless you have better options. Tampa completely dominated Atlanta last week, and San Francisco’s defense isn’t any scarier than Atlanta’s. Start your usual Bucs this week.
Brad
Even though they’ve clinched a playoff berth and cannot earn a bye, the Bucs are still hoping to finish as the NFC’s third seed so don’t look for them to let up. Jon Gruden isn’t the kind of coach who knows how to take his foot off the accelerator anyway. The 49ers are coming off one of their best efforts of the season, a mistake free victory over the Bengals on national TV. They may be playing for Coach Mike Nolan’s job.
Stud: Tampa Bay Defense. The 49ers have one of the least effective offenses in the league and the Bucs’ defense is stellar. If the Bucs can contain Frank Gore, they will shut down the San Francisco passing game as well. Tampa Bay ranks third in the league against the run and is tied for first in points allowed.
Dud: Shaun Hill, QB San Francisco. Hill played a good game last week but is not prime fantasy material. At his best, he’s an average fantasy QB and the Bucs’ defense will keep him from playing his best on Sunday.
Sleeper: Earnest Graham, RB Tampa Bay. Graham has been a great mid-season pickup in most leagues. Last week, Graham had 119 total yards and scored a TD for the sixth straight game. San Francisco is 23rd in the league against the run.
Miami at New England
Brad
The Dolphins are finally off the snide after beating the Ravens in overtime last week. The Patriots are two games away from being the first team since Don Shula’s 1972 Dolphins to finish the regular season with a perfect record. The cold weather slowed down the New England offense a week ago and the team has struggled (relatively) for the past few games. That being said, they still haven’t lost a game. The Dolphins are very banged up and severely outclassed but they still haven’t quit and should give the Pats a game. Don’t expect New England to let up in their quest for perfection.
Stud: Tom Brady, QB New England. Brady hasn’t been as dominant the past few weeks but he’s still the league’s MVP. He wants to break Peyton Manning’s season TD mark and lead the Pats to a perfect season. Miami may not have Jason Taylor available which would only make Brady’s job easier. Dud: Miami Defense. The Dolphins defense is overmatched against New England. Unless the weather is very bad, stay far away from the Fish’s defense.
Sleeper: Randy Moss, WR New England. Again, Moss has been relatively quiet the past few games but he should bounce back this Sunday. In the first meeting with Miami this season, Moss had 122 yards and 2 TDs.
Dan
This will be all that Jets-Patriots should have been. Start all your Patriots. Samkon Gado hasn’t been great, but he’s been scoring touchdowns. Gado will lose carries with Jesse Chatman likely playing this week, so both are risky plays. But, New England has been run on at times this season, and Miami ran well against them in their last matchup, so if you’re desperate, monitor this situation and play Chatman if he’s healthy.
Baltimore @ Seattle
Dan
Seattle can be run on this year, so start Willis McGahee if you haven’t been using him for some reason. With Marcus Trufant likely on Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton has a chance to make some noise. Only start him if you’re desperate, though. Seattle can’t run lately and probably won’t try to against Baltimore’s stout run D. Deion Branch and Bobby Engram have great matchups here and are definite starts. Nate Burleson is also worth a look.
Brad
The Seahawks are battling for the third spot in the NFC playoffs with the Bucs but other than that, have little incentive. The Ravens are toast, having lost eight straight games including an embarrassing defeat against the previously winless Dolphins last Sunday. It may already be too late for the Ravens to save Brian Billick’s job.
Stud: Matt Hasselbeck, QB Seattle. The Ravens run defense is still solid but the pass defense ranks 23rd in the league. The Seahawks struggle to run the ball but throw it just fine. Hasselbeck threw for only one TD last week but has 25 for the season and should fine easy pickings against the Ravens.
Dud: Shaun Alexander, RB Seattle. Baltimore’s run defense is 2nd in the league and Alexander has only gained 50 yards or more in a game once in the last seven games he’s played. Maurice Morris will split carries with Alexander as the Seahawks struggle to find a running game in time for the playoffs.
Sleeper: Willie McGahee, RB Baltimore. McGahee topped 100 yards again last week against the Dolphins. He remains the only constant in the Ravens’ attack and the Seahawks run defense is average at best.
N.Y. Jets at Tennessee
Brad
The Jets played the Patriots tough last week but lost yet again while the Titans gutted out a win over the Chiefs that kept their playoff hopes alive. The Jets will likely start Chad Pennington at QB as Kellen Clemens injured his rib although Coach Eric Mangini will not make an official announcement. Tennessee needs this game more than the Jets who are just playing out the string.
Stud: LenDale White, RB Tennessee. White has gained 216 rushing yards in the last two games. The Jets run defense is 30th in the league. With the Titans unable to rely on their passing attack, White will be their main weapon.
Dud: Justin Gage, WR Tennessee. The Titans are very inconsistent when throwing the ball and Gage has been a non-factor the past two games, catching four passes for 57 yards and 0 TDs. The Jets pass defense is not bad but the biggest problem Gage faces is the inconsistency of Vince Young
Sleeper: Tennessee Defense. The Jets can’t throw the ball down the field with Pennington at QB and the Titans should be able to slow down the New York running game. The Jets shouldn’t put up too many points.
Dan
LenDale White is back to getting most of the carries for the Titans, and he will pound the Jets all day. He’s a must-start. Roydell Williams and Justin Gage have been the most active in the Titans’ passing attack, but Williams has caught more TDs. He’s worth a look against this Jets pass D. The Titans can be run on lately, but who is still starting Thomas Jones? Laveranues Coles and Jericho Cotchery are both usable this week, but Coles may be out with a knee, so monitor his status.
Sunday 8:15 PM ET
Washington at Minnesota
Dan
Adrian Peterson will be the focal point here, and is a start as always. Tarvaris Jackson looked bad last week against Chicago, and Sidney Rice, who is unlikely to play this week, was the only receiver in Minnesota who was worth even a look, so sit the rest of your Vikings. Clinton Portis has been running very well lately, but he’s benchable against Minny if you have other options. The Vikings have among the worst pass defenses in the league, so Santana Moss is a start.
Brad
The winner of this game will have the inside track to the final NFC playoff spot. Minnesota controls their own destiny and just needs to win their final two games to make the postseason. They have won five straight games despite an inconsistent passing game. The Redskins have dedicated their season to the late Sean Taylor who was murdered earlier this month in his home. This is a big game for both teams.
Stud: Adrian Peterson, RB Minnesota. Peterson had 95 total yards and 2 TDs against the Bears. The Redskins have a good run defense but Peterson should be rounding back into form as he gradually recovers from his knee injury.
Dud: Clinton Portis, RB Washington. Portis will have trouble against the Minnesota run defense which is the league’s best. Portis is at his best in between the tackles and that’s where the Vikings’ run defense is strongest. Look for a lower rushing total for Portis than usual.
Sleeper: Todd Collins, QB Washington. While the Vikings run defense is the league’s best, their pass defense ranks dead last. Collins is a wily veteran who made his first start last week in 10 years and led the Redskins to a big win in the swirling winds of Giants Stadium. He should have a very good game against Minnesota.
Monday 8:30 PM ET
Denver at San Diego
Brad
The Broncos are playing out the string and are just 2-5 on the road. The Chargers overcame a slow start to clinch the AFC West title but they cannot earn a first round bye in the playoffs. Denver was beaten handily by Houston last Thursday while the Chargers crushed the Lions.
Stud: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB San Diego. Tomlinson is on his usual late-season roll and has been the catalyst for the Chargers offense. The Broncos have had trouble stopping the run all year and are ranked 29th.
Dud: Travis Henry, RB Denver. Henry is playing but he has admitted his knee won’t be 100 percent for the rest of this season. He will also split carries with Selvin Young and other backs so don’t look for a big game from him Monday night.
Sleeper: Jay Cutler, QB Denver. The Chargers weakness on defense is their secondary and Cutler has been improving in fits and starts over the course of the year.
Dan
LaDainian Tomlinson is dominating again, and just in time for the fantasy playoffs too. Who does he have this week: the NFL’s 4th worst run defense? I’d sit Chambers and Vincent Jackson against Denver’s Champ-Bly combo. Brandon Marshall has been the only active Denver WR lately, so sit the others. San Diego has also been weak against the run, so Selvin Young and Travis Henry have good matchups. It’s up to the evil Mike Shanahan who gets more touches, so start them at your own risk as usual.
BEST OF LUCK THIS WEEK!
Stay with NFL Draft Bible (http://www.nfldraftbible.com/) Fantasy Football Insiders as we turn all our resources on the upcoming NFL Draft. We will be doing podcasts leading up to and including draft draft day!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
STOCK EXCHANGE
By The Fantasy Trader, NFL Draft Bible
There is one playoff opponent that cannot be controlled and that is Mother Nature. The weather affected games in New England, Pittsburgh, New York and Cleveland last week. The reason my team is going to the Super Bowl is because I found the nerve to bench Tom Brady for Kurt Warner. The decision was the hardest one I ever had to make in fantasy and I finally pulled the trigger at 12:50. My team won by 13 points. Brady put up a 3 and Warner a 23. The playoffs bring out the owner in you. Are you a loyalty owner or a survival owner? Here are a few guys that are putting that question to the test.
WR Roddy White– was a waiver wire steal this year and has served as the missing ingredient to a bunch of fantasy playoff clubs. White has had weeks of 27 and 30 points and faces the 27th ranked defense in the Arizona Cardinals. Must start right? White managed just one catch for four yards last week. He has not clicked with quarterback Chris Redman. I say start him and hope that last week was more of the Buccaneers doing than White’s inability to get open.
QB Tony Romo – is dating Jessica Simpson. Who cares? Do you really think she is distracting him? I am sure Tony has done just fine throughout his dating life. Now his thumb injury is another story. Romo owners are concerned and I have seen him benched for quarterbacks like Brett Favre and David Garrard. You need to stay the course with Romo. I expect a big day from him and TO against the weak Panthers passing defense.
RB LaMont Jordan – will help try and mend the hearts of Justin Fargas owners. The problem here at that Dominic Rhodes is back and the possibility of sharing carries exists. Jordan came out with 3 straight 25 point weeks in a row and disappeared. I would not get involved in the running back situation in Oakland.
WR Isaac Bruce- is showing there is still something left in the tank. Bruce had 4 catches for 72 yards last week and gets a depressing Steelers secondary this week. I guarantee that Anthony Smith will not start. This could be Bruce’s last home game and he should go out with a bang. He is an ideal choice as a third WR or flex option.
RB Clinton Portis- has a real hard time getting any love from his owners. He fell in the draft because of previous injuries. He was supposed to eventually lose his job to Ladell Betts, but the man just keeps producing. This week the decision revolves around facing the number 1 ranked defense against the run. The Vikings are tough, but I say go with loyalty on this one. Start Portis over any wide receiver.
QB Carson Palmer- threw for 6 TD and scored 37 fantasy points the last time he faced the Browns. Since the weather has turned ugly, Palmer has been in a free fall. I would not expect the same results against the Browns this time around. The Bengals have show little life as of late and Cleveland needs this game. This time we take survival and Mother Nature over loyalty.
TE Tony Scheffler- is the hottest tight end not named Jason Witten. Scheffler grabbed seven balls for 100 yards and a TD last week against the Texans. He seems to be Jay Cutler’s next choice after Brandon Marshall. Without a secondary WR, teams have started to clamp down on Marshall, leaving Scheffler open. He should also benefit if the Broncos are without Daniel Graham or Brandon Stokley this week.
WR Steve Smith- has been one of the biggest fantasy busts this season. In his defense he has had Vinny Testaverde and David Carr throwing him passes all season. He had eight catches with Matt Moore at the helm. Look for Smith to reward the owners who have been waiting since week 6 for a TD.
RB-Brandon Jacobs- with never replace Tiki Barber with his ability to catch the ball, but he runs like a horse. Jacobs should have a big day against the Bills 22nd ranked run defense. The Giants really need this game and with tough weather condition in Buffalo look for Jacobs to handle a heavy load.
There is one playoff opponent that cannot be controlled and that is Mother Nature. The weather affected games in New England, Pittsburgh, New York and Cleveland last week. The reason my team is going to the Super Bowl is because I found the nerve to bench Tom Brady for Kurt Warner. The decision was the hardest one I ever had to make in fantasy and I finally pulled the trigger at 12:50. My team won by 13 points. Brady put up a 3 and Warner a 23. The playoffs bring out the owner in you. Are you a loyalty owner or a survival owner? Here are a few guys that are putting that question to the test.
WR Roddy White– was a waiver wire steal this year and has served as the missing ingredient to a bunch of fantasy playoff clubs. White has had weeks of 27 and 30 points and faces the 27th ranked defense in the Arizona Cardinals. Must start right? White managed just one catch for four yards last week. He has not clicked with quarterback Chris Redman. I say start him and hope that last week was more of the Buccaneers doing than White’s inability to get open.
QB Tony Romo – is dating Jessica Simpson. Who cares? Do you really think she is distracting him? I am sure Tony has done just fine throughout his dating life. Now his thumb injury is another story. Romo owners are concerned and I have seen him benched for quarterbacks like Brett Favre and David Garrard. You need to stay the course with Romo. I expect a big day from him and TO against the weak Panthers passing defense.
RB LaMont Jordan – will help try and mend the hearts of Justin Fargas owners. The problem here at that Dominic Rhodes is back and the possibility of sharing carries exists. Jordan came out with 3 straight 25 point weeks in a row and disappeared. I would not get involved in the running back situation in Oakland.
WR Isaac Bruce- is showing there is still something left in the tank. Bruce had 4 catches for 72 yards last week and gets a depressing Steelers secondary this week. I guarantee that Anthony Smith will not start. This could be Bruce’s last home game and he should go out with a bang. He is an ideal choice as a third WR or flex option.
RB Clinton Portis- has a real hard time getting any love from his owners. He fell in the draft because of previous injuries. He was supposed to eventually lose his job to Ladell Betts, but the man just keeps producing. This week the decision revolves around facing the number 1 ranked defense against the run. The Vikings are tough, but I say go with loyalty on this one. Start Portis over any wide receiver.
QB Carson Palmer- threw for 6 TD and scored 37 fantasy points the last time he faced the Browns. Since the weather has turned ugly, Palmer has been in a free fall. I would not expect the same results against the Browns this time around. The Bengals have show little life as of late and Cleveland needs this game. This time we take survival and Mother Nature over loyalty.
TE Tony Scheffler- is the hottest tight end not named Jason Witten. Scheffler grabbed seven balls for 100 yards and a TD last week against the Texans. He seems to be Jay Cutler’s next choice after Brandon Marshall. Without a secondary WR, teams have started to clamp down on Marshall, leaving Scheffler open. He should also benefit if the Broncos are without Daniel Graham or Brandon Stokley this week.
WR Steve Smith- has been one of the biggest fantasy busts this season. In his defense he has had Vinny Testaverde and David Carr throwing him passes all season. He had eight catches with Matt Moore at the helm. Look for Smith to reward the owners who have been waiting since week 6 for a TD.
RB-Brandon Jacobs- with never replace Tiki Barber with his ability to catch the ball, but he runs like a horse. Jacobs should have a big day against the Bills 22nd ranked run defense. The Giants really need this game and with tough weather condition in Buffalo look for Jacobs to handle a heavy load.
Rookie Report: David Harris (LB-NYJ)
By Ralph Mancini, NFL Draft Bible Senior Writer
Fresh off an 11-5 season in 2006, most ardent Jets fans had visions of their team continuing its ascent in the AFC as smart, workmanlike team capable of executing clutch, game-deciding plays late in games that would put them over the top in an extremely competitive conference.
Those grandiose expectations soon turned ominous in head coach Eric Mangini’s second campaign as New York was painfully exposed as a talent-deficient squad who had overachieved the year before.
Among the few things Gang Green aficionados can take solace in is the infusion of young blood in New York’s otherwise flimsy defense that has really given the team a much-needed shot in the arm.
Much like fellow rookie teammate Darrelle Revis, inside linebacker David Harris gave little indication of his inexperience when called upon to assume starter duties.
New York’s week eight contest versus Buffalo proved to be Harris’s coming-out party as the 47th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft made an unanticipated impact in place of Jonathan Vilma who suffered a devastating knee injury that prematurely ended his season the week before.
The former University of Michigan standout opened some eyes with a series of bone-crunching stops en route to recording 17 total tackles, three and a half of which resulted in lost yardage.
His punishing style immediately evoked memories of Marvin Jones, Mo Lewis and other stellar linebackers who once donned the green and white.
Harris followed up his promising start by authoring an astounding 24 tackles (20 solos) against a superior Washington Redskins team that many predicted would walk all over the hapless Jets.
Instead, the 6’ 2” 243-pound linebacker was a key component in helping his team make the game a tightly-contested matchup.
Harris’s inspiring takedown of running back Clinton Portis late in the fourth quarter enabled the Jets to trot their offense back on and drive for a game-tying field goal which forced overtime.
Ranked second overall among inside linebackers in the latest version of the NFL Draft Bible, the Grand Rapids, Michigan native’s on-field attributes went far beyond his physical qualities.
On the collegiate level, Harris was widely known as a uniquely discerning athlete who saw the field well which contributed to his aggressiveness when shedding blocks, finding the ball and stuffing oncoming ballcarriers.
He closed the book on his college career with a total of 196 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles, one interception and one fumble recovery.
His efforts were recognized when Harris not only became a finalist for the Butkus Award, but was also voted the team co-MVP along with tailback Mike Hart in his senior year.
When looking to revamp an undersized linebacking corps in their 3-4 scheme, the Jets front office were enamored both with his prototypical size and his technically-sound mechanics used to perfection when wrapping up opponents.
Despite lackluster speed and undeveloped coverage skills, Harris more than made up for his shortcomings with his natural leadership and thorough understanding of the sport.
“He’s got a good feel for where the ball is going prior to the snap and then adjusting post-snap,” said Mangini.
Since replacing Vilma, Harris has compiled 83 tackles with two sacks and a forced fumble.
To date, the precocious phenom is the team leader in tackles with 108 with only seven starts under his belt.
Also noteworthy is the fact that the youngster has taken a liking to calling plays and setting up the defense.
By all accounts, it would be safe to surmise the soon-to-be 24-year-old to be a complete package at linebacker, but playing behind a stamina-deprived nose guard in Dwayne Robertson has prevented Harris from becoming a weekly dominant presence.
With added beef to the front line, there’s little doubt that the rookie could flourish into an All-Pro in 2008.
Fresh off an 11-5 season in 2006, most ardent Jets fans had visions of their team continuing its ascent in the AFC as smart, workmanlike team capable of executing clutch, game-deciding plays late in games that would put them over the top in an extremely competitive conference.
Those grandiose expectations soon turned ominous in head coach Eric Mangini’s second campaign as New York was painfully exposed as a talent-deficient squad who had overachieved the year before.
Among the few things Gang Green aficionados can take solace in is the infusion of young blood in New York’s otherwise flimsy defense that has really given the team a much-needed shot in the arm.
Much like fellow rookie teammate Darrelle Revis, inside linebacker David Harris gave little indication of his inexperience when called upon to assume starter duties.
New York’s week eight contest versus Buffalo proved to be Harris’s coming-out party as the 47th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft made an unanticipated impact in place of Jonathan Vilma who suffered a devastating knee injury that prematurely ended his season the week before.
The former University of Michigan standout opened some eyes with a series of bone-crunching stops en route to recording 17 total tackles, three and a half of which resulted in lost yardage.
His punishing style immediately evoked memories of Marvin Jones, Mo Lewis and other stellar linebackers who once donned the green and white.
Harris followed up his promising start by authoring an astounding 24 tackles (20 solos) against a superior Washington Redskins team that many predicted would walk all over the hapless Jets.
Instead, the 6’ 2” 243-pound linebacker was a key component in helping his team make the game a tightly-contested matchup.
Harris’s inspiring takedown of running back Clinton Portis late in the fourth quarter enabled the Jets to trot their offense back on and drive for a game-tying field goal which forced overtime.
Ranked second overall among inside linebackers in the latest version of the NFL Draft Bible, the Grand Rapids, Michigan native’s on-field attributes went far beyond his physical qualities.
On the collegiate level, Harris was widely known as a uniquely discerning athlete who saw the field well which contributed to his aggressiveness when shedding blocks, finding the ball and stuffing oncoming ballcarriers.
He closed the book on his college career with a total of 196 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles, one interception and one fumble recovery.
His efforts were recognized when Harris not only became a finalist for the Butkus Award, but was also voted the team co-MVP along with tailback Mike Hart in his senior year.
When looking to revamp an undersized linebacking corps in their 3-4 scheme, the Jets front office were enamored both with his prototypical size and his technically-sound mechanics used to perfection when wrapping up opponents.
Despite lackluster speed and undeveloped coverage skills, Harris more than made up for his shortcomings with his natural leadership and thorough understanding of the sport.
“He’s got a good feel for where the ball is going prior to the snap and then adjusting post-snap,” said Mangini.
Since replacing Vilma, Harris has compiled 83 tackles with two sacks and a forced fumble.
To date, the precocious phenom is the team leader in tackles with 108 with only seven starts under his belt.
Also noteworthy is the fact that the youngster has taken a liking to calling plays and setting up the defense.
By all accounts, it would be safe to surmise the soon-to-be 24-year-old to be a complete package at linebacker, but playing behind a stamina-deprived nose guard in Dwayne Robertson has prevented Harris from becoming a weekly dominant presence.
With added beef to the front line, there’s little doubt that the rookie could flourish into an All-Pro in 2008.
The Fantasy Buzz, Week 16
By Fantasy Phil Eletto, Fantasy Football Insiders Senior Writer
It may have no Buzz effect, at least until next year, but it looks like Tuna is back in season down in Miami. Having turned down the challenge of righting the ship in Atlanta, Bill Parcells is almost certain to land in Miami after Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga sent word Wednesday to Parcells that he has decided not to sell the team. Sources have told ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Len Pasquarelli that Parcells has a four-year agreement in place to become the Dolphins' vice president of football operations. Cam Cameron may have gotten a reprieve on this year, but this surely is not the vote of confidence he was hoping for. One more off fantasy topic--for all the points or even games Brian Westbrook may have cost his owners, admit that it was refreshing to witness true team play. How refreshing. Of course 90% of those saying this do not own him. Now for more on the players you own and need the buzz on…
Addai & Maroney are feeling it… in different ways? They came into 2007 ready to be top-five at the running back position. While Laurence Maroney finally got there, giving the Patriots and his owners what the paid for (albeit 15 weeks late). On the other side, the steady producer that was co-1st year starter Joseph Addai has fallen on hard times. With the Colts in about as good a shape as they can be from a seeding perspective, expect them not to press Addai and instead lean on Kenton Keith to close out the regular season. Keith’s stats will benefit, and so will his owners.
Reggie Bush is pushing to play vs. the Eagles, but was quoted as planning to be “judicious” about his decision. When Bush was healthy, his production as an every-down back was mildly disappointing. Until losing Bush, the Saints seemed to avoid using team captain Aaron Stecker in Deuce McAllister’s role. Stecker has proven himself worthy in his brief audition as the starter At the very least, Bush could be an extra asset as a change-of-pace option, a receiver out of the backfield, or just another distraction to the Eagles defense, the Times-Picayune reported.
Saints WR David Patten has become the second-most utilized receiver in the offense over the team’s last four games. He had 71 yards on four receptions last week and found the end zone for the second consecutive game, giving him three on the year.
Denver Broncos wide receiver (and offensive savior of the year) Brandon Marshall pleaded not guilty Tuesday to driving under the influence. Marshall was arrested in downtown Denver early on the morning of Oct. 22nd--hours after the Broncos beat the Steelers 31-28 in Denver. Marshall also faces charges of driving the wrong way on a one-way street and failing to drive in a single lane. Marshall is at least the third Broncos player to face criminal charges this year. Ever hear of a car service?
With Justin Fargas out for the season, the Raiders will look to make lemonade out of Dominick Rhodes. Don’t be surprised if they also look to get rookie Michael Bush as many looks as possible before the ’08 Draft. Keep an eye on Bush for next season.
RB Larry Johnson (foot) is not expected to return this week, so Kolby Smith is looking at a favorable match-up against the Lions, who are allowing the most rushing yards (159) and touchdowns (2.50) per game to the position over their last four games.
Warrick Dunn has shown flashes this season and could have a role on a team for another few years, but the Falcons are seeing what they have in Jerious Norwood. With a possible shot at Darren McFadden looming in the ’08 draft, they don’t have the luxury of waiting any longer.
As frustrating as it may be, you have to stick with Maurice Jones-Drew. Fred Taylor has been gravy to the Jags, and his production has means Jones-Drew’s legs should be fresh enough to remain an every week start, with upside to win a game for a lucky owner.
Texan veteran RB Ron Dayne wasn't even supposed to play Thursday because of a bum ankle, but the coaches kept him active just in case they needed him and, sure enough, midway through the third quarter, there was Dayne doing the Heisman pose in the end zone. Dayne finished with 67 yards on 11 carries, and rookie Darius Walker picked up 66 yards on 13 carries in the win over Denver. Expect carbon copy game plans vs. Indy & Jacksonville.
The list of wide receivers that should be put out to pasture (for this year) continues to grow. Marvin Harrison opened the gate, but it did not take long for Steve Smith, Javon Walker and Laveranues Coles to mosey on in. Marques Colston was on his way in only to remember there was pigskin to play. Don’t be fooled into thinking the returning D. J. Hackett will have Colsten’s good sense. His numbers may even be good, but he has not been able to make it through much action without getting hurt. Forget Hacket, Smith, Walker and Harrison until next year.
San Diego Chargers RB Darren Sproles saw the bulk of the carries on Sunday following a shoulder injury to backup RB Michael Turner. Sproles made the most of his unexpected chance, as he rushed for 122 yards on 25 carries with two touchdowns during a 51-14 win over Detroit.
Cowboy WR Terry Glenn is expected to practice this week in full pads for the first time since training camp and the second of her two arthroscopic knee surgeries. (S)He is attempting to get on the field for the final two games of the regular season with an eye on the playoffs.
Quick Hits:
Cowboy QB Tony Romo (thumb) was limited in practice Wednesday, but threw some passes and had no wrap on his hand to protect his bruised thumb, according to a report on Sirius NFL Radio. The team still expects him to be able to play Saturday night at Carolina, but coach Wade Phillips said Tuesday, "We're going to have to be careful." Backup Brad Johnson would start if Romo can't play.
Jets QB Kellen Clemens’ status is uncertain for this week because of a rib injury. Coach Eric Mangini said Wednesday that he hadn't yet made a decision on whether it will be Clemens or Chad Pennington, but said Clemens would start Sunday if he recovers in time from the injury and is mentally and physically prepared.
Texans QB Matt Schaub is expected to miss another week because of his dislocated shoulder. Sage Rosenfels is expected to start against Indianapolis. He is 3-0 as a starter this season and has looked almost as comfortable operating the offense as the pre-injury Schaub.
With Roy Williams’ move to IR officially ending his season, the Detroit passing game should resemble last week’s distribution: Shaun McDonald 13 targets, Calvin Johnson 12, Mike Furrey 10.
With Jeremy Shocky KO’ed, look for Amani Toomer to get 75% of the passes that would have gone to the tight end. The other 25%? Sinorice Moss.
Denver TE Tony Sheffler has quietly been the keystone of the Denver passing game in the second half of this season.
For what its worth, 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill is clicking with Vernon Davis, big time.
Samkon Gado should get the call in Miami. Whether that’s good news or bad news depends…he is facing the Patriots this week--you make the call. Jesse Chatman (ankle) is questionable again this week
If you need an all or nothing play this week, Garrett Wolfe is your man. He’s more of a scat back than your typical Chicago running back--think Eric Metcalf, Dave Meggett or Leon Washington.
“Throw Me the Damn Ball”
Players who had ten or more passes directed their way this past week. The shrinking list can be attributed to the arrival of winter weather:
Deion Branch 13
Justin McCareins 13
Marty Booker 13
Shaun McDonald 13
Plaxico Burress 13
Lee Evans 12
Chad Johnson 12
Randy Moss 12
Calvin Johnson 12
Brian Westbrook 12
Terrell Owens 12
Steve Smith 11
Brandon Jacobs 11
Isaac Bruce 10
Bobby Engram 10
Chris Baker 10
Jerry Porter 10
Mike Furrey 10
Jason Whitten 10
Please note our new feature and feel free to offer your comments by clicking the COMMENT link. If this doesn’t get you “buzzed” enough, feel free to fire questions to me at phil@nfldraftbible.com or tune in Sundays at 10:30 AM to www.scrubradio.com for the fantasy spot hosted by Jib Records www.jibmachinerecords.com. CEO John Templeman and I will be happy to discuss all things fantasy football. You can also check out our weekly podcast, posted every Saturday covering all the upcoming NFL games. It can be found on the “audio” tab at the top of the NFLDraftBible.com media player.
While the regular and fantasy season is coming to an end, NFL Draft Bible’s draft research is just heating up. Stay with NFLDRAFTBIBLE.COM to see who your team is going to pick or who from your favorite conference or school will be moving on.
Best of luck in the playoffs, Rock on!
It may have no Buzz effect, at least until next year, but it looks like Tuna is back in season down in Miami. Having turned down the challenge of righting the ship in Atlanta, Bill Parcells is almost certain to land in Miami after Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga sent word Wednesday to Parcells that he has decided not to sell the team. Sources have told ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Len Pasquarelli that Parcells has a four-year agreement in place to become the Dolphins' vice president of football operations. Cam Cameron may have gotten a reprieve on this year, but this surely is not the vote of confidence he was hoping for. One more off fantasy topic--for all the points or even games Brian Westbrook may have cost his owners, admit that it was refreshing to witness true team play. How refreshing. Of course 90% of those saying this do not own him. Now for more on the players you own and need the buzz on…
Addai & Maroney are feeling it… in different ways? They came into 2007 ready to be top-five at the running back position. While Laurence Maroney finally got there, giving the Patriots and his owners what the paid for (albeit 15 weeks late). On the other side, the steady producer that was co-1st year starter Joseph Addai has fallen on hard times. With the Colts in about as good a shape as they can be from a seeding perspective, expect them not to press Addai and instead lean on Kenton Keith to close out the regular season. Keith’s stats will benefit, and so will his owners.
Reggie Bush is pushing to play vs. the Eagles, but was quoted as planning to be “judicious” about his decision. When Bush was healthy, his production as an every-down back was mildly disappointing. Until losing Bush, the Saints seemed to avoid using team captain Aaron Stecker in Deuce McAllister’s role. Stecker has proven himself worthy in his brief audition as the starter At the very least, Bush could be an extra asset as a change-of-pace option, a receiver out of the backfield, or just another distraction to the Eagles defense, the Times-Picayune reported.
Saints WR David Patten has become the second-most utilized receiver in the offense over the team’s last four games. He had 71 yards on four receptions last week and found the end zone for the second consecutive game, giving him three on the year.
Denver Broncos wide receiver (and offensive savior of the year) Brandon Marshall pleaded not guilty Tuesday to driving under the influence. Marshall was arrested in downtown Denver early on the morning of Oct. 22nd--hours after the Broncos beat the Steelers 31-28 in Denver. Marshall also faces charges of driving the wrong way on a one-way street and failing to drive in a single lane. Marshall is at least the third Broncos player to face criminal charges this year. Ever hear of a car service?
With Justin Fargas out for the season, the Raiders will look to make lemonade out of Dominick Rhodes. Don’t be surprised if they also look to get rookie Michael Bush as many looks as possible before the ’08 Draft. Keep an eye on Bush for next season.
RB Larry Johnson (foot) is not expected to return this week, so Kolby Smith is looking at a favorable match-up against the Lions, who are allowing the most rushing yards (159) and touchdowns (2.50) per game to the position over their last four games.
Warrick Dunn has shown flashes this season and could have a role on a team for another few years, but the Falcons are seeing what they have in Jerious Norwood. With a possible shot at Darren McFadden looming in the ’08 draft, they don’t have the luxury of waiting any longer.
As frustrating as it may be, you have to stick with Maurice Jones-Drew. Fred Taylor has been gravy to the Jags, and his production has means Jones-Drew’s legs should be fresh enough to remain an every week start, with upside to win a game for a lucky owner.
Texan veteran RB Ron Dayne wasn't even supposed to play Thursday because of a bum ankle, but the coaches kept him active just in case they needed him and, sure enough, midway through the third quarter, there was Dayne doing the Heisman pose in the end zone. Dayne finished with 67 yards on 11 carries, and rookie Darius Walker picked up 66 yards on 13 carries in the win over Denver. Expect carbon copy game plans vs. Indy & Jacksonville.
The list of wide receivers that should be put out to pasture (for this year) continues to grow. Marvin Harrison opened the gate, but it did not take long for Steve Smith, Javon Walker and Laveranues Coles to mosey on in. Marques Colston was on his way in only to remember there was pigskin to play. Don’t be fooled into thinking the returning D. J. Hackett will have Colsten’s good sense. His numbers may even be good, but he has not been able to make it through much action without getting hurt. Forget Hacket, Smith, Walker and Harrison until next year.
San Diego Chargers RB Darren Sproles saw the bulk of the carries on Sunday following a shoulder injury to backup RB Michael Turner. Sproles made the most of his unexpected chance, as he rushed for 122 yards on 25 carries with two touchdowns during a 51-14 win over Detroit.
Cowboy WR Terry Glenn is expected to practice this week in full pads for the first time since training camp and the second of her two arthroscopic knee surgeries. (S)He is attempting to get on the field for the final two games of the regular season with an eye on the playoffs.
Quick Hits:
Cowboy QB Tony Romo (thumb) was limited in practice Wednesday, but threw some passes and had no wrap on his hand to protect his bruised thumb, according to a report on Sirius NFL Radio. The team still expects him to be able to play Saturday night at Carolina, but coach Wade Phillips said Tuesday, "We're going to have to be careful." Backup Brad Johnson would start if Romo can't play.
Jets QB Kellen Clemens’ status is uncertain for this week because of a rib injury. Coach Eric Mangini said Wednesday that he hadn't yet made a decision on whether it will be Clemens or Chad Pennington, but said Clemens would start Sunday if he recovers in time from the injury and is mentally and physically prepared.
Texans QB Matt Schaub is expected to miss another week because of his dislocated shoulder. Sage Rosenfels is expected to start against Indianapolis. He is 3-0 as a starter this season and has looked almost as comfortable operating the offense as the pre-injury Schaub.
With Roy Williams’ move to IR officially ending his season, the Detroit passing game should resemble last week’s distribution: Shaun McDonald 13 targets, Calvin Johnson 12, Mike Furrey 10.
With Jeremy Shocky KO’ed, look for Amani Toomer to get 75% of the passes that would have gone to the tight end. The other 25%? Sinorice Moss.
Denver TE Tony Sheffler has quietly been the keystone of the Denver passing game in the second half of this season.
For what its worth, 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill is clicking with Vernon Davis, big time.
Samkon Gado should get the call in Miami. Whether that’s good news or bad news depends…he is facing the Patriots this week--you make the call. Jesse Chatman (ankle) is questionable again this week
If you need an all or nothing play this week, Garrett Wolfe is your man. He’s more of a scat back than your typical Chicago running back--think Eric Metcalf, Dave Meggett or Leon Washington.
“Throw Me the Damn Ball”
Players who had ten or more passes directed their way this past week. The shrinking list can be attributed to the arrival of winter weather:
Deion Branch 13
Justin McCareins 13
Marty Booker 13
Shaun McDonald 13
Plaxico Burress 13
Lee Evans 12
Chad Johnson 12
Randy Moss 12
Calvin Johnson 12
Brian Westbrook 12
Terrell Owens 12
Steve Smith 11
Brandon Jacobs 11
Isaac Bruce 10
Bobby Engram 10
Chris Baker 10
Jerry Porter 10
Mike Furrey 10
Jason Whitten 10
Please note our new feature and feel free to offer your comments by clicking the COMMENT link. If this doesn’t get you “buzzed” enough, feel free to fire questions to me at phil@nfldraftbible.com or tune in Sundays at 10:30 AM to www.scrubradio.com for the fantasy spot hosted by Jib Records www.jibmachinerecords.com. CEO John Templeman and I will be happy to discuss all things fantasy football. You can also check out our weekly podcast, posted every Saturday covering all the upcoming NFL games. It can be found on the “audio” tab at the top of the NFLDraftBible.com media player.
While the regular and fantasy season is coming to an end, NFL Draft Bible’s draft research is just heating up. Stay with NFLDRAFTBIBLE.COM to see who your team is going to pick or who from your favorite conference or school will be moving on.
Best of luck in the playoffs, Rock on!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Busted, Bruised & Broken
By David Kaye, Fantasy Football Insiders
AFC Injury Report
Buffalo Bills safety George Wilson (fractured ribs) will miss the remainder of the season after being placed on injured reserve.
Dolphins running back Jesse Chatman (ankle) is questionable for Sunday’s game at New England after missing last week’s momentous victory with a lingering injury.
New York Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens (ribs) left Sunday’s divisional loss to the undefeated Patriots in the first quarter after being hit by defensive end Richard Seymour. Clemens’ status for this weekend’s game against at Tennessee is uncertain.
New England Patriots tight end Kyle Brady (ankle) is questionable for Sunday’s game against the streaking Dolphins.
Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis (dislocated left finger) sustained the injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s disappointing loss to the hapless Dolphins. His status for next week’s game at Seattle is unknown at the current time.
Quarterback Kyle Boller’s (concussion) status is also unknown, while cornerback Chris McAlister (knee) is out for the season after being placed on injured reserve.
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor (right knee) is questionable for Sunday’s tilt against the woeful Raiders.
Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler (knee) is probable for Monday’s game, while linebacker Ian Gold’s (knee) status is uncertain.
Tight end Daniel Graham (high ankle sprain) is questionable for next Monday night’s game at San Diego. With the Broncos out of the playoff picture, it’s likely that the coaching staff will shut Graham down for the final two games of the season.
Oakland Raiders electric running back Justin Fargas (sprained MCL) left Sunday’s loss to the AFC South champion Colts in the fourth quarter. It will not be determined until later in the week his status for Sunday’s matchup with the upstart Jaguars.
Defensive stalwart Shawne Merriman (knee) is questionable for Monday night’s game against the reeling Broncos, while running back Michael Turner (shoulder) is also questionable.
NFC Injury Report
Eagles offensive guard Shawn Andrews (sprained MCL) left Sunday’s victory after the first quarter. The extent of his injury will not be determined until he undergoes an MRI later in the week.
Tight end Matt Schobel (concussion) was hit by Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin early in the game and did not return. Hamlin should expect a fine although somehow no penalty was called on the play.
Dallas Cowboys tight end Anthony Fasano (concussion) and defensive end Chris Canty (left knee) both sustained minor injuries in Sunday’s NFC East showdown.
All-Pro quarterback Tony Romo (bruised right thumb) is probable for Saturday night’s game at Carolina.
Washington Redskins guard Randy Thomas (left arm) will miss the remainder of the season.
Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey (fractured left fibula) will undergo surgery this week and miss the remainder of the season.
Green Bay Packers fullback Korey Hall (knee) left Sunday’s 33-14 victory in the second quarter and did not return.
Arizona Cardinals tight end Leonard Pope (fractured right ankle) will miss the final two games of the season after undergoing surgery last week, while wide receiver Anquan Boldin (toe) is questionable for Sunday’s game against the lowly Falcons
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
AFC Injury Report
Buffalo Bills safety George Wilson (fractured ribs) will miss the remainder of the season after being placed on injured reserve.
Dolphins running back Jesse Chatman (ankle) is questionable for Sunday’s game at New England after missing last week’s momentous victory with a lingering injury.
New York Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens (ribs) left Sunday’s divisional loss to the undefeated Patriots in the first quarter after being hit by defensive end Richard Seymour. Clemens’ status for this weekend’s game against at Tennessee is uncertain.
New England Patriots tight end Kyle Brady (ankle) is questionable for Sunday’s game against the streaking Dolphins.
Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis (dislocated left finger) sustained the injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s disappointing loss to the hapless Dolphins. His status for next week’s game at Seattle is unknown at the current time.
Quarterback Kyle Boller’s (concussion) status is also unknown, while cornerback Chris McAlister (knee) is out for the season after being placed on injured reserve.
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor (right knee) is questionable for Sunday’s tilt against the woeful Raiders.
Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler (knee) is probable for Monday’s game, while linebacker Ian Gold’s (knee) status is uncertain.
Tight end Daniel Graham (high ankle sprain) is questionable for next Monday night’s game at San Diego. With the Broncos out of the playoff picture, it’s likely that the coaching staff will shut Graham down for the final two games of the season.
Oakland Raiders electric running back Justin Fargas (sprained MCL) left Sunday’s loss to the AFC South champion Colts in the fourth quarter. It will not be determined until later in the week his status for Sunday’s matchup with the upstart Jaguars.
Defensive stalwart Shawne Merriman (knee) is questionable for Monday night’s game against the reeling Broncos, while running back Michael Turner (shoulder) is also questionable.
NFC Injury Report
Eagles offensive guard Shawn Andrews (sprained MCL) left Sunday’s victory after the first quarter. The extent of his injury will not be determined until he undergoes an MRI later in the week.
Tight end Matt Schobel (concussion) was hit by Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin early in the game and did not return. Hamlin should expect a fine although somehow no penalty was called on the play.
Dallas Cowboys tight end Anthony Fasano (concussion) and defensive end Chris Canty (left knee) both sustained minor injuries in Sunday’s NFC East showdown.
All-Pro quarterback Tony Romo (bruised right thumb) is probable for Saturday night’s game at Carolina.
Washington Redskins guard Randy Thomas (left arm) will miss the remainder of the season.
Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey (fractured left fibula) will undergo surgery this week and miss the remainder of the season.
Green Bay Packers fullback Korey Hall (knee) left Sunday’s 33-14 victory in the second quarter and did not return.
Arizona Cardinals tight end Leonard Pope (fractured right ankle) will miss the final two games of the season after undergoing surgery last week, while wide receiver Anquan Boldin (toe) is questionable for Sunday’s game against the lowly Falcons
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
The Black & Blue Report, Week 15
By Brad Kurtzberg, Fantasy Football Insiders Senior Writer
Chicago Bears—The Bears are doing the right thing by starting Kyle Orton at quarterback. They already know what they have in Brian Griese but Orton has appeared in a regular season game since the finale of the 2005 season and the team needs to know whether or not Orton has any chance to become a starter or is even worth keeping around as a backup. In 2005 as a rookie, Orton led the Bears to 10 wins but the playbook was greatly reduced and he was told to keep things as simple as possible and not make any mistakes.
As for Grossman, his injury is not as serious as initially believed although he is still out for the rest of this season. Grossman’s contract expires at the end of this year and the Bears have to decide whether or not they want to bring him back and if so, at what cost. Grossman indicated he wanted to return to Chicago and have a chance to start. Whether or not Lovie Smith and company are still interested remains to be seen.
DE Mark Anderson had four sacks in the first four games of this season but has picked up only one since then. Last year, Anderson had 12 sacks despite only starting one game. His pass rush has really fallen off since the opening four games of this season although he’s still making tackles at roughly the same rate.
Bernard Berrian continues to be the Bears’ most reliable and dangerous receiver. Berrian had seven catches for 91 yards and a TD against Washington. That gives Berrian 23 more catches than the next highest Bear and 360 more yards. He also remains the only reliable deep threat for Chicago as Muhsin Muhammad has been only a possession receiver and Devin Hester is not enough of a factor in the offense yet.
G Roberto Garza has been playing well of late. While Chicago’s offensive line has suffered, Garza has been consistent. His biggest trouble is handling much larger defensive tackles but he operates well in space and has excellent quickness and works hard. Garza can also play tackle or center in a pinch and should be back next year on an offensive line that will see a lot of turnover.
RB Adrian Peterson’s long run in 91 carries this season is just 11 yards. That’s especially bad considering he started the last three games. Backup Garrett Wolfe has a long of 25 yards in just 12 carries and QB Rex Grossman, not exactly known for his scrambling, has a long of 12 yards in just 14 attempts.
The Bears will have their hands full trying to stop the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson on Sunday. In the last meeting between the teams, Peterson ran for 224 yards and the Vikings gained 311 as a team. Things do not bode well for the Bears this week as NT Anthony Adams and his backup, Antonio Garay, were both injured and are unlikely to play against Minnesota on Monday night. Darwin Walker had his arm in a sling due to an elbow injury. The other starting DT, Tommie Harris, has been playing hurt. The Bears have had trouble stopping the run when healthy. If they can’t slow down Peterson and Chester Taylor, they will have a hard time beating the surging Vikings.
Detroit Lions—Well, the 10-win prediction of QB Jon Kitna won’t be realized this year. After their five-game losing streak, the best the Lions can finish is 9-7.
While the Lions didn’t beat the Cowboys, they were successful at running the ball, something they had struggled to do almost all season long. The Lions had 152 yards rushing on 32 attempts and 3 rushing TDs. That allowed them to control the football and helped keep them in the lead until the final seconds against a vastly more talented Cowboys team. Mike Martz and the offensive staff should keep this in mind for the final three games on the schedule.
DT Shaun Rogers was dominating at mid-season but he has really fallen off in recent weeks. Apparently, Rogers’ knees have trouble staying healthy in part due to all the weight the big man carries. It has really limited his effectiveness. In the last five games, Rogers has no sacks and has been credited with only five solo tackles. When he is on his game, Rogers not only stuffs the middle of the line, he can be disruptive.
WR Mike Furrey’s production has really fallen off this year. Last season, he led the NFC with 98 receptions. After 13 games, he has less than half that with 48 grabs and only one TD. Even with Roy Williams out of the lineup, Furrey only had two catches last week. Part of this is because Detroit is spreading the ball around more this season. Four Lions WRs have more than 500 yards receiving through 13 games.
The Lions have difficult matchups with the Chargers this weekend. Detroit will be challenged to slow down RB LaDainian Tomlinson and to cover TE Antonio Gates. They represent the best offensive weapons on the Chargers.
Punter Nick Harris has been a bright spot of the Lions. Thus far, he’s had 19 punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and only four touchbacks.Critics say that QB Jon Kitna tips off defenders as to which side he is going to throw the ball to by the way he drops back to pass. This is definitely something the Lions’ coaching staff needs to correct right away.
Green Bay Packers—Brett Favre seemed no worse for his injuries last week and was effective although not spectacular. He threw for two long TDs against Oakland and only had one pass picked off.
Expect the Packers to emphasize the running of Ryan Grant down the stretch to prepare for the playoffs. As the weather gets colder in Wisconsin, the Pack will need to be able to run the ball even more. The offensive line is also improving at opening holes for Grant. By the way, Grant needs to average just a bit more than 85 yards per game for the last three contests of the year to reach the 1,000 yard mark for the season. That’s not bad considering he barely touched the ball in the Pack’s first six games this season.
CB Will Blackman finally made a major contribution last week, scoring on a fumble return on special teams and on a punt return. Blackman has played in only 10 games over two seasons because of injuries. The 2006 4th round pick out of Boston College has great speed and raw ability. All he needs to do is to stay healthy and he can make an impact down the stretch or in the playoffs.
The Packers expect to have TE Bubba Franks back in the lineup Sunday against the Rams after missing the previous seven games with a knee injury. Even if he’s 100 percent healthy, at this point, Franks will remain a backup to Donald Lee. Still, Franks is a good blocker and adds valuable experience to the team.
DE Aaron Kampman hasn’t recorded a sack in the last two games but should plenty of chances against the Rams’ banged up offensive line.
Minnesota Vikings—The Vikings suddenly find themselves in the driver’s seat for the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC. At 7-6, the Vikings will need to win at least two and possibly all three of their remaining games to do it.
Both of the “Williams Brothers” had big INTs last week. Pat Williams had a big one but Kevin Williams returned his for a TD to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead just 14 seconds into the game.
The Vikings’ running game was inconsistent last week against the 49ers. They gained 117 yards on 31 carries which is not terrible except that 84 of those yards came on Chester Taylor’s TD dash in the second quarter. Adrian Peterson was held in check for perhaps the first time all season and was held to three yards on 14 carries. Part of the strategy employed by San Francisco was to bring their corners in on a run blitz. Play action passes could really exploit this defense if the Vikings can do it consistently.
Tarvaris Jackson had another efficient day. The best thing he has been doing in recent weeks is throwing the ball more accurately and not making mistakes. At this point in his career, Jackson has to not lose football games more than he has to win them.
Without DE’s Erasmus James and Ray Edwards, the Vikes will be thin at that position. Rookie Brian Robinson will likely get the bulk of the playing time with Jayme Mitchell spelling him on occasion.
WR Robert Ferguson had his best game in a long time against San Francisco. Ferguson grabbed 4 balls for 57 yards and a TD. He had been invisible for long stretches of the season. He won’t be back next season unless he can remain more productive.
The Vikings will look to duplicate the success they had running the ball against Chicago in their first meeting. Minnesota ran for 311 yards as a team against the Bears. If they gain half that much on Monday night, they should win the game.
Chicago Bears—The Bears are doing the right thing by starting Kyle Orton at quarterback. They already know what they have in Brian Griese but Orton has appeared in a regular season game since the finale of the 2005 season and the team needs to know whether or not Orton has any chance to become a starter or is even worth keeping around as a backup. In 2005 as a rookie, Orton led the Bears to 10 wins but the playbook was greatly reduced and he was told to keep things as simple as possible and not make any mistakes.
As for Grossman, his injury is not as serious as initially believed although he is still out for the rest of this season. Grossman’s contract expires at the end of this year and the Bears have to decide whether or not they want to bring him back and if so, at what cost. Grossman indicated he wanted to return to Chicago and have a chance to start. Whether or not Lovie Smith and company are still interested remains to be seen.
DE Mark Anderson had four sacks in the first four games of this season but has picked up only one since then. Last year, Anderson had 12 sacks despite only starting one game. His pass rush has really fallen off since the opening four games of this season although he’s still making tackles at roughly the same rate.
Bernard Berrian continues to be the Bears’ most reliable and dangerous receiver. Berrian had seven catches for 91 yards and a TD against Washington. That gives Berrian 23 more catches than the next highest Bear and 360 more yards. He also remains the only reliable deep threat for Chicago as Muhsin Muhammad has been only a possession receiver and Devin Hester is not enough of a factor in the offense yet.
G Roberto Garza has been playing well of late. While Chicago’s offensive line has suffered, Garza has been consistent. His biggest trouble is handling much larger defensive tackles but he operates well in space and has excellent quickness and works hard. Garza can also play tackle or center in a pinch and should be back next year on an offensive line that will see a lot of turnover.
RB Adrian Peterson’s long run in 91 carries this season is just 11 yards. That’s especially bad considering he started the last three games. Backup Garrett Wolfe has a long of 25 yards in just 12 carries and QB Rex Grossman, not exactly known for his scrambling, has a long of 12 yards in just 14 attempts.
The Bears will have their hands full trying to stop the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson on Sunday. In the last meeting between the teams, Peterson ran for 224 yards and the Vikings gained 311 as a team. Things do not bode well for the Bears this week as NT Anthony Adams and his backup, Antonio Garay, were both injured and are unlikely to play against Minnesota on Monday night. Darwin Walker had his arm in a sling due to an elbow injury. The other starting DT, Tommie Harris, has been playing hurt. The Bears have had trouble stopping the run when healthy. If they can’t slow down Peterson and Chester Taylor, they will have a hard time beating the surging Vikings.
Detroit Lions—Well, the 10-win prediction of QB Jon Kitna won’t be realized this year. After their five-game losing streak, the best the Lions can finish is 9-7.
While the Lions didn’t beat the Cowboys, they were successful at running the ball, something they had struggled to do almost all season long. The Lions had 152 yards rushing on 32 attempts and 3 rushing TDs. That allowed them to control the football and helped keep them in the lead until the final seconds against a vastly more talented Cowboys team. Mike Martz and the offensive staff should keep this in mind for the final three games on the schedule.
DT Shaun Rogers was dominating at mid-season but he has really fallen off in recent weeks. Apparently, Rogers’ knees have trouble staying healthy in part due to all the weight the big man carries. It has really limited his effectiveness. In the last five games, Rogers has no sacks and has been credited with only five solo tackles. When he is on his game, Rogers not only stuffs the middle of the line, he can be disruptive.
WR Mike Furrey’s production has really fallen off this year. Last season, he led the NFC with 98 receptions. After 13 games, he has less than half that with 48 grabs and only one TD. Even with Roy Williams out of the lineup, Furrey only had two catches last week. Part of this is because Detroit is spreading the ball around more this season. Four Lions WRs have more than 500 yards receiving through 13 games.
The Lions have difficult matchups with the Chargers this weekend. Detroit will be challenged to slow down RB LaDainian Tomlinson and to cover TE Antonio Gates. They represent the best offensive weapons on the Chargers.
Punter Nick Harris has been a bright spot of the Lions. Thus far, he’s had 19 punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and only four touchbacks.Critics say that QB Jon Kitna tips off defenders as to which side he is going to throw the ball to by the way he drops back to pass. This is definitely something the Lions’ coaching staff needs to correct right away.
Green Bay Packers—Brett Favre seemed no worse for his injuries last week and was effective although not spectacular. He threw for two long TDs against Oakland and only had one pass picked off.
Expect the Packers to emphasize the running of Ryan Grant down the stretch to prepare for the playoffs. As the weather gets colder in Wisconsin, the Pack will need to be able to run the ball even more. The offensive line is also improving at opening holes for Grant. By the way, Grant needs to average just a bit more than 85 yards per game for the last three contests of the year to reach the 1,000 yard mark for the season. That’s not bad considering he barely touched the ball in the Pack’s first six games this season.
CB Will Blackman finally made a major contribution last week, scoring on a fumble return on special teams and on a punt return. Blackman has played in only 10 games over two seasons because of injuries. The 2006 4th round pick out of Boston College has great speed and raw ability. All he needs to do is to stay healthy and he can make an impact down the stretch or in the playoffs.
The Packers expect to have TE Bubba Franks back in the lineup Sunday against the Rams after missing the previous seven games with a knee injury. Even if he’s 100 percent healthy, at this point, Franks will remain a backup to Donald Lee. Still, Franks is a good blocker and adds valuable experience to the team.
DE Aaron Kampman hasn’t recorded a sack in the last two games but should plenty of chances against the Rams’ banged up offensive line.
Minnesota Vikings—The Vikings suddenly find themselves in the driver’s seat for the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC. At 7-6, the Vikings will need to win at least two and possibly all three of their remaining games to do it.
Both of the “Williams Brothers” had big INTs last week. Pat Williams had a big one but Kevin Williams returned his for a TD to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead just 14 seconds into the game.
The Vikings’ running game was inconsistent last week against the 49ers. They gained 117 yards on 31 carries which is not terrible except that 84 of those yards came on Chester Taylor’s TD dash in the second quarter. Adrian Peterson was held in check for perhaps the first time all season and was held to three yards on 14 carries. Part of the strategy employed by San Francisco was to bring their corners in on a run blitz. Play action passes could really exploit this defense if the Vikings can do it consistently.
Tarvaris Jackson had another efficient day. The best thing he has been doing in recent weeks is throwing the ball more accurately and not making mistakes. At this point in his career, Jackson has to not lose football games more than he has to win them.
Without DE’s Erasmus James and Ray Edwards, the Vikes will be thin at that position. Rookie Brian Robinson will likely get the bulk of the playing time with Jayme Mitchell spelling him on occasion.
WR Robert Ferguson had his best game in a long time against San Francisco. Ferguson grabbed 4 balls for 57 yards and a TD. He had been invisible for long stretches of the season. He won’t be back next season unless he can remain more productive.
The Vikings will look to duplicate the success they had running the ball against Chicago in their first meeting. Minnesota ran for 311 yards as a team against the Bears. If they gain half that much on Monday night, they should win the game.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Week 15 Fantasy Preview
By Brad Kurtzberg, Fantasy Football Insiders Senior Writer
Most fantasy leagues have reached the playoffs by now and those that aren’t are in the final week of their regular season. Little things can have an effect on a player’s stats so check out the matchups carefully. In the NFL, there is still the drama as to whether or not the Patriots will be perfect and the Dolphins perfectly awful to go along with the usual playoff races which are coming into clearer focus each week. Be aware of the playoff status of your star players, some of them may be benched after their NFL team has clinched a playoff spot or has been eliminated from contention. Here is a look at this week’s matchups which will help you win your fantasy league.
Thursday 8:15 PM ET
Denver at Houston
These two 6-7 teams have mathematical chances of making the playoffs but they would have to win out and get some help. More realistically, they are hoping to finish with a winning season and are working towards building for next year. The Broncos crushed the Chiefs last week while Houston downed the NFC South-leading Bucs. Both teams are looking to keep their momentum going.
Stud: Jay Cutler, QB Denver. Cutler had a very strong game last week and continues to show he has the potential to develop into a very good NFL quaterback someday. The Texans pass defense is 14th in the league and continues to be up and down. Look for a good day from Cutler, especial throwing to Brandon Stokley.
Dud: Ron Dayne, RB Houston. Dayne is not healthy and his ankle injury will slow him down. This is a shame because the Broncos’ run defense is awful so whoever does run the ball a lot for the Texans should do well.
Sleeper: Andre Johnson, WR Houston. Johnson is an elite wide receiver when healthy and one of the top fantasy WRs in the league. Last week, he grabbed 9 passes for only 82 yards and a TD, giving him six TDs in six games this year. Johnson will be up against CB Dre Bly which should be a great matchup to watch, but Johnson had a five inch height advantage and should be able to exploit it with regularity.
Saturday 8:15 PM
Cincinnati at San Francisco
The Bengals and 49ers sounded like a matchup full of playoff implications when the schedule was released in April. It didn’t quite work out that way as inconsistency and injuries derailed both teams. The Bengals have struggled to stop anybody while the Niners have had trouble scoring all season long. On Saturday, they will be starting third-string QB, Shaun Hill, an undrafted free agent who would be making his first NFL start.
Stud: Rudi Johnson, RB Cincinnati. Johnson has scored in three straight games and had more than 90 yards rushing against the Rams last week. The 49ers struggle to stop the run, allowing 123.5 yards per game, ranking them 25th in the league. Johnson is getting healthy, the 49ers defense is not.
Dud: Shaun Hill, QB San Francisco. You’d have to be pretty desperate to be starting Hill this week in your fantasy league. The Bengals pass defense is nothing special but they will blitz Hill and keep him under pressure most of the game. The 49ers offense hasn’t put up good fantasy numbers regardless of who was playing QB.
Sleeper: Carson Palmer, QB Cincinnati. Palmer hasn’t thrown a TD pass in his last two games but even in an off year, he’s too good to keep off the scoreboard for too long. Look for Palmer to get back on track against the Niners this week.
Sunday 1:00 PM ET
Buffalo at Cleveland
These two surprising teams are in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race. The Browns hold the second Wild Card at 8-5 and Buffalo is just one game back. A win for the Bills would give them a major edge in tiebreakers. The Bills exploded offensively last week against Miami. Cleveland just got by the Jets in a sloppy game in which the Brown played down to the level of their opponent but they still found a way to win.
Stud: Derek Anderson, QB Cleveland. Anderson has thrown for 2 TD passes in each of the last three games. He has 26 TDs and counting on the season and plenty of weapons at his disposal. The Bills’ pass defense ranks 28th in the league and they don’t get a lot of pressure on the QB. Anderson should have time to work his magic.
Dud: Cleveland Defense. No, the Bills offense is not all that explosive, but Cleveland’s defense is a fantasy dog and you should stay way if at all possible.
Sleeper: Marshawn Lynch, RB Buffalo. Lynch came back strong after his return from injury against Miami, gaining 107 yards and he needs 142 yards go reach 1,000 for the season. The Browns are 28th at stopping the run and if the weather is cold, Buffalo will run early and often.
Tennessee at Kansas City
The Chiefs have lost six straight and are looking ahead towards next year. The Titans let a 17-3 fourth quarter lead slip away last week and lost to San Diego 23-17 in OT. Now they have lost four of their last five and are on the outside looking in at the AFC Wild Card race. This is a must game for the Titans if they hope to stay in the hunt. The Chiefs can only hope to play spoiler.
Stud: LenDale White, RB Tennessee. White went over 100 yards last week and scored a TD for the second straight game. The Chiefs have been very easy to run on of late and are ranked 25th at stopping the run this year. White should be able to pound the ball and should pick up lots of yards late in the game.
Dud: Brodie Croyle, QB Kansas City. Croyle has not topped the 200 yard mark in any game this year nor has he thrown for more than one TD. The Tennessee defense ranks 8th in the league against the pass so don’t look for Croyle to have a breakout fantasy game.
Sleeper: Tony Gonzalez, TE Kansas City. Gonzalez sprained his ankle last week but stayed in the game so do check his status. He has 17 catches, a 100-plus yard game and a TD in his last two contests. The Titans have matchup problems no matter who they try to cover him with.
Baltimore at Miami
The Dolphins are 0-13 and counting. A loss here would tie them with the 1976 Bucs at 0-14. The Ravens have played some teams tough but at 4-9, they are going nowhere fast. Kyle Boller is scheduled to start despite being pulled last week. This is a game for pride because little else is at stake here.
Stud: Willis McGahee, RB Baltimore. McGahee failed to score last week for the first time in eight games. The Dolphins rank dead last in rushing defense and McGahee is one tough back who is already over 1,000 yards for the season. Look for him to pad his totals.
Dud: John Beck, QB Miami. While the Dolphins have not announced a starter yet, take this advice: stay away from either Beck or Cleo Lemon. In fact, stay away from the entire Dolphins offense if you can help it.
Sleeper: Baltimore Defense. The Miami offense is banged up and going nowhere. They rank 30th in overall yards and 27th in points and tend to be turnover prone. Baltimore’s defense is no longer dominant, but they are still very good at times and should be able to snuff the life out of the Miami attack.
N.Y. Jets at New England
This game has been given one of the largest point spreads in NFL history with the Jets a 24 ½ point underdog. This is also the rematch of “Spygate” which took place in week 1 and started the Pats on their angry way to perfection. These two coaches don’t like each other and there is some bad blood between the teams as well. Anybody here who thinks Bill Belichick won’t run up the score if he has the chance? The Jets would like nothing better than to spoil New England’s perfect season but they may lack the ability to do it.
Stud: Tom Brady, QB New England. Brady threw for 4 TDs and 399 yards against a good Steelers defense last week. Does anybody think the Jets can slow down the Brady Express? Week 1 was an effortless 3 TD, 297 yard game, look for at least that much this week.
Dud: Kellen Clemens, QB N.Y. Jets. Clemens has only four TD passes in six starts this year. He’s still learning and has shown flashes of potential. Don’t expect this to be his fantasy breakout game, though. The Pats are 4th in the league in sacks and 6th in pass defense.
Sleeper: Randy Moss, WR N.Y. Jets. Moss and Wes Welker are both good picks. The Jets pass defense isn’t all that bad, but Moss is still one of the best in the game and the Jets don’t have anybody that can stop him consistently for four quarters.
Seattle at Carolina
The Seahawks clinched the NFC West last week and have a chance to earn a first round bye in the playoffs if they stay hot and the Packers stumble down the stretch. The Panthers’ chances really ended when Jake Delhomme went down early in the season. They are 1-5 at home this year and are merely fighting to keep their jobs and Coach John Fox’s position with the team.
Stud: Matt Hasselbeck, QB Seattle. Hasselbeck is one of the better fantasy QBs out there even if he doesn’t grab as many headlines as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Brett Favre. He has 6 TDs in the last two games. Add the fact that the Panthers are last in the league in sacks and Hasselbeck should be productive again on Sunday.
Dud: Vinny Testaverde, QB Carolina. Whether it’s Vinny or Matt Moore, don’t expect much statistically from the Panthers’ QBs against the Seahawks. Seattle has been forcing a lot of turnovers lately. They would probably eat Moore alive while just keeping Testaverde’s stats below acceptable fantasy standards.
Sleeper: Bobby Engram, WR Seattle. Want a real sleeper? Try Engram. Quietly, Engram has become a key part of the Seahawks attack. He has scored TDs in back-to-back games and has 42 catches in his last six games.
Arizona at New Orleans
The Cardinals are a better football team this year under their new coaching staff but they are still learning how to win. The Saints struggled early and then have had untimely breakdowns that have kept them on the fringes of the playoff race. The loser of this game is all but done as far as the postseason is concerned but the winner still at least has a pulse. With both Deuce McAlister and Reggie Bush out, the Saints will have to rely on their passing attack more than ever.
Stud: Kurt Warner, QB Arizona. Warner has been putting up some nice fantasy numbers when he’s been healthy enough to play. This week, he should be getting back the receiving duo of Fitzgerald and Boldin which will only help his cause. The Saints are 29th against the pass and don’t have any CBs who can keep up with the Cards’ top wideouts.
Dud: New Orleans Defense. OK, neither of these defenses look to have a great day. The Saints are vulnerable where the Cards’ strength is. This will be a high scoring game.
Sleeper: Drew Brees, QB New Orleans. Brees will throw plenty and the Cardinals defense is 24th against the pass. Aaron Stecker is not a bad RB, but Brees will have a very good day Sunday.
Atlanta at Tampa Bay
The Bucs lost to the Texans last week but still have control of the NFC South with three games to go. They are 4-0 in the division and look to continue their dominance over the Falcons. Atlanta has been stunned by the recent announcement that Coach Bobby Petrino will be leaving to return to the college ranks. In a year full of turmoil and uncertainty, things have been shaken up yet again in Atlanta. Chris Redman will get a start for the Falcons since Joey Harrington hasn’t played well and Byron Leftwich is hurt. Meanwhile, the Bucs should have QB Jeff Garcia back for this game.
Stud: Earnest Graham, RB Tampa Bay. Graham has been a great fantasy pickup this season. He has scored TDs in his last five games including two last week against the Texans. In three of those games, he topped 100 yards and he also adds yards by catching passes out of the backfield. Add to the mix the fact that the Falcons run defense ranks 27th in the league and it should add up to a good game for Graham.
Dud: Warrick Dunn, RB Atlanta. Dunn has a total of 20 yards in 16 carries over the last two games and is losing carries to Jerious Norwood. The Falcons offensive line hasn’t helped matters and Dunn is barely averaging three yards per carry. The Bucs run defense is in the middle of the pack but Dunn won’t be breaking free much on Sunday.
Sleeper: Joey Galloway, WR Tampa Bay. Galloway has caught 13 passes in the last two games and continues to produce despite his advanced age. With Jeff Garcia back, Galloway should have another solid game against Atlanta even going against CB DeAngelo Hall.
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
Two 9-4 teams battling for playoff position meet in wintry Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Steelers maintain the inside track to win the AFC North while the Jaguars hold the top Wild Card spot in the AFC and are still mathematically alive in the AFC South. Jacksonville and Pittsburgh may meet again come January and this game pits two teams with similar offensive styles against each other.
Stud: Ben Roethlisberger, QB Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger struggled a bit against New England, coming in with fewer than 200 yards and throwing for only 1 TD. The Jaguars pass defense ranks 27th in the league and is the biggest weakness of either of the these two teams in this game. Roethlisberger is due to bounce back.
Dud: Heath Miller, TE Pittsburgh. Miller has only six catches for 66 yards in his last two games and missed one game in between due to injury. The only way Miller pays off in fantasy football is to score TDs. Pittsburgh will be throwing more to its WRs and backs on Sunday as they have more favorable matchups against Jacksonville.
Sleeper: Fred Taylor, RB Jacksonville. Taylor has three straight games of 100-plus yards and has scored two TDs in those contests. The Steelers run defense is one of the best in the game but the Jaguars are a run-first team so Taylor will get his touches (although he splits them with Maurice Jones-Drew), so by the end of the day, Taylor’s numbers should be decent.
Green Bay at St. Louis
The Packers bounced back into form last week and devoured the Raiders 38-7 to clinch the NFC North. Another win and a Seahawks loss would clinch a first round bye for the Pack and keep them mathematically alive in the battle for home field in the NFC for at least one more week. The Rams have had an injury-filled season. They still aren’t sure who will start at QB. Brock Berlin was the starter last week. Marc Bulger may be ready this week and so may Gus Frerotte. With all the injuries to the Rams’ offensive line, they should all be ready. St. Louis has played better as of late but they are 1-5 at home.
Stud: Ryan Grant, RB Green Bay. In the Pack’s last five games, Grant has topped 100 yards three times and has scored 5 TDs. He also has not gained fewer than 88 yards. The Pack will continue to feed him the ball to get Grant and the offense ready to run in the playoffs. St. Louis has had trouble stopping the run all season and presently ranks 21st in that category. Look for Grant to continue his good play.
Dud: Gus Frerotte, QB St. Louis. Or Brock Berlin or Marc Bulger. The bottom line is this: the Rams o-line is beat up and the Packers will pressure the QB with KGB and Aaron Kampman. It’s better to go with RB Stephen Jackson if you want to pick a Rams’ offensive player.
Sleeper: Brett Favre, QB Green Bay. Favre returned to form last week against Oakland. The injuries he suffered against Dallas didn’t seem to affect his play much. The Rams will have trouble pressuring Favre and he should be able to throw a few long TDs on Sunday.
Sunday 4:00 PM ET
Indianapolis at Oakland
The Colts are coming off a strong win over Baltimore while the Raiders were easily handled by the Packers last week in Green Bay. Indy is still fighting to hold on to a first round bye while the Raiders are already playing for next year. RB Justin Fargas was hurt against the Pack (check status) but should play on Sunday. Expect Josh McCown to start at QB this week but JaMarcus Russell should get a start before the season is over.
Stud: Joseph Addai, RB Indianapolis. The Raiders are 31st in the league at stopping the run, allowing an average of 150.4 yards per game. Addai needs 25 yards to top 1,000 for the season and has scored 14 total TDs including three last week. Look for lots of Addai on Sunday against the Raiders.
Dud: Josh McCown, QB Oakland. McCown has an injured finger while Dante Culpepper is nursing a quad injury. The coaching staff has already announced that JaMarcus Russell will see some action this week even if he doesn’t start. Add it up and it means that McCown or whoever starts for the Raiders will be playing only part of the game and will be facing the league’s top pass defense. Stay away.
Sleeper: Peyton Manning, QB Indianapolis. Manning should be able to do at least as well as Brett Favre did last week, which was 2 TDs and 260-plus yards. Manning has plenty of weapons at his disposal and the game still means something to the Colts.
Philadelphia at Dallas
The Eagles lost a heartbreaker to the Giants last week as a last second field goal to tie the game hit the upright and was no good. The Cowboys continue to march toward home field advantage in the NFC with a 12-1 record after last week’s last minute comeback win over the Lions. Their only loss came to the Patriots which is hardly something to be ashamed of. A win and a Packer loss would clinch the top seed in the NFC for Dallas. Philly has lost three straight and their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.
Stud: Tony Romo, QB Dallas. Romo is good enough to play well even against tough defenses. He picked the Eagles apart in Philadelphia earlier this season and should do just find this time around.
Dud: Donovan McNabb, QB Philadelphia. McNabb is gutting it out and playing hurt although Philly fans still love to boo him. Teams have limited McNabb’s downfield throwing ability and the Cowboys will do likewise by putting plenty of pressure on McNabb and taking away the deep ball.
Sleeper: Brian Westbrook, RB Philadelphia. Last week, Westbrook had more than 150 total yards and a TD. If a team takes away the run, Philly will throw it to Westbrook. He is a fantasy stud and even his “off” games are better than a lot of people’s good ones.
Detroit at San Diego
At the midway point of the season, the Lions were on top of the world at 6-2 and the Chargers were struggling. Detroit hasn’t won since and Jon Kitna’s 10-win guarantee is now impossible. The Lions need to win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. San Diego is in the driver’s seat in the AFC West and picked up a big comeback win last week against Tennessee. A win by San Diego or a Broncos loss clinches a division title for the Chargers.
Stud: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB San Diego. LT has had an “off” season and still has more than 1,600 total yards and 14 TDs with three games to play. The Lions run defense isn’t too bad (16th in the league) but they will not be able to stop LT who can also make yards catching passes.
Dud: Jon Kitna, QB Detroit. Kitna has slowed down as the constant pounding he has absorbed all season has taken it’s toll. He has only 3 TD passes in his last four games and just one 300-plus yard game in his last 10. The Chargers defense is fourth in sacks and will increase its totals against the struggling Detroit offensive line.
Sleeper: Philip Rivers, QB San Diego. Rivers has been a disappointment this year although he won some points with his teammates for leading a gutsy comeback last week against Tennessee. The Lions pass defense is dreadful (next to last in the league) and Rivers will take advantage.
Sunday 8:15 PM ET
Washington at N.Y. Giants
The Giants held on for a big division win last week in Philadelphia while the Redskins got clutch play from backup QB Todd Collins to get past the Bears last Thursday. At least the Redskins are well rested. The Giants clinch a playoff spot with a win. The Redskins need to win all three of their remaining contests and hope that is enough to grab the final spot in the NFC.
Stud: Brandon Jacobs, RB N.Y. Giants. Jacobs is running well but he keeps fumbling, having lost four in his last seven games. When healthy, he is a strong threat to gain 100 or more yards and can take over a game. In a low scoring contest like this one should be, expect Jacobs to be a difference maker.
Dud: Todd Collins, QB Washington. Collins played very well last week, but the Giants defense is a tougher nut to crack than the Bears and the Giants will have time to prepare for Collins. Collins is likely to have decreased efficiency the longer he plays. The Giants lead the league in sacks and will put constant pressure on him.
Sleeper: Clinton Portis, RB Washington. Portis will be the focal point of the Redskins’ offense. He is catching more passes out of the backfield lately and remains an effective runner. The Giants and Redskins will be in a defensive struggle and Portis will carry the load well for Washington.
Monday 8:30 PM ET
Chicago at Minnesota
The Bears are not going back to the playoffs after falling to 5-8 while the Vikings are 7-6 and suddenly have the inside track to the second Wild Card in the NFC. With Rex Grossman hurt and Brian Griese ineffective, the Bears turn to Kyle Orton. The Vikings defense has been making big plays of late. On offense, the running game is dominant while the passing game has suddenly become efficient. Chicago is just a mess and is waiting for the season to end.
Stud: Chester Taylor, RB Minnesota. Taylor has 6 TDs and two 100-plus games in his last four weeks. The Bears run defense has been poor and both Vikings RBs should have big games on Monday night.
Dud: Adrian Peterson, RB Chicago. Peterson is averaging 3.2 yards per carry and hasn’t been able to get going since taking over for the injured Cedric Benson. The Vikings run defense is the best in the league and they are almost impossible to run against up the middle.
Sleeper: Adrian Peterson, RB Minnesota. Peterson struggled last week against the 49ers. He should bounce back against the Bears mediocre run defense. In the first meeting between these teams, Peterson ran for 224 yards and 3 TDs. While he may not match those numbers, he should have a strong game.
Most fantasy leagues have reached the playoffs by now and those that aren’t are in the final week of their regular season. Little things can have an effect on a player’s stats so check out the matchups carefully. In the NFL, there is still the drama as to whether or not the Patriots will be perfect and the Dolphins perfectly awful to go along with the usual playoff races which are coming into clearer focus each week. Be aware of the playoff status of your star players, some of them may be benched after their NFL team has clinched a playoff spot or has been eliminated from contention. Here is a look at this week’s matchups which will help you win your fantasy league.
Thursday 8:15 PM ET
Denver at Houston
These two 6-7 teams have mathematical chances of making the playoffs but they would have to win out and get some help. More realistically, they are hoping to finish with a winning season and are working towards building for next year. The Broncos crushed the Chiefs last week while Houston downed the NFC South-leading Bucs. Both teams are looking to keep their momentum going.
Stud: Jay Cutler, QB Denver. Cutler had a very strong game last week and continues to show he has the potential to develop into a very good NFL quaterback someday. The Texans pass defense is 14th in the league and continues to be up and down. Look for a good day from Cutler, especial throwing to Brandon Stokley.
Dud: Ron Dayne, RB Houston. Dayne is not healthy and his ankle injury will slow him down. This is a shame because the Broncos’ run defense is awful so whoever does run the ball a lot for the Texans should do well.
Sleeper: Andre Johnson, WR Houston. Johnson is an elite wide receiver when healthy and one of the top fantasy WRs in the league. Last week, he grabbed 9 passes for only 82 yards and a TD, giving him six TDs in six games this year. Johnson will be up against CB Dre Bly which should be a great matchup to watch, but Johnson had a five inch height advantage and should be able to exploit it with regularity.
Saturday 8:15 PM
Cincinnati at San Francisco
The Bengals and 49ers sounded like a matchup full of playoff implications when the schedule was released in April. It didn’t quite work out that way as inconsistency and injuries derailed both teams. The Bengals have struggled to stop anybody while the Niners have had trouble scoring all season long. On Saturday, they will be starting third-string QB, Shaun Hill, an undrafted free agent who would be making his first NFL start.
Stud: Rudi Johnson, RB Cincinnati. Johnson has scored in three straight games and had more than 90 yards rushing against the Rams last week. The 49ers struggle to stop the run, allowing 123.5 yards per game, ranking them 25th in the league. Johnson is getting healthy, the 49ers defense is not.
Dud: Shaun Hill, QB San Francisco. You’d have to be pretty desperate to be starting Hill this week in your fantasy league. The Bengals pass defense is nothing special but they will blitz Hill and keep him under pressure most of the game. The 49ers offense hasn’t put up good fantasy numbers regardless of who was playing QB.
Sleeper: Carson Palmer, QB Cincinnati. Palmer hasn’t thrown a TD pass in his last two games but even in an off year, he’s too good to keep off the scoreboard for too long. Look for Palmer to get back on track against the Niners this week.
Sunday 1:00 PM ET
Buffalo at Cleveland
These two surprising teams are in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race. The Browns hold the second Wild Card at 8-5 and Buffalo is just one game back. A win for the Bills would give them a major edge in tiebreakers. The Bills exploded offensively last week against Miami. Cleveland just got by the Jets in a sloppy game in which the Brown played down to the level of their opponent but they still found a way to win.
Stud: Derek Anderson, QB Cleveland. Anderson has thrown for 2 TD passes in each of the last three games. He has 26 TDs and counting on the season and plenty of weapons at his disposal. The Bills’ pass defense ranks 28th in the league and they don’t get a lot of pressure on the QB. Anderson should have time to work his magic.
Dud: Cleveland Defense. No, the Bills offense is not all that explosive, but Cleveland’s defense is a fantasy dog and you should stay way if at all possible.
Sleeper: Marshawn Lynch, RB Buffalo. Lynch came back strong after his return from injury against Miami, gaining 107 yards and he needs 142 yards go reach 1,000 for the season. The Browns are 28th at stopping the run and if the weather is cold, Buffalo will run early and often.
Tennessee at Kansas City
The Chiefs have lost six straight and are looking ahead towards next year. The Titans let a 17-3 fourth quarter lead slip away last week and lost to San Diego 23-17 in OT. Now they have lost four of their last five and are on the outside looking in at the AFC Wild Card race. This is a must game for the Titans if they hope to stay in the hunt. The Chiefs can only hope to play spoiler.
Stud: LenDale White, RB Tennessee. White went over 100 yards last week and scored a TD for the second straight game. The Chiefs have been very easy to run on of late and are ranked 25th at stopping the run this year. White should be able to pound the ball and should pick up lots of yards late in the game.
Dud: Brodie Croyle, QB Kansas City. Croyle has not topped the 200 yard mark in any game this year nor has he thrown for more than one TD. The Tennessee defense ranks 8th in the league against the pass so don’t look for Croyle to have a breakout fantasy game.
Sleeper: Tony Gonzalez, TE Kansas City. Gonzalez sprained his ankle last week but stayed in the game so do check his status. He has 17 catches, a 100-plus yard game and a TD in his last two contests. The Titans have matchup problems no matter who they try to cover him with.
Baltimore at Miami
The Dolphins are 0-13 and counting. A loss here would tie them with the 1976 Bucs at 0-14. The Ravens have played some teams tough but at 4-9, they are going nowhere fast. Kyle Boller is scheduled to start despite being pulled last week. This is a game for pride because little else is at stake here.
Stud: Willis McGahee, RB Baltimore. McGahee failed to score last week for the first time in eight games. The Dolphins rank dead last in rushing defense and McGahee is one tough back who is already over 1,000 yards for the season. Look for him to pad his totals.
Dud: John Beck, QB Miami. While the Dolphins have not announced a starter yet, take this advice: stay away from either Beck or Cleo Lemon. In fact, stay away from the entire Dolphins offense if you can help it.
Sleeper: Baltimore Defense. The Miami offense is banged up and going nowhere. They rank 30th in overall yards and 27th in points and tend to be turnover prone. Baltimore’s defense is no longer dominant, but they are still very good at times and should be able to snuff the life out of the Miami attack.
N.Y. Jets at New England
This game has been given one of the largest point spreads in NFL history with the Jets a 24 ½ point underdog. This is also the rematch of “Spygate” which took place in week 1 and started the Pats on their angry way to perfection. These two coaches don’t like each other and there is some bad blood between the teams as well. Anybody here who thinks Bill Belichick won’t run up the score if he has the chance? The Jets would like nothing better than to spoil New England’s perfect season but they may lack the ability to do it.
Stud: Tom Brady, QB New England. Brady threw for 4 TDs and 399 yards against a good Steelers defense last week. Does anybody think the Jets can slow down the Brady Express? Week 1 was an effortless 3 TD, 297 yard game, look for at least that much this week.
Dud: Kellen Clemens, QB N.Y. Jets. Clemens has only four TD passes in six starts this year. He’s still learning and has shown flashes of potential. Don’t expect this to be his fantasy breakout game, though. The Pats are 4th in the league in sacks and 6th in pass defense.
Sleeper: Randy Moss, WR N.Y. Jets. Moss and Wes Welker are both good picks. The Jets pass defense isn’t all that bad, but Moss is still one of the best in the game and the Jets don’t have anybody that can stop him consistently for four quarters.
Seattle at Carolina
The Seahawks clinched the NFC West last week and have a chance to earn a first round bye in the playoffs if they stay hot and the Packers stumble down the stretch. The Panthers’ chances really ended when Jake Delhomme went down early in the season. They are 1-5 at home this year and are merely fighting to keep their jobs and Coach John Fox’s position with the team.
Stud: Matt Hasselbeck, QB Seattle. Hasselbeck is one of the better fantasy QBs out there even if he doesn’t grab as many headlines as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Brett Favre. He has 6 TDs in the last two games. Add the fact that the Panthers are last in the league in sacks and Hasselbeck should be productive again on Sunday.
Dud: Vinny Testaverde, QB Carolina. Whether it’s Vinny or Matt Moore, don’t expect much statistically from the Panthers’ QBs against the Seahawks. Seattle has been forcing a lot of turnovers lately. They would probably eat Moore alive while just keeping Testaverde’s stats below acceptable fantasy standards.
Sleeper: Bobby Engram, WR Seattle. Want a real sleeper? Try Engram. Quietly, Engram has become a key part of the Seahawks attack. He has scored TDs in back-to-back games and has 42 catches in his last six games.
Arizona at New Orleans
The Cardinals are a better football team this year under their new coaching staff but they are still learning how to win. The Saints struggled early and then have had untimely breakdowns that have kept them on the fringes of the playoff race. The loser of this game is all but done as far as the postseason is concerned but the winner still at least has a pulse. With both Deuce McAlister and Reggie Bush out, the Saints will have to rely on their passing attack more than ever.
Stud: Kurt Warner, QB Arizona. Warner has been putting up some nice fantasy numbers when he’s been healthy enough to play. This week, he should be getting back the receiving duo of Fitzgerald and Boldin which will only help his cause. The Saints are 29th against the pass and don’t have any CBs who can keep up with the Cards’ top wideouts.
Dud: New Orleans Defense. OK, neither of these defenses look to have a great day. The Saints are vulnerable where the Cards’ strength is. This will be a high scoring game.
Sleeper: Drew Brees, QB New Orleans. Brees will throw plenty and the Cardinals defense is 24th against the pass. Aaron Stecker is not a bad RB, but Brees will have a very good day Sunday.
Atlanta at Tampa Bay
The Bucs lost to the Texans last week but still have control of the NFC South with three games to go. They are 4-0 in the division and look to continue their dominance over the Falcons. Atlanta has been stunned by the recent announcement that Coach Bobby Petrino will be leaving to return to the college ranks. In a year full of turmoil and uncertainty, things have been shaken up yet again in Atlanta. Chris Redman will get a start for the Falcons since Joey Harrington hasn’t played well and Byron Leftwich is hurt. Meanwhile, the Bucs should have QB Jeff Garcia back for this game.
Stud: Earnest Graham, RB Tampa Bay. Graham has been a great fantasy pickup this season. He has scored TDs in his last five games including two last week against the Texans. In three of those games, he topped 100 yards and he also adds yards by catching passes out of the backfield. Add to the mix the fact that the Falcons run defense ranks 27th in the league and it should add up to a good game for Graham.
Dud: Warrick Dunn, RB Atlanta. Dunn has a total of 20 yards in 16 carries over the last two games and is losing carries to Jerious Norwood. The Falcons offensive line hasn’t helped matters and Dunn is barely averaging three yards per carry. The Bucs run defense is in the middle of the pack but Dunn won’t be breaking free much on Sunday.
Sleeper: Joey Galloway, WR Tampa Bay. Galloway has caught 13 passes in the last two games and continues to produce despite his advanced age. With Jeff Garcia back, Galloway should have another solid game against Atlanta even going against CB DeAngelo Hall.
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
Two 9-4 teams battling for playoff position meet in wintry Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Steelers maintain the inside track to win the AFC North while the Jaguars hold the top Wild Card spot in the AFC and are still mathematically alive in the AFC South. Jacksonville and Pittsburgh may meet again come January and this game pits two teams with similar offensive styles against each other.
Stud: Ben Roethlisberger, QB Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger struggled a bit against New England, coming in with fewer than 200 yards and throwing for only 1 TD. The Jaguars pass defense ranks 27th in the league and is the biggest weakness of either of the these two teams in this game. Roethlisberger is due to bounce back.
Dud: Heath Miller, TE Pittsburgh. Miller has only six catches for 66 yards in his last two games and missed one game in between due to injury. The only way Miller pays off in fantasy football is to score TDs. Pittsburgh will be throwing more to its WRs and backs on Sunday as they have more favorable matchups against Jacksonville.
Sleeper: Fred Taylor, RB Jacksonville. Taylor has three straight games of 100-plus yards and has scored two TDs in those contests. The Steelers run defense is one of the best in the game but the Jaguars are a run-first team so Taylor will get his touches (although he splits them with Maurice Jones-Drew), so by the end of the day, Taylor’s numbers should be decent.
Green Bay at St. Louis
The Packers bounced back into form last week and devoured the Raiders 38-7 to clinch the NFC North. Another win and a Seahawks loss would clinch a first round bye for the Pack and keep them mathematically alive in the battle for home field in the NFC for at least one more week. The Rams have had an injury-filled season. They still aren’t sure who will start at QB. Brock Berlin was the starter last week. Marc Bulger may be ready this week and so may Gus Frerotte. With all the injuries to the Rams’ offensive line, they should all be ready. St. Louis has played better as of late but they are 1-5 at home.
Stud: Ryan Grant, RB Green Bay. In the Pack’s last five games, Grant has topped 100 yards three times and has scored 5 TDs. He also has not gained fewer than 88 yards. The Pack will continue to feed him the ball to get Grant and the offense ready to run in the playoffs. St. Louis has had trouble stopping the run all season and presently ranks 21st in that category. Look for Grant to continue his good play.
Dud: Gus Frerotte, QB St. Louis. Or Brock Berlin or Marc Bulger. The bottom line is this: the Rams o-line is beat up and the Packers will pressure the QB with KGB and Aaron Kampman. It’s better to go with RB Stephen Jackson if you want to pick a Rams’ offensive player.
Sleeper: Brett Favre, QB Green Bay. Favre returned to form last week against Oakland. The injuries he suffered against Dallas didn’t seem to affect his play much. The Rams will have trouble pressuring Favre and he should be able to throw a few long TDs on Sunday.
Sunday 4:00 PM ET
Indianapolis at Oakland
The Colts are coming off a strong win over Baltimore while the Raiders were easily handled by the Packers last week in Green Bay. Indy is still fighting to hold on to a first round bye while the Raiders are already playing for next year. RB Justin Fargas was hurt against the Pack (check status) but should play on Sunday. Expect Josh McCown to start at QB this week but JaMarcus Russell should get a start before the season is over.
Stud: Joseph Addai, RB Indianapolis. The Raiders are 31st in the league at stopping the run, allowing an average of 150.4 yards per game. Addai needs 25 yards to top 1,000 for the season and has scored 14 total TDs including three last week. Look for lots of Addai on Sunday against the Raiders.
Dud: Josh McCown, QB Oakland. McCown has an injured finger while Dante Culpepper is nursing a quad injury. The coaching staff has already announced that JaMarcus Russell will see some action this week even if he doesn’t start. Add it up and it means that McCown or whoever starts for the Raiders will be playing only part of the game and will be facing the league’s top pass defense. Stay away.
Sleeper: Peyton Manning, QB Indianapolis. Manning should be able to do at least as well as Brett Favre did last week, which was 2 TDs and 260-plus yards. Manning has plenty of weapons at his disposal and the game still means something to the Colts.
Philadelphia at Dallas
The Eagles lost a heartbreaker to the Giants last week as a last second field goal to tie the game hit the upright and was no good. The Cowboys continue to march toward home field advantage in the NFC with a 12-1 record after last week’s last minute comeback win over the Lions. Their only loss came to the Patriots which is hardly something to be ashamed of. A win and a Packer loss would clinch the top seed in the NFC for Dallas. Philly has lost three straight and their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.
Stud: Tony Romo, QB Dallas. Romo is good enough to play well even against tough defenses. He picked the Eagles apart in Philadelphia earlier this season and should do just find this time around.
Dud: Donovan McNabb, QB Philadelphia. McNabb is gutting it out and playing hurt although Philly fans still love to boo him. Teams have limited McNabb’s downfield throwing ability and the Cowboys will do likewise by putting plenty of pressure on McNabb and taking away the deep ball.
Sleeper: Brian Westbrook, RB Philadelphia. Last week, Westbrook had more than 150 total yards and a TD. If a team takes away the run, Philly will throw it to Westbrook. He is a fantasy stud and even his “off” games are better than a lot of people’s good ones.
Detroit at San Diego
At the midway point of the season, the Lions were on top of the world at 6-2 and the Chargers were struggling. Detroit hasn’t won since and Jon Kitna’s 10-win guarantee is now impossible. The Lions need to win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. San Diego is in the driver’s seat in the AFC West and picked up a big comeback win last week against Tennessee. A win by San Diego or a Broncos loss clinches a division title for the Chargers.
Stud: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB San Diego. LT has had an “off” season and still has more than 1,600 total yards and 14 TDs with three games to play. The Lions run defense isn’t too bad (16th in the league) but they will not be able to stop LT who can also make yards catching passes.
Dud: Jon Kitna, QB Detroit. Kitna has slowed down as the constant pounding he has absorbed all season has taken it’s toll. He has only 3 TD passes in his last four games and just one 300-plus yard game in his last 10. The Chargers defense is fourth in sacks and will increase its totals against the struggling Detroit offensive line.
Sleeper: Philip Rivers, QB San Diego. Rivers has been a disappointment this year although he won some points with his teammates for leading a gutsy comeback last week against Tennessee. The Lions pass defense is dreadful (next to last in the league) and Rivers will take advantage.
Sunday 8:15 PM ET
Washington at N.Y. Giants
The Giants held on for a big division win last week in Philadelphia while the Redskins got clutch play from backup QB Todd Collins to get past the Bears last Thursday. At least the Redskins are well rested. The Giants clinch a playoff spot with a win. The Redskins need to win all three of their remaining contests and hope that is enough to grab the final spot in the NFC.
Stud: Brandon Jacobs, RB N.Y. Giants. Jacobs is running well but he keeps fumbling, having lost four in his last seven games. When healthy, he is a strong threat to gain 100 or more yards and can take over a game. In a low scoring contest like this one should be, expect Jacobs to be a difference maker.
Dud: Todd Collins, QB Washington. Collins played very well last week, but the Giants defense is a tougher nut to crack than the Bears and the Giants will have time to prepare for Collins. Collins is likely to have decreased efficiency the longer he plays. The Giants lead the league in sacks and will put constant pressure on him.
Sleeper: Clinton Portis, RB Washington. Portis will be the focal point of the Redskins’ offense. He is catching more passes out of the backfield lately and remains an effective runner. The Giants and Redskins will be in a defensive struggle and Portis will carry the load well for Washington.
Monday 8:30 PM ET
Chicago at Minnesota
The Bears are not going back to the playoffs after falling to 5-8 while the Vikings are 7-6 and suddenly have the inside track to the second Wild Card in the NFC. With Rex Grossman hurt and Brian Griese ineffective, the Bears turn to Kyle Orton. The Vikings defense has been making big plays of late. On offense, the running game is dominant while the passing game has suddenly become efficient. Chicago is just a mess and is waiting for the season to end.
Stud: Chester Taylor, RB Minnesota. Taylor has 6 TDs and two 100-plus games in his last four weeks. The Bears run defense has been poor and both Vikings RBs should have big games on Monday night.
Dud: Adrian Peterson, RB Chicago. Peterson is averaging 3.2 yards per carry and hasn’t been able to get going since taking over for the injured Cedric Benson. The Vikings run defense is the best in the league and they are almost impossible to run against up the middle.
Sleeper: Adrian Peterson, RB Minnesota. Peterson struggled last week against the 49ers. He should bounce back against the Bears mediocre run defense. In the first meeting between these teams, Peterson ran for 224 yards and 3 TDs. While he may not match those numbers, he should have a strong game.
ROOKIE REPORT: TRENT EDWARDS (QB-BUF)
By Ralph Mancini, NFL Draft Bible Senior Writer
Going into the 2007 NFL Draft, Stanford quarterback Trent Edwards was quite the enigma in that his collegiate production was unremarkable both on an individual and team level. His exceptional physical skills belied his team’s embarrassing 1-11 record along with a rather ordinary 36-33 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The Buffalo Bills were one team willing to take a chance on the 6’ 4” 231-pound signal caller as much-needed insurance for their 2006 starter J.P. Losman whose erratic and mistake-prone ways had Buffalo’s front office and coaching staff very concerned about the direction of their squad.
The rookie project grew up in a hurry when called on to step in for an injured Losman during the second quarter of a 38-7 drubbing at the hands of the mighty New England Patriots in week three.
Although Edwards showed signs of being an accurate passer in the preseason, it was a pleasant surprise to watch Edwards efficiently move the offense downfield versus the division-rival Jets the following week.
The 24-year-old exuded the poise and confidence of a 10-year veteran as he went on to complete nine straight passes during one stretch. Edwards capped off his amazing debut with a game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Michael Gaines on fourth down.
The Los Gatos, California native completed 22 of 28 throws for 234 yards, but what was most telling about the neophyte was his natural ability to process what was happening around him and hit his check-down receivers when there was nothing open downfield.
His calmness in the pocket was certainly eye-opening for head coach Dick Jauron who was immediately on the fence regarding whether to reinsert Losman as the starter upon his return from injury.
“I’ve always said nobody’s job is secure,” said the coach in assessing his rookie’s unexpected performance. “From week to week, we play whoever we think is the best guy. So we’ll see where it goes.”
This couldn’t have been music to Losman’s ears who probably began seeing the proverbial writing on the wall. Despite his four years as a professional, the Tulane product is still prone to forcing long passes into coverage even when there are safer options in the offing.
Ranked fourth overall among quarterbacks by the NFL Draft Bible prior to draft day, Edwards was lauded for his quick decisions and exemplary intangibles, but as we’ve witnessed with many highly-touted prospects in recent years (see Smith, Alex), intelligence and overall mental makeup can only take you so far if a player’s pure physical skills aren’t up to snuff.
The damning effect of being part of a losing program with an 11-20 record as a starter at Stanford caused many to overlook Edwards’s overall raw strength, as well as his potent arm allowing him to both toss it deep and put some real zip in his short-to-intermediate throws.
His mobility and speed, on the other hand, are also top shelf among his peers at the quarterback position. The young athlete posted a 4.76 in the 40 prior to being drafted, which becomes even more impressive when factoring in Edwards’s size.
His one glaring red flag (questionable durability) reared its ugly head during Buffalo’s week eight rematch with Gang Green when Edwards was forced to exit the game in the third quarter with a sprained right wrist.
Although tests on the ailing wrist came back negative, it was time once again for Losman to reclaim the reins to the Buffalo Bills attack, but with the exception of one promising game versus Cincinnati, the veteran triggerman’s streaky ways once again boiled to the surface.
His inability to consistently get a good read on defenses led to interceptions and fumbles in back-to-back losing efforts versus the Patriots and Jaguars.
With a playoff spot hanging in the balance, Jauron had no choice but to turn to his prized rookie and entrust him with the task of restoring order to an offense spiraling out of control.
The unflappable field general picked up right where he left off in a late-season 17-15 overtime thriller victory over the Washington Redskins.
In this emotional game fresh off the untimely death of Sean Taylor, Edwards masterfully led the troops on a game-winning drive with no timeouts left and 56 seconds to go. The precocious quarterback set up the deciding field goal with a clutch 31-yard completion to receiver Josh Reed in front of a passionate crowd on the road. The third-round pick wasn’t finished there.
This first-year revelation went on to make quick work of the hapless Miami Dolphins a week later by initially attacking Miami’s safeties on two touchdown passes to tight end Robert Royal. It became evident in this game that offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild began opening up the playbook for Edwards who punctuated his breakthrough four-touchdown performance with a fourth quarter 70-yard strike to speedster Lee Evans.
While it’s certainly too early to anoint Edwards as the second coming of Jim Kelly, the youngster has proven to possess the mental and physical ingredients necessary to achieve long-term success.
Edwards will be looking to add to his 1,212 yards and five touchdowns in this Sunday’s pivotal showdown with the Cleveland Browns as both teams can ill-afford to lose any of their remaining games with the postseason on the line.
Going into the 2007 NFL Draft, Stanford quarterback Trent Edwards was quite the enigma in that his collegiate production was unremarkable both on an individual and team level. His exceptional physical skills belied his team’s embarrassing 1-11 record along with a rather ordinary 36-33 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The Buffalo Bills were one team willing to take a chance on the 6’ 4” 231-pound signal caller as much-needed insurance for their 2006 starter J.P. Losman whose erratic and mistake-prone ways had Buffalo’s front office and coaching staff very concerned about the direction of their squad.
The rookie project grew up in a hurry when called on to step in for an injured Losman during the second quarter of a 38-7 drubbing at the hands of the mighty New England Patriots in week three.
Although Edwards showed signs of being an accurate passer in the preseason, it was a pleasant surprise to watch Edwards efficiently move the offense downfield versus the division-rival Jets the following week.
The 24-year-old exuded the poise and confidence of a 10-year veteran as he went on to complete nine straight passes during one stretch. Edwards capped off his amazing debut with a game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Michael Gaines on fourth down.
The Los Gatos, California native completed 22 of 28 throws for 234 yards, but what was most telling about the neophyte was his natural ability to process what was happening around him and hit his check-down receivers when there was nothing open downfield.
His calmness in the pocket was certainly eye-opening for head coach Dick Jauron who was immediately on the fence regarding whether to reinsert Losman as the starter upon his return from injury.
“I’ve always said nobody’s job is secure,” said the coach in assessing his rookie’s unexpected performance. “From week to week, we play whoever we think is the best guy. So we’ll see where it goes.”
This couldn’t have been music to Losman’s ears who probably began seeing the proverbial writing on the wall. Despite his four years as a professional, the Tulane product is still prone to forcing long passes into coverage even when there are safer options in the offing.
Ranked fourth overall among quarterbacks by the NFL Draft Bible prior to draft day, Edwards was lauded for his quick decisions and exemplary intangibles, but as we’ve witnessed with many highly-touted prospects in recent years (see Smith, Alex), intelligence and overall mental makeup can only take you so far if a player’s pure physical skills aren’t up to snuff.
The damning effect of being part of a losing program with an 11-20 record as a starter at Stanford caused many to overlook Edwards’s overall raw strength, as well as his potent arm allowing him to both toss it deep and put some real zip in his short-to-intermediate throws.
His mobility and speed, on the other hand, are also top shelf among his peers at the quarterback position. The young athlete posted a 4.76 in the 40 prior to being drafted, which becomes even more impressive when factoring in Edwards’s size.
His one glaring red flag (questionable durability) reared its ugly head during Buffalo’s week eight rematch with Gang Green when Edwards was forced to exit the game in the third quarter with a sprained right wrist.
Although tests on the ailing wrist came back negative, it was time once again for Losman to reclaim the reins to the Buffalo Bills attack, but with the exception of one promising game versus Cincinnati, the veteran triggerman’s streaky ways once again boiled to the surface.
His inability to consistently get a good read on defenses led to interceptions and fumbles in back-to-back losing efforts versus the Patriots and Jaguars.
With a playoff spot hanging in the balance, Jauron had no choice but to turn to his prized rookie and entrust him with the task of restoring order to an offense spiraling out of control.
The unflappable field general picked up right where he left off in a late-season 17-15 overtime thriller victory over the Washington Redskins.
In this emotional game fresh off the untimely death of Sean Taylor, Edwards masterfully led the troops on a game-winning drive with no timeouts left and 56 seconds to go. The precocious quarterback set up the deciding field goal with a clutch 31-yard completion to receiver Josh Reed in front of a passionate crowd on the road. The third-round pick wasn’t finished there.
This first-year revelation went on to make quick work of the hapless Miami Dolphins a week later by initially attacking Miami’s safeties on two touchdown passes to tight end Robert Royal. It became evident in this game that offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild began opening up the playbook for Edwards who punctuated his breakthrough four-touchdown performance with a fourth quarter 70-yard strike to speedster Lee Evans.
While it’s certainly too early to anoint Edwards as the second coming of Jim Kelly, the youngster has proven to possess the mental and physical ingredients necessary to achieve long-term success.
Edwards will be looking to add to his 1,212 yards and five touchdowns in this Sunday’s pivotal showdown with the Cleveland Browns as both teams can ill-afford to lose any of their remaining games with the postseason on the line.
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