Category Archives: Fantasy Football

Main fantasy football section of luckylester.com. This main category contains posts for fantasy football Q&A, weekly analysis, picks and tips. The fantasy football category is quite active producing multiple pages every week.

Arse's Five Favorites: Week 13 NFL Picks

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I’ve got 5 more favorites this week, and you’re lucky, because I’m rocking a 8-1-1 record in the two weeks I’ve done this (check the records), and I’m only doing this because I’ve been winning all season long. It’s bound to end sometimes, but will it fail me this week? We shall see… Here’s my Week 12 review and Week 13’s picks.

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Week 12 NFL Picks REVIEW:

(W) – Indy -3 @ Houston: So what, they fell down 17-0 early, and they did what they do and won anyway – that’s why I’ve been making cash off these little horsies.
(W) – Seattle -6 @ St. Louis: The Rams couldn’t take advantage of the sand all over the Seahawks collective offensive game plan. Oh, and Justin Forsett beat the Rams all by himself.
(W) – Minnesota (-10.5) @ home vs. Chicago: The Bears are a joke and the Vikings are one hell of a team – this favorite picking this seems to be too easy.
(W) – Ravens (-2) @ home vs. Pittsburgh: No Ben Roethlisberger helped, but I almost think the Steelers probably still should have won, if they just didn’t play so careful. Oh well, my luck.
(W) – Saints (-1.5) @ home vs. New England: The Saints were the better team and Tom was off his game. It was easy enough.

WEEK 13 NFL Picks:

Philadelphia (-5) @ Atlanta: I have to take the Eagles here, how can I not? They need this win desperately and they have their starting quarterback playing, a solid defense, and their starting running back has been out all year. I think they win by two touchdowns.

Houston Texans (-1) @ Jacksonville: You can get the Texans as 1 point dogs, but my book has them as a 1 point favorite. I think they are the far-superior team, and that’s enough for me.

Cincinnati Bengals (-13) @ home vs. Detroit: The Lions are terrible and the Bengals are going to pray on that mistake-prone offensive attack. Plus, the secondary is so shaky that I know Palmer will take a couple chances.

New England (-3) @ Miami: I have heard the Patriots always struggle in Miami – I dont’ care – the Patriots will win by at least a touchdown.

San Diego (-13) @ Cleveland: The Chargers score a lot of points, through the air is their ticket to success, and they don’t waste too much time pounding the football. That will kill Cleveland as their only chance to stay close is if their opponent slows down the game.

Fantasy Focus: Week 13 Fantasy Football Preview & Projections

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Alright, all four guys are back in action and ready to go for Thursday Night’s game – no late picks, no last second hurrah, no tricky back-up running back picks either. This week is full go like Al Davis’s battery, like Big Ben’s big bucket on his head, like Tom Brady’s redemption song – it should be a great week, lucky number 13 as far as I’m concerned. I’m going to celebrate with this week’s fantasy title just like a few years ago when I picked EVERY SINGLE GAME CORRECTLY in my free picks column, going 16-0 like it was nothing. Here’s what I’ve got for NFL Week 13’s Fantasy Rankings & Projections!

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Elite Starters: Guys picked early that I love this week…

1. Chris Johnson– How can you not put this guy atop this list, especially against a hurting Colts D.
2. Reggie Wayne – Reggie gets the Titans this week, and you know Peyton’s throwing for 350+.
3. Peyton Manning – Lots of guys to like this week, I think Peyton throws about 50 times.
4. Ray Rice – I think Ray does his fair share of tormenting in Week 13, this week the Packers draw Ray.
5. Tom Brady– The Fins aren’t terrible in the secondary, but Tom after a bad game, watch out for him.

Solid Starters: Guys picked in middle rounds that should outplay their ranking/draft position this week…

1. Rashard Mendenhall – The Raiders might get a healthy helping of Rashard this week.
2. Ricky Williams – I know the Pats are tough, but I bet Ricky gets 25 carries this week. That’s good.
3. Miles Austin – Really good player going against a banged up defense, and his QB’s favorite WR.
4. Knowshon Moreno –He’s getting better and better and his match-up is peachy.
5. Percy Harvin – Coverages are starting to role towards Sydney Rice, that’s good news for Harvin’s #s.

Sleeper Starters: Guys ranked low, drafted low or not at all, but I still like them this week…

1. Jeremy Maclin –I have J-Mac down as a Top 5 starter this week, but I’m crazy. He should be good.
2. Michael Crabtree – I think Crab’s a good start this week against the Hawks. He’s physical, they aren’t.
3. Jason Avant – The Eagles are likely without DeSean Jackson – that’s good news for those that got Avant.
4. LeSean McCoy– Against Atlanta, he’s a pretty good bet for 120+ yards total offense and catches too.
5. Chris Chambers–Chambers has a tough match-up this week, but I still think he’s a good option.

Sit ‘Em Son: I don’t care where they were drafted, I don’t like these guys starting this week…

1. Julius Jones– he’s back! but so what? he plays a tough run D and he’s not the best runner in Seattle.
2. Matthew Stafford– no way, no how, I’d rather pick up and start Josh Freeman or even, gulp, Brady Quinn.
3. Ben Roethlisberger – I think the Raiders bring blitzes often, and I also think Ben hands the ball off a lot.
4. Santonio Holmes– I don’t like Holmes’ chances for another solid outing.
5. Terrell Owens– I know he’s finally been good, but I can’t start him against Revis.

***I think Big Ben and Kurt are A-Okay, but Turner is off my list, and DeAngelo Williams is a guy I would worry about and check twice before starting. ***

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Week 12 Fantasy Rankings

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Fantasy Focus Review: Week 12 Fantasy Football

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It happened again… I came in last. Not back to back or anything, I mean last week I pulled out another win – but this week Ryan got his first taste of 1st place, but fresh in the spirit of Thanksgiving, both Josh and Ryan shared top honors. The fat old man finished just ahead of me, winning the family battle for one of the few times this year. It was close, and we all had some pretty poor picks, but Ryan had some great QB selections to go with his solid RBs while Josh consistently stayed in the middle and got a nice TE win to push him over the top. With Thanksgiving over and done with, I’m getting back down to business in Week 13 – here’s Week 12’s review!

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Elite Starters: Guys picked early that I love this week…

1. Adrian Peterson– Peterson was okay, 15th RB this week, 15 fantasy points – Vikes aren’t over-using him. In fact, Chester Taylor outscored AP by 5 fantasy points this week. B-
2. Ricky Williams – Ricky was in AP’s boat, and while that’s not too bad at all, it’s not great this week. B
3. Larry Fitzgerald – Leinart didn’t look Larry’s way all that often, and no big chances – Larry had a bad week. F
4. Randy Moss – Tom missed Randy a few times, and a lot of yards and fantasy points were left on the table. F
5. Aaron Rodgers– #3 QB this week, a great thanksgiving for Mr. Rodgers neighborhood… A

Solid Starters: Guys picked in middle rounds that should outplay their ranking/draft position this week…

1. Wes Welker – Wes had a down day, 6 catches, sure, but just 32 yards, finished 32nd amongst WRs. D+
2. Joe Flacco – 16th QB this week with 15 fantasy points, not bad, but not a great solid start really. B-
3. Kellen Winslow – Winslow finished 6th, he’s still one of the most talented TEs in the league. A-
4. Donald Driver –Tied with Miles Austin as the top receiver in Week 12. A+
5. Sidney Rice –Tied with a bunch at #18 WR this week, not a bad day for the consistent standout. B

Sleeper Starters: Guys ranked low, drafted low or not at all, but I still like them this week…

1. Justin Forsett –#3 running back this week as Julius stayed out another week. Can’t wait for Mora to sit him. A
2. Michael Crabtree – 45th ranked receiver this week, not good enough, not terrible though. C-
3. Donnie Avery – 18th WR this week, a pretty good day for Mr. Avery tallying 14 fantasy points. B+
4. LeSean McCoy– Right there with AP and Ricky Williams and MJD – a pretty solid week for the rookie. A-
5. Chris Chambers– 6th WR this week, where did this guy disappear to over the last few years? A+

Sit ‘Em Son: I don’t care where they were drafted, I don’t like these guys starting this week…

1. Matt Forte– 34th running back this week with 9 fantasy points, his 4 receptions were almost half his points. A
2. Steve Smith– 1 catch for 5 yards, I ended up starting him in a league, my options were bad. Not this bad. A+
3. Rashard Mendenhall – Mendenhall actually ran really tough, he was the 24th ranked RB, not too bad. B-
4. Roy Williams – 45th rated receiver, not a # I would have wanted in my starting line-up. B+
5. Chad Henne– Only 4 starting QBs were worse than Henne, but hey, one was Tom Brady. A

***Hope you didn’t start Turner or Big Ben, but I know I took one on the chin starting Kurt Warner – they tricked me!***

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Week 12 Fantasy Rankings

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Who did we miss this week? Quite a few guys… Here are the guys we missed from the Top 5 in each positional breakdown….

QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tony Romo both tied with Philip Rivers for 4th place amongst quarterbacks. Phil got picked, Fitzy and Romo didn’t.

RB: Fred Jackson finished 1st amongst RBs, Jamal Charles 4th, and Laurence Maroney tied Steven Jackson for 5th. Red Red Ryan made one hell of a pick taking Forsett.

WR: Donald Driver (by Kauffman again) was the only guy in the Top 5 that saw a spot in any of our Top 5s. Miles Austin (1), Percy Harvin (3), Kenny Britt (4), and Marques Colston (5) filled out the Top 5.

TE: Together, we didn’t miss a single TE in the Top 5. The next highest guys we didn’t select was Fred Davis (8th overall).

DST: Here’s a list of the Top 5 defenses: Jets, Packers, Chargers, 49ers, Broncos. I can’t remember right off hand who got picked, and who didn’t, but I imagine nobody picked the 49ers and Broncos, and I think the Jets were left off everyone’s list as well.

Ten for Wednesday: Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings

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It’s not as catchy, but hey, it’s wednesday and I’m a day late – better late than never. Unless you’re a college kid and you’re waiting on your girlfriend’s… well, you get the picture. On to Fantasy fortunes everywhere!

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Vince Young went and did the Arizona Cardinals something dirty. Not unlike his USC trashing for the National Championship, VY led his team down the field for a late game-winning score, this time as the clock expired, and this time he did it in the comfort of his very own pocket. Sure, the Cardinals had to respect his legs, and that could have been why Vince found so many open receivers in the final minutes, but the bottom line is, he did what most people claimed he couldn’t, and anytime that happens I like to mention it. Do work Vince!….   At some point during the week, Brian Urlacher stated his opinion that Jay Cutler to Chicago was a bad idea. It might not have been stated exactly like that, and the big-bad linebacker went as far as saying that he like’s Jay and thinks Jay is a very good player, and I’m sure Jay felt all warm and fuzzy about it after that, but Brian basically said that the Bears can win with Orton and can’t with Jay. Awesome. I didn’t even have to say it. Everyone wanted Josh McDaniels to resign before he coached a game for dumping Jay for Orton and draft picks – and even more people said the Broncos were morons for giving the Seahawks their 1st round pick next year instead of Chicago’s – but look at it all now – Jay Cutler’s throwing interceptions like he’s some sort of rifle-armed rookie, and without many flashy numbers, the Broncos are winning football games. How’s that sand now Jay? Causing a rash yet?….     And even better, somebody claimed that Jay might have some words with Urlacher about it. Please, somebody bring to my attention what exactly that dopey-faced ball thrower is going to say to Urlacher-quarterback-killer? “Hey Brian, I didn’t really like what you said about me and how Orton is a winner while I’m just a bitch- but it’s no big deal, I forgive you.” Something tells me that’s about as violent as those “words” are going to get…..

Cincinnati threw for 110 yards while boasting a passing game that includes Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson – is there anything that you think seperates them more from the elite teams than them being afraid to score points? The Bengals want to slow down the game so much that they just absolutely refuse to take chances to put points up quick in games where running the ball and slowly eating away the clock is an option. This is why they play close games against everyone, and I think this is what will come back to haunt them when they meet up with a team that can score points on any defense. It is also what will continue to make me happy about staying away from Palmer and Ocho in my fantasy drafts. They’ve had solid games, but 110 yards passing against the Brownies, come on guys….. Speaking of stinker performances in situations where they should flourish, how about Thomas Jones going for just 75 yards while DeAngelo Williams went for just 40 when the Panthers payed the Jets? The Panthers were up to it again, as Jake threw more times than DeAngelo and Jonathan ran the ball, and it was just a 13-3 game, it’s not like the Jets were killing it out there. I’ll never understand how John Fox keeps a job when numbers like this exist. Thomas Jones needed 25 carries to get to 75, and Shonn Greene needed 10 to get to 36. But at least the Jets get it. They threw 18 times on Sunday, they ran the ball 39 times…..   Speaking of John Fox losing his job, look what Jake Delhomme did on Sunday: the guy went absolutely suicidal in football terms, completing 14 of 34 passes for just 130 yards, 4 interceptions, and not a single touchdown to speak of. What’s really amazing about this whole deal is that the Jets don’t have the greatest rush defense, but they have one heck of a secondary. I know, lets have the human interception throw 20 mile and hour nuckle balls 35 yards down field – and we’ll see what happens. Dumb…..

Have you ever had somebody poke at you and tell you that you were wrong before you actually ended up being wrong, and then you became right, and now you want to take the bowl of guac and jump up in the air and spike it between your legs right on your buddy’s face? Enter Thanksgiving Day when my uncle was kind enough to tell me how crazy I am for taking the Colts in Houston and how the Texans were going to end that stupid undefeated talk in a hurry. Sure enough, come Sunday, the Colts jump out to a 17-point deficit, Peyton’s throwing interceptions like Drew Bledsoe used to get sacked, and here’s my uncle, giving me a call and and reiterating how much of a man in a clown suit I am, I can basically hear his stupid tap-dance shoes clickity-clacking on the end of his phone, and he’s gloating like JaMarcus Russell after a 12-29, 100 yard, 0-TD, 2-INT day – I’m smart, you’re dumb, hahahahahaha: and before I hang up, I say, “First of all, you’re an idiot. Second of all, you’re fat. And 3rd, I’d still take the Colts by a field goal.” Now I didn’t call him and say anything when the game was over – I didn’t have to….

LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 39 yards against the Chiefs. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say, the guys that said LT was done as a fantasy starter – they were right – the guys that picked him late in the first round and said, “I got the best running back in football at the end of Round 1”, or “the beginning of Round 2” , those guys, well, those guys were wrong……    This is why every single fantasy league should come with a “record draft shit talk” option that keeps a sort of easy flash back button to the idiots that went crazy over how great all their picks were, how dumb all yours were, and now how they’re 2-10 through 12 Weeks. Could you imagine how great that would be? Forget podcasts, I would be on that thing quoting fools every single week. What was that you said about LenDale White stealing all Chris Johnson’s carries and touchdowns?….. Tom Brady wasn’t accurate on Monday Night, and that’s why the Patriots got beat up. They had their chances, Brady just missed his spots. Sure, the Saints put pressure on the Pats, and the secondary made some plays, but there were guys open and Tom just wasn’t on his game. And they need to stop trying to get 5.5 yards on 3rd and 5 – a little room for error might help them out a bit….

Larry Johnson still has it. Everyone thought he was done. Everyone thought he would disappear and never do anything ever again. I don’t know much, but I know what LJ used to be, and I know there hasn’t been all that much wear on his tires over the past few years, and he looks like a guy running to prove something. Oh yeah, and he’s always been talented.

Papas Picks: Week 12 NFL Underdogs, Texans, Chiefs, Cardinals

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I had a solid little go-around last week, finishing 4-1 with a couple big underdog wins to show for it. I always like to put a small straight-up wager on my dogs, and that worked like a charm last week as the Chiefs and Titans both gave me some nice + money, but I should have won 3, if only the Redskins could have slammed the door shut on the pathetic Cowboys. But finishing isn’t in the cards for that team, I should have known. You know what’s nutso, I pick only dogs, Arse picks only favorites, and Lucky picks whatever he wants, and we all won in Week 11 – then again, I had the best win-percentage. Ha, old people rule! Here’s last week’s review and this week’s top dogs – I’ve got 4 good one’s this week!

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Week 11 Review:

WINNERS
Titans (+4.5) was an outright winner @ Houston.
St. Louis (+10) was a cover-winner against Arizona.
Kansas City (+11.5) just won outright against the might Steelers. Awesome.
Washington (+11) covered easily in a 1 point loss @ Dallas.
LOSERS
Tampa Bay (+11.5) was a sure thing loss against New Orleans, Lucky was right.

Week 12 Free Picks:

Houston Texans (+3.5) @ home vs. Indianapolis Colts: The Texans are better than many give them credit for, and I think Schaub ends up having the much better day through the air. I like Houston to end the Colts winning streak, but like them even more with a little more than a field goal.

Kansas City Chiefs (+14.5) @ San Diego Chargers: The Chargers have been hot, but in their own little way, so have the Chiefs – hot enough to play with a Chargers team that isn’t great defensively in any one area. 14.5 points, I almost always like that. The Chargers aren’t any kind of two touchdown favorite in my old ass opinion.

Arizona Cardinals (+3) @ Tennessee: I like the Titans with Vince, sure, but every team meets their match, and I just happen to think the Cardinals are a terrible match-up for Vince and the Titans. They stop the run really well and pass with precision and big-play ability. Sounds like a dog win to me!

New England Patriots (+3) @ New Orleans Saints: What a Monday Night Football Game – I can’t wait. I just like the Patriots and points in about every single occasion I can muster. Hope that clears it up. Every single situation ever. You bet! I will!

Ask Papa Weimer: Week 12 Fantasy Football Advice

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I’ve answered a lot of fantasy questions this week (ask me anything football any time at papaweimer50@hotmail.com), and thanks to everyone who reads my stuff and sends in the questions – but I only have a couple to share this time around, it is one of my favorite holidays you know, a great 4 day feast at my house where I’m never hungry one single second after about 11am on Thursday Morning. Many eating a little drinking and much football gets observed, just enough time without gravy on my fingers to post a couple questions and answers. Here it is –

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Stan the Man writes, “HELP!!!! SOS…. Man, I don’t know what else I can do to breakout of my slump! My team is free-falling and I play the #1 team this week who has already received production from Rogers and Jacobs. I’m down 30 already, who should I pick at WR between (Hester, Massaquoi, and Gibson) and need 2 between (Forte, Thomas Jones, Roc, or Forsett). I have the Bengals, you like their chances? Thanks!”

First of all, if you’re down already, I’d go with Hester at WR, he’s the biggest chance you have at a huge game between the three guys that are left.

As for running back, Thomas Jones is your biggest sure thing, after that it’s a bit of a crap shoot. YOu could go with Forte, but the Bears rushing attack has sucked, and they play an one of the best run-d’s in the league – but last week the Seahawks saw their starting RB get 8 catches for 80 yards – so there’s some Forte upside in the passing game, though Forsett is probably a different type of receiver than Forte….

I think Forsett would be a great start against the Rams, if Jim Mora wasn’t a tool box, and/if Julius Jones wasn’t pronounced healthy and starting – even so, I think Forsett could have a good day, I just don’t know if he’s worth the risk. I’d say no.

I think I would go with Cartwright – he’s a solid runner, he’s always been a good receiver, and he’s the only thing the Redskins have in those short passing situations. Last week, against a good Dallas run-D, Cartwright caught 7 balls (most on the team) for 70 yards (most on the team) and had 63 rushing yards (most on the team) – or something like that – not sure exact numbers, but something similar to those. I think he could be a solid pick against an Eagles team that has been decent against the run. It’s between him and Forte for me, both could catch lots of balls, I think Cartwright has a better chance to get more rushing yardage, and more catches too – but Forte probably has the better chance to score a touchdown. Tough call, I think I’d go with Roc.

Other than that, it looks good. Hopefully you can make up some ground with your RBs and with Vernon Davis, and the Bengals look like a great start this week.

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Dougie Fresca asks, “Would you start Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, Randy Moss or Wes Welker, John Carlson or Greg Olsen – thanks, sorry for the tough choices, my team is pretty solid and I already started some guys that didn’t do that well (Greg Jennings and Calvin Johnson).”

Yeah, Dougie, on the bright side it looks like you’re in a good place. I would start Brady over Peyton – the Texans have a solid secondary and I think they make the Colts run it to beat them, plus, I like a Texans upset bid to possibly work it’s magic, and that would mean a better day from Tom – and Tom has been amazing this year (especially lately) – amazingly, he seems to be going under the radar a bit, even though he’s Tom freaking Brady.

I would start Randy Moss over Welker for sure if it was a non PPR, and in a basic coin toss for a PPR league, I think the 51% chance of Moss having the better day wins out, he’s more of a big play touch down guy, and I think that’s enough to make him the guy. Though I would have gone Wes over Greg or Calvin, but that’s obviously an easy call to make now. We’ll see how it works out.

I would go with Greg Olsen over John Carslon. The Vikings give up plenty of points to opposing tight ends, and Lucky thinks the Bears have a chance to get right up there all close like with the Vikings this week – Olsen will play a huge role if that comes true. Good luck for the rest of the week!

Fantasy Focus: Week 12 Fantasy Football Rankings

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Sorry for the quick intro (or you’re welcome, depending on what you think of introductions and/or my humor) but it’s Thanks Giving, I’m at the future in-laws, and well, I better slam this out asap or it’s trouble for me….

Elite Starters: Guys picked early that I love this week…

1. Adrian Peterson– The match-up isn’t great (like Lions, Chiefs, or Bills) but AP does good work randomly.
2. Ricky Williams – I watched him run, and he’s very, very good. He meets the Bills this week. There you have it.
3. Larry Fitzgerald – The Titans can’t handle Larry. Not even with Matt Leinart, if Kurt sits this one out.
4. Randy Moss – I know the Saints D has been okay, but I have a feeling the Patriots will be scoring often.
5. Aaron Rodgers– The Packers love to pass, you can do that against the Lions as much as you want.

Solid Starters: Guys picked in middle rounds that should outplay their ranking/draft position this week…

1. Wes Welker – We go PPR here, and there’s not more of a sure thing than Wes (maybe Reggie).
2. Joe Flacco – Most will sit him, against a Polamalu-less Steelers secondary, I like his chances.
3. Kellen Winslow – Against the Falcons, with no safeties that can guard him, I’ll put a TE in this list for the 1st time.
4. Donald Driver –He was picked much lower than Greg Jennings, but he’s outperformed him almost each week.
5. Sidney Rice –He’s back, and against Chicago, he makes a lot of sense.

Sleeper Starters: Guys ranked low, drafted low or not at all, but I still like them this week…

1. Justin Forsett – He’s not starting, Jim Mora is an idiot, but how can he not get 10-15 touches?
2. Michael Crabtree – Crab needs to have a big game for the 49ers, I think he’ll do well against the Jags.
3. Donnie Avery – Avery is a good play against a Hawks defense that loves to give up the big play.
4. LeSean McCoy– The Redskins aren’t as good against the run as they were earlier, if the Eagles want to win they’ll run.
5. Chris Chambers– Okay, Chris, obviously you are showing the Chargers what they’re missing, now play them!

Sit ‘Em Son: I don’t care where they were drafted, I don’t like these guys starting this week…

1. Matt Forte– Poor guy, he’s a good back, something is crushing him down like rocks. This time it’s the Vikings.
2. Steve Smith– Steve Smith minus Jake Delhomme > Derrelle Revis, but, Steve Smith + Jake Delhomme < Revis….
3. Rashard Mendenhall – I love Mendenhall, but I don’t love him against the Ravens, especially with Ben hurting.
4. Roy Williams – Well, I’m guessing Nnamdi will be guarding Austin, but I still don’t like Williams.
5. Chad Henne– Good match-up, but I think the Dolphins run to much to make Chad worth while.

***You may take the plunge, but I still think starting Michael Turner or Big Ben (especially against that hard hitting defense) is a tough chance to take. Watch out for those injuries!***

Week 12 Fantasy Rankings

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Fantasy Focus Review: Week 11 Fantasy Football Grading

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What an unlikely week – I mean the Browns and Lions (not in that order) owned the top two fantasy spots in Week 11, that alone is straight nuts. The chances of that happening? Zero percent. Yes folks, magic, miracles, whatever you want to call it, the stuff happens. But one thing returned to normalcy – I stepped it up and won the writer rankings easily this last week. Ah…. This is how the rest of the fantasy week went down.

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Elite Starters: Guys picked early that I love this week…

1. Maurice Jones Drew– MJD was the object of the Bills defense, and Buffalo led most of the game so he just had a mediocre week, good for 12th RB this week, 17 fantasy points. B
2. Chris Johnson – “held in check” by the Texans, CJ had 151 rush yards, but that’s it. B-
3. Adrian Peterson – AP was limited by the Seahawks defense, no TDs for only the 2nd time this year. 13 fantasy points and a disappointing day for owners everywhere. C-
4. Peyton Manning – 19th amongst QBs, not a good pick by me, thought he’d do more. F
5. Ray Rice– The 8th RB in Week 11, Ray had 20 fantasy points – a solid day for Baltimore. B+

Solid Starters: Guys picked in middle rounds that should outplay their ranking/draft position this week…

1. Steve Smith (NYG) – 36th WR this week, not nearly the day I thought he’d have. C
2. Rashard Mendenhall – Mendenhall had a nice day for the losing team. 6th overall. A
3. DeSean Jackson – 6th WR this week, got behind the defense for a long one. Again. A+
4. Ricky Williams –I said I’d start him if I had him. He was the top RB in Week 11. A+
5. Sidney Rice –5th WR this week. Stud. I’m glad Brett helped the coaches realize it. A+

Sleeper Starters: Guys ranked low, drafted low or not at all, but I still like them this week…

1. Justin Forsett – 8 carries for just 9 yards, but scored. And caught 8 balls for 80. 5th RB. A+
2. Beanie Wells – Was 16th RB, finished ahead of Addai, Chris Johnson, and DeAngelo. A
3. Jeremy Maclin –33rd WR with 13 fantasy points. Decent day for J-Mac. B-
4. LeSean McCoy– 22nd RB this week for McCoy, not a bad #2 RB and a good flex. B+
5. Fred Jackson–Lynch got hurt, which helped Jackson, but still just the 30th RB. Not bad. B-

Sit ‘Em Son: I don’t care where they were drafted, I don’t like these guys starting this week…

1. Joseph Addai– 19th RB, not a great number for Addai, but solid enough. C-
2. Derrick Mason– Derrick Mason had a day, making me look foolish. #9 WR… F
3. Jay Cutler – 19th quarterback overall, Jay had a nice interception to end it. Yep. B+
4. Roy Williams – Roy boy had 4 targets in Week 11, he converted 0 of those. Ha. A++
5. Matthew Stafford– And Matthew Stafford had the best day ever for a rookie. Yep. F—

***Look out for the injuries that went down this week, hope you didn’t start Michael “The Burner” Turner or the old guys with head problems – bless their hearts!!!

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Week 11 Fantasy Rankings
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Who did we miss in Week 11, from QB to DST, here’s a short list and their respective rankings.

QB – Matthew Stafford (1), Brady Quinn (2), and Brett Favre (3) were all missed by every top 5 list in the show. One doesn’t look like the other, that’s for sure. If you can predict the next time Stafford and Quinn will finish 1, 2 – you have my blessing to take over my job.

RB – 1-6 were ignored by everyone, they went like this… Ricky Williams, Jamal Charles, Kevin Smith, Jason Snelling, Justin Forsett, and Ryan Grant. I knew Ricky was going to have a nice week, and Kevin Smith had upside going against the Browns run-D, but Snelling against the Giants? Justin Forsett against the Vikings? Ryan Grant had a pretty damn good week against a run D that has been tough all year.

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WR – Wes Welker (1), Terrell Owens (2), Hines Ward (4), Anquan Boldin, (7) Greg Jennings (8), Derrick Mason (9), and Mike Sims-Walker (10) – I think Walker might be right at the top of wide receiver consistency lists – when he plays, and starts, he’s been down right solid. Mason was on my bench list this week, so it didn’t work out well for me. Greg Jennings had his best performance of the year. Anquan Boldin grabbed the vision of Kurt Warner while Kurt was on the field, Hines got back on track against the Chiefs secondary – and Wes Welker and TO had HUGE days at the top. We caught something like 35 balls while TO went for nearly 200 yards in a tough loss for the Bills.

TE – Kevin Boss (1), Heath Miller (2), Visanthe Shiancoe (5), and Brandon Petitgrew (6) – were the top 4 options that we left off the list. TE’s are tough, man, what can you say? Just like receivers, predicting their hot games are tough.

Def/ST – We pretty much sucked defensively this week, all picking high teen and some twenty numbers – of course we ranked our defenses very close with each other. The Patriots (1) Chargers (3) and Redskins (4) all missed our Top 5 lists. Damn us!

Arses Five Favorites: Week 11 NFL Picks

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Okay, so this is my first picks article ever, and while I’ve said many times that this stuff is easy, we’ll just have to see. I’ve done alright on my own card this year, so Lucky asked me to put my thoughts (that were making me money) down to paper. Since I’ve made most of my money taking favorites, I usually bet 3-5 favorites a game, LL told me to just go with what’s working and select my top five favorites per week (plus he says, Papa has the dogs). He told me that it was okay to go opposite him, which makes me even happier (because like I always say, anything worth playing is worth beating your friends at). Here’s what I got for week 11.

Indianapolis Colts (-1) @ Baltimore Ravens: It’s funny, Lucky got these guys as a dog (though just a point) earlier in the week, I get them here as a favorite, and I have to admit, I’m equally happy. I don’t see a point making the difference. There’s no doubt that the Ravens have some confidence, and they love when nobody gives them a chance, giving them a shot in this game. But Peyton has owned the Ravens, and this isn’t even close to Baltimore’s best secondary they’ve had over the years. This one seems easy enough.

Green Bay Packers (-6) @ home vs. San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers have played a lot of close games, and they can run it, but the Packers are definitely a trouble-match-up for San Francisco. They put a lot of pressure on young receivers with their physical corners, and they don’t run the ball that much on offense, so who cares if the 49ers shut down the run well. San Francisco did not play to win last week against Chicago, and they are lucky to hold on against a bad team. I like Green Bay to win by a couple touchdowns.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-8.5) @ home vs. Buffalo Bills: The Jaguars have been great of late, and they are feeding their best player the ball. The Bills are a mess, fired head coach, terrible offense, new quarterback, injury ridden defense – nothing much to like there. Jacksonville is better than given credit for.

New England (-10.5) @ home vs. New York Jets: I just don’t see the Jets hanging in there twice in a row. The Patriots weren’t playing well to start the season while the Jets were playing on cloud 9. That hasn’t continued, on either side. The Pats have been back to domination on offense, their defense has been stout, and the Jets have fallen hard in both areas. Injuries and youth have not served them well. Plus you have the Pats coming out fired up, looking for redemption and to put last week’s last second loss to the Colts out of their minds. I expect a Patriots killing.

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) @ Chicago Bears: Lucky’s right about this one, the Bears just aren’t good. Neither of these teams have been stellar, but the opportunistic Eagles defense against Jay Cutler – lets just say Va-Jay-Jay Cutler will be making that shame face early and often. I’m looking for him to wrap up the passing title this week, passing to opposing teams that is. Gimmie the Eagles.

Papas Picks: Week 11 NFL Underdogs! Jets, Raiders, Rams

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I’m buying what the dogs are selling. That’s right, I believe last week’s winners weren’t a fluke. I’m going back to them and the big points they are getting!

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Tennessee Titans (+4.5) @ Houston Texans: Vince is back baby! Okay, maybe Chris Johnson is the guy flourishing, but the Titans continue to win when Vince is at the helm, undefeated since his return to the top spot, and I think that continues. They were good last year, they’ve been good lately! I’m buying in for +4.5! You bet!

Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams (+10): Yeah, I know, the Rams didn’t win last week you say, well they did in my book, and every other sports book. As you well know, the winners don’t always win in this game. The Rams have been awesome on the ground, running on everyone lately – that has to continue for them to have a chance, but the Cardinals are known to throw up a stinker form time to time – and Steven Jackson can keep the Rams close.

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+11.5): What do all the Saints recent struggles have in common? Well, they’ve won them all, but they’ve lost ATS or struggled in games Sedrick Ellis has missed. He’s out again, and with no dominant run stuffer to clog the middle, the Saints D just ins’t the same. Plus, Tampa has played well of late, giving many a team hell. The rookie QB, Josh Freeman, has been plenty good to cover them spreads.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Kansas City Chiefs (+11.5): I can’t believe I’m getting 11.5 for the Chiefs in KC. That’s awesome. The Steelers have blown two teams out this year, and the Chiefs (while only winning two of their last 5) have covered 4 games in their last 5 chances. The short passing game of the Chiefs should cut down on the Steelers explosive blitzes, I think the Chiefs cover their 5th in 6 games.

Washington Redskins (+11) @ Dallas Cowboys: I like the Redskins here. What can I say, their defense is too good to get 11 from Dallas, and this is a big rivalry game. The Redskins may be 3-6, 2-6-1 ATS, but they’ve had some close games against good teams, and they won last week, beating up on the Broncos. I believe!