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.

Ask Papa Weimer: Week 11 Fantasy Football Questions

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Remember, hit me up with football questions at papaweimer50@hotmail.com…

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Alright folks, I don’t have any crazy into this week, just some fantasy questions and answers. Well I do have one thing, injuries suck and they can derail fantasy seasons. And in the NFL it can certainly be tough, but nothing is more ridiculous than NBA Fantasy Basketball and the injuries that go down in that crap. I finally told Lucky I’d play fantasy hoops with him, and I swear I have more “day-to-day” “questionable” “probable” “out” “out indefinitely” stupid reports about my players than I even have roster spots. What a joke. If football players didn’t play with things like sprained thumbs and strained calves, NFL games would stop after Week 4. Here’s my Q and A for Week 11!

Miguel writes, “Thank you so much for your detailed response last time; it really was good help! This week, I am in a spot trying to determine who to start at RB.  This is a PPR league that counts return yards. I can pick two between – Brandon Jacobs, Justin Forsett and LeSean McCoy. Thanks for the help!”

Miguel,  Glad I could help, and hope you enjoy the site.  I would go with Brandon Jacobs and McCoy – both McCoy and Forsett have their downsides in their match-up. 1 – the Hawks play the Vikings 2 – the Eagles love to pass the ball, hate running it. But without Westy in there, I think McCoy gets some targets in the passing game. 5-8 catches wouldn’t surprise me at all. I LOVE Justin Forsett’s ability, I’ve been begging Jim Mora to play that guy since about Week 3, and he finally got touches and put up big numbers against a dominate run defense in Arizona last week. But I still think Jim Mora is too stupid to give Forsett 20 touches this week against the Vikings. There’s very little room to run in Minnesota, and I think Hasselbeck will be looking for his receivers out wide against a Vikes secondary playing without Antoine Winfield. I think your best bets are McCoy and Jacobs.

Stanleigh in Cali says, ” I am getting hammered the last two weeks and have slipped to 4th place with two consecutive losses. Need a “W” this week and always appreciate your words of wisdom. Would you start Thomas Jones and Betts this week over Matt Forte or Justin Forsett? How about Marshall, Hester and Jennings over Hakeem Nicks?”

I might start Forte over Betts, Betts has a so/so to tough match-up, but I think Forte could catch a lot of balls against the Eagles – and Philly doesn’t have the greatest rush defense either. The Bears suck, but you might as well go down with your top pick and if he’s every going to do anything, this week in a huge Sunday Night game against Philadelphia is the right time. Other than that, yeah, I like your chances this week. Marshall could blow up against the Chargers, despite their solid pass D rating, Jennings has pretty easy match-ups going forward, it sure would help me out if he started catching touch down passes – and as for Hester, I don’t know, he’s probably your best bet for looks, because Jay loves to throw the ball, but Hakeem Nicks against the Falcons might be a nice chance for big points – Nicks is a stud, and while he shares starter minutes with Manningham, Nicks has proven to have the better hands – and while he’s more of a risk than Hester, he could capitalize on that solid match-up. Tough call, I think I’d stick with Hester based on his higher number of targets and the Eagles give up some big plays just about every week. Fantasy can get you down, no doubt, I’ve had a tough couple weeks in 2 of my leagues, keep losing by a couple every week. Tough deal.

And here’s one from last week that went well for Tami, she wrote, “SO I think I need some advice this week. So far, I’m 9-0 in a point per yard league. This week though, I’m torn with my RB and QB. Do I start Aaron Rodgers or Joe Flacco?? Flacco had a great game against Cle in week 3 but Rodgers has done great things for me this year.”

Tami,  Joe Flacco or Aaron Rodgers huh, I think I would go with Rodgers. Flacco’s match-up is solid, no doubt, and he did throw for 300 million yards last time he faced the Browns, but Rodgers has 6 consecutive multiple touchdown games. The Packers throw way too often, which isn’t good for winning actual football games, but come fantasy football, that’s exactly what you want. He’s thrown for 260+ yards 6 times in 8 games. That’s pretty impressive, plus, against a pass rush even better than the Cowboys’ and a very similar secondary (maybe Bid D’s is a little better than Minnesota’s, but it’s close) Rodgers threw for 380+ yards and 2 touchdowns, then 286 yards and 3 touchdowns – so he’s had success against the big aggressive defenses. Flacco’s a solid option, I just think they run the ball more this time out.

And here’s the other piece of advice I gave Tami that didn’t go so well, “Also, do I start Brown or Mendenhall? Brown has been in a small slump and Mendenhall got my win last week. My other backs are Adrian Peterson and Ricky Williams. Any advice is appreciated!”

So you need to start three, and you’re already starting Ricky Williams and Adrian Peterson? I think I would add Ronnie Brown to that mix if I had the choice between him and Mendenhall – however, Mendenhall and Ricky Williams would be the two guys I’m debating. On one hand you have Mendenhall, a big tough runner that has had some big games so far this year, including putting up 155 yards against a very tough Denver run defense, (I think he had 120 in the 2nd half alone, and it’s not like he had any long touchdown runs to pad his per carry stats). On the other hand, you have Ricky, a guy that’s played awesome this year, and has become a huge part of that rushing attack, and he’s playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense of all defenses – his stock is shooting up. It’s hard to start two running backs from the same team, but if there’s any situation where that would be a solid option, it would be Miami at home against Tampa Bay.

However, after considering everything, I think I’d pick AP, Ronnie Brown, and Mendenhall. I just want to buy into the Steelers committing to the run. Since he became the starter in Week 4, Rashard has not rushed for less than 62 yards, (165, 77, 62, 69, 155) and has rushed for fewer than 5.1 yards per carry just once. He’s had good numbers per carry against good defenses, (6.9 against Minnesota, 7.0 against Denver) so you wouldn’t think he’d be eliminated by the Bengals D. It’s a tough choice, definitely, but his consistency, and the fact that Ricky has rushed for fewer than 60 yards on 4 different occasions, plus just 27 and 33 yards the last two weeks, I’d have to go with Rashard. If you’re picking two guys, I would probably stick with AP and Ronnie Brown.

How’s a guy supposed to know that Ronnie Brown is getting hurt and Ricky will carry more than he’s carried all season. I hope you got the win anyway, Tami! Sorry!

Fantasy Focus: Week 11 Fantasy Football Rankings

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Alright, it’s getting a little terrible. Josh has won 2 weeks in a row, and I received his fantasy rankings this week entitled, “The Three-peat Rankings” – Puke. Not only did I get dominated last week, I set an all time low for fantasy rankings on my own site, pulling home 4th in every single category. Heartache, pain, suffering – none of that, don’t worry – I’m just downright pissed off at my inability to see the entire board lately. But I’m destined to get back to my winning ways, so why not start this week? You’ve got to believe in your stuff, and confidence has never been an issue for me. Let the games begin! It’s about time someone else started winning Arse. If you three-peat, I’ll send you a present to the darkness!

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

1. Maurice Jones Drew– The Bills allow more yards and touchdowns to running backs than any other team in the NFL. Yep.
2. Chris Johnson – I do actually think the Texans D will play better this time around, but so what, CJ will still do work.
3. Adrian Peterson – Big Backs kill Hawks – it’s very similarly proven to E=MC2.
4. Peyton Manning – I can’t see a better QB option this week, the Ravens secondary should prepare for the worst.
5. Ray Rice– If the Ravens want to beat the Colts for the first time in 7 games, they better feed it to Ray.

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

1. Steve Smith (NYG) – The Giants SS is good to go this week, the Falcons secondary is porous.
2. Rashard Mendenhall – Mendenhall > Kansas City Chiefs.
3. DeSean Jackson – I’m loving DeSean against the Bears secondary. That kind of speed should torch them.
4. Ricky Williams –Ricky moves up from sleeper status because of Ronnie’s injury. I’d be starting him if I had him.
5. Sidney Rice –Tough to go against Rice right now, especially with Seattle in town.

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

1. Justin Forsett – I don’t care if the Hawks are headed up against Minnesota, this kid can find yards if he gets carries.
2. Beanie Wells – Last week I called his best week of the season, I’m going for 2 in a row.
3. Jeremy Maclin –The Bears will see a lot of passes this Sunday Night, Maclin, like Jackson, has that painful speed.
4. LeSean McCoy– McCoy has a good match-up against the Bears, a defensive front that isn’t as scary as they insist.
5. Fred Jackson– It’s a deep trick shot, for sure, but Fred should see his highest touch numbers since Lynch returned.

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

1. Joseph Addai– He burned me in the 4th quarter last week, but I think I’m right this time.
2. Derrick Mason– The Pats killed the Colts secondary, but I think the Ravens run too much this week.
3. Jay Cutler – He has the talent to bust out any week, but the Eagles will feast on his mistakes if he plays like Jay Cutler.
4. Roy Williams – The Cowboys won’t have time to mess with the whole #1 receiver game, the Skins have a tough secondary.
5. Matthew Stafford– Don’t start a bad player because of a supposed good match-up, plus the Browns D is better than you think.

***No more Bye weeks, but don’t get caught starting old man Clinton Portis or older man Brian Westbrook – both are definitely out this week, and there’s other’s too! Mind the Doctor!!!

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Week 11 Fantasy Rankings

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Fantasy Focus Review: NFL Week 10 Fantasy Football

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Oh, it was too good of a start for me – this week was an all time low for Ol’ Lucky Lester – it was also an all-time “Team Lucky Lester” low in the fantasy rankings as I swept the 4th spot in every single category. Tough week indeed! Josh took 1st place, Red Red Ryan (despite his inability to communicate with anyone during his new Modern Warfare game’s release month) managed to wrap up 2nd place, while Papa Weimer and then Me, definitely in that order, came in 3rd and 4th. I’ll try to get back on track next week, but for now, this is how Week 10 went down – and I do mean DOWN!

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

1. Ray Rice– 16th RB in Week 10, 18 fantasy points, the Browns shut him out of the passing attack. C
2. Chris Johnson – #1 overall fantasy player. A+
3. Michael Turner – Hurt in the 2nd quarter, had 111 yards on 9 carries. B
4. DeAngelo Williams – DeAngelo was rested a bit, as Jon Stewart carried more of the load. Will had 120 yards from scrimmage, but no touchdowns and was just the 21st RB in Week 10. C-
5. Thomas Jones– Thomas Jones didn’t carve up the Jags like I thought he would, 77 yards and a TD. C-

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

1. Carson Palmer – No offensive TDs in this game, Palmer was 23rd QB in Week 10. F
2. Percy Harvin – 40th WR overall in Week 10, 9 fantasy point, obviously Rice was getting Brett’s passes. C
3. Pierre Thomas – Reggie Bush was the productive runner of choice in Week 10, he was 8th, PT out of Top 30. F
4. Devin Hester – 29th WR in Week 10, not great, not too shabby. Maybe if Cutler didn’t throw 5 to the Niners…  B-
5. Sidney Rice –4th WR this week, one of the greatest receiving days in Viking history with 201 yards. No TDs… A

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

1. Reggie Bush – Bush suprised everyone (besides me) and busted 6 rushes for 86 yards and two total TDs. A+
2. Beanie Wells – “Call it a feeling, Beanie might have his best game as a pro.” Got it right! #3 RB in Week 10. A+
3. Steve Breaston –Ta-tas gets 16th WR spot in Week 10, awesome for a #3 receiver. A
4. Mark Sanchez– Sanchez was 21st amongst QBs in Week 10, 10 fantasy points – he hurt the Jets… D+
5. Ricky Williams – Ricky had 100 yards rushing, getting 20 carries when Brown went down. 24th RB. B-

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

1. Joseph Addai– Addai was 13th RB in Week 10. Through 3 quarters he had done nothing. But in the 4th Addai totaled 2 touchdowns. He had just 68 total yards in Week 10. Still, his 2 TDs made his day nice. F
2. Wes Welker– I was close on the catch prediction, but wrong on the yards, Wes had 9 for 94- a good week. F
3. Matt Forte – Forte had 20 carries for 41 yards. A. Oh wait, 8 grabs for 120 yards too? Shoot. F
4. Mike Sims-Walker– 3 catches for 49 yards and a score. Not great, but pretty decent against Revis. C-
5. Julius Jones– He got hurt, but I’ll take my A+ – I need it this week! A+

***The Giants and Texans finished off the byes, now only injuries keep players out of your line-ups, you needent mind the gap any longer!!!

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Week 9 Fantasy Rankings

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Who did we miss in Week 10, from QB to DST, here’s a short list and their respective rankings.

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QB – Marc Bulger (5), Philip Rivers (6), Jake Delhomme (7) – weird, nobody had the balls to pick Marc and Jake.

RB – Steven Jackson (2), Justin Forsett (3), Chris Wells (3), Jamal Charles (5), Matt Forte (6), Reggie Bush (8) – I mentioned Wells’ having a big day, but I didn’t pick him. I’ve been writing Jim Mora all season sending him hate mail about continuing to ignore Justin Forsett, his hand was forced on Sunday with Jones out, and look what happened. Jamal Charles had a nice week after barely getting any looks a week ago. Matt Forte was terrible running but had 8 grabs for 120 yards despite Jay Cutler throwing 5 picks. Reggie made the most of his 6 carries and 2 catches, scoring twice and accruing 100+ yards.

WR – T.J. Houshmandzadeh (5), Jason Avant (6), Donnie Avery (7), Wes Welker, (8) Lee Evans (9), Maclin (10) – It’s no wonder that we all left Avant and Avery off the list, but both played big time on Sunday. Housh was open all day, again, but only this time Matt Hasselbeck actually threw him the ball. Wes Welker had 9 grabs for 90+ yards, Lee Evans managed to find two touchdown passes from Trent Edwards, that’s magic in and of itself. Maclin kept his strong rookie season going with 6 grabs, 76 yards, and a touchdown.

TE – Brent Celek (2), Will Heller (5), Dustin Keller (6), John Carlson (7) – It was probably a mass oversight that we left Carlson out, maybe we all thought he’d be blocking all day, at least I did. Celek continues to have awesome days, he was a great value TE pick this year. Heller, come on, how do we predict that? Dustin Keller has been solid, and was a big part of the Jets passing attack on Sunday.

Def/ST – Packers (2), 49ers (3), Bengals (5) – Apparently last time the Bengals all but shut down the Steelers, none of us believed. I have a feeling you’ll see “Bengals” in most Top 5s from here on out. The Packers absolutely dominated the Cowboys, and that was great, Dallas didn’t even score until the 4th quarter near end-game. The 49ers caught balls from Jay Cutler all night, 5 to be precise, that’s how they finished 3 for the week.

Ten for Tuesday Week 10 Fantasy Football Review

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Yes, JaMarcus Russell is that bad. I don’t know what else there is to say. The guy keeps getting benched, but he keeps starting. It’s as if they watch half the game, figure out he has no chance to succeed with his work ethic and tunnel vision, only to forget that during practice the next week. Now, it has to be tough when the back-up comes in and manages a lower QB rating than your terrible starter, but Bruce Gradkowski managed to do it.  I can’t wait to see what happens next week on NFL-kind-of. Pretty soon there’s going to be defensive player side-bets picking the quarter and minute that Ja-Rus gets the hook….   Speaking of bad, hello Mr. Brady Quinn, come on down to the “at least we didn’t waste a #1 overall pick on your ace like the Raiders did with Ja-Rus” sweepstakes. Jeopardy’s going to have a section called, “worst 1st round quarterback class of all time” – there’s going to be one damn answer for all 5 questions if it keeps on keeping on….  Did you forget you were allowed to run the ball Cowboys, Seahawks, Eagles, Falcons, Broncos, and Bills? I don’t care, the games were close, and you needed to run it more. Some will give the Falcons a free-be here, they had their top two backs out midway through the 2nd quarter, but I don’t care, those were the Panthers you were playing. Dallas, really? Three good backs and you run fewer times than Warren Moon handed off for the freaking Oilers? Jim Mora, I hate you. Eagles, you know the story, stop it. Broncos, you were successful on the ground, the Redskins are #1 against the pass, I don’t care how you are. Bills, you suck at everything besides running. You have two good running backs, and two bad quarterbacks. I know, do a hurry-up. Clown noses on coaches make for bad game plans….

I haven’t heard much from the Jets Coach Ryan these days. Hard to be a loud-ass when you’re 4-5, I wonder how many interviews we’ll have of him talking about how they’re going to come in and beat up the Patriots this week? Right after that loss to the tough Jaguars? I’m guessing 0…..   Jay Culter, with your stupid pouty face and your arrant right arm, you are becoming my favorite player to watch. It’s between you and Ellie Manning right now (I hate watching Eli, but when he turns to Ellie – golden). I’m beginning to think you’re taking the crown away, 3 interceptions that were TERRIBLE throws? One on the last play of the game from 10 yards out, your receiver running toward the side line, you throw it to the safety in the middle – awesome!….. In a league full of freak athletes, amazing moves, and unbelievable speed, Chris Johnson, you are on another level. The way Chris makes everyone else look like they’re jogging is pure magic. I will watch Titan games just to see this kid run the ball. I used to think there were tons of good backs in the NFL, but the only two guys in CJ’s ballpark are Maurice Jones Drew and Adrian Peterson. Everyone thinks AP is running away with that title, but Chris might be at the top of my list…..

Jim Mora, do you have something to say for yourself? Two words buddy, Justin Forsett. And then one word you need to say, Sorry! How this kid hasn’t been a bigger part of your offense the last 10 weeks of the season is beyond me. He’s always been the best runner you have, he’s the best receiver out of the backfield you have, and his style is perfect for your offense, an offense that saw Warrick Dunn do work for years after people thought he was done. Even on Sunday, up 17-10 going into half, and the running back that is getting 7 yards per rush against one of the best run stuffing defenses in the NFL only gets 17 carries? At least Matt Hasselcrack threw 52 times, completing half his throws – that makes sense. I hate you, Jim, that’s twice in one article….. If Beanie Wells can stay healthy, and motivated, and Arizona commits to running the ball the kid is going to be special. Beanie has a mean stiff arm, he’s a big physical angry runner, and he’s faster than most backs in the league. Beanie has never been known for his hard work, but he looks like a beast right now…..   Bill Belichick, you have balls, big ones. Let me start by saying, my undercarriage couldn’t even think about going for it in that situation, and I wouldn’t ever do it unless I was coaching middle school football and the gong show that snapping the ball and punting is at that level. But when it comes right down to it, if you get two yards, you win the game. I would imagine that if you gave almost any team in the NFL that choice versus the Colts, “If you were playing the Colts, and had one chance at 2 yards to get the win, would you try for the W?” they would say, “yeah, shoot, sounds good to me.” Giving Peyton two minutes, two timeouts, needing 70 yards to score is about 50-50 anyway. Maybe 60-40 to the Pats advantage. But getting two yards wins you the game. My call? No, but the wrong call? I’m not going that far. Bill’s a pretty good coach, better than me, better than any of the guys that questioned him – I think I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt….

Buffalo, your 4th quarters are like a bad Ben Stiller movie. It makes my eyes sting to watch you piss it away. I’m embarrassed for you. I hurt for you. I don’t even like you and I feel sorry for you. You keep saying (doing) the wrong thing at every turn. You drop passes, offend each other, and basically practice bad humor to get people to watch you. It’s not working. Stop.

Papas Picks: Week 10 NFL Underdogs! Lions, Bengals, Bills, Seahawks

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Last week I marched to my old ace drum, and what do you know, I came out aces, going 3-1 with my only ATS loss coming when the freaking Seahawks flew in late, just in the nick of time, taking a meaningless last minute interception to the house, getting Lucky Lester and the rest of the Hawks backers a win despite being outplayed throughout. But still, a tough loss, I’ll take 3-1 with a tough loss. You like underdogs? I sure do – here’s my top underdogs in Week 10.

Detroit Lions (+17) @ Minnesota Vikings: There’s not much to say about this one, except last time Detroit played the Vikings, the Lions played them tough. This is a 17 point spread, I’ll basically take anyone and 17 points – this one just proves it.

Cincinnati Bengals (+7.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers: I get that extra half a point from 5 Dimes, I have to take this one. Lucky has said all along that these two teams are basically equal, and from what I’ve read, the home team doesn’t dominate this series. Cinci’s been great, I think they continue and keep this one close. 7.5, really? Has what Cincinnati has done meant nothing?

Buffalo Bills (+9.5) @ Tennessee Titans: Please. The Titans have won 2 in a row, that doesn’t mean they’re back to being the same team that won 13 straight to start the 2008 season. The Titans haven’t looked good enough to be a 9.5 point favorite against anyone, especially a Bills team that’s good at stopping an offense if they do just 1 thing. All the Titans do is run. This one will be closer.

Seattle Seahawks (+9) @ Arizona Cardinals: Listen, the Cardinals have been so up and down this year, and not very good at home, I’ll even take the Hawks against them. Seattle is coming off a bye week, something their injured list desperately needed, and I think it helps them against the Cardinals. Last time out, the Cards did exactly what Lucky thought they’d do, beating up the Hawks in all aspects. But Seattle isn’t as bad as their record insists, and I think they come out with a little pride in a game that has basically come down to being their season.

Ask Papa Weimer: Fantasy Football Advice Week 10

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I’ve been doing my thing. I hope all you readers are digging my advice, I’m getting more emails than ever before, and having a pretty good time interacting with the LL.com supporters out there – keep ’em coming, papaweimer50@hotmail.com – I can always dig some reader interaction. That being said, I can’t get everything right, all I can do is tell you what I think, give you the reasoning behind my opinion (as unpopular or crazy as it may seem, or turn out, for that matter), and take the good and the bad as it comes.

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Before I answer any questions, I’d like to let everyone know, never again will I draft a player that had their offensive coordinator fired just before the season… Never again will I eat a Taco Bell Black Jack Taco… Never will I ever even think about drafting a receiver getting balls thrown to him by any one of the following QB impostors, Jake Delhomme, Trent Edwards, Brady or Derek, JaMarcus, a rookie with a “big arm” (that one’s for you Mr. Stafford), or Kerry Collins… Never again will I expect great things out of a receiver in a new place (unless you’re Randy Moss-like and headed to Tom Brady’s neighborhood), or a receiver with a new coach, or a receiver with a new coach in a new place in a bad system, or Roy Williams… And last but not least, never again will I go watch football with my nephew, that Lucky little bastard switches around from game to game faster than my wife flicks through the damn channels when nothing’s on – that’s the only time in my life I wish I didn’t have every damn channel on TV. She goes so fast I can’t even see the naked breasts on skinamax…. NEVER AGAIN! Okay, vent complete, here’s the Q&A section!

Dave in Dakota says, “Papa, I hope the fantasy Gods have been smiling on you. I am hanging in there with my teams. Real quick, Which of these RBs should I try to pickup? (Betts,Bernard Scott,Forsett,Reggie Bush, or Kolby Smith?) These guys won’t start unless a good match up. Maybe a possible keeper in that bunch?”

The fantasy Gods have backed off the humility lesson the last few weeks, and I’m doing better. I would pick up Reggie Bush – he has been very explosive of late, and his surgery looks to be effecting him less and less –  then probably Kolby Smith (his upside is starter in KC where I don’t think anybody else has starter upside in that bunch. Next would be Justin Forsett (though that guy can’t buy touches, he’s always way more efficient than any other Hawk ball carrier but Mora hates his couch). And last Scott. I like Scott’s ability, he’s just a no-touch guy behind Benson (who has become a beast). Hope that helps!

Coach D in Minnesota asks, “Which WR Chambers or James Jones? What do you think of Bengals Def. vs the Packers Def?”

I would probably go with James Jones. I’ve always thought the guy was a starting WR in the league, and he’s making the most of his touches, I think he has 4 touchdowns in the last 4 games or so. Plus, with Nelson out, he’s become the sure #3 WR there, and they have many 3WR sets. But Chambers is a little intriguing. He just did nothing in the last couple years, so it’s hard for me to fully buy in to that performance.

I like the Bengals defense a lot, very opportunistic and stout up front. The Packers are okay, but not great by any means. You can’t trust them to play well any week.

Stan in San Fran writes, “All right, Papabear… here is the scenario: I have been offered Ronnie Brown and Buchalter in exchange for Forte and Westbrook. My other backs are Thomas Jones, Felix Jones and Ladell Betts. Brown and Jones would provide me with a solid RB foundation and their schedules are favorable; plus, both offenses are run oriented. I am, “on paper”, giving up a lot, but, that is only if Forte and Westbrook were performing at projected levels. Your thoughts?”

Papabear? Haha – I don’t even know how to respond to that. I guess I’ll just answer the question and eat all the honey later. I think your offer could be good for you, but Ronnie Brown isn’t always used as he should be, in fact, rarely does he get 20+ carries – then again, neither Forte or Westbrook look like awesome choices going forward either, and I would definitely rather have Brown than either of those two guys. Yeah, I’d go with the Ronnie Brown side of that trade – at the very least you know he’s going to get his carries and they do have a relatively easy schedule moving forward while Forte’s is tough.

Stan also writes, “In addition, and if the trade doesn’t go through, do I start Jones and Forte this week or do I insert Betts with a more favorable matchup than Forte (plus the short week and travel).”

I think I would start Forte and Jones or Betts – Jones just isn’t consistent enough for me, and at the very least I think Forte could catch 5 o 6 balls this week. Betts goes up against a tough Denver defense, but Clinton’s back-up will be getting starter carries, and he’s good at catching the ball out of the back-field as well. It’s a toss up to me, between Jones and Betts, but I think I might go with Betts.

Super Man Canada asks, “I need a look in your crystal ball. What do you see for Ronnie Brown? Ronnie Brown’s numbers have been down lately, do you think defenses are getting the best of the Wildcat, starting to figure it out a bit? My man is slipping.”

I don’t think it’s that, I think it’s that they’ve played the Saints, Jets, and Patriots in 3 straight weeks and Brown hasn’t approached 20 carries in any of those games. Prior to that he had 18 or more carries in 4 straight games, and that’s when he rushed for nearly 400 yards and 6 touchdowns. Who knows, the crystal ball has no guarantees, but Brown looks like one of the better bets moving forward – you know the Dolphins are going to run it, they’re at their best with the ball in Ronnie’s hands, and they play a pretty easy run schedule going forward. Plus, lots of smart people thought Ronnie would have a great year, can’t go against my gut when I’m half way through being right!

The Planless Man asks, “I have been offered Romo, Evans and Maroney for Boldin, Schaub, and Greene. What do you think? I know what I am thinking, but I want to see if you are thinking along the same lines as me. Thanks!”

Not for me. Schaub is better than Romo (though i like both), Boldin is way better than Evans, and while you gain a little with Maroney, I doubt he’ll be a player that is a difference maker for you. So you lose. Unless you’re starting Maroney as one of your Top running backs, you have to steer clear of this deal, a small upgrade at your #3 RB isn’t worth losses at your starting WR and QB spots. Plus, the DECLINE button is awesome to click!

Fantasy Focus: Week 10 Fantasy Football Rankings

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Okay, so I’m a little butt-hurt after losing the crown to a non-family member last week, but then I started thinking, friends, good ones, they’re like family anyway – and as much as I believe that, and know that it’s true, it didn’t make me feel one ounce of better. Josh won last week, inching me here, sneaking past me there, and just finishing ahead of me in numerous areas. I don’t like the feeling and I don’t like losing to friends, it’s almost worst than losing to people I don’t know – shoot, it’s 10x worse than losing to people I don’t know.

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Anyway, this week should see the title return to the rightful owner of pure fantasy genius. It’s an all RB Elite starts this week, I couldn’t pass it up with so many great match-ups. Consequently, there are 5 RBs there and not one of them is Adrian Peterson against Detroit. I justify that by saying that Detroit allows a lot more passing TDs than rushing scores, that the Vikings like to rest Peterson when up big against bad teams, and AP has just 2 100+ yard rushing games this year. But why do I feel like that’s going to come back to haunt me? Oh well. Here’s this week’s fantasy focus.

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

1. Ray Rice– I never thought I’d put Ray Rice as my number guy, but he’s been great.
2. Chris Johnson – I think this game will be closer than people predict, but CJ will kill.
3. Michael Turner – Atlanta’s back to doing what they do best, and Turner is solid.
4. DeAngelo Williams – The Falcons can’t stop him, but John Fox will try.
5. Thomas Jones– “@ Jacksonville” – that’s all I needed to see.

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

1. Carson Palmer – I think he has a big week in Pittsburgh, despite struggling last time.
2. Percy Harvin – I love they dynamic rookie going up against the TD giving Lions.
3. Pierre Thomas – Somebody has to carry 20+ times against the Rams, I pick PT.
4. Devin Hester – I don’t see the Bears running very successfully in San Fran.
5. Sidney Rice –He basically went undrafted, but he’s been too good to be a sleeper.

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

1. Reggie Bush – Face it, he’s down to sleeper status, but I think he’s worth a start.
2. Beanie Wells – Call it a feeling, but Beanie might have his best game as a pro.
3. Steve Breaston –Ta-tas likes to hurt the Hawks, even with Boldin in he’s worthy.
4. Mark Sanchez– He’ll be solid, and his running ability will accrue some points.
5. Ricky Williams – Ricky has been good this year, maybe he shouldn’t be considered a sleeper, but either way, he’s worth a flex spot against the Bucs defense.

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

1. Joseph Addai– I might start him, but I won’t like it. I don’t see Addai running much.
2. Wes Welker– The Colts often do a good job on Wes ~ 7 catches for 40 yards I expect.
3. Matt Forte – You never know, but I think, and that’s good enough for me to sit him.
4. Mike Sims-Walker– I think D. Revis continues his work on big receivers.
5. Julius Jones– A nice game last week, but nothing for him in Arizona.

***One very small Bye for Week 10: don’t play Giants or Texans, they’re throwing a two team party in Vegas! Mind this little Gap!!!

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Week 9 Fantasy Rankings

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Ten for Tuesday: Week 9 Fantasy Football Review

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Unfortunately, this is the Wednesday version of 10 for Tuesday, this one took a back seat to some other articles I had to throw up for Tuesday’s publishing, but don’t you worry, like cheese and Barry Bonds, it only got better with time….

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6 to 7 coaches need to watch Peyton Manning and the Colts execute a game plan on any given week. Maybe then guys like John Fox, whomever is calling plays in Buffalo, Jack Del Rio, Tom Coughlin and company, and a couple other team decision makers can see what it’s like to stick to a plan. If anything, the Colts know who they are and they go after it. Watching Peyton break out into a no-huddle, so a linebacker would have to continue guarding Dallas Clark, was awesome. What a smart team….    The Giants use of Brandon Jacobs pissed me off more than anything else. How can you be at the end of a close game and looking at a box score that shows Jacobs has just 11 carries for 67 yards? Who is the tool shed that decided Jacobs’ 6 yards per carry were just too damn efficient to be used 15 more times? I just don’t get it…..   How about the Cowboys forcing the ball to Roy Williams all day in Philly? I wish that had backfired. That kind of middle school, make everybody happy by giving them the ball, get everyone in, type of crap, especially in the freaking NFL, is a joke. Fortunately, Miles Austin didn’t mind one bit and when the game was on the line, Austin did work and won the game for Dallas. It’s still clown work…..

Vince Young is a winner, sorry if you don’t like it. You have to give a guy his credit, and Vince, from the very start, came in and won football games. Sure, he’s had his troubles, he might not be the most mentally tough player in the league, and he might feel as entitled as a spoiled little rich kid, but when it comes to football, VY wins games. Even his accuracy has been solid. He’ll never blow you away with numbers, but he is a threat to run and teams have to be aware of that. That’s one more thing to think about, and so far, it’s one too many things for opponents to think about…. The Green Bay Packers offensive line is good at run-blocking. They are bad at pass blocking. Aaron Rodgers is an accurate missile thrower but he holds the ball too long. What does all that add up to? Run the damn ball. If the Packers ran to set up the pass, or at least ran the ball consistently early in games, Aaron would be able to use the play action pass to his advantage. He could hold the ball long and probably live a long productive life. The way it’s going now, he’s going to be in a cast or two watching Matt Flynn running the show….   That whole Chad Johnson business is ridiculous. That’s right, I’m just going to call him Chad Johnson like I’d call Drew Bledsoe, chump – because it makes me feel better than typing incorrect Spanish mashed together into one awkward name. He probably knew he’d get fined. He definitely didn’t think a dollar was getting him anywhere. He obviously was just having a good time with it. But this is the no fun league. What really gets my taco-loving-goat is that it’s his interview afterward, using the word “BRIBE” that is the main reason why he’s going to be disciplined. Holy shit. What the hell do you call what he was pretending to do? The fact that grown men can be so butt-tossed over the use of a no-no word sounds a little too much like “The Village” to me, or if you’re looking for a good move, “Harry Potter” will do. So if he had said, “I just wanted to hand the official a dollar to see what I could get for a dollar” he’d be okay? The fine would be cut in half? Dumb….

If Vernon Davis walked up to me and said “Click, Clack” I might pull out my wallet and “See what I could get for a dollar”. The guy is nasty. He takes hits like it’s his job to prove how much bigger and badder he is then the next guy. And you know what, that is his job. And you know what, he is probably bigger and badder than the next guy. It has been refreshing to see his transformation into a big time NFL player. People always gave him a really hard time, but the kid has always been super competitive and a very hard worker, he just needed a little help with directing his attitude. Done and done…. Mike Sellers was the Redskins leading receiver against the Falcons. You heard me. A team that has traded, drafted, and signed receiver after receiver went to Mike Sellers enough to make him the leading receiver. What else, Jason Cambell probably attempted one pass over fifteen yards. The kid has a big arm, they have a speed demon that is known for making big plays down-field in Santana Moss. They have Devin Thomas who is one big, fast, s.o.b. They have Malcom Kelly who can make some plays in single coverage. And Randle El has been known to make a thing or two happen down field. This team has no idea what they are….. I’m pretty sure JaMarcus Russell and Derek Anderson had a QB competition during the bye and Russell lost. Anderson’s reward? He doesn’t have to play in front of people anymore. JaMarcus Russell’s response, “I did pretty good, completed a couple passes, I really can’t ask for more than finishing second, second is pretty solid. You know, it’s hard when you have to look through a tunnel.” True…..  Cedric Benson, I’m sorry for anything bad I ever said about you. You win. Just before the season, some schmuck in my Dynasty Fantasy Football league traded Steve Slaton away to get Cedric Benson. That was it. Benson for Slaton. I was outraged. “How could you be so dumb?” I asked again and again. Well, I think Slaton is a stud, and I’m sorry that Gary Kubiak has gone all Mike “Splinter” Shanahan on the poor kid, but even if Slaton wasn’t being benched for the elite services of Ryan Moats and Chris Brown, I think I would take back the whole, “How stupid can you be?” question. The question I’m asking now is, “How did you know? And what else do you see in that crystal ball?”

Fantasy Focus Review: Week 9 Fantasy Football

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Uh oh, could it be? Heading into Monday Night’s game, it’s looking like la familia might take their first loss in Week 9 – Calling Josh to let him know, and in a sneaky way, try to jinx him, I get this message. “I’m probably here, looking at my phone, seeing you’re calling to try and jinx me. But I won’t let it happen you sneaky S.O.B. If the stars align, I’ll be calling you later tonight to gloat. Oh, and if this is someone that has no idea what I’m talking about, sorry, leave a message for Josh and I’ll get back to you.” Awesome. Aside from that, I made some solid fantasy calls this week, hopefully helping you out on your way to Week 9 glory. Here’s how the week went down.

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

1. Maurice Jones Drew –MJD was only 8th amongst backs, 21 fantasy points weren’t bad, but KC did well. B
2. Tom Brady – Brady was 7th overall, not bad, but not Kurt Warner or anything. B-
3. Larry Fitzgerald – Larry finished as the Top Fantasy player in Week 9. That’s good enough for me! A+
4. Reggie Wayne– He was only 19th in the WR race, his interception wounded duck dropped him a notch. C
5. Pierre Thomas– Thomas finished 9th, which was pretty good for a time share back. Good work in Week 9. B+

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

1. Matt Hasselbeck – He was the 8th rated QB of Week 9, not a great week, but solid. I expected more. B
2. Steve Smith (NYG) – 10th WR this week for Smith, a nice go around, back to being solid. B+
3. Ryan Grant – 96 yards and a score for Grant, but the Packers still needed to run the ball more. B+
4. Mike Sims-Walker – Mike shined in the Jaguars win, catching 6 balls and rocking them for 140+ yards. A
5. Ahmad Bradshaw –27th running back overall this week, Bradshaw was shut down. D

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

1. Nate Burleson – Outscored by Housh, but by just a single point. Burleson was Top 20 in Week 9. B+
2. Julius Jones – 7th running back this week, that’s what I’m talking about. A
3. Steve Breaston – Breast was tied for 10th amongst WRs for Week 9, a great play. A
4. Alex Smith – Tied for 8th amongst QBs, a nice play in Week 9. Smith has nice confidence this time around. A-
5. Jamal Charles – 24th running back this week, Charles didn’t get the touches I expected, but decent flex play. C+

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

1. LaDainian Tomlinson– 22 yards rushing for LT, no scores, you’re welcome! A
2. Antonio Bryant– Late scratch, hopefully you took my advice and were sitting him anyway. A
3. Roy Williams – Best yardage game in some times, 5 catches for 75 wasn’t great, but better than I expected. D+
4. Steve Smith (CAR)– 33rd receiver this week, I feel bad for Steve his talent is elite, his QB not so much. B+
5. Matt Forte– Matt had a decent day in a PPR league, like these rankings, he finished 11th amongst fantasy backs in Week 9, but it was his 5 grabs and 75 receiving yards that moved him up the list, not his 33 rushing yards. C-

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Week 9 Fantasy Rankings

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Well, that’s that, Josh takes the crown this week and he’d like to dedicate his performance to a couple things. A – The Kyle Orton-Arm Strength Surgery fund (That’s KO-ASS), and B- the Darkness. I finished second, but Josh rocked three #1 spots this week and took the crown easily. We had some close match-ups, he got me by a point a couple times, but he had the right stuff in Week 9 – doing work in the darkness!

Who did we miss this week? For TEs, Greg Olsen busted out a career week with 3 touchdowns, 5 catches and 71 yards taking the top spot. Brandon Petitgrew made his first appearance in the Top 5, as the 4th TE this time around. Nobody thought the Bucs would stick it to the Packers, and even fewer people thought Tampa would rock Aaron Rodgers early and often and put up big time defensive points. But they did, and they took the top D spot. The Titans finished 3rd. People gave up on Mike Sims-Walker after a bad performance last week, but he was 3rd this time around. Hines Ward was 4th. And ready for this, Chris Chambers walked into Kansas City and put up 70 yards and 2 touchdowns on 3 catches for the Chiefs, good for 5th amongst WRs in Week 9. We had everybody in the Top 5 RB rankings besides Joseph Addai, who caught and rushed for a TD in a tight Colts win over Houston. As for QBs, nobody had the balls to go with Josh Freeman, the Tampa rookie that torched the Packers for 3 touchdowns in his first career start. Matt Cassel also did work, finishing 4th amongst QBs. Big Ben also got into the Top 5 with his Monday Night performance.

Big ups to Josh Arsenault, somebody had to steal the crown, his performance did the job admirably!

Papas Picks: Free NFL UNDERDOG Picks for Week 9

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Needless to say, after going 0-3 in Week 7 I took a week off. I can’t be rocking 0-3 numbers when my nephew spends a good amount of time picking every game and winning on a regular basis. Don’t get me wrong, that’s good for the site, and what’s good for the site is good for me, but I hate losing and refuse to do it. So I spent a little more time digging into some dogs this week, and I agree with 1 of Lucky’s Picks, and am against him on 3 of my own. Good luck to him, I hope he goes 10-3, a great week! Here’s where the wild goose goes:

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HOUSTON TEXANS (+9.5) @ Indianapolis Colts: The deal is Houston plays Peyton and company tough – it’s the way it is. Matt Schaub has become a young quarterback that can make it rain on the toughest of pass defenses, and look at the Colts secondary, the thing is a substitute teaching clinic right now. 3 starters out. And those aren’t the only injuries in Indy right now. A lot is being said about Steve Slaton’s benching, shoot, I think he has a big week for the Texans and and outright win for the road scholars in this one wouldn’t surprise me one bit. Lots of free points, sign me up!

Baltimore Ravens @ CINCINNATI BENGALS (+3.5): The Bengals beat the Ravens once, and they can do it again. Cedric Benson became the first running back in a long time to make the Ravens look bad, and I think he can do it again. Joe Flacco won’t do enough to counteract the failures of the Ravens rushing attack against Cinci’s solid Run D. I like the Bengals to win outright, and hey, +3.5 at home is great value.

DETROIT LIONS (+11.5) @ Seattle Seahawks: Sign the Hawks up as a team that should never ever, never ever ever, ever ever, be favored by double digits. They have back up linemen that will make the Lions pass rush look solid. I think Seattle wins, but by a field goal, a touchdown, 10 points at most. The Lions will do enough to keep this one within ten.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (+5) @ N.Y. Giants: Lucky might not be willing to give up on the Giants, but I’m not willing to bet on them until they prove they’re the real Giants. I want the anixation of Puerto Rico Giants – not the Little Giants that get killed by everyone in the league. N.Y. has been thrown on a ton lately, and they’ve looked bad offensively. I’ll take Phillip Rivers to show he’s worth more than Ellie. Give me the Chargers in New York!