Tag Archives: Randy Moss

Ask Papa Weimer: Last Pre-Season Questions

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Here it is, one more question and answer section from you guys to me – there were three pretty solid email questions that I thought would be good to share – these are them.

David-Bill-Bob from America writes, “What do you think of Ted Ginn as a possible receiver option this season? What about Robert Meachem, James Hardy, Devin Hester, and Sidney Rice? Can you rate that foursome?”

Oh yes, lots of upside here. Not very much sure-thing here, but who loves to play a game you’re sure to win? Not me – I’m all about the upside. Forget the Bobby Engrams and the Derrick Masons, I’ll wait longer and dance with the young-guns. I think Ted Ginn could be a great player in the Dolphins passing attack, but I doubt he’ll score many touchdowns. The thing that’s good about his situation is that Pennington throws short a lot and Ted is fast enough to get some separation early. As for the rest of the guys, Devin Hester is my favorite – he’s a touchdown waiting to happen, and even if he gets 60 catches this season, he’ll probably take 10 of them to the house. Robert Meachem could be the best of the bunch, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the kid coming out of college. He looked solid in the pre-season, and what a weapon he could be if Drew Brees finds a liking for throwing to him against single coverage. Sidney Rice is a nice sleeper – it’s said that T-Jackson is more accurate than ever, and with Berrian opposite Rice, Sindney should get lots of single coverage. I don’t know if the Vikes will throw enough to make Rice a solid start week in and week out, but the kid can go up and get the ball, which might be good for 6-9 scores as defenses will focus on the run. James Hardy was my favorite receiver in the draft and I think he has a bright future, but he’s just a rookie and the speed of the game might hamper him early. Keep an eye on him though, when he figures it out he’ll be a threat. I’d rank them like this… Ginn Jr. – Devin Hester – Robert Meachem – Sidney Rice – James Hardy.

Tim from Floresville, Texas writes, “The people in my league think I am crazy for trading Chad Johnson for Bernard Berrian. What do you think?? I only picked up Chad to trade him, his inconsistencies and the fact that Cinci has the 2nd toughest schedule against the pass this season made me trade him away.”

Tim, I think BB is a good receiver, but he’s not Chad Johnson. I fully understand taking Chad so you can trade him later, but I still don’t think you got the best value you could have by grabbing BB in a trade for him. If all you wanted was BB, you could have just drafted him instead of Chad. You likely would have gotten a better RB where you got Chad, and you still could have got BB later. You say Berrian didn’t have anyone throwing him the ball last year, but in reality, Tarvaris Jackson isn’t even as prolific through the air as Rex Grossman is. I like Jackson’s upside, but even if Chad has a down year and Berrian plays really well, I thikn the best you can hope for here is a push. Even against tough passing defenses, the Bengals still ahve Carson Palmer and TJ Housmandzadeh to help take the pressure off Chad. Maybe the Bengals just crash and tumble, and maybe Chad is hurt and out longer than expected – and maybe Jackson shows maturity and tosses 20 touchdowns. I don’t know, but that just seems like a lot of maybes to hope for. I have BB in a few leagues, and I would definitely trade him straight up for Chad in every one of them. But no, I don’t think you’re crazy, I think you’re courageous. There’s nothing better in fantasy football than making a trade that everyone thinks you are stupid for and coming out on top because of it. That means you were right and everyone else was wrong. That’s the best. You definitely did your research, and I’m rooting for you. Also, Chad isn’t consistent, that’s true. Over the last couple seasons, he’ll help you win 3 or 4 weeks and kill you for the other 10. With a lot of single coverage, because of Peterson, BB could end up being a lot more consistent that Chad. Good luck!

T.J. in Alabama says, “Papa, you have any sweet predictions this season? Last year you told me that Randy was going to blow up and Larry Fitz was going to lead the league – both had huge years for me and I’m back for more. Any secret advice?”

Like Chef once said, “You’ve got to find the clitoris.” That might not help in this particular situation, but it does allow older men (like myself) to pleasure younger women, which in turn gives hope to mankind. Alright, alright, I was planning on a little, “This is how I see it” article next week, but here’s a little preview, T.J., you impatient bastard!

Larry Johnson will be a Top 5 running back this year, making him an absolute steal at the end of Round 1 where he’s getting drafted.

Drew Brees will throw more touchdown passes (I’m thinking 36) than any other quarterback in the NFL this season. That’s right, while I’m not a huge fan of Jeremiah Shocker, he will take that much pressure off of Drew because of the constant attention opposing defenses will have to pay him. I don’t think Shockey’s touchdown totals will improve all that much (he’s bound to drop as many TDs as he catches – so probably 6-7 scores for him) but Reggie Bush, Colston, and Meachem will all set their season high touchdown marks this year. Brees as well.

Ricky Williams will have more fantasy points than Edgerrin James – this is no knock on James, because Ricky will outscore three of the following high-round picks… LenDale White, Earnest Graham, Ronnie Brown, Julius Jones, and Willie Parker.

Adrian Peterson extreemists are right, there will be at least one back that outscores LaDainian Tomlinson this season, but they are also wrong, because it won’t be AP – Marion Barber will lead all running backs in fantasy points this season.

And last but not least, Randy Moss won’t come close to his record touchdown catches of last year, but Wes Welker will score more fantasy points this year than he did last year – both are still great options to have.

Keep the questions coming, and stay tuned, I’ll be here all season! (hopefully the ticker keeps tickin’)

Dos and Don’ts: Draft Day Trickery!

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I’m not quite as wordy as my nephew, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have knowledge. Sure, he can get all wordily-smurdily, but I have 30 single sentences that will help you during your drafts, during the season, and during sex – believe it! Here they are, the never-dos; the dropped soap, the pissing peak, the naked wander down 5th avenue at noon – but all in fantasy terms, well mostly all. Confused yet? Here you go…

  1. Never ever pick a quarterback in the 1st round.
  2. Don’t draft a fantasy team on the fly, cheat sheets and player listings are there for a reason; mostly so you don’t draft guys that have been already drafted.
  3. Run with scissors on draft day, it makes other people afraid of you because you are dangerous.
  4. Take a 3rd running back before some teams have two, it makes them go crazy.
  5. Don’t ever talk on a cell phone during a draft, and feel free to punch any blue tooth drafter right in the throat.
  6. Barry Sanders and Ahman Green have similar chances to succeed in 2008, so for fun, do draft the former right after the latter is selected.
  7. When people make terrible picks, do mock them by saying you were just about to pick that guy (especially in the Ahman Green then Barry Sanders case).
  8. Don’t draft a guy in round 2 and then try to trade him immediately for a guy your buddy picked in Round 3 – it’s just bad form.
  9. If you want Frank Gore because you think he’s going to go nuts this year, do pick him early rather than miss him and watch him do exactly what you thought he’d do.
  10. Don’t talk about Thomas Jones’ biceps at the Sex Store with your girl, she’ll make you wish you haden’t.
  11. Do dabble in the late receiver run.
  12. Don’t you dare waste two picks in the first 5 rounds on quarterabacks.
  13. Don’t get Steve Smiths, Adrian Petersons, or Roy Williams’s confused.
  14. If you’re going to pick like an idiot then make sure you do shower before and after, that way you won’t feel like a bunch of your best friends did you dirty.
  15. Do doo-doo before you draft – nobody likes to wait on a guy in the shitter and it gives you extra time to study up.
  16. Don’t doo-doo while drafting, because then you’ll have to take a shower during the draft and you’ll have to borrow a buddies sweat pants, plus relieving yourself in your pants isn’t cool despite what Happy Gilmore says.
  17. Don’t pick anybody that broke a record last season – the value just isn’t there.
  18. Don’t ever tell me Don’t or I’ll rub your neck beard and karate chop you.
  19. Do physically write down you jack-off friends remarks during the draft – you can either use it against them later or listen to them next year, either way.
  20. Don’t wish you would have – it’s really pretty much the most useless act of all antasy drafts everywhere.
  21. Don’t bring a good buddy that doesn’t know much about football to a longtime league – for his and your sake.
  22. Don’t draft every skill player from your home team, because it doesn’t even work in New England.
  23. Do look at the position you pick out of a hat, but don’t let the others know you looked – that way if you don’t like it you can ask them to blindly trade you picks and sometimes the dumb ones will.
  24. Don’t pick backups for every position unless transactions aren’t free.
  25. Don’t pick a complete starting lineup before you pick back-ups for any single position – nobody that does that ever wins anything.
  26. Don’t pronounce names wrong.
  27. Do feel free to use first names when talking about soon to be legends, Tom, Peyton, Randy, Terrell, LaDainian.
  28. Don’t ever call out “L. Tomlinson” because your cheat sheet doesn’t print first names, because everyone will secretly hate you for it.
  29. Don’t do 12 ESPN Mock Drafts and 3 Yahoo Mock Drafts only to proclaim, “This draft is nothing like the 15 mock drafts I did last night”, because not only do you sound like an idiot but you are an idiot.
  30. Don’t follow every single rule on this list, but 29 out of 30 ain’t bad!

Fantasy Football: Tiered Receiver Rankings

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Here are my *TOP 60 Wide Receivers. Naturally, I’m not giving you a cookie cutter rankings list, but I do have some reasoning behind the sanity, and if it’s good enough for the girl you go with, it should do for you too. Enjoy my tiered rankings. I’ve written a few words about the first 5 tiers – the rest are just listed without all the verbiage.

I

  1. Randy Moss
  2. Terrell Owens

Yes – despite the hype and the excitement of youth, these two touchdown driven pass catching personalities are bound to be at the top come December. Randy and Owens are certainly in a league of their own. Reggie Wayne is close and Fitzgerald might be getting there, but right now there are two guys in the 1st tier. Randy is definitely #1, and while I don’t expect a repeat of last years’ numbers, I still believe him to be the best receiving option in the game.

II

  1. Reggie Wayne
  2. Chad Johnson
  3. Larry Fitzgerald
  4. Marques Colston
  5. Braylon Edwards
  6. Steve Smith
  7. Andre Johnson
  8. T.J. Houshmandzadeh
  9. Torry Holt

This is a tier in which all receivers have been absolute studs before, and should be studs again. Last season Reggie, Larry Fitz, T.J., Edwards, Chad Johnson, and Colston all finished within 20 points of each other, and ranked between 2nd and 9th overall amongst WRs in point per reception leagues. Braylon really broke out in 2007, and while there’s a chance he’s just a one-year wonder, I’ll take my chances on the super-athletic touchdown scoring monster of a receiver. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, after a couple of years falling just short of 1000 yards, has back to back 1000+ campaigns and is coming off his best season yet. Marques Colston has two very successful years under his belt, and while many thought he struggled to start the ’07 season, Colston came on fast and managed 98 catches for 1200 yards and 11 scores. He’s a beast. This is his 3rd year in the league and you all know what that means. Chad Johnson is the least consistent of these guys, on a game to game basis, but he is dynamite consistent on a year to year basis. 87+ catches, 1270+ yards, and 7+ TD’s in 5 straight seasons. He is getting a bad rap this year, but that just means he’s a better value for you. Torry Holt is the only one in this group that is quite possibly over the hill, but watch him play, he’s always wide open. Plus, the Rams offense has to be better this season, and he’ll be a large part of that upgrade. Steve Smith is the most dynamic of this group, but he’s missing 2 games to start the season and he got busted up with a concussion in pre-season game 1. Still, with Delhomme tossing the ball and a nice running game building in Carolina, Steve Smith should be one of the best receivers in the game. Get him at a nice value and bring in the money. Anybody in this field is good, so don’t break your bank to grab your favorite of the bunch – there’s a lot of depth at the top of the receiver rankings. As for Andre Johnson, well what can I say except that I dig this cat. He’s got all the ability to be one of the game’s best. He’s fast and he’s a beast. However, he might be prone to injuries because he’s so much of a physical freak. Still, in 10 games alone he’s probably worth a pick in this tier. If he’s healthy, you hit the jackpot!

III

  1. Anquan Boldin
  2. Roy Williams
  3. Wes Welker
  4. Brandon Marshall
  5. Plaxico Burress
  6. Calvin Johnson
  7. Santonio Holmes
  8. Greg Jennings

Boldin is a beast, and while he has a bit of Donovan McNabb disease (great production when he plays, but he isn’t always playing) he’s still a nice grab. He’s a quarterback’s best friend because he’s tough and holds onto the ball in the middle. Roy Williams, believe it or not, was on pace to nearly match his impressive 2006 numbers before he got knocked out in the teams 12th game of the season. He won’t lose touches with Martz gone, McDonald will, Furrey will, Calving and Roy won’t. I expect big things from him. Wes Welker was given a huge contract by the Patriots before any of this amazing season stuff. That means they knew what they were getting. Many don’t expect a repeat from Welker. Me neither… I expect better numbers this season. Marshall is a little immature and hot-headed, is that weird? Not for receivers. He’s still a stud. He’ll be gone for what looks like 2 games, but I expect great things from Cutler this year, and Marshall will be a huge part of that. Plaxico – I don’t know, he’ll probably get hurt or ride out his ankle problems. I don’t like Giants this season, but Plax is a touchdown machine. He’s big, fast, and has good hands. He’ll produce if healthy. I love Calvin Johnson, and would put him higher, but he hasn’t done much to deserve a better ranking. Still, his upside is amazing, and I still say he’s the best receiving prospect ever. A lot of people are sky high on Holmes, but I still think he’s too streaky. I think the Steelers will run a lot more this year, and the ball will spread out a little more. Holmes is a nice pick, and he fits in this tier, but those that have him in the Top 10 are ranking him too high. Greg Jennings is a touchdown scoring machine. With Favre out of GB, I still expect big things from this tough runner. His hands are soft and he can really take some contact and stay on his feet. I like him to match last years’ numbers.

IV

  1. Jericho Cotchery
  2. Roddy White
  3. Dwayne Bowe
  4. Marvin Harrison
  5. Lee Evans
  6. Laveranues Coles
  7. Santana Moss
  8. Donald Driver
  9. Bernard Berrian
  10. Chris Chambers
  11. Nate Burleson

Cotchery will have a very nice season with Brett throwing him the ball. Jericho catches everything thrown his way, and it’ll be nice for him to get some down field chances. I think he’ll become Brett’s favorite target. Roddy White was not a fluke. I watch him play and I see a big strong target with all the speed you need. The Falcons will be better and White won’t disappoint. Bowe is a great young receiver, but I can’t rank him much higher than this in that KC offense with question marks at quarterback. Still, he’ll be a nice starting option. Marvin Harrison could be back to his old self, in which case he’ll be a steal. Still, Manning is fighting knee troubles and Wayne is the man in Indy. I wouldn’t mind getting a hold of Marvin, but only at the right price. Lee Evans has as much talent as anyone. He can turn any play into a touchdown, and you have to like that. Still, Trent Edwards is just a 2nd year guy, and that Buffalo offense is young. He’ll be better this season than he was last, but I don’t know if he’ll meet last year’s hype. I love Coles. If him and Brett can get on the right page, he’ll do big things. He’s a do everything receiver. I look for him to have a nice season. Santana Moss is very explosive. Look at his history and see what he can do in a season. I think Jason Campbell will be improved and Moss will help him take that next step. Drive is always solid and he looks tough right off the bat. He never gets credit, but I bet his production stays very similar to last seasons. I originally though that Berrian would struggle in Minnesota. Then I realized that he came from Chicago. Can’t get much worse than that passing offense. If Jackson figures it out, Berrian will put up his best numbers ever. If not, I stil think he gets close to last year’s figures. Chris Chambers will do solid things in San Diego. I don’t know if he’ll ever be a super-star, in fact I just don’t see it. He’s had some nice half-years. I think he’ll be more consistent this season, but SD isn’t the place for receivers to go off. Nate Burleson might be the steal of this group. He’ll be what looks like the surefire #1 option in Seattle, and he’s got touchdown making ability. He’ll be picked behind almost every single guy in this tier, and some from the next tier down, but I like his upside a lot.

V

  1. Anthony Gonzalez
  2. Kevin Curtis
  3. Joey Galloway
  4. Derrick Mason
  5. Hines Ward
  6. Reggie Brown
  7. D.J. Hackett
  8. Deion Branch
  9. Javon Walker
  10. Devin Hester

I love Anthony Gonzalez as a player, but his value could very well depend on Marvin’s comeback. If Harrison has troubles, Gonzo is a steal. If not, I still think you get a guy that should produce like Brandon Stokely did as the #3 receiver in Indy a few years ago. Over 1000 yards and 6 touchdowns – you bet. Kevin Curtis has one great week and that week terribly inflated his numbers. Still, I think he’s a solid receiver. I don’t think you’ll ever see an 80 catch 1200 yard 10 TD season from this kid, but he’s a nice option if McNabb and company get #1 production from an unknown receiving source this season. I don’t think Curtis plays as well as the scariest option. Joey Galloway is still one of the fastest receivers in the game, and Jeff Garcia is a solid quarterback. If both stay healthy, Galloway will outperform this ranking. I don’t think they’ll both stay healthy all season. Derrick Mason is another old guy that was caught outperforming his expectations last season. There are too many quarterback questions in Baltimore for him to repeat last seasons’ surprises, right? I don’t know, he’s a safe bet to produce so he fits in this tier. Hines Ward had a down year, dealt with injuries, and became a 2nd option to Santonio Holmes. Still, he’s a very good player that, if healthy, will continue to produce at a high level. He’ll be underrated on draft day. Reggie Brown had a tough season in Philly last year, but I still like his upside. You can get him late and he might just be the #1 Philly wanted him to be. Hackett has as much talent as anyone on this list. He can never stay healthy, but if he does, he’ll do good things in Carolina. This kid can really run and catch the ball. Deion Branch would be higher if he was a sure thing to be healthy by the get-go. Right now, he’s way ahead of schedule on his ACL, but that often worries me. He’s a good player though, consistently scoring fantasy points. Javon Walker could be a great pick, but, like everyone else, I’m worried about this guy. Proceed with caution, I don’t know if we’ll ever see the Walker that played great in Green Bay. Devin Hester gets the last spot in this tier, but he’s as much of a question mark as any. He may have more upside as well. He’s a risk, sure, but Chicago is putting him down as a starting WR, and if he can get 60-70 touches this year, I think 10-12 touchdowns could be obtained. That would make him a steal!

VI

  1. Reggie Williams
  2. Bryant Johnson
  3. Isaac Bruce
  4. Vincent Jackson
  5. Bobby Engram
  6. Justin Gage
  7. Patrick Crayton

VII

  1. Derek Hagan
  2. Steve Smith (NYG)
  3. Eddie Royal
  4. Sidney Rice
  5. James Hardy
  6. Ronald Curry
  7. Donte Stallworth
  8. Drew Bennett
  9. Jabar Gaffney

VIII

  1. Ted Ginn Jr.
  2. Devery Henderson
  3. Mushin Muhammad
  4. James Jones
  5. Kevin Walter
  6. Jacoby Jones
  7. Robert Meachem
  8. Mark Clayton
  9. Davard Darling
  10. Antwan Randel El

2007 Fantasy Football theRUNDOWN Week 16

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This Week’s Top Team: Championship Week – I feel inclined to do it up!

QB: Donovan McNabb vs. New Orleans: Just like last week, the Saints are still really brutal, and I expect Donovan to have his way with their secondary. I’m not sure what the distant future holds for McNabb, but this weekend shows promise.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Denver: denver is a terrible run defense, one of the bottom 3 in the NFL. LT is the best running back in the league. I’m not sure what his carries will look like, but I still think he’s a great start on Sunday.

RB: Earnest Graham vs. San Francisco: HE may not be a big name, but he’s a big time player, and the Bucs have been riding his hard running all the way to the playoffs. They’ll do it again on Sunday.

WR: Braylon Edwards vs. Cincinnati: I don’t see the Bengals doing much guarding of Braylon. He’s too fast and physical for them, and he’s proven to have that secondary’s number. Look for him to have a big game.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Miami: One more time, I’m going with the big receiver in New England. Brady’s close enough to the touchdown title that he might just make a run at it. Who’s his best option to get that done with? You bet.

TE: Jason Witten vs. Carolina: The Cowboys have to climb back with a good game here, don’t they? Witten is a go to guy for Romo, he’ll find him early and often.

K: David Akers vs. New Orleans: Good kicker, bad defense, in-doors. I like Akers’ chances this weekend, even though I’m terrible at picking kickers this year.

D: Jaguars vs. Oakland: Oakland is mistake prone and Jacksonville is very good. The Jaguar offense is very good at staying on the field which gives their defense ample time to rest. Good play here.

LUCKY’S Week 16 SLEEPERS

Sage Rosenfels: The Colts look like they’ve packed it in for the Playoffs, and Sage can put up good numbers in that offense, I might even start this guy in my fantasy championship.

Ron Dayne: What I said about Sage, but Dayne isn’t the biggest threat out there. But I have to give him his credit, he’s been solid when given the ball.

Frank Gore: Against the Bengals, I think Gore will get over the 100 yard plateau. He’s a very good back, he’s tough, and the Bengals don’t tackle well. Tough start for the young 49er, but he’ll be solid in this one.

Brandon Jacobs: When will the Giants realize that they need to give this kid the ball more? Jacobs is a beast, and all he does is succeed when given a high number of carries. Less Eli, more Brandon. Comprende?

Calvin Johnson: CJ is a physical freak of nature and he’s getting the majority of balls in Detroit’s offense. You have to like his chances against a Chiefs team that hasn’t been playing good football of late.

Roddy White: I expect a big bounce back game for Roddy.

Tony Scheffler: If you’ve paid attention, I like this kid a lot. I know he goes up against Denver, but there’s room in the middle of that secondary – Tony might just find it. s

Deion Branch: If running the ball isn’t going to work against the Panthers (last week) it definitely won’t work on Sunday. However, the Ravens secondary has been sketchy for a while now, and Branch could get his passes this week.

Buccaneers: I have to take the Bucs again, they had a big week against a terrible team last week, why not again against yet another horror of an NFL football team?

LUCKY’S Week 16 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Eli Manning: Ain’t nothing like watching Eli’s “Gummo” face watch his receivers drop passes – hilarious.

Clinton Portis: Welcome to Minnesota’s defensive line, the place where stud running backs come to die.

Lee Evans: The Giants do have a good pass rush, so don’t expect any deep routes from Evans on Sunday – that pretty much eliminates his whole game.

Donte Stallworth: I imagine the Patriots will show the Dolphins how much Wes Welker is worth on Sunday. That means less looks for Stallworth.

2007 Fantasy Football theRUNDOWN Week 14

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This Week’s Top Team: The search for 140…. If this were a PPR format – that would be easy breezy!

QB: Tony Romo vs. Detroit: Romo against the Lions secondary – boy, I love that lineup so much I’m scared to use it. Oh well, I had a piece of pie, and I’m not scared anymore – this seems too good to be true. 300+ and 3 TDs… Anyone?

RB: Adrian Peterson vs. San Francisco: A great line and a relatively small defensive run stopping unit that hasn’t succeeded in anything except stopping their own pathetic offense in practice during scrimmages all year long. (Exhale) Peterson is a beast – and even with 15-20 carries, you’d think he’ll put up 130+ and a TD or two.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Tennessee: I don’t care who he’s playing, I’d probably take him against the armies of hell and Mordor combined into one wretched pack of homely beasts. I think the Titans will feel a little ego bruising after LT is done with them.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Pittsburgh: I’ll ride Randy’s low point, and expect a big week from the super-talented wide receiver this week in Pittsburgh. It doesn’t hurt that I think the Pats will put it on the Steel Show.

WR: Reggie Wayne vs. Baltimore: The Ravens were solid in shutting down Randy Moss last week, but Reggie is all Peyton has, and I think the Ravens will bow out early against the Colts – they have to be questioning themselves, their coaches, and of course life in general after last week’s last second loss.

TE: Antonio Gates vs. Tennessee: Gates had 1 catch for -1 yard last week – not really the stats you’d like to have from the solid pass catching tight end. This week, the Titans will do their damnedest to stop LT, and Gates should find a few open holes to take advantage of less defensive coverage.

K: Nick Folk vs. Detroit: I think Folk could have a big week – but I’m always wrong. So, just in case, I’m hoping my back kicker luck could wear on the Cowboys and maybe give the Lions a much needed upset – mainly so TO will start another week for my fantasy playoffs. So what? I have an ulterior motive here – big whoop.

D: Jaguars vs. Carolina: Carolina stinks – they should get hammered by the Jags – a shutout possibly? I sure hope so.

LUCKY’S Week 14 SLEEPERS

Marc Bulger: I like Bulger against the Bengals almost as much as I like Palmer against the Rams – and Bulger is a much bigger sleeper at this point.

Earnest Graham: I’ll ride this kid’s bandwagon once again -hell, I’ll drive the damn thing. Graham has been all kinds of great, and though he may not be much of a sleeper – there’s still leagues in which he’s a free agent – that’s just plain stupid.

Ryan Grant: This one is pretty easy – he’s a beast and he’s rolling up against the Raiders – aka – have your best game of the season, a coke, and a smile.

Maurice Jones Drew: I’m feeling a day full of magic from this mighty little fellow – and I say little lightly – lets be honest, 5’8″ and 215 pounds isn’t small by any means. That’s a huge short guy.

Sydney Rice: Much will be focused on the Vikings run game against the 49ers, and while they still won’t be able to stop it, Rice will get his chance to get deep on a few play action options.

Roddy White: He shouldn’t be a sleeper, but I just picked him up last week – and that’s absurd. Against the Saints, he’s got to be a top 20 option this week.

Vernon Davis: The Niners won’t be able to run, and they’ll have to pass to keep in this game – Davis is their best option. I’m not crazy about this pick, but he’s an option.

Mercedes Lewis: The only pass catching tight end option in Jacksonville, and he has an accurate and safe passer throwing the ball. That’s a good combination for a tight end that is probably on your waiver wire. Add that to his size and hands – you have to like this play.

Buccaneers: The Texans can put up points, but the Bucs have been good at shutting squads down all year long. I like Tampa’s chances against a Sage Rosenfell and Ron Dayne led offense. (I guess Andrew Johnson is the real leader, but he’s a WR, they don’t count)

LUCKY’S Week 14 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Eli Manning: Because he’s brutal.

Joseph Addai: The Ravens should stop him just like they’ve stopped every other running back. I sure like Addai though, and I know I can’t sit him – it’s just that I don’t think he’ll be good this week.

Justin Fargas: This young back has been dynamite since getting the starting gig, but I don’t see the Packers letting him run around much on Sunday.

Javon Walker: I like the Chiefs’ defense, and Walker has been slow to return from injuries. He’s still a week or two off, and the Broncos are still trying to figure their lives out.

2007 Fantasy Football theRUNDOWN Week 13

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This Week’s Top Team: And 140 is… here?

QB: Tom Brady vs. Baltimore: Teams can’t run against Baltimore, but passing has come very easily. This should be one of those “pile it on” games, which Tom likes to throw 4 or 5 touchdowns in. Needless to say, I like my chances with this year’s fantasy hero.

RB: Brian Westbrook vs. Seattle: Westy is too good for the Hawks. He’s too fast, he’s too shifty, and he’s too versatile to take out of an offense. Running backs with elite speed that run hard seem to give the Hawks trouble, and Seattle’s run-stuffing defensive line isn’t the strength of their team

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. KC: If the Chargers are going to win this game, they’ll need to pass the ball – but that doesn’t eliminate LT. He can catch the rock just fine, and he will this week. Norv Turner wants to lead this team to a playoff win, but he has to get them there first. I know if I needed a win, and had LT, the ball would be in his hands 30 times or more.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Philadelphia: A bad week last week, blowing up this week. Baltimore can’t guard this guy – and they had to see that doubling him just leaves everyone else open for business. This week, Randy and Tom hook up in the zone again.

WR: Reggie Wayne vs. Jacksonville: The Colts will need to put up points, and the Jaguars haven’t been known for their stellar secondary play. With Marv out, Reggie is definitely the man. He’ll get his fair share of looks on Sunday, and that means a TD catch or two.

TE: Kellen Winslow vs. Arizona: I like KWII to have a very good week against the Cardinals. Arizona’s best safety is out for the season, leaving a hole just for Kellen to take advantage of.

K: Adam Vinitieri vs. Jacksonville: I just pick a kicker and that seems to make them have a bad week. So now, I’m picking kickers of teams I want to lose – it worked last week, here goes nothing. A Jaguar win in Indy would be nice, and it’d tie things up in the South.

D: New England vs. Baltimore: I get big points for shutouts, and I think there’s a solid chance the Patriots could get one of those in Baltimore.

LUCKY’S Week 13 SLEEPERS

Kellen Clemens: Against the Dolphins, Kellen has a good shot to make up for the terrible week he had against Dallas on Thanks Giving.

Earnest Graham: I like Earnest as a sleeper every single week – he doesn’t get near the credit he deserves. Same goes for this week, especially against a Saints team that doesn’t tackle very well. TB will want to keep Brees and company off the field, so Earnest will become a major factor.

Jesse Chatman: Jesse is said to be healthy which means YHATZEE! Against the Jets. New York hasn’t stopped the run worth beans all season long, and Miami has a physical rushing attack that could mean big yards for Jesse.

Thomas Jones: Jones goes up against Miami, and it’s time for him to start going off. He’s had a slow season, has been a major disappointment, but the Jets have to take advantage of a bad Dolphins run defense.

Donte Stallworth: He didn’t do much this week, but I think he could go off against the Ravens. Tom doesn’t look to him first or even second, but the Ravens have to pay less attention to one of the main three, and I think Stallworth will benefit from that this week.

Nate Washington: With Santonio Holmes out for a 2nd straight week, Washington gets his chance to go up against the Bengals and prove he can do work in a big conference game. The Bengals can put points up on anyone, which should mean the Steelers will have to let a few loose. Washington is a cheap pick up, and he could get you into the playoffs this week.

Owen Daniels: With Matt Schaub back, the whole Texans’ receiving corps gets a boost, and that’s a good thing for the 2nd year tight end. Daniels has reliable hands, and against a Titans’ secondary that has been loosey goosey, I think OD is a nice pick this week.

Chargers: I see the Chargers bringing the house at the Chiefs – that will cause turnovers and quite possibly defensive scores.

LUCKY’S Week 13 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Rex Grossman: He hasn’t been bad, but this week looks scary against that Giants’ pass rush.

Laurence Maroney: I love this kid, as much as he’s struggled fantasy-wise this season, but he should only struggle more in this game. The Ravens are deadly to fantasy running backs, and the Patriots can pass downfield so easily, why run into a brick wall.

Warrick Dunn: WD40 is a great little back, but the Rams are plenty fast, and have been decent against the run in all but a couple games this season. Dunn has been decent of late, but not this week.

Deion Branch: I see the Hawks using Branch as more of a decoy this week in Philly, plus Seattle doesn’t play well on the road. Steer clear of the former Patriot.

2007 Fantasy Football theRUNDOWN Week 12

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This Week’s Top Team: Still going for 140+ – not an easy feat, but if I do it right, it’s possible.

QB: Tom Brady vs. Philadelphia: Lets be honest, he’s Tom freaking Brady – isn’t that a good enough reason to go with this Patriot?

RB: Joseph Addai vs. Atlanta: Last week, the Falcons poor run defense lost both their starting tackles. Two weeks ago, they cut one of their stating tackles. The Colts try and try to run the ball whenever they can. Touchdowns and yards, here J Addai comes.

RB: Steven Jackson vs. Seattle: I’m going out on a limb here and am saying the Hawks will have a tough time with the Rams, and one of the biggest reasons will be the physical running of Ste-Jack.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Philadelphia: Tom Brady throws him the ball, and he’s Randy freaking Moss – that’s solid, right?

WR: Andre Johnson vs. Cleveland: Andre kills it whenever he plays, and on Sunday he’s going heads up against he Browns absolutely pathetic pass defense that allowed a ton of yards to Kyle Boller of all people. Big day for AJ.

TE: Kellen Winslow vs. Houston: This Soldier will have close to 100 yards against the Texans. 10 points from a tight end is a beautiful thing.

K: Rob Bironas vs. Cincinnati: Does it matter? I just pick terrible kickers every week. I’ll guess I’ll go with the team I want to lose – hmmm…. I doubt they’ll lose, but maybe my bad kicker luck will keep them down against the Bungles.

D: San Diego vs. Baltimore: The Chargers will put the Ravens back into their pathetic offensive state, sack Boller more than a couple times, and cause a couple turnovers. I like the Chargers’ chances to put up 20 here.

LUCKY’S Week 12 SLEEPERS

Kellen Clemens: This kid is getting better every week, and if the Jets want to compete with the Cowboys, they’ll put the ball in the air for some big plays. They’ll have to score points, and I believe Kellen will help get that done.

Earnest Graham: I like Earnest as a sleeper every single week – he doesn’t get near the credit he deserves.

Chester Taylor: I like CT Scan again as well. Chester may not have the best match-up this weekend, but with that offensive line, a big day is very, very possible.

Edgerrin James: Edge has had some questionable performances lately, but if you can get him, you’d have to think against the 49ers will mean good things for the Edge.

D.J. Hackett: Hopefully you have Hackett, and honestly, I don’t think there are 10 receivers I’d start over this talented touchdown threat from Seattle. I know I started him over Tory Holt last week, and I’ll do it again when the Rams and Hawks go at it. Or maybe I’ll play them both, anyway, D-Hack’s a great option.

Donte Stallworth: This is a shove it in your face season for the Patriots, and when they play the Eagles this weekend, I’m sure Brady will try his best to get Stallworth the ball against the team that didn’t even try to resign him. Donte is a good play this weekend.

Tony Scheffler: Against the Bears, I expect Scheff to get 60 yards and quite possibly a touchdown. He’s a tough match-up for that questionable secondary in Chicago.

Chiefs: Going against the Raiders, and the Chiefs defense is way better than people give them credit for. Daunte and company will have a tough time putting up points on Sunday.

LUCKY’S Week 12 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Jason Campbell: Two big weeks in a row have him climbing to where I expected him to be this season, but Jason has a tough match-up against the Bucs’ cover 2 scheme. Mistakes could mean trouble for the Redskin signal caller.

Travis Henry: So many questions surround this guy, sit him until answers come to the forefront.

Wes Welker: I know this is considered blasphemy in some circles, but Wes should be an option that doesn’t get used all that often against the Eagles. 50 yards, maybe?

Roy Williams: This uber-talented WR hasn’t been getting the ball, and I don’t see why that would change against the Packers solid secondary.