Tag Archives: Steve Smith

Fantasy Focus Review: Week 8 Fantasy Football

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This was a terrible fantasy week for me. Not only did I lose two huge divisional fantasy games by a total of 3 fantasy points, but my good picks performed pretty poorly while my bad picks did alright. It was a struggle. And then you have me finishing last in the fantasy picks amongst writers – I just want to turn in Week 8 and forget all about it. Kind of like the Redskins offense does every week. At least the fantasy crown stayed in la familia, despite a great QB and WR prediction day from Arsenault. But now I have Papa dogging my fantasy knowledge. Ugh. Here’s the review.

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

1. Peyton Manning – Despite throwing for 347 yards in Week 8, Joseph Addai was the only Colt with a TD pass. Manning finished 9th amongst QBs, but just 13 fantasy points. C-
2. Adrian Peterson – The Packers shut down AP last time out, I DOUBT that happens again. Not this time.
3. Drew Brees – Brees was 7th amongst QBs with 20 fantasy points, a nice day out of him. B
4. Steve Slaton– Ryan Moats numbers, you see them? That’s what Slaton would have had if not for fumble-itas. Slaton got benched after 1 carry and 1 catch. F
5. Chris Johnson– Best running back option in Week 8, best overall. This guy is a stud. A+

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

1. Kyle Orton – The Ravens shut down the Broncos, definitely, Orton was the 21st ranked QB. F
2. Steve Smith – 13th wide receiver, he played well early. B+
3. Marshawn Lynch – 35th RB. Despite being up into the 4th, Lynch had just 9 carries. Buffalo is dumb. F
4. Steve Smith– 15th receiver this week, pretty solid output despite Giants’ struggles. B+
5. Brandon Jacobs – 21st RB, Jacobs had 87 rushing yards despite being way behind. He’s running well. C+

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

1. Nate Burleson – 6 grabs for 89 yards, Nate has had a very nice year, way better than Housh so far. B+
2. Eddie Royal – Eddie is open, ala T.J. Housh in Seattle – too bad nobody throws these guys the ball. F
3. Mike Bell – Just 2 fantasy points for Bell, there goes me reading Sean’s mind. F
4. Donnie Avery – 1 catch for 15 yards, I hate Marc Bulger. F
5. Beanie Wells – 41st RB. Good average, stupid play calling will screw a good day from a RB anytime. F

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

1. Julius Jones – 56 rushing yards and 2 grabs for 32 receiving. Not terrible, not good. I expected less. C-
2. Thomas Jones – Thomas had a nice day for the Jets, 102 rushing yards and a 28 yard catch. 18th RB. D
3. Roy Williams – Roy had just 2 catches for 19 yards, but he took one into the end zone. Still, that gives him 3 catches for 35 yards over his last 2 starts. Gross. B
4. Matt Hasselbeck – Well I was wrong in a sense, Matt finished 6th amongst QBs, but that fantasy output didn’t represent the game, as Matt and the Hawks got kicked around. Still, this is fantasy, I was wrong. F
5. LeSean McCoy – McCoy’s 1 65 yard TD run was enough to bury this as a good sit-pick. It looked good for most of the game, but the kid is explosive, and that long run definitely counts. F

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Who did we miss? Percy Harvin and Greg Jennings were both Top 5 performers and not one of us picked the rookie or Jennings despite a couple of us picking Favre and Rodgers. Interesting… As for running back absentees, how about Ryan Moats finishing 2nd in Week 8, you just can’t predict that business. Matt Forte finally made a Top 5 list, finishing 4th with 26 fantasy points against that burly Browns defense. Mark Sanchez, Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, and Matt Hasselbeck finished 3, 4, 5, and 6 – and not a single one of us predicted one of those signal callers in a Top 5. Dustin Keller finished atop the TE rankings, while Kevin Boss, Brent Celek, and Spencer Havner (again) finish out the Top 5 at that position. Defensively, we all picked the Cardinals (final ranking 25th of 26 teams) but left out the Panthers (tied for 2nd with the Ravens). We also left out the Dolphins who rode two kick off return touchdowns to a huge defensive/special teams day in a win over the Jets. Kickers kicked, that’s all I remember there. Until next week!

Ask Papa Weimer: Week 7 Fantasy Football

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Have some good ones early this week, why waste any more of your rancid time with my introduction, you want to get to the questions and answers like I want to get to my Philly Cheese cake that I’m not supposed to eat. So on with it. Again, you can always post your questions any time you want, just send them to me at papaweimer50@hotmail.com – I’ll be here all week!

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Kyle M-Dot of Ferndale, Washington asks, “Who do u think is the best running back in the NFL and who do u think will go to the Super Bowl?”

Thanks for the email my man. As for the best RB in the NFL, that’s a tough call. I think Adrian Peterson, as just a raw runner, is one of the toughest guys to bring down. What he did to one of the best run defenses in the league last week was pretty awesome. 140+ yards against that team is gnarly, but his strength and work ethic really makes him special. I don’t think his vision is awesome (like Jones-Drew or Brian Westbrook) but his ability to go through tacklers probably makes him the best RB in the NFL in my mind. He has awesome speed, really quick cuts, and is tough to tackle. If he didn’t have a case of the fumbles, and was a good receiver, he’d be one of the best ever.

As for the Super Bowl, I hate the Saints and have never been a big Colts fan, but they really seem tough to beat. I’ve always known they had good offenses, but the way their defenses have stepped up is pretty amazing. Also, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, two very different talent/prospect levels, are two of the best quarterbacks I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot. And despite losing recently, I like the chances the Eagles and Giants have of possibly upsetting the Saints and getting to the big game. Both really struggled last week, but one game is one game, and a season is a longer deal. A couple AFC teams that will give the Colts a run, the Ravens and Patriots could sneak in as well. It could also be magic for Denver, but I’m not quite buying that yet. Those are my favorites!

David from Minnesota writes, “If I had to pick up a WR who would be the best pickup? Crabtree or Lance Moore and why? It sounds like Crabtree will be starting. Will he make any type of impact?”

Tough call, everyone in New Orleans seems like a crap shoot every week because they are all open and Drew doesn’t seem to have a favorite, but I think lance had the 2nd most amount of targets with 7, and last year he certainly was Drew’s favorite guy to go to. But Crabtree has soooo much talent, and the 49ers seem determined to use him. I’m personally stunned that a Mike Singletary team would start Crabtree right out of the gate, unless he’s been dominating at practice, in which case he’s worth a look. I think both these guys are solid pick-ups. Lance is in a group of productive receivers while Crabtree is in a run first offense and has been out of football for a while, both have their downsides. I think Lance is the safe pick, Crabtree is the wildcard. I imagine Lance will end up with more fantasy points from now until the end of the season. But it will likely be close.

Tim Lynch says, “Papa, This year we allow return men to get the yards and touchdowns. There are two on the waiver wire this week. I have a spot for one of them, Which should I pick up? Domenik Hixon (They are playing Arizona: should be a lot of opportunities) or Sammie Straughter (They are playing NE and should also get a lot of opportunities. Thanks for the help!”

Tim, I think both guys are great options, but Sammie Stroughter just took the job in Tampa, and I know they will be allowing lots of scores all year long. I’m not sure that the job is his to keep, but I think they like his speed in the open field, so I imagine he’ll stay there. I think the Giants will allow a lot less scores than the Bucs, obviously, so Hixon won’t get as many returns as the season goes forward, but this week, Arizona might be able to put some points on the board and give Hixon chances. But you might want to take into account Niel Rackers, he is one of the top Touch back kickers in the league, booming 9 into the end zone already this season on just 24 attempts. Then again, Stephen Gostkowski has 10 touch backs, but on 13 more kick offs attempts. Tough call for sure. I think the Patriots end up kicking off about 7-10 times, and that would have me give the nod to Stroughter. But in both situations there’s upside. I just think Sammie gets more looks as the season goes forward. Plus, I’ve always thought a lot of the guys since he was a youngster at Oregon State. Thanks for the email.

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Mark B from San Antonio, Texas asks, “I’m being asked for a trade for either Gore or Forte straight up for Steve Smith (CAR). I’ve been starting Knox because players receive return yards in our league and scores double digits for me. The other WR slot I haven’t settled on, and then I run 3 backs. My RBs and WRs are as follows: Forte, Slaton, Ray Rice, Mendenhall, Frank Gore, Jonathan Stewart – Braylon Edwards, Vincent Jackson, Johnny Knox, and Eddie Royal. Should I take this trade in hopes for a bigger outing from Smith later this season? Thanks for your help on this.”

Boy, you have some great running back options – Gore, Mend, Ray, and Forte, and then Jonathan Stewart just in case, gotta love that group, and yes, that leaves you room to make a trade for a solid receiver. While I absolutely love Steve Smith’s game, it seems like the Panthers and mostly Jake Delhomme, don’t have the ability to use Steve. I think Knox is a solid option in return yardage leagues – he gets catches as a receiver, makes big plays, and that extra 100 or so yardage from kick returns is nice too. I would not trade Gore for Steve Smith. Gore is an awesome back that IS his team’s offense. Keep holding on to him. Forte, I don’t know, he’s a tough gamble – he’s been bad to start the year, his value seems to be gone, and maybe him for Steve would be a decent trade -but I feel like you might be able to trade for a better receiving option with one of those backs. I like Steve, one of my favorite players in the game, but questions abound in that passing game. I would probably pass on this trade, but Forte for Smith has possible upside for you, definitely, just a little bit too much risk for something that seems all but sure. With Eddie Royal getting some kick return duties for the Broncos, you have yet another option, a starting receiver that also gets those precious kick return yardage. I think you’re okay at WR, and am not sure how much SS would upgrade you right now. If Joe Montana signs with Carolina, then Steve’s value might go up….
Papa

Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Pick

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Carolina Panthers (-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Panthers have actually been a better road team than a home team over the years, especially when it comes to covering. Another thing begging me to bet the Bucs, Carolina should have lost last week. They were down 17-2 midway through the 3rd quarter. Now, they aren’t often a road favorite, and historically the Panthers aren’t a great favorite bet, but all things are going out the window this week because I don’t see Carolina losing to the Bucs to go 1-4. Carolina isn’t one of the bottom 5 teams in football, and the Bucs are. I thought the Bucs would be decent this year, but the re-build is going to be tough, and Carolina has enough to get it done. Defensively, they’ve actually been solid, but the offense has put them in absolutely no place to succeed. With Tampa Bay struggling to stop the run, I think DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have great weeks leading their team to victory. Steve Smith has a knack for getting into the end-zone against this division rival, and I expect him to make a visit in Week 6. A tough pick for me, my rules tell me Bucs, my mind tells me Carolina – you know what they say, mind over gambling on the Bucs!

Three for Thursday

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For todays session I have three waiver wire players I really like moving forward – remember, I’m all about the elite possibilities, these guys are low risk high reward players, and there’s no other way to play fantasy football…

Ryan Torain: I don’t know if I can be more clear, this is the guy in Denver. I’d rather have him than any back in Bronco-land, even incumbent starter Selvin Young. Take into consideration the fact that Young gets about 10 carries a game as the starter, and you can see that Splinter isn’t inclined to give him the rock enough times to make him worth your while. Torain is a beast and I would be surprised if he doesn’t lead the Broncos in carries this season – yes, that means you’re looking at a possible Ryan Grant situation from yesteryear and that means big things. If he’s available get him – this is the last time I recommend the big Arizona back.

Donnie Avery: Because why not, that’s why. If you are looking for a receiving prospect that could have some huge games, than look no further than the speedy Ram opposite Torry Holt. Holt gets plenty of double teams and Avery is too fast to ignore. When you add the fact that St. Louis will be playing from behind plenty, there’s not reason to ignore this receiver. He’s a rookie, so production won’t be consistent, but a bye week flier on him might be beneficial.

Steve Smith: I know Dominek Hixon has been getting a lot of hype out of New York, but I think Smith will be the second best Giant receiving threat. He’s not a low risk high reward player, but in a PPR league he’s going to be very consistent. He catches about 80% of the balls thrown his way which is ridiculous. Eli has always shown an intelligent sense in who to get the ball to and this kid catches everything. He doesn’t get a ton of attention from defenses and while he won’t catch a lot of touchdowns, he’s going to score points all year long. If you need a 4th or 5th receiver, this USC product is a nice option.

Ten for Tuesday

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Here goes something…

  1. I killed it on my top picks of the week, also known as the picks I put my face on. That’s right, I lost just one game on the week. I was 6-1 with my college picks and an undefeated 3-0 in the NFL. I’m up in both football formats and hopefully winning you guys some money. Lots of games, lots of picks, lots of wins thus far. I’ll keep ’em coming!

  2. I’m so sick of “random stats” that I’ve started hitting the “recall” button on my controller, busting back to the last channel my girlfriend was watching, ever single time ESPN starts to read off some bullshit stat about how B.J. Upton is the only player with a last name starting with the letter U to hit multiple homeruns in a playoff game – or never in a Monday Night Football game has there been two punt return touchdowns, a blocked field goal for a touchdown, and three idiot announcers reading some complete idiot stat guys newest concoction on the same damn night. That’s right, so instead of just enjoying a good game I get all flustrated and end up watching some spew about how Paris Hilton is trying to find a new BFF – whatever the hell that means. So, now I’m pissed, watching terrible TV, and possibly missing Reggie Bush take back kick number three, but at least I don’t have to listed to Mike Torico babble on about some random stat that makes me want to break my TV – I only have to deal with that dumb blond rich bitch that has some crazy need to project her image in front of millions of MTV watchers. Ugh. Needless to say, I’m just pissed. Who would have though? Me, hating ESPN.

  3. Is now the time to go get Thomas Jones? I’ve been looking at some remaining schedules, and with the Jets showing everyone in the league they can toss the ball around, more focus will go into guarding against Brett’s wild arm and Coles and Cotchery along the outside. But, the Jets have shown they want to run the ball given an open look. I think Thomas Jones finishes the year as a Top 10 back, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a Top 5 guy from here on out. He sits at a pretty reasonable value I reckon.

  4. I was watching LeSean McCoy this weekend – he’s legit. Him and Beanie Wells, both should come out and do work in the big league. There are so many good backs in the game right now, I don’t know where they would fit, but if the Seahawks don’t try to grab a big play receiver or a big play running back in the first couple rounds of next years’ draft, they’re brass is just plain stupid.

  5. I don’t write one, and proabably never will, but I figure this is as good a place as any to throw out my biggest stud pickups of last week. There were a few moves that made many an owner feel brilliant for pulling out a win, and my Top guys at the big 3 positions are… Kyle Orton, DeAngelo Williams, and Bernard Berrian. That’s right, these three guys were all additions in my fantasy leagues this week. Williams was dropped earlier in the week, Orton hadn’t been owned all year, and Berrien was dropped after not impressing and being a question mark for this weeks action. I picked up Berrian and started him over Chris Henry. I won by 10. Yhatzee. Kyle Orton was a huge part of my uncle’s win this week, and my best buddy picked up DeAngelo later in the week, and started him because he was hurting with Steven Jackson and McFadden on his bench. Three big pick-ups, and people say drafting is where you win this game. HA!

  6. Mike Walker: All the talent that most of the receivers in Jacksonville don’t have. He’s really fast and seems to attack the ball. If he keeps getting chances he might be a nice player for David Garrard. I’ve always liked Reggie Williams, and Matt Jones has shown an ability to make big plays, but Walker has that NFL speed that they don’t, and that could really help this Jaguar team.

  7. Just in, Ronnie Brown is really freaking good. Any time you take a running back in the Top 10 in an NFL draft I think it’s a mistake, but Brown can really do it all. And he’s a lefty. It’s nuts. He reads really well, runs with great patience, can throw the ball, is really fast, and he’s got great size. Those that believed Ricky Williams was going to hold of Ronnie all year long, how does that look now? That said, I still think Ricky should be owned in fantasy circles. He’s not only a great back-up guy in case of injury, but he produces right now. He had a down week, sure, but I think he’ll bust the century mark a couple times and be worth keeping around.

  8. Michael Turner can only run against bad defenses, so he’ll really struggle against the Packers. I can’t tell you how many times I read that in fantasy articles this weekend, it’s like “they” all got together and pow-wowed there way to hating Mike Turner. Time to check out the league’s stats fellas, this guy put up 127 against the Pack and still holds the top spot on the rushing yardage pile. The Packers aren’t great against the run right now, they are down both DTs from last years’ defense and the Pack running game is struggling so the defense is on the field longer. But still, just because Turner had down games against some better defenses doesn’t mean he can only run against garbage. This kid is legit, and the more Matt Ryan learns and matures, the more Turner will burn defenses.

  9. I wonder how Plax feels about the Giants having their best offensive game of the year with him out? This is why you don’t throw 8 mill a year at receivers. I think they can change an offensive outlook, help #2 and #3 receivers out because they are getting so much attention, but I also don’t think a receiver makes or breaks an offense. Anquan Boldin is one of my favorite receivers in the game, he’s even better than he gets credit for, but look, the Cardinals did the Bills good this week, and Boldin was out. Steve Breaston, Early Doucett, these guys are manageable, and if you can put a lot of your money elsewhere, I think your team is better paying lower salaries to the receiver position. Hixon is legit and Steve Smith is solid and even Amani Toomer (as old as he is) can beat defenses regularly. All this being said, Plax is a beast and he’s going to help the Giants a lot this year. I’m just saying, maybe receiver isn’t the position you need to deal out the bucks to….

  10. I really like Buster Davis for the Chargers. He doesn’t get many balls, and he isn’t fantasy relevant yet. In fact, even though I’m loving his game, I’m leaving him on the waiver wire. I’m just saying, the guy looks good when the ball is thrown his way, and I now see why the Chargers drafted the kid. He’s fast and aggressive. Here’s to hoping the guy gets more looks, I think he can be a really good player in this league.

theRUNDOWN: Week 6

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For those of you new to theRUNDOWN this is what I do. I pick my best team of the week, some nice plays with a few reasons to back up my picks. After that I list a couple sleepers, either decent guys that I expect to have good weeks, or relatively unused guys I like to do well. Then, at the end I list a few usually solid guys that I would leave on the bench. Here’s Week 6’s action…

QB: Tony Romo vs. Arizona: Here’s the deal, teams haven’t been able to run against the Cardinals, so I see no reason that Romo won’t have a huge day. It should be a shootout, this game, or at least one that prompts a few pass attempts from the Dallas boys. I like Tony’s chances of 3-4 touchdown passes. Brett Favre against the Cardinals? Remember?

RB: Adrian Peterson vs. Detroit: Matt Forte didn’t kill the Lions defense like I thought he would, but I’ll give them a second shot. Certainly this beast of a man can give Detroit the old one-two punch, uppercut, jab, jab, home run, yhatzee, 200 yards and a couple touchdown dance.

RB: Matt Forte vs. Atlanta: I like Forte a lot, even in a bad week against the Lions, Forte still scored twice and put in work during a Bears route. I’m willing to bet he comes out and plays well against the Falcons.

FLEX: Ronnie Brown: I’ve always liked Ronnie, and while Houston hasn’t put up terrible rushing defense numbers, I just get the feeling that Miami is giving Ronnie 25-30 chances to make point scoring plays. The ball in his hands means good things, and against Houston he’s bound to break a couple.

WR: Greg Jennings vs. Seattle: The Hawks are lost, no doubt in my mind. Greg Jennings gets the ball a lot, and he is a beast when running after the catch. The Hawks are pretty trustworthy in that they allow big plays, you can trust them to do so. Lots of reasons to like Greg here.

WR: Terrell Owens vs. Arizona: See Tony Romo, above.

TE: Jason Witten vs. Cincinnati: See Tony Romo, above.

K: Josh Scobee vs. Denver: The Broncos defense allows lots of offense. They are coming off a week where they actually played alright, so that’s unlikely to carry over to this week’s game. This one is in Denver, so long kicks are even more likely. This one has to be a good one, despite my kicking hex.

D: New York Giants vs. Cleveland: The Giants are legit. I thought they’d struggle, I was wrong. Their defense gets the J.O.B done. I like them against and underwhelming Browns team.

PAPA’S Week 1 SLEEPERS

Jason Campbell: The Rams will pay all their attention to Portis, and respectably so. Unfortunately, that just means campbell will have to torture them. I think Jason is a nice play this week, he’ll finish in the Top 12.

David Garrard: Garrard hasn’t been the same accurate, problem free signal caller he was last year. But he’ll get back into the swing of things. He gets to throw it around on Denver’s secondary, so like I said, brighter days are soon to come.

Gus Frerotte: Still a nice option. 2nd week in a row.

Fred Taylor: I bet Fred scores his first touchdown and gets over 100 yards. He’s been a bad option thus far, sans one solid week, but Fred won’t be scoreless after Sunday’s tilt with Denver.

Willis McGahee: I like Willis’s chances to get his highest total of carries on the season, and while getting all those looks he’ll do his best work of the season as well. So far he’s been a terrible option, but he’ll pull it together against a Bob Sanders-less Colts defense.

Brandon Jackson: He’s a big chance, for sure, but the Packers might have to give him 14-16 carries right? With Grant struggling and Rodgers on the pine, I think Jackson is a big sleeper this week against the Falcons front 7.

Lance Moore: Against Oakland Moore might find more room to roam. Whew, tough one. No, but honestly, despite some alliteration excitement, Lance looks like a pretty solid play against the Raiders.

Steve Breaston: Boldin might be back, but Breaston has done enough to gain Warner’s confidence, and the former grocery bagger (Warner) has shown an affinity for getting the ball to 3rd wide receivers, so either way, he’ll be a decent option as a sleeper this week again.

Devin Hester: Hester has found the end-zone a couple times, and I still think he reaches the 10 or more scores I expect him to tally. Atlanta’s a good place to find one or two of those. As a waiver wire guy, you could have a nice bye week option here.

Greg Olsen: This young TE is a nice sleeper with Kyle Orton getting his wings recently – against Atlanta’s secondary he could be a nice waiver wire pick up with nice future upside.

Washington Redskins: Why? Because until the Rams prove they aren’t the worst team I’ve ever seen, it’s sleeper defense every week time.

Papa’S Week 6 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

J.T. O’Sullivan: Martz always has his quarterbacks throwing lots of touchdowns and turning the ball over just about as often. Against Philly it will be more turnover than TD, and that’s why I wouldn’t follow O’Sullivan to the well this week.

Edgerrin James: James had a touchdown last week against Buffalo, and has solid numbers on the season, but he won’t be doing much in terms of fantasy production against the Cowboys. Sit him.

Jamal Lewis: Back off his bye, I still don’t like Lewis as a start this week. Until New York allows some offensive action, I’m staying away from middle of the road fantasy runners against them. Just like Julius Jones last week, Jamal isn’t the best option in Week 6.

Steve Smith: I would start Steve Smith almost every single week, because you never know when he’s going to break one and take it 80 yards. However, this seems like a down week for Steve, and if you have the balls, and a decent back-up, I’d leave Steve on the bench.

Ask Papa Weimer: Week 5

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I’ve got a couple dandy questions this week, I won’t mix words here – just go right to the nitty gritty – I love being old sometimes – because I can say stuff like “I love being old sometimes” and go absolutely no where with it, link it to nothing, and just go one with what ever it is that I’m doing. And you know what, you’ll be like, “What?” and then you’ll just concede that I’m old and that’s that. Also, being old allows me to say things like “I won’t mix words,” and then put a damn lexicon in a blender. Domino!

Steven Talking from Tulane says, “This is the first time I’ve ever written in, as you will probably recognize. I was just wondering, I’m in a PPR league and can start a receiver or a running back at the flex this week – who would you start amongst the following? Bernard Berrian, Steve Smith (NYG), Steve Slaton, or Clinton Portis?

Boy, nice team of Flexers. I think Steve Smith is a great sleeper play this week, but you have 3 other non-sleeper guys, so cross him off the list. Portis is the best player, no doubt, but he has a very tough match-up in Philly this week, and I don’t think he does great things against another great defense for the 2nd straight week. THat leaves Berrian and Slaton, and though Berrian has the makings of a good game against the Saints secondary, I think Slaton is your best bet. Indy doesn’t stop the run without Bob Sanders, and the Iowa missile is out for sure. Slaton catches a lot of balls out of the backfield and his speed should give Indy trouble. He’s in line for 20-25 rushes and targets combined, which should be two to three times as many as Berrien. Good luck this week – Slaton is your guy. And by the way, Steven Talking – that’s great stuff on the name, unless freakishly your name is actually Steven Talking, then just give your mom a high five and your dad a fake high five and then a quick flick to the testicular region. You can’t hit girls and dad’s the next best option.

Talifan asks, “I dont see much rong with starting Regge Bush this week agginst the Vikes even thou Sota has a good run D – am I stupid?”

Yes. But you’re right about Reggie Bush. Joking. I’ll just assume you were getting special treatment under the desk while writing in your question – to keep in clean I mean a *pedicure. Reggie has a tough match-up running the ball, sure, but I’d be surprised if he was used as anything except a change of pace anyway. Deuce will get the tough runs and Reggie will get about 10-12 receiving targets. He could do a lot with those looks against the Vikings secondary. Even as a change of pace back, Reggie could break one and end up with a chunk of rushing yards. Bush struggled last week, but he still looks ready for a solid season. Your name is also pretty clever – what they hell is this, smart nickname week on LuckyLester.com? Brilliant. Maybe i can have a cool nickname too –  Papa Ten-Inge Weimer? You know, because I have 10 cousins that are related to Brandon Inge… Yacko!

David says, “I need a pick up for the future and I can have either Deuce or Le’Ron McClain – you have any advice on this one?”

Tough call. I’ll tell you this, I’ve seen all backs in Baltimore run and the best pro runningback this year is Le’Ron McClain. That being said who knows what the coaches will think and right now Deuce is looking like the guy to get the rock in New Orleans – maybe check out who they play on that bye week of yours and go from there. If Baltimore has to play Tennessee or Minnesota, haha, then go for Deuce. That’s what I’m thinking. If it were me, and I was just picking up either player based on his rest of the season fantasy total, I would probably go with the sure thing of McAllister. Deuce may be older, and he might have three bad knees, but he’s still the best running back in New Orleans, and there’s a lot about the match-ups that an NFC South running back goes up against opposed to an AFC North running back. Plus, Willis McGahee still looks like “the guy” when he’s healthy. Boy McClain runs hard though, tough decision for sure, and either choice could come back to bite you in the butt – at least you are just picking up a bye week future guy though, not much to lose either way.

theRUNDOWN Review: Week 4

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Week 4 wasn’t historic, these were my best picks? Damn! Well, it’s what I got. Brett Favre and Laveranues Coles would have been a nice combo, they went for 81 fantasy points together. My outing went like this… And 116 points ain’t too shabby.

QB: Aaron Rodgers vs. Bucs: Rodgers had some injury woes, but his 165 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions got me a whopping 12 points – to make matters worse I too a hit on that game as well, as the Packers didn’t stand a chance with no running game to speak of and all those turnovers.

RB: Frank Gore vs. New Orleans: The 49ers were down, so Gore only rushed the ball 16 times – or was it because Mike Martz is a freak? Option two. Either way, Gore’s 82 rushing yards and 31 receiving yards got him 15 fantasy points, good for 13th amongst running backs.

RB: Marshawn Lynch vs. Car Ram-Rod: Yet another week where Lynch was outscored (in PPR leagues) by Fred Jackson. Jackson almost had as many yards *47-59, on 12 less carries (7-19) and he caught one more ball for 15 more yards than Lynch as well. Marshawn was 18th overall with 11 fantasy points.

WR: Brandon Marshall vs. Chiefs: Marshall continued his onslaught of NFL defenses, having a down day and still grabbing 7 balls for 77 yards and a touchdown – his fumble brought his total down to 18. Still, 16th overall on the day wasn’t great.

WR: Steve Smith vs. Atlanta: 6 catches, 96 yards and a touchdown for 21 points. Steve is back and he looks to benefit from Mushin’s presence along the outside.

TE: Tony Gonzalez vs. Denver: 3 grabs for 47 yards and a score, nice day for a TE, but how can I not go with Witten? He was 5th overall with 13 points.

K: Rian Lindell vs. Ram-Rod: 5th overall with 13 points, that’s like hitting the lottery! I’m off the snide!

D: Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore: 8th overall with 13 fantasy points, not the shutdown performance I was expecting, maybe I didn’t give their injuries enough thought.

PAPA’S Week 1 SLEEPERS

Kerry Collins: Collins had 199 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions – he did throw a lot, 35 times, but only completing 18 passes is never a good percentage. Collins, though he was a stretch, only got me 6 fantasy points. F

Trent Edwards: Trent was 12th overall making him a low end starting option on Sunday. His 200 yards 1 touchdown 1 pick performance gave him 13 points on the week. I’ll take a B for that one.

Carson Palmer: Didn’t start, didn’t play. He’s a write off.

Maurice Jones Drew: How can you go about life giving this kid 7 carries? I’m convinced the Jaguars are stupid. But hey, he had 6 fantasy points. Ugh. F

DeAngelo Williams: Williams had 7 fantasy points getting half the team’s carries. Jon Stewart is the better option. D

Selvin Young: If the Broncos gave him a chance he’d be solid. Denver was down all day to the Chiefs though, so Young only got 11 looks, he did gain 49 yards with those chances though. Silly Splinter. F

Bernard Berrian: 5 catches for 78 yards, no score, but this was a good day for Berrian owners – if you snuck him off the waiver wire, you are about to get a good return on that investment. B+

Jerry Porter: 1 catch 6 yards – full health? What were the Jaguars up to this week? F

Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson: Royal grabbed 9 balls for 104 yards (and a fumble) for 17 points – Jackson snagged 5 balls for 71 yards and a touchdown for 19 fantasy points – there were 14th and 19th overall respectively. A

Owen Daniels: Daniels had 7 catches for 87 yards to lead the Texans in receiving – he was 4th amongst TE’s. A

Buffalo: 3rd overall with 17 fantasy points, good day for the Bills, and they pulled out a win. There were bound to score a defensive touchdown against St. Louis, right? It was meant to be.

Papa’S Week 4 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

LenDale White: 11 carries 13 yards, but the touchdown made him noteworthy i guess – still this was a good sit. Your welcome.

Ryan Grant: 15 carries for 20 yards. Your welcome.

Clinton Portis: Clinton carried the Redskins past the Cowboys, getting a couple huge first downs to put the game away and rolling for 121 yards on 21 carries. He managed 15 points on the day and was a solid option (13th overall). My bad.

Brandon Lloyd: 2 catches for 33 yards – your welcome.

Ten for Tuesday

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I’m battling a pretty solid eye infection right now, so this Tuesday article is going to be a quick one. Sorry for the abnormally quick and to the point fantasy tidbit here, but it’ll have to do until I can look into the computer screen for 5 seconds without having to close my eyes. Ugh. Below are 7 guys and 3 guys, (10 for Tuesday), that are worth picking up this week and those that aren’t. 

1. Steve Breaston: Some may think his 100+ yards receiving a fluke, but I think Breaston could do that kind of damage if Bolding misses some serious time. he’s worth a flier. 

2. Lance Moore: With Shockey and Colston out a little while longer, he’s definitely a guy that is going to get looks from Drew Brees.

3. Robert Meachem: I don’t like him as much as the two guys above him, but if you need a receiver he could still be available. He’s especially nice in TD leagues as his few touches usually result in a score. 

4. Marc Bulger: His history makes him worth a shot. 

5. Mushin Muhammad: If he’s still there, feel free to go get the big guy. The Panthers will have red-zone chances, and he could be a recipient of about 6 Delhomme touchdown passes over the rest of the season, plus he’s a nice option to have beside a speed Steve Smith.

6. Le’Ron McClain: Yep. Here’s why. He’s the best running back in Baltimore. That’s right, if I had one guy to get 5 yards in that backfield, it wouldn’t be self assessed super back McGahee, and it wouldn’t be highly touted 2nd round pick Ray Rice – it’d be Le’Ron. Someone will realize that soon in Baltimore. 

7. Bobby Engram or Deion Branch: They could have been looked over thus far – two good receivers in a pass happy offense – hmm…. 

Three to Let Another Owner Pick Up

1. Mewelde Moore: I don’t think he’s worth it. Not a bad option, but that offensive line is dwindling, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed more in the 3rd down role while Russell and newly (again) signed Davenport get equal touches. All said, not much to get excited about here. 

2. Montel Owens: Don’t get crazy, not even a talent like Maurice Jones Drew can get consistent enough touches to be a good fantasy option week in and week out, leave Montel for those truly hopeless owners. 

3. Arnaz Battle: His line looks good, 7 for 120 yards, but I doubt he gets close to that any time soon. Bryant comes back next week, and there are lots of young receivers that will touch the ball in SF, and Gore needs more carries too (who knows if Martz will do that though?)

More tomorrow, sorry for the slow start to the week.

theRUNDOWN: Week 4

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Okay, after a pretty mediocre Week 3, I’ve got out the big guns and am ready to use them for a huge week. This is where I keep the good stuff… Week 4’s runDOWN son!

QB: Aaron Rodgers vs. Bucs: I don’t think the Bucs secondary can keep up with Jennings, Jones, and Driver – maybe even Lee and Nelson get into the mix. Anyway, Brees threw all over the Bucs. So did Kyle Orton. I like my chances with Rodgers to do the same.

RB: Frank Gore vs. New Orleans: The yards per carry against the Saints defense is ridiculous. I know their secondary isn’t good either, but controlling the ball should be a point of emphasis for the Niners vs. the Rams in Week 4 – Gore is the man for that job.

RB: Marshawn Lynch vs. Car Ram-Rod: The Rams are brutal. Lynch and the Bills will out physical this pathetically weak Ram team. I like Lynch to rush for about 120 yards and score twice.

WR: Brandon Marshall vs. Chiefs: Because if there’s ever a team that can’t d-up Brandon Marshall, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs. The kid is a beast, and he will dominate the Chiefs.

WR: Steve Smith vs. Atlanta: It was premature to pick Steve as a top guy in his first week back – well, he should kill the Falcons secondary on way to a big home win this weekend.

TE: Tony Gonzalez vs. Denver: Gonzo should find lots of room against Denver – the Broncos have a weak secondary with their biggest problem area being safety, the same safeties guarding Gonzo on Sunday.

K: Rian Lindell vs. Ram-Rod: I’m sure I’ll look bad again here, but how can you not like the Bills kicker against this defense? (I know why, because I picked him to have a big day, that’s the best anti-pick you could have).

D: Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore: Pittsburgh should shut down the Ravens offense in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are dominant at home, and the Ravens won’t be able to run the ball. Pass? Interceptions. Thanks for playing.

PAPA’S Week 1 SLEEPERS

Kerry Collins: This is a big sleeper, but Collins will have to throw a lot, some dump downs to Chris Johnson, and some deep balls to keep the Vikings honest. He could very well go for 200+ yards and throw 2 touchdowns. He could be a great fill in for Week 4 if you happen to have the Manning brothers dancing around on your team as 1 and 2.

Trent Edwards: You bet! Trent should have a brilliant day against the worst team in football.

Carson Palmer: He’ll have another startable week against the Browns. After one decent week, I’m willing to bet the Bengals offense is back for good.

Maurice Jones Drew: After two bad weeks, JD was a sleeper pick last week. I think you should start him again.

DeAngelo Williams: I like D-Lo’s chances against the Falcons this week. I think he’ll get more carries to start with and make the most of them.

Selvin Young: I think Young gets his highest number of carries so far this season. He’ll also have his highest yardage total and most fantasy points of the year.

Bernard Berrian: A tough match-up? You bet, but Berrian will be the only offensive hope the Vikings have against the TItans. Those Titans don’t allow rushing yards – not many passing yards either, but that seems to be the only way to get them.

Jerry Porter: Porter should be back to full health, and the Jaguars seem to need him. He could be a nice start in his first game action with the Jags, especially against the Texans secondary.

Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson: After a down week for both guys, they have decent match-ups. The Eagles will have to throw against the Bears, and Jackson can get lost in that secondary. The Broncos should be able to do whatever they want against the Chiefs, and Royal should benefit.

Owen Daniels: Daniels should find open spaces in Jacksonville’s secondary, and Matt Schaub will be looking to get his sure hands tight end the ball more.

Buffalo: I like Denver in Week 4, a bad secondary, yes, but they’ll be taking some chances against the Chiefs, and those quick corners can jump some routes.

Papa’S Week 4 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

LenDale White: He’ll get less carries than Chris Johnson this week – and the Vikings won’t be giving away yards like they’re free.

Ryan Grant: I really like Grant, and I’m sure he’ll be fine – but that will just have to wait until next week when they aren’t playing the Bucs.

Clinton Portis: Portis could be in for a rough one against the Cowboys. Dallas has a fine history of shutting down opposing backs. You probably don’t have a better option, but if you do, you might consider the switch.

Brandon Lloyd: The Eagles secondary is for real. Lloyd was a nice player last week, but don’t buy the hype, not this week anyway.