Tag Archives: Terrell Owens

Sunday Observations: Week 6 NFL Football

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My buddy Josh had this great idea, take some of our best comments to each other from Sunday’s action, the group’s best and worst textual masterpieces, and put them together in one article for all to see. Sometimes our day-time observations can be priceless, other times hilarious, and every once in a while even useful. You need to know, I have Sunday ticket, Josh is braving the darkness of Alaska and whichever games they show up there, Papa never leaves his dungeon, and Red Red Ryan couldn’t take part in this week’s texting session because his red hair (and female partner) wouldn’t allow him to do so. The bottom line is, we all watch football in different places, so we keep our texting handy to pretend we’re watching the games together. So, Red was out this week but still, Papa, Josh, and I sent texts to and fro. Here’s the Top 15, compiled by yours truly…

Josh Arsenault

1. Percy Harvin is a speed guy that loves to hit people… Watch him block from the slot and it’s easy to see why the Vikings love him.

2. Ray Rice’s game reminds me of MJD…. He and Flacco have a chance to be special for a long time.

3. John Fox makes coaching look hard… Here’s a tip, Foxy: D-Will, D-Will, J-Stew, D-Will, J-Stew, J-Stew, D-Will… Somebody get this guy a Tecmo Bowl playbook.

4. There is nobody in the NFL I enjoy watching lose more than Jay Cutler… Except maybe Al Davis… Here’s hoping Culter winds up with the Raiders at some point.

5. No team is more bi-polar than the Seattle Seahawks… Their two wins were shutouts (28-0 and 41-0) and their four losses have been by an average margin of 15 points. Which one will it be coming off their bye?

Lucky Lester

1. Rummaging through the games I think I’ve watched five offensive plays by the Bills, and I’m pretty damn sure Terrell Owens has three drops. If the average team has 60 offensive plays, TO is on pace to drop 36 balls based on my numbers – that has to be a record.

2. Joshua Cribbs is unreal, but unless he returns 5 kickoffs and punts for touchdowns, the Browns aren’t going to have a chance to win this game.

3. How do nine football games manage to all be on commercial at the same time, and not one has reached half time? On the bright side, the Tampa game is showing their cheerleaders, and I’m pretty sure they are only wearing jerseys – there might be black panties under there, but I’m not sure.

4. The Jaguars must really stink, because Maurice Jones Drew is really freaking good and they still suck.

5. I hate watching Jake Delhomme, he’s like a Ben Stiller movie, I feel embarrassed for the guy. He tries so hard but he just keeps zipping his junk up in his zipper. The guy can dig himself a hole with the best of them.

Papa Weimer

1. I hope Jim Zorn realizes that it’s not the quarterback, it’s him. Jason Campbell is better than Todd Collins, that’s why he’s started over the past 2 seasons. It’s the play calling, the dead end coaching spot, and the general broke down feeling of the Skins franchise.

2. I feel bad for Todd Haley, his offense plays like the last 3 eight grade teams I coached. They jump off-sides like it’s their job, they miss assignments all day long, and they do just enough to give you a glimmer of hope before they rip it away with a holding penalty and two jumps off-sides on back2back2back plays.

3. If you got paid a million dollars to get knocked out, and you got to pick one guy to make sure the job got done right, which player in the league would you choose to rock your world? I got Ray Lewis. (Josh replies, Brian Dawkins) (Lucky replies, Aaron Curry)

4. Hahahaha… The Rams are going to win, the Rams are going to win! Leonard Little, pick 6, the worst team in the league won’t tie the Lions for the worst record ever!

5. The Rams lose. Figures. If the Rams and Bucs gave all their best players to fight for a singular cause, they’d still get beat 12 times a year.

Week 1 Fantasy Football News: Ten for Tuesday

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Here we are, breaking down Week 1’s action and how it’s going to effect you moving forward. Here are 10 things that caught my attention in this weekend’s entertaining action…

The Giants did alright throwing the ball sans Mr. Burress. But things aren’t quite how I thought they’d be coming out of Week 1. Dominik Hixon caught one pass while Hakeem Nicks looks to be out after injuring his foot early in the contest. There goes my #2 and #3 options going into Week 1, or so I figure. Who does that leave? Well, Steve Smith got plenty of targets, but he’s probably taken. Mario Manningham however, well, he looked explosive to me. He’s worth a shot going forward. Young, fast, athletic, no sure fire starters keeping him off the field, promising first round pick out a couple weeks? Yes please…..   Richard Seymour was a beast on Monday Night Football action in a Raiders uniform. Many think that was a dumb trade by the Raiders, sending out a first round pick for Seymour, but this guy is a difference maker. He’s going to give the Raiders huge plays, make their run defense better, and keep their secondary from having to cover receivers any longer than 5 seconds. He takes pressure off of everyone. Now that might not mean much to you, because the Raiders aren’t getting many defensive starts this season, however, with Jerrod Mayo going down for the Patriot, and Seymour getting traded, I think the Patriots are becoming more and more vulnerable defensively. They got a first round pick in 2011, but what about winning a championship this season? What about the Patriots as a fantasy DST? I’m looking for better options…..   Two of the biggest off-season movers, Terrell Owens and Jay Cutler, both had pretty forgettable opening day’s for their new squads. TO dropped a pass (weird) and had his team fall in last minute fashion to the Patriots while Jay Cutler did Jay Cutler things, managing 4 interceptions to his single touchdown pass – a nice one to Devin Hester. I would buy low if you have the chance, but if you own these guys, hold tight, both have better days to come. Trent Edwards looked solid, and there’s a good chance Jay’s receivers will get on his page soon enough….   After Week 1, Adrian Peterson leads all running backs in fantasy land – that isn’t crazy, what is crazy is that Tim Hightower, Thomas Jones, Julius Jones, Fred Jackson, and Willis McGahee finish off the Top 6. Of those four, I’m not sure if Fred Jackson, or McGahee have a chance to keep it up, considering their future situations sharing time in the backfield, but both could be decent spot starters – Fred because he’s only done good things when given the chance, and McGahee because he’s seemingly getting goal line action. And my spidey senses tell me that Tim Hightower won’t be racking up double digit catches game in and game out, but I’ve said for a while, he’s a steal and he’ll be a solid contributor. Thomas and Julius, the brothers’ Jones, have a chance to keep racking up big time fantasy points. Every week Julius will get more comfortable with Seattle’s new blocking scheme, and Thomas will get his chances behind that very solid Jets offensive line….    Jake Delhomme pulled off the amazing this Sunday against Philadelphia, he managed to get double digit fantasy points… In the negative. Yes, Jake turned the ball over enough times to get him in -11 in one of my leagues. Now, most leagues he probably got closer to -8, but still, brutal. Jake took a seat in the second half, and Steve Smith owners can only hope that Jake’s last two performances (accounting for 9 interceptions and just 1 TD) are back to back outliers. I’m thinking they are, and these two should get back to decent totals next week against the Falcons. But maybe that’s because I’m a Smith owner…..  Drew Brees has one of the quickest releases in football. His accuracy is amazing, and his eye for the game, the way he plays defenses like puppets, is almost poetic. But dirty and tough and footbally. For a guy that has absolutely no physical advantage, the whole thing truly is amazing. The way Drew can escape pressure for a second, turn his body, reset his feet, and release the ball with pin-point accuracy is amazing. Never known as a speedy guy, I’m not sure there’s another guy that is quicker resetting and throwing than Brees. Those that reached out and grabbed Drew early, I’m sure you’re happy with your Week 1 win…..  Laurence Maroney tallied more carries than any other Patriot RB despite being 4th on the depth chart. He didn’t kill it though, averaging just over 3 yards per carry on 10 attempts. Fred Taylor had 9 carries for 28 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Faulk carried the ball once or twice. Sammy Morris didn’t get an attempt. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Maroney is the upside play, and worth a roster spot most likely, but I’m not sure having any Pat running back is a dreamy situation…..   Donovan McNabb broke a rib on Sunday when a defensive player kneed him in the back about 2 seconds after he got into the end-zone. Personally, I think he’ll play, but we’ll see. I still think the Eagles will be productive in his absence, but Jeff Garcia’s signing makes me think that those of you holding on to Mike Vick really need to find a new person to fill that roster spot. I’m not a Vick hater, quite the contrary, I think the guy deserves a second chance and definitely hope he gets his career back on track. However, if the Eagles have Kevin Kolb, and in a week will get Vick back, why would they go get Garcia? I know, because they don’t think Vick will be able to run this team from the QB position, even if McNabb goes down for a considerable period of time. Let Vick go non-dynasty-leaguers, let him go…..   Byron Leftwich, Joe Flacco, and Mark Sanchez really impressed me this week, but only one of those guys really surprised me. Flacco is quite good, a much better thrower than many people think, and I think he puts up solid numbers this season, but I thought that all along. Sanchez has very mature feet, especially for a young kid with 1 year of college starting experience, and he’ll keep the Jets in winning situations, but I thought that all along. Byron Leftwich is tough as hell, stares into the face of defenses, and will step up to complete a ball in the face of the rush, and while I knew that, I didn’t think he’d throw the ball as well as he did against the Cowboys. He’s always been a winner, but I think Byron can be a fantasy contributor this season. Why? Well, that offensive line is very good, the running backs are equally as talented, and very deep – and a group of pass catchers that include Antonio Bryant, Kellen Winslow, Michael Clayton, and Sammie Stroughter is good enough when teams have to pay so much attention to the run. Byron is rosterable….    Ten of the Top 16 pre-ranked fantasy receivers (ESPN) managed single digit fantasy points, that means guys like Andre Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Eddie Royal, Steve Smith, Roddy White, Terrell Owens and more didn’t help fantasy owners in Week 1. This is why picking receivers high isn’t the best move in fantasy land. Receivers are a fickle and inconsistent bunch. I still like these guys, but on any given week the best receivers will get you next to nothing – where even mediocre running backs will keep you in the game. Until next week!

2009 Fantasy Football Tiered Player Rankings: Lucky Lester’s Top 220

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I’m back again with yet another fantasy article, this one rates out my top 220 players for this season and this season only. I’ve already busted out a dynasty chart (without rookies) for the next three years, you could check that out here. It’s an older article, and while some things have changed, that look should give you a decent view of the future if you find yourself in a dynasty league late this fall – but remember, it happened before the draft, and thus is without rookies, a valuable resource in dynasty leagues.

I’ve also spent a little time busting out some tiered rankings for each position, hopefully helping you on draft day – check that out here. I’m breaking these down into tiers as well, because a ranking list is nothing without a little crying game. Also, looking at my final rankings and my earlier tiered rankings, you’ll see some small differences. Why? Well, that’s because things happen over a month that give me reason to move players up and down. Nothing is concrete!

When I rank players, I’m not saying, “this is going to be the final points standings at years’ end”, no, I’m saying that this is the order of value, fantasy points, and upside going into draft day, a sort of cheat sheet to help you assess value on D-Day. Hope this helps!

First Tier

1.	Adrian Peterson – Favre signing just enough to get him on top.
2.	Maurice Jones Drew
3.	Matt Forte
4.	Michael Turner – I might not be giving him enough credit, looks great!

Second Tier

5.	LaDainian Tomlinson
6.	Steve Slaton
7.	Frank Gore
8.	Andre Johnson
9.	Larry Fitzgerald
10.	DeAngelo Williams – J-Stew’s injury woes has Williams moving up.
11.	Steven Jackson
12.	Chris Johnson
13.	Randy Moss – Randy is Tom’s favorite weapon.
14.	Brian Westbrook

Third Tier

15.	Steve Smith
16.	Calvin Johnson
17.	Clinton Portis – All four of these backs are great value picks…
18.	Ronnie Brown - …
19.	Ryan Grant - …
20.	Brandon Jacobs – His O-line is the stuff championships are made of.
21.	Marion Barber
22.	Tom Brady
23.	Drew Brees

Forth Tier

24.	Anquan Boldin – Best #2 in the league.
25.	Reggie Wayne – Still one of the best with one of the best tossing him balls.
26.	Greg Jennings
27.	Darren McFadden – all the talent in the world, lots of touches.
28.	Roddy White
29.	Terrell Owens
30.	Marques Colston

Fifth Tier

31.	Marshawn Lynch
32.	T.J. Houshmandzadeh – Housh looks like a 115 catch guy to me.
33.	Eddie Royal – Marshall moves down, Eddie moves up!
34.	Vincent Jackson
35.	Dwayne Bowe
36.	Derrick Ward – A pretty risky pick considering RB talent in Tampa Bay.
37.	Larry Johnson
38.	Knowshon Moreno – I still believe!
39.	Wes Welker
40.	Jason Witten

Sixth Tier

41.	Reggie Bush
42.	Joseph Addai – Running with something to prove, should be decent.
43.	Chad Johnson
44.	Anthony Gonzalez – This guy is crafty.
45.	Pierre Thomas
46.	Roy Williams
47.	Kurt Warner
48.	Peyton Manning
49.	DeSean Jackson – Has looked better in year 2, moving up my list.
50.	Aaron Rodgers
51.	Phillip Rivers
52.	Antonio Gates
53.	Tony Romo
54.	Donovan McNabb
55.	LenDale White
56.	Felix Jones
57.	Thomas Jones
58.	Julius Jones – No love for JJ, I think he’ll be solid.
59.	Ray Rice
60.	Dallas Clark
61.	Tony Gonzalez

Seventh Tier

62.	Matt Schaub – Please stay healthy and prove me right!
63.	Lee Evans
64.	Bernard Berrien – Brett at least gives Berrien more flavor.
65.	Matt Hasselbeck – Matt’s moving up my list.
66.	Santana Moss
67.	Braylon Edwards
68.	Jonathan Stewart – Many upside here.
69.	Jamal Lewis – His offense may be terrible, but his O-line is solid.
70.	Tim Hightower
71.	Carson Palmer – Hurt again?
72.	Lance Moore
73.	Beanie Wells
74.	Jay Cutler – Looked better than I thought he would, but still not top notch.
75.	Chris Cooley
76.	Matt Ryan – I’m not believing 25+ touchdowns in year 2.
77.	Brandon Marshall – I hear he’s having some problems.

Eighth Tier

78.	Leon Washington – I think he’ll be used more this season.
79.	Cedric Benson
80.	Willie Parker
81.	Hines Ward
82.	Owen Daniels
83.	Greg Olsen
84.	Santonio Holmes
85.	Jericho Cotchery
86.	Antonio Bryant
87.	Devin Hester – Hasn’t shown much in the pre-season, should change though.

Ninth Tier

88.	David Garrard
89.	Matt Cassel
90.	Kellen Winslow – has yet to catch a ball in the pre-season.
91.	Torry Holt
92.	Rashard Mendenhall
93.	Ben Roethlisberger
94.	Donald Brown
95.	Jerious Norwood – One of the best back-up backs in the league.
96.	Darren Sproles
97.	Ahmad Bradshaw – looks really good in the pre-season.
98.	John Carlson
99.	Kyle Orton
100.	Nate Burleson – people are forgetting about him, do.
101.	Donnie Avery – Should be healthy by week one, #1 receiver late.
102.	Derrick Mason – old and good, not unlike the guy right below.
103.	Donald Driver

Tenth Tier

104.	Trent Edwards – Like him with Lee and TO out wide.
105.	Fred Jackson
106.	Kevin Walter
107.	Brett Favre – Hmmm…. I wonder.
108.	Zach Miller
109.	Dominik Hixon
110.	Cadillac Williams – Looked good to me, hope he gets more touches.
111.	LeSean McCoy
112.	Nate Washington – Better than people know, hurt early, good late pick.
113.	Joe Flacco
114.	Josh Morgan
115.	Daunte Culpepper – If the job was his, guarantee, I’d rank him higher.
116.	Chad Pennington
117.	Jason Campbell
118.	Ted Ginn Jr. – Super fast WR coming into his own.
119.	Steve Breaston
120.	Chris Henry – Yes, the #3 is ranked higher than the #2.
121.	Vinsanthe Shiancoe
122.	Earnest Graham
123.	Laveranues Coles
124.	Percy Harvin
125.	Jabar Gaffney
126.	Michael Crabtree – This guy is a soap opera already.
127.	Tony Scheffler
128.	Dustin Keller
129.	Fred Taylor
130.	Kenny Britt – Moving on up, lots of talent.
131.	Kevin Curits – Not sure if his upside is high enough for me to get late.
132.	Correll Buckhalter
133.	Jake Delhomme
134.	Jeremy Shockey
135.	Willis McGahee
136.	Chester Taylor
137.	Michael Bush
138.	Shaun Hill
139.	Eli Manning
140.	James Davis
141.	Shonn Greene – Like his talent, just don’t like 3rd RBs too much.
142.	JaMarcus Russell – has looked solid so far this pre-season.
143.	Le’Ron McClain
144.	Sammy Morris
145.	Justin Forsett

Eleventh Tier

146.	Laurence Maroney
147.	Tashard Choice
148.	Marc Bulger
149.	Chaz Schillens – hurt early, but looks good to me.
150.	Patrick Crayton
151.	Michael Clayton
152.	Isaac Bruce
153.	Joey Galloway
154.	Mark Clayton
155.	Earl Bennett ¬– Not sure he is fast enough.
156.	Maurice Stovall – Could be in line for starting duties.
157.	Brady Quinn
158.	Bobby Engram
159.	Vernon Davis
160.	Mohammad Massoquoi
161.	Peyton Hillis
162.	Hakeem Nicks
163.	Jeremy Maclin – The speedster might be a nice second half pick-up.
164.	Mark Sanchez
165.	Glen Coffee
166.	Steve Smith (NYG)
167.	Chris Chambers
168.	Anthony Fasano
169.	Jamaal Charles
170.	Mike Bell
171.	Sidney Rice
172.	Edgerrin James
173.	Ricky Williams
174.	Troy Williamson – Has the speedster finally arrived?
175.	Deion Branch
176.	Justin Fargas
177.	Brandon Petitgrew
178.	Laurent Robinson – liked him better than Mike Jenkins in ATL too.
179.	Michael Jenkins
180.	Mushin Muhammad
181.	Kevin Boss
182.	Malcom Kelly
183.	Brent Celek
184.	David Clowney – Becoming number two?
185.	Mark Bradley
186.	Miles Austin
187.	Bo Scaife
188.	Ladell Betts
189.	JerMichael Finley
190.	Chris Brown – could be a TD stealer, but I doubt it.
191.	Devone Bess
192.	DeShawn Wynn
193.	Mike Walker
194.	James Jones
195.	Dominic Rhodes
196.	Pierre Garcon
197.	Jordy Nelson
198.	Michael Vick – In deep leagues, maybe?
199.	Limas Sweed – Nate Washington’s targets?
200.	Antwan Randel-El
201.	Deon Butler
202.	Kevin Jones
203.	Jonnie Lee Higgins
204.	Heath Miller
205.	Marion Manningham
206.	Robert Meachem
207.	Brian Robiskie
208.	Chase Coffman
209.	Todd Heap
210.	Brandon Jackson – Could be #2 still, had a tough camp.
211.	Byron Leftwich
212.	Matthew Stafford
213.	Kerry Collins
214.	Sage Rosenfels – So much for sleeper, thanks Brett!
215.	Matt Leinart
216.	Vince Young
217.	Chad Henne
218.	Samkon Gado
219.	Bernard Scott
220.	Tarvaris Jackson – Mr. Irrelevant could play well if he gets the chance.

theRUNDOWN: Week 9

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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. Just in case you didn’t catch it, this is my RUNDOWN for Week 8…

QB: Matt Schaub vs. Minnesota: Maybe I’m a little edgy for taking Schaub (and his Texans) to do good work on the road against a team coming off a bye. My guess, Minnesota didn’t fix their terrible secondary over a bye week. 

RB: Matt Forte vs. Detroit: Clinton Portis killed the Lions in limited action – I expect Detroit to be a little better, but Matt is a big time focus of the Lions offense – I can’t imagine him getting less than 20 fantasy points this week. 

RB: Earnest Graham vs. Kansas City: Thomas Jones was the guy hurt most by the Jets willingness to throw interceptions last week, well, I think Earnest Graham does work against the Chiefs in Week 9. Warrick Dunn is likely out for this contest, leaving Graham to snag all the carries. 

FLEX: Brandon Marshall vs. Miami: The Dolphins are solid run stuffers, and their secondary is porous. Marshall hasn’t gone off in a while now, and I expect that to change in a hurry. 

WR: Larry Fitzgerald vs. St. Louis: Anquan Boldin has been catching all the touchdowns, but I get a feeling that Fitz will be the high scorer for the Cards this week. 

WR: Andre Johnson vs. Minnesota: Honestly, I’d take Johnson against any defense in the league. That being said, I get a little smile when I see MInnesota on the schedule. All Andre needs to do is score, he has only two on the season. 

TE: Zach Miller vs. Atlanta: A big sure handed TE is a quarterback’s best friend. In PPR leagues I think Miller has a really nice day against the Falcons secondary. 

K: Matt Prater vs. Miami: IN Denver against a defense that isn’t good enough to shut down the Broncos, but isn’t bad enough to allow touchdowns on every drive, I think Prater gets his leg going. 

D: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Seattle: The Eagles can really get after the quarterback, they have 3 talented corners, (very talented), and they have playmaking safeties. They should eat up the Seagulls. 

PAPA’S Week 1 SLEEPERS

David Garrad: This time Garrard gets Cincinnati and I think he has a decent day, he’s not my favorite sleeper, but he’s worth a shot. 

Chad Pennington: I know it’s a bye week happy stat, but just one quarterback over the past 4 weeks has thrown for more yards than Pennington (Brees I think) – I know that sounds crazy, but Chad has been putting up close to 300 or more every week. This week is Denver sans Champ Bailey – yhatzee!!!

Maurice Jones Drew: Big week for MJD. 

Justin Fargas: Not only has Fargas been the best back in Oakland, but this week he’ll likely go at the Atlanta Falcons without Darren McFadden stealing his touches. I like my chances on picking up Fargas and starting him. 

Donnie Avery: This may be a duh call, but Avery goes up against a Cardinals secondary that can really give up the deep ball – he’s bee good lately, and Arizona can stop the run enough to force the pass – and force it the Rams will.

Chad Johnson: It’s been a tough year when Chad Johnson has been relegated to Sleeper status. However, Ryan Fitzpatrick has to be getting a little more comfortable and Chad could always have a huge day. He’s no sure thing, but against a mediocre Jags secondary, I think Chad has a solid day. 80 yards and a score for his best day of the year?

Greg Olsen: Greg goes up against the Lions. He’s talented and a tough match-up for a slow secondary. Seems like a good play to me. 

New England Patriots: This may be a long shot, but the Colts have no running attack, that allows Coach Bill to scheme against one thing, the pass. They may be hurting, but I like the Pats to get to Manning and produce a few turnovers. 

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

Big Ben Roethlisberger: This guy is bound to get hurt with the way teams hit him – he’s a questionable play the rest of the season in my mind – I think Washington gets to him a few times here. 

Ryan Grant: Those who know me know I dig Ryan Grant, but the cat has been struggling with lots of carries and minimal yards against pretty pathetic defenses. These are the Titans, and in greek mythology the Titans were even greater than the gods… 

Edgerrin James: For eternity folks, bench him that long. I’ve been one of his biggest fans, but there’s a time when you have to let go, when he’s still a strong bench him candidate against the Rams, now’s that time. 

Terrell Owens: TO has the ability to go off anytime – he historically eats up the Giants – all that means little to me right now because I’m benching TO this week. 

Ten for Tuesday

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  1. Did I tell you to pick up Jamal Lewis or what? He’s got a more user friendly schedule now, and he played well against the Giants and his team is looking up. He probably got more expensive, but he might still be worth it – he could have a really nice final 2/3s of the season.

  2. Bernard Berrian – yep. BB is really fast and he’s always open. Sure, he drops some balls but he catches some too. Two straight big weeks for Berrian and I think he has his best season as a pro – so if he’s still available or if you can get him as a bonus in a trade, fell happy to do work.

  3. Yes, Braylon Edwards is just as good as you thought he was coming into the season. Those of you who traded him when he was playing poorly – hahahaha – never sell low. Those of you that pilfered the super-talented touchdown machine, good on ya – and those of you that just held on to the big receiver, patiently waiting for his value to skyrocket – you played your cards right.

  4. Does Roy Williams’ value increase? Tough call – I think it does just because he’s happier in his situation now, and while he’s shown over the years that he is a tid bit immature, he has also shown that, when happy and included, he is a damn good young receiver. He’ll be a nice addition as a #2 behind TO, and he’ll get a lot of open looks in a Cowboys offense in which defenses pay a lot of attention to TO, Witten, and Marion Barber – but Romo is out for the next 3 games, and I’m not sure Roy will be the best option during those weeks where the Cowboys will almost certainly throw less and run more.

  5. Just to let everyone know, I prepared you for Thomas Jones big days a coming – he, and the rest of the Jets, play one of the easiest schedules in football from here on out. That means less chances for Brett and more runs for the Jets running backs. This is where Jones makes his owners happy and while you might be too late to get a good deal, I don’t think trading him now is the best option. He’s got some real nice match-ups coming up.

  6. Matt Schaub is a really good fantasy quarterback. I see that he is still available in a lot of leagues, and newsflash folks, he’s better than lots of guys that are owned in more leagues than him. In 3 of his 4 starts he’s been a great starting option and I don’t think that will change. He’ll have some down weeks, this is just his second year as a starter and he was hurt a lot last season – but he’ll have 3 good games out of every 4 and with Andre Johnson out wide, they could be really big games. AJ is a beast!

  7. Despite losing Roy Williams, it seems to be a great deal for the Lions. They’ll probably start Shaun McDonald and Mike Furrey, two sure-handed wideouts that can do work over the middle of the field. I actually think this is not only good for the franchise (1st, 3rd, 6th picks next draft) – but it’s good for Calvin Johnson too. CJ won’t have competition on deep balls and while he might see more double teams, he’ll have an even better season without Roy along side him.

  8. The Chiefs are so dumb. They hold onto Tony Gonzalez when a 3rd round pick was for the taking. Gonzo is really good and he’s 32, they weren’t getting anything more than that and they could have gotten help in the future. If they didn’t draft so crappy this would have been an even better deal. I guess they probably considered the fact that they’d probably reach for a DT and miss on that selection, thus there was no reason to get any pick. I thin Gonzo continues to be a solid TE even though his squad is a short one line joke.

  9. Shaun Alexander – haha – I hope he doesn’t steal end-zone looks from Portis. I don’t think he will and he shouldn’t be picked up, so let someone else make that mistake.

  10. Go RAYS, Go!!! Sorry baseball haters, I had to – gotta love them young guns in Tampa – do work sons!

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.

theRUNDOWN Review: Week 1

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Not a terrible week, but I didn’t kill it either. Per usual, I’m looking for 140+ points from this group of penguins every week – that’s a huge week, but I can pick anyone so while it’s a lofty goal, it’s not impossible. Total for this week……. 114, pretty close, really, just a couple misses (QB, TE, K) hurt me. Here’s the damage:

QB: Kurt Warner vs. San Francisco: Warner didn’t approach 500 yards this time, and he was the 18th rated fantasy quarterback in Week 1. That’s good for 13 points for the old man. He’ll be better I’m sure.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Carolina: LT didn’t score. I figured as much, because he had scored every other damn opening day – ha. Anyway, he still managed solid yardage totals, good for 13 fantasy points and he was the 16th rater runner this weekend.

RB: Marion Barber vs. Cleveland: Barber torched the Browns defensive line. He didn’t even play in the 4th quarter as he had a minor injury and the Boys didn’t need him anymore. He still as the 4th overall fantasy back and scored 25 points in Week 1. Not too shabby, 16 carries for 80 yards, 2 scores, and 3 catches for 21 yards as well. My man.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Kansas City: Randy was the 5th rated wide receiver in my ppr league, scoring 21 fantasy points. Even with Tommy out of the lineup, Randy can still do work with the best of them.

WR: Terrell Owens vs. Cleveland: Owens was 7th overall with 19 fantasy points. I can’t complain. I would have liked Dallas to throw it more, but the way they were running the ball, it makes sense to hand it off.

TE: Tony Scheffler vs. Oakland: Tony had a touchdown bounce off his chest, and he got tackled at the 5 yard line after a 72 yard catch and run. Those were his only points on the day, and on a big day for no-named tight ends, this wasn’t a great pick. Still, 8 points isn’t horrible for a TE.

K: Josh Brown vs. Philadelphia: 1 field goal. 3 points. I really can’t pick a good kicker to save my life.

D: Patriots vs. Kansas City: The Patriots ranked 8th overall with 14 fantasy points. Not a great day, but I should have expected KC to play it safe and limit mistakes. Still, 8th isn’t bad.

Papa’s Week 1 SLEEPERS

Matt Schaub: Matt had a tough time of it against a Steelers team that was out for blood. Still, late in the game he tossed a couple touchdowns and ended up the 15th rated passer, scoring 14 fantasy points. He’ll have better days. B-

Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers was super efficient. He tossed 22 balls and completed 18 of them. He also scrambled around a few times and added a rushing touchdown to his passing touchdown. 22 points, 5th overall for quarterbacks, yep – that’s what I was thinking. A

Chris Johnson: The NFL’s version of Usain Bolt killed it in Week 1. Getting half the carries he still put up 21 fantasy points, good for 8th overall. He caught passes, ran well, and scored a touchdown on 93 rushing yards. He’s going to be a good one. A

Maurice Morris: The Hawks were bad, but Morris was getting the carries before he went down with a knee injury that will sideline him for a few weeks. 6 carries for 31 yards is all he could muster. I’ll take a D, it would have been an F if he played the entire game and tallied these totals.

Matt Forte: 7th rated runner in Week 1- I told ya. A

Nate Burleson: Despite getting lost for the season because of a knee injury, Burleson had a nice game. He caught 5 balls for 60 yards and a touchdown. He was in the Top 10 amongst receivers. I’ll take that for a nice: A.

Roddy White: Roddy had 2 catches for 54 yards, and just 7 fantasy points for a receiver in a ppr isn’t good. But the Falcons didn’t have to throw ever if they didn’t want to. He’ll be a better option against better teams, believe it or not. C-

Robert Meachem: Meachem didn’t even play. He was inactive. I don’t know why New Orleans would do this to the kid, talk about crushing any pre-season momentum whatsoever. I’ll take my F, but crap, what a raw deal – for both of us.

Zach Miller: 34 yards for Miller – not the worst thing that could have happened, not like he was Todd Heap or anything (-1 point for that glass man). Still, I’ll take my C- here, it wasn’t good enough.

Bengals: This was surely a sleeper pick I won’t go back to. Still, the Bengals had a nice return score on a fumble and held the Ravens to just 17 points. They had a nice day, and if you started them you probably liked the points you got, but hated watching them play football. B+

LUCKY’S Week 1 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Drew Brees: Brees killed it. 2nd to only McNabb amongst QBs with 29 points. Yeah, I was wrong, okay.

Ryan Grant and Adrian Peterson: Grant had 91 yards and Peterson had 103 and a touchdown. Neither had great days, but both were definitely solid. Still, like I said, if you have a nice #3 option, I would have used him.

Bernard Berrien: Berrien had 30 yards, 3 fantasy points, and the Packers corners owned him again. Still, now might be a good time to go get the speedy receiver, he’ll have better days.

Willie Parker: I couldn’t have missed this by a bigger margin. Parker had 3 touchdowns and was #2 amongst all running backs with 31 fantasy points. He also rushed for 138 yards I reckon.

Papa's Predictions

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So what, I’m old and these damn computer things seem to get the best of me at every turn. I need glasses to watch the game, and sometimes I yell “fumble” while sitting all by myself on my big ass chair in my big ass living room on my big ass. Oh, and sometimes there was no fumble at all – forgot to mention that. In fact, I seem to forget from time to time as well. Screw it, all that jazz doesn’t even matter because when it comes to football I surely know my game. I’ve said some things that have been wrong, but that only accounts for 3 instances in my football existence. So, when asked to do my predictions I figured, what the hell. Sure, the nephew might be able to actually keep tabs on the things I predict now, but that just gives me one more chance to prove my football knowledge dominance in this family tree. Let the predictions begin with glory and rapture!!!

 

  1. Vince Young – Top 5 fantasy quarterback in leagues that award only 4 points for throwing touchdowns.
  2. LenDale – more fantasy points than Chris Johnson in every format, except maybe PPR – that will be a close race. 
  3. Earnest Graham won’t get 20+ carries in more than 3 games this season – and that bites into his value.
  4. Deion Branch – best fantasy receiver in Seattle (total points).
  5. LeSean McCoy will be a better professional running back than Beanie Wells – and he will be something (draft him in leagues where that’s a part of it).
  6. Willis McGahee – 1200+ rushing yards for the Ravens.
  7. Edgerrin James will break the 1000-yard mark once again.
  8. My nephew thinks Calvin Johnson will be a Top 15 WR – he’ll be a Top 5 WR – my nephew will edit this article and I thank him for that.
  9. Matt Ryan – much better fantasy quarterback than Joe Flacco this season – but neither will bust the Top 20.
  10. Chad Pennington will bust the Top 20, and throw at least 20 touchdowns if he plays more than 12 games.
  11. Jerchio Cotchery – easily outscore Coles in New York.
  12. Selvin Young – the leading rusher in the NFL headed into Week 7.
  13. Kurt Warner will get hurt in the first four weeks, allowing Matt Leinart to take the starting job back and keep it for the duration of the season – the entitled little bastard.
  14. DeAngelo Williams gets 66% of the carries in Carolina and rush for 1000+ yards for the first time in his career.
  15. Dustin Keller – Top 10 fantasy tight end by seasons end.
  16. So will Greg Olsen.
  17. Nate Burleson – scores double digit touchdowns in Seattle again.
  18. Steve Slaton will lead the Texans backfield, and will approach 80 receptions.
  19. Marion Barber – best running back this season in fantasy land.
  20. Brain Westbrook won’t play more than 11 games – as much as I love the guy.
  21. Chris Perry – top 15 fantasy running back.
  22. Frank Gore – top 5 fantasy back.
  23. Randy Moss – catches less than 15 touchdowns, but still has a great season – more catches this year.
  24. Chad Johnson figures out that the Bengals don’t have a chance by Week 6 – that’s when he opts for season ending surgery – he gets traded in 2009.
  25. The SeaChickens don’t win the NFC West this year.
  26. Neither do the freaking Niners.
  27. LT scores in each of his first four games to start the season.
  28. Adrian Peterson won’t break the Top 5 running back list in 2008.
  29. Willie Parker revisits his 2006 form and finishes the year with 1300+ yards and 9 touchdowns or more. (nephew thinks this is crazy old man speak)
  30. Plaxico Burress – his best statistical season, don’t believe my nephew’s bad ju-ju.
  31. Steve Smith – will be the #2 in New York and catch 65 balls at least.
  32. Steve Smith – Carolina’s best weapon puts up 12 touchdowns and finishes in the Top 5 amongst per-game fantasy receiver.
  33. Brandon Marshall – does work in Denver, grabbing 100+ balls in 15 games.
  34. Rookie receiver James Hardy will lead all rookie receivers in touchdowns.
  35. Tony Scheffler – Top 5 TE.
  36. The Ravens will lose at least 12 games.
  37. Santana Moss – ready? – 1300+ yards, 9+ touchdowns, 80+ grabs – believe it. 
  38. Ronald Curry finally meets my nephew’s expectations now that he hasn’t said anything about him recently – 1000+ yards and 6 or more scores in 08.
  39. Chris Henry – more touchdowns for the Bengals than Chad Johnson gets.
  40. Adam “Pacman” Jones never gets in trouble again – he also plays offense a little this season and scores at least 4 touchdowns.
  41. Jamal Lewis will be a great buy-low candidate after Week 3 – get him then and reap the benefits. (nephew thinks this is a great call)
  42. Ryan Grant is going to be a beast – 1400 yards and 14 touchdowns are not out of the question.
  43. Reggie Bush – 10+ total touchdowns this season, his highest total of his career.
  44. Deuce McAllister will lead the Saints in rushing yards -even on 3 bad knees.
  45. Maurice Jones Drew – 200+ carries for 1200+ yards and scores at least 14 times – and welcome to JD being a Top 5 fantasy pick for the next 4 years.
  46. Tarvaris Jackson – 20+ touchdowns for the Vikings. (interesting says the nephew)
  47. So does Jason Campbell, but not for the Vikings.
  48. Anquan Boldin catches more balls than Larry Fitzgerald.
  49. Marvin Harrison catches 80+ balls and scores between 8-12 times.
  50. Terrell Owens will lead all receivers in touchdowns – damn his black heart. 

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 15

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This Week’s Top Team: The search for 140…. I was sooo close last week, and AP pulled a 0… Lets see if I can’t get it done.

QB: Kurt Warner vs. New Orleans: How about the idea that the Saints would be the worst rated defense in the league if they didn’t play 6 games against Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and Carolina – you bet. The saints give up points like they’re free, and Kurt will dominate the world on Sunday.

RB: Joseph Addai vs. Oakland: Oakland’s offensive line is terrible and you can bet Addai will get the rock plenty with Indy being careful for the playoffs. I don’t know how many looks he’ll get in the 2nd half, as I imagine this game won’t be too close for too long, but I’d imagine 3 quarters of work will be just what I was looking for in terms of fantasy production.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Detroit: I have to ride LT’s hot streak out. He’s the best player in the league, and he’s trying to get his team going into the playoffs. This is a closer for them, and Detroit hasn’t been stellar at stopping anyone lately.

WR: Terrell Owens vs. Philadelphia: I know the Eagles will be hell bent on doing up TO after Owens torched them for a billion yards last time these two met up, but I just don’t think you can stop TO when he’s focused, and with all the Keyshawn talk, the Bill Parcells chatter, and the fact that he’s playing Philly this week – huge stuff, son.

WR: Greg Jennings vs. St. Louis: Jennings is in a tough situation with a platoon, Brett throw to everyone, scheme – but I like his chances against a mediocre Rams secondary in a game that the Packers really want to win. Jennings is tough, and knows how to make touchdowns happen.

TE: Antonio Gates vs. Tennessee: I have to love Gates against he Lions, even with Phillip powder-puffing him the ball. He’s always open this guy, even with a strained groin.

K: Phil Dawson vs. Buffalo: He’ll have a bad day, because I picked him, but the question is, can I jinx the Browns into a home loss to the Bills?

D: Vikings vs. Chicago: The Bears have gotten worse and worse against the run, and they play the best rushing team in the NFL this Monday Night. Chicago just lost two more defensive lineman to the IR, but their offense is even more questionable. They can’t really run, and now Kyle Orton is under center – the 3rd option in Chicago for God’s sake. What does that tell you?

LUCKY’S Week 15 SLEEPERS

Trent Edwards: Trent is accurate, the Browns secondary is wide open – this should be a second great fantasy week in a row for the young Buffalo Bill.

Kenton Keith: This pick is expecting that the Colts tear down the Raiders pretty easily. If that is the case, Keith will get 12-18 carries, and that means big yardage against a very bad Raiders defensive front.

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.

Shaunna Alexander: I hate to do it, but I’m actually expecting a decent day out of the former touchdown machine. 80 yards and a touchdown, is that asking too much? We’ll see.

Lee Evans: I’ve always thought the world of this kid, the Bills will have to put the ball in the end zone to stick with the Browns, and Cleveland’s secondary plays like they’re in the pro-bowl every week – I like this match-up.

Roddy White: If someone’s collecting catches, yards, and touchdowns in a blowout of the Falcons, it will be White. If someone is responsible for getting the Falcons a win, it will be this talented receiver. Good sleeper this week.

Tony Scheffler: I just really like this kid in Denver – he could have a big game against the Texans on Thursday.

Anthony Gonzalez: I’m sure the Colt is a popular pick this week after having a big day last week – but the key is, even when Peyton and the rest of the big names go out, Gonzo will still get his work. I like that, and I think he’ll have another nice day.

Buccaneers: The Falcons put up big points last week against New Orleans, but the Saints are terrible defensively. This disciplined Buc secondary will give the Falcons problems.

LUCKY’S Week 15 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Eli Manning: He’s still bad.

Samkon Gado: He may be starting for the Dolphins, but the Ravens are going to eat him alive.

Laveranues Coles: Not this week, not against this motivated Patriots team.

Todd Heap: He’s going to play! I don’t buy that for a minute. Maybe for 1 quarter until he gets hurt. I wouldn’t start him with my playoff life on the line.