NFL Fantasy Focus Review: Week 2

One more week down in the NFL, one more fantasy title in the bag for me. That’s right folks, I fought off Red Red Ryan, his awkward red hair, and that allergy riddled red skin, and took home the top spot amongst the staff for the second straight week. If I ice the game for three weeks in a row, you can bet I’ll be talking hat trick once again. This is the review of my fantasy picks for Week 2, hope you enjoy the Fantasy Focus!

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

1. Michael Turner – Turner carried 28 times for a buck-0-five and a touchdown. But was just ok. C
2. Tom Brady – Tom was brutal this week, making me look like a rookie at this game. F
3. Marques Colston – 8 catches, 98 yards, 2 TDs, huge day. Those Eagles can’t guard big WRs. A+
4. Steve Smith – I told you week 1 was a fluke, Steve caught 8 balls for 131 yards in Week 2. B+
5. Brian Westbrook – Westbrook wasn’t as big a part of the offense as I thought. D

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

1. Eddie Royal – Eddie is killing me. I’m not giving up on him yet. F-
2. Ronnie Brown – 4th amongst backs, Ronnie had a huge day on the ground against the Colts. A+
3. Joe Flacco– His second straight multiple TD game of the season, but only 190 yards. B-
4. Joseph Addai – Addai was hurt by the Colts quick strike offense, getting only 6 carries and 31 yards. F
5. Leon Washington – Leon didn’t do much in a low scoring game. F

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

1. Michael Bush – The Raiders are dealing with 8 in the box, Bush had 9 carries for 35 yards. Ugh. D
2. David Garrard – 9th overall, that’s more like it, I think Garrard will have a quietly solid year. A-
3. LenDale White – Chris Johnson put on a show, and White got just 6 carries for 25 yards, tough deal. F
4. Mike Bell– Mike looked good again, and despite getting hurt, put up 85 yards and a TD on 18 touches. A
5. Nate Burleson – Four catches for 46 yards, no scores. The Hawks looked lost when Matt went down. D+

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

1. Jay Cutler – Cutler played well, giving his team a chance even though they couldn’t run at all. F
2. Reggie Bush – 13 touches for 75 yards and a touchdown, better than I thought. D
3. Steven Jackson – 17 carries for 104, 4 grabs for 15 yards. Not bad, better than I expected, not great. C+
4. Julius Jones – He may have snuck in a short TD catch, but Julius had 11 yards on 8 carries. I was right. A
5. Patrick Crayton – 3 fantasy points in a PPR league. This one I got one right on the money. A

PS – If you started Wes Welker, it probably hurt you. I know I won a league because of it…

Week 2 Fantasy Rankings

Josh Arsenault		Ryan Kauffman		Papa Weimer		Lucky Lester

QBs----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Drew Brees 2   	1.Drew Brees 2		1.Drew Brees 2		1.Tom Brady 28
2.Peyton Manning 7	2.Peyton Manning 7	2.Tom Brady 28    	2.Kurt Warner 9
3.Aaron Rodgers	14	3.Tom Brady 28     	3.Tony Romo 23    	3.Peyton Manning 7
4.Kurt Warner 9   	4.Kurt Warner 9		4.Matt Hasselbeck 31	4.Joe Flacco 17
5.Matt Schaub 1  	5.Aaron Rodgers 14	5.Kyle Orton 18		5.Drew Brees 2
RBs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Adrian Peterson 8	1.Adrian Peterson 8	1.Adrian Peterson 8	1.Michael Turner 15
2.Maurice Jones Drew 25	2.Chris Johnson 1	2.Michael Turner 15	2.Brian Westbrook 33
3.Brian Westbrook 33	3.Maurice Jones Drew 25	3.Darren McFadden 21	3.Adrian Peterson 8
4.Ronnie Brown 4	4.Clinton Portis 33	4.Maurice Jones Drew 25	4.Frank Gore 2
5.Clinton Portis 33	5.Brian Westbrook 33	5.Thomas Jones 41 	5.Chris Johnson 1

WRs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Greg Jennings	109	1.Reggie Wayne 54   	1.Larry Fitzgerald 27	1.Randy Moss 54
2.Larry Fitzgerald 27	2.Larry Fitzgerald 27	2.Reggie Wayne 54	2.Larry Fitzgerald 27
3.Reggie Wayne 54  	3.Randy Moss 54		3.Steve Smith 7   	3.Marques Colston 3
4.Andre Johnson 1	4.Roddy White 16	4.Jericho Cotchery 30	4.Andre Johnson 1
5.Steve Smith 7  	5.Greg Jennings 109	5.Calvin Johnson 16	5.Steve Smith 7

TEs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Jason Witten 8 	1.Jason Witten 8	1.Tony Gonzalez 3	1.Dallas Clark 1
2.Chris Cooley 6	2.Dallas Clark 1	2.John Carlson 13 	2.Jason Witten 8
3.Tony Gonzalez	3	3.John Carlson 13	3.Dallas Clark 1 	3.Zach Miller 49
4.Jeremy Shockey 18	4.Tony Gonzalez	3	4.Owen Daniels 4 	4.Kellen Winslow 2
5.Zach Miller 49  	5.Owen Daniels 4  	5.Jason Witten 8	5.Chris Cooley 6

DSTs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Steelers 18		1.Vikings 4		1.Vikings 4		1.Steelers 18
2.Ravens 18		2.Steelers 18		2.Steelers 18		2.Packers 12
3.Vikings 4		3.Redskins 3		3.Ravens 18		3.Falcons 12
4.Seahawks 24		4.Patriots 16		4.Packers 12		4.Redskins 3
5.Falcons 12		5.Packers 12		5.Cowboys 31		5.Vikings 4

Kickers-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kickers be damned, but here's the Week 2 Rankings:
1. Rian Lindell 2. Lawrence Tynes 3. Dan Carpenter 4. Nate Kaeding
Looking back at the week's action... For the second straight week, I had higher rated
players in my Top 5 lists than anybody else on the site. Josh took QBs, Ryan took the TEs
pretty easily, and I had running backs, receivers, and defenses taken care of. Ryan had lots
of second place finishes, but his terrible WR picks kept him in 2nd place, keeping me on
top. It feels good to win, always. Papa Weimer pretty much pooped the bed, but he's old and
basically needs help getting up at night to use the toilet, so that kind of thing is
expected now and again. Josh was the only writer that had the balls to take Matt Schaub,
plus he left Tom Brady off his Top 5, those two things gave him an easy win. We missed a lot
of good quarterbacks in Week 2, Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers, Byron Leftwich, and Eli
Manning finished 3-6 respectively - not one writer picked any one of those guys. As for RB,
nobody picked Darren Sproles, Marion Barber, Fred Jackson, or Willis McGahee - those guys
finished 3, 5, and tied for 6 on the week. Felix Jones and Carnell Williams also did work
rounding out the top 10. In the receiver area, I had numbers 1, 3, and 7 in my top 5, seeing
big games from Andre Johnson, Marques Colston, and Steve Smith. Plus, I didn't put Greg
Jennings in my Top 5 like Red Red Ryan and Josh, his 0 point night put them in a tough spot.
We left out Mario Manningham, who made a big name for himself with a great Sunday Night
performance. A couple more Top 10 guys that didn't get picked, Steve Smith (NYG), Vincent
Jackson, Mike Sims-Walker, Donald Driver, Ted ginn Jr., and DeSean Jackson. Jason Avant
and Johnny Knox also had big games out of nowhere.  Ryan took the TE list with 1, 3, 8, 4,
and 13 all making his Top 5. Brent Celek, Marcedez Lewis, and Kellen Davis all made the top
10, and none of us picked them. The Broncos and Cardinals finished atop the defensive
rankings, and went unpicked in any of our Top 5s. That's how it was, one more week for
Lucky Lester!!!

Keeping score for week 2! This is the positional breakdown based on Week 2's rankings:
Josh Arsenault		Ryan Kauffman		Papa Weimer		Lucky Lester

1.QBs 1         	1.QBs 2		        1.QBs 4  		1.QBs 3
2.RBs 3		        2.RBs 2	   	        2.RBs 4                 2.RBs 1
3.WRs 3		        3.WRs 4		        3.WRs 2         	3.WRs 1
4.TEs 4  		4.TEs 1          	4.TEs 2         	4.TEs 3
5.DST 3         	5.DST 2         	5.DST 4         	5.DST 1

Fantasy Focus: NFL Week 2 Fantasy Football

Hello all! Last week was the first run episode of Fantasy Focus, and the guys did alright. I took home the trophy, having the highest ranking picks for the week while Josh Arsenault, Ryan Kauffman, and Papa Weimer did pretty good work listing their Top 5 at each position. Josh and Ryan looked like they got together to do this in NFL Week 2 Fantasy Football, having very similar Top 5 lists, but I assure you they live quite far away from each other, and have much different hair colors. Like last week’s article, I also have 3 levels of nice plays for the week, and going along with those 15 upside picks, I also have five guys I wouldn’t want to see in my starting lineup this week. Hopefully I can keep up the good work! Hope you enjoy!

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

1. Michael Turner – Mike will get a lot of carries, and this week he’ll double last week’s yardage output.
2. Tom Brady – I know the Jets looked nice last week against Schaub and company, but Tom is a different beast.
3. Marques Colston – I think Marques has a big week against some DBs that struggle against big, tall receivers.
4. Steve Smith – Steve was targeted 13 times last week, I’d say he gets the same, but does a lot more with those looks.
5. Brian Westbrook – This is less risky than last week, Westy will be leaned on, especially if Donovan is out.

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

1. Eddie Royal – I still believe in Eddie, despite last week’s low numbers. Good match-up against Cleveland.
2. Ronnie Brown – A disappointing Week 1 has him falling down the charts, but I’d take Ronnie against Indy.
3. Joe Flacco– Flacco will see yet another defense looking to stop his runners, that should once again open up his air attack.
4. Joseph Addai – Addai had a decent showing last week, but he’ll be a Top 10 back this week.
5. Leon Washington – I think Leon gets more action this week against the Patriots, I don’t think the Pats match up with him well.

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

1. Michael Bush – Bush looked really good against San Diego, the Raiders will run the ball a lot against KC.
2. David Garrard – I like Garrard to be more accurate this week, finishing in the Top 15 amongst QBs.
3. LenDale White – Ignored as a starter, White will get a handful of goal line carries this week, and should cash in.
4. Mike Bell– Even as Pierre comes back, Mike is the power back Coach Dumb wanted, he’ll get enough carries against Detroit.
5. Nate Burleson – One more week as a sleeper for Nate, he’s still owned in not enough leagues.

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

1. Jay Cutler – Another tough one for Chicago’s new franchise QB, the Steelers are tough on any QB.
2. Reggie Bush – The Saints will run a lot against the Eagles, and Bush is the 3rd best runner in that backfield.
3. Steven Jackson – Big Al makes life tough on choppy footed running backs. Sit on SteJack.
4. Julius Jones – Usually a softer defense, I think the 49ers will be tough against the run this year, JJ doesn’ t catch many passes.
5. Patrick Crayton – After a big Week 1, Patrick got picked up in many leagues, I would leave him out against the G-men.

PS – Don’t start injured or suspended players, it makes you look dumb.

Week 2 Fantasy Rankings

Josh Arsenault		Ryan Kauffman		Papa Weimer		Lucky Lester

QBs----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Drew Brees    	1.Drew Brees		1.Drew Brees		1.Tom Brady
2.Peyton Manning	2.Peyton Manning	2.Tom Brady     	2.Kurt Warner
3.Aaron Rodgers		3.Tom Brady     	3.Tony Romo     	3.Peyton Manning
4.Kurt Warner   	4.Kurt Warner		4.Matt Hasselbeck	4.Joe Flacco
5.Matt Schaub   	5.Aaron Rodgers 	5.Kyle Orton 		5.Drew Brees
RBs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Adrian Peterson	1.Adrian Peterson	1.Adrian Peterson	1.Michael Turner
2.Maurice Jones Drew	2.Chris Johnson 	2.Michael Turner	2.Brian Westbrook
3.Brian Westbrook	3.Maurice Jones Drew	3.Darren McFadden	3.Adrian Peterson
4.Ronnie Brown		4.Clinton Portis	4.Maurice Jones Drew	4.Frank Gore
5.Clinton Portis	5.Brian Westbrook	5.Thomas Jones  	5.Chris Johnson

WRs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Greg Jennings		1.Reggie Wayne   	1.Larry Fitzgerald	1.Randy Moss
2.Larry Fitzgerald	2.Larry Fitzgerald	2.Reggie Wayne		2.Larry Fitzgerald
3.Reggie Wayne   	3.Randy Moss		3.Steve Smith    	3.Marques Colston
4.Andre Johnson 	4.Roddy White		4.Jericho Cotchery	4.Andre Johnson
5.Steve Smith   	5.Greg Jennings		5.Calvin Johnson	5.Steve Smith

TEs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Jason Witten  	1.Jason Witten		1.Tony Gonzalez 	1.Dallas Clark
2.Chris Cooley		2.Dallas Clark		2.John Carlson  	2.Jason Witten
3.Tony Gonzalez		3.John Carlson		3.Dallas Clark  	3.Zach Miller
4.Jeremy Shockey	4.Tony Gonzalez		4.Owen Daniels		4.Kellen Winslow
5.Zach Miller   	5.Owen Daniels   	5.Jason Witten		5.Chris Cooley

DSTs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Steelers		1.Vikings		1.Vikings		1.Steelers
2.Ravens		2.Steelers		2.Steelers		2.Packers
3.Vikings		3.Redskins		3.Ravens		3.Falcons
4.Seahawks		4.Patriots		4.Packers		4.Redskins
5.Falcons		5.Packers		5.Cowboys		5.Vikings

Kickers-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The three other guys would rather kick Lucky than rank kickers, so no dice on the K rankings!

theRUNDOWN Review: Week 14

165 points from my starters this week – not too shabby – check out all my work from top to bottom! 

QB: Matt Cassel vs. Seattle: Matt was tied for 11th overall amongst quarterbacks – should have gone with the Peyton Manning match-up – dang. Still 19 points isn’t bad. 

RB: Adrian Peterson vs. Detroit: 102 yards and 1 catch for 15 yards – he was good for just 12 points against the Lions – come on. 

RB: Matt Forte vs. Jacksonville: 69 yards rushing against the Jags? Ouch. Still, Forte’s catching ability gave him 5 grabs for 37 yards and while he didn’t score a TD, he still managed 14 fantasy points. 

FLEX: LT vs. Oakland: He scored and rushed for 91 yards, but it took him 25 carries – against the Raiders of all teams. I’m interested to see where LT gets drafted in fantasy circles next season. 16 points for LT2. 

WR: Roddy White vs. New Orleans: 10 grabs for 164 yards, but no TDs for Roddy. Still, White did work. He was 4th amongst WRs, and I needed it – him and Marshall made this week respectable for me. 26.

WR: Brandon Marshall vs. Kansas City: Brandon had 11 grabs for just 91 yards, but he took two of those catches to the house. He was 2nd amongst WRs and 4th overall in fantasy land. 32 for the big receiver. 

TE: Tony Gonzalez vs. Denver: 5 catches for 73 yards and a touchdown – Tony is as good as it gets, even though he’s old. 2nd TE overall. 18 fantasy points. 

K: Ryan Longwell vs. Detroit: 2 Forty-yarders and 2 extra points – I wanted one more field goal attempt – but 10 points is decent here. He was the 5th rated kicker this week. 

D: Tennessee Titans vs. Cleveland: 17 points from the Titans – the Browns didn’t take many chances, but Tennessee shut them down all day long. 

PAPA’S Week 14 SLEEPERS

Tyler Thigpen: 16 fantasy points – not the biggest day ever, but he’s worth playing once again. B

Daunte Culpepper: He did toss for 220 yards, but got just one touchdown. Still, 14 points isn’t bad. B

JaMarcus Russell: Ugh. F

Pierre Thomas: 4th overall amongst running backs – and he’s still the best running back in New Orleans. A+ 

Cedric Benson: 57 yards and 1 catch against the Colts – not good enough. 6 points. D-

Domenick Hixon: Hix dropped a sure thing 60+ yard reception, and it looked like he would have scored – as is, he didn’t do much. I missed, but by just that much. 3 grabs for 30 yards. Maybe I was wrong about Plax’s absence? D-

Devin Hester: 5 catches for 80 yards – could you imagine this guy playing a slot roll for the Patriots… Dirty. Anyway, he’ll be a solid receiver in Chicago for years to come. B+

Zach Miller: 8 grabs for 64 yards made him the 4th TE overall – he’s a must start. Even on the Raiders. A

Arizona Cardinals: 3rd defense this week. How do you like me now? A+

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

Marc Bulger: 220 a TD and a pick – better than I thought, but still, there were 17 guys better than Marc – Shaun HIll, Tyler Thigpen, Kerry Collins, Culpepper, Orton, Seneca Wallace, and Jeff Garcia were 7 of them. 

DeAngelo Williams: Can I miss more? TB killed me in many ways this week, and it all started with giving up 300+ rushing yards to the Panthers.  

MeWelde Moore/Willie Parker: These guys didn’t do anything in a Pittsburgh win. Dallas’s D came to play. 

Kevin Walter: Yikes! Kevin Walter killed me this week. Well, he was on just about everyone’s bench, but still – he was no player to sit. Not when Matt Schaub torched the Packers secondary for a win in GB and 400+ yards. Walter was his #1 target. 

theRUNDOWN: Week 12

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. I’ll list a few sleepers and some guys I wouldn’t play for hopes of a better options – here goes Week 12’s action… Two big weeks in a row has me aiming for 200 – as impossible as that seems.

QB: Peyton Manning vs. San Diego: There’s a chance that Manning just hands the ball off to Joseph Addai a lot, and doesn’t get the full fantasy point production I’m hoping for. However, he is going up against a great secondary to throw on (hell, Big Ben and the Steelers went over 300 in snow last week), and knowing Peyton, he’ll take full advantage of the air attack.

RB: Adrian Peterson vs. Jacksonville: This years’ Jaguars don’t strike me as a team with a chance to stop AP. I think the Vikings jump on Peterson’s back and hope to God that doesn’t injure his knees. I’ll strap my hopes to AP as well.

RB: Matt Forte vs. St.Louis: Not only is Matt a nice play against just about every defense the league has to offer, but the Rams are one of the worst run defenses in the last 10 years. He should continue his run for rookie of the year.

FLEX: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Indianapolis: This hasn’t been a good year for LT, but he looked pretty darn good against the Steelers on Sunday, and that can only mean good things for his chances for a big day against the Colts.

WR: Reggie Wayne vs. San Diego: And I continue to put my eggs in the Colts passing basket this week. Lets hope I don’t have to catch it out of the fan like Cutler and Marshall, Rodgers and Jennings – you get me?

WR: Andre Johnson vs. Cleveland: Andre hasn’t beasted anybody lately, that can only mean it’s coming. Unfortunately for the Browns, they draw AJ in Week 12.

TE: Kellen Winslow vs. Houston: This guy is the best receiver in Cleveland – that’s right Braylon Edwards, KWII is the best receiver on your team. He’ll have a good day against the Texans.

K: Robbie Gould vs. St. Louis: Seems like a no-brainer. The Bears don’t have a dominant touchdown scoring team but any team with half an attack can get in field goal range in St. Louis. The game is indoors so there’s no weather problems. Go for the gold Gould… Ha, Gold-Gould – awesome.

D: Chicago Bears vs. St. Louis: No need to explain this one, just go for it and celebrate!

PAPA’S Week 12 SLEEPERS

Tyler Thigpen: At home against Buffalo? You bet! Until you guys start picking up my man Tyler – he’s going to be a sleeper and he’s going to be a starter for me.

Kyle Orton: He struggled last week, and the Bears are bound to run more than pass – but I think Kyle does enough good this week to get him into the Top 10 – he’s available in leagues, kind of weird.

Warrick Dunn: WD40 will get the most carries against a terrible Lions defensive front. That’s worth a start.

Pierre Thomas: Against Green Bay? Sure, the Packers were better against the run last week, but they’ll have to show me one more time or I’ll keep starting sleepers against that d-front. Thomas is still the best pure running back in New Orleans – lets hope their head coach realizes that.

Antonio Bryant: PPR guy against the Lions – the Bucs shouldn’t have to throw that much, but Bryant isn’t a bad option in a pinch.

Mark Bradley: I still like this kid despite a mediocre week against the Saints – he’s fast and can get up and get it. Thigpen is legit and likes to throw Mark’s way.

James Jones: An absolute stab in the dark, i know, but I like the match-up and I’ve always liked Jones – his best game of the season coming right up.

Zach Miller: A Raider? I must be sick. But I don’t think there’s a better pass catcher in Oakland against Denver’s safeties. He’s a nice sleeper.

Denver Broncos: One of the worst defenses in all of football – so they are the ultimate sleeper. If you’re a “pick a new D every week” guy – this option is right up your alley.

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

Trent Edwards: He may be going up against the Chiefs, but I don’t like him this week – the Chiefs are better than advertised and Edwards regardless of him Monday Night tilt, I don’t want to start him in Week 12.

Timothy Hightower: If you didn’t at first, you are now starting to understand why I was so hesitant to anoint Tim as the next great rookie back after his solid game against the Rams. He hasn’t done much the last couple weeks, and this week against the Giants will be no different.

Maurice Jones Drew: There is no doubt, this kid is a stud and a touchdown machine – but the Jaguars hate giving him the ball, and against the Vikings I don’t think his 12 touches will be enough to make him fantasy worthy.

Santonio Holmes: I didn’t think he’d blow up this season, and I haven’t been that impressed – the Steelers will run 2-1 on Thursday, and that won’t leave many opportunities for Santonio.

theRUNDOWN Review: Week 11

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. Last week I had one of my best rundown’s of the season – how’d this weekend go? It was a tough week to be one of my sleepers, but my starting lineup basically did work. Here’s the final tally… 152… Check it out!

QB: Jay Cutler vs. Atlanta: Well I was wrong about Jay and it definitely helped me out. A late touchdown gave me just enough fantasy points for Jay’s selection not to be a complete waste, but not enough for Jay to beat me in the leagues I played him in this week. 14 for Cutler.

RB: Matt Forte vs. Green Bay: The Packers played inspired defense against the run, and dominated the Bears on Sunday – still, Forte got 16 fantasy points, a PPR league dream, 60 yards on the ground, but 6 catches for 40 yards through the air.

RB: Frank Gore vs. St. Louis: Gore finished 6th amongst running backs, and hardly played in the second half – getting rest after gashing the Rams early. 106 rushing, 2 TDs, 2 grabs for just 8 yards, and a fumble. Frank finished with 22 fantasy points.

FLEX: DeAngelo Williams vs. Detroit: DeAngelo was outgained by his backfield buddy, Jon Stewart, but Williams got 2 touchdowns to Stewart’s 1 and Williams still rushed for 120 yards on Sunday. He was #3 amongst running backs with 24 fantasy points.

WR: Anquan Boldin vs. Seattle: Boldin did work in Seattle. He didn’t catch a touchdown, but there’s something special about 13 catches for 186 yards – 31 fantasy points made him the #2 receiver in Week 11.

WR: Roddy White vs. Denver: Roddy had 5 grabs for 102 yards, but it was his 50 yard touchdown drop on 3rd and long with the game winding down that I remember most – tough day to be a Falcon. 15 for White.

TE: Tony Gonzalez vs. New Orleans: 8 for Tony, he grabbed 5 balls on way to 39 yards – the old man is as solid as they get.

K: Jason Elam vs. Denver: 2 field goals and 2 extra points – one was 49 yards – so I got 9 from Elam, not so shabby. Maybe I’m kicking this kicker problem I’ve been having for a couple years.

D: Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit: 13 points for the Panthers – they gave up more than I hoped for, but 2 interceptions, 3 sacks, and 2 fumbles made for a solid day fantasy wise.

PAPA’S Week 11 SLEEPERS

Tyler Thigpen: Tyler Thigpen was tied for 3rd in QB rankings this week. Yes folks, he’s still good. A+

Matt Ryan: Matt had 9 fantasy points this week, not a good week for him or the Falcons. I take this one on the chin. D

Ricky Williams: Ricky had 49 yards on the ground, and two grabs for 6 yards – he shoots and he misses. D

Jerious Norwood: I started Norwood over Ryan Grant, now I’m praying for a win tonight. Great. D

Brandon Jones: He was on your free agent list, if you picked him up you got a little bit of yardage but a nice touchdown to make him worth your while. B

Mark Bradley: 3 catches for 57 yards – a huge dropped pass that sent KC home with a 10 point loss. Great. D

Deion Branch: 4 catches for 54 yards, but I’m willing to bet that his addition gets better and better, and you might have found a nice playoff player for nothing. C

Billy Miller: Not much for Shockey on Sunday, but even less for Billy, try no catches in the Saints win. F

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs had a very nice day, they held AP in check pretty much and ended giving up just 10 points in a big win for the Bucs. B

Papa’S Week 11 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

David Garrard: I helped you guys here for sure – DG was 28th amongst QBs – not many leagues where that is worth a start.

Willis McGahee: 9 rushes for 18 yards – and you are welcome.

Brandon Jacobs: Jacobs continues to do work. The battering ram did 73 yards of damage against the Ravens in Week 11, and that was on just 11 carries – he also took two of those totes for TDs – I hope you ignored me here, Jacobs was a Top 15 guy in PPR leagues, and ranked even higher in non-ppr formats.

TJ Houshmanzadeh: TJ went gonzo this week, so I apologize. 12 catches, 149 yards, huge game for a very good player. My bad. He also finished the #1 PPR receiver in Week 11. Ouch. Slap in the face.

theRUNDOWN: Week 9

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. 

theRUNDOWN: Week 8

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: Donovan McNabb vs. Atlanta: I think the Eagles will have some trouble with the Falcons, but I like McNabb to throw for many yards and a couple scores.

RB: Clinton Portis vs. Detroit: Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke. Clinton’s dominating the league and he gets to pick on the Lions this weekend. I don’t think he’ll get quite as many looks, but two touchdowns in this one is what I’m looking for.

RB: Thomas Jones vs. Kansas City: Jones isn’t the best back in the league, but I have to like him against the Chieftons. The Jets always try to establish the run and it won’t take much trying against KC.

FLEX: Steve Slaton vs. Cincinnati: I love Slaton’s game, but he needs to continue to be involved in the passing game, the kid is filthy in space.

WR: Larry Fitzgerald vs. Carolina: People say the Panthers are a tough match-up, well I like the Cardinals to be throwing a lot on Sunday. I like Fitz to catch a few of those and put up some points in Carolina.

WR: Andre Johnson vs. Cincinnati: Johnson is a beast. One of the dirtiest most sure thing receivers in the game. Plus, despite the rankings, I like this match-up.

TE: Antonio Gates vs. New Orleans: Bad defense, great player, good quarterback – touchdowns. We’ll see, but the odds look to be in my favor.

K: Stephen Gostkowski vs. St. Louis: I think the Rams have gotten a little better defensively, and I think that’s good for Gostkowski. A couple more 3rd down stops means a couple more field goals.

D: Baltimore Ravens vs. Oakland: All the Raiders can do consistently is run. The Ravens dominate opposing rushing attacks. Duh on this one.

PAPA’S Week 1 SLEEPERS

David Garrad: DG plays at home against Cleveland. The numbers don’t look great, Cleveland is solid against the pass and Garrard has been less than mediocre so far this season – still, I like his chances this week. Call it a hunch. Ha.

Jason Campbell: Great match-up this week for Campbell. If handing it to Clinton wasn’t so easy, he’d get even more fantasy points. Still, he’s been good enough for a start here.

LenDale White: I don’t think Bob Sanders is playing in which case the Titans will be getting plenty of rushing opportunities. Chris Johnson is the better back, no doubt in my mind, but LenDale is still a nice start this week against the Colts.

Jamal Lewis: Yep, I like this horse. Jamal runs hard, and his numbers don’t show how well he’s been carrying the rock this year. I like him against the Jags.

Vincent Jackson: “Play him while he’s hot.” I had him here last week, and even though the game is in England, which means lots of traveling and probably less scoring, I don’t think Chambers is playing which makes Jackson the #1. That’s a good thing against the Aint’s secondary.

Josh Morgan: I’m not sure who’s playing QB for San Francisco, I’m not sure who’s the #1 receiver for the 49ers, but I do know that Mike Martz loves Morgan, and that should be enough for a bye week sleeper fill in this week.

Billy Miller: If you need a TE then you can take a shot with Billy. He gets looks. Drew seems to like him, and there’s a chance Shockey either doesn’t play or is limited. Sounds like a play to me, and to throw a nice hanging slider in there – the Chargers secondary leaves something to be desired.

New York Jets: You bet, Chiefs are on the road, defense is in my sleeper slot – it’s that easy.

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

Matt Cassel: I know he had a nice game last week, but the Rams are bringing many pressures since Little came back – I think Matt gets sacked a lot and becomes turnover prone.

Mewelde Moore: I know Moore was the hot pick up this week, and last, but I don’t see why. He won’t do much this week, I’m almost sure of that, and Parker will be back soon.

Dominic Rhodes: He did well last week, looking good filling in for Joseph Addai. This week he gets to play the Titans… Haha, “gets”, lucky guy. Don’t start him this week unless you are really desperate.

Roddy White: I think Atlanta does some good things through the air, but not via Roddy. He’ll have trouble matching up with some tough corners in Philly.

theRUNDOWN: Week 7

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. This is my Week 7 group… 

QB: Jay Cutler vs. New England: The Broncos are used to beating the Patriots and Cutler has a nice arm. Eddie Royal will be back this week and I think Cutler takes advantage of the Pats weak secondary. It was a toss up between him, Manning and Aaron Rodgers, but I’m leaning on Jay this week. 

RB: Clinton Portis vs. Cleveland: The Browns were better last week, but Portis torches everyone these days, he doesn’t discriminate. I like him to have a nice day in a close Redskins win. 

RB: Marion Barber vs. Rams: Romo’s injury means a lot more carries for Barber. Marion will torch the Rams defense and I see a multiple touchdown day for him this week. 

FLEX: Greg Jennings vs. Colts: He’s one of my favorite receivers in the league to watch, and I think he’ll do some work against the Colts. He’s very physical and all Rodgers needs to do is put the ball somewhere he can get to it. 

WR: Brandon Marshall vs. New England: If the Patriots can’t stop Vincent Jackson they can’t stop Brandon Marshall (no offense to Jackson, I think he is a very good player). Marshall is my top receiver this week. 

WR: Andre Johnson vs. Detroit: Did you see Johnson big brothering the Dolphins last week? It was awesome. Need a lot of yards Schaub? Just throw it in the direction for Johnson he’ll beast anyone around and steal the ball away from them, pop it, and go home with their lunch money. I like a guy like that, especially against the lion cubs. 

TE: Jason Witten vs. St. Louis: Good secondary match-up and the TE is the easiest guy to get the ball to for a 2nd string quarterback. Either way, Romo or Johnson, I like Witten to get the rock 5-8 times on Sunday. 

K: Stephen Gostkowski vs. Denver: Versus Denver is my new kicker treat because I can’t seem to have any success at this position. I’ll just take versus Denver and do my darnedest. 

D: Tampa Bay Bucs vs. Seattle: The Bucs defense is a stout unit, no doubt about that. The Hawks are brutal and they throw a lot. There you have it, turnovers and a low score – that equals yhatzee. 

PAPA’S Week 1 SLEEPERS

Matt Cassel: Against the Broncos, you bet – the Patriots will have to get their points somewhere and I’m willing to bet that Cassel plays better this week. 

Jason Campbell: I think Jason throws two touchdowns this week against the Browns, but this game will have more than a couple scores going on. Good game to play Campbell. 

Earnest Graham: Still not getting enough touches to be a sure thing, I’m willing to bet that Graham sees 10-15 against the Hawks and that will be good for 60-90 yards and probably a score.

Darren McFadden: I like McFadden against the Jets. He’s a superb gamebreaker type back and he hasn’t really busted one for a while. I think he puts up about 80 yards and a score against New York this Sunday – but the Raiders lose big again. 

Vincent Jackson: Play him while he’s hot. All he needs is targets. He’s usually bigger and faster than anyone guarding him, and Rivers has been playing well enough to make sure Vincent gets the ball. I like him over some stars against this week. 

Lance Moore: I still like Moore for one more week. 

Devin Hester: Hester didn’t get into the zone last week, but he caught enough balls (6?) and went for 90+ yards so I think he’s a great option against the Vikings. Hester is very fast and the Vikings shut down the run and are open ended in the secondary. That should mean a nice day for Devin. 

Greg Olsen: Same with Hester I think Olsen is a nice mismatch for a mediocre Vikings secondary. 

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys need to step up somewhere, and I think their elite talent on defense gets them attacking Bulger and causing turnovers. 

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

Gus Frerotte: I don’t like Gus this week. He’ll turn the ball over and the Bears, in my mind, are winning this week easily.  

Willis McGahee: McGahee won’t do much – weird. Apparently Willis is off the injury report – but don’t let that excite you too much, the Ravens aren’t going to be smashing the Dolphins around this week. 

Adrian Peterson: You won’t sit him, and that’s fine, but he couldn’t really do much against the Lions or the Saints – now the Bears??? Maybe he just does what he does and goes off for 200 yards, that’s why you can’t sit him, but I predict another bad week for AP. 

Chad Johnson: So far Chad has just been the normal Chad without any big weeks. He usually goes off a couple times a season and gets some solid numbers on his side. That won’t happen this week with Fitzy throwing him the ball. 

theRUNDOWN Review: Week 6

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. This is the review of that stuff from Week 6 – how’d I do this week? Well, 125 points ain’t bad, but I was looking for magic 150… 

QB: Tony Romo vs. Arizona: The Cowboys lose, but Romo goes for 321 yards and 3 touchdowns (one fumble, no picks) to tally up 28 points for my guys this week. It feels good to get him right before he goes down. 

RB: Adrian Peterson vs. Detroit: 111 yards but he fumbled twice and didn’t score. He caught one ball for -5 yards, but believe it or not that’s a point. 8 points for AP and he almost fumbled the game away to the Lions. Not a good day for my guy. 

RB: Matt Forte vs. Atlanta: 7th rated running back with 21 fantasy points, but is Forte breaking down a bit? His yards per carry average has struggled the last few weeks. Still, 76 rushing, 34 receiving, and a touchdown – Forte continues to be a force. 

FLEX: Ronnie Brown: Top 10 RB with 18 fantasy points, but I don’t think his 13 carries were enough, and a Dolphins loss shows me that. Still, Ronnie scored and totaled 93 yards offensively. 

WR: Greg Jennings vs. Seattle: 5 grabs for 84 yards and a score. I watched Greg drop one, but he’s one of the best receivers in the game. He plays just like Anquan Boldin – the guy is a beast. 19 points for Jennings. 

WR: Terrell Owens vs. Arizona: Didn’t do much, not enough to win anyway, the Cardinals had TO on lockdown all day long, and Owens looked pretty frustrated. A couple nice blocks by TO, but that doesn’t make up for his 

TE: Jason Witten vs. Cincinnati: 4 catches for 55 yards, and the Cowboys just couldn’t do enough in Arizona. Jason had one of his worst gams of the season but still finished as a Top 10 TE with 9 fantasy points. 

K: Josh Scobee vs. Denver: Weird, Scobee didn’t do anything worth while. 3 extra points and a field goal for 7 fantasy points. Great. 

D: New York Giants vs. Cleveland: Ugh…. – 0 points – that was a nice one to wait for. 

PAPA’S Week 1 SLEEPERS

Jason Campbell: Jason only had 9 fantasy points, and it cost his team a win. The Redskins needed to do more through the air, and fumble the ball less. Not a lost week for Jason, but still, not worth much more than a C- for me. 

David Garrard: 16 fantasy points for David, not a top score this week but not horrible either. He was bound to do some good work against the Broncos secondary, everyone does. B

Gus Frerotte: 15 points this week, not too shabby at all. 296 yards and a touchdown with one pick. B

Fred Taylor: Fred went down with a concussion in Week 6, then Jones Drew ran all over the Broncos. It hurts a little bit inside, but you see where I was going with this one, right? 1 fumble, 20 total yards – 0 fantasy points – F

Willis McGahee: Gross. F

Lance Moore: 7 catches for 97 yards, no score, but I’ll take 16 fantasy points from a bye week filler pick up any day. B+

Steve Breaston: # 5 overall amongst wide receivers this week – 8 grabs for 102 yards and a touchdown, you have to like what Breaston is doing. A+

Devin Hester: 6 grabs for 87 yards, no score, but in PPR that’s a nice day, 14 fantasy points – get him now before he finds another roster. B+

Greg Olsen: 3 grabs for 41 yards, 7 fantasy points ain’t bad for a TE. 

Washington Redskins: Not bad, but they lost, I can’t be too excited about that. Still, they didn’t allow any yards, holding Jackson under 80 and Bulger only got to 130 something because of a late drive. But they lost, so I will just hate them until they don’t lose to St. Freaking Louis. 

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

J.T. O’Sullivan: 199 yards 2 picks one fumble no touchdowns – right? I win this one. 

Edgerrin James: 29 rushing yards, his backup had 8 fantasy points – 8-2 backup to starter – your welcome. 

Jamal Lewis: 88 yards and a touchdown, right about two wrong about two others. I definitely missed this one as Jamal played well against the Super Bowl Champs. 

Steve Smith: 6 catches for 112 yards, so yea, I was wrong about this one. 

2007 Fantasy Football theRUNDOWN Week 16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LUCKY’S Week 16 SLEEPERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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