Fantasy Focus Review: Week 7 Football Analysis

It was a tie for first for the first time this season, but it still stayed in Family. Papa and I both went big and finished a top the rankings, tied, with Josh finishing third and Red Red Ryan was Red Red Last. Some decent performances all week, some big sleeper guys going huge – here’s how the week of 7 went down.

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

1. Peyton Manning –Peyton had a nice week, finishing 5 overall, but the Rams weren’t close enough to go huge. B+
2. Drew Brees – Drew was okay, not great, Top 10 but he needed rushing scores to get on this board. B
3. DeAngelo Williams – Despite being forgotten in the second half, D-Lo was 4th in Week 7. A
4. Ben Roethlisberger – 12th overall, not really startable – how the Steelers won is beyond me. C-
5. Roddy White – Roddy was 11th amongst WRs, that’s not too shabby, but it wasn’t as wonderful as I wanted. B+

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

1. Eli Manning – Some big dropped passes hurt Eli, but a really lucky tip catch TD helped him. Ellie was bad. D-
2. Steve Smith – 18th overall, on way to a good finish to the season if they can figure it out. B+
3. Marshawn Lynch – He was 15th overall, but didn’t have as good a game as I expected. B-
4. Joseph Addai– 13th overall, not a good point per touch day, but a decent performance fantasy wise. B
5. Ryan Grant – 7th amongst RBs, Grant had a great day running the ball. 147 yards and a score. A+

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

1. Laurence Maroney – 21st overall, the Patriots were back to throwing the ball. But not a bad day for LM. B-
2. Cadillac Williams – 28 receiving yards, 29 rushing yards – yeah, missed on this one… F
3. Chris Henry – Henry only had 2 catches, but they went for 26 yards and a TD, not bad for a waiver guy. B-
4. Jeremy Maclin – 38th overall, Maclin has been solid, he was targeted often, was close to a big day. C+
5. Sydney Rice – #6 overall, you betcha! A

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

1. Matt Forte – 8 fantasy points, and only because he caught 4 short passes, another brutal day for Forte. A
2. Antonio Bryant – 24th overall, 13 fantasy points, definitely a decent option. Not great though. C-
3. Donnie Avery –Just 7 fantasy points, that’s about what I expected. A
4. Mark Sanchez – 11th overall, good day for Mark, despite the whole hot dog eating thing – nice sleeper. D-
5. Chad Henne – Henne had a bad day, and for that he can thank the 5 drops by Dolphins, and the early lead. A

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***Big Bye Week in Week’s 7 and 8: this week don’t play Ravens, Broncos, Lions, Jaguars, Seahawks, or Titans! Mind the Gap!!!

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A short “Who did we miss” section this week, because I’m a busy man. How about the Top 2 Running backs in the league this week, a shout out to Ricky Williams and his highest number of touchdowns in any one game in his career, 3 in a loss to the Saints. And Shonn Greene, he went in for Leon Washington when the little back broke his leg, and Shonn went crazy for 144 yards and 2 TDs on fewer than 20 carries. In the QB rankings, everyone missed Carson Palmer (#1 by a long shot) and Tony Tomo (the 2nd highest ranked QB by 4 fantasy points). Alex Smith, yes, the former #1 pick, also came in in sub-duty and finished 7th amongst QBs this week. Austin Miles reminded everyone that maybe last week wasn’t a fluke, as he took the top spot for the 2nd straight week, putting up 35 fantasy points. Chad Johnson finished 2nd. DeSean Jackson was 4th overall, and Sindey Rice and Devin Hester finished a close 6th and 7th – how about Sydney Rice’s move up the charts?

Ten for Tuesday: Week 7 Fantasy Football Analysis

“JaMarcus Russell, thank you for making an appearance on my fantasy team this week. I thought I was being a good owner, finding the only quarterback on the waiver wire that was starting, and giving Week 7 my best shot despite some tough bye weeks for my squad. But when it comes right down to it, my team had a better chance if I had not picked you up at all. Your stay will be brief, in fact I’ll cut you right now. Be gone!” Red Red Ryan couldn’t find a stop gap, he found a grenade…. 

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 Paul Simon may have diamonds on the soles of his shoes, but Adrian Peterson has William Gay’s pride on the soles of his shoes. If you haven’t seen it, and you like football at all, (or if you just like to see what happens when you mess with the bull) check this out! AP Gives William Gay the Horns! The kid truly is special, if the Vikings weren’t so worried about AP’s physical running style and the way it effects his health, he’d touch the ball 40 times a game. And that wouldn’t be enough…..

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Chad Henne threw a dime to Ted Ginn Jr. that was going to go for about 35 yards, and put the Fins that much closer to a kill shot on the Saints this week. But wait, Ted Ginn Jr. decided to tap the ball up into the air instead of just catching it, then he fell down, the ball just happened to go right into Darren Sharper’s hands, and he did what he does, scoring a touchdown, getting the Saints back in it, and highlighting that one thing that Ted Ginn Jr. just can’t seem to figure out – catch the damn ball. I can see Henne losing some confidence in Ginn, and then, that elite speed and Henne’s big arm will see fewer and fewer long distance get-togethers. Oh Ted, stick-em man, stick-em….   

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I have something to say about Vernon Davis, WOW! That guy is really, really talented. He took a shot near the goal line this Sunday that would put almost every single skill player right on their aces, but not Vernon, he kept his balance and walked into the end zone. Everybody, and probably rightfully so, labeled Mr. Davis a bum, err, a bust after his first couple seasons in the league, but I hope everyone realizes what Mike Singletary’s leadership has done to this kid’s game. He’s always had the ability, and he’s always worked hard, but he’s focused every snap on Sunday’s and he could be something special for a long time…..  

Speaking of amazing plays by a tight end, has anyone seen somebody hold onto a ball after a hit better than Kevin Boss? If you missed it, Boss grabbed a ball with his finger tips then got absolutely obliterated by the Cardinals’ safety. He flipped all the way around and landed in a fashion that should have jarred the ball loose. But he’s tough. As nails. And he held on. Ted Ginn Jr., TO, go ahead and take a note or two on Boss’s catch….. 

Can somebody please tell me how John Fox, or his offensive coordinator, at the very least, still has a job? Down 7-2 at half, the Panthers come out throwing the damn ball. Why? Well, despite running effectively throughout the first half, they wanted to go back to their strength, interceptions. The Panthers are a running team, even Fox will tell you that, but somehow they always end up relying on the pass. Last time I checked, 7-2 to start the 3rd doesn’t eliminate the run from the playbook….. 

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Don’t look now, but the Packers might actually pull their heads out and start handing Ryan Grant the ball 20+ times a game. I know it was Cleveland, a runner’s dream, but 27 carries for the big guy turned into 147 yards, and the Packers’ second blowout of the season (both 20+ carry games for Grant). Even against St. Louis, they didn’t start pulling away until they started feeding Grant the rock in the 2nd half. Grant runs really hard, straight down hill, and he could open a lot of play action for Jennings and Driver if they commit, this game might allow them to realize what that means….  

I wonder if, when the Bears dropped Cedric Benson, they ever thought he’d come back in a couple years, go up against them, and basically beast them all day long. Hmmm. I wonder if they thought Benson would be the best player on the field after they signed Jay Cutler to a big contract 2 year extension earlier in the week. Hmmm. I’m going to go on ahead and guess no on both accounts. Ced went balls out on Sunday, turning Chicago into a sieved. He wanted the ball, and he got it, 37 times. Nasty…..  

Yes, you can go ahead and mark it down, Shonn Greene and Miles Austin are both for real. Now Miles is going to be the sure thing heading forward, he’s going to start, and I don’t care how much money Roy Williams Jr. is getting paid, Austin is going to be the #1 in Dallas, and you all saw what Tony Romo can do when he has a sure thing guy out wide. But Greene, he’s a guy that many people might see as a one-game fixer. Listen, the Jets are going to run the ball early and often from here on out. Thomas Jones is a good back, yes, but he can’t carry the ball 25-30 times a game and stay healthy, not even with those huge freaking arms – so Green will get touches, and he’ll continue to show his worth. He was a beast in college, and he’ll be a beast for the Jets….. 

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Nobody can stop Vincent Jackson! It’s not like the Chiefs were a ferocious foe, but it needs to be said. This guy doesn’t get the kind of credit he deserves, but he’s in that Top 10 group of receivers. He has elite speed, elite size, good jumps, and his hands have turned into sure things. He does it all, truly, and Phillip Rivers will continue to aim his marshmallows in Vincent’s general direction. If you can, get him quick!!!

Sunday Observations: Week 7 NFL Football

“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.” That’s basically what you need to know. This week, Red Red Ryan joined the text-party and he had a few funny observations as well. Here’s some stuff to read…

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Josh Arsenault

1. Two kick return TDs against me last week by Eddie Royal and Denver’s brutal special teams unit. Two long-ass defensive TD returns by slow F***ing Steelers’ defensive players this week. Pretty much amazing. I hate fantasy football.

2. Sydney Rice is a beast. I wonder why it took an old man with a beard to get everyone to finally realize that.

3. If you listen carefully you can hear that very last drip of last season’s mixture of Tim Hightower cool-aid going down the drain. Beanie runs hard and fast.

4. Adrian Peterson just decleated Randall Gay, then stepped on him as he ran for 15 more yards, and that was on Gay’s attempted tackle attempt on Peterson’s grab. Is anybody better than him?

5. TO had more catches than drops. 3-2. First time in a long time.

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Lucky Lester

1. Somebody needs to tell Tony Dungy that there are no ghosts in the NBC studio, no murderers either. Could he look more frightened? (Red Red Ryan’s answer: Seriously. It looks like he went #3 in his pants.)

2. If Austin Miles is not for real, he has been one hell of a Dan Brown novel the last two weeks. (Red Red Ryan’s response: I’d read that just to find out that Romo is really trying to MF him in the end.)

3.  I’m pretty sure Reggie Bush just jumped from the 12 yard-line into the end-zone. Nuts. The movie IT has nothing on Reg in the open field.

4. This is the Eli Manning I was talking about prior to the season when I said, stay away! Ellie, if you will.

5. Carolina’s thinking down 7-2 after half: “We don’t have much time, the sun is setting on us, the alarm clock is about to go off, I don’t know if we can get back in the game, the hour glass, the sand, it’s falling… Lets throw, hurry, lets throw early and often, it’s our only chance!!! Unreal.

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Papa Weimer

1. Cedric Benson > Jay Cutler in Cincinnati today. And it’s not close. I’m willing to bet Chicago didn’t see that coming.

2. I started Steve Breaston over Anquan Boldin because I didn’t want the Cardinals to F me like teams usually do when they say a player might play when they have a high ankle sprain. Now I F’d me. Great.

3. Mark Sanchez is eating a hot dog on the sidelines in the middle of a game… well kind of, the Jets are playing Oakland. How big of a crap would the media take if JaMarcus Russell was doing the same thing on his sideline? (Lucky’s response: One hot dog for JaMarcus is like one skittle for a normal guy, and I imagine the media’s bowel movement wouldn’t be nearly as big as your average Russell poo.)

4. I hope that stupid Fox Robot gets stuck out in the rain this week. If his stupid ace can get all rusty, maybe they won’t have him do stupid ish every time they’re trying to show some stupid statistic during football games. (Arse’s response: He’ll pull out a robo-umbrella.)

5. Wow, Jeremy Shockey absolutely beasted that corner. I wonder if he was saying, “Bit**, Pu**y, Wuss, I own you, you suck, want another stiff arm, how about a shot to your face mask, a slap to your head, i’ll kick you and step on your soul if you fall down…” He had about that much time.

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Red Red Ryan

1. Go ahead and add Jake Delhomme to the FML club with Kerry Collins. And go on ahead and throw JaMarcus Russell in there too. (Lucky’s response: They are both already co-owners of that website. I’m pretty sure Jake designed it, JaMarcus tried to eat it, so Jake made him pay for half, now co-owners…)

2. I wish the Bears game was on TV so I could see Cutler’s face after all of his turnovers. It’s just not the same on ESPN play by play. (Papa’s response: I’m watching it right now and it’s that goofy half-drunk face he makes as if it’s everyone’s fault but his own.) (Red’s new response: I would feel better about hating Jay if I was at all sure that he didn’t have fetal alcohol syndrome as a baby.)

3. Receivers are dying in Dallas right now. Atlanta Falcons receivers got blown up on back to back plays. Matt is buying everyone’s dinner tonight. (Josh’s response: Miles Austin lives!)

4. Wow. Carolina is using all their time outs with 6 minutes left in the game. Either they’re drinking what Cutler is drinking or they are… nope, they are drinking Cutler’s magic moon shine.

Fantasy Focus: Week 7 Fantasy Football Analysis

And just like that I’m back on top. Four out of the first 6 weeks, I’ve been the fantasy winner in the weekly rank’em section – soon I’ll be answering fantasy questions for readers, and Papa Weimer (2-1 ATS last week with three underdog picks) will be the guy picking games. Until that switch is made, I’ll just keep dominating this section of fun and games. We always say, anything worth playing is worth beating your friends at. Another week of fantasy football in the books, and don’t look now, but the regular season is just about half over – it will be after this week. So if you’re down an out, you might want to try some blind lawn darts while selecting your starters this week, or you could just listen to me – lawn darts are fun, especially the pointy ones that can cause serious injury. What’s the fun in dull lawn darts anyway? Here’s this week’s fantasy blitz!

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

1. Peyton Manning – Two weeks to prepare… For the Rams? Hahahaha…
2. Drew Brees – Miami does their best to slow down the game and stop the run, Drew wants to ruin it for them.
3. DeAngelo Williams – The Bills upset the Jets last week, but it wasn’t because they stopped the run.
4. Ben Roethlisberger – There’s holes in that secondary, you know it won’t be for lack of attempts if he fails…
5. Roddy White – Dallas can’t stop #1 receivers, I think Roddy has a big day for the home team.

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

1. Eli Manning – Arizona made it tough on Matt Hasselbeck last week, doubt that happens two times in a row.
2. Steve Smith – Steve hasn’t been awesome the last couple weeks, but he’ll be great the rest of the year!
3. Marshawn Lynch – Trent Edwards out, Lynch becomes a 25-30 touch guy.
4. Joseph Addai– Been catching a lot of balls, healthy, plays St. Louis this week – yes please!
5. Ryan Grant – The Packers seem to hate running the ball, but one of these days Grant will break out, Cleveland?

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

1. Laurence Maroney – Picking a Patriots runner is suicidal, but Maroney is the only healthy guy against Tampa.
2. Cadillac Williams – The Pats score so fast, Caddy should get lots of series to break a few big runs.
3. Chris Henry – The Bengals speedster is finally getting healthy, could really hurt a Bears team hurt by speed.
4. Jeremy Maclin – The Eagles are going to throw, McNabb likes the Missouri speedster.
5. Sydney Rice – Becoming one of Brett’s favorites, and Percy might be less than 100%. Pitt allows big plays, too.

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

1. Matt Forte – Didn’t think I’d put him here against Cinci, but until he shows me something, he’s here.
2. Antonio Bryant – AB hasn’t been a favorite of Josh Johnson, and he draws a tough secondary to throw on.
3. Donnie Avery – Has a couple TDs in back to back weeks, but Indy is very tough on young receivers.
4. Mark Sanchez – The Raiders D is solid, and you know dumbing down the offense has never really helped anyone.
5. Chad Henne – Lots of excitement for Chad’s last outing, I’d like to see him do well, but unlikely against Saints.

***Big Bye Week in Week’s 7 and 8: this week don’t play Ravens, Broncos, Lions, Jaguars, Seahawks, or Titans! Mind the Gap!!!

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Week 7 Fantasy Pre-Rankings

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Hard flat toed cleats, equally hard toe kicks – oh the good old days!

Ask Papa Weimer: Week 7 Fantasy Football

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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