Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Oakland at Houston (-9) (42)
I really don’t understand the spread in Vegas sometimes. I do know it is used to get a fairly equal amount of wagering on both sides but should Houston be favored by 9 over anyone right now? They play good but their best weapon will be up against one of the league’s top DBs, the running game has been almost non existent. I wouldn’t be shocked if Oakland walked out of there with a win on Sunday. They are so up and down, both teams really.
Last week they were finally mowed thru by Denver as Buck and Moreno both had nice games on the ground but we’ll talk about Denver later. Bottom line is Houston is dead last in rush defense giving up over 6 yds a clip. Oakland has been just avg in running the football with just a little under 4 yds a pop.
Darren McFadden: I would love to tell you that he is going to do something special, but he ranks 36th right now for the year and his strength is not a good thing on this team. He really needs to be fed the ball more with catches out of the backfield but Russell is looking more and more like a complete bust. From the ownership down to the idiot HC who broke his asst’s jaw as we have come to learn this week, not speculation but apparently a fact. If you have other options I might consider not playing him despite him looking like a good match up. DMac is avg about 13-14 carries a game so don’t get overly excited about him this week.
BTW: What good is going up against a terrible rush defense or having a great match up when you can’t really run the ball that well yourself? In other words if the opposing team can’t exploit it then it’s more of a sleeper situation to me than a great match up.
Michael Bush: Believe it or not I actually do like Mr Bush this week. His style of running is much more appealing against Houston. Problem is, does Oakland know how to exploit this? He only gets about 10-12 touches a game but I would bet the over this week as long as the game stays relatively close. I’m sure many of you feel Houston will blow them out but I have a hunch it stays closer than it should. Oakland’s only chance to win the game is to control the clock and that is going to happen best if they involve Michael Bush.
Steve Slaton: Huge disappointment so far this season for where he was drafted. 38/127 on the ground so far is not getting it done. He is getting some receptions each week but he is not the Steve Slaton of a year ago. The Raiders are not super at stopping the run and if you believe Houston is going to win big then you have to assume that Slaton will get a chance for more touches and more carries in the 2nd half of these football games.
Final Score: Houston 20…Oakland 16
Tennessee at Jacksonville (+3) (42)
I really thought the Titans would lay it all on the line last week and walk out of the Meadowlands with a win and I was wrong. Kerry Collins missed his last 14 passes and that was with a lot of help from his WRs but I still maintain that he is holding the club back and you all can disagree all you like, he still missed a lot of passes towards the end of that game. The line btw started as a pick em game which I thought was right…Jax won last week, TN lost on the road, now they come marching down to Jax and blow their doors off? I doubt it.
Chris Johnson: Despite him being the number 1 RB in football right now, he basically has had 1 blow up game and 2 very below avg games. It has been pointed out that he exploits the weak and plays not as good against stronger defenses. It’s a trend and I don’t buy it completely but the track record leans that way. The Jags are about avg on the ground so he could have a pretty good game on Sunday. Nothing screams exploit but CJ is the type that can exploit on any given Sunday. No one is going to bench him so there really isn’t much to go on about here.
LenDale White: Not even cracking the top50 for the season, there are bye weeks this week so you may be in a pinch but this has not been a good option so far. Until TN wins more games and he is a factor in closing them out you don’t really have much to write home about here.
Maurice Jones Drew: Had a huge game last week and certainly owners are cashing in as he comes in at #2 overall on the season. The Titans are actually very stingy on the ground but thankfully the Jags know how to get him the ball in other ways so he should still log a decent game. Of the 6 games he has faced against Tennessee he has 3 solid, 2 not so much, and 1 average. You have to play him but I don’t think he is top5 this week as I did last week.
Final Score: Jacksonville 17…Tennessee 14
Baltimore at New England (-2) (44.5)
I simply am in love with the Ravens right now. The fact you an actually get points too…WOW!!! They are able to do so many things and the demise of their defense is way overblown. The Pats can’t run the ball, don’t be fooled by last week. I know this is a big game but I see a Ravens rout in this one. The Pats won’t know what hit them on Sunday, they are just lucky they are playing this at home but I don’t think it will matter. The Ravens already flew across the country and beat a SB contender in San Diego and had them manhandled till they fought back late in the game. The Ravens are the #1 rushing defense in the land, I love them this week.
Willis McGahee: Pains me to list him 1st but he is top 5 3 weeks into the season. He is getting the ball in the red zone so I can’t fault owners that are riding the gravy train right now. Is he the RB1? Is Rice the RB1? I do not believe he can keep up the 32 TD pace but I keep posting that and he keeps scoring.
Ray Rice: Might have a little tougher time in New England this week. The Pats are not pushovers but Flacco should have some success thru the air and eventually that should loosen things up for the ground game. He comes in at #13 overall, I am using PPR as the standard so I can’t find a reason to put him on the bench this week but I don’t expect huge numbers for him.
Fred Taylor: Finally asserted himself last week but I don’t believe he will do much this week. Nor do I like any of the NE RBs this week, not against the Ravens.
Finals Score: Baltimore 26…New England 20...ok maybe not a rout but the Ravens win nonetheless.
Cincinnati at Cleveland (+6) (38.5)
This is a trap game. The Browns have looked like a high school football team the 1st 3 weeks of the season, a bad high school football team at that. However, Anderson will get a full week of reps with the 1st team and I expect him to do much better this weekend. Don’t be surprised if some of the air leaks out of the Bengals’ balloon and the Browns pull the upset this weekend.
Cedric Benson: I’m surprised he has been doing so well with a very suspect offense line but he gets almost as many touches as anyone in the league on a week to week basis…there is no RB2 on this team. 15, 15, 20...he is really hitting the sweet spot each week, not single handedly winning football games but for where he was drafted he has been a complete steal to this point in the year. Some are selling high, I understand why but the game plan is to try and run the football for the Bengals, establish the run, and keep the opposing team off the field…and by god it’s working.
Harrison/Davis/Lewis: Nothing I post is going to make it sound like Cleveland has a real shot here as they are floundering in just about everything. I do believe Anderson will get some things going thru the air, you’ll see a collective effort here in the back field but ultimately I would not start any one of these guys until things settle a bit.
Final Score: Cleveland 15…Cincinnati 14
NY Giants at Kansas City (+8.5) (42.5)
Don’t worry, no upset prediction here this week. The Giants are just toying with teams it seems. They can throw, they can run, they can stop the pass as evident from last week, they only look slightly suspect on the ground where they yield over 6 yds a clip but I think that number is very off in terms of what they can really do.
Brandon Jacobs: Will have a big game this week. Bradshaw is a little sore so you might see a very healthy does of Jacobs, good candidate for possible top10 maybe even top5 this week if he can get into the end zone a couple of times.
Ahmad Bradshaw: Watch the IR as he has been sore with an ankle injury although Coughlin says it’s nothing to worry bout…what coach doesn’t?
Larry Johnson: 50th at the moment and looks to be getting worse over the next several weeks. Keep him well on your bench. I wouldn’t be surprised if some people cut him although I do think he will be one of those weird playoff surprises late in the season.
Final Score: New York Giants 31…Kansas City 14
Detroit at Chicago (-10) (39)
Guess Vegas doesn’t believe the Lions can make it two in a row. I’m just happy they won a game for the fans and a city that was unveiled as the poorest city in America this past week…Buffalo 3rd, Miami 5th, go figure. The Bears should be able to advance to 3-1 which after what they did week 1 and the injuries sustained, Bears fans should be happy.
Kevin Smith: Coach came out and basically said he isn’t saying what and if Smith is hurt. He gave his reasons but I think the NFL should have a talk with him about it. I guess just follow the reports over the weekend and see Sunday morning if he is on the active report. Smith is one of the top RB2s in FF right now ranking #14 on the season.
Matt Forte: Marginal season so far but I expect a big week from Forte…a big week. Top5 candidate, the Lions are giving up 4.5 yds a clip right now.
Final Score: Chicago 29…Detroit 16
Tampa Bay at Washington (-7) (37)
Wow, here’s a Thrilla in Manila, eh? Ratings should be thru the roof for this one. Both teams are wounded dogs right now, can’t tell who is feeling worse. I would completely pass on the game from a betting standpoint but if Detroit win another game or two in the next few weeks, the loss for Washington won’t seem as bad…now if Detroit is 1-7, well…
Derrick Ward: Seems injured, might not be able to go.
“Cadillac”: Is practicing this week and I expect him to be leaned on a bit on Sunday. I would likely start him if I had him.
Earnest Graham: If he is available on your WW, might be a good time to stash him. If Ward is out I expect Graham to have some touches on Sunday…should Caddy pull up in this game for any reason he would be the main back at that point.
Clinton Portis: Continues to be pedestrian, not much to talk about right now until he does something. If he is your RB2 and you have other options…although the Bucs D is pretty awful right now, but the Skins offense has been poor, at least at getting into the end zone.
Final Score: Washington 13…Tampa Bay 10
Seattle at Indianapolis (-10) (44)
Did Jim Mora Jr really blame his kicker for the loss on Sunday? Here’s an idea coach, punch some of those FGs into the end zone...no kickers make them all. He just continues to show why he should not be in charge or control of an entire team, pathetic display of manning up after a loss. Think Andy Reid would have done that? What a clown. And a clown HC makes for a clown team.
The Colts meanwhile just keep notching victories and are putting themselves in a good position to make another strong playoff run behind Peyton Manning. Every year I think they will fade away and yet they keep winning.
Julius Jones: Well well well…#7 overall in FF so far this season. You have been given a reprieve if you didn’t sell high the first time. When can you actually start him with confidence? I know the Colts rush game is not very strong but the Seadogs offense is pretty pedestrian right now with Hass on the sidelines. Jones is a pleasant surprise but you can’t expect him to keep up a 16 TD pace can you?
Joseph Addai: Seattle is allowing almost 5.5 ypc right now, they are on the road, down a QB, expect Addai to be very active on Sunday and should have a solid outing for owners. He has been a pretty solid RB2 so far, I don’t see that changing.
Donald Brown: If Indy can get a lead and are running the clock out, you might see a good dose of Brown. Getting about 10-11 touches a week, has 1 TD so far, fringe flex type player but if you have a bye week issue he might be worth a shot. Coming off back to back 12 point weeks.
Final Score: Indy 38…Seattle 14 In the press conference after Mora announces that they would have tried more FGs but he didn’t trust the kicker so they went for it on 4th down every time.
New York Jets at New Orleans (-7) (45)
The line opened at 3.5 and has doubled for the Saints, be very careful here this week guys. I might rather watch the game than bet it. The Saints are doing it all on offense. Last week they march into buffalo and win by 20…granted it was close till late but they were able to run the ball very effectively with Pierre Thomas in the 2nd half.
The Jets are winning football games and Rex Ryan is putting on a clinic for how to instill winning and overhauling the attitudes on this team. I love what he did to Clowney last week and his way of doing things is working for the moment. This defense has been off the chain but this week they will have their hands full as they try and slow down the Saints passing attack in the Superdome. High flying offense against a tough defense, these always make for great games.
Thomas Jones: Hasn’t done sqwat since week 1 but his counterpart isn’t doing much either. While the Saints have been able to be near the top in rush defense, I attribute a lot of that to them jumping up on teams and throwing them out of rhythm. I expect the Jets to stay committed to the run throughout the game. Jones will get a lot of touches this week on the ground unless this game is completely out of hand but I expect a fairly close game at least until late.
Leon Washington: I like his ability to catch the ball and he should be active this week. If the Jets are forced to throw the ball a bit more, expect Washington to benefit from that. With bye weeks I like him in flex situations.
Pierre Thomas: Came on like a freight train in the 2nd half last week. Won’t be nearly as easy to run on the Jets this week but I expect him to see action early and often in this game. He seems healthy and is a far better choice than Reggie Bush at running the football. Anytime the Saints get a lead which will happen throughout the year, but anytime they get ahead and especially the 2nd half of games you can expect good and sometimes big numbers from Mr Thomas.
Reggie Bush: I like him a lot less than Thomas right now. Let’s see how it works out with both of them ready to go form the beginning of the game on Sunday.
Final Score: New Orleans 24…NY Jets 20
Buffalo at Miami (+2) (37)
The line opened with Miami as a 1.5 point favorite, that has changed a lot. I can’t really talk about this game unbiased but I have a feeling Miami will have a few tricks up their sleeves and I also think the heat and humidity will wear Buffalo out as the game advances. Miami should have beat Indy, was in the game last week till Chad went out…they were ahead 6-3 in the 3rd at one point.
Marshawn Lynch: I think he might be a little tentative at first as he sees his first action of the regular season after the suspension. In 2007 he had 85 yds, 3 catches and a TD in Miami. In 2008 he had 95 yds, 5 catches and a TD…both of these were on the road in Miami. Miami is top5 right now against the run and Buffalo doesn’t like to throw but even if they do…I don’t see Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers, or even Matt Ryan lining up there…and no big TE to exploit Miami either so maybe they primarily focus on Lynch, we’ll see.
Fred Jackson: Certainly going to see a decrease in carries right now with Lynch back.
Ronnie Brown: Coming off back to back 100+ yd total efforts, had 2 TDs 2weeks ago at home against Indy. The Dolphins OL has been on like Donkey Kong running the ball the last couple weeks and I expect that to continue. The Bills are giving up 117 and 1.3 TDs a week, with the QB situation muddy look for Miami to lean on Brown and when they get inside the 10 he will see plenty of action. He hasn’t really been a stud against the Bills thus far in his career. You can go look at the game logs but he has been OK, nothing special vs the Bills.
Ricky Williams: I can see where he is #16 overall for RBs, but ask yourself how many teams really got to use his points last week? Would you really feel comfortable wheeling him out beyond a possible flex play this week? I wouldn’t but again bye weeks might force some owners to having to make some tough choices.
Final Score: Miami 17…Buffalo 13
St Louis at San Fran (-9.5) (38.5)
The Rams are just awful but perhaps if Boller is starting or going to play, maybe a new face at QB will help, Bulger sure wasn’t getting it done. The Niners were on the verge of 3-0 last week until the Vikes reached up and…let me rephrase that until an old grey haired man stood up and fired a laser down the field that was somehow caught by a player that wasn’t even on the roster a couple weeks ago, holy cow does the story ever get any better? The Niners should be able to regroup and find easy waters with the Rams coming into town.
Steven Jackson: They have no other offense so I would start him. Expect average numbers as the Niners have been lights out against the run, even ADP was sorta just OK last week. They did stop ADP quite a bit but I think SJax can still pull it together with catches ootb.
Frank Gore: Injured and likely out the next 3 weeks.
Glenn Coffee: I see Coffee at #6 on FBG, they typically do that to get your attention. I like the move and I think Coffee will be fine on Sunday but I am not sure I see top5 numbers here, maybe top15.
Final Score: San Fran 23…St Louis 16
Dallas at Denver (+3) (43)
Let me talk about Denver 1st. Forget about Cutler, Orton, Marshall, Royal, the fact is they are shutting the running game down against the opponents they face. Even if you think they haven’t really played anyone they still are getting the job done when many of us were very harsh. The Dawkins signing has paid dividends for them. I think they will be put to the test with Dallas this weekend as the Cowboys are about the best in the NFL in running the ball which they will want to do on Sunday in that Mile High Air. Expect the Cowboys to try and run early and often even with a depleted RB stable, they have still Choice.
Tashard Choice: Assume he starts, assume 20 touches, assume he racks up at least 15-20 points this weekend. I would not hesitate in starting him.
Knowshon Moreno: He is part of a 1-2 punch right now with Buckhalter. Both of them are doing well running the ball. Moreno is running 35th right now but he has solid totals the past 2 weeks and he is getting his legs underneath him. He has not been asked to do too much and actually he has been handled perfectly by McDaniels.
Correll Buckhalter: He has been doing it well so far with a 7.5 yd avg on the ground. Not many catches but he is effective running the ball. Dallas is good at stopping the run to this point in the season so I would tend to not want to look his way as much on Sunday. I think as the season progresses that we will see less of CB so I might sell while I can. He really didn’t have a lot of points last week but he had 100 yds and that goes a long way when you are trying to work a trade.
Final Score: Dallas 24…Denver 21
San Diego at Pittsburgh (-6.5) (43)
They are almost begging you to take the Chargers in this one so don’t do it. The Steelers are struggling to run the ball but that might change on Sunday as San Diego is having some difficulties stopping the run.
Darren Sproles: Proving to be a much better pass catcher than a runner, who would have thought? LT has been active at practice this week, think the Chargers know they need LT to go anywhere even the playoff this season? $9 million to lock up a screen pass artist, money well spent. He is top10 in terms of FF though.
LaDainian Tomlinson: Probably not this week as they have a bye week looming and can rest him for another 2 solid weeks before they push him out there again.
My hands hurt…
Willie Parker: I liked him last week, I like him again this week. They need to get him on track or the season is going to be rough. He did have over 20 last week and I expect him to be solid this week again.
Edited on the post from Brind below...sorry guys, I was sleeping ont he turf toe injury but that's what makes the threads so awesome is the feedback we get from you. nice job by Brindrod of bringing this up in his post.
Mewelde Moore: If Parker's turf toe is going to keep him out on Sunday, then I like Moore to step in/step up and have a decent game. Mendehall has not looked good to me in the short spurts he has been inthe games. If Parker is OK to go then plug him in but turf toe is a very trick injury.
Final Score: Pittsburgh 27…San Diego 17
Green Bay at Minnesota (-3.5) (45.5)
Most people will be too tired form the weekend games to likely want to tune in and watch this right? Likely set a record for most watched MNF game I’ll bet in 5 years…the NFL should be blowing this game up all weekend. The hype around it is huge and this is good for football, no doubt about it.
Ryan Grant: He’s done about what we expected. He is posting right around 12 a week which for RB2 numbers is about average. I believe eventually he’ll do better but the passing game has to get more consistent for that to happen. Look for a decent game Monday night but surely he won’t be setting any records either.
Adrian Peterson: The Niners had some answers at times for him last week. He wasn’t totally shut down but he was by ADP standards. No reason to over think this at all, just consider yourself lucky you got him.
Chester Taylor: Outscored ADP last week and showed why you want to keep him on a roster. Remember that Favre is only going to get better if he stays healthy and gets himself settled in this offense. Can the Vikes make the SB? They look pretty good so far but the more wins they can rack and possibly secure home field as the season marches on the better. Favre is going to want to unleash on his old team, MNF to top it off, he has been waiting and waiting for this…who am I supposed to be typing about? It doesn’t matter.
Final Score: Minnesota 24…Green Bay 21
I really don’t understand the spread in Vegas sometimes. I do know it is used to get a fairly equal amount of wagering on both sides but should Houston be favored by 9 over anyone right now? They play good but their best weapon will be up against one of the league’s top DBs, the running game has been almost non existent. I wouldn’t be shocked if Oakland walked out of there with a win on Sunday. They are so up and down, both teams really.
Last week they were finally mowed thru by Denver as Buck and Moreno both had nice games on the ground but we’ll talk about Denver later. Bottom line is Houston is dead last in rush defense giving up over 6 yds a clip. Oakland has been just avg in running the football with just a little under 4 yds a pop.
Darren McFadden: I would love to tell you that he is going to do something special, but he ranks 36th right now for the year and his strength is not a good thing on this team. He really needs to be fed the ball more with catches out of the backfield but Russell is looking more and more like a complete bust. From the ownership down to the idiot HC who broke his asst’s jaw as we have come to learn this week, not speculation but apparently a fact. If you have other options I might consider not playing him despite him looking like a good match up. DMac is avg about 13-14 carries a game so don’t get overly excited about him this week.
BTW: What good is going up against a terrible rush defense or having a great match up when you can’t really run the ball that well yourself? In other words if the opposing team can’t exploit it then it’s more of a sleeper situation to me than a great match up.
Michael Bush: Believe it or not I actually do like Mr Bush this week. His style of running is much more appealing against Houston. Problem is, does Oakland know how to exploit this? He only gets about 10-12 touches a game but I would bet the over this week as long as the game stays relatively close. I’m sure many of you feel Houston will blow them out but I have a hunch it stays closer than it should. Oakland’s only chance to win the game is to control the clock and that is going to happen best if they involve Michael Bush.
Steve Slaton: Huge disappointment so far this season for where he was drafted. 38/127 on the ground so far is not getting it done. He is getting some receptions each week but he is not the Steve Slaton of a year ago. The Raiders are not super at stopping the run and if you believe Houston is going to win big then you have to assume that Slaton will get a chance for more touches and more carries in the 2nd half of these football games.
Final Score: Houston 20…Oakland 16
Tennessee at Jacksonville (+3) (42)
I really thought the Titans would lay it all on the line last week and walk out of the Meadowlands with a win and I was wrong. Kerry Collins missed his last 14 passes and that was with a lot of help from his WRs but I still maintain that he is holding the club back and you all can disagree all you like, he still missed a lot of passes towards the end of that game. The line btw started as a pick em game which I thought was right…Jax won last week, TN lost on the road, now they come marching down to Jax and blow their doors off? I doubt it.
Chris Johnson: Despite him being the number 1 RB in football right now, he basically has had 1 blow up game and 2 very below avg games. It has been pointed out that he exploits the weak and plays not as good against stronger defenses. It’s a trend and I don’t buy it completely but the track record leans that way. The Jags are about avg on the ground so he could have a pretty good game on Sunday. Nothing screams exploit but CJ is the type that can exploit on any given Sunday. No one is going to bench him so there really isn’t much to go on about here.
LenDale White: Not even cracking the top50 for the season, there are bye weeks this week so you may be in a pinch but this has not been a good option so far. Until TN wins more games and he is a factor in closing them out you don’t really have much to write home about here.
Maurice Jones Drew: Had a huge game last week and certainly owners are cashing in as he comes in at #2 overall on the season. The Titans are actually very stingy on the ground but thankfully the Jags know how to get him the ball in other ways so he should still log a decent game. Of the 6 games he has faced against Tennessee he has 3 solid, 2 not so much, and 1 average. You have to play him but I don’t think he is top5 this week as I did last week.
Final Score: Jacksonville 17…Tennessee 14
Baltimore at New England (-2) (44.5)
I simply am in love with the Ravens right now. The fact you an actually get points too…WOW!!! They are able to do so many things and the demise of their defense is way overblown. The Pats can’t run the ball, don’t be fooled by last week. I know this is a big game but I see a Ravens rout in this one. The Pats won’t know what hit them on Sunday, they are just lucky they are playing this at home but I don’t think it will matter. The Ravens already flew across the country and beat a SB contender in San Diego and had them manhandled till they fought back late in the game. The Ravens are the #1 rushing defense in the land, I love them this week.
Willis McGahee: Pains me to list him 1st but he is top 5 3 weeks into the season. He is getting the ball in the red zone so I can’t fault owners that are riding the gravy train right now. Is he the RB1? Is Rice the RB1? I do not believe he can keep up the 32 TD pace but I keep posting that and he keeps scoring.
Ray Rice: Might have a little tougher time in New England this week. The Pats are not pushovers but Flacco should have some success thru the air and eventually that should loosen things up for the ground game. He comes in at #13 overall, I am using PPR as the standard so I can’t find a reason to put him on the bench this week but I don’t expect huge numbers for him.
Fred Taylor: Finally asserted himself last week but I don’t believe he will do much this week. Nor do I like any of the NE RBs this week, not against the Ravens.
Finals Score: Baltimore 26…New England 20...ok maybe not a rout but the Ravens win nonetheless.
Cincinnati at Cleveland (+6) (38.5)
This is a trap game. The Browns have looked like a high school football team the 1st 3 weeks of the season, a bad high school football team at that. However, Anderson will get a full week of reps with the 1st team and I expect him to do much better this weekend. Don’t be surprised if some of the air leaks out of the Bengals’ balloon and the Browns pull the upset this weekend.
Cedric Benson: I’m surprised he has been doing so well with a very suspect offense line but he gets almost as many touches as anyone in the league on a week to week basis…there is no RB2 on this team. 15, 15, 20...he is really hitting the sweet spot each week, not single handedly winning football games but for where he was drafted he has been a complete steal to this point in the year. Some are selling high, I understand why but the game plan is to try and run the football for the Bengals, establish the run, and keep the opposing team off the field…and by god it’s working.
Harrison/Davis/Lewis: Nothing I post is going to make it sound like Cleveland has a real shot here as they are floundering in just about everything. I do believe Anderson will get some things going thru the air, you’ll see a collective effort here in the back field but ultimately I would not start any one of these guys until things settle a bit.
Final Score: Cleveland 15…Cincinnati 14
NY Giants at Kansas City (+8.5) (42.5)
Don’t worry, no upset prediction here this week. The Giants are just toying with teams it seems. They can throw, they can run, they can stop the pass as evident from last week, they only look slightly suspect on the ground where they yield over 6 yds a clip but I think that number is very off in terms of what they can really do.
Brandon Jacobs: Will have a big game this week. Bradshaw is a little sore so you might see a very healthy does of Jacobs, good candidate for possible top10 maybe even top5 this week if he can get into the end zone a couple of times.
Ahmad Bradshaw: Watch the IR as he has been sore with an ankle injury although Coughlin says it’s nothing to worry bout…what coach doesn’t?
Larry Johnson: 50th at the moment and looks to be getting worse over the next several weeks. Keep him well on your bench. I wouldn’t be surprised if some people cut him although I do think he will be one of those weird playoff surprises late in the season.
Final Score: New York Giants 31…Kansas City 14
Detroit at Chicago (-10) (39)
Guess Vegas doesn’t believe the Lions can make it two in a row. I’m just happy they won a game for the fans and a city that was unveiled as the poorest city in America this past week…Buffalo 3rd, Miami 5th, go figure. The Bears should be able to advance to 3-1 which after what they did week 1 and the injuries sustained, Bears fans should be happy.
Kevin Smith: Coach came out and basically said he isn’t saying what and if Smith is hurt. He gave his reasons but I think the NFL should have a talk with him about it. I guess just follow the reports over the weekend and see Sunday morning if he is on the active report. Smith is one of the top RB2s in FF right now ranking #14 on the season.
Matt Forte: Marginal season so far but I expect a big week from Forte…a big week. Top5 candidate, the Lions are giving up 4.5 yds a clip right now.
Final Score: Chicago 29…Detroit 16
Tampa Bay at Washington (-7) (37)
Wow, here’s a Thrilla in Manila, eh? Ratings should be thru the roof for this one. Both teams are wounded dogs right now, can’t tell who is feeling worse. I would completely pass on the game from a betting standpoint but if Detroit win another game or two in the next few weeks, the loss for Washington won’t seem as bad…now if Detroit is 1-7, well…
Derrick Ward: Seems injured, might not be able to go.
“Cadillac”: Is practicing this week and I expect him to be leaned on a bit on Sunday. I would likely start him if I had him.
Earnest Graham: If he is available on your WW, might be a good time to stash him. If Ward is out I expect Graham to have some touches on Sunday…should Caddy pull up in this game for any reason he would be the main back at that point.
Clinton Portis: Continues to be pedestrian, not much to talk about right now until he does something. If he is your RB2 and you have other options…although the Bucs D is pretty awful right now, but the Skins offense has been poor, at least at getting into the end zone.
Final Score: Washington 13…Tampa Bay 10
Seattle at Indianapolis (-10) (44)
Did Jim Mora Jr really blame his kicker for the loss on Sunday? Here’s an idea coach, punch some of those FGs into the end zone...no kickers make them all. He just continues to show why he should not be in charge or control of an entire team, pathetic display of manning up after a loss. Think Andy Reid would have done that? What a clown. And a clown HC makes for a clown team.
The Colts meanwhile just keep notching victories and are putting themselves in a good position to make another strong playoff run behind Peyton Manning. Every year I think they will fade away and yet they keep winning.
Julius Jones: Well well well…#7 overall in FF so far this season. You have been given a reprieve if you didn’t sell high the first time. When can you actually start him with confidence? I know the Colts rush game is not very strong but the Seadogs offense is pretty pedestrian right now with Hass on the sidelines. Jones is a pleasant surprise but you can’t expect him to keep up a 16 TD pace can you?
Joseph Addai: Seattle is allowing almost 5.5 ypc right now, they are on the road, down a QB, expect Addai to be very active on Sunday and should have a solid outing for owners. He has been a pretty solid RB2 so far, I don’t see that changing.
Donald Brown: If Indy can get a lead and are running the clock out, you might see a good dose of Brown. Getting about 10-11 touches a week, has 1 TD so far, fringe flex type player but if you have a bye week issue he might be worth a shot. Coming off back to back 12 point weeks.
Final Score: Indy 38…Seattle 14 In the press conference after Mora announces that they would have tried more FGs but he didn’t trust the kicker so they went for it on 4th down every time.
New York Jets at New Orleans (-7) (45)
The line opened at 3.5 and has doubled for the Saints, be very careful here this week guys. I might rather watch the game than bet it. The Saints are doing it all on offense. Last week they march into buffalo and win by 20…granted it was close till late but they were able to run the ball very effectively with Pierre Thomas in the 2nd half.
The Jets are winning football games and Rex Ryan is putting on a clinic for how to instill winning and overhauling the attitudes on this team. I love what he did to Clowney last week and his way of doing things is working for the moment. This defense has been off the chain but this week they will have their hands full as they try and slow down the Saints passing attack in the Superdome. High flying offense against a tough defense, these always make for great games.
Thomas Jones: Hasn’t done sqwat since week 1 but his counterpart isn’t doing much either. While the Saints have been able to be near the top in rush defense, I attribute a lot of that to them jumping up on teams and throwing them out of rhythm. I expect the Jets to stay committed to the run throughout the game. Jones will get a lot of touches this week on the ground unless this game is completely out of hand but I expect a fairly close game at least until late.
Leon Washington: I like his ability to catch the ball and he should be active this week. If the Jets are forced to throw the ball a bit more, expect Washington to benefit from that. With bye weeks I like him in flex situations.
Pierre Thomas: Came on like a freight train in the 2nd half last week. Won’t be nearly as easy to run on the Jets this week but I expect him to see action early and often in this game. He seems healthy and is a far better choice than Reggie Bush at running the football. Anytime the Saints get a lead which will happen throughout the year, but anytime they get ahead and especially the 2nd half of games you can expect good and sometimes big numbers from Mr Thomas.
Reggie Bush: I like him a lot less than Thomas right now. Let’s see how it works out with both of them ready to go form the beginning of the game on Sunday.
Final Score: New Orleans 24…NY Jets 20
Buffalo at Miami (+2) (37)
The line opened with Miami as a 1.5 point favorite, that has changed a lot. I can’t really talk about this game unbiased but I have a feeling Miami will have a few tricks up their sleeves and I also think the heat and humidity will wear Buffalo out as the game advances. Miami should have beat Indy, was in the game last week till Chad went out…they were ahead 6-3 in the 3rd at one point.
Marshawn Lynch: I think he might be a little tentative at first as he sees his first action of the regular season after the suspension. In 2007 he had 85 yds, 3 catches and a TD in Miami. In 2008 he had 95 yds, 5 catches and a TD…both of these were on the road in Miami. Miami is top5 right now against the run and Buffalo doesn’t like to throw but even if they do…I don’t see Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers, or even Matt Ryan lining up there…and no big TE to exploit Miami either so maybe they primarily focus on Lynch, we’ll see.
Fred Jackson: Certainly going to see a decrease in carries right now with Lynch back.
Ronnie Brown: Coming off back to back 100+ yd total efforts, had 2 TDs 2weeks ago at home against Indy. The Dolphins OL has been on like Donkey Kong running the ball the last couple weeks and I expect that to continue. The Bills are giving up 117 and 1.3 TDs a week, with the QB situation muddy look for Miami to lean on Brown and when they get inside the 10 he will see plenty of action. He hasn’t really been a stud against the Bills thus far in his career. You can go look at the game logs but he has been OK, nothing special vs the Bills.
Ricky Williams: I can see where he is #16 overall for RBs, but ask yourself how many teams really got to use his points last week? Would you really feel comfortable wheeling him out beyond a possible flex play this week? I wouldn’t but again bye weeks might force some owners to having to make some tough choices.
Final Score: Miami 17…Buffalo 13
St Louis at San Fran (-9.5) (38.5)
The Rams are just awful but perhaps if Boller is starting or going to play, maybe a new face at QB will help, Bulger sure wasn’t getting it done. The Niners were on the verge of 3-0 last week until the Vikes reached up and…let me rephrase that until an old grey haired man stood up and fired a laser down the field that was somehow caught by a player that wasn’t even on the roster a couple weeks ago, holy cow does the story ever get any better? The Niners should be able to regroup and find easy waters with the Rams coming into town.
Steven Jackson: They have no other offense so I would start him. Expect average numbers as the Niners have been lights out against the run, even ADP was sorta just OK last week. They did stop ADP quite a bit but I think SJax can still pull it together with catches ootb.
Frank Gore: Injured and likely out the next 3 weeks.
Glenn Coffee: I see Coffee at #6 on FBG, they typically do that to get your attention. I like the move and I think Coffee will be fine on Sunday but I am not sure I see top5 numbers here, maybe top15.
Final Score: San Fran 23…St Louis 16
Dallas at Denver (+3) (43)
Let me talk about Denver 1st. Forget about Cutler, Orton, Marshall, Royal, the fact is they are shutting the running game down against the opponents they face. Even if you think they haven’t really played anyone they still are getting the job done when many of us were very harsh. The Dawkins signing has paid dividends for them. I think they will be put to the test with Dallas this weekend as the Cowboys are about the best in the NFL in running the ball which they will want to do on Sunday in that Mile High Air. Expect the Cowboys to try and run early and often even with a depleted RB stable, they have still Choice.
Tashard Choice: Assume he starts, assume 20 touches, assume he racks up at least 15-20 points this weekend. I would not hesitate in starting him.
Knowshon Moreno: He is part of a 1-2 punch right now with Buckhalter. Both of them are doing well running the ball. Moreno is running 35th right now but he has solid totals the past 2 weeks and he is getting his legs underneath him. He has not been asked to do too much and actually he has been handled perfectly by McDaniels.
Correll Buckhalter: He has been doing it well so far with a 7.5 yd avg on the ground. Not many catches but he is effective running the ball. Dallas is good at stopping the run to this point in the season so I would tend to not want to look his way as much on Sunday. I think as the season progresses that we will see less of CB so I might sell while I can. He really didn’t have a lot of points last week but he had 100 yds and that goes a long way when you are trying to work a trade.
Final Score: Dallas 24…Denver 21
San Diego at Pittsburgh (-6.5) (43)
They are almost begging you to take the Chargers in this one so don’t do it. The Steelers are struggling to run the ball but that might change on Sunday as San Diego is having some difficulties stopping the run.
Darren Sproles: Proving to be a much better pass catcher than a runner, who would have thought? LT has been active at practice this week, think the Chargers know they need LT to go anywhere even the playoff this season? $9 million to lock up a screen pass artist, money well spent. He is top10 in terms of FF though.
LaDainian Tomlinson: Probably not this week as they have a bye week looming and can rest him for another 2 solid weeks before they push him out there again.
My hands hurt…
Willie Parker: I liked him last week, I like him again this week. They need to get him on track or the season is going to be rough. He did have over 20 last week and I expect him to be solid this week again.
Edited on the post from Brind below...sorry guys, I was sleeping ont he turf toe injury but that's what makes the threads so awesome is the feedback we get from you. nice job by Brindrod of bringing this up in his post.
Mewelde Moore: If Parker's turf toe is going to keep him out on Sunday, then I like Moore to step in/step up and have a decent game. Mendehall has not looked good to me in the short spurts he has been inthe games. If Parker is OK to go then plug him in but turf toe is a very trick injury.
Final Score: Pittsburgh 27…San Diego 17
Green Bay at Minnesota (-3.5) (45.5)
Most people will be too tired form the weekend games to likely want to tune in and watch this right? Likely set a record for most watched MNF game I’ll bet in 5 years…the NFL should be blowing this game up all weekend. The hype around it is huge and this is good for football, no doubt about it.
Ryan Grant: He’s done about what we expected. He is posting right around 12 a week which for RB2 numbers is about average. I believe eventually he’ll do better but the passing game has to get more consistent for that to happen. Look for a decent game Monday night but surely he won’t be setting any records either.
Adrian Peterson: The Niners had some answers at times for him last week. He wasn’t totally shut down but he was by ADP standards. No reason to over think this at all, just consider yourself lucky you got him.
Chester Taylor: Outscored ADP last week and showed why you want to keep him on a roster. Remember that Favre is only going to get better if he stays healthy and gets himself settled in this offense. Can the Vikes make the SB? They look pretty good so far but the more wins they can rack and possibly secure home field as the season marches on the better. Favre is going to want to unleash on his old team, MNF to top it off, he has been waiting and waiting for this…who am I supposed to be typing about? It doesn’t matter.
Final Score: Minnesota 24…Green Bay 21
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And as a fan, I am forced to hope that comes to fruition. 
Sounds like you actually do enjoy this thread even if its just for entertainment or to print out and use as tp, good luck to you this week and thanks for you support.
Sounds like you actually do enjoy this thread even if its just for entertainment or to print out and use as tp, good luck to you this week and thanks for you support.
