Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
It sure seems like rushing is up across the board right now. Very few elite rushing defenses this year. There are certainly a couple you would like to avoid but for the most part a lot of teams can be run on. Let’s jump to week 9.
Atlanta 210/112 at Detroit 79/94
The Falcons are running and passing on everybody right now. If Vick can keep up his pace in the passing game, defenses are going to cry trying to figure out what they need to focus on and shut down. The Falcons are putting up over 400 yards on offense a week the past 2 games. The running game has suffered a bit because of it.
Warrick Dunn: He has slowed down the past couple of weeks however he is still a great fit for flex leagues and even start-2 RB leagues. Owners of Dunn cannot be disappointed with how he has done this year, but it is disturbing that he is virtually nonexistent in the passing game where he can do a lot of damage in open space. Good match up for this weekend.
Jerious Norwood: You need to keep him on your radar. He had 70 yards last weekend and 3 catches out of the backfield. That’s 10 points in PPR leagues. If he is on the WW you should pick him up. The Falcons are poised to make a strong playoff run and if Dunn falters, Norwood seems like a good fit.
Kevin Jones: Has really paid off for people that drafted him. This is not a great match up on paper, however the Falcons play good for a few weeks then they drop a game…and they have given up 65 points over the last 2 games. Detroit is playing a lot better on offense. Not a great match up for KJ this weekend but a must start in PPR leagues…and most other leagues too.
Cincinnati 96/66 at Baltimore 100/129
The Ravens have the best rush defense in the NFl allowing 2.7 ypc. But Cinci has done well in the past even against the tougher defenses in their division.
Rudi Johnson: Had 50 yds and a TD last week. Has not had a lot of monster games but has been fairly consistent. Not a great match up but he has proven in the past he can find room to run. I think Cinci will come out throwing and loosen the Ravens up a bit. Also this Ravens team IMO is better than some in years past. The defense for sure.
Chris Perry: Had 4 touches for 23 yds including 2 catches last week. Just keep an eye on him for now.
Jamal Lewis: Had 109 yds rshing last week...but it took 31 carries to get it done and he is no threat out of the backfield. I am not impressed yet. It’s a decent match up because of the soft rush defense and 4.5 ypc from Cinci but I might still let Lewis ride the pine if you have better options.
Dallas 140/110 at Washington 128/80
Dallas is only giving up 3.3 ypc, however Washington is good at running the ball so something has to give. Dallas looked like World Beaters in the 4th quarter last week.
Julius Jones: The perfect RB2. Is having TD vultured by Barber but he is on pace for almost 1,400 yds rushing and 6-7 TDs…most people would gladly take that when they drafted him preseason.
Marion Barber III: 4 weeks he has had 10+ points for FF owners…16+ last week. He is on pace for about 12 TDs. He has made a great bye week filler for a lot of owners. With the Dallas offense rolling right now he is almost a good start in flex leagues.
Clinton Portis: If he can play and is starting you look at him…but if he doesn’t practice and is a game time decision…better yet, if you are somewhere around 4-4 in your league and really need to win this weekend and cannot afford to have him pulled 10 minutes into the game, then look elsewhere and think about what you have on your bench. He has a sprained ankle and was wearing a boot all last week…that’s not good at all.
Portis is listed as probable right now and did practice on Wednesday…I would expect a decent but not great game form him. Dallas has a good rush defense so beware.
Ladell Betts: If Portis could not go then Betts would be an OK option but I am not expecting a lot from him this weekend. I expect Dallas to role the Skins and the running game to be a much smaller factor for Washington.
Green Bay 114/113 at Buffalo 98/94
The Pack are rushing for 4.2 ypc, honestly. The Bills are yielding 4.2 ypc. Expect Green Bay to have a decent day running the ball.
Buffalo has had problems running with consistency all year. Green bay is not terrible at all against the run.
Ahman Green: Has had over 40 points for FF owners the past 2 weeks including 3 rushing TDs. He is a great RB2 in almost any league right now. Good match up this weekend.
Willis McGahee: Has had a couple of OK games but mostly he is on pace for about 1,100+ rushing yards and very few TDs for the season…pretty disappointing for owners. This is a marginal match up. I don’t think he will have his best or worst game of the season against Green Bay…75-100 total yds and maybe a 25% chance of a TD…that’s the expectations McGahee is giving us right now.
Houston 88/96 at NY Giants 146/134
Houston has shown signs of life but expect a very rough day in New York on Sunday.
The Giants should have their way running the football.
Wali Lundy: Has had a couple of nice weeks. In PPR leagues he might be worth a start this weekend, but I expect Lundy to have a very slow weekend in New York. The Giants are pretty good at stopping the run and look for Houston to get run out of Giants Stadium.
Tiki Barber: Must start
Brandon Jacobs: Worth a look this week. I expect the Giants to be ahead and for Jacobs to have some extensive work in the 2nd half and also a short TD plunge somewhere along the way. If you have bye week issues this is the time to roll him out there.
Kansas City 112/134 at St Louis 98/112
The Chiefs have really turned their season around. They have a chance to go to 5-3 this week but on the road in a dome…it’s not going to be easy for their offense. The last time they were on the road they got blasted by Pittsburgh 45-7. The Rams ran into a very lively Chargers team last week…I expect them to do well on Sunday.
Larry Johnson: Should be a fairly high scoring game…does it matter what I write? You start LJ no matter what. 4 TDs last week, guy is a pure stud and making those that drafted him very very happy. 41 points last week…just not fair.
Michael Bennett: He isn’t any kind of threat to see a lot of playing time, however the deadline is approaching many leagues to work the waiver wire, and if you own LJ you might want to get his back up for your playoff run. Just a heads up.
Steven Jackson: 130+ yds and a TD last week…just what FF owners were looking for against a tough SD defense. Look for him to build on that and come out ready to roll on Sunday. The Chiefs are not terrible against the run but inside the dome SJax should have a great day. Jackson is on pace for almost 2,000 total yards on the season. Needs a few more TDs to become a stud but he’s getting there.
Miami 88/82 at Chicago 104/102
In 1985…the Miami Dolphins lead by Dan Marino and a few lucky bounces destroyed an undefeated Chicago Bears 46 defense and left a blueprint for years to come on how to handle the 46 defense. Marino was the perfect QB to beat that particular defense. Well that was 1985 and there is no Marino, instead there is a Harrington and I doubt he has the same success. Miami is pretty good at stopping the run but the bears can throw the ball, something Miami is pretty mediocre at stopping some weeks.
Ronnie Brown: Not one of his better match ups this year. But Gore managed to find 100 yards last week even in defeat.
Thomas Jones: Terrific game last week. Miami is only yielding 3.3 ypc right now though so I expect a very average day form TJ, maybe even below average…this isn’t the Niners run defense so do not look for repeat numbers this week.
Cedric Benson: Bench him. Had a TD last week but even in a 41-10 BLOWOUT he only had 8 carries for 26 yds. Bench him.
New Orleans 98/146 at Tampa Bay 84/122
TB is giving up 4.8 ypc, ouch!!! NO does not actually run as well as many think. Less than 100 yards per game but look for them to try and hammer at the Bucs this Sunday on the road.
Deuce McAllister: Looks like he will have a nice match up set for this week. Should be good for a score and somewhere in the 75-100 yard range.
Reggie Bush: Recovering from the “Hot Sauce” applied by the Ravens this past weekend. Bush had a TD on a punt return last weekend, I look for him to maybe have his break out game this weekend. Yes he’s a little banged up and that may just be what he needs to get things going. He has a lot of receptions for the season but has failed to score an offensive TD. Best suited for flex leagues with PPR right now.
Cadillac Williams: NO is giving up 4.6 ypc so look for the Bucs to use Cadillac early and often this weekend. He should cross 100 yards rushing and possibly break a long one on the Saints who have given up 5 runs of over 20+ yards.
Tennessee 114/96 at Jacksonville 129/162
The Titans managed to win last week but Henry had a very rough day and owners got burned. Trusting the Titans on offense right now is a rough proposition.
Travis Henry: 15 carries for 29 yards…not exactly what owners had in mind. Tough math up this week as Jax is giving up only 3.7 ypc.
Fred Taylor: 103 yards and a TD. Has a nice match up this weekend and Jax must continue to win to claw their way into the playoffs. Start him as an RB2.
Maurice Jones Drew: Had almost 100 yards last week. Perfect for flex leagues with PPR.
Minnesota 105/123 at San Fran 119/72
Chester Taylor: Should bounce back after a terrible outing against the pats last Monday Night. This is a good match up and I expect the Vikes to play much better.
Mewelde Moore: Had 100 yards last week combined. Keep an eye out on him as he could become more involved as the season wears on. Taylor has not had to take a pounding for an entire season as the feature back…that could catch up to him down the stretch.
Frank Gore: Not an easy match up but neither was last week. He managed over 110 yards against the Bears. Still seems like a weekly start at this point.
Cleveland 79/84 at San Diego 157/136
Reuben Droughns: Had his best day of the season last week. Will not be able to post 125 and a TD on the Bolts, however the Chargers have almost no OLB left on their roster. Shawn Merriman is serving a 4 game suspension and Philips is out for the next month as well. If you had to roll the dice on Droughns go ahead, but be warned that this is not a good match up for him.
LaDainian Tomlinson: Easy match up.
Michael Turner: Has a chance to get more involved this week as San Diego should manhandle the Browns.
Denver 155/92 at Pittsburgh 110/90
The Steelers may be 2-5 but they are still a pain to rush against. As they yield only 3.4 ypc. Denver has a good OL and blocking scheme but the Steelers will prove a formidable defense. They held Oakland to under 100 yards on offense last week, that’s unheard of.
Tatum Bell: Nursing a turf toe. Some reports say he might have one on both feet. I don’t like either Bell a whole heckuva lot this week. If you have other options you might want to look at that for at least the time being.
Mike Bell: See above. Don’t let last week against the Colts and their anemic rush defense convince you Mike Bell is worthy of a start at Heinz Field this weekend.
Willie Parker: Denver has not allowed a rushing TD all season. None.
Indy 108/78 at New England 124/167
I will be ready to watch every second of this game on Sunday. The Colts took game 1 of a very tough 2 game road stretch as they fly into New England this weekend. I expect New England to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football.
Dominic Rhodes: had 3 carries for no yards. 43 yards receiving. He also is listed along with Addai as questionable in Sunday’s game. It looks like Addai is nudging past Rhodes for playing time.
Joseph Addai: 17 carries for 93 yards. He is clearly the better back in Indy and I expect him to post better numbers the rest of the way, however don’t expect big numbers against the Patriots.
Corey Dillon: Not a bad start as Indy cannot defend the run. NE came out throwing on MNF, I expect them to run the ball down the Colts throat this weekend.
Laurence Maroney: Excellent match up this weekend.
Oakland 111/106 at Seattle 92/126
LaMont Jordan: Watch the injury reports about his back. If he is starting for sure, he is worth a gamble. The Seahawks have given up 28-30+ points in each of their last 5 games. They can’t stop anyone right now.
Justin Fargas: Only if you are in a real pinch and he has been declared the starter for MNF, which I doubt will happen.
Maurice Morris: Has done nothing so far, you’re a fool to start him thinking it will get better. Despite Oakland giving up 126 yards a game, they rate decent on the yards per carry. I expect Seattle to grow impatient and take to the air.
Atlanta 210/112 at Detroit 79/94
The Falcons are running and passing on everybody right now. If Vick can keep up his pace in the passing game, defenses are going to cry trying to figure out what they need to focus on and shut down. The Falcons are putting up over 400 yards on offense a week the past 2 games. The running game has suffered a bit because of it.
Warrick Dunn: He has slowed down the past couple of weeks however he is still a great fit for flex leagues and even start-2 RB leagues. Owners of Dunn cannot be disappointed with how he has done this year, but it is disturbing that he is virtually nonexistent in the passing game where he can do a lot of damage in open space. Good match up for this weekend.
Jerious Norwood: You need to keep him on your radar. He had 70 yards last weekend and 3 catches out of the backfield. That’s 10 points in PPR leagues. If he is on the WW you should pick him up. The Falcons are poised to make a strong playoff run and if Dunn falters, Norwood seems like a good fit.
Kevin Jones: Has really paid off for people that drafted him. This is not a great match up on paper, however the Falcons play good for a few weeks then they drop a game…and they have given up 65 points over the last 2 games. Detroit is playing a lot better on offense. Not a great match up for KJ this weekend but a must start in PPR leagues…and most other leagues too.
Cincinnati 96/66 at Baltimore 100/129
The Ravens have the best rush defense in the NFl allowing 2.7 ypc. But Cinci has done well in the past even against the tougher defenses in their division.
Rudi Johnson: Had 50 yds and a TD last week. Has not had a lot of monster games but has been fairly consistent. Not a great match up but he has proven in the past he can find room to run. I think Cinci will come out throwing and loosen the Ravens up a bit. Also this Ravens team IMO is better than some in years past. The defense for sure.
Chris Perry: Had 4 touches for 23 yds including 2 catches last week. Just keep an eye on him for now.
Jamal Lewis: Had 109 yds rshing last week...but it took 31 carries to get it done and he is no threat out of the backfield. I am not impressed yet. It’s a decent match up because of the soft rush defense and 4.5 ypc from Cinci but I might still let Lewis ride the pine if you have better options.
Dallas 140/110 at Washington 128/80
Dallas is only giving up 3.3 ypc, however Washington is good at running the ball so something has to give. Dallas looked like World Beaters in the 4th quarter last week.
Julius Jones: The perfect RB2. Is having TD vultured by Barber but he is on pace for almost 1,400 yds rushing and 6-7 TDs…most people would gladly take that when they drafted him preseason.
Marion Barber III: 4 weeks he has had 10+ points for FF owners…16+ last week. He is on pace for about 12 TDs. He has made a great bye week filler for a lot of owners. With the Dallas offense rolling right now he is almost a good start in flex leagues.
Clinton Portis: If he can play and is starting you look at him…but if he doesn’t practice and is a game time decision…better yet, if you are somewhere around 4-4 in your league and really need to win this weekend and cannot afford to have him pulled 10 minutes into the game, then look elsewhere and think about what you have on your bench. He has a sprained ankle and was wearing a boot all last week…that’s not good at all.
Portis is listed as probable right now and did practice on Wednesday…I would expect a decent but not great game form him. Dallas has a good rush defense so beware.
Ladell Betts: If Portis could not go then Betts would be an OK option but I am not expecting a lot from him this weekend. I expect Dallas to role the Skins and the running game to be a much smaller factor for Washington.
Green Bay 114/113 at Buffalo 98/94
The Pack are rushing for 4.2 ypc, honestly. The Bills are yielding 4.2 ypc. Expect Green Bay to have a decent day running the ball.
Buffalo has had problems running with consistency all year. Green bay is not terrible at all against the run.
Ahman Green: Has had over 40 points for FF owners the past 2 weeks including 3 rushing TDs. He is a great RB2 in almost any league right now. Good match up this weekend.
Willis McGahee: Has had a couple of OK games but mostly he is on pace for about 1,100+ rushing yards and very few TDs for the season…pretty disappointing for owners. This is a marginal match up. I don’t think he will have his best or worst game of the season against Green Bay…75-100 total yds and maybe a 25% chance of a TD…that’s the expectations McGahee is giving us right now.
Houston 88/96 at NY Giants 146/134
Houston has shown signs of life but expect a very rough day in New York on Sunday.
The Giants should have their way running the football.
Wali Lundy: Has had a couple of nice weeks. In PPR leagues he might be worth a start this weekend, but I expect Lundy to have a very slow weekend in New York. The Giants are pretty good at stopping the run and look for Houston to get run out of Giants Stadium.
Tiki Barber: Must start
Brandon Jacobs: Worth a look this week. I expect the Giants to be ahead and for Jacobs to have some extensive work in the 2nd half and also a short TD plunge somewhere along the way. If you have bye week issues this is the time to roll him out there.
Kansas City 112/134 at St Louis 98/112
The Chiefs have really turned their season around. They have a chance to go to 5-3 this week but on the road in a dome…it’s not going to be easy for their offense. The last time they were on the road they got blasted by Pittsburgh 45-7. The Rams ran into a very lively Chargers team last week…I expect them to do well on Sunday.
Larry Johnson: Should be a fairly high scoring game…does it matter what I write? You start LJ no matter what. 4 TDs last week, guy is a pure stud and making those that drafted him very very happy. 41 points last week…just not fair.
Michael Bennett: He isn’t any kind of threat to see a lot of playing time, however the deadline is approaching many leagues to work the waiver wire, and if you own LJ you might want to get his back up for your playoff run. Just a heads up.
Steven Jackson: 130+ yds and a TD last week…just what FF owners were looking for against a tough SD defense. Look for him to build on that and come out ready to roll on Sunday. The Chiefs are not terrible against the run but inside the dome SJax should have a great day. Jackson is on pace for almost 2,000 total yards on the season. Needs a few more TDs to become a stud but he’s getting there.
Miami 88/82 at Chicago 104/102
In 1985…the Miami Dolphins lead by Dan Marino and a few lucky bounces destroyed an undefeated Chicago Bears 46 defense and left a blueprint for years to come on how to handle the 46 defense. Marino was the perfect QB to beat that particular defense. Well that was 1985 and there is no Marino, instead there is a Harrington and I doubt he has the same success. Miami is pretty good at stopping the run but the bears can throw the ball, something Miami is pretty mediocre at stopping some weeks.
Ronnie Brown: Not one of his better match ups this year. But Gore managed to find 100 yards last week even in defeat.
Thomas Jones: Terrific game last week. Miami is only yielding 3.3 ypc right now though so I expect a very average day form TJ, maybe even below average…this isn’t the Niners run defense so do not look for repeat numbers this week.
Cedric Benson: Bench him. Had a TD last week but even in a 41-10 BLOWOUT he only had 8 carries for 26 yds. Bench him.
New Orleans 98/146 at Tampa Bay 84/122
TB is giving up 4.8 ypc, ouch!!! NO does not actually run as well as many think. Less than 100 yards per game but look for them to try and hammer at the Bucs this Sunday on the road.
Deuce McAllister: Looks like he will have a nice match up set for this week. Should be good for a score and somewhere in the 75-100 yard range.
Reggie Bush: Recovering from the “Hot Sauce” applied by the Ravens this past weekend. Bush had a TD on a punt return last weekend, I look for him to maybe have his break out game this weekend. Yes he’s a little banged up and that may just be what he needs to get things going. He has a lot of receptions for the season but has failed to score an offensive TD. Best suited for flex leagues with PPR right now.
Cadillac Williams: NO is giving up 4.6 ypc so look for the Bucs to use Cadillac early and often this weekend. He should cross 100 yards rushing and possibly break a long one on the Saints who have given up 5 runs of over 20+ yards.
Tennessee 114/96 at Jacksonville 129/162
The Titans managed to win last week but Henry had a very rough day and owners got burned. Trusting the Titans on offense right now is a rough proposition.
Travis Henry: 15 carries for 29 yards…not exactly what owners had in mind. Tough math up this week as Jax is giving up only 3.7 ypc.
Fred Taylor: 103 yards and a TD. Has a nice match up this weekend and Jax must continue to win to claw their way into the playoffs. Start him as an RB2.
Maurice Jones Drew: Had almost 100 yards last week. Perfect for flex leagues with PPR.
Minnesota 105/123 at San Fran 119/72
Chester Taylor: Should bounce back after a terrible outing against the pats last Monday Night. This is a good match up and I expect the Vikes to play much better.
Mewelde Moore: Had 100 yards last week combined. Keep an eye out on him as he could become more involved as the season wears on. Taylor has not had to take a pounding for an entire season as the feature back…that could catch up to him down the stretch.
Frank Gore: Not an easy match up but neither was last week. He managed over 110 yards against the Bears. Still seems like a weekly start at this point.
Cleveland 79/84 at San Diego 157/136
Reuben Droughns: Had his best day of the season last week. Will not be able to post 125 and a TD on the Bolts, however the Chargers have almost no OLB left on their roster. Shawn Merriman is serving a 4 game suspension and Philips is out for the next month as well. If you had to roll the dice on Droughns go ahead, but be warned that this is not a good match up for him.
LaDainian Tomlinson: Easy match up.
Michael Turner: Has a chance to get more involved this week as San Diego should manhandle the Browns.
Denver 155/92 at Pittsburgh 110/90
The Steelers may be 2-5 but they are still a pain to rush against. As they yield only 3.4 ypc. Denver has a good OL and blocking scheme but the Steelers will prove a formidable defense. They held Oakland to under 100 yards on offense last week, that’s unheard of.
Tatum Bell: Nursing a turf toe. Some reports say he might have one on both feet. I don’t like either Bell a whole heckuva lot this week. If you have other options you might want to look at that for at least the time being.
Mike Bell: See above. Don’t let last week against the Colts and their anemic rush defense convince you Mike Bell is worthy of a start at Heinz Field this weekend.
Willie Parker: Denver has not allowed a rushing TD all season. None.
Indy 108/78 at New England 124/167
I will be ready to watch every second of this game on Sunday. The Colts took game 1 of a very tough 2 game road stretch as they fly into New England this weekend. I expect New England to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football.
Dominic Rhodes: had 3 carries for no yards. 43 yards receiving. He also is listed along with Addai as questionable in Sunday’s game. It looks like Addai is nudging past Rhodes for playing time.
Joseph Addai: 17 carries for 93 yards. He is clearly the better back in Indy and I expect him to post better numbers the rest of the way, however don’t expect big numbers against the Patriots.
Corey Dillon: Not a bad start as Indy cannot defend the run. NE came out throwing on MNF, I expect them to run the ball down the Colts throat this weekend.
Laurence Maroney: Excellent match up this weekend.
Oakland 111/106 at Seattle 92/126
LaMont Jordan: Watch the injury reports about his back. If he is starting for sure, he is worth a gamble. The Seahawks have given up 28-30+ points in each of their last 5 games. They can’t stop anyone right now.
Justin Fargas: Only if you are in a real pinch and he has been declared the starter for MNF, which I doubt will happen.
Maurice Morris: Has done nothing so far, you’re a fool to start him thinking it will get better. Despite Oakland giving up 126 yards a game, they rate decent on the yards per carry. I expect Seattle to grow impatient and take to the air.
But the Chiefs have LJ. Miami, on the other hand, could easliy get blownout by Chicago and quickly too, if they have to air it out, which they probably will if Miami is holding RBs to 3.3 YPC. So between, these two, I would lean Gore, would you?
I think that's taking man-love a bit too far!
Im sticking with Gore & Rudi over Addai
I'm confused. I know Indy can be run on, but... 
