Its going to be a tough week for some of you salary cappers out there that like to pick players matched up against soft defensive teams. The Lions, Colts, and Dolphins are on bye weeks. The Seahawks, Giants and Patriots are as well, so be aware of who's on your team. Now its time to look at who is actually playing this week:
Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals
Browns: With the Brownies starting the season 0-3, they return to the scene of the crime. Last year, the Browns lost a heartbreaker to the Bengals in Cincy and it clinched the division for our Steelers. In that game Anderson threw 4 picks. He can't afford to throw one these days with Brady Quinn breathing down his neck. This is do or die for Anderson. If he doesn't look good this week, he'll be holding the clipboard next week.
Bengals: The Bengals showed a lot of heart last week against the defending Super Bowl champs. If they can match that intensity this week, all of their offensive weapons should have a big day. Yes, even Carson Palmer.
Fantasy Factors: Kellen Winslow (9), Carson Palmer (8)
Houston Texans vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Texans: The Texans are having a really tough year and its only going to get worse as they draw the Jaguars this week. Matt Schaub looked lost last week and Andre Johnsons' numbers suffered because of it. On the plus side, Steve Slaton gave them something to be optimistic about.
Jaguars: The MJD / Fred Taylor attack ran all over the Colts last week and its hard to imagine them being stopped at home by the Texans. Both backs have good value going into this week, but MJD is more of a sure thing.
Fantasy Factors: Andre Johnson (7), Maurice Jones-Drew (8)
Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers
Falcons: Michael Turner and his owners enjoyed another monster week, but once again will be brought back down to Earth as they take on the Panthers on the road. Unfortunately, Turner is the only Falcon really worth owning. The rest of the team is average at best.
Panthers: Finally the Panthers offense catches a break and will get to show off a little against the Falcons. Jake Delhomme hasn't had that big breakout game as of yet, but that'll change this week. Steve Smith should also have a big day in his second game back from suspension.
Fantasy Factors: Michael Turner (6), Jake Delhomme (9)
Denver Broncos vs Kansas City Chiefs
Broncos: The Mile High offense takes its aerial assault to Arrowhead this week. Jay Cutler remains the top fantasy option at QB and Brandon Marshall should continue his tear. The Chiefs inability to stop the run though could affect Cutlers' and Marshalls' numbers a bit and give them to Selvin Young.
Chiefs: The only good news coming out of their loss to the Falcons is that Larry Johnson appears to have finally gotten on track. The Broncos don't have a great defense, so LJ could very easily have a nice performance this week as well. The only problem is their defense is so dreadful, the game will most likely get out of hand real fast, forcing the Chiefs to abandon their running game.
Fantasy Factors: Brandon Marshall (9), Larry Johnson (7)
San Francisco 49ers vs New Orleans Saints
49ers: Each week, the Niners offense has gotten better and better and this week it should continue that trend in the Big Easy. Frank Gore had a big game against the NFL practice squad last week and JT O'Sullivan is looking more like he belongs in the NFL. This will be a fun shootout matchup to watch.
Saints: Another week gone by, another Saints receiver is out. Jeremy Shockey will join Marques Colston on the sidelines and Drew Brees will have to depend on Reggie Bush even more. He's already averaging more than 8 receptions per game and is around 100 total yards every week. The new Brian Westbrook should run wild Sunday.
Fantasy Factors: Frank Gore (8), Reggie Bush (9)
Arizona Cardinals vs New York Jets
Cardinals: In what will be an interesting battle of the former league MVP's, Warner vs Favre, Warner has a huge edge in weapons. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are both flying high and I don't see the Jets shooting them down this week.
Jets: Favre's bad ankle may limit him in this week, which means we may get a heavy dose of Thomas Jones. That may not be a bad idea anyways with Arizona surrendering an average of 105 yards on the ground this season.
Fantasy Factors: Larry Fitzgerald (9), Thomas Jones (7)
Green Bay Packers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Packers: Unfortunately, this game won't be as exciting as it would have been if Favre had been traded to the Bucs instead of the Jets. Instead we have a simple Battle of the Bays matchup. I don't like the Pack's options in this one. Rodgers will have to deal with another tough defense and I don't see the running game making things easy on him.
Buccaneers: They may not have Favre, but they do have a guy that loves to throw a lot and throw wildly in Brian Griese. Griese threw 67 passes last week against Da Bears. Yes, 4 of them were picked off, but he did hit the 400 yard mark.
Fantasy Factors: Greg Jennings (7), Brian Griese (7)
Minnesota Vikings vs Tennessee Titans
Vikings: The switch to Frerotte appears to have worked, at least for one week. AP failed to reach 100 yards for the first time this season, but the Vikes did win. This week, Gus and Co head to Nashville to play against another tough, physical defense, but last week gave up over 100 yards on the ground to Steve Slaton. Peterson should have no trouble duplicating that.
Titans: Like the Vikings, the Titans have benefited from a change at quarterback and are looking to go 4-0. Chris Johnson who has been great so far this season, except for the stolen TD's by White, will have his toughest test yet. Nobody runs on the Vikings and this week won't be any exception.
Fantasy Factors: Adrian Peterson (8), Rob Bironas (8)
San Diego Chargers vs Oakland Raiders
Chargers: The San Diego Super Chargers got their first win of the season on Monday night and win number two shouldn't be too far off either. With LT back at 100% and Rivers playing like I knew he would, all Charger offensive weapons are a good play this week.
Raiders: The Chargers defense hasn't been great so far this year, but they shouldn't have any trouble stopping the Raiders offense. They simply won't let JaMarcus Russell throw the football and that is limiting what they can do on offense. McFadden and Michael Bush will have very little room to run once again.
Fantasy Factors: LaDainian Tomlinson (8), Darren McFadden (6)
Buffalo Bills vs St. Louis Rams
Bills: They haven't been pretty, but the Bills are 3-0 and unless they miss their flight to St. Louis, they should be 4-0 on Sunday. Marshawn Lynch looks to have another big game this week against a Rams defense that is dead last in the NFL.
Rams: Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, the Rams bench Marc Bulger. Maybe the team does need a shake up and a switch at QB might do it, but not when your backup QB is 38 year old Trent Green. So the Rams offense is going to get better by putting in worse players... hmmmm
Fantasy Factors: Marshawn Lynch (10), Steven Jackson (7)
Washington Redskins vs Dallas Cowboys
Redskins: After getting beat down by the G-Men in Week One, the Redskins have come out and won two straight. Unfortunately, for them, that's as far as that streak will go. Santana Moss is quietly putting together another great season and did really well against the Cowboys twice last year.
Cowboys: The Boys should keep the ball rolling this week. Marion Barber has scored at least once in each of their first three games. With the Skins defense looking good against two good passing offenses in the Saints and Cardinals, Dallas will most likely keep it on the ground giving more value to Barber and less to Romo and Owens.
Fantasy Factors: Santana Moss (8), Marion Barber (9)
Philadelphia Eagles vs Chicago Bears
Eagles: Brian Westbrook is questionable for this Sunday, but he's optimistic about being ready by game time. If you have any other options, I would go with it. Even if Westbrook is able to play, he's up against the Bears, which doesn't bode well for him.
Bears: Assuming the Bears will know to use screen passes and draw plays to counter the blitz, Matt Forte should have another solid outing. Last week, he finished with 155 total yards and TD.
Fantasy Factors: Donovan McNabb (7), Matt Forte (8)
Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Ravens: Believe it or not, the team with the Div II college QB is 2-0 and has a chance to be 3-0 this upcoming Monday Night. Yes, they have a chance, no, I don't believe they'll do it. The Ravens' wins are against the Bungles and Browns. Let's throw a ticker tape parade. They'll need to rely heavily on their running game, however with big Casey Hampton out of the lineup, that sounds like a pretty good strategy. The Ravens defense is also a great option this week with Fast Willie on the shelf and Ben Roethlisberger dealing with multiple injuries.
Steelers: With Willie out of the lineup, the Steelers will need to Big Ben to carry this offense on his shoulders... or maybe just one shoulder. As long as the Steelers give Ben more than 2 seconds to throw the ball and don't look like they're trying to reenact "Necessary Roughness", Ben and his receivers should have decent fantasy value.
Fantasy Factors: Willis McGahee (8), Ben Roethisberger (7)
Posted
Sep 26 2008, 07:00 AM
by
Nick Fruscello