Nov 28 2008
Once again, the NFL week opens up with an explosion of points on its Thursday game. During my Thanksgiving meal yesterday, in between checking on my daughter while she was napping and eating my turkey I was checking on the Titans-Lions game and every time I passed by the TV it just kept getting worse and worse for Detroit and better and better for Chris Johnson and LenDale White as each went over 100 yards and both scored 2 TDs. During the Cowboys game, Tony Romo must have felt like he was at the dinner table as he sat back and picked apart that dead bird without any trouble. Then as predicted right here on the Fantasy Factor, Donovan McNabb bounced back in a big way as he threw 4 TD's in a 48-20 rout of the Cardinals.
Indianapolis Colts vs Cleveland Browns
Colts: The Colt ride their 4 game winning streak to Cleveland to play one of the NFL's worst defenses. Eli Manning didn't have a great game earlier in the year, but with all the weapons Peyton has at his disposal and that the fact that all of them are clicking right now, I don't see that happening to him. Joseph Addai should enjoy a nice day rushing, assuming Peyton lets him touch the ball this week.
Browns: All of you that held onto Brady Quinn knowing that he would get in their eventually, were not rewarded after all. Quinn is out for the year with a broken finger. Meaning that once again the reigns of the offense will be turned over to Mr. Incomplete Pass, Derek Anderson. If the Browns are going to have any chance, they need to get Jamal Lewis going. The Colts have a poor run defense and that should be the tonic Lewis needs.
Fantasy Factors: Peyton Manning (9), Jamal Lewis (7)
Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals
Ravens: Please KDKA. Please do NOT make this the 1pm game for Pittsburgh. The Colts and Browns will be much more entertaining. Watching the Ravens defense shutdown the Bengals as they try to do something that resembles an attempt to play offense is not my idea of a good game. I would seriously rather watch paint dry. Willie McGahee should run well, but the defense will do the most damage in fantasy land.
Bengals: I'm going to say... seven. Maybe eight. How many times do you think Ryan Fitzpatrick will be sacked? While Carson Palmer bails out on his team during their worst year, Fitzpatrick has been taking a beating that may end his career. Or at the very least make him never want to be near a football again. Houshmandzadeh may not be a bad play this week. I see the Bengals throwing a lot at the end.
Fantasy Factors: Ravens D/ST (9), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (6)
Miami Dolphins vs St Louis Rams
Dolphins: After losing to the Pats at home last week, the Dolphins need a win to get back in the race. Hey look who it is, the St Louis Rams! Ronnie Brown has been getting shut down in 6 of the last 7 weeks, but that should change this Sunday. The Rams have had some serious problems stopping the run lately and a two headed monster of Williams and Brown isn't what they need.
Rams: Marc Bulger is expected to play, which is good news for the Rams. The Dolphins gave up over 400 yards passing last week, Bulger, concussion or no concussion, should be able to get at least half that. Its unclear, whether S-Jax will contribute to the team or just be the highest paid cheerleader in the NFL again this week.
Fantasy Factors: Ronnie Brown (8), Marc Bulger (7)
San Francisco 49ers vs Buffalo Bills
49ers: Its the Super Bowl that Chris Berman predicted almost every year and never happened. Its not the Super Bowl but they're finally playing each other. Shuan Hill isn't Joe Montana or anything even close, but this should be a fun one to watch. If its typical Buffalo weather, it'll be Frank Gore's type of game. The only problem is Buffalo, like every other team in the NFL, will key on him big time. I don't think Gore would do that well against this front seven even if he wasn't the only offensive option.
Bills: Despite having some good players in their secondary, the Niners are awful against the pass (243 yards avg) and Trent Edward, who has been up and down all year, should have another up game. Marshawn Lynch should have another typical 60-70 yards rushing and a TD. Good production if you like mediocrity.
Fantasy Factors: Issac Bruce (7), Trent Edwards (7)
Carolina Panthers vs Green Bay Packers
Panthers: Last week it was Kerry Collins vs Brett Favre. This week's its their old teams meeting up in a rematch of the 96 NFC championship. After getting smoked by the Falcons last week, the Panthers can't be happy and should be fired up for this one. DeAngelo Williams should continue his hot streak against the Pack's soft run defense.
Packers: Speaking of getting smoked, the Packers gave up a whooping 51 points last week. Arron Rodgers had his worst game of the year and Ryan Grant all but disappeared. With the Panthers defense sure to bounce back this week, I don't see the Pack's offense lighting it up Sunday.
Fantasy Factors: DeAngelo Williams (8), Ryan Grant (7)
New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saints: After putting on an aerial display on MNF, Drew Brees and company will head to Tampa to play the best pass defense in the NFC. I don't expect Brees to be shutdown, but don't expect huge numbers like last week. Reggie Bush should be back this week, but he never did much for their running game before the injury.
Buccaneers: Jeff Garcia has had a history of beating up on the Saints secondary. Antonio Bryant and Warrick Dunn should are solid plays against a defense that is giving up almost 35 points per game.
Fantasy Factors: Drew Brees (7), Antonio Bryant (9)
New York Giants vs Washington Redskins
Giants: Oh great, an NFC East matchup... how exciting. Eli has a tough matchup against a tough Skins defense. To make matters worse Plaxico is questionable. Brandon Jacobs is expected to play Sunday, but its uncertain how healthy that sore knee is. The deck seems to be stacked against them a bit this week.
Redskins: This is a must win game for the Redskins. Clinton Portis didn't practice all week, but is expected to play. Portis ran for 84 yards in their first meeting, I'd be happy if he even came close to that again in his condition. I don't like Jason Campbell's chance in this one either.
Fantasy Factors: Eli Manning (7), Clinton Portis (6)
Atlanta Falcons vs San Diego Chargers
Falcons: Last week, Michael Turner showed the world that the Falcons are for real. This week, he'll need to show his mentor that he is for real. The former backup to LaDainian Tomlinson has a juicy matchup against a Chargers team that has not lived up to expectations. With all the focus on Turner, this could be a huge game for Matt Ryan. The Chargers are dead last in pass defense and Ryan has been surprisingly good for a rookie this year.
Chargers: Sitting at 4-7, the Chargers need to win. The Falcons are a good team, but I think they're playing against a possessed team this week. LT should do well against the Falcons defense who are giving up 120 per game on the ground. They're also giving up 230 through the air, so Rivers should be a good play this week as well.
Fantasy Factors: Matt Ryan (8), LaDainian Tomlinson (9)
Pittsburgh Steelers vs New England Patriots
Steelers: Fortunately, we don't have Anthony Smith shooting off his mouth this time. UNfortunately, the Patriots, who's offense has struggled all season, looks like they're starting to gel. Willie is questionable for Sunday, but Mewelde Moore should be able to step in and do well. The Pats secondary isn't what it used to be, so Ben Roethlisberger should enjoy a nice day.
Patriots: Coming off back to back 400+ yard passing games, Matt Cassel gets matched up against the league's top defense. Just when things were starting to go so well. The offense still isn't running the ball with any consistency, so it'll be almost entirely on Cassel. Not a good thing, when you're facing the Steelers.
Fantasy Factors: Ben Roethlisberger (8), Matt Cassel (7)
Denver Broncos vs New York Jets
Broncos: The good news is that the Broncos are still in first place. The bad news... they just got slammed by the Oakland Raiders on their own field. If it wasn't for a blown call in Week Two against the Chargers, the Broncos would be in second with those same Raiders breathing down their necks. The inability to plug in a healthy running back and have him perform is killing this team and its killing Jay Cutler who is expected to carry the load every week. This will he'll be matched up against an improving Jets defense that will be sitting back in coverage and waiting for his passes.
Jets: The Jets big win over the Titans has really energized this team and has them thinking Super Bowl. But before we get too carried away, let's remember what got them to where they are... Thomas Jones. This man has been on a tear and the Broncos horrible defense should only add to his numbers.
Fantasy Factors: Jay Cutler (7), Thomas Jones (9)
Kansas City Chiefs vs Oakland Raiders
Chiefs: Last time these two faced off, the Raiders ran for 300 yards and LJ ran for 22 on 12 carries. A lot has changed since then, but then again... they're both still at the bottom of the division. Tyler Thigpen played in that 23-8 loss, but that was his first game of the season. He has gotten much better since then and is saving a season that was thought to be a complete bust. I'm not sold on LJ still. If it wasn't for one 63 yard run, his game against the Bills would have been a nightmare for his owners.
Raiders: With the Raiders rushing attack fully healthy again, its could be time for "Act Two: The Raiders continue to run all over the Chiefs lousy defense". Fargas and Run DMC are both great plays at home.
Fantasy Factors: Tyler Thigpen (7), Justin Fargas (9)
Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings
Bears: Last time these two hooked up, it resulted in 89 points being scored. I don't see that happening again, but with how this season has been, I wouldn't discount anything. Kyle Orton hasn't been the same since he got injured, but he'll need to get back to way he was earlier in the season, if he wants to give the Bears a chance.
Vikings: I don't know what it is about the Bears, but AP always seems to run really well against them. He'll need to do it again this week. Gus Frerotte hasn't looked very good over the past few weeks, so the Bears may stack the line and force Gus to beat them. That's what I'd do.
Fantasy Factors: Bears D/ST (7), Adrian Peterson (7)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
Jaguars: Congratulations to Monday Night Football for picking a game that doesn't involve the Cowboys, Steelers, Patriots or Giants. Since the bye week the Jags have gone 1-4 and most of the teams they played in that stretch were awful. So what does that make the Jags? Jones-Drew should have a nice game. Last time these two played, David Garrard did a little bit of everything (236 passing, 41 rushing, 2 TD)
Texans: In their first encounter, Matt Schaub ripped apart the Jaguar secondary for 307 yards and 3 TDs. Sage Rosenfels has all the same weapons, plus the home crowd to help him this week. Last time, Steve Slaton caught 8 passes for 83 yards, so this could end up being a battle between the dueling passing catching running backs.
Fantasy Factors: David Garrard (8), Andre Johnson (8)
Nov 27 2008
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Today, we have three games on the schedule. The Lions won't have to wait till Sunday to lose this week. The Cowboys will treat us with their Thanksgiving day uniforms. And the NFL Network will show 5% of the country a matchup between the Eagles and the Cardinals.
Tennessee Titans vs Detroit Lions
Titans: Now that the Titans have their first loss over and done with, its time to start winning again and what better team to do it against than the 0-11 Lions. Chris Johnson has been struggling the past couple weeks, I think the Lions defense should help with that. As always, all fantasy optinos playing against the Lions are good plays for the week.
Lions: Everyone always says "Don't count out the Lions on Thanksgiving." Guess what? I'm counting out the Lions on Thanksgiving. They may go 0-16 and they're playing the team with the best record. This has been a wild year, but no.... not gonna happen. Calvin Johnson should see plenty of passes with the game out of hand.
Fantasy Factors: Chris Johnson (9), Calvin Johnson (8)
Seattle Seahawks vs Dallas Cowboys
Seahawks: Well Matt Hasselbeck is back, but not much has changed. The Seahawks offense is still dreadful and the defense isn't much better. Having said that, I expect Julius Jones to have a little extra for this one as he would love to light up his old team on Thanksgiving.
Cowboys: Last Sunday, the Cowboys appeared to finally get their offense back on track. The Cowboys are a very tough team to beat on Thanksgiving, combine that with the fact that Barber is running as hard again and Romo and TO are on the same page and this is setting up to be a big day for the Cowboys offensive weapons.
Fantasy Factors: Julius Jones (7), Tony Romo (8)
Arizona Cardinals vs Philadelphia Eagles
Cardinals: They gave it their all, but came up short against the defending champs last week. This week, they'll get a team moving in the opposite direction. With the Eagles reeling, the Cardinals have a great chance to go into Philly and get a win that would normally be a very tough task. At this point, I'm convinced no one can stop Kurt Warner and this passing attack. The Eagles do blitz a lot and this could affect the Cards, but if Joe Flacco can throw for 183 yards and 2 TDs against them, Warner should be fine.
Eagles: The Eagles are reeling right now and they need Donovan McNabb to get back to form fast. Brian Westbrook is struggling and I believe he's more injured than he's letting on. With all the drama the Eagles have had this past week with McNabb, I expect him to have a big bounce back game this week. Everytime it looks like its the end for McNabb or he has some TO drama, he would come back big.
Fantasy Factors: Larry Fitzgerald (8), Donovan McNabb (9)
Nov 26 2008
Stock Rising - This is where you'll find players that you may find on your waiver wire or sitting on your bench. These are players that could bring in big returns if traded now. Ultimately, its up to you whether you believe they'll stay valuable or if you should try to cash in on them now. I wouldn't recommend dropping an established player to acquire these players. These are guys that ideally, would round out the bottom half of your roster.
Buy Low - Players in this section don't mean you should try to sell them or just flat out waive them. All of the players in this section are players that are in a slump and you should try to trade for. These are guys that are talented and will come around eventually.
Sell - If these players are on your team, you're much better off checking the waiver wire or trading them.
Stock Rising
Erik Ersberg (9%) - Well at least he's not at 1% like he was last time. But still, 9% people? Ersberg gave up only 2 goals in 6 of his last 9 games. In those other three, he gave up only 1 or 3. This guy is a wall and should be owned in most leagues, not 1/10 of leagues.
Dainius Zubrus (4.7%) - I know what you're thinking. "I'll pick up Rico Fata before I pick up this bum". Hear me out though. The Zajac, Parise, Langenbrunner line is producing so well, they are the new first line for the Devils. Effectively bumping guys like Patrick Elias, Brian Gionta and Zubby to the second line. When the other teams' checking line isn't matched up against you night in and night out, it makes a difference. How much a difference? The ZEG line is the hottest line in the NHL right now. This is a relatively new line and Zubrus is help making it shine. On Sunday against the Lightning, he scored 4 goals and had 8 shots total. He may not be the most talented player ever, but playing alongside Gionta and Elias is enough to help anyone flourish.
Jiri Hudler (22%) - He's not on any of the big lines and doesn't log very much ice time for the Wings, but he makes the most of the time he's out there. Huds has 7 goals and 11 assists in his limited playing time and scores most of those points on the power play.
Kris Versteeg (52%) - Well if you listened to me in the last Stock Market report, then this is all old news, but for the 48% of you out there that don't own him yet, you missed out. Kris is loving his spot on the top line and has really excelled the past couple weeks. He has 8 points in his last 5 games (4 goals, 4 assists) and is having a big November.
Lee Stempniak (4%) - Recently traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Stempniak is very quietly having himself a very nice season. He has 3 goals and 10 assists in 14 games, with 12 of those points coming in the last 9 games. With all the problems the Blues are having on offense with injuries, it kind of surprising to see him get dealt, but this could be the boost Stempniak was looking for. He should get as much, if not more, ice time with the Leafs.
Matt Stajan (29%) - The man who will more than likely be the center man for Stempniak is on a nice run right now as well. He currently has 19 points this year, but most came over the past few weeks. The Leafs were burned and left for dead after Mats Sundin didn't return, but what's coming out of their ashes has some pretty good value.
Bobby Ryan (38%) - Just missing out on my hockey notes from last week was Bobby Ryan who was recently called up from the AHL. This kid has some serious talent and is currently playing the left wing on the top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. The reason he wasn't with the big club initially is because of salary cap restrictions, but when Francois Beauchemin got injured last week (and appears to be done for the season) it freed up extra cap room for Ryan. He should be with the big club for good now.
Kyle Quincey (2%) - Its really hard to find a good defenseman on waivers during the middle of the season. Sometimes it just painful to look for one because the don't factor in on many goals. If you're looking for a defensive diamond in the rough, take a look at Quincey. The former Wings defenseman, who only left because of cap restrictions, is looking pretty good out west. Quincey has 3 points in his last 4 games, two of them coming on the power play.
Curtis Sanford (10%) - With Roberto Luongo on the shelf for the next 4-6 weeks, Curtis Sanford and son will be manning the pipes for the Canucks. If you own Luongo, Sanford could be a good filler while he's out. He took over for Roberto last year and did a fairly good job.
Buy Low
Jean-Sebastien Giguere - Giggy hasn't been the dominant goalie we're used to seeing thus far. On Monday he picked up his first win in three weeks. His GAA is over three and is actually fighting Jonas Hiller for playing time. Not to worry though, Giggy will come back and come back strong for the Ducks. He has rough spots every year, but when he gets hot, he's almost impossible to score on.
Shawn Horcoff - The Oilers top line of Horcoff, Hemsky and Cole is back together and the points are bound to roll in. Horcoff has really struggled this season, but he's starting to show signs of life. Last week against Columbus, he scored a goal and two assists in a 7-2 rout. They have only played one game since. With St Louis and Dallas on the horizon, we should find out real quick whether this line will click or not.
Ilya Kovalchuk - At the beginning of the month Kovalchuk looked as though he may be getting back on track, but now he has just one goal in his last seven games. He's way too talented to slump like this for very long. Whether he gets traded or not, he'll breakout and go on a hot streak at some point. His value right now is probably as low as it will get.
Sergei Fedorov - At this point his owner is probably frustrated and possibly discarded him to the waiver wire. If not, you could probably snatch him up pretty easily. Let's not forget how well Fedorov was playing before his injury and the fact that he was centering a line with Ovechkin and Semin before he went down. There's no reason to believe that when he comes back, he could be reunited with his linemates and rack in monster points.
Sell
Mathieu Schneider - I wouldn't recommend waiving Schneider, but as long as he's on the Thrashers, he's not very valuable. The talented offensive defenseman has 1 goal and 4 assists and a -12 rating in 14 games this year. When he played for the Wings I used to say he was just as good, if not better than Nick Lidstrom. Today, he looks like a 39 year old defenseman struggling on a bad team.
Ed Jovanovski - Alright, this has gone on long enough. Its time to disassemble the JovoCop. One goal, three assists and -11 rating through 20 games. You can do better than this.
Kyle Okposo - At the moment, all the hype that surrounded this kid when he came into the NHL appears to be just that... hype. Yes, he's playing for the Islanders, but he's been given every chance to succeed and really isn't doing it. It appears as though he's another year away, at least.
Maxim Afinogenov - The other day I saw a woman on the bus with a Afinogenov jersey and thought to myself, "Wow, what's Maxim's mom doing in Pittsburgh?" Seriously, would you pay $150 for an Afinogenov jersey? He has just one goal, seven assists, a -8 rating and has been a healthy scratch the past two games. Unless your league rewards players for how fast they can skate, its time to dump him into the scrap heap.
Erik Christensen - Come on now. All you die hard Thrasher fans and "won't let him go" Penguins fans need to wake up. Christensen has a great shot, but that is literally all he has. He can't pass, he can't hit, he can't skate, he can't play defense... he can't be on your fantasy team if you seriously want to win.
Andrew Raycroft - The Razor is owned in 62% of fantasy leagues? Really?? He's played in a total of 4 games this year! At some point he may become the starter, but until then, he's waiver wire material.
Manny Fernandez - Tim Thomas is having an All Star caliber year, so Manny isn't getting much playing time. He may get in there sometime, he may get traded, then again, he may drag down your goaltending stats too. He should not be owned in 81% of fantasy leagues.
Nov 24 2008
Week 12 in the NFL featured a number of blowout victories, but some of the blowout numbers didn't include the usual suspects. The Bills scorched the Chiefs for 54 points on Sunday. Big day for Marshawn Lynch right? Not quite... 60 yards and 1 TD. The Vikes put up 30 points against the Jags. Only 80 yards and 1 TD for Purple Jesus. Here are some of the stars that DID have big a week.
Stars
Michael Turner - For the second time this year, Michael Turner came out as the big winner of the week for fantasy football. His 117 yards and 4 TD's led the Hotlanta Falcons to a 45-28 win over the first place Carolina Panthers. Next week, Turner heads back to San Diego, where he used to backup LT, to show who him just how well he's doing these days.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Matt Forte - If this surprises you, then you haven't been paying attention. The Rams continued streak of surrendering 100 yard rushers by surrendering 132 yards to Forte, along with 2 rushing TDs. Forte has Minnesota next. For Forte owners, hopefully that will be the week the Williams Wall gets suspended.
Matt Cassel - Doing his best Tom Brady impersonation, Cassel threw for another 400 yards and 3 TD's this week against the Dolphins in a revenge game for the Pats. He looks to be getting into the groove of things, unfortunately, Cassel has the Steelers up next.
Randy Moss - A big part of Cassel's success was due to the re-emergence of "The Freak", Randy Moss. Moss caught 3 TDs with 125 yards. Those of you that were patient enough with him through his struggles this year, cashed in big this week.
Terrell Owens - Speaking of cashing in big, TO exploded against his former team for an incredible 213 yards and a TD. With Romo back, the Cowboys offense is firing on all cylinders. With the Seahawks coming up for Thanksgiving, TO may turn this performance into a trend.
Stumblers
Willie Parker - Not-so-Fast Willie Parker disappointed his owners this week with a dismal 37 yards rushing against the Bungles. To make matters worse, he aggravated a knee injury and is questionable for future weeks.
Ronnie Brown - Sorry Ronnie, but the Pats were looking for the Wildcat Formation this time. Without the tricks, Brown only ran for 37 yards on 10 carries.
Panthers DEF - As Jake Delhomme returned to the Panthers, their entire defense has now disappeared. Owning one of the tougher run defense in the game, they got lit up by Michael Turner and gave up 45 points. Matt Ryan has come a long way this year, but I don't think he's come along enough to not put 7 or 8 guys in the box to stop Turner.
Brady Quinn / Derek Anderson - Brady Quinn was injured, so I can kind of let him slide this week. But let's face it, it was the Texans. They haven't won a road game all year, till this week. Quinn was picked twice and finished with a 21.3 QB rating. Not to be outdone though, Derek Anderson went out there and completed 5 of 14 passes, got picked off and finished with a 17.3 QB rating. I wonder what Bernie Kosar is up to these days.
Philadelphia Eagles - This former playoff contender is quickly turning into a joke. McNabb turned the ball over 3 times (2 INT, 1 fumble) and completed only eight passes before getting yanked. Westbrook only touched the ball 16 times and the defense got destroyed by the Ravens offense. The most troubling part is the lack of effort. This TD by Ed Reed shows not only are the offensive players poor tacklers, but they were very disinterested in playing out this game.
Nov 21 2008
Well almost everything went as planned. The defense dominated, the Bengals were physically beaten and batterd, Ben looked comfortable and made lots of plays, James Harrison got held on every play, but Fast Willie... he showed why he's the most frustrating player to own. Parker looked horrible for most of the game until he ripped off a 15 yard sprint giving his owners some hope, only to not return to the game and finish with just 37 yards rushing and no touchdowns.
Houston Texans vs Cleveland Browns
Texans: With Matt Schaub out for pretty much the rest of the year, Sage Rosenfels is the man. He'll have a soft matchup against the Brownies secondary, but you have to wonder if weather will be a factor. The same goes for Steve Slaton who got back on the horse last week in Indianapolis, but could find himself slipping and sliding in Cleveland.
Browns: Despite a small fracture on the tip of his index finger, Brady Quinn will give it a go. He shouldn't be too busy, I expect to see him handing off to Jamal Lewis quite a bit in this one. Kellen Winslow is questionable with a bad shoulder.
Fantasy Factors: Steve Slaton (7), Jamal Lewis (8)
Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs
Bills: Marshawn Lynch had the game of his life last week against Cleveland. I don't see any reason as to why he can't keep it up against the AFC's worst run defense. Then again, Lynch has had plenty of opportunities to shine this year and didn't live up to expectations. Trent Edwards can only get better after throwing 4 picks.
Chiefs: If for any reason Tyler Thigpen gets pulled from the lineup, Herm Edwards should be fired on the spot. Thigpen has been the savior of the Chiefs and the savior for many fantasy teams that were looking for a quarterback. He has been fantastic over the past four weeks and should keep it rolling against the Bills this week.
Fantasy Factors: Marshawn Lynch (8), Tyler Thigpen (8)
New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins
Patriots: If you had to point to a moment when the Patriots season started to spiral out of control (besides when Brady got injured), you'd point to the Dolphins and their Wildcat formation tearing apart the Pats in a blowout victory. The Patriots have a chance to redeem themselves and claim sole possession of second place. Matt Cassel had a monster game last week, hopefully for his owners, this is a sign of things to come, but they need to get more production out of Moss.
Dolphins: Just a hunch, but I don't think the Wildcat formation is going to work as well this time around. Ronnie Brown had the game of his life back in Week 3 in New England. He remains the Dolphins best fantasy option, but don't expect another 4 TD, 100+ yard game.
Fantasy Factors: Matt Cassel (7), Ronnie Brown (7)
New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans
Jets: They may be quite possibly the worst 7-3 team I've ever seen. Favre has been adequate at best. If it wasn't for Thomas Jones, this team could easily be 3-7. Having said that, the Jets will need to rely on Favre to win this matchup against the unbeaten Titans. The Titans are extremely physical and tough against the run. Favre will need to stretch the field or Jones will feel like he's banging his head against a wall, literally.
Titans: The Jets defense is currently ranked 4th against the run, but if you look at their schedule, they really haven't played anyone that can run the football well. The Titans are averaging 132 yard per game on the ground and with LenDale White banged up a bit, Chris Johnson will see the bulk of the work.
Fantasy Factors: Jerricho Cotchery (7), Chris Johnson (8)
Philadelphia Eagles vs Baltimore Ravens
Eagles: As Brian Westbrook goes, so do the Eagles. Westbrook has really struggled the past few weeks and its killing his team. To make matters worse, his ankle and knee are injured and he's questionable for his tough matchup with the Ravens. When it rains, it pours.
Ravens: After getting stuffed by the Giants, McGahee should bounce back this week, assuming he stays healthy. With the way the Eagles blitz, I expect to see a lot of screen passes and receiving yards for both McGahee and Rice, but considering Rice is a better receiver, he may be out there more often and put up bigger numbers.
Fantasy Factors: Donovan McNabb (5), Ray Rice (7)
San Francisco 49ers vs Dallas Cowboys
49ers: It doesn't have the same star power it used to, but this matchup should still be fun to watch. At least for the Cowboys fans anyways. The Niners will face an improving Cowboys defense in Dallas. Frank Gore is coming off a big game last week, but he'll have a much tougher time repeating that performance. The Cowboys are still weak against the big play, so this could be a huge game for Issac Bruce, assuming he still has anything left in the tank.
Cowboys: I have a feeling that when TO stands on the star and poses this time, the Dallas fans won't have a problem. He may be doing a lot of it too as the Niners have one of the worst pass defenses in the leagues. The only thing that could stop him would be Marion Barber-shop of horrors cashing in instead of him. Barber looked more like his old self last week in Washington, mostly due to Romo's return.
Fantasy Factors: Frank Gore (7), Terrell Owens (9)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions
Buccaneers: This weeks' decimation of the Lions will be performed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Everything has fallen into place for veteran RB Warrick Dunn who will be the man carrying the load for the Bucs offense. Earnest Graham is done for the year and Cadillac Williams is still not ready to return (notice I didn't say still in the garage like every other cornball sports personality). Antonio Bryant is a good deep play threat and should have a big game as well unless the running game works too well.
Lions: You have to give them credit. Since the arrival of Duante Culpepper, the team has shown signs of life. The played the Panthers tough and I believe that as long as they keep trying, they will get a win this year... but it won't be this week. Not against this defense.
Fantasy Factors: Warrick Dunn (10), Calvin Johnson (6)
Minnesota Vikings vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Vikings: I've noticed in the PG fantasy football league that AP's value has slipped since last week. I'm not really sure why either. The Jags are a tough team... wait let me correct that... the Jags WERE tough team. They're 20th against the run this year. AP has never looked stronger than he does right now and giving up on him will make you sorry you ever doubted him.
Jaguars: The Jags had to be hoping for suspension of the Williams Wall that threatened the Vikings earlier this week. It doesn't look like that's going to happen this week. I don't see much happening for Jones-Drew or Taylor this week.
Fantasy Factors: Adrian Peterson (9), David Garrard (6)
Chicago Bears vs St. Louis Rams
Bears: After their most humiliating loss of the year last week, the Bears get a break as they take on the Rams. The Rams have had a really tough time stopping the run lately so this should be a big game for Matt Forte. The Bears defense figures to score big fantasy points as well as No Action Jackson will be out again, painting a target on Marc Bulger's back.
Rams: As I mentioned above, SJax is out yet again, leaving the Rams short on weapons for this Sunday. The Bears haven't been great against the pass this year, but without a running game, it'll be tough for Bulger to take advantage. That training camp holdout REALLY helped the team, didn't it Steven?
Fantasy Factors: Matt Forte (9), Josh Brown (7)
Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos
Raiders: Ohhh the Silver and Black. They've seen better days. They've also been the star of many plays... mostly for the other team. Then the bottom drops out. Better days could be this Sunday. Yes, the Broncos are much better, but they still can't stop the run and one of the few things the Raiders can do well is run. With Darren McFadden expected to get more carries this week and Justin Fargas at 100%, this could be a shocker. Maybe I'm just a little too hopeful though.
Broncos: The Raiders have actually been a little tough on QB's the past few weeks, so this may not be the slam dunk matchup you were hoping for with Cutler when you saw it on the schedule. Fullback Peyton Hillis is switching over to tailback this week due to the incredible numbers of injuries the Broncos have had in the backfield.
Fantasy Factors: Justin Fargas (7), Peyton Hillis (6)
Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons
Panthers: Heading into a big matchup with division rival Atlanta, the Panthers hope to get Jake Delhomme. No, he wasn't injured, he just seems to have vanished off the face of the Earth. Last time, these two hooked up, Delhomme dissected the Falcons secondary for 294 yards and 2 TD's. Delhomme owners would love nothing more than to see something like that after being disappointed for two straight weeks.
Falcons: Despite all the great things Michael Turner has done in his first year as a starter, I don't see him reaching 100 yards this week. He'll probably score, but don't expect big numbers out of him. Matt Ryan has played great in his first year as a starter too, but the Panthers have one of the best pass defenses in football.
Fantasy Factors: Steve Smith (9), Jason Elam (7)
New York Giants vs Arizona Cardinals
Giants: After physically dominating the purple birds, the G-Men tackle the red birds in the desert. The Giants have the number one rushing attack in football, but leading rusher Brandon Jacobs has been limited in practice with a sore knee. Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward figure to get more carries than usual. Eli Manning should have a nice game too against the Cards weak pass defense.
Cardinals: This week, we'll see how just how real the Cardinals are. Their 2nd ranked passing attack will be put to the test. The Giants pass rush will really test that Cardinals offense line and do everything it can to get Warner out of a rhythm.
Fantasy Factors: Eli Manning (8), Larry Fitzgerald (9)
Washington Redskins vs Seattle Seahawks
Redskins: So last week, after all the speculation about Portis' health, he played. This week, Portis has missed practice all week, but is still expected to play. If he does, he could have a big game against the Seahawks who are on the verge of collapse after an injury plagued season. Don't be surprised to see former Seahawks star, Shaun Alexander get goaline carries this week. Santana Moss should have a big day as well, as the Hawks are terrible against the big play.
Seahawks: With the Seahawks slowly getting back to full strength, we should see more production from Hasselbeck and his receivers. Bobby Engram hasn't been spectacular this year, but with Hasselbeck back under center, he'll should look more like the 94 reception player from last year. Deion Branch is also looking to explode.
Fantasy Factors: Santana Moss (9), Matt Hasselbeck (7)
Indianapolis Colts vs San Diego Chargers
Colts: If you took my advice a few weeks ago and loaded up on Colts players, you're in good shape right now. Addai has returned to form and Peyton Manning is looking more like... well Peyton Manning. The Chargers have the worst pass defense in football (mostly due to the lack of a pass rush) and Peyton should exploit that quite often.
Chargers: After last week's tough loss to the Steelers, the Chargers are desperate for a win. With the running game improving and the Colts big run stopper, Bob Sanders, doubtful for Sunday, this should be a 100 yard game for LT. Manning vs Tomlinson, it should be a fantastic game.
Fantasy Factors: Peyton Manning (9), LaDainian Tomlinson (9)
Green Bay Packers vs New Orleans Saints
Packers: After tearing apart the Bears defense, Ryan Grant became the hot pick up of the week. Going against the Saints defense, I don't see any reason as to why it won't continue. Grant appears to have finally found his legs and things are really looking up for the Packers. The same goes for Aaron Rodgers who has really carried this team to this point.
Saints: Sitting in last place in their division, the Saints need a win. The Saints are numbers one in total offense and in passing, but still only a .500 team. Brees has been great this year, but the last two weeks, he's been human. Throwing only 3 TD's and 4 INT's in his last two games. Part of the problem is the lack of a running game, just as it was last year. Reggie Bush is still questionable for Monday as is Deuce McAllister with a sore knee.
Fantasy Factors: Ryan Grant (8), Drew Brees (7)
Nov 20 2008
Cincinnati Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Bengals: Just when you thought the Bengals couldn't be any more ridiculous, they participate in the first tie in six years. Having said that, they tied a pretty good Eagles team, which is saying something for a team that only has one win. Carson Palmer isn't suiting up again (what a surprise) which means Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the human pinata for the blitzing Steelers defense tonight. With this offense struggling as bad as they are and going up against the number one defense in the NFL, you would be better off not having any Bungles on your team.
Steelers: While the Bengals don't have any good fantasy options going into this game, the Steelers have plenty. Who picked this game for national tv? Fast Willie got back into action and looked great against the Chargers. We can expect more of the same tonight. Big Ben's number may take a hit if the running game is as effective as I believe it will. Even still, he figures to have a solid outing. The Steelers defense, as long as they don't look ahead to next week's game in New England, should dominate and score their owners big points this week.
Fantasy Factors: Who Dey (-1), Willie Parker (9)
Nov 19 2008
Ty Conklin - Its still early, but former Pens goalie Ty Conklin is looking better than starter Chris Osgood... much better. Meltdowns aside, Osgood simply hasn't looked comfortable in net and it appears as though Conklin may do to him, what Osgood did to Hasek last year. Don't be surprised to see Conklin, who actually plays to the strengths of the Wings defense better than Ozzie, get more and more time as the season goes on.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Nicklas Backstrom - One man's loss is another man's gain. Two weeks ago Sergei Fedorov was placed between the two Alexanders, Semin and Ovechkin, and was looking to score monster fantasy points. But due to a lower body injury, Fedorov is missing out and former first round pick, Nicklas Backstrom has stepped in. Backstrom is currently on a 5 game point streak and has 2 goals and 10 assists in those 5 games. Assuming this line stays intact, it will be the best line in hockey, by far.
Cristobal Huet - He was brought in to be the starter, but his numbers are not very strong and has currently played in three less games that Nikolai Khabibulin. What's really a shame for the Hawks is that, if they had not been careless with their money, they could have used that $5.6 mil they're paying Huet on Mats Sundin.
Rick Nash - Finally, the Blue Jackets may have found a line combo that works for Rick Nash. Nash's linemates of Huselius and Brassard have helped him score a goal in each of his last 4 games. Nash is has 50 goal potential and those of you that were patient with him through his early struggles are being rewarded.
Mike Ribeiro - The entire Stars team is pretty unpredictable right now, but Ribeiro appears to be finding his stride again. He recorded three assists in Phoenix last Saturday and has 6 points total in his last 5 games. Not exactly lighting the world on fire, but he is starting to show signs of getting back the All Star form he was in last year.
Ales Hemsky - If you look at the top 15 in points, you see the usual suspects like Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Iginal, Thornton. Even some players that are somewhat surprises like Getzlaf and Semin. But then there's Ales Hemsky. sitting there at 14th. The Oilers have been waiting and hoping for Hemsky to break out and this could be the year. He has 20 points in his first 19 games and has 5 goals and 8 assists in just this month. He looks well on his way to recording another 20 goal, 50-60 assist season.
Kevin Weekes - He's showing the Devils just how badly they need Marty Brodeur. Since taking over at the beginning of the month, Weekes has gone 1-3 and has a GAA over 3.00. Long time Marty backup, Scott Clemmensen, should see more action until Weekes can turn it around or until the Devils can swing a deal for a goalie.
Joey MacDonald - Considering he's playing for the lowly Islanders, he's putting together a great season. After getting off to a rough start in October, he's become a brick wall in November. MacDonald has led the Isles to a 5-2 record this month and has a 2.08 GAA with a .935 save percentage.
Alex Auld - I've always been a fan of Alex Auld and Patrick Roy style butterfly that he plays. He's finally given a real shot at a starting job in Ottawa and is making the most of it. His win loss record isn't great, but his GAA is in the low 2's and his save percentage is around 92%. If the Sens can start scoring for him, he'll be a fantasy stud.
Danny Briere - Currently battling a groin injury, the fiery center should be back in the lineup Friday against his old team, the Sabres. Briere has been great when he's been in the lineup with 5 goals and 4 assists in just 8 games.
Marc-Andre Fleury - Fleury could be back as early as Saturday, but groin injuries are tricky sometimes and tend to reoccur. Hopefully that doesn't happen, but if it does, Dany Sabourin appears to be more than an adequate backup. If you own Fleury and have an extra spot, you may want to hold onto Sabourin just in case.
Andy McDonald - Well I'm not going to be able to put him on the Stock Market report next week as McDonald will be out for the next eight weeks with a broken leg. This is bad news for McDonald owners, but even worse for Brad Boyes owners who will now be the focal point of the first line and won't have as much room as he's used to.
Steve Stamkos - One of the reasons for Barry Melrose's firing was due to how he handled number one overall pick, Steve Stamkos. He played very little and did very little on the score sheet. With Rick Tocchet behind the bench, the Lightning are looking to kick it into high gear on offense and that should help all their struggling forwards. Last night, Stamkos was placed on the left wing with Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St Louisa and he should also see more time on the powerplay. Stamkos assisted on a goal and had nine shots. Now he may start to look like the guy everyone was expecting.
Nov 17 2008
Last year, when Brian Westbrook layed down on the one yard line, purposely avoiding a TD, I thought I had seen it all in fantasy football. But at the very end of yesterday's Steelers game it got even more bizarre.
So referee Scott Green calls its a TD. Reviews it, calls its a TD and then has a conference with his fellow officials and then announces there was an illegal forward pass, which killed the play and there's no time left, so the game is over. Afterwards, the official said the confusion occurred because there was a misunderstanding about whether Rivers' pass or Tomlinson's lateral was in question. Why would Rivers' pass be in question?? Tomlinson and Chambers clearly threw the ball backwards as well. Green went on to say "After discussion we decided ... there was some confusion over which pass we were talking about and it was decided that it was the second pass that was illegal that did hit the ground and therefore we killed the play there". Huh? Why would you kill a play because a lateral touched the ground? It doesn't work like a forward pass, in which only one is allowed, it works like a fumble. Whether it hit the ground or not, is irrelevant. Green went on to say that "The rule was misinterpreted." No kidding.
No, it didn't matter in the end, so we should just let it go. It didn't matter... this time. There's two things that are very troubling about this. One, some people pour tons of cash in fantasy football leagues and anyone who owns the Steelers defense just got cheated out of a fumble recovery and a defensive TD. Anyone that plays fantasy football (which I'm assuming is everyone reading this) knows that is a considerable numbers of points and at this point in the season those points could be the difference. Two, the Steelers were 5 point favorites going into that game. If the TD had been allowed, they would have covered the 5 point spread. It will be very interesting to see what move Roger Godell makes concerning this matter. If the referee has that poor of an understanding of the NFL rule book, then he should be demoted. If he made that call for any other reason, he should be removed. However, considering Godell gave the Patriots a slap on the wrist and destroyed all the SpyGate evidence, I'm not too hopeful.
AP Article: Referee says officials errantly voided Steelers TD
Nov 17 2008
This week in the NFL we experienced a bit of a power outage. While players like Matt Cassel and DeAngelo Williams enjoyed monster games, Brian Westbrook, Adrian Peterson and Jake Delhomme fell below expectations. Proving that nothing is a sure thing this year.
Stars
Matt Cassel - For the second straight week the Thursday night game produced a 400 yard passer and for the second straight week, that quarterback has made it to the top of the Stars list. Cassel tore up the Jets secondary for 400 yards and 3 TD's. However, it was all for not as the Patriots lost to the Jets in OT.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Joseph Addai - At one point last year, Joseph Addai was considered the best back in football. He's been pretty quiet this year, but this week he broke out against the Texans with 153 total yards and 2 TD's. Yes, it was only the Texans but the schedule doesn't get much tougher than the Texans as the Colts have the Chargers, Browns, Bengals and Lions on the horizon.
DeAngelo Williams - The no-brainer of the week is Williams. He had no problem racking up over 100 yards (plus, 2 TD's) for the third straight game against the NFL practice squad.
Steve Slaton - Over the past several weeks, Slaton has been slowing down. Last week, he only recorded 7 rushing yards. This week, he got some of his burst back as he ripped the Colts defense for 156 yards and a TD. With Cleveland, Green Bay and Oakland coming up, don't give up on this rookie just yet.
Justin Gage - Here's a new member for you. Coming into this game Justin had only 17 catches for 229 yards. Not exactly Pro Bowl talent. Yesterday, as the Titans defended their perfect record, Gage caught 4 passes for 147 and 2 TDs.
Stumblers
Brian Westbrook - After two sub par outings, you had to figure that Westbrook would get back on track against the Bengals, right? Not so much. He finished with 60 yards rushing, 11 yards receiving and zero TDs. He'll travel to Baltimore to play an unhappy Ravens defense next week.
Jake Delhomme - Somebody call the police, we have a missing person. His name is Jake Delhomme, he was last seen in Charlotte on October 26th and hasn't been seen since. For the second straight week, Delhomme passed for less than 100 yards against a team that usually gives up 100 yards in the first quarter. If anyone has any information as to his whereabouts please contact The Fantasy Factor.
Donovan McNabb - Yeah, it was cold, it was windy, but four turnovers (3 INT's, 1 lost fumble)?! Its the Bengals, it doesn't get much easier than that.
Randy Moss - When your quarterback throws for 400 yards and you only account for 26 of those yards, there's a problem. When your name is Randy Moss and you only account for 26 of those yards, there's a BIG problem.
Bears defense - After putting up a good showing against the unbeaten Titans, the rough and tough Bears defense got smacked by their division rivals, the Packers. The Pack ran for 200 yards and threw for another 227. When this defense is on their game, they're great, but when they're bad...
Nov 14 2008
I don't know what it is about these Thursday night games, but fantasy points rolled in for anyone that owned Matt Cassel last night. The Brady replacement threw for 400 yards, 3 TD's and get his, RAN for 62 yards. Depending on your league, of course, that's around 40 points.
Denver Broncos vs Atlanta Falcons
Broncos: After last week's big win in Cleveland, the Broncos look to keep the ball rolling against Atlanta. The Falcons secondary isn't anything special so I expect another big day out of Cutler and Marshall.
Falcons: I can't wait for this matchup, its involves my favorite team, the "ATLANTA FALCONS". Yeah, ever since I was a boy, I've always loved the "ATLANTA FALCONS". But I wouldn't count out the "DENVER BRONCOS". I couldn't help myself. Seriously though, this looks to be a huge game for Michael Turner who will get matched up against the 27th ranked run defense.
Fantasy Factors: Jay Cutler (9), Michael Turner (9)
Houston Texans vs Indianapolis Colts
Texans: If it wasn't for a 4th quarter meltdown, the Texans would have beaten the Colts in their last encounter. This week, Sage Rosenfels will be at it again and is looking to redeem himself. With the Colts getting better on defense, this should temper your expectations of Steve Slaton. Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels remain solid plays this week.
Colts: For once, the winds of the NFL season are blowing WITH the Colts and not against. Peyton Manning is setup for a huge second half with the Texans this week, the Chargers next week and then the Browns, Bengals and Lions after that. Now is the time to buy Colts in your salary cap league.
Fantasy Factors: Andre Johnson (9), Peyton Manning (9)
Oakland Raiders vs Miami Dolphins
Raiders: JaMarcus Russell will unfortunately be suiting up again this week after there was question as to whether he would play, due to injury. Justin Fargas played his best game last week (89 yards rushing), but is facing tough Dolphins run defense this week.
Dolphins: After the Raiders picked off Jake Delhomme 4 times last week, Chad Pennington may be reluctant to go to the air, which means they could be riding Ronnie Brown and the Pineapple Express all day and why not? The Raiders are giving up 158 yards per game on the ground.
Fantasy Factors: Justin Fargas (6), Ronnie Brown (8)
Baltimore Ravens vs New York Giants
Ravens: Tied for first in the AFC North the Baltimore Birdies take their 4 game winning streak to the Big Apple. Joe Flacco has been getting better, but the next couple weeks will be a big test. The Ravens will need to rely on McGahee and Rice to carry the offense these next couple weeks.
Giants: They may have sliced up the Eagles for 36 points last week, but when you play the Ravens defense you need to bench or drop your G-Men like a hot potato. Eli and the boys have a tough road ahead and will be fantasy disappointments for most of the remainder of the regular season.
Fantasy Factors: Willie McGahee (7), Plaxico Burress (7)
Detroit Lions vs Carolina Panthers
Lions: 0-9 ladies and gentlemen... 0-9. Daunte Culpepper gives the Lions a fighting chance, but their defense just awful. Maybe the worst, I've ever seen.
Panthers: Its the Panthers turn to pad their stats against the NFL practice squad. Jake Delhomme needs it after his 4 INT's last week. Steve Smith, Jake Delhomme, DeAngelo Williams are all great plays for this Sunday.
Fantasy Factors: Calvin Johnson (7), DeAngelo Williams (9)
Philadelphia Eagles vs Cincinnati Bengals
Eagles: After losing a tough one to the Giants last week, the Eagles won't have to wait to get back on track. Westbrook was bottled up last week, so expect him to bounce back in a HUGE way this week. The Eagles defense looks like a good play as well, as Ryan Fitzpatrick will start again this Sunday. Maybe they can change Carson Palmer's nameplate on the back to "Quitter".
Bengals: Cedric Benson is starting to emerge as a worthy fantasy candidate. His carries and production increased over the past couple weeks. If Mr Overrated 2007 quits wimping about his sore elbow, the team may actually look like a force on offense again.
Fantasy Factors: Brian Westbrook (10), Cedric Benson (7)
Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers
Bears: Believe it or not, Kyle Orton is expected to play this Sunday. I never thought the Bears would be so happy to get Kyle Orton back, but he's been a big factor to their success. With the Packers ailing on defense and inability to stop the run, Matt Forte should have a great game.
Packers: After watching Chris Johnson get stuffed, you can forget about Ryan Grant this week. A-Rod will be going to the air often this week against the Bears secondary which ranks 30th in the NFL.
Fantasy Factors: Matt Forte (9), Aaron Rodgers (8)
New Orleans Saints vs Kansas City Chiefs
Saints: Last week, Drew Brees threw 3 picks against the "ATLANTA FALCONS"... ahem... he should bounce back this week against the Chiefs. Reggie Bush was expected to be back this week but he's still questionable.
Chiefs: A lot of people left the Chiefs for dead (myself included), but Herm Edwards has his boys fighting back to get some respectability. Larry Johnson will be back this week, but the offense has changed since he left and it is much more wide open to accommodate rookie quarterback, Tyler Thigpen who is really coming on. This could be a shootout.
Fantasy Factors: Drew Brees (8), Tyler Thigpen (7)
Minnesota Vikings vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vikings: I don't like AP's chances going into this game, but you never know with him. He's been getting the ball more often and combine that with the fact that Bucs have a great pass defense, the Vikings should stick with that formula and Peterson is looking at another 30 touch game.
Buccaneers: The Vikings defense has been very tough this season and this week should be no different. The Bucs will need to throw a lot of short passes to avoid the Vikings pass rush and short passes don't lead up to big fantasy points.
Fantasy Factors: Adrian Peterson (8), Jeff Garcia (6)
St. Louis Rams vs San Francisco 49ers
Rams: SJax will be out yet again for the Rams. He's really earning that big contract isn't he? After last week's setback, Bulger should get back on track against the Niners porous secondary.
49ers: Hey, here's an idea, let's run the football with no timeouts and 12 seconds left. Not only that, let's give it to the fullback, not the All Pro RB. Oh wait, that's already been done. As long as the Niners use common sense, Frank Gore should have a nice showing against the Rams 30th ranked run defense.
Fantasy Factors: Marc Bulger (7), Frank Gore (9)
Arizona Cardinals vs Seattle Seahawks
Cardinals: The Cards have the second best passing offense in the NFL and Seahawks are 31st against the pass. You don't need to be a fantasy sports forecaster to figure this one out.
Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck is finally back.... sorta. He's been practicing all week, but he still has yet to get clearance from the doctor's for Sunday's game. If he doesn't it will be another long day for Seattle.
Fantasy Factors: Kurt Warner (10), Matt Hasselbeck (7)
Tennessee Titans vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Titans: The Titans are looking to improve to 10-0 in Jacksonville, a team that lost in Cincinnati! Chris Johnson should do better this week (could you really do worse 14 car, 8 yards).
Jaguars: If the Jags want to erase those embarrassing losses to Cleveland and Cincy, they need to win this one. I expect them to pull out al the stops. Jones-Drew finally got on track last week, I expect to see him and Taylor both carry the ball quite a bit .
Fantasy Factors: Titans D/ST (8), Maurice Jones-Drew (6)
San Diego Chargers vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Chargers: The up and down Chargers almost had another down last week in their nail biting win against the Chiefs. This week and Week 16 against the Bucs are the only tough matchups left for the Bolts. I don't expect to see much out of LT this week. Philip Rivers though will show why he's leading the NFL in TD passes against a banged up Steelers secondary.
Steelers: Willie Parker will be back, but I suspect the Steelers will attack through the air. Even with Roethlisberger injured, the Chargers have the worst pass defense in the league (yeah I know, even worse than the Lions). Ward, Holmes and even Washington are good starts for this week.
Fantasy Factors: Antonio Gates (7), Ben Roethlisberger (8)
Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins
Cowboys: Heeeee's baaaaack! Tony Romo will be behind center for the Cowboys this Sunday in Washington. For the first time, we'll get to see TO and Roy Williams working as a tandem. This should finally open things up for Marion Barber.
Redskins: As one star returns, the other goes down. Clinton Portis is doubtful for Sunday's game and now are the chances of a Redskins victory. Santana Moss has been a Cowboys' killer in their past few meetings, but without a legitimate running game, can he still produce.
Fantasy Factors: Terrell Owens (8), Santana Moss (8)
Cleveland Browns vs Buffalo Bills
Browns: In his second ever NFL start, Brady Quinn gets another national televised game, this time on MNF. Jamal Lewis has been awful running the ball this year and the Bills are great against the run, look for Brady to go to the air often.
Bills: I can't believe I'm going to say this, but Marshawn Lynch is a good play this week. The back that has yet to reach 100 yards is matched up against a defense that gives up 146 per game on the ground. If he doesn't get 100 this week, there is no hope for him.
Fantasy Factors: Brady Quinn (8), Marshawn Lynch (8)
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