The New England Patriots continued to look impressive in this 2011 preseason, easily dispatching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-14 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

The team jumped out to an early 21-0 first-quarter lead, reaching the endzone on each of the offense’s first three possessions. The defense matched the effort, sacking Tampa starting QB Josh Freeman twice while applying immense pressure to the Bucs’ passers.

Brady Sharp

QB Tom Brady saw his first action this season, and appeared to be in 2010 form as he torched the Buccaneers’ defense for 118 yards and two TDs on 11 of 19 passing. The Michigan alum lead the squad to a 28-0 first half lead, scoring a quartet of touchdowns on efficient scoring drives of 2:08, 3:15, 3:22,and 4:13 respectively. Brady completed passes to Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez, Will Yeatman and Chad Ochocinco in his outing, and appeared to be in rhythm the entire night.

Hernandez Recovers

Sophomore tight end Aaron Hernandez shook off the opening week cobwebs that saw him commit a pair of fumbles against Jacksonville, hauling in three Brady passes for 42 yards, including a 16 yard touchdown on New England’s first possession.

Green-Ellis Answers the Challenge

Following the emergence of rookie running back Stevan Ridley last week, fourth-year rusher BenJarvus Green-Ellis showed that the starting job is still his to lose. The Lawfirm torched the Bucs’ defense, rushing 11 times for 51 yard while scoring a pair of short TDs.

Defensive Line Superb

A question mark throughout the offseason and into the preseason, Pepper Johnson’s defensive line came out in a fury. Free agent signing Andre Carter was most noticeable, consistently providing pressure off the right end and disrupting the Tampa Bay backfield. Gerard Warren, Kyle Love, Eric Moore and Mark Anderson also had solid efforts in the win.

Three Studs

Tom Brady – Brady looked to have complete command of the offense on Thursday, leading to touchdown drives of 64, 61, 53 and 60 yards in first-half action. With Brady at the helm, New England scored on four of six drives.

Andre Carter/Jerod Mayo – The veteran acquisition, Carter, showed that his training camp performance is no fluke. Carter consistently pressured Tampa quarterbacks while being an unblockable force for the Bucs’ offensive line. Carter’s play helped linebacker Jerod Mayo massacre the Buccaneer’s offensive line. Mayo registered a pair of sacks, while matching the team lead with five total tackles.

Chad Ochocinco – Contrary to training camp reports, Ochocinco showed some good hands and resolve in his preseason opener. Ochocinco received a vicious blow from Bucs’ linebacker Mason Foster which earned Foster a 15-yard penalty and a possible fine later in the week. On the same drive, Ochochinco caught a Brady eight-yard pass to extend the lead to 14-0.

Three Duds

Special Teams – In a game with few errors, the special teams unit committed a pair of penalties on the punt unit. Devin McCourty was whistled for an illegal block in the back on a second quarter return, while Tracy White horse-collared Tampa returner Preston Parker in a play in the second half. This is the second consecutive week with special teams miscues, an interesting item to watch going forward.

Offensive rookies – Studs last week, the incoming crop of freshman took a sight step back in Week 2. Ryan Mallet went 9-14 for 71 yards and an interception, which was returned for a Tampa score. Ridley churned out 84 yard on 16 carries, but fumbled a fourth-down carry midway in the third-quarter to end a New England drive.

Backups – Handed a 28-0 lead, the Patriots’ second stringers were humbled after last week’s brilliant performance. The offense generated just three points on a 44 yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski, while the defense allowed a pair of drives longer than 75 yards, including an 84 yard march for a score.

Going Forward

The Patriots return to action next Saturday, traveling to Ford Field in Detroit to battle the Lions at 8 p.m.

© Taylor for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Patriots, Top Story.

After giving myself a bye week last week, “Fantasy Fast Forward” is back in action to help you down the stretch and get you into your fantasy league’s playoffs. It’s crunch time, but if you’re still reading about fantasy football, that means you must be still alive for a coveted playoff spot. And heck, if you’re already eliminated and you’re still reading this stuff, well God bless you and thanks very much for the page hit!

So the bye weeks are over and your league’s trade deadline has likely come and gone, which means it’s time take the guys that got you this far and trot out your very best lineup for the next month and let them sink or swim. A lot of the roster maneuvering and trade talks are over and done with… by this point, you’ve just got to put faith in your men and let the cards fall as they may.

Who are the swimmers and sinkers of Week 11? Here’s my take…

Week 11 QB Aces

Carson Palmer, CIN (vs. BUF)

Sure, the Bengals have been dreadful this season, and sure, Carson Palmer has seen better days, but I’d consider Palmer a pretty solid start this week at home against the Bills. Buffalo has just a pair of interceptions this season… every other team has at least five. Palmer and the Cincy offense should be able to protect the football and rack up a more than decent day in the fantasy stat department.

Mark Sanchez, NYJ (vs. HOU)

No defense has given up more passing yardage than the Texans, and only the Arizona Cardinals have allowed more points scored. Sanchez is banged up with a bruised right calf, but he played through it last Sunday and will play through it this Sunday. Look for Sanchez to continue his much improved sophomore season with a big day at home, picking apart the lowly Texan defense.

Josh Freeman, TB (@SF)

Tampa Bay has won five of their last six road games, and this week Josh Freeman leads the surprising Bucs across the country to take on the 49ers. Freeman is coming off a great showing against Carolina, where he put up a career-best passer rating of 134.2, completing 18 of 24 passes for 241 yards and a pair of TDs. San Fran has a talented front seven on defense, but Freeman and his young receiving corps should be able to have a field day against a rather weak Niner secondary.

Week 11 QB Jokers

Joe Flacco, BAL (@CAR)

Believe it or not, the Panthers are actually an above-average pass defense team, holding opposing QBs to under 200 yards per game and ranking seventh in INTs with 11. I still see the Ravens winning big in this game, but I think they’ll do it with Ray Rice and Willis McGahee, not Flacco and the passing game.

Vince Young, TEN (vs. WAS)

It might be tempting to start Young this week, after the ‘Skins let Michael Vick have a monster game against them on Monday night. Young, who can be mobile outside the pocket like Vick, will take aim at a Washington defense that can’t wait to redeem themselves after the mess they threw at the Eagles. I think the Titans will give the Redskins a heavy dose of Chris Johnson in this one, but I’m not looking for VY to light it up much on Sunday. There’s no way Mike Shanahan lets his defense turn in two stinkers in a row.

Kyle Orton, DEN (@SD)

Orton has racked up 665 yards through the air over the last two games, to go with a career-high four TD passes last week in Denver’s 49-29 rout of the Chiefs. He’ll have a tough road ahead trying to match those lofty stats this week, as he faces the San Diego Chargers on Monday night, one of the league’s toughest pass defenses. I’m seeing more like a 200-yard, 2-TD game at the max for Mr. O. this week.

Week 11 RB Aces

Fred Jackson, BUF (@CIN)

It’s been a sub-par season for Fred Jackson in the Bills backfield through the first half of the season, but that all changed last week when F-Jack put together a 25-carry, 133-yard day against the Lions, helping Buffalo finally earn their first win of the year. He’ll be looking to score in his third straight game, and against a Cincy team that’s better against the pass than the run, look for Chan Gailey to ride his running back hard on Sunday. The Bengals have allowed an opposing RB to score at least once in the last seven games against them. Make that eight, this Sunday.

Felix Jones, DAL (vs. DET)

It may be just a coincidence, but who was the focal point of the Dallas offense in Jason Garrett’s first game as head coach last week? Felix Jones is the correct answer. Jones ran the ball 14 times and caught three passes in the Cowboys’ shocking win over the Giants last Sunday, and with Detroit coming into Big D this weekend, a Lions team that allows 127.9 rushing yards per game, odds are Felix Jones should enjoy another solid day for his fantasy owners.

Jamaal Charles, KC (vs. ARI)

No team gives up more fantasy points to opposing running backs than the Cardinals, and with “Charles in charge” of the Kansas City backfield lately, there’s no doubt he’s in line to have a monster game for the Chiefs this Sunday. Sure, he’ll share some of the workload with fellow back Thomas Jones, but I’m confident there will be enough work to go around for both men. So confident that I’d start him over fantasy first rounders like Rashard Mendenhall, Michael Turner, and Steven Jackson this week.

Week 11 RB Jokers

Darren McFadden, OAK (@PIT)

The Steelers won’t lose two straight games at home, they just won’t… and after a frustrating Week 10 loss to the Pats, you can bet that Pittsburgh will be taking their frustrations out on the Raiders this Sunday. McFadden has finally started to live up to his potential this season for the Raiders, but he hasn’t scored in two straight games, and won’t this week either. Sure he’ll have fresh legs after the team’s bye week, but the Steelers front seven will “unfresh” those legs real fast, mark my words… even though my word might not even be a real word.

Arian Foster, HOU (@NYJ)

Foster will be looking to score in his fifth consecutive game on Sunday in the Meadowlands, but that will be a very tall task against a Jets team that has allowed just two TDs from opposing running backs all season. No RB has rushed for over 100 yards this year either, with Adrian Peterson coming the closest with 88 in Week 5. You can’t take away the huge year Foster has had thus far, but Week 11 just won’t be his week to shine.

LeGarrette Blount, TB (@SF)

I haven’t had the chance to talk about Blount yet this season, but the year he’s having is truly a great story. Tampa plucked the rookie off of Tennessee’s practice squad early in the year, and it has absolutely paid dividends. He’s racked up 329 yards over his last four games, to go with three TDs. This week however, he faces a San Francisco team that hasn’t allowed an opposing back to go over 90 yards on the ground all season long. He’s still losing touches to veteran Cadillac Williams also, which keeps him from being even more productive. Blount’s got a great career ahead of him, but I see his stats taking a bit of a dip this week on the west coast against the Niners.

Week 11 WR Aces

Larry Fitzgerald, ARI (@KC)

Fitzy’s had an up-and-down season for the Cards this year, but his chemistry with QB Derek Anderson is at an all-time high now. While he doesn’t have a TD in the past two games, he has hauled in 14 balls for 198 yards total. His red zone targets are up also… he had four in weeks 1-7, but has eight in the team’s last three games. This week, he gets to face a Chiefs secondary that just saw Denver’s Brandon Lloyd torch them for a huge day. I see Fitzgerald doing the same against KC this week.

Greg Jennings, GB (@MIN)

Jennings had just 14 catches through the team’s first five games of the year, but since then he’s turned it up and is back to being the #1 receiver that Green Bay has hoped for. He’s had at least six catches and at least 74 yards in each of his last four games, including a touchdown in three of those four. He’s had pretty good success against Minnesota in the past too, scoring in his last two meetings with 162 combined receiving yards in those two contests. Donald Driver being banged up also helps the Jennings cause too.

Marques Colston, NO (vs. SEA)

Like Fitzgerald and Jennings, Marques Colston got off to a very slow start this season. Lately though, his production has been on the rise, and with a very favorable matchup this week against Seattle, a team that gives up 272.2 yards per game through the air, I see Colston and the Saints coming out of their bye week with guns blazing.

Week 11 WR Jokers

Mike Williams, SEA (@NO)

166.3 passing yards allowed per game. That’s how much New Orleans is giving up each week, best in the league. Matt Hasselbeck has a broken left wrist. Mike Williams played last week with a broken finger, but that didn’t stop him from putting up a career-high 145 yards. This week, the yardage won’t come as easy. Williams is having a huge year, but this week won’t be the week to rely on him for fantasy greatness.

Anquan Boldin, BAL (@CAR)

Only the Saints and Chargers have been tougher than the Panthers on opposing wide receivers this season, in terms of fantasy points allowed, and Carolina is the league’s best at limiting receivers to the fewest yards per catch in the league. Only one receiver, New York’s Mario Manningham, has topped 80 yards against Carolina this year, leaving the odds that Boldin has a big day Sunday at slim, at best.

Steve Smith, CAR (vs. BAL)

Sticking with the same game, Carolina’s version of Steve Smith has had a rough and tough 2010 season. Smith hasn’t sniffed the end zone since Week 2, and has had to bounce back and forth from Matt Moore to Jimmy Clausen and back to Matt Moore, neither of whom are top notch passers. Now, coach John Fox turns to the likes of former Boston College QB Brian St. Pierre this week. The Ravens are tied for sixth in the league for fewest passing TDs allowed this season, giving up just 11 on the year. The Panthers have no other standout receivers, so look for Baltimore to blanket Smith and force Carolina to look elsewhere for offense.

Week 11 TE Ace

Kevin Boss, NYG (@PHI)

He didn’t have a single score through the first seven games, but with TDs in two straight, Kevin Boss has made up for a lot of what was lost with Steve Smith (the New York edition) sidelined with an injury. So many tight ends are banged up these days, so if you need a stand-in, you could do a lot worse than the Big Boss Man.

Week 11 TE Joker

Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs. IND)

Let’s face it, his five-catch, 72-yard, three-TD day last week was a complete abnormality, and if you’re expecting that kind of production out of Gronk every week, hand over what you’re smoking because we all want some. Indy allows the fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends, meaning the Pats will likely attack the outside of the field with their receivers, rather than the middle with their young tight ends.

Week 11 Wackies

(These are admittedly low-odds predictions that only I have the stones to profess…)

• 13 quarterbacks threw for more than 300 yards in Week 10, by far more than any other week this season (the previous high was seven, in Weeks 3 and 7). In Week 11, I see even more than 13 QBs topping 300 yards.
• Only 11 touchdowns were scored by tight ends across the league in Week 10. In Week 11, that number will at least double.
• And to keep with the offense-heavy predictions, I’m predicting that no team will score single-digit points this week… all 32 will have 10 or more.

© Brian Kintz for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Fantasy, Featured.

This week, I’m going to attempt to put the “fast” in “Fantasy Fast Forward.” Why? Because as I’m typing this, I’m just a few short hours away from jetting off to Las Vegas, and like any other guy I know, I’m a procrastinator and haven’t packed a darn thing yet. So instead of racking up the word count, this week’s “Fantasy Fast Forward” will be just that… fast.

With that said, let’s quickly review how I fared in Week 8, followed by my Week 9 aces and jokers, in rapid fire fashion.

My Week 8 QB Aces (Palmer, Henne, Orton)

Mediocre trio here… Palmer had a multi-TD game and Orton had 369 passing yards, but otherwise their efforts were pretty lackluster.

My Week 8 QB Jokers (Sanchez, Bradford, Hasselbeck)

These three signal callers certainly didn’t bring home the fantasy bacon in Week 8. Bradford had two TDs but didn’t reach 200 yards through the air, and Sanchez and Hasselbeck didn’t find the end zone at all.

My Week 8 RB Aces (Wells, T. Jones, Torain)

Wells and Torain found the end zone in Week 8, but Thomas Jones gave way to a monster game from his backfield counterpart, Jamaal Charles.

My Week 8 RB Jokers (B. Jackson, Mathews, D. Williams)

Williams didn’t end up playing Sunday, as his foot injury kept him sidelined. B-Jack ran for 55 yards, but didn’t see the end zone, but Mathews did, saving him from a sub-par 43-yard rushing day otherwise.

My Week 8 WR Aces (R. Moss, Gaffney, Wallace)

Well we all know about Randy Moss by now… swing and a miss by me on that one. Gaffney and Wallace didn’t put up banner days either, with Gaffney catching four balls for 54 yards, Wallace hauling in three for 43, and neither scoring a TD. My track record with wide receivers continues…

My Week 8 WR Jokers (Driver, Crabtree, Welker)

Driver didn’t touch the ball in the Packers win over the Jets, targeted three times without catching a single pass. Welker continued his disappointing fantasy season with just three grabs for 24 yards. Crabtree only had three catches too, but one went for a TD, so I guess his day wasn’t so bad.

My Week 8 TE Ace (Moeaki)

He couldn’t get it going against the Bills, catching just three passes for 45 yards.

My Week 8 TE Joker (Daniels)

He just can’t get healthy this season. Daniels put up a stinker, one catch for eight yards.

My Week 8 Wackies

“At least 3 QBs from the AFC West will throw for more than 250 yards.”

Bingo! I got Bingo! Kyle Orton led the way with 369 yards against the Niners in London, followed by a surprising 310-yard day from Oakland’s Jason Campbell, and 305 yards coming from San Diego’s Phillip Rivers.

“At least 3 RBs from the NFC West will run for more than 100 yards.”

Ok, not even close on this one. Frank Gore hooked me up with 118 yards in Week 8, but the next best in the NFC West came from Steven Jackson, who had just 59 yards.

“At least 3 WRs from the AFC South will catch for more than 100 yards.”

Two-for-three on my Week 8 Wackies, boo-yah! My gratitude goes out to Mr. Mike Sims-Walker (153 yards), Nate Washington (117 yards), and Andre Johnson (106 yards) for making me look wicked smart.

Ok, without further ado, I lay down some Week 9 knowledge for you.

Week 9 QB Aces

Mark Sanchez, NYJ (@DET)

If this guy’s available in your league, I suggest you grab him now. Look at his next four opponents: Detroit, Cleveland, Houston, and Cincinnati. Should be four wins, and should mean big things for Sanchez and the Jets’ passing game.

Tom Brady, NE (@CLE)

Brady used to be an elite, “start him every week” kind of fantasy QB, but this season he’s put up more than a few duds. This week won’t be a dud, I’m pretty darn sure of it. This just in: Cleveland is an awful football team, so sit back and watch TB12 pick them apart for a big day on Sunday.

Eli Manning, NYG (@SEA)

It might be a little risky picking three road QBs as my “aces” this week, but I couldn’t be more confident in these three dudes. Eli has nine TD passes over his last three games, and this week he gets to face the league’s 29th ranked pass defense in Seattle. ‘Nuff said.

Week 9 QB Jokers

Ryan Fitzpatrick, BUF (vs. CHI, at Toronto)

Everyone is high on Fitzy this season, and he’s given fans every right to be. But this week he goes up against the Bears, the team that has allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season. No QB has thrown for more than one touchdown against them all year long. Find another option this week, but keep Fitzpatrick on your roster… he’ll deliver in the weeks to come.

Josh Freeman, TB (@ATL)

Freeman’s another guy people are hyping lately, and with four straight 200+ yard performances, I can see why. I just can’t believe in this passing offense though until I see them put up a huge day against a quality opponent. I don’t see it happening this week against Atlanta, in a huge divisional game.

Matt Schaub, HOU (vs. SD)

All of you Schaub owners can’t be happy with what he’s given you this season. This week, you won’t like what he gives you either, as he faces the league’s top pass defense, the Chargers. This will be a fun game to watch, but it won’t be because Schaub is lighting it up.

Week 9 RB Aces

Matt Forte, CHI (@BUF, in Toronto)

He’ll have fresh legs coming off the bye week, and no team gives up more fantasy points to opposing running backs than the Buffalo Bills. I like Forte to have a huge game this week.

Michael Turner, ATL (vs. TB)

Turner’s flown under the radar a bit this season… after all, he did just have a single touchdown before scoring two against the Bengals last week. This week he faces a Bucs defense that ranks 30th against the run. Turner should turn it up this week for a big game.

Michael Bush, OAK (vs. KC)

I like every running back in this game, from Darren McFadden to Thomas Jones to Jamaal Charles. But I decided to go with Bush as my “ace” for one reason… touchdowns. He has scored in two straight games and four of his last five. He’ll find the end zone at least once against the Chiefs this week.

Week 9 RB Jokers

Jahvid Best, DET (vs. NYJ)

Battling a turf toe injury isn’t what you want to hear from your fantasy running back. Losing reps in practice to last year’s starter Kevin Smith isn’t music to your ears either. Even if he was still the featured back in Detroit, this isn’t the week to rely on the rookie, not going up against the Jets vicious front seven.

Marion Barber, DAL (@GB)

Gone are the days of fantasy stardom for Marion Barber. He’ll still get the team’s goal-line carries, but this week they face a Packers team that is coming off a shutout of the Jets, so it’s very possible the Cowboys don’t sniff the goal line all game long.

Cedric Benson, CIN (vs. PIT)

Many of you probably spent a second or third round pick on Benson before the season began. How’d that work out for you? Your frustration will continue this week, facing a very tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense on Monday night.

Week 9 WR Aces

Bernard Berrian, MIN (vs. ARI)

This one’s a gut feeling pick. Berrian has just nine catches all season, which I know is awful. But with Randy Moss shipped out of town and Percy Harvin out of practice all week with ankle woes, Favre has to sling the ball to somebody. This week, against a sub-par Cardinals secondary, I see Berrian being on the receiving end of the “gunslinger’s” tosses.

Mario Manningham, NYG (@SEA)

The easier picks in the Giants receiving corps would obviously be Hakeem Nicks or Steve Smith, but I’m going with Manningham this week. He’s scored in two straight, and I’m betting on him completing the trifecta this week against the Seahawks.

Brandon Marshall, MIA (@BAL)

I don’t see Miami having much of a chance in this game, but I do see Brandon Marshall making a positive impact for the ‘Fins. Sure he’s only seen the end zone once this season, but he ranks among near the top of the league in targets, and I see him finally breaking through to have a huge game against albeit a well-rested Ravens team.

Week 9 WR Jokers

Calvin Johnson, DET (vs. NYJ)

Nothing personal, Megatron… it’s just the Revis factor coming into play, that’s all.

Steve Breaston, ARI (@MIN)

Breaston broke out last week for a huge game, going off for 147 yards on eight catches. That trend won’t continue, I’m pretty darn sure of it. He’ll come back to Earth this week against a solid Viking defense.

Steve Johnson, BUF (vs. CHI, at Toronto)

Johnson has come out of nowhere to be a borderline #1 fantasy receiver this season. He’s scored in five straight games, but I’m looking for that streak to end this week against the Chicago secondary, a group that has allowed just three TDs to opposing wide receivers this season.

Week 9 TE Ace

Jacob Tamme, IND (@PHI)

Tamme’s coming off a career day last week against the Texans, racking up 64 yards and scoring his first NFL touchdown. As a fill-in for Dallas Clark, Tamme should continue to see plenty of targets from Peyton in the Indy offense, with Week 9′s meeting with the Eagles being no exception.

Week 9 TE Joker

Dustin Keller, NYJ (@DET)

No tight end has put up more than 48 yards against the Lions yet this season. With Sanchez having all sorts of other options to throw to, from Santonio Holmes to Braylon Edwards to Jerricho Cotchery, to L.T. in the backfield, I see Keller being the odd man out this week in the Motor City.

Week 9 Wackies

(These are admittedly low-odds predictions that only I have the stones to profess…)

• No tight ends will top 80 receiving yards this week.
• Six wide receivers have put up more than 600 receiving yards so far this year (Lloyd, White, Wayne, Austin, Owens, S. Moss). None of them will catch a TD pass in Week 9 (Lloyd and S. Moss are on byes).
• We’ve had two 59-yard field goals kicked this season, one by Matt Prater and the other by Josh Scobee. We will have another field goal go for 59 or more yards in Week 9.

© Brian Kintz for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Fantasy, Featured.

The early weeks of the football season is an important time for fantasy team owners. Often players that are barely on the mind of fantasy owners during the draft end up carrying a team into the playoffs.

Last year, Sidney Rice was one of the more productive receivers in the game, but largely went undrafted and was available for anyone to grab in the first few weeks.  Receivers are usually the most volatile position as they rely on the offense around them and chemistry with the quarterback more than other positions, so it often takes a few weeks before the sleepers begin to emerge as reliable fantasy plays. Whereas running backs are more straight-forward and reliant on injuries and depth charts, such as Brandon Jackson last week. The coaches generally know how the carries are going to be divided up prior to the game, but the quarterback does not know who he is going to throw to on any given play.

One stat that is particularly useful for determining the amount of opportunities a receiver is getting is the amount of times he is targeted by his quarterback. If this number is high, it is a pretty good indication that the quarterback trusts him and he is on the field for many snaps. Luck and outside factors can often play into exactly how many of those targets become receptions. However, it is always necessary to look deeper because it could be the case that the offense is bad so the quarterback is simply making foolish throws in a receivers direction, or the more obvious problem of dropped passes.   Several dropped passes may make a quarterback quickly look elsewhere, as we saw this week with Pierre Garcon and Devin Aromashodu both of whom dropped multiple passes last week and had limited targets this week.

So without further ado, the first edition of weekly waiver pickups.

Week 3 pickups

Here are some players that are generally available in most leagues who are worth a look depending on your roster construction. The percent that each player is are owned in standard ESPN leagues is included.

Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos (2 percent owned)
Last week’s hot pickup from Denver, Brandon Lloyd, appears to have been supplanted with the return of the Broncos’ first overall pick in this year’s draft, Demaryius Thomas. The rookie appeared to have chemistry with Kyle Orton figured out in just his first NFL game after sitting out week 1 with injury. The receiver had a team-high 9 targets, catching 8 of those passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. With the team’s other top receivers, Eddie Royal and Jabar Gaffney, hardly superstars, there appears to be plenty of room in this offense for Thomas to carve out a sizable role for himself. And we know from his time in New England that Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniels isn’t afraid to let his quarterback throw the ball around.

Jason Snelling, RB, Falcons (4 percent)
For anyone who owns Michael Turner, if you do not already have Snelling, now would be the time to grab him, and quickly. Turner has yet to prove that he can stay on the field consistently in his career, and Snelling has proven to be a more than capable replacement in his absence. He had 186 total yards and 3 scores last week while basically only being the featured back for half the game. Turner does not appear likely to miss significant time with this most recent injury, but Snelling is still a key handcuff.

Kevin Walter, WR, Texans (11 percent)
Walter has been inconsistent and a headache for his owners at times in his career. However, after catching all 11 passes thrown his way this week for 144 yards and a touchdown, he appears to have solidified his role as the second wide receiver in the very successful Houston passing offense. He has the potential to be a Wes Welker-type receiver in the offense and could be particularly useful in points per reception (PPR) leagues.

Louis Murphy, WR, Raiders (31 percent)
Murphy is a very talented second-year receiver in a bad offense.  However, he was targeted 10 times in week 2 and caught 6 of those balls for 91 yards and a score. The most significant development in this situation was Bruce Gradkowski replacing Jason Campbell as the Radiers’ signal caller midway through the game.  Gradkowski and Murphy spent much time together in practice last year on the second-team offense and appeared to have instant chemistry when he entered the game. Its always tricky using a receiver on a team with suspect quarterback-play, but Murphy stock is quickly rising.

Josh Freeman, QB, Buccaneers (5 percent)
Freeman was a top-10 quarterback each of the first two weeks while still recovering form a thumb injury. The second-year player is playing in an offense that has yet to prove it can sustain strong play against better opponents, but Freeman appears to be growing into the starting role.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Lions (1.2 percent)
Another second-year player who had a solid rookie season and had a big week 2 with 7 receptions for 108 yards. He has potential with both Matthew Stafford or Shaun Hill at quarterback as the safety valve in the passing offense.

Defensive match-up of the week

Each week I will select one defense that is available in most leagues and has a favorable match-up.

Redskins D (10.1 percent owned) at Rams
While the Redskins’ defense has not been great, they have been very solid.  A match-up against the St. Louis offense and rookie Sam Bradford this week should provide potential owners with significant returns.

Other names to watch:

Mike Thomas, WR, Jac (4.2 percent owned); Mike Tolbert, RB, SD (0.8); Deon Butler, WR, Sea (1.1); John Kuhn, RB, GB (2.4); Jimmy Clausen, QB, Car (0.6); Josh Cribbs, WR, Cle (9.3).

© Matt Huegel for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Fantasy, Featured.

The ultimate “have” are the reigning Super Bowl champs, the New Orleans Saints. From top to bottom, on both sides of the ball, the Saints are stacked with stars that will no doubt have New Orleans thinking repeat, all season long. From there, the Atlanta Falcons seem to be the only squad that could maybe pose a challenge to the Saints in the division. Atlanta has the talent to match up with New Orleans, but after sub-par years from QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner, the Falcons will turn to these franchise players to bounce back big time if the Falcons hope to return to the playoff picture.

Then we have the “have-nots.” Granted, the Carolina Panthers do have three worthy fantasy starters on their roster, with the two-headed backfield monster of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, along with veteran wideout Steve Smith (that’s the original Steve Smith). But with the unproven Matt Moore behind center for Carolina, with no one but rookie Jimmy Clausen challenging him for the starting job, the Panthers will likely be going through some growing pains this season, and maybe for a few seasons to come. Losing Julius Peppers on the defensive side of the ball will sting also.

But at least Carolina has some stars to feature. That can’t be said for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If I were to bet on one NFL team to go winless this upcoming season, here’s where my money would go. The Bucs have little to no chance of finishing anywhere but in last place in the NFC South. Unless you’re a Tampa fan (I’m sorry), I challenge you to even name five players on the roster.

So now that we’ve painted the divisional picture, let’s highlight some of the colorful fantasy talent featured in the NFC South.

Team Profiles

Atlanta Falcons

As I mentioned earlier, for the Falcons to go anywhere in 2010, they’ll need more out of the players at the skill positions. QB Matt Ryan got off to a solid start last season, but then the sophomore slump went into effect. By all accounts, he’s working harder than ever to progress further in his development, so look for a nice comeback season ahead for the former B.C. Eagle.

In the backfield, Michael Turner will look to rebound from the ankle injury that cost him action through much of the latter half of last season. If he can remain healthy, Turner’s worth a look late in the first round, especially due to Atlanta’s rather weak schedule. Behind Turner are role players Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood, neither of which are worthy of anything more than a late round flier pick, unless of course you aim to handcuff Turner.

On the outside, the passing game will feature top 10 fantasy WR Roddy White, and on the inside, Ryan will turn to All Pro TE Tony Gonzalez. White is likely to be drafted in the second or third round of your draft, while Gonzalez’s draft position has slipped significantly from prior years. He’s no longer in the top 5 at his position, so if your heart is set on drafting the former Chief, you can probably wait until after the top tier of tight ends are off the board, like Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, and Vernon Davis. Behind these guys however, you won’t find much. Receivers Michael Jenkins and Harry Douglas will vie for targets, but neither receiver is worth any serious consideration in fantasy land before the last few rounds.

Carolina Panthers

Long time QB Jake Delhomme was shown the door in the off-season, as the reigns of the offense are handed to Matt Moore for the short term, while the Panthers groom rookie Jimmy Clausen into the team’s next franchise QB. Moore won’t light up the stat sheet, but he could be worthy of a bye-week replacement pick for your starting QB. His Week 8 start against the awful Rams might act as a good filler if your starting QB is on bye that week, like Eli Manning, Jay Cutler, Matt Ryan, or Joe Flacco will be.

Moore will throw to Steve Smith, but after that, who knows will get the targets. Smith has been the only show in town for years now, as the Panthers’ brass tries to find someone who can compliment him in the passing game. They drafted Brandon LaFell, and have Armanti Edwards and Dwayne Jarrett, but none of those guys should even sniff a roster spot for your fantasy team. Tight end Dante Rosario was supposed to be an up-and-comer at the position, but he’s been lapped by several more talented players, making Rosario worthless in the fantasy world as well.

So where do you turn for fantasy studs in Carolina? You head to the running back position, where you’ll find a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Now I will say that I’m not as high on these two as other fantasy gurus seem to be, but that’s not because of a lack of talent on their behalf. It’s more because the team’s lack of talent will likely lead to falling behind early in games, thus the need will arise to abandon the run in favor of the deep ball, in a comeback effort week after week. But Williams and Stewart surely belong on fantasy rosters without question, with Williams being drafted in the late first or early second round, and Stewart being taken off the board by the fifth or sixth round.

New Orleans Saints

Fantasy talent is featured up and down the New Orleans roster, and it all starts with Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees. If Brees isn’t the top quarterback picked in your draft, you better believe he’ll at least be the second one off the board, as he and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers duke it out for that top spot.

Brees has a handful of offensive weapons at his disposal, including receivers Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, and Lance Moore, along with a still productive Jeremy Shockey at TE. All five, believe it or not, have fantasy value, with Colston a definite starter, and the rest acting as good depth to have for your fantasy roster.

Running the ball for the Saints will be the bruising Pierre Thomas, who is poised to have a breakout season this year. With no Mike Bell in the backfield to siphon away carries, Thomas will shoulder the brunt of the ground game’s workload, with Reggie Bush used more on third down passing plays. Lynell Hamilton will also see some action at the running back position, with the possibility of him stealing away some of the goal-line, red zone carries from Thomas and Bush. He may be worth a look in the late rounds, knowing that points will be plentiful for any Saint you can put on your fantasy team.

The Saints also have the best options at kicker and team defense in the division, with the D-unit loaded with playmakers and kicker Garrett Hartley ready to pile on the points for New Orleans.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If you’re not riding in the Cadillac, you shouldn’t be riding with any Buccaneers this upcoming season, plain and simple.

Cadillac Williams, if he can remain healthy, provides some value at the RB position, and he should be able to be had in the middle rounds. Derrick Ward, the former Giant, and big man Earnest Graham should also be drafted, but not until the tail end of the draft, if you’ve got RB spots to fill.

Otherwise, QB Josh Freeman is a turnover machine and still has no value for you and your fantasy team. And, who is he going to throw to? Sure, Kellen Winslow will get some touches at the tight end spot, but only because Tampa has no other reliable, proven options. The Bucs drafted a pair of receivers, second-rounder Arrelious Benn and fourth-round pick Mike Williams, and both will be leaned on heavily right from game #1. If you want to take a gamble with either one, go right ahead… but don’t bother with either until the last few rounds of your draft.

Top 5 NFC South Studs (Players Worth Early Picks)

• Michael Turner, RB Atlanta
• Drew Brees, QB New Orleans
• DeAngelo Williams, RB Carolina
• Marques Colston, WR New Orleans
• Steve Smith, WR Carolina

Top 5 NFC South Duds (Players I Think Will Flop)

• Jonathan Stewart, RB Carolina
• Tony Gonzalez, TE Atlanta
• Kellen Winslow, TE Tampa Bay
• Derrick Ward, RB Tampa Bay
• Jason Snelling, RB Atlanta

Top 5 NFC South Sleepers (Players Whose Value Will Increase)

• Matt Ryan, QB Atlanta
• Pierre Thomas, RB New Orleans
• Robert Meachem, WR New Orleans
• Mike Williams, WR Tampa Bay
• Michael Jenkins, WR Atlanta

© Brian Kintz for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
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Every Wednesday, I will talk about potential fantasy football sleepers for each matchup taking place. I will go game-by-game and pick out one or two players who can most likely be found in your league’s free agent pool and explain why they can be of use to you that week.

Here we are, it is championship week for some of you. Others have to wait ’til next week to battle it our for fantasy glory. I know a lot of you are waiting for the Colts to lose so that you can rush out and pick up Jim Sorgi. Hey, if Indy loses this week to the Jets, then I would suggest moving at the speed of light in order to do so.

Week 16 Sleepers

San Diego @ Tennessee

Justin Gage (WR), Tennessee Titans

Gage played for the first time since Week 9 and put up 43 yds with 2 TD on Sunday. The Chargers will wreak havoc on the Titans secondary, so Vince Young and Co. will be throwing it a lot. The Chargers defense has allowed 263 pass yds over the past three weeks. Tennessee has also won their last six home games.

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans

Josh Freeman (QB), Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Freeman is averaging 243 pass yds with 5 TD in four road games and the Saints defense has allowed 290+ pass yds in three straight games.

Houston @ Miami

Kevin Walter (WR), Houston Texans

Walter has been a huge letdown this year, but he finally did something significant last week with 42 yds and a score. That was against the Rams though, but Miami’s pass defense is just as bad.

Seattle @ Green Bay

John Carlson (TE), Seattle Seahawks

He is getting more looks recently and had a season-high seven catches last week. Carlson has also scored in two straight games.

Jermichael Finley (TE), Green Bay Packers

I can’t keep doing this if you won’t listen. He has 70+ yds in three straight games and has scored 3 TD in that time.

Carolina @ New York (Giants)

Matt Moore (QB), Carolina Panthers

He’s coming off his best game of the season where he tore apart the Vikings for 299 yds and 3 TD. The Giants dominated the Redskins on Monday night, but I am not ready to restore my faith in New York’s defense just yet.

Oakland @ Cleveland

Michael Bush (RB), Oakland Raiders

Bush had a great game on Sunday with 133 yds and a TD. Both the Browns and Raiders have horrendously bad rush defenses (both give up 140+ rush yds per game), so this one should be heavy running on both sides.

Jacksonville @ New England

Ben Watson (TE), New England Patriots

He has been up and down in the offense lately, but the Jaguars are in the bottom 10 in pass defense. A redzone TD is not out of the question.

Kansas City @ Cincinnati

Shayne Graham (K), Cincinnati Bengals

The Chiefs defense is terrible and the Bengals will run the ball all day with Cedric Benson. Graham will get plenty of chances in this one.

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh

Mike Wallace (WR), Pittsburgh Steelers

Roethlisberger found him twice in the endzone last week and the Ravens give up 244 pass yds per game on the road.

Buffalo @ Atlanta

Jason Snelling (RB), Atlanta Falcons

With Michael Turner once again suffering an ankle sprain, he is questionable this week. Even if he does play, the odds of him getting hurt again are looking very good. Buffalo allows the most rush yds per game in the league, so Snelling should run wild.

St. Louis @ Arizona

Donnie Avery (WR), St. Louis Rams

The Rams will lose this game and will be trailing by a lot. Somebody else besides Steven Jackson has to catch the ball for St. Louis.

Detroit @ San Francisco

Alex Smith (QB), San Francisco 49ers

Teammates Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree are owned in more leagues, but there is no love for the man throwing them the passes. Smith gets a crack at the league’s worst pass defense and you should keep him for Week 17 against the Rams.

Denver @ Philadelphia

Tony Scheffler (TE), Denver Broncos

Scheffler should get more looks this week against the league’s worst defense against tight ends.

New York (Jets) @ Indianapolis

Austin Collie (WR), Indianapolis Colts

Darrelle Revis will own Reggie Wayne, so Collie will be getting more looks this week. Also take a look at Pierre Garcon.

Dallas @ Washington

Felix Jones (RB), Dallas Cowboys

He has received 10+ touches in two straight games and Dallas rushed for over 150 yds in their last meeting.

Minnesota @ Chicago

Chester Taylor (RB), Minnesota Vikings

The Bears are a mess on defense and they are allowing over 140 rush yds per game in their last seven games. Adrian Peterson will have fun, but Taylor will get 10+ total touches in this blowout.

© Pete Rampino for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Fantasy, Featured.

Every Wednesday, I will talk about potential fantasy football sleepers for each matchup taking place. I will go game-by-game and pick out one or two players who can most likely be found in your league’s free agent pool and explain why they can be of use to you that week.

If you didn’t start the playoffs last week, then you are now in the hunt for a championship this week. It is now more important than ever to find those diamonds in the rough that will push your team over the edge each and every single week. Enough chit chat, let’s get to it.

Week 15 Sleepers

Indianapolis @ Jacksonville

Austin Collie (WR), Indianapolis Colts

Collie has found the endzone in two straight games and the Jaguars defense is allowing over 230 pass yds per game.

David Garrard (QB), Jacksonville Jaguars

Although he is not putting up great numbers, Garrard is much better at home than on the road (9 TD, 4 INT). The Colts find a way to win every week, but they are giving up a healthy amount of passing yds doing it. Since Week 9, the Colts have allowed 281 pass yds to QB’s.

Don’t forget, the Colts did let Brandon Marshall catch 21 passes last Sunday, so they clearly have coverage problems.

Dallas @ New Orleans

Patrick Crayton (WR), Dallas Cowboys

The Saints will be scoring a lot of points as usual, so Dallas will have to keep up with their pace. Obviously Miles Austin is the receiver you want in Dallas, but Crayton will be getting plenty of looks against a Saints team that has allowed back-to-back 300 yd games to QB’s. By the way, those QB’s were Jason Campbell and Chris Redman.

Cleveland @ Kansas City

Chris Jennings (RB), Cleveland Browns

The Browns ran the ball 37 times last week in their win over the Steelers and Jennings led the team with 20 carries. The Browns will probably stick to their run-heavy ways against the Chiefs, who don’t have a good passing game. Instead, Kansas City should stick to their best player, RB Jamaal Charles.

Cleveland will also hand it off all day and Jennings is a good bet to carry 20+ times again. The Chiefs have given up 200+ rush yds in back-to-back games, so grab Jennings today if you can.

Atlanta @ New York (Jets)

Shonn Greene (RB), New York Jets

OK, so he didn’t come through last week, but I have no problem recommending him again this week. Atlanta will have no chance at moving the ball against the NFL’s best pass defense, so the Jets should be controlling the clock for the whole game.

Thomas Jones will get 20-25 carries, but Greene will have a shot at 10 touches. The Falcons are more well known for their terrible pass defense (30th in league), but they also give up 4.3 yds per carry.

Miami @ Tennessee

Tennessee Titans Defense/Special Teams

Titans are giving up an average of just 289 total yds in each of their last four home games. Miami QB Chad Henne has 3 TD and 5 INT in six road games this season. This sounds like a simple decision, right?

Houston @ St. Louis

Houston Defense/Special Teams

The Rams have allowed their QB to be sacked 11 times in their last four games and Rams QB’s have thrown nine interceptions in that time. The Texans have become heat-seeking missiles on opposing QB’s lately, racking up nine sacks in their last three games. St. Louis is averaging less than 12 points per game in their last four as well.

Arizona @ Detroit

Early Doucet (WR), Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald is cleared to play, but if he is still hampered by his sprained knee, the Doucet could see more action. Doucet actually led the Cardinals in receiving in their loss to San Francisco last Monday with 41 yds.

Plus, this is Detroit we are talking about. They literally have the worst pass defense in football, so anybody can shine against them.

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

Reggie Brown (WR), Philadelphia Eagles

Rookie receiver Jeremy Maclin will miss 1-2 weeks with a foot injury, and Brown is most likely to take Maclin’s share of targets. The Eagles should throw it well against the 49ers, who give up 243 pass yds per game.

There has also been talk of the Eagles activating WR Kevin Curtis for this week’s game, but since he is recovering from knee surgery, it isn’t realistic for him to make an impact on his first game back.

New England @ Buffalo

Kevin Faulk (RB), New England Patriots

As it turns out, Sammy Morris wasn’t the one taking the most carries from Laurence Maroney. Faulk carried 10 times last week against the Panthers and he even found the endzone for the second straight game.

Running against the Panthers was great, now Faulk gets to run against the league’s worst run defense that allows 170 rush yds per game. Look for another 10+ carries from Faulk in addition to his 3-4 receptions.

Chicago @ Baltimore

Willis McGahee (RB), Baltimore Ravens

McGahee has scored 4 TD in his last three games and now he will run against Chicago’s pathetic run defense this week. The Bears have allowed 135+ rush yds in each of their last four games and Jay Cutler and Co. are 1-5 on the road this season.

Baltimore ran the ball 40 times last week against the Lions and McGahee ran it 12 times (Ray Rice ran it 13 times) and scored 2 TD. I can’t see any reason why the Ravens would change their strategy against a rush defense that is just as bad as Detroit’s.

Oakland @ Denver

Matt Prater (K), Denver Broncos

Prater’s problem this season is that he doesn’t get a lot of field goal opportunities against good teams. Well, the Oakland Raiders are not a good team. Prater could be the week’s bets kicker when Denver faces the Raiders.

The Raiders won’t move the ball at all, especially since QB Bruce Gradkowski has ruled himself out for this week’s game. The points will be scored at will for Denver, giving Prater a nice stat line for the day. Prater was also 3/3 on field goals in their fist meeting this season.

Cincinnati @ San Diego

Malcom Floyd (WR), San Diego Chargers

Floyd has consistently put together 3+ receptions in five straight games. Given WR Vincent Jackson’s inconsistency this season, Floyd is a breakout candidate at any time.

The Bengals will be a tough game for San Diego. Cincinnati will pound away with Cedric Benson and it will work because the Chargers allow 4.3 ypc. The Chargers have plenty of weapons at their disposal, but Floyd could break one off for a huge gain.

Tampa Bay @ Seattle

Josh Freeman (QB), Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hey, his numbers at first glance look terrible, but Freeman’s best games have come on the road this season with games of 250 and 321 pass yds in Weeks 12 & 13 respectively.

Will Freeman be mistake free this week? No way! I still think he will gain a lot of yards though, and Seattle’s defense is giving up an average of 306 pass yds over the last five weeks.

Green Bay @ Pittsburgh

Jermichael Finley (TE), Green Bay Packers

We all know by now that Pittsburgh is in shambles this season. In addition to Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings, and Donald Driver, tight end Jermichael Finley is a great play this week.

Finley has been great since returning from a knee injury four weeks ago and has caught 22 passes for 228 yds in his last four games. He has 149 yds and 2 TD in his last two games and since the Packers give up sacks like crazy, QB Aaron Rodgers is always looking for the short pass to Finley.

Minnesota @ Carolina

Chester Taylor (RB), Minnesota Vikings

This game looks to be a blowout with the Vikings defense taking control of this one from the start against Matt Moore and the Panthers.

Combining Carolina’s terrible rush defense (137 yds per game) with the sheer amount of garbage time to be had, Chester Taylor could be in line for 7-8 carries and 4-5 receptions in this one.

New York (Giants) @ Washington

Jason Campbell (QB), Washington Redskins

Jason Campbell has stepped up his game in recent weeks with 7 TD and 3 INT in his last three games.

When the teams first met in Week 1, the Giants won 23-17, but things have changed since then as the Giants’ defense has broken down and has allowed an average of 293 pass yds in their last four games.

Don’t expect the world from Campbell this week, but a solid game is something you can count on.

© Pete Rampino for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | No comment
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Yikes! Larry Johnson uses offensive gay slurs, Dwayne Bowe is using performance-enhancing drugs, and head coach Todd Haley wants nothing more than for QB Matt Cassel to sit on the bench so that Brodie Croyle can play every week.

It sure is wild and crazy with them Duke boys up in Kansas City, what kind of crazy shenanigans will the fellas get into this week?

I don’t know what is going on with our beloved Chiefs, but realistically, you shouldn’t be starting any of them each week unless you have a team plagued with injuries, or you need desperate bye week fill-ins. If I find out that one of you is starting Jamaal Charles by choice this week, there will be hell to pay.

However, if you do need a fill-in player, that happens to play for Kansas City, then let’s start off with our first potential Week 11 sleeper…

Week 11 Sleepers

Chris Chambers (WR), Kansas City Chiefs

With the recent suspension of WR Dwayne Bowe, Chambers has got to be the #1 option in Kansas City. In just two games with his new team, Chambers has six catches for 130 yds and 2 TD, and he is averaging 21.7 ypc.

Going up against Pittsburgh and their 12th ranked pass defense is a scary situation. On the bright side, the Steelers don’t have the best ability to make interceptions (only eight this season), and Chiefs QB Matt Cassel has been good at protecting the ball.

Chambers is really the only receiving threat right now, and Chambers has made an impact in a very short time with the Chiefs.

Josh Freeman (QB), Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The rookie QB shocked everyone when he defeated the Green Bay Packers in his first start of the season. He recently lost to Miami on Sunday, but Freeman has put together a respectable 4 TD and 2 INT in two starts.

We all assume that New Orleans will go to 10-0 after this week, but that doesn’t mean it will be a walk in the park. New Orleans is coming off a close 28-23 win to the lowly Rams, and in the past three weeks, the Saints are allowing a mind-boggling 415 total yds per game.

Freeman has proven he can beat a good team, and now a matchup against a clearly vulnerable New Orleans defense may produce some nice results.

Donnie Avery (WR), St. Louis Rams

It is hard to recommend a St. Louis player for your team, so this is actually a big question mark with me.

Believe it or not, Avery has four TD’s in his last five games, with at least six targets in his past two. He was able to tear through the Saints’ secondary last week for 67 yds and two scores.

This week, he is up against another weak pass defense in the form of the Cardinals. Arizona has the 3rd worst pass defense in football, and they have allowed 300+ passing yds in each of their last two games.

Am I saying that Marc Bulger is as good a QB as Matt Hasselbeck or Jay Cutler. No, of course not. But hey, Avery is the clear #1 WR in St. Louis and he has been scoring a lot recently.

Kevin Smith (RB), Detroit Lions

Smith, after a decent rookie season, has been nothing short of a disappointment to owners. He has just one 100-yd game all season, and hasn’t scored a TD since week 4. Do you know what I think he needs? A game against Cleveland!

Ah yes, the Browns. Cleveland allows over 160 rush yds per game and they have let up five rushing TD in their last four games.

Smith may not be Adrian Peterson, but even he can’t miss the chance at having a productive game this week.

San Diego Chargers Defense/Special Teams

Yes, they got torn apart last week by Donovan McNabb (450 yds, 2 TD), but the fact of the matter is that they won that game. In fact, San Diego has won four in a row, allowing an average of just 16.5 point per game.

In the past four games, San Diego has 16 sacks, five interceptions, and a fumble recovery. They have been putting an obscene amount of pressure on QB’s lately, causing plenty of turnovers.

Denver lost Kyle Orton last week to an ankle injury, and his status is up in the air for this week. If he plays, you have to think that he won’t be as effective. If he sits, then Chris Simms would start. When Simms stepped in last week, he was a pathetic 3-13 for 13 yds and an INT while being sacked three times in only two quarters of play.

Super Shocker Sleeper Pick

Dustin Keller (TE), New York Jets

Keller has been the most heavily-targeted receiver on the Jets over the past three games. He has led all Jets receivers with 26 targets and 15 catches.

Keller’s next game is an AFC East showdown with New England. Keller scored a TD in their first meeting this season all the way back in Week 2. The tight end also has at least nine targets in three of his last four games, which means that rookie QB Mark Sanchez has been leaning on Keller quite a bit recently.

New England is coming off a tough loss to Indianapolis, and their pass defense has been giving up an average of 258 pass yds over the last three weeks. The Patriots have had trouble all season pressuring opposing QB’s, as they are in the bottom-5 in the NFL in sacks.

Not to mention, the Jets already have a victory over New England this season, so it is not crazy to think that the Jets can score points against Belichick’s team.

© Pete Rampino for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | No comment
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I did it! I finally dropped Eddie Royal in both of my leagues. I am free of his crap! I feel like I’ve been in an abusive relationship for nine weeks and now have found the courage to rid myself of the pain. Oh god, just watch him take off now.

Headlines

Larry Johnson Released from Chiefs

The (former) Kansas City RB was cut from the team on Monday due to his behavior in recent weeks, most notably, using offensive homosexual slurs towards members of the press on October 26th. Jamaal Charles is the most likely recipient of the workload in the backfield.

Jason Campbell Leaves Game…Twice

Redskins QB Jason Campbell was hit repeatedly by the Falcons on Sunday, including five sacks. The constant abuse forced Campbell from the game on two separate occasions for chest and ankle injuries. Washington has given up 27 sacks this season, and it looks like Campbell will have to fight for his life to play the rest of the year.

Clinton Portis Suffers Concussion

Washington RB Clinton Portis was knocked out cold in the first quarter against Atlanta. According to Portis, he doesn’t even remember the play. Backup RB Ladell Betts filled in for the rest of the game, and it looks like Betts will get the start this Sunday against Denver.

Week 9 Top Performers

Kurt Warner (QB), Arizona Cardinals

Last week, he was in the “Duds” section, and now he has returned to greatness. After throwing five INT’s in week 8, Warner came back to throw for 261 yds and five TD’s on Sunday.

Week 10 Outlook

Arizona faces the Seahawks on Sunday. The last time the two teams met, Warner threw for 276 yds and 2 TD in the Cardinals’ 27-3 win.

Michael Turner (RB), Atlanta Falcons

The Redskins couldn’t stop Turner as he rushed for a season-high 166 yds and 2 TD.

Week 10 Outlook

Turner has now rushed for 150+ yds in two straight games, and he gets a crack at Carolina’s 23rd ranked rush defense. The Panthers allow only 181 pass yds per game, so don’t expect Matt Ryan to throw it too much, especially since Turner is on fire.

Larry Fitzgerald (WR), Arizona Cardinals

Fitzy turned in his best game of the season with 123 receiving yds and 2 TD.

Week 10 Outlook

Believe it or not, this was only Fitzgerald’s second 100-yd game of the year. He faces Seattle this Sunday, and during their last meeting in week 6, Fitzgerald had his other 100-yd game of the year.

Greg Olsen (TE), Chicago Bears

All three of Jay Cutler’s TD passes went to Olsen who had a total of 71 yds and three scores against Arizona.

Week 10 Outlook

Before that game, Olsen had 3 TD’s in the previous seven games combined, so don’t think this is a regular thing. However, Olsen may be in store for a cheap TD this week against San Francisco. The 49ers have lost four in a row, with an average of 271 pass yds allowed per game.

Olindo Mare (K), Seattle Seahawks

Mare was a perfect 4/4 on field goals and a perfect 2/2 on extra points against the Lions.

Week 10 Outlook

In his last game against Arizona, Mare made just one field goal, and the Cardinals have allowed just eight field goals all season.

Tampa Bay Defense/Special Teams

Yeah, you read that correctly. The Buccaneers turned into fantasy’s best defense on Sunday. Even though they allowed 28 points, they still managed to collect six sacks, three interceptions, and 2 TD.

Week 10 Outlook

Even though they had a good game (for fantasy purposes), Tampa Bay is still Tampa Bay. When their rush defense (163 yds allowed per game) meets the 4th best rushing offense in football in the form of the Miami Dolphins, they won’t find themselves in this section next week.

Week 9 Duds

Joe Flacco (QB), Baltimore Ravens

Flacco failed to throw a TD pass for the first time all season as Cincinnati held him to 195 yds with 2 INT’s.

Week 10 Outlook

A bounce back game is in store for Flacco as he faces Cleveland. The Browns own the 22nd ranked pass defense in football and they only have 4 INT’s on the season. Plus, the last time they faced each other (week 3), Flacco threw for 342 yds.

Brandon Jacobs (RB), New York Giants

Jacobs once again failed to return your investment on him as he rushed for 67 yds and no scores.

Week 10 Outlook

Jacobs does not have a 100-yd game this season, so hopefully the bye week can get him well rested for a week 11 game against the Falcons.

Marques Colston (WR), New Orleans Saints

Colston snapped his scoring streak at three games as he failed to find the endzone while accumulating only 45 yds.

Week 10 Outlook

Colston and the Saints get to set a scoring record as they face the Rams. That’s all the advice I need to give on the matter…Drew Brees+St. Louis Defense=KABOOM!!!!!

Fred Davis (TE), Washington Redskins

After taking over for Chris Cooley, Davis has 78 yds and a TD in week 7, so expectations were high. Instead, we were let down as Davis caught two passes for 26 yds and no scores.

Week 10 Outlook

Expect another lackluster performance as Washington opposes the Broncos. Despite their recent struggles, Denver still owns a tough pass defense that allows only 183 pass yds per game.

Nate Kaeding (K), San Diego Chargers

Kaeding once again wasn’t given enough/any opportunities as he failed to make a field goal, and came away with only three extra points on the day.

Week 10 Outlook

Kaeding had made 14 field goals over his first six games, but has fallen into nothing with just one field goal in the past two weeks. The struggles will continue if San Diego doesn’t give him opportunities, plus the Eagles have allowed just eight field goals all year.

Green Bay Defense/Special Teams

The Packers find themselves here for the 2nd straight week as they allowed 32 points (to Tampa Bay!!!) with just one sack and one pick.

Week 10 Outlook

After a stellar season, the Packers defense has allowed 62 points in their past two games. It won’t be any easier against the Cowboys. Dallas has won four games in a row, thanks to their rushing offense (8th best in NFL) and Tony Romo throwing 7 TD’s in the past three games.

Unexpected Stars

Josh Freeman (QB), Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The rookie, making his first start of the season, led the Bucs to their first win of the season over Green Bay as he threw for 205 yds and 3 TD.

Week 10 Outlook

Is there a chance for two wins in a row? I can’t answer that, but Tampa Bay’s matchup against the Dolphins defense looks pretty decent. Miami has the fifth worst pass defense in football with 246 pass yds allowed per game, which includes three straight weeks of 250+ pass yds allowed.

Chris Chambers (WR), Kansas City Chiefs

With less than a week of practice with the Chiefs, Chambers ended up being the best WR for Kansas City as he hauled in three passes for 70 yds and 2 TD.

Week 10 Outlook

Hopefully this game means that Matt Cassel has someone to rely on in the passing game. This Sunday against Oakland, the Raiders will most likely put All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on Dwayne Bowe, leaving Chambers open for most of the looks.

Matt Cassel (QB), Kansas City Chiefs

Cassel turned in his best performance of the season with 262 yds and 2 TD.

Week 10 Outlook

OK, so Cassel’s TD passes came in the final 2:32 of the game. He gets most of stats in garbage time anyways. He faces another easy matchup against Oakland. Oakland once again has a decent pass defense with 212 pass yds allowed per game. Now that Cassel has a chemistry with Chris Chambers, expect a more than decent showing from him this Sunday.

Ladell Betts (RB), Washington Redskins

With Portis out, Betts carried 15 times for 70 yds and a TD.

Week 10 Outlook

The Broncos have a top-10 rush defense, but they have allowed teams to run for over 120 yds in back-to-back games, with Pittsburgh’s Rashard Mendenhall ripping Denver open for 155 rush yds on Monday night.

Mike Wallace (WR), Pittsburgh Steelers

Wallace turned in another solid game with 69 yds and a TD.

Week 10 Outlook

Wallace has scored a TD in three of his past four games, and now he goes up against the Bengals this Sunday. Cincinnati has the 8th worst pass defense with 241 pass yds allowed per game, and Wallace seems to have a nose for the endzone.

Sports of Boston Football League

• I am over .500 again as I improve to 5-4 with a 121.26-110.60 win.
• SoB’s Teddy has won four weeks in a row and has become the leading scorer in the league.
• Recent pickups include: LenDale White, Fred Davis, Chris Chambers, Brady Quinn, Ladell Betts, Johnny Knox, and Kevin Boss.

© Pete Rampino for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Fantasy, Featured.

I will be previewing the top players at each position up until draft time. In this edition, let’s take a look at quarterbacks.

Matthew Stafford

Height: 6-3
Weight: 237
College: Georgia

Strengths: The 21-year-old to be, Stafford, has consistently improved each year at the University of Georgia. In his junior season, Stafford completed 61.1% of his passes with 3,209 yards and 22 touchdowns. The Bulldogs did not have to rely on Stafford’s arm all that much during the last two seasons because of their powerful running game headed by Knowshon Moreno.

Stafford possesses arm strength that mirrors Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. Because of his arm strength, Stafford is a very, very sound on his passes out of the pocket in bootleg play calls. Although he doesn’t scramble much, Stafford can when his opponent is sleeping. He won’t run a flashy 40-yard dash but think of him as a poor man’s Matt Cassel when he leaves the pocket. Stafford would prefer to throw the ball and throw it deep. Coming from such a conventional offense at Georgia, the transition to the NFL shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

Weaknesses: In one of the biggest games of the season, against Florida, Stafford threw three interceptions and was out of rhythm for the duration of the game. Stafford, as matter of fact, only had two games where he threw more than two touchdowns, thus showing his inconsistency. He rarely puts together two great performances. Instead, he will have one great game, follow it up by an OK showing, then bam, there’s a bad game from Stafford.

Stafford also struggles looking off defenders. He tends to lock in on his receiver immediately, however, that is a lingering problem with all young quarterbacks today. Playing at Georgia, Stafford has terrific talent around him, which include Moreno and a couple of NFL prospects at the wide receiver position. When he gets to the professional level he must learn to take some off of his fastball. He hasn’t shown that he has any type of touch on the intermediate routes, and that’s something he had to develop.

Overall: Stafford has been highly touted for a while now and teams looking for quarterbacks will drool over his tools. If he can become more consistent and learn behind a veteran quarterback, then he can be a very good player in the NFL, however, he can’t be thrown into the frey right away because he could very well have an Alex Smith-type rookie season. Stafford must command the field better and widen his vision of the field.

Projected Round: 1st (Top 10)

Mark Sanchez

Height: 6-3
Weight: 225
College: University of Southern California

Strengths: Sanchez is a true leader who has followed a great line of USC quarterbacks that included Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and John David Booty. Pete Carroll has done a masterful job in developing great professional athletes and that only benefits Sanchez. His football IQ is very high and he should grasp the offensive playbook very early in his career.

Although he isn’t flashy, he is a winner who is very durable. He is that quarterback who would do less, stats wise, for the better of the team. Even though his stats aren’t great, Sanchez is very consistent and he rarely has a below-average game. Playing in a pro-style offense is a huge help for Sanchez, as he can come right in and play as a rookie. He threw for 30 touchdown passes this season, but he only netted 2,794 yards, showing that he’s very effective throwing out of the pocket.

Weaknesses: When it comes to accuracy, Sanchez needs a lot of work. USC, year in and year ou t, has the most talented roster and that was the case during this past season. There is a question regarding whether or Sanchez’s ceiling is rather short. His potential is rather limited. Even though the USC offensive line is one of the better lines in the country, Sanchez holds onto the ball way too long. So long that is it actually irritating to watch, he rarely throws the ball away, therefore he forces it or takes the sack, or in some case, finds one of the speedsters on the outside. Sanchez has failed to put up big numbers, with the talent around him, so that could be a concern for scouts.

Overall: Sanchez is an NFL-ready quarterback, like every other USC QB under Pete Carroll. He does need work, like any other young quarterback, but his pure leadership alone will make him a fan favorite for years to come. He will win the locker room over and do anything for his team. Again, his potential is limited, and I don’t know if he will ever be a great NFL quarterback. If anything else, he will be the type of player who has the opportunity to start some years and back up during other years.

Projected Round: Mid-Late 1st

Josh Freeman

Height: 6-6
Weight: 250
College: Kansas State

Strengths: At just 20 years old, one thing is apparent when looking at Freeman. Well, he’s 20 years old. Don’t laugh, because that could be one of his better strengths. Being so young will allow him to develop nicely behind a veteran quarterback for a couple of seasons. His real strength however, could be his arm strength where I rank him second behind Matthew Stafford. His quick feet and release allow him to get the ball out in a fast fashion and set up deep.

Now at 6-6, 250 pounds, Freeman is a big fella who can either spread the field or scramble if you leave him open. Kansas State isn’t exactly the hot spot for NFL talent and Freeman knows that. Because of his porous offensive line, Freeman was often roaming outside of the pocket, so if you place him behind a good offensive line he could flourish.

Weaknesses: After a great sophomore season many, including myself, thought that Freeman was going to have a terrific junior year. Well, that wasn’t the case. His numbers declined and it appeared that he regressed. Kansas State was in the mist of a five-game losing streak in the middle of the season when the team looked for Freeman to step up, he was nowhere to be found. He disappeared and so did his fellow teammates. He still needs to mature and play within his skill set. Also, Freeman must work on his accuracy on the shorter routes if he wants to be more of a complete quarterback.

Overall: A true boom or bust type prospect. Freeman was highly touted coming out of high school but hasn’t really lived up to that hype. It’s imperative for him to have a very good coach behind him along with a corp of solid wide receivers. You won’t hear from Freeman for a very long time, I can tell you that much. He’ll be one of those players that gets drafted and doesn’t see the field for four seasons, but again, his age could be his best strength. He has so much potential and he just needs that right system to be a successful football player.

Projected Round: 1st round

© Matthew Marcantonio for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Patriots.