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.

Let’s be frank.  The New England Patriots had their chance to stop the Colts from making a run at its record 21 straight regular season wins.  They blew it.  Since then, The Colts struggled against the Ravens and, thanks to Ed Reed’s stupidity, squeaked away with a win.  Then they appeared to be getting blown out against the Texans, only to have Matt Schaub literally hand the Colts the game.  So the Colts last three wins have turned out like this:

• Win #18 – Bone-headed fourth and 2 two, turns into Colts win
• Win #19 – Bone-headed lateral/fumble, turns into Colts win
• Win #20 – Texans collapse, turns into Colts win

So then what happens when I say this.  The Colts will look to tie New England’s 21 straight by taking on a team that started 0-6.  Wow, guarantee the Colts the game.  However, there’s an underlying story here, something that seems to get more media attention then the Colts run at history.  The Tennessee Titans have turned their hopeless season around and have emerged as the unlikely savior for the Patriots.

LET’S GO TITANS!!!

Lets go back to Week 7.  The Titans have just been torn to shreds by the Patriots, 59-0.  Tennessee owner Bud Adams says he wants Vince Young to start, even though Jeff Fisher still wants Kerry Collins.  Collins is coming off a game where he threw for negative seven yards.  (NEGATIVE SEVEN!!!)  The talk of the league is how a team that last year started 10-0, is now 0-6.  Fisher’s job was as good as gone (he even wore a Peyton Manning jersey to “feel like a winner”), the defense needed a reboot, and the whole franchise was about to be started over from scratch.  So, why not start Young?

Then something happened, the team came together.  Better late then never I guess.  Young came in to just win games.  Chris Johnson, who was the only bright spot during the 0-6 run, is now chasing the single season rushing mark.  Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, and Justin Gage seem like a top level receiving unit.  The defense has reemerged and Tony Brown, Jason Jones and Kyle Vanden Bosch have made the Titans faithful forget about Albert Haynesworth.  They have become the first team ever to start 0-6 and win their next five.  They are almost at .500 and are fighting for a playoff sport.  So there is really one question that remains to be answered…

CAN THE TITANS REALLY BEAT THE COLTS?

The simple answer is yes and they should.  The Colts have already clinched a playoff spot, and the AFC South.  They have made it clear that they do not care about the perfect season, just the Super Bowl.  The Colts will play it safe, but hard enough to make sure they get home field throughout the playoffs.  Also, Peyton Manning is going to be great, but without a running game, he will be more likely to play it safe.  Just watch out if they’re trailing in the fourth.  The Colts have set the record for five straight wins after trailing in the fourth quarter.

Still, it may not even be close.  Before that New England game, the Titans got trampled by the Colts at home, 31-9.  Johnson was held to a season-low 34 yards.  This time around, the Titans will look for retribution against their division rivals.  They need a win to keep up in the playoff race and the only streak they want to keep going is Vince Young’s nine straight wins as a starter.  Tennessee is coming off a 99-yard touchdown drive to beat Arizona, expect that momentum to follow.

CAN I REALLY CHEER FOR THE TITANS?

New England fans should be required to.  The 21 straight wins is more important then the perfect regular season.  To have that consistency over two seasons is the true meaning of perfection.  You may not have to love the Titans, or give a damn about Vince Young after Sunday, but for one day it’s time to root for the Titans.  For New England to keep their record intact, they might need a miracle…

© Teddy for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Patriots.

Tennessee Titans (0-5) at New England Patriots (3-2)

Time: 4:15 EST
Where: Gillettle Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts
TV: CBS
Radio: 98.5 FM – The Sports Hub

The Patriots are coming off a disappointing loss to the Broncos. Currently, New England is sitting even in the AFC East with the New York Jets with a 3-2 record. Every week, the Pats have seen an unbeaten team, but now they are looking at a different scenario. For the first time this season, New England will face a winless opponent in the highly disappointing Tennessee Titans.

Meet the Titans

Last season they were the talk of the town. Coming out of nowhere, the Titans were the top team in the NFL with a 13-3 record, including starting the season on a ten-game winning streak. Everything was going fine, until they lost to the Ravens in their first playoff game. Since then, Jeff Fisher’s team has struggled out of the gates and has lost its winning ways.

Kerry Collins is the de-facto leader of the offense. Last season was one of the finest in his fifteen season, earning him his second Pro Bowl appearance. However, it’s not smooth sailing in Tennessee anymore. Collins is second in the league in interceptions, behind only Jake Delhomme, and he has one of the worst passer ratings in the league. The Titans offense comes from it’s running game. What was supposed to be a one-two punch has turned into an uneven attack. Chris Johnson does it all, including a 197-yard rushing game against Houston, which featured a 91-yard rush. He is one of the best runners in the league and is already just shy of 500 rushing yards. However, all the offseason talk was on LenDale White, who was supposed to be in the best shape of his life following his no-tequila diet. However, he has yet to show any of the running back we saw last season, which puts all the pressure on Johnson’s shoulder.

When Albert Haynesworth left for Washington, everyone thought the Titans defense would be hurting, but no one expected this. Tennessee’s defense ranks towards the bottom, giving up 363 yards a game. Stephen Tulloch and Keith Bulluck have kept the linebacking unit stable, but the defensive line and especially the secondary have been struggling. Several wide receivers, including Houston’s Andre Johnson and Jacksonville’s Mike Sims-Walker, have made big plays and burned the secondary. Considering that the secondary will be without Cortland Finnegan and Nick Harper this week, it is just another Titans weakness that can be exploited. The Titans need their former Pro Bowlers Kyle Vanden Bosch and Javon Kearse and fellow linemen Tony Brown and Jason Jones to get going and take pressure off the secondary, for the Titans to have a shot at their first win.

Five Things The Patriots Have To Do:

Simple: Go Deep, Go Often

New England has not had a pass over 40 yards this season. Tennessee has allowed those long passes and ranks 31st in the league against the pass. All those signs point to one thing: go deep. With Nick Harper and Cortland Finnegan out for the Titans, this is the perfect opportunity for Randy Moss to add to his touchdown total on the season (he has just 1 TD). With a stellar linebacking unit, Wes Welker’s slot receiving role might be reduced and instead look for New England to finally let loose and go deep.

Of course, that only goes as far as Tom Brady is willing. Everything was expected to be fine since his return, but in five games this season, Brady has a season-best completion of 36 yards. Going deep might be a good strategy, but consistency is more important. Brady was 5-14 in the second half against Denver last week. If he has too many misses, the Patriots offense won’t have enough time to do anything productive.

Stop Johnson at All Costs

There’s no secret to the Titans offensive success this season, Chris Johnson. His 197 rushing yards again Houston were spectacular, but considering that Tennessee still lost the game, it shows where this team stands. He has the ability to stop and go at any pace, and the speed to burn any one in the NFL. If you can not stop him at the line, then he will tear you up for big yardage.

That is why the defensive plays an important role this week, especially the linebackers. It was nice for New England fans to see Jerod May return last week. His six tackles were a great sign of recovery from someone who had an MCL injury just a few weeks ago. Another great sign will be the return of Junior Seau. Even if he doesn’t suit up, his role on the sideline might be enough to mentor men like Gary Guyton to step up and play harder. Johnson’s running lanes need to be plugged by Mayo, Guyton, Adalius Thomas and Pierre Woods, or else they will be seeing a lot of Johnson’s backside while he runs towards the end-zone.

Get to Collins

Although the Patriots only have ten sacks on the season, tied for 14th, they are good at getting pressure on the quarterbacks. However, when they sit back and relax, things get bad. Denver’s Kyle Orton was able to crush the Patriots last week, going 35 for 48 for 330 yards. Do not expect a repeat this week. Pressure on Kerry Collins usually causes the quarterback to make costly mistakes. The Titans offensive line can be beat and Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright and Tully Banta-Cain need to keep the pressure coming to cause some guaranteed Collins’ errors.

However, those mistakes need to be capitalized on, and that’s where the secondary comes into play. Most of the Patriots top tacklers are from the secondary. Brandon Meriweather, Brandon McGowan, Shawn Springs, Leigh Bodden and James Sanders are all in the top nine for tackles on the season. However, their two interceptions are tied for a league worst. Last week, the Patriots handed Kyle Orton his only interception on the season, but it was caught by Randy Moss on a hail mary play at the end of the first half. It’s nice that New England secondary ties receivers up, but every now and then, those receivers break away for big plays, ala Brandon Marshall last week. Should Collins throw one up for grabs, it needs to be the Patriots secondary coming down with the errant pass.

Keep the Running Game Running

He might have not played last week, but Fred Taylor is still the Patriots leading rusher with 201 yards. In his absence, Sammy Morris had his best game of the season with a dismal 68-yard performance, but it was against a strong rush defense of the Broncos. With injuries to Nick Kazur and Steven Neal, and Matt Light also expected to be out, it would be the logical choice for the Patriots to abandon the running game and just look for those deep passes.

However, those deep routes only open up with the presence of a running game. The Titans defense is third in the league at stopping the run, giving up only 75 rushing yards a game. With Tom Brady’s inconsistency, the best way to keep the clock moving is to get one running back moving, should it be Laurence Maroney or Sammy Morris. Sure Chris Johnson has more rushing yards then Maroney and Morris, combined…and then doubled, but that doesn’t mean either back can’t perform enough to keep the chains moving and help the Patriots control the time of possession.

The Battle Through the Air

It would be nice to say that the Patriots have the better receivers outright, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Kenny Britt is the Titans top receiver and can be a dangerous deep threat for the team, but he isn’t the only Tennessee weapon. Nate Washington and Justin Gage are two receivers who can also step up and make big plays when needed. Washington had a streak of three straight games with a touchdown broken last week, but he will be looking to start a new one on Sunday. Tight ends Alge Crumpler and Bo Scaife both have over 100 yards receiving and Chris Johnson rounds out the dangerous receiving lineup, with 126 receiving yards of his own. The Patriots defense will worry about them, but the NE offense has also few weapons of their own.

Randy Moss has to be disappointed. He was the league’s top receiver a few weeks ago, but has since dropped to seventh after two unproductive weeks. He knows this Tennessee secondary can be burned and expect him to have a career day should he see the ball. Wes Welker seems to be getting back into routine, and is improving each week. He will have to step up his game if he wants to have a third straight 100-reception season. The biggest surprise could be Benjamin Watson, who is third on the team in receiving yard (187 yards), but first in touchdowns (3). The man to watch, however, is Kevin Faulk, who is five receptions away from being the 26th running back in history with 400 catches. Knowing that the Titans run defense is strong, the receivers need to pull everything in and make the big plays down the field.

What to Expect

New England has to make it clear they will not give up on the run this week. By maintaining a running game, the Patriots can allow their receivers to see single coverage, except Moss who is most likely to be doubled all game. On the other side of the ball, the key is rushing Kerry Collins. The Pats need to cause him to make mistakes to the point where the Titans might finally resurrect the Vince Young era. By keeping the ball out of Chris Johnson’s hands, and in Collins’, New England should cruise to their fourth victory of the season. Prediction: New England 28, Tennessee 13.

© Teddy for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Patriots, Top Story.

By now, many of your fantasy football drafts probably have come and gone. Sure, your Labor Day weekend may feature a last minute draft or two, but at this point, your teams are most likely drafted and you’re just sitting back, waiting for Thursday’s kickoff to the season.

But if you are sitting back, you could miss out on some very important late news about guys on your roster, or players who will affect guys on your roster. With just days remaining before the culmination of the NFL schedule, several battles continue to wage on throughout the league. So this week, in the last of my Fantasy Football Draft Prep articles, I dive head first into 11 of the depth chart battles that will impact the fantasy football world most.

The Starting 11 – Depth Chart Battles

1 – Giants’ WRs

With the absence of Plaxico Burress, QB Eli Manning’s targets will be spread across a handful of breakout hopefuls, the likes of Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Domenik Hixon, and Sinorice Moss. All four of these guys have upside, but none of them should be drafted early in your fantasy drafts. Until one or two of them break out as productive starters, look elsewhere for WR production.

2 – Titans’ WRs

Tennessee brought in ex-Steeler Nate Washington to bolster their wide receiver corps for this year, but with a banged up hamstring, Washington’s health makes him questionable for the season opener. Also on the roster is incumbent starter Justin Gage, along with the rookie from Rutgers, Kenny Britt. Washington and Gage are both worth a late-round pick and could provide some upside as a #3 WR, while Kenny Britt is only worth a flier pick in deep leagues or rookie-only leagues.

3 – Ravens’ RBs

The veteran Willis McGahee will most likely move aside this year as Ray Rice has been given every chance to emerge as Baltimore’s primary back. Also on the roster is Le’Ron McClain, a goal line bruiser who could steal some red zone carries away from both Rice and McGahee. Look at Rice in the middle rounds as a #3 RB, while McGahee and McClain are no more than late-round flier picks.

4 – Bucs’ RBs

Tampa Bay’s offense is in the middle of a messy transition, as evident by this week’s firing of new offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski. New head coach Raheem Morris has said he’s committed to becoming a downhill rushing team, which could bode well for newcomer Derrick Ward, and returning rushers Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams.

Ward was a 1,000-yard rusher a year ago for the Giants, and I’ve got to believe he’ll be the one that Morris ultimately turns to and leans on most. Consider Ward a low-end #2 RB, while Graham could be seen as a #3 or #4. As of now, I don’t see the Cadillac leaving the garage too much this year.

5 – Seahawks’ RBs

We thought this would be a Julius Jones vs. T.J. Duckett battle going into the year, but the exit of Duckett and the entrance of veteran Edgerrin James shakes up the Seahawks backfield picture even more. New head coach Jim Mora Jr. has tabbed Jones as his #1 back, calling him his “top dog.” Jones just isn’t that good though, plain and simple. Don’t think of Jones as anything more than a #3 RB, while James isn’t worth picking up yet either, unless an injury comes Jones’ way.

6 – Browns’ QBs

Am I really going to talk about the fantasy value of members of the Cleveland Browns? Sure, why not, I’ve got some time to kill. Head coach Eric Mangini is keeping his QB decision very close to the vest, nearly splitting the playing time for Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson right down the middle this preseason. My money’s on Quinn to start Week 1 vs. Minnesota, but that doesn’t mean you should rush to grab B.Q. for your QB. Neither Quinn nor Anderson have much fantasy value, leave them on the waiver wire and look elsewhere for your backup QB.

7 – Browns’ RBs

Huh? Another Browns section? Really? Be honest, you’ll still read this. The Browns are like a multi-car accident on the side of the road…they’re so disgustingly awful you can’t help but pay attention to what a mess they are. And so now we turn to Cleveland’s backfield tandem of veteran Jamal Lewis, backup Jerome Harrison, and rookie James Davis. Rumors say Lewis may not even make the Cleveland roster, as his cap figure is a little high. Keep your eye on this situation this weekend leading up to Week 1, as whomever Mangini names as his starting back, would be worth grabbing as a #3 RB.

8 – Jets’ RBs

The Jets will feature a trio of quality backs this season, led by veteran Thomas Jones and the smaller pass-catching back, Leon Washington. Add to that Iowa rookie Shonn Greene, and the Jets should fly less through the air, but more on the ground. Jones and Washington both have #2 RB potential, while Greene is worth a late-round flier pick in standard leagues and has first-round value in rookie-only leagues.

9 – Lions’ QBs

Detroit’s new head coach Jim Schwartz has a decision to make, and may not make his choice until just days before his team’s Week 1 game. Does he go with top overall pick Matthew Stafford right off the bat, or instead ride Daunte Culpepper’s veteran arm until mid-season and then make the switch? Whichever way he goes, neither player is worth a pick in your standard fantasy league draft. Come mid-season, when you’re looking for a bye-week replacement for your starter, maybe, but let this position battle sort itself out before you commit to either one.

10 – Broncos’ WRs

Until Denver’s “Marshall Plan” is sorted out, the fantasy value of all of the Denver Broncos aren’t etched in stone. If Marshall continues to remain off the field once the regular season begins, the players most likely to benefit will be Eddie Royal and former Patriot Jabar Gaffney, who will likely step into a starting role if Brandon Marshall remains sidelined. Stay on top of this story, especially if you own any Broncos.

11 – Patriots’ RBs

Bill Belichick has featured a very busy backfield in the preseason, with as many as 5 different backs in play when it comes to fantasy value. Led by Fred Taylor and Laurence Maroney, complimented by Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and the young BenJarvus Green-Ellis, it’s anybody’s guess who will bear the brunt of the workload for the Pats’ ground attack this season. Taylor and Maroney can be considered for your #3 RB spot, but beyond that, the other three can’t be relied upon as any more than a flier pick for depth.

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

JaMarcus Russel Still Battling Injury

Oakland QB JaMarcus Russel has been nursing an ankle injury over the past two weeks. It made him miss  Week 10 against Carolina and it took him out of the Week 11 game against Miami. Keep an eye on it if you play Russell every week. Although, I don’t know why you would.

Brandon Jacobs Likely Out For Sunday

KFFL is reporting that New York Giants RB Brandon Jacobs is more than likely to sit out Sunday against the Cardinals. Jacobs said he could play if he wanted to to but, the team probably won’t rush him back.

Romo Returns, Still Rusty

Dallas QB Tony Romo, who has missed three games with a broken pinkie, was back on the field on Sunday. He was wearing a splint on his finger and had an uneventful game with 198 yds, a TD, and 2 INT.

Week 11 Top Performers

Matt Cassel (QB), New England Patriots: With no ground game, Cassell carried the offense on his back with 400 yds and 3 TD. He threw in 62 rush yds for good measure.

• Week 12 Outlook: The Dolphins are next in line. Miami doesn’t allow many rushing yds (91.3), so Cassel will shoulder the load again.

Justin Gage (WR), Tennessee Titans: Gage had more yds on Sunday (147) than he had in his three previous games combined. He also had 2 TD.

• Week 12 Outlook: With the Titans running game stalling, Tennessee faces a Jets defense that gives up only 81.3 rush yds per game. So, expect Kerry Collins to keep throwing the ball.

Joseph Addai (RB), Indianapolis Colts: Addai got his first 100-yd game of the season when he ran for 105 yds and a TD. He added a receiving TD to his day too.

• Week 12 Outlook: Another big day could be in store for Addai and the Colts when they face the Chargers. San Diego allows 22.9 points and 105.2 rush yds per game.

Week 11 Duds

Philip Rivers (QB), San Diego Chargers: it was not the best day for Rivers, who threw for 159 yds and 2 INT.

• Week 12 Outlook: Sunday’s game against the Colts could be a shootout. The Colts allow 22.4 points per game, but they give up less than 200 pass yds per game.

Andre Johnson (WR), Houston Texans: Johnson had a tough time against the Colts with just 4 catches for 55 yds.

• Week 12 Outlook: After 32 catches and 462 yds in Weeks 6-8, Johnson only has 18 catches and 183 yds in his past three games. Houston faces a Cleveland defense that is decent against the pass (219 yds allowed per game) and terrible against the run (149 yds allowed per game). So expect Houston to run it a lot.

Clinton Portis (RB), Washington Redskins: After resting a knee injury, Portis carried 15 times for only 68 yds and zero TD.

• Week 12 Outlook: Portis should get back on track against a Seahawks defense that surrenders 115.5 rush yds per game.

Unexpected Stars

Kevin Smith (RB), Detroit Lions: The Rookie has finally stopped splitting carries and showed he is up to the task with 112 rush yds.

• Week 12 Outlook: Smith will hit a road block in the form of Tampa Bay. The Bucs allow under 100 rush yds per game.

Pierre Thomas (RB), New Orleans Saints: Thomas put together 88 rush yds and a TD along with 56 receiving yds against the Chiefs

• Week 12 Outlook: The New Orleans ground game could explode against Green Bay. The Packers give up 147.4 rush yds per game.

Peyton Hillis (RB), Denver Broncos: Hills only had 10 carries for 44 yds but, he made each carry count with 2 TD.

• Week 12 Outlook: Denver doesn’t run a lot anymore. However, they face Oakland in Week 12 and the Raiders are absolutely terrible against the run. They give up over 160 rush yds per week.

Sports of Boston Friends and Family League

• Not only did I win my matchup, I scored the most points in the league last week when I won 131.86-65.34. I’d like to thank Michael Turner, Joseph Addai, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. I sit in 4th place.
• KC remains in first with a victory over WickedPissaDude by a score of 103.46-92.78.
• The last trade of the season went through when SoB’s Chris traded Matt Cassell and Kevin Walter to SoB’s Jeff for Roddy White.
• Recent pickups include: Carnell Williams, Joe Nedney, Michael Jenkins, Miami Defense, Ricky Williams, and Matt Bryant.

© Pete Rampino for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Fantasy, Featured.

So in order to remedy your empty WR slot on your team, maybe you should take a look at this Sunday’s matchups to see what WR can put up serviceable numbers in place of Marques Colston. Lucky for you, I have already done it for you.

Antwaan Randle El, Washington Redskins: Randle El hauled in 7 catches for 73 yds last week against the Giants thus proving his worth on the Redskins as a #2 threat. If Santana Moss is double covered then Randle El could see more looks like he did against New York.

Washington faces the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. The Saints gave up 221 yds and a TD to Jeff Garcia in Week 1. Even though Jason Campbell isn’t an elite QB, the Redskins still post more offensive weapons than the Bucs did and that makes their offense in Week 2 more apt to scoring. Plus, with Drew Brees and that offense combined with their mediocre defense, don’t be surprised if the game is a shootout.

Bryant Johnson, San Francisco 49ers: Bryant had a very quiet Week 1 with three catches for 48 yds. If nothing else, you can like him for being in a Mike Martz offense that made a 1,000+ yd receiver out of Mike Furrey in 2006 and a 943 yd receiver out of Shaun McDonald in 2007.

The 49ers face the Seattle Seahawks who let Trent freakin’ Edwards throw all over them in Week 1 with 215 yds and a TD. The Seattle D only sacked Edwards once which indicates very poor pass rushing. Johnson was the most targeted WR on the 49ers in Week 1 and seems to be J.T. O’Sullivan’s go-to guy.

Justin Gage, Tennessee Titans: With Vince Young out for Week 2, Kerry Collins will get the start. In Week 1, Collins came in for an injured Young and completed two passes, one was to Gage for 21 yds. Those 21 yds accounted for Gage’s 25 yds on the day.

The Titans face the Bengals in Week 2 which is looking like a blowout by the Titans. The Bengals D gave up over 350 yds to the Ravens last week and aren’t poised to do a complete 180 overnight and shut down Tennessee. Based on their brief connection in Week 1, I think Collins will see Gage as his #1 instead of TE Bo Scaife who was a benefactor of a scrambling QB.

© Pete Rampino for Sports of Boston, 2008. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Fantasy, Featured.