Crazy Gabey's Week Eight Pick Ups

By: Gabriel Harber

What’s going on here?

The Saints beat the Colts by 437 points, then lost to the Rams by a bruised ego.  The Cowboys beat the Rams handily the week before, then got shellacked by the Eagles, who were supposed to be in disarray.  The Colts took the Steelers to the wire a few weeks back, and the Steelers beat the Patriots, who had to come from behind to beat the Cowboys.  Oh, and I forgot to mention that the Steelers edged out the Jaguars, who grinded out the Ravens, who hobblestomped the Steelers week 1.

Making sense yet?  Of course it does.

You see, by using the transitive property of fantasy football congruence, and multiplying pi times the quadratic formula we arrive at the eventual champi…………..

Nevermind, I have no clue what the hell I’m talking about.  Let’s just get to the pickups.

 
Smoke and Mirrors

Brent Celek:  Don’t buy into the hype.  What you saw Sunday night was the Eagles coming off a bye week, with a specific game plan, and attacking a specific weakness on the Dallas defense.  Vick’s wide open style has proven to rarely feature tight ends and I would be looking elsewhere if I needed help.

Laurent Robinson:  Robinson’s big day was a product of a Tony Romo shoulder shrug, not his own talent.  The Cowboys offense has 3 passing weapons atop the pecking order before Robinson, and you won’t see many games like Sunday’s too often.  You can find consistency elsewhere on the wire.

The Pick-Ups 

Roy Helu:  Shanahan went scoreless for the first time in his career, flipping the bird to all of you who thought there would finally be some predictable production in his backfield.  Torain ran like he had cement shoes on, and with the ‘Skins season quickly slipping away, they’ll have to pull out all the stops soon.  Helu is the most natural talent at running back, and with his pass catching abilities could become a force if given the touches. (Note: Redskins later went on to claim Tashard Choice from waivers)

Maurice Morris:  Morris delivered for everyone who chose to take a gamble on him, gaining 58 yards and touchdown.  What impressed me the most was his 4.5 yards per carry which is exactly what the Lions need to take the pressure off of Mathew Stafford.  Best is notorious for durability issues, and even when he comes back I could easily see Morris getting 10-15 touches a games.  That, coupled with the injury concerns for Best make him worth rostering.

Titus Young:  I know his big play had more to do with a defensive breakdown than skill, but as I mentioned above, if Detroit continues to establish some sort of running presence then Young will be worth rostering in deeper formats.  It helps that Detroit wide receivers have a great schedule the rest of the way.

Deion Branch:  You know exactly what you’re getting here, so temper your expectations.  Branch’s value is directly tied to Brady’s success, and as long as the Pats are throwing Branch should get you in between six to twelve points a game.

Javon Ringer:  No one saw this coming, but since it’s here, we might as well chat about it.  CJ(insert number here)K is bad.  I don’t just mean he’s not playing well, I mean he just looks like he’s not a good player any more.  Ringer has been a perennial waiver wire discussion piece the past few seasons, but strictly as a handcuff to Johnson.  Now I’m advocating Ringer as the primary back, and the Titans, who are hungry for a playoff berth, will go with the hot hand to make it happen.  If losing his feature back status doesn’t light a fire under Johnson’s ass, it’s safe to say this will be a time share moving forward with Ringer being the greater value.

Kyle Orton:  Remember Jake Delhomme?  I do.  Remember how much John Fox loved Jake Delhomme?  I remember that too.  As much as I believe Tebow is the guy (yes I’m a Timmy lover), I think Fox would love a return to the traditional style of Orton and Sunday’s game may have given him exactly the out he was looking for.  Just like Delhomme was kept as Carolina’s starter far longer than he should have been, I don’t believe we’ve seen the last of Orton.  Denver has an extremely soft passing schedule from here on out which helps the upside of this play.  Grab Orton if you’re weak at quarterback and you might just hit the lottery.

Tavaris Jackson:  Maybe Jackson has Jason Terry syndrome.  After sitting out the first two drives, Tavaris came in and engineered one of the best statistical games of his career (though his no touchdowns killed his fantasy day.)  I mentioned earlier in the year that I saw quite a bit of improvement in him from last season, and to play the way he did against an unforgiving Bengals unit was impressive.  I like the outlook on Jackson moving forward.

Torrey Smith:  This kid has all the talent (and speed) in the world, and as long as he continues developing

rapport with Flacco, he could become the Lee Evans the Ravens always wanted.  His big time pressure catch was what stars are made of, and in order for the Ravens to compete in the suddenly hyper-competitive AFC North they’ll need to balance Ray Rice with a passing attack; something they’ve failed to do in previous weeks.

Antonio Brown/Emmanuel Sanders:  The Steelers' new look offense has provided a fantasy boon for owners everywhere, and if you happen to need wide receiver help I like both of these guys more than anyone else this week.  If you have to choose between the two, I would go with Brown as he seems to have more big play potential, but honestly I don’t think you can go wrong either way.

Scott Chandler:  Chandler is an interesting case because he either catches touchdowns (good) or does nothing (bad.)  I wouldn’t view him as a long term solution to the tight end position as he has only 15 catches all year, but if you’re in a deeper league and need a bye week fill-in, you could certainly do much worse than to take a gamble on the high-powered Bills offense.

Johnathan Baldwin:  Baldwin finally showed us why the Chiefs used a first round pick on him tonight, manhandling the coverage assigned to him.  He actually played better than his number indicate (and his numbers are impressive), and with Bowe and Breaston lining up alongside, this looks to be an extremely potent aerial assault.  He immediately becomes a mid-range flex play and a WR3 with upside.

Curtis Brinkley:  The Chargers backfield has been a M.A.S.H. unit this season, and with Mathews legs falling off every game (hey at least he waited until the fourth quarter this time) Brinkley was thrust into a starring role.  What I saw tonight made me question why Norv Turner has been sitting quietly on this kid all year.  He cut back, darted, leapt, and burst through holes like an elite level talent.  He even caught a difficult pass late in the fourth to move the Bolts into scoring position.  Post-game reports have him being examined for a concussion so be sure to monitor his status throughout the week, but it’s tough to not advise an add when you combine Mathews’ health and Tolbert’s general ineffectiveness.  Should either running back miss significant time Brinkley would become an overnight RB2 play. (Edit: Curtis Brinkley has a concussion.)

Good luck figuring out what the next week holds and see you back here.  Until then I’ll be using my TI-84 to perfect my lineups. Check out my Twitter for all of your troubles.

Week 8 Game Analysis

By: Christian Hardy

The week leading up to the lineup of games in week 8 was quite hectic, as always. There were probably, oh, 2,000 injuries or so (just a number I'm throwing out there..), then there was "Tebowing", and then finally there was the World Series, and what a World Series it was. I know you are asking, "Seriously, baseball?" Yes. The series was one of the best ever, and there is no denying it. So, let's salute. Let's sail away from baseball and jump right onto football.

Source

We've got the NFL worst, Rams, taking on one of the highest flying teams in football right now, the Saints. We also have the Lions heading over to Mile High to take on Tim Tebow; not the Broncos, but just Tim Tebow. Then on Sunday night we have one of the most heated rivalries in the NFL today in the Eagles-Cowboys tilt. Last but not least, on Monday Night we have the Chiefs, in Arrowhead Stadium, taking on the San Diego Chargers. With all of that being said, let's move on to some of the games for this week.

I just wanted to give you guys a real quick heads up on what is going on this week for this article. Taylor Stuber (@TaylorStuber on Twitter) has given me is picks, so when you see "Christian's Pick" on one line, and then "Taylor's pick" on the other, those are each of our separate picks. On my twitter feed, there will be updates on our win-loss record for the week. Also, I am not going to do "What I am Watching for" on every game, unless there is things to watch in those games. So the games that matter (example: Steelers vs Patriots) will have something to watch. Otherwise, it will just be the line, the over/under, game time, and start/sits. If you click out the title of the game then you will be redirected to the Pro Football Focus game preview for that game. Let's get started.

Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans

1:00 PM EST - CSB

Line: Titans by 8.5

Over/Under: 43.5

Start

Matt Hasselbeck - Hasselbeck hasn't been putting up great numbers (and that could of been expected) with a combined 16 points in his last two games, and four points in his last game. This week, against the Colts, he has a great matchup, and I would have to imagine that he will comeback and make a statement against the same defense that was ripped apart by Drew Brees last week. To go along with all of that, the Colts have allowed 14 passing touchdowns this year. If you've got Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, or Josh Freeman on bye, then Hasselbeck might be your quarterback.

Source

Chris Johnson -  Well, Johnson has been terrible. I'll give you that.  Rather he has an undisclosed injury, or is just out of shape; he doesn't look like Chris Johnson. But, like I said about Matt Hasselbeck, the Colts' defense is awful. Last week, against the Saints, the Colts allowed 47 points to the Saints' running backs and they have allowed over 20 points per game to opposing running backs. If Chris Johnson is going to have  a big game, this is the week to do it.

Sit

Indianapolis Colts' Running Backs - Is Addai going to be active? If Donald Brown going to steal some carries? How much is Carter going to be used with/without Addai? Can the offense produce enough to put them into the situation to run? Too many questions and I don't want to be stuck with a big fat goose egg. Stay away!

Dallas Clark - If this guy isn't a free agent then he should be. Two goose eggs in his last three games? Yeah, he should not be in your lineup. If you can't find a better option then you must be in a twenty team league.

Christian's Pick: Titans 24, Colts 13

Taylor's Pick: Titans 27, Colts 21

  

New Orleans Saints @ St.Louis Rams

1:00 PM EST  - FOX

Line: Saints by 13.5

Over/Under: 47.5

What I'm Watching For

1. Are the Saints going to put up 62 points? Ok, joking, joking, but can they win this game by 30 points? The Saints, Drew Brees specifically, are on fire and the Rams...aren't. Look for the Saints to light up the scoreboard, more of this to come in the "starts" down below. I'm interested to see how the Saitns use both Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles with Mark Ingram inactive.

2. How much is Brandon Lloyd? Could he see his first touchdown as a Ram? He saw a lot of passes flying his was last week, and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets 10+ targets for the second straight game, but how many of those he catches with AJ Feeley under center? I'll set the over/under at five. I do like Lloyd this week because the Saints' have such a bad defense (12 passing touchdowns allowed) and the Rams will be throwing the ball in their attempt to come from behind.

Start

Marques Colston - The Rams have allowed a league leading eleven touchdowns to wide receivers. Colston has three in has last three touchdowns in his last two games after coming back from injury. This guy is going to have a big game against the weak defense of the Rrams.

Source

Pierre Thomas - With Ingram out, Thomas could become the feature back for this offense for one week. We know that Sproles won't be able to take a large workload because his size won't allow him to do that. Thomas could see a lot of work in both aspects of the game: receiving and rushing.

Sit

Jimmy Graham - OK, you are obvsiously not sitting him, so don't get all antsy. Don't look now, but the Rams actually are good at one thing on defense: defending tight ends. I'm not sure they will be able to contain Graham but they have kept Jason Witten, Jermichael Finley and Fred Davis all in check. Limit your expectations for Graham, as far as this week goes.

Saints Wide Receivers after Colston - Lance Moore? No thanks. He has just 16 points in the last four games. Robert Meachem? Nope. Only seven points in their last three points. Devery Henderson? I'll pass. Two points in the last four game, and he really hasn't done anything. Stay away from all of these overrated Saints' receivers.

Christian's Pick: Saints 38, Rams 13

Taylor's Pick: Saints 31, Rams 7

Miami Dolphins @ New York Giants

1:00 PM EST - CBS

Line: Giants by 9.5

Over/Under: 42

Start

Eli Manning - See Bank/Tank.

Source

Mario Manningham - The Dolphins have inproved greatly since week one on their defense against wide receivers, but with Vontae Davis out again, Manningham is going to see the the likes of Will Allen and Nolan Carroll. I like Manningham this week, especially in a PPR.

Sit

Ahmad Bradshaw -  Brandon Jacobs is probable in this game, and we know that Tom Coughlin likes to get him the ball. Bradshaw already hasn't been performing great other than the three touchdown game that he had in week six (eight points and nine points before that performance). The Dolphins, surprisingly, aren't terrible against opposing running backs; they only allow 14 points per game to opposing running backs. I don't love Bradshaw this week, but you've gotta keep him in your lineup.

Reggie Bush - Looks like Daniel Thomas is going to be back from that hamstring injury and he should be back into the lead back spot. Keep Reggie on the bench because he isn't doing anything that makes him worthy of a pizza.

Christian's Pick: Giants 20, Dolphins 13

Taylor's Pick: Giants 21, Dolphins 17

Minnesota Vikings @ Carolina Panthers 

1:00 PM EST - FOX 

Line: Panthers by 3

Over/Under: 46.5

Start

Source

Adrian Peterson - The Panthers are really, really, awful against opposing running backs. They are 30th against opposing running backs which don't include any stellar running backs outside of Michael Turner. I expect 20+ points from All Day this week, and maybe even a win from the Vikings.

Christian Ponder/Michael Jenkins -See Bank/Tank

Sit

Greg Olsen - Turf toe and a big goose egg in his last game? I'm concerned, and if you have another option that might be serviceable then I would put him in the lineup.

Percy Harvin - I'm concerned about the injuries to the ribs because if he takes a shot in the wrong place then he could be out for the game. I'm not even sure if it is worth the risk in the first place. He has hit double digits only once this year, and that was because of his part in the rushing game. Keep Harvin on the bench for this week.

Christian's Pick: Vikings 27, Panthers 24

Taylor's Pick: Vikings 30, Panthers 21

Arizona Cardinals @ Baltimore Ravens

1:00 PM EST - FOX

Line: Ravens by 12.5

Over/Under: 43

Start

Source

Joe Flacco - I know he has been really bad, so it is hard to stick him in your lineup; I understand where you're coming from with that. Now, let's focus on this week. The Cardinals have one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Last week they were torn apart by Big Ben for five touchdowns (!) and they have allowed 18.7 points to opposing quarterbacks this year. Flacco should be a solid start for this week.

Anquan Boldin - See Flacco, Joe.

Sit

Beanie Wells - Even if he is active, he isn't going to get a full workload with the swelling that has shown up in his knee.  Baltimore has only allowed 10.5 points to opposing running backs this year, and with the injury and the timeshare, there is not way I see Wells going for over five points in this one.

Larry Fitzgerald - Kevin Kolb finally bounced back last week with over 250 yards and two touchdowns against the Steelers (that impressed me, none the less), and what did Fitzgerald do? Well, he stayed quiet with only 78 yards. Fitz hasn't found the endzone since week three; against the Ravens, who have allowed only two touchdowns to opposing wide receivers in three games at home this year, I don't think he is anymore than a wide receiver no.2 for this week.

Christian's Picks: Ravens 24, Cardinals 10

Taylor's Picks: Ravens 27, Cardinals 13

 Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans

1:00 PM EST - CBS

Line: Texans by 9.5

Over/Under: 40.5

Start

Jason Hill - This is a super deep sleeper for this week, but he almost cracked my top 30 wide receivers for the week, which makes him a deep flex. Johnathan Joseph is going to be on the wide outs, rather than Hill who is going to find himself in the slot most of the time. So, Hill will either see Kareem Jackson or a safety that is not named Danieal Manning, who is out for atleast four weeks. Hill is a sneaky/deep flex.

Source

Owen Daniels - See Bank/Tank. With Andre Johnson out, Daniels is going to see a lot of looks again, against a team that isn't too great against opposing tight ends.

Sit

Texans' Wide Receivers - While Andre Johnson has been recovering from his hamstring, no one has stepped up at the wide receiver position for the Texans. Kevin Walter had one game where he came up with 14 points, then dropped under double digits for two straight and Jacoby Jones also had one big game and hasn't shown up in the other two games. I don't like either of these guys, and if you are starting either of them then you have to be desperate.

Matt Schaub - You want to hear a surprising stat? The Jaguars have only allowed just under 13 points to opposing quarterbacks this year. Something that no one is really talking about, and since Andre Johnson is out once against, I am doubting Schaub as your starter for this week.

Christian's Pick: Texans 27, Jaguars 20

Taylor's Pick: Texans 20, Jaguars 17

Washington Redskins @ Buffalo Bills

4:05 PM EST - FOX

Line: Bills by 4.5

Over/Under: 45.5

Things I'm Watching For

1. Who is going to get the rock the most for the Redskins' run game? I'm sure it isn't going to matter in that Shanahan backfield, but the first game with no Tim Hightower will give us a sense of who is going to be the guy you want in your lineup from week to week.

2. Is Jabar Gaffney going to benefit from Snatana Moss' injury, or is he going to flop when he sees more coverage as the number one wide receiver. I'm sure we won't know through just one week, but we will get a good idea of how they want to use Gaffney.

Start

Redskins Running Backs - I know it is a huge risk, but the Bills are putrid against the run. I think Torain is going to be favored in carries and snaps, but we could see Helu do a lot with the carries that he gets. I expect Helu to get about 10 touches, and Torain to get close to 20 and against the Bills' rush defense (24th in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs).

Source

David Nelson - Redskins have played good pass defense against wide receivers, allowing only 16.7 points per game. However, on the last two games they have given up nine points or more to the second wide receiver on the opposing team (LaFell went for 39 yards and a touchdown and Maclin went for 101 yards). I like Nelson to find the endzone this week, and get around 60 yards to go along with that.

Sit

Ryan Fitzpatrick - The Redskins allow only 14 points to opposing quarterbacks this season and that is similar to the points that Fitzpatrick has produced in his last three games. With only 29 points in a stretch of three games, it's hard to like this guy coming into week 8. See more in the Bank/Tank.

Both D/STs - I think this could definitely be a shootout, and neither of these defenses has been good for fantasy thus far, so if you need a defense then this is not the right way to go.

Christian's Pick: Redskins 21, Bills 20

Taylor's Pick: Redskins 21, Bills 14

Detroit Lions @ Denver Broncos

4:05 PM EST  - FOX

Line: Lions by2

Over/Under: 41.5

What I'm Watching For

1. Tebowing. That's what were all here for. To watch Tim Tebow throw the football around on Sunday. If you ask me, I think he completely swings the way he performed last Sunday and starts making more accurate throws to his receivers against the Lions. Of course, the Lions have a much better defense than the Dolphins, but that doesn't matter. It's Tim Tebow. He can do it all.

2. I want to see how many snaps Titus Young is going to get, and if he is going to become a part of this offense in 2011. This is a game where the supporting cast around Calvin Johnson is going to have to step up, because they aren't going to be able to depend on Megatron to win every game for them. Last week, after a rote running mistake, Young was benched and only saw 14 snaps the entire game. I would like to see that change this week, and I really want to see more balls flying Young's way. Along with Young, I want to see how Champ Bailey matches up with Calvin Johnson and if he can be the first corner to keep him contained. Champ did a good job with Marshall last week, but Megatron could be a whole other story.

Start

Maybe we could see more of this?

Tim Tebow - He might not be the greatest real life quarterback, but fantasy wise he is amazing. With the running ability he has, and the plays designed just for him to run (and at the goal line too), he is a must start unless you have an elite quarterback on your team.

Demaryius Thomas - With 10 targets last week in Tebow's debut, I expect to see a lot more from Thomas in the future, and when I say future I mean sooner, rather than later. He is a big physical wideout that can go up and get it, and with the injury to Chris Houston (top corner for the Lions), Tebow could get a lot better looks at Thomas.

Sit

Lions' Running Backs - Neither running back is getting the lions' share of the carries (no pun intended..ok, a little pun intended) as we saw last week. With Jahvid Best out, I don't expect Maurice Morris or Keiland Williams break into double digit fantasy points unless they can find the endzone, and I wouldn't want to depend on that from these two.

Knowshon Moreno - With Willis McGahee ruled out with a broken hand, we could see Moreno get his rightful job back this week...or we could see a complete disaster against the fourth best fantasy rush defense. Moreno is a decent flex for this week, but I wouldn't go too far over the top.

Christian's Pick: Broncos 30, Lions 24

Taylor's Pick: Lions 34, Broncos 10  

 

New England Patriots @ Pittsburgh Steelers

4:15 PM EST - CBS

Line: Patriots 2.5

Over/Under: 52.5

Things I'm Watching For

1. Who's defense is going to step up? The Patriots acn't stop the pass, the Steelers can't stop the run! Are either of these two going to finally step up their game on defense? Or are they just going to let the offense push them around? I will be interesting to watch these two offenses play the opposing defenses because they are so different in their own ways.

2. Devin McCourty versus Mike Wallace. No one has been able to stay with Mike Wallace yet this year, and I'd be shocked if it changes against McCourty. Wallace has a long pass (over 40 yards) in each of the Steelers' six games. That is impressive. McCourty is dead last in receptions allowed to the receiver that he is matched up with. I see a huge game coming here for Mike Wallace.

Start

Mike Wallace - Like I said above, Devin McCourty has been the worst starting corner in the NFL so far this season so I expect Big Ben to look for Wallace early and often. I ranked him at number one among wide receivers this week.

Patriots' Tight Ends - The stats against tight ends might look good at a glance for the Steelers, but don't be fooled, these backers of the Steelers have had a tough time covering receiving tight ends this year. Against Owen Daniels and Joel Dreessen, both tight ends who tend to catch the ball quite often, they let up 91 yards and a touchdown. Then in week one, against the likes of Ed Dickson and the Ravens tight ends, they gave up 15 fantasy points and over 100 yards! Both Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski are great options this week, because you know who is throwing them the ball, and that guy throwing them the ball happens to love to throw to tight ends.

Sit

Rashard Mendenhall - See Bank/Tank.

Deion Branch and the rest of the Patriots' Wide Receivers - Branch has been a pretty dependable target for Brady this year, and a good wide receiver fantasy wise too. But, the Steelers have had a fierce pass defense this year, specifically against wide receivers. They allow just 12.1 to opposing wide receivers, and while I think Welker will be able to find seams in the defense in his slot position, the outside wide receivers aren't going to be able to do that. Keep Branch and Co. on your bench.

Christian's Pick: Steelers 27, Patriots 20

Taylor's Pick: Patriots 31, Steelers 28

Cleveland Browns @ San Francisco 49ers

4:15 PM EST - CBS

Line: San Francisco by 8.5

Over/Under: 52.5

Start

Source

Greg Little - Mohamed Massquoi out again? Josh Cribbs starting opposite Greg Little? No Peyton Hillis? This is the perfect opportunity for Little to have the best game of his short career and maybe even get his first career touchdown against a team that has allowed just six thus far.

Vernon Davis - I know he dropped you a big goose egg last week, so bear with me here. The Browns allow 9.2 points to opposing tight ends with is fourth worst in the league. And even though Davis had only eight yards last week, the three games before that were all double digits. Go ahead and find a spot for this guy in your lineup, which I assume you already did.

Sit

Alex Smith - I don't know how this stat is true, but the Browns have allowed the third least fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks with just nine per game, and I'm not sure if Smith will even be able to find double digits in this game, none the less put up a solid fantasy day. Keep Smith on your bench, unless you are extremely desperate.

Montario Hardesty - This guy can't catch a break. First, he gets the starting job from a Peyton Hillis injury and fetches 33 carries and then does very little with it (only 95 yards). Then, Hillis decides to sit out again and Hardesty has to then take on the 49ers defense who has been stout against the run so far. If you didn't already know, the 49ers allow only eight fantasy points to opposing running backs, two and a half points less than any other team in the league. Temper your expectations for Hardesty this week.

Christian's Pick: 49ers 17, Browns 10

Taylor's Pick: 49ers 17, Browns 6

Cincinnati Bengals @ Seattle Seahawks

4:15 PM EST - CBS

Line: Bengals by 2

Over/Under: 37.5

Start

Source

AJ Green and Andy Dalton - With all of the injuries to the Seahawks' secondary (Atari Bigby and Kam Chancellor) that was already very weak, AJ Green and Andy Dalton could have the time of their lives on Sunday. The Seahawks allow 21 points to opposing wide receivers which is middle of the pack, but against quarterbacks they allow 13.7 which is also middle of the pack. So why do I like this matchup so much? Well, Green has been in double digits for every game except for one now, and Dalton  has put up 14 points or more in four of the last five games. I like both of these guys this weak although they are traveling to the west coast.

Sit 

Bernard Scott - This kid showed so much promise in 2009 and 2010, but it has been down hill from there. In 2010 he averaged 4.9 yards per carry, and in 2011 he has averaged only 2.8; a major drop-off. Against the Seahawks who league the league in yards per rush (3.2), I wouldn't want to be starting Scott. Beside the point that he has a tough matchup, he might even be in a three way split with Peerman and Leonard.

Christian's Pick: Bengals 14, Seahawks 10

Taylor's Pick:  Bengals 24, Seahawks 10

Game of the Week: Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles

8:27 PM EST - NBC

Line: Eagles by 3

Over/Under: 48.5

Things I'm Watching For

1. Can the Cowboys defense stop a dynamic running back like Lesean McCoy? It's going to take good fundamental tackling to take him down, and the defensive end is going to have to contain the edges. The same goes for Michael Vick. If the Cowboys can contain the edge then they can easily win this football game, but defensive end has been very sloppy at times for the Cowboys.

Source

2. Can the Eagles linebackers contain DeMarco Murray? The run defense was very good against the Redskins (it could of also been the 'Skins  offensive line collapse, but either way, they stopped the Redskins' attack), but that might be a different story against Murray who emerged last week. It wil be interesting to see if Murray can somewhat duplicate what he did last week against a defense of the Eagles that is better than the Rams, most of the time.

3. The Cowboys' offensive line looked real good in run blocking last week for the first time since, longer than I can remember. If they can limit penalties and contain the Eagles' front seven then the Cowboys and DeMarco Murray should be good to go.

Start

DeMarco Murray - I do think that he will completely dominate the Eagles if Jason Garrett decides to give him the ball, and much of the play calling is going to lean on how the first quarter goes. If Murray looks good in the first quarter then he is going to get a lot of carries throughout, but if he looks slow or he can't find the hole then he is going to shut Murray down and resort to passing, as usual. I am worried that Phillip Tanner, backup running back, might steal Murray's goal line carries. We will see how that plays out, but I don't think we are going to see Murray is goal line or short yardage packages very often.

Desean Jackson - Dallas has no one who can contain Desean Jackson, to be completely honest. In five games against the Cowboys, "DJacc" averages 88 yards, but only has one touchdown (last time he had 210 receiving yards, but no touchdown). I see a huge game coming for Desean Jackson.

How 'bout 'dem Cowboys?

Sit

Miles Austin - I would assume that Austin is going to see Nnamdi until Dez Bryant starts to emerge. I'm not saying sit Austin, but I don't expect too much from him in this game. Romo hasn't looked great under pressure this year, and I would put money that he is knocked down more than ten times in this game. Austin is a wide receiver No.2 at best this week.

Jeremy Maclin - This is almost completely a gut call. In four games against the Cowboys he only has 102 yards and has never scored a touchdown. Newman and Scandrick will likely see Maclin the most, while Jenkins (the Cowboys most athletic corner) takes on Desean Jackson. Something tells me that Maclin will have less than five fantasy points, but a lot of that is just my gut.

Christian's Pick: Cowboys 30, Eagles 24

Taylor's Pick: Eagles 30, Cowboys 27

San Diego Chargers  @ Kansas City Chiefs

Monday 8:37 PM EST - ESPN

Line: Chargers by 3.5

Over/Under: 44.5

Things I'm Watching For

1. Can the Chargers run defense step up against Jackie Battle and Thomas Jones? They have looked like one of the worst rush defenses in their last three games by allowing 114.7 yards per game (on average). I think Jackie Battle could go for over 100 yards alone in this one because the Chiefs are going to have to establish the run to win this game.

2. When is Vincent Jackson going to be what others though he was at the beginning of the season? I mean, I barely liked him as a top ten wide receiver at the beginning of the year (tooting my own horn here), and I might be right. He only has one game with over five receptions and only three touchdowns on the year (two in one game). I want to see VJax have a big game against Brandon Flowers in this game.

Start

Source

Ryan Matthews - With Mike Tolbert highly doubtful to play on Monday, Matthews could see up to 30 touches combined in the run and pass game. Perfect formula for a huge game for Matthews.

Jackie Battle - Like I said earlier, the Chargers haven't been able to stop the run as of late, and Jackie Battle has been getting 15-20 touches. So, as long as he keeps getting the touches then I am going to keep him in my lineup.

Sit

Matt Cassel - The Chargers have a rather good pass defense. They have allowed just 13 points to opposing quarterbacks this year. I have started to like Caseel more and he has been improving (and so has his protection), but against a Chargers defense that has been playing very well, I'm not going to sit him

Vincent Jackson - See Things I'm Watching for, number two. Numbers never lie, and the numbers that Vincent Jackson are putting right now are atrocious. Wide receiver two at best.

Christian's Pick: Chiefs 27, Chargers 23

Taylor's Pick: Chiefs 20, Chargers 17

Thanks for reading. Be sure to check out the Injury Report for all of your injury updates on your busy Sunday Morning, which is always a huge help. Also, don't forget about the Fantasy Rankings that will be compared to others on FFAdvisor.com. Monday will be Gabe's pickup article and then Tuesday will be my "Let Them Preach". Until then, for any lineup or trade advice you might need, be sure to follow me on twitter; I answer every question I get. You can also email me your longer questions. See you next week!

Week 8 Bank/Tank

Well, week eight is among us; the halfway point in the NFL season...wait, what? That's right. We are almost half the way through this NFL season, and it is shocking to me too. I guess it's just like the old saying goes: time flies when you are having fun, and that's what the NFL season has been; fun. While it's sad that we have just moths until football season is dead and gone, we have plenty of time to see teams flip their season around, or flop on the spot. 

But enough of this nonsense. Let's move on to what you really came here for: my week eight Bank/Tank. Last week was, actually, a good week considering how odd the games themselves were. I went 12-8-2, and I could of done a lot better, but this was the best I have ever done on my "Tanks". I finished 8-3 in terms of Tanks when I usually finish around .500. Tanks are the hardest part about this. It's hard to go against superstars, but sometimes you just have to. Hopefully I can improve this week (I'm sure I will), so let's get the bus rollin'.

Quarterbacks

Bank

Eli Manning vs Miami (4th, 7th) - We have seen some good things from Manning this year. No, not Peyton, Eli! He's taken care of the ball much better in his first six games this year (seven turnovers in six games), and the matchup against Miami's 31st ranked defense (against opposing quarterbacks) can't get much better. He is starting to get Ballard involved, and all three of his main wide receivers (Nicks, Manningham, Cruz) are huge threats to the defense. If you aren't starting Manning this week, well, you should be.

Source

Christian Ponder @ Carolina (15th, 22nd) - One thing we all know about the Bills is that they have one terrible defense. Although the Bills' offense has had success this year, their defense has not. Ponder looked like a legitimate NFL quarterback in his rookie debut, and I think we all expect more of that from him moving forward. The way he played last week, and the way this Bills' defense has played (17.2 points to opposing quarterbacks). If you are looking for a quarterback that is probably going to be on free agents, then this is going to be your guy.

Extra: Matt Hasselbeck vs Indianapolis(12th, 13th)

Tank

Tom Brady @ Pittsburgh (6th, 3rd) - The Steelers have been really good against opposing quarterbacks by only allowing 11.0 points per game in 2011. In four of their seven games, they have held opponents ' quarterbacks under 10 points (two of which came on their three games at Heinz Field). Now, I'm not saying Brady is going to score under 10 points, but I doubt he gets over 20. In fact, I would play "Big" Ben Roethlisberger over Brady this week, although it is unlikely that you have the two of them.

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs Washington (14th, 14th) - Remember when this guy was a top ten quarterback? Yes? Well, that's dead and gone now. Fitzpatrick is now struggling to put up any type of numbers, and with two straight losses, he is just trying to find a way to put up wins. After putting nine touchdowns in his first three games, he has just a third of that number in his last three, and if you can't do that math, that is only three touchdowns in the last three games. In regards to points, his first three games saw 64 points among them. He has less than half of that (29) in his last three. Not only that, but the Redskins defense had been very good against opposing quarterbacks with only 14.2 points allowed per game. If you are starting Fitzpatrick then you could be in for another single digit fantasy day.

Running Backs

Bank

Jackie Battle vs San Diego (13th, 18th) - Last week, the whole "feature back" thing didn't quite work out, but he was still productive with the carries that he got (16 carries for 76 yards). I thought he would do a lot more, but with the type of carries that he is getting it's hard not to like him. San Diego has a decent fantasy run defense, but they have been terrible as of late; they are allowing 14 fantasy points to opposing running backs on the season, but in their last three games they have let up 19 fantasy points (on average) to Miami, Denver, and the New York Jets. Jackie Battle should be a great fantasy option for this week with the 15-20 carries he should get.

Source

Steven Jackson vs New Orleans (6th, 14th) - You think this guy has been bad this year? Not the least. Excluding the one game that he sat out, he has scored double digits in five of six weeks. Not bad. He is ranked 25th among running backs, and that is with two weeks of zero points (his bye, and a week of injury). New Orleans defense is very bad: over 120 yards to opposing running backs in all of the last three games, including two rushing touchdowns in those games. If Feeley is the started again, I think you are going to see the Rams use Jackson early and often.


Extra: DeMarco Murray @ Philadelphia (10th, 12th)

Tank

Rashard Mendenhall vs New England (16th, 11th) - It's the Steelers against the Patriots! Are the Steelers are going to run the ball? Is that the way they are going to win this game? Even if they do run the ball, Mendenhall is averaging 3.7 yards per carry on the year. I think it's safe to say this guy isn't going to reach double digits this week.

Bernard Scott @ Seattle (26th, 24th) - If you aren't already on the bandwagon then you shouldn't be jumping on it now. Seattle has been, believe it or not, stout against the run this year, and Scott has been sub-par, for that matter. Seahawks allow only 3.1 yards per rush this season, which is an NFL best. Coach Lewis has even come out and said that the three running backs--Scott, Leonard, and Peerman--are all going to get touches this week, and I wouldn't be surprised in Scott gets less than half of them. Keep Scott on the bench this week, if he is on your bench.

Extra: Lesean McCoy vs Dallas (9th, 5th)

Wide Receivers

Bank

Source

AJ Green @ Seattle (10th, 15th) - Without Cam Newton, Green might be the rookie of the year thus far. Him and Dalton have been great in that rookie to rookie connection; together, they have gone for over 450 yards and three touchdowns. Green also has double digits in five of his six games, and the one that he did not reach double digits, he still had four receptions. Seattle has given up 21.2 points to opposing wide receivers (the four points performance in week seven against the Browns really padded their stats). I expect the Bengals to resort to their passing game after they can't find a way to run the ball.

Demaryius Thomas vs Detroit (23rd, 30th) - Last week, Tim Tebow sure didn't look good, and he definitely wasn't "Tebowing" until the fourth quarter. But you know what he was doing? Looking for Demaryius Thomas, the most athletic wide receiver on this football team. It's a huge risk to put Thomas in your lineup, but he is a guy that you can probably find on your waiver wire and just plug in there. Detroit does have a fair pass defense, but Houston (their top corner) is hobbled. Thomas is either going to drop you a big fat nothing here, or he is going to put up a very productive fantasy day. Let's just hope it's the second choice.

Extra: Desean Jackson vs Dallas (9th, 14th), Michael Jenkins @ Carolina (21st, 36th), Jabar Gaffney @ Buffalo (18th, 26th)

Tank

Larry Fitzgerald @ Baltimore (16th, 10th) - Ten, six, seven. Those are the numbers that Fitzgerald has put up the last three weeks, and two of the tree were against mediocre defenses. Baltimore has a ridiculous defense at home, and the Cardinals are just not playing good football right now. To go right along with that, Beanie Wells is injured, and it isn't going to take much for the Ravens to stop the likes of Alfonso Smith and LaRod Stephens-Howling.. Furthermore, we are going to see the Ravens drop more into coverage, and you know who they are going to be covering. Two thumbs pointed at this guy.

Eric Decker vs Detroit (27th, 28th) - See Thomas, Demaryius. Decker is going to see less opportunities with Thomas seeing more opportunities.

Extra: Malcom Floyd @ Kansas City

Tight Ends

Bank

Source

Owen Daniels vs Jacksonville (4th, 6th) - Andre Johnson is out again, and that means another dose of Daniels for Houston this week. I know that Daniels has been tough to hang with (16 points in the least three weeks), but stay with him for one more week. The Jaguars are giving up nine points per game to opposing tight ends (fifth in the league). I'm sure you are probably starting Daniels anyways, but I think he finds double digits quite easily this week.

Tank

Brandon Pettigrew @ Denver (10th, 9th) - After a tough matchup and bad performance against the Falcons last week, Pettigrew finds himself in another "stay away" matchup this week.  The Broncos allow just under five points per game to opposing tight ends this year, which is fifth in terms of defenses. I think that Stafford exposes the Broncos' weaknesses at the corner back position, so stay away from Pettigrew this week.

Extra: Daniel Fells vs Detroit

Thanks for reading. If I see more players that I like before Sunday then I will mention it on Twitter and put it in the "Extras". Speaking of Twitter, you can follow me there and ask me any question regarding football or maybe even some nonsense. You can also email me your longer questions. Be sure to check out the Injury Report before you push that "submit" button on Sunday, also check out my rankings that will be updated periodically. Good luck, and I will see you next week.