Week Two Tank and Bank

After my rankings come out, I try to find the guys that I think have the best match ups. It’s more of just guys that I think will really help your fantasy team this week. But with that, I’d like to introduce my new start/sit, and what I like to call a little bank and tank. It’s just like start/sit, but instead of giving you two bank and two tank, I will also add in a sleeper for the week. Let’s get to it.

Quarterbacks

Bank

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs Oakland – Last week Fitzpatrick tossed four touchdowns on his way to dominate the Bills. He looked very composed and never turned the ball over. He has a great matchup this week against the Raiders that got tossed around by Kyle Orton last week. Fitzpatrick is a good start if you are scrambling for a QB.

Mark Sanchez vs Jacksonville -  He didn’t have a great week last week against a week Cowboys secondary, but I think he has an even easier matchup this week. Last week Jacksonville let Hasselbeck throw up and down the field and if old Hasselbeck can do it, then so can “Sanchise”. Maybe Mr.”I Love to toy with my hair” can dig out a nice performance, that is if he can take a second from posing for GQ magazine.

Tank

Matt Ryan @ Philadelphia – Last week Matt Ryan couldn’t find the end zone against the Bears – a decent pass defense. If he can’t perform against a little over average pass defense, then he won’t be able to execute against an elite pass defense. 

Kevin Kolb @ Washington – I know this isn’t a great tank, because he is probably on most people’s bench, but I think he is going to have a bad game against Washington.  Washington held Eli Manning to no touchdowns and they played a pretty good game. The ground game was a little different though; the Giants were running on Washington and running fairly well. I think Kolb could really tank this week.

Running Backs

Bank

Cedric Benson @ Denver – Most people are saying that Benson didn’t have a great game before the long touchdown, but with the touches he is getting you have to start him every week. Last week, Denver allowed 150 yards on 22 carries to Darren McFadden. Granted, Benson is by no means at the level of McFadden. But I do think Benson will get about the amount of carries that DMC got last week, and Benson’s offense might be on the goal line more often, and they will give Benson the ball in that situation instead of giving it to Michael Bush.

Fred Jackson vs Oakland – Oakland shut down Moreno last week, but with the way that Fred Jackson ran the rock, I just can’t sit him. He averaged almost six yards a rush last year. I think Oakland’s defense will show its true colors this week. Just because Denver’s offensive line could not block last week doesn’t mean that the Bills offensive line will do as bad. You’re going to bank on Fred Jackson this week, I guarantee it.

Tank

LeGarrette Blount @ Minnesota – Last week Minnesota couldn’t stop the run, and Blount is expected to get more carries. All good things, right? Wrong. The reports of Blount getting more carries are wrong. He is asking for more carries but his coaches have denied his requests and it is likely he will not be in the game on passing downs and on third downs. I think Blount, just like last week, is going to tank.

Ryan Matthews @ New England – When I heard of the Tolbert injury this guy was going to shoot up my rankings, but no we know that Tolbert is back in the groove of things and is expected to play. I really don’t like Matthews and I think he is going to continue to fall in my rankings. He is never going to be in the game in goal line situations and he will never be in on third downs. Tolbert improved his pass catching in the off-season and grabbed the starting job along the way. Matthews is going to continue to tank and Tolbert is your guy.

Wide Receivers

Bank

Steve Johnson vs Oakland – Steve Johnson was targeted six times last week; tied for the the most on the team, and that was against Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers. This week he is matched up against Stanford Routt who didn’t have a terrible game last week, but he was targeted 11 times. Trendy? I think it will be. I see Fitzpatrick throwing to Johnson a lot this week, so watch out.

Santana Moss vs Arizona – Last week Moss was 6 for 76 yards against Aaron Ross. This week, Moss couldn’t have a better matchup than the rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson. Grossman is playing very well, and Peterson was burned over and over against by Newton and Steve Smith last week. Moss is going to bank this week, and if Grossman can continue to play how he is playing, then Moss will continue to bank.

Tank

Dwayne Bowe @ Detroit – The Chiefs offense worried me last week, and that makes me worry even more about Dwayne Bowe. He is so inconsistent, and it’s not helping that his offense can’t move the ball. And it wasn’t like the Chiefs were playing the Ravens or the Steelers, they were playing the Bills. They scored seven points against the Bills defense. Detroit looked good in week one, and I think Bowe is going to dishearten a lot of owners this week.

Jeremy Maclin @ Atlanta – Maclin was targeted a gimpy one catch on three targets, while Avant was targeted seven times for three catches. I know this probably won’t trend but it makes me worry about Maclin. He has his good and bad games, that was obviously a bad one. But this week will be a bad one too. He isn’t playing an awesome pass defense, but it’s not terrible. With Atlanta putting pressure on Vick the entire game I don’t think Maclin is going to get many looks.

Tight Ends

Bank

Jimmy Graham vs Chicago – I know most people are already starting this guy, but the matchup makes me want to start him even more.  He was targeted seven times last week, and Brees threw to him two times in the undersized number of red zone reps that he got. With Colston out I think it is going to only bring more looks to Graham. Not only that, but the Bears allowed aged Tony Gonzalez to get 72 yards, so why can’t Graham do that? He will, and I think he will do even more than that on Sunday.

Tank

Fred Davis vs Arizona – With the return of Cooley I really don’t think Davis will see many looks. I know that the Redskins are talking about two TE sets, but I don’t trust that quite yet. I ‘m not buying the hype on Davis just yet.

Well that is all for me. Thank you for reading and I will be back with my weekly picks Saturday night or Sunday morning. You can always follow me on twitter or email me. I am also open to answering any of your football questions and I love a little discussion.  Hopefully I can help you win your week two match up, on your way to a fantasy championship (you guys are all going to your fantasy championship, right?)

Let Them Preach! Week One Edition

There it goes. It just blew right by your head! No not the ball! Week one of the NFL season decided to swing in and give us an entertaining Sunday (and a record-breaking-type Monday too) for the first time in over seven months. But was it an even more exciting Monday? Well, I decided that I would start a new segment called “Let Them Preach” that is essentially one thing I learned from each game every week. I’m not sure how long this will last, but hey, you never know until you try. It will be out every Tuesday after the Monday night games. It will usually be a short little article so let’s get to it.

New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers
1. James Starks is going to be the main guy for the Packers. Starks ran harder and just looked like the guy who the Packers can put their trust in.
2. Aaron Rodgers has a bromance with Greg Jennings. Rodgers loves to throw to the most talented guy on the field, and that is going to continue.
3.Jimmy Graham will become Drew Brees favorite target with Colston out for a while.

Atlanta Falcons @ Chicago Bears
1. Bears can compete for the division championship in the NFC North again, and I think that is apparent to almost everyone who watched them this week.
2. With clear WR1 for the Bears, Matt Forte is going to be a tremendous game changer for the Bears.
3. Julio Jones was the second most productive rookie on the weekend, and I thought that he looked better than AJ Green.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns
1. Jerome Simpson is relevant, at least with Bruce Gradkowski under center.
2. Cedric Benson can still get the rock and run with it, and the Bengals sure love to run the ball.
3. We still don’t know who McCoy is going to throw the ball to (when was the last time the Browns had a WR1 anyways?). I did find out that McCoy loves to throw to his tight ends though, and Moore could have value.

Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick was, has been, and always will be an underrated NFL QB. No doubt about that. He has never gotten any man love from anyone,  but the Bills know and I know that he is a flower budding on a warm sunny day in spring.
2. Scott Chandler looks like he is going to be Ryan “Don’t Look Now” Fitzpatrick’s favorite target.
3. Jamaal Charles looks like he is going to share the ball . . . a lot.

Philadelphia Eagles @ St.Louis Rams
1. Eagles line isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to do. What do I mean by that? It means I didn’t puke, but Michael Vick could put up numbers.
2. Avant having more targets than Maclin is not going to happen often. And I will not be benching Maclin in week two.
3. Cadillac Williams still has it (“it” refers to his running skills). Oh, and if all of you out there didn’t know, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams is going to be starting next week, so GO GRAB HIM!

Detroit Lions @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1. Josh Freeman is going to throw the ball, and it is really going to hurt Blount’s value.
2. Arrelious Benn should be watched. He had seven targets and I think he might even start stealing targets from Mike Williams.
3. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson could have something special.

Tennesse Titans @ Jacksonville Titans
1. Mike Thomas is the #1 target for McCown, no doubt.
2. Kenny Britt is an incredible playmaker.
3. Hasselbeck might be able to actually produce with the Titans.

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers
1. Ravens are contenders to make it to the Superbowl. Your heard me. Superbowl.
2. Hines Ward isn’t done yet, and it is hurting Emmanuel Sanders/Antonio Brown.
3. Anquan Boldin is going to be Flacco’s favorite target, unlike last year, and I think he could finish a top 10 fantasy football WR.

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans
1. Peyton Manning should have won more than four MVPs.
2. I think we all found out that the Colts might be worse than the ’08 Lions. Ok maybe a little over-exaggeration thare, but the Colts are a giant wreck without Peyton Manning.
3. The Texans have a really good offensive line, or Ben Tate can run almost as good as Arian Foster, pick your poison. Without Arian Foster Tate had himself a very good game.
4. Although they were facing old man Collins, the Texans pass defense didn’t look half bad against a pretty strong receiving crops.

Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals
1. Cam Newton can actually be a starting quarterback in this league. Shocker! All kidding aside, he had a great game and he has some great upside in the coming weeks.
2. Steve Smith will be a strong candidate for comeback player of the year if him and Newton continue to connect.
3. Newton’s running skills are going to really hurt the Carolina backfield.
4. Kolb is going to spread the ball around a lot, and it looks like his first option is Fitzgerald. But I think Doucet earned the backup role on Sunday.

Minnesota Vikings @ San Diego Chargers
1. Rivers, although he didn’t look phenomenal on Sunday, is going to be in contention for the passing yards crown again. He throws the ball as much as I tweet (a lot).
2. Mike Tolbert is the official goal line back of your San Diego Chargers.
3. Adrian Peterson is going to have to start leading the Vikings, as well as everyone rallying around McNabb if this football team wants to win games.

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers
1. Just like “All Day”, Frank Gore is going to have to take control of his, but more specifically his offense, if they want to win games.
2. With the way Tavaris Jackson spread the ball around, I don’t see Sidney Rice being a huge factor when he returns, but I could always be wrong. I think this is the next Browns that have no clear #1 wide receiver.
3. Crabtree’s foot is going to bother him all year; I expect Braylon Edwards and Vernon Davis to become a bigger part of the offense this year, just in general.

New York Giants @ Denver Broncos
1. Tim Hightower is going to be the main man in Shanahan’s offense.
2. Rex Grossman, yes, Rex Grossman, could lead this teams to some success (but be realistic, we’re talking about the Redskins here. As of now Rex Grossman is actually right: The Redskins will win the NFC East, judging by the way the standings are right now.
3. Hakeem Nicks is a complete monster and he never quits (see injury).

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Jets
1. Tony Romo is one of the best quarterbacks in the game . . . in the first three quarters.
2. Santonio Holmes is clearly going to be the guy for the Jets.
3. Just like I predicted, Jason Witten will be the most targeted pass catcher on this team.
4. Plaxico can’t do much against a good corner, as seen in the second half on Sunday Night.

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins
1. I was actually right about Chad Henne.
2. Chad Ochocinco isn’t going to be much of a factor this year. He was hardly even on the field.
3. Tom Brady is a beast, but Hakeem Nicks is right behind him on the beastliness scale.
4. Reggie Bush cannot be a #1 RB in the NFL, even if the Dolphins try to make him one, he is just not.

Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos
1. Sebastian Janikowski has a leg.
2. Michael Bush and the rest of that backfield are going to get more carries this year than last. Or, at least they will get more playing time
3. Orton and Lloyd both showed us that they aren’t one year wonders.
4. The Broncos’ offensive line was putrid. I would still buy low on Moreno. I completely still believe in the guy.

I hope you enjoyed my first edition of “Let Them Preach”. Tomorrow will be my rankings, and Thursday will be my Bank and Tank for week two. Don’t forget that the rankings are now on a separate tab, so when they aren’t on the blog page tomorrow then go look there. If you would like to speak with me or have any questions then you can always catch me on Twitter or you can feel free to email me. Thanks for reading, and I will see you tomorrow.