Let Them Preach: Week Four

What did you think? Week Four of the NFL season was pretty great. I mean, in the noon games it was comeback galore, in the afternoon games it was your fantasy team lighting up your opponent…or your opponent lighting up the scoreboard. Either way, it was a great week of football, just like the first three were. But this isn't about your fantasy team, it’s all about what I learned from every game in week four. So what do you say? Let’s get this show on the road.

Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys

1. They should make a movie with the title “Calvin Johnson: The Unstoppable”.

2. Romo isn’t as bad as others are making him, and I am going to write an article on this later in the week.

3. Cowboys’ found their number three wide receiver, you’ve heard his name before: Laurent Robinson.

Carolina Panthers @ Chicago Bears

1. Cam Newton is going to find holes in your defense and expose them all day long.

2. Matt Forte is a top five running back in the NFL is he gets the carries he deserves.

3. Mike Martz picks one thing to do and he does it over and over. He can’t run a balanced offense.

Tennessee Titans @ Cleveland Browns

1. Chris Johnson is alive!

2. Still don’t know who will benefit the most from Kenny Britt injury with Hasselback going only 10 for 20.

3. One of these days, Greg Little is going to break through. He has been getting more and more work every week.

Washington Redskins @ St.Louis Rams

1. Well, we have another Shanahan backfield. Now we know he was serious about sitting Tim Hightower.

2. Sam Bradford is not the same as last year, and I don’t understand why to be honest.

3. Maybe not something I learned, but I think Helu is going to be one of the best change of pace backs in the NFL…if that means anything to you.

Minnesota Vikings @ Kansas City Chiefs

1. Like I said last week, and I’m going to repeat it; Dwayne Bowe is still going to produce, no matter how bad this team looks.

2. Harvin is going to be a flex play on most weeks, and he is the ideal flex play. Going to get you points, but he can easily light it up and get you a ton of points.

3. I don’t see why people are pondering about Ponder. If I was Leslie Frazier, despite being winless, there is no way I am handing the ball over to that kid. Atleast McNabb is putting points on the board. It could be worse. You could be the Dolphins!

Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals

1. What?! A defense can actually stop the Bills? They can stop the man from Harvard!? How!

2. AJ Green was better than Julio Jones…until the afternoon games…

3. Bengals defense isn’t all that bad, but to be completely honest, I couldn’t name five starters on that defense.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Houston Texans

1. Matthew Berry was right: the Steelers can’t stop the run up the middle right now.

2. The Steelers don’t look like a playoff team right now. They are not playing good football.

3. You know that ‘anti-awesomeness’ stuff that Arian Foster had…yeah, it’s gone. Foster is awesome.

New Orleans Saints @ Jacksonville Jaguars

1. Jimmy Graham:  the elite tight end. I’m not sure if Brees is making this kid, or Jimmy Graham is just a beast. It’s a little of both I think.

2. Mike Thomas is going to be there, and whether you like it or not, Blaine Gabbert loves the kid.

3. Mark Ingram is going to dictate the carries for the Saints. This is the second game in a row now.

San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles

1. On almost every drive I saw, the Philadelphia Eagles looked they had one of the worst defense in the NFL. And even though I am a Cowboys fan, I mean it.

2. Frank Gore! He can run the ball!

3. Nnamdi looks really bad, in fact, the Eagles secondary looked bad. And they weren’t playing Tom Brady. They were facing Alex Smith.

Atlanta Falcons @ Seattle Seahawks

1. Julio Jones > AJ Green. Both are going to be phenomenal in this league though.

2. Michael Turner is still catching passes.

3. The Seahawks will never try a 61 yard field goal again, that’s for sure.

New York Giants @ Arizona Cardinals

1. You should disregard your stud player missing practice. I mean, just look at Hakeem Nicks.

2. I guessed it last week, but now it might be a reality: Victor Cruz could take Mario Manningham’s spot.

3. Well, I was wrong on Beanie Wells. Really, really wrong.

Miami Dolphins @ San Diego Chargers

1. Matt Moore is still Matt Moore.

2. The Dolphins don’t trust Reggie Bush. That’s for sure.

3. I was asking myself,”Who the heck is going to get the goal line carries for this team?” Still no answer.

New England Patriots @ Oakland Raiders

1. This Wes Welker guy, yeah, the white one, he is pretty good.

2. Belichick loves his new rookie Stevan Ridley. Well, I mean if you are getting scouted by Bill Belichick then you know you are a good football player.

3. Darius Heyward-Bey is relevant. Oops! Did I just let that roll right off of my toungue? Oh well…

Denver Broncos @ Green Bay Packers

1. The people who chant, “TEBOW! TEBOW! TEBOW!” are really frustrating, and 90% of them don’t know what they are talking about.

2. The Packers are really good, oh wait, I already knew that…

3.  McGahee, no doubt, is going to be the main guy for the Broncos.

New York Jets @ Baltimore Ravens

1. This was one of the oddest football games I have ever seen; special teams and defense galore.

2. Ray Rice is a stud. I just wanted to verify.

3. I was right about the QBS, Boldin, and Holmes in this game.

Indianapolis Colts @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1. Mike Williams being out of bounds on the 60 yard touchdown was such a heartbreak.

2. Pierre Garcon and Curtis Painter have some sort of secret love story. Eight targets? Two touchdowns on two catches? What a stud.

3. Week one was a fluke for LeGarrette Blount.

Well, that's all for me, at least for now. That Romo piece that I mentioned earlier will be on ReclinerQB.com   on Wednesday. As for the blog; Gabe's pickup article is coming soon and Zach's injury piece is going to be posted on Wednesday. Hope you guys all got a win this week. Remember, if you have any questions about your fantasy football team or just want to have a chat then you can check me out on twitter or you can email me. Until Thursday, I'm out!

Week 3 Game Picks

By: Christian Hardy

Finally, we are on to my last article of the week. You know what that means? Week 3 of the NFL is creeping up on us. This article, just like in week one and two, is my game picks for this week. I have a combined record of 21-11 so far this year (last week I was 12-4). With all of that said. Let’s get the bus rollin’. I’d like to let everyone know that the lines for all the games are from ESPN.com on Saturday.

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills

1:00 PM EST – CBS

Line: Patriots by 9

Over/Under: 54

Pick: Patriots 37, Bills 24

Start:

QB: Tom Brady, Ryan Fitzpatrick

RB: BenJarvus Green-Eliis, Ryan Fitzpatrick

WR: Stevie Johnson, Wes Welker, David Nelson (in PPR)

TE: Rob Gronkowski

Sit:

QB: None

RB: CJ Spiller, Danny Woodhead

WR: Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco

TE: Scott Chandler (for now)

San Francisco 49ers @ Cincinnati Bengals

1:00 PM EST – FOX

Line: Bengals by 3

Over/Under: b40

Pick: Bengals 24, 49ers 20

Start:

QB: None

RB: Frank Gore

WR: AJ Green

TE: Vernon Davis

Sit:

QB: Alex Smith, Andy Dalton

RB: Bernard Scott (for now)

WR: Michael Crabtree, Jerome Simpson (for now)

TE: Jermaine Gresham

Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland Browns

1:00 PM EST – CBS

Line: Browns by 3

Over/Under: 41.5

Pick: Browns 27, Dolphins 23

Start:

QB: Colt McCoy

RB: Montario Hardesty, Daniel Thomas

WR: Brandon Marshall

TE: None

Sit:

QB: Chad Henne

RB: Reggie Bush, Peyton Hillis

WR: Browns’ WRs, Davone Bess

TE: Evan Moore, Anthony Fasano

Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans

1:00 PM EST – CBS

Line: Titans by 3

Over/Under: 42.5

Pick: Titans 30, Broncos 20

Start:

QB: Matt Hasselbeck (if you are looking for someone to get from free agents, this is your guy.)

RB: Chris Johnson, Willis McGahee (depending on the status of Moreno)

WR: Kenny Britt, Brandon Lloyd, Eric Decker, Nate Washington

TE: None

Sit:

QB: Kyle Orton

RB: Knowshon Moreno

WR: None

TE: Jared Cook

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings

1:00 PM EST – FOX

Line: Lions by 4

Over/Under: 44.5

Pick: Lions 31, Vikings 17

Start:

QB: Matthew Stafford

RB: Adrian Peterson, Jahvid Best

WR: Calvin Johnson, Percy Harvin, Nate Burleson

TE: None

Sit:

QB: Donavan McNabb

RB: None

WR: Michael Jenkins, Bernard Berrian

TE: Brandon Pettigrew Tony Scheffler, Visanthe Shiancoe

Houston Texans @ New Orleans Saints

1:00 PM EST – CBS

Line: Saints by 4

Over/Under: 51.5

Pick: Saints 30, Texans 27

Start:

QB: Drew Brees

RB: Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, Ben Tate

WR: Andre Johnson, Lance Moore, Robert Meachem

TE: Jimmy Graham, Owen Daniels

Sit:

QB: Matt Schaub

RB: Arian Foster, Pierre Thomas

WR: Devery Henderson, Jacoby Jones

TE: None

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles

1:00 PM EST – FOX

Line: Even

Over/Under: 48

Pick: Giants 30, Eagles 27 (OT)

Start:

QB: Michael Vick

RB: Lesean McCoy, Ahmad Bradshaw

WR: Hakeem Nicks, Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin

TE: None

Sit:

QB: Eli Manning

WR: Mario Manningham, Steve Smith

TE: Brent Celek

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Carolina Panthers

1:00 PM EST – CBS

Line: Panthers by 4

Over/Under: 43

Pick: Panthers 28, Jaguars 13

Start:

QB: Cam Newton (you cannot sit him unless you have Tom Brady)

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew

WR: Steve Smith

TE: None

Sit:

QB: Blaine Gabbert

RB: Johnathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams

WR: Brandon LaFell (for now)

TE: Marcedes Lewis

New York Jets @ Oakland Raiders

4:05 PM EST – CBS

Line: Jets by 4

Over/Under: 41

Pick: Jets 24, Raiders 20

Start:

QB: None

RB: Shonn Greene, Darren McFadden

WR: Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Buress

TE: Dustin Keller

Sit:

QB: Jason Campbell

RB: Ladanian Tomlinson, Michael Bush

WR: Denarius Moore, Darius Heyward-Bey

Baltimore Ravens @ St.Louis Rams

4:05 PM EST – CBS

Line: Ravens by 4

Over/Under: 42

Pick: Ravens 27, Rams 20

Start:

QB: Joe Flacco

RB: Ray Rice, Steven Jackson

WR: Anquan Boldin

TE: Ed Dickson (if you are fishing for a TE)

Sit:

QB: Sam Bradford

RB: Cadillac Williams

WR: Mike Sims-Walker, Brandon Gibson, Danario Alexander

TE: Lance Kenricks

Kansas City Chiefs @ San Diego Chargers

4:05 PM EST – CBS

Line: Chargers by 15

Over/Under: 44.5

Pick: Chargers 34, Chiefs 10

Start:

QB: Phillip Rivers

RB: Ryan Matthews, Mike Tolbert

WR: Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe (if you have to)

TE:Randy McMichael

Sit:

QB: Matt Cassel

RB: Thomas Jones

WR: Dexter McCluster, Malcom Floyd

TE:Antonio Gates

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears – Game of the Week

4:15 PM EST – FOX

Line: Packers by 4

Over/Under: 45

Pick: Bears 20, Packers 17

Start:

QB: Aaron Rodgers

RB: Matt Forte, James Starks

WR: Greg Jennings, Johnny Knox

TE: Jermichael Finley

Sit:

QB: Jay Cutler

RB: Ryan Grant

WR: Roy Williams, Earl Bennett

TE: Kellen Davis, Matt Spaeth

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

4:15 PM EST – FOX

Line: Cardinals by 4

Over/Under: 42.5

Pick: Cardinals 21, Seahawks 17

Start:

QB: Kevin Kolb

RB: Beanie Wells (if you have to as a flex)

WR: Larry Fitzgerald

TE: None

Sit:

QB: Tavaris Jackson

RB: Marshawyn Lynch, Chester Taylor

WR: Early Doucet, Mike Williams, Sidney Rice, Andre Roberts

TE: Jeff King, Todd Heap, Zach Miller

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Game of the Week #2

4:15 PM EST – FOX

Line: Bucs by 1

Over/Under: 46

Pick: Falcons 28, Buccaneers 24

Start:

QB: Matt Ryan

RB: Michael Turner, LeGarrette Blount

WR: Mike Williams, Roddy White, Julio Jones

TE: Kellen Winslow, Tony Gonzalez

Sit:

QB: Josh Freeman

RB: Earnest Graham

WR: Arrelious Benn, Preston Parker

TE: None

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Indianapolis Colts

8:20 PM EST – NBC

Line: Steelers by 11

Over/Under: 39.5

Pick: Steelers 31, Colts 10

Start:

QB: Ben Roethlisberger

RB:  Rashard Mendenhall

WR: Mike Wallace, Reggie Wayne (if you have to), Hines Ward

TE: None

Sit:

QB: Kerry Collins

RB: Joseph Addai, Delone Carter

WR: Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown

TE: Dallas Clark, Heath Miller

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys

8:30 PM EST on Monday – ESPN

Line: Even

Over/Under: 45.5

Pick: Cowboys 27, Redskins 23

Start:

QB: Tony Romo, Rex Grossman

RB: Felix Jones, Tim Hightower

WR: Dez Bryant, Kevin Ogletree, Santana Moss

TE: Fred Davis, Jason Witten

Sit:

QB: None

RB: Roy Helu (for now), Tashard Choice (unless Felix Jones is out), Demarco Murray (will be lining up as a wide receiver for this game)

WR: Anthony Armstrong, Jesse Holley, Jabar Gaffney (nice PPR start)

TE: None

Thanks for reading. Don't forget to check out my rankings and my Bank/Tank for all of your start and sit questions. You can always ask me a question on Twitter and I will give you my best answer. Or, you can email me. Good luck in your fantasy matchup this weekend!

Week 3 Bank/Tank

 By: Christian Hardy
After all of the number crunching, the matchup hunting, and trend-setting stat finding  in the last few days and you've got an all new Bank/Tank. I realize that last week my tanks were really, well, awful; but on the flipside, my banks were near perfect. But with all of that, it's time to get this show on the road. First up: quarterbacks

Quarterbacks
Bank
Cam Newton vs Jacksonville - While this is obvious for some, others may be questioning him. Can he do it again? I think he can. Just take a look at my rankings. I ranked the rookie at number two only behind NFL leading passer Tom Brady. Not only has he attempted the fourth most passes in the league, but he also has a great matchup. If Cam Newton throws the pigskin 40 times or more this week, he is going to pick this Jaguars defense apart.

Matt Ryan @ Tampa Bay – This one is also a pretty easy one. The Buccaneers pass defense has been torched in the first two weeks against Matthew Stafford and Donavan McNabb. Matthew Stafford completely went off and McNabb threw for over 220 yards in the week after he threw for just 39. With the offense at its peak, Ryan is going to air it out this week, and he is going to air it out often. Make sure this guy is in your lineup if you have him.

Extra: Matt Hasselbeck

Tank
Eli Manning @ Philadelphia – Not only did Manning look god awful on Monday Night Football, but now he is actually playing a respectable pass defense. With the way he has played in these first two days, I would recommend the Giants keep it on the ground against the Eagles. I know he was without his receivers last game, but even with his main guys (most of the first half) he was extremely inaccurate. Don’t play Manning this week, even if both of his parents are there to watch him.

Josh Freeman vs Atlanta – With only two touchdowns (and two interceptions) in the first two games, I am really not feeling Josh Freeman. I was high on him very early in the preseason, but as it went on, his stock continued to fall. Blount was much more involved in the offense last week and it may go up even more this week. If Freeman isn’t hitting his guys in the redzone then he isn’t going to get you the easy fantasy points. Simple as that. Sit Freeman this week.

Running Backs
Bank
BenJarvus Green-Ellis @ Buffalo – We all know the Buffalo run defense is bad. That is a fact. But why is Green-Ellis going to get more carries this week? The Aaron Hernandez injury. With Hernandez gone from that offense I think we are going to see the Patriots pound the ball more, and who does that best? THE Lawfirm. If he can get the carries, he could put on a clinic against the weak Bills rush defense.

Mark Ingram vs Houston – Ingram hasn’t looked great in his first two starts and I acknowledge that. But Ingram is still getting the majority of the Saints’ goal line touches, and it's only a matter of time before he finds the end zone. The Texans haven’t given up a rushing touchdown yet, but they had easy matchups in both weeks one and two (Colts and Dolphins). That’s why, even though many will be reluctant about it, Mark Ingram is a viable flex play this week, and I would put money on him recording a tally in the TD column.

Extra: Darren Sproles, Ben Tate

Tank
Beanie Wells @ Seattle – Yeah, yeah I hear ya. Wells is averaging 5.7 yards per carry blah, blah, blah. Really though, who was he playing? You look at the matchups and you see Carolina and Washington. Both teams aren’t really known as run stoppers. Seattle, his opponent this week and division rival, has allowed 3 TDs which does give Wells a good chance to find the end zone, but I think Kolb is going to exploit their weakness: the passing game. Look for the Cardinals to air it out, not run the ball on Sunday.

DeAngelo Williams vs Jacksonville – This one is pretty easy. DWill has gotten just 17 carries in the last two games combined (only five against Green Bay last week) and he isn’t all that involved in the pass game either. With Newton under center this team is going to throw, throw, and throw some more. Until Deangelo Williams becomes a part of this offense again, he is going to make a real warm spot on the pine.

Extra: Reggie Bush

Wide Receivers
Bank
Dez Bryant vs Washington – Did you see what Miles Austin did to San Francisco’s defense last week as the only WR that Romo could trust? That could be Dez Bryant this week. Granted, he also has Witten who is going to steal a few looks here and there. But Bryant was Romo’s redzone favorite against the Jets in week one and why not again? You have to start Dez this week. I am expecting a huge game.

Eric Decker @ Tennessee- Last week Decker stole the show. Some owners popped him into their line up just minutes before the game and boy did it pay off. With Eddie Royal out for a couple weeks, Decker steps up into an obvious WR2 slot. Even with Lloyd back, who does Tennessee have at corner after Cortland Finnegan that can cover this guy? No one? That’s what I thought. Decker might not duplicate last week, but I think he might come close to it.

Extra: Kevin Ogletree, AJ Green, Brandon LaFell

Tank
Reggie Wayne vs Pittsburgh – Yeah, the Steelers have a good defense. But what is the real reason I hate Wayne this week? Kerry Collins. Collins isn’t going to have time to find Wayne downfield this week (has he ever had that time?). Not only that, but the Steelers have yet to allow a receiver to go over 13 fantasy points this season and that was Anquan Boldin with Joe Flacco under center. This is Kerry Collins, and I don’t want Wayne in my lineup this week. Don;'t let it Wayne on your day.

Dwayne Bowe @ San Diego – I missed (not badly, but I missed) on Dwayne last week. He decided to actually be relevant in week two against the Lions. But this is week three, and the Chiefs' offense is going to be so awful without Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki, I’m not sure I would ever start Bowe again. What are his chances of finding the endzone? I’m legitimately sure that Bowe is going to be hunting for the endzone, not finding it. Keep him on your bench against a good pass defense.

Extra: Hakeem Nicks,  Mike Williams (Tampa)

Tight Ends
Bank
Rob Gronkowski @ Buffalo – Another benefit of Aaron Hernandez being out (one of the many things I hate to say: someone’s gain from another’s injury) is Rob Gronkowski. He is going to get targets added to his already huge abundance of them. Tom Brady is loving his TEs, why should that stop this week?

Others: Jermichael Finley

Tank
Dallas Clark vs Pittsburgh – I really wanted to put Antonio Gates in this spot but I’m sure he will rebound in week three. Anyways, on with Dallas Clark. Pittsburgh allowed Ed Dickson to have a worthy performance in week one, but who didn’t that week for Baltimore? It was a disaster for the Steelers. With Collins under the heat of the Steelers blitz and more and more passes going away from Clark, I think you can find a better option this week.

Extra: Brandon Pettigrew

Well, that’s all for me. My next article will be out sometime on Saturday and it will be my game picks including my start/sit. I hope you guys enjoyed this one. If you have any fantasy football questions, I am always on Twitter and I love reader's questions or you can email me and I will get back to you with a quality answer (well, most of the time..). I’ll talk to you on Saturday!

Let Them Preach! Week 2 Edition

 By: Christian Hardy

Every year the league seems to change so much, and this year the game has changed more than I have ever remembered. Maybe EA Sports Madden 12 was wrong, teams actually can throw the ball, because in the first two weeks of the NFL season, quarterbacks have dominated the game. Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Cam Newton, and Matthew Stafford have gone absolutely berserk in the two weeks that we have been back to football. But what did I learn in each matchup individually? That's what this is about: what I learned. So sit back, and enjoy.

Oakland Raiders @ Buffalo Bills
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick is one of those quarterbacks who is going to throw the ball a ton.
2. CJ Spiller is going to be non-effective this year, but Fred Jackson looks like he is going to be an utter stud, especially in a PPR.
3. Michael Bush is going to vulture some of Darren McFadden’s touchdowns, but at the same time, McFadden is going to be a huge part of the offense.
4. If Denarius Moore does not get the WR2 spot from Darius Heyward-Bey then the Raiders don’t know how to run a team. The guy is tremendously gifted.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Philadelphia Eagles
1. Matthew Stafford is going to become elite if he can stay healthy.
2. Jahvid Best is the newest workhorse.
3. Chiefs are officially in the “Andrew Luck Sweepstakes”

Baltimore Ravens @ Tennessee Titans
1. Kenny Britt is a tremendous playmaker, and Nate Washington is a great flex in a PPR league.
2. Matt Hasselbeck is going to throw the ball a lot.
3. Chris Johnson is a major buy low right now.

Cleveland Browns @ Indianapolis Colts
1. Dallas Clark’s value has dropped tremendously, as has Reggie Wayne’s. I’m calling it “The Collins Factor”
2. Delone Carter will get as many carries as Addai on a lot of weeks, but how many carries will they get? Also, I learned that Carter is going to get all of the carries in the red zone, which means touchdowns galore (but how often can the Colts get to the redzone?).
3. Greg Little’s value is going to increase week by week and is a great dynasty league pickup.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Minnesota Vikings
1. I was way off on Blount, and I just wanted to say sorry to all that took my advice. That was one of my worst picks ever.
2. Arrelious Benn and Preston Parker are both going to be relevant this year.
3. Adrian Peterson is an absolute monster. There is no other way to put it. He is simply a beast.

Chicago Bears @ New Orleans Saints
1. Matt Forte is the Bears offense. Without Matt Forte, Jay Cutler would look like Kerry Collins, and that is the worst insult I could think of.
2. Darren Sproles is a huge part of the Saints offense, and he should find a spot on everyone’s roster.
3. Jimmy Graham is now a must start every week. He did not have an enormous game this week, but good enough to where you must start him.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New York Jets
1. Mike Thomas is the top wide receiver for the Jaguars. Ten targets is plenty enough to convince this man.
2. Shonn Greene may have the role that many fantasy owners though that he had: Greene had ten more carries than Ladanian Tomlinson as well as one more catch than Tomlinson.
3. I learned that Dustin Keller isn’t as irrelevant as people think. He will probably find a spot in my top ten tight ends next week.

Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh Steelers
1. Mike Wallace isn’t just a deep ball receiver; he had eight catches on Sunday.
2. Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders are going to continue to bring each other down.
3. The Seattle Seahawks are also in the “Andrew Luck Sweepstakes”

Arizona Cardinals @ Washington Redskins
1.  Kevin Kolb and Larry Fitzgerald are going to have a great time together in Arizona.
2. Fred Davis can produce, even with Cooley stealing looks.
3. Chris Beanie Wells no longer looks like the running back that averaged three yards per carry. He looks like a whole new running back.

Green Bay Packers @ Carolina Panthers
1. This Cam Newton guy is for real.
2. James Starks is officially the number one running back for the Packers. He ran better and just flat out looked better than Ryan Grant.
3. Steve Smith is Cam Newton’s favorite target no doubt, confirming one of the things I learned last week.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Denver Broncos
1. I whiffed on my Cedric Benson prediction really bad. I still believe in Benson though. But to even it out, I was right about Simpson. I liked him this week.
2. Andy Dalton is almost as legit as Cam Newton, and that’s a major compliment.
3. Eric Decker will/should move into the WR2 hole for the Broncos.

Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins
1. Arian Foster needs a week to sit out and regain strength. If he doesn’t get rest it will hurt fantasy owners.
2. You know that 70/30 split that Bush was supposed to be favored in? Yeah, that never happened. Bush got only seven touches and Thomas got 19. But Thomas did a lot with those carries. I’m not sure how this will work in the future, but I am anxious to see.
3. Chad Henne is not the Chad Henne we saw in week one.

Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers
1. The Cowboys offensive line is going to hurt Felix Jones all year long.
2. Tony Romo is going to take big hits all year, so get a good backup quarterback.
3. Alex Smith and Vernon Davis have nothing together this year. I can’t figure out if it is play calling or just bad quarterbacking by Alex Smith. I saw Davis open multiple times against the Cowboys.
4. Miles Austin is a top ten wide receiver in the league, in terms of skill.

San Diego Chargers @ New England Patriots
1.  I was wrong on Vincent Jackson, but I still don’t see him having a great year. I still will have to rank him with this in mind though.
2. A Vincent Jackson excellent game equals nada for Antonio Gates, but this shouldn’t become a trend for the Chargers.
3. Both TEs are going to be very productive in the Patriots offense.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Atlanta Falcons
1. Jeremy Maclin is going to go through his up and downs all year, just like he has in the past.
2. Desean Jackson can’t repeat what he did against the Giants in 2010.
3. Michael Turner looks like a complete monster in these first two games.
4. Tony Gonzalez isn’t too old to find the end zone every so often.

St.Louis Rams @ New York Giants
1. Sam Bradford just gets better and better every game.
2. Mike Sims-Walker looks to be the top receiver for the Rams, but this could be a different story next week. Bradford loves spreading the ball around.
3. Brandon Jacobs is going to vulture fantasy points for Bradshaw and there is no doubt about that. He is stealing carries, touches, and touchdowns. The coaching staff trusts Jacobs more than Bradshaw and they make that apparent quite often.

Thanks for checking out everything I learned in week two of the NFL season. Like I said before, it’s going to be a much different season than last year, and I have already learned so much in just two weeks of play. As always, you can ask me all your questions on Twitter or you can email me. My rankings will be posted on Wednesday, and Thursday will be tank/bank for week three. I look forward to seeing you then.

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.

2011 NFL Predictions: Stat Leaders

Yesterday I said I wouldn't be back on the holiday but here I am. I have some more NFL Predictiuons today and I just want to make it short sweet. Like I said in the last blog, I recommend doing this yourself. It's a fun little thing to do that you can look back on in February and say,"Wow, did I really pick Mark Ingram to finish top three in rushing TDs," Or look back on the good/bad predictions you made. That being said, this will be my second of three blogs on my predictions for the 2011 NFL season. This one, as seen in the title, is about stat leaders and who will lead the league in pretty much every stat category. Let’s get this show on the road

Passing Yards

1. Aaron Rodgers

2. Tom Brady

3.  Phillip Rivers

Passing Touchdowns

1. Aaron Rodgers

2. Tom Brady

3. Tony Romo

Passer Rating

1. Tom Brady

2. Aaron Rodgers

3. Ben Roethlisberger

Most Interceptions

1. Jay Cutler

2. Eli Manning

3. Chad Henne

Rushing Yards

1. Jamaal Charles

2. Chris Johnson

3. Arian Foster

Rushing TDs

1. Peyton Hillis

2. Adrian Peterson

3. Michael Turner

Receptions

1.  Larry Fitzgerald

2. Roddy White

3. Jason Witter

Receiving Yards

1. Andre Johnson

2. Mike Wallace

3. Hakeem Nicks

Receiving Touchdowns

1. Calvin Johnson

2. Larry Fitzgerald

3. Hakeem Nicks

Most Tackles

1. Lawrence Timmons

2. London Fletcher

3. Jerod Mayo

Most Interceptions

1.  Joe Haden

2. Ed Reed

3. Tramon Williams/Brent Grimes

Most Sacks

1. Demarcus Ware

2. Shaun Phillips

3. Trent Cole

4. Tamba Hali

5. Clay Matthews

Forced Fumbles

1. Osi Umenyiora

2. Dwight Freeney

3. Tamba Hali

After all of that, I always choose who I think will win certain awards, including the runner-up. So let’s take a look at that.

League MVP

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

Runner-Up: Phillip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers

Offensive Player of the Year

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

Runner-Up: Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Defensive Player of the Year

Demarcus Ware, OLB, Dallas Cowboys

Runner-Up: Joe Haden, CB, Cleveland Browns

AP Offensive Rookie of the Year

Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints

Runner-Up: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

AP Defensive Rookie of the Year

Marcel Dareus, DT/DE, Buffalo Bills

Runner-Up- Von Miller, LB,  Denver Broncos

Comeback Player of the Year

Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Thanks for reading. Tuesday afternoon my bold predictions will come out, three from each team, and then on Wednesday my week one fantasy football rankings come out. One last thing I was wondering from all you readers, do you guys think a friend and I should start a podcast? If so, leave a comment with ideas or suggestions for the podcast. Be sure to follow this blog, follow me on Twitter @TheFFAddict, and feel free to email me cshardy@att.net.