Week 16 Game-Time Decisions

Quarterbacks
- Rams quarterbacks AJ Feeley (finger) and Sam Bradford (ankle) are both inactive and Kellen Clemens will start against the Steelers, and Charlie Batch.
- Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb (concussion) is inactive. John Skelton will start.
- Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder left the game against the Redskins with a concussion and never returned.
- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo left the Cowboys' first drive with a right hand injury after being sacked by Jason Babin. X-rays were negative, and it is being called a contusion for now. Romo never returned to the game, but was on the sideline for three quarters. His hand was in the a small wrap for most of the game after there was serious swelling in his right hand.


Running Backs
- Titans running back Chris Johnson (ankle) ran around and did some drills in pre-game, and he is active for today's game.
- Broncos running back Willis McGahee (hamstring) is active for the Broncos.
- Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew (ankle) is active for the Jaguars.
- If the Giants beat the Jets, then Felix Jones (hamstring) will be inactive for the Cowboys. UPDATE: Since the Giants won, Felix started Saturday's game but was later pulled because the Eagles-Cowboys game is meaningless.
- Redskins running back Evan Royster will make is first career start with rookie Roy Helu nursing toe and knee injuries.
- Beanie Wells is active for the Cardinals and will start after being questionable for this game.
- Vikings running back Adrian Peterson injured his leg on a run against the Washington Redskins. He was never able to put weight on the leg, and even after the game was not able to. It was later revealed that the injury was a knee injury that was initially being called as a knee sprain. Many insiders say that it is a torn ACL, but that will not be confirmed until the MRIs later on in the week. If it is a torn ACL, Peterson would like miss the start of the 2012 season and possibly more, depending on rehab. I will keep you updated throughout this awful injury.
- After a fumble on the first drive, Buccaneers head coach Raheem Moore (for now) benched LeGarrette Blount in favor of Kregg Lumpkin and Mossis Madu. Blount did not return until the start of the second half.
- Eagles running back Lesean McCoy limped to the locker room late on Saturday's game in Dallas. He got x-rays on his ankle and later returned to the game. McCoy had nothing doing against the Cowboys averaging just 2.7 yards per carry.
- Dolphins running back Reggie Bush left late in the game with a leg injury and missed the last couple of drives against the Patriots. He could walk under his own power, and said that he would be OK.
- Saints running back Mark Ingram is doubtful to play on Monday Night with a turf toe.


Wide Receivers
- Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson (groin) is active.
- Bengals rookie wide receiver AJ Green (shoulder) is active.
- Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham (knee) is inactive.
- Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson (groin) was active for the game against the Lions.


Tight Ends
- Bills tight end Scott Chandler (ankle) is active for Saturday's game.
- Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis is active for the Jaguars.
- Giatns tight end Jake Ballard (knee) is inactive.


Defense/Others
- Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff is officially inactive.
- Vikings CB Asher Allen is inactive. He did not practice all week.
- Patriots S Patrick Chung (foot) is inactive after practicing all week long.

I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas. Thank you much for reading. Without you, I would just be a guy with football thoughts continuously bouncing around in my mind. Truly, thank you.

By:: Christian Hardy

@TheFFAddict

Week 15 Power Rankings

By: Anh Vo

1)      Green Bay Packers (13-0) [Last Week: 1] – Ryan Grant came back to life, but Greg Jennings goes down with a season-ending knee injury. He should be back for the playoffs, but how well will he play? Ryan Grant and Jermichael Finley now have to step up to replace the production that Greg Jennings provided.

2)      New England Patriots (10-3) [Last Week: 2]  – Close call with the Redskins last week, as the defense gave up a lot of points yet again to a sub-par Redskins’ offense led by Rex Grossman. Next week they face Tim Tebow and the Broncos. The Broncos’ defense will be a tough test, and the Patriots’ defense should have their hands full yet again.

3)      Baltimore Ravens (10-3) [Last Week: 3] – The Ravens’ defense did what they were expected to do against the mediocre Colts. Joe Flacco had a pretty good game this time with 227 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. This is the kind of production that the Ravens need out of him to be successful in the playoffs.

4)      New Orleans Saints (10-3) [Last Week: 4] – The Saints nearly loss the game in the end had it not been for a rookie mistake by Jake Locker. The Saints’ defense will always be a liability and will determine how far the team goes in the playoffs.

5)      Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) [Last Week: 5] – Ben Roethlisberger shows how tough he is by playing through that scary-looking ankle sprain he sustained in the game against the Browns. He is listed as questionable this upcoming week. If he can’t go, the Steelers will find themselves in a war with the 49ers in a game of defenses.

6)      Houston Texans (10-3) [Last Week: 7] – What a comeback by the rookie to win the game in the end against the Bengals! T.J. Yates was poised under center, remained calm, and led his team back against a Bengals’ defense that was aggressive throughout the game. The Texans weren’t able to run in the game, thus, T.J. Yates had to prove he was capable of leading the team through the air, and he did just that without Andre Johnson.

7)      Dallas Cowboys (7-6) [Last Week: 6] – Just when you thought the Cowboys had the game won, they goofed up  yet again and allowed the Giants to come back and win. The Cowboys need to learn how to close games. Their defense was lit up by Eli Manning and have allowed teams to come back in the end to win in two straight games. The loss of Demarco Murray is huge. Let’s see what Felix Jones can do going forward as he has shown flashes of the Felix Jones that the Cowboys have expected out of him from the start of the season.

8)      San Francisco 49ers (10-3) [Last Week: 8] – The 49ers were upset by a suddenly hot Cardinals football team last week, as the duo of John Skelton and Larry Fitzgerald made the 49ers’ secondary look goofy. The secondary will be tested yet again this week as they will have to try and cover Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown.

9)      New York Giants (7-6) [Last Week: 10] – Eli Manning came through big yet again for the Giants, and bailed out their porous defense that has been torched in the past three weeks giving up 49, 38, and 37 points respectively. The Giants’ defense reminds me of the Packers’ defense: they give up a good amount of yards and points, but make big plays every once in a while.

10)   Atlanta Falcons (8-5) [Last Week: 9] – Matt Ryan played his best game of the season last week to bring back the Falcons after trailing early in the game. He may have to keep it up if the Falcons continue to struggle in the ground game going forward.

11)   Denver Broncos (8-5) [Last Week: 12] – Tim Tebow does it again! That Bears’ defense was the biggest test to date this season for Tim Tebow and he came through in the end again. That was the first time he attempted 40 passes in a game and completed 21 of them (could’ve been more if his receivers didn’t drop a couple of them yet again). He will have to attempt just as many passes this upcoming week against the Patriots to keep the team in the game. Call me crazy, but this next game against could be a shootout, and the Broncos have a legitimate shot at winning simply because they have the better defense and the Patriots have the worst defense in the league. If the Broncos’ defense keeps the game close, I’m sure you know what will happen…

12)   New York Jets (8-5) [Last Week: 14] – The Jets’ offense has been on a roll as of late. They have been playing like the Jets we used to know, however, is it too late? They must win the rest of their games to have a shot at the wildcard slot in the AFC. The loss of Jim Leonhard does hurt their defense going forward, however.

13)   Detroit Lions (8-5) [Last Week: 11] – The Lions were able to edge out a win against the Vikings in a high scoring game, showing yet again why their defense is not what it used to be. The good news is that Ndamukong Suh is back, but how long will he be able to stay on the field?

14)   Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) [Last Week: 13] – The Bengals played well against the Texans, shutting down their running game. They had the game won until they allowed T.J. Yates to hit Kevin Walters on the game-winning drive at the end of the game. Andy Dalton has been playing pretty good, but not as good as he played mid-season. His drop in production could be due to the tougher defensive teams he has faced in the last few games.

15)   Seattle Seahawks (6-7) [Last Week: Unranked] – The Seahawks have been playing some great football as of late despite injuries to some of their key players. They have been running the ball well with Marshawn Lynch and their defense has been tough and making some big plays. Tavaris Jackson has also been playing well and clicking with his corp of young receivers.

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out Anh on Twitter, @PrototypeDemo, and come back next week for his updated power rankings.

Week 11 Game Picks

By: Christian Hardy


Picks standings through two weeks
Christian - 16-14
Gabe - 18-12
Zach - 15-15
Taylor - 14-16
(Click on their names to go to each one of their Twitters)

Lines and over/under from bodog.com on Friday night. By clicking on the game titles, you will be redirected to the ProFootballFocus game preview of the game that you clicked on. Than

New York Jets @ Denver Broncos
Christian's Pick: Broncos 20, Jets 17
Zach's Pick: Jets
Gabe's Pick: Broncos 20, Jets 17
Taylor's Pick: Jets

Carolina Panthers @ Detroit Lions
1:00 PM EST - FOX
Line: Lions by 7
Over/Under: 47.5


Christian's Pick: Lions 24, Panthers 17
Zach's Pick: Panthers
Gabe's Pick: Lions 31, Panthers 24
Taylor's Pick: Lions 27, Panthers 17


Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens
1:00 PM EST - CBS
Line: Ravens by 7
Over/Under: 40.5

Christian's Pick: Ravens 27, Bengals 10
Zach's Pick: Ravens
Gabe's Pick: Bengals 17, Ravens 13
Taylor's Pick: Ravens 20, Bengals 10

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns
1:00 PM EST - CBS
Line: Browns by 1
Over/Under: 34

Christian's Pick: Browns 13, Jaguars 10
Zach's Pick: Browns
Gabe's Pick: Jaguars 17,, Browns 6
Taylor's Pick: Jaguars 17, Browns 13


Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Green Bay Packers
1:00 PM EST - FOX
Line: Packers by 13
Over/Under: 49


Christian's Pick: Packers 34, Buccaneers 17
Zach's Pick: Packers
Gabe's Pick: Packers 38, Buccaneers 17
Taylor's Pick: Packers 37, Buccaneers 14


Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
1:00 PM EST - CBS
Line: Dolphins by 2
Over/Under: 43


Christian's Pick: Dolphins 20, Bills 17
Zach's Pick: Bills
Gabe's Pick: Bills 27, Dolphins 24
Taylor's Pick: Dolphins 13, Bills 10


Oakland Raiders @ Minnesota Vikings
1:00 PM EST - CBS
Line: Raiders by 1
Over/Under: 45.5

Christian's Pick: Raiders 27, Vikings 17
Zach's Pick: Raiders
Gabe's Pick: Raiders 31, Vikings 21
Taylor's Pick: Raiders 27, Vikings 21


Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins
1:00 PM EST - FOX
Line: Cowboys by 8
Over/Under: 41.5


Christian's Pick: Cowboys 30, Redskins 13 
Zach's Pick: Cowboys
Gabe's Pick: Cowboys 34, Washington 17
Taylor's Pick: Cowboys 30, Redskins 10


Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
4:05 PM EST - FOX
Line: 49ers by 10
Over/Under: 41

Christian's Pick: 49ers 27, Cardinals 10
Zach's Pick: 49ers
Gabe's Pick: 49ers 20, Cardinals 14
Taylor's Pick: 49ers 27, Cardinals 20


Seattle Seahawks @ St.Louis Rams
4:05 PM EST - FOX
Line: Rams by 3
Over/Under: 39


Christian's Pick: Rams 16, Seahawks 14
Zach's Pick: Seahawks
Gabe's Pick: Seahawks 18, Rams 13
Taylor's Pick: Rams 20, Seahawks 13


Tennessee Titans @ Atlanta Falcons
4:15 PM EST - CBS
Line: Falcons by 7
Over/Under: 44

Christian's Pick: Falcons 23, Titans 16
Zach's Pick: Falcons
Gabe's Pick: Titans 27, Falcons 21
Taylor's Pick: Titans 23, Falcons 20


San Diego Chargers  @ Chicago Bears
4:15 PM EST - CBS
Line: Bears by 4
Over/Under: 45

Christian's Pick: Bears 27, Chargers 20
Zach's Pick: Bears
Gabe's Pick: Bears 24, Chargers 23
Taylor's Pick: Chargers 28, Bears 23


Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants
8:27 PM EST - NBC
Line: Giants by 5 (BetOnline.com)
Over/Under: 45.5

Christian's Pick: Giants 24, Eagles 13
Zach's Pick: Giants
Gabe's Pick: Giants 27, Eagles 24
Taylor's Pick: Eagles 27, Giants 20


Kansas City Chiefs @ New England Patriots
8:37 PM EST Monday - ESPN
Line: Patriots by 15
Over/Under: 46.5


Christian's Pick: Patriots 31, Chiefs 10
Zach's Pick: Patriots
Gabe's Pick: Patriots 35, Chiefs 17
Taylor's Pick: Patriots 24, Chiefs 14

Week 10 Let Them Preach

By: Christian Hardy

Week 10 showed us exactly what the NFL is all about: Absolute tomfoolery.

In the early games, arch rivals Saints and Falcons faced off in Georgia with the division lead on the line, and boy was it a good one. It tailed all the way into overtime, which including a scrutinized decision from Falcons' head coach Mike Smith. Then the Cowboys won their second straight game, and this game against the Bills was never close. We saw another division game in the early games, and this one was a great one too. It was the Bengals against the Steelers, and if the Bengals could win this one then they would finish the weekend two games ahead of the division. Who would of thought that the Bengals would be in the discussion to win the division. Then last, and probably least, the Eagles collapsed against John Skelton and the Cardinals.

The late games were an even bigger shock thought. The Seahawks (huh?) defeated the unpredictable Ravens, in the same stadium where they upset the Saints in last year's playoffs. Then, the Bears clobbered the skidding Lions at Soldier Field. Two out of three games unpredictable? That ruined a lot of people's picks this Sunday.

It was a great weekend for football, and now I'm here to wrap it all up. As you can see, I summarized the picks from all of our contributors. Taylor's picks have no score because, well, he gave me no score. The record before the predicted score is the record of that person on this week, including the game that it is under. I decided not to talk about the games that do not matter, because, honestly, it is the same stuff every week with those couple of teams. With all of that said, let's move on to the games.

Oakland Raiders @  San Diego Chargers

1. Michael Bush could start to get more carries, even when Darren McFadden returns. While gurus were voyaging for a sleeper running back name, such as Taiwan Jones, the guy who really shined was the guy right in front of Jones, Michael Bush. Bush, subbing in for Darren McFadden, went completely berserk with 242 total yards and a touchdown. Bush has now averaged over five yards per carry in three straight games, including 5.2 yards per carry in this game on 30 (!) carries. If McFadden is out in the future, then Bush is a must start.

2. Vincent Jackson is the biggest "Whack-A-Mole" in the history of whack-a-moles. One week, the Chargers roll and Jackson puts up 32 fantasy points in a standard league, and the next week he has one catch for 22 years. I don't know what to think of this guy, but in my eye, he isn't even a top 15 wide receiver. Philip Rivers has too many targets that he can throw the ball to, and while that might help some receivers, it is hurting Jackson, and hurting him badly. Next time you get the chance, I would sell high on Vincent Jackson.

3. At this point, if you have a decent backup, it's time to let Philip Rivers ride the pine for your fantasy team. In eight of his nine games this year, Rivers has finished outside of the top ten fantasy quarterbacks. If you think you have a starter in him, then you are dead wrong. He now has just one game over 20 points, three games over 300 yards, and one game with less than two turnovers. He is an absolute turnover machine, and I don't see it getting better in the near future. His upcoming schedule is; at Chicago, who just forced six turnovers against the Lions; then he is against Denver, who has been getting better, and at Jacksonville where he could finally break out. If you are looking for Rivers to be a top 10 quarterback for you, chances are it isn't going to happen. Not this year at least.

(0-1) Christian's Pick: Chargers
(0-1) Gabe's Pick: Chargers
(0-1) Zach's Pick: Chargers
(0-1) Taylor's Pick: Chargers
Final Score: Raiders 24, Chargers 17

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons
1. There isn't any Saints' running back that is getting the carries to be in your lineup on a week to week basis.  For Darren Sproles, you have to solely depend that he is going to be involved in the pass game, or he can break a big gain from the flat. In this game, the Falcons had Sproles' number all day. For Mark Ingram, you are depending on a touchdown, and it's not even a sure thing that he is going to be in the backfield in a certain goal line package. Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory are both just long shots for me; Ivory is still fighting an injury, and Thomas isn't getting the type of workload that is going to produce. For now, I think it is safe to keep all of these guys on your bench, except for the the possibility of Sproles in a flex spot.

2. Harry Douglas!? Seriously? Eight catches and over 100 yards?! I mean, I know that Julio Jones left with an injury, but who would of thought that Douglas would be the one who took over. In truth, and all seriousness, Matt Ryan played a great game. He finished the game with over 350 yards and two touchdowns (one to Gonzalez and one to Snelling), although he did not show up when it mattered most. I wouldn't be surprised if, after a game like that, Douglas gets a little bit more work in this offense.

3. This is one of the best games to watch every time these teams play. The two quarterbacks are some of the best in the game, and they are very fun to watch. Each of the last six games have been decided by 10 points or less, and the last four have been decided by just a field goal, two of which went to overtime. Drew Brees versus Matt Ryan is always going to be great, and I'm looking forward to seeing them face off again in week 16 on Monday Night Football.

(1-1) Christian's Pick: Saints 27, Falcons 24 (OT)
(0-2) Gabe's Pick: Falcons 27, Saints 24
(0-2) Zach's Pick: Falcons 35, Saints 31
(1-1)Taylor's Pick: Saints
Final Score: Saints 26, Falcons 23 (OT)

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
1. The Steelers are a perfect example of why fantasy football is a major product of luck. Rashard Mendenhall had 16 chances to run the ball in this game. He finished the game with a 2.8 yards per carry average, but luck(ily), Mendy found the end zone twice, and it paid off for fantasy owners. Then, in the passing game, the one passing touchdown goes to Jerricho Cotchery who is the fourth receiver (with Sanders out) on this team. I'm not saying it is unpredictable, I am just saying that at times fantasy football is very lucky and some of the most unlikely things can happen. Maybe that is the fun of things though, because if someone could predict everything, every Sunday, then there would be no fun in the game. That's what makes fantasy football so great; the guess and luck factors and the chance that a winless team can win on any given weekend (unless you are the Colts, of course).

2. Even if he did only have one catch, AJ Green is an every week start (when healthy, obviously). He now has six touchdowns and double digit fantasy points in every game but one. This game he has a stunning touchdown catch in triple coverage. Andy Dalton loves a guy that can go and get the ball, and AJ Green does just that. I sat him this week (in favor of Jeremy Maclin, I know.) in my main league and it could easily cost me the game. Trust me, I will never sit him again, and neither should you.

3. The Steelers are going to continue to increase the amount of snaps that Antonio Brown gets, and it is well deserved. Although he is not a big red zone target, he is going to become a great fantasy play as a wide receiver two on a team that has a very balanced offense. With Emmanuel Sanders now out for a couple weeks, and Hines Ward being benched for Jerricho Cotchery, Brown is going to become the number two wide out for this team with no competition, and with the talent he has, the possibilities are endless. He is going to become the possession receiver that plays opposite of Mike Wallace, and Big Ben is going to throw to him, a lot.

(1-2) Christian's Pick: Bengals 24, Steelers 20
(0-3) Gabe's Pick: Bengals 20, Steelers 17
(1-2) Zach's Pick: Steelers 17, Sengals 13
(1-2) Taylor's Pick: Bengals
Final Score: Steelers 24, Bengals 17

Buffalo Bills @ Dallas Cowboys
1. Tony Romo is at the peak of his game right now, and he is hitting it right at the right time. With DeMarco Murray in the backfield, Romo looks much more comfortable. To go along with the run game, his offensive line is giving him a nice pocket and he isn't getting hit: He has been hit only three times and has been sacked zero times in the last two games. Tony Romo is taking care of the ball and making smart decisions. As long as the defense and DeMarco Murray hold up, they could go a long ways.

2. Laurent Robinson is the Cowboys wide receiver that I would rather have right now. In his last three games these are his numbers: 13 receptions, 208 yards, and four touchdowns, including two against the Bills on Sunday. What about Dez Bryant? Well, while Dez sees tougher coverage, his numbers have not even compared to those of Robinson's. Dez has the same amount of receptions as Robinson (13), but 30 less yards, and only one touchdown in his last three games. Dez Bryant is always going to be a must start, but believe it or not, I think that Robinson is the guy who is going to score more fantasy points, as long as Miles Austin is gone.

(2-2) Christian's Pick: Cowboys 31, Bills 27
(1-3) Gabe's Pick: Cowboys 34, Bills 31
(2-2) Zach's Pick: Cowboys 24, Bills 21
(1-3) Taylor's Pick: Bills
Final Score: Cowboys 44, Bills 7

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts
(2-3) Christian's Pick: Colts 20, Jaguars 14
(2-3) Gabe's Pick: Jaguars 13, Colts 10
(3-2) Zach's Pick: Jaguars 14, Colts 10
(2-3) Taylor's Pick: Jaguars
Final Score: Jaguars 17, Colts 3

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs
(2-4) Christian's Pick: Chiefs 24, Broncos 21
(3-3) Gabe's Pick: Broncos 24, Chiefs 23
(4-2) Zach's Pick: Broncos 20, Chiefs 14
(2-4) Taylor's Pick: Chiefs
Final Score: Broncos 17, Chiefs 10

Washington Redskins @ Miami Dolphins
(3-4) Christian's Pick: Dolphins 17, Redskins 13
(4-3) Gabe's Pick: Dolphins 21, Redskins 14
(5-2) Zach's Pick: Dolphins 13, Redskins 13
(3-4) Taylor's Pick: Dolphins
Final Score: Dolphins 20, Redskins 9

Arizona Cardinals @ Philadelphia Eagles
1. The Eagles are one of the most over-hyped teams that I remember in the history of sports. That's all I really have to talk about for this game. John Skelton had a great game, but who doesn't against this Eagles' defense? It is terrible. The Eagles are terrible, and nothing is going the right way for them right now. Michael Vick has injured ribs, Jeremy Maclin has a sore shoulder and hamstring, Desean Jackson doesn't have any money, and therefore has an attitude problem, and on the defense, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is fighting through ankle injuries. This team is bad, and I don't see it turning around any time soon. Their next two games are against the Giants in the Meadowlands and then against the Giants.


(3-5) Christian's Pick: Eagles 31, Cardinals 13
(4-4) Gabe's Pick: Eagles 31, Cardinals 20
(5-3) Zach's Pick: Eagles 35, Cardinals 17
(4-4) Taylor's Pick: Eagles
Final Score: Cardinals 21, Eagles 17

Houston Texans @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1. Right when the Texans were on the brink of their first AFC South championship, everything went terribly wrong. Their quarterback Matt Schaub hurt his Lisfranc joint in his foot, and it will require surgery. The surgery will cause him to miss the remainder of the season. It's a huge blow for the Texans, and might even give the Titans a chance to win this division, who are now at a 5-4 record. I expect Arian Foster and Ben Tate to take a huge load after the bye week, so both of their stocks will rise. I would drop Andre Johnson to the bottom half of number one receivers, but he is still one of the most athletic receivers in the NFL and Matt Leinart should have no problem finding him.

2. Preston Parker proved why is the only receiver worth owning on the Bucs. He scores points. Only seventeen yards in this one, but he found a way to get into the end zone. That's what counts, and that is something that Mike Williams has done only once all year. Parker isn't startable (none of them are), but he is certainly worth a roster spot, unlike Arrelious Benn or Mike Williams.

(4-5) Christian's Pick: Texans 20, Buccaneers 16
(5-4) Gabe's Pick: Texans 27, Buccaneers 17
(6-3) Zach's Pick: Texans 27, Buccaneers 21
(5-4) Taylor's Pick: Texans
Final Score: Texans 27, Buccaneers 9

Tennessee Titans @ Carolina Panthers
(4-6) Christian's Pick: Panthers 27, Titans 13
(5-5) Gabe's Pick: Panthers 24, Titans 21
(6-4) Zach's Pick: Panthers 24, Titans 17
(5-5) Taylor's Pick: Panthers
Final Score: Titans 30, Panthers 3

Baltimore Ravens @ Seattle Seahawks
(4-7) Christian's Pick: Ravens 27, Seahawks 13
(5-6) Gabe's Pick: Ravens 24, Seahawks 10
(6-5) Zach's Pick: Ravens 31, Seahawks 10
(5-6) Taylor's Pick: Ravens
Final Score: Seahawks 22, Ravens 17

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears
1. This is probably very apparent, but the Lions are not what they were when the season started. Their defense is crumbling up front, and their safety play is very soft, and we all know how one on one works. Not to mention the offense, which seems to rely on the production of Calvin Johnson. Without Jahvid Best and the run game to rely on, their entire offense, including Matthew Stafford, has fallen apart. Their receivers, other than Megatron, are not made to play 40+ snaps a game, so if a defense can find a way to double cover Calvin Johnson then it is game over. Stafford has become inaccurate, and he is making bogus throws and decisions. I really hope this Lions team can turn it around, I really do; it has been a great story. But if they don't start becoming more disciplined real soon, then it could get ugly, real soon.

2. Brandon Pettigrew? 77 yards in his last three games? Please, feel free to hit that "drop" button.

3. Bennett is definitely the top guy for Jay Cutler as of now (and that could change at any time, hence the "now"). Of the 19 times that Jay Cutler threw the ball on Sunday, nearly a third of them (six) were flying Bennett's way. Of the 123 passing yards that Cutler threw for, nearly two-thirds (81) of them were to Bennett. His nine completions? Six of them to Bennett. Bennett is definitely a great flex play from here on out, or until this stops. The Bears have the third weakest strength of schedule, in terms of fantasy points allowed to wide receivers with only Atlanta and Tampa Bay allowing less than 20 fantasy points to wide receivers. Bennett should definitely be on a roster, and maybe even in your lineup.


(4-8) Christian's Pick: Lions 24, Bears 20
(5-7) Gabe's Pick: Loins 27, Bears 24
(6-6) Zach's Pick: Lions 27, Bears 24
(5-7) Taylor's Pick: Lions
Final Score: Bears 37, Lions 13

New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers
1. Before we start the actual review of this game, I just wanted to say that both of these teams are very good, there is no doubt about that/ Yeah, the Giants didn't pull out the win, but they are still right on top of the division, and the 49ers have the second best record in the NFL. Does that tell you anything? Both teams have solid defenses, but the edge goes to the 49ers in this one. The offense battle could of been much more interesting had both teams' starting running backs been able to play in this game (and in Frank Gore's case, play the whole game). Look for either of these teams to make a long run into the playoffs if they keep this up.

2. No 49ers wide receiver really stands out to me, and I think you can drop all of them. Michael Crabtree was exciting for a while, but with Braylon Edwards back in these last three games, the only bright spot has been his touchdown in week eight. In the pas two weeks, he has just 72 yards and no touchdown. If Edwards is stealing looks, then you figure he is faring well, right? Wrong. He has just 119 yards in his last three games back from his knee injury. Neither of these guys is worth a roster spot right now, I would rather have someone with more upside.

3. We are more than halfway through the NFL season and the 49ers have still not allowed a rushing touchdown. Let's keep this real simple. If you have a running back that is going up against the 49ers (unless they are elite), then you have to sit them. Stats through nine weeks don't lie. If they don't let up touchdowns then they are not going to let up touchdowns. Simple as that.

(5-8) Christian's Pick: 49ers 20, Giants 17
(6-7) Gabe's Pick: 49ers 20, Giants 17
(7-6) Zach's Pick: 49ers 14, Giants 10
(5-8) Taylor's Pick: Giants
Final Score: 49ers 27, Giants 20

St.Louis Rams @ Cleveland Browns
(6-8) Christian's Pick: Rams 20, Browns 13
(7-7) Gabe's Pick: Rams 24, Browns 17
(7-7) Zach's Pick: Browns 23, Rams 13
(6-8) Taylor's Pick: Rams
Final Score: Rams 13, Browns 12

New England Patriots @ New York Jets
1. Doesn't this game just get better and better every time Rex Ryan opens his mouth? It seems like every time Rex opens his mouth, he loses! This one at home against a Patriots team that has been ailing as of late. It's great to watch this Jets team season after season, and even better when you have Rex Ryan as your head coach!

2. Mark Sanchez can not perform under pressure. It's Sunday Night Football. Huge divisional game..no, not that kind of pressure. I mean, when his pocket collapses he makes bad decisions, sometimes he make the worst decision: To take a sack. Sanchez has shown some great signs of life this year, but that is one thing he needs to get better at, and it is one of the hardest things to teach an NFL quarterback. He has to know when to escape the pocket, when to get rid of the ball, and when to his his receiver. It's a split second decision, and some quarterbacks just don't have that. See: Tebow, Tim for all of your failing at pocket presence needs.

3. Plaxico Burress is now a must start until otherwise notified. He now has four touchdowns in three games, and an average of four receptions in each of those games. He is surely worth a flex spot every week because of the upside, but he is starting to slip into the starting wide receiver category. Keep and eye on Plaxico as he has some real juicy matchups coming up soon.

(6-9) Christian's Pick: Jets 24, Patriots 10
(8-7) Gabe's Pick: Patriots 28, Jets 24
(7-8) Zach's Pick: Jets 24, Patriots 20
(6-9) Taylor's Pick: Jets
Final Score: Patriots 37, Jets 16

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers
(7-9) Christian's Pick: Packers 38, Vikings 24
(9-7) Gabe's Pick: Packers 38, Vikings 27
(8-8) Zach's Pick: Packers 41, Vikings 20
(7-9) Taylor's Pick: Packers
Final Score: Packers 45, Vikings 7

Thanks for reading. Tomorrow my week 11 rankings will come out, with four teams on bye coming into the week. Thursday or Friday will bring my Bank/Tank. Until then, you can check me out on Twitter for all your fantasy news and questions, or you can email me your longer questions.

2011 NFL Playoff Predictions

Every year, right before the season, I like to predict the NFL playoffs as well as pick my Superbowl champion, just like most other football fans. Let's go ahead and do that, and if it is short enough we can move on to my stat leaders, If I don't have time for that then those predictions will be out on Tuesday.
Let's get started.

The sixth seed in the NFC will be the New Orleans Saints out of the NFC South with a record of 10-6. They didn't do much this off season with the exception of Mark Ingram. Just a side Wild Card note here: I have the Lions also going 10-6, but the Lions will lose the head to head with New Orleans.

With the fifth seed I have the Dallas Cowboys. The offense will be back with Romo back on the field, an improved secondary will help defend the passing game, and with an explosive offense as always, I project the Cowboys to go 11-5. That being said, we know the Cowboys have let their fans down the last couple of years; they were projected to have a great year and then screw the pooch. Expect the Cowboys to have a much better season this year.

Now our first division winner comes from the NFC West where the Kevin Kolb led Arizona Cardinals win their division by one game. They added Kevin Kolb from the Eagles in the off season as expected, and I anticipate them to have a much better year. I have the Cardinals winning the division with a 9-7 record, beating out the Rams by a small margin of only one game. Maybe 2012 will be the year for Bradford and the young St.Louis Rams.

In the three spot I have the Philadelphia Eagles from the NFC East. They had a great off season adding Jason Babin, Nnamdi Asomugha (no, I didn't have to search that name up), Cullen Jenkins, and a blockbuster Kolb for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Their defense has improved a ton, and they could be an extreme powerhouse this year if they can figure out their problems at the offensive line. That all being said, I have the Eagles down for 12-4.

In the two spot, from the NFC South, I have the Atlanta Falcons, led by Matty Ice.  Just like the Saints, the Falcons made no big moves, but added some young depth. You may want to look out for Julio Jones this season; he has tremendous athletic ability and can score from anywhere on the field. I have the Falcons also going 12-4 but winning the match up with the Eagles to give them the first round bye and home field for the first game.

And the first seed in the NFC is the Green Bay Packers. They have kept nearly all of their Superbowl team from last year and are any people's Superbowl favorite. Jermicahel Finley, AJ Hawk, and Ryan Grant are all ready to go after being placed on IR last season. This might just be the best offense in the NFL this year with a two-man backfield and Aaron Rodgers under center. I have the Packers down to go 14-2 only losing at the Giants and at the Chargers.

With the sixth seed in the AFC is the New York Jets. A little difference from last year with a few added veterans and a new receiving core around Santonio Holmes. I have the Jets going 11-5, and taking second in the AFC East. Could this be the year of the "Sanchise"? I guess we will have to wait and see.

The fifth seed in the AFC from the AFC North with a 12-4 record is the Baltimore Ravens. Last year they made it to the divisional round and couldn't come up with a game winning drive against the Steelers: they were also my Superbowl pick last year. That being said, I think they will have another great season this year, and be in contention to get to the Superbowl.
The Texans have come close to the playoffs a number of times since becoming a franchise in 2002, but this is the year. Arian Foster is going to lead the Texans to win the AFC South and claim the fourth seed in the AFC with a 10-6 record. The Colts will finish a game behind with a record of 9-7.

The third seed in the AFC is the Chargers from the AFC West. They always seem to be over hyped, but they seemed to have fixed the problems on special teams so if they can minimize mistakes these team could be extremely good. I have them going 12-4 and winning their division by three games. Maybe Norv Turner can finally get to the Superbowl this year.


With the second seed I have the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have been to the Superbowl the last two years, and Mike Tomlin knows what he is doing. I have the Steelers going 13-3. I expect Big Ben to have a great season and win the division for the fourth time in the last five years.


Then the final seed (as many expected) is the New England Patriots. They have had made the playoffs eight times in the past ten years, and I expect them to make it nine out of  eleven. They made improvements on their offensive line and in the secondary and picked up some good depth in the draft. I have them going 14-2 and I wouldn't doubt it. Patriots are going to be good, real good.

Now we move on to the good part: my playoff predictions. Now if you don't know how this works, the first round is called the Wild Card Round, the second round is the Divisional Round, and the round before the Superbowl is the Conference Championship. In the Wildcard Round the sixth seeded team in each conference plays the third seeded team in the same conference while the fourth and fifth seeds from the same conference play each other. The winner of those games advance to the Divisional Round where the lowest seed to advance in each conference plays the highest seed. The winner of those advance to the conference championship, and then the Superbowl. I'd hope, if you are American, you would already know that...but I thought I would help you out if you didn't.


Wildcard Round

In the NFC Wildcard round lets start with the Saints vs Eagles. I think Brees and the Saints will put up a fight, but Eagles will pull off in the end: Eagles 31, Saints 20.

Then in the second wild card game for the NFC is the Cowboys vs Cardinals. I think the Cowboys pass all over the Cardinals, and humiliate their offense: Cowboys 38, Cardinals 17.

Next we shift to the AFC where the Jets take on the Chargers. I think this will be the best game we see in the playoffs but Norv Turner and the Chargers will lose in overtime: Chargers 27, Jets 24



The second game for the AFC is the Ravens vs the Texans. Now I think this may be a good game as well. I really like the Ravens, but at the same time Houston can attack in a lot of different ways. I'm going to take the Ravens, but just by a hair: Ravens 27, Texans 24.

 Divisonal Round

So like I said, after the wildcard round we move to the divisional round. The first game in the NFC is the Packers taking on the Cowboys. I think Cowboys will put up a fight at the beginning, but the Packers offense will be too much for the Cowboys young secondary: Packers 34, Cowboys 24.


The second game in the NFC is the Eagles taking on the Falcons for the second time of the season. The Falcons got the first round bye because they won the head to head matchup in week two of the regular season. But who can win it later in the season? I think the Falcons will find a way to contain Vick and McCoy and end up winning this one: Falcons 20, Eagles 14.


Then we move over to the AFC where the Chargers take on the Patriots. Rivers make an attempt for a comeback at the end, but I think the Patriots will hold on: Patriots 37, Chargers 30.

The final divisional match-up is the Ravens and the Steelers; another divisional rivalry. This is going to be another great game. I really like both of these teams this year but I think Ravens will win it on a game winning field goal: Ravens 16, Steelers 14.


Conference Championships

One last game. One more win to get to that Superbowl from here. In the NFC we have the Packers vs the Falcons and in the AFC the Patriots vs the Ravens. So who's it going to be?


In the NFC there is the Packers vs the Falcons that will be played in Green Bay. This was the match-up we saw last year in the divisional round. The Packers prevailed, and later went on the Superbowl. The Packers, with their team healthy, are going to make it past the Falcons with a little help from their defense: Packers 30, Falcons 20.


In the AFC it will be the Ravens taking on the Patriots. The Patriots, with only two losses all year, and Brady are really going to step up in this one. But I think the Ravens will make big plays on defense that will bring home an AFC Championship: Ravens 27, Patriots 21.


Superbowl XLVI
The long journey, all season these two teams fought to get here. Packers for the second straight time. Ravens for the first time in over 10 years. Both looking for a championship. Both teams have the defense, but the Packers have the more dominant offense with Aaron Rodgers. So, my 2011-2012 Superbowl Champions are the Green Bay Packers by a score of 24 to 17. The MVP is Aaron Rodgers, and the Packers bring the championship back to Green Bay for the second straight year.


Since this has been such a long post, at the beginning of the next blog on Tuesday I will give you guys my selection for the stat leaders. Also, Wednesday I will be releasing my week one fantasy rankings. But until then, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @TheFFAddict, and you can always email me any questions or comments to cshardy@att.net. Also, don't forget to leave a comment on this blog and follow this blog. Thanks!

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 NFL Fantasy Football Wrap-Up

Today was a busy (but certainly not hectic) day in the NFL, from Kerry Collins to Orlando Scandrick, I'm going to wrap it all up and put into a fantasy football owner's perspective for you. Furthermore, let's look at the biggest moves as this Hump Day comes to an end.

Let's start off with Peyton Manning injury saga. And let me start by saying, unless you live under a rock, you probably know that Peyton Manning had neck surgery in the offseason. With him being a question mark for week one, the Colts went out and signed Kerry Collins out of retirement. Now this flashes obvious signs that Manning may not be ready for week one, and possibly even more. It all depends how the nerve in the neck repairs, there is really no timeline for that kind of injury.

Now before we move on through this saga, we need to get one thing straight; even if Peyton Manning does come back week one he probably won't be ready to hit an NFL field. He could be out of shape, and out of sync. In fantasy drafts, he is usually going around the third and fourth rounds. I think this is a ridiculous place to draft him. I mean he has all of the weapons around him, including his favorite target Dallas Clark (fresh off a season-ending wrist injury), but if they guy hasn't played football in months I would rather take guys like Phillip  Rivers (who often goes later than Manning) who has Vincent Jackson back for the entire season. Or maybe even Tony Romo who is a fantasy star when he is healthy (majority of the time he is). I wouldn't take Manning until the late fifth round, where, in most drafts, he is already gone

Now after that you have to ask yourself,"Do I downgrade all of my Colts players in my rankings?" And the answer is no. Not yet atleast. I mean, until the season gets closer you aren't going to know if this nerve is going to heal in time or not. Granted, Manning is the Colts and they look pitiful in the preseason without him, but downgrading Colts players is ridiculous at this point because Manning still has that chance that he could play week one. Like I said before, even if Manning is back, I wouldn't expect him to have a stellar performance. Eventually (probably just days from the season) we will have more news on Manning to judge all of the Colts fantasy players. For now, if you want my opinion, I would just stay put and wait it out. Maybe try trading Colts players if you have already drafted. But look, the fantasy value of these players will not decrease that drastically. After all, his last name is still Manning.

Enough Manning Injury Saga talk: let's move on to Saints offensive guard Carl Nicks who injured his knee in Saturday night's game. It first appeared Nicks had a knee contusion and it continued bothering Nicks on Monday.  The Saints decided to take him in for further tests but the tests came back negative. Coach Sean Payton said he will be sidelined for a week but he should be back in practice next week. This will obviously hurt the Saint's run game if this injury continues into the regular season, although that is highly unlikely.

Another Saint is experiencing some difficulty with his knee, but this time it was no offensive lineman this time, it was rookie running back Mark Ingram. He had some swelling in his knee on Tuesday. Payton said Ingram should be sidelined for a couple days, meaning that it shouldn't cause problems in the future for the young back.

And my last news story, which I like to call my "Not so Important Fantasy News but Still Big News" segment, is Cowboys corner Orlando Scandrick getting a five-year, worth $27 million including $10 million guaranteed. Rob Ryan is said to have love the guy, and the Cowboys think they have a top three Nickel formation corner in the NFL. Newman is always injured so you can expect to see Scandrick a lot this year with the love from management and the oppotunities he will get.

Thanks for reading. Just for the heads up: I will be doing a daily recap, with all of the biggest NFL news. There will be one one Monday, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Every Friday or Saturday I will repost my rankings. So check back every night to get your fix of fantasy news. You can also find me on Twitter, just tweet any fantasy questions you have to @TheFFAddict, and I will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Week 2 Preseason News and Notes

Hello Fantasy Swashbucklers,

In a busy week of preseason games, injuries, and moves on the depth chart, I am going to analyze the things that may affect your draft. Last week we ran over injuries and important moves in the offseason. Along with all of that will be some of my own insights. So let’s get started with some injury news.

In the preseason game against the Packers, Cardinals rookie running back Ryan Williams went down with an ankle injury and was carted off the field. It was later found that he ruptured his patellar tendon and will need surgery. This really increases the value of Beanie Wells. He now possibly could become an every down back, and he will certainly be the lead man in Arizona. I already liked the guy if he got the time on the field, but now he will get the carries to become a top 20 back. But we have not seen that potential shine yet. I think this could, and will, be the year for Beanie.

Earlier in the week, we found some much anticipated news about Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin. After weeks of testing for just about every sickness possible, including Lukemia, it was found that his lymph nodes were “enlarged and hot”—a major sign of Lymphoma and he should be returning to the practice field in the next couple days. Now this doesn’t mean he is back where he should be in fantasy rankings. Everyone needs to wait and see him in practice and preseason to evaluate him and see if he is healthy and back to football form. If he is, feel free to rank him back to where he usually would be.

In other big news not concerning an injury, Titans Chris Johnson is holding out for a new contract from the Titans, as many of you may already know. "We're willing to make him the highest paid running back in the history of the NFL,” said the Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt two weeks ago,”That's kind of where we are.” Chris Johnson later went on to say that negotiations had gone nowhere, and they were still on square one. Now, the GM has yet to give CJ an offer, and the team is not even going to bother giving Johnson a concrete offer right now. If I were a fantasy owner, I would be extremely scared using a first round pick on this guy, none-the-less using a top five pick on him.

Now on to who has caught my eye in preseason. First off let’s start with a Cowboy, me being a Cowboys fan and all. I am beginning to become very interested in the all around talent of Felix Jones. He looks like a stud right now. His vision on the field is great and he is finding the holes. Rather it be his offensive line creating gaping holes or Jones finding them, it doesn’t matter to me. Either way this guy is climbing up on my rankings.

Another guy that may not of caught my eye this preseason, but one that did at the end of last season is Brian Robiskie. Granted, Cribbs is having the better preseason, but Robiskie is still the #1 wide-out on that team and if he can get the targets he is one of those deep sleepers I really like with his Qb Colt McCoy firing him passes.

Last but certainly not least is the quarterback position where this week I’m going to throw out the name Matthew Stafford. I know a lot of people, like this guy, but I have been one of them, for years now. His shoulder should not be a problem, and he is not considered injury prone. However, he has been injured in both of his first two seasons in the NFL, so it is a risk. But it is a risk I am willing to take in drafts if you could get him as a back-up QB. He has the receiving corps and the talent to become a top ten quarterback this year, mark my words.

Thanks for reading. I will be back next week with more sleepers, including a tight end that a lot of people are forgetting about. Have a good week!