Checkdown Chatter

Well, that’s it, LT is electric glide-in’ out of San Diego.

We knew it was coming, but today its official, the Chargers have released one of the greatest backs in NFL history. Tomlinson leaves the Chargers in possession of the single season touchdown record, an MVP trophy (‘06), two rushing crowns, career #2 in rushing TDs, #3 in total touchdowns and a slew of other accolades. What he doesn’t have is a SuperBowl title.

As San Diego gears up for next years’ SuperBowl run without their top rusher, they also realize Darren Sproles can’t carry the load as a number one back either, so their left without a true lead rusher, and are apparently willing to part with Antonio Cromartie to find one.

Things aren’t clear for Tomlinson either, who thinks (though his YPC average last season may suggest otherwise) he’s got a few years left in the tank at 30. Someone will likely give him a shot to prove so, but its doubtful he’ll be the #1 back anywhere next year.

Either way – a great career, and great success in bringing San Diego football to prominence. Now, there can be no arguments – this is Phillip Rivers’ team, and its up to him to lead the Chargers to post season success.

Chargers vs. Browns

• Quinn put together an impressive opening drive, capped with an 11 yard strike to Massaquoi.
• Chargers did their best to respond, but mustered only a field goal after stalling in the red zone.
• Next time they got the ball the Chargers made sure of it, with a 66 yard strike from Rivers to Tolbert.
• On 2nd and goal from the 3, after another impressive Browns drive, the Chargers (Phillips) come up with a strip sack and keep the Browns out of the end zone.
• At half Rivers is 8/14 for 153 and a score, Tomlinson has 43 total yards, and Vincent Jackson is still surprisingly quiet with 1 catch for 13.
• For the Browns Quinn is 12/20 with 159 and a score, but has the lost fumble and 6 different Browns have receptions. No one really standing out in Jamal Lewis’ absence just yet.
• I’d almost forgotten about Darren Sproles as a reasonable option for fantasy owners, and he only has four touches through the early 3rd quarter, but he’s got 45 total yards, and is in the endzone on a long reception. Looking @ the replay he still runs awfully fast.]
• Antonio Gates is following up a 2 TD performance last week with a very impressive effort against the Browns, through 2.5 quarters he has 8 catches and 167! yards. LT hasn’t done much, but he benefitted from a Gates led drive and plunged in for a 4 yard score (marking 9 straight years of double digit TDs to start a career, the only back ever to do so).
• Brady Quinn has a 4th quarter touchdown pass to Harrison and he’s not playing altogether bad, but the Browns trail as per usual.
• Jerome Harrison has only rushed for an average of 3.5 but has 6 catches for 60 yards and 2 of Quinn’s 3 tds.
• While there was never any real doubt that San Diego would come away with this one, their defense had a mini meltdown in the 4th quarter and the Browns made a game of it. That won’t do against tough teams leading to the playoffs.
• Quinn finished with 271 passing yards and 3 tds. Rivers threw for 373 and 2.
• Tomlinson 20-64-TD and 21 receiving yards.

Cowboys vs. Giants

• It feels early like we’re going to see heavy doses of Brandon Jacobs and Marion Barber.
• Roy Williams has still looked a bit shaky for the Cowboys, but he did a good job getting around Corey Webster on a short yardage TD late in the 1st half.
• Hakeem Nicks made a great play coming back to the ball and getting around Terrence Newman to get the Giants back in it with just under 2 minutes left in the 1st half.
• Osi Umenyiora who was on the bench to start this contest, had a huge return on a Barber fumble to get the Giants the ball back with time on the clock.
• Jacobs would later plow it in from 2 yards out, and the half ends with the Giants up 14-10, a pretty surprising turn of events. Dallas has dominated time of possession, but the score doesn’t lie.
• Witten has been very involved in the first half. (7-81 and a great sideline catch).
• Miles Austin has been moved around and at least is getting some looks, including a sneaky catch with 6 seconds on the clock to give Folk a shot from 57 yards. No dice, but it was impressive to get the clock stopped so quickly.
• The Giants continued to move the ball well into the 2nd half, but I wasn’t really surprised on the Eli interception. Jenkins picked him off in the endzone after Manning heaved one off his back foot.
• Roy Williams caught his 2nd TD on a fake toss to Miles Austin (lined up in the backfield) and everyone bit. Williams was very open in the middle.
• Brandon Jacobs, in his first such play of the season makes a catch out of the backfield and beats everybody down the sideline, just squeaking in for a 74 yard (career long play) TD.
• Felix Jones is doing very little with his 2nd half touches. Barber wasn’t doing much either, but I’m surprised to see him getting all the work right now.
• Nick Folk is 50% on his last 10 field goals after a 42 yard miss.
• On a fairly routine punt with the Cowboys down 7 Hakeem Nicks managed his 2nd all purpose TD of the game – 79 yarder, the 1st punt/kick return for TD all year for the Giants.
• Romo’s failed pass to Marion Barber should have been an easy completion on 4th down. It was a terrible low pass, and gave his receiver no chance to make forward progress.
• Say this for the NFC East though, I’m done saying no one wants it. While the Cowboys had a chance to put the division away, or at least remove the Giants from the hunt today, all 3 (and even the Redskins I guess) remaining teams played with passion today.
• Miles Austin’s 22 yard touchdown late made the game interesting, and took him from an impressive fantasy day to a whopper – good for 16 points.
• Jason Witten also had a big day with 14 catches for 156 yards. Roy Williams had 6-60 and the 2 scores.
• Tony Romo played great, the Cowboys lost another December game, but was 41/55 for 395 and 3 tds.
• Steve Smith was once again the focal point of the NY pass attack with 110 receiving yards.

49ers vs. Seahawks

• The 9ers moved the ball well after a recovery of a muffed punt, but stalled out on 1st and goal, and missed a 4th and goal try from the one (lots of contact from Leroy Hill on the D) but the Seahawks did well on D for the stand.
• 49ers very quickly turn it around though, forcing a 3 and out and then capping a brief drive with a 33 yard Smith-to-you-know-who (Vernon Davis) pass.
• Not to be outdone the 49ers had a fumble on a punt of their own, and Hasslebeck soon found Branch for a 7 yard score.
• After most fantasy advisors (myself included) said to forget about Forsett this week with Jones back and the rookie ailing, he’s managed to find the end zone. The carries are going Jones’ way, but Justin has the 8 yard reception.
• Davis was again involved in the 49ers response. The Smith TD went to Morgan, but he had a 42 yard reception to set it up.
• Frank Gore has had very little work in this one, but a 4th quarter fumble led to a Seahawks field goal and the 49ers are down 3 late.
• Another game decided by a field goal as Mare’s chip with no time left gives the Seahawks the victory.
• Julius Jones didn’t do enough to convince me that he’s worth starting over Justin Forsett (20-67, 5 cathes for -3). Forsett didn’t do much either, but he was hurt and didn’t have many chances.
• Houshmandzadeh was plenty quiet, again.
• Smith went 300 plus and had 2 tds. Vernon Davis was a monster with 111 and a TD. Crabtree and Morgan also had 6 catches, but Morgan got the TD.
• Frank Gore (62 total yards and a fumble lost) was way underused.

From hammer: Charles, Forsrtt, Hightower, for my #3 W/R i have T.Jones & MJD 1&2?

For a while it was looking like Julius Jones would be back for the Seahawks in this one, but he’s still very questionable – and at this point even if he plays I think Forsett will cut into his carries. If Forsett is the every down back you’ve got to start him against the Rams.

If Jones does play, you’re probably better off starting Charles. The Chargers are beatable on the ground and he got some numbers against the Steelers top ranked rush D last week.

Hightower should be able to move the ball against Tennessee, but he won’t see the volume of the other two (assuming Forsett is the sole back) and thus should sit behind them.

From Tyler P: charles sproles or forsett playing SD defense pick 2?

Charles and Forsett. Sproles doesn’t see enough attention of late to be useful this week, even against the Chiefs. I like Charles and Forsett – regardless of Jones’ status.

From Thom: WR: Choose 2 from: SSmith (CAR), Crabtree, Chambers. RB: Choose 1: Mendenhall, Bernard Scott

I like Chambers as the lead guy in KC. They have to throw the ball somewhere, and its been going his way since he arrived. He’ll be sure to bring his best against the Chargers this week, after their unceremonious dismissal of him a few weeks back.

Next up I like Crabtree coming off his first career TD last week.He gets a Jaguars D (and a cornerback matchup) that allowed Terrell Owens 9 catches for 197 last week, he’s a must start based on the matchup.

It’s hard to recommend sitting Smith, but he’s facing a tough Jets pass D and a top cover corner this week. Expect the Jets to really focus on shutting him down in Week 12 to put the pressure on Jake Delhomme.

Mendenhall could get shut down against the Ravens this week, as he’s been kind of negated in tough matchups this year. The Ravens will be able to devote extra staff to the task of shutting down the sophomore RB as Dennis Dixon looks to start at QB and may struggle to hit his receivers.

If Benson doesn’t play, Scott is definitely the start against the woeful Browns, but if not, Benson should get most of the workload and Scott becomes a much less attractive option – keep an eye on his status heading up to gametime.

From Thomas R: I start 2 runningbacks and 3 recievers. My recievers are: Randy Moss Vs. Saints, Wes Welker Vs. Saints, Roddy White Vs. Buccaneers, and Anquan Boldin Vs. Titans. My runningbacks are: Frank Gore Vs. Jaguars, Ricky Williams Vs. Bills, and Cedric Benson Vs. Browns. Who do I start?????

You have an excellent team, at these spots anyway, tough calls.

I’d start Moss against an ailing Saints secondary, and Im half inclined to start Welker too, but wouldn’t want to lean too heavily on the two of them in that game.

That said, both Boldin and White have great matchups this week, but the Titans are playing better football than their defensive ranking would suggets, so I’d go with White who should blow up the Bucs secondary.

At RB I’d start Gore and Williams. The Jags can’t stop anyone rushing or passing and the Bills are miserable against the run.

If Benson was 100% it might be a different story, but even still, the Bills are somehow worse against the runs than the Browns.

From Straight Up: Pick Two Please: Chris Johnson, LT, Cedric Benson or LeSean McCoy?

I assume you’re starting Johnson by default.

If not, you should be. Regardless of matchup this guy is a beast, especially with Young in the lineup and creating new holes for him.

Then, I think it’s LT who draws the 27th ranked Chiefs run defense and has had a nose for the endzone of late.

If Benson were healthy, I’d like him very much against the Browns – keep an eye on his status tomorrow morning, but even if he does start he may not see all the reps, knowing that Scott has been fairly successful filling in, so he’s more of a question mark than LT2.

McCoy gets a Redskins D that wasn’t very good even with Haynesworth in the lineup, and it looks like their plug in the middle may not start. He should post points as well, but its hard to know how the Eagles will gameplan in this one, and I still like Tomlinson’s matchup.

From Kyle: Chambers or Owens?

I like Chambers going against his former team.

San Diego only allows around 200 passing yards, and just over 1 passing touchdown per game, but Chambers is the top threat in the KC pass game, and should get lots of chances.

Owens has stepped it up in recent weeks, but its hard to envision anyone in the Bills pass attack as a consistent threat. As good as Owens played, I’m thinking that it may have been a product of the matchup against the Jaguars than a sign of a coming resurgence.

From Chris: mendenhall vs balt with Ben out…..or Jamaal charles at SD?

It’s hard to know what Roethlisberger missing this one means for Mendenhall.

Pittsburgh will try to get him going early, to take the pressure off Dennis Dixon in his first career action, but Baltimore will be more focused on shutting him down knowing that Dixon doesn’t offer the same threat as Roethlisberger. I guess that sort of balances and the Ravens only yield 3.5 YPC and 6 rushing touchdowns. That’s not exactly a tantalizing matchup.

Charles, meanwhile, has done a pretty impressive job taking over the starting position for the Chiefs. The Chargers meanwhile give up 4.2 YPC and almost 120 yards per game. They’ve also only allowed 7 rushing scores, but if neither back has a great shot of getting into the end zone I think you’re best to start the only who should be able to move it between the 20s.

Start Charles.

From Dre: Im in a standard PPR league. Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles, or Rock Cartwright? Matt Schaub or Matt Ryan?

You can’t start Forte against the Vikings, after watching the Bears’ output last week. I expect things to improve for Chicago this week, but Forte won’t do much running the ball. He may contribute in the pass game, but not enough to justify.

I like Charles better than Cartwright based on a) talent and b) matchup.

I’d start Schaub over Ryan. Ryan should play well this week against Tampa Bay, but I don’t think you can sit Schaub, even against a tough Indy pass defense. The Texans QB has been pretty consistent this year, and will come out with something to prove in a must win game for them against the Colts.

With Thursday games starting back again, and me actually having a real job, I’m changing the way I’m doing the weekly previews. For most games I’ll just state the matchup and my pick, and will feature a few games per week for further discussion.

Week 10 Featured Games

Bengals vs. Steelers

Overview: As these teams meet in Week 10 first place in the AFC North is up for grabs. The Steelers have overcome a slow start to post 5 straight wins and improve to 6-2, a record they share with the Bengals who are winning games with offense when necessary, and with a stout defense. In week 3, back when the Bengals were just growing into their “Cardiac Cats” nickname the Bengals pulled out the 23-20 victory on a last minute drive (capped by a Carson Palmer to Andre Caldwell touchdown drive).

Of course, a lot has changed since then. The Steelers have piled up some impressive victories – including their Monday night dominance of the 6-1 Broncos -, they have Troy Palamalu back in their secondary and the offense has found a nice balance with Rashard Mendenhall pounding it out between the tackles. Add to that the fact that the series now moves to Pittsburgh, where the Steelers are 4-0 and the road to victory looks a lot tougher this time around.

Key Players: As mentioned above, Andre Caldwell scored the winner in week 3 and was back in the endzone last week facing the Ravens. The Cincinnati wideouts have been playing strong this year, and while Laveranues Coles and Chad OchoCinco are expected to contribute, it may be up to Caldwell to exploit the opportunities he is given against a tough Steelers pass defense. Troy Polamalu missed the first meeting of these two teams and has been a presence since returning, expect him to be very active in this matchup. Rashard Mendenhall also didn’t see much opportunity the last time these two teams played one another, and his recent success has given the Steelers an impressive run game to compliment their pass attack – the Bengals rank 2nd in rushing YPG allowed (behind only the Steelers) but Mendenhall will need to find ways to gain some yardage if the Steelers hope to move the ball efficiently. Meanwhile, Cedric Benson has thrived against tough matchups this year – but they don’t come much tougher than the Steelers run defense, he carried for an average of 4.8 and got into the endzone (one of only two rushing touchdowns the Steelers have allowed all year) in week 3. A repeat performance would go a long way to helping the Bengals.

Pick: Steelers at home.

Eagles vs. Chargers

Overview: The Chargers face their 2nd straight NFC East opponent when the Eagles come to town in week 10, following their impressive last second victory over the Giants last week. While the Chargers looked good on both sides of the ball last week, their run game is clearly lacking. Ladanian Tomlinson is averaging just 3.2 YPC this year and posted just 22 yards on 12 carries last week (1.8), as strong as Philip Rivers continues to play, if the Eagles pass defense which ranks just outside the league’s top 10 does not have to focus on stopping the run they can make things difficult for Rivers, Jackson et. al in the pass game. With the Eagles ranking 4th best in YPC allowed (3.6) this isn’t a likely week for Tomlinson to get back to form.

Last week’s tough loss to the Cowboys (where the Eagles ran out of time outs/opportunities well before the end of the game) has put Philadelphia in a tight spot in the NFC East, sandwiched between the Cowboys and Giants. A win would allow them to keep pace with the Cowboys, while a loss lands them at 5-4 tied with the Giants, and possibly 2 full games back of Dallas int he playoff race.

Key Players: At some point the Chargers are going to have to stop handing the ball to LT, meaning that an increasing amount of the duties will be coming Darren Sproles’ way. This week against a tough Eagles team that has yielded only 5 rushes of longer than 20 yards Sproles will have to use his outside speed to try and break away from the defense and keep them focused on his dangerous legs rather than the pass attack. Shawne Merriman’s recent strong play has coincided with the Chargers win streak. If he and fellow pass rusher Shaun Phillips can put the pressure on McNabb in the pocket it might give San Diego’s tough pass defense the opportunity to create some turnovers, perhaps more importantly if they can get to McNabb DeSean Jackson won’t get much time to burn the Chargers on deep routes. With Brian Westbrook still iffy with his ankle, expect LeSean McCoy to continue to see some if not most of the work in the Eagles backfield. He has been quietly productive in Westbrook’s relief and will need to continue to be so to help Philadelphia move the ball.

Pick: Chargers to continue their run through the NFC East.

Patriots vs. Colts

Overview: It’s that time of year again as the Colts and Pats renew their rivalry on Sunday Night Football. Last year at this time, Peyton Manning was just finding his groove coming off of knee surgery, in 2009 Tom Brady finds himself in the same spot. While Terrific Tom seems to now have the Patriots offense humming (they’ve scored 121 points in the last three weeks) the Colts continue to pile up the victories (now 17 straight) despite the fact that they have looked a little bit out of sync the last two weeks lacking their characteristic ability to put teams away and finish off drives. In new head coach Jim Caldwell’s first matchup in this rivalry he and his team will have to get the most out of their scoring opportunities.

The Patriots have done a good job defending the pass this year, and while their run defense has been beatable at times, they have only allowed 2 rushing touchdowns all year, they’ll be doing everything they can to contain Manning and his receivers while keeping Addai and Donald Brown (expected to return) from crossing the plane.  As said already, the Colts will have to take opportunities when they come to them because field goals likely won’t be enough to stay ahead of New England. Both teams have impressive net points around the 110 mark, but something has to give this week.

Key Players: While playing conservative hasn’t been a part of New England’s game plan in recent memory (and likely won’t be this week or any other, for that matter) they have found a better balance between run and pass and Laurence Maroney has put in some solid work over the last few weeks with the lion’s share of the carries. The Colts are beatable on the ground, and their pass defense has allowed only 4 TD to 9 interceptions, so the Patriots may need to turn to Maroney at some key intervals. Of course, Indy’s defensive backfield has been decimated by injury, and though they held the Texans to just 17 points last week Moss and Welker should be able to make some meaningful contributions. Austin Collie looks like he’ll be ready to play in Week 10 and will need to put in a full games work. While Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark continue their strong play Manning has struggled to throw touchdowns in the last few weeks and Collie & Garcon need to help their QB get across the goalline.

Pick: The Patriots to prevent the Colts from approaching their consecutive regular season wins streak.

Week 10 Games

Bears vs. 49ers

Falcons vs. Panthers

Bucanneers vs. Dolphins

Lions vs. Vikings

Jaguars vs. Jets

Saints vs. Rams

Bills vs. Titans

Broncos vs. Redskins

Chiefs vs. Raiders

Seahawks vs. Cardinals

Cowboys vs. Packers

Ravens vs. Browns

From Keith S.: M. Schaub vs. Ind D or V. Young vs. SF D??

I picked Schaub.

The Texans QB clearly missed his big Tight End target in this one and the Texans only put up 17 points against a tough, but depleted Colts D. Still, the passing numbers were definitely there for Schaub. He had two interceptions to one touchdown, but threw for 311 and added 21 rushing yards on 3 carries for a total of 16 fantasy points.

Young, played another consistent game. When the Titans asked him to air it out, he did so effectively, but mostly it was short passes again this week. He completed 12 of 19 for 172 and ran in a score on 14 rushing yards for a total of 14 points.

Result: Win

From hammer: H.nicks or D.hester

I picked Hester.

Hester continues to be the go to guy in Chicago and should be started with Jay Cutler tossing him the pigskin. He led the Bears in receiving (though 3 tds and the red zone targets belonged to Greg Olsen) and finished with 6-94 and 9 fantasy points.

The New York passing game looked the best it has in recent weeks, but still a little bit off against San Diego. Surprisingly, Nicks was outshone by Manningham who was coming off an injury and finished with 3 catches for 39 yards, 3 points.

Result: Win

& Bradshaw or Hightower please pick 1 ea.

I picked Hightower.

Both backs split carries with (arguably) more dangerous runners, but Hightower usually comes out with a handful more touches than Bradshaw and you have to go where the opportunities are. Hightower had 15 carries for 77 yards and 1 catch for 11, or 8 points. Bradshaw ended with more touches this week (a healthy 17) but finished with 39 rushing yards and 27 receiving for 5 points.

Result: Win

From Bryce: i need 2 out of the 3 to start, pierre thomas, matt forte, or brandon jacobs???

I picked Thomas and Jacobs.

The PT Bruiser again made the most of this workload, and thanks to his duties as a receiver finished the game with 18 touches, for 81 total yards and he made his way into the end zone on the ground this week for 14 points.

Jacobs carried the ball well, but looked like he got slowed by an injury and missed some time. He only had 11 carries, though he managed to average 6 yards and picked up a total of 67. 6 points.

Forte eclipsed 100 total yards again, rushing for a strong average (on just 5 carries: 33 yards) and added 6 catches for 74. 10 points.

Result: Tie (I ended up with 20 points, could have had 16 if both wrong, or 24 both right, split).

From Goo: pick 2 please Austin Collie, Hakeem Nicks, Felix Jones, Beanie Wells?

I picked Collie and Wells.

No one really shone in this group, but Wells made the most of his opportunities in the run game, 13 carries for 72 yards and 7 points. If the Cardinals were using him like Hightower in the pass game he’d have extra chances, and thus be more dangerous.

Collie left this game injured and only had 2 catches for 26 yards, or 2 points.

Nicks didn’t fare much better with 3 catches for 39 yards in a full games worth of duty.

And Felix Jones continues to be an afterthought in the Dallas rushing attack 4-10, 1 point.

Result: Win

From UnderDawgs: Would you start Jamaal Charles over Ronnie Brown this week?

I picked Brown.

In classic stick with your studs philosophy, I went with Brown over Charles despite some owners’ trepidation after a subpar game in week 8. Brown again wasn’t really himself, and got stuffed twice in a row out of the wildcat at the goal line. He finished with 15 carries for 48 yards and 2 catches for 16. The passing TD he threw on the 3^rd play in the above sequence saved his fantasy day, giving him 11 points. It’s this type of versatility that should make Brown an every week starter.

Charles didn’t get a lot of chances in his debut as the KC running back, and Kolby Smith carried the ball inside the opponents 20 yard lines. Playing in Kansas City means trailing a lot, and the guy rushing the ball between the 20s doesn’t always get his shots. Charles went 6-36 and 3-19 for 4 points.

Result: Win

From Wily Mo Pena: I have to start two of the following three in a PPR league: Reggie Bush, LaDanian Tomlinson and Jonathan Stewart. Originally I was going to go with Stewart and LDT, but does Lance Moore’s inactive status boost Bush start status up this week over Stewart of LDT? Thanks for your help!

I picked Tomlinson and Stewart.

My decision was based mainly on projected volume and I was right – Tomlinson and Stewart each had 14 touches, more than Reggie Bush’s 9. While none of the backs had even moderately productive days Bush was the de facto correct choice.

LT is done as a starter in fantasy, and should be relieved of the duties in the NFL, its sad to say, but watching him run the ball the guy is toast. He went 12-22 and added 2 catches for 8 yards. Stewart, after scoring twice last week, was not even close to the production of running mate DeAngelo Williams on this day and finished with 13-24 and 1 catch for 14, he also lost a fumble. Bush only rushed twice for 16, but added 7 catches for 37, 4 points wins.

Result: Loss

Oh, and I need to decide between Manningham and Chris Henry at receiver. Thanks again!

I picked Henry.

… and then he broke his arm. He had 1 catch for 20 yards before leaving.

Manningham didn’t have a huge fantasy day, but outperformed expectations and had plenty of targets from Eli. He finished with 6 catches and 52 yards.

Result: Loss

From Jon: R.Moats or D.Henderson for flex spot?

I picked Moats.

Again, this was a volume based decision, and Moats touched the football 600% more than Henderson. He ended with an ok day, though he rushed for a worse average than Slaton. 16-38, 3 grabs for 15 and a score… plus, with the starters duty comes a case of fumblitis and he coughed one up (Kubiak actually screwed him by waiting for Indy to challenge the ruling on the field). He finished with 8 points.

Henderson made the most of his limited opportunities and caught 3 balls for 93. 9 points.

Result: Loss

From Greg: Moats or Westbrook?

I picked Moats.

Westbrook didn’t start and Moats scored, but I made these picks Saturday so I’m taking the garbage win.

Result: Win

Santana Moss, Manningham or Malcom Floyd?

I picked Moss.

Manningham, as discussed: 6-52.

Floyd failed to live up to his pregame hype and caught only 2 balls for 29 yards against a NY defense that was struggling against the deep ball.

Moss ended with 5 catches for 47 and a run of 6, for 53 total yards, but he only gets 4 points in traditional scoring.

Result: Loss

From Thebes: 6-2 need more flex imput…smith(ny esp w/ eli’s poor play)…mason@ cincy(revenge for being blanked last time faced cincy)….or charles(jack def poris but garrad tough at home n will kc be passing to play catch up)?

I picked Charles.

Discussed above, he didn’t see the field that much (2 first half carries) and finished with 45 total yards.

Mason was shut down again by Cincinnatti (3-31 and 1 rush for 2).

Smith continued to be consistent, and should continue to catch the ball over the middle regardless of how the rest of the NY passing game fares. He had 6 catches for 57 and a score, for 11 points. It’s worth noting though that his value really hinges on a touchdown. Not that you’d turn down 5 points this week, but if he gets in the end zone he has a good day, otherwise, that 50-60 yardage total is going to be pretty standard most weeks.

Result: Loss

Week 9 Start & Sit Results: 6-5-1.

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From the Fatman: Please pick 2 WRs out of the names I give you: Burleson, Nicks, Knox, crabtree, Jacoby jones.

I picked Burleson and Crabtree.

Burleson had another solid outing with Hasslebeck throwing him the ball. T.J.’s tantrum got him some early looks, and the touchdown from 2 yards, but Hasslebeck kept going back to Burleson and he should be a good WR3 from here on out, 6-75. 7 points.

Crabtree failed to exceed his week 8 numbers as most expected and had 3 catches for 30 yards – he was heavily targeted though and continues to have upside.

Jacoby Jones picked it up for Schaub with 4 catches for 67. He was to the Texans early, what Kevin Walter was late in the game. 6 points.

Nicks went 3-39 (above).

And Knox didn’t really get into the mix even though Jay Cutler threw for a ton of yards in the loss, he finished for 4-30 and is a pretty inconsistent option.

Result: Loss (I’d suggested Jones might step up, and should have stuck with it. Crabtree tied the other chumps though, and Burleson was the top).

From John S: romo or big ben

I picked Romo.

He had another good game, picking up the yardage, limiting turnovers (one interception) and getting Roy Williams into the mix. He finished 21/34 for 304 and a touchdown to Miles Austin. Good for 16 points.

Roethlisberger didn’t have as strong a game, but came on in the 2^nd half and his 3 tds were enough to offset moderate (233) yardage and 2 turnovers, finishing with 23 points based on nfl.com settings.

Result: Loss

From Aaron G: Nicks or Crabtree? And is Westbrook not playing tonight?

I picked Crabtree.

Both players have been discussed, neither did much, both had 3 fantasy points on 3 catches.

Result: Tie

From Naquito S: Help me pick 2 RBs: LT, P Thomas, Mendenhall and L McCoy ?

I picked Thomas and LT.

I’m done with picking the latter.

Thomas meanwhile, performed admirable and got into the endzone, 14 points.

McCoy looked better witht eh football this week, his rushing average was right around 4 (13-54) and he added 5 catches for 61. Good for 11 points.

Mendenhall defied the matchup against Denver and ran the ball 22 times for 155 yards adding 1 catch for 9. This was an impressive performance and he looked good carrying/protecting the football. Continue to start him in most situations.

Result: Loss

Jay: Need some advice. Rb’s Starting MJD. Mendenhall or P Thomas. I really like both, maybe Thomas a bit more.

I picked Thomas. He scored and had 80 total yards for 14 points.

Mendenhall, as discussed above ran hard against Denver and produced a 15 point performance.

Result: Loss (but both guys played well enough to start).

Wr’s/Te’s Need 3 from any of these. T. Gonzalez,Ocho, S Holmes, H Nicks, M Floyd.

I picked Gonzalez, OchoCinco and Floyd.

Gonzo continued to stay in the mix for Matt Ryan. Though his yardage totals weren’t all that impressive (41 on 5 catches) he got into the endzone and will continue to be a threat to do so for the rest of the year. 10 points.

OchoCinco was all over the field in this game, and played well against the Ravens with 5 catches for 66, but he lost a fumble and didn’t cross the goal line, 4 points.

Floyd couldn’t exploit NY’s secondary and scored only 2 points on 2 catches. Nicks, as discussed had 3 points.

Holmes was consistently open for Roethlisberger and looked good on his way to 6 catches for 93 yards. 9 points.

Result: Loss (though I got 2/3)

Defense, I have Dallas D Right now. Not much on Waiver wire. heard westbrook is out so may just stick with them. Here is what is available. Jag’s, Ten, Was and TB. Thanks.

I advised sticking with Dallas mostly because the waiver wire would have been a tedius process. The Titans played strong D, and Tampa scored a defensive touchdown, but Dallas was pretty steady, worth about 10-12 points in most leagues, better than average in those leages, let’s call it a win.

Result: Win

From Fitz: Jacobs vs SD or Turner vs WASH? Thanks

I picked Turner.

Jacobs was solid in limited action, 6 pts.

Turner had another huge game against a so-so rush defense. 18 carries, 166 yards (his 2^nd straight over 150) and a TD. He added a bonus point as a receiver and finished with 23.

Result: Win

Jr Baucus: got grant forte charles mendenhall maroney need 2?

I picked Grant and Forte.

Grant had a predictably good game against a soft Buccaneers run defense. He scored on a 25 yard scamper and finished with 96 yards on 21 carries and the TD. The day belonged to Ahman Green at running back though, as he became the Packers all time leading rusher.

Forte did well in the total yardage department, his 100+ were good for 10 points.

Charles’ 45 were good for 4.

Moats, discussed above scored but put it on the ground as well, and had 8 points.

Mendenhall impressed against Denver and was good for 15.

Result: Win (while Mendenhall sat based on the matchup Forte had 10 and my picks ended with 25 points… could have been any combination much lower, except for Mendenhall and Grant).

Also i have v jax as flex, keep him in or put in one of the rbs listed??

I advised keeping Jackson in as flex, and despite Mendenhall’s big day this was the right call. He had 2 touchdowns (including the game winner) and 52 yards for 17 poitns.

Result: Win

From Robert M: Which 3 to start? Manninghan, S. Holmes, Bolden, Nate Washington, or Andre Caldwell?

I picked Holmes, Washington and Caldwell.

Holmes, as discussed had 6 grabs for 93 yards on Monda Night Football.

Vince Young made some deep throws in this one, but none of the yardage went Washington’s way (Justin Gage was the healthiest recipient) and he finished 3-30.

Caldwell only had three catches, but managed to snag Carson Palmer’s lone touchdown pass in the win over Baltimore, finishing 3-15 with the score and 7 fantasy points.

Boldin didn’t play… much to his displeasure.

Manningham, discussed, went 6-52.

Result: Win (19 out of a possible 22 – I just came up with the benchmark, 85% of possible max points in situations with 4 or more guys, is a win, any objections – I make the rules).

From JT: Pick 3 WRs: Vincent Jackson vs NYG, Donald Driver vs TB, Steve Smith (NYG) vs SD, Derrick Mason vs CIN, Michael Crabtree vs TEN

I picked Jackson, Crabtree and Smith.

Jackson had a heyday against the Giants and is an every week starter, but you already know that by now (17 points).

Driver came back strong from an injury that could have kept him out, and continued his solid production with 4 catches, 71 yards, and a score – good for 13 fantasy points.

Crabtree: 3-30. Smith: 6-57-TD. Mason: 3-31.

Result: Loss

From uofmrapper1: Forte, R. Williams, or LeSean McCoy (Westbrook is out)

I picked Forte.

As discussed, his 100 total yard performance wasn’t a complete bust, but without crossing the plane, the 10 points isn’t exactly a hot fantasy line.

McCoy eked out Forte in the total yardage department, with both backs doing most of their damage in the pass game, 11 points.

Williams didn’t have near the yardage numbers (36 total on 8 touches) as the Miami run game continues to struggle in the yardage category, but he got into the end zone and finished with 9 points.

Result: Loss

andy: 2 pts per 5 reception league need 2 Rbs 2 Wrs and 1 Rb/Wr

Benson
Ray rice
Deangelo williams
Roddy white
Miles Austin
Pierre Thomass
Sims-Walker
Bowe

I picked Benson, Rice and Deangelo as RBS/Flex.

You couldn’t have gone wrong with any of the four options at RB, but this one went in my favour.

Benson played strong against the tough Ravens run defense. At this point, a bunch of yards and a good chance at a score should be expected out of Benson – even if just for pure volume – he’s on pace this year to shatter his career high for carries. 117 and a TD, 17 points.

Rice was held in check early, but when the Ravens/Flacco realized that they were being pretty ineffective against the Cincinnati defense they turned to him in the second half, and he piled up the yardage finishing with 135 total yards and score – 19 points.

Williams started his day with a dozen points on his first carry and didn’t look back, blowing up the Saints on the way to a tough loss with 149 rushing yards on 21 carries, 2 scores, 2 catches for 12 yards and an unfortunate late lost fumble, not so good for the Panthers in the end, but good enough for 25 points in the virtual world.

Thomas, discussed above, had 14 points with a touchdown.

Result: Win

At receiver I picked White and Austin.

Coming off injury that almost kept him out, White was quiet as the game progressed and he finished with 2 fantasy points on 3 catches for 27.

Austin was also quiet, as the previously focal receiver only had 4 targets. He did turn one of those into a long touchdown and finished with 10 fantasy points.

Bowe was steady with 6 catches for 74 – he continues to be productive in a lackluster offense.

Perhaps predictably, Mike Sims-Walker rebounded from a poor outing in week 8 (2 catches for 9 yards) blowing up for 147 yards and a score. 20 fantasy points, part of a result of his ability, Garrard being able to get him the ball, and the Chiefs opting not to cover him.

Result: Loss

From D.Guerrero: i need help to decide who to start. Mike Sims-Walker vs (KC) or T.J Houshmanzadeh vs (det).

I picked Sims-Walker.

Thankfully I avoided total embarrassment as far as the compound-worded receiver was concerned. His 20 points didn’t go wasted everywhere.

Houshmandzadeh caught more balls from Matt Hasslebeck after getting upset at his role in the offense following a week 8 loss, but only a 2 yard touchdown score saved him from being the 2^nd most productive (fantasy and otherwise) receiver in the Seahawks offense again in week 9. He finished with 6 catches for only 34 yards, but scored and ended with 9 points.

Result: Win

Kenneth: Not sure who to start between Steve Slayton or LeSean McCoy

I picked McCoy.

With Westbrook set to miss another week and Slaton losing his grip on the starting job in Houston this became a question of volume.

McCoy’s yardage totals were good enough for 11 points.

Slaton didn’t see the ball all that much, he carried 6 times for minimal yardage, added 3 receptions for 12 yards, but, after Ryan Moats lost a goal line fumble early, Slaton got a turn and went over the top (and held on) for the score, he finished with 8 points and it should be another confusing week trying to figure out the workload split moving ahead.

Result: Win

Week 9 Rapid Fire Results: 8-8-1.

Week 9 Cumulative Record: 14-13-2.

Season to Date: 38-32-7.

Panthers vs. Saints

• DeAngelo Williams started off well, with 66 yards and a TD on his first carry. Alot of people calling for an upset and its starting out well.
• Still in the 1st quarter the Panthers capitalized on a Brees fumble in his own end, and Williams got in from 7 yards. Last week Stewart was doing all the scoring, this time its his turn.
• Meanwhile Stewart has 4 carries for 5 yards and lost a fumble at his own 16. No worries though, the Panthers picked off Brees quickly, and moved the ball back the other direction.
• Late in the 3rd the Panthers tried to get Jonathan Stewart into the mix, giving him the ball 4 straight times inside the 15 yard line. He didn’t get in (though he had one good 10 yard run) but was stopped short. He’s gone 11-24 with 3 minutes left in the 3rd, and the Panthers had to settle for a field goal when a score would have put a lot of pressure on New Orleans.
• The ever dangerous Saints have tied this one back up (why scoring TDs instead of field goals when you have the chance against them is so important). Meachem hauled in a 54 yard scoring pass from Brees and its all knotted up at 20.
• The Panthers continue to give up on the run too early. This game was close, and they trailed, only by 3 with lots of time in this one, but, rather than run the ball to get into field goal (game tying) position they put the ball in Delhomme’s hands, and he threw 2 straight incompletions and gave up a sack/fumble. Delhomme barely has the capacity right now to not lose games, he definitely shouldn’t be asked to win them.
• Tough break for DeAngelo Williams and for my comment above, after the defense got them another shot, Williams fumbled running the ball from his own two, and the Saints iced the game with a touchdown. He still had a monster game…
• As soon as the game was out of reach, Delhomme put together his best passing drive of the game. It just seems like he can’t handle the pressure. That’s been talked about for a while. (note: the Panthers got to the 2 but still couldn’t punch it in).
• Delhomme finished with 201 passing yards on 17/30. He didn’t throw a pick for the 2nd straight game, thats something. Williams impressed with 161 total yards and 2 scores, though the fumble was a killer.
• Brees was efficient, 24/35 for 330 1 Td, 1 pick. Thomas again made the most of his carries as compared to Mike Bell, he should be getting the ball much more often than he does – though the carries were 13 to 5 for Thomas vs. Bell. The New Orleans D scored again, this time when it was most needed, and the Saints move to 8-0 with another come back win.

Lions vs. Seahawks

• Stafford and the Lions capitalized off an early interception on Hasslebeck’s first pass of the game and got into the endzone on a short conversion.
• Hasslebeck’s next pass was a 10 yard completion to Justin Griffith – then he fumbled, in his own end. The Lions subsequently scored on a 29  yard pass to Bryant Johnson. 14-0, quickly.
• Since this point, Hasslebeck has been extremely efficient, entering half time 21/25 passing for 165 yards. The Seahawks still trail, however. Of note: Houshmandzadeh got a lot of attention early after his outburst, but enters half with 3 catches for only 11 yards – the lowest yardage total of any Seahawks player with a catch.
• At 2:30 in the 3rd quarter the Seahawks took their first lead. Housh contributed on the drive with a 15 yard grab from Seneca Wallace off a reverse, and the 2 yard TD catch. I recommended Burleson over Housh this week, and I stand by the decision, he’s played well but T.J. gets the score and is thus the better fantasy play so far.
• Driving late with the game on the line Stafford threw his 4th pick of the game. This Lions team isn’t as bad as the record indicates, but Stafford has a tendency to turn it over right now. Until he gets comfortable and limits these mistakes they are going to be in trouble.
• (Despite this the Lions had a chance to take the lead again down 25-20 with little time left, and Stafford way underthrew Johnson, leading to a Josh Wilson pick 6).

Chargers vs. Giants

• The Giants/Jacobs moved the ball effectively on their first drive, with 4 carries for 31, but had to settle for the Tynes field goal attempt, which was thwarted, awkwardly by the Chargers. Looked like Tynes thought it was a fake. he just didn’t kick the ball. They didn’t Charlie Brown him either.
• The Giants defense looked pretty good early, but surrendered a long (time consuming) drive to the Chargers that finished the 1st and started the 2nd quarter, capped by a Vincent Jackson TD catch. No surprise that he’s in the end zone.
• On the first drive after half Jacobs left hurt. He’s gone 7-45 so far, and looks to be running well. Hopefully this won’t set him back too much.
• Macolm Floyd dropped his first target of the day, but Rivers showed good faith in him going back 2 plays later on 3rd and 1 and Floyd picked up the 1st down.
• LT is boring to watch run. It’s sad that he’s fallen to this point, but he just looks slow. At the end of the 3rd he’s gone 10 times for 17 yards.
• On a challenge of a Steve Smith reception to start the 4th, the refs could have went fumble, completion and 1st down. No one expected incomplete pass, but they made the right call. A wasted opportunity for the Giants. The Tynes field goal makes it 14-10 Chargers.
• The Giants defense played well all day, but Rivers and the Chargers put together a very efficient scoring drive (80 yards, 1:46) to put the Chargers up a point (and make that ridiculous field goal miss earlier very important) with 21 seconds remaining.
• The game winning touchdown was Vincent Jackson’s 2nd of the day. 5 catches for 58 and 2 scores. Rivers had 3 tds but was picked off twice. Tomlinson sucked, and Sproles only got 1 carry.
• Mario Manningham surprised coming off injury as the Giants 2nd leading receiver, Steve Smith had a quiet 2nd half but had a strong fantasy day. Jacobs ran for a good average, but his apparent injury and limited opportunity stopped him from making a huge impact.
• Shawne Merriman is back to making an impact. He finished a pretty strong game with the game sealing sack (his 2nd) as time expired.

Titans vs. 49ers

• I like the matchup of former first round picks here, and both have started playing efficiently. Young, interestingly, has opened it up in this one, with two long completions on the Titans first scoring drive. I thought the gameplan would be the same as week 8, short-intermediate passes, but not so far. The Titans failed to capitalize on great position after a 49 yard grab by Justin Gage and settled for a field goal.
• Into the 2nd quarter Young continues to get it done through the air, and just scored on a 7 yard run.
• Smith and the 49ers answered back on a scoring drive that featured a long grab from Smith’s favourite target Vernon Davis, and a 3 yard plunge from Frank Gore.
• The Titans are suddenly a credible football team again, and they are hanging with the 49ers. Chris Johnson gets in on a one yard score (he’s over 100 total yards with a touchdown now) and its 17-17.
• It was only a matter of time before Chris Johnson broke loose.  He’s got another long TD this week, from 81 yards with 10:29 left to answer a 49ers touchdown and put his team back in front. This guy can take control of a game. Its amazing the Titans managed to lose so many games with him on the field, he’s dominant. (Update: the play was challenged and he stepped out of bounds after 40 or so… still, he’s a gamebreaker). After the challenge Young hit Gage on another deep throw. He was overall unsteady this game, but made some good plays and is giving the Titans a better chance to win than Kerry Collins was.
• Half a dozen plays later Johnson got the touchdown, this time from 2 yards out, and the Titans take the lead.
• Chris Hope’s interception of Alex Smith with 5 minutes left all but clinched this one. Smith had an ok game, but his 2nd interception came at a bad time.
• After the Titans field goal off this turnover, Smith proceeded to give up a pick 6 to Cortland Finnegan, game over (welcome back).
• Frank Gore had 150 total yards and a score, and Vernon Davis led the 49ers in receiving. Crabtree only had 3 for 30, failing to live up to most experts predications for this week. Hill got into the end zone twice.
• Justin Gage had 4 catches for 97, an impressive game with Young under centre. Johnson ended wiht 160 total yards and 2 scores. Young was 12/19 for 172. He had more than 100 in the first quarter, so the rest was quiet, but he was efficient and gave Tennessee the chance to win.

Week 8 Start and Sit

From Chris: Flex: P. Thomas, H Nicks or T Hightower?

I picked Nicks.

I have always cautioned against choosing a receiver over an RB if given the option, and this proved right again this week, problem is, I ignored my own advice.

Nicks played well enough, but his 4 catches for 53 yards was far from tops among this group.

Thomas still lost the battle for carries against Mike Bell (shockingly) but he made the most of his work. Thomas picked up 100 total yards on 16 touches and scored twice, including an impressive aerial move on a pass from Drew Brees. He lost a fumble (so did Mike Bell, an embarrassing one that is sure to put him on Sean Payton’s bad side) and scored 19 fantasy points.

Hightower was another back mired in a committee this week, he and Beanie Wells split the carries, but Hightower was much more involved in the pass game, and he got into the end zone. He totalled 96 yards and the score for 14 fantasy points.

Result: Loss

From Spitative: Joseph Addai or Michael Turner?  Derrick Mason or Percy Harvin?

I picked Addai and Mason.

Turner hadn’t really exploded in ’09 despite a propensity for finding paydirt. In week 8 he did both.

Addai is involved in a great offense, and finds a way to score points based on opportunity more than talent (he carried 20 times at an average of 3.1 yards), and this week was no exception. Rather than getting into the end zone the traditional way he hit a wide open Reggie Wayne on a 22 yard pass play. His 60 yards and the passing TD netted him 12 fantasy points, a solid day.

Turner ran all over the Saints. With 20 carries and 151 yards rushing he was breaking tackles and running hard, he added a score and finished with 21 fantasy points. This is what owners who drafted Turner in the first round were expecting – as said, he has been scoring often enough, but didn’t always look like a top tier runner at all times. He did for four quarters on Monday night.

Result: Loss

Question two of this set nets the same result, Mason had a pretty solid fantasy day, only 4 catches for 40 but he got into the endzone and ended with 10 points.

Harvin had a great day with 5 catches for 84 yards, and a very impressive touchdown where he went up against 3 Packers for a Favre pass and came down, leaving the Packers in a heap. He scored 14 points.

Result: Loss

From doubledown: Jacobs or Ksmith?

I picked Smith.

Smith had a great matchup this week against the Rams, and exploited it early. His ypc wasn’t all that impressive with 16 carries for 45 yards, but he added 4 grabs for 49. Then he left with injury, and Maurice Morris picked up where he left off. He ended with 8 points, and likely would have put together a solid day if he played the whole game.

Brandon Jacobs didn’t get into the end zone this week, but he carried the ball pretty well ended with 107 total yards, and 10 points.

Result: Loss

From Deanna: Question 1, Aaron Rodgers (starting atm) or Kurt Warner.

I picked Rodgers.

He had the day everyone expected against the Vikings – filled with sacks, but impressive through the air. It took him a while to get going, but Rodgers had a big second half with his team behind. 26/41 for 287, 3 Tds and Rodgers added 52 yards on the ground, including a 35 yard scamper down the sideline, on what looked like it was going to be a pivotal drive. He finished with 34 fantasy points on nfl.com standard settings.

Warner felt bad for all the negative attention coming to Jake Delhomme after the last time these two teams met, so he served up a stinker himself. That’s the only real explanation for this game. He finished with more than 200 yards, which is always a staple, and threw for 2 tds, but threw 5 ints and lost a fumble, finishing with 9 fantasy points.

Result: Win

Question 2: which receivers to start? Steve Smith (NYG) or T.J. Houshmandzadeh. (also Nate Burleson may be available as a FA)

I picked Smith.

He was the focus of the Giants passing game again, grabbing 8 passes on short routes and finishing with 6 points on 68 yards.

Houshmandzadeh was angry on the sidelines on Sunday – and so were his owners. He finished with 4 catches for 24 yards.

Burleson had an impressive game, and is worth owning/starting moving forward. He had 89 yards, but lost a fumble and finished with 6 points as well.

Smith over Houshmandzadeh was the right call, the Seahawks passing game is up and down and tough to predict.

Result: Win

**Question 3**: Running back situation. I have Adrian Peterson (always starting) and Cedric Benson, but Benson has bye this week so i need another back, my backup Brian Westbrook (concussion) has had a lousy season and coming off of a concussion is def not a safe start. who should i start… LeSean McCoy, Westbrook, or Shonn Green (FA in league)

With Westbrook out I picked McCoy.

McCoy scored on a 66 yard scamper late in this one and finished with 15 fantasy points on 92 total yards. Take out that run and the day was nothing special, but with it he was a very useful fantasy player.

Greene, was not. He was given 8 carries but managed only 18 yards and lost a fumble, finishing with negative points.

Result: Win

From Jillian: Which WRs: Anquan Boldin, Devin Hester, Lee Evans, Johnny Knox. I need 2.

I picked Boldin and Hester.

There’s always a huge risk of rolling with a player labelled questionable, even if he plays the game, and I cautioned against this, but went with Boldin anyway. He didn’t manage to play the whole game, and wasn’t at top speed when he did, this together with Warner’s subpar day led to Boldin ending with 3 catches and 23 yards.

Hester continued to show he has what it takes as a receiver, he finished with 7 catches for 81 yards and is clearly Cutler’s best receiving option.

Evans underwhelmed after showing signs of life in week 7 – that kind of thing can happen in Buffalo. 2 grabs, for 29.

Johnny Knox, the 2^nd Chicago receiver on the roster had an ok day and had 3 catches for 44 yards.

Result: Tie

Also, which kicker would you rather have in week 8: Jay Feely, Jason Hanson, or Matt Stover.

I picked Stover.

Picking Kickers is tough to get right, but when in doubt, go with the powerful offense. Last week Stover saw Indianapolis score touchdowns when given the opportunity, and not settle for field goals. This week, they settled and Stover finished with 4 field goals and 12 points.

Feel had 2 field goals and an extra point for 7 points.

Hanson  didn’t register a point, no field goals, no extra points, nothing. The Lions had a safety and a 2 point conversion.

Result: Win

From Arctic Legend: New Orleans D or Indy’s?

I picked Indianapolis.

Going with the matchup Indianapolis had against a new starting QB I recommended Indy. They performed well with 4 sacks and two turnovers, and held the 49ers to 14 points. This equates to somewhere in the ballpark of 11 points depending on your scoring settings.

The Saints had 3 turnovers and 3 sacks against the Falcons, but allowed 27 points. Save for the requisite DTD that the Saints seem to get every week, the Colts were the best choice, but the ended with about 15 as a result of the score.

Result: Loss

From mutigers: start 3: vincent jackson, brandon marshall, greg jennings, steve smith(CAR)? Of course jackson is one, but dont know for the other 2.

I picked Marshall and Jennings.

Marshall suffered because Kyle Orton regressed a little bit and the Ravens had a huge defensive game for the 1^st time this season. Marshall only managed 4 catches and 24 yards, 2 points.

Jennings rewarded loyal fantasy owners with 8 catches, 88 yards and a touchdown for 14 points. The TD came on a very impressive catch where he didn’t see the ball coming out of his QBs hands, but made the adjustment in the end zone.

Smith was quiet most of the game, but scored when a deft pump fake from Delhomme left him wide open down the sideline for a 50 yard TD. He had 3 catches for 56 yards and 11 points. Until I see consistent production, I’d still be starting a guy like Marshall over a guy who had Delhomme throwing the ball to him (outside of this pass play Delhomme was 6/13 for 40 yards). The Panthers are a running team, perhaps now more than ever, and while Smith is very talented, he can’t thrive in this environment.

Jennings was the wild card here, in my opinion, so at least the pick gave the benefit of his 14 points.

Result: Tie

From Dogfight: Flex start……Johnny Knox or Ahmad Bradshaw?

I picked Knox.

As discussed above, Knox had 4 points.

Bradshaw was quiet most of the game, and didn’t run all that effectively, but he scored a short touchdown saving his fantasy day. He finished with 9 carries for 21 yards, and the score for 8 fantasy points.

Fantasy is a numbers game, and when the running back is going to get a greater number of opportunities to score, he’s often the best bet.

Result: Loss

From Mark G: Culter or Romo? Thank you for your input.

I picked Romo.

Cutler had a pretty good matchup on paper (the Browns rank last in the league in total defense), but in the end, the Bears just didn’t need him to come through. He didn’t get the ball into the endzone, as Forte did most of the Bears scoring. He was 17/30 for 225 yards, an interception, and 32 yards rushing – 10 points.

Romo, had another impressive week, and as long as his receivers – Miles Austin and company – continue to produce, he’ll put up the passing yards and scores necessary to have a strong fantasy day. In week 8 he threw for 250+, 3 tds and lost a fumble. 27 points.

Result: Win

From Ryan: Ricky Williams or Frank Gore?

I picked Gore.

Williams, Brown and the Dolphins offense had a tough day figuring out the New York Jets defense. Williams was the more productive running back Fins for the 2^nd straight week wit 68 total yards on 13 touches, but it wasn’t a great performance from a fantasy perspective.

Gore broke off a long TD run (64 yards) where he crashed through the line of scrimmage and refused to go down – he should have been tackled after maybe a 5 yard gain, but willed himself downfield. He ended with 134 total yards and the score for 19 points.

Result: Win

From heman: Who should I start. Chris Johnson, Matt Forte or Ronnie Brown? Pick two.

I picked Johnson and Brown.

Ignoring Matt Forte’s matchup proved to be a problem here. We all knew he had a good shot to run on the Browns, and he took advantage. Most importantly by scoring twice. 26 rushes for 90 yards wasn’t all that impressive considering the opponents rush D, but all that mattered on this day was that he got into the endzone twice and finished with 24 fantasy points.

As mentioned above, the Dolphins couldn’t run on the Jets. He finished with 27 yards rushing. 2 points.

Johnson played pretty well. To the tune of 228 rushing yards and 2 scores, 35 points. He won’t do that every week, but a guy with his speed – in his situation in Tennessee – is an every week starter without question.

Result: Loss

Week 8 Start and Sit results: 6-7-2.

---

Week 8 Rapid Fire

From Kobi: Sproles or fargas?

I picked Sproles.

Sproles had more upside this week, but he also had (and has, moving forward) a much lower floor. As long as Fargas as getting the starts in Oakland, they’ll rely on the running game and he’ll get his turn with the rock.

Sproles only had 6 touches and went for 46 total yards, he also lost a fumble.

Fargas had a pretty low average 18 for 59, and 3 catches for 20 yards. He also scored for Oakland, 13 points.

Result: Loss

From Deana: LeSean McCoy, Westbrook, or Shonn Green (FA in league)

I picked McCoy.

With Westbrook out McCoy had a clear path to carries. Mentioned above, he wasn’t all that impressive outside of a big scoring run, but he finished with 15 fantasy points.

Greene had 8 carries, 18 yards and lost a fumble. -1.

Result: Win

From 4: Favre or Garrard and NYG DEF or MIA DEF?

I picked Favre and NYG.

Favre went off against the Packers, it was to be expected in this grudge match and he’s been a consistent performer since finding his groove after the first few weeks of the season. He went 17/28 for 244 and 4 TDs.

Garrard really underperformed against a Tennessee defense that has struggled against the pass. With Maurice Jones Drew only getting 8 carries (he did a TON of damage with those carries, however). Garrard threw for 139, 2 picks and picked up 22 yards with his legs. 3 points.

The Giants D had 2 sacks a fumble recovery and got lit up by the Eagles offense. 4 points.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins had a 48 yard fumble return from vet Jason Taylor had 2 sacks and a fumble recovery. 10 points.

Result: Win, Loss

From Jason B: I have to start one maybe out of these 4rbs? Ricky W, ptcruiser, knowshon mereno, shoone green?

I picked Williams based on recent history. Above are the details of the Dolphins woes.

Thomas scored twice, somehow Bell got more carries, but not anywhere near the fantasy production.

Moreno scored, but lost a fumble and didn’t get much for yardage (10-39).

Greene didn’t exactly follow up his week 7 performance as hoped. Disappointing details above.

Result: Loss

From bibin1990: Steve smith NYG or reggie wayne?

I picked Wayne.

It’s pretty much impossible to pick against Peyton’s number one (or two, sometimes three) receiver. Smith is brother Eli’s top target, but right now the Manning brothers just don’t compare.

Smith was targeted heavily and caught 8 balls for 68.

Wayne was targeted an astounding 20 times, and racked up 147 yards and a score. 20 points.

Result: Win

From pimps: Pick (2) RB’s. Who gets the nod this week and why? Thx. Thomas Jones (NYJ) vs. MIA, Steve Slaton (HOU) @ BUF, Michael Turner (ATL) @ NO

I picked Jones and Slaton.

Jones played well, he didn’t get into the end zone for the first time since week 3, but he continued to run well, 130 total yards, 12 points.

Turner was discussed above, a big day from the Burner.

Slaton… ‘s owners are in trouble. He lost his fifth fumble on the season after just 3 touches. He was lifted in favour of Ryan Moats who had a huge fantasy day (exploiting the matchup, which is why Slaton was picked). Kubiak is non-committal about how the backs will divvy up the carries from here on out, but don’t expect Slaton to continue with his normal volume.

Result: Loss

joe: I have lots of byes this week. Ryan fitpatrick vs Houston or Dellhome vs Arizona

I picked Fitzpatrick.

Neither quarterback was a good option, and if I had to pick one to turn the ball over and post minimal points, and I went with the expert.

However, Delhomme did a good job protecting the ball. The game was unspectacular, he went 7/14 (no completions in the 2^nd half) and threw for 90 yards and a single TD, not bad on the Delhommian rating scale,good enough for 9 fantasy points.

Fitzpatrick put up a gooseegg, which is pretty tough to do as a starting QB, but no TDs, 117 yards and 2 picks will do the job just fine.

Result: Loss

From Dennis S: F.Gore or K.Smith ??

I picked Gore.

Gore came off a slow week where he was coming off injury to post big numbers in week 8. Discussed already, 15 points, and a great TD run.

Smith, also discussed above, was off to a strong start – fantasy wise anyway – but had to leave the game with a shoulder injury.

Result: Win

M.Simms-Walker or G.Jennings ??

I picked Jennings.

Jennings caught fire in this contest that had action down to the wire, with 8 catches for 88 and a score.

Sims-Walker was involved in the first quarter, though he only had 2 catches for 9 yards. MJD was only given 8 carries despite an average of more than 20 yards per carry and two huge runs, so I don’t know what the Jaguars strategy is here with their star offensive weapons, but regardless, Sims-Walker had a down day. 0 points.

Result: Win

From swildman1960: barber or turner this week??

I picked Turner.

Barber had a decent 3.8 ypc average, resume his role as featured back for Dallas, and scored a TD – all good news for him going forward, but he only picked up 53 yards on the ground. He scored 11 fantasy points in this one, and the fantasy forecast looks good going forward. He looked much healthier in this one.

Turner, has been discussed at length, a very productive day. 21 points.

Result: Win

Ralph: Need 2 of the following 3 to start. One as RB and the other in the flex spot. Brandon Jacobs v. PHI, LeSean Mccoy v. NYG, 3. Steve Smith v. PHI

I picked Jacobs and McCoy.

Finally listening to my advice regarding sticking with the guy who is guaranteed to see the ball, I chose the two week 8 feature backs over a steady receiver.

Smith had 6 points. McCoy 15 and Jacobs 10. Details on all discussed above.

Result: Win

Thisbemeonu:Should I start Lee Evans or LeSean McCoy?

I picked McCoy.

For the same logic above, you have to start the RB who is in line for a ton of touches here. Evans’ only real value is if he gets the ball in the endzone, and on any given game he might catch 3-5 tires, which essentially means he has 3-5 chances to get in (I know its much more intricate than this), McCoy gets atleast triple the touches by default, and he took advantage.

Result: Win

From Jason S: Jericho Cotchery or Steve Breaston? I know cotch coming off injury, but other jet receivers banged up and breaston only had a couple targets last week could be due.

I picked Cotchery.

When he’s healthy Jerricho is a big part of the Jets offense, as long as Mark Sanchez is a steady behind centre. He has been in recent weeks, and he’ll be aided going forward by having Cotchery in the lineup. He only caught three balls in this one, but picked up 70 total yards. He hasn’t been held below that number in a game where he’s been healthy all year.

Breaston had 6 catches, for 57 yards and saw some targets where Boldin was injured, but the Cardinals pass game was more effective at turning the ball over.

Result: Win

jeremy: Austin Collie vs SF or Steve Smith vs Phi

I picked Collie.

Smith’s 68 yards led to 6 fantasy points.

Collie was still very involved in the Colts passing attack, and continues to impress. In a typical week where Manning is passing around touchdowns like they’re Halloween candy, he had a shot at getting into the end zone. But in week 8 the Colts red zone offense stalled. Still, he finished with respectable numbers and 6 fantasy points.

Result: Tie

Craigers: I need A running Back and a W/T/R Flex position? Julius Jones, Gore, Shonn Green, Reggie Bush, Shiancoe, Garcon, Harvin, T.O.

I picked Gore and Greene.

Gore was the top player of the bunch and the obvious pick.

Greene was the worst. All other options were better than -1 points. My bad. Julius Jones was bland but effective, behind a Seahawks offensive line that actually played fairly steady. Harvin had a huge game, T.O. finally got into the endzone on an end around, and he caught 5 balls. Bush and Shaincoe both scored, but its hard to recommend starting either guy who got less than 3 touches in week 8. Garcon caught 4 balls for 53. Yep, that’s everyone, and they were all better than Greene.

Result: Loss

Chad: DeAngelo Williams Or LeSean McCoy

I picked Williams.

The Carolina running game went off against the leagues previously top ranked rush defense. He picked up 158 yards on the ground, and Jonathan Stewart pitched in with solid yardage numbers and scored twice. Its too bad for Williams’ owners that he couldn’t have picked one up himself, but still a huge day against a tough matchup. 15 points.

McCoy, discussed above, also had 15.

Result: Tie

Lambrake: Hey there, would you start Marshawn Lynch against Houston or Ryan Grant against Minnesota. PPR …

I picked Grant.

Neither RB performed that well, and I indicated that the going was tough in my response.

Grant rushed 10 times for 30 yards. Lynch carried 9 times for 43. Each back had 3 catches, but Grant took his 3 for 21, Lynch only got 6.

So, 5 points for Grant, 4 for Lynch plus 3 ppr grabs each.

Result: Win

Chad: I forgot as well. Boldin or Hixon?

I picked Boldin.

As discussed, Boldin left the game injured, but he managed 3 catches for 23 before doing so.

Hixon failed to factor in a Giants pass offense that is becoming less effective as the season wears on. He had 1 catch for 3 yards and lost a fumble on the play. He came into the season as the #1/2 New York WR on most people’s draft boards but hasn’t performed like such, being overshadowed by Smith, Manningham – when healthy, and the rookie Nicks.

Result: Win

Week 8 Rapid Fire Record: 11-6-2.

Week 8 Cumulative Record: 17-13-2.

Season to Date: 24-19-5.

Raiders vs. Chargers

• On the Chargers first drive, after a long Rivers to Floyd pass, LT scored on a direct snap from 6 yards out. Good to see him make something of the red zone opportunity – perhaps bad news for Darren Sproles and his fantasy owners however. (The Raiders first drive ended with – surprise – a Jamarcus Russel fumble)
• On the other side, Justin Fargas is seeing some extended opportunity after limited rushes last week, and has scored on a 3 yd run.
• Vincent Jackson and Phillip Rivers doing a good job of bucking the #1 receiver vs. Oakland trend in this one. He did everything on their 2nd scoring drive including the 8 yd score.
• Tomlinson got into the end zone again on a 10 yard run. With 12 rushes for 33 yards, his average still sucks, but he’s got two scores under his belt.
• Rivers was steady in this one against a tough Raiders pass D, and Tomlinson had a pair of scores, there are some positives to take away from this game for the Chargers, Oakland didn’t do anything spectacular but they managed to hang with a pretty strong football team, so all is not lost for them.
• Fargas ended with 18 carries and 59 yards with a score, well off his YPC average coming into the game, turns out he might not be the Saviour for the silver and black.

Titans vs. Jaguars

• The first drive of the new Vince Young era was choppy, but he went 3/4 for 15 yards and the Titans came away with a field goal, not the worst start they’ve had all year. (Young ran the ball 3 times for 12 yards on this drive).
• Young still looking solid into the 2nd quarter, 8/10 for 80 and a TD to Nate Washington. They are all short, safe passes, but they’re getting completed where they weren’t with Collins under centre.
• Without any intended disrespect to Fred Taylor, who performed well in Jacksonville and was having a good season with the Pats before injury its amazing that MJD wasn’t the team’s sole rusher before this season. He had 5 carries through the team’s first possession in the 2nd half and 172 yards with 2 scores.
• On the other side of the ball Chris Johnson isn’t too bad either. He looked very impressive on his 52 yard score in the 3rd. (I just lost a fantasy game because I’m playing against both these impressive backs).
• Another huge run as Johnson goes for a game long 89 yards and TD to put the Titans up by 17 on 3rd and 4.
• The Titans get their first win in impressive fashion, in a game where Maurice Jones-Drew average 22+ yards per carry (he only had 8 and went for 177) and got overshadowed by Chris Johnson who averaged a meagre 9.5 yards per carry, ending with 2 TDs and 228 yards rushing.
• Vince Young was efficient, completing 83.3% of his passes. He didn’t attempt anything too deep, but the game was always tilted in Tennessee’s favour, and he didn’t really have to. Young rushed 12 times for 30 yards. He didn’t throw an interception. The most impressive stat though, is that he’s 1-0 on the year, and the Titans were previously 0-6.

Vikings vs. Packers

• On their 2nd drive the Vikings lost a very strange fumble to give the Packers great field position. Brett Favre through his hands in the air (saying WTF, calling out protection, I don’t know) and his center thrust the ball at him. It bounced off Favre’s chest and the Packer’s pounced on the ball. It’s ok though, the Packers decided to play fair, and they gave the ball back with a 3 and out field goal
• … and, Percy Harvin had a huge return to give the Vikings great field position…then Johnny Jolly headbutted Chester Taylor and things got even better. The Packers did their best with the circumstances, but the Vikings went for it on 4th and goal, and Peterson went over the top and scored.
• Jared Allen just got to Rodgers for the 3rd Vikings sack and his first. They’ve only played 20 minutes. (Allen’s 2nd sack came on a crucial 3rd and goal, might have been Rodgers’ fault, but thats the team’s 5).
• Midway through the 2nd quarter Adrian Peterson has been in the end zone and has more rushing yards than he did the last time these two teams met.
• Could be a turning point for Green Bay’s D. They took a stupid penalty giving Minnesota a 4th and short instead of a field goal, but managed to stuff AP on 4th and 1 to get out with 0 points instead of 3.
• Harvin made a great grab on his 51 yard TD. He probably shouldn’t have scored (3 Packers right there who didn’t want to tackle him after the catch)[upon review, the Packers probably wanted to tackle them, but they collided and went down like bowling pins], but he did make an excellent catch. Harvin had a big game, his work in the return game and contributions as a receiver led to a lot of Minnesota points in this one.
• Spencer Havner just made a great grab for his 2nd TD in as many weeks. Not bad for a LB/TE.
• Spencer Havner just caught his 2nd TD in the quarter. Not bad for a LB/TE. The Packers D and Rodgers et. al are making a game of it in Wisconsin.
• This game was headed for a blowout but has definitely lived up to the hype, the Green Bay defense tightened up, and Rodgers started avoiding the sack just in time to get the Packers back in it.
• Adrian Peterson is a game changer. He’d been held in check most of the 2nd half until he took a harmless screen down the sideline for 44 taking the Vikings into the Packers red zone with his team up 5 and 5 minutes left.
• Clay Matthews has really long, wispy hair.
• Brett Favre’s 4th TD pass was a really impressive play from Bernard Berrian who just fought his way into the end zone, putting the Vikings up a dozen. Following the score Favre hit the sideline and shook hands/aggressively hugged every player he could find, which was pretty much everyone. This is the 2nd straight week I’ve made a pro-Favre as a teammate comment, he’s really making the most of his time in Minnesota (he’s now tending to an injured Greg Jennings – I hate Favre, but the man is a Saint).
• Favre played well – not great (17 of 28 for 244). Rodgers, played a great second half. In the end, Favre had the more consistent performance over the course of the game and his team came out on top. Credit Rodgers, the Packers O-line, defense, and receivers who took a beating – quite literally – and hung in there in this one. Credit the Vikings for moving to 7-1 and all but locking up the division barring a major meltdown.
• Sidney Rice had a relatively quiet game after a string of big weeks.

Panthers vs. Cardinals

• Jake Delhomme managed the ball well, the Panthers went 5/5 on 3rd down, and their rush attack had their way with the league’s number one rushing defense on a touchdown drive that took 8 minutes of the clock to start this game.
• Arizona responded with a 7 minute drive that ended with a 14 yard Warner to Stephens-Howling touchdown pass.
• Williams responded with a 77 yard rush against an 8 man front to start the Panthers next drive. Jonathan Stewart took over, bouncing off tackles and running in his 2nd TD from 10 yards out. Safe to assume the Cardinals will not rank #1 against the rush after this week.
• Delhomme sold everyone on an excellent pump fake to Steve Smith, before going back to the receiver for a 50 yd TD. It’s early, but he’s starting to look like a different (read: actual) Quarterback.
• Because they’ve been trailing the Cardinals haven’t rushed the ball all that much, but it’s been a fairly even split between Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells and Tim Hightower, though Hightower is getting the goal line work (including a 1 yard TD plunge), and he’s been a much bigger factor in the receiving game.
• Carolina rushed for 4x more than the average yards per game being allowed by the Cardinals coming into this game. Their rush attack is back in full force.
• Delhomme was far from impressive, 50% of his passes for 90 yards, but he didn’t turn the ball over. More than his performance was the fact that the Panthers led the whole game, and he only had to throw 14 times – 30 times less than last week. That’s how the Panthers are going to win games.
• Tough loss for the Cardinals who (Kurt Warner) turned the ball over 5 (update: make it 6, with 6 seconds remaining) times after a win over the Giants that is seeming less impressive each time the defense gets thumped. The 49ers looked impressive in a loss to the Colts this week – that division could be interesting.

• Rivers’ accuracy wasn’t great this game but he didn’t turn the ball over and got the yards where he needed them. He also threw for 3 scores.
• Darren Sproles had a strong game capped by a long TD grab.
• Vincent Jackson is a monster, getting it done with 142 yards and a score.
• Early in this game I was ready to declare Tomlinson back after his strong performance last week. He had a long run, and 73 total yards, but slowed down late in this one, and failed to punch it in from less than 2 yards on at least 5 opportunities.

Packers vs. Browns

• Derek Anderson started the day 5/5 and had the Browns on the brink of scoring. He subsequently fumbled (Browns recovered) and the Browns failed to score. The day continued as was expected. The Browns failed to score from 1st and goal several times during this game.
• Aaron Rodgers has been picking up big chunks of yardage this year on minimal attempts. It helps when Driver (he looked really quick on his 71 yard score) and Havner break off big TD runs, but he’s still playing very efficient football this year. He had another great game against the Browns.
• Ryan Grant put up great yardage numbers and found the endzone. To be expected against the Browns, but still nice to see for Pack fans and Grant’s fantasy owners.
• Call it failures of the Browns defense, or success of the Packers depleted o-line, but they kept Rodgers on his feet all day.

49ers vs. Texans

• Matt Schaub had another solid game (though did little in the 2nd half) and Steve Slaton found the endzone twice, though he didn’t look overly strong early. He put the ball on the ground twice (once was overturned by reply).
• Owen Daniels was everywhere in this one, he made alot of big plays and got into the endzone.
• Looks like the beginning of the Alex Smith era. He relied heavily on Vernon Davis but came in at half time, taking over for the ineffective Shaun Hill, and threw 3 TDs (all to Davis who had 93 yards in this one), nearly bringing the 49ers back.
• The return of Frank Gore turned out to be a bit of a letdown, the Michael Crabtree debut was much more interesting. He led San Francisco receivers with 5 catches and looks to be a fixture in the offense as he gets up to speed – however, its worth noting that when Alex Smith came into the game he looked more to Davis and Josh Morgan than he did Crabtree.

Colts vs. Rams

• Peyton Manning failed to get to 300 yards for the first time in this one, but he still managed 3 tds and no picks.
• Joseph Addai didn’t do much against a weak Rams team (3.2 ypc) but he managed to find the endzone to save his fantasy day.
• Collie and Garcon were still involved, though with a handful more yards and a td Collie had the fantasy relevant performance.
• Steven Jackson again proved to be the only worthwhile fantasy starter for the Rams with 134 yards rushing. Donnie Avery had 2 catches for 58 (1 long 50 yarder) but its hard to start him with the Rams passing woes.
• Donald Brown was given a very disappointing 2 carries, but he certainly made the most of them with 58 yards. (update: Brown got injured, somehow I missed it).

Patriots vs. Buccanneers

• Tom Brady posted 3 tds in this game, and overall played well. Certainly not the performance he had last week, and he was unsteady at times. Overall, 23/32 for 308 was a good line, but the two interceptions he forced into tight coverage (one in the endzone) were blemishes on his day.
• Laurence Maroney struggled on the day, but his late 1 yard touchdown saved his fantasy day. The pats used 7 different players to run the ball this game.
• Antonio Bryant grabbed a long TD and reminded us that he may still have something to offer in ‘09, but he has a struggling new Quarterback (Johnson was 9/26 with 3 picks).
• With 10 catches, 107 yards and a TD Wes Welker reminded everyone of his importance to the New England offense.

Vikings vs. Steelers

• Neither offense was overly impressive in what was expected to be a high scoring game, but the Vikings out gained the Steelers by more than 150 yards, and still came out on the losing end.
• Rashard Mendenhall rushed well on limited carries, but he lost another fumble. You have to wonder if ball security issues will start limiting his reps.
• Mike Wallace is a dynamic player, he had a couple of successful runs and absolutely took over on a 2nd quarter scoring drive.
• I have a hard time saying good things about Favre’s contributions from a leadership standpoint, but it was great to see him run down the field after he threw into tight coverage and Percy Harvin got stung. He’s clearly gelling with this team.
• On the 1st of 2 4th quarter defensive touchdowns by the Steelers (their D scored more points in 1 quarter than the offense mustered all day) Favre was stripped, then was made to look silly on a juke by the rumbling Lamar Woodley.
• Immediately after this play Harvin got the Vikings back in the game with a great kick return td. On the play one of the umpires got plowed, and it looked like he was hurt pretty bad. Interesting that this Adam Schefter article came out today.
• Santonio Holmes made some great cuts on a 45 yard reception to start the 4th qtr, but he celebrated with a very dull flex. He did the same after his early TD that was called back for holding on Heath Miller… I need to see a little more dynamic celebration to cap off that dynamic play.
• Sidney Rice had a great day, he’s clearly the #1 receiver in Minnesota (as far as straight receiver skills go anyway). His 11 catch 136 yard day was huge, especially when you consider he had 40+ yards and a score called back by penalties.

Below is a smattering of highlight video clips from each game on Sunday’s schedule. What was the play of the day? Great one’s I missed? Discuss in the comments.

Packers vs. Browns

Donald Driver goes for 71 yds and a TD. He gets caught by the corner but he still looks plenty fast for an old fella.

49ers vs. Texans

Alex Smith throws his first touchdown in 2 years, and first of 3 to Vernon Davis in his half of work. Nice touch on this one.

Chargers vs.Chiefs

LT looked good on this run, showed some speed and good moves.

… but then for like the umpteenth time he falls short of the endzone.

… and Darren Sproles manages to get it done this week.

Patriots vs. Buccanneers

Brandon Merriweather jumps the route and takes his first of 2 int’s to the house

Welcome back to Fantasy relevance, 2009, Antonio Bryant.

Brady drops in one of his 3 tds (to go with 2 interceptions) to Benjamin Watson.

Steelers vs. Vikings

Mike Wallace caps off a big drive with this 40 yard grab.

Lamar Woodley and Percy Harvin score on back to back big plays.

Colts vs. Rams

Rookie Donald Brown sprints for 45 yards on one of only 2 carries against the Rams.

Rookie Shonn Greene replacing the injured (for the season) Leon Washington escapes the pile and goes for 33 yards and a scare.

Panters vs. Bills

DeAngelo Williams refuses to go down and gives the Panthers (fleeting) hope (that didn’t last) late in their game vs. the Bills.

Saints vs. Dolphins

Ricky Williams cuts through the crowd and goes for 68 and a score.

Darren Sharper gets handed another interception, and goes through a crowd of Dolphins for another DTD.

The Saints get crafty and Bush leaps in to cap a 10 yard score on a reverse.

Cowboys vs. Falcons

Miles Austin goes off for the 2^nd straight week, 59 yards and a score (1 of 2 on the day).

After being bumped to #3 receiver Patrick Crayton finds a way to contribute, taking this punt back 73 yards for the score (he also had a receiving score on the day).

Bengals vs. Bears

Chad Ochocinco grabs his first TD catch of the day, and one of 5 for Carson Palmer.

Cardinals vs. Giants

Rodgers-Cromartie takes one away from Hixon in the endzone.

Beanie Wells roughs up a couple of Giants on his way in for his 1^st NFL TD.