Fantasy Sports Blogger

I’m predicting big things for these players in the coming weeks!

1. RB Mewelde Moore - Pittsburgh has nothing else left and they like to run.

2. WR L. Moore - Brees favorite target without Colston/Shockey/Patten.

3. QB Bulger - He’s back!

4. RB McCallister - Apparently he’s healthy but I almost don’t believe it. 

5. WR Mushin Muhammad - Smith gets the attention and Mushin gets the catches.

6. K Scobee - Proof that you don’t take kickers until the last round of your draft.

7. D/ST Tampa Bay - Proof that you don’t draft D’s until very late rounds of draft.

Every year there are several highs and lows throughout the season but it’s extremely hard to overcome the lows caused by players not playing up to expectations, coaches pulling veterans, veterans taking verbal shots at coaches and players, owners floating rumors about imminent coach firings, so on and so forth.  I really think the Rams are done and face 0-16 but I see Raiders trying to rally.  Quite frankly the Ram’s stars are making money and are cashing it in where the Raiders stars are young and exuberant and ready to rally.  That’s why I always lean to youth as the year goes on and it looks like there’s more of that in this week’s picks.

QB - JT O’Sullivan (Rare 2nd start but NO D is bad)
RB - S Young (KC run D is bad)
WR - DeSeanJackson (TB had mucho passing vs. CHI)
TE - Scheffler (KC pass D not much better)
K - Prater (Just can’t take this guy off list)
DST - Bills (Rams are in disarray)

QB - Roesthlisbeger (Big Ben is bust this week)
RB - S. Jackson (head is not in the game)
WR - A. Bryant (Flash in the pan)
TE - LJ Smith (Hurting)
K - R. Longwell (Expect low scoring game)
DST - Redskins (Boys may put up 40)

I thought week 3 was going to be a breakout week.  It started well but it didn’t finish very well.  I took a bath on the afternoon games, the Sunday night game and the Monday night game.  This week is the first week of byes so there are 3 fewer games and noticeably more divisional games.  Last week I was 7-9 and my total for the year has fallen to 25-22-1.  I could really use a good week!

TB (-1.5) vs. GB
ARI (+2.5) @ NYJ
NO (-6) vs. SF
KC (+9) vs. DEN
CLE (+3.5) @ CIN
CAR (-7)  vs. ATL
HOU (+7.5) @ JAC
TEN (-3) vs. MIN
OAK (+7.5) vs. SD
STL (+8) vs. BUF
WAS (+11.5) @ DAL
PHI (-3.5) @ CHI
BAL (+7)  @ PIT

What a horror show last week!  My lock of a pick, NYG, looked like they forgot to take the Bengals seriously until about halfway through the fourth quarter.  By then, Carson and TJ had a rhythm already.  Thankfully they came through when it counted.  By the way, go back and look at my advice for week 3.  I told you I feared the Bucs and they pulled off a stunner!  I told you to stay far away from the NE-MIA game and I advised severe caution on the Bills game.  I hate to pat myself on the back but I told you so!

This week is even worse.  If you have survived so far, it just seems to get harder.  A quick scan of the games reveals that almost every game is a divisional game or former divisional game this week.  I will stay away from these games for sure…PIT-BAL, SD-OAK, DEN-KC, ATL-CAR, GB-TB, HOU-JAC and SF-NO.  As bad as OAK and KC are on the road, they still can turn it around at home.  The games that I considered are BUF-STL, PHI-CHI, MIN-TEN and DAL-WAS.  

As much as I like the road teams to win, I just can’t break that rule so BUF and PHI are out.  I think TEN is the real deal but something tells me they haven’t played a D like Min has to offer yet; Danger, Danger.  So I am looking at breaking a rule to pick DAL.  But wait, I forgot about my tiebreaker rule.  If all games look too close to call, go with the best team playing at home regardless of who they are playing.  Therefore, I am picking Dallas to beat the Redskins.

Previous Weeks and Teams Used:
Week 1 - New England
Week 2 - Arizona
Week 3 - NY Giants

I’m predicting big things for these players in the coming weeks!

1. RB Steve Slaton - Houston named this guy their starter and since they can’t throw, they’ll have to run.

2. RB Rashard Mendenhall - Willie Parker is down this week with a knee sprain.

3. RB C. Buckhalter - Annual Westbrook week off due to slight injury!

4. TE Robert Royal - In reception leagues, he’s got promise.

5. QB T. Green - Gets the keys to a good offense gone bad!

6. QB B. Quinn - Worth a flyer if you’re in a deeper league!

After playing fantasy football for almost 15 years now, I have realized that there are 5 distinct periods to the fantasy season.  First, there’s the pre-draft studying and more studying culminating with draft night.  Second, from about the 9th round of the draft to week 2, you are searching for those diamonds in the rough.  From about week 3 to week 10, you’re on cruise control and the season goes by in the blink of an eye.  Starting in week 11, you have the stretch drive where you are factoring in the weather, the injuries and the standings into every player decision.  Finally there’s the playoffs and your life seems to rest on every play call.  You’re hoping this is the year you cash in or get your name on the trophy.  Well, I’m here to remind you to not take weeks 3-10 for granted.  Keep grinding and making the right calls!  They’ll make a difference in periods 4 and 5!

QB - JT O’Sullivan (good matchup at home vs DET)
RB - S. Morris (Jordan/Maroney hurt & faces old team)
WR - Cotchery (SD obviously can’t rush passer)
TE - Robert Royal (OAK giving up pts to TE)
K - Prater (NO won’t stop Bronco machine)
DST - Falcons (getting served KC for lunch)

QB - Palmer (Bengals falling off the ledge)
RB - Jones-Drew (not healthy)
WR - Edwards (just not on track yet, yet)
TE - Daniels (TEN is on fire right now)
K - Folk (Have a feeling he’s due for fall)
DST - Seahawks (STL always plays well there)

It never fails to surprise me when I follow a great week with a subpar week.  I tend to ask myself “why was I so confident that I could completely forgot what it took to have a good week.”   The answer is that I got swept up in the bravado of some teams like the Jets and Steelers.   I also changed 3 picks last week which cost me a game as I went 1-2 in those switches. 

For Week 2, I ended up at 7-8-1.   For the season, I am 18-13-1.  This week seems easier on paper but that’s why they play the games right!

ATL (-4.5) vs. KC
CAR (+3.5) @ MIN
MIA (+12.5) @ NE
CIN (+13) @ NYG
ARI (+3) @ WAS
TEN (-5) vs. HOU
CHI (-3) vs. TB
OAK (+9) @ BUF
DEN (-5) vs. NO
STL (+9.5) @ SEA
SF (-4) vs. DET
CLE (+2) @ BAL
IND (-5.5) vs. JAC
PHI (-3) vs. PIT
GB (+3) vs. DAL
NYJ (+9) @ SD

Good luck!