Three Sleeper Fantasy Wide Receivers

Three Underrated Wide Receivers To Consider On The Waiver Wire

[Editor's Note: Yes, the formatting is kinda screwy, but it was the format it was given to me, I am trying to fix it. This is a guest article from fanduel.com, please welcome them with open arms like you have all the contributors.]

Everyone already knows about the top players at every position in fantasy football. The Calvin Johnsons and Larry Fitzgeralds of the world will be gone pretty early. However, there are a lot of value picks to consider later on in the draft. All three of these players are low risk, high reward types that can be picked up to check out the first few weeks of the season. On paper, all are poised to provide a lot more value than their current fantasy football draft slot suggests.

Brian Quick. Any wide receiver with the hands, speed and size (6’5”) of Brian Quick is worth a solid look. After staring at Appalachian State, he has yet to really find his groove in the NFL. He showed some signs in 2011, but 2012 looks to be that true make or break season. With the St. Louis Rams in need of offense, and their young quarterback Sam Bradford completely healthy, all signs point to Quick getting that shot to impress.

Santana Moss. Remember him? It’s easy to write off Moss as a wide receiver who is a step slow now that he is 33 years of age. The best way to add a little pep to the step of a wide receiver though is to pair him with a guy like Robert Griffin III. This type of rookie-veteran combo could very well be a great option for the Washington Redskins. Pierre Garcon and Fred Davis look to be the top two receiving options for the Redskins currently, but it’s easy to see Moss slip in there and get plenty of opportunities to succeed as well.

Titus Young. As mentioned above, everyone knows all about the ability of Calvin Johnson. Teams will be focuses on doing whatever necessary to shut him down during games. Naturally, that means other weapons will get open looks throughout the game. Enter Titus Young. The second year wide receiver should become a much more reliable option for Matthew Stafford as he has now had an entire season to get used to the NFL schedule. After a slow start, Young was still able to get 647 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Expect those numbers to go up more as long as both him and Megatron stay healthy. He is a great option to take and he should be available in the middle rounds of drafts.

This guest article was written by the football people at Fanduel.com, the place to go to play free daily fantasy football games or <a href=”http://www.fanduel.com/FantasyFootball”>fantasy football for cash<a/>.

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Keep One Eye Open: On Jerome Simpson

by Matt Prendergast

Keep One Eye Open is a series of quick notes on players that ReclinerQB.com is pointing out that maybe, just maybe, you should put in your 'Players To Watch' queue, wherever your league may be hosted. These aren't guys that we're saying you should draft come fantasy league time; in fact, you probably shouldn't. These are guys to keep in your holster with a watchful eye, because there's some potential that you might want to take a roll on them at week three, five or seven when your sleeper guys are revealed to be 'the dead weight they've always been'.

Historically, at least for the last six or seven years, you could count on one thing in the NFC North: The Vikings would have some former-gonna-be-elite castaway from the Chicago Bears in their receiving corps. And also, it was never gonna work out for them, at least not in that 'Pro Bowl steal' manner that they were hoping for. Also not usually in that 'viable second option' manner either, but let's not quibble over syntax.

Devin Aromashodu, Bobby Wade, Marcus Robinson, Bernard Berrian...it's a cavalcade of the easily covered. But this year...this year the Vikes management decided to mix things up in the hopper.

Behold Jerome Simpson. Not a former Bear, but a former Bengal. Already we're straying into a new 'high risk/reward' proposition. It's a new era, Minnesota!

Now, last time we visited Jerome Simpson specifically on this site, it was mostly so I could throw up one of my personal favorite GIMP creations, that one over there of J-Simps 'receiving' a gigantor bag o' the kind, which turned out to be good for a penalty of '15 in the yard' and a meaningless $7,500 fine that is sure to show him the error of his ways. Because we are all equal in the eyes of the law, kids, especially if 'we' are professional athletes and/or movie stars!

(Write this down: remember that if you should get in any trouble down the line yourself, good reader, 'my girlfriend signed for it' is an iron-clad defense guaranteed to whittle five years down to two-weeks-and-a-day. HOORAY FOR JUSTICE!)

And yes, the NFL, as is their manner, has followed suit, leaving the Vikings leaning on always-half-busted Percy Harvin flanked by perennial fourth-option Michael Jenkins and aforementioned former Bear Devin Aromashodu. In short, come week four, Christian Ponder is gonna be half-crazy from running triple-reverses and bonking balls off the numbers of guys 17 yards out across the middle, and Percy's gonna need a break from quadruple-coverages.

So let's not quibble on the minor legal troubles - why should we be better than the Vikings? WE ARE NOT! Let's look at the positives.

First, how many wide receivers that barely played their first two-and-a-half years have a song written about them? Yeah, I don't know either. But Jerome certainly does! Behold:

Now, as you're trying to get that out of your head (and good luck with that), let's review the important facts:

1) The Vikings have, honestly, nobody else to legitimately keep JS from taking that WR2 spot over the very moment he returns from his sabbatical.

2) Simpson has hands. And speed. And the ability to use both. And he's been impressing in these way-early field outings thus far. For a team that had their soul crushed repeatedly over the past year, a glimmer of hope can go a long way towards getting seats filled in a stadium.

3) Oh yeah, this guy made one of the greatest plays I've ever seen, ever. Remember?

Well,  maybe he's got more than that is his bag (HA! GET IT!! I crack myself up, Willie..... )

File Jerome Simpson under 'Drop Doug Baldwin/Pick Up Flippy Flipperson' in Week Four.



Follow Matt @AmazingMattyP on Twitter. He can do flips also. They're just much sadder.


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Hardcore Deep Sleepers (Part 1)

By: Sonny Prier

In the world of fantasy football, nailing a sleeper that no one else saw coming is more satisfying than winning. The bench is for fliers, yet every year drafters stuff their pockets with four point wonders like Woodhead, Hardesty and Garcon. If none of your draft picks evoke a "... who?" from the room, you have failed. I'm a big believer in taking big risk for big reward, and buddy, these are the riskiest.

To answer the obvious question: If none of these guys are on anyone's radar, why not wait to pick them up mid-season? Three reasons.

1) The smug sense of satisfaction that comes with being able to say, "I was there first."
2) Everyone knows you're going to cut your #3 WR for whatever rookie catches a touchdown in week 1 anyway. Flippant jackass. [Editor's Note: I did that last year when Randall Cobb exploded the first game, it was a bad move]
3) Shut up.

Julius Pruitt (WR - Miami)

No image available

Julius Pruitt. Ouachita Baptist University, 2009. Undrafted. Signed by Miami in 2010. Here's a wideout that the Dolphins have kept around for two years despite his having less receptions than Curtis Painter.

Pruitt's career stat line is 2 special teams tackles. No one survives in the NFL on that kind of production. Something fishy is going on... Miami must think, nay, know they're grooming a stud. With Marshall out of the picture, their biggest receiving threat is Davone Bess. It's time to UNLEASH THE PRUITT!

I can't find any gameplay footage, so here he is naming Santa's reindeer.

Davone Bess wouldn't have remembered Donner

Greg McElroy (QB - New York Jets)

No image available

Greg McElroy. Alabama, 2011. Drafted by the Jets in round 7. This guy graduated in three years, led a BCS championship team, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame! The Hall of Fame! For college football players! It's a real thing, apparently! McElroy combines the brain of Ryan Fitzpatrick with the talent of not Ryan Fitzpatrick, yet he's 3rd on the depth chart behind tweedle-dee and tweedle-derp. These freeloaders are most famous for things they did on the sidelines. Mark Sanchez for beating JaMarcus Russell in a hot dog eating contest, and Tim Tebow for watching Marion Barber fumble.

Tebow defeating the Dolphins

Sanchez is slowly but steadily improving. Tebow is directly sponsored by Jesus Christ. Unfortunately for them, if New York fans are anything it's impatient and godless. That counts for something in today's NFL. Tebow proved in Denver that a fanbase does have the power to control a roster when the loses pile up. McElroy is already playing this angle masterfully by ripping the asses right off of his teammates... just like a real Jets fan! This team is going to tank, and McElroy will be starting in October.

Micheal Spurlock (WR - San Diego)

No image available

Micheal Spurlock. Mississippi, 2006. Undrafted. Signed by the Chargers in 2012. Vincent Jackson is gone. Malcom Floyd is now The Man in San Diego. Snort.

Philip Rivers is going to make a man out of Spurlock. Why? Because the last 3 quarterbacks he's had were Josh Freeman, Brooks Bollinger and the 2009 version of Alex Smith. That's going to end in disappoint no matter how good you are, son. Now he gets Phil the Stud, no entrenched competition, and a motivated team coming off a disappointing season.

...OK, look, I got nothing.
The truth is I made toast this morning and it came out looking EXACTLY like Micheal Spurlock.

Uncanny

If personal experience has taught me anything, it's that you never ignore toast. My toast says Micheal Spurlock is going to be huge, and the sooner we accept it the better.

Kyle Orton (IHS - Dallas)

No Orton No Peace

Tony Romo is a losing loser who loses. How can you be the leader of America's Team when this is your trademark moment?

His tears never broke the plane either

Kyle Orton on the other hand....

This photo was taken in 1973

Now that's a man the state of Texas can get behind.

I like Romo, and am sure he'll find another team to underachieve for soon, but Jerry didn't bring in a monster like Orton to ride pine.

Did you know...

That "Kyle Orton" spelled backwards is "Banging Your Mother Is My Touchdown Dance"?

Kyle Orton was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Facial Hair?

That Kyle Orton totally could have saved those orphans, but didn't to prove a point to Tim Tebow?

An Orton's audible doesn't echo?



Follow us on Twitter! @ReclinerQB @SonnyPrier

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 on my website (TheFFAddict.com), 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.

Week 9 Bank/Tank

By: Christian Hardy

Now we're here. The officially halfway point of the 2011 NFL season. Week nine is packed full of some great games, so let's get right to it.

I'd like to run over what this article is all about. "Bank" is players I love this week and "Tank" are the players that are going to, well, tank this week. The numbers next to the players are, first, my ranking, followed by ESPN's consensus ranking. Let's get started, shall we?

Quarterbacks
Bank
Matt Ryan @ Indianapolis (7th, 8th) - What a turn around Indy has had without Peyton Manning has had his neck surgery. They are now 0-8 and their team as a whole looks worse than ever. Look, Matt Ryan hasn't been great this year (16th ranked fantasy quarterback), but he hasn't been terrible either. If it wasn't for his eight point performance against Chicago and six point game against the undefeated Packers, then he is tied with Ben Roethlisberger as the ninth best fantasy quarterback (15.6 points per game). Against the weak Indy pass defense that is 29th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, you bet I am starting him this week.

Matt Cassel vs Miami (8th, 13th) - Interesting stat for you here: Matt Cassel's best month in terms of passer rating is November. Throughout his career, Cassel has a 83.0 passer rating; in November, Cassel has thrown for a passer rating of 93.1 (his second best month is October with 82.2). That, along with the 31st ranked fantasy pass defense of the Dolphins is starting to look like a real juicy matchup for Matt Cassel.

Tony Romo vs Seattle (4th, 6th) - Romo has a 110.8 passer rating in two games against Seattle, despite the botched snap on a 19 yard chip shot, that, in return, lost the game for the Cowboys in the 2007 playoffs (2006 season). But this year, Romo is at home against the Seahawks for the first time since 2008. In that particular game, Romo threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Pretty impressive, right? Definitely start Romo this week, considering the very vulnerable pass defense of the Seahawks.

Extra: Mark Sanchez @ Buffalo (10th, 15th)

Tank

The story of Tebow as a starter

Tim Tebow @ Oakland (15th, 12th) - Well, I have completely lost the love for this guy. After two (and a half) weeks his stat line is...horrific.A 46.1 completion percentage 412 yards, and a 75.1 passer rating. Just like I said: Horrific.Oakland might have a bad pass defense, but so did Miami. Stay away from Tebow if you can this week. (Warning: This could easily blow up in your face and my face.)

Joe Flacco vs Pittsburgh (24th, 18th) - Flacco has turned the ball over eight times in seven games against the Steelers. Along with that, he has only scored nine touchdowns and 215 yards per game. And, wait, there's more. The Steelers allow just 11.5 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this year, which is seventh in the league. There is no way I am putting Flacco in my lineup this week, despite a great game from him in week one of this season against the Steelers.

Running Backs
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Shonn Greene @ Buffalo (10th, 13th) - Greene has twenty carries or more in three straight games and in every game this season he has 10 carries or more. Lead back? I think so. With those type of carries, Greene is an every week start, and it only makes it better when he has a great matchup. Greene plays the Bills who allow 16.7 points per game to opposing running backs this season (including the whopping three points that they allowed to the Redskins last week). To go along with all of this, in the past five games against the Jets, the Bills have given up over 200 rushing yards. Plus, the Bills will be without Kyle Williams which is a great run stopper for this defense. I expect a 15-20 point game for Greene here, and maybe even the game where he finally breaks out.

Steven Jackson blew up for three touchdowns last week

Steven Jackson vs Arizona (6th, 9th) - What are the Rams going on Bradford's first game back from that ankle sprain? I'm pretty sure that they are going to give the ball to their top playmaker who goes by the name of Steven Jackson. Jackson led the Rams to their first win of the season over the red-hot Saints, and so why can't he do it against this defense? The Cardinals allow just over 17 points per game to opposing running backs, and no one by Steven Jackson is going to be touching the rock out of the backfield for this team. Get Steven Jackson in your lineup this week, just like I suggested last week.

Extra: Jackie Battle vs Miami (12th, 20th) - Miami has a decent fantasy rush defense (10th), but with the type of carries he is getting, it is hard not to like him.

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Ryan Torain vs San Francisco (41st, 30th) - I loved this guy for two weeks, with two great matchups. Now he takes on the 49ers, who have the best fantasy defense against opposing running backs. Torain has just three points combined in his last three games against Philadelphia, Carolina, and Buffalo; three of the worst fantasy run defenses. At this point, you can drop Torain, but I am definitely keeping him on my bench.


Chris Johnson vs Cincinnati (32nd, 21st) - What a terrible season for CJ (The "2K" part of it has been revoked, by me). Javon Ringer is now stealing his carries, and Johnson can't even bust through an open hole. He is one of the biggest draft busts that I have seen without injury outside of Randy Moss last year. To go along with that, the Bengals, Johnson's week nine opponent, has only allowed 14 points per game to opposing running backs, which is the tenth best in the league. Keep Johnson on your bench until he can put some points up.


Extra: BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs New York Giants (28th, 17th, also is questionable with a toe injury), Rashard Mendenhall vs Baltimore (24th, 12th)

Wide Receivers
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Miles Austin vs Seattle (3, 13) - The Cowboys looked terrible against the Eagles last week, so you might think that I am crazy for thinking he will have a big game, but hear me out. Last game against the Seahawks, Austin had 12 fantasy points in a standard league, not bad. Austin only has 16 fantasy points in his last three games combined, but the Seahawks allow 22.1 points per game to opposing wide receivers, tenth worst in the league. I expect a huge bounce back from Romo in this one, and I'm feeling so Austin coming along as well.

You know, it puzzles me why he would wear a mouthpiece that big.

Jeremy Maclin vs Chicago (7th, 14th) - I don't think Maclin gets the credit for what he has been doing. For the first time in his career, he has put up consistent numbers on a week to week basis, including great fantasy numbers. After week one, Maclin has not dropped under five points and he now has three straight games of ten points or more, while Desean Jackson has just seven points in his last two games. I think you can call this one more of a hunch that any thing; that, and the rankers at ESPN are a little too low on him. Matthew Berry noted in his week nine Love/Hate that the Bears have been dropping back into deep coverage more often than not, so they will be defending the big play from Desean Jackson while Maclin keeps getting underneath. (I just read the complete excerpt from Berry, and this has a lot of the same content in it, but I did not mean to copy at all, just a heads up.)


Extra: Santonio Holmes @ Buffalo (14th, 24th) - You can call this one a hunch. It only helps that Burress has a back injury.

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Steve Johnson vs New York Jets (35th, 21st) - Destination: Revis Island. Darrelle Revis has had a tremendous bounce back from 2010, and our friends over at ProFootballFocus.com did an entire story on it. I suggest you check it out. It really is remarkable what Revis has done this year, and if he shadows Johnson all day, then I would go with the under on three catches.

John Skelton es no bueno.

Larry Fitzgerald vs St.Louis (14th, 5th)  - I'm not jumping on the Fitzgerald train just because he is playing the Rams, who are the fourth worst fantasy defense against opposing wide receivers. John Skelton will likely be the starter for the Cardinals with Kolb listed as questionable this week, and Skelton never really hooked up with Fitzgerald. Last year, in the three games that Skelton started and finished, Fitzgerald never caught a touchdown pass, and he only averaged 77.3 yards per game. Even against this St.Louis team who has struggled against the pass, I still don't like Fitzgerald as anymore than a number two.

Extra: Vincent Jackson vs Green Bay (23rd, 11th), Brandon Marshall @ Kansas City (26th, 15th)


Tight Ends
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My second Eagles' pass catcher I love this week.

Brent Celek vs Chicago (7th, 16th) - Now remember, Celek is listed as questionable, but I fully expect him to play. If he does play, I am completely buying in on this guy. He now has a touchdown in each of his last two games, including eleven receptions in those two games. The Bears are the worst team against opposing tight ends, allowing 11.4 points per game in that category. Celek is a great start right now, especially if a guy like Jermichael Finley is letting you down.

Extra: Jake Ballard @ New England (10th, 15th)


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Jermichael Finley @ San Diego (11th, 7th) - This guy has fallen off tremendously since week three with only about four points per game since that 26 point performance (with three touchdowns). The Chargers have an average defense against opposing tight ends (7.1 points per game), but nothing to get exciting about. If you drafted this guy in the first four rounds, well, I'm sorry, because that means you probably don't have a replacement for him.


Thanks for reading. I'll be back on Saturday with my game analysis from every game in the NFL on my blog (theffaddict.com). Until then, as always, you can check out my fantasy rankings that have completely updated according to injury, and you can also check out the injury report which sums up all of the injury news from every day. For any fantasy questions, feel free to hit up my twitter or my email. See you all on Saturday!

Week 7 Let Them Preach

This Sunday was unethical for me. 

I missed my Dallas Cowboys play for the first time in years for my little brother’s birthday at Island Park in Winfield, Kansas. Could you guess what I was doing at the party? 

I was draining the battery on my Evo Shift with my Yahoo! Sportacular app, refreshing the Cowboys’ gamecast endlessly, as an addictive fan would. 

Who did I see running wild, breaking records, and breaking Twitter? Not Emmitt Smith, not Tony Dorsett; it was DeMarco Murray who had one of the most historic days in Cowboys’ history (but still not as good as my beloved Miles Austin in his first NFL start). Third round pick, former Oklahoma Sooner, and also the third-string running back before the start of this game. 

All of which happened while I was at Island Park.

That was just a needle in a haystack in comparison to the rest of the NFL in week seven, however, I missed all of the afternoon games, so I am depending on Sports Center and box scores to do four of these games. In the noon games, well, it wasn’t pretty. Probably one of the most boring/most odd/hectic line up of games in the history (nine years) of me watching NFL football. But, that’s where I come in. To evaluate and pick apart what happened on Sunday in each and every game. Let’s get the bus rollin’.

Seattle Seahawks @ Cleveland Browns

1. This was the most awful, boring, horrific game that I have ever seen. If you weren't aware, the final score was 6-3 in the Browns' favor. Obviously, in a 6-3 game, no fantasy owners gained from this matchup.

2. Who knew that missing Tavaris Jackson would hurt the Seahawks this much? Three points!? Are you serious? There is no way Charlie Whitehurst deserves this job, and he shouldn't even be in the debate for it.

3. Montario Hardesty is no Peyton Hillis, that is for certain. Hardesty went just 33 for 95 and it was absolutely terrible. I know the Seahawks have a very good run defense (best in yards per carry allowed, as I have preached), but with 33 touches, I wouldn't of been surprised if Peyton Hillis (if healthy) would of ran for 150 yards and a touchdown. Very discouraging performance from Hardesty here, and just a discouraging game overall.

Atlanta Falcons @ Detroit Lions

1. Michael Turner is the center of this offense right now. Matt Ryan is, simply, not playing good football right now. He isn't reading defenses well, and that's about all there is to it. I'm not sure if he is struggling to find open receivers, but I doubt it since he is still making smart decisions. But it seems to me like he just isn't seeing the defense as it should be seen, and that's a problem.

2. We all knew that sooner or later the Lions' weren't going to be able to just lean on Calvin Johnson to win the game for them, and that seems to be the problem. Their offense, other than Calvin Johnson, has struggled in the last two games. In the first five games of the season, all of which were wins, the Lions averaged 379.6 yards per game; in the two games following, both of which were losses, they have averaged just 286.5 yards per game. See a trend here? Their offense is falling off, and they need to get their mojo back.

 3. The Falcons are one of the most inconsistent, non-Vegas-friendly team in America. So first, they come out with a loss at Soldier Field, not too surprising, right? Then a win at home against "Dream Team" Philadelphia; most spectators think that they can win this game at home. Then they score just 13 points in a loss to Buccaneers (who have been quite streaky themselves) and then  a mere win at Seattle. After being derailed in Green Bay, the team is back on track with two straight wins, but here's the question. Can the Falcons return to "elite" status, where they were last year? It will be an ultimate test of prestige in the Superdome in week 10, and what a game that should be.




Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans

1. Arian Foster? Top three running back? He played 48 snaps (according to Pro Football Focus) for this team that was without their star wide receiver, Andre Johnson, and he touched the ball 30 times. That is, an unheard of, 62.5 percent. Does this team lean on Arian Foster?  You bet they do, and for god reason.

2. Chris Johnson learned his lesson, and he learned it the hard way: Don't hold out. He was 10 for 18 in this game, and it might of been his worst game yet. He has averaged just 2.9 yards per carry thus far in 2011, and in comparison to his previous years, that is just ridiculous. In 2010, Johnson ran for 4.3 yards per carry and in 2009 (his 2,000 yard season) he averaged 5.6 yards per carry. Do you see what I see? It isn't just this year; Johnson fell off last year,and now he is just cliff diving. This is why I wouldn't of drafted Chris Johnson in the top four picks this year.

3. 41-7. The final score of what was supposed to be a divisional "battle". This game was more one-sided (or one player with Arian Foster), than almost (Saints, 62-7) any other game. I think we know who has the edge in the division right now: The Houston Texans.

Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1. Matt Forte is...A) Extremely talented; B) The only reason Bears win football games; C) Underpaid; D) A top five NFL running back; E) All of the above? Well, if you guessed E then you were right. Forte has been dominate when he gets the touches, and in this game he just confirmed that. He touched the ball 27 times (25 carries, two receptions) and had 173 yards. Of course, it wouldn't of been complete without a touchdown to go along with all of that. Top five fantasy running back, and top five real life running back.

2. I have come to my consensus that no Bears' pass catches is worth owning. There are guys with much more upside that can, and will, do more for your team than any Roy Williams, Earl Bennett, Johnny Knox, or Dane Sanzenbacher is going to do for you. You would be better off just searching around for a different guy to have hang around on your bench.


3. Seconds after Earnest Graham went down in this one (before I knew that it would end his season and quite possibly career), I said to myself, " Kregg Lumpkin is going to get his chance. This is his break." Well, not so much. If you want to pick somebody off of waivers this week, this is not your guy. Not even in a 20 team league, that's how bad he was. Stay AWAY!




San Diego Chargers @ New York Jets

1. Although he is not completely healthy yet (according to ESPN's Stephania Bell), the break that he took is going to help him tremendously in the long run. That particular bone in his foot has been bothersome for a over a year now, and he said the pain feels just about as good as ever after the game on Sunday. It's going to help Rivers out a ton (A TON) because he finally has that red zone target that he can throw to in the end zone instead of just pounding the ball on the ground. 

2. If someone is willing to give up a decent amount of "prospects" for Plaxico Burress then you have to jump on it. He is not going to have these type of numbers again, and it was a completely fluke game (only four catches and three were touchdowns). Sell high if you can.


3. Shonn Greene has proven me completely wrong. He can actually produce as a starting running back (even though he was technically the backup in this case) in this league. If the Jets continue to give him 20+ carries per game (which has become a trend in the last three games), then he is going to have relevance, whether any of us like it or not.




Denver Broncos @ Miami Dolphins
1. Tebow is a winner. Always has been, always will be. It was apparent as ever in this game. First, as Adam Schefter tweeted, in all of his years of coaching, one of his teams had never recovered an onside kick? Tebow did. A team has never come back from 15 points or more in under 3:00. Tebow did. All other five quarterbacks making their season debut lost on Sunday, but Tebow? He won. Tebow is a winner, and he will be a for a long time to come.


2. The Dolphins are terrible in every aspect. They can't move the ball, and if Tom Brady was the one throwing the ball in the first three quarters then I wouldn't be surprised if the Broncos put up 40 points. But then again, the Broncos probably wouldn't be 2-4 right now if they had Tom Brady on their team.


3. Champ Bailey is under rated at this point in his career. No one else talked up Champ who was going up against Brandon Marshall, but I did. What happened? Marshall went 6 for 61 and had a worse game than he did against Revis. Don't you ever underestimate a Champ.




Washington Redskins @ Carolina Panthers

1. This is bold, and I think that I might be crazy for saying this, but I think Fred Davis might be an elite fantasy tight end for the rest of the season. I told you it would sound crazy, and it probably does right now. But, he is going to have a struggling quarterback for the rest of the season, which is usually a plus for tight ends (for Davis it has been). Besides that,their entire team is banged up and Cooley was put on injured reserve! Davis is a great candidate to fill that "TE" spot on your roster, and I don't think it is crazy to say that he is a top five tight end for the rest of the season in 2011.

2. Cam Newton to Steve Smith. We have heard it 39 times during the game this year, and hundreds more times on the radio and the television. These two have something special, and as long as Smith stays in the league, it is going to stay that way. Smith is the building blocks of Cam Newton's success in the NFL thus far. Smith was seven for 143 in this game, and we're only going to see more where this came from.

3. Johnathan Stewart finally got more carries, and he didn't just let them go to waste. He found the endzone in this game (14 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown), while DeAngelo Williams averaged just 3.5 yards per carry on the ten carries that he got. I know that I can't grant Stewart fantasy points, or put him in the right situation, but if he does get in that right situation where he is a lead back on an above-par team, then he will finish top ten in the league in rushing, and I don't doubt it one bit. He has the speed, pass-catching ability, vision, and good judgement that an NFL back needs. Look for him to be in positive places somewhere in the near future.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders
1.Don't just look at the score and assume that the Chiefs dominated this game, because they didn't. They played some really bad football. Cassel completed just 50 percent of his passes to go along with his two interceptions without a touchdown. The Chiefs did what they had to do, but they still looked awful, Cassel especially.


2. The whole "feature back" thing for Jackie Battle didn't quite workout. He got 15-20 carries like I expected from him (16), but his counterparts (McCluster and Thomas Jones) had a combined 19 carries and to make it all worse, LeRon McClain vultured a touchdown and then Javier Arenas stole a touchdown. Just an upsetting game for me, as a Battle believer and owner.


3. The Raiders want to make Darrius Heyward-Bey a part of this offense, and they have made that loud and clear for fantasy owners to hear. With 80 yards or more in four straight games, you have to believe in this guy (not to toot my own horn, but I believed in him after week one). DHB had three more catches than any other pass catcher with five receptions and he led the team in targets, to go along with nearly half of the teams receiving yardage. If Heyward-Bey is not owned then you need to get him on your squad, but I would imagine that he is owned in most places.




Pittsburgh Steelers @ Arizona Cardinals

1. After this game, I didn't think that the Steelers had a chance in this division despite the win. But then I saw the Ravens play on Monday Night and boy did that upset me (more later). Their offensive line looks bad, they can't run the ball, and Ben is barely getting rid of the ball on time; that's just on offense. I know a lot of  these things are a product of injuries, but a team has to overcome those injuries if they are going to win football games.

2. Even if stats say that the Cardinals aren't one of the worst in the NFL in pass defense, they are in the bottom five in my books. Ben Roethlisberger torched them for 361 yards and three touchdowns without forcing a single turnover. That's bad defense, I don't care what statistics say.

3. Early Doucet, although Kolb is struggling and he is the second option on this team, is a great pickup that no one is really talking about much. Kolb continues to look for him and he has put up nine fantasy points in the past two games, and he has been the top slot guy for the Cardinals. If he keeps this up then he is a good flex option each and every week. 

St.Louis Rams @ Dallas Cowboys

1. I could sit here and talk about DeMarco Murray all day. I watched the game film, and after watching it, I realized that I have never seen the offensive line block like they did for Murray on Sunday against the Rams. Not only that, but Murray has great vision and speed so he can find the hole and cut to it quick. Once he gets through that hole, he is physical and can break tackles too. Great fantasy pikcup, but unless he does something close to this again, I'm not sure he is ever going to get more carries than Felix Jones (when healthy).

 
2. Brandon Lloyd is clearly ready to play for the St.Louis Rams and already knows the system well. AJ Feeley didn't hit him (who would of thought) but he was the most used pass catcher in this offense. Despite the lackluster play from Feeley, Lloyd still caught six passes on twelve targets (which was six more targets than anyone else). I'm very excited to see what Lloyd and Bradford can do when Bradford returns from injury


3. Jason Witten is probably the most dependable target in the planet, but, I already knew that, so, let's move along.




Green Bay Packers  @ Minnesota Vikings

1. Greg Jennings is one of the safest wide receiver plays in terms of consistency, and who isn't consistent with the best quarterback in the NFL throwing you the ball. He has 100+ yards in three of his last five games and he has three touchdowns in those games. Sounds like a safe play to me.

2. If Rodgers wasn't the favorite for NFL Most Valuable Player then he sure is after a  perfect 158.3 quarterback rating against the Vikings. 

3. I sitll don't want to be ANY part of either Packers' running backs; but, if I have to choose one with a gun to my head, I would choose James Starks. He looks better (as I have said all year), even against a stronger, more physical run defense. Feel free to drop Ryan Grant. 

Indianapolis Colts @ New Orleans Saints

1. I know it was the Saints against arguably the worst team in the NFL, but 62 to..seven!? Seriously? Imagine being Peyton Manning, sitting on the sideline watching the team that beat you in the Super Bowl destroy you again while you are sitting on the sideline just waiting. Imagine how he must feel. The Colts, without a doubt in my mind, are the worst team in the NFL right now, and I'm not sure if that is going to change this year.

2. Let's change winds and head in the direction of the Saints. I know they were playing the Colts, but sixty-two points! Drew Brees and the Saints have been remarkably, but quietly, very good this year. In fact, I think the Saints could give the Packers their first loss in the Super Dome. That isn't that point though. The point is that this team is somewhat flying under the radar, and I'm not sure they will be noticed until it comes times for the playoffs.

3.Jimmy Graham is easily the best tight end in football right now. He is dominating every team, whether it be Graham himself, or just how good Brees has been. In terms of fantasy value, if I were in a redraft today I think Graham would go in the third round. He is that good. And if you disagree just look at his numbers compared to #2. Rob Gronkowski is number two and he is 27 points (!) behind Jimmy Graham., or over two points per week difference., and Graham is doing this on a consistent basis, unlike Gronkowski.

Baltimore Ravens @ Jacksonville Jaguars

1. ESPN picks only the best games for their Monday Night Football selection; the best ones that will bore you to sleep. Only 351 yards of total offense, from both sides of the football. It was ugly.

2. Jason Hill was, in fact, a sleeper this week. He ran the most pass routes of all the receivers (Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas) beating out Mike Sims-Walker by one route, and he also was second in snaps (for wide receivers) behind only Mike Sims-Walker (56) who had thirteen more than Hill (43). 

3. MJD, similar to the Falcons' situation, is the majority of the offense right now. Against one of the best run defenses in the league (Ravens), Maurice Jones-Drew ran the ball 30 times for 105 yards., which was more than half of the total offense. Look for a lot of Mo-Jo Drew in the future. 

Thanks for reading. I'll be back next week with the week 8 version of Let Them Preach. Until then, you can check me out on the Fantasy Corral podcast with Bill Riccette. You can also check out my blog for other great articles during the week including my rankings on the rankings page and the injury report. For any questions, be sure to follow me on Twitter! I try to get to all of the questions I get. See you next week!