What to watch for this weekend…
1. Due to last week’s success, the NFP and FanDuel have opened up another Salary Cap Challenge for the purpose of giving you guys a second opportunity to bust me up in a public forum. You’re given a $60,000 salary cap and have to draft a team that consists of the following roster positions: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, K, D/ST. Cash prizes, bragging rights and a Procter & Gamble gift bag are on the line.
2. Want another opportunity to make some cheese this weekend? The Baltimore Ravens are heading to Carolina on extra rest to play a Panthers team that will start Brian St. Pierre at quarterback on Sunday. Earlier this week St. Pierre was a stay-at-home dad. This Sunday, he’ll be the starting quarterback for the Panthers. Take the Ravens, lay the 10.5 points and thank me on Monday.
3. Josh Zerkle of “With Leather” offers up the Week 10 recap from the Procter & Gamble Fantasy Bloggers League. Click HERE to check it out. In addition, click HERE to check out the “Take it to the House” facebook page where you’ll have a chance to win a trip to this year’s Pro Bowl in Hawaii.
4. Speaking of fantasy leagues, it’s starting to get hot in the 2010 NFP Expert’s League. Team NFP is currently 7-3 (third place) and set for a big-time Week 11 showdown with Ken Daube of ESPN. Click HERE to check out the action.
5. The 9-0 Boise State Broncos continue their push towards a bowl game that is not the BCS Championship Friday night against the 6-3 Fresno State Bulldogs. Boise is 7-2 against the spread this season, but just 2-2 ATS at home. Can the Broncos cover the 30.5-point spread?
6. Big Blue takes on Vick and the Birds Sunday night at 8:30pm eastern in Philadelphia. Need I say more?
And now, your motivational moment of the day…
START ‘EM UP
Shaun Hill, QB, Detroit Lions: Hill returned to the starting lineup in place of the injured Matthew Stafford and promptly threw for 323 yards and one touchdown at Buffalo in Week 10. In five full starts this season, Hill has thrown nine touchdown passes and is averaging 290.6 passing yards per game. Week 11 offers another favorable matchup for the Detroit signal-caller as the Lions head to Dallas to take on a Cowboys defense that is giving up an average of 21.9 fantasy points per week to opposing quarterbacks (fifth-most in NFL). The Lions continue to be the kings of garbage time stats.
Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys: For all you Jones owners who thought “this is the year,” I’m happy to say that you should be able to salvage some of that dream down the stretch. After torching the New York Giants for 136 total yards and one touchdown on 17 touches last weekend, look for the former Arkansas Razorback to post another respectable stat line this Sunday against a Detroit team that ranks 26th in run defense (130.2 yds/gm) and is surrendering an average of 24.5 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs (tied for most in NFL).
ICONThere's no nice way to say this, so I'll be blunt: Houston's pass defense is awful.
Santonio Holmes, WR, New York Jets: Holmes is starting to heat up as the former Pittsburgh Steeler has caught ten passes for 190 yards and one score over his last two games. Expect the trend to continue this Sunday when the Jets take on a Texans squad that is allowing an average of 27.7 fantasy points per week to opposing wide receivers (third-most in NFL) and ranks dead last in the league in pass defense (301.3 yds/gm). When you watch the Houston defense, think of going on vacation and getting a day with nothing but rain. Sure, you’d love for the skies to clear up so you can hit the beach, but in reality, there’s nothing you can do. That’s the situation facing the Texans. I’m sure they’d love to be able to stop the pass, but in reality, they can’t.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, New England Patriots: All you need to know is that the Indianapolis Colts are giving up a ridiculous 157.2 rushing yards per game on the road this season. Actually, we lied. You should also know that the Colts have already allowed eight rushing touchdowns in five road games and are giving up an average of 20.6 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs (tenth-worst in NFL).
Randy Moss, WR, Tennessee Titans: Ok, so Moss has been a bust this season. We get it. But did you watch the Eagles-Redskins game last Monday night? On their home turf, the Washington defense gave up 592 total yards (332 passing) and 59 points. This unit now ranks 31st in the league in pass defense (301.3 yds/gm), 26th in scoring defense (25.4 pts/gm) and is surrendering an average of 29.3 fantasy points per week to opposing wide receivers (second-most in NFL). If Moss can’t break through against this sieve of a defense, the Titans might as well cut him.
ICONHeap!
Todd Heap, TE, Baltimore Ravens: The ten-year veteran is averaging 10.0 fantasy points per week over his last four games and now ranks seventh in fantasy scoring among tight ends. Heap will have every opportunity to keep his current hot streak alive this Sunday against a Panthers defense that is giving up an average of 10.1 fantasy points per week to opposing tight ends (third-most in NFL).
Kansas City Chiefs, D/ST: In four outings at Arrowhead Stadium this season the Chiefs are 4-0 and allowing just 13.5 points and 317.0 yards per game. In addition, those four matchups have featured six forced turnovers and two D/ST touchdowns. Add to the mix an Arizona Cardinals team that is surrendering 15.1 fantasy points per game (most in NFL) to opposing defenses this season and you’ve got yourself a recipe for fantasy success.
SIT ‘EM DOWN
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills: After a red-hot start, Fitz has cooled off and thrown just three touchdown passes with three interceptions over his last three starts. The former Ivy Leaguer is completing only 59% of his passes on the s eason and has a Week 11 date with a Cincinnati defense that is surrendering just 14.5 fantasy points per week to opposing quarterbacks (fourth-fewest in NFL). For as bad as the Bengals have been this year they’ve somehow figured out a way to rank 12th in the league in pass defense (213.6 yds/gm). Keep in mind that Fitzpatrick has thrown five interceptions in three road games this season.
LeGarrette Blount, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Blount is making a case for “Waiver Wire Pickup of the Year” as the former Oregon Duck is averaging 14.3 fantasy points per game over his last three outings. However, owners are advised to sit the Buccaneer running back this Sunday when Tampa makes the long trip to San Francisco to take on a 49ers defense that is surrendering just 89.6 rushing yards per game at home this season (only three rush TDs allowed at home). In addition, San Fran is allowing an average of only 15.8 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs in 2010 (eighth-fewest in NFL). There are better options to start at the RB position in Week 11.
Santana Moss, WR, Washington Redskins: The 31-year old has only found the end zone one time in his last six games and hasn’t topped 80 yards receiving in a contest since October 10. Don’t expect much in Week 11 from the aging veteran as Moss and the ‘Skins travel to Tennessee to play a Titans defense that is surrendering only 19.0 fantasy points per week to opposing wide receivers (seventh-fewest in NFL). In four home games this season the Titans are giving up just 1.0 passing touchdowns and less than 200 passing yards per game. The upside here is extremely limited.
ICONThink McFadden will rip up the Steelers like he did the Broncos? Think again.
Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland Raiders: 103. That’s the number you get when you combine the rushing totals of Michael Turner (42), Ray Rice (20) and Peyton Hillis (41) from their trips to Heinz Field this season. Not too encouraging, is it? The Steelers currently rank first in the league in run defense (63.2 yds/gm), have allowed just four rushing touchdowns on the year (tied for fourth) and are holding opponents to a skimpy 3.1 yards per carry at home this season. Not only that, but Dick LeBeau’s defense is surrendering only 11.2 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs in 2010 (second-fewest in NFL). As for Run DMC, be advised that he’s only scored two rushing touchdowns in seven November games during his three-year career (2008).
Mike Williams, WR, Seattle Seahawks: BMW is coming off an impressive 145-yard effort against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, but owners are advised to send the Seattle wideout to the bench this weekend. The Seahawks travel to New Orleans this Sunday to take on a Saints team that ranks first in the NFL in pass defense (166.3 yds/gm) and is giving up fewer fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season than any other team in the league (9.4 pts/gm). In addition, New Orleans has given up just six passing touchdowns in nine games this year (fewest in NFL). Those numbers don’t bode well for a wide receiver like Williams who has failed to top 35 receiving yards in three of five road games in 2010 and has yet to score a touchdown away from Qwest Field.
ICONTony G is in for another rough week.
Tony Gonzalez, TE, Atlanta Falcons: Gonzo has been held out of the end zone in five of his last six games and has only topped 75 receiving yards one time in 2010 (Week 3 at New Orleans). Expect more of the same Sunday in St. Louis against a Rams defense that is surrendering only 18.2 points per game (sixth-fewest in NFL) and an average of 5.7 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends (sixth-fewest in NFL). Gonzalez appears to be in the twilight of his career as the Future Hall of Famer is on pace for just 717 receiving yards this season. Should that number hold steady, it will end up being his lowest yardage output since 1998.
Arizona Cardinals, D/ST: For as terrible as the Cardinals have been this season, their D/ST still ranks seventh in scoring among fantasy defenses. Credit a high turnover total (18, 11th most in NFL) and a league-leading seven defensive/special teams touchdowns for the fantasy relevance. Sadly, it looks like that top-ten ranking will take a hit on Sunday in Kansas City against a Chiefs offense that ranks first in the NFL in rushing (165.3 yds/gm) and is averaging an impressive 26.7 points per game at home in 2010. Not only that, but D/STs that play Kansas City are averaging only 5.6 fantasy points per game this year (fourth-fewest in NFL).
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