A Closer Look at Week 8
Arizona @ Green Bay
A changing of the guard? Brett Favre passing the torch to Matt Leinart? Well, maybe not just yet. The Cardinals are in awful shape having dropped six straight and their coaching staff is just awful. This could in fact be Dennis Green's last game as the Arizona head coach. However, for fantasy purposes, it may not be so bad this week thanks to the woeful Green Bay defense. Leinart should rebound and have a solid day hitting Anquan Boldin (probable) and Bryant Johnson for most of the day. Unless he has a decent week, it might just be time to give up on Edgerrin James. For the Packers, the trio of Brett Favre, Donald Driver and Ahman Green should find success again this week despite the Cards D being unusually solid the past few weeks. I'm looking for a shootout here with the old guard showing it's still got it.
Atlanta @ Cincinnati
Probably another high scoring affair here as I think the winner will come down to defense. If the Bengals can keep Michael Vick in check then they should win this one. Vick is still a strong play as his ability to run the ball always keeps defenses on their toes, but as he showed last week, he is more than capable of taking it to the air. Michael Jenkins and the always dangerous Alge Crumpler should have solid weeks again. On offense for the Bengals, I really like Rudi Johnson this week. After being torched by Tiki Barber two weeks ago, the Falcons did a great job against the run last week. Unfortunately, they'll have their hands so full with Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh that it should allow Johnson and Chris Perry to light it up on the ground. The Johnson/DeAngelo Hall feud should be a fun one to watch this week.
Baltimore @ New Orleans
The Ravens have question marks all over the place this week with the exception of their defense. Brian Billick is now doing the play calling, Steve McNair is still banged up (but will start), and they can't seem put together a ground game to save their lives here. I don't see too much changing this week. With Billick calling the shots to save his coaching life, I expect McNair to look for Derrick Mason and Todd Heap quite a bit. Jamal Lewis should get a lot of early work, but if the Saints can break out early, the Ravens will probably abandon the run pretty quick. The Saints should have a tough time running the ball, but if they mix it up enough between Deuce McAllister up the middle and Reggie Bush to the outside, they might find some success. The key matchup in this game will be Joe Horn and Marques Colston vs the Ravens corners. If Drew Brees can find his wideouts, the Saints should win this one easily.
Houston @ Tennessee
The NFL snoozer of the week could turn into the fantasy barnburner of the week. The Titans notched their first win of the season two weeks ago and are well rested from the bye week. Travis Henry has been a monster in his last 2 games and Vince Young is still learning. His legs will be his savior as he continues to work on his passing game. Look for Young and Drew Bennett to hook up this week. For the Texans, it's a little bit of the same. A big upset of the Jaguars last week and the re-emergence of running back Wali Lundy have really sparked this team. Suddenly there's more to look at than just the David Carr to Andre Johnson weekly touchdown. A nice battle between top draft picks as Mario Williams will be chasing Vince around all day long.
Jacksonville @ Philadelphia
This is most definitely not what the doctor order for the Jaguars after their crushing loss to the Texans last week. The Jags banged up defense will really need to step it up if they're going to try and hold Donovan McNabb and Co. to under 60 points this week. With the return of Donte Stallworth this week, the Jags will have to deal with a multitude of offensive weapons, including Reggie Brown (5 TDs), Brian Westbrook (4), and L.J. Smith (2), all of whom work very well with McNabb. All of your Eagles should be starting this week. For the Jags, it couldn't be any worse. Byron Leftwich is not only hurt, but he's not even on speaking terms with head coach Jack Del Rio. David Garrard will take his place this week, and while a decent backup, he's probably not going to be able to do enough to keep his team in the game. Fred Taylor remains an average RB2 while Maurice Jones-Drew is a decent flex play at best. I don't even think I need to mention the wideouts as Ernest Wilford had negative fanatsy points last week and he was the best of the Jacksonville wideouts.
Seattle @ Kansas City
If it wasn't for the presence of Larry Johnson, there might not be a single guy worth noting inthis game this week. The Chiefs will lean on Johnson heavily this week as Damon Huard will be a game time decision. That mean we could get our first look at Brodie Croyle and for fantasy purposes, that's not a look we want. More of the same for the Seahawks as Seneca Wallace is the man behind the center. Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch notwithstanding, this does not look good. With Maurice Morris steadily showing that he couldn't hold Shaun Alexander's jock, let alone replace him, the Chiefs will protect the air and force a dismal day for the young Seattle QB. The only Seahawk I'm looking at for legit fantasy points this week is kicker Josh Brown.
San Francisco @ Chicago
With the point spread going further than 2 touchdowns, I think we all know what to expect here. For the Niners, a troubled day for Frank Gore, a big halftime deficit and maybe some garbage points for Joey Galloway and Alex Smith. The Bears onthe other hand have lots to crow about. Rex Grossman should find an easy time hitting Bernard Berrian and Mushin Muhammed while Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson plow through a relatively weak Niners defensive front. I'm actually calling for Benson to be a nice fantasy sleeper this week. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner already said that he wants Benson to get more touches this week, and if the Bears move out to a big lead, Benson will become a workhorse in the second half.
Tampa Bay @ NY Giants
Don't be fooled bythe Bucs' upset over the Eagles last week. Their offense looked atrocious and it'll be tough for Ronde Barber to put together another week like last week. Bruce Gradkowski will have trouble with the Giants' pass rush, so don't expect to see too much from him or Joey Galloway this week. Probably the only Buc worth starting this week is Carnell Williams, and that probably won't last long as Tampa is sure to fall behind early. For the Giants, Tiki Barber should breakout big against a weak Bucs run defense and maybe thethe media will start talking about his endzone dancing rather than his retirement announcement. With the run well established, Eli Manning should find favorites Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey in the endzone as well. Even Amani Toomer should get in on the action which should make for another high scoring week for Big Blue.
St. Louis @ San Diego
Another matchup that could have high scoring written all over it. The Shaun Merriman problems should distract and weaken the Chargers defense (even though he's going to play), giving Marc Bulger the opportunity to hit Torry Holt for some big time catches this week. Even Isaac Bruce could see some nice action, but he's become nothing more than possession receiver and has only found the endzone once this season. The key for the Rams will be how Steven Jackson A. matches up against the Charger run defense, and B. has the confidence of his coaches to get more touches in the passing game. For the Chargers, Phillip Rivers seems to be coming into his own and should hopefully find some other targets this week besides TE Antonio Gates. LaDanian Tomlinson continues to prove that he is a stud and that by owning him, you are envied throughout your league. He will not disappoint this week -- probably throw for another TD too.
Indianapolis @ Denver
This is a big matchup for Peyton Manning this week and his track record in Denver is limited to one game where he threw for less than 210 yards with 1 INT and no TDs. That coupled with the fact that the Broncos D is outstanding this season, could make for a tough week and possibly the first loss of the season for the Colts. Well, atleast that's what the "experts" are saying. I disagree. Maybe he doesn't throw for 400 yards and 4 TDs, but he'll have a solid enough game to help your fantasy team dominate while boosting the points totals again for Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Dallas Clark is a bulldog of a tight end and should give the Broncos linebackers some serious difficulties. But the reason I think the Colts stay undefeated is not their offense, but the offense of Denver...or lack there of. Indy undestands that they need to work on the ground game and they should concentrate on stopping the Bells, both Tatum and Mike. That should force Jake Plummer to the air and he's been nothing short of awful this season so far. I predict a Jay Cutler sighting in the second half whcih, at that point, may help the value of Javon Walker. Until then, Walker and veteran Rod Smith remain sketchy plays still.
NY Jets @ Cleveland
As a Jets fan, I can't help being nervous. The Jets look good with the solid running back tandem of Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow, and Chad Pennington loves to find Laveraneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery over the middle and down the sidelines. Against a weak Browns team, they could find huge success. For the Browns, it's about circling the wagons and finding themselves again. With Maurice Carthon out as offensive coordinator and being replaced by Jeff Davidson, the play calling could be unpredictable. You have to remember that Davidson was Eric Mangini's first choice for offensive coordinator of the Jets, but wasn't allowed to negotiate. If you're impressed with Mangini thus far, then you have to throw some credit Davidson's way as an innovative coach. Charlie Frye could find Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards quite often if the Jets let their guard down. And you also can't discount the Jets poor run defense. Browns RB Reuben Droughns could finally have his breakout game of the season.
Pittsburgh @ Oakland
About the best matchup Bill Cowher and the Steelers could hope for this week. Oakland notched their first victory of the season last week against the lowly Cardinals and are probably riding high still from the win. Unfortuantely, they're in for a big fall as the Steelers D should manhandle them all day long. Lamont Jordan is banged up and Justin Fargas just isn't going to cut it. Andrew Walter is going to be picking himself up off the ground all day which means that it'll be another tough week for Randy Moss. For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger is set to play, but at what level? The Raiders have a decent pass defense and Big Ben's head is probably a little foggy still. Look for Willie Parker to rebound from last week's debacle and set the tone early for Pittsburgh as they lean on him for most of the first half. And whether it's Big Ben or Charlie Batch throwing the ball, Hines Ward is always dangerous.
Dallas @ Carolina
Tuna scrutiny here from all over the place. All eyes will be on Tony Romo. We saw Drew Bledsoe flounder for the first 7 weeks running the Cowboys' offense. Can Romo turn it around? He better hope so or he'll be getting an earful from Terrell Owens on the sidelines. The Panthers have a decent run defense, so they won't be able to lean on Julius Jones or Marion Barber all day. The 'Boys are built for the air, so T.O and Terry Glenn need big weeks if they want to try and make a playoff run. For the Panthers, they really need to get a running game going soon. For how long can they survive with only Jake Delhomme hitting Steve Smith and running reverses to Keyshawn Johnson? They'll really need to get DeShaun Foster more active if they want to make a Super Bowl run this year. Still, I like all Panthers in your starting lineups this week.
New England @ Minnesota
Center stage for Tom Brady and Co. on Monday night and there's nothing more he likes than showing the world why he's called Tom Terriffic. With Doug Gabriel and Chad Jackson forming a solid WR tandem, Brady should find some decent success against a tough pass D from the Vikings. But the real sleeper in this game for the Pats has to be Laurence Maroney. This is like a homecoming for himas he made his college career running for the Minnesota Golden Gophers on this same Metrodome turf. He should have a big game this week. For the Vikings, they're going to need to be methodical if they want to beat Coach Bellichek. Establish a solid run game with Chester Taylor and then have Brad Johnson find guys like Marcus Robinson and Jermaine Wiggins. Troy Williamson (concussion) is a game time decision. I don't see it being a high scoring affair, but some worthy fanatsy guys just the same.
A changing of the guard? Brett Favre passing the torch to Matt Leinart? Well, maybe not just yet. The Cardinals are in awful shape having dropped six straight and their coaching staff is just awful. This could in fact be Dennis Green's last game as the Arizona head coach. However, for fantasy purposes, it may not be so bad this week thanks to the woeful Green Bay defense. Leinart should rebound and have a solid day hitting Anquan Boldin (probable) and Bryant Johnson for most of the day. Unless he has a decent week, it might just be time to give up on Edgerrin James. For the Packers, the trio of Brett Favre, Donald Driver and Ahman Green should find success again this week despite the Cards D being unusually solid the past few weeks. I'm looking for a shootout here with the old guard showing it's still got it.
Atlanta @ Cincinnati
Probably another high scoring affair here as I think the winner will come down to defense. If the Bengals can keep Michael Vick in check then they should win this one. Vick is still a strong play as his ability to run the ball always keeps defenses on their toes, but as he showed last week, he is more than capable of taking it to the air. Michael Jenkins and the always dangerous Alge Crumpler should have solid weeks again. On offense for the Bengals, I really like Rudi Johnson this week. After being torched by Tiki Barber two weeks ago, the Falcons did a great job against the run last week. Unfortunately, they'll have their hands so full with Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh that it should allow Johnson and Chris Perry to light it up on the ground. The Johnson/DeAngelo Hall feud should be a fun one to watch this week.
Baltimore @ New Orleans
The Ravens have question marks all over the place this week with the exception of their defense. Brian Billick is now doing the play calling, Steve McNair is still banged up (but will start), and they can't seem put together a ground game to save their lives here. I don't see too much changing this week. With Billick calling the shots to save his coaching life, I expect McNair to look for Derrick Mason and Todd Heap quite a bit. Jamal Lewis should get a lot of early work, but if the Saints can break out early, the Ravens will probably abandon the run pretty quick. The Saints should have a tough time running the ball, but if they mix it up enough between Deuce McAllister up the middle and Reggie Bush to the outside, they might find some success. The key matchup in this game will be Joe Horn and Marques Colston vs the Ravens corners. If Drew Brees can find his wideouts, the Saints should win this one easily.
Houston @ Tennessee
The NFL snoozer of the week could turn into the fantasy barnburner of the week. The Titans notched their first win of the season two weeks ago and are well rested from the bye week. Travis Henry has been a monster in his last 2 games and Vince Young is still learning. His legs will be his savior as he continues to work on his passing game. Look for Young and Drew Bennett to hook up this week. For the Texans, it's a little bit of the same. A big upset of the Jaguars last week and the re-emergence of running back Wali Lundy have really sparked this team. Suddenly there's more to look at than just the David Carr to Andre Johnson weekly touchdown. A nice battle between top draft picks as Mario Williams will be chasing Vince around all day long.
Jacksonville @ Philadelphia
This is most definitely not what the doctor order for the Jaguars after their crushing loss to the Texans last week. The Jags banged up defense will really need to step it up if they're going to try and hold Donovan McNabb and Co. to under 60 points this week. With the return of Donte Stallworth this week, the Jags will have to deal with a multitude of offensive weapons, including Reggie Brown (5 TDs), Brian Westbrook (4), and L.J. Smith (2), all of whom work very well with McNabb. All of your Eagles should be starting this week. For the Jags, it couldn't be any worse. Byron Leftwich is not only hurt, but he's not even on speaking terms with head coach Jack Del Rio. David Garrard will take his place this week, and while a decent backup, he's probably not going to be able to do enough to keep his team in the game. Fred Taylor remains an average RB2 while Maurice Jones-Drew is a decent flex play at best. I don't even think I need to mention the wideouts as Ernest Wilford had negative fanatsy points last week and he was the best of the Jacksonville wideouts.
Seattle @ Kansas City
If it wasn't for the presence of Larry Johnson, there might not be a single guy worth noting inthis game this week. The Chiefs will lean on Johnson heavily this week as Damon Huard will be a game time decision. That mean we could get our first look at Brodie Croyle and for fantasy purposes, that's not a look we want. More of the same for the Seahawks as Seneca Wallace is the man behind the center. Darrell Jackson and Deion Branch notwithstanding, this does not look good. With Maurice Morris steadily showing that he couldn't hold Shaun Alexander's jock, let alone replace him, the Chiefs will protect the air and force a dismal day for the young Seattle QB. The only Seahawk I'm looking at for legit fantasy points this week is kicker Josh Brown.
San Francisco @ Chicago
With the point spread going further than 2 touchdowns, I think we all know what to expect here. For the Niners, a troubled day for Frank Gore, a big halftime deficit and maybe some garbage points for Joey Galloway and Alex Smith. The Bears onthe other hand have lots to crow about. Rex Grossman should find an easy time hitting Bernard Berrian and Mushin Muhammed while Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson plow through a relatively weak Niners defensive front. I'm actually calling for Benson to be a nice fantasy sleeper this week. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner already said that he wants Benson to get more touches this week, and if the Bears move out to a big lead, Benson will become a workhorse in the second half.
Tampa Bay @ NY Giants
Don't be fooled bythe Bucs' upset over the Eagles last week. Their offense looked atrocious and it'll be tough for Ronde Barber to put together another week like last week. Bruce Gradkowski will have trouble with the Giants' pass rush, so don't expect to see too much from him or Joey Galloway this week. Probably the only Buc worth starting this week is Carnell Williams, and that probably won't last long as Tampa is sure to fall behind early. For the Giants, Tiki Barber should breakout big against a weak Bucs run defense and maybe thethe media will start talking about his endzone dancing rather than his retirement announcement. With the run well established, Eli Manning should find favorites Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey in the endzone as well. Even Amani Toomer should get in on the action which should make for another high scoring week for Big Blue.
St. Louis @ San Diego
Another matchup that could have high scoring written all over it. The Shaun Merriman problems should distract and weaken the Chargers defense (even though he's going to play), giving Marc Bulger the opportunity to hit Torry Holt for some big time catches this week. Even Isaac Bruce could see some nice action, but he's become nothing more than possession receiver and has only found the endzone once this season. The key for the Rams will be how Steven Jackson A. matches up against the Charger run defense, and B. has the confidence of his coaches to get more touches in the passing game. For the Chargers, Phillip Rivers seems to be coming into his own and should hopefully find some other targets this week besides TE Antonio Gates. LaDanian Tomlinson continues to prove that he is a stud and that by owning him, you are envied throughout your league. He will not disappoint this week -- probably throw for another TD too.
Indianapolis @ Denver
This is a big matchup for Peyton Manning this week and his track record in Denver is limited to one game where he threw for less than 210 yards with 1 INT and no TDs. That coupled with the fact that the Broncos D is outstanding this season, could make for a tough week and possibly the first loss of the season for the Colts. Well, atleast that's what the "experts" are saying. I disagree. Maybe he doesn't throw for 400 yards and 4 TDs, but he'll have a solid enough game to help your fantasy team dominate while boosting the points totals again for Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Dallas Clark is a bulldog of a tight end and should give the Broncos linebackers some serious difficulties. But the reason I think the Colts stay undefeated is not their offense, but the offense of Denver...or lack there of. Indy undestands that they need to work on the ground game and they should concentrate on stopping the Bells, both Tatum and Mike. That should force Jake Plummer to the air and he's been nothing short of awful this season so far. I predict a Jay Cutler sighting in the second half whcih, at that point, may help the value of Javon Walker. Until then, Walker and veteran Rod Smith remain sketchy plays still.
NY Jets @ Cleveland
As a Jets fan, I can't help being nervous. The Jets look good with the solid running back tandem of Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow, and Chad Pennington loves to find Laveraneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery over the middle and down the sidelines. Against a weak Browns team, they could find huge success. For the Browns, it's about circling the wagons and finding themselves again. With Maurice Carthon out as offensive coordinator and being replaced by Jeff Davidson, the play calling could be unpredictable. You have to remember that Davidson was Eric Mangini's first choice for offensive coordinator of the Jets, but wasn't allowed to negotiate. If you're impressed with Mangini thus far, then you have to throw some credit Davidson's way as an innovative coach. Charlie Frye could find Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards quite often if the Jets let their guard down. And you also can't discount the Jets poor run defense. Browns RB Reuben Droughns could finally have his breakout game of the season.
Pittsburgh @ Oakland
About the best matchup Bill Cowher and the Steelers could hope for this week. Oakland notched their first victory of the season last week against the lowly Cardinals and are probably riding high still from the win. Unfortuantely, they're in for a big fall as the Steelers D should manhandle them all day long. Lamont Jordan is banged up and Justin Fargas just isn't going to cut it. Andrew Walter is going to be picking himself up off the ground all day which means that it'll be another tough week for Randy Moss. For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger is set to play, but at what level? The Raiders have a decent pass defense and Big Ben's head is probably a little foggy still. Look for Willie Parker to rebound from last week's debacle and set the tone early for Pittsburgh as they lean on him for most of the first half. And whether it's Big Ben or Charlie Batch throwing the ball, Hines Ward is always dangerous.
Dallas @ Carolina
Tuna scrutiny here from all over the place. All eyes will be on Tony Romo. We saw Drew Bledsoe flounder for the first 7 weeks running the Cowboys' offense. Can Romo turn it around? He better hope so or he'll be getting an earful from Terrell Owens on the sidelines. The Panthers have a decent run defense, so they won't be able to lean on Julius Jones or Marion Barber all day. The 'Boys are built for the air, so T.O and Terry Glenn need big weeks if they want to try and make a playoff run. For the Panthers, they really need to get a running game going soon. For how long can they survive with only Jake Delhomme hitting Steve Smith and running reverses to Keyshawn Johnson? They'll really need to get DeShaun Foster more active if they want to make a Super Bowl run this year. Still, I like all Panthers in your starting lineups this week.
New England @ Minnesota
Center stage for Tom Brady and Co. on Monday night and there's nothing more he likes than showing the world why he's called Tom Terriffic. With Doug Gabriel and Chad Jackson forming a solid WR tandem, Brady should find some decent success against a tough pass D from the Vikings. But the real sleeper in this game for the Pats has to be Laurence Maroney. This is like a homecoming for himas he made his college career running for the Minnesota Golden Gophers on this same Metrodome turf. He should have a big game this week. For the Vikings, they're going to need to be methodical if they want to beat Coach Bellichek. Establish a solid run game with Chester Taylor and then have Brad Johnson find guys like Marcus Robinson and Jermaine Wiggins. Troy Williamson (concussion) is a game time decision. I don't see it being a high scoring affair, but some worthy fanatsy guys just the same.
posted by Howard Bender at
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