- Can Manning (out)Shoot the Brees?
New Orleans at Denver
This game may see these two teams put up 1,000 yards before it’s all said and done. Brees and Manning have a stable of useful fantasy players helping them. Jimmy Graham is a big question mark for this game. If he can play he is a middling option until he can show signs of being healthy. Even if Champ Bailey is still drawing breath, Marques Colston is a WR1 option for this game. Lance Moore is also good play in this game; he had 11 targets in Week 7 and caught 6 for 120 with a score. The rest of the Saints wideouts are collectively good for Brees but far too inconsistent for you the fantasy owners. I also wouldn’t go crazy and call Devery Henderson a WR 3, either. Darren Sproles won’t have a breakout game; although he has 32 receptions and 3 scores he’s only projected to rush for 300 yards total this season. Denver’s defense will probably bottle up Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram.The Broncos surely watched the Saints defensive tape and are likely salivating. The Saints defense gives up nearly 500 yards a game. They won’t have an answer for Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas, and Willis McGahee. They are all must-starts and Eric Decker makes an excellent WR2…the trickle down effect of the Saints woeful defense makes Brandon Stokley and Jacob Tamme startable although low-end options.
Adore: Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Demaryius Thomas, Marques Colston, Willis McGahee, Lance Moore
Meh: Eric Decker, Darren Sproles, Jimmy Graham
Avoid: Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Brandon Stokely, Jacob Tamme
Atlanta at Philadelphia
- Reid's Eagles Have Never Lost After a Bye (13-0) ..A TD Fest Awaits
The presumptive game of the week (at least in the NFC) features high flying birds that need to pray (excuse me, birds of prey). The two teams feature juggernaut passing attacks and hit-or-miss defenses. The Falcons present a real test for the Eagles cornerbacks. Interestingly, the duo of Julio Jones and Roddy White have each alternated touchdowns, with White only scoring his four touchdowns at home and Jones scoring his four touchdowns in three road games. This is a road game for the Falcons and they need to get Julio Jones going –he’s only had 370 yards through 6 games. It will be tough with Julio probably drawing All-Pro corner Nnamdi Asomugha most of the game. Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez will be better fantasy plays. Matt Ryan will need to grease the elbow up good before kickoff—this will be a shootout. Consider Roddy White a must-start and Jones more of a WR2 in this game. Michael Turner may be getting long in the tooth overnight. He’s barely an RB2 in this matchup. Jacquizz Rodgers has underwhelmed as usual, rushing for 2.5 yards per carry.
The Eagles conversely, need to get LeSean McCoy going after his 22 yard performance against the Lions. The Falcons have allowed 100-yard rushing games by every opponent so far in 2012. He should have a great game. Atlanta’s run defense is not going to help them win that elusive playoff game at this rate (143.8 ypg allowed—28th in the NFL). They are second worst in terms of yards per carry as well (5.2). McCoy is a must-start RB1. The Eagles also have a quarterback that runs well in Michael Vick and really quick wideouts that can get open deep when Vick buys time. His offensive line hasn’t held up their end of the bargain and Vick has turned the ball over plenty. He remains a risky fantasy start but will still accumulate passing yards enough to make a healthy Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson good WR2s for Week 8. Brent Celek has continued to disappear in the Eagles offense.
Adore: LeSean McCoy, Roddy White, Jeremy Maclin, Matt Ryan
Meh:Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson, Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez, Falcons D
Avoid: Eagles D, Brent Celek, Michael Turner
Indianapolis at Tennessee
- Jared Cook, TE1..Remember This Titan
This game’s shootout potential stems from another pair of generous defenses and better than average offenses. The Titans are slowly making a climb back to respectability in the AFC South. The weapons (Britt, Washington, Wright and Cook) are underrated for Tennessee, especially when Chris Johnson can get the running game going. One of these guys is going to have a big game and the tight end Cook is the best bet. Indianapolis is set up to throw the ball with Andrew Luck though his 53.6% completion percentage has taken some luster off of the delusions of-immediate-fantasy-QB1-grandeur. The word on the street is that the Titans struggle defending two tight end sets and the Colts have two good, albeit young ones in Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen. Neither has proved to be to fantasy relevant. I would start Reggie Wayne as a WR1 and utilize Vick Ballard as a flex; he’s the backup to Donald Brown and ran for 84 yards last week against the Browns. He may be a little better than a flex play. For Brown or Ballard owners, pay attention to this game. If Ballard is able to run against the Titans he may be a sneaky play going forward. If Brown plays this backfield may slide into a timeshare. Neither look to hit paydirt; if the Colts put up points it'll be Luck to Wayne, primarily.
Matt Hasselbeck is a decent bye-week replacement and Chris Johnson is a RB1 in this matchup; he won’t go for 195 but should chip in double digit points. Even though the Colts have given up the least point to tight ends this season, the best TE they've faced is the ghost of Jermichael Finley. Ben Watson, a Dustin Keller-less Jets team, the Packers, Marcedes Lewis, Kyle Rudolph (who scored) and Kellen Davis. Trust me, Jared Cook will perform as a TE1 in this matchup; he had 9 catches for 103 yards in the last game these two teams played. The 6'5" 247-pound Cook may be the second speediest tight end in the game behind Vernon Davis but lacks physicality in run blocking. They'll use him more as a receiver but if he could ever improve his blocking he would likely see more targets.
Adore: Chris Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Jared Cook
Meh: Andrew Luck, Nate Washington, Matt Hasselbeck, Donald Brown, Vick Ballard
Avoid: Kenny Britt, Donnie Avery, Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener
No comments:
Post a Comment