*New to our web site this season is James Morris, the owner and CEO of No Limit Fantasy Sports. James will provide you with insights on the coming week's game, advice on who to sit and start, as well as answer your questions via email. *
Playing Baltimore this week is almost a cruel joke to many fantasy players with Chad Ocho Cinco or T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Ocho Cinco will be back in uniform after sitting out Week 12. Either way you slice it, I wouldn't be caught within 50 yards of a Bengals player and my fantasy team this weekend. I know that hurts Bengals faithful, but the Ravens are built on defense and the Bengals offense has struggled to put points on the board. If you need a WR alternative, go check out Davone Bess from the Dolphins. He is starting in place of Greg Camarillo now.
Matt Ryan: Sure, we all know what Ryan is by now. But, this is the week to start him against a San Diego defense that is ranked dead last against the pass (265.5 YPG). The Chargers have also given up the second most passing TDs with 19 on the season, so start Ryan and Roddy White.
Chad Pennington: Pennington ranks just outside of the top 12 for me, which makes him a QB2 for most leagues. But, the Rams are the 12th-worst pass defenders in the league and have given up the 10th-most passing TDs this season. So, if you need a QB with Matt Cassel playing the Steelers and Emily, I mean Eli Manning playing the Redskins, give Pennington a look.
Joseph Addai: Now, I went into the season fully expecting a big year from Addai. Injuries derailed that dream early into the season, but the last two weeks he has shown promise with his 175 yards and one TD. I like him a lot against the Browns 28th-ranked run defense.
Larry Johnson: It seems like just yesterday Larry Johnson was a fantasy stud at RB and he was considered elite by most standards. Well, those days are gone. But, when you play Oakland and their 29th-ranked run defense, you tend to gain that lost step back. L.J. is a low-end RB2.
Lee Evans: Evans had been fairly worthless for three straight weeks before his Week 13 game where he put up five catches for 110 yards. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 7, but that could all change again San Francisco. The Niners have allowed 18 passing TDs so far this season.
Hines Ward: The Patriots have given up the second-most passing TDs this season (19), so Ward has to be in your fantasy lineup this weekend for sure.! He is a boom or bust candidate, but I wouldn't sit him unless you are THAT stacked at WR.
Dustin Keller: Keller is becoming a favorite of Favre's and that is good news for fantasy owners hurting at TE. Tight end is about the most worthless spot on a fantasy roster as even the best ones are still looking up at the top eight fantasy kickers for points.
Miami Dolphins Defense: The Rams are terrible, Steven Jackson is hurting, Marc Bulger is coming off a concussion and I can't think of one good reason the Dolphins shouldn't hold the Rams to less than 10 points this weekend.
Eli Manning: Manning is going against a Redskins defense that ranks fourth against the pass this season (182.7 YPG). The 'Skins have picked off QBs 10 times and Manning has thrown 7 INTs. See a pattern here?
Kyle Orton: For those of you still starting him, that time has come and gone. Orton is going against the Vikings, and while they are 22nd against the pass, the Bears don't have a single WR that should be on a fantasy team. I know it is tempting to play him against the Vikings pass defense, but he will burn you.
Peyton Hillis: Hillis is the RB in Denver and Denver RBs tend to do well. But, the Jets are the third-best run defenders and Jay Cutler is likely to throw all day long. I wouldn't use him unless you are willing to settle for very little yards and possibly a cheap TD.
Willie Parker/Mewelde Moore: The Patriots are not exactly run stoppers (100.5 YPG), but they are far worse against the pass (215.5 YPG), so I look for Big Ben to throw a lot and the run game should suffer.
Santana Moss: With the Giants only allowing 190.5 YPG in the air, Jason Campbell and Santana Moss are going to suffer. I wouldn't want to play either this weekend. Oh yeah, did you know that Moss hasn't topped 75 yards receiving or scored in the last three weeks?
T.J. Houshmandzadeh: As I said earlier, the Ravens are used to shutting offenses down, so I wouldn't play Housh this weekend.
Heath Miller: Don't get caught up by his Week 12 touchdown. Miller has a season high of 63 yards receiving, and that came in Week 3. This isn't Miller's season.
Jacksonville Jaguars Defense: The Texans have a good enough total offense (371.3 YPG, No. 4 in the NFL) to make me sit the Jags defense this weekend. Nothing fancy here, just offense over defense.
Q: What do you think? Quarterback (Start 1): Peyton Manning, Jay Cutler. Running Back (Start 2): Marion Barber, DeAngelo Williams, Steve Slaton, Ryan Grant. Wide Receiver (Start 3): Hines Ward, Chad Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, Lee Evans, Lance Moore. Tight End (Start 1): Jason Witten, Dustin Keller. Defense (Start 1): New York Giants, or pick up team with an easier matchup.
A: QB: Manning, but only slightly. Since the Jets will shut down the run, the Broncos are going to throw all day long.
RB: Barber and Grant. But, Williams and Slaton are close behind.
WR: Bowe, Evans and Ward, but Moore is very interesting in place of Ward.
TE: Witten
Defense: Giants. They are fourth below the Ravens, Titans and Steelers in my book this weekend.
If you want to have your question answered for all your friends to see, shoot me an email and I will give you some one-on-one attention.
Well, we didn't have a Thursday preview article this week because of Thanksgiving and family travels. But, I am back and better than ever with the Friday edition of the Fantasy Forecast. Now, for those of you who emailed me and asked if you should start McNabb after his terrible Week 12 performance, I bet you are glad you asked now.
Tennessee vs. Detroit: I didn't even want to watch this game because we all KNEW the outcome before the game was even played. Tennessee looks to be on its way to the Super Bowl with no passing game and Detroit is trying to run the table in reverse with no game. Kerry Collins and Vince Young combined for 181 yards, no TDs and no INTs. Chris Johnson and LenDale White on the other hand managed 231 yards and four scores on the ground (Johnson = 125 and 2 TDs; White = 106 and 2 TDs).
How does your running game get more yards than two QBs combined and the defense NEVER figures out what play comes next? It's almost like watching NASCAR ... THEY JUST GO LEFT PEOPLE!
Daunte Culpepper finished with 134 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Remember this equation: 1/1 TD/INT ratio is NEVER a good thing. This will come into play later in the article. Kevin Smith was ineffective with his 12 rushes for 22 yards, as his long gain of the day was a 21-yard run if that helps let you know how worthless the running game in Detroit is these days. I've wasted enough time on this snooze-fest of a game already. Tennessee wins 47-10.
Seattle vs. Dallas: Matt Hasselbeck found his new best friend in TE John Carlson. They hooked up six times for 105 yards, but failed to reach the end zone. Deion Branch did get five catches, but managed just 56 yards on the day as Hasselbeck finished with 285 yards and an INT. Julius Jones is showing why Dallas cut him loose as he ran 11 times for just 37 yards and fumbled twice, losing both. That is about all the good news you have when your kicker scored all your teams points.
Now, Tony Romo was the star of this game as he threw for 331 yards with 3 TDs and a lone INT. Romo found Jason Witten nine times for 115 yards and a score and Terrell Owens five times for 96 yards and a score. Roy Williams and his new contract managed two catches for 51 yards, but didn't score for Big D. If you happen to be one of the two people that own Bradie James in your IDP league, you are loving him as he finished with 12 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Dallas wins 34-9.
Arizona vs. Philadelphia: McNabb went Joe Montana on the Cardinals for a final tally of 260 yards, four touchdowns and no INTs. In the fantasy world, a QB can throw for 4 total yards, but if he throws 4 TDs, he was MONEY! Brian Westbrook also took advantage of the weak defense Arizona put out on the field as he rushed for 110 yards and two scores on the ground and 20 yards and two scores via the air. For you IDP leaguers, Brian Dawkins stepped up his game and finished with five tackles, an INT and a forced fumble. Nice RB-type numbers from a DB.
On the other side of the field Kurt Warner was iffy at best with his 235 yards, 3 TDs and 3 INTs. Fellas, a 1-1 TD-INT ratio is NEVER a good thing. Larry Fitzgerald hauled in two of the three touchdown passes, but he only managed five catches for 65 yards in the end. That is all the good news I can muster, as the team managed to run the ball a grand total of 10 times ... not Tim Hightower, not J.J. Arrington, the TEAM ran the ball 10 times. Does this coach not know that the ONLY option is to pass the ball when you refuse to run? If I am the defensive coordinator for St. Louis, I would play a prevent defense with everyone in the secondary for my Week 14 matchup against the Cardinals. Philadelphia wins 48-20.
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