*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. *
Week 8 brought nothing but good things for me and my teams, but Week 9 means I have to pretty much take a loss with LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees off on a bye. But, with all the bad comes some good, and I am going to take a second to let you all know right now my picks might be a little off this week. How is that good you ask? Well, my wife had our third child on Wednesday night! So, while I get the article in on time, my complete and total focus isn't what it should be.
Look, I am not a homer and won't sit here and beat the Bengals drum while everyone else watches them lose. But, I was encouraged when T.J. Houshmandzadeh guaranteed that the Bengals would finish the season with at least two wins. Carson Palmer keeps putting off surgery and at this point I wish he would just go under the knife already! Carson ... just do it so you can go Delhomme in 2009 with his 1,781 yards and 9 TDs. Just mix in some game film during rehab so you dont throw the same 5 INTs.
Cedric Benson failed to break the 50-yard mark last weekend and looks like he is the same back that had Bears fans screaming for three seasons. The team isn't doing well, but a TRUE fan is a fan during the good seasons as well as the bad ones. Thus, I STILL rock my Ocho Cinco jersey with pride.
Kyle Orton: I hate to do this because I know Orton is going to get knocked on the melon one good time and finally remember he is Kyle Orton and not Tom Brady. But, going up against an inept defense like the Lions have, I've got to jump on the Orton Express for a single ride. Detroit gives up the second-most passing yards per game with 258.7 YPG, not to mention being tied for fourth with 12 passing TDs given up.
Chad Pennington: GULP! Either I am on top of it this weekend, or the excitement has made me go completely crazy. I think it is the latter of the two personally. Denver gives up 240 yards in the air, the same 12 TDs as the Lions and the Broncos have also given up the fifth-most first downs with 87 thus far. If Ted Ginn Jr. can build off of last week's game, this could be huge for Penny.
Chris Johnson: The only problem that knocks Johnson's value down is LenDale White stealing TDs late in the game. This is an extremely favorable matchup for Johnson as the Packers give up nearly 142 rushing yards per game. Their 7 TDs given up worries me a little with White stealing them, but I think Johnson will get his points early on anyway.
Earnest Graham: I am not a big Graham fan because of Warrick Dunn. Dunn is missing practice and isn't a very good bet to play at all on Sunday, so the carries are all Graham's. Kansas City is leading the league in rushing yards given up by a defense with 196.9 YPG. I'd bet the Cadillac could come in and rush for a 100 yards against the Chiefs.
Bernard Berrian: Against the Texans, teams have managed 215.6 receiving yards per game, and Sidney Rice being back will only help Berrian. The offense still runs through and around Adrian Peterson, but Berrian will get the shot to earn his big offseason money.
Donnie Avery: People are wondering when the Avery run will come to an end, and I am not sure it will anytime soon. Torry Holt is looking like a 32-year-old WR right now, and that is not a good thing. Kind of reminds me of watching Willie Mays wander around the N.Y. Mets outfield in '72 and '73. Avery is locked in with Bulger and I would ride him until the wheels falls off.
Greg Olson: If you start Orton, you might as well start Olson. I am not overly impressed by the Bears receiving chart, but Olson has looked solid enough with his 22 receptions, 296 yards and 2 TDs this season. The Lions give it up, so you might as well take it.
New York Giants Defense: The Cowboys are struggling to really click under Brad Johnson. He can't throw the deep ball and teams know it. The thing you have to worry about now is running Barber, then throwing it to either Owens or Williams in the redzone. Jason Witten is still iffy for this weekend, so that hurts the offense enough to make me want to play the Giants.
Dan Orlovsky: Look, this one isn't rocket science, the Lions play the Bears. Chicago hasn't exactly shut down the pass with its 243.1 YPG in the air, but the Lions can only manage to put up 74.7 rushing yards per game on offense (second worst in the NFL). That being said, the Bears will gear up to stop the pass and let their minimal run defense shut down whatever the Lions can manage to throw their way.
Tyler Thigpen: For all those people looking at what Thigpen did in Week 8 (280 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs), I wouldnt count on a repeat against the Buccaneers. The Bucs are seventh in passing defense with 188.8 YPG and second in INTs with 12 this season.
Ryan Grant: Many people have Grant as their No. 1 or No. 2 RB in 2-back leagues. So, I hate to say it, but the Packers face the Titans this weekend. Tennessee holds opponents under 100 yards on the ground and are tied for 13th with seven defensive TDs on the ground given up.
Kolby Smith: With Tomlinson, DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart, Deuce McAllister and Frank Gore out this weekend, some owners may be looking at the waiver wire and thinking Smith is an option against Tampa Bay this weekend. Think again. The Bucs are No. 8 in rushing yards on defense with 88.9 per game and No. 1 with 0 TDs via the run. That's right ... NONE!
Santana Moss: Because of his injured hammy, I'm going to sit Moss out this one. Well, that and the fact that the Steelers are No. 1 in passing yards against at a stingy 164.4 per game. Good passing defense + injured hamstring on a WR = looking for other options.
Braylon Edwards: See Santana Moss without the hamstring problem. The Ravens give up 178.1 passing yards per game and Derek Anderson couldn't be any more of a fantasy owner's nightmare than he already is. I can't trade Edwards for a half-eaten Jolly Rancher right now, so no sense in playing him this weekend.
Jason Witten: Witten is dealing with rib problems and hasn't practiced this week. When the team knows it is a game-time decision mid-week, the player isn't in favor of playing as he normally would. If you can go grab a Bo Scaife or Zach Miller off the waiver wire, I'd go ahead and do it.
Dallas Cowboys defense: The 'Boys play the Giants and Emily ... eeerrrr ... Eli Manning has looked pretty good this season with his 1,588 yards, 9 TDs and 4 INTs. The run isn't too shabby either at No. 1 with 157.3 yards per game.
Q: I so wish I played in a 12-team league where Carson Palmer was dropped. In fantasy football, this is the time of year that teams that look like they're going to make the playoffs start to fill roster spots with players that either A) have good matchups during the playoff weeks or B) have high potential upside. That's why owners of decent teams will (if they know their stuff) have players like Palmer, Donnie Avery and Darren McFadden on their rosters instead of loading up on bye week stiffs with limited upside like Cedric Benson, Amani Toomer or Fred Taylor.
--Anonymous
A: Do you know that Palmer is going around talking to Dr. James Andrews and Jake Delhomme? The guy's elbow is about to fall apart and he needs to have Tommy John surgery. The problem is he is trying to push it out past the bye week to see if he can rehab it instead. What he hasn't accepted yet is that you don't rehab Tommy John-type injuries. You keep Palmer on your roster and let him waste away until he finally calls it a season.
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