Fantasy Football Player's Edge

October 18, 2008


The key to winning your league revolves around
matchups and the injury status of key players.
The Player's Edge is the best source for timely
and comprehensive information and advice on
who to start, who to sit and why.


Week 7 News: (Daily Updates)

Jerry Jones expects Romo to play while Phillips
thinks that Brad Johnson will start. The coach says
that the owner know best. What nonsense!!!! Romo
did not practice and has to be questionable at best.

Bye Week: Falcons, Eagles, Cardinals, Jaguars


The Walking Wounded: (revised/updated)

Matt Hasselbeck may be out for an extended time
due primarily to a bulging disc in his back. Seneca
Wallace is getting most of the snaps in practice &
is likely to start. The Bucs defense is solid and will
make it difficult for Wallace.

Tony Romo is said to be a gametime decision. It is
unlikely that the Cowboys will risk their franchise
QB against a weak Rams team. Brad Johnson will
get the call on Sunday if Tony sits.

Jon Kitna is out for the season with back problems.
Dan Orlovsky will start for the Lions and faces a
Texans secondary that has been kind to QB's. He's
playable but only as a last resort.

Carson Palmer is out with elbow problems. Ryan
Fitzpatrick gets the start and is not playable vs the
Steelers.

Trent Edwards has returned to practice and is likely
to start against the Chargers.

Aaron Rodgers practiced and should be ready for his
shootout against Manning and the Colts.

Eli Manning has a bruised chest but practiced and will
play vs. the 49ers.

Ben Roethlisberger is locked and loaded for Sunday's
squabble with the Bengals.

Marc Bulger has a sore right index finger but plans to
start vs. the Cowboys.

Clinton Portis has not practiced all week due to a sore
hip. He's very likely to play against the Browns but be
sure that he's active on Sunday.

Darren McFadden has shed the boot that he has been
wearing to protect his turf toe. He's backing up Fargas
but it's prudent to think that his role will increase as his
toe improves.

Willie Parker is out due to a sore knee and Mewelde
Moore will start. He's a solid spot play vs the Bengals
front 7 which has allowed 4.3 ypc and 8 touchdowns on
the season.

LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles will play vs.
the Bills.

Reggie Bush swollen knee is much better will start vs.
Carolina.

Kevin Smith is probable vs. the Texans and will split
carries with Rudi Johnson. Houston's run defense has
allowed 4.5 ypc and an NFL high 10 scores. Unfortunately,
neither back is playable due to the uncertainty regarding
the distribution of touches.

Felix Jones is out for a few weeks with a sore hamstring.
Marion Barber will have an enormous game against the
Rams.

Joseph Addai is battling a torn hamstring but has not
been officially listed as out. Dominic Rhodes gets the
start and is a nice play against a porous Green Bay run
defense if Addai is inactive.

Ladell Betts is out for several weeks. Rock Cartwright
will serve as Portis' backup. Shaun Alexander has been
added as RB depth.

Ryan Torain has returned to the Broncos practice from
a fractured elbow and should return after the week 8 bye.
Michael Pittman is playable this week vs. the Patriots
but will be caught up in Shanahan's RB shenanigans after
the bye.

Laurence Maroney and LaMont Jordan are doubtful.
Sammy Morris will start with Kevin Faulk serving as
the situational back. Avoid this situation even though the
Broncos feature an atrocious run defense.

Jameel Cook has been signed to replace Byron Storer
at FB by the Bucs. Storer has been placed on the IR due
to a knee injury. Earnest Graham returns to tailback &
a timeshare with Warrick Dunn diluting the value of both
backs.

Ahman Green practiced fully and will spell Steve Slaton
vs. the Lions. Green's value is limited unless Slaton goes
down.

Kenny Watson is close to healed from a strained hamstring
and may get some carries against Pittsburgh. He's likely to
win the Bengals RB job and could be added as a bye week
play. Just not this week.

Jonathan Stewart missed practice with a stomach virus.
He's listed as questionable but is expected to play vs. the
Saints. D'Angelo Williams would be usable if Stewart
is limited or out.

Joey Galloway practiced somewhat & could be available
vs. Seattle. The Seahawks are allowing 7.7 ypa but he's
too risky to start.

Marques Colston should play vs. the Panthers. He's
still limited so it might be wise to let him play against a
formidable backline in Carolina before activating.

Muhsin Muhammed is probable for the Saints. He's
been solid as a #3 the past few weeks and is playable.

Chris Chambers missed practice all week & is listed as
doubtful vs. the Bills. It's likely that he'll be limited even
if active so look elsewhere if possible.

Calvin Johnson practiced fully and will play vs Houston.

Deion Branch is doubtful due to a sore heel and should
be inactive this week.

Brandon Stokely received his 10th concussion and is
likely to miss the Patriots game. Eddie Royal should
play as he's listed as probable.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh practiced lightly due to a rolled
ankle. He's expected to play vs. the Steelers.

David Patten returned to practice from a nagging groin
strain and should play vs. the Panthers affording Brees
another weapon.

Bernard Berrian sat out nursing a sore knee. He's likely
to play against the Bears and would be a solid #3 against
a depleted Chicago secondary especially with Sidney
Rice expected to start on the other side.

Mike Walker was released from the hospital and should
return to the Jaguars receiving corps in week 8.

Laveranues Coles is questionable for the 3rd week in a
row. He's likely to start vs. the Raiders.

Devin Hester gets another start for Brandon Lloyd &
is playable vs. the Vikings as a #3.

Kellen Winslow is questionable vs. the Redskins but
has returned to practice and hopes to play. He's likely to
be a gametime decision. It's advisable to have another TE
standing by in case the soldier can't march.

Jeremy Shockey may be able to play vs. the Panthers
as he recovers from a sports hernia.

Tony Scheffler is questionable with a groin strain. He's
likely to return after the Broncos bye next week.

Jeff Reed has a sore groin but is likely to kick against the
Bengals.

Matt Bryant was limited in practiced by a sore hamstring.
There's no need to risk starting Bryant with several good
kickers available in free agency.

Shayne Graham missed practice with a sore groin. He is
not a good start vs. Pittsburgh even if he plays.

Nathan Vasher was limited in practice most of the week
while Charles Tillman remained on the sidelines with a
jammed shoulder. Frerotte and Berrian will benefit if
Tillman and/or Vasher can't play.

CB's Fred Smoot and Shawn Springs may miss the
Browns game which is certainly good news for Derek
Anderson.

CB Al Harris is out meaning Woodson will likely cover
Reggie Wayne all over the field. Harrison & Gonzalez
should have some decent looks vs. backups in the Green
Bay secondary.

All Pro OT Chris Samuels is probable for the Browns
game which bodes well for Campbell, Portis and co.

OT Orlando Pace missed practice with a sore quad &
is questionable vs. the Cowboys. Bulger/Jackson/Holt
would be negatively impacted by Pace's absence.

Run stopper Casey Hampton has returned to practice
for the Steelers making any Bengals RB unplayable.


Start/Sit: (Week 7)

1. QB's: Matchups

The Standard: 300 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int = 20 points

Favorable:

Matt Cassel- virtually every opposing QB has played
well vs. the Broncos which have yielded 7.5 ypa and
9 TD's. He's played much better at home this season
with a QB rating of 85.7 as opposed to 74.1 on the
road.

Brett Favre- is likely to exploit a generous Raiders
backline which has allowed 7.5 ypa and 8 aerial scores.
Farve has 114.5 passer rating and 10 touchdowns in
3 games vs. Oakland.

Matt Schaub- prospers vs. poor secondaries such as
the one he faces this week in the Lions which allows
a league worse 8.9 ypa. They've yielded 9 passing TD's
in 5 games. His passer ratings are 93.2 indoors & 90.2
at home. He's coming off a strong effort last week.

Good Bet: Cutler vs. Patriots, Collins vs. Chiefs
Garcia vs. Seahawks, Campbell vs. Browns

Unfavorable:

Ben Roethlisberger- returns to action to face a good
Bengals secondary which allows 5.8 ypa. Historically,
Ben has averaged about 12 points in 8 starts against
Cincinnati. He does play well on the road & will have
more snaps as the Bengals offense will not move the
ball consistently with Fitzpatrick at the helm. He is
playable but expect production of 15 points or less.

Chad Pennington- the Ravens were humiliated last
week and are certain to take it out on the Dolphins.
The Miami passing attack will not be able to exploit
the Ravens CB's like Manning/Wayne did. Baltimore
allows only 5.3 ypa and will lower this metric on Sunday.

J.T. O'Sullivan- will face a red faced Giants defense
in New Jersey. The G-Men are solid in the secondary
allowing 6.0 ypa and only 5 scores in 5 games. To make
matters worse for J.T. the Browns offensive line kept
Anderson clean not allowing a single sack. Redemption
will be an issue on Sunday for the blue & red front 7.

Bad Bet: Frerotte vs. Bears, Croyle vs. Titans


2. RB's: Matchups (starting a #2)

The Standard: 110 yards rush, 30 yards rec, 1 TD = 20 pts

Favorable:

Dominic Rhodes- will face a Green Bay run defense
that has been gouged for 5.1 ypc. Certainly he should
only be used if Addai is out.

Steve Slaton- faces a unit that actually looked good vs.
the Vikings. This is more of an indictment of the offense
of Minnesota than a vote of confidence for the Lions
defense which allows 4.9 ypc.

Ryan Grant- has been coming on every week and is close
to his 2007 form. The Colts have yielded 4.6 ypc and will
have to respect Rodgers and the Packers aerial attack
creating running lanes for Grant.

Good Bet: Pittman vs. Patriots, C. Johnson vs. Chiefs
Ru. Johnson vs. Texans, M. Moore vs. Bengals

Unfavorable: (sitting a #2)

Willis McGahee- the Dolphins have stonewalled every
running attack they've faced allowing 3.5 ypc. Baltimore
will have to throw to move the ball consistently.

Julius Jones- faces a tenacious Tampa Bay front 7. The
Bucs are yielding 3.4 ypc and have yet to allow a rushing
TD.

Ronnie Brown- has the unenviable task of rushing vs. the
Ravens which have allowed 2.8 ypa and only one score.
Sparano has returned to a backfield timeshare which will
further erode Brown's value against this opponent.

Bad Bet: Perry/Benson vs. Steelers, Forte vs. Vikings,
Fargas/McFadden vs. Jets


3. WR's: Matchups

The Standard: 80 yards, 1 TD = 14 points

Favorable: (starting a #3)

Kevin Walter- faces a soft Detroit secondary who will be
preoccupied with stopping Andre Johnson. He's likely to
see single coverage all afternoon.

Derrick Mason- will be the beneficiary of a gameplan that
will have to include more short & intermediate passes. The
Dolphins will stop the run and force Flacco to throw to
beat them.

Laveranues Coles- faces a Raiders secondary that has
been exploited all season. Favre will open up the offense
as Oakland will work to limit Thomas Jones after his
big game against the Bengals. Jerricho Cotchery is a
solid play as well.

Good Bet: A. Bryant vs. Seahawks, Gage vs. Chiefs
Royal vs. Patriots

Unfavorable: (sitting a #3)

Chad Johnson- the Bengals offense will stall with Ryan
Fitzpatrick facing a voracious Steelers defense.

Dwayne Bowe- will remember the Titans which has only
allowed 5.1 ypa. Croyle returns to action vs. the league's
best defense and will be hard pressed to locate Bowe on
a consistent basis.

Isaac Bruce- the preacher will pray for open looks. New
York will have something to prove after being upset by
the Browns on Monday night.

Bad Bet: Camarillo vs. Ravens, Moore vs. Panthers,
V. Jackson vs. Bills, Berrian vs. Bears


4. TE's: Matchups

The Standard- 40 yards, .3 TD = 6 points

Favorable:

Bo Scaife- should be targeted often by Collins vs. the
Chiefs.

Todd Heap- although he's a shadow of his All Pro form
the matchup vs. the Dolphins will force Flacco to pass
early and often.

Owen Daniels- should have a free run down the middle
vs. the Lions.

Good Bet: Watson vs. Broncos, Baker vs. Raiders
A. Smith vs. Seahawks


Unfavorable:

Vernon Davis- had his best game of the season against
the Eagles. The Giants will take notice.

Anthony Fasano- the Ravens limited Dallas Clark to 17
yards on 2 catches. It's hard to expect more from Fasano.

Heath Miller- has averaged 35 yards with only 1 TD in 6
games vs. the Bengals.

Bad Bet: B. Miller vs. Panthers, Shiancoe vs. Bears
Gonzalez vs. Titans


5. K's: Matchups

The Standard- 2 FG's, 1/40+, 3 Pat's = 10 points

Favorable:

Matt Prater- possesses the strongest, most accurate
leg in football. A must start every week.

Rob Bironas- will have plenty of chances to kick as
the Titans amass yards vs. the Chiefs.

Kris Brown- the Texans offense should have its way
with the Lions defense.

Good Bet: Gotkowski vs. Broncos, Bryant vs. Seattle


Unfavorable:

Shayne Graham- the Bengals will be lucky to cross
midfield against the Steelers with Fitzpatrick at the
helm.

Joe Nedney- the 49ers offense will struggle this week
vs. the Giants.

Matt Stover- will be involved in a low scoring defensive
struggle between the Ravens and Dolphins.

Bad Bet: Longwell vs. Bears, Mare vs. Bucs


6. DEF's: Matchups

The Standard- 13 points allowed, 3 turnovers, 2 sacks = 12 pts

Favorable:

Tampa Bay- will feast on Charlie Frye. The Bucs
will stifle Seattle's running game and force Frye into
mistakes in the passing game.

Tennessee- faces an inept Edwards offense. They'll
stuff Larry Johnson and force Croyle to beat them
creating turnovers in the process.

Pittsburgh- will devour Fitzpatrick and a miserable
Bengals rushing attack. No contest.

Good Bet: Jets vs. Raiders, Dolphins vs. Ravens
Bears vs. Vikings, Ravens vs. Dolphins


Unfavorable:

Green Bay- could fare better if Al Harris returns.
You saw what Manning and company did against
the Ravens who had a reserve starting at CB.

New England- faces a Broncos offense that will
exploit a suspect secondary. This is a bounce back
game for Denver after misfiring vs. the Jaguars.

Carolina- Brees had 3 touchdowns and 260 yards
vs. the Panthers the last year in Charlotte. He's
been even better this year.

Bad Bet: Seahawks vs. Bucs, 49ers vs. Giants


Van Winkles: (deep sleepers)

Dan Orlovsky- should get caught up in a shootout
vs. the Texans. Schaub and co. will score early &
often allowing Orlovsky to attack a soft Houston
secondary which yields almost 8.0 ypa.

Kevin Faulk will have opportunities, including at the
goal line, to exploit a Broncos front 7 that allows a
generous 5.1 ypc. Look for 60 total yards and a TD.

Rudi Johnson will get 20+ touches if Kevin Smith
is out against the Texans. He's a solid play against
a leaky run defense that yields 4.5 ypc and a league
high 10 touchdowns.

Antwaan Randle El will have a solid game against
the Browns. He's likely to be involved in a couple
of gimmick plays and will be Campbell's 3rd option
in the passing game. The Cleveland backline yields
7.0 ypa.

Shaun McDonald works opposite Calvin Johnson,
who will receive extra attention from a weak Texans
secondary. McDonald should get plenty of looks.

Daniel Graham should receive additional targets &
some red zone looks vs. the Patriots to augment a
depleted Broncos receiving corps. He'd like to have
a solid game against his former team.

No He Didn't:

Johnnie Lee Higgins seems to have at least 1 big
catch every game. Cable would like Russell to step
up his game and he'll have to throw more this week
as the Jets will shutdown the Raiders running game.
Higgins is likely to have more targets than usual.


All Done!

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