The Fantasy Football Sherpa

If you actually enjoy all the roster manipulations that go with managing a fantasy football team through the bye weeks, then you will be very happy the next three weeks.  Instead of having just four teams with bye weeks, we’ll all be faced with 6 teams on bye.  Teams with a Week 7 bye are Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Seattle, and Tennessee.  Players with injuries or a bye week include

QB

• Matthew Stafford (bye, inj)
• Daunte Culpepper (bye, inj)
• Trent Edwards (inj)
• Joe Flacco (bye)
• Kyle Orton (bye)
• David Garrard (bye)
• Matt Hasselbeck (bye)

RB 

• Darren McFadden (inj) 
• Felix Jones (inj)
• Glen Coffee (inj)
• Frank Gore (inj)
• Sammy Morris (inj)
• LenDale White (bye, inj)
• Chris Johnson (bye)
• Ray Rice (bye)
• Willis McGahee (bye)
• Knowshon Moreno (bye)
• Correll Buckhalter (bye)
• Kevin Smith (bye)
• Maurice Jones-Drew (bye)

WR 

• Anquan Boldin (inj)
• Roy Williams (inj)
• Anthony Gonzalez (inj)
• Percy Harvin (inj)
• Jerricho Cotchery (inj)
• Derrick Mason (bye)
• Brandon Marshall (bye)
• Eddie Royal (bye) 
• Calvin Johnson (bye, inj) 
• Mike Sims-Walker (bye)
• Torry Holt (bye)
• T.J. Houshmandzadeh (bye)
• Nate Burleson (bye)

TE

• Todd Heap (bye)
• John Carlson (bye)

K 

• Adam Vinatieri (inj) 
• Matt Prater (bye)
• Jason Hanson (bye)
• Josh Scobee (bye)
• Olindo Mare (bye)
• Rob Bironas (bye)

 DEF

• Baltimore
• Denver
• Seattle

So, who are some players at each position who should be on your radar screen if you need a replacement?  The following list contains players who may not be available in your league, depending on the number of teams in your league and your roster requirements.  LT indicates players who may have fantasy value for the rest of the season, while ST indicates players whose fantasy usefulness is likely to be limited to the amount of time it takes a player ahead of them on the depth chart to recover from an injury/return from a suspension.  SPEC indicates a player whose fantasy worth may not be obvious now, but may be worth speculating on for use later in the season.  An asterisk (*) indicates a player whose team has a bye this week.

Quarterbacks

Shaun Hill (LT), Jake Delhomme (ST), Josh Johnson (ST), Marc Bulger (SPEC), Chad Henne (SPEC), Jason Campbell (SPEC), Derek Anderson (SPEC), Kevin Kolb (SPEC), Vince Young (SPEC *), Seneca Wallace (SPEC *), Josh Freeman (SPEC), and Matt Leinart (SPEC).

Running Backs

Laurence Maroney (LT), Justin Fargas (LT), Chris Wells (LT), Mike Bell (SPEC), Jerome Harrison (SPEC), Justin Forsett (SPEC), Michael Bush (SPEC), Jamaal Charles (SPEC), Chester Taylor (SPEC), Rashad Jennings (SPEC *), Maurice Morris (SPEC *), Ryan Moats (SPEC), Shonn Greene (SPEC), Bernard Scott (SPEC), Aaron Brown (SPEC), Marcus Mason (SPEC).

Wide Receivers

Lance Moore (LT), Donnie Avery (inj? LT), Mark Clayton (LT *), Kenny Britt (SPEC), Hakeem Nicks (SPEC), Andre Caldwell (SPEC), Michael Clayton (SPEC), Michael Jenkins (SPEC), Muhsin Muhammad (SPEC), Sammie Stroughter (SPEC), Mike Wallace (SPEC), Mohamed Massaquoi (SPEC), Deion Branch (SPEC *), Davone Bess (SPEC), Greg Camarillo (SPEC), Louis Murphy (SPEC), Chansi Stuckey (SPEC), Julian Edelman (SPEC), Earl Bennett (SPEC), Mike Furrey (SPEC), Kelley Washington (SPEC *), Bryant Johnson (SPEC *), Bobby Wade (SPEC), Mark Bradley (SPEC), Nate Washington (SPEC *), Robert Meachem (SPEC), Keenan Burton (SPEC), Jacoby Jones (SPEC), Joe Cribbs (SPEC).

Tight Ends

Jermichael Finley (LT), Zack Miller (SPEC), Sean Ryan (SPEC), Brandon Pettigrew (SPEC *), Marcedes Lewis (SPEC *), Ben Watson (SPEC), Randy McMichael (SPEC), Chris Baker (SPEC).

Kickers

John Carney (LT), Nick Folk (LT), Jason Elam (LT), Neil Rackers (LT), Robbie Gould (ST), John Kasay (ST), Jay Feely (ST), Rian Lindell (ST), Joe Nedney (ST).

Defenses

Indianapolis (ST), San Diego (ST), Carolina (ST).

I’ll post my analysis of the Week 7 games on Thursday.

Until then,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa fan page on Facebook

Thankfully, the Week 6 schedule features fewer obvious mismatches than Week 5 did.  Here are my recommendations:

Houston at Cincinnati - The Texans may have lost a heartbreaker last weekend in Arizona, but you certainly can’t blame WR Andre Johnson, who acquitted himself well in his personal battle with Cardinals’ WR Larry Fitzgerald for the unofficial title of “Best Wide Receiver in the NFL”.  Unfortunately for Houston, their road trip continues this week with a game against the Bengals’ vastly improved run defense, which has given up fewer than 100 rushing yards per game so far this season.  Combine that with the Texans’ inability to run the ball so far, and you can expect QB Matt Schaub to be putting the ball in the air 45-50 times.  Predictably, pinball-like scores may result.  Texans to start this week include Schaub, RB Steve Slaton (who figures to play a big part in the passing game), TE Owen Daniels, WRs Johnson & Kevin Walter, and K Kris Brown.  WR Jacoby Jones can also be started in deeper leagues.  Bengals to start against the Texans’ subpar defense include rejuvenated QB Carson Palmer, RB Cedric Benson, WR Chad Ochocinco, and K Shayne Graham.  WRs Laveranues Coles & Andre Caldwell can also be started in deeper leagues.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh - You had to wonder how focused the Browns were heading into their game last week against the Bills.  First, the Browns traded the troubled but talented Braylon Edwards midweek.  Then Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan made ill-advised comments about the Bengals’ game-winning overtime field goal the previous week (the outlandish gene must run in the family).  Surprisingly, the Browns were able to pull it together and defeat the equally inept Buffalo Bills 6-3.  The resurgent RB Jamal Lewis (Questionable-hamstring) and his teammates will try to build a winning streak against a Steelers’ defense that suffered another blow this week when DE Aaron Smith was lost for the rest of the season with a torn rotator cuff.  Still, I would recommend not starting Lewis or any other Browns this week.  If you play in a deep league and are truly desperate, then go ahead and take a chance on QB Derek “2 for 17″ Anderson and WR Mohamed Massaquoi, who probably wishes Edwards were still around to attract some of the defensive attention he’ll now be facing weekly.  Steelers to start include QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Rashard Mendenhall, TE Heath Miller, WRs Hines Ward & Santonio Holmes, K Jeff Reed, and the Defense.  Do not start RB Willie Parker (Probable-toe).

St. Louis at Jacksonville - Speaking of bad teams facing distractions, it appears that talk show host Rush Limbaugh’s dream to become a part-owner of the Rams is DOA.  The good news for the Rams is that they’re facing a struggling Jaguars team that was shut out by the Seahawks last week.  Jacksonville has shown an inability to stop the pass this season, so count on Rams’ QB Marc Bulger to take to the air early and often.  Rams to start this week include Bulger, RB Steven Jackson, TE Randy McMichael, WR Donnie Avery, and K Josh Brown.  The Jaguars should find the Rams’ defense equally accommodating,  so make sure that QB David Garrard, RB Maurice Jones-Drew, TE Marcedes Lewis, WRs Mike Sims-Walker & Torry Holt, and K Josh Scobee are in starting lineups this week.

Kansas City at Washington - From the fun but useless information department comes this interesting tidbit:  the Redskins are the first team in NFL history to play their first six games against teams that were winless at the time.  Even if you’re not impressed by the fact that the Giants were winless going into their first game of the season, when you realize that the Redskins are just 2-3 in spite of this favorable schedule, it’s easy to see why many are down on Head Coach Jim Zorn.  At the risk of going out on a long limb, I predict the Redskins will get back to .500 by winning “the battle of the teams with politically incorrect Native American-related names”.  Chiefs to start include RB Larry Johnson and WR Dwayne Bowe.  Add QB Matt Cassel, RB Jamaal Charles, and TE Sean Ryan to the list if you’re in a deep league.  Redskins to start include QB Jason Campbell, RB Clinton Portis (Questionable-calf), TE Chris Cooley, WR Santana Moss, K Shaun Suisham, and the Defense.

Carolina at Tampa Bay - Panthers’ QB Jake Delhomme is suffering through a brutal season so far - the completion percentage isn’t bad, but the TD/INT (3/8) ratio is the opposite of what you’d want to see.  Still, Delhomme has proved in the past that he has a sense of humor, so hopefully he’s still optimistic about his chances to build on his team’s come-from-behind victory over the Redskins last week.  Panthers to start this week include Delhomme, RBs DeAngelo Williams & Jonathan Stewart (Questionable-Achilles’), WR Steve Smith, K John Kasay, and the Defense.  Add WR Muhsin Muhammed to the list if you’re in a deep league.  RB Cadillac Williams is the only Buccaneer I’d start this week, although if you’re in a deep league, QB Josh Johnson and RB Derrick Ward are also worth considering.  Do not start RB Earnest Graham (Probable-hamstring) or WR Antonio Bryant (Questionable-knee).

New York Giants at New Orleans - It’s hard to believe, but it’s already been four years since the last time the Giants were scheduled to play in New Orleans.  Sadly, Hurricane Katrina reminded us all of the relative insignificance of a football game.  Although the contest was moved to the Meadowlands, the Saints wore their home jerseys that night, and the Saints generally appreciated the outpouring of emotion directed their way (well, maybe not Joe Horn, perhaps because there weren’t any cellphones in the goalposts).  While these two undefeated teams both feature a number of offensive weapons, I expect the defenses to dominate in this game.  The Giants’ Defense should be started, but QB Eli Manning (Questionable-foot), RBs Brandon Jacobs & Ahmad Bradshaw (Questionable-ankle/foot), and WR Steve Smith should be started only by those without more favorable options this weekend.  The only Saints to start include RB Pierre Thomas (Questionable-hamstring), TE Jeremy Shockey, and the Defense.  That’s right - I’d leave QB Drew Brees, RB Reggie Bush, and WRs Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, & Robert Meachem on the bench this weekend unless you have no other options.

Baltimore at Minnesota - Hard as it may be to believe now, there was a time last winter when it appeared possible that Ravens’ LB Ray Lewis and Vikings’ QB Brett Favre would be teammates.  Instead, Lewis and his mates will spend Sunday afternoon trying to chase down the 40-year-old legend, who’s 5-0 for the first time in his illustrious career.  Fortunately for Lewis and the rest of the Ravens, second-year QB Joe Flacco has played at a high level this season and should be in lineups this weekend.  Other Ravens to start include RB Ray Rice, TE Todd Heap, and WRs Derrick Mason & Mark Clayton.  Leave RB William McGehee on your bench this weekend.  Vikings to start include Favre, TE Visanthe Shiancoe, and WR Bernard Berrian.  RB Chester Taylor and WRs Sidney Rice & Percy Harvin can also be started in deeper leagues.  No, you’re not missing anything - I would advise against starting All-Universe RB Adrian Peterson this weekend because I don’t think he’ll be successful running the ball against the Ravens’ defense (yes, I believe Cedric Benson’s performance against the same defense last weekend was a fluke).

Detroit at Green Bay - For a number of years the Lions have served as one of the NFL’s laughingstocks.  That seems to be changing in a hurry.  Two weeks ago they ended their 19-game losing streak.  Last week they gave the defending Super Bowl champions a competitive game.  QB Matthew Stafford (Questionable-knee), RB Kevin Smith, TE Brandon Pettigrew (Probable-hamstring), and WR Calvin Johnson (Questionable-thigh) form an exciting young core group of players.  If Stafford and Johnson are healthy enough to play this week, the Lions may also give the Packers a run for their money.  Lions to start this week include Smith, Pettigrew, Johnson, and K Jason Hanson.  If he plays, add Stafford to the list in deeper leagues, along with WR Brandon Johnson.  If Stafford isn’t able to play, substitute backup QB Daunte Culpepper’s name for Stafford’s in the previous sentence.  Packers worth starting include QB Aaron Rodgers, RB Ryan Grant, WRs Greg Jennings & Donald Driver, and K Mason Crosby.  Add TEs Jermichael Finley & Donald Lee to the list in deeper leagues.

Philadelphia at Oakland - Raiders’ QB JaMarcus Russell is often accused of being overweight, which gives him something in common with former Ralph Lauren model Filippa Hamilton.  The Raiders have looked like the worst team in the NFL so far this season, and that doesn’t figure to change this week.  Eagles to start include QB Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook, TE Brent Celek (Probable-knee), WR DeSean Jackson, K David Akers, and the Defense.  I would not recommend starting any Raiders this week, no matter how deep your league is.

Arizona at Seattle - Tim Hasselbeck is best known as a career backup QB, the co-host of ESPN’s Sunday morning fantasy football show, and the husband of The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck.  Older brother Matt Hasselbeck has put together an underappreciated career as the Seahawks quarterback.  Hasselbeck showed no signs of being affected by his broken ribs last week during Seattle’s whitewashing of Jacksonville, so this game figures to be an aerial shootout.  Cardinals to start include QB Kurt Warner, WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, & Steve Breaston (Questionable-knee), and K Neil Rackers.  RB Tim Hightower can be started in deeper leagues.  I would leave RB Chris Wells on the bench until Arizona gets him more involved in their running game.  Seahawks to start include Hasselbeck (Probable-ribs), TE John Carlson, WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh & Nate Burleson (Questionable-back), and K Olindo Mare.

Tennessee at New England - Surprisingly, I haven’t seen anyone yet referring to the Titans as the best 0-5 team in NFL history.  Tennessee has officially crossed the point of no return for its 2009 season, and their struggles figure to continue this weekend against the Patriots.  Even if Head Coach Jeff Fisher were to switch quarterbacks this week, the only Titan I’d start this weekend is RB Chris Johnson.  The Patriots may not be able to run much against Tennessee, so don’t spend time trying to figure out whether RB Sammy Morris will continue to get more carries than RB Laurence Maroney - neither should be in your lineup this week.  However, there are a number of Patriots who should be started Sunday:  QB Tom Brady (Probable-shoulder really?!?), WRs Randy Moss & Wes Welker (Questionable-knee), K Stephen Gostkowski, and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues should also consider starting RB Kevin Faulk and TE Ben Watson.

Buffalo at New York Jets - Sign of the times:  you know an NFL coach is officially on the hot seat when a website with the URL “FireJohnDoe.com” springs up.  Bills’ Head Coach Dick Jauron, you are officially on the hot seat (no need to thank me - I do it as a public service).  There are no Bills I consider must-starts this week, although if you’re in a deeper league RBs Fred Jackson & Marshawn Lynch and the Defense can be started.  Jets worth starting include RBs Thomas Jones & Leon Washington, TE Dustin Keller, WR Braylon Edwards, and the Defense.  I would stay away from QB Mark Sanchez and WR Jericho Cotchery (Questionable-hamstring) in this matchup.

Chicago at Atlanta - If the football thing doesn’t work out for Falcons’ WR Roddy White, I’m sure Ringling Bros. would hire him as an acrobat.  White is also an arbiter of opponents’ celebrations, as he cut short a premature one in last week’s game by 49er Dre’ Bly.  I don’t think the Bears will be celebrating at the end of their Sunday night showdown with the Falcons, but they still have a number of start-worthy options this week:  QB Jay Cutler, RB Matt Forte, TE Garrett Olsen, and K Robbie Gould.  Those in deeper leagues can also try to sort through the Bears’ mess at wide receiver and start Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, or Earl Bennett.  Falcons to start include QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner, TE Tony Gonzalez, WR Roddy White, and K Jason Elam (Probable-hamstring).  RB Jerious Norwood and WR Michael Jenkins can also be started in deeper leagues.

Denver at San Diego - Some throwback jerseys are undeniably classy.  Then there are the monstrosities worn last weekend by the Broncos in their game last week against the Patriots.  Thankfully, unlike ice skating, there are no points deducted in the NFL for “presentation”.  In spite of the talented offensive players on both teams, I’m predicting this game will be a defensive struggle.  The only Broncos I’d start would be RB Knowshon Moreno and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues can also start QB Kyle Orton and WRs Brandon Marshall & Eddie Royal.  The only Chargers I’d start would be TE Antonio Gates and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues can also start QB Philip Rivers and WR Vincent Jackson.  I would avoid Charger RBs LaDainian Tomlinson & Darren Sproles.

Good luck to your teams this weekend! 

Until next time,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa’s fan page on Facebook

Thankfully, not too many serious injuries from Week 5, but we still have another bye week to deal with.  Teams with a Week 6 bye are Dallas, Indianapolis, Minnesota, and San Francisco.  Players with injuries or a bye week include

QB

• Matthew Stafford (inj?)
• Kyle Boller (inj)
• Tony Romo (bye)
• Peyton Manning (bye)

RB 

• Darren McFadden (inj) 
• Correll Buckhalter (inj) 
• Felix Jones (bye, inj)
• Glen Coffee (bye, inj)

WR 

• Calvin Johnson (inj?) 
• Johnny Knox (inj?)
• Devin Hester (inj?) 
• Roy Williams (bye, inj) 
• Reggie Wayne (bye)
• Pierre Garcon (bye)
• Ted Ginn (bye)

TE

• Kevin Boss (inj?)
• Jason Witten (bye)
• Dallas Clark (bye)
• Vernon Davis (bye)

K 

• Nick Folk (bye)
• Adam Vinatieri (bye, inj)

 DEF

• Dallas
• Indianapolis
• Miami
• San Francisco

So, who are some players at each position who should be on your radar screen if you need a replacement?  The following list contains players who may not be available in your league, depending on the number of teams in your league and your roster requirements.  LT indicates players who may have fantasy value for the rest of the season, while ST indicates players whose fantasy usefulness is likely to be limited to the amount of time it takes a player ahead of them on the depth chart to recover from an injury/return from a suspension.  SPEC indicates a player whose fantasy worth may not be obvious now, but may be worth speculating on for use later in the season.  An asterisk (*) indicates a player whose team has a bye this week.

Quarterbacks

Marc Bulger (LT), Shaun Hill (LT *), Jason Campbell (LT), Josh Johnson (SPEC), Chad Henne (SPEC *), Derek Anderson (SPEC), Kevin Kolb (SPEC), Vince Young (SPEC), Seneca Wallace (SPEC), Josh Freeman (SPEC), and Matt Leinart (SPEC).

Running Backs

Jamal Lewis (LT), Sammy Morris (SPEC), Chris Wells (SPEC), Michael Bush (SPEC), Jamaal Charles (SPEC), Jerome Harrison (SPEC), Jerious Norwood (SPEC), Chester Taylor (SPEC), Mike Bell (SPEC), Laurence Maroney (SPEC), Justin Fargas (SPEC), Justin Forsett (SPEC), Rashad Jennings (SPEC), Maurice Morris (SPEC), Ryan Moats (SPEC), Shonn Greene (SPEC), Bernard Scott (SPEC), Aaron Brown (SPEC), Marcus Mason (SPEC).

Wide Receivers

Miles Austin (LT *), Donnie Avery (LT), Sidney Rice (LT), Mark Clayton (LT), Jeremy Maclin (SPEC), Austin Collie (SPEC), Kenny Britt (SPEC), Hakeem Nicks (SPEC), Antoine Caldwell (SPEC), Michael Clayton (SPEC), Michael Jenkins (SPEC), Muhsin Muhammad (SPEC), Sammie Stroughter (SPEC), Mike Wallace (SPEC), Mohamed Massaquoi (SPEC), Deion Branch (SPEC), Davone Bess (SPEC *), Greg Camarillo (SPEC *), Josh Morgan (SPEC *), Louis Murphy (SPEC), Chansi Stuckey (SPEC), Julian Edelman (SPEC), Earl Bennett (SPEC), Mike Furrey (SPEC), Kelley Washington (SPEC), Bryant Johnson (SPEC), Bobby Wade (SPEC), Mark Bradley (SPEC), Nate Washington (SPEC), Robert Meachem (SPEC), Keenan Burton (SPEC).

Tight Ends

Zack Miller (SPEC), Sean Ryan (SPEC), Brandon Pettigrew (SPEC), Marcedes Lewis (SPEC), Ben Watson (SPEC), Randy McMichael (SPEC), Chris Baker (SPEC).

Kickers

Jason Elam (LT), Neil Rackers (LT), Jay Feely (LT), Robbie Gould (ST), Jason Hanson (ST), John Carney (ST).

Defenses

Carolina (ST), Jacksonville (ST), St. Louis (ST).

I’ll post my analysis of the Week 6 games on Thursday.

Until then,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Fantasy Football Sherpa fan page on Facebook

Well, there was no shortage of drama during the Week 1 games - my condolences to those of you who root for the Raiders, Bills, and especially the Bengals. 

Imagine the following post-game interview in Cincinnati:

Interviewer:  “Brandon, what were you thinking as you grabbed that deflection and took off towards the end zone?”

Brandon Stokley:  “Honestly, I just wanted to get to the end zone before somebody caught me.  When I got there and realized I was going to score, I decided to run out some clock . . .”

Kanye West:  “Excuse me, Brandon, I’ll let you finish, but I just wanted to say that Franco Harris had the best TD run after a deflected pass!!!”

Stokley:  “What the f—, you little jackass - you weren’t even born until 5 years after that play happened!!!”

Interviewer:  “Back to you, Gus!”

My feeble attempt at humor aside, here are my recommendations for Week 2:

Carolina at Atlanta - I suspect there were a lot of injuries suffered Sunday by all the people jumping off the Panthers’ bandwagon.  The Eagles are obviously a talented team (especially when Donovan McNabb isn’t nursing injured ribs), but Carolina fans had flashbacks to QB Jake Delhomme’s abysmal showing against the Cardinals in last year’s playoffs (also a home game) and took a second straight poor performance as evidence that he no longer possesses the skill to quarterback even a peewee team.  While Delhomme will never rank among the game’s elite signal-callers, he has too many offensive weapons at his disposal to remain down for long.  The Falcons’ defense was impressive Sunday, but keep in mind that effort came against an overrated Dolphins offense.  Start Delhomme, RB DeAngelo Williams, WR Steve Smith, and K John Kasay with confidence.  For those of you in deeper leagues RB Jonathan Stewart is a worthy Flex start.  For the Falcons start QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner, TE Tony Gonzalez, WR Roddy White, and K Jason Elam.  In deeper leagues RB Jerious Norwood and WR Michael Jenkins should also be in starting lineups.  This should be a fairly high-scoring game - it wouldn’t surprise me if the loser scored 24-27 points.

Arizona at Jacksonville - To keep it short and sweet:  though neither team gave up more than 20 points last weekend, I’m not impressed by either defense; neither should be started this week.  Start Arizona QB Kurt Warner, RB Tim Hightower (don’t worry, Larry Fitzgerald owners - Hightower will not lead the team in receiving yards this season), and K Neil Rackers.  If you have to set your lineups well before kickoff on Sunday, I’d look for healthier alternatives than WRs Anquan Boldin & Steve Breaston, both of whom are listed as questionable.  In a deep league Cardinal RB Beanie Wells and WR Jerheme Urban may also be used as a starters (assuming that both Boldin & Breaston are unable to play).  Jaguars worth starting include QB David Garrard, RB Maurice Jones-Drew, TE Marcedes Lewis, WR Torry Holt, and K Josh Scobee. 

St. Louis at Washington - This appears to be the biggest mismatch of the weekend, even bigger than the Vikings-Lions contest.  Don’t make the mistake of remembering last season’s Rams’ upset victory against the (team-soon-to-be-formerly-known-as-the) Redskins - it’s irrelevant at this point.  Start Rams’ TE Randy McMichael if you must, but only if you must.  Redskins to start include maligned QB Jason Campbell (maybe he’ll wind up in Carolina next year?), RB Clinton Portis, TE Chris Cooley, WR Santana Moss, K Shaun Suisham, and the Defense.  In spite of his stellar performance last week, I’m not counting on WR Antwaan Randle El to continue his success - keep him out of your starting lineup (in the unlikely event he’s even on your roster).

New Orleans at Philadelphia - This is one of the more intriguing games this weekend.  Will New Orleans’ high-powered offense be able to move the ball vs. the Eagles’ stout defense?  Will Donovan McNabb, broken(?) rib and all, play for the Eagles, and if so, how effectively?  If not, will backup Kevin Kolb be able to fill in adequately?  For the Saints I believe QB Drew Brees will have a good, but not great, game (think 250-275 yards passing and 2 TDs), so he’s still worth starting, as are RB Reggie Bush, TE Jeremy Shockey, WRs Marques Colston & Lance Moore, and K John Carney.  For the Eagles, I don’t care who starts at QB; they shouldn’t be in your lineup this weekend.  Go instead with RB Brian Westbrook, TE Brent Celek, WR DeSean Jackson, K David Akers, and the Defense (on the assumption they make several big plays).

New England at New York Jets - The Jets have been talking a lot of smack this week, probably more for their own benefit than anyone else’s.  New England will be unfazed.  Start QB Tom Brady, WRs Randy Moss & Wes Welker, K Stephen Gostkowski, and the Defense.  For the Jets start TE Dustin Keller and hope for the best.

Oakland at Kansas City - Here’s a game that has the potential to be high-scoring in spite of two below-average offenses.  For Oakland start RB Darren McFadden, TE Zach Miller, and K Sebastien Janikowski.  If you’re in a deep league RB Michael Bush is also worth starting in a Flex spot.  For the Chiefs start RB Larry Johnson, WR Dwayne Bowe, and K Ryan Succup.  If you’re in a deep league, consider RB Jamaal Charles for your Flex spot.

Houston at Tennessee - While at least one Texan spent last week’s dismal opener against the Jets trying to send a message to GM Rick Smith, it appeared that the whole team missed the message that the season had officially started.  Yes, the Jets’ defense backed up new Head Coach Rex Ryan’s talk with an impressive performance, but don’t believe those who are hyping this as top defense this season.  Up next - an even bigger challenge in the form of the Titans’ defense, which held the Steelers’ running game in check opening night.  If someone in your league panicked and cut Texans’ QB Matt Schaub, I’d pick him up, but I wouldn’t start him this week.  The only Texan who should definitely be in your lineup this week is TE Owen Daniels.  Titans who should be started this week include RBs Chris Johnson & LenDale White, WR Justin Gage, and the Defense.  If you’re in a deeper league, WRs Nate Washington & Kenny Britt are also worth starting.

Cincinnati at Green Bay - Bengals’ WR Chad Ochocinco has already announced his intention to perform a “Lambeau Leap” in the unlikely event he scores a touchdown Sunday.  If that indeed happens, here’s hoping there’s an Emily Montforto in that section to throw him back.  For the Bengals start QB Carson Palmer and WRs Chad Ochocinco & Laveranues Coles.  For the Packers start QB Aaron Rodgers, RB Ryan Grant, WRs Greg Jennings & Donald Driver, K Mason Crosby, and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues may also want to start TE Donald Lee.

Minnesota at Detroit- Last week the Lions found themselves behind the Drew Brees and the Saints 14-0 in less time than it took South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson to interrupt Pres. Obama’s recent speech.  To their credit rookie QB Matthew Stafford, WR Calvin Johnson, and the rest of the Lions’ offense showed some life.  While I agree with Stafford’s being picked #1 overall in last April’s draft, you can’t help but wonder if the team would have been better off taking a defensive player with their second first-round pick rather than TE Brandon Pettigrew.  Time will tell.  This game looks to be a survivor pool participant’s delight; Vikings to start include QB Brett Favre, RB Adrian Peterson, TE Visanthe Shiancoe, WRs Bernard Berrian & Percy Harvin, K Ryan Longwell, and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues may also want to start RB Chester Taylor and WR Sidney Rice.  Stafford and Johnson are the only Lions who should definitely be started, although those in deeper leagues may also want to consider WR Bryant Johnson.

Tampa Bay at Buffalo - No truth to the rumor that the Bills are considering Florida A&M’s LeRoy Vann with their first pick in the 2010 draft.  If Vann does end up on the Bills, hopefully he buys a place without grass.  After a heart-breaking loss to the Patriots Monday night the Bills have their home opener against a team that didn’t show much on either side of the ball against the Cowboys.  For the Buccaneers start RB Cadillac Williams, TE Kellen Winslow, and WR Michael Clayton.  For the Bills start QB Trent Edwards, RB Fred Jackson, WRs Terrell Owens & Lee Evans, K Rian Lindell, and the Defense.

Seattle at San Francisco - Both teams are coming off impressive Week 1 victories, so the early-season lead in the NFC West is at stake here.  While both defenses were impressive last week, I’d expect a final score in the neighborhood of 24-21 (with the Seahawks winning).  Seahawks to start include QB Matt Hasselbeck, RB Julius Jones, TE John Carlson, WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh (if he’s healthy enough to play) & Nate Burleson, and K Olindo Mare.  49ers to start include QB Shaun Hill, RB Frank Gore, WR Isaac Bruce, and K Joe Nedney.  Given his inconsistency throughout his career, I’m not buying in on TE Vernon Davis yet.

Cleveland at Denver - In spite of Denver’s improbable last-minute victory over the Bengals last weekend, there were many more warning signs than encouraging ones.  The running game never got on track, and Kyle Orton didn’t appear to be on the same page with star wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal.  In spite of shutting the Bengals out until the final minute I’m not sold yet on the Broncos’ defense either.  Against the Vikings the Browns looked like they picked up where last season left off, which is to say it looks to be another long season resulting in another high draft pick next April.  Browns to start include WR Braylon Edwards and K Phil Dawson.  If you’re in a deeper league, QB Brady Quinn, RB Jamal Lewis, and WR Mike Furrey are also worth starting.  For the Broncos start WRs Brandon Marshall & Eddie Royal and K Matt Prater.  If you’re in a deeper league, Orton and RB Knowshon Moreno are also worth starting (if Moreno’s healthy, I believe he’ll get more carries than RB Correll Buckhalter).

Baltimore at San Diego - This game is one of the more difficult contests to analyze for Week 2.  When you think of Baltimore, you think of their defense.  Yet, in the topsy-turvy world of the NFL, it was actually QB Joe Flacco, RB Ray Rice and the rest of the Ravens’ offense that stole the show in their victory against the Chiefs, while the Ravens’ defense was good, but not great.  When you think of San Diego, you think of their offense, but after LaDainian Tomlinson’s ankle injury, it is the Chargers’ defense that will need to step up if San Diego wants to be competitive in this contest.  Ravens to start include Flacco, Rice, TE Todd Heap, WR Derrick Mason, and K Steve Hauschka.  Chargers to start include QB Philip Rivers, RB Darren Sproles (only because of his ability to get involved in the passing game), TE Antonio Gates, WR Vincent Jackson, and K Nate Kaeding.  I would leave RB LaDainian Tomlinson and his bad ankle on the bench this week; even if he is able to play, it’s unlikely he’ll be as effective as he normally is against the Ravens’ run defense.

Pittsburgh at Chicago - These two teams both have major questions to be answered after their Week 1 performances.  Will the Steelers be able to generate a running game this season? (i.e. - does RB Willie Parker have anything left?  is their offensive line able to clear holes for the running backs?)  Will QB Ben Roethlisberger be able to stay in one piece if he’s forced to throw 40 times a game?  Will the Steelers’ defense be able to survive the loss of Troy Polamalu?  Will the Bears’ defense be able to survive Brian Urlacher’s season-ending wrist injury?  Will the Bears’ offense be able to survive QB Jay Cutler’s interceptions?  Steelers to start this weekend include Roethlisberger, TE Heath Miller, WRs Hines Ward & Santonio Holmes, K Jeff Reed, and the Defense.  The only Bears I’d start this weekend would be RB Matt Forte & TE Greg Olsen.

New York Giants at Dallas - The moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived - the opening of Jerry Jones’ new tribute to himself state-of-the-art football stadium, featuring a low-hanging scoreboard that His Majesty stubbornly refuses to raise.  Unfortunately, the scoreboard controversy threatens to divert attention from the team, which should be right in the fray with the Eagles and Giants for the NFC East title.  The Buccaneers were able to move the ball both on the ground and through the air against a suspect Cowboys’ defense, and the Giants figure to be able to do the same.  Giants to start include QB Eli Manning, RB Brandon Jacobs, TE Kevin Boss, WR Steve Smith, and K Lawrence Tynes.  Those in deeper leagues should consider starting RB Ahmad Bradshaw and WRs Domenik Hixon & Mario Manningham as well.  I don’t expect the Cowboys to have much success running the ball against the Giants’ defensive line, so hopefully you have alternatives to RBs Marion Barber & Felix Jones.  QB Tony Romo, bad ankle and all, looks like a great start against a depleted Giants’ secondary, as do TE Jason Witten, WR Roy Williams, and K Nick Folk.  Those in deeper leagues should also consider starting WR Patrick Crayton.

Indianapolis at Miami - When’s the last time you heard people questioning the Colts’ passing game with QB Peyton Manning at the helm?  Due to WR Anthony Gonzalez’ injury during Week 1, that’s exactly what’s happening.  WR Reggie Wayne picked up the slack after Gonzalez left the game, but he’s obviously not going to be able to chalk up 10 receptions and 162 receiving yards every week.  I’ve seen numerous debates this week over whether rookie WR Austin Collie, WR Pierre Garcon, or even newly-signed WR Hank Baskett is more likely to step up in Gonzalez’ absence.  I think it’s much more likely that the Colts look to TE Dallas Clark and RBs Joseph Addai & Donald Brown to make up for Gonzalez’ lost production.  Meanwhile, Miami looked much more like 2007’s 1-15 team than 2008’s 11-5 team in last week’s loss to the Falcons, and I expect that to be the case throughout the season.  Colts worth starting this week include Manning, Addai, Clark, Wayne, K Adam Vinatieri, and the Defense.  Those in deeper leagues should also consider starting Brown.  The only Dolphins I’d start this week would be RB Ronnie Brown and TE Anthony Fasano.

Good luck to your teams this weekend! 

Until next time,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Sherpa’s Fantasy Football Blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Hi everyone,

Here are the latest batch of players who’ve had their preseason projections updated:

• Harry Douglass (Atl, WR) - removed from database (season-ending knee injury) 
• D.J. Hackett (Was, WR) - added to database (free agent signing)
• Antwaan Randle El (Was, WR) - projections revised downward (passed on depth chart by WR Devin Thomas)
• Devin Thomas (Was, WR) - projections revised upward (passed Antwaan Randle El on depth chart)

Please let me know if you see any moves I may have missed, and I’ll be happy to update the database.

More updates to come as warranted by training camp developments.

Until next time,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Fantasy Football Sherpa’s blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Hard to believe that football training camps start up again in a couple of weeks, along with the accompanying frenzy over fantasy football!

If you can’t wait until then to get your fantasy football fix, come on over tonight at 8pm Eastern to Mock Draft Central’s third Experts’ Draft of the season!  If you prefer live commentary with your fantasy football mock drafts, be sure to listen to FantasyPros911 as they provide play-by-play on Blog Talk Radio.

I’ll be picking tenth in a 12-team snake draft format.  This mock draft will use standard scoring (i.e. - non-Points Per Reception) with the following roster spots:

• 1 QB
• 2 RBs
• 3 WRs
• 1 TE
• 1 FLEX (RB, WR, or TE)
• 1 K
• 1 DEF
• 5 Bench/Reserve spots (I intend to go w/ 1 QB, 2 RB, and 2 WR)

In case you’re interested, here’s a list of tonight’s participants and draft order:

1. Jason Pliml, Mock Draft Central
2. Cory Bonini, KFFL
3. Sean Haugh, FantasyPros911
4. Scott Engel, RotoExperts
5. Jason McCoy, Stinkball
6. Gil Brovar, Fantasy Football Mastermind
7. Alex Hardin, RotoRob
8. Todd Farino, Fantasy Football Search
9. Louis Tranquilli, BFD Fantasy Football
10. Scott Swanay, Fantasy Football Sherpa
11. Jay Clemons, Sports Illustrated
12. Steven Aldersley, Time Warner Cable & Metro Sports

Hope you’re able to watch and/or listen!

The Sherpa

www.FantasyFootballSherpa.com

The Fantasy Football Sherpa’s blog
@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

After a recent experts’ mock draft for a fantasy football magazine, all of the participants (including the Sherpa) were invited to describe their approach to a fantasy football draft.  Here’s the gist of my response (with some extra thoughts included, since I’m not subject to a word count here, just your patience/willingness to read further!):

I’ll generally take Running Backs (RBs) with my first two picks so that I can avoid Running Back by Committee (RBBC) situations.  With more and more teams relying on RBBC, that gives you even more incentive to grab as many RBs not involved in a timeshare as you possibly can early in your draft.  Next, I’ll usually grab the two best available Wide Receivers (WRs) and fill any FLEX spots or remaining RB and WR spots, then start looking at Quarterbacks (QBs).  However, depending on roster requirements, I’d still consider taking backups at RB and WR before selecting my first QB.

I’ll almost always pick my starting QB and all my backups at QB, RB,  and WR before taking my Tight End (TE), Defense (DEF), and Kicker (K).  Fantasy scoring is almost totally random for Ks, and only slightly less so for DEFs; those roster spots should generally be filled last.  Finally, when selecting reserves, I tend to favor unproven players with high ceilings over steady but unspectacular veterans (think Chris Henry (Bengals’ version) vs. Antwaan Randle El).

I’m a huge believer in position scarcity, the relative drop-off in fantasy value between the top-rated and mediocre options at each position.  QBs score the most fantasy points in many scoring formats, so some might be tempted to take a Drew Brees or a Peyton Manning (or a Tom Brady in 2008) with an early pick.  However, given that the drop-offs are much steeper at RB and WR than at QB, unless you have a highly unusually scoring system it doesn’t make sense to take a QB until after you’ve filled all your starting RB and WR spots.  Don’t waste Bench spots on TEs, Ks, and DEFs - you can almost always find a serviceable alternative in the free agent pool when you need one due to an injury or a bye week.  You’re much better off using those Bench spots on RBs and WRs - you can never have too much depth at those two positions!

Hopefully, I’ll be able to stick to this philosophy during tonight’s experts’ draft at 8pm on Mock Draft Central - we’ll see what happens!

Of course, the most important part of preparing for any fantasy football draft is to make sure that the player rankings you’re using reflect all the unique characteristics of your league.  If the player rankings don’t reflect your league’s # teams, roster requirements, scoring categories, and point values exactly, then you’re potentially putting yourself at a huge disadvantage heading into your draft.

Until next time,

The Sherpa

Fantasy Football Sherpa

The Fantasy Football Sherpa’s blog

@fantasy_sherpa on Twitter

Hi everyone,

Just wanted all of you out in Sherpaville know that the Sherpa was featured in an article that appeared in today’s Harvard Crimson (the student newspaper).  The article focuses more on baseball than football, but Fantasy Football Sherpa is also mentioned in the article!

Enjoy!

The Sherpa

Great news!  Just wanted to let everyone in Sherpaville know that our Fantasy Football Sherpa blog  has been chosen as a finalist for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association’s (FSTA) Best Blog award!  This award recognizes the website with the best combination of information and presentation in a blog.  The winner will be announced next month at the FSTA’s meeting in St. Petersburg, FL.

We are doubly honored because our sister site’s Fantasy Baseball Sherpa blog has also been chosen as a finalist in the same category!  (note:  fortunately, unlike the Oscars, the FSTA has no rule against multiple nominations in the same category!)

Enjoy the rest of the holiday season, and best wishes for health and happiness in the new year!

The Sherpa

For those whose fantasy football league’s schedule includes Week 17, my condolences.  Not only do you have to deal with the usual pitfalls of unanticipated injuries and subpar performances, you also have to deal with a number of teams that will effectively be treating this week’s contest as a scrimmage or preseason game.  This will likely limit your roster options and potentially force you to make some unpalatable lineup decisions.

This week there are five playoff-bound teams that have absolutely nothing to play for and figure to give their starters at least a half, if not the entire game, off.  Those teams are the NY Giants, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Indianapolis, and Arizona.  Avoid starting any players from these teams this week unless you’re either feeling really desperate or really lucky.  Two of these teams, Tennessee and Indianapolis, actually face each other in what should be dubbed the Jim Sorgi Bowl in honor of the Colts’ backup QB, who, much like the Punxsutawney Phil (the Groundhog) or the Swallows of San Juan Capistrano, makes an annual appearance you can set your watch by.  Needless to say, avoid any players involved in that game like the plague.

On the other hand there are three games this week that are in essence playoff games:  Miami at NY Jets, Dallas at Philadelphia, and Denver at San Diego (The Ed Hochuli Atonement Bowl).  Any healthy player involved with these three games is worth starting this week.

Here are some more thoughts on games and players for Week 17’s contests (all of which take place on Sunday):

NY Giants at Minnesota - The Giants have nothing to play for and a bunch of injured players in need of time to heal; the Vikings can clinch a division title and the playoff berth that goes with it with a victory.  Contrarians will point to last season’s Week 17 matchup between the Giants and the Patriots (where the Giants had nothing to play for but still made the Patriots earn their perfect regular season record) as evidence the Giants may decide to go all out for four quarters in this game.  The circumstances are completely different this year.  Last year’s Giants team needed the dose of confidence heading into the playoffs that came from playing as well as they did against the Patriots; this year’s team doesn’t.  RB Derrick Ward needs 52 yards rushing to reach 1,000 for the season, which would give the Giants a pair of 1,000-yard rushers (with RB Brandon Jacobs being the other).  Still, unless 52 yards rushing and no scores represents an upgrade to your current starting lineup, I’d pass.  If you really are intent on starting a Giants’ RB this weekend against the Vikings’ Defense, go with RB Ahmad Bradshaw instead.  Avoid Jacobs, QB Eli Manning, TE Kevin Boss (Doubtful - ankle, concussion), and WR Amani Toomer.  For the Vikings start QB Tarvaris Jackson, RBs Adrian Peterson & Chester Taylor, TE Visanthe Shiancoe, WR Bobby Wade, K Ryan Longwell, and the Defense.  Avoid WR Bernard Berrian (Questionable - ankle).

St. Louis at Atlanta - The Rams have been somewhat better on Offense the last few weeks (”better” being a relative term), and Atlanta can potentially capture the NFC’s #2 seed with a victory, so both teams figure to be playing hard for four quarters.  Rams worth starting include QB Marc Bulger, RB Steven Jackson (Probable - hamstring), WRs Torry Holt & Donnie Avery, and K Josh Brown.  Falcons worth starting include QB Matt Ryan, RBs Michael Turner & Jerious Norwood, WR Roddy White, and K Jason Elam.  Avoid WRs Michael Jenkins (Questionable - shoulder) & Harry Douglas (Questionable - toe, shoulder).

New England at Buffalo - Unless you are a Patriots-hater, you have to admit that the emergence of QB Matt Cassel is one of the best stories in the NFL this year.  For a guy who hadn’t started a game since high school to replace Tom Brady and throw for almost 4,000 yards is an amazing accomplishment, and Cassel figures to cash in during the off-season (Detroit?  Minnesota?  NY Jets?  Cincinnati?).  Cassel, RBs Sammy Morris, Lamont Jordan, & Kevin Faulk, TE Ben Watson, WRs Wes “Snow Angel” Welker & Randy Moss, and K Stephen Gostkowski are all worth starting this week.  Bills worth starting include QB Trent Edwards, RB Fred Jackson, TE Robert Royal, WRs Lee Evans & Josh Reed, and K Rian Lindell.  I’d stay away from RB Marshawn Lynch (Questionable - shoulder) unless you’ll have access to your lineup shortly before kickoff.

Detroit at Green Bay - Detroit may be using the rallying cry “This is our Super Bowl”, but it’s impossible to see how the outcome this week will be any different than it has for the Lions’ first 15 games this season.  Although the season has been a disappointing one for the Packers, the last thing they want to do is go down in history as the team the Lions beat to stave off an “unvictorious” season.  The only Lion you’d want to consider starting is RB Kevin Smith (Questionable - ankle) - he figures to play in spite of his injury.  Packers worth starting are QB Aaron Rodgers, RB Ryan Grant, TE Donald Lee, WRs Greg Jennings & Donald Driver, K Mason Crosby, and the Defense.

Carolina at New Orleans - Both teams have something to play for - Carolina wraps up the NFC’s #2 seed with a victory, while New Orleans QB Drew Brees needs 402 passing yards to break Dan Marino’s 24-year-old single-season mark of 5,084.  Panthers worth starting include QB Jake Delhomme, RBs DeAngelo Williams & Jonathan Stewart, WRs Steve Smith & Muhsin Muhammad (Probable - foot), and K John Kasay.  Saints worth starting include Brees, RB Deuce McAllister, TE Billy Miller, WRs Marques Colston, Lance Moore, & Devery Henderson, and K Garrett Hartley.  Leave TE Jeremy Shockey (Out - ankle) and RB Pierre Thomas (Questionable - wrist, back) out of your lineup.

Chicago at Houston - In order for the Bears to make the playoffs they need to win this game and hope the Giants are motivated enough to defeat the Vikings.  While the latter is highly unlikely to happen, the Bears also play an early game, so they figure to uphold their end of the bargain.  Start QB Kyle Orton, RB Matt Forte, TEs Garrett Olsen & Desmond Clark, WR Devin Hester, and K Robbie Gould.  Texans worth starting are QB Matt Schaub, RB Steve Slaton, TE Owen Daniels, WRs Andre Johnson & Kevin Walter, and K Kris Brown.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh - There’s far too much uncertainty regarding this game to have any confidence starting anyone from either team.  Still, if you’re desperate, Cleveland RB Jamal Lewis, WR Braylon Edwards, and the Defense all have the potential to do well playing against the Steelers’ second-stringers for most of the game.  Avoid starting any Steelers at all costs.

Kansas City at Cincinnati - If weather conditions permit, this could actually be one of the more entertaining, high-scoring games of the day.  Start Kansas City QB Tyler Thigpen, RB Larry Johnson, TE Tony Gonzalez, WR Dwayne Bowe, and K Connor Barth.  Bengals to start include QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, RB Cedric Benson, WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh & Chris Henry, and K Shayne Graham.  I’d avoid WR Chad Ocho Cinco (Questionable - hamstring).

Tennessee at Indianapolis - Unless you are the kind of person who would still send money to Bernard Madoff to invest, the Sherpa advises you to steer clear of all players who have anything to do with this game (yes, even Jim Sorgi).  Enough said.

Oakland at Tampa Bay - Oakland is another team that’s been somewhat better in recent weeks, but the Raiders don’t figure to have enough of a passing game to win this contest.  Raiders to start include RB Justin Fargas (Probable - neck), and TE Zack Miller.  Add RB Darren McFadden (Questionable - ankle) to the list if he’s healthy enough to play.  Bucs worth starting include QB Jeff Garcia (Probable - calf), RBs Warrick Dunn & Cadillac Williams, and WR Antonio Bryant.

Jacksonville at Baltimore - A disappointing season for the Jaguars figures to end on a sour note.  RB Maurice Jones-Drew and TE Marcedes Lewis are the only Jags worth considering for your starting lineup.  Ravens to start include RBs Le’Ron McClain & Willis McGahee, TE Todd Heap, and the Defense.

Miami at NY Jets  - The Jets’ history has been full of disappointments, but should the Jets lose this game to fall to 9-7 (after starting the season 8-3) and miss the playoffs, this team will likely be lumped together with the 1986 team that started the season 10-1, then lost its last 5 games and missed the playoffs.  Dolphins’ QB Chad Pennington, who was unceremoniously dumped by the Jets last off-season in favor of QB Brett Favre, can help put the final nail in the coffin this week in a seemingly made-for-TV drama.  Dolphins to start include Pennington, RBs Ronnie Brown & Ricky Williams, TEs Anthony Fasano & David Martin, WRs Ted Ginn & Davone Bess, and K Dan Carpenter.  Jets to start include Favre, RBs Thomas Jones & Leon Washington, TE Dustin Keller, WRs Laveranues Coles (Questionable - thigh) & Jerricho Cotchery (Probable - Shoulder), and K Jay Feely.

Dallas at Philadelphia - Lots of subplots surround this game too, which also has playoff implications for both teams.  Terrell Owens, Jason Witten, Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid, and Wade Phillips, just to name a few of the characters involved.  Cowboys who should be in fantasy lineups this weekend include QB Romo (Probable - illness), RB Tashard Choice, TE Witten (Probable - ankle), and WR Owens.  I’d avoid RB Marion Barber (Questionable - toe).  Eagles to start include QB McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook (Probable - knee, ankle), and WRs Kevin Curtis (Probable - calf) & DeSean Jackson.

Washington at San Francisco - No playoff berths riding on the outcome of this game, but still a number of worthwhile options from a fantasy perspective.  Redskins to start include QB Jason Campbell, RB Clinton Portis, TE Chris Cooley, WRs Santana Moss & Antwaan Randle El, K Shaun Suisham, and the Defense.  The only 49er worth starting against the Redskins’ Defense is RB Frank Gore (Probable - ankle).

Seattle at Arizona - Tough to know what to make of this game - Arizona has already clinched a playoff berth, and in theory has nothing to play for.  However, they’ve looked so bad the last couple of weeks in losses to the Vikings and Patriots, that they may be motivated to play their starters longer than you might expect in an effort to regain some momentum heading into the playoffs.  Still, since the Cardinals will be hosting a playoff game next weekend, I would bet against their starters playing more than half the game, and as such, I would leave them all out of a fantasy lineup this week.  The Seahawks offer a number of options, especially if the Cardinals pack it in early - QB Seneca Wallace, RB Maurice Morris, TE John Carlson, WRs Deion Branch & Bobby Engram, K Olindo Mare, and the Defense are all worth starting.

Denver at San Diego - The NBC Sports execs may see this game as the ultimate conclusion to the regular season.  The winner is guaranteed the AFC West title and the playoff berth that goes with it; the loser will be watching the playoffs from home.  Momentum definitely favors the home team Chargers, and, if you believe in such things, karma also figures to be on their side (assuming Ed Hochuli is not assigned to referee this game).  It’s likely the winner will be facing a “one and done” playoff scenario, but there are a number of good fantasy options on both teams.  Broncos worth starting include QB Jay Cutler, TEs Daniel Graham (Probable - ankle) & Tony Scheffler, WRs Brandon Marshall (Probable - hip) & Eddie Royal (Probable - thumb), and K Matt Prater.  Chargers worth starting include QB Philip Rivers, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Antonio Gates, WRs Vincent Jackson & Chris Chambers, and K Nate Kaeding.

Enjoy the final weekend of the regular season, and enjoy the playoffs!  It’s been a blast, and we’ll do it again next year!

The Sherpa