We are just days into NFL free agency and the frenzy continues throughout the league. Within a matter of hours the NFL’s hottest free agent was signed, while other teams look to sit pat in something of a holding mode. It may only be March but a series of moves may have changed the balance of power between some NFL pretenders and contenders coming into what could be the last season before an NFL lock out.

I wanted to take a quick look today at some of the bigger, more intriguing, and in some cases shocking developments during the first week of NFL free agency. Keep in mind while I may criticize a team in its current state, there are plenty of viable free agents currently available, including a plethora of some impressive restricted names. That said, let’s take a look at some of the bigger moves and how they are likely to shape out according to this blogger.

Chicago Bears sign Julius Peppers, DE - Peppers was arguably the hottest unrestricted free agent in NFL history. Peppers’ new deal makes him the highest paid defensive linemen with a deal worth $84 million (so much poverty huh NFL owners?). The move immediately gave the Bears the Norris division according to some writers. I on the other hand am very dubious of the signing.

The upside with Peppers is that he has stayed relatively injury-free throughout his career and yes, he is a beast. But, the addition of Peppers could prove costly in money, wins, and team chemistry. Peppers has been accused of taking plays off. Peppers is also known to get frustrated when double-teamed and some say can be mentally taken out of a game. Peppers spoke highly of coach Lovie Smith and he being a main reason for the interest in Chicago. Lovie Smith is a lame duck coach, going into the final year of his contract. What if the Bears can’t turn it around next season? What if Lovie goes elsewhere either by his choice or the organization’s choice? Now a new coach is stuck with a guy that may not want to play for him. Peppers could get caught in the middle of a transitional period between coaches and d-coordinators. I just think the move is high risk and high reward for the Bears. As big as this signing could be, it could also throw the franchise back for years being stuck with a contract the size of Peppers.

Chicago Bears sign Chester Taylor, RB - In a move that could pay dividends on a few levels, the Bears signed RB Chester Taylor. In addition to bolstering their own backfield, the move took away one of their division rival’s biggest weapons. It will be very interesting to see what kind of year Adrian Peterson has when he doesn’t have to give up carries to someone like Taylor. The move also gives the Bears a great 1-2 punch with Matt Forte and Chester Taylor.

Yet again, this is another high risk and high reward situation for the Bears. Taylor has a ton of potential, especially in a Mike Martz offense. Taylor has great hands and is likely to get heavily involved in the passing game. However, Taylor is 31-years old. The positive here is that Thomas Jones has had two solid years and he is the same age as Taylor, and had about the same wear and tear when he came to the Jets. The downside here is that in an increased role, it is unknown how Taylor’s body will hold up. Also, if Matt Forte’s stinker season last year was a result of a bad offensive line which I think it was, than adding Taylor will turn out to be a big waste of time and money.

Baltimore Ravens acquire Anquan Boldin, WR – In my opinion, Boldin is fool’s gold. Boldin at one time was pegged by some to be the next Terrell Owens in the NFL. Instead, numerous injuries have kept Boldin on the sidelines in both regular and postseason games. Boldin will now ascend to the number one spot in the depth chart and team with a quarterback who struggled in a bit of a sophomore slump.

I know a lot of fans are upset that their teams didn’t trade for Boldin. Keep in mind that the Arizona Cardinals dramatically dropped their asking price for Boldin this season. There is a reason why a lot of teams didn’t step up. With an impending lockout, it is very risky for a team like Baltimore to commit all of that money to a guy who hasn’t played a full season in years. Boldin could be the missing piece here in one of the most prolific running offenses in the NFL. Boldin will also be jumping into arguably the most physical division in the NFL. Playing Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Cincinnati twice a year is a heck of a lot different than playing the Seahawks and Rams twice a season. Derrick Mason was Mr. Durability for the Ravens, and that is exactly what you need in a number 1 WR in this division. I don’t know if Anquan Boldin can be that guy.

The Arizona Cardinals acquire Kerry Rhodes, S - Talk about a bargain here for the Arizona Cardinals. Cardinals’ fans were up in arms when the Cards let Antrel Rolle leave and sign with the New York Giants. The Cards responded by trading a couple of draft picks for disgruntled New York Jets safety Kerry Rhodes. There is not a big drop off here at all between Rhodes and Rolle. Rhodes arguably played in a tougher division, so in the end his numbers may mean a bit more than Rolle’s. The Cards will also save themselves a ton of money in the difference between the two safeties. Rhodes’ character has been questioned by some in the New York media, but a change of scenery could be exactly what he needs in Arizona.

The Miami Dolphins sign Karlos Dansby, LB - A brilliant pickup by the Miami Dolphins. If there is anything you need in the AFC East, it is a hard hitting linebacker like Dansby. The position is a huge upgrade from Joey Porter, who couldn’t back up the checks his mouth kept writing. Dansby while a great pass rusher, is even better against the run. If you don’t think this move had everything to do with the New York Jets, I think you are sadly mistaken. Having Dansby and Channing Crowder should immediately pay dividends for a Dolphins defense who struggled down the way last season. The move also opens up the opportunity for the Dolphins to address offense with their first draft pick, maybe even take a shot at Dez Bryant.

These are just a few of the moves that grabbed the headlines in the first few days of free agency. There are still a ton of restricted free agents still available in addition to unrestricted veterans like LaDainian Tomlinson, Thomas Jones, Terrell Owens, Jake Delhomme, and Brian Westbrook. The name everyone is keeping their eyes on right now is WR Brandon Marshall. Marshall can be had for a number one draft pick, yet nobody is seriously biting right now. Marshall is the kind of a player that someone may actually give up their pick for in the right scenario.

Another curious name for me is Leon Washington. The New York Jets RB is a restricted free agent, yet the Jets surprisingly only placed a second round tender on Washington. This means in order to sign Washington, a team would only have to give up a second-round draft pick for him. If Ricky Williams is really retiring, I would love to see the Miami Dolphins make a run at Washington. Putting Washington into the Wildcat with Ronnie Brown could be downright scary for opposing defenses. Additionally, grabbing Washington would hurt the Jets. Bill Parcells loved players like Washington when he was a coach, so the fit almost seems natural here. Another possible suitor could be the Washington Redskins with their tumultuous backfield situation or even the Minnesota Vikings now that Chester Taylor has left.

There is no doubt that the impending lockout has really shutdown a normally frenzied spending spree among NFL owners at this time of the year. Usual suspects like the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and Dallas Cowboys have done virtually nothing at this point. I do suspect that as the draft grows closer, teams will start poking around some of these restricted free agents and may try and talk some of teams down off of their tends. Regardless, while a few moves won’t make a team, doing nothing certainly won’t improve your situation.

185 days until kickoff!

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Week 11 is full of great matchups for the weekly top point scorers for the NFL, but there are many players that could easily surprise the league and blow up with a huge game.

QUARTERBACKS:
You have to like my favorite fantasy quarterback in Matt Schaub. He is playing on Monday night at home against a hated division rival. He’s had two off games but is rested up with a bye-week and should be able to put up big numbers against the porous Titans defense. Remember, the Titans may be on a 3 game win streak but their defense still is not good.

How can’t Kurt Warner have a big game against the Rams on turf? He may be one of the best indoor/turf quarterbacks of all time and there is no way that the Rams contain another good passing attack at home. Anquan Boldin is finally healthy and Larry Fitzgerald is well, Larry Fitzgerald and usually puts up 100 yards and a TD. Sure Beanie Wells produced well last week, but the Cardinals will be throwing all day long.

If Drew Brees doesn’t have a 20 point game against the Bucs then there may be something wrong with the offense. Of course I am not even the least bit worried. He’s Drew Brees and he’s on the Saints. The only thing I may be worried about is that he may be too good and make Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson into fantasy gold, while leaving Colston out of the picture (he’s on my fantasy team).

Notables: Big Ben, Carson Palmer, and probably D-Nabb against a struggling Bears D

RUNNING BACKS:
I’m too afraid to not put Chris Johnson first on this list because he may blow up for another 40 points and shut me up. I’m glad that the Titans are giving him more than 25 touches in a game because he is that good, and they are playing the streaky Texans D who is bound to give up big plays to the king of breakout plays. I wouldn’t be surprised if he put up another 30 points because he’s done it so many times.

Although he cost me a win in fantasy last week, he is still Mighty Mouse to me. He apologized to fantasy owners and the real apology will come when he lights up the Buffalo run defense and scores 25 points, if he’s nice then 30. MJD will be flying this weekend against a team with a new coach and a new quarterback. If Jack Del Rio was smart, he would run the ball into the playoffs and take Garrard out of situations to make mistakes.Notables: Steven Jackson, Matt Forte, and AP

WIDE RECEIVERS:
My boy Matt Schaub has got to pass it to someone right? Owen Daniels is out and Slaton is falling every day. Well good thing he has arguably the best receiver in the game with Andre Johnson. He should put up over 150 yards and 2 TDs when all is said and done. The Titans D is still the one that gave up all those points to the Patriots and they will be exposed with the Texans on the big stage.

Take your pick between the top big dogs of Randy Moss, who is angry about his previous performance against the Jets, Fitzgerald/Boldin, who are playing the Rams defense and have Warner throwing the ball, and Reggie Wayne, who is on another level with the best quarterback in the game, Peyton Manning. Either or all could have a huge game for their teams and should all be a must start. I predict that Fitzgerald shows off why he was ranked number 1 on many big boards for wide receivers.

Notables: Giants WRs vs. the terrible Falcons pass defense, Donald Driver, Sidney Rice

SLEEPERS:
Many of the sleepers that people are naming this week are based on the injuries that came from the starting running backs ahead of them. Ladell Betts is getting big talk because of the work he did against a very good Denver D. Along with Betts are Jason Snelling and Justin Forsett who look to get a healthy diet of carries for the Falcons and Seahawks while their starters are injured. Why not have Donnie Avery as a sleeper? Because he is the clear number 1 on the team and maybe, just maybe the Rams can get some offense going again.

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If you ask a lot of the experts, they will tell you that there are alot of great matchups out there this week for fantasy football players. As we all know, what is predicted and how it finishes can way too often be totally different things. Then again, as Ronnie Brown watches his season end I sit here and write this piece while watching Ricky Williams explode for 3 touchdowns, so I guess that anything is possible.

So here I am once again to try and shed some light on what you should do with some of your players this week in my coulumn that I call “Flash and Crash”. Hey, it’s not always perfect but I know even I could have told you to sit any Browns player last week, right? So here is what I have for you this week:

Quarterback:

Flash

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers at Chiefs
After last week’s tough loss against the Bengals, you can be sure that Ben and the Steelers are ready to feast on the weak. Enter a terrible Chiefs defense, and the fact that the Chiefs offense is also missing key weapons, and it should be a field position dream for Big Ben. The Steelers have to think of playoffs, and this game should be a mop up!

Donovan McNabb, Eagles at Bears
McNabb loves to play in his hometown of Chicago. Add to the fact that the Bears defense has been dreadful, and also that the Eagles are in their usual late season desperation mode, and it spells good things for McNabb. If Cutler goes into turnover mode again, McNabb may be able to find 4 tds here, but let’s not go crazy.

Kurt Warner, Cardinals at Rams
You can’t really think of this as a road game for Warner can you? This was his house, and he was the ring leader of the “Greatest Show On Turf” back in his Rams days. Wow, when you look at how bad St. Louis has gotten since then, it seems like a century ago? The Rams just don’t have enough to slow down everything that the Cardinals can throw at them, and Arizona is also still perfect on the road.

Crash

Carson Palmer, Bengals at Raiders
I know that the Bengals keep rolling along, but not a lot of it has to do with huge days from Palmer. The Raiders still have a decent secondary, and a lousy run defense. I’m expecting to see alot of runs and some good turnovers by Cincy’s defense leading to a short field, and not much from Carson.

Matt Ryan, Falcons at Giants
Maybe a tough call here with Michael Turners injury. The Falcons may have little choice but to pass to stay in games for now, but Ryan has been dreadful the last few weeks. Tony Gonzalez has disappeared, and the offensive line seems weak lately. Plus, the Giants expect Aaron Ross back so a healthier Giants defense can’t help Matty-Ice much.

Joe Flacco, Ravens at Colts
Yes, I watched last weeks game, did you? No not the Colts game, that thing that was played on Monday night. Indy’s pass rush is way too much for Flacco who seems to be slowly regressing. Flacco doesn’t have alot of weapons down the field to take advantage of. This matchup is not looking good for Joe Flacco.

Sleeper: Matt Stafford, Lions
Handle With Care: Jay Cutler

Running Back:

Flash

Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars vs Bills
If you saw what Chris Johnson did to them last week you’d know what I have cooking here. The Bills have the worst run defense in the league, and for the second straight week take on a team that lives and breathes off of a good running game. MJD may be up for one of those crazy kinds of days that makes owners gush, and opponenets cry.

Pierre Thomas, Saints at Bucs
Ok, so I am now officially on the theory that when Thomas has one bad week he’s due for a big one the following week. The Buc defense isn’t very tough, and well if you want to be fair last week was Reggie Bush’s week, so now it has to be Thomas’ turn, right? I know there are better picks, but I am here to go a little beyond the obvious, so try Mr. Thomas, won’t you?

LeSean McCoy, Eagles at Bears
As McNabb struggles connecting with WRs, McCoy will be there to do his Westbrook West Coast impersonation. I expect McCoy to be very busy with runs and catches and he will have to see the end zone if the Eagles are to make it in this one. The Bears defense let Frank Gore go wild last week, so even a little wild from McCoy will equal good things.

Crash

Ryan Grant, Packers vs 49ers
Grant is a very hard back to figure out? He works magic against bad teams and just kinda plays against the rest. Now I’m not saying San Francisco is a great team, but the defensive front was the only bright spot they had last week, so I’m sticking with it here and going against Grant.

Thomas Jones, Jets at Patriots
Jones has quietly had a good season, but the Patriots are ready to humiliate someone to make up for what happened to them last week. The Pats defense is looking tougher of late, and they may help jump out to a quick lead, so the Jets will be more likely to have to pass alot.

Joseph Addai, Colts vs Ravens
Yes Addai has been doing some stuff, but not here. He manages to stock up points with his little dunk passes, and does find the end zone, but the Ravens are still tough to run against and there is some guy named Manning who passes just fine.

Sleeper Pick: Bernard Scott, Bengals
Handle With Care: Steven Jackson, Rams

Wide Receiver:

Flash

Sidney Rice, Vikings vs Seahawks
Why? Hey why not! Rice has been killing it recently. Perhaps last week’s 7 catches for 201 yards was enough to make Favre forget about over stocking Berrian and Harvin with balls. Rice is finally getting back to being the kid the Vikings thought they had drafted and he’s looking dangerous for opponents. Add to that the fact that Peterson is always a threat and means the opposition can’t focus strictly on Rice.

Steve Smith, Giants vs Falcons
Fantasy people, you know how much I love to boldly predict the return of a big numbers guy after he has slumped. This is the week Steve Smith goes back to huge form! The Falcons are a mess on defense, and it seems like the name “Steve Smith” alone seems to haunt them. This week another SS goes nuts on them.

Miles Austin, Cowboys vs Redskins
After last weeks mess, do you think Tony Romo will be looking for Roy Williams alot? Think Williams still wants to yap to him about how he’s “,still number 1″ He looked alot more like number 2. Last week the Redskins watched Brandon Marshall go nuts on them, and Austin will do even more as Romo stays healthy, unlikie Orton did last week.

Crash

Brandon Marshall, Broncos at Chargers
I hate to do this, but if Chris Simms starts, Marshall is in big trouble. I could be wrong, but did you watch Simms play last week? I saw it, and I doubt he has a clue as to who number 15 is?

Devin Hester, Bears vs Eagles
Hester was held pretty quiet last week and here he will face Asante Samuel and the Eagles. The Eagles still do good work on WRs despite the brutal time they have with TEs. If you have Greg Olsen, maybe consider him, but I think Samuel is way too crafty a defender for Hester here.

Michael Crabtree, 49ers at Packers
We have seen that the 49ers seem to like this kid and want him to have the ball. Then again I’ve seen Megan Fox, and would love to have her for my girlfriend, but you know what, real life is real life. Charles Woodson was incredible last week, and the Packer secondary seems to be playing better ball. So as bad as they want Crabtree to shine, it may not be the best week to try it.

Sleeper Pick: Bryant Johnson, Lions
Handle With Care: Roddy White, Falcons

Defense

Flash

Patriots vs Jets
Vikings vs Seahawks
Steelers at Chiefs

Crash
Rams vs Cardinals
Redskins at Cowboys
Bills at Jaguars

Get ready people. it’s waiver wire time. Just when we thought there was no good talent left, whammo, injuries plague top players and here are some tip back ups to hook up with.

Justin Forsett, RB, Seahawks
It may not be a great play this week against the Vikes tough defense, but I think he opened eyes last week, and Julius Jones, hurt or healthy may have lost his spot. Forsett is just a better all around back, and should get more time here.

Bernard Scott, RB, Bengals
Cedric Benson doesn’t seem concerned about his injury, but fantasy owners are. This kid looked excellent last week against the Steelers, and if Benson is out this week, he will get his first start against a terrible Raiders run defense.

Jason Snelling, RB, Falcons
Depending on how long Michael Turner is out and if Jerious Norwood can come back, you have to take a shot at ths guy as the Falcons love to run the football. He had a nice week in relief last week.

Jason Avant, WR, Eagles
It may be a reach, but it looks like the Eagles young guns are being roughed up by opposing CBs. Avant has been around for a few years and knows McNabb. His big game last week may be met with a few more as McNabb looks to mix it up.

Thanks again for reading everyone and good luck in week 11. Don’t forget to check out my NFL pick em contest “Beat The Shark” every Friday!

If you’d like to hear anything else from me on topics or ideas I can be reached at phillyphan1971@yahoo.com

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These NFL weeks are going faster now with the addition of the Thursday Night Game. It seems like yesterday that Bill Belichick went for it on 4th down and gave Peyton Manning another opportunity at an NFL memory. After two weeks of Rodgers vs. Favre and Brady vs. Manning rivalries, there are no juicy quarterback matches on the docket this week. Yet for some NFL teams, the playoffs start this week with must-win games.

The first game with huge playoff implications pits the undefeated Indianapolis Colts against the 5-4 Baltimore Ravens. After coming out gangbusters, the Ravens have hit a bit of a slide recently. The Week 10 games for both of these teams couldn’t have been anymore different. The Colts squeaked by once again with a win against the Patriots while the Ravens laid a smack down on their division rival on Monday Night Football. I expect something in between this week.

The big x-factors here are the injuries. Both teams are missing key players, the latest being Terrell Suggs on the Ravens who will miss the game. Of all the players missing this game, I think Suggs is the biggest loss for either team. The book is out on Peyton Manning and you need to bring pressure to beat him. The Ravens have been hot and cold on Manning over the years. Last season, the Colts torched them for 31-3 in a game that I guarantee you that Ray Lewis hasn’t forgotten.

The Ravens are the kind of a team that you talk about every year that could have won the games they lost. Three of the Ravens four losses came by less than a touchdown. Joe Flacco has hit a bit of sophomore slump, but the emergence of Ray Rice as a premiere running back in the NFL has made this team very difficult to keep down. Just when you think you have the Ravens beat, Rice breaks off a big run or pass play for seven and turns the momentum completely around. He will need quite a few of those to hang with the Colts.

The Colts are 9-0 and had to fight until the final minute for every win the last few weeks. This is a tired and beaten up team right now. The timing is perfect for the Ravens to come in and play a physical game against the Colts. The Colts have a very difficult schedule over the next several weeks. They aren’t going to run the table and I will predict a big upset here by the Ravens. The Ravens have a new kicker, will make their field goals, and pull out yet another squeaker.

The grudge match of the day takes place in New England. The Patriots will play their second grudge match in a row as they host the New York Jets. These teams don’t like each other one bit and it goes further back than “Spy Gate.” The Jets talked a lot of trash earlier this season and backed it up with a huge upset over the Patriots in Week 2. Well an upset in most places, but I did pick the Jets here on CamelClutchBlog.com. Can the Jets do the unthinkable and sweep the Pats? I don’t think so.

These two teams were in very different places from Week 2. For one, the Patriots won’t have to worry about Leon Washington. Washington averaged 31 yards a kickoff return in their first meeting. Two, Tom Brady was out of rhythm and still getting used to the speed of the game. Quite frankly, Brady was terrible. Three, Belichick had no book on Mark Sanchez or Rex Ryan. Finally, the momentum is in the Patriots favor as the Jets have lost some very close games in ugly fashion. The heat is already on in New York and in New England, 4th and 2 will be a distant memory at kickoff.

I look for a big win here. I look for Belichick to run the score up on the Jets. Belichick was already mad at the Jets and after last week, he is just mad at the world. Tom Brady will look to prove something here after that poor effort in Week 2. Not too mention the fact that after last week’s loss, the Patriots need to win out for any hopes at home field in the playoffs. I love the Patriots here and in the end, I don’t think it’s even close.

Another game with playoff implications for both teams features the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears in a Donovan McNabb homecoming game. Jay Cutler will look to rebound from his Jake Delhomme impersonation in a Sunday Night Football headliner. McNabb and the Eagles will look to try and convert a short yardage situation at the goal line and give Philly fans some playoff hopes. This is one of those games that features two of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL in a situation where you just have no idea what either team is going to give you on a week to week basis.

Jay Cutler has been horrendous in night games this season. The bulk of his interceptions this season came in his two night games. The Eagles have gone 1-1 in night games, but Donovan McNabb hasn’t had his best moments in either one of them. I do like Donovan in Chicago. McNabb is a Chicago native and has had big wins in Chicago. He just loves coming home and playing in front of friends and family. Unfortunately, the Eagles defense is going to make it very difficult for him to continue that great stretch of winning games in Chi-Town.

The Eagles are just decimated by injuries and personnel problems on both sides of the ball. The offensive line is a mess and Brian Westbrook is out for the game. On defense, they could be without several starters depending upon Sheldon Brown’s status at game time. As an Eagles fan I hate to say it but this game is tailor-made for Jay Cutler. I look for Cutler to have a huge game here and give him and Greg Olsen high fantasy recommendations. The Eagles will have to surprise the Bears with a run game here and that isn’t going to happen with Big Red. I look for a big Bears win and another embarrassing Eagles loss in prime time.

Quick Hits - The Detroit Lions have hung with all of the big boys yet lost to the Rams. Look for the Lions to smash it up against the Browns. Jake Delhomme looks to be back and he’ll have big opportunities against the Dolphins. Are the Broncos still on a bye week? Remember the Favre-Young games? Well this week’s game is going to be far from it. I am curious to see what kind of changes that the Giants make coming off of the bye week. Who would have thought four weeks ago that this Monday night’s game between the Titans and Texans would be this big? The Vikings struggled a bit against the Lions, but will have a great matchup against the Seahawks who are terrible on the road. Is it even possible for the Saints to struggle this week against the Bucs? Oh how I would love to see Washington beat Dallas at home this Sunday.

Fantasy Fix - If you have followed my fantasy recommendations since Week 1, I have given you at least one sneaky sleeper every week. Last week, all four of sleepers hit for lucky fantasy owners. I recommended Ricky Williams last week who gave you double-digits, Braylon Edwards who had 79 receiving yards, Matthew Stafford who had 14 points last week (only two less than Drew Brees), and Jamaal Charles who had a big day as predicted against the Raiders. I won’t hit on all of my sleepers every week, but I have hit on at least two a week. You won’t find the obvious names like Peterson and Manning here. I do the work, look at the numbers, and find you the guys under the radar that you can plug in for a quick fix. Here are this week’s sneaky sleepers you likely won’t be seeing anywhere else but here on the CamelClutchBlog.com.

Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers - I can’t believe I would ever recommend Jake the Fake, but I love him this week. Delhomme is getting Miami on a short week and the Dolphins are struggling on defense. The Dolphins give up over 30% more fantasy points than the average team to quarterbacks. Delhomme and the Panthers are rolling and the guy is getting hot. The Dolphins will be without Ronnie Brown and the running game won’t be the same. The defense is going to get tired from the Stewart-Williams machine and open up some spots for Delhomme and Steve Smith. If you need a quarterback fix this week, go with Jake…for this week only!

Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears - I know his quarterback is an interception machine, however the Eagles are the absolute worst team in the NFL against tight ends. The Eagles give up a whopping 76% more points to tight ends than the average team on a weekly basis. The Eagles will also be without several key defensive players, including Sheldon Brown who is questionable. Olsen gave me seven points in one league last week and was Cutler’s go-to guy in the end zone (although those targets wound up being interceptions). I own Olsen specifically for this week. I don’t think Olsen lets me or you down if you play him.

Jacoby Jones, Houston Texans - I may be a bit too bullish on him here, but I really like him if you need a fantasy fix. We saw our first glimpse of the Schaub-Jones connection before the Texans bye week. Everyone expects Kevin Walter to step up and so will the opposing defenses. This leaves Jones some opportunities to make some big plays down the stretch. The Titans give up a lot of points to wide receivers and will be spending all game defending Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter. I look for Jones as a sneaky play this week.

Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants - Talk about a huge fantasy football bust this year! Jacobs was starting to get on a bit of a roll before his last game against the Chargers. He has a great matchup this week against the Atlanta Falcons. Jacobs has been bothered by injuries this season and will be fresh off of the bye week. Unfortunately for whatever reason, most of his better games have come on the road and he plays at home Sunday. The Falcons give up 4.6 yards a carry and are ranked 26th overall against the rush. Play Brandon Jacobs with confidence this week.

Bonus – Ricky Williams, Miami Dolphins - Don’t forget as I pointed out last week, he has double-digits against all of the Dolphins NFC opponents. NFC teams didn’t spend a lot of time preparing for the Wildcat in the off season and won’t start now. Injuries to the Panthers defense and a returning lineman for the Dolphins make Williams a very appealing play.

CamelClutchBlog.com Fantasy Football Standings

Division 1
Dusty’s RedBellySpot 7-3 (Eric Gargiulo)
Havertown Spoilers 6-3-1 (Bryan Reigel)
Team Nuetral Zone 4-5-1 (Brett Clendaniel)
Team We Own You 4-6 (Erik Espenberg)
Team Wheelhouse Radio! 3-7 (Jeff Peck)

Division 2
Team The Nice Guys 9-1 (Jeff Porrini)
…Not You!!! 7-3 (John Yomtov)
1st Place 4-6 (Derek Sabato)
The Kings of Krista 3-7 (Josh Usher)
Team Rowland 2-8 (Justin Rowland)

NFL Week 11 Picks!

I had a huge bounceback week going 10-5 last week. More importantly I had both the Redskins and the Packers in games that were considered upsets. Unfortunately, I never predicted that Belichick would give a game away and the Eagles would continue to struggle in the red zone. I am 94-50 overall on the season. Now for the NFL Week 11 Picks (Picks in BOLD) -

Miami Dolphins vs Carolina Panthers
Washington Redskins vs Dallas Cowboys
Cleveland Browns vs Detroit Lions
San Francisco 49ers vs Green Bay Packers
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Kansas City Chiefs
Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Bucs
Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars
Indianapolis Colts vs Baltimore Ravens
Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings
Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams
New York Jets vs New England Patriots
Cincinnati Bengals at Oakland Raiders
San Diego Chargers vs Denver Broncos
Philadelphia Eagles vs Chicago Bears
Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans

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Your favorite NFL teams and players gone big – Fathead.com

Order the Madden NFL 10: Official Strategy Game Guide by clicking here.

In most fantasy leagues across the country, this was a colossal week for fantasy points. In standard leagues there were 6 players that scored 30 or more fantasy points. Naturally most of them will be featured in the “Studs” category:

STUDS:
Maurice Jones Drew: I guess complaining to your coach about not getting the ball enough did him well. Well that and playing a Rams team that almost seems to enjoy giving up points more than scoring actual points. Of course, MJD did have a season high 33 carries but still managed to reach the end-zone 3 times and put up 133 yards. Mighty Mouse is back and should continue on his tear this season.

Drew Brees: Personally I knew that Brees would put up better numbers than he had in previous games, but in no way would I think he would top 350 yards and score 4 touchdowns. Brees was masterful behind his line of scrimmage that didn’t allow a stacked Giants front 7 to come close to the quarterback. He had 4 touchdowns to 4 different wide receivers and seemed like he was playing the Detroit Lions all over again.

The Entire Patriots Offense: Ok, I know that Tom Brady set an NFL record by throwing for 5 touchdowns in a quarter and should be on the “Studs” by himself, but he wasn’t the only one getting the job done against Tennessee. Laurence Maroney came out of nowhere to record a 100 yard rushing day with some big runs. Kevin Faulk does his typical job, tearing up screen plays. And of course, the duo of Randy Moss and Wes Welker made an already bad Titans defense look like they weren’t even trying. The two WRs literally were calling for the ball on some pass plays for a good 3-5 seconds without being covered. It was ugly.

Matt Schaub: Not only did I think that the Texans could easily upset the Bengals in Cincinnati, but I believe that Schaub and the Texans are a very legit contender in the league, and Schaub showed it. When he gets on a roll like he did and end up throwing for nearly 400 yards and 4 touchdowns, not many defenses can handle him. Slaton and the run game didn’t do too much but they didn’t need to with the way Schaub threw the ball. And remember, the Bengals are a solid pass defense; they are not like the Bengals of old. Look for Schaub to continue to shred pass defenses as long as his offensive line can keep him off his back.

Other candidates: Joe Flacco/Ray Rice, Brett Favre/Sidney Rice, Big Ben Roethlisberger/Hines Ward, DeAngelo Williams, and Thomas Jones.

DUDS:
Steve Smith (CAR): Wow, what a horrible effort put up by Smith. I understand that the Panthers wanted to pound the ball against a bad Bucs defense and I get the fact the Delhomme has lost his ability to fully command his team; but seriously, 1 catch for 4 yards? The Bucs defense had been getting torn apart game after game by every team they played, even the Redskins (which we’ll get to later). He then came out on Monday and admitted to the press that he is no longer “an asset on the team”. I’m not sure if that’s putting blame on himself or saying he’s on the verge of quitting on his team, but that doesn’t bode well for any fantasy owners.

Chicago Bears Offensive Line: Any statistics that read, 15 carries for 23 yards are awful right? Matt Forte did just that, but it wasn’t completely his fault. His line opened up no holes and it seemed like there were 2-3 in the backfield on many of his carries. I am not saying that owners should give up on Forte, but defenses will notice that the Bears offensive line is getting old and seems slow. Forte will get his carries and receptions but it will be up to the line to make sure that he’s worth starting in fantasy leagues.

Eagles Offense: When fantasy owners saw the matchup of the Eagles against the Raiders, I bet they began salivating at the prospect of a huge game from McNabb, Westbrook, or DeSean Jackson. Every one of those owners had to be furious with the way each of those players played. Jackson played well and put up average numbers, but huge fantasy numbers, not average numbers are supposed to be put up against the Raiders. Donovan McNabb was missing passes and finished without a touchdown when Eli Manning had 2 in the first half on limited time against the Raiders just one week earlier. For Westbrook, when you only give a talent like that 15 touches, only 6 being rushes, he can only do so much. Owners should be concerned that Andy Reid may not give Westbrook those rushes he needs to get going. I don’t expect this non-TD trend to continue with the Eagles offense, but it has to point out how poor they played on a fantasy standpoint in Week 6.

Entire Redskins Organization: This may seem drastic but being from the Baltimore/DC area and having to watch the Redskins game every weekend, believe me, it’s an understatement. They played 6 straight winless football teams. That has never been done before and most likely we will never see this ever happen again; and they have gone 2-4. Everyone on the Redskins is a bad start against every team they play. On Sunday, Santana Moss had 1 reception and while it looks like Portis had a good day, if you subtract his 78 yard run, he had 14 carries for 31 yards against the Chiefs. I’ll give you time to soak that in. And that 78 yard run down to the KC 10 yard line was followed by 0 more yards and a 28 yard FG. I repeat, stay away from Redskins in fantasy football.

Other duds: Phillip Rivers (compared to what he usually does), Eli Manning/Giants WR core, Brandon Jacobs, and Mark Sanchize.

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Unless you drafted Adrian Peterson or Drew Brees, your Week 1 of Fantasy Football was likely a bust. FF Players plan all year for the fantasy football season from draft guides, cheat sheets, to crafting the perfect lineup. All of that work means nothing when it comes to NFL football. Is it time to panic? For some of you, yes it is.

I can’t remember an NFL Week 1 like this one. Never in my fantasy football lifespan can I recall so many top 10 ranked fantasy players who didn’t produce. We all knew Adrian Peterson was going to produce, but we forgot about one simple component to NFL football, defense. NFL Week 1 was all about defense which is death for fantasy players, highly ranked or not.

Unlike the NFL season, the fantasy football season is 13 weeks plus playoffs. Going down 0-3 could be the absolute end of your season. The key is getting a good mix of starting and finishing strong. That in mind, you are probably driving yourself crazy as to whether you should panic and make trades that you otherwise wouldn’t make. For some of you, I would highly recommend making that trade and playing the waiver wire. For others be patient because talent will eventually reach its potential in the NFL.

So let’s take a look at a few fantasy football players from Week 1 that came up short. Panic or don’t panic? Let’s check them out…

Don’t panic.

Steve Slaton - Maybe this is wishful thinking since I took him with my first pick in my keeper league. Keeper leagues or not, Slaton has been a top ten and at times a top five pick going into this season. Slaton was a sleeper last year who gave fantasy football owners an edge in the running game. Slaton caught balls which can be like having an extra receiver in the game. Slaton also plays in a highly potent offense that has done nothing but put up points for the last few years.

Slaton was a complete and utter bust on Sunday. Slaton averaged 1.9 yards a carry and wound up with more receiving yards than rushing. I nervously tell you not to panic. For one thing, you can’t just abandon your top pick that quickly. I am going to chalk this one up to Slaton playing a great defense. The kid has talent and is going to bust out soon enough. Unfortunately he is in Tennessee next week. However, he has Jacksonville and Oakland the following weeks. If we are looking at 1.9 yards a carry through Week 5, it is time to panic.

Matt Forte - Matt Forte was an arguable number one going into this year’s draft. That means you took him over Adrian Peterson which is probably driving you nuts this week. Forte had a disappointing 55 yards on 25 carries against Green Bay. This is one guy you absolutely cannot give up on. You’ll never get value if you trade him. You also can’t sit him. I am going to chalk this one up to playing a rival, being on the road, and Jay Cutler’s terrible performance. Forte has some good matchups in the next few weeks. Unfortunately he is playing the Steelers on Sunday. Be patient because it won’t be pretty.

Aaron Rogers and Matt Schaub - Neither guy was likely picked in your first four rounds, so you don’t have that going against you. Unfortunately both guys were seen as offensive quarterbacks and were probably drafted higher than most quarterbacks. Both guys had below average days, with Schaub looking absolutely horrendous. Is it time to pick up Mark Sanchez or Matt Stafford on the waiver wire? I wouldn’t pull the trigger just yet.

For Rogers, he played a very aggressive Bears defense. Rivalry games are tough, because a bad team can be your worst enemy with the right speech. For Schaub, you just can’t discount the ankle injury. Schaub also didn’t have Kevin Walter which made Andre Johnson unavailable for most of the game.

The experts seem to think that Schaub’s ankle will be 100% by Sunday. It will need to be as he plays the Titans. For Rogers, I would have a longer leash on him. The thing going against Rogers is that the Packers are a very trendy Super Bowl pick this year. Those things generally never work out well for anyone.

Panic!

Willie Parker - I loved Willie Parker going into this season. He is in a contract year and Mike Tomlin said he wouldn’t be giving up many carries. That all changed in the opener. Parker was horrendous. The thing that worries me is that Parker usually starts hot and fades. Tomlin’s vote of confidence lasted all but two quarters as Mewelde Moore was the full time back by the third quarter. Parker was either a high game or a low pick so there isn’t a whole lot invested. Unfortunately he isn’t going to be the steal any of us thought he was. One man’s loss is another man’s gain. Pick up Mewelde Moore off of waivers!

Carson Palmer - Every year Palmer is projected to be a big breakout quarterback. Going into this season, he was a trendy pick as comeback player of the year. Unfortunately people quickly dismissed the presence of T.J Houshmandzadeh. If Palmer can’t throw on the Broncos, who is he going to throw on? Chad Ocho Stinko tweeted that he had a great game so who cares if they lost. This is a team in complete disarray. It is time for a complete overhaul on the Bengals and that includes Carson Palmer. I would start looking for better options if you are counting on Palmer leading you to the promised land.

Jay Cutler - I haven’t bought the hype on Cutler since his first start and I certainly wasn’t buying it this year. For one thing, he was in a new offense which will take some adjusting to. More importantly, who is he going to throw to? Cutler is a much different quarterback when he doesn’t have Brandon Marshall to bail him out of some bad situations. This team desperately needs an elite wide receiver. Until then, Cutler is going to try and force throws and turn over the ball. Cutler owners drafted him with the intention of stating him all season. I would rather take a shot on Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, or Matt Stafford at this point.

Frank Gore - Yes, it is time to panic on Gore. I know he had two touchdowns but I am starting to worry. His average yards per carry were abysmal and yet he had 22 carries. The thing with Gore is that he is young and he should be getting better. Gore’s stats have dropped every season following his breakout year in 2006. Gore was ranked in the top three going into some fantasy drafts. When a guy’s production drops that much, continues in Week 1, and is only 26, it is time to panic.

The upside here is that you can probably get some good trade value for him. The two touchdowns were a mirage in my opinion. Someone is going to be willing to give up some good players for Gore. Take advantage of the trade, upgrade your team, and forget the day you used your first pick on Frank Gore.

So there you have it. Those are just a few of the highly touted fantasy players that came up short in Week 1. Remember, it may be a 17 week in the NFL but it is only a 13 week season in fantasy football. Yes, anything can happen in the playoffs but you can’t make something happen if you aren’t there. Play the waiver wire wisely, trade with caution, and just remember…you can’t hold back talent.

And hopefully you only have to play Drew Brees or Adrian Peterson once a year.

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