NFL Week 10 picks and predictions

Lots to get to this week, I’ll save you some time and cut the intro here. I turned it around last week, going 10-3 to push me to 84-45 on the season.

On with the show…

Chicago (4-4) @ San Francisco (3-5):

Most of the chatter for this game stems from Vernon Davis’ comments that the 49ers are going to “shred” the Chicago defense.

CHICAGO BEARS DEFENSE TEAM PORTRAIT. PHOTO COPYRIGHTED TO VERNON DAVIS.

With the miniatures on the Midway giving up over 24 points per game, it’s hard to argue against Davis’ braggadocio — Chicago looks toothless right now. Only two Bears — Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye — have registered more than one sack and the team has just eight total interceptions. Because Chicago isn’t winning the turnover battle and its not winning the line of scrimmage battle, it’s particularly susceptible to a run-first team like San Francisco.

Frank Gore is running for 5.6 yards per carry and with Alex Smith and Michael Crabtree giving the ‘Niners a vertical passing threat, the Bears can’t key in on either.

San Fran keeps its playoff aspirations alive with a big win at home.

JORDAN SAYS: 49ers 26, Bears 13

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New Orleans (8-0) @ St. Louis (1-7):

GASB’s “St. Louis is a UFL team, right? Wait, they’re not?” game of the week!

JORDAN SAYS: Saints 44, Rams 3

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Tampa Bay (1-7) @ Miami (3-5):

The Buccaneers provided the NFL’s feel-good win of the season b y channeling the ghost of creamsicles past to beat the Green Bay Packers, but it’s back to reality in Week 10 against a Miami Dolphins team that could easily be 6-2 instead of 3-5.

Rookie quarterback Josh Freeman had a remarkable day for Tampa under the circumstances — no wide receivers, no run game and no offensive line — but the test will be in his ability to repeat that performance. Miami ranks 26th in the league in points per game allowed, so he’ll have his chances.

As will Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown.

BEHOLD: THE POWER OF CREME

The wildcat has been stifled in consecutive weeks, but Tampa Bay has the third-worst run defense in the league. If Miami can neutralize the ever-present Barrett Ruud, it’ll pull one game closer to .500.

JORDAN SAYS: Dolphins 23, Buccaneers 10

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Detroit (1-7) @ Minnesota (7-1):

There’s no way around it; Minnesota is too much for Detroit.

Too much speed, too much Adrian Peterson, too much Brett Favre, too much Jared Allen, too much Wall-o-Williams. Just too much.

And I’ll give the Lions even enough credit to say this would be a different conversation if they weren’t so damn banged-up, but without quarterback Matthew Stafford and linebackers Larry Foote and Ernie Sims (none of the three have practiced this week) the chance of this being so much as competitive is somewhere between an ice cube’s chance in hell and non-existent.

JORDAN SAYS: Vikings 30, Lions 9

—————

Buffalo (3-5) @ Tennessee (2-6):

I could make a fairly long list of reasons that the Bills won’t win this game, including such gems as:

• Jairus Byrd can (unfortunately) only play one position on the Bills’ defense.
• Vince Young’s early returns are overwhelmingly positive; from his poise in the pocket to touch on passes, he looks like a new man.
• Dick Jauron still coaches the Bills.
• Haywood Jeffries could do a better job at wide receiver than Terrell Owens right now.
• Dick Jauron still coaches the Bills.

But it comes down to two simple, indisputable truths: Chris Johnson is the league’s leading rusher through nine weeks and Buffalo has the league’s worst run defense.

Checkmate.

JORDAN SAYS: Titans 28, Bills 12

—————

Jacksonville (4-4) @ NY Jets (4-4):

I wonder if Las Vegas even bothers putting a line on Jaguars games anymore. Your odds are better at a roulette wheel than picking for or against Jacksonville — I don’t think I’ve done it correctly once this year.

This week’s matchup isn’t any more clear-cut than the previous eight.

The Jets are coming off a bye after trouncing the Oakland Raiders, and the Jaguars are coming off a three-point win over the Chiefs.

You know what? Screw it. I don’t know. It’s the Jaguars, I have no idea. None.

JORDAN SAYS: Jets 21, Jaguars 16

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Cincinnati (6-2) @ Pittsburgh (6-2):

Raise your hand if you thought a mid-season game between the Steelers and Bengals was going to decide the AFC North.

Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

That’s precisely the situation both teams find themselves in, though, with the Bengals already owning a sweep of the Ravens and a victory over the Steelers. So the question becomes, who is it more important to? Is it more important for the Steelers to stave off a sweep, or more important for the Bengals to make a statement?

The teams are strikingly similar — Cincinnati is fifth in points per game allowed, Pittsburgh sixth. Pittsburgh is 13th in points per game scored, Cincinnati 16th. Both teams boast franchise quarterbacks, receiving targets a-plenty and power run games. Both teams have ferocious defensive lines and hard-hitting linebackers.

The game breaker, as he often is, will be Troy Polamalu. The Bengals have no player to mirror the long-haired safety and nobody to match his leadership. In what will be a close game that could later decide the division, Polamalu is the difference-maker.

Or, in the immortal words of the always poignant Dan Dierdorf: “Troy Polamalu is a football player.”

JORDAN SAYS: Steelers 27, Bengals 23

—————

Denver (6-2) @ Washington (2-6):

Some have been quick to write off the upstart Broncos in the wake of back-to-back losses.

But realistically, there’s no shame in dropping a pair of contests to the Ravens and Steelers, and they have all the chance in the world to regain their momentum against a Redskins team still looking for its first victory over a non-winless opponent.

A Redskins team that will be without the services of Clinton Portis, no less.

As I’ve said since the beginning of the year, the way to beat Denver — the way Baltimore and Pittsburgh did — is to get an early lead of two scores or more. A Kyle Orton-quarterbacked team is not a team that is built to play from behind. Orton is one of the best in the game at efficient, short-to-mid-range passes, it’s when he has to routinely go long that he’s picked off as the Steelers took advantage of last week.

It won’t be an issue in Washington; the Redskins have scored just 113 points all year.

JORDAN SAYS: Broncos 33, Redskins 14

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Atlanta (5-3) @ Carolina (3-5):

Another thing I’ve been saying all year (god damn right I’ll toot my own horn) is that Carolina is plenty capable of being a 10 or 11-win team so long as it follows a simple formula — less than 20 pass attempts per game by Jake Delhomme and at least 20 rush attempts by DeAngelo Williams.

Surprise, surprise in their last two victories, Delhomme has thrown for less than 100 yards and Williams has run for over 150. In their last two losses, Delhomme has thrown for over 200. Not a coincidence.

KEEPING JAKE DELHOMME FROM HAVING TO PASS SINCE 2008

And it should be a relatively easy game plan to stick to against a Falcons squad allowing just shy of 120 rush yards per game.

That still might not be enough to secure a win, though, because Atlanta is an offensively explosive team that has finally got Michael Turner running to 2008’s level. Both teams should be using their feature backs to open up play action down the field, with the Falcons getting the edge through the air because unlike his counterpart, Matt Ryan has more touchdown passes to his own team than the opposition.

JORDAN SAYS: Falcons 21, Panthers 19

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Kansas City (1-7) @ Oakland (2-6):

The only reason this one isn’t called the Toilet Bowl is because of the Rams/Lions game last week that beat it to the punch. I think you’ll all forgive me for not wasting my time here.

JORDAN SAYS: Chiefs 17, Raiders 6

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Seattle (3-5) @ Arizona (5-3):

You could pretty much copy and paste my paragraph about the Jacksonville Jagaurs and sub Kurt Warner’s name in a la Mad Libs.

Five interceptions one week, five touchdowns the next. Such is the life of a forty-something quarterback in the NFL. Jokes aside, that forty-something has the Cardinals playing damn good football lately — winners of four of their last five — and with only one winning team left on the schedule, the playoffs are well within reach again.

Obviously, Warner has his share of weapons in the passing game, but it’s the emergence of Tim “poor man’s Marshall Faulk” Hightower that’s helping this offense move. Despite not posting a single hundred-yard game, Hightower gets the tough yards in short-yardage situations and has been an enormous help in the passing game.

That’s a lot of what separates the Cardinals and Seahawks. Matt Hasselbeck has weapons with T.J. Houshmastyfsfefekjhekvsajb and Nate Burleson, but he lacks the check-down guy that can make things happen in open space. Julius Jones and Edgerrin James have been equally quiet in the run game, and that’ll cost the Seahawks against that stifling front seven.

JORDAN SAYS: Cardinals 29, Seahawks 10

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Dallas (6-2) @ Green Bay (4-4):

The classic case of two teams headed in opposite directions.

The Cowboys have found themselves as of late, thanks to Tony Romo’s new-found intelligence in the pocket and the emergence of Miles Austin. Even Roy Williams got in on last week’s action with a handful of targets and solid runs after the catch.

DOING DEION SANDERS' NUMBER PROUD

The defense is quietly coming on just as strong.

As a unit, they’re seventh in points per game allowed, but its individual performers that are shining through. Cornerback Michael Jenkins has been a terror to opposing wideouts and Terrence Newman has been equally adept with one pick and a team-high nine passed defensed.

Here’s why that’s important: Aaron Rodgers is a glorified crash test dummy behind an offensive line missing both starting tackles. They can’t pass block, they can’t run block, they.. you know, I don’t know what that line can do. Collect paychecks they don’t deserve, maybe.

Rodgers has been sacked 37 times through eight games; the second most sacked QB, Matt Cassel, has only been dumped 27 times. So while Rodgers has one of the best receiving tandems in the league and a solid defense to get him the ball back, he simply doesn’t have time to do anything with it. With the Cowboys blanketing Greg Jennings and Donald Driver downfield, pencil Rodgers in for at least another four sacks.

Music to Demarcus Ware’s ears.

JORDAN SAYS: Cowboys 23, Packers 17

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Philadelphia (5-3) @ San Diego (5-3):

I often wonder how the Philadelphia Eagles would look if somebody besides Andy Reid was coach.

If they had competent play calls on third-and-1, or in any sort of fourth-down situations. Alas, that’s not the case, and it’s cost the Eagles two games already this year.

Granted, Donovan McNabb’s piss-poor outing last week didn’t help matters.. but don’t expect him to have that kind of outing again, even against a much-improved San Diego pass defense. Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin have to get into the game early to open up the run game for LeSean McCoy since Westbrook’s status for Sunday is uncertain.

The Chargers’ game plan is simple — Philip Rivers to Vincent Jackson. Again, and again, and again until Philadelphia can stop it, if at all.

JORDAN SAYS: Chargers 24, Eagles 23

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New England (6-2) at Indianapolis (8-0):

I’ll just assume nobody cares about this matchup and move on.

Now with that bad joke out of the way, we can get down to what’s become the most anticipated regular-season matchup of each season. Conference power vs. Conference power. Brady vs. Manning. Offense vs. Offense.

TWO SECONDS TO LASER-ROCKET-ARM DEPLOYMENT

I could rattle off every statistic or ranking in the book, but the simple truth is it usually comes down to who has the ball last and which defense comes up with the one big play to swing the momentum. Without usuals Bob Sanders, Rodney Harrison and Mike Vrabel for this go-round, it’s up to somebody new to make their mark in this historic series.

Its up to Manning and Brady to provide some last-minute heroics on the requisite two-minute drill.

And it’s up to the rest of us to sit back and enjoy watching two of the best to ever do it.

JORDAN SAYS: Colts 21, Patriots 20

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Baltimore (4-4) @ Cleveland (1-7):

Baltimore is three plays away from 7-1 and it knows it. The NFL isn’t about could-be’s or maybe situations, though. It’s a results-oriented league and the Ravens aren’t delivering them.

That is until the Cleveland “wait, how did they win a game again?” Browns line up across the field.

Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Tim Couch, Bernie Kosar — it doesn’t matter who’s at the helm for this team, they can’t move the football on the air or the ground and they can’t stop it either.

Sometimes, it’s that simple.

JORDAN SAYS: Ravens 32, Browns 0

—————

BYE: New York Giants, Houston.

– Jordan Rogowski

Week 8: The Fantasy Football Follow-Up

So some might say this was a rough week for yours truly… I’d prefer to characterize it more as a “feast or famine” type of affair. Turns out I either killed it with my good picks or I killed your week if you followed my bad ones. But, for all the naysayers, 11 out of 18 ain’t bad, in fact it’s pretty freaking good. In short, I’m not perfect, but I’m certainly good enough to help out your team, so here’s the recap on why…

Nailed It (Great call!):

– Tony Romo (QB, Dallas Cowboys): Yep, 256 yards and three TDs, I called that one! Honestly though, I didn’t really think Roy E. would get one…

– Stephen Jackson (RB, St. Louis Rams): Super high on Jackson going forward, do whatever you have to do to get him. His 149 yards and a TD are indicative of the top-5 performer he’ll end up being.

HOPING HE CAN RUN SO HARD HE ENDS UP IN A DIFFERENT UNIFORM

– Joseph Addai (RB, Indianapolis Colts): Hahaha, I can’t say luck isn’t always involved… I did predict he’d play a part in the passing game, just not as the passer.

– Steve Smith (WR, Carolina Panthers): He’s not over yet… three catches, 56 yards, and the TD don’t necessarily scream fantasy animal, but he’s headed back towards must-start status.

– Tony Gonzalez (TE, Atlanta Falcons): No pay dirt, but Tony was a prime target against the Saints. Ryan struggled, but not to find Gonzalez (six times for 89 yards).

– Jeremy Shockey (TE, New Orleans Saints): I hate it when I’m right sometimes.

– Brent Celek (TE, Philadelphia Eagles): The Eagles looked crazy-good against the Giants this past week, and Celek played a big role in a big win.

– Chargers (D/ST, San Diego): Talk about big time pressure on the QB! Five sacks from a team most experts claimed lacked a legitimate pass-rush. INTs help as well.

– Dolphins (D/ST, Miami): Can’t say I predicted the Special Teams explosion, but I’ll take the final result regardless. Not as high on Miami next week against my beloved Pats however.

– Nick Folk (K, Dallas Cowboys): He’s a kicker, and he scored points.

– Robbie Gould (K, Chicago Bears): See Nick Folk.

Got Nailed (Terrible call!):

– Kurt Warner (QB, Arizona Cardinals): Wow, that was ugly. This was one of my all-time bad calls. I figured it would be the Arizona D picking off Delhomme left and right, not the Carolina D making Ol’ Kurt look foolish.

NO LONGER EXCITED ABOUT THAT AARP CARD

– David Garrard (QB, Jacksonville Jaguars): Another bad one. How inconsistent can Garrard actually be? He’s filthy at home, but on the road he’s downright terrible. Just 139 yards and two picks makes me regret suggesting him to you guys.

– Marshawn Lynch (RB, Buffalo Bills): Bad, bad, bad. Nine carries for 43 yards. No sight of Fred Jackson, and T.O. was the best RB for the Bills on the field, that tells the story.

– Mike Sims-Walker (WR, Jacksonville Jaguars): Two catches, nine yards. This was unacceptable.

– Lee Evans (WR, Buffalo Bills): My prediction was so far off… Apparently T.O. is there to be a receiver, not just a decoy to help Lee. Either way, I’m hating both of them from this point on.

– Cardinals (D/ST, Arizona): Carolina ran at will, and scored in the process… Not  a good combo for a fantasy D/ST.

– Neil Rackers (K, Arizona Cardinals): When you get worked over, you kicker doesn’t get much work.

Wash (Probably didn’t kill you…):

– Well, “feast or famine” means nothing falls in the middle.

* (39-29-22, 0.5556) after Week 8. Still treading water above 500!

My hate was misplaced across the board. I should have known these guys would pop off…

– Braylon Edwards (WR, New York Jets): Braylon played well, splitting targets evenly with Jericho Cotchery, a concern I had going into Week 8. I thought Cotchery would steal a lot of Braylon’s looks, but I was mistaken.

– Everyone (RBs, Oakland Raiders): Justin Fargas is actually a surprisingly acceptable play moving forward. His value (for me at least) was limited by Michael Bush, but its clear that Fargas is the guy, until McFadden returns in a few weeks. Fargas = not hateworthy.

– Michael Crabtree (WR, San Francisco 49ers): It wasn’t because I don’t like him, believe me, I do. I just thought he’d be eased into the offense a little more gradually than he has been. He looks great, and the scores will come. I won’t be hating Crabtree in the future if he keeps this pace up.

* (9-4-2, 0.6667) A minor setback, but my hatefulness shall return, worry not!

“Big Johnson”:

– Chris Johnson (RB, Tennessee Titans): Monster, and I mean monster week! Seriously, Chris was head and shoulders above all other Johnson’s and I think he maintains that pace moving forward. It’s going to take a lot to stray from him in the future, but keep checking back… the money’s always in the matchups.

* (2-3 0.4000) calling the Johnson’s. Inching back (I’m used to it… ha!).

Week 8’s Top Performers: Fluke or For Real:

Quarterbacks

#1. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers

FOR REAL: This isn’t going to change guys… Aaron is filthy, and will continue to be. There aren’t a lot of QBs I’d take over him going forward. In an epic showdown, Rodgers came out on top, despite his team falling at home. Aaron threw for 257 and three TDs, earning him a decided FOR REAL.

#2. Brett Favre ­– Minnesota Vikings

FOR REAL: He’s a good quarterback, on a great team, and the key is that he’s not being asked to carry his squad. In a complementary role, Favre is really thriving, and he’s surrounded by great players. He’s FOR REAL.

GUN STATUS: IN HOLSTERS

#3. Mark Sanchez – New York Jets

FLUKE: He’s going to throw more and more as the season progresses, and the Jets running game has really shown some dominance. I expect Sanchez to play relatively well, but to be FOR REAL, there needs to be a good chance you end up in the top 3 in a given week. Sanchez isn’t there yet.

Running Backs:

#1. Chris Johnson ­– Tennessee Titans

FOR REAL: I’m calling it now — top-3 fantasy back at the end of the year. Any time he touches the ball, he can take it to the house. Notching 228 on 24 carries and two TDs is a pretty tall order each week, but he’ll be FOR REAL for his owners, no doubt.

#2. Ryan Moats – Houston Texans

FLUKE: And so it begins… The Great Slaton Debate! Stop panicking!

THE BUFFALO BILLS DEFENSE: TURNING NOBODIES INTO SUPERSTARS SINCE WEEK 1

There really isn’t a debate here folks. Moats will be a top waiver pickup, and will be the subject of much discussion this week, but at most, he’ll be splitting carries with Steve. The benching was a statement, not a permanent decision. I think Slaton, despite the fumbles, is a great buy-low candidate right now, and Moats is nothing but a FLUKE.

#3. Maurice Jones-Drew – Jacksonville Jaguars

FOR REAL: He is straight smashing everyone in his path. Monster. FOR REAL. 8 rushes, 177 yards, 2 TDs. Unreal.

Wide Receivers:

#1. Reggie Wayne – Indianapolis Colts

FOR REAL: Massive, but I’m sure his owners have grown accustomed to it. It doesn’t get a lot better than 12 catches for 147 and a TD. It shouldn’t be news to anyone that Wayne is FOR REAL.

#2. Roddy White – Atlanta Falcons

FOR REAL: More and more, Roddy is showing his doubters that he is a No. 1 wide receiver. Matt’s been a little shaky, but surrounded with great weapons, White should only get better. I like guys that make big plays, and he was close to surpassing his great 100+ 1 TD game. Face it, the dude is FOR REAL!

STILL NOT AS COOL AS THIS RODDY

#3. Vincent Jackson – San Diego Chargers

FOR REAL: Big plays, big plays, big plays. It’s the same thing every week. V-Jax has the hands and the wheels to make it happen, and with the Chargers run game taking on water each week, I think he only improves. My love for V-Jax is FOR REAL!

Tight Ends:

#1. Dustin Keller – New York Jets

FOR REAL: I was high on him at the beginning of the season, and there has been peaks and valleys with his performance since then. Keller has really shown a good relationship with Sanchez, namely that when he feels some pressure, he looks to Dustin to dump to. In PPR leagues especially, Keller is proving to be FOR REAL.

#2. Dallas Clark – Indianapolis Colts

FOR REAL: Big time player on a crazy-good pass offense. Clark is looking like the ’08 Witten, and is showing no signs of slowing down. With elite fantasy TEs dropping like flies, Clark could be the best out there right now. Did I mention he’s FOR REAL?

#3. Kevin Boss – New York Giants

FLUKE: No. If you watched this game, you would already have figured out that Boss’ performance was a result of everyone else being shut down. Three catches for 70 yards and  a TD is nice, but it’s not something you can expect, just merely a FLUKE.

THE REAL BOSS

Defense / Special Teams:

#1. Chicago Bears

FOR REAL: The Bears were really really good. If they can come even close to putting up two-INT, three-fumble recoveries, TD and a blocked kick game again, they’ll be a D/ST to be reckoned with. I’m thinking they’re FOR REAL.

#2. Carolina Panthers

FLUKE: Not a chance these guys are FOR REAL. You can’t expect that each week a QB will cough up five INTs and your D/ST will score. It just doesn’t happen that often. Not buying into this FLUKE.

#3. Atlanta Falcons

FOR REAL: For now… A lot of turnovers forced are a good thing. I like their upcoming schedule in the near future, and I dig some of the plays they’ve been able to make. I’m saying hold onto them for now, until the show they’re not FOR REAL.

Kickers:

#1. Rob Bironas – Tennessee Titans

FLUKE: So they got their first win, but I’m not a big fan of anyone but Chris on that team.

#2. Matt Stover – Indianapolis Colts

FOR REAL: He saw extensive work on Sunday, comprising nearly all of the Colts’ points. I also give extra credit for those guys who maximize opportunities they are given. While Adam Vinatieri heals, Stover should fill in quite nicely

#3. Steven Hauschka – Baltimore Ravens

FLUKE: I’m not there yet. I just have questions as to how many non-XP opportunities Baltimore K’s get. I’ll pass…

* Make sure you take a look at the GASB on Friday for the Week 9 F3, where I’ll make my fantasy picks for the next weekend. As always, any questions or comments can be emailed to briangrimsley@gmail.com.

– Brian Grimsley

The Week 8 F3: Fantasy Football Forecast

What can you say about Larry Johnson? Well, he’s a pretty terrible running back who somehow got his talent lauded throughout the week as a result of making homophobic comments in the media. What’s the worst part about that? It’s the only time he’s been mentioned in the media (with the word talent included). Let’s hope my picks have a better weekend than Larry does…

Quarterbacks:

–  Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys

Do not count this as me jumping on the “Miles Austin is the new Jesus” bandwagon. He may give the ‘Boys an offensive threat, but I think his weeks of dominance are a thing of the past. Look for the Seahawks to pay Miles a lot of attention, giving Tony good looks elsewhere (particularly Witten).

I think Tony drops numbers in Week 8, he looked great in Week 7.

– Kurt Warner – Arizona Cardinals

Warner, and the Cardinals offense as a whole, has been pretty inconsistent in ’09.

SOMEBODY'S EXCITED ABOUT HIS AARP CARD COMING IN THE MAIL

I’m seeing big strides made from Beanie Wells, and with that, comes more opportunities to open up the passing game. With Fitzgerald and Boldin arguably healthy, and Steve Breaston and Jerheme Urban waiting in the wings, I’m digging the Cards against a bad Carolina squad Sunday afternoon.

– David Garrard – Jacksonville Jaguars

I really feel bad for the Titans. They’ve become what I like to call, a “fantasy green-light”, or a team whose defense is so poor you have to start anyone against them.

David Garrard isn’t very sexy, and without Mike Sims-Walker, there isn’t much to like about him in a given week. But he has Mike this week, and he’s starting against the Titans, so plug him in fearlessly!

Running Backs:

– Steven Jackson – St. Louis Rams

There’s a phrase in golf used after your buddy nails a beautiful long putt, but to make an 8. That phrase is “whipped cream on (four-letter expletive starting with s)”.

Steven Jackson is just that. He is the lone bright spot on an otherwise heaping pile of… well, you get the point. Against the Lions, in what some are calling the “Toilet Bowl”, Jackson should shine.

– Joseph Addai – Indianapolis Colts

Wow. This really feels strange. I mean, I make a concerted effort to make picks that are a little outside the box, but Joseph Addai? Am I pushing things too far? Isn’t Donald Brown supposed to be the guy?

Look back, the passing game is on fire, and Addai is actually a substantial part of it! I know, you’re probably rubbing your eyes, but you should throw him in this week against the Niners, even if it feels wrong…

– Marshawn Lynch – Buffalo Bills

So the Bills offense showed a little, miniscule, off-in-the-distance pulse. Expect that pulse to get a lot louder in Week 8 against the Texans.

BEAST MODE

I’ve given up on Fred Jackson playing a big role in the offense, so I’ve resigned to endorsing Lynch. As the apparent go-to guy, you need to play Marshawn this weekend, as I see him getting touches in bunches, and making a splash in the passing and ground games…

Wide Receivers:

– Steve Smith – Carolina Panthers

Well, well, well… It’s really been a while since we’ve talked about this Steve Smith! The Cardinals have shown in the past that they can really force a bunch of turnovers when the ball is being thrown around against them, but I don’t see it stopping Smith from putting up numbers. He’s laid dormant for nearly all of ’09, but jumped back into the picture last week. I think we see even more production in Week 8.

– Mike Sims-Walker – Jacksonville Jaguars

There’s a lot of “Sims-Walker bathwater”-flavored Kool-Aid being passed around the fantasy world. I’m guilty of buying into the hype. Against the Titans, who have routinely given up eye-popping weeks to WRs around the league, I think Mike follows that trend.

– Lee Evans – Buffalo Bills

The kid is a really nice WR. I got the logic behind the T.O. signing, namely that his presence would take away the double-coverage Evans had been getting regularly. It hasn’t really turned out that way though. T.O. is Terrible, Officially. Evans hasn’t broken out, but I think he does despite TO’s ineffectiveness in ’09, and I think this is the week he does it.

Tight Ends:

– Tony Gonzalez – Atlanta Falcons

Not too much of a stretch to back arguably the greatest pass-catching tight end in history. He started hot, and has really tapered off significantly, but in Week 8 I see Tony resurfacing at the top of the TE rankings. New Orleans tends to be opposing TE-friendly, so I think we have the makings for a nice day.

– Jeremy Shockey – New Orleans Saints

Yep, I just threw up next to my desk. Just play him. I really don’t want to talk about why.

THE FIRST 'P' IN PPR LEAGUES STANDS FOR PATRIOTISM

– Brent Celek – Philadelphia Eagles

Speaking of TE-friendly matchups, the Giants have, at times, been guilty of just that.

Philadelphia seems to be close, and if all of their pieces start to click together, they’re a real dangerous team. Another thing to consider: with Westbrook nicked, LeSean McCoy is going to be expected to step up.

If he can’t, Andy Reid will have to go pass-happy, which only helps Celek’s value.

Defense / Special Teams:

– San Diego Chargers

See their opponent. If you have any other questions, take up Fantasy Hockey.

– Arizona Cardinals

­So it appears that Delhomme’s light has yet to be extinguished. This could be the final snuff.

– Miami Dolphins

If all the Jets do is run, their point total should stay reasonably low. If they decide to ease up on Sanchez’s leash a bit, Miami has the ability to convert turnovers into big plays. I like them quite a bit in Week 8.

MARK SANCHEZ'S OFFSEASON TRAINING PROGRAM

Kickers:

Here are some waiver pick-ups for Week 8. As always, stream your kickers for good matchups: a good week helps, a bad week kills!

– Nick Folk – Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks.

– Neil Rackers – Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers.

– Robbie Gould – Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns.

Drink all you want, and still drive! These are the guys who I see blowing (get it? DWI pun…) in Week 8:

– Braylon Edwards – WR, New York Jets

He still knows how to drop a few, but the bigger issue is that the Jets really aren’t letting Marky Mark throw it a ton. The mathematics here don’t add up to a good week.

– Everyone – RBs, Oakland Raiders

You all suck. Justin Fargas, Michael Bush, the other guy. A lot of folks are hyping up Fargas because he runs hard. Isn’t ‘running hard’ what your high school coach used to say when the fat kid tried the mile? As in, “I’ll give him credit, he’s running hard?” Would you pick the fat kid?

– Michael Crabtree – WR, San Francisco 49ers

I think he ends up being great, his talent is undeniable. I just don’t think this is the week. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. Look for Bobby Sanders to lay a lick on him (as a side-bet).

“Big Johnson of the Week”:

– Well, injuries and idiocy helped narrow this one down. Andre and Calvin are both somewhat of a question mark. Larry will fall only slightly short of his usual weekly output, this time being inactive. Josh lost his job, and Ocho is on the bye. I think this one’s safe for Chris.

* Check back on Tuesday for the Fantasy Football Follow-Up to see how my picks panned out and a review of the week’s top fantasy performers. As always, any fantasy-specific questions can be sent to briangrimsley@gmail.com. Best of luck in Week 8!

– Brian Grimsley