One team traded their best offensive weapon, the other is offensively clueless. The Browns have an injured running back, no confidence in their quarterbacks, and now don't have Braylon Edwards dropping balls for them. On the other side, the Bills have two solid receivers in Terrell Owens and Lee Evans, but Dick Jauron's scheme barely gives them enough chances to drop the ball.
This might be an ugly game for fantasy owners. My best advice is to avoid players on both of these teams like the plague.
Fantasy Projections
Derek Anderson: 185 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Jerome Harrison: 75 total yards
Mohamad Massaquoi: 60 yards, 1 touchdown
Trent Edwards: 220 yards, 1 touchdown
Terrell Owens: 75 yards
Lee Evans: 50 yards, 1 touchdown
BUF Running Backs: TBD - Marshawn Lynch is back, so Fred Jackson will lose carries
Final Score: Bills 16 - Browns -3 (kidding, you can't be negative... the Browns will score 7)
Dallas at Kansas City - 1:00 pm EST Sunday
If the Browns aren't depressing enough for you, let's move on to analyzing the Chiefs. Wow. If you've got $20 in your pocket, and it's either the spread or lunch, bet the spread. Your dinner will be a lot better than a $20 lunch.
The Cowboys come in after losing to Denver, with more for Tony Romo to prove and the perfect defense to do it against. The availability of Marian Barber and Felix Jones being questionable/doubtful should lead you to jump all over the Tashard Choice Bandwagon this week. Jason Witten should get his this week, too.
In regards to the Chiefs, they'll try this week.
Fantasy Projections
Tony Romo: 270 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception
Tashard Choice: 120 total yards, 1 touchdown
Jason Witten: 70 yards, 1 touchdown
Roy Williams: 40 yards, 1 touchdown
DeMarcus Ware: 19 sacks?
Matt Cassell: 120 yards
Larry Johnson: 60 total yards
Mark Bradley: 50 yards
Final Score: Cowboys 27 - Chiefs 6
Cincinnati at Baltimore - 1:00 pm EST Sunday
This might be an interesting matchup. The Bengals have played well enough to be undefeated, while the Ravens have played well enough for many of their opponents to beg for mercy. But they both have a loss, and the Patriots did the Bengals the favor of exposing the weaknesses in the Ravens' game last week.
Carson Palmer might be asked to carry the load, and Cedric Benson owners might want to look for another option if the Bengals take to the air to beat the balanced Ravens. Chad Ochocinco has had a good start to the season, and him getting in the end zone might be the key for the Bengals to compete this week.
For the Ravens, their running game figures to continue rolling well behind Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. The two-headed monster, with the un-retired Derrick Mason, have given fantasy owners a reason to watch Ravens games other than praying their players aren't being hurt by Ray Lewis or Ed Reed.
Fantasy Projections
Joe Flacco: 310 yards, 2 touchdowns
Derrick Mason: 90 yards, 1 touchdown
Todd Heap: 60 yards, 1 touchdown
Willis McGahee: 85 total yards, 1 touchdown
Ray Rice: 110 total yards
BAL DEF: 1 touchdown, three sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Carson Palmer: 260 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Chad Ochocinco: 80 yards, 1 touchdown
Andre Caldwell: 95 yards, 1 touchdown
Cedric Benson: 80 total yards
Final Score: Ravens 27 - Bengals 20
New England at Denver - 4:15 pm EST Sunday
Since when are the Patriots the spoiler? Last week they took care of the Ravens' undefeated season, and this week they'll try to ruin the Broncos hot start as well.
Tom Brady has heard questions, and this week won't be any easier for him to get on track. Randy Moss will probably have Champ Bailey eating his french fries all afternoon, which means the Pats will need Wes Welker to have a big day for their offense to move. Fred Tayloris out for the next six to eight weeks, so plan accordingly in your backfield.
For the Broncos, their offense will need to step up like they did against the Cowboys for them to stay undefeated. Kyle Orton hasn't made a mistake yet, and the Pats will try to break that streak as well. With Correll Buckhalter out for this weekend, Knowshon Moreno will get his first chance as a feature back to suck up carries and yards against a defense that's been run on this year.
Fantasy Projections
Tom Brady: 280 yards, 2 touchdown, 1 interception
Wes Welker: 110 total yards
Randy Moss: 80 yards, 1 touchdown
Ben Watson: 60 yards, 1 touchdown
Kyle Orton: 240 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Knowshon Moreno: 130 total yards, 2 touchdowns
Brandon Marshall: 90 yards, 1 touchdown
Final Score: Broncos 24 - Patriots 21
- 8:20 pm EST Sunday
Indianapolis at Tennessee
Finally, an answer to the age-old question: What happens when consistent meets desperate?
Peyton Manning is a wrecking ball to any and every defense, and the Titans have had their share of problems this year. Meanwhile, the Titans have had problems with every part of their game. Kerry Collins has turned the ball over, they haven't been able to get a consistent running game, and they haven't stopped anyone's offense yet.
Will this week change anything in Nashville? I doubt it.
Fantasy Projections
Peyton Manning: 340 yards, 4 touchdowns
Donald Brown: 90 total yards, 1 touchdown
Reggie Wayne: 150 yards, 2 touchdowns
Pierre Garcon: 85 yards, 1 touchdown
Dallas Clark: 110 yards, 1 touchdown
Kerry Collins: 225 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Chris Johnson: 150 total yards, 1 touchdown
Nate Washington: 80 yards, 1 touchdown
Kenny Britt: 110 total yards, 1 touchdown
Final Score: Colts 38 - Titans 24
New York Jets at Miami - 8:30 pm EST Monday
Miami is working through an earlier-than-anticipated quarterback transition, while the Jets are thrilled to have given their young stud a Christmas present this week.
Braylon Edwards joins the Jets offense this week and brings a better deep threat to the Jets offense than they've had perhaps since Keyshawn Johnson left almost a decade ago. He might not be completely effective after just a couple days of practice with the new system, but his presence alone should open the game up for Thomas Jones and Dustin Keller.
Meanwhile, Miami's defense was trashed by Peyton Manning and their offense lost Chad Pennington the next week. Chad Henne is still trying to get his legs under him, so the running game will have to do what not many others have successfully done against Rex Ryan's Jets: move the ball. This could be a slugfest.
Fantasy Projections
Mark Sanchez: 220 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Thomas Jones: 125 total yards, 1 touchdown
Braylon Edwards: 30 yards
Dustin Keller: 50 yards, 1 touchdown
Leon Washington: 110 total yards, 1 touchdown
Chad Henne: 175 yards, 1 interception
Ted Ginn Jr: 90 total yards
Ronnie Brown: 90 total yards, 1 touchdown
Ricky Williams: 70 total yards
Final Score: Jets 27 - Dolphins 13
