Indianapolis @ St. Louis - Not a very exciting match-up in the real world, but for fantasy owners this one should have you drooling. The Rams have given up 35 points in three of their first six games and with Peyton Manning and co. coming to town its going to be another long day for St. Louis fans. Steven Jackson has managed to stay healthy so far this season and is once again piling up yards. Unfortunately for the Rams and Jackson owners those yards are not turning into touchdowns. Keep Jackson in your lineup though, when healthy he has the potential every week to have huge games no matter who the hapless Rams are playing.
Peyton Manning is having yet another MVP-caliber season, averaging over 300 yards and 2 TDs a game. His efficiency numbers are also astronomical, as he is completing 73% of his passes for just over 9 yards-per-attempt. After his week one injury, reports were that Anthony Gonzalez would be able to return this week after the bye, but with Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie filling in so capably it look like they will be a little more cautious and hold him out at least one more week. Neither Joseph Addai or Donald Brown have had much success running the ball this year, but against a weak opponent Addai is a solid start as he has been getting more time in the red zone and far more receptions than the rookie.
Fantasy Projections
Marc Bulger - 200 passing yards 1 TD
Steven Jackson - 130 total yards 1 TD
Donnie Avery - 3 receptions 60 yards 1 TD
Peyton Manning - Over 300 passing yards 3 TD
Joseph Addai - 70 total yards 1 TD
Donald Brown - 50 total yards
Reggie Wayne - 5 receptions 90 yards 1 TD
Collie/Garcon - 4 receptions 70 yards (each) 1 TD
Dallas Clark - 5 receptions 60 yards 1 TD
Final Score - Indianapolis 31, St. Louis 10
New England @ Tampa Bay - This one will be played in London, too bad we couldn't have given them a better game. If you were wondering how long it takes a quarterback to fully recover from ACL surgery, apparently its about 1 year and 5 weeks. Tom Brady once again looked like his old self last week, throwing 5 TD passes in the second quarter en route to a 59-0 win over the reeling Titans. Basically any Patriot on your roster will have a chance to score some points this week, but Brady, Moss, and Welker are the locks.
Once again this week, Kellen Winslow is the only strong play for the Buccaneers. No QB and an awful defense make even Winslow risky, but if their offense does anything it will most likely go through him. Its only a matter of time before Josh Freeman takes over, which I'm guessing will make Winslow useless as well.
Fantasy Projections
Tom Brady- Over 300 passing yards 3 TDs
Laurence Maroney - 75 total yards 1 TD
Randy Moss - 5 receptions 130 yards 2 TD
Wes Welker - 9 receptions 90 yards
Ben Watson - 4 receptions 40 yards 1 TD
Josh Johnson- 120 passing yards 2 INTs 50 rushing yards
Cadillac Williams - 50 total yards
Kellen Winslow - 4 receptions 50 yards
Final Score - New England 41, Tampa Bay 3
Buffalo @ Carolina - In the first two weeks of the season the Bills offense didn't look too bad, putting up 57 points and were a fumbled kickoff away from a 2-0 start. Since then, however, the wheels have fallen off to the point that many fans are saying Ryan Fitzpatrick gives them the best chance to win. In Trent Edwards' defense, he has not had any protection and T.O. couldn't get open if he were a 7-Eleven. Whether its Edwards or Fitzpatrick at QB won't make much difference until the O-line and receivers start playing better. Marshawn Lynch has only averaged 3.0 YPC since returning from suspension so I expect the Bills to give Fred Jackson a bigger load rather than the 50-50 split they've been going with.
Jake Delhomme still hasn't shaken off the rust and it is looking more and more like he never will. His poor play is also causing former top receiver Steve Smith to have limited numbers and unlimited frustration. The Panthers were able to get their running game going last week against the Bucs, with both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart going for over 100 yards and a TD. The Bills are the perfect match-up for the Panthers from a fantasy perspective, as they give up the least fantasy points to opposing QBs and the most to opposing running backs. Williams and Stewart are both strong starts while Delhomme and Smith can ride the pine.
Edwards/Fitzpatrick- 180 passing yards 1 TD 2 INTs
Fred Jackson - 80 total yards
Marshawn Lynch - 70 total yards
Lee Evans - 5 receptions 100 yards 1 TD
Terrell Owens - 3 receptions 40 yards
Jake Delhomme - 150 passing yards 1 INT
DeAngelo Williams - 120 total yards 1 TD
Jonathan Stewart - 120 total yards 1 TD
Steve Smith - 4 receptions 50 yards
Final Score - Carolina 20, Buffalo 10
Atlanta @ Dallas - Although Michael Turner is averaging just 3.5 YPC he is on pace for over 1,100 yards and 16 TDs for the season. We have yet to see any break-away runs from Turner the Burner which would explain his sub-par average. He should be in your lineup every week as an explosion is possible against anyone. Matt Ryan, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez have all been solid this season and, as they showed against San Fransisco, they are also capable of an eruption of fantasy points at any time.
Dallas is easily the most maligned 3-2 team in the NFL right now. While Tony Romo and the Cowboy passing attack has not been what is was the past two seasons, they are averaging 160 yards-per-game and 5.9 YPC as a team. With Marion Barber and Felix Jones both fully participating in practice this week and Tashard Choice playing well in relief, the Cowboys should be running until somebody stops them. Fantasy-wise, its a tough spot wit the three-headed monster; Barber should get goal-line work, Jones is the big-play threat, but Choice is the only one that has been reliably healthy. They are all good flex options but none makes a reliable RB2. Miles Austin enters the starting lineup after a huge game versus Kansas City. I would be wary of starting him at this point until he proves his last game wasn't a fluke, but if he does emerge as Romo's #1 option his potential is through the roof.
Fantasy Projections
Matt Ryan- 230 passing yards 2 TDs
Michael Turner - 90 total yards 1 TD
Roddy White - 4 receptions 80 yards 1 TD
Tony Gonzalez - 5 reception 60 yards 1 TD
Tony Romo - 250 passing yards 1 TD
Barber/Choice/Jones- 80 total yards (each) 2 TDs (combined)
Miles Austin - 4 receptions 70 yards
Roy Williams - 4 receptions 50 yards
Jason Witten - 7 receptions 80 yards 1 TD
Final Score - Dallas 27, Atlanta 24
Arizona @ NY Giants - Ahmad Bradshaw has displaced Brandon Jacobs as the primary fantasy scorer in the Giants backfield. He has out-rushed Jacobs despite carrying the ball 40 fewer times, averaging 6.2 YPC. But Cardinal's run defense has been the best in the league this year, meaning Eli Manning and his new-found group of play-making receivers will have to get it going against the below-average Arizona secondary. Much like the Dallas running backs, the Giant's receivers have all been good at times, but you never quite know which one will have the big game. Steve Smith and Mario Manningham have been great, then suddenly rookie Hakeem Nicks comes off the injured list and looks like he may be the best of the bunch. Smith is still the best bet week-to-week but Manningham and Nicks are both good plays because of their big-play ability.
Anquan Boldin will be a game-time decision, so Steve Breaston becomes a WR2 in most leagues but a solid flex in all formats. Tim Hightower remains the starter and solid receiving threat out of the backfield, but Chris Wells is taking more and more snaps from Hightower and could be the starter soon. Kurt Warner is once again completing a high number of his passes, but his TDs have been way down from his past two seasons. As long as he has Larry Fitzgerald he continues to be a good fantasy starter, but his days in the elite appear to be over.
Fantasy Projections
Eli Manning - 270 passing yards 2 TDs
Ahmad Bradshaw - 80 total yards 1 TD
Brandon Jacobs - 50 total yards
Steve Smith - 8 receptions 100 yards 1 TD
Hakeem Nicks - 4 receptions 80 yards 1 TD
Mario Manningham - 4 receptions 60 yards
Kurt Warner - 300 passing yards 2 TDs 1 INT
Hightower/Wells - 70 total yards (each)
Larry Fitzgerald - 6 receptions 120 yards 2 TDs
Steve Breaston - 5 receptions 80 yards
Final Score - NY Giants 24, Arizona 17
Philadelphia @ Washington - The Eagles are way too good not to rebound from a terrible loss last week to Oakland. Everyone is healthy on the Philly offense and they should put on a show for us on Monday Night Football. The Redskins haven't surrendered a lot of fantasy points this year, but with all the drama surrounding their head coach accompanying their ineffective offense a blow-out should be in the works. DeSean Jackson and Brian Westbrook are boom-bust options but Donovan McNabb and Brent Celek are locks to put up good numbers.
Already one of the worst offenses in the league, the Redskins' offense will be led by Sherm Lewis, who has been out of football for five years and only with the team for a couple of weeks. Jason Campbell will be the starting QB for at least one more game, not that it matters in fantasy since no one will be scoring much for Washington.
Fantasy Projections
Donovan McNabb - 275 passing yards 3 TDs
Brian Westbrook - 100 total yards 1 TD
DeSean Jackson - 4 receptions 80 yards 1 TD
Jeremy Maclin - 4 receptions 60 yards
Brent Celek - 6 receptions 60 yards 1 TD
Jason Campbell - 140 passing yards 1 TD 2 INTs
Clinton Portis - 70 total yards
Santana Moss - 3 receptions 50 yards
Chris Cooley - 6 receptions 60 yards 1 TD
Final Score - Philadelphia 34, Washington 7
