Match Up Monsters And Misses

Week 12 of the NFL season is already upon us. Seems like just yesterday I was mock drafting around the clock to try to get a feel for the draft value for different players. I blinked, and we are merely weeks away from the end of many peoples seasons, and the tourney to crown a champion for others. Let's take a look at the good and bad match ups for this weeks NFL action.

Match Up Monsters

Image source: mstarz.com

The Cleveland Browns are likely to go through one of the biggest late season transformations of any team in the league. The addition of Josh Gordon back to the receiving corps for the Browns is primed to completely change the Cleveland offense. Gordon has been a prolific pass catcher in the past, and as long as he can be in somewhat game ready shape this week, he figures to have a soft landing spot this week. The Browns face the last ranked pass defense of the Atlanta Falcons this week. Atlanta allows 281.2 yards per game through the air, and Josh Gordon and Andrew Hawkins factor to catch a lot of passes in an offense that threw the ball 50 times last week.

Image source: sbnation.com

Kansas City Chiefs running backs Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis have a great match up on

Thursday this week against the Oakland Raiders. Oakland is allowing 129.8 yards per game on the ground with their 27th ranked run defense. Keeping with the tradition of Thursday night games being great for running plays right into the strength of the Chiefs offense. Charles is always a must start guy, but Davis could see some work as well if the Chiefs get out to a lead, and in spelling Charles.

 Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts wide receivers will likely be out for blood this week after getting trounced last week by the Patriots. Bad news for the Jaguars and their 26th ranked pass defense. Allowing 261.9 yards per game, and 18 touchdowns through the air, the Colts will likely take it to the Jags porous defense. Look for lots of big numbers for the likes of the Colts pass attack.

DeMarco Murray and the Dallas Cowboys running backs should be licking their chops at their match up this week. Facing the worst ranked run defense of the New York Giants who allow 145 yards per game and 13 rushing touchdowns on the season. The Giants were gashed by the Seahawks two weeks ago, and last week gave up 5 yards per carry to Frank Gore last week. Look for Murray and maybe even Joseph Randle to get some quality points for your fantasy teams this week.

Image source: zimbio.com

I've been down on the Chicago Bears offense the last few weeks, and will admit being mostly wrong last week. This week I see a big week ahead for the Bears against the 30th ranked pass defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has given up 20 touchdowns through the air this season, and 266.1 yards per game. This should be a game that Jay Cutler can get right in, and light up the scoreboards in your fantasy leagues with Alshon Jeffery, Brandon Marshall, and maybe even some Martellus Bennett. The bears offense is a full go for me.

Match Up Misses 

The New York Jets offense has been a mess this season, and I don't see it getting better this week against the Buffalo Bills defense. Ranked 9th against the run, allowing 99 yards per game and only 5 rushing touchdowns on the season against the pass, it seems like it might be a long day for Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory. The receivers for the Jets might not fare much better against the 7th ranked pass defense the Bills are sporting. Only allowing 222.6 yards per game and 14 touchdowns to 12 interceptions on the season, the Bills run a formidable defense out every week. If you have been playing the Jets offense, I can't say that I see much to like this week.

Image source: appszoom.com

Speaking of a mess, Washington is a hot one. Robert Griffin III was a good college quarterback. Yes, College. In the NFL he is well on his way to being a bust. This doesn't lead to good things for those surrounding him on the offense. This week I expect tough sledding for the Washington running game, namely Alfred Morris. The opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, sports the 6th ranked pass defense in the NFL at 88.6 yards per game and 5 scores on the season. I fully expect the 49ers to stack the box and force RG3 to beat them, and I don't think he can. Alf would likely not be a guy making my starting lineup this week if I had any shares of him.

The injury to Carson Palmer seems to be a bad omen for the Arizona Cardinals offense. Yes, they did face a touch match up last week against the Detroit Lions, but they managed only 2 early touchdowns and held on for dear life shutting down the Lions offense.  This week they will be led into Seattle by Drew Stanton in his second start since Palmer went down. Add to that a grade 2 MCL tear for Larry Fitzgerald, and facing the 3rd ranked pass defense of the Seahawks, and it smells like a recipe for disaster. The Cardinals will likely find a better chance at using Andre Ellington in the run game to try to beat Seattle the same way that the Chiefs did last week. I am sitting my Cardinals wide outs this week.

Image source: whodatdish.com

The New Orleans Saints running backs, be it Mark Ingram alone, or along with any of the rest of the compliment, has a tough game ahead of them against the 5th ranked run defense of the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens only allow 84.5 yards per contest on the ground, and have only given up 6 rushing touchdowns on the season. This does not bode well for Ingram, who managed only 67 yards on 23 carries last week against the Bengals at home. At the time of this writing the status of the other backs for the Saints is not known for week 12, but I can't say I am a fan of starting any of them this week.

Image source: nfl.com

The New England Patriots rushing attack was fantastic last week. This

week however they face a top ranked run defense in the Detroit Lions that allows 68.8 yards per game, and has given up only 4 rushing touchdowns on the season. On top of those dismal stats for the Patriots there is usually no consistency to their game plans from week to week, and it wouldn't shock me if Jonas Gray was used very little. It is hard to say if Shane Vereen will be used much as a receiver out of the backfield, but if I was forced to start a Patriots running back this week, Vereen would likely be the one. The Lions have a stout defense, and relying on Gray is not on my to do list this week.

And so ends another match up monsters here in week 12. Some great games await us this weekend, and I hope that these takes on the match ups upcoming provide you with some insight into what may be in the future of your fantasy teams. Start that ideal line up this week and lets hit that playoff push hard together. Good luck this week!

Monster Match Ups And Misses Week 11

The week 11 match up monsters and misses features some surprising teams and position groups. Let's take a peek into the good and bad match ups for the 11th week of the NFL season.

The Good 

Image source: newsobserver.com

The Carolina Panthers have a great match up this week for their wide receivers and tight ends against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons pass defense has been pretty terrible this season allowing 280.8 yards per game to opposing receivers. Look for huge games out of Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olson in week 11. Also Cam Newton will be a benefactor of the soft passing defense, and should be a good start if he is floating around on your waiver wire.

Houston Texans running back, whether it be Arian Foster, or Alfred Blue if Foster is out, should have a good game against the Cleveland Browns running defense. Cleveland has allowed 134.2 yards per game on the ground to opposing running backs on the season, and the Texans are a run first team. Keep an eye on the injury and practice reports this week to see if Foster plays if you are a Blue owner. Both guys might be a good play if both are healthy and play, but Blue moves way up the ranks if Foster is out.

Image source: zimbio.com

The Minnesota Vikings wide outs have a monster opportunity to take advantage of a reeling Chicago Bears defense that was throttled by the Green Bay Packers last week. Look for Teddy Bridgewater to have the best game of his young career in week 11. Greg Jennings and Cordarelle Patterson are good starts this week in my opinion, as the bears have allowed 268.6 yards per game and a whopping 23 receiving touchdowns so far this season. Look for Kyle Rudolph to get back into practice this week, and if he does, you may consider playing him as well this week.

San Francisco 49ers running backs are primed for success this week against a New York Giants defense that gave up 350 yards on the ground in week 10 to the Seattle Seahawks. The Giants are now the worst ranked run defense in the league allowing 144.7 yards per game on the ground, and 13 rushing touchdowns on the season. Look for Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde to feast upon the corpse of the Giants Defense. Gore is a must start, and Hyde has been getting goal line work as of late, and could be a flex start in a pinch.

Image source: nj.com

The Philadelphia Eagles running backs have a good match up against the 30th ranked run defense of

the Green Bay Packers in week 11. Green Bay has been allowing 142.6 yards per game on the ground this season, and 9 rushing scores on the year. It also figures that the Eagles may want to try to play a little ball control against the prolific offense of the Packers. Look for LeSean McCoy to provide you some fantasy performance in this week 11 match up.

The Bad

The Buffalo Bills wide outs have a monumental task ahead of them in week 11. Not only do they have a short week, playing on Thursday night, but they also face off against the 2nd ranked pass defense of the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have only allowed 210.8 yards per game through the air on the season, and Thursday night games have historically proved to be a bad influence on the passing game of its participants. On top of all of this, Sammy Watkins has a groin injury that left him questionable and largely ineffective last week. If you have better options than the Bills wide receivers this week, sit your Bills.

Image source: zimbio.com

Miami Dolphins running backs have a similar plight to the Bills this week. Injury and bad match ups leave me not wanting anything to do with the Dolphins running game this week. Lamar Miller has a sprained AC joint which saw him limited to only 5 touches last week. On a short week it is unlikely that he will be in much better shape this week. The choices behind Miller are not particularly good either. A rookie in Damien Williams and Daniel Thomas would not make me feel very good about my squad if that is who I were running out there. Sit your Dolphins running backs this week.

Tre Mason and the St. Louis Rams running game have a tough draw this week against the top ranked run defense of the Denver Broncos. Denver is only allowing 67 yards per game and only 5 rushing scores on the season. Along with that bad stat for the Rams, it seems likely that the Rams will fall behind, and the running game will become a forgotten thing early in this game. I can't think of a reason I would want to start a Rams running back this week against the Broncos.

Image source: cbssports.com

The wide receivers of the Houston Texans have a touch draw this week against the 12th ranked pass defense of the Cleveland Browns. The Browns made Andy Dalton and the Bengals passing game look pedestrian last week. That and the fact that Cleveland has been bad against the run, and Houston runs a lot leave me wanting to sit my Houston wide outs this week against the Browns. The ascension of Ryan Mallett to starter also leaves us with a question as to how the Texans pass game will look. Mallett is unproven as a starter, and I am not willing to gamble on him if my team needs a win this week.

Image source: zimbio.com

The Chicago Bears dysfunctional passing game has another tough draw this week against the Minnesota Vikings and their 4th ranked pass defense. Allowing only 213.6 yards per game through the air, Minnesota has been stingy for opposing wide receivers. Brandon Marshall has an injury that at the time of this writing, looks like it may keep him out or limit him. That would leave the Bears with a one dimensional passing attack with Alshon Jeffery as the only down field threat for the corners of the Vikings to worry about. In addition, Jay Cutler has been playing a pretty terrible brand of football as of late, and seems to be severely lacking in confidence. I don't really want to run my Bears passing game out there this week if I have better match ups.

That brings us to the end of our monster match ups and misses for week 11. Some teams not often thought of in the good match ups this week, and a few teams that find themselves with some touch match ups for sure. Hopefully this will help you make educated decisions to get yourself a big late season fantasy win. Good luck this week!

Waiver Wire Week 11

Heading into the home stretch for the 2014 fantasy season. It seems like it has gone by so fast. Just the other day we were all cramming our heads with all the information we could to draft our teams as best we could. Now we are just weeks away from the fantasy playoffs. Lets take a look at the guys you might add to your roster this week to bolster your squad for upcoming battle.

RB 

CJ Anderson (DEN) got the bulk of the work in week 10 after Ronnie Hillman went down with a foot

Image source: sbnation.com

injury. The news on Monday morning is that Hillman will miss 2 weeks with a foot sprain. Bring on the cloudy situation in the Denver backfield. Anderson has been in and out of favor with the Broncos this season. With Montee Ball inactive in week 10, still out with the groin injury that has sidelined him the past few weeks, Anderson got 90 yards on 13 carries and caught 4 balls for 73 yards, including a 51 yard touchdown catch. The water is murky on the Denver running back situation with the impending return of Ball, and the hot and cold attitude of the Broncos on Anderson. I would add Anderson and hope some clarity comes during the week. Trying to add him and Montee Ball is the smart play if you want to own the Denver backfield.

Damien Williams (MIA) was the recipient of the most carries for the Dolphins on Sunday. Even with Lamar Miller active, he did not see much work after spraining his AC joint in his shoulder. The Dolphins had a tough run match up last week against the Lions, and it doesn't get a lot easier moving forward. Williams had the best average on his runs, going for 4.9 yards per carry. Confounding the situation is the fact that there were reports on Monday that the Dolphins were adding LaMichael James to their active roster. Given the unclear situation and the bad schedule coming up, I would avoid the Dolphins backfield altogether.

Image source: northjersey.com

Rashad Jennings (NYG) is a good addition if he was dropped in your leagues. The Giants run game has been terrible with Andre Williams. Since taking over for Jennings, Williams has a high water mark of 66 rushing yards. He has done nothing to keep the job when Jennings gets back. The schedule for the Giants breaks nicely as we head into the fantasy playoffs, and if Jennings is unowned, snatch him up.

QB 

Drew Stanton (ARI) is a decent addition for very deep leagues and 2 quarterback leagues. With Carson Palmer out for the season, this is now Stanton's job. A daunting task for the Cardinals quarterback awaits, facing the Seahawks twice, the Lions, and the Chiefs the rest of this season. Temper expectations, but if you are playing match ups, he will play Atlanta in week 13 if you need a quick boost to win a playoff spot. Week 15 will also provide a good match up against the Rams, albeit in St. Louis. 

Image source: espn.go.com

Michael Vick (NYJ) didn't wow you through the air, or on the ground, but if you are in trouble at the quarterback position, Vick likely has the higher upside of the available quarterbacks in your deep or 2 quarterback leagues. Vick has the chance of big rushing numbers every week for the Jets. His ceiling is very high, and conversely, his floor is very low. I would say that in case of emergency, break glass. The next two match ups for the Jets see them play good defenses in Buffalo and Miami. The next two games which start the fantasy playoffs see much easier tasks playing at Minnesota and at Tennessee. Vick may provide you a boost in the first weeks of your playoffs.

WR 

Odell Beckham Jr. (NYG) should be owned in every fantasy league in the galaxy. Beckham announced his presence with authority this week, beating Richard Sherman deep on more than one play. Beckham is a talented reciever and has a role carved out for him in the Giants offense for the rest of the season with the absence of Victor Cruz. Odell is only owned in 57.5% of ESPN fantasy leagues, snatch him up if he isn't in yours.

Image source: bigstory.ap.org

Jarvis Landry (MIA) has been a decent PPR play in recent weeks averaging 5 catches a week over his last 5 games. Landry so far has not been a flashy play with huge upside, but he has been pretty consistent. If you are missing a usually solid player, or just want to add some consistent play to your bench just in case, Landry is a solid addition.

John Brown (ARI) is one of the best stories of the season. A small receiver who has had some big numbers in games this season. Brown, and now quarterback for the Cardinals, Drew Stanton have had chemistry so far when they have been on the field together. Brown has both caught long bombs for scores, and underneath passes a la Wes Welker. Brown has 5 scores on the season, and if you are picking up Stanton, you may consider adding brown to double up on the scoring.

Image source: independentmail.com

Martavis Bryant (PIT) is only owned in 60.4% of ESPN leagues. Martavis Bryant has only caught 6
touchdowns in his 4 games for the Steelers. Yes his touchdown rate may be unsustainable, but with Antonio Brown on the opposite side, he is unlikely to get double coverage. Bryant has both the ability to catch short passes, and the long ball, as evidenced by his 80 yard touchdown in week 10. A big receiver who has tons of speed and skill, Bryant may be the guy that wins you a championship. If he is unowned, go get him.

TE 

Image source: raiderstribune.com

Mychal Rivera (OAK) has averaged 7 catches over his last 3 games, and is averaging a score in each. Rivera is the Raiders best red zone target, and has found some good consistency in the last few weeks in some good match ups. Coming down the stretch games against Kansas City, St. Louis, and San Francisco provide some solid opportunities for Rivera to score for your fantasy team. If your tight end has been under performing, Rivera may be the shot in the arm you need to bring home the trophy.

Charles Clay (MIA) is a boom or bust guy for a PPR league. In his last 5 games he has 7, 5, 1, 4, 3 catches per week. Clay has scored in two of those games, but is mainly an emergency outlet for Ryan Tannehill. If you are desperate at the tight end spot, and there isn't much out there, Clay might be worth a look.

Image source: zimbio.com

Kyle Rudolph (MIN) should be making his return soon. Rudolph was highly touted this preseason with
Norv Turner taking over the offensive coordinator spot for the Vikings. The early season injury for Rudolph likely led to many of his owners dropping him. If you have a hole in your tight end spot in your weekly lineup, Rudolph should be returning to the field soon. I would consider him a speculative add at this point in the season, but one that could help a starved fantasy owner in the quagmire that has been tight end this season.

That brings us to the finish on this weeks waiver wire adds. One suggestion I would have this late in the year is to only fill glaring holes or add depth for injured guys if you are not cutting a better player or one with more upside to take a flyer on these players. Your roster should be fairly well set, barring injuries, at this late date in the season. Good luck this week!

Match Up Monsters And Misses Week 10

Week 10 already. Hard to imagine that the fantasy season is winding down. Only a few more weeks until the playoffs start. It's go time. Time to make those good decisions and play your optimal lineups. I present to you my help this week with the match up monsters and misses.

The Good:

Image source: lubbockonline.com

The Dallas Cowboys have a great match up this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars on what amounts to a neutral field in London. The Jags are in the bottom of the rankings in rushing (24th, 123.4 yards per game) and passing (25th, 263.4 yards per game). If Tony Romo can stay upright during the game, look for the Cowboys to tee off on the Jags defense. Any of the starting players on the Dallas offense are good starts this week. The only guy I might worry about is Jason Witten, as he may be required to stay at the line and block this week. 

Baltimore Ravens running backs have a great opportunity this week against the 29th ranked run defense of the Titans. I would expect the Ravens to build a lead this week and lean on their running game. This week both Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro are good starters to lean on. Taliaferro has been getting the bulk of the goal line work the last few weeks, and Forsett has been great this season as the lead back after the Ray Rice suspension.

Image source: boston.com

The layup of the week seems like it would be the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers against the New York Jets. The Steelers have 12 receiving touchdowns in their last 2 games, and the Jets have allowed 24 passing touchdowns on the season. It is a match made in heaven. If nobody has scooped up Martavis Bryant yet, he is a must start for you this week. I would even suggest a spot start for Markus Wheaton to fill in for your bye week receivers or a flex spot.

The Denver Broncos running backs should have a game of it this week against the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders have the 27th ranked rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 132.5 yards per game on the ground. In a game that is likely to get out of hand early, look for the Broncos to shorten the game by feeding their running backs and keeping the clock running.

Image source: bleacherreport.com

Andre Ellington and the Arizona Cardinals running attack have a solid match up against the 30th

ranked run defense of the St. Louis Rams. The Rams are allowing 136.2 yards per game on the ground. Look for Ellington and Marion Grice to have good games against the Rams. Not sure that I can say to start grimes, but if you are in a pinch, he has been getting some goal line work for the Cardinals in the absence of Stepfan Taylor.

I am looking for a good week from the Green Bay Packers offense this week against the Chicago Bears. The Bears have the 23rd ranked pass defense, and the Packers pass at a prolific clip. Look for great games for Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and even Davante Adams. If the Packers build a lead, expect a good workload for Eddie Lacy and maybe even James Starks if the game is totally out of hand.

The Philadelphia Eagles face off against the 18th ranked pass defense of the Carolina Panthers this week. Allowing 246.2 yards per game and 17 touchdowns through the air this season, the Panthers should provide a soft landing for the new starter for the Eagles Mark Sanchez. Expect productive days from all your regular Eagles contributors, and even the likes of Jordan Mathews and maybe even Zach Ertz. I'm starting my Eagles passing attack this week.

The Bad

Image source: tumblr.com

The Tennessee Titans have a difficult match up this week against the 6th ranked run defense of the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have only allowed 86.4 yards per game this season on the ground. Bishop Sankey is likely in for a long day on Sunday. The Titans will likely be throwing a lot with new starter Zach Mettenberger and his cannon arm. I would not suggest a start this week for Sankey, if he is even on your roster at this point.

Andre Williams and the New York Giants have a difficult game ahead of them this week facing the Seahawks in Seattle. The Hawks are holders of the 4th ranked run defense this season, allowing only 83 yards per game and 3 touchdowns on the ground all season. I wouldn't look for a big game from the oft under performing Williams this week in this match up.

Image source: NFL.com

The dysfunctional Chicago Bears passing game is lining up opposite the 9th ranked pass defense of

division rival Green Bay this week. Both Teams are coming off a bye, and have had plenty of time to prepare for their opponent. The Packers are allowing only 225.8 yards per game through the air, and have a 12:10 ratio of touchdowns to interceptions this year. I don't know if I can trust the Bears offense to right the ship this week.

The Oakland Raiders are facing what could end up the best improved defense in the NFL this season. The Broncos are ranked 1 in run defense, allowing 71.6 yards per game, and 21st against the pass. Last week against the Patriots a big blow was dealt to the Broncos pass defense, but the Raiders are not the Patriots. I see this game as a possible blowout for the Broncos, and your best shot at scoring with the Raiders is garbage time through the air. Sit your Raiders running backs, start James Jones and Andre Holmes if you have no other alternatives.

The Buffalo Bills have the biggest hurdle of the week in the form of the top ranked Kansas City Chiefs pass defense. The Chiefs are the only team that is allowing under 200 yards a game through the air. The Bills are possibly going to be without the services of Sammy Watkins after he hurt his groin in practice on Wednesday. If the Bills are missing him, or if he is limited in any way it's going to be a long, tough day for Kyle Orton and the Bills offense.

Image source: phinphanatic.com

Injury has put a damper on the Miami Dolphins run game for week 10. Already having lost Knowshon Moreno for the season, the Dolphins now deal with an injury to Lamar Miller. Miller has a sprained AC joint in his shoulder and may not play this week. The AC joint often gets sprained in a shoulder separation, and it can be a 4 week injury. For a guy who has the job of running into a group of large men 20+ times a game, this is not a good injury for your ball security. If Miller does play, he is a marginal play in my opinion, and if Miller doesn't play, I don't want anything to do with the Dolphins run game against the number 2 ranked run defense of the Detroit Lions.

That's our week 10 look at the Monster Match Ups and Misses. Hopefully this will help you make good decisions that propel you toward your eventual spot atop the throne of your fantasy leagues. Good luck this week!

Monster Match Ups and Misses Week 9

Taking a look at the week 9 schedule, it was easier to find good match ups as opposed to bad ones. Good match ups abound this week, and some of the bad ones are due not only to the ability of the opposing defense, but also workload and crowding issues in some teams backfields. Let's take a look at the week 9 match ups.

The Good

Image source: bleacherreport.com

Philadelphia Eagles wide receivers have a good match up this week against the Houston Texans. In an offense that loves to throw the ball, the Eagles will face off against the 29th ranked pass defense of the Texans. Houston is allowing 271.4 yards per game on the season, and have given up 15 touchdowns through the air. The Eagles have the 6th ranked pass offense in the league, and given this match up it is easy to say start your Eagles wide receivers and Zach Ertz. Darren Sproles deserves a flex look as well coming back from injury this week.

Image source: 2kolf.com

Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers have a fantastic opportunity this week against the 27th ranked offense of the Jaguars. Add to that the likely return of AJ Green, and the subtraction of Giovanni Bernard from the Bengals offense, and it looks like the air game is set up to have success this week. The Jaguars are allowing 267.4 yards per game and don't pick the ball off a lot. Andy Dalton should be able to take advantage of this match up this week in a spot start if your quarterback is one of the bye week guys. Mohamed Sanu and AJ Green are must starts this week.

The Seattle Seahawks running game faces the Oakland Raiders in Seattle this week. I look for a dedication to the run in a game the Seahawks should be able to build a lead and grind to the finish. The Raiders allow 130.1 rushing yards per game on the season and are the 26th ranked run defense. Look for Seattle to return to their ground and pound ways to control the game.

Indianapolis Colts wide outs have a good match up this week against the 25th ranked pass defense of the New York Giants. Allowing 262.4 yards per game through the air, the Giants are definitely vulnerable to the great passing attack of the Colts. The return of Reggie Wayne this week makes at least 3 viable starters for the Colts in TY Hilton, Reggie Wayne, and Dwayne Allen. Fringe guys for the colts are Donte Moncrief and Coby Fleener. You can start them in an emergency, but I wouldn't count too much on their production this week.

Image source: texanstalk.com

Arian Foster and the Houston Texans rushing attack are in a great situation this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Houston wants to control the amount of time the Eagles have the ball, the easiest way is to lean on Foster and Alfred Blue to grind the clock down. The Eagles have only allowed 3 rushing touchdowns on the season, but they do allow 116.7 yards per game so far this year. Look for Foster to get a heaping helping of touches this week and find success.

The Bad

New York Jets wide receivers have a terrible match up this week against the top ranked pass defense of the Kansas City Chiefs. On top of the tough match up, the Jets have been a mess at the quarterback position. Last week in the debut of Percy Harvin, Geno Smith was benched and Michael Vick took over. Neither one of the Jets quarterbacks had any success and I don't see that getting better for them this week. Sit your Jets receivers, and if you play Vick, pray for rushing.

Image source: boltsbeat.com

San Diego Chargers square off against the 3rd ranked pass defense of the Miami Dolphins in week 9. The Dolphins shut down the Chicago Bears receivers last week, and have only been allowing 211.6 yards passing per game on the season. Keenan Allen has been having trouble scoring this year, and the only guy that has been really good is Antonio Gates. The success of Phillip Rivers has been very dependent on Gates. Look for the Dolphins to try to take Gates out of the equation.

St. Louis Rams running game is a victim of the old running back by committee. Tre Mason had a great game against the Seahawks in week 7, then followed that up with 7 carries for 32 yards in week 8. Mason suffers from an inability to pass block, and loses time on the field to Benny Cunningham in those situations. The Rams opponent in week 9 is the San Francisco 49ers, who have the 4th ranked run defense, allowing 84.9 yards per game.  Mason did have some success against the 49ers in week 6, averaging 8 yards per carry, but the other two backs had marginal results. Given the volatile situation in the Rams backfield, I can't see starting any of them.

Philadelphia Eagles running backs have been largely disappointing so far this season. LeSean McCoy has had one good game so far against the Giants in week six, and has only scored one time on the season. Darren Sproles is in the same boat, and is coming back from an MCL injury. Sproles had a huge game in week 2, and has done nothing since. This week the Eagles are taking on the Houston Texans. Ranked 12th, the Texans have allowed 108.2 yards per game on the season, but have only allowed 4 rushing touchdowns. If you have better options that McCoy and Sproles, I think it is a good week to try those options.

Image source: notredamegoirish.blogspot.com

New England Patriots running backs are about as unpredictable as the huge wind storm that is supposed to hit at game time. Head coach Bill Belichick is known to game plan to specific teams, and frequently will completely stay away from the player that was productive the week before. The Pats take on the top ranked run defense of the Denver Broncos this week. Denver has only allowed 72.4 yards per game and 5 scores on the ground this season. Last week Jonas Gray had 17 carries for 86 yards. The week before he had 3 for 12. I personally hate owning a running back from the Patriots because of the schizophrenic nature of Belichick. The wind storm is a confounding factor, along with the explosive nature of the Broncos offense. If you have to gamble, one possible game plan could be to feed the ball to Gray to control the clock and keep Peyton Manning off the field. Or he could go opposite and use Shane Vereen and pass non stop. Your guess is as good as mine.

That brings us to the end of the match up monsters and misses for week 9. Halfway through the season already, and only about a month from the fantasy playoffs, I hope this article can help you make the good choices this week to propel your teams to the playoffs and a championship. Good luck this week!

Monster Match Ups And Misses Week 8

Week 8 has some huge games that offer up some monster match ups for your fantasy week. On the flip side of that, there are some games that offer up bad match ups for both receivers and running backs on your teams. Let's take a look at this weeks monsters and misses.

The Good

Image source detroitlions.com

Detroit Lions have a great match up this week against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have the 27th ranked run defense in the league allowing 137.7 rushing yards per game and 13 rushing touchdowns so far this season. With Reggie Bush and Theo Riddick both being banged up, it might be a great week for Joique Bell this week in London. Along with the bad run defense the Falcons have the 29th ranked pass defense in the league. Allowing 274.4 yards and 8 touchdowns through the air this year, Golden Tate should find himself some good stats this week. Early rumors say that it is possible that Calvin Johnson will play this week, but keep an eye out for practice report updates this week. Being that this game is in London, the start time is early for both east and west coast fantasy players. If Johnson practices this week, you can expect him to play and plug him in your lineup.

The

In week 8 the Seattle Seahawks face off against the once menacing defense of the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers rank 26th against the run, allowing 137.6 yards per game and 8 touchdowns on the season on the ground. Ranking 22nd against the pass, they allow 250.7 yards per game and 15 touchdowns. I look for the Seahawks to recommit to the run this week with Marshawn Lynch. On top of that, it could be a coming out party for Paul Richardson this week against the porous Carolina secondary. Start your Seahwaks, and don't leave Richardson on your waiver wire for the future.

Image source zimbio.com

The Minnesota Vikings have a great match up against the run defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs allow 128.3 yards per game with their 25th ranked run defense. Jerick McKinnon seems to have finally passed Matt Asiata to be the starter and feature back for the Vikings. With 30 rushes for 143 yards the past 2 weeks for the Vikes, McKinnon has had the lions share of the rushes for the Vikings. He is a must start this week against the Bucs.

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers wide receivers have to be licking their chops with their match up this week at the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have the 28th ranked pass defense, allowing 270.5 yards per game and have given up 11 touchdowns while only having 3 interceptions. Look for the great offense of the Packers to feast on the Saints defense early and often.

The Philadelphia Eagles square off against the 31st ranked pass defense of the Arizona Cardinals. Allowing 284.8 yards per game, the pass heavy offense of the Eagles should be able to find some success against the Cards. Look for Jeremy Maclin to have a good game, but the sleeper to watch is Jordan Matthews. Look for him to have a breakout game this week. I would expect to see Patrick Peterson on Jeremy Maclin a lot, leaving Mathews in a good spot to score for you.

Image source sportsworldreport.com

A team I would never have expected to be writing about hits up the monsters list next. The Oakland Raiders have a great match up against the 32nd ranked defense of the Cleveland Browns. Giving up a league high 155.5 yards per game, and 5 yards per carry, it is a good week ahead for Darren McFadden. As long as the Raiders follow a game plan that includes attacking Cleveland at their weak point, you should get a solid spot start from McFadden this week.

The Bad:

The Cincinnati Bengals had a tough week 7 against the Colts, and it isn't going to get much easier this week against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are the 7th ranked run defense in the NFL allowing only 87 yards per game on the ground and only 3 touchdowns on the season. This will make for a hard game for Giovanni Bernard and Jeremy Hill in week 8. The Ravens passing defense is ranked 24th in the league allowing 258 yards a game, but they have not allowed a lot of scoring, only 7 passing touchdowns on the season. The Bengals need AJ Green to play this week, or they will have a hard time finding a way to win this game. If Green sits out again this week, or if he isn't 100 percent, I don't like the fantasy output you will likely see from the Bengals.

Image source stltoday.com

St. Louis Rams played a solid game against the Seahawks in week 7, but their special teams was the

difference maker last week. This week I look for their passing attack to have a difficult time against the leagues number 2 pass defense. The Kansas City Chiefs only allow 209 yards per game on the season. They have allowed 11 passing touchdowns on the season, but a young quarterback, and inconsistent play from the wide receivers of the Rams leads me to the desire to sit my Rams wide outs this week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars earned their first win of the season in week 7, but in week 8 they get to face the defense that just shut down a much better Chicago offense. The Miami Dolphins are the 4th ranked passing defense and 10th ranked run defense. Allowing 213.3 and 100.3 yards a game respectively, it looks to be a bad match up for the Jags this week. Add to that the revolving door at running back, and a rookie signal caller, and it is hard to find a Jaguar I would want to start on my fantasy team this week.

Image source sportstalkflorida.com

This week the Atlanta Falcons face off against what has been one of the best defenses in the league in the Detroit Lions. Detroit has the leagues 2nd ranked run defense at 73.4 yards per game and 3 rushing scores allowed on the season. The Falcons have a mess on their offensive line, having lost 5 players for the season already. On top of that, they have a weird 4 headed monster of a running back by committee going on. Steven Jackson is quite obviously past his prime now, and the other three rely on long touchdown catches to do anything at all. There is not a Falcons running back that I would even roster now, let alone think about starting for my fantasy teams the rest of this season.

Another tough running back situation sets up this week for the San Diego Chargers. Facing the 3rd ranked run defense of the Denver Broncos in week 8, who give up only 74.3 yards per game, and 5 scores on the ground so far on the season, Branden Oliver has a mountain to climb this week, pun not intended. Add to that the short week, this is the Thursday night game, and the fact that it is in Denver in the thin air, and Oliver is a sit in my book. The Chargers don't have another viable option at running back, so Oliver will see workload, but I don't expect him to put up huge numbers.

Image source: sbnation.com

The Chicago Bears wide receivers and Jay Cutler have their second difficult match up in a row coming in week 8. They face off against the top ranked New England Patriots pass defense. Allowing only 208 yards per game and 11 touchdowns on the season, the Pats have the luxury of having Revis Island. You can basically take one of the Bears receivers out of the picture, but I am not sure which one it will be. In any case, with dissension amongst the ranks in the Bears offense after last weeks abysmal performance at the Dolphins, I don't see relief in their future. 

That brings us to the end of another monster match ups and misses. Hopefully it has helped to shape informed decisions for your week 8 fantasy lineups. Good luck and go get 'em!

Match Up Monsters And Misses

Week 7 in the NFL has some fantastic match ups for individual units on offense, and some match ups that look to be more on the negative side for offenses. Without further ado, your match up monsters and misses.

The Good:

Image source pressboxonline.com

Baltimore Ravens running backs should be able to put up some numbers this week against the Atlanta Falcons 27th ranked run defense. The trick is to figure out how to rank the Ravens backs. So far it seems that the pecking order is Justin Forsett followed by Bernard Pierce, with Lorenzo Taliaferro third string. If you have him, Forsett is the only one I would be confident playing this week as the role for the other two has been minimal and inconsistent. The Falcons are allowing 140.2 yards per game and have given up 12 touchdowns on the season to opposing running backs. You could gamble on one of the other two as a flex that may get some goal line work, but that would be purely a gamble in my opinion.

Image source usatoday.com

New England Patriots versus the Jets on Thursday night sets up to be a big game for the Pats offense. The run game is an enigma with the injury to Stevan Ridley and the constant shifting by coach Bill Belichick. The Jets allow 92 yards per game and have only given up 2 touchdowns on the ground this year, but in the last 2 weeks they have allowed the opposing number 1 back to gain 100 yards. The passing defense of the Jets does not fare as well, allowing 235 yards per game and having given up 15 touchdowns on the season with only 1 interception. This probably the easiest start of the year if you have Tom Brady. Rob Gronkowski and Brandon LaFell  are also good starts for your fantasy teams. Julian Edelman should be his usual self, a solid flex play in a PPR league.

The Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears play each other in week 7, and should be able to put up good passing numbers against each other. The Dolphins give up 221.6 yards per game through the air, and have given up 10 touchdowns versus making 3 interceptions so far this season. This bodes well for Jay Cutler. The Bears have tall wide receivers that could find themselves in mismatch situations against the shorter Dolphins corners. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Martellus Bennett are all good starts against the undersized Dolphins this week. On the flip side Chicago gives up 246.2 yards per game and also 10 touchdowns on the season, but has made 8 interceptions already. This makes Ryan Tannehill a more risky start, but elevates the value of Mike Wallace. Keep an eye on Jarvis Landry for the Dolphins as well. The rookie has been gaining momentum as of late, catching 6 balls on 8 targets last week for 75 yards and a score.

Image source beastdome.com

A power run game by the Cleveland Browns will look to take it to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Ben Tate is a must start this week against the Jags. Isaiah Crowell is a good flex possibility for a team that ran the ball 36 times against the Steelers last week. Look for that trend to continue for a ball control running team. I would expect the Jags to fall lower than their 19th ranked run defense after the Browns are done with them this week.
week 7. The Jags are giving up 117 yards per game on the ground and have given up 5 rushing touchdowns on the year.

The Houston Texans love them some Arian Foster. After getting routed on the ground by the Browns in week 6, the Pittsburgh Steelers will not be looking forward to the stout Texans running game. The Steelers give up 111.2 yards per game, and have allowed 6 rushing touchdowns on the season. The Texans will feast on the depleted defense of the Steelers Monday night.

The Bad:

Image source zimbio.com

Minnesota Vikings running backs are in for a long week. This week they face the top ranked run defense of the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo is allowing a paltry 67.5 yards per game on the ground, and have not allowed a rushing touchdown on the season. With a rookie quarterback and questionable talent at wide receiver for the Vikings, it seems likely that the Bills will stack the box and dare Teddy Bridgewater to beat them through the air. Sit your Vikings running backs this week.

The Detroit Lions are playing some inspired defense so far this season. Ranked 1 in total defense and 2 against both run and pass, the New Orleans Saints have a monumental task ahead of them. And let us not forget that they will be without the services of Jimmy Graham this week. If you had a good bye week fill in for  Drew Brees last week, you may want to run him out there again this week. Add to that the fact that with the return of Mark Ingram makes the Saints backfield a quagmire once again, I am sitting any of my Saints this week.

Image source imgarcade.com

The San Francisco 49ers face off this week against the 4th ranked rush defense of the Denver Broncos in Denver. This is an exceedingly difficult task for the 49ers, who must play in that elevation on a short week. They also have not shown much of a commitment to running with Frank Gore or Carlos Hyde on a consistent basis so far this season. Denver is only allowing 76.5 yards per game on the ground, and has only allowed 5 rushing touchdowns on the season. Sit your 49ers backs this week.

A stout passing defense by the New England Patriots and a lack of talent on the part of the New York Jets on offense makes your Jets players good guys to be on the outside looking in this week. The Pats only allow 208.5 yards per game through the air, and have 7 interceptions on the season so far. They have allowed 10 touchdowns so far, but have stiffened in the last few weeks. If you were playing Geno Smith you are likely in trouble already, but sit him this week. Jace Amaro has been emerging of late, and with some weakness due to injuries in the middle of the Patriots defense may be able to continue his 10 catch for 68 yard and a score performance last week. Eric Decker is your only viable option in the passing game that could have good numbers, but being on Revis island is likely in his future, never a good thing.

Image source sltrib.com

The Carolina Panthers are a mess in the backfield. They have their best match up of the season against the Green Bay Packers 32nd ranked run defense, but who can you trust? They are all hurt. They all get hurt. In my opinion, Cam Newton is the only guy you can trust this week in the run game for the Panthers. And after last week he is seemingly ready to run again. If Kelvin Benjamin is out this week due to his concussion, it's going to be a difficult week for the Panthers. Greg Olsen has been a bright spot this season, and he and Cam are the only ones I would trust this week if Benjamin doesn't play. The Packers are 5th ranked against the pass, possibly because it is so easy to run. This game seems to line up as a bad and banged up run game against a bad run defense, and a bad pass game against a good pass defense. Your guess is as good as mine, but I certainly can't say I like anything in this match up for the Panthers.

Good luck and good decisions this week!

Match Up Monsters And Misses Week 6

Welcome once again to the match up monsters and misses article. We find ourselves in week 6 of the NFL season. This week sees the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs on bye. Let's examine the match ups further.

Image source lesterslegends.com

The following teams have good match ups in week 6:

Image source topteamfantasy.com

Arizona Cardinals: This match up is conditional. Assuming that the Cardinals have Carson Palmer or even Drew Stanton playing, they should score well against Washington. Even though the Washington defense is ranked 10th in total defense on the season, 10th in pass defense, and 15th in run defense, the numbers are skewed in my opinion. Seattle gashed the pass defense last week, only to be thwarted by penalties. And we saw Russell Wilson run crazy for a Monday Night Football record 122 yards and a score. Even so, through 5 games, Washington has given up 11 passing touchdowns. Along with the passing touchdowns allowed, they are allowing 114.6 rushing yards a game. Some of this is due to inconsistent quarterback play by the Washington quarterbacks giving their opponents a short field. Andre Ellington is a must start. Palmer or Stanton can provide a nice bye week fill in for Drew Brees in case of emergency. Michael Floyd should get healthy with solid quarterback play. Larry Fitzgerald is a flex play this week. John Brown is still a bit raw and should be played at your own risk.

San Diego Chargers: The Chargers have the luxury of playing an Oakland team this week that is not only terrible, but now deals with the turmoil of an in season coaching change. Ranked 19th in total defense, the Raiders can't stop the run, so nobody needs to pass. Giving up a whopping 158.2 yards per game on the ground so far this season, the Raiders rank 31st in the league. Their passing defense is ranked 5th, only allowing 207 yards per game. I expect that number to change this week. Phillip Rivers is a must start. Having an MVP worthy season so far, he should not be seeing your bench. Given the injury problems that San Diego has had at the running back position this year, it is hard to say who to play this week. If Donald Brown plays, he is a must start. Ronnie Brown is less certain. He is familiar with the offense, but not sure I want to trust him. Branden Oliver had an amazing game last week, but if another back is present, the split may not be the same. Start all your healthy San Diego receivers and Antonio Gates.

New York Giants: The Giants have a fantastic match up against the terrible defense of the Philadelphia eagles. Ranked 28th overall in defense, the Eagles are 29th against the pass and 24th against the run. They have allowed 13 passing touchdowns and 132 rushing yards per game. Teams facing the Eagles are scoring touchdowns 62.5% of their trips to the red zone. Andre Williams gets the start at running back this week for the Giants and is a must start. Victor Cruz and Ruben Randle are great wide receiver 2 starts or flex options. Odell Beckham Jr. is not bad as a spot start in a tough flex spot after scoring last week in his NFL debut. Larry Donnell is a good start with that red zone inefficiency on defense for the Eagles.

Image source totalprosports.com

Chicago Bears: The Bears play the hapless Atlanta defense this week. At 29th overall, 24th against the pass, and 28th against the run, the stats should pile up for the Bears offense this week. Atlanta has given up 10 rushing touchdowns on the season and 147.6 yards per game on the ground. Through the air the Falcons defense has given up 259.6 yards per game and 5 touchdowns. Matt Forte Feasts this week on the souls of Atlanta defensive players. Jay Cutler should be able to carve up the defense. If they can catch a pass on the Bears roster, you should play them. All systems go this week for the Bears.

Denver Broncos: The Broncos lost their starting running back this week, but that likely won't matter too much this week against the New York Jets. The front 7 of the Jets stops the run well. The secondary is not as good against the pass. They are tied for second worst in touchdowns allowed through the air, and give up 237.8 yards per game through the air. The Jets offense is not playing well, and they always have the possibility of a turnover allowing a short field. The good news is that Denver seems to have decided that they are going to pass the ball. A lot. Start all your Denver receivers. If I have to tell you that you should start Peyton Manning, you are doing this wrong. Julius Thomas is a man. A large, pass catching, touchdown scoring man. Never sit him. Ever.

The following teams have bad match ups for week 6:

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers play a Cincinnati Bengals team that is likely to be quite angry after being blown out last week against a, so far, mediocre New England team. The Bengals defense is ranked 27th overall, but that statistic may be misleading. Only allowing 19 points per game so far this season, they seem to be a bend but don't break squad. Allowing 140 yards per game as the 27th ranked run defense, they have only allowed 3 rushing touchdowns on the season. The passing defense ranks 19th and allows 250.8 yards per game, but only 4 touchdowns. The Panthers are a mess in the backfield. Cam is not fully healthy. Last week he did rush 6 times, but only had 9 yards rushing. The Panthers have 1 solid receiver, and he is a rookie with drop issues. Until they prove those things wrong, I don't like playing any Panthers if I don't have to.

Image source sportsrants.com

New England Patriots: The Pats play the Buffalo Bills in week 6. The Bills have the 2nd ranked run defense in the NFL. They only allow 71 yards per game, and have not allowed a rushing touchdown on the season. Along with the bad match up against the Bills run defense, the Patriots running game is always a mystery. Who will it be week to week? I could see the Patriots focusing more on the passing game and maybe using Shane Vereen more, but who knows what Belichick will do?

Image source cbssports.com

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys play the Seahawks in week 6, in Seattle. This is considered one of the hardest, if not the hardest, places to play in the NFL. Add to that the fact that the Seahawks are now ranked 1st against the run at 62.2 yards a game and only 1 touchdown allowed. This will make for a clash of the titans in Seattle this week. The best running back so far against the best run defense. You aren't sitting DeMarco Murray, but I wouldn't expect the production you have gotten used to. As for the passing defense of the Seahawks, they have looked vulnerable at times. But we should remember that in their first 4 games, they have faced 3 of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Dez Bryant is another guy I am not thrilled about the match up for, temper expectations. Jason Witten has been decent, but nothing to write home about, and I don't think he is fast enough anymore to be effective against the swarming Seattle defense. Terrance Williams has a shot if he draws the nickel corner, as the Seahawks have a small hole there.

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings face off against the Detroit Lions this week. The Lions have the 3rd ranked run defense in the NFL allowing a meager 74.4 yards per game and 3 touchdowns on the season. The loss of Adrian Peterson obviously put a damper on the running ability of the Vikings. Matt Asiata has only 231 rushing yards on the season averaging 46.2 yards per game. The 3 touchdowns he has came in a game against the bad Atlanta defense. Jerick McKinnon has 166 yards this season, 125 of them against that same Atlanta defense. Neither of them had a good game against the 32nd ranked Green Bay run defense last week. I wouldn't play either of these guys against the Lions this week if you have anyone with a pulse on your bench to play.

This draws to a close the in depth look at the match ups for week 6 in the NFL. Good luck with your games this week. Go get 'em!