Ditka's Demons vs the Wayne Fontes Fan Club
Right off the bat we've got a tough call - Tom and Egret both roll out stud-ish QBs vs patsies - which always makes you think "fantasy GOLD baby, it's gonna be like a pinball machine" - except when the team sucks so badly that said stud-ish QB's team gets up 17 early and spends the rest of the day running their backup RB. That said, if Stafford is healthy, the Lions seem more likely to put up a fight than the lowly Bucs. Edge to the Demons.
At RB, the Demons trot out Westbrook (I DO think that weak teams are great fodder for RBs) with a terrific matchup (plus given his receiving ability, bit of a hedge should McNabb have a big day) and the solid-up-until-last week Julius Jones. WFFC counters with the surprising James Harrison (I might sell high on him) and Carnell Williams....bottom line is if you have to start a TB RB, you're in trouble.
At WR, the Demons trot out the inconsistent Bryant Johnson, the disappointing Owens, and the ageless Hines Ward to go with solid TE Todd Heap. Egret goes with the double TE set (
) - and a pretty dynamic one at that, with sublime WR Steve Smith and TE Dallas Clark matching off with the merely-solid Clayton and Keller, respectively. Solid edge to WFFC here. K and Def, who knows? You've gotta like the Cowboys so-so D getting the sad-sack Chiefs, however.
Still, WR aside, I think Ditkas win this one pretty handily.
The Color Purple vs Titletown of Lambeau
John is 1-3, Gaddis is 2-2 by the virtue of having been lucky enough to play Ditka's Demons and myself. The QB matchup is uninspiring - slapping-around-the-kids-on-the-short-bus win at Tampa in week 1 aside, Romo has been shaky, to say the least...but he looks like Peyton Manning compared to Shaun Hill, who is a very good leader in "real" football, not so much in fantasy. Slight edge to John here.
Purple gets that edge back and then some when he trots out his RB pairing of the VERY impressive Ronnie Brown with the solid-enough Addai...against Marshawn Lynch (who could be a sneaky play - what better team to work a rusty guy in against than the Browns?) and Kevin Smith; Smith = Addai but Brown destroys Lynch.
CP has the surprisingly good Cotchery and Dwayne "Love the talent, hate the team" Bowe, and a two TE set of the just-OK Shiancoe and all-talent, no-QB Soldja Boy. John starts strong with Boldin (filthy man-lust) but then lines up with S Moss (ugh), K Washington (ugh-er), and TE Shawn Nelson (ugh-est). Purple with a nice advantage here as well.
K/Def Minny vs Rams against Buf vs Cle....Minny has been better but either team can implode at any time.
Another game where I don't see it close, Color Purple in a walk.
ARodg Says F You vs the Great Grabowskis
Maybe not as much sizzle as the HotG/VD matchup but a bit more steak - 2 1st place teams battling it out. Though at first blush, it doesn't look like much of a battle...Trent Edwards ain't much, but he's a lot more than Kyle Boller; factor in the matchup (Cle vs Min) and BIG edge to Fats. Jacobs has been a bit disappointing but still solid, and MJD has been VERY productive. McGahee seems mired in a RBBC in Baltimore, but Williams is still a big-time threat to single-handedly win a game for someone....the problem is Carolina's coaching staff seems to have completely forgotten about the 1500 yds and 18 tds from last year. Edge to ARodg, with the caveat that Williams can tilt this one the other way in a hurry.
Receiving wise, Fatman rolls with stud WR Andre Johnson, stud TEs Witten and Cooley, and the solid "Steve Smith the Lesser." Goop has a decent crew himself anchored by Megatron and V Davis. Berrian is solid as well, and Keenan Burton....well, I guess he's thinking of double-dipping with Boller. Crafty. Still, edge in depth to Fatman, and the possibility Stafford won't be playing makes me see an off week for Johnson. Slight edge to ARSFU.
D...Pitt vs Dett. Case closed.
I can see the Grabowskis sneaking off with one here, but it's a long shot; Berrian, Davis, C Johnson, and Williams would need to all be HUGE for him. Otherwise an easy one for ARodg.
Motown Maulers vs 1957 and Waiting
Lion on Lion violence....ah, typical of Detroiters.
At the top of the order, Love rolls with Flacco vs Cin and RBBC victims Moreno vs NE and Ganjaman vs the Jets. Tough matchups for all 3. Puddy has the overrated E Manning vs Oak and RBBC victim Ray Rice vs Cin, to go with the explosive-but-inconsistent Chris Johnson vs Indy. Yeesh, how do you predict THAT stuff? I kinda like the Manning/Rice/CJ triumvirate better, but I am not making a strong stand on that one.
At WR, Love has the surprising Manningham, the superstar Marshall, and Mohamed Massaquoi who blew up to the tune of 8-148 last week; you'd think he would be first in line to replace Edwards after that, but it's still Cleveland. And TE Brent Celek, who so far has been living up to all that sleeper talk, big time. For 1957, Sims-Walker might be the next Jimmy Smith, or at least Keenan McCardell, in Jax. But other than that Puddy has Housh (meh), Crayton (meh), and Bo Scaife (meh).
No notable in the D matchups. I think MM's receiving corps carries the day for him.
4 Star Sweetness vs Hurricane Lombardi
Wow - it looks like I'm facing Pope's JV squad here. Of course, my team is utter crap this season, so do I have enough to win?
Pope has the solid Matt Ryan at QB vs the tough 9ers, and Lombardi counters with Warner vs Hou. Edge Hurricane.
Pope is going run-and-shoot here - starting Lendale "Virgin Daiquiri" White (maybe he should go back on the tequila?), who-dat TE Sean Ryan, and no-QB Antonio Bryant but stud Reggie Wayne, resurgent Ochocinco, and solid Kevin Walter make up for it somewhat. Lombardi goes with LJ and Beanie Wells, begging the question "is it better to start one crappy, disappointing RB or two?" - obviously 4SS is for the first view, HL for the second - and the WRs are cringe-inducing as well - Arizona 3rd option Steve Breaston, and Lee Evans - good for 2 or 3 huge games per season and not much else. The solid Daniels/Carlson TE combo makes up for it somewhat.
Honestly, this looks like anyone's game here. I actually decided to play the percentages and switch out Beanie for Chester Taylor, but I think Lombardi squeaks one out in a car-wreck of a game; we'll call this one the Anti-Matter Game of the Week.
GAME O THE WEEK - ]Hammer of the Gods vs Valholland Drive
Ah, Viqueen-on-Viqueen violence, gotta love it.
This one could be the shootout of the week - Grunge rolls with Manning vs Ten, Barber vs Chiefs and Peterson vs Rams...2 great players and 1 good one, all matching up against junk teams; pretty daunting....or not so much, when Savage throws the productive Schaub vs Ariz, Mendenhall vs Det, and the still-productive Portis at Carolina.
It keeps on going when we get to the receiving department - Grunge has D Jackson vs TB and Mason against Cin, Savage fires back with Fitz vs Hou and S Holmes vs Det.
Buuuut then we get to where I think the game will be decided - Moss has a tough matchup vs Den, but he's still Randy Moss. Josh Morgan also has a tough game against Atl, but he's a lesser receiver with a lesser QB. And TE, you have Gonzalez against Watson....I don't care WHAT the matchup is, Watson isn't in the same league as Gonzo.....well, I guess he actually IS in the same league, but you know what I mean.
Def, you've gotta like Philly vs the Yucs. Hou could put up some points vs the Cards but Tampa give any D severe blow-up potential.
Hammer takes it but Valholland makes him work hard for the win.
