Gridiron Experts Week 9 Fantasy Forecast

This is going to be a strange week in the NFL, as there are so many bad teams playing at home. We tried to ignore how many good teams are away this week when doing our picks. With the Saints, Chargers, and Panthers all on a bye, there are quite a few top fantasy players out of your line-ups this weekend. Here are our top recommended fantasy starters for week 9:

Donovan McNabb vs. a defense that’s allowing an average of 245 yards per game and has given up 11 passing TD’s.

Kyle Orton vs. the Detroit Lions…enough said.

Kurt Warner vs. the St. Louis Rams; Warner loves playing against his old team and in his old house.

LenDale White vs. any defense in the redzone; White should punch in at least 1 this week.

Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams; both backs will get a chance to pile up yards against an absolutely terrible defense.

Maurice Jones Drew against a team that has called it quits for the year and could care less if T.J. Houshmandzadeh goes walking.

DeSean Jackson vs. the Seahawks defense; remember DeSean is from Cal and will have lots of family and friends at that game.

Anthony Gonzalez vs. the Patriots defense, Gonzalez will see more action if Reggie Wayne can’t go.

Lee Evans vs. the Jets shaky secondary; big plays are Evans specialty.

John Carlson vs. Eagles Linebackers; the weak link to a blitz happy defense.

Dallas Clark vs. Patriots defense; in a must win, Manning’s go to guy needs to step up.

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The Draft of the Decade. written by Ben Hoyt
 
The 2004 NFL Draft is arguably the greatest draft class in the last decade.  It has been four and a half years since the draft, and the 2004 draft class has changed the NFL into a top notch league. There are many stars in the league today, but rarely have so many come out of a single draft class. No other draft class in the past several years even comes close. This class is full of depth from offense to defense. It produced probably the best quarterbacks since the 1983 draft, when hall fame players like John Elway, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelley were drafted. In the class there are many big-name superstars, Pro Bowlers, award winners, and Super Bowl champions. The 2004 draft class is full of outstanding and future hall of fame players. Here are some players that make this class one of the best draft classes of the last decade:
 
(Statistics as of October 28, 2008)
 
Round 1

#1 - QB Eli Manning (Mississippi) - San Diego Chargers

Current Team: New York Giants. Eli Manning was the number one pick in the draft by the Chargers, and was later traded on draft day to the Giants for Philip Rivers. In his first three seasons, he did not perform as expected and had some rough games. But then last season in 2007, Manning finally became what everyone expected and helped guide the Giants to a Super Bowl title. Career Stats: Has thrown for 12,973 yards with 86 touchdowns and 68 interceptions.

#3 - WR Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh) - Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald is one of the most talented wide receivers currently in the NFL.  Fitzgerald is a 2-time Pro Bowler with lightning fast speed and great hands. Career Stats: Has 330 receptions for 4,544 yards and 34 touchdowns.

#4 - QB Philip Rivers (North Carolina State)  - New York Giants

Current Team: San Diego Chargers. Philip Rivers has been successful since becoming a starter in 2006. Rivers was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2006 and has taken the Chargers to the playoffs in back-to-back years (2006 & 2007). Career Stats: Has thrown for 8,726 yards with 63 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.

#5 - FS Sean Taylor (Miami, FL) - Washington Redskins

Sean Taylor had great talent and could have been one of the best safeties to ever play in the NFL. Taylor’s career was tragically cut short when he was murdered in November 2007, at the age of 24. Taylor was a 2-time Pro Bowler in his 3.5 seasons in the NFL. Career Stats: Had 299 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 12 interceptions.

#6 - TE Kellen Winslow (Miami, FL) - Cleveland Browns

Kellen Winslow’s career started off with injury after injury. He broke his leg in his rookie season, and the next season he got into a motorcycle accident where he tore his ACL. Winslow has become a great tight end like the Browns expected in the last couple seasons. Winslow was named to the Pro Bowl in 2007.
Career Stats: Has 197 receptions for 2,218 yards and 9 touchdowns.

#7 - WR Roy Williams (Texas) - Detroit Lions

Current Team: Dallas Cowboys. Roy Williams is one of the league’s best playmakers. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in October 2008 for 3 draft picks. Career Stats: Has 264 receptions for 3,894 yards and 30 touchdowns.

#8 - CB DeAngelo Hall (Virginia Tech) - Atlanta Falcons

Current Team: Oakland Raiders. DeAngelo Hall is a very talented cornerback with good playmaking ability. Hall is a 2-time Pro-Bowler and is arguably one of league’s the best defenders. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders in March 2008 for 2 draft picks. Career Stats: Has 268 total tackles, one sack, and 20 interceptions.

#11 - QB Ben Roethlisberger (Miami, OH) - Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger started his great young career by being named Rookie of the Year. The next season in 2006, Roethlisberger helped guide the Steelers to a Super Bowl title. He was named to the Pro Bowl last season in 2007. Career Stats: Has thrown for 13,025 yards, 94 touchdowns and 61 interceptions.

#13 - WR Lee Evans (Wisconsin) - Buffalo Bills

Lee Evans is a great threat in the Bills offense, with great playmaking ability that can strike at any moment in a game. He is one of the league’s top wide receivers and will probably be named to several Pro Bowls in his career. Career Stats: Has 264 receptions for 4,364 yards and 32 touchdowns.

#14 - DT Tommie Harris (Oklahoma) - Chicago Bears

Tommie Harris is one of the league’s dominating defensive players. He has the ability to cause problems for the other team, especially in the backfield with his great playmaking ability. Career Stats: Has 145 total tackles and 20.5 sacks.

#16 - OT Shawn Andrews (Arkansas) - Philadelphia Eagles

Shaun Andrews is one of the league’s top offensive guards. He has helped the Eagles become one of the best rushing offenses in the league. Andrews is a 2-time Pro Bowler (2006 & 2007).
         
#18 - DE Will Smith (Ohio State) - New Orleans Saints

Will Smith is one of the most dominating defensive ends in the league. He has great on-field presence with great speed and is an amazing defensive playmaker. Smith was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006. Career Stats: Has 238 total tackles and 35.5 sacks and one safety.

#21 - NT Vince Wilfork (Miami, FL) - New England Patriots

Vince Wilfork is one of the great run stuffers in the NFL. He is a tough tackle that can disrupt the flow in the backfield of the other team. Wilfork won a Super Bowl in 2005 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2007. Career Stats: Has 219 total tackles and 5.5 sacks.

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Recently, the 49er’s interim head coach Mike Singletary and TE Vernon Davis got into a screaming match on the sideline during a home game vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Following the argument, coach Singletary sent Davis to the locker room, benching him for the remainder of the game; they have since patched things up. This is not a great start for Davis, as I’m sure new head coach Mike Singletary didn’t plan on getting into a brawl in his first game after taking over for Mike Nolan. New coaches don’t need distractions, it just makes the job that much more stressful.

Vernon Davis has not been the weapon that the San Francisco 49er’s had thought he would be when they drafted him. Davis was the 6th overall pick in the 2006 draft and was the top tight end prospect, partially due to a strong performance at the scouting combine after running the 40 yard dash in 4.38 seconds, which was faster than most WR’s and RB’s. Being nicknamed “Cyborg” by his college teammates on the Maryland Terrapins only made 49er fans that much more excited to see such a weapon added to a lackluster offense. However, injuries plagued his first few seasons, and even now that he is healthy, his hands and route running haven’t been that great. Vernon Davis only has 196 yards receiving this season, and zero touchdowns.
You would think that a guy who is 6′3″, 250 lbs with 4.38 speed, and who was the DCIAA champion in the high jump with record of 6′5″ at his high school, Vernon Daivs would be a touchdown machine in the red zone.

In Vernon’s defense, it might not the player, it could be the system. Mike Nolan (ex-coach) was also the General Manager in 2006 when he drafted the TE prospect. Nolan seemed thrilled at the idea of having an Antonio Gates type player in his offense. At first, there was a learning curve to allow Davis to pick up the offense, but add in his inability to stay healthy, and it became very hard for him to remain a regular in the offense. The 49er’s have used him in motion to try to get mis-matches against defenses. Fans have been surprised that even with offensive cooridator Mike Martz calling the plays this season, he’s still struggling to find the big yards, and we’re wondering if the infamous “bust” tag might be attached to his name soon.

In our opinion, Vernon Davis is too good to be kept in a tight end position. With his size and speed, he should be converted to a wide receiver; Davis would be hell to cover on deep patterns, and making him a regular target would fix his butterfingers. There have been many successful converted players in the NFL, although he might not have the finesse it takes to become a consistent NFL WR.

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 Going into what should be a great Monday night game, we bring you an interview with Jimmy Morris of the Music City Miracles blog. His site is devoted to the Tennessee Titans, and he offers great insight to the team on his blog daily.

Question 1: First off, how does it feel to be a fan of the only undefeated team of the season thus far? What little things do you think the Titans are doing that is getting the job done?

It feels great to be a fan of the last undefeated team.The Titans run the ball and play defense. I am not sure if those count as little things, but that is what they pride themselves on. They have also taken very good care of the ball this season (+6 in turnover ratio).

Question 2: The Tennessee Titans are 6-0 with Kerry Collins; at this point does it matter who your QB is, or is it Collins who’s making the difference ?

Kerry Collins makes the difference because he takes care of the ball. The real problem with Vince Young was his turnovers. Their passing numbers have been pretty similar, but Collins isn’t putting the Titans into tight spots like VY was with turnovers.

Question 3: Most people, including Gridiron Experts, were surprised with the pick of RB Chris Johnson in the first round. Be honest, did you really think he would become the multi-threat that he has been this season?

No. I was really mad when they drafted him because the Titans needed a receiver, and they had drafted a running back in the first round in 2006 and the second round in 2007. The front office believed that Johnson could make an impact quicker than a receiver. They were right.

I started to believe in him in the preseason when I saw that he had the vision and burst that he needed to play in this league. He has been a very pleasant surprise.

Question 4: Who’s the one player that drives you crazy each week, the one guy that you wouldn’t be sad if they were gone?

Justin McCareins. He drops a lot of passes and seems to quit on his deep routes from time to time.

Question 5: Which upcoming game is going to be the toughest?

The game tonight will be tough because it is the Colts, but I think the game in Chicago in a couple of weeks will be really tough. The Bears are really good on D, improving on offense, and Soldier Field is a tough place to play anytime, but especially in November.

Question 6: If you had a time machine and could go back to any previous Titans season, who would you steal away to add to this team to make a playoff push?

Steve McNair hands down. If you could add McNair’s playmaking ability to this running game they would be unstoppable on offense. Throw in this defense and it would be a Super Bowl winner for sure.

Question 7: How concerned are you about the receiving core on this team? Do you think if it came down to it would the Titans be able to keep up in a shoot out type game?

The receiving core on this team is bad.

I am not as worried about a shoot out as I am a game where they are down a couple of touchdowns in the 4th quarter. This team isn’t built to come from behind like that.

Thanks again to Music City Miracles  and Jimmy Morris for his thoughts on the Titans

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Money Where Your Mouth Is Week 8
This a weekly column that puts our expertise to the test, as we show a couple of the bets that we are placing on specific games, or prop bets offered by the many sports books and casinos. Of course we are a sports betting advisory, so our goal is to help you win money, but if you can’t afford to place bets…don’t.

Safe Bets

Tampa Bay to win no points
We made the mistake of betting with the Cowboys without Romo last week, thinking they would still be able to move the ball against the Rams. This week the Bucs are in Dallas, bringing with them a 2 game win streak in which their combined score was 47-13 with Garcia back under center. The Bucs look determined and even confident that they can keep the wins coming. There’s no doubt Brad Johnson wants to bounce back after his performance last week, but with the team a little out of sync look for Jon Gruden to strike early and often, as he knows what the ex-Buccaneer QB is capable of. Tampa without the points to win.

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The Future without Matt Millen

September 24, 2008 was no ordinary day in Michigan for Detroit Lions fans. That day was probably the greatest day for die-hard fans since making the playoffs back in 1999. Why? Matt Millen was fired as team president, CEO, and General Manager.

As you may know, Matt Millen was possibly the worst general manager in the history of the National Football League. He went from NFL player to radio broadcaster to GM, how is that even possible? No one knows. The Lions went a horrible 31-84 with zero playoff appearances under Millen. Detroit sports fan even started a Fire Millen movement back in late 2005 where fans chanted, made signs and tee shirts saying Fire Millen.

Now that the Millen era is over, Detroit Lions fans can move on and look forward to the future. The Lions most likely will not turn around overnight into a Super Bowl team, but now that Millen is gone, there is a lot of hope for Lions fans. If the team goes 0-16 this season, the fans will consider the season to be a success because the cancer is finally out.

Maybe the Lions can manage a winning season and even a playoff win, which the Lions have only one since 1957. Now Lions fans can look forward to the draft, instead of being humiliated because the picks were wasted on crappy players like a wide receiver named Charles Rogers, or Mike Williams, or even a quarterback by the name of Joey Harrington.

Lions management will have to win back their fans that have turned on the team for their disappointing play in the past several years. Lions management have to go after free agents in the upcoming off-season that will help the team, and not pick up just Tampa Bay Buccaneers rejects. The most important way they will win back the respect of their fans and football fans around the world is on draft day. The biggest problem for the Detroit Lions is the offensive line, which cannot pass protect or run block. Another big problem is their defense, especially in their secondary.

The Lions have two first-round draft picks in the upcoming draft and have many holes to fill. Their first pick will probably land in the top 5. With their first pick, the following are some players that the Lions should go after:

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 Gridiron Experts Picks For Week 8

San Diego at New Orleans
Both of these teams can score at any time, while neither team’s defense is much of a threat. Can LT, whose numbers have been average at best back home, finally break out overseas? With the loss of Reggie Bush, the Saints offense will seem less creative, and Bush can’t be easily replaced by a back up. SD 31-26

Buffalo at Miami
This is our upset of the week. Buffalo has been good to us, as we have been picking them all year, but it’s time for a loss. Miami will play hard at home in this AFC East divisional match-up, breaking out the Wildcat offense early and often. MIA 27-24

Cleveland at Jacksonville
This is an interesting game. I like Cleveland, but there are too many factors that weigh in the Jags favor. Jacksonville is coming off a bye, and they also have home field advantage on their side; Cleveland will fall short. JAC 27-24

Gridiron Experts Season:  62-40,  ATS: 49-52-1

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Fantasy (sleeper) Forecast Week 8

If you haven’t already figured it out, Gridiron Experts does not treat you (our readers) like a bunch of idiots, we are not going to tell you play the obvious starters that you had already planned to start. If you own Peyton Manning or Drew Brees, you don’t question their abilities, you just let them play. If you have Michael Turner or Clinton Portis, you start them regardless of their match ups. So it boils us when major sites over think their Fantasy Football projections. Yes, this week will be tough for Peyton as he is up against the Titans, and yes, Michael Turner is on the road against a tough run defense in Philly, but unless you have a dynasty team that is stacked with depth, you start them!

Every fantasy football owner has to make that coin flip decision from time to time, should I play “the bum who’s done nothing for me lately” or “Mr. one hit wonder”? We enjoy picking sleeper players, so why stop now? Here is Gridiron Experts Fantasy (sleeper) Forecast for Week 8

San Diego vs. New Orleans is a great game, too bad it’s being played in London…I mean, send ‘em the Seahawks and 49er’s! We think this game could be a shoot out, as both teams are on neutral ground and seem to mirror each other with their heavy offense/crappy defense style. If you need a WR, look for Malcolm Floyd to have a strong game with the injured C. Chambers still out. Also, TE Billy Miller is a great fill in if J. Shockey isn’t a go this Sunday.

What a difference one guy can make, Jim Haslett has the Rams looking like a new team. Although we highly doubt they can beat the Patriots, they should put up good fantasy numbers. WR Donnie Avery might be able to blast past that secondary with his crazy speed. Speaking of coaching changes, Mike Singletary is a great coach, and I think the 49er’s would love to play for him: “Time to lose the tie 49er’s”. Frank Gore should have good numbers, but I think Isaac Bruce will see the ball a lot more this week, as he was a big factor in the 49er’s only two wins.

Jason Campbell has a chance to do something besides hand the ball off this week. The Lions are terrible against the pass (wow, really?), so this should be a good play at QB with Portis banged up. Going hand in hand, Santana Moss is due for a highlight reel catch, and you know he’s pitching for a playaction bomb pass.

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