Last Minute Fantasy Pick Ups

Do you have a tough decision to make with all of the injuries going on in the NFL? Most waiver wires are closed at this point of the season in fantasy football, but if your league still allows pick ups or if you have these guys deep on your bench, you may think about playing them.

Quarterback 

Tyler Thigpen (KC) vs. Oakland Raiders
Thigpen is playing great for a starting QB on a 1-10 team. In the last three weeks, Tyler Thigpen racked up an average of 230 yards passing per game and threw for 8 TD’s. Not a bad start if you’ve got nobody else.

Derek Anderson (CLE) vs. Indianapolis Colts
Anderson was not happy about losing his starting job to Brady Quinn two weeks ago, but now he gets to showcase his skills to scouts since he knows Brady Quinn will be the starter in ‘09. Playing at home is a huge advantage for Derek Anderson, and the Browns would love to play spoiler to the Colts.

Running Back

Derrick Ward (NYG) vs. Washington Redskins
Giants Brandon Jacobs (knee) and Ahmad Bradshaw (neck) are listed as questionable for Sunday. Expect a heavy workload coming Ward’s way in a big divisional match up.

Warrick Dunn (TB) vs. New Orleans Saints
With Cadillac still in the shop and Earnest gone to IR, Warrick Dunn will get the rock against the Saints. New Orleans plays great at home, but they’re a lousy road team. Dunn still has wheels and could have a big day.

Leon Washington (NYJ) vs. Denver Broncos
This 5′8″ speed back would love to see more carries, but the starting role is locked down by veteran Thomas Jones. However, this match up is more Washington’s type of game, as the Broncos struggle against quick RB’s that like to cut to the outside. Expect a big run or two from Leon this week.

Wide Receiver

Davone Bess (MIA) vs. St. Louis Rams
Bess is filling in as a starter in place of the injured Greg Camarillo. Against the Rams…could mean jackpot type numbers.

Lance Moore (NO) vs. Tampa Bay Bucs
Could be a household name by the time the season is over. Not the best match up here, but if Drew Brees likes him, so should you. In the last 4 weeks Lance Moore has compiled 383 yards and 4 TD’s.

No Comments »

Gridiron Experts Week 13 picks

Read more…

No Comments »

Player Profile: Matt Cassel written by Ben Hoyt

Matt Cassel is the current starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. But who is he?

Cassel attended the University of Southern California from 2000 through 2005 and was the backup quarterback to Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. He never made a start at quarterback; the only start he ever made in college was at tight end. He also played baseball in college and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 2004 draft, but decided to continue with football.

After finishing his collegiate career at USC, Cassel was drafted in the seventh-round by the Patriots in the 2005 draft.

In Cassel’s rookie season in 2005, he began the season third on the Patriots’ depth chart behind Tom Brady and Doug Flutie. He made his first regular season action in the last couple minutes of the Patriots’ 41-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers on October 2, going 2-for-4 for 15 yards and throwing an interception. He only made one other appearance that season and ended the season throwing 24 passes, completing 13 for 183 yards 2 touchdowns and an interception.

Cassel moved up to second on the Patriots’ depth chart during the 2006 and 2007 seasons, and became the primary backup to Tom Brady. He appeared in 12 games and threw only 15 passes for 70 yards in those two seasons.

In the 2008 season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Cassel career changed for the better. Starting quarterback Tom Brady suffered a torn ACL and MCL in the first quarter which ended his season and made Cassel the starter. He made his first career start on September 14, against the New York Jets. The Patriots’ were victorious, winning 19-10. Ever since, Cassel has become a great NFL quarterback and everyone in the league is now noticing. Through the first eleven games of the season, Cassel has thrown for 2,615 yards with 13 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

Cassel is in the last year of his 4-year, $1.4 million rookie contract (he’s making $520,000 this year), is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2009. Cassel will be getting a substantial raise next season. Cassel will most likely get in the range of $5-6 million per year, but from whom?

The Patriots may franchise him, but the price will not be cheap and may cause a problem for their salary cap and it’s not likely the Patriots want to pay him that type of money to be the backup. There will be many teams interested in his services next season. The Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, and the Minnesota Vikings are the most probable spots where he may land next season, but you never know.

The Detroit Lions will probably go hard after Cassel this offseason and could land the future star. There is a definite opening at quarterback for Detroit and Cassel could fit well into the team’s new offense next season when they get a new coach after current coach Rod Marinelli gets canned after this season. He will also have a great big target in wide receiver Calvin Johnson to toss the ball to and with no running game, Cassel will get plenty of chances to make plays.

Cassel may have a real great future ahead of him in the league; however, where will he be starting in 2009? Only the future will tell.

No Comments »

Money Where Your Mouth Is Week 13

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.

Indianapolis -5.5 at Cleveland
The Colts are putting the pieces back together, and finally resemble the Super Bowl team they were a few years ago. Peyton Manning seems to be playing better with every opponent he faces, after recovering from his hidden injury nicely. The Colts strategy is to always play with a lead as their defense is built for speed. With Brady Quinn on IR, Derek Anderson will to try to move the ball after failing once this season. If the Browns can’t start fast, this game could be over by half time. Take the Colts to cover!

Baltimore -7 at Cincinnati
The Ravens are the best kept secret in the NFL…easy money. Take the Ravens to cover!

San Francisco at Buffalo -6
Everyone knows the stat…no team from the West Coast has won on the road heading East. This will be a tough game for the 49er’s going up against a very angry running game. Not to mention the deep threat of Lee Evans, who was one of the forgotten weapons during the Bills four game losing skid. While some thought this team was a fluke out of the gate, the adversity to overcome their losing streak has only made them stronger. Bills cover!

Carolina at Green Bay -3
The Packers have holes on their defense that are going to get exploited Sunday. For weeks it was problems with stopping the run, but after Drew Brees torched the passing defense for 300+ yards, the Packers have a new headache. The 8-3 Panthers are playing great football; when Delhomme struggled during games against the Raiders and Lions, the two headed monster running game bailed him out. If this team can get everyone on all cylinders they could be Super Bowl bound, in the meantime it’s nice to have such a balanced attack. I think this game will be high scoring, and the Over (41.5) is another good bet to add into the mix. Panthers will cover!

Thursday 2-0 / Last week 3-1

Season to Date:
Safe Bets: 18-10
Long Shots 6-4

No Comments »

Gridiron Experts is wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!

I’m not one for shopping on Black Friday, but I do save cash by shopping online. It’s called cyber-monday, and you can get the same deals online. Check out FindingYouDeals.com It’s a great way to avoid getting off the couch!

There are great sales for us guys too! 20-30% off many sports stores including ESPNShop, MLB.com, TeamStore and many more. But the big advantage is buying your woman stuff that she wants and not having to go to the shopping mall. Click on the image for a link to save you money and time

NFL QUIZ TIME

Now who’s got the skills to get a perfect score in our Turkey-Day Quiz,  testing your NFL knowledge!

No Comments »

Turkey Day Preview

Tennessee Titans -11 at Detroit Lions
The Titans are 11 point favorites over the Detroit Lions, who looked as if they were going to steal one away from the Bucs last week. The Lions held a 17 point lead for one quarter before Tampa Bay woke up. Despite the goose egg in the win column, this Lions team does have a few bright lights on their roster. New rookie RB Kevin Smith is having a decent year for player who loses his carries after being down 3 scores each game. While 11 points seems easy for an 10-1 team, the Titans might just be going through the motions as they’re definitely going to get an extra couple days off. Gridiron Experts is advising you to avoid betting on the spread for this game. On the other hand, the over/under is 44, and a much safer bet. The Lions have been putting up points with Culpepper at QB, and if Vegas sees the Titans winning by 11, the big question is can you see the Lions scoring 17 points (the best trick for figuring the over/under)? Don’t stress the numbers, the Titans running game will pad their stats and should tear the game open by the 2nd half. We like the over, even if the Lions can’t score. Ten 31-14.

Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys -12.5
Another boring game, unless you’re a Cowboys fan. T.O. wants the ball like a snot nosed brat crying for a video game a month before Christmas. Better not have him screaming on the floor of Wal-Mart, just give him the ball. Owens is gunning for the plastic turkey award…or whatever they give out on Thursday for MVP. The Cowboys will cover 42-17.

Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles -3
The Eagles are favored…really? I know McNabb will bounce back, but the Cardinals are a good team. With Andy calling plays, Westbrook banged up, and McNabb at home to face hungry fans just itching to “boo” the first incomplete pass, this might be a nightmare for the birds. I’d avoid this game in the betting department, unless you can find a prop bet that has Andy Reid calling 50 passing plays. I think the Eagles have a shot in this game at home, but Gridiron Experts has been burned the last 2 weeks by this team. No prediction here, hey maybe it’ll be another tie.

No Comments »

Week 12 Recap

Gridiron Experts gives our two cents on the weird games this weekend, which included 11 road wins.

Minnesota at Jacksonville - This game was over when the Jaguars fumbled on their first two plays of the game, resulting in a 14 point lead that Jacksonville could never catch.

New England at Miami - Matt Cassel proves he’s not just a back up quarterback, and that he is worth big money in the offseason as Cassel is a free agent.

Philadelphia at Baltimore - Andy Reid is losing control in the locker room; benching McNabb made no sense as the Eagles were only down 10-7 at that point. This team needs to be blown up! Andy needs to either hire a better offensive coordinator or resign. McNabb is still a great QB, and he could make Philly fans eat their hearts out if he goes to a different team. We retract any fantasy predictions we made, as things are worse than we thought in Philadelphia.

Chicago at St. Louis - Trent Green threw 4 INT’s, and the Rams could only put up 3 points. The Rams need a complete overhaul; all of the bottom dwellers are taking steps forward despite their records…except the Rams.

Carolina at Atlanta - Great game, but “Turner the Burner” is just too much to handle at home. The NFC South is top dog in the league.

Houston at Cleveland - Cleveland looks good one week and then terrible the next, while the Texans have been taking baby steps towards becoming a winning franchise. At least the Texans have found their future back: Steve Slaton is money.

NY Jets at Tennessee - One of the only games that game threw us this week, but we knew Favre would continue his hot streak. As for the Titans, it’s better to have a loss now then in the playoffs, just ask the Patriots.
San Francisco at Dallas - T.O. cries to the media and then has a big game…this better not be a regular thing, because we can’t stand his arrogance. We like Mike Singletary, and hope he remains the coach for San Francisco.

Tampa Bay at Detroit - Wow, up by 17 points and you blow it? The Lions are making progress, but we want to see more of RB Kevin Smith, who seems to be a bright light for Detroit.

Buffalo at Kansas City - Trent Edwards and the Bills forgot about WR Lee Evans in their last 4 games, which were all losses. Although Evans didn’t find the end zone, he did stretch the field to help add diversity to the Bills offense.

Oakland at Denver - We can’t believe the Broncos, they’re our nemesis this season! If we pick them they lose, if we go against them they knock off a top ten team.

NY Giants at Arizona - The Cardinals look like a great team that will have a first round playoff exit. This team is not going to the Super Bowl, but they are on the move to turn this franchise around.

Washington at Seattle - The Seahawks + 3.5 was our long shot of the week that came through. At one point it looked like Seattle might win, then some guy named Clinton Portis stepped up and ran away with the fourth quarter.

Indianapolis at San Diego - Charger fans are having a heart breaking season. LT drops a pass on 3rd down that could have drained more time and even resulted in a TD. Instead, San Diego hits the tying field goal, only to watch Manning drive down the field and win the game.

Green Bay at New Orleans- Drew Brees is running an offense that most coaches dream about. It’s the defense that has been killing the Saints all year. On Monday night the secondary looked completely revamped, and they picked off Rodgers 3 times.

Spread the Word about Gridiron Experts

No Comments »

Money Where Your Mouth Is Week 12

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.

*Gridiron Experts didn’t do a week 11 edition of money where your mouth is due to a sinking feeling with some of the match-ups. The weird thing is, we liked the Steelers to cover, but had a bad feeling overall about week 11 (Fat Tony wants his money).

Safe Bets

Green Bay +2.5

The Packers are geared up for a Monday night shootout as they visit the 5-5 Saints. The way you beat the Packers is on the ground, they allow an average of 147 rushing yards per game, but with Reggie Bush banged up the Saints will lean on Drew Brees. The Packers have played well against the pass this season, and with a great passing game of their own +2.5 is a great bet.

New England +2

Love him or hate him, Bill Belichick is a brilliant coach. The wildcat offense got the best of him the first time, but he will have the Patriots prepared this weekend. New England also had more time to prepare for Miami as they played the Thursday Night game last week. Injuries are a concern, but Gridiron Experts likes the Pats +2.

Chicago -8

The Rams are going to ask people from the stands to suit up soon with all of the injuries they’ve had, in addition to a general lack of effort from this team. The Bears were embarrassed last week on the road against a divisional rival. This is a great hangover game to get the team back on track. The Bears will cover!

Long Shot of the Week

Seattle +3.5

The Washington Redskins are averaging 18 points per game on offense, which is only better than the bottom feeder teams like the Bengals, Raiders, and Lions. The long road trip will take a toll on this team, along with the 12th man, who will be loud and hungry for a home win. Jim Zorn’s offense is very similar to the West Coast offense that Mike Holmgren runs, and Zorn will have to think outside the box to get the best of him. While we were hoping the Seahawks could play spoiler last week, Gridiron Experts believes Matt Hasselbeck should settle back into the offense he knows and can thrive in.

Season to Date:
Safe Bets: 16-9
Long Shots 5-4

No Comments »

Gridiron Experts WK 12 picks

Last Week: Straight up 10-5-1  ATS: 6-10

Overall: Straight up 100-57-1 ATS: 76-81-3

No Comments »