Week 4 Preview

Apologies for the unfulfilled promises this week- though Drew and JR have done a great job providing content while my internal clock resets. On to the week that will be...

GAME OF THE WEEK

Sex Panther vs. Blaine Browns (-1)

It's absurd to have a game with this much at stake this early in the year...We could see two projected playoff contenders lose 3 of their first 4 if the Browns win...Despite monster week last week, BB is favored by a point...If nothing else, we'll find out after this game who the fantasy gods hate more...Teams are 1-1 in head-to-head battles, with Drew's team winning the most recent meeting 161.75-141.75

News and Notes, SP

If you couldn't tell from the power rankings, I'm very impressed with Eli's team...Steven Jackson's potential injury will be the x-factor in this matchup; if he can't go, or is severly limited, give the edge to Blaine...Daunte Culpepper is allegedly back on track, but to be honest, I have to see it consistently before he is considered the stud he was last year; right now he scares his own owner as much as he does opposing owners...Willis MaGahee is the only Buffalo Bill that is not effected by the stench coming from JP Losman, and that's fortunate for the gun because he should be a top5 back this year...Cadillac Williams is probably haunting the dreams of the expansion owners right now...WR1-3 are about as steady as they come, and could be as spectacular if Reggie Wayne gets on track...Big unknown as to what Mewelde Moore will do in the flex spot in place of the producing Thomas Jones...I honestly think that the only thing that could stop this team is injuries, like the one to Jackson, or the possibility of injuries to both MaGahee and Cadillac (who were banged up in college)...Outside of that, no weaknesses...Key Players on Bye Week: Thomas Jones

News and Notes, BB

Wolfman is playing well enough to win every week, despite a lack of production from Curtis Martin...Will Martin ever get on track now that the Jet's offense is without a competent QB? This team needs him to, badly...Edgerrin James has his first breakout of the season, he should feast on a weak Tennessee team this week...Keenan McCardell and his insane production finally get a spot in the lineup this week...Drew Brees looked very good, very unflukeish last week, that needs to continue...Warrick Dunn and Alge Crumpler are still stuck in an offense that doesn't play well to their fantasy strengths; if they can get on the board, it could give BB the push they need to get off the schneid...We know what Terrell Owens can do, but the production of Donald Driver will be more pivotal to this team's success...KPOBW: Ruben Droughns

Prediction: I do like Drew's chances in this game, but I don't see Sex Panther losing again until week 9. It's a big roll he's going to start, and it sucks that Drew is in the way on a week he needs a win.

THE 2 SPOT

Madd Skillz (-41 - WTF?) vs. The Octagon

Largest spread that I can remember, even bigger than that of Sex Panther-Big Fat Guys last week, go figure...Part of that is that at the time of this writing, OCT has yet to find two defensive starters to fill in for bye weeks, so it will go down 10-15 points by gametime...Still, don't bet on this being a 25 point differential...Schillinger is 3-0 lifetime against JR, with the most recent matchup going Schill's way in the 2004 Championship Game

News and Notes, SKL

Got bad news from the Jets this week, and not because they had to drop their third QB; but rather that WR3 Laverneus Coles may be useless for the rest of the season if Brooks Bollinger and Vinny Testeverde are in charge...That could be a big disadvantage for this team, especially if Santana Moss doesn't work out...Is it worth watching LDT get minimal touches for two weeks before getting an explosion every third? Probably not, but it's debateable...Tom Brady back in the starting lineup after watching Li'l Eli Manning torch the Charger secondary for a while...Jeremy Shockey gets second straight start at TE despite being acquired as a backup; then again Brady was drafted as a backup too, and he's on his third start in four weeks...All eyes (well, just mine) will be on Domanick Davis, as he is off his bye and away from two hellaciously good defenses; will he be finally be the stud he was supposed to be?...WR1-2 punch is among the best in the league right now, pretty suprisingly...KPOBW: None

News and Notes, OCT

Best week so far is their only loss of the season...The good news is that they are very much on the up, bad news is that their hottest player has a bye this week...Like SKL will be watching Davis, OCT will be following Andre Johnson to see if he can finally live up to his preseason hype...Tiki Barber and Brian Westbrook are a phenomonal RB combo, but Kevan Barlow's stock is slipping and could cause problems at the RB3 spot...Trent Green- who really knows what's up with Trent Green right now? Is this his (and Tony Gonzalez's) breakout? Against the Eagles, it's not likely- though they may have to throw a lot in the second half...Chester Taylor is starting in the Flex spot, which could be a great move if Jamal Lewis keeps running like poop...KPOBW: Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El, Jason Taylor (?)

Prediction: I don't want to make a prediction on my own games any more.

Game #3

Champeons (-5) vs. Cellar Dwellers

While Stem looks awfully comfortable in unfamilar territory, his fall from first could be swift, as a mere win by Champeons vaults him ahead of this years so-far-cinderella...This is really a magnificent #3 game this week, worthy of Game of the Week status most other times...Champ is 2-0 vs. Stem lifetime, winning 127.25-79.50 to close out last season

News and Notes, CHM

Riding Drew Bledsoe again this week, keeping with the reliance on Cowboys (QB, RB1, Flex) until it burns...Derrick Mason returns this week as his Ravens take on the Jets in what will be the absolute worst source of fantasy points all year long; that game might not see a completed pass...Travis Henry's suspension is good news for Chris Brown owner Whitlock, as his RB3 spot now has someone carrying the load for his team every game...I really like this WR corps, and think it's the deepest in the league with Randy Moss, Rod Smith, Mason, Keyshawn Johnson, Isaac Bruce and sleeper Mike Williams...Clinton Portis remains a mystery, not yet living up to his draft spot last year (#6 overall) but is still someone most owners would feel confident starting every week; you can't really ask for a better RB2 in this league right now...KPOBW: None

News and Notes, CD

Won the battle of undefeateds without their WR1 and RB2, impressive...it seems as if Stem has stalled all Matt Millen comparisons, but can they keep up this pace? Of course they won't go undefeated (no one will), but is a 9 win season (6 win turnaround) possible? It is, especially considering their point totals are rising, and LaMont Jordan is starting to justify his predraft hype...It's Jake Delhomme's turn in the starting lineup this week, which means Byron Leftwich will have a big game...Larry Fitz, Jerry Porter and Roy Williams is the best combination of youth and talent at WR in the league...Said earlier that a weak week from Shaun Alexander is crippling to this club, and that stands true this and all future weeks; team doesn't win with a meager 10 pointer from Alexander last week...has a slight edge in the TE battle, with Ernie Conwell; that says something about the TEs in this game...KPOBW: Randy McMichael

Prediction: Can't win em all, and though Stem is much improved and a playoff contender, Champ's team is lurking and capable of huge weeks. This looks like a game where the WR will make the difference, and Randy Moss will provide the winning margin for CHM.

Batting Cleanup

Father Abraham (-14) vs. Fred Lanes Wife

A crucial game for both clubs, as FLW needs a win to stay near the pack for a playoff spot, while FA can start to pull away from potential playoff teams by starting 3-1...Viano is 2-0 lifetime against Souzek

News and Notes, FA

Being carried by Donovan McNabb and Stephen Davis, oddly enough...It's getting old, but still very true; will need some noise from Jamal Lewis to make any sort of sustained run...WRs 1-3 have been as good as can be expected, despite just 2 total touchdowns between Joe Horn, Muhsin Muhammed and Anquan Boldin...Priest Holmes is not playing like the stud he once was, but is still a solid RB1, putting up double digits most weeks...Ashley Lelie and Charles Rogers are both hit-or-miss players in the lineup this week, and Lelie has the bigger upside...KPOBW: Muhsin Muhammed

News and Notes, FLW

It gets tiresome, writing about Peyton Manning ever week, so I won't; It doesn't take a genius to see that he's the reason that this team is under .500...Is there ever a week that Manning gets benched? With David Carr as the other option, no there never is- probably not even his bye week...Kevin Curtis found the end zone last week, but is far from a guarantee in the Rams offense; this is where the loss of Javon Walker really hurts...Tatum Bell is a good gamble in the RB3 spot this week, with byes depleting the RB corps...Corey Dillon and Deuce McAllister are both short on yardage, but fine on TDs, which makes it palatable...KPOBW: Ronnie Brown, Willie Parker

Prediction: Equipped with one of the only QBs that can match a monster week from Manning, FA rides a slightly stronger running game to victory in what I consider an upset, but technically isn't.

The 5 Hole

Big Fat Guys vs. Ken's Anal Adventure (-14)

An intriguing #5 game, thanks to the budding rivalry between the two expansion teams...No one would have ever predicted that Dave and Kenny would be 14 point favorites at any point this season, right?...This is the first meeting between the two teams

News and Notes, BFG

Gives Carson Palmer the starting nod this week, in an attempt to shut Dave up once and for all...and he plays the Texans...Starting WRs (who tallied 47 points in week 3) all have the potential for big games...RB corps is still weak, though Mike Anderson is worthy of a weekly start, just not as an RB1...Still waiting for Alex Smith to have another big week...KPOBW: Chris Chambers

News and Notes, KAA

Making up for benching both of their Minnesota WRs last week by starting them both this week...Has put together an awfully solid starting lineup by week 4, which is impressive...RB situation is stable, with a potential stud, a starter and a goal line back...WRs have loads of potential in real life, though fantasy expectations should be tempered...It's hard to guess what Michael Vick will do on a given week. The reason that QBs score so much in this league is the 5-6 points they get for completions. Vick doesn't usually get those, but can rack up rushing points that no other QB can...This is probably the week Brandon Stokley finds the end zone...KPOBW: Braylon Edwards, Lee Suggs

Prediction: Carson Palmer has a big day, and BFG's RBs score a few TDs in the upset of the week.