So due to the requests from several people, I am starting my own weekly blog/fantasy advice column. I’ll start it off with a quick background on me (why should you even trust this guy). And, I’ll also give a few of my main points/thoughts for fantasy in general. Then, I’ll post my rankings for the week and update them each Thursday (which I’m sure most of you are scrolling to right now).

Background:
I worked with FoxSports a few years back. We (myself and two others) had a daily radio show on a local AM station. In addition, I wrote bi-weekly articles for the station’s website. It was a fairly successful, and entertaining (at least to us) show. However, being in a mid-market…at best…here in Hampton Roads, VA, we could not get the advertising support the station needed.

All in all, it was the best situation in my opinion, as we weren’t hampered down by only talking about the local teams. We were able to talk about the main stories in the sports world each day, which made for a variety of topics and arguments.

I’ve played fantasy sports, mainly football and baseball with an occasional basketball sprinkled in, for about 10 years now. My success rate is quite high as I’ve only finished outside of the top 3 (5th and 6th) in football twice out of 15 leagues. In fact, I’ve won 4 straight leagues and am in first as we speak. (Expecting half of you not to believe that, as I’d have a hard time myself.)

Thoughts:
All that said about my fantasy accomplishments, my main point I want to convey is that just like poker, there is a good deal of luck involved. No one can predict tough fantasy match-ups, injuries, busts, breakouts, etc., 100% of the time. In fact, if anyone could even guarantee a 75% success rate, they’d put all the ESPN guys out of business. Just like poker, you can hold the best hand (team), but come Sunday, some no-name schmuck is going to ruin your day with a fantasy outburst (just like sucking out on the river).

Want perfect proof? This past week is a prime example as I had BOTH Brady and MJD on my team. In addition to them, I was rolling with Jacobs, LT, Jennings, MSW, Ocho, Gates and JAX D and Mare. Think I’d have this one in the bag huh? Well, this week’s schmuck happened to be Thomas “Thought I was Curtis Martin” Jones. The rest of his team was solid, but Braylon Edwards had little to no production until overtime (win the game in regulation Buffalo!). He also had Olsen, who had a soft game until late in the game Sunday night. Plus, his defense and kicker outscored mine by 15 points combined.

There’s the proof…you can NEVER guarantee anything in fantasy. Sometimes everything goes against you (stinger to Jacobs, really?) even with your own huge performances. And as a side note, you can see why I loathe kickers and think defensive scoring should be scaled down. With defenses you can at least strategize and pick good teams/match-ups, but you still can’t predict returns for TDs with any regularity. Then you have kickers…man, if I could, I would eliminate the position and just use it for another flex. Seriously, who sees the Bironas type weeks coming (week 7 in 2007), and who doesn’t hate losing to those? Don’t try to tell me you can predict those with any regularity…and if you think that winning that way qualifies you as a good fantasy owner, stop reading now. And also just stop reading if you draft a kicker before the last round in the draft…you need more than my help.

So, here’s my first set of rankings, and feel free to send me emails of specific roster/trade/etc. questions. I love discussing and making trades…so I will look to answer all of those as possible. Also, any other random thoughts or questions – send them too – I might include some of them if relevant or entertaining.

Week 7 Rankings:

Rank QB - Team ( Opp )
1 Peyton Manning - IND ( @StL )
2 Tom Brady - NE ( @TB )
3 Drew Brees - NO ( @Mia )
4 Philip Rivers - SD ( @KC )
5 Aaron Rodgers - GB ( @Cle )
6 Matt Schaub - HOU ( SF )
7 Ben Roethlisberger - PIT ( Min )
8 Kurt Warner - ARI ( @NYG )
9 Eli Manning - NYG ( Ari )
10 Jay Cutler - CHI ( @Cin )
11 Matt Ryan - ATL ( @Dal )
12 Tony Romo - DAL ( Atl )
13 Brett Favre - MIN ( @Pit )
14 Donovan McNabb - PHI ( @Was )
15 Carson Palmer - CIN ( Chi )
16 Matt Cassel - KC ( SD )
17 Shaun Hill - SF ( @Hou )
18 Chad Henne - MIA ( NO )
19 Jason Campbell - WAS ( Phi )
20 Josh Johnson - TB ( NE )
21 Jake Delhomme - CAR ( Buf )
22 Marc Bulger - STL ( Ind )
23 Derek Anderson - CLE ( GB )
24 Mark Sanchez - NYJ ( @Oak )
25 JaMarcus Russell - OAK ( NYJ )


Rank RB - Team ( Opp )
1 DeAngelo Williams - CAR ( Buf )
2 Adrian Peterson - MIN ( @Pit )
3 Frank Gore - SF ( @Hou )
4 Ronnie Brown - MIA ( NO )
5 Michael Turner - ATL ( @Dal )
6 Steven Jackson - STL ( Ind )
7 Cedric Benson - CIN ( Chi )
8 Brian Westbrook - PHI ( @Was )
9 Thomas Jones - NYJ ( @Oak )
10 Steve Slaton - HOU ( SF )
11 Ryan Grant - GB ( @Cle )
12 LaDainian Tomlinson - SD ( @KC )
13 Joseph Addai - IND ( @StL )
14 Marion Barber - DAL ( Atl )
15 Matt Forte - CHI ( @Cin )
16 Marshawn Lynch - BUF ( @Car )
17 Pierre Thomas - NO ( @Mia )
18 Rashard Mendenhall - PIT ( Min )
19 Jonathan Stewart - CAR ( Buf )
20 Clinton Portis - WAS ( Phi )
21 Ahmad Bradshaw - NYG ( Ari )
22 Brandon Jacobs - NYG ( Ari )
23 Laurence Maroney - NE ( @TB )
24 Tim Hightower - ARI ( @NYG )
25 Donald Brown - IND ( @StL )
26 Leon Washington - NYJ ( @Oak )
27 Larry Johnson - KC ( SD )
28 Ricky Williams - MIA ( NO )
29 Tashard Choice - DAL ( Atl )
30 Cadillac Williams - TB ( NE )
31 Fred Jackson - BUF ( @Car )
32 Darren Sproles - SD ( @KC )
33 Justin Fargas - OAK ( NYJ )
34 Mike Bell - NO ( @Mia )
35 Reggie Bush - NO ( @Mia )
36 Jamal Lewis - CLE ( GB )
37 Willie Parker - PIT ( Min )
38 Chester Taylor - MIN ( @Pit )
39 LeSean McCoy - PHI ( @Was )
40 Michael Bush - OAK ( NYJ )
41 Beanie Wells - ARI ( @NYG )
42 Glen Coffee - SF ( @Hou )
43 Jerome Harrison - CLE ( GB )
44 Derrick Ward - TB ( NE )
45 Kevin Faulk - NE ( @TB )


Rank WR - Team ( Opp )
1 Randy Moss - NE ( @TB )
2 Reggie Wayne - IND ( @StL )
3 Andre Johnson - HOU ( SF )
4 Larry Fitzgerald - ARI ( @NYG )
5 Vincent Jackson - SD ( @KC )
6 Marques Colston - NO ( @Mia )
7 Roddy White - ATL ( @Dal )
8 Wes Welker - NE ( @TB )
9 Steve Smith - NYG ( Ari )
10 Chad Ochocinco - CIN ( Chi )
11 Hines Ward - PIT ( Min )
12 Greg Jennings - GB ( @Cle )
13 Donald Driver - GB ( @Cle )
14 Dwayne Bowe - KC ( SD )
15 DeSean Jackson - PHI ( @Was )
16 Santonio Holmes - PIT ( Min )
17 Steve Breaston - ARI ( @NYG )
18 Braylon Edwards - NYJ ( @Oak )
19 Steve Smith - CAR ( Buf )
20 Miles Austin - DAL ( Atl )
21 Mario Manningham - NYG ( Ari )
22 Devin Hester - CHI ( @Cin )
23 Sidney Rice - MIN ( @Pit )
24 Kevin Walter - HOU ( SF )
25 Roy Williams - DAL ( Atl )
26 Hakeem Nicks - NYG ( Ari )
27 Santana Moss - WAS ( Phi )
28 Austin Collie - IND ( @StL )
29 Bernard Berrian - MIN ( @Pit )
30 Pierre Garcon - IND ( @StL )
31 Antonio Bryant - TB ( NE )
32 Lance Moore - NO ( @Mia )
33 Johnny Knox - CHI ( @Cin )
34 Mohamed Massaquoi - CLE ( GB )
35 Lee Evans - BUF ( @Car )
36 Anquan Boldin (top 20 if plays) - ARI ( @NYG )
37 Ted Ginn Jr. - MIA ( NO )
38 Terrell Owens - BUF ( @Car )
39 Percy Harvin - MIN ( @Pit )
40 Donnie Avery - STL ( Ind )
41 Earl Bennett - CHI ( @Cin )
42 Andre Caldwell - CIN ( Chi )
43 Michael Crabtree - SF ( @Hou )
44 Jeremy Maclin - PHI ( @Was )
45 Davone Bess - MIA ( NO )


Rank TE - Team ( Opp )
1 Antonio Gates - SD ( @KC )
2 Dallas Clark - IND ( @StL )
3 Tony Gonzalez - ATL ( @Dal )
4 Jason Witten - DAL ( Atl )
5 Owen Daniels - HOU ( SF )
6 Heath Miller - PIT ( Min )
7 Chris Cooley - WAS ( Phi )
8 Brent Celek - PHI ( @Was )
9 Greg Olsen - CHI ( @Cin )
10 Visanthe Shiancoe - MIN ( @Pit )
11 Jeremy Shockey - NO ( @Mia )
12 Jermichael Finley - GB ( @Cle )
13 Vernon Davis - SF ( @Hou )
14 Kellen Winslow - TB ( NE )
15 Dustin Keller - NYJ ( @Oak )
16 Zach Miller - OAK ( NYJ )
17 Kevin Boss - NYG ( Ari )
18 Benjamin Watson - NE ( @TB )
19 Sean Ryan - KC ( SD )
20 Anthony Fasano - MIA ( NO )


Rank Def ( Opp )
1 Green Bay Packers ( @Cle )
2 Indianapolis Colts ( @StL )
3 New England Patriots ( @TB )
4 Philadelphia Eagles ( @Was )
5 New York Jets ( @Oak )
6 Pittsburgh Steelers ( Min )
7 New York Giants ( Ari )
8 Minnesota Vikings ( @Pit )
9 Carolina Panthers ( Buf )
10 New Orleans Saints ( @Mia )
11 San Francisco 49ers ( @Hou )
12 San Diego Chargers ( @KC )
13 Chicago Bears ( @Cin )
14 Atlanta Falcons ( @Dal )
15 Oakland Raiders ( NYJ )
16 Cincinnati Bengals ( Chi )
17 Dallas Cowboys ( Atl )
18 Buffalo Bills ( @Car )
19 Washington Redskins ( Phi )
20 Arizona Cardinals ( @NYG )


Rank Kicker - Team ( Opp )
1 Stephen Gostkowski - NE ( @TB )
2 Lawrence Tynes - NYG ( Ari )
3 John Carney - NO ( @Mia )
4 Mason Crosby - GB ( @Cle )
5 David Akers - PHI ( @Was )
6 Nate Kaeding - SD ( @KC )
7 Ryan Longwell - MIN ( @Pit )
8 Matt Stover - FA ( @StL )
9 Neil Rackers - ARI ( @NYG )
10 Robbie Gould - CHI ( @Cin )
11 Nick Folk - DAL ( Atl )
12 Jason Elam - ATL ( @Dal )
13 Kris Brown - HOU ( SF )
14 Joe Nedney - SF ( @Hou )
15 Jeff Reed - PIT ( Min )
16 John Kasay - CAR ( Buf )
17 Dan Carpenter - MIA ( NO )
18 Ryan Succop - KC ( SD )
19 Rian Lindell - BUF ( @Car )
20 Shayne Graham - CIN ( Chi )


Jake C