All in Sports - Fantasy Advice and Rankings Week 16

It’s Christmas week, my favorite time of the year. Plus, the fantasy championship game is this week (or should be for those knuckleheads in a 17-week league). Add to that, it’s Capital One Bowl Week (you probably haven’t heard or seen a commercial about that 18,000 times so I figured I’d pass the word). What a wonderful, football-filled, winter week. It actually got me thinking, what if we had to buy presents for our fantasy players? Well, here are a few of the things I picked up this week.

Jamaal Charles – A pile of dirt and coal (wait for it) that turns out to have a 5-karat diamond underneath

Michael Turner – A corvette with 100,000 miles on it (all from 2008) that everyone insists is an amazing vehicle…only to have it breakdown, try to start up and run for a few miles, only to breakdown again when you are only a few miles to the top of a hill

Matt Forte – A brand new Xbox Elite that come next year, when you really need it and want it to perform, just gets the red ring of death

Cedric Benson – A game system like Forte, but yours is a PS3. It kinda stunk for a while there, but now, wow, what entertainment

Brandon Jacobs – A Ford F150 SuperDuty with a Kia engine. See how much that can carry

Andre Johnson – Whatever you want; you’re the man

Steve Smith (Carolina) – A Microsoft Zune. You got it and realized you really would rather have the other brand that performs better

Terrell Ownes – A magic set. This way you can keep tricking people all year around into thinking you still have talent

Brett Favre – A eleven year-old dog that, come to find out, is better than any young pup out there because it already knows every trick. But unfortunately, just as you’ve fallen head over heels for it, will show its age, just lay there and not play (well) anymore

Aaron Rodgers – A bodyguard. Let someone else take the pounding for a change

Jay Cutler – Laser eye surgery. There has to be a reason you can’t tell the opposing team from your own…right?

Philip Rivers – A George Foreman Grill. You always hear about them, but you never appreciate how great it is until you own one

All Kickers – A dollar coin. Picking one of you is worth nothing more than the coin used and flipped to choose

Lastly, Mangini and Kubiak – You also get cars, really nice ones. But then when you come to use it, you find it garaged. Then when you find another vehicle to use, we speed by in your nice car. Then do it all again, over and over.

I would like a championship win for Christmas. But if you offered me a date with Megan Fox, a new car, or $10,000, I’d take those too. On to the deal and rankings.

What’s the Deal?

Week 15

All In (player(s) who you should put your chips on)

Is there anyone out there? No really…is there anything left on the waivers at this point? If Harrison is available you can grab him. You would think Mangini will stick with him this week (but who ever knows). Also, some decent WR grabs for desperate owners are Josh Morgan, Gage and Washington in Tennessee, Malcolm Floyd, and Manningham again (if Nicks is out). Otherwise, as I said before, dance with the one(s) who brought you.

Gut Shot (player who really let you down when you thought he’d come through big)

Mr. Wonderful. Mr. Amazing. Mr, Great Looks, Hot Wife, has Everything Going for Him. Yup, Tom Brady. Ok, I didn’t expect him to have a huge day when playing the Bills. You can, after all, just run it down their throats. However, that performance was abysmal. He just doesn’t look like the Brady of old, and maybe he never will. Maybe, Brady is just a really good quarterback at this point.

River Rat (player who came up big that no one expected)

Do I need to mention Jerome Harrison? Ok, so I’m guessing almost no one had him playing, and really hoping no one faced him. That would be one of the biggest worst-luck situations ever. I’d have to go with Ben Roethlisberger. Green Bay has (had?) a solid defense, and Ben’s never had a day that big before. 500 yards and 3 TDs? I’ll take that any day.

Muck ‘em (players who won’t help us anymore, throw them back)

I’m going to just repeat my message from last week to make sure you caught all of it. Your bench is close to meaningless now. That said, here’s the strategy piece: drop players you don’t need (and likely won’t help anyone) to pick-up potential needs for playoff opponents. Example: your opponent has a mid-tier kicker or one with a tough match-up and someone like Tynes is out there (who’s been pretty consistent with points). Drop your 3^rd bench RB and pick up Tynes to keep points away from your opponent. It’s all about first place at this point, and you should do anything to help your chances.

Week 16

Top Pair (player(s) who guarantee a good week)

Cedric Benson

Guess who the Bengals play this week? The Chiefs, who let Harrison run for 286 yards. Benson should be able to put up 586, ok ok, maybe just 126. Really though, anything under a hundred would be a huge disappointment.

Wes Welker

The Patriots are coming off a game where they struggled against Buffalo. Plus, Brady didn’t get the ball to Welker much at all (or many others for that matter). Expect a bounce back week for New England, Brady, and the passing game.

Gut Shot (player who will surprise you with a good week)

Brandon Jacobs

Ok, I’m really calling him out for at least one great (or maybe just really good) game in 2009. Carolina’s pass defense is quite good, and their run defense is weak. Maybe this is the week he breaks out to top 100 yards for the first time since last year…maybe.

The Flop (player who will let you down)

Brett Favre

We all saw it coming, he’s worn down and is struggling late in the season (he is over 40 years old after all). He’s frustrated, as apparent from the argument with Childress last week. Now, they head to Chicago, who would love to play spoiler to a bye week, and it’s outside in the bitter cold. I wouldn’t want to pin my championship hopes on him right now.

Rankings

Rank - QB - Team (Opp)

1 - Aaron Rodgers - GB ( Sea)

2 - Drew Brees - NO ( TB)

3 - Matt Schaub - HOU ( @Mia)

4 - Kurt Warner - ARI ( StL)

5 - Philip Rivers - SD ( @Ten)

6 - Tom Brady - NE ( Jac)

7 - Tony Romo - DAL ( @Was)

8 - Ben Roethlisberger - PIT ( Bal)

9 - Donovan McNabb - PHI ( Den)

10 - Peyton Manning - IND ( NYJ)

11 - Alex Smith - SF ( Det)

12 - Eli Manning - NYG ( Car)

13 - Brett Favre - MIN ( @Chi)

14 - Vince Young - TEN ( SD)

15 - Carson Palmer - CIN ( KC)

16 - Joe Flacco - BAL ( @Pit)

17 - Chad Henne - MIA ( Hou)

18 - Kyle Orton - DEN ( @Phi)

19 - David Garrard - JAC ( @NE)

20 - Jason Campbell - WAS ( Dal)

21 - Matt Ryan - ATL ( Buf)

22 - Matt Cassel - KC ( @Cin)

23 - Matt Hasselbeck - SEA ( @GB)

24 - Jay Cutler - CHI ( Min)

25 - Matt Moore - CAR ( @NYG)

Rank - RB - Team (Opp)

1 - Chris Johnson - TEN ( SD)

2 - Adrian Peterson - MIN ( @Chi)

3 - Frank Gore - SF ( Det)

4 - Cedric Benson - CIN ( KC)

5 - Maurice Jones-Drew - JAC ( @NE)

6 - Ray Rice - BAL ( @Pit)

7 - Steven Jackson - STL ( @Ari)

8 - Jamaal Charles - KC ( @Cin)

9 - Ricky Williams - MIA ( Hou)

10 - Thomas Jones - NYJ ( @Ind)

11 - Ryan Grant - GB ( Sea)

12 - Beanie Wells - ARI ( StL)

13 - Jerome Harrison - CLE ( Oak)

14 - Rashard Mendenhall - PIT ( Bal)

15 - Fred Jackson - BUF ( @Atl)

16 - LaDainian Tomlinson - SD ( @Ten)

17 - Laurence Maroney - NE ( Jac)

18 - Pierre Thomas - NO ( TB)

19 - Jonathan Stewart - CAR ( @NYG)

20 - Brandon Jacobs - NYG ( Car)

21 - Marion Barber - DAL ( @Was)

22 - Knowshon Moreno - DEN ( @Phi)

23 - Jason Snelling - ATL ( Buf)

24 - Ahmad Bradshaw - NYG ( Car)

25 - Joseph Addai - IND ( NYJ)

26 - Tim Hightower - ARI ( StL)

27 - Matt Forte - CHI ( Min)

28 - DeAngelo Williams - CAR ( @NYG)

29 - Quinton Ganther - WAS ( Dal)

30 - LeSean McCoy - PHI ( Den)

31 - Justin Forsett - SEA ( @GB)

32 - Maurice Morris - DET ( @SF)

33 - Cadillac Williams - TB ( @NO)

34 - Michael Bush - OAK ( @Cle)

35 - Marshawn Lynch - BUF ( @Atl)

36 - Reggie Bush - NO ( TB)

37 - Mike Bell - NO ( TB)

38 - Ryan Moats - HOU ( @Mia)

39 - Brian Westbrook - PHI ( Den)

40 - Felix Jones - DAL ( @Was)

41 - Darren McFadden - OAK ( @Cle)

42 - Jerious Norwood - ATL ( Buf)

43 - Derrick Ward - TB ( @NO)

44 - Julius Jones - SEA ( @GB)

45 - Larry Johnson - CIN ( KC)

46 - Leonard Weaver - PHI ( Den)

47 - Arian Foster - HOU ( @Mia)

48 - Darren Sproles - SD ( @Ten)

49 - Chris Jennings - CLE ( Oak)

50 - Willis McGahee - BAL ( @Pit)

Rank - WR - Team (Opp)

1 - Andre Johnson - HOU ( @Mia)

2 - Randy Moss - NE ( Jac)

3 - Larry Fitzgerald - ARI ( StL)

4 - Miles Austin - DAL ( @Was)

5 - Vincent Jackson - SD ( @Ten)

6 - Anquan Boldin - ARI ( StL)

7 - DeSean Jackson - PHI ( Den)

8 - Wes Welker - NE ( Jac)

9 - Brandon Marshall - DEN ( @Phi)

10 - Marques Colston - NO ( TB)

11 - Chad Ochocinco - CIN ( KC)

12 - Sidney Rice - MIN ( @Chi)

13 - Steve Smith - CAR ( @NYG)

14 - Greg Jennings - GB ( Sea)

15 - Donald Driver - GB ( Sea)

16 - Roddy White - ATL ( Buf)

17 - Mike Sims-Walker - JAC ( @NE)

18 - Santonio Holmes - PIT ( Bal)

19 - Derrick Mason - BAL ( @Pit)

20 - Hines Ward - PIT ( Bal)

21 - Steve Smith - NYG ( Car)

22 - Calvin Johnson - DET ( @SF)

23 - Reggie Wayne - IND ( NYJ)

24 - Robert Meachem - NO ( TB)

25 - Michael Crabtree - SF ( Det)

26 - Dwayne Bowe - KC ( @Cin)

27 - Terrell Owens - BUF ( @Atl)

28 - Braylon Edwards - NYJ ( @Ind)

29 - Antonio Bryant - TB ( @NO)

30 - T.J. Houshmandzadeh - SEA ( @GB)

31 - Kenny Britt - TEN ( SD)

32 - Percy Harvin - MIN ( @Chi)

33 - Jerricho Cotchery - NYJ ( @Ind)

34 - Chris Chambers - KC ( @Cin)

35 - Roy Williams - DAL ( @Was)

36 - Hakeem Nicks - NYG ( Car)

37 - Austin Collie - IND ( NYJ)

38 - Kevin Walter - HOU ( @Mia)

39 - Lee Evans - BUF ( @Atl)

40 - Santana Moss - WAS ( Dal)

41 - Mario Manningham - NYG ( Car)

42 - Devery Henderson - NO ( TB)

43 - Pierre Garcon - IND ( NYJ)

44 - Steve Breaston - ARI ( StL)

45 - Mike Wallace - PIT ( Bal)

46 - Josh Morgan - SF ( Det)

47 - Justin Gage - TEN ( SD)

48 - Johnny Knox - CHI ( Min)

49 - Laveranues Coles - CIN ( KC)

50 - Jason Avant - PHI ( Den)

Rank - TE - Team (Opp)

1 - Antonio Gates - SD ( @Ten)

2 - Vernon Davis - SF ( Det)

3 - Tony Gonzalez - ATL ( Buf)

4 - Dallas Clark - IND ( NYJ)

5 - Jermichael Finley - GB ( Sea)

6 - Brent Celek - PHI ( Den)

7 - Fred Davis - WAS ( Dal)

8 - Jason Witten - DAL ( @Was)

9 - Kellen Winslow - TB ( @NO)

10 - Visanthe Shiancoe - MIN ( @Chi)

11 - Heath Miller - PIT ( Bal)

12 - Kevin Boss - NYG ( Car)

13 - Greg Olsen - CHI ( Min)

14 - John Carlson - SEA ( @GB)

15 - Bo Scaife - TEN ( SD)

16 - David Thomas - NO ( TB)

17 - Todd Heap - BAL ( @Pit)

18 - Zach Miller - OAK ( @Cle)

19 - Benjamin Watson - NE ( Jac)

20 - Tony Scheffler - DEN ( @Phi)

Rank - Kicker - Team (Opp)

1 - Nate Kaeding - SD ( @Ten)

2 - Garrett Hartley - NO ( TB)

3 - David Akers - PHI ( Den)

4 - Stephen Gostkowski - NE ( Jac)

5 - Rob Bironas - TEN ( SD)

6 - Ryan Longwell - MIN ( @Chi)

7 - Lawrence Tynes - NYG ( Car)

8 - Shayne Graham - CIN ( KC)

9 - Jeff Reed - PIT ( Bal)

10 - Mason Crosby - GB ( Sea)

11 - Kris Brown - HOU ( @Mia)

12 - Shaun Suisham - WAS ( @Was)

13 - Billy Cundiff - BAL ( @Pit)

14 - Rian Lindell - BUF ( @Atl)

15 - Matt Prater - DEN ( @Phi)

16 - Robbie Gould - CHI ( Min)

17 - Dan Carpenter - MIA ( Hou)

18 - Matt Stover - IND ( NYJ)

19 - Sebastian Janikowski - OAK ( @Cle)

20 - Mike Nugent - TB ( StL)

Rank - Def (Opp)

1 - Green Bay Packers ( Sea)

2 - New Orleans Saints ( TB)

3 - Arizona Cardinals ( StL)

4 - San Francisco 49ers ( Det)

5 - Minnesota Vikings ( @Chi)

6 - Philadelphia Eagles ( Den)

7 - Cincinnati Bengals ( KC)

8 - Dallas Cowboys ( @Was)

9 - New York Giants ( Car)

10 - Baltimore Ravens ( @Pit)

11 - Indianapolis Colts ( NYJ)

12 - New England Patriots ( Jac)

13 - Cleveland Browns ( Oak)

14 - Pittsburgh Steelers ( Bal)

15 - San Diego Chargers ( @Ten)

16 - Atlanta Falcons ( Buf)

17 - Houston Texans ( @Mia)

18 - New York Jets ( @Ind)

19 - Oakland Raiders ( @Cle)

20 - Buffalo Bills ( @Atl)

21 - Denver Broncos ( @Phi)

22 - Miami Dolphins ( Hou)

23 - Tennessee Titans ( SD)

24 - Washington Redskins ( Dal)

25 - Carolina Panthers ( @NYG)