Let’s take a look back at some of the things that stood out from Week 14 in the National Football League!

- Nice win for the Broncos on Thursday Night as they continue to play like the hottest team in the NFL. Only issue is their schedule is extremely weak, I wonder how much it will affect them come playoff time.

- Why don’t the Raiders just start Terrelle Pryor already? What do you have to lose at this point?

- I really have enjoyed how this St. Louis Rams team has played these last couple of weeks. If they can continue to finish this season strong they will become a nice threat in the NFC West next season. Only concern I continue to have with this team is whether or not Sam Bradford is the true answer at quarterback.

- Heartbreaking loss for the Bills in Week 14. I would assume the loss all but finishes any potential playoff hopes they had in 2012.

- Dallas has inserted themselves back into the NFC East with a big win against Cincinnati in Week 14. The Cowboys played a really good game against a really good team in the Bengals and they aren’t even the “media darlings” right now as Washington continues to get all the hype!

- Tough loss for the Bengals but they are thankfully still in the AFC Playoff race after the Steelers lose in Week 14. I really like this team’s chances when you have a decent QB with a big-time receiver. Cincy’s defense is also very underrated, don’t count this team out after a tough loss to Dallas.

- The Cleveland Browns have won three straight games and no it’s not the preseason.

- Where should this Chiefs team rebuild during the offseason? They nearly have a guaranteed top-3 pick in next year’s draft but I don’t think this is the QB class to draft someone in the 1st round.

- How about the Indianapolis Colts getting 9 wins this season!? Could they pull a 2009 New York Jets in the playoffs and do well while being led by a rookie QB? I’m starting to really like them as a sneaky playoff pick.

- If the Titans can give Jake Locker some solid weapons in the offseason this could be a surprising borderline playoff team in 2013. Despite some inconsistent troubles this team is definitely building in the right direction.

- Don’t count out the Minnesota Vikings just yet! Huge win for them against the Chicago Bears with their season on the line. The Bears were banged up but a-win-is-a-win and this will certainly help Minnesota’s confidence.

- The Chicago Bears are in trouble and making these final three games very interesting. Tough breaks like losing kicker Robbie Gould before the game begins is something you just cannot control. Lovie Smith could be looking for a job in the offseason should this continue.

- Nick Foles became a hero for the Eagles on Sunday vs. Tampa Bay and is doing what he can to end this season on a good note. I’m sure many Eagles fans weren’t happy with the win as the thought of Andy Reid staying another year could make their heads explode.

- A loss like this one for Tampa Bay could all but end any chance they have at making the playoffs this season. After being one of the hottest teams in the league a month ago they have had a rough stretch these last couple of weeks. Hopefully this young team uses it as a learning lesson.

- My sports fan intuition tells me that Washington will win the NFC East. Call me crazy but when you win games like the way Washington did versus Baltimore it becomes one of those “mean’t to be” situations.

- Baltimore cannot enter the AFC Playoffs playing the way they have in recent weeks. They have a huge game versus Denver in Week 15 and need a HUGE win to get back on track. If they can’t get the win then it could be leading to an early playoff exit this year.

- If Carolina needed a game to make it feel like their 2012 season wasn’t a complete “wash” then it was this game. Cam Newton looked like…well, let’s be honest…Cam Newton. It’ll be intriguing to see how they build off this big win for the rest of the season.

- Atlanta just cannot lose games like this if they want to avoid “can Atlanta finally get it done in the playoffs” discussions! Mind-boggling loss for a team that has looked really good in recent weeks. I wonder how much of Matt Ryan telling Carolina to “get off their field” in Week 4 helped motivate this loss.

- What’s more shocking: the Jets aren’t completely out of AFC Playoff discussions or that Mark Sanchez lasted the entire game as the QB?

- Jacksonville is a really bad team but I believe this would’ve been a completely different outcome had Cecil Shorts been healthy. Chad Henne did not have his deep threat available today on offense and the Jets secondary is pretty horrible.

- So is San Diego doing what they can to keep Norv Turner employed or are the Steelers just that bad? Talk about an outcome nobody saw coming.

- Pittsburgh does not deserve to be in the playoffs and at the end of the season I don’t think they will have that #6 spot. Shocking loss for a Steelers team that I thought was really starting to turn the corner after that big win versus Baltimore in Week 13. I believe the Bengals are a better team right now then the Pittsburgh Steelers when looking at potential #6 seed teams.

- San Francisco reestablishes itself as a top NFC team after a nice win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. I still think they are the best all-around team in the NFC but they are starting to show signs of being human.

- Miami has had a decent season thus far but they still have a lot to work on. I believe head coach Joe Philbin can turn this team around once he starts to get the right kind of guys in his offensive system. Look for Miami to continue focusing on some more WR threats for Ryan Tannehill heading into 2013.

- Talk about momentum. These are the type of games you want to play with just three games to go and you fighting for a playoff spot. Seattle could surprise us all as a strong playoff team should they make it this year.

- If you are Larry Fitzgerald there is no way you want to play for this team until they get you a decent Quarterback, right?

- New York continues to hold onto their slim lead in the NFC East after a dominating win against New Orleans in Week 14. The Giants are a baffling team lately as they play extremely well every other week it seems. They have a Week 15 matchup against Atlanta in what can give us a playoff glimpse into what both these teams can possess come January.

- What an embarrassing loss for the New Orleans Saints. Weeks ago it appeared they were making a miracle run at the playoffs and then once they got to .500 it all crumbled to pieces. It’s been a tough couple of weeks for the NOLA.

- Big win for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night as they can now clinch the NFC North with a victory over Chicago in Week 15. This team is starting to really put it together since their loss to New York back in Week 12. The running game is improving, the offensive line is getting better and the Packers are starting to get healthy…watch out.

- Detroit hasn’t beaten the Packers in Lambeau since 1991 and this is the 3rd straight game where the Lions had a lead of 10 points or more & lost. I really think there needs to be a coaching change in Detroit at the end of the season; this team should be playing much better then this.

- I hope Patriots fans have booked a trip to New Orleans right now. The Pats are looking like the most complete team in the AFC, if not the entire NFL right now. I cannot wait to watch them play San Francisco in Week 15.

- What happened to Houston!? They had a chance to make a very bold statement in the AFC and let the opportunity slip through their fingers. Horrible performance and hopefully this is a wake-up call for the Texans.

For more NFL talk join Bower, Chris Johnson and myself Monday – Friday throughout the Football season on 97.9 ESPN in Hartford, ESPN 1300 in New Haven and online at 979espn.com!

You can listen to Jeff on “The Bower Show” every Monday – Friday from 3pm – 7pm ET on 97.9 ESPN in Hartford, CT. You can listen online at www.979espn.com

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Let’s take a look back at some of the things that stood out from Week 13 in the National Football League!

- Great win for the Atlanta Falcons in primetime as they improve to 11-1 on the season. I have been very critical of the Falcons ability against good teams all season and they proved in back-to-back weeks they can pull it off. Now they just need to show up come playoff time…

- Say what you will about the New Orleans Saints but they gave it a pretty valiant effort these last couple of weeks. It will take a miracle for them to be playoff bound in 2012 as they get their 7th loss of the season here in Week 13. I wonder if the “Sean Payton magic” will be able to get this team back where they typically are in 2013, obviously if Payton returns.

- I’m sure many Buffalo Bills fans wondered where this team has been all season long and the funny thing about this Bills team is that they can’t be counted out completely just yet. They are 5-7 on the year and just sit outside the 6th seed in the AFC. Certainly that tells you how weak the AFC truly is this season.

- After two weeks of “Jaguar-Mania” they finally came back to Earth. Sorry Jacksonville, Chad Henne is decent but not your savior. I’m sure Alex Smith will be looking for a job next season…or will he.

- Seattle has been a pretty nice surprise all season long in the NFC. They pick up their 7th win on the season and get another hard fought win against a pretty good team in Chicago. Not a bad year when you beat Green Bay (technically), New England and Chicago in one season.

- I’ve been preaching this belief off-and-on the last couple of weeks: the Chicago Bears aren’t as good as their record shows. Believe me when I say that because they have trouble against good NFL teams. They need to turn that belief around before playoff time gets here.

- Green Bay looked like they were still hung over from the knockout punch they received last week from the Giants in the 1st half and then had shades of the Packers we have been used to the last couple of seasons in the 2nd half. It could be a good sign for Aaron Rodgers and company.

- How is Adrian Peterson not the NFL MVP favorite right now? I know Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have had good seasons but would the Vikings be where they are right now without him? 21 carries for 210 yards, enough said.

- The Colts are having a miracle season right now and if you don’t believe me watch Andrew Luck’s game-winning pass in Detroit. Indianapolis has been the best story in the NFL all season long, amazing stuff.

- Hello, can anyone hear me yet? Fire Jim Schwartz at the end of the season! He literally coached the Detroit Lions out of a win…AGAIN!

- Sure Houston plays in an easy division but they still need to get the easy wins as well. The Texans did just that and got their 11th win of the season. Home-field advantage is getting closer to their grasps.

- I may be in the minority on this one but I really enjoy what I see out of Jake Locker on a weekly basis. I really hope Tennessee continues to believe in the kid, he is definitely poised to potentially surprise his critics with his pla.

- Tough weekend for the Kansas City Chiefs, my thoughts & prayers go out to them, the families involved and of course the 3-month old who was left behind in this selfish tragedy. I know a win won’t completely heal this situation but I hope it was able to take their minds off of it for a little bit.

- The more I watch this team play the more I realize that Ron Rivera just isn’t the right fit there. The Panthers need a coach who will know how to properly utilize Cam Newton, imagine Chip Kelly of Oregon coaching this team next year…

- Whatever the St. Louis Rams do the rest of the NFL needs to follow because they have the ingredient on how to beat the 49ers. Watch both of these games!

- San Francisco loses but that doesn’t change my belief in Colin Kaepernick as the starter for this team. The 49ers still have the best chance in winning when he is on the field.

- New England is the best team in the AFC but suffer from a tough schedule and it’s going to be tougher in the coming weeks as they take on Houston in Week 14 & San Francisco in Week 15. These next two games will be very telling in regards to the Patriots chances come playoff time.

- Seriously Dolphins? You have a chance to make things interesting in the AFC playoff standings and you lose yet again when it matters the most? Granted its New England but c’mon make the AFC interesting!

- The Jets get a win in a historical snoozer. Bench Mark Sanchez, start Tim Tebow (if he’s healthy) and just have Greg McElroy ready to go if Tebow isn’t cutting it. You brought Tebow in there for a reason now just start him at QB!

- How does Larry Fitzgerald wake up every Sunday morning knowing that he is playing for this team and that these Quarterback’s are throwing to him?

- Believe me when I tell you this, the AFC may be a weak conference but the Denver Broncos are going to make the playoff seeds very interesting amongst the division leaders. This could get very fun, very quickly.

- Sadly it’s starting to look like maybe that “glimmer” on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season is starting to wear off. Has been a fun year and I hope they can piece back together for the final weeks of the season.

- Back-to-back wins for the Cleveland Browns…it’s been a while since we could say that.

- Oakland is just plain awful. I’m starting to really wonder if the Raiders will just give Terrelle Pryor a shot to see what he’s got as a NFL QB. What do you have to lose at this point?

- Quietly the Cincinnati Bengals continue to make noise in the NFL as they have won their last 4 games. They sit just outside the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC playoff standings and are a dangerous team with just 4 games to go.

- 4-8 season = Fire Norv Turner. I wonder if San Diego would consider looking a potential replacement for Phillip Rivers cause I’m not sure if he is the right fit for the Chargers anymore either.

- Wow how lucky was the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13? Great win for them and their playoff chances stay alive. I wonder if we will see a “Big Ben” return next week with the season starting to dwindle down.

- Tough loss for Baltimore as their inconsistency once again rears its ugly head. This team would be so good if they could just get it together. The loss now puts Baltimore as the #3 seed in the AFC and no longer facing a first-round bye, in-fact if the season ended today they would play Pittsburgh again.

- Good win for Dallas on Sunday Night, they still looked inconsistent against a weak Philadelphia Eagles team but a win is a win and they stay alive in the NFC Playoff picture.

- Philadelphia didn’t look terrible in their loss to Dallas on Sunday Night. In fact they looked pretty encouraging as the Eagles were able to make plays offensively, something they needed to see badly with a rookie QB and RB starting for them against the Cowboys. It’s still too little, too late but at least they continue to try and play spoiler in the NFC East.

- Huge win for Washington and now things have gotten very interesting in the NFC East. I have this strange feeling that the Giants may not be the NFC East representative when it’s all said and done.

- The Giants had their chance to capitalize on wins in back-to-back weeks and separate themselves from the NFC East. They failed to do so and now have created yet another typical end of the season for the Eli Manning led New York Giants. This is going to get fun with 4 games to go.

For more NFL talk join Bower, Chris Johnson and myself Monday – Friday throughout the Football season on 97.9 ESPN in Hartford, ESPN 1300 in New Haven and online at 979espn.com!

For more NFL talk join Bower, Chris Johnson and myself Monday – Friday throughout the Football season on 97.9 ESPN in Hartford, ESPN 1300 in New Haven and online at 979espn.com!

You can listen to Jeff on “The Bower Show” every Monday – Friday from 3pm – 7pm ET on 97.9 ESPN in Hartford, CT. You can listen online at www.979espn.com

You can follow Jeff on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JeffPeck979ESPN

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It is easy to start your fantasy football studs but what about the sleepers? The sleepers are where you can pull off the upset and here are a few you can start with confidence this week to help seal your playoff hopes.

The easiest thing for me to do is to write a start/sit blog and drop the obvious names. But what good is that to you? You already know you need to play your studs. But unless you are incredibly lucky this season, your lineup isn’t perfect. You need to fill in some holes and whether you go to your bench or your waiver wire, that player could make or break your playoff aspirations in week 12. That is why I did the dirty work and went through the player histories, the stats, the injuries, and the trends to find you sleepers at every position for this critical week.

Chad Henne, Jacksonville Jaguars – Colin Kapernick is the hot name on most expert’s sleeper lists this week but for me it is Henne. The matchup is much more appetizing than Kaepernick’s and I think that the risk is much lower with Henne. The thing that most people forget about with Henne is that he was actually to come on a bit last season before he went down in Miami. He had a great game last week and has a real chance to shine in this new offense. The Titans are the 25th worst ranked team against QBs in standard scoring leagues. Even Christian Ponder managed 21 points on the Titans. I love Henne as a super sleeper today if you need a sneaky start at quarterback.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants – Normally a guy with the pedigree of Nicks is not someone you’d call a sleeper but 2012 is a much different year for the Giant. Once a top five receiver in fantasy football, Nicks is now ranked number 15 overall on ESPN’s projections for this week. Nicks has owned the Green Bay Packers in previous matchups. Nicks averages 21.5 fantasy points per game in his career vs. the Packers with 5 TDS in only 3 games. Nicks managed close to 30 fantasy points in their last meeting. The Giants are going to need to air it out and Eli is going to look for his go-to receiver in big situations. The Packers are also without Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews on defense. Look for Nicks to get back on track in a big way against the Packers at home.

Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons – Turner is like Nicks in that he is a guy that I normally wouldn’t call a sleeper, but again things have changed in 2012. I see Turner on a lot of benches on Sundays but this is the week you want to play him. Turner is currently ranked 16th overall coming into Sunday. So why do I like the big man this much? Most importantly, he has owned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Turner averages 14.4 fantasy points a game and in 7 games has scored 6 TDs with an average of 4.58 a clip. Turner ran for over 100 in their last meeting and scored 29.2 standards points in fantasy. The Falcons will look to slow down the vaunted Tampa Bay air attack and Turner is likely to see more work than usual. I know all about Tampa’s improved rush defense but they aren’t unbeatable. Their first game allowing 1 yard to the Panthers this season have given the Bucs a much more misleading rushing stats defensively than deserved. I love Turner to get in the end zone today. Don’t be scared, start the Falcon!

Danario Alexander, San Diego Chargers – Remember the days when you wouldn’t start anyone against the Baltimore Ravens defense? Me too but those days are over and it is time to start playing your studs with confidence against John Harbaugh’s bunch. Alexander is currently ranked 20th overall by ESPN experts and I think that is ridiculous. Do you think he is going to have a better day than Mike Wallace, Michael Crabtree, and Julio Jones? I do. The guy is on a roll with three TDs and 230 yards in his last two starts against two pretty darned good defenses. These same Ravens were torched by Carson Palmer two weeks ago. Like the Bucs I think their defensive stats are a bit misleading thanks to some lights out games against the Chiefs and Browns. Alexander was top five in wide receiver scoring last week and number two behind Calvin Johnson two weeks ago. I love him this week as a sneaky play over some of your usual suspects.

Brandon Myers, Oakland Raiders – I was torn between Myers and Tony Moeaki at the tight end position but after careful consideration I am going Myers. Myers has emerged as a top target in Carson Palmer’s air attack in Oakland. Former Bengal Carson Palmer will be returning to Cincinnati and look to pour it on against his old team. Lucky for Myers the Bengals are awful against tight ends, 28th against TEs to be exact. Myers has three TDs in three weeks and is poised to add at least one more today on the road.

Carolina Panthers, defense – The Philadelphia Eagles are awful…just absolutely awful. After struggling with my drafted Steelers defense earlier this season I have started playing defenses on the wire every week. The last two weeks I have started the Cowboys and Redskins against the Eagles and they have each put up monster numbers. What will be different about this week? The Eagles won’t have LeSean McCoy and will be playing a fired up Panthers team on Monday Night Football. As an Eagles fan this is scary, as a fantasy football player this matchup is fool’s gold and you would be a fool not to take advantage of it. FYI – I was able to grab the Panthers defense off of the wire earlier this week in four out of four leagues.

Bust Alert – Here are a couple of busts that are hot names this week that I think you need to sit if you have better options.

Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers – Every fantasy football writer and blogger I have talked to or read this week is hot on Kaepernick except yours truly and resident CCB fantasy writer Jeff Porrini. We both feel that he has bust written all over him. One thing that everyone seems to be forgetting is that this is a huge and I mean huge revenge game for the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have had this one circled for months after being upset in last year’s playoffs. The Saints are generally regarded in fantasy circles as a bad defense but that is a misleading myth. The Saints were terrible early on but they have played much better in recent weeks against quarterbacks. So we are looking at an inexperienced QB going up against a rejuvenated defense looking for revenge. I’ll stay away from that QB every time.

Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants – As a Bradshaw owner I was tempted to play him until I started doing some research. For one, he still missed practice time this week even after a bye week. That concerns me. Two and most importantly, the Packers have owned Bradshaw in past matchups. A big part of that is that the Giants needed to throw to keep up with the Packers scoring but that doesn’t explain Bradshaw’s measly 3.82 yards per carry in five games against the Packers. In those five games Bradshaw has only scored 1 TD! I know the Packers are missing some key players but this is a guy who never did well against them when they were fully healthy. Let’s not even get into the vulture situation with Andre Brown. Beware of Bradshaw. I benched him for Ronnie Hillman (also a risky play). Hope you have some better options as well.

Fantasy Football Almanac 2012: The Essential Fantasy Football Reference Guide

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Your hopes and dreams are coming near a conclusion. Are you a fantasy football playoff team? Are you a spoiler? Do you really have no idea what you are? Well very much all in a season’s work for many Fantasy owners. Week 11 brings (finally!) the end of bye weeks, some serious QB injury issues, and some tough match ups. The time is surely now to separate men from boys, and winners from losers.

As for me, another fantastic week last week had me finish at 4-0 in my leagues, and I am currently the top points guy in 3 of those 4, and in the last league, well just a TD from the lead. I am currently fielding a lusty record of 26-14, and while I am cruising with big points, no playoff spot is yet locked and nothing is safe. This week some key players will have the bye, guys like Adrian Peterson and the suddenly red-hot Chris Johnson to name a few. Also QBs like Ben Roethlisberger and Jay Cutler have concussion issues, which not only makes it tough for owners of them, but owners of their main WR targets and RBs. This is a challenging week, get that bench ready, and get ready for some Shark advice, and let’s try and get through this together.

It has been a good news and bad news year here with the start/sit/ Last week I showed a little lack of guts, which so isn’t me, and tweeted how I really should have advised against Doug Martin, but oh what hell would be raised, I mean he was sensational 2 straight weeks. Well the difference here, he played a real tough run defense. Alright so I have to go back to “stick with your stars” but remember, Doug Martin was not a huge production guy early. So I am back to going with the gut feeling. Yes, we all want to be right, but sometimes we need to venture out and swallow some pride to get there. So, take a read, and adjust accordingly, it’s go time people!

Quarterback

Start

Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders vs. New Orleans Saints: Yes, I am at that point. However, with injuries and bye weeks playing a roll, Palmer looks like a great bet against a poor defense at home. In his last 3 weeks he has popped for 9 TDs and close to 1,000 yards. If you’re in that pinch, feel safe with Palmer here.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers: Break up the Lions! Despite a tough loss last week, this offense is playing much better, including Stafford who in his last 3 is averaging about 300 yards, and also has 6 TDs in those 3 weeks. When you play Aaron Rodgers, you have to pass often, and Stafford is improved, so use him.

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs: Don’t buy that hype you saw Monday night from the Chiefs defense. It was a trap game and the Steelers were just flat. Dalton and his Bengals need wins and they will come ready. 8 TDs in his last 3 looks good too. The Bengals can gain ground while the Steelers suffer with key injuries, so it’s a huge game for them right here.

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: No I am not a Cam Newton supporter, but it is hard not to like him against Tampa and the leagues 32nd ranked pass defense. He has been a bit better of late, and should service well here if needed.

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers: Oh so obvious! Yes, I know, but I deserve an easy one right? Just a few weeks back, on the road, he torched them for 309 yards and 3 TDs in a wild second half comeback. This time at home the Broncos should be more in control, and Manning will have another solid day. Yeah, like you’d bench him anyway.

Sit

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins pass defense is nothing special, but just on a hunch by the numbers on Fitz the last 4 weeks: 0 TDs 3 TDs, 0 TDs, 2 TDs. If you can follow the pattern next up is 0? Make sense? He is always hard to trust anyway, so try and do better.

Brandon Weeden, Cleveland Browns at Dallas Cowboys: A few weeks back many of us were going after Weeden, and he was becoming a bye week darling. Since then he has gone 2 straight without a TD and awful QB ratings. On the road in this stadium against this rejuvenated defense won’t help that cause.

Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Despite all of their troubles, the Eagles defense is still 10th in pass yards allowed. Griffin has slowed a bit of late throwing just 4 TD passes in 4 weeks. His team as a whole is been on the down swing, and the Eagles really need to save face against a team they usually do well against. May not be a total shut down, but I don’t see evidence that says he can go nuts either.

Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears: He has passed his concussion tests so he should play, but how well? The Bears defense has 19 INTs and are 5th in fewest yards allowed. This defense has to be extra good also if Jay Cutler is out, so expect a lot of hard times for Smith.

Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins: I am not so much afraid of a poor Redskins pass defense, but I would like to see what the rookie has before I bank on him. A lot of “experts say to grab him, fine get him if you want, but wait before throwing him in there.

Running Back

Start

CJ Spiller, Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins: What is a Fantasy for Spiller owners? Well having Fred Jackson out of the Bills line up. While some are questioning, Spiller was jacking up huge numbers when being the go to guy, and still did well in a time share. Almost 7 yards per touch not good enough? It should be, and it will be. Spiller does it against any team, and this is a game he should be real busy in.

Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts: Ridley’s surprising season had a nice return over the last 2 weeks. He has scored in each and had over 100 yards in one and close in another. For the year a hefty 4.7 yards per carry, and enough help in that backfield to rest him and keep him strong. The Colts do little against the run, so despite Brady lighting it up regularly, Ridley should still get his here/

Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams vs. New York Jets: The Jets run defense is brutal and Jackson is coming off a nice game against the 49ers. Jackson runs better on the turf at home, so you can do much worse with some big backs on a bye week.

Reggie Bush, Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills: Again? I have been ripped for recommending Bush lately, but if he can’t get off the skids against this defense, then he better find a new job. All fumbles aside, I predict a resurgent beast mode here.

Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Maybe head coach Romeo Crennel learned Monday that when Charles has the chance he does pretty good. 100 yards and a TD against the Steelers is a pretty good outing, and at home he should get more looks and find some success, if his team can stay in this one.

Sit

Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers: The Chargers are tough to run on, and McGahee seems like he has dipped his hands in grease lately. A few more fumbles and we may be looking at a time share here. McGahee has done very little the last few weeks, so look elsewhere.

Carolina Panthers RBs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Yes the pass defense stinks, but the Bucs make up for it with the number 1 run defense. Besides it’s not like we have any clue who the featured guy will be each week.

Alex Green, Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions: Wake me when this supposed sensation breaks out. 3.1 yards per carry and still no TDs since all of you gobbled him up when Cedric Benson went down. He is just a bad, bad option.

Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons vs. Arizona Cardinals: Tell me you still trust a guy that had just 15 yards on 12 carries, against the Saints! Yeah keep looking.

Steelers RBs vs. Baltimore Ravens: No, the Ravens aren’t that tough anymore against the run, but we really have no idea how or why they use any of their backs, and with Byron Leftwich at QB, the Ravens will gladly stack the line to slow down the Steelers ground game.

Wide Receiver

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers: Bad knee, concussion, poor offense, Madden Curse, oh yeah and 19 catches for 336 yards and a TD over the last 2 weeks. Yeah, I would say he’s back. Roll with Mega-tron.

Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots: Andrew Luck takes over for Peyton Manning in this long time rivalry. As for Wayne he is first in catches and second in yards this season. Now if he could get some TDs huh! He is still huge without, so use him.

Danario Alexander, San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos: They may have finally found a down-field speed threat. 5 catches for 134 yards last week, including an 80 yard TD, and now had 8 for 195 in 2 weeks. Denver has a good defense, but they can’t cover everyone every down. This is a sweet sneak pick here.

Danny Amendola, St. Louis Rams vs. New York Jets: Ho hum. He came back from injury last week to a mere 11 catches and 102 yards. He is always an injury risk, but boy when he is on the field he sure does get it done.

Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers: I know he may not have Cutler, and is playing a very tough defense, but the Bears have wised up, and do what they can to get him the ball. He is in the tops in the league in catches, yards and TDs and while many are looking around, he has been a quiet but deadly MVP type player. You just can’t bench him no matter what, he’s just too good right now.

Sit

Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans: Don’t laugh. Some people will be trying this. He’s been getting better, but please not in this one.

Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints at Oakland Raiders: Sure, he has TDs in 2 straight, but in the last 3 games, the catches are 5,4 and 3. When Jimmy Graham is healthy he is usually option 1, and the Raiders don’t stop TEs well. You may need him, but don’t get too excited.

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 18 catches and 0 TDs in 4 weeks. Please tell me you aren’t using him.

Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys vs. Cleveland Browns: Only 2 grabs last week, and now may be seeing some Joe Haden. Dez Bryant and Jason Witten have become the top 2 options, and Miles is doing average work of late.

Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears: Some nice work the last 2 weeks with 3 TDs, in fact it’s just good enough to earn him the match up with Charles Tillman. I feel Tillman has that advantage.

Tight End

Start

Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints at Oakland Raiders: When we hear the phrase “man-crush” do we all picture Drew Brees thinking about Jimmy Graham? I know I do. He’s had 20 catches and 4 TDs since returning healthy in 3 games. He is a beast.

Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs have a terrible pass defense, so someone has to go off here. Why not Olsen, who had his first 100 yard game of the season last week?

Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys vs. Cleveland Browns: 33 grabs in the last 3 weeks is crazy work. He also has added about 260 yards to it. He is a wonderful check valve for the otherwise brutal Tony Romo.

Sit

Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions: If you’re still using him, please stop reading this.

Scott Chandler, Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins: Yes, he has 5 TDs this year, but 3 of them were against New England, so I guess not here? Maybe?

Dustin Keller, New York Jets at St. Louis Rams: They are still fairly stingy in letting up TDs, something Keller only has 1 of this year. This offense is a mess right now.

Defenses I like this week:

St. Louis Rams vs. New York Jets

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

Atlanta Falcons vs. Arizona Cardinals

Defenses I don’t like:

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints at Oakland Raiders

Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins

So here is the juice for Week 11. Go out there and play your best, and we will see you all for Week 12!

I have now joined Twitter, so if you would like to ask any questions or need any advice feel free to reach out to my personal account, @JPshark71.

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Fantasy Football week 11 presents an unusually quality week on the waiver wire at this point in the season. A rash of concussions to quarterbacks has opened up multiple opportunities for players looking for a quick boost at arguably the most productive position in fantasy football.

This is certainly an odd week to say the least. Week 11 is generally a week you won’t find a lot of quality pickups on the waiver wire. If you are lucky you may find one starter due to injury but to find multiple starting quarterbacks at this late stage of the game is truly unique. Now keep in mind that concussions are a funny thing so there is a shot that none of these backup QBs see the field Sunday or Monday. Yet with the new emphasis on player safety I’d be shocked if any of the injured starters are cleared for action in a week.

Quarterbacks

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks – Wilson is your best bet of all available quarterbacks if you are looking for a QB you can ride the rest of the season. Pete Carroll is starting to open up the offense as Wilson has had multiple TDs now for three straight weeks. Unfortunately if you own Alex Smith, Michael Vick, or Jay Cutler you will have to look elsewhere as Wilson is on a bye week this week and those guys will likely be back in Week 12.

Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles – The good was that Foles threw a beautiful TD to Jeremy Maclin. The bad is that he turned over for a pick-six. As an Eagles fan I wasn’t impressed at all by Foles. He played like a backup behind a bad offensive line. However, the bright side is that he will be surrounded by some real weapons on offense. Additionally, he has a Washington Redskins defense that made Cam Newton look good two weeks ago. Of all backups he is probably your best bet on matchup alone.

Jason Campbell, Chicago Bears – Campbell is an intriguing QB. Before he suffered a season-ending injury last season he was playing pretty well in Oakland. He had a fairly average game Sunday night but he was playing an excellent defense. He’ll be playing another excellent defense on Sunday if he goes for Cutler. Like Foles he’ll still have some great weapons around him but the matchup should have you looking at Foles before Campbell.

Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers – Of all of the QBs that came off of the bench on Sunday, Kaepernick had the best fantasy day. What you have to love about Kaepernick is that he’ll be a goal line option if they get into the red zone. What you don’t like about Kaepernick is that he’ll be playing the best defense in the NFL on Sunday. Of everyone available I think Kaepernick’s running ability makes him the highest reward vs. high risk matchup.

Wide Receivers

Danario Alexander, San Diego Chargers – Alexander could be in for some big weeks as the season progresses. Alexander has firmly taken the starting spot once held by overrated free agent Robert Meachem. I am not as sold on Alexander as some. His numbers came on one big play. Was it a freak breakdown in the defense or is Alexander the real deal? The Broncos don’t give up those kinds of TDs but with Champ Bailey on Malcom Floyd, Alexander may be a sneaky play this week.

Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville Jaguars – I have a real hard time putting anyone in my lineup that is receiving balls from Blaine Gabbert. There is some talk that Maurice Jones-Drew could be back this week which will certainly open up some passing opportunities. Even with Gabbert, Shorts has been productive up this past week. Unfortunately Shorts will have a terrible matchup against the Houston Texans on Sunday. Pick him up now otherwise look elsewhere if you are looking for Week 11 help.

Running Backs

Andre Brown, New York Giants – It’s time for stubborn Brown owners like me to face facts and start putting this kid in the lineup every week. Lucky for most of you Brown is readily available on the waiver wire although I am guessing that ends this week. Brown has been the only bright spot in a futile offense the last few weeks. He has a bye week this week so you won’t be able to use him right away. If you have the spot grab him now and start playing him every week when he returns to play the Packers.

Chris Ivory, New Orleans Saints – Sometimes you just have to wonder when you see breakout games like Ivory had as to why the Saints waited so long to involve him in the offense. I know he was hurt and I know he is an injury-risk but it was only an injury to Darren Sproles that pushed him back into the game plan. Sproles is expected back but I have to believe that Ivory earned himself sufficient playing time with his last two weeks of play. He’s a risky play because there are just way too many running backs to feed in New Orleans, but you may just have to take a shot and see where it goes over the next few weeks.

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Struggling fantasy football players are entering into crunch time this week with the start of the must-win season. Now is the time to shake up your team with a trade and here are just a few struggling players you may want to target to turn your team around and start that comeback.

I am not a big fan of fantasy football trades. One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was over-trading. I have taken a much more conservative approach in recent years and it has made a huge difference. My top strategy is targeting players who are not performing up to expectations. Most of these players still have the skills but for whatever reasons, they aren’t living up to their ADP. In the right situation, you can easily take advantage of a frustrated owner by buying low and gambling that these ex-fantasy football studs will get their swagger back.

The key to all of this is buying low. Are you going to trade your first-round pick who is delivering for someone’s first-round pick that isn’t? Of course not, but if you can snag one of these first-round picks for a nifty package or a late rounder you can have yourself a killer team at just the right time in the season.

Now a few of these players have been mentioned in the biggest busts blog I did last week on the CCB. So why would I target these fantasy duds? These guys were duds due to their ADP and lack of production. Getting these guys on the cheap presents a whole new game for some of these fantasy disappointments. As always I am looking at potential here but there are reasons these guys under-performed in the early weeks and I believe that those issues will be solved in most cases going forward.

Check out these fantasy football studs that started out slow but for various reasons I think will turn it around and you should target as the trade deadline approaches. Remember. You don’t want to mortgage the farm but a desperate owner may give you these guys at bargain basement prices if you play your cards right.

Victor Cruz, New York Giants – Cruz started out slow but turned it up big time in the second quarter of the season. Fortunately for you he has crashed hard in recent weeks which could put him on the trading block. He has had back-to-back duds which could cause his owner to panic. Why should you trade for a guy that has only 90 yards and zero TDs in two weeks? One, he has a fantastic schedule down the stretch. Two, Eli Manning is going to break out of his slump. He always does. According to stats he has the fourth best WR schedule the rest of the way. Target him immediately!

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions – I have been trying to snag Stafford in several leagues in recent weeks with mixed success. Stafford was a first or second round pick going into the season but hasn’t been able to match the TDs he had last year. Those low TDs have somehow opened up Stafford to critics that have labeled him as a bust when in fact he has actually had decent numbers. Now is the perfect opportunity to target him after his worst statistical game of the season. He has some very generous matchups down the stretch. He does have the Falcons and Bears in the final two weeks but there is a good shot that the Bears at least sit their starters. I love his upside going forward and I think you’re going to get the best buy for your buck on him now, before he torches the Vikings this week.

Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints – Graham is another guy I have been trying to target in leagues. Here is the deal on Graham. Graham isn’t having a bad season at all. The problem is that owners took him very high and have been paying for it since. They have a great TE but they are likely struggling in other areas, areas that you may have some flexibility with. Graham is back and healthy so he isn’t going to be easy to acquire. But if you can find the right owner struggling and you have the depth to give up to make the deal happen, you need to give it a shot and do your best to grab this guy.

Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans - Don’t look now but CJ2K is actually starting to put it together. He’s had double digit games the last four weeks, including 3 TDs in his last 3 games. I traded for him in one league and got him at an absolute bargain. Most Johnson owners are looking to deal him immediately and I’d capitalize on it if I were you. One or two weeks would have been a fluke but he is now consistent for four straight. He does have a bye week next week which for an owner, may give him or her even more incentive to deal now. I really like his upside going forward.

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions – Megatron is generally regarded as one of if not the biggest bust of the fantasy football season. So why would you want to trade for him? It’s a mirage! Watch the Lions games and you’ll notice that Johnson is constantly being tackled down at the 1 or 2 yard line. Johnson won’t get stopped short every week! The injury is a concern but if he played through it last week I think he’ll be fine for the remainder of the season. Like I mentioned with Stafford, he has a great schedule down the stretch. If you can get him at a bargain, you need to run as fast as you can to your computer and make the proposal immediately.

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers – One of the biggest sources of frustration early on this fantasy season has been Cam Newton. It really shouldn’t have been a surprise as Newton’s numbers started to slide last season but it would appear that Cam is starting to get it together. His numbers aren’t great but he has had double digit games the last three weeks. He has Denver, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and Kansas City coming up which are all dream matchups for a quarterback. According to current stats he has the sixth best QB schedule the rest of the way. Was he as good as his effort in Washington? No but he also isn’t as bad as his effort against the Seahawks. I’ll take the guy in the middle with a couple of big games sprinkled in there.

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons – I am a Julio owner and I’ll be honest with you, I’d part with him for the right price. As a savvy owner, I would only part with him for a monster deal but not all Julio owners are built the same. This whole home vs. away factor for Julio has been a source of frustration all season for owners, although he did post nice numbers last week at home. I love this guy and I think there is potential for this guy to tear it up as the season progresses. Unfortunately for his owners, some disappointing weeks may have put them into a win-now position. That is a great position for you to take advantage of. Target those Julio owners in trouble.

Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys – Here is a guy that I drafted late on two teams who is putting up either the best or second numbers on my team. Austin is extremely underrated as most fantasy players see Dez Bryant as fantasy gold for the Cowboys. This perception allowed Austin to drop in most drafts and will allow you to acquire on the cheap. Austin also happens to have the fifth best WR schedule down the stretch. He’s coming off his first game in weeks under double digits so now is the time to make your play for Austin.

Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers – Jordy owners are probably screaming as they read this about what a bust he has been for them and I get it. But, Jordy is going to come back. Once he comes back he is going to start putting up those numbers his owners hoped to see all season. He’s on a bye this week and will have a lot of rest before his next game. Now this is a gamble because you never know if the Packers are being coy or not with injuries here. The upside here is huge and you can probably snag him well below value at this point in the season. Other than the Bears in Week 16 he has some incredibly enticing matchups down the stretch. If you can’t budge Calvin Johnson’s owner, Jordy’s would be the next proposal I send out.

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A loud scream of fear came from out of nowhere! Do you hear the sounds of pure angst and fear, echoing through the air and piercing ears all around? It sounds as if the person was in pure terror and saw no end in sight. The shriek was heard all through the city, could it have been a monster? Could it be a damsel in distress? Children who were scared by something on a Halloween night? No, it was just me, crying about a rough Fantasy week after Frank Gore was kept quiet on Monday night. Yes a real bad week that watched me finish 1-3 in my 4 leagues. No Halloween needed for me that was as scary as it gets!

So to set the record straight and share a serious moment, I was just happy to survive with very little damage from Hurricane Sandy. While most of the East Coast was getting pounded with rain and wind and damage, Fantasy was on my mind, but on the back burner for sure. New York and New Jersey, and parts of my state Pennsylvania came out with bad results, electric lost, businesses closed, cars stranded etc. I want to hope and pray for all of you who have suffered and all of you who may have lost over the last few days. I found myself very blessed. Never lost power, no damage, and family and most friends safe and healthy! A sigh of relief for sure.

Now back to the games at hand. Sports are always a distraction from the every day world, and we need it to keep our minds busy. Well if you are an owner of a Fantasy team you know full well it is always about being busy, and your job never ends. So I am back with more advice to try and help you through week 9, which is the start of the second half of the NFL season.

Bye weeks are coming to an end soon, so this is the moment you can play your best possible line up. As far as pickups, well the wire is thin, so hopefully you can rely on the guys you have on your squad. With that it is time for another Start/Sit for week 9. Yep I heard the bash on Twitter how I said start Reggie Bush and not Doug Martin, but hey if anyone saw that coming from Martin, well then it is time for you to start writing articles, or maybe lottery number books? To help expand it this week, I will give more choices to Start or Sit and less of my chit chat as to why. Next week however, more chit chat. So for now enjoy this new format!

Quarterback

Start

Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Oakland Raiders: He is a very hot hand right now. Over his last 4 starts, over 1,000 yards and 9 TDs. Good match up too.

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals: Averaging 3 TDs per week over his last 4. He is perfectly back to normal and a must start each week.

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons vs. Dallas Cowboys: Just too good all around, especially at home. The match up doesn’t matter right now.

Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Just a hunch, but it is the second half of the season, which is usually Charger time.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints vs. Philadelphia Eagles: If this defense gets shredded at home, what can Brees do to them in New Orleans? Plenty!

Sit

Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks: Seattle at home is far different than the road team. Ponder looked awful last week against a real bad pass defense. He should struggle here.

Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts vs. Miami Dolphins: This defense is stepping up big time, and Luck has been decent at best the last 2 weeks.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions at Jacksonville Jaguars: Still only 8 TDs this year, and not the same on the road, despite the good match up.

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons: Prime time in Atlanta is usually QB disaster. They beat Peyton Manning, so Romo should be cake!

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans: As good as Fitz can be against bad defenses, he is even worse against good ones. Look everywhere else.

Running Back

Start

Matt Forte, Chicago Bears at Tennessee Titans: The Titans defense is Swiss cheese against the run, and Forte looks pretty healthy again. They need him.

LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints: This defense is so very bad, even Andy Reid can’t blow this one. Run McCoy early and often.

Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Heating up at the right time, and this defense can be had. DMC will get his share here.

Arian Foster, Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills: Fresh after a bye week and this brutal defense comes to town. Even Trick or Treat isn’t this easy.

Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins vs. Carolina Panthers: Should bounce back after a rough one last week. The rookie is still a top yardage back, and should find the end zone here.

Sit

Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers defense is a bit banged up, but improving, and Bradshaw is getting beat up lately. Plus Andre Brown may steal goal line touches.

Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens: He’s been hurting, but decent. However, Ravens need this game badly and should be aggressive.

Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers: He is getting used less and less and Hillis is back to steal time. Chargers are decent against the run at home as well.

BenJarvis Green-Ellis, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos: He is lost in this offense. The Broncos defense is improving every week, while Green-Ellis is averaging just 50 yards per week. Ouch!

Carolina Panthers RBs at Washington Redskins: As bad as a committee can be, this one is the worst. Use any of these guys out of 100% pure desperation.

Wide Receiver

Start

Victor Cruz, New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: If you like Salsa dancing, then you must love Giants games. He is the top WR for this team now.

Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons vs. Dallas Cowboys: Roddy scores at home, Julio on the road. The Falcons are home. He’s had 4 TDs at Atlanta so far for White.

Denarius Moore, Oakland Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: While you were sleeping on him: 14 catches, 232 yards and 3 TDs the last 3 weeks. He is a nice flex or WR2 right now.

James Jones, Green Bay Packers vs, Arizona Cardinals: 7 more catches last week, but 0 TDs. Teams will work harder to stop Randall Cobb, which means he should see lots of Pat Peterson. Jones is still worth a play.

Sidney Rice, Seattle Seahawks vs. Minnesota Vikings: Call it a hunch, but I think Rice will try really hard to be active against his old team. He is the best WR they have right now, so expect something here. Again this is just a hunch.

Sit

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants: Just not getting much done right now, and there are at least 3 or 4 TD options ahead of him in this offense.

Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins: He has come around the last 2 weeks with catches and yards, but still 0 TDs this year. The decline of Smith has to be shocking after last year’s rebirth.

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers: This is just a bad offense right now, and the QB mess is no help either. I generally like Bowe, but not here.

Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns: Only 9 catches the last 3 weeks is part of the proof how bad this pass offense has gotten. Flacco has fallen asleep on Fantasy owners of late.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: As good as Cruz has been, Nicks is like the anti-Cruz. Zero TDs and only 12 catches since returning from injury. He is just a tough option right now.

Tight End

Start

Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Usually on national TV we get a lot from Gates. He is still plenty good when he gets hot.

Owen Daniels, Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills: TDs in 3 of his last 4 and averaging 5 catches per week as well. Buffalo’s defense is usually generous.

Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Back from injury and right to the end zone last week. In the grand scheme of things he is their best option.

Sit

Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints: Just not doing anything special, even this bad match up makes me leery.

Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Detroit Lions: He has clearly vanished from this offense and catching only about 2 per week.

Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins: Just another victim of this poor offense. Only 9 catches in his last 3 so no need to rush him out there.

Defenses I like this week:

Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears at Tennessee Titans

Defenses I don’t like this week:

Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints

Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills

Here is my input for NFL Week 9. Read up and enjoy owners, and good luck with the second half of your season!

I have now joined Twitter, so if you would like to ask any questions or need any advice feel free to reach out to my personal account, @JPshark71.

Fantasy Football Almanac 2012: The Essential Fantasy Football Reference Guide

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Fantasy Football for Smart People: How to Dominate Your Draft

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com