Let’s take a look back at some of the things that stood out from Week 7 in the National Football League!

- San Francisco edged out the Seahawks in a defensive battle proving that contrary to others beliefs, they are still the team to beat in the NFC West.

- I felt like despite the loss, Seattle proved they could hang with some of the best in the NFC. Seattle could’ve really made this into a game at different points but failed to convert at ample opportunities. It’s definitely a “learning loss” for Russell Wilson and Co.

- Welcome back Chris Johnson to the NFL. I look forward to most Fantasy owners starting him next week and for him to run upwards of 20 yards…for the entire game.

- Whatever happened to that amazing Buffalo Bills defense we were supposed to see this season? Chan Gailey just isn’t the guy for this team and the Bills organization needs to consider hiring a coach that can make this franchise believe they are the winners we know they can be.

- I’d say the New York Football Giants were lucky to beat the Washington Redskins in Week 7 but we know how that goes as the defending Super Bowl Champs play that type of “come-from-behind” victories ALL THE TIME. Good win but definitely foreshadowing into the future of what the NFC East will become.

- What is there to not say about RGIII? Guy is a gamer and going to be a huge thorn in the side of the Giants for years to come.

- New Orleans wins their 2nd game of the season after a call went their way. They don’t look as dominating and I don’t see them as a playoff team still but they are winning games. Thankfully for them they can still turn this around and get better for weeks to come.

- Tampa Bay is a frustrating team. Ton of potential but not completely capitalizing on it yet, at least these losses will help them plan for the future and hopefully learn from it.

- For the 2nd week in a row the Green Bay Packers are looking “normal” and Aaron Rodgers is setting the Fantasy Football world on fire. If they are playing this way without Greg Jennings, I can only imagine how they will play with Greg Jennings.

- The Rams never got going like they did against Arizona back on a Thursday Night game and I have to wonder if Sam Bradford will ever come into his own as a franchise QB still; lots to work on for St. Louis after a frustrating Week 7 loss.

- Congrats to Tony Romo and the Cowboys for avoiding this week’s “Monday Morning quarterback” headlines. This team still doesn’t have what it takes heading into Week 8 and I have to wonder if the relationship between Tony Romo & the Cowboys are coming to an end in the near-to-soon future. It may be time to move on after not playing up to the par Dallas sets them up to be every season.

- Cam Newton has zero confidence right now. Want to watch a Football star look at their career in the mirror with not a single ounce of positivity? Then watch Cam Newton’s post-game press conference after the Week 7 loss to Dallas. Not a good attitude to have for such a young player.

- Sure, we were worried about Houston after their tough Week 6 loss to Green Bay but they bounced back just fine. I really expect them to start pulling away from the rest of the AFC South in the coming weeks.

- Things aren’t looking too bright in Baltimore right now. I was wondering how they would handle all of their depleting injuries to their defense and that answer was not well. Joe Flacco needs to step up and lead this team if he ever wants to be a franchise defining quarterback in the NFL.

- Always great to see the Indianapolis Colts get the win due to everything going on with this organization. Even better news was that head coach Chuck Pagano left the hospital this weekend. Many Football fans are thinking of you right now Coach, stay strong!

- It’s a common trend here on the blog but I still love what Cleveland is doing despite all these losses. They haven’t been blown out like some weaker teams have been and they have stayed pretty competitive. Cleveland is making the right changes with their organization consistently as Mike Holmgren will also be out as President of Football Operations, good things will be coming to Cleveland in the future.

- The Minnesota Vikings are 5-2 heading into Week 7. I’m really intrigued to see how this squad will handle divisional play against Chicago and Green Bay this season. Do I believe them to be a playoff team due to their record? No, but if they are still competitive come Week 12 then I will take them seriously.

- Arizona is back-peddling out of all the good fortune and praise they received for the first 4-5 weeks of the season. I wonder how many jokes are still being made about this Cardinals team with the line: “they are who we thought they were…”

- Oakland comes back and wins the game as they prove they are NOT the worst team in the league. It’s a shame that this great game was on the same time Jets vs. Patriots was…

- Looks like that holdout finally caught up to MJD…Fantasy owners hold your breath (don’t worry I’m one of them in several leagues)!

- At one point it looked like New England was going to drop to 3-4 on the season heading into Week 8. That is something you never thought you’d see at the halfway point of the season during the Brady/Belichick era in New England. They continue to struggle against poor teams which make me wonder how they will handle some of the “elite” in the AFC this season.

- Lets face it; the Jets had low expectations going into Week 7. The fact they nearly beat their division rival would be an accomplishment for most teams but not for a team from New York. Mark Sanchez had his chance and he yet again, literally, dropped the ball.

- In a battle of disappointments the Pittsburgh Steelers get the win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night and while the window may be closing on this team they still have a very good chance to take over the AFC North at the moment. The AFC North is quite the crapshoot right now due in part to the Ravens injuries and despite not necessarily being a strong team, the Pittsburgh Steelers getting divisional wins such as this one will help their cause to at least make the playoffs in 2012.

- Cincy, what happened!? They were looking so good and then this losing streak has really set them back a ways. Clearly there is still a lot of room to grow in Cincinnati before we can put them up there with Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

- The Chicago Bears are starting to turn me into a believer but one that I will precede with caution towards. Their defense is incredibly solid and the best in Football right now, while their offense, at times, can be very inconsistent. If everything clicks together come January this is a team that could very well be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl.

- By far the biggest disappointment in 2012 has to be the Detroit Lions. This team was picked by many to start taking over the NFC North division starting this season and they are failing to live up to those expectations. You know things are getting bad when people are questioning the longevity of your #1 overall draft pick QB, Matthew Stafford.

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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Welcome to week 7 of the NFL season, or as we like to say in fantasy land, pure hell! Yes, for some unknown reason, or perhaps for one big joke, the NFL has decided to play with our minds and put a whopping 6 teams on a bye.

Remember the good ol’ days, when each week would have 4 teams on a bye, and they were spread out nice and even, you struggled through 2 tough weeks and went back to business? Those are gone, and somehow the NFL came up with some 2,4,4,6 and so on bye week plan. Now I know the argument is “we all have bye weeks”, but we all know some teams have 4 guys off at once, it happens and it’s rough. The waiver wire is as thin as a nice cut of salami at a good Italian deli.

Yes, let’s go with that theory, a deli, so many different types of meat, but all trying to become just a sandwich. We have our running back meat, our wide receiver meat, and quarterbacks, and our goal is to make that perfect sandwich. Come on now, how many times do you go out and get the perfect sandwich though? There is always a fatty piece of meat, or some out of proportioned produce, but in the end it does the job, it fills you up, and for the most part you are satisfied. Treat your fantasy team like this too. Realize that we may have some rough patches, and a bad week, but stick with what you like if it works, don’t go and try and get fancy to be stuck with something you don’t enjoy! Make sense? Yeah it’s a ramble of a fantasy football owner, get used to it.

So after a tricky week I found myself finishing 2-2, which gives me an overall season record of 16-8, and if the season ended today, would have plenty of playoff games to play. Sometimes it’s not about being perfect, but to be a little lucky. Seriously how many of you lost to a guy who started Shonn Greene? For that matter, how many of you benched him? Oh and Vincent Jackson? Yep I started him clearly because I had too, but how many of us start him every week? This is one of the stranger seasons I have ever been a part of, so some patience and creativity is needed. Don’t base every week on a bizarro world of huge Dez Bryant and Shonn Green games, go with your gut, and stick with your stud.

With all that behind us, it is time for Week 7′s edition of Start Em/Sit Em, my little advice column where I try and help with those burning questions. Yeah last week I said don’t dare play Shonn Greene, and I looked pretty silly, but my advice is normally better than worse. It is with this that I invite you to read along and adjust as needed, and as always, enjoy and good luck!

Quarterback

Start

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers: I trash Romo, than I like him again. He does crazy things to me mentally. Last week he outplayed Joe Flacco, who I started in his place. Romo has good streaks, and also he has a showdown with the Giants to look forward too, and he always gets numbers there. So Romo looks like he is ready for that hot streak and this poor defense should help.

Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, vs. New Orleans Saints: Yes, I am endorsing Freeman, but with a few reasons. There is a lot of QBs on a bye this week, and last week Freeman passed for over 370 yards and had 3 TDs. What that shows is that he can get it done if trusted, and this week the Saints and their Swiss cheese secondary come to town. If the Freeman of 2010 is coming back, you will want to go with him. Here is the decider this week.

Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts vs. Cleveland Browns: Happy days finally came for the Browns after their first win last week, but now they travel to Indy, where the Colts are pretty good. Luck has found a nice comfort zone in Indy, and the Browns defense isn’t that tough that they can keep him down. Luck shows he can toss 2-3 TDs per game, so try him here in a bye week chance.

*Note I know you are all asking about the obvious, but you know you have to start Brady, Rodgers and Brees every week at this point. This is to help with those tougher decisions, don’t make me hold your hand!

Sit

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans: Flacco has come back to Earth, and his numbers over the last 3 weeks have been pedestrian at best. The Texans took a pounding last week at the hands of the Packers, and now the anger is running high. The Ravens are missing lots of key pieces on defense too, so there is a chance Houston grabs early momentum and makes this a game they control. Either way I am tired of trusting Flacco.

Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks: This is a tough choice, but Seattle’s defense has been tough of late, and coming off of a win over Tom Brady has to help boost confidence. Last week Smith was held in check by the Giants, and the Seahawks being similar pressure and actually have a better secondary. The 49ers may result to more trick plays and more Colin Kaepernick, which is slowly going to effect Smith, and maybe bring us that Smith of old, yikes!

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears: The last time we saw the Bears defense on a Monday night they were pounding on Dallas. Stafford finally broke out with a decent week last week, but that was against a Philly defense that is falling apart. The Bears are 4-1, and have a chance to make a real statement at home against the Lions, which could fare poorly for Stafford. He may play decent, but something huge is questionable.

Running Back

Start

Fred Jackson/CJ Spiller Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans: If you have both, no don’t start both, but if you have one or the other, you can still profit. Yes, they share carries, but both of them catch passes, and can make big plays. Last week in PPR leagues, Jackson posted about 16 points and Spiller 19. Those are good numbers for flex guys and/or RB2 and 3′s. Some day one of these guys will become the leader, but until then use a moment against a poor defense to use either.

Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Slowly but surely we are getting more McFadden, and last week he caught some passes and rushed for 70 yards. The Raiders will have to get better through the air for him to be huge again, but his numbers are good enough to trust again. The Jaguars can be run on, so roll with McFadden this week.

Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins: When healthy, he has the skills to be special, and he has looked real good the last few weeks. This is always a good match-up but the teams don’t discriminate against how they move the ball. Both run pretty good against each other, so Bradshaw should be busy again this week.

Sit

Shonn Greene, New York Jets at New England Patriots: Well, even Marshawn Lynch was kept in check by this defense, so let’s not get all geeked about Greene’s break out game last week. He still does very little in the pass game, and lacks that big explosive step. The Pats run defense should bring him back to Earth, in what should be a passing duel.

Pittsburgh’s RBs at Cincinnati Bengals: They all have an injury, they all can disappear at any second, and none of them are doing anything great. Who starts? Heck who knows. You can’t trust any of the 4 guys that carry the rock here, so wait until it figures itself out.

Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers defense may have struggled last week, but this week is different and they will let Russell Wilson try and beat them. Expect the 49ers to stack the line and focus on shutting down Lynch to make things hard on the Seahawks offense. Lynch is a beast, but with the box being stacked often here, he may have a real tough night.

Wide Receiver

Start

Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions: Marshall had enough of the nonsense and is looking like a Pro Bowl WR again. He and QB Jay Cutler are getting that magic back, and Cutler even admitted that he is the kind of guy you just throw the ball at and trust. The Lions secondary will be very overmatched here, and Marshall should punch one in as well as possibly 100 and double-digit catches. I expect a huge one from him here.

James Jones, Green Bay Packers at St. Louis Rams: 6 TDs in 3 weeks? Is this the same James Jones? Well, yes it is, and he is doing a great job with Greg Jennings out. The Rams are stingy in pass TDs allowed, but there will be lots of focus on Jordy Nelson, and that should open some holes for Jones. Keep going with him until he fails.

AJ Green, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: In a few weeks you may not see Green’s name on here, because it is just to obvious. He is one of the best in the game, and not even a match up can scare me anymore. Next year’s draft will be filled with Green lovers, as this season should be set with Green starters.

Sit

Andre Johnson, Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens: It has nothing to do with who he is playing, he just is not special right now. They try him early, can’t get him then they forget. Johnson has the talent, but his numbers are very humble lately. Enter with caution.

Brandon Gibson, St. Louis Rams vs. Green Bay Packers: Loads of people have been grabbing him from the waiver wire but he is still a tough sell. He still has not had a game over 100 yards in his career, and he rarely finds the end zone. He did have a good week last week, but the Packers defense is finding its way, so I can’t trust Gibson here.

Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers vs. Dallas Cowboys: Smith is having a season not like his normal, and the Cowboys are playing better at the corners. Cam Newton looks lost and confused at times this year, so Smith has become a tough start. Look elsewhere if you can.

Tight End

Start

Owen Daniels, Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens: While Andre Johnson has been slowed, Daniels has been busy, and against the banged up Ravens he should have a good game.

Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals: With the running game struggling, Miller looks like the best bet from inside the red zone. Miller does know how to get TDs so he may even get 2 here.

Sit

Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Slowed by injury that may have him out this week scares me, especially with Marquis Colston becoming big in this offense again.

Martellus Bennett, New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins: Looks as if he is doing more blocking than making big catches over the last few weeks. With Bradshaw running well and all the WRs coming back, he is becoming lost here.

Defenses I like:

Minnesota Vikings vs. Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets

Defenses I don’t like:

Washington Redskins at New York Giants

St. Louis Rams vs. Green Bay Packers

Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts

Waiver Wire: Time to fill your line up with some bye week specials, some potential up and comers and some fillers.

Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys: A foot strain is never anything simple, so DeMarco Murray could be gone for a while. All Jones has to do is stay healthy, sounds easy doesn’t it? We shall see. If not there is always,

Patrick Tanner, RB, Dallas Cowboys: See above. Take a chance if you have the bench space.

Brandon Weeden, QB, Cleveland Browns: Really, when your team is struggling sometimes you have to take a “oh what the heck” approach. Cleveland is with Weeden, and he has averaged 250 yards and 2 TDs over the last 2 weeks. Bye week problem solved? Perhaps.

Mike Williams, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Should be more active with his ability to make huge plays. He has 2 very big TD catches this season, and can be a guy that will emerge here. A long shot, but if you need a WR he is as good as you may find available.

Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns: He is busier each week, and can score long TDs. Fun guy to watch and a good kid to root for.

Jermaine Gresham, TE, Cincinnati Bengals: I see him on lots of free agent lists, but he seems to be doing good things again. You can do worse at TE, or even worse at WR3 if you can use either or.

Here is the scoop for Week 7, get in on it and go out there and show your opposition who’s boss! Speaking of, get well Kevin Boss, and I use that reference because Boss’ day just past. Sue me, I was in a pinch.

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

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Let’s take a look back at some of the things that stood out from Week 4 in the National Football League!

- If you are considered to be a mediocre Quarterback in the NFL or one that may be underrated my best suggestion for you would be to announce you are an elite QB at the start of the season because you will start playing like one. Say what you want about Joe Flacco but he is playing like a top notch QB for the Ravens so far this season. In my opinion Flacco is that final “ingredient” to being a Super Bowl caliber team for the Ravens and if he plays like this for the rest of the season Ray Lewis may get that final chance at a ring.

- Sure Cleveland lost, no surprise there, but they looked impressive for a young team. I really like how this team was built in the offseason through the draft and while their record may not be all that great I continue to expect good things out of this team in a couple years.

- The Atlanta Falcons are 4-0 on the season and do so in the most improbable of fashions after driving to take the lead from the 1-yard line. Sometimes things like that happen when you know you are a team of destiny. We are a quarter of the way through the season but this Falcons team certainly is looking like a team of destiny at the moment.

- For the 2nd straight week we will be questioning the leadership skills and mindset of Cam Newton after a tough loss to Atlanta. How Cam Newton bounces back in his next game will really define what type of player we can expect him to be in his young career.

- Think the Patriots sent a message to the NFL after that win? The window isn’t closing and the Belichick/Brady era is still going strong.

- Not sure what to think of this Bills team yet. They have the potential but don’t execute it as well as I think they should. Wonder if Chan Gailey just isn’t the right coach for this potentially good team.

- No matter how you look at it the Minnesota Vikings are 3-1 to start the season. Let that settle in for a bit.

- Detroit is one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season (of course New Orleans is #1) and don’t look like the team that had the fight they had last year. Stafford needs to step as a leader for this Lions team because they are too good to be 1-3.

- I was a big fan of a bounce-back year for both the Chargers and Phillip Rivers and they looked great on both sides of the ball against a division rival. I liked Denver in the AFC West this season but won’t be surprised if San Diego surpasses them in the division. It’s also nice to see Rivers stepping up as a leader this season as well, his buddy Jay Cutler should take note.

- Kansas City looked good at times but very sloppy most of the time. Matt Cassel has never panned out to be that franchise saving Quarterback they thought he’d be when they first got him. I really believe it’s time for KC to start thinking elsewhere on the QB front no matter how well they do this season.

- Many people liked the Rams as a potential sleeper pick in the NFC…well after a Week 4 victory put them at 2-2 on the year we now see how they will fair against the Cards on Thursday. That will be a very interesting matchup.

- Does anyone else think karma could come back to haunt this Seahawks team all-season long now?

- The San Francisco 49ers went back out in Week 4 and proved they are still a heavy NFC favorite this season. The loss to Minnesota in Week 3 was one of the best things to happen to this team because it woke them up and showed they can be vulnerable at any given week.

- Mark Sanchez went 13-29 for 103 yards with 1 INT and 0 TD’s. It’s “Tebow Time” in New York because at this point…why not?

- Houston is looking very dominant this season on all fronts and this could be their year where the stars finally align themselves in the AFC. Really liking what I see from this team at every point of their game, very solid and dangerous team.

- The only good news for Tennessee this week: Chris Johnson ran for 141 yards. The bad news: they still lost.

- Think Peyton Manning was upset about everyone writing him off as being “old” after just one week? How about 30-38 for 338 yards and 3 TD’s as he led the Broncos over the Raiders? Broncos and Chargers starting to pull away from the pack in the AFC West can’t wait for those two teams to battle it out.

- Sure Miami pushed the Cardinals to the brink in Week 4 but I love what I am seeing out of the Cards this season. Ken Whisenhunt is one of the most underrated head coaches in the NFL and is proving that this team will test San Francisco this season. Amazing how the NFC West could end up being the most interesting division this season as it is two seasons removed from sending a 7-9 team to the playoffs!

- Got to give the Dolphins credit, they gave it their all against the Cardinals this week. That’s what makes the NFL the best sport in America because on any given Sunday any team can win. Oh and by the way, what was up with Brian Hartline!?

- Quietly the Cincinnati Bengals are 3-1 on the season and made it look very easy against the Jacksonville Jaguars. “Dalton to Green” is going to be said a lot by various commentators for a number of years in the NFL. This team is extremely fun to watch on any given week.

- Jacksonville is the worst team in the NFL. How does Maurice Jones-Drew only get 13 carries on the ground? Simple, horrible offense and not possessing the ball for very long, I was very hard on Blaine Gabbert last season and I will be this year until he improves. Maybe the Jaguars and Jets will swap starting Quarterbacks…*drops mic and walks away*

- Washington squeaks one out from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4 and improves to a very surprising 2-2 on the year. After 4 weeks Robert Griffin III is everyone’s favorite story in the NFL, which I’m sure is making Tim Tebow very jealous, and when you watch him play you have to wonder if the Colts made the right decision to draft Luck over RGIII. While I believe both QB’s will be very good in their careers one will clearly be better then the other, too soon to tell but certainly a great story to watch for many years to come.

- I’ve come to really enjoy this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team this season because you watch them play and know they have the potential to be good at some point. Whether it’s later in this season or next, they will be a good team. Hopefully the franchise and the fans have the patience to watch this team really develop.

- Do the referee’s hate the Green Bay Packers or something? We nearly saw Lambeau Field go into riot mode after the refs made a horrible call on a clear Darren Sproles fumble. Thankfully for the Packers (and the refs) we witnessed Garrett Hartley missing a field goal and leading the Packers to their 3rd, I mean 2nd victory of the season.

- The New Orleans Saints are 0-4 on the season. They play San Diego next week and can potentially go 0-5. Is this karma, bad luck or a team that is nothing without Sean Payton? Heck, maybe its all 3!

- For the first time this season the Philadelphia Eagles played like a team that can be a serious NFC East threat this season. Despite being 3-1 the Eagles have not looked like nor played like a team that can really be a top team in the NFC East this season. That all changed after a very solid victory Sunday Night against the Giants and it’ll be interesting to see if they can build off of this win for weeks to come.

- I continue to give reasons why I believe the NFL is the best sport in the United States in this week’s blog. Last week the New York Football Giants looked like a serious Super Bowl contender after the knockout punch they gave to Carolina on Thursday night. This week they lose to the Eagles in primetime and are no longer the top team in the NFC East. As they say: “on any given Sunday…”

- This was going to be a game of two Quarterbacks on Monday Night and whoever became the victor was the one that would have a pass from being under the microscope for this week. That was Jay Cutler and the Bears improve to 3-1 on the season after an impressive Monday Night win. I’m not sure how this team will fair against division rivals but for the time being the Bears are looking like a potential playoff team again.

- Where was the Week 1 Dallas Cowboys team that we saw open the season? This is a team that is too inconsistent and I believe that will be the type of season they will have from here on out. Are they a playoff team? No not in my opinion but that can all change if Tony Romo becomes the MVP caliber Quarterback people have waited for him to be.

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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Well, what comes around usually goes around. Just ask Reggie Bush as he will tell you about Darrelle Revis and his knee injury or you can ask The Shark about the ups and downs of Fantasy Football. The game that lives and breathes on being only as good as your last week has begun its downward spiral on me. Yes, injuries and poor performances have turned me from a 7-1 giant in 4 leagues, down to a 8-4 regular guy. Genius no more? Nah, I’ll be back, and luckily for all of you will continue to give you my top notch advice.

So the injury bug was striking many players last week, but these are the things we have to overcome. You get your shot at free agents, get a bench. and sometimes you just have to suck up a loss and regroup. Oh and not to mention the sudden countless thousands of people who claim that Golden Tate’s TD on Monday night cost them their game. Come on people, not that many teams have Tate, and if your games come down to 3 defensive points, you may not have deserved that win anyway. Again, suck it up Nancy, it’s time to be a big boy, and pull up your big boy pants. You and everyone you play are all in the same boat. Grab your oar and let’s go!

We now look ahead into Fantasy Football week 4. The regular referees are striking a deal and will return soon, so it may or may not help the offensive side of the ball. The league is full of parody and teams led by Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are all 1-2, and the Arizona Cardinals are 3-0. Yes it is hard to predict what you might get, but the beauty of Fantasy Football is that if you have the right players and follow the right match-ups, big things can still happen. So with that lead in we will look at my Start Ems and Sit Ems for week 4. Yes even though I said to sit Andre Brown last week, you have to admit I have been pretty sharp so far this season. You can thank me later!

Quarterback

Start

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints: This used to be elementary, but not so far this year. Rodgers has struggled and his numbers show it. While many were complaining about the TD that was or wasn’t Monday night, you have to realize that Rodgers should really have not had his team in that spot. Last year’s would not have at least. So why go with him here? Well he returns home, angry off that loss, and the perfect remedy to what ails him will be in town, the New Orleans Saints. The Saints defense is so bad it is as if they put out a new bounty that anyone who makes a tackle will be fined. Last week I guaranteed that Jamaal Charles would make a huge splash against them and I nailed it, so trust me here again. Rodgers will demolish this weak defense.

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns: This was a tough call, but not because Flacco isn’t capable, but that this could be a big game for Ray Rice. Flacco is putting up real good numbers, and came off a huge Sunday night win against New England. The Browns defense looks pretty much like its old self so TDs should be no problem. Even if they can run well, Flacco still stands to put up 250 and a few TDs.

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers: Matt Ryan at home is just a whole amazing thing all his own, so the weak Panthers defense won’t do much to slow him down. Last week Eli Manning had his way with yards against them, but most of the TD’s were rushing. Ryan and the Falcons are a passing team, so they will move the ball well and he can easily throw 3 TDs. So far at home this year: 299 yards and 3 TD’s against a decent Denver defense. It should be smooth sailing.

Sit

Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys: As an avid Brandon Marshall owner, this hurts me to say, but Cutler is falling apart. The Cowboys have the second best pass rush in football, and are home and a big win can help them with the Eagles and Giants playing each other. Cutler is slipping despite having Brandon Marshall back and will need Matt Forte back soon to get back to normal. Until then, don’t get geeked about “slick”.

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons: As I said earlier about Ryan goes the same for this defense. The Falcons are tough at home, and outside of doing decent against a bad Saints defense, Newton is struggling. Some say his heads not in it or his ego may have gotten the best of him. Either way the Falcons have managed to handle Phillip Rivers and Peyton Manning quite well over the last 2 weeks. That makes me worry here Newton owners.

Eli Manning, New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles: Despite an easy win last week, Manning had just one passing TD and 288 yards. The Eagles have played well against the Giants over the last few years, and despite last week’s beat-down still have a top 5 pass defense. Manning will get his and manage his team well, but huge stats don’t look all that easy. He has only 5 passing TD’s this year, although a return of Hakeem Nicks sure can help.

Running Back

Start

Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Jones-Drew showed last week that he is back and that his off-season holdout has not slowed him down. This team goes as well as Jones-Drew can and with the Bengals struggling against the run they should look to load him up on touches this week. He may bust for a few TDs this week.

Mikel LeShoure, Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings: Oh how happy were the Lions last week. After a year off with an injury in 2011 and a 2 game suspension in 2012, LeShoure finally got on the field and it worked out real nice to the tune of 100 yards and a TD. The Vikings are better than most thought, but they are not a super team against the run. With QB Matthew Stafford hobbled, we may see more running from the Lions, which means big things here.

Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams: Skittles has been pretty solid so far this year rushing for over 300 yards, and now he gets a fairly good match here with the Rams. Although QB Russell Wilson had 2 (or some will tell you 1 ) TD last week, this offense is really only as strong as Lynch. Teams have run well against the Rams, who actually play the pass much better. Expect Lynch to be very busy Sunday.

Sit

Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens: Sure, he had a huge week in week 2 and also found the end zone last week, but Richardson isn’t getting huge numbers yet. The Ravens still play tough on defense mixed in with a road Thursday game and it can be tough on the rookie. Yes he is improving and may get a little action here, but I think you can do better.

Ryan Williams, Arizona Cardinals vs. Miami Dolphins: Let’s not get all excited over what we saw last week. Sure Beanie Wells is out and that means Williams will carry the load, but the Dolphins have been tough against the run, and the Cardinals are more of a pass team. The Dolphins will run it plenty to try and slow the game down, so it will be to the Cardinals advantage to go air here.

Shonn Greene, New York Jets vs. San Francisco 49ers: He is about to lose his starting job to Bilal Powell, and a visit from the 49ers won’t help his cause. He just isn’t making big plays and does very little in the passing game. There are so many better options to have than Greene, so find them and use them.

Wide Receiver

Start

Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: He will get his points and the Lions defense has been brutal so far this year. After being lit up last week by the Titans anything is a go, and the Vikings do have a few weapons to throw at them. Harvin gets carries, catches and returns so every week he is active and valuable. Use him here.

Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys vs. Chicago Bears: While I am nervous about trusting Tony Romo, I have to say that when he does get anything done it has been with Austin. He looks to be back to form of getting 100 yard games and is finding the end zone again. With Jason Witten slowed and Dez Bryant not getting much done, it is becoming clear who the number 1 guy is here again.

Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Redskins: The on again/off again love of Jackson is about to go back to love, at least I think so. Washington has struggled against the pass, and last week A.J. Green made mince meat out of them. Jackson will be home, and ready to get back into the groove. It is hard to trust QB Josh Freeman, but you almost have to give it a go here.

Sit

Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers: If you are still playing him you probably know this already, but let me give it to you again. Colston is slow with a foot injury, and the Packers come in with the best pass defense by the numbers in the league. Colston has become forgotten in this offense as his 10 catches so far and 0 TD’s will tell you. Not only sit him, it may be time to cut him loose.

Denarius Moore, Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos: He is the top target now with injuries riddling this WR corps, but that also means he will see lots of Champ Bailey, and that still means something. Oakland has improved on offense, but they seem to do it with short plays that explode into big ones, not straight up big ones. Moore is a decent WR, but I am not crazy about his matchup here.

Kenny Britt, Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans: The Texans rough and tough pass defense will be in action against an enigma in Jake Locker and his top WR Britt. Locker is finding success with his TE’s and has a few WRs to try and use. Keep him out of your lineup for this week anyway.

Tight End

Start

Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers at New York Jets: The Jets defense is hurting and Davis is a beast. While the 49ers have loads of weapons, this seems to be their most active TD option. “Can’t play with them, can’t win with them” seems pretty far behind him, ay Mike Singletary?

Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars: He scored last week and the passing game is getting more active. I liked Gresham coming into this season and he is healthy. His score last week should lead to plenty more.

Sit

Fred Davis, Washington Redskins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: For some reason he is just really inactive in this offense. Davis can’t be trusted, even if by chance you would be in a league that started 2 TE’s or heck even 3.

Martellus Bennett, New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles have gotten faster and more athletic at Linebacker, so I believe that Bennett’s TD streak will end at 3. He does not get lots of passes, just big passes when they count, so you can’t rely on big time totals here.

Defenses I like:

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans

Arizona Cardinals vs. Miami Dolphins

Defenses I don’t like:

Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers

Washington Redskins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Waiver Wire: It is time to start repairing your banged up roster and also take advantage of brutal match ups this week

David Thomas, RB, Miami Dolphins: With Reggie Bush uncertain with a bruised knee, Thomas will be the next option. He scored last week, and had 69 rush yards. He will need to protect the ball better.

Tashard Choice, RB, Buffalo Bills: CJ Spiller will most likely be out this week and maybe next, and Fred Jackson still isn’t at 100 percent. Even when Spiller was healthy, Choice was getting goal line tries. Not a bad play if he is the only healthy option.

Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sneaky play this week against a bad Redskins defense. If you need a bye week filler, this can be a good pick up. He is free in many leagues. You could do a lot worse.

Ryan Grant, RB, Washington Redskins. It’s a Mike Shanahan team, so anything can happen at RB. Roy Helu is out and Evan Royster will be down too. He will be thrown into action soon, and any Shanahan RB is always one play away from vanishing. Get that Alfred Morris?

Cecil Shorts, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: How many 80 yard, game winning TDs can he catch without become more of a player? We will know soon.

Kevin Walter, WR, Houston Texans: The Wire looks light at WR, but Walter is a decent reach. With teams piling up coverage on Andre Johnson, Walter is the best option as an alterante, and his targets have improved each week, including a TD last week.

Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets: As I mentioned earlier, Greene just is not getting it done, and Powell, although rough, can get yards and he is a better option in the pass game. He played well last week against a good Dolphins run defense.

LaRod Stephens Howling, RB, Arizona Cardinals: Ryan Williams gets the lead role, but Howling catches passes well and plays in the return game. If Williams goes down, he is the main man suddenly, and I think that can bode well for him.

Jacoby Jones, WR, Baltimore Ravens: Anquan Boldin has become a slower possession WR and Torrey Smith is the vertical guy. Jones is getting busier and also returns punts. He may have finally found a home where he can get more snaps and make them pay off.

Alright, here are the goods for week 4. I wish all of you luck and look forward to coming back with week 5 news. Don’t forget that I will have my bi-weekly “Stock Report” coming up as well. Thanks!

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.

Thanks again all for reading and good luck in week 4.

Fantasy Football Almanac 2012: The Essential Fantasy Football Reference Guide

Madden 13 video game on all consoles

Fantasy Football for Smart People: How to Dominate Your Draft

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com

It can always come down to 1 point. Yes just one point. A reception or a thrust forward for a few more yards, yes you can turn a win into a loss so very easily and all you can do is sit back and watch. I came in last week bragging about my 4-0 start, and this week was all set to come back at 8-0, until a useless catch on Monday night. Oh well, still riding high at 7-1 and still top points guy in 3 of 4 leagues gives me a warm feeling.

In today’s game of Fantasy Football there seems to be so more close games and it seems that every week a lead turns into a thrilling hang on as the Monday night game concludes. Owners have gotten smarter and better as the players get more stats. It is hard for one to call themselves a “guru” or “genius” after two weeks, but heck I am game! Sure my brother sat on the couch and said “Damn, I should have started Dwayne Bowe” After I told him numerous times to do so, and he even said “I saw it in your article” Hey, I write for all of you, not just myself, pay attention sometimes. I already know who I want to start and sit, but this is for some of you who may not. Remember 1 point in today’s game can make such a difference. A win is a win, a loss is still a loss. As we all know the word “money league” gets thrown around a lot, so consider this your part-time job! You are an owner, act like it! Now someone clean my glasses!

It is time for another dose of Start Em’ and Sit Em’ for Fantasy Football fans, and I am here again for more medicine. You won’t hear JaMarcus Russell no matter how hard you beg. Also despite the word “Fantasy” we also won’t be seeing any photos of Michelle Trachtenberg. ( Well not this week anyway ) So read along and get ready for another wild week! Good luck everyone!

Quarterback

Start

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers vs. New York Giants:After a poor week 1, Newton came back and looked better against a poor Saints defense. Up for him next is a Giants team that has been pounded by Tony Romo and week 1 and didn’t look all that great last week against an average Josh Freeman. Newton will be busy and he should be on point in a Thursday game at home. He runs and passes for TDs so he can rack them up! Go with it.

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Is there any problem in trying Romo again? Yep last week was a pure clunker, but the remedy may be in town. The Bucs defense was torched last week for 510 yards by Eli Manning in New York so I feel pretty good about the chances of Romo getting at least 300 and a few TDs.

Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: I officially have no problem leaning towards rookie QBs. Last week Brandon Weeden, RG3 and Luck all had pretty good fantasy days, actually better than second year starters like Blaine Gabbart, Jake Locker and Christian Ponder. Luck and the Colts like to pass, and the run game is average at best. Against this Jags team, Luck can get over 300 yards and at least 2 TDs. No reason to not trust him if you need him here.

Sit

Kevin Kolb, Arizona Cardinals vs Philadelphia Eagles: Even though he is at home, coming off a huge win and probably getting his first shot at his former team, the match up does not look good for Kolb. Joe Flacco could not do much with this Eagles defense, and that offense is way better than this one. The Eagles will challenge the Cardinals to run, and that isn’t showing much so far. Kolb will have to play from behind, and I don’t trust that at all.

Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders vs Pittsburgh Steelers: This is becoming easy. If you couldn’t get juice from Palmer against the Dolphins, what makes us think different here? Yes he is at home, but that is still on this planet. Mark Sanchez looked lost last week, and he has a better feel that Palmer. Wait did I say earlier I wasn’t going to say JaMarcus Russell?

Mark Sanchez, New York Jets at Miami Dolphins: I just smell an upset, and that other Sanchez. One week he can look good, then suddenly he looks lost. I have an impossible time every getting giddy about Sanchez, and I beg of you all not to start him. It’s going to be a ground game for sure, and a long one for sure.

Running Back

Start

Michael Bush, Chicago Bears vs. St Louis Rams:With Matt Forte down and Jay Cutler, well being Jay Cutler again, the Bears will need to lean heavily on Bush. Last season while in Oakland, Bush carried the load when Darren McFadden went down, so he can handle it for sure. Also to be noted he was the goal line guy before Forte was hurt, now he really can get all that juice. A big week is in the cards for Bush.

Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints: The most popular question I have been asked this week is “What do I do with Jamaal Charles?” Well this should be his week, and a chance to make some big plays. The Saints are last in the league against the run, and are just terrible on defense. While the Saints should get win number 1 this week, it won’t be due to a lack of Charles doing lots of good things.

Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots: Rice is possibly the most talented back in the league, and the Ravens will have to go to him more to keep balanced. Last week in trying to win big with the pass the Ravens fell flat, so Rice should be more involved and the Patriots are not all that tough against the run. I expect a big bust out from Rice on prime time.

Sit

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers:The proof is in the putting and this 49ers defense may be better than last years. Now I love Peterson, and what he does on the field is hard not to love, however with a poor pass offense, and Peterson still dealing with a team hesitant to push him, this could be a long brutal day, all day.

Atlanta Falcons RBs at San Diego Chargers: Who is the best run defense in the NFL? Why that would be the Chargers. The Falcons have a great pass attack and are dealing with issues at RB. Michael Turner would love to get back at his old team here, but he has looked slow, and just got nailed on a DUI charge. Also Jaquizz Rodgers has not lived up to preseason hype yet. Stay with the aerial assault and avoid Falcon backs.

Andre Brown, New York Giants at Carolina Panthers: Why are we all so in love with him? No he won’t make my waiver wire segment this week. The Giants rushing game is far from great no matter who is in it, and they have more backs to use than just Brown. Also they are a team that passes well, even without Hakeem Nicks in the lineup. I will have to see him do something spectacular before I can put all my faith in him.

Wide Receiver

Start

Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers:You could have rolled with either Giants WR and hit pay dirt last week, and Austin seems to be healthy and back to form. He had a TD last week, and can easily post one here at home. I like Austin for over 100 yards and at least 1 TD here. Even if Dez Bryant takes catches, he should be just fine.

AJ Green, Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Redskins: He had a nice week last week, and is turning into an elite NFL WR. Now as for the Redskins, well they had no answer for Danny Amendola last week, and Green is targeted as much as D.A. so he should be plenty busy. The Redskins also took some big blows on defense losing DT Adam Carriker and LB Brian Orakpo for the season which will crush their pass rush. If Andy Dalton has time he can find Green plenty.

Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos vs Houston Texans: Even though I think the Texans bring it better than the Falcons who gave Peyton Manning fits last week, Thomas is still his big time weapon. A TD in each week so far is nice, and they love to use him in the screen game as well as down field. Eric Decker seems to be the possession guy, but the end zone and deep guy is Thomas and he is doing it well right now.

Sit

Marquis Colston, New Orleans Saints vs Kansas City Chiefs:For some reason they have forgotten all about him, and even though the Chief secondary is weak right now, he still can’t be trusted. Jimmy Graham, Lance Moore and even Darren Sproles are getting way more action, and until Colston goes wild, you have to sit him.

Danny Amendola, St Louis Rams at Chicago Bears: I know he had a good week last week, but that was home, and the Redskins defense was all banged up. The Bears are coming back home after getting laid out by the Packers and are an angry team on a mission. The Rams pass attack is improved, but this is not the week to be proud with it.

Sidney Rice, Seattle Seahawks vs Green Bay Packers: The Packers have some decent players in that secondary and Rice was weak last week against Dallas, despite a big Hawks win. Rice is a true enigma, and well with my luck could go off here. However I would like to see him play more consistently before I buy into him.

Tight End

Start

Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals:Last week’s 8 catch, 157 yard game is nothing new to Celek. He can put up big numbers, and the Eagles are once again faced with the possibility of not having WR Jeremy Maclin. As always, the Eagles offense will be busy, and Celek could very well have another big day and even see the end zone here.

Martellus Bennett, New York Giants at Carolina Panthers: WR Hakeem Nicks will miss the game, and Bennett is doing nice things. He has a TD in each week and is proving to be a good pass catcher and not just a blocker. As of now he is Manning’s second choice on most downs.

Sit

Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers have good linebackers when it comes to pass protection, and although Rudolph has good hands, he does not have big time speed to get away. Last week they did let up a TE TD but that can be very random.

Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers vs. Atlanta Falcons: It is not certain he will play, and if he does he goes up against a Falcons defense with aggressive backs and linebackers. Last week Jacob Tamme did very little and he is a guy Peyton Manning always looks for. The Falcon defense is improving and QB Philip Rivers is working well with what he has besides Gates.

Defenses I like:

San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers at Oakland Raiders

Detroit Lions at Tennessee Titans

Defenses I don’t like:

Arizona Cardinals vs Philadelphia Eagles

Baltimore Ravens vs New England Patriots

Kansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints

Waiver Wire

Come and get some hot, fresh new players. It is never too early to do some patch work! Check these players out:

Daryl Richardson, RB, St. Louis Rams: While we all had no clue why Stephen Jackson was actually pulled from the game Sunday we did see that Richardson can carry the rock in the NFL. He looks really fast in space, and showed he can take a lick and keep coming. Jackson has a history of getting hurt, so if you have roster room, grab and hold onto this kid.

Jason Snelling, RB, Atlanta Falcons: Michael Turners DUI and lack of breaking speed may mean less carries for him and more for Snelling. The Falcons pass a lot, but if the running game can find itself, it may include more Snelling.

Andrew Hawkins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals: He has been busy the first 2 weeks of the season and right now is option 2 in the Bengals passing game. He came a long way, but seems to be fitting in well and if you are looking for help, could be a nice plug in.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB Buffalo Bills: The yardage numbers may not be big, but he does have 5 TDs in 2 weeks. With the rushing game improving with CJ Spiller on board, Fitz has room to work, and does not have to be the most important part of the offense right now. A more relaxed Fitzpatrick is a better Fitzpatrick.

Greg Little, WR, Cleveland Browns: Rookie QB Brandon Weeden showed signs of improvement last week and Little is by far the most talented WR on the team. They are also running the ball well which can lead to more time and room to throw. He ended 2011 strong, so he can be a guy worth trying here.

Andre Roberts, WR, Arizona Cardinals: Teams are coming down hard on teammate Larry Fitzgerald which has led to 2 TDs in 2 weeks so far for Roberts. He may not be all of what Early Doucet or Michale Floyd should be, but he is getting the numbers.

Now let’s get out there name make me proud. Bring the heat in week 3 and as always good luck! See you all in week 4.

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.

Thanks again all for reading and good luck in week 3.

Fantasy Football Almanac 2012: The Essential Fantasy Football Reference Guide

Madden 13 video game on all consoles

Fantasy Football for Smart People: How to Dominate Your Draft

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com

Let’s take a look back at some of the things that stood out from Week 2 in the National Football League!

- So it looks like Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall’s trash talking motivated the Packers defense. I wonder if the Packers defense will now turn the corner from their 2011 ways and look more like the 2010 defense that helped them win a Super Bowl.

- Jay Cutler is one of the most overrated Quarterbacks in the NFL and he clearly showed it this past Thursday night. He entered the game “talking the talk” and left the game “limping the limp.” If you want to talk like a top notch QB then you need to play like one.

- Buffalo carried over that 2nd half against the New York Jets into their game with the Kansas City Chiefs with a good bounce back victory in Week 2. I really think when the time comes for Fred Jackson to be healthy again he won’t be welcomed back into the offense like he used to. CJ Spiller is the real deal (finally).

- What is with Jamaal Charles this week with six carries and three yards rushing? Are the Kansas City Chiefs just taking it easy with their star Running Back coming off of a torn ACL or is it something more? It’ll definitely be worth keeping an eye on the next couple of weeks.

- Cincinnati was in a must-win situation as a young team in Week 2 and they got the win they desperately needed. Despite being a playoff team last season they need to prove that they are for real yet again.

- I love what I am seeing from the Cleveland Browns the last two weeks, granted they are 0-2 to start the season but they have pushed both the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals to the limit the last two games to start the season. They may become that really bad team that no one wants to face.

- Congrats to Andrew Luck on getting his first win as a starting Quarterback in the NFL. The “monkey is off his back” per se and now he can focus on continuing to make the Colts a competitive team once again.

- Minnesota obviously still has a ways to go but nearly going 2-0 to start the season shows that they are headed in the right direction no matter the competition they have been playing to start the season. Once again Adrian Peterson proves he is above the normal human being by giving a solid game eight months after tearing his ACL; why do I feel like this will be a common trend with him?

- Ladies and gentlemen please meet the Miami Dolphins and their explosive offense! Reggie Bush shows flashes of what many people thought he would do when he entered the NFL many seasons ago. The only question I have with Bush is if he can keep this going, if he can then he will be one of the best Running Backs (especially for Fantasy owners) in the NFL this season.

- Oakland continues to show that no matter how much they improve they are still the Raiders. This is not a good team at all and for them to reach the near .500 plateau yet again will be a very difficult challenge.

- The Arizona Cardinals win the award for the biggest upset of the week as they defeated the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Not only is it shocking because the Cards beat the defending AFC Champions at home but because Kevin Kolb was their starting Quarterback throughout the contest. I really liked what I saw out of the Cardinals defense this week as well.

- New England’s loss is obviously a very shocking one and shows that there could be some weaknesses in a very dominant franchise. Obviously anytime a dominant team for the last decade loses a game like this you have to wonder what they will be like at times during the regular season.

- The New York Football Giants stepped up in a big way on both sides of the ball in the 2nd half of the Week 2 game because they needed to or face a horrific way to start their 2012 season after winning Super Bowl 46 last season. Eli Manning played like he did all last season and that’s a great sign for the Giants. Also another great sign was how dominant both Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz were catching the ball for #10.

- Tampa Bay almost pulled off a huge shocker and nearly improved to 2-0 for the start of the season. I like what I saw out of the Bucs and see them as being a pretty decent threat this year in the NFC South. If they can get their defense under control then we could be looking at a surprise team in the NFC this year.

- The Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0 to start the season and a win is a win but they are the worst undefeated team in the NFL right now. They have not looked dominant at all and are just barely beating their opponents. If they can control the ball and not give up turnovers then this could be a much better team then they currently are.

- Baltimore should be 2-0 at this point in the season but they are showing flashes of their inconsistency that plagued them all last season. I blame that inconsistency clearly on Joe Flacco as his leadership skills have still not improved. Hopefully this is a wakeup call for a team that could be AFC Championship bound yet again if they can get themselves under control.

- As heard on Friday’s edition of The Bower Show I really liked Carolina in completing the upset of the New Orleans Saints this week and putting them at 0-2 to start the season. The Panthers did such and now the Saints are in a really bad place to start their 2012 season.

- Since 1990, 12% of teams that start 0-2 make the playoffs. Now that doesn’t mean the Saints won’t make the playoffs but it definitely is an uphill battle for this team. It’s amazing to see how poor they are playing WITHOUT Sean Payton on the sidelines. I was expecting Drew Brees to step up as a leader but he has failed to do such yet.

- Anyone who read my articles last season and my NFL preview this season knows how high I am on the Houston Texans. They play in a very weak division and are a pretty good team. Those intangibles can lead them to the AFC Championship or beyond. Houston continues to play well and has started the season off on the right foot; great things could be brewing in Houston.

- Jacksonville is a team that isn’t going places. They have very little talent on their team and appear to potentially be the worst team in the NFL so far this season.

- Jeff Fisher gets his first win as the St. Louis Rams head coach and he did so against a pretty good underrated team. Sam Bradford is starting to come into his own and looked very strong against Washington in Week 2. They could be a surprise team in the NFC this season.

- So let’s reel in everyone after the “love fest” RGIII received last week after a huge win against the New Orleans Saints. This team is good but they are 2-3 years away from fully competing in the NFC East. If you are a Redskins fan you should be very happy right now despite the Week 2 loss to the St. Louis Rams.

- Entering this season the Seattle Seahawks were one of those teams that many people liked to potentially shock teams in the NFC West. They didn’t do that in Week 1 but after a win against Dallas in Week 2 they are certainly looking like there is still hope to reach that potential, impressive job on both sides of the ball from the Seahawks in this one.

- “The Tony Romo era” for the Dallas Cowboys can be summed up in the last two games from this season so far. You get a really big win against a tough team the week before but get blown out from a team coming off of a loss in the next week. I still don’t know what to think of Romo and Big D just yet.

- Think Pittsburgh heard the whispers that their team was getting old and their window may be closing? Good win for the Steel city against a team they needed to beat in Week 2. While I still think their window is closing they certainly helped me insert my foot into my mouth this week.

- Just like Dallas these last two games for the Jets could be the tale of their entire season: huge offensive explosion the week before and then huge letdown the week after.

- Really like what I have been seeing the last two weeks from Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers. I was a big fan of them having a comeback season from last year’s disappointment and so far they are living up to that potential. Rivers has a lot to prove to the rest of the NFL when it comes to his skills, especially as a leader.

- How are Chris Johnson Fantasy Football owners feeling after this 2nd consecutive horrible week? This could be a long season for the Titans…

- Yep, the San Francisco 49ers is the team to beat not only in the NFC but in the NFL as well. I have seen no weaknesses with this team in the first two games of the year.

- Detroit had their chances to try and make this game close on Sunday Night but Matthew Stafford looked like the pressure from the Niners defense was making him force poor decisions throughout the game. Had Stafford stayed even keel throughout the game maybe it would be a different story for the Lions offense.

- The biggest challenge to the San Francisco 49ers this season may be the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons, like the 49ers, appear to be the most complete team not only in the NFC but in the NFL as well.

- After a great game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the Denver Broncos struggled against a pretty underrated Falcons defense; looks like we need to “pump our brakes” on welcoming the “old” Peyton Manning back to the NFL.

- Please NFL, make a deal with the “regular” refs and bring them back!

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/therealjeffpeck

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The time has come to call out all the big shots who actually get paid to do this stuff! Matthew Berry of ESPN, you think you want some of this? Yahoo Sports guys like Andy Behrens and Brandon Funston, you really think you can handle this? Fantasy Guru’s, RotoWorld, and on and on, you all want a piece of me? I am here to call all of you out.

Yes me, just a lone guy with no errand boys to do my research, no mega-million dollar studio or financial backing, just a man, a computer, and a little football knowledge, especially fantasy football. The Shark should be the buzz right now in the fantasy world and now you all have your chance to jump on the bandwagon!

“Who is this guy?”, “Why is this guy all into himself?”, you may all be asking. Well I will get right down to it. Week 1 of the NFL season saw me go a lusty 4-0 in my fantasy leagues, but not only that, I was the point leader in every league, including our league here at CamelClutchBlog.com. The pre-season promises I made all were falling into place. I told the world that Matt Ryan was going to be amazing, and he was.

I drafted Brandon Marshall in every league, and he was back to form. Reggie Bush? Yep I have lots of Reggie, and despite no TD’s, he was solid. You don’t trust Tony Romo? I sure did! Kevin Smith can’t get the job done? That’s fine I’ll give him a try. Stevan Ridley made an appearance, so did Malcolm Floyd. Ravens defense is too old? All is good, I rolled those dice. Oh everything went right, a sheer perfect week. All that was missing in “fantasy” was Sofia Vergara serving me dinner in a French Maid uniform. (A man can dream). The beauty or beast of it all is that you are only as good as the next week. As much as I’d like to think my bragging and confidence is a good thing, it can easily explode. No problem, it’s a long season.

Week 2 comes at us very fast, as we have a Thursday night game to deal with, so I have to come at you faster and more furious this week with Starts/Sits for your fantasy team. Injuries will have to be watched closer, and moves made faster. My advice to you as they say in the movies is to “stick with me kid”. The Shark is here with his Week 2 advice. Read, enjoy, and good luck in week 2. P.S. I contacted Berry and RotoWorld via Twitter, and have gotten no response on my challenge, no surprise there, I’d be scared of me too! Let’s look at the picks for this week:

Quarterback

Start

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons: Don’t think he’s back? Thomas, Decker and the gang think he is after carving up the rough and tough Steelers defense, plus he gets to play this week in a dome, as he has for years. Also the loss of CB Grimes is huge for the Falcons defense. Manning and Ryan will have a big shootout here, so if you own Manning, you roll with him here.

Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers: It’s easy to say Aaron Rodgers every week isn’t it? Cutler and his Bears have a huge chance on Thursday night to go up 2 games on the Pack if they can pull off this mild upset. The return of Brandon Marshall mixed with his trust in Earl Bennett has Cutler looking sharp and he could be looking at a great year. If you remember last week, Alex Smith and the 49ers had their way with this defense, so no reason not to trust Cutler for 2-3 TD’s and maybe as much as 300 yards.

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks: Do you believe in paybacks? Karma? Second Chances? If you do then you have to believe in Romo this week. Seattle is after all the scene of the crime where Romo botched that snap on a 19 yard field goal attempt in 2007 that cost Dallas a playoff game. He comes back to town with a loaded group of weapons, and confidence. The Seahawks defense was pegged as a tough defense, but not much of that was there against a pour Arizona team last week. I like Dallas’ pass game much better than its run game, so go with Romo.

Sit

Blane Gabbert, Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans: Yep, even I can be wrong, and I trashed Gabbert often, but last week he had good numbers and hung tough in Minnesota. This week he is home which can prove even better, but he will face a much better defense and a better team. Jacksonville will be a better team soon enough, but nothing about this match up looks all that enticing. If you just added him, that’s a fine move, but use it at the proper time.

Mark Sanchez, New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers: Another guy that I bashed but yet had a huge week last week. However this is not the Bills defense and he is not at home. The Steelers got roughed up by Peyton Manning last week, and that happens, but no way does Sanchez come back with the same performance. Also on that Jets sideline will be Tim Tebow. Why does that matter? Last time the Steelers saw Tebow, he was knocking them out of the playoffs, once again, paybacks baby!

Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins: Serious? Yep! I know the Dolphins don’t have much, but neither does this Raiders offense. This team is only as good as Darren McFadden makes it, and with a bunch of “who’s” at WR and no solid TE’s the Raiders are in total disarray already. Their only TD last week came as time ran out, by an undrafted WR. Oakland used a lot of draft picks on Palmer, he needs to prove to be something and quick!

Running Back

Start

CJ Spiller, Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs: The injury to Fred Jackson opens the door for a guy who has the stuff to be a fantasy stud. 161 yards rushing last week and a TD, mixed in with being one of the best fantasy backs in the last 4 weeks of last season is a lot to get excited about. The Chiefs are banged up on defense as well. Spiller makes the Bills offense better, and it should show this week.

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings at Indianapolis Colts: Every expert, fantasy owner, heck even his own coach had little faith in Peterson last week, but I am here to tell you, he is the real deal again. 2 big TD’s last week against the Jags and he was able to handle 17 carries. This week he will be indoors, and the Colts run defense is usually nothing special. Peterson is showing that the knee is not about to slow him down, and it should not be a concern for fantasy owners as long as he stays healthy in the weekly injury reports.

Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins: Not crazy about Oakland’s QB situation, but that has nothing to do with McFadden. He was plenty busy last week, and that should continue to be the case as long as he is healthy. The Dolphins gave up a pair of rushing TD’s last week, and if the Raiders are going to hang in this game DMC will have to front the load. Do it!

Sit

Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers: It may have been the bad weather, or the start of something special as the Bucs defense was brilliant last week against Carolina, especially on the ground. DT Gerald McCoy is suddenly coming into his own and they look tough up front. Bradshaw had a nice week 1 against Dallas, but I feel the passing game will need to do more to get the Giants back on track. Bradshaw may be able to punch one in here, but I don’t expect him to be huge.

Kevin Smith, Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers: Another guy who had a big week last week, but I have a hard time trusting running backs against the 49ers. The defense in San Fran looked tough last week in Green Bay, and Detroit will have to use the air to come out in this one. I like Smith, and if he is healthy you go with him, with the right match up. This is not that match up!

The San Diego Chargers backfield vs. Tennessee Titans: I know they got ripped up by Stevan Ridley last week, but it is hard to know how to measure what can happen against the Patriots offense. The Chargers have 4 different guys carrying the load, and none look all that special. Until Ryan Matthews comes back and gets into the groove I advise you avoid this mess at all cost. Hey, here is an idea, try playing Chris Johnson, what too soon?

Wide Receiver

Start

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons vs. Denver Broncos: I like the new Broncos defense with Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter, but this week they will have their hands full. The Falcons have the weapons, and Jones is many people’s option to be the next great WR. What better way for him to really come out than on a Monday night? Roddy White still draws the attention, Gonzalez can still get it done, and they are creative in the backfield. It is hard to know who to focus on if you are a defense, so if you give this guy room, he can/will kill you! He had 2 TD’s last week and possibly 2 more this week.

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills: The Bills secondary was toasted last week by a rookie WR and a “who is that guy” WR led by Mark Sanchez. This week a real big time WR comes to town in Dwayne Bowe, so the young Bills secondary may have its hands full. Matt Cassel is not a top fantasy QB, but even he can find an upside here. Bowe needs to prove his worth with a new contract looming next year.

Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts vs. Minnesota Vikings: New QB same Reggie Wayne it would seem. After a slow start he had a big week last week, and now Wayne and Indy face a Vikings defense who at home last week had a hard time with an average Jags pass offense. Luck will have some growing pains, but he has to get 2 TD’s here I would think, and Wayne is due for one, and some more big yards. Wayne remains a factor as a WR2 or an emergency flex option.

Sit

DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Baltimore Ravens: If you ask me, the Eagles most reliable WR is Jeremy Maclin, and there is a good chance he won’t play this Sunday. I know Jackson is explosive and can do lots of good things, but to have him as the one main guy against a quality defense and CB Webb does not look great on paper. The Ravens will throw everything at Michael Vick, so he will have a hard time making the plays. Jackson is hard to trust right now.

Pierre Garcon, Washington Redskins at St Louis Rams: Alright, it’s hunch time. With Cortland Finnegan being the main CB in St. Louis I think Garcon will have his hands full, not to mention that the Rams for some reason usually play the Redskins tough. RG3 showed he has QB skills, but Garcon did get banged up so he may be slowed, and there is at least a bit of game film now for the Rams to watch. Also the Redskins showed they can run the ball, so and all out air attack may not be needed.

Kevin Ogletree, Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks: I can’t believe I have to write this, but after seeing how many people bought into that week 1 effort I feel it is my duty. This team does still have Miles Austin and Dez Bryant and Jason Witten as well as DeMarco Murray. Ogletree is a nice number 3 WR for the Cowboys, and Romo likes his 3′s, but this guy won’t have 2 TD, 100+ yard games often, so you should not be relying on him as a WR1 or even WR2 in your leagues. If he does it a few more times, well then paint me red!

Tight End

Start

Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers: Sound easy? Well it should. Graham may be the best TE in football and is also the busiest target in a very pass happy offense. The Panthers have good linebackers who may slow him down, but you can’t really keep Graham down.

Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers vs. Detroit Lions: Still the most talented of the bunch here in San Fran, and he made good things happen last week. The Lions defense is a little tougher than Green Bay’s but Davis is a guy to be dealt with.

Sit

Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets: The Jets have good play at linebacker so Miller is not a sure bet even though they like him in close.

Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns: He looked sluggish Monday night after missing most of the preseason. I would like to see him have a big game or 2 before I trust him.

Defenses I like:

New England Patriots vs. Arizona Cardinals

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns

Defenses I don’t like:

Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons

Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills

Minnesota Vikings at Indianapolis Colts

Waiver Wire:

I have some nice pickups for you this week. Come and get them while they last!

Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers: Greg Jennings may be out this week, and Cobb returns kicks and also has improved as a receiver. Cobb could stand to get busier in a high power offense like this.

Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins: Shanahan likes the hot hand, and Morris was very hot last week. He is a talented back, not blessed with speed but has shifty moves, good hands and runs strong. As long as he stays healthy, it is his job to lose.

Stephen Hill, WR, New York Jets: I said it back in my NFL Draft Preview, Hill has the skills to be the best rookie in this class and can be a factor in the NFL. He has good size and speed, and he put up 2 TD’s last week. He has plenty of upside so grab him and dump that guy you are clinging to that you grabbed in the 15th round.

Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars: A guy who was always on the brink of big things, Lewis was active last week and looks like a good target for young QB Blaine Gabbert. For TE leagues only, but a nice pick up/

Nate Kaeding, K, San Diego Chargers: Last year’s broken leg on the opening kickoff made many forget, but I am here to tell you to get Kaeding. He had a good game this past week, and is still one of the more accurate kickers in football.

So we are ready for week 2. I hope that my success can continue and I can help you all make your team a little better!

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.

Thanks again all for reading and good luck in week 2.

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