Webster’s dictionary defines the word comeback as “return by a celebrity to some previously successful activity“. Rapper L.L. Cool J once sang to us ” Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years”. At times you will hear the word “comeback” described with words like miraculous or amazing. Comebacks, it’s what separates average from outstanding. Some are even filled with a little luck, or make that Andrew Luck ( sorry Packers fans ). It is one of the defining moments in a lifetime or sports career. We all root for a big comeback.

So let me get all of this straight for you. No, I am not a (huge) celebrity, I have been here for years, yes I may be amazing, and I am not Andrew Luck. However my comeback this week to go 4-0 in my 4 fantasy leagues was in fact outstanding. The universe was back in order, and I was beating opponents all over the fields of Yahoo and ESPN fantasy fields. 100 point wins, decisive blow outs and big days by many of my stars was quite the norm this past week. For the season, I now have a nice 14-6 record in my 4 leagues, and sitting pretty in all of them. I even became the top point guy in 2 of them. I even got props from my girlfriend on Twitter thanking me for helping her team to a 4-1 start. Do I get credit for her record too? Nah let’s not get too greedy here, it’s enough reward to just be great!

So here I am again, Week 6 and more Start Ems and Sit Ems from your beloved Shark. This week is going to be tough for many as big names like Drew Brees will be on a bye, and several starting RBs went down with injuries last week. Many teams are filled with red asterisks next to their players, which is the fantasy way of saying “this guy is in trouble”. I am here to try and shed some light on who you can rely on this week, and who to stay clear of. I also have added a twist. Instead of my usual Waiver Wire adds recommendations, I will take you to my “Recovery Room” and give you the scoop on the injured backs, and who could replace them and who will be your best bet to add. So as always read and enjoy, and good luck with Week 6, it is going to be a tough one, but you can do it! Make sure you “come back” for Week 7.

Quarterback

Start

Kevin Kolb, Arizona Cardinals vs. Buffalo Bills: In sports you need to have a short memory, and if Kolb does he can be good here. We know his offensive line is in shambles, but it can’t be much worse than a Bills defense that has been roasted for 97 points in its last 2 games. Kolb has been decent and with Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts stepping up he has weapons. Plus this team does very little in the run game, and injuries are making that worse. If you have a bye week QB, you could probably trust Kolb here.

Eli Manning, New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers: What? No I did not lose my mind. Last time Mr. Manning visited San Fran it was to drop 316 yards of passing and 2 TDs on a very good defense. He comes back off of a huge week and seems to be warming up again. You may want to think the 49ers are impossible to score against, but come on! Shutting out the Jets and holding the Bills to 3 points is not like moving mountains. In a week that is tough for QBs, take Manning here and go with it.

Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Detroit Lions: Again I test your faith, and again a guy with an iffy season so far gets the nod. The Eagles come back home where they are 2-0, and Reid has always coached well against the Lions. The Detroit defense is not doing much to stop anyone, and even watched the Titans nail them for 44 points. Vick has been sluggish this year, but this poor secondary and pass rush so far can be his remedy. I think Vick between running and passing can get you 3 TDs here.

Sit

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys at Baltimore Ravens: This guy loves to burn me, and coming off of a bye week he may have it a bit more together, but he is really hard to trust right now. His WRs are running bad routes, his run game has been off, and this blitz-happy Ravens defense should be able to get to him enough to make it a long day. Heck I benched him, so you should too, although he loves to make a fool out of me.

Brady Quinn, Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: This one should be easy. However with the bye weeks, and people in fantasy always trying to be smart, some will try this. Do not dare! I realize the Bucs pass defense is awful, but really, what is Quinn going to give you? This is his third team in 4 years and that is not an accident.

Robert Griffin 3rd, Washington Redskins vs. Minnesota Vikings: He may not play after suffering a concussion and if he does it is against a revamped Vikings defense that has been pretty good this year. Before his injury last week, Griffin was not lighting it up anyway, and he has come a bit back to Earth lately. If you need him I am sure you will play him, but I don’t like the idea of him trying to play nor what he can do here.

Running Back

Start

Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals: I have become a believer of this kid, and he made me look bad the 2 times I said to sit him. Trent has been finding the end zone and the Bengals have not been very special on rush defense, including 2 rush TDs allowed last week against the Dolphins. Richardson should get 100 plus a TD here, and he even gets active in the pass game. Use him!

Ryan Matthews, San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos: Fine, I have to clean some egg off of my face after bashing him last week, but Matthews is looking pretty good. The Broncos run defense had a hard time last week solving what the Patriots brought, and I like the Chargers attack better on the ground. Matthews appears to be back from his injury and finding the end zone as well as getting passes. Roll with it.

CJ Spiller, Buffalo Bills at Arizona Cardinals: The split carry thing is getting boring, and yes the Bills have played a few tough run defenses, but now is the time for them to get it back. Not many have faith in Spiller or this offense in general right now, but it is my gut feeling that they will realize he needs the ball more for them to be successful. Both teams are desperate for big time plays, and I think Spiller turns in some of those juicy ones fantasy owners loved the first few weeks.

Sit

BenJarvis Green-Ellis, Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns: He is just not doing anything great, and last week was banged up and was sitting down when Bernard Scott inured his knee. They threw him back in, and he clearly bored owners to sleep. He is what I expected, doing very little, and his team is much better throwing the ball. Speaking of which, did anyone see how badly the Browns secondary got roughed up last week? In other words, it will be passing time.

Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: At the beginning of the year, many including myself were big fans of Martin. Since then we have seen him get just 247 yards in 4 games, score just 1 TD and do less in the pass game than many had hoped. Last years big back LaGarrette Blount has been seeing some goal line action too, so Martin is starting to lose value.

Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks: I am a fan of what the Patriots are doing this year mixing running and passing and getting it done well. The thing I don’t like is visiting teams in Seattle. The Seahawks play good defense, and if New England gets it done on the ground it will be with all 4 options and it is hard to gauge which one can or will go off. Woodhead? Vereen? Bolden? Take your pick, it is pot luck right now.

Wide Receiver

Start

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans: Last time Brown played on a Thursday night he went off, and teammate Mike Wallace looked off last week. Brown is quick and has good hands, and has been active the last few weeks in this offense. I expect a big night from him as the Titans try and do what they can to slow down Wallace and the running game.

Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets: I am not worried about the chants of “no way they repeat this week” with Wayne. He has always been an excellent WR, and despite what Antonio Cromartie did last week to Andre Johnson, he won’t do it to Wayne. He has found a good comfort with QB Andrew Luck, and is one of the hottest pass catchers right now. You have to stick with him.

James Jones, Green Bay Packers at Houston Texans: Enough knocking Jones. Yes he caught only 4 passes last week, but 2 of those were for TDs and he has 4 in 2 weeks. The Texans showed last week they can be had a bit in the air, and the Packers should be throwing plenty this week to try and take this one. Even if Greg Jennings considers playing, Jones should be active. He has more stuff than Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb in my opinion.

Sit

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Has been absent from the end zone a lot this year, and the change in QB is not in his favor. He is one of those guys you hate not to use, but I would wait and see how this plays out,

Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys at Baltimore Ravens: I have a really hard time trusting anyone in Dallas right now, and this guy leads the pack. He looks lost in his patterns, seems to be making poor efforts and is not getting big numbers. Miles Austin is the only trusting Cowboy right now, and soon enough Bryant may be a guy on the free agent wire in many leagues if this routine continues.

Oakland Raiders WRs at Atlanta Falcons: This corps has no one that stands out and this game in Atlanta won’t bring much either. Right now you have to stay away from this entire situation, including the QB.

Tight End

Start

Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants: He is back in the mix and had 100+ yards last week. Still one of the most skilled TEs in the game so go with him in what should be a high scoring affair here.

Dustin Keller, New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts: He is expected back this week, and was the Jets top pass catcher the last 2 seasons. With all the injuries at WR they will be happy to have him back and he can be quite busy. If he is inured look for his teammate John Cumberland to be a good play here.

Sit

Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles have been decent against TEs so far this year, and Pettigrew has not lived up to expectations so far this year.

Anthony Fasano, Miami Dolphins vs. St. Louis Rams: The Rams defense has been pretty good against the pass this year, and they have good aggressive players at linebacker. Fasano does show up at times and does nice things when he does, but this won’t be that game.

Defenses I like:

Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys

Atlanta Falcons vs. Oakland Raiders

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans

Defense I don’t like:

Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots

Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles

Buffalo Bills at Arizona Cardinals

The Recovery Room: Welcome fans, Doctor Shark is here to give you the scoop on injured RBs and who you can lean on to take their place.

Cedric Benson, Green Bay Packers: Benson has been placed on IR with a foot injury but may be able to return come week 13. Who could benefit:

Alex Green: Green came in last week and had 55 yards on 9 carries. He is pretty athletic and looks decent in catching passes, but his pass blocking could hurt him here.

James Starks: Expected back from a toe injury, the former starter could get some work right away here. Starks is a power runner, but a guy who fell out of favor. He can redeem that with good play while his team is desperate.

John Kuhn: Yes I will even mention Kuhn. In leagues where TDs are king, or very deep leagues, he is a guy that may get a flier. Of the three backs he is most likely to get the ball inside the 5 yard line.

The safe pick for your waiver pick up right now would be Alex Green.

Ryan Williams, Arizona Cardinals: Williams will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

William Powell: Powell has one carry this year, in which he gained 7 yards. He has not shown much, but people are running to him for help, in an offense that has been poor running the ball as it is.

LaRod Stephens-Howling: Coming back from an injury this week, he should see a lot of action. When he gets spot play he does a nice job and is good in pass catching as well as quick. He may not be a super RB, but as an all-around guy you could do worse.

Alfonso Smith: Has done little to impress, and is not a real fast back who can make his own holes. Stay away unless he grabs the lead and does something.

The safe pick for your waiver pick up right now would be LaRod Stephens-Howling

Donald Brown, Indianapolis Colts: Brown is expected to miss 2-3 weeks

Vick Ballard: Ballard was expected to cut into and maybe unseed Brown as the starter, but Brown had a pretty good preseason and has been decent this season. Ballard has seen most of the backup duty, so he seems to be the guy in line.

Delone Carter: Pretty much has fallen off the face of the Earth. A guy who some thought last year could play his way in has done little to show much value. He would need an injury above him to help his case.

Mewelde Moore: A guy who never gets much credit, but is a great pass catcher. His lack of pure speed and size keeps him from playing much. He should be back from injury and will be splashed in here, but not enough to start for you.

The safe pick for your waiver pick up right now is Vick Ballard

Other RBs to keep watch on: Shaun Draughn, Kansas City, Jahvid Best, Detroit, Bryce Brown, Philadelphia

One more guy to watch is St. Louis Rams WR Brandon Gibson. With Danny Amendola missing time and not being known for how long, Gibson stands to be pretty busy in the upcoming weeks.

Well friends and fans week 6 is set up for you. Let’s make it a good one!

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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We are halfway through the fantasy football regular season and if you have a losing record, it’s time to panic. While the right pickup on the Fantasy Football Week 6 waiver wire may help alleviate some of that stress, it is slim pickings on this week’s wire so you may need a miracle.

Unfortunately there is nobody on the wire this week that is going to turn your season around. However, there are a few options available if you need someone for this week’s bye week. A handful of injuries will open up some opportunities for new starters although none of these options are what I’d call a guaranteed home run.

Quarterbacks

Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins – I could probably name at least ten better options than Cousins but if you own RG III and are stuck in a 12-16 team league, you are probably stuck with Cousins. The Minnesota Vikings are a good defense but they can be beaten. Cousins should be good for at minimum low double digits if he gets the call.

Running Backs

Jamie Harper, Tennessee Titans – Javon Ringer is likely lost for the season which makes Harper Chris Johnson’s backup. The Titans can only have so much patience with Johnson before he loses his starting job to Harper. There is certainly nothing guaranteed here and if Johnson gets it together, Harper will be useless as a fantasy player to you. I just have a feeling that at some point Johnson’s starting job will be in jeopardy and if Harper can seize the moment, you could have yourselves a nice pickup just in time for the playoffs.

William Powell, Arizona Cardinals – Technically LaRod Stephens Howlings will be the starter when he returns but he is too small to handle a large load. Many are suspecting that Powell will wind up with the bulk of the carries, although I don’t know how effective he’ll be over the long haul. I think you can do better if you’re in a 10-team league but anyone in 12 and up may want to take a shot at Powell.

David Wilson, New York Giants – It’s funny because I actually had Wilson in my blog last week when I drafted it up but wound up editing him out before publishing. The Giants believe in him even with his mistakes and if Ahmad Bradshaw goes down again, I think Wilson not Andre Brown gets the load. Right now Wilson is nothing but a lottery ticket yet Ahmad Bradshaw’s history tells me that at some point Wilson will get his shot.

Alex Green, Green Bay Packers – Cedric Benson is hurt and is likely going to miss this week’s game. He looked great against the Colts and was a popular sleeper in the preseason before the Packers signed Benson. The word out of Green Bay is that Green will split time with James Starks so proceed with caution. Keep in mind that the Packers do play the Houston Texans so it is hardly the advantageous matchup that the Colts presented.

Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions – Best is a sneaky pickup this week and while I am not a believer, I thought it was important to mention him. A lot of experts are pushing Best as a savvy waiver wire pickup since he could be coming off injured reserve shortly. I am not buying. Even if he does come back, Best was never a consistent producer anyway. In 2010 when he played 15 games he only averaged 3.3 a carry. He’ll have a lot of hype if he does get clearance to return so proceed with caution.

Wide Receivers

Vincent Brown, San Diego Chargers – Brown is my top prospect of the week and is probably the sneakiest pickup of the season. Brown is eligible to return as soon as next week and is expected to play a big part in the San Diego offense. He could instantly become a number one receiver and put up serious numbers in that offense. He is widely available and if you want to take a shot on a guy that won’t be available for a few weeks, Brown is your man.

Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns – Someone has to be the number one receiver in Cleveland right? Listen. It’s not happening for Greg Little and it’s time to start admitting that the hype last year was misguided. Was Gordon’s big day last week a mirage or the start of something big? Is Josh Gordon going to come in and set your lineup on fire? No, but he does have the potential to make for an intriguing flyer if you have room on your bench and need wide receiver help. Maybe, just maybe he can keep some of that momentum rolling in coming weeks.

Terrell Owens, Free Agent - Someone has to catch the ball in New York right? This one is pure speculation but Rex Ryan did not shut the door on the possibility of Owens getting a shot when asked at a press conference. Would it be a recipe for disaster? Yep. Would he make for an intriguing waiver wire pickup? In deeper leagues, why not? Update: Since publishing the Jets have denied any interest in Owens.

Tight Ends

Joel Dreessen, Houston Texans – It is Joel Dreessen not Jacob Tamme who is turning into Peyton Manning’s tight end red zone option in Denver. Dreeseen is now on a three game stretch with a score in each game, more than Jermichael Finley and Jason Witten can say. He’s only averaging 2.2 catches a game so he is a huge gamble and probably someone you won’t see recommended in a lot of places. On the other hand, we all know how Peyton Manning gets when he zeroes in on a favorite target. In other words, I think Dreessen has plenty of more scores coming his way.

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 5 in the National Football League!

- The St. Louis Rams are an underrated team at the moment. That defense looked absolutely fantastic against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night and they are starting to make me into a believer of what they can accomplish this season. At this moment I like this team to be competitive in 2012 and really competing for the NFC West division title next season.

- Arizona: what happened to you? For the last 4 weeks of the season you have made all of us into believers in what you are trying to accomplish this season and then you play like that? The Cardinals looked like the way they did in preseason and not the way they looked the last four weeks. This Cardinals team will only be as successful as their offensive line allows them to be and if they can’t stop the Rams defensive line then how will they stop the dominant 49ers defensive line?

- I really have liked the way Miami has played in the last couple of weeks, makes you wonder where this team would be if it wasn’t for a couple overtime losses…

- This really could have been a good “statement victory” for the Bengals at they continue to fly under the radar so far this NFL season but it wasn’t meant to be. I wonder if this is the start of the predicted “real” Bengals team to come out.

- What isn’t there to say that’s already been said about this victory for the Colts? Indianapolis played on emotion and had the heart of a champion to get the “W.” Indy could go winless for the rest of the season and still consider this season a success after the Week 5 win.

- Green Bay is in trouble. The offense has looked depleted without Greg Jennings all season and the injury to Cedric Benson didn’t make it any better. This is currently a 2-3 team taking on a very good Houston team in Week 6, a record of 2-4 on the season is a good possibility at the moment.

- I know its Postseason Baseball season but did the Orioles and Royals have a game on Sunday? Baltimore wins 9-6!? What happened to elite QB Joe Flacco playing as such? A win is a win but the Ravens are very lucky heading into Week 6.

- Shame on the Chiefs fans for cheering a knocked out Matt Cassell. Sometimes fans take things way too seriously…

- Atlanta is 5-0 on the season and while they are looking like the best team in the NFL at this moment I have to wonder if they are better served as the hunter rather then the hunted.

- No RGIII heroics in Week 5 like I predicted there may be. Washington kept the game tight and you’d have to wonder if it would be a different story if he was healthy.

- How many Giants fans are breathing a sigh of relief after the Browns jumped out to a 14-0 lead? I know many Giants fans were worried but c’mon this is the Browns we are talking about!

- Cleveland is 0-5 on the season, no real surprise there. The only shock about this team has been the heart they are still playing with. I know I say this every week but I really like the future of this franchise and where it’s going.

- Pittsburgh is healthy (for the most part) and played like the Steelers team we remembered when they are a healthy squad. Sure they won with a last second field goal but it must feel nice to get back on the right foot; looks like there is still some light peering through that window after all.

- Do you really think Michael Vick is going to stay as the starting QB for the Eagles this season? Philadelphia is a .500 record away from becoming the New York Jets of the NFC with all their QB issues.

- Congrats to the Seattle Seahawks on making it another week without us being concerned about this team and questioning their personnel. It’s nice when a win can by you sometime…

- While on the other hand we are once again questioning Cam Newton. I think it’s safe to say that he is currently in a “sophomore slump” now, right?

- So is Chicago benefiting from a good schedule or actually being a good team? I believe that to be a toss up at the moment.

- Jacksonville lost 41-3. This is why they are the worst team in the NFL.

- The Minnesota Vikings are 4-1 heading into Week 6! This has to be the most surprising story of the season right? Even more so then the Packers and Saints decline?

- Congrats Chris Johnson Fantasy Football owners, you can now put CJ2K back on your bench!

- New England is back in the driver seat after falling to 1-2 a couple weeks ago. No surprise that they are climbing back atop the AFC throne. While some may think it’s happening there is no window “closing” in New England anytime soon.

- Denver had way too many missed opportunities to make this game in Week 5. The Broncos could’ve tied or made the score closer had they jumped at the opportunities presented to them. Hopefully this is a loss Denver can learn from.

- Not only does San Francisco have an incredible defense but their offense has looked pretty good the last two weeks. Remember when I said them losing to Minnesota was the best thing that could happen to them?

- I thought the Bills were supposed to be competitive this season. Talk about disappointment. Maybe Chan Gailey just isn’t the right coach for this team…

- Congrats to Drew Brees on surpassing Johnny Unitas in the all-time consecutive games with a passing TD streak and congrats to the Saints on getting their first win of the season in Week 5. Who would’ve thought that!?

- Should’ve, would’ve, could’ve. That’s the story of the San Diego Chargers and will be until this monkey gets off their back. Every time I think they are bouncing back they pull off a game like this.

- Houston improves to 5-0 on the season but didn’t do so in convincing fashion against a hurting Jets team. A win is a win but you have to question if it could be a sign of things to come for the Texans. By the way, Arian Foster is an absolute beast.

- You can’t say the Jets didn’t try but trying isn’t what the Jets need right now. It’s amazing that this team was in the AFC Championship Game two straight seasons and considered one of the best teams in the NFL.

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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This may be one of the worst fantasy football seasons in recent memory when it comes to the waiver wire. I can’t think of another season in recent years with as little to choose from on the wire. Sure you have your player that has a good week or two, but that waiver wire stud still eludes us. Unfortunately he won’t be coming this week.

The waiver wire this week is probably the slimmest it has been all season. As always, check out who is being dropped for the new flavor of the week because you may wind up with better options that way. Otherwise these players are strictly for bye week fill-ins or wait-and-see investors.

Quarterback

Kevin Kolb, Arizona Cardinals – Kolb and the Cards are clicking right now and he could be a sneaky play going forward if you need a QB on a bye week. Kolb and the Cards have some juicy quarterback matchups coming up that are likely to bring him double digit points. I am not a big fan of playing QBs in Thursday night matchups so you may want to wait a week on that one. He’ll have the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings next who could bring you dividends if you need to play Kolb.

Running Backs

Jackie Battle, San Diego Chargers – If you are a Ryan Matthews owner like me, the name Jackie Battle makes your stomach sick. I am hopeful as a Matthews owner that the Chargers were just trying to send Matthews a message by giving Battle the bulk of the load on Sunday. However, Battle could have earned himself a shot at the Mike Tolbert role and that could be huge if he continues to get the call at the goal line for the Chargers. Ryan Matthews owners need apply!

LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Please don’t tell me that you didn’t see this coming! Blount was back in the fold on Sunday, taking critical goalline carries away from Doug Martin. The Bucs are desperate and are likely to use Blount as the primary goalline back when they come back from their bye week. It’s time to panic Doug Martin owners because Blount is back!

Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers – Mendenhall isn’t available on most wires but he is out there. Mendenhall is expected to take the field this weekend after suffering a terrible injury last season. The Steelers are desperate to get their running game as their current crew of backs is only averaging a measly 2.6 YPC. I wouldn’t expect big things initially out of Mendenhall but by mid-season he may wind up nabbing you a score per game minimum.

Brandon Bolden, New England Patriots – I am not a big fan of playing any of the Patriots running backs but if you are desperate on the wire, Bolden may be a sneaky pickup. He racked up 137 yards and a TD on Sunday and Bolden isn’t even the starter. I could easily see a few scenarios where the Pats get up big and lean more on Bolden to close than Ridley. He’s a high risk-high reward player so proceed with caution.

Bryce Brown, Philadelphia Eagles – LeSean McCoy left Sunday night’s game banged up and it is a situation worth monitoring. Let’s be clear. Brown is worthless on your team if McCoy stays healthy. However, if McCoy misses a game or two you could have yourself a nice waiver wire pickup for at least a week in Brown.

Wide Receivers

Brian Hartline, Miami Dolphins – Hartline went off and I mean went off Sunday in Arizona. Now I would be shocked if he put up anything remotely close to those stats at any other point this season. But, he is heavily targeted by Ryan Tannehill, seeing 8 or more targets per game. There is something brewing here between Hartline and Tannehill and if this new bromance develops into a nice scoring tandem, you could have yourself a great play in Hartline later in the season when you need him.

Mike Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – I had Mike Williams in my “Fantasy Sleepers: The Comeback” blog in the preseason. Reports out of Tampa Bay indicated that the Bucs would take advantage of the attention Vincent Jackson would receive from defenses by getting Williams back in the game. Williams is quietly having a nice season. He had a stinker last week but bounced back with over 100 yards on Sunday. The Chiefs and Saints are up next for the Bucs. In other words, Williams is poised to have some big weeks coming up.

Jerome Simpson, Minnesota Vikings – The leaping receiver returned to the NFL on Sunday and had 50 yards and 4 catches off of 5 targets. Leslie Frazier told the media last week that they plan to heavily involve Simpson in the offense. There is serious potential here in Simpson becoming a weekly deep threat target for Ponder. I wouldn’t start him next week but I’d stash and see if you are looking to take a shot on a wide receiver. There is some serious potential here.

Domenik Hixon, New York Giants – Hakeen Nicks unexpectedly missed Sunday night’s tussle with the Eagles and an even bigger unexpected move, Hixon moved ahead of Ramses Barden on the depth chart. Hixon racked up 114 yards off of 6 receptions Sunday night. It would appear that Nicks is now having issues with both legs and this may wind up costing the #1 wide out a few games throughout the rest of the season. It was clear Sunday that the receiver to own if you own Nicks is Hixon, not Bardes.

Tight Ends

Scott Chandler,  Buffalo Bills - Meet another reason you took Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham too early in your drafts. Chandler is having a fantastic season, with six TDs in just four games. Chandler did leave Sunday’s game with a head injury, but the Bills are calling it a minor injury right now. There is a good chance Chandler misses next week if he is diagnosed with a concussion, but he’ll be back with some nice matchups in the upcoming weeks. Grab him while you still can! Of all the options here I’d probably put him at the top of the list if I needed to take a gamble on one of these names.

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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

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Fantasy Football for Smart People: How to Dominate Your Draft

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There are some intriguing names available on the waiver wire this week. The key word is intriguing because none of these players are going to turn your season around. However, there are some nice grab and stash options that could pay dividends later in the season.

These recommendations are based on non-PPR, 10 team leagues. I tried to stick with the average because you will have different priorities in different scoring systems. Most of these guys will be available in an 8-10 team league while you may have to dig a little deeper in 12-up team fantasy football leagues.

Keep in mind a few things with these waiver wire recommendations. Not all of these guys are players I’d recommend starting in your lineup this week or even next week. Some of these recommendations are based purely on Week 3 matchups. The idea here is to grab a player now in the early weeks of the fantasy season that you can hold on your bench and use when you are starters have bye weeks or when you have injury concerns.

Once again I encourage you to take a wait and see approach this week on the wire. Players in your league will have to drop someone in order to grab one of these flavors of the week. I picked up plenty of great players over the years whose owners gave up on them a week or two too early. You may be surprised at what kind of illogical moves fantasy players who are 0-2 will make in desperate times.

Quarterbacks

Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs – Matt Cassel! You probably think I am kidding you right? Nope! Cassel has had double digit games in the first two weeks and may be the best start of this coming week! Cassel and the Chiefs will get the New Orleans Saints, who may be the worst defense in the NFL. He has quietly put up nice numbers the last two weeks and will likely continue to do so throughout the season. He has some tough games in the upcoming weeks, but that matchup against the Saints is juicy enough for me to grab Cassel if I need to shake things up this week at QB.

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals – Andy Dalton is one of those quarterbacks that fantasy players continue to overlook, yet he gets it done. He had a rough week in the opener but he was playing a division game against the Baltimore Ravens. On Sunday he put up more points in standard scoring leagues than Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford, and Aaron Rodgers. He plays a Washington defense this week that have allowed over thirty points in each of their first two games. The Redskins are stingy on touchdowns but Dalton will get the yards if you need someone for this week and/or your bye weeks.

Running Backs

Andre Brown, New York Giants – Ahmad Bradshaw went down with his annual injury and it was Andre Brown, not David Wilson who came in and got the carries for the Giants. Brown got 13 carries and managed 71 yards, a touchdown, a two-point conversion, and a couple of receptions. The Giants have a short week and play a Carolina Panthers who gave up over 150 yards on the ground to the Saints on Sunday. My hunch is that Bradshaw doesn’t go on a short week. That makes Brown a fantastic pickup this week and going forward with Bradshaw’s injury history.

Mikel Leshoure, Detroit Lions – The Detroit running back is off suspension this week and is returning to work. Reports out of Detroit suggest that Leshoure will be the starting back before long in Detroit. The Lions want to establish a running game. So far they haven’t had much luck with Kevin Smith. You could grab the starting running back from one of the most explosive offenses in the league right off waivers this week.

Daryl Richardson, St. Louis Rams – Was Steven Jackson hurt or benched? According to reports it may be a little bit of both, although Jeff Fisher denies it. Richardson racked up 102 yards on Sunday but really hurt his chances moving forward with a late game fumble. Groin injuries are tough to recover from, especially for a running back. Even if Jackson plays, he is an older and brittle player. Keep in mind that the Rams play the Chicago Bears this week, so this wouldn’t be the week to get cute with your new waiver wire pickup if Richardson does get the start.

Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins - Miller is a grab and stash kind of player to me. Miller had a score and 65 yards last week and looked great with his 10 carries. Reggie Bush is the workhorse here but Bush is a very brittle player. Bush is a free agent next season so the Dolphins will run him until he breaks and chances are pretty good he will break. I know Daniel Thomas is ahead of him on the depth chart, but Miller was drafted by this new regime. He is there guy. If the Dolphins are out of it or Bush gets hurt, Miller could be a sneaky play down the stretch in the playoffs.

Wide Receivers

Danny Amendola, St. Louis Rams – Amendola is the man in St. Louis and is probably available on your waiver wire. Amendola got a whopping 16 targets on Sunday and has developed some nice chemistry with Sam Bradford. He is what many are calling a “poor man’s Wes Welker”, although he has greatly out-produced Welker thus far. A lot of teams are going to be sleeping on the Rams and they will be putting up points all season. Keep in mind that the Rams play the Bears this week so you may want to wait a week before you start him. Otherwise, grab him now while you still can!

Donnie Avery, Indianapolis Colts – Savvy fantasy football experts have called Avery a sleeper play over the next two weeks. Avery has now produced in back to back weeks. Granted, this could change when Austin Collie comes back but so far I like what I am seeing. Avery led the team with 11 targets Sunday and has some big potential moving forward with Andrew Luck. He is certainly worth a grab if you have room or need some wide receiver help.

Tight Ends

Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings – I am really surprised that Rudolph is still on most waiver wires. He continues to be the leader among targets for Christian Ponder in Minnesota. Rudolph had a TD this past week and will probably have many more in the near future. I certainly wouldn’t play him against San Francisco this week, but he has Detroit and Tennessee the following weeks in games which could bring him back to back scores.

Dennis Pitta,  Baltimore Ravens - Did you know that Dennis Pitta is tied with Jimmy Graham for the most targets among tight ends? Did you know that Joe Flacco is looking at Pitta often in the red zone? Did you know that the 2012 Baltimore Ravens offense has enormous potential? If the Ravens wind up in a shootout with the Patriots in Week 3, you could see Pitta with a lot of targets and points.

Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles - Celek is a fantastic pickup if you are in need at tight end. He and Vick have great chemistry as Vick looks to Celek quite a bit during games. The problem is that if Vick gets hurt, Celek’s value plummets to zero and what are the chances of Vick getting hurt? Right! In the meantime, Celek could be a great replacement for you unlucky Aaron Hernandez owners over the next several weeks.

Dante Rosario, San Diego Chargers – Dante Rosario was the leading scoring tight end in standard scoring leagues this week. Not Jimmy Graham, Not Rob Gronkowski, but Dante freaking Rosario! Antonio Gates was a surprising scratch and Rosario made the most of his opportunity with three touchdowns. Gates is expected back next week, but for how long? If you have the room, Rosario is a great grab and stash tight end this week on the wire.

Fantasy Football Almanac 2012: The Essential Fantasy Football Reference Guide

Madden 13 video game on all consoles

NFL Jerseys on Amazon.com

Fantasy Football for Smart People: How to Dominate Your Draft

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.

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