NovaFantasySports

Start Em’ Sit Em’ Week 9
By: Wade Denes - NovaFantasySports Correspondent

Last week’s start em sit em column turned out to be pretty accurate so I’m hoping to have the same success in week 9 of the NFL season. That being said, I will spare you the obvious choices and instead focus on the less obvious ones. Here is a list of which players to start and which to sit in week 9.

START EM’

Chad Pennington QB – NYJ vs. DEN
I kept expecting him to sputter out but he simply hasn’t, and now his numbers are too good to ignore. He’s averaging 298 yards in his last 3 games and he’s thrown 4 TDs during that span. He’s proven that he can pass on some of the tougher defenses so you have to like his chances against Denver this week. He’s a great bye week option and a legit replacement for those who drafted the likes of Carson Palmer, Derek Anderson or either of the Manning brothers.

Michael Turner RB – ATL vs. OAK
Last week I correctly predicted that he would struggle against the stingy run defense of the Philadelphia Eagles. Now I’m predicting he will bounce back in a major way this week against the Oakland Raiders. He’s had some monster games this year when playing porous defenses so this week’s matchup comes at a great time for fantasy owners. Start him this week because this is where owning him actually pays off.

Bernard Berrian WR – MIN vs. HOU
This guy has become a fantasy goldmine as of late. He’s scored a TD in his last 3 games and he’s averaging an astonishing 107 yards a game during that stretch. Berrian might well be a top 15 receiver at this point and look for him to solidify that status when the Texans come to town. A weak defense means a strong performance for this waiver wire wonder.

Kyle Orton QB – CHI vs. DET
He’s on a serious hot streak right now. He’s averaging over 300 yards a game over his last 3 starts while throwing 5 TDs and no interceptions. To make things even sweeter for him, he’s facing the miserable Lions defense this Sunday making him a top 5 quarterback for week 9.

Earnest Graham RB – TB vs. KC
Don’t be disheartened by his poor performance last Sunday because this week he faces the Chiefs, and I’d start my Grandmother against them. Not to mention Dunn has been plagued with a pinched nerve which means Graham should continue to see the bulk of the carries. Start him with confidence.

Eddie Royal WR – DEN vs. MIA
He’s obviously the second source of targets behind Brandon Marshall but he had 9 catches his last game before the bye week. Now Miami comes to town with a suspect pass defense so look for him to benefit from Marshall drawing double coverage. If Cutler’s finger isn’t an issue then Royal should be in line for a great game.

Matt Schaub QB – HOU vs. MIN
He’s averaging over 300 yards a game over his last 4 starts and he’s thrown 9 TDs and only 2 interceptions during that run. He’s finally utilizing Andre Johnson and with Steve Slaton in the backfield you can expect Schaub to have another solid outing, especially when he’s facing a Minnesota defense that gave up 48 points in their last game.

Tim Hightower RB – ARI vs. STL
He’s a bit of a reach here but he’s scored 4 TDs over his last 4 games and it looks like Edgerrin James is losing carries to him. Don’t expect him to gain many yards but he’s always a threat to score with the potent Cardinal’s offense.

Donnie Avery WR – STL vs. ARI
The rookie has strung together 3 productive games but last week was pure insanity. The matchup isn’t the greatest this week but he’s clearly the new #1 target in St. Louis and deserves to be starting over such receivers as Braylon Edwards, Wes Welker and teammate Tory Holt. Look to start him this week and down the stretch as well since his schedule is quite favorable from here on out.

OTHER NOTABLES
Matt Ryan QB – ATL vs. OAK
Kevin Faulk RB – NE vs. IND
Justin Fargas RB – OAK vs. ATL
Ted Ginn Jr. WR – MIA vs. DEN
DeSean Jackson WR – PHI vs. SEA
Greg Olsen TE – CHI vs. DET
Stephen Gostkowski K – NE vs. IND
New York Giants D

SIT ‘EM

Ben Roethlisberger QB – PIT vs. WAS
It surprises me that other fantasy sources have him ranked so high because I think he’s bound to crash and burn again this Monday. He threw 4 interceptions last week and he’s become a human tackling dummy behind that banged up O-line. He’s averaging less than 200 yards a game for the entire season which is coincidentally the same number of passing yards the Redskins allow on defense. Don’t start him unless you are a glutton for punishment like he is.

Ryan Grant RB – GB vs. TEN
In his last game he was finally able to break and 100 yards and score his first touchdown of the season. The only problem was it took him 31 carries to do it and that was against the weak run defense of the Colts, which would explain why he’s averaging a mere 3.4 ypc and just 66 yards a game. His matchup with the Titans doesn’t bode well for him this week and don’t look for things to get any easier for him down the road when he faces Minnesota, Chicago and Carolina in the coming weeks. He does have a nice matchup with New Orleans in week 12 but this is a guy who couldn’t even gain more than 20 yards against the Lions. Keep him on the bench or trade him now why he still has some value.

Plaxico Burress QB – NYG vs. DAL
While he did manage to score 2 TDs over his last 3 games, he’s only averaging 59 yards a game for the season. It’s not the matchup that concerns me here, it’s the fact that he’s a walking soap opera, he has a torn tendon in his pinkie finger and he has Eli Manning as his quarterback. Other sources have him ranked fairly high this week but I don’t buy it. Even if he is healthy and checks his attitude at the door, it’s still going to be hard for him to catch many passes when Eli can barely fling it in his direction.

Jason Campbell QB – WAS vs. PIT
It’s hard for me to recommend sitting someone who hasn’t thrown an interception all season but that being said… sit him. It’s not that he’s a bad quarterback but he plays in a very conservative offense that belongs to Clinton Portis so expecting great numbers from him this week just isn’t realistic. He was great against Detroit last week but playing the Steelers in week 9 is a much different story and by my estimation, not a very happy one.

Jamal Lewis RB – CLE vs. BAL
I recommended sitting him last week and I’ll admit I got that one wrong. However, this week I won’t. His matchup with the Jags last week wasn’t a great one but it was certainly better than this week’s against the Ravens. He’s still yet to break a 100 yards this season and that definitely won’t happen against the best defense in football.

Torry Holt WR – STL vs. ARI
This has been a horrible season for him as he hasn’t caught a TD since week 2 and he’s averaging a dismal 41 yards a game. Jim Haslett promises that Holt’s “numbers will come up” but that’s easier said than done. With the emergence of Donnie Avery and the Rams facing a tough Arizona pass defense, I’d say Haslett’s comments are nothing more than wishful thinking.

Trent Edwards QB – BUF vs. NYJ
His matchup isn’t all that bad but his numbers are. 5 TDs in 7 games and only 1 in his last 3 makes him pretty hard to rely on for fantasy purposes. He’s able to put up some moderate yardage at times but there are better options out there. He’s nothing more than a low-end bye week replacement for those who are desperate. Really, really, desperate.

Edgerrin James RB – ARI vs. STL
Naturally if Hightower is getting an increased role then James becomes a less appealing option. He has only 16 carries in the last 2 games and he’s averaging only 54 yards a game. Plus with Hightower getting all the goal line carries Edge has lost any significant fantasy value. He’s not worth starting this week or any other week from here on out.

Terrell Owens WR – DAL vs. NYG
Yep. I’m putting him here again. 3 weeks without a TD and he hasn’t caught for more than 36 yards since then either. The QB situation doesn’t help and neither does the fact they face a Giants’ defense that picked off Roethlisberger 4 times and held him to 189 yards. Owens will likely return to form when Romo comes back but until then your expectations should be low.

OTHER NOTABLES
Derek Anderson QB – CLE vs. BAL
Michael Pittman RB – DEN vs. MIA
Kolby Smith RB – KC vs. TB
Chad Johnson WR – CIN vs. JAC
Joey Galloway WR – TB vs. KC
Kellen Winslow TE – CLE vs. BAL
Nick Folk K – DAL vs. NYG
Green Bay Packers D

Start Em’ Sit Em’ Week 8
By: Wade Denes - NovaFantasySports Correspondent

This Start Em Sit Em article reflects week 8 match-ups only.

START ‘EM

Drew Brees QB – NO vs. SD
What happens when the best quarterback in football faces the worst pass defense in football? You get the best fantasy football performance of the week. After Brees gave his worst performance of the season last week he comes into Sunday with the best possible matchup. Not to mention he finally has some weapons back making Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey decent plays also. Look for Brees to rebound in a big way this week even with Reggie Bush out of the lineup.

Thomas Jones RB - NYJ vs. KC
Thomas Jones just tore off for 159 yards last week against Oakland and now the Chiefs come to town after giving up 334 rushing yards to the Titans. This week 8 matchup has all the makings of a huge performance.

Steve Slaton RB – HOU vs. CIN
The Bengals gave up a 120 yards and 2 TDs to Mawelde Moore. Now imagine what a talented running back can do. The ROY candidate is a must-start in week 8 and if you’re really desperate, Ahman Green’s not a bad reach here asa flex option in week 8. Obviously Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson are great plays also.

Donovan McNabb QB – PHI vs. ATL
Over Atlanta’s last 3 games quarterbacks have averaged 297 yards and 2 TDs against them. McNabb has been stellar all season long at exposing suspect pass defenses and this week 8 matchup certainly qualifies.

Jason Campbell/ Santana Moss QB/ WR – WSH vs. DET
The Lions have such an atrocious defense so you should be spot playing anyone who has a matchup with them. For the season Detroit is giving up an average 262 yards and nearly 2TDs each game, plus in half of those games a receiver has gone for over a hundred yards. Moss had cooled off as of late but he rebounded nicely last week against Cleveland and you can expect that momentum to carry into week 8. As for Jason Campbell, he’s not the most talented quarterback but even he can rack up big numbers against a defense this bad. And oh yeah, start Clinton Portis!!

Lee Evans WR – BUF vs. MIA
Lee Evan has a tendency to explode is some games and disappear in others, however he has scored in his last 3 games and now he faces a Miami defense which is suffering at the secondary. You should also note that Evans thrives in his career games against Miami and even though the Dolphins are at home this week, Evans actually plays better there than he does when he faces them in Buffalo.

Sammy Morris RB – NE vs. STL
Sammy Morris went nuts on Monday night running for 138 yards and a TD before going down with a knee injury in the second quarter. Now he faces a St. Louis team that can’t stop the run to save their life. The Patriots have a great offensive line that can produce great results for their running backs. That’s why if for some reason his injury is worse than it appears and he can’t go on Sunday, I love Benjarvus Green-Ellis as a replacement.

Josh Morgan WR – SF vs. SEA
This is my sleeper pick for week 8. Josh Morgan had a great preseason and then quickly disappeared when the regular season began. That was of course until last week when he caught for 86 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Isaac Bruce is still the better play but Morgan is in line for another great game against a Seattle pass defense that gave up 310 yards to Jeff Garcia and 115 yards to wide receiver Antonia Bryant.

OTHER NOTABLES
Phillip Rivers QB – SD vs. NO

Maurice Jones-Drew/Fred Taylor RB – JAC vs. CLE

Chris Johnson/ LenDale White RB – TEN vs. IND

Steve Smith WR – CAR vs. ARI

Randy Moss WR – NE vs. STL

Antonio Gates TE – SD vs. NO

Kris Brown K – HOU vs. CIN

Baltimore Defense

SIT ‘EM

Michael Turner RB – ATL vs. PHI
Don’t get me wrong, Michael Turner is a fantasy stud and you have to start him every week. But that being said Turner is developing a bad trend of weak performances against stingy run defenses and the fact that he travels to Philadelphia in week 8 doesn’t bode well for him. He is a tremendous running back but temper your expectations here because this matchup is a dreadful one.

Terrell Owens WR – DAL vs. TB
After scoring 5 TDs in his first 5 games, Terrell Owens hasn’t scored in his last 2. Now Tony Romo is out until at least November and Owens has to depend on Brad Johnson getting him the ball. Not to mention teams routinely double team him and Roy Williams likely won’t be able to step up just yet to draw some of the coverage off. The fact that they face a tough Tampa Bay defense that held the Seahawks to just 73 passing yards last week doesn’t make things any easier.

Can T.O. get back on track in Week 8?

Eli Manning QB – NYG vs. PIT
While Eli Manning started the season with some great numbers over his first 4 games, the last 2 were dreadful, and that was against some soft defenses. Playing at Pittsburgh this week won’t help his cause to say the least. With the Giants in an offensive slump and the possibility of Plexico Burress not playing, Manning should not be started this week unless you truly have no other options. Sit Em

Justin Fargas/ Darren McFadden RB – OAK vs. BAL
Justin Fargas averaged 2.6 ypc last week and hasn’t scored a TD all season. Meanwhile McFadden hasn’t done anything impressive since the second week. The kid has skills and Oakland has been able to provide a decent rushing attack at times but that won’t happen this week, especially since they’re playing Baltimore who just got done stuffing Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams for a combined 43 yards.

Peyton Manning QB – IND vs. TEN
What a far cry it’s been from last year to this year for the Manning brothers. Peyton is averaging a respectable 255 yards a game this season and has thrown 8 TDs, but he’s also thrown 7 interceptions which is an indication that the Colts’ pass attack has simply lost its mojo. Don’t let his great game against the Ravens fool you as Baltimore’s D was completely banged up. Their game against Tennessee will not be so pretty. He’s Peyton Manning so you have to start him but it doesn’t mean you have to like it.

Santonio Holmes WR – PIT vs. NYG
Santonio Holmes has been a decent source of yardage this season but the same can’t be said about touchdowns. Hines Ward is getting all the red zone targets which makes Holmes a less attractive choice this week. The Giants can be thrown on but Big Ben will be running for his life from an insane pass rush which has 21 sacks this season, including 6 last week. You could do worse here but consider him a definite risk if you choose to start him in week 8.

Jamal Lewis RB – CLE vs. JAC
Jamal Lewis has actually been on a nice roll the last few weeks scoring 2 TDs in his last 3 games. Unfortunately he’s yet to have a 100 yard game and it’s unlikely that will change this Sunday, but he has a better chance of doing that than he does scoring a TD since the Jaguars haven’t given one up to a running back since the third week of the season.

Derrick Mason WR – BAL vs. Oakland
He’s been putting up a fair number of receptions and yards and he even found the end zone last Sunday, but with Joe Flacco throwing to him don’t expect Mason to score very often. In week 8 against the Raiders he’ll be covered by Nnamdi Asomugha who should do a solid job of containing Mason. He’ll get his catches but there are better options out there.

OTHER NOTABLES
Brad Johnson QB – DAL vs. TB

Matt Ryan QB – ATL vs. PHI

Kevin Smith/ Rudi Johnson RB – DET vs. WAS

Brandon Jacobs RB – NYG vs. PIT

Marvin Harrison WR – IND vs. TEN

Mercedes Lewis TE – JAC vs. CLE

Olindo Mare K – SEA vs. SF

Dallas Defense

Fantasy Football Week 7 Start Em’ Sit Em’
by Nick E. Cream

Get Em’ In – these start em NFL players should be a source of solid fantasy production this week outside the obvious weekly plays.

Chris Johnson, RB Titans at Kansas City
Although Arrowhead can be a difficult place to play, I expect big things from CJ this week. KC, the leagues worst rushing defense, is highly vulnerable to the big play. This should allow CJ to break a few big plays and hit pay dirt on the way. LenDale White may steal a few goal line carries, but it has become clear that CJ is the feature back in Tennessee.

Steve Slaton, RB Texans vs. Detroit
The cowardly Lions stumble into Reliant Stadium without a QB and missing a top-receiving target. Add this to their poor rush defense and watch Mr. Slaton run wild like his days in the mountains of West Virginia. I just hope he doesn’t have a bottle of shine in the trunk when he crosses the goal line, which will be multiple times.

Ryan Grant, RB Packers vs. Indianapolis
Coming off his heaviest workload of the season, Grant may finally prove worthy of the high draft pick many used on him. The only setback might be if the Colts go up big early and the game becomes a shoot out. Start em.

Santonio Holmes, WR Steelers at Cincinnati
The depleted Steelers backfield will force Big Ben to air it out this week. Expect Pittsburgh to get up early, and finally have the chance to go deep a few times to Santonio, which has yet to happen.

Wes Welker, WR Patriots vs. Denver
Champ Bailey, with the rest of the Denver secondary will be all over Moss like white on rice. This should leave Welker open in the middle, and I anticipate he should have plenty of touches to flash his skills.

Laveranues Coles, WR Jets at Oakland
Favre leads the rested, well prepared Jets into the football circus that is Oakland. Coles is quickly becoming Favre’s favorite target, and should flourish against the Raiders relatively weak (25th) pass defense.

Matt Schaub, QB Texas vs. Detroit
Coming off a strong performance, Schaub will face one the leagues worst overall defenses. The Texans have plenty of offensive weapons, and Andre Johnson appears ready to hit his stride.

Eli Manning, QB Giants vs. San Francisco
The lower case “g” men will be looking to get back on track, and inflict some “capitol” punishment on the niners. Tom Coughlin’s look should go from dazed and confused to his normal, bitter and stern as the Giants take their frustrations out on San Francisco.

Owen Daniels, TE Texans vs. Detroit
I am sensing a trend here, bottom line if you have any playmakers competing against the Lions you start them without hesitation.

Look to Avoid – these are the weekly starters you may want to sit if you have other options.

Ronnie Brown, RB Dolphins vs. Baltimore
The “wild hog” may be a big hit with Tony Sparano, but this should be the week the madness ends. Expect Brown’s efforts to be minimized by the Ravens staunch “D” when Ray Lewis and crew take a stab a stopping the new Fins attack.

Julius Jones, RB Seahawks at Tampa Bay
“JJ” still a bit gimpy, hobbles into Tampa without the support of his number one QB. The bucs will focus their attention on Jones, and should hold him to a very modest Sunday afternoon.

Calvin Johnson, WR Lions at Houston
Now that Roy Williams has departed to Dallas, Megatron is left to fend for himself. The Lions should get behind early, chucking to play catch up. Unfortunately Dan Orlovsky will be the signal caller, if he can stay in bounds.

Matt Forte, RB Bears vs. Minnesota
Forte will get plenty of touches as the Bears feature back and main offensive weapon, but he is facing a stingy run defense in the Vikings. Not the worst option in the world, but if you have anyone else with a better match-up, pull the trigger.

Patch the Holes – stick in these players if you’re having bye week blues or get bitten by the injury bug.

Kevin Walter, WR Texans vs. Detroit

See notes above with regards to “Lions”.

Derrick Mason, WR Ravens at Miami

The steady hands of Mason should provide decent production as McGahee is still recovering from nagging injuries (knee, ribs).

Dominic Rhodes, RB Indianapolis at Green Bay

The “lone ranger” in the Colts backfield, Rhodes could produce respectable numbers in cheese land.

DeAngelo Williams, RB Panthers vs. New Orleans

Although still in a time-share situation with Jonathon Stewart, “D dub” has shown flashes of brilliance. Stewart may grab the goal lines touches, but a good match-up could again breath life into the Panthers rushing attack.

Jonathon Stewart, RB Panthers vs. New Orleans

Look to both the Carolina backs to stand out in the box scores, and Stewart could dance a few times this week.

Sammy Morris, RB Patriots vs. Denver

Bill Belichik has officially passed Mike Shanahan as the fantasy Dr. Jekyl. This aside, Morris has a great match-up and should see the lion share of carries against the weak Denver front four.

Mewelde Moore, RB Steelers at Cincinnati

By default he is going to see a heavy workload, and with the Bengals looking to shut down Roethlisberger, could emerge as a solid option on Sunday.

Earnest Graham, RB Buccaneers vs. Seattle

Warrick Dunn might have stolen his thunder, but Dunn still remains the lightning option in this dynamic duo. Graham’s tough running style and a sluggish Seattle defense equals point production.

Matt Cassel, QB Patriots vs. Denver

If you have him stuffed on your bench, or have limited QB options this week, start Cassel. If he is going to do anything this year, it will be against the leagues worst pass defense.

Brad Johnson, QB Dallas at St. Louis

Monitor this situation closely, as reports have Romo eager to return. If Johnson’s number gets called he should play well considering the endless offensive options available for the Cowboys.

Jeff Garcia, QB Buccaneers vs. Seattle

Slowly regaining the confidence of coach Gruden, look to Garcia to roll out some decent figures this week.

Heath Miller, TE Steelers at Cincinnati

Heavy Heath is a great match-up play against a Bengals defense consistently giving up points to the TE position.

Dustin Keller, TE Jets at Oakland

Getting multiple looks week in and week out, this uber-athletic TE should get in the zone at least once this Sunday.

Forget About It – keep these players out of you line-up at all costs.

Roy Williams, WR Dallas at St. Louis

A relative babe in the Cowboy offense and a statuesque Brad Johnson potentially slinging fastballs will mean low production from Roy E. this weekend. Hold out at least one more week, even though the temptation is immense.

Chad Johnson, WR Bengals vs. Steelers

“Oucho Stinko” has been nothing short of a fantasy flop this year. Don’t hold your breath this week, unless you believe Ryan Fitzpatrick can throw off his back.

Willis McGahee, RB Ravens at Dolphins

“What you talking bout Willis”, is a definite bench play this week even though I expect the Ravens to play inspired football in Miami.

Reach for the Stars – if you are in a jam and need a long shot with potential, fire away.

Justin Gage, WR Titans at Kansas City

Should be healthy enough to be the top receiving option this week against a shaky defense. If you are in a pinch, he might just save your season.

Derrick Ward, RB Giants vs. San Francisco

Great potential to put up solid digits in garbage time as New York routes the 49ers. Once out to a big lead, the Giants will look to rest the lumbering Jacobs for the speedy Ward.

Fantasy Sports guru and expert Mike Illebag gives you the NFL week three fantasy football players you should be starting, and which you should be sitting. Below is Mike’s Week 4 list of fantasy football players who are must starts this week, and those fantasy football players whom you should sit in Week 4.

Mikey Like’s it!
Week 4 – I try to avoid popular opinion

Start-em
QB Trent Edwards BUF @ STL – 18 pts: Edwards has been consistent and will open it up against a bad STL DEF on turf. I look for Lee Evans and the rest of the speedy BUF WR will have big games

QB J.T. O’Sullivan SF @ NO – 17 pts: The Saints give up points and J.T will sling the ball in this shootout. He has gained some confidence and should throw a couple of TD’s.

RB Jonathan Stewart CAR vs. ATL – 15pts: I see Stewart getting at least 80yds and 1 TD. CAR should score in this game and will run a lot.

RB Selvin Young DEN @ KC – 16pts: Again, Young has posted a great yds per carry clips all season, this is the week I think he goes for a 100 and scores a TD.

RB Ryan Grant GB @ TB – 15pts: I think Grant will finally play well and get in the end zone.

WR Jerricho Cotchery NYJ vs. ARI – 15pts: Cotchery had 10 catches last week and will continue to be Favre’s favorite target, I expect a TD a d some big plays.

WR Braylon Edwards CLE @ CIN – 18pts: This game will be a high scoring and Edwards will finally play big as will all the big names on both CLE and CIN.

TE Billy Miller NO vs. SF – 13pts: Miller steps in for Shockey and should get a lot of balls thrown his way.

K Matt Bryant TB @ GB – 12pts: Bryant will get his chances as Gruden will look to control the ball.

D Baltimore @ PIT – 14pts: Pittsburgh is hurting and BAL has played fresh on D, I think the late night in PIT will keep this rivalry low scoring .

Other players who should go off: C. Johnson CLE 16pts, V. Davis SF 13pts, D. Anderson 17pts, S. Smith CAR 15, T. Green STL 16, C. Palmer CIN 20, T Gonzalez KC 13, K. Winslow 14

Sit-em:
QB Aaron Rodgers GB @ TB – 11pts: This will be a tough road matchup and Rodgers will struggle a bit. He should get his yds but I think he will have to deal with a lot of pressure.

QB Ben Roethlisberger PIT vs. BAL – 10pts: Big Ben is banged up as is Parker, I think BAL will forc Ben to throw and pressure him all night.

RB Thomas Jones NYJ vs. ARI – 9pts: Jones will get a lot of carries, and should play ok, I just don’t see him getting a TD.

RB Rashard Mendenhall PIT vs. BAL – 7pts: Rashard is in for a rude awakening, he will have a tough time against a nasty D with chip on their shoulder, and his comments wont help.

RB Steven Jackson STL vs. BUF – 10pts: Jackson will face a tough D, one which will be looking to stuff the run and force Green to beat them.

WR Santana Moss PIT @ PHI – 9pts: Moss has been stellar, but a healthy Newman and the speedy Jones should keep Santana under wraps.

WR Roddy White ATL @ CAR – 7pts: Carolina has fast and big corners, Ryan will struggle on the road against Fox’s D scheme.

TE Chris Cooley WAS @ DAL - 5pts: I think Cooley will get some balls thrown his way just not convinced WAS can play w/ Dallas.

K Matt Stover BAL @ PIT – 6pts: Again pts will be at a premium in this one.

D Chicago @ PHI – 8pts: Philly will get their yds and their pts. The Eagles have a potent offense as long as Westbrook is healthy. I see this on being a physical game won by the team that controls the tempo between the tackles.

Others to consider sitting: D. Garrard JAC 9pts, M. Forte CHI 9pts, D. McFadden OAK 8pts, J. Witten DAL 8pts, K. Collins TEN 9

Mike Illebag: Mike is a sports guru of sorts with in depth business and analytical knowledge of the NFL, NBA, MLB, and not to mentions other mainstream sports. Mike has dominated ESPN fantasy leagues since 1997 winning the top prize across the 3 major sports almost year-over-year. In the past year he took victory in his first stints in Fantasy Football money leagues on Yahoo.com and CBS Sportsline. Mike is a BC grad, with a masters in sports business from NYU, and an MBA from Columbia University, he would say he’s a student of the game, a players type player. His daily job is finance based, with a focus on asset management; he will bring you his picks each week hoping to put some money in your pockets with the goal of growing your portfolios to outperform the competition. If you would like to bounce roster specific moves or strategy based questions off Mike please feel free to drop him a line. Email Mike.

Fantasy Sports guru and expert Mike Illebag gives you the NFL week three fantasy football players you should be starting, and which you should be sitting. Below is Mike’s week 3 list of fantasy football players who are must starts this week, and those fantasy football players whom you should sit in week 3.

Mikey Like’s it!
Week 3 – I try to avoid popular opinion

Start-em
QB Matt Cassel NE vs. MIA – 19 pts: Cassel will come out gunning and will look to connect w/ Moss often. Now that the jitters are behind him what’s better then a weak Dolphin D to juice up your #’s and your confidence.

QB J.T. O’Sullivan SF vs. DET – 20 pts: Detroit has the worst D on the planet, enough said. Martz will look to exploit his old team, Bruce, Johnson, and Davis will have a big day for J.T. as he slings the ball in this shootout.

RB Julius Jones SEA vs. STL – 17 pts: STL looked awful again in week 2, Jones came to life as the primary back and was the only bright spot on O for a struggling SEA team. I think he will have another big game in what tends to be a high scoring matchup.

RB Selvin Young DEN vs. NO – 16pts: Young has posted a great yds per carry clips all season, this is the week I think he goes for a 100 and scores a TD.

RB Reggie Bush NO @ DEN – 22pts: DEN D will give up yds and pts and Bush will continue to be Brees best weapon, by land and air, I can see 180 total yds and a TD.

WR Lee Evans BUF vs. OAK – 15pts: Evans has the ability to put up big numbers, though OAK has great corners I believe Edwards will find Evans for a TD this week, and will look to get a good lead against a banged up OAK team.

WR Dwayne Bowe KC @ ATL – 15pts: Again, Bowe is the only legit receiver on KC beyond Gonzo. KC will surely score a few pts this week as I think this could be a sloppy game. I think Bowe benefits inside the redzone.

Mike Illebag likes Bowe to have a nice day Sunday.

TE Jeremy Shockey NO @ DEN – 17pts: Shockey should get a lot of balls thrown his way, that could compete w/ Jenna Jameson in a good outing. This is the matchup Brees will look to exploit with his WR’s hurting. Though DEN has speedy LB’s I think Shockey will get enough touches to make a difference.

K Matt Prater DEN vs. NO – 14pts: Denver will continue to poor on the pts, Prater should get his looks for some FG’s not to mention the continued xps.

D Buffalo vs. OAK – 14pts: This is a good play at home for BUF after 2 big opening wins, I’m hoping there won’t be a letdown. Again, this will be a long season in OAK, outside of a solid running game their O will continue to struggle for a while.

Other players who should go off: S. Jackson STL 18pts, B. Johnson SF 13pts, J. Campbell WAS 17pts, T. Edwards BUF 16, M. Hasselback SEA 17pts, D. Anderson CLE 17pts, S. Smith CAR 14pts, T. Holt STL 14pts, J. Carlson SEA 12pts, V. Davis SF 13pts

Sit-em
QB Jake Delhomme CAR @ MIN – 10pts: Even with Smith back, this a tough matchup on the road against a tough MIN D looking for a W. I think this will be a difficult game for Jake as pts will be hard to come by both squads.

QB Kurt Warner ARI @ WAS – 12pts: I think the Skins D will come to play and ARI will struggle facing their first real opponent of the season. Warner may get his yds, but I don’t see more then 1 TD.

RB Ryan Grant GB vs. DAL – 8pts: Grant is still banged up, and Jackson will get his share of the carries. Though Dallas has surrendered a lot of pts I believe GB will do more damage in the air in this game against an ailing d-back field

RB Earnest Graham TB @ CHI – 7pts: I think Earnest will begin to lose carries to Dunn in this matchup. The Bears D looks to be strong again this yr, leaving me wondering if Griese and TB will score many pts on the road in this one.

RB Kevin Smith DET @ SF – 8pts: Smith will get his touches, but overall will likely have a weak game. The focus again will be the aerial assault with Roy and C.J. filling it up. I could see smith getting 70 or 80yds and that about it.

WR Hines Ward PIT @ PHI – 9pts: Ward had played great thus far, but this week he face some physical d-backs and tough D in PHI. I think Miller will have a good game for Big Ben this game as teams will try and shut down Holmes and Ward.

WR Marvin Harrison IND vs, JAC – 8pts: Indy struggled last week, and Harrison didn’t do much. I think he will get some touches, but may be a few weeks away from a big stats performance.

TE Todd Heap BAL vs. CLE - 4pts: Heap has a week off, but I could see Flacco struggling and the offensive focus again being on the running game.

K N. Rackers ARI @ WAS – 5pts: Rackers struggles on the road, and may find it difficult to get FG opportunities in this one.

D Pittsburgh @ PHI – 7pts: Philly will get their yds and their pts. The Eagles have a potent offense as long as Westbrook is healthy. I think this one could be a little less of a barn burner then people expect. I see this on being a physical game won by them team that controls the tempo between the tackles.

Others to consider sitting: D. Garrard JAC 9pts, M. Forte CHI 9pts, D. McFadden OAK 8pts, D. Williams CAR 7pts

Mike Illebag: Mike is a sports guru of sorts with in depth business and analytical knowledge of the NFL, NBA, MLB, and not to mentions other mainstream sports. Mike has dominated ESPN fantasy leagues since 1997 winning the top prize across the 3 major sports almost year-over-year. In the past year he took victory in his first stints in Fantasy Football money leagues on Yahoo.com and CBS Sportsline. Mike is a BC grad, with a masters in sports business from NYU, and an MBA from Columbia University, he would say he’s a student of the game, a players type player. His daily job is finance based, with a focus on asset management; he will bring you his picks each week hoping to put some money in your pockets with the goal of growing your portfolios to outperform the competition. If you would like to bounce roster specific moves or strategy based questions off Mike please feel free to drop him a line at millebag@novafantasysports.com

MIKEY LIKES IT!

Fantasy Sports guru and expert Mike Illebag gives you the NFL week two fantasy football players you should be starting, and which you should be sitting. Below is Mike’s week 2 list of fantasy football players who are must starts this week, and those fantasy football players whom you should sit in week 2.

Week 2

Start-em:

QB Aaron Rodgers GB @ DET – 17 pts 225yds/2TD: Rodgers is coming off a big win in his first ever start, a relief of sorts against a division rival. He face a DET D which got lit up in ATL, I expect this to be a shoot-out with Driver, Greg Jennings and Lee to be active in the passing game.

QB Kurt Warner ARI vs. MIA – 20 pts Warner 220yds/3TD: Kurt comes off a nice win in SF where he didn’t have to do too much. He faces a weak MIA team who played above themselves at home. I think Warner will come out slinging at home, if they take an early lead Leinart could see the field, but I expect Warner’s fantasy football numbers to be good.

RB Brandon Jacobs NYG @ STL – 17 pts 110yds/1TD: STL looked awful in week 1 of the fantasy football season, going back home they should be much more focused, I still believe the Giants will look to run a lot behind a great O-line. Jacobs should pound the ball all game and get at least 1 score.

RB Clinton Portis WAS vs. SEA – 16pts 100yds/1TD: Clinton Portis will get his carries, and WAS offense can’t be as unprepared as they were against the Giants. Extra rest will also help Clinton Portis run free in week 2 of the fantasy football season.

RB Larry Johnson KC vs. OAK – 19pts 135 total yds/1TD: If DEN results on the ground are any testament last Monday night, it seems OAK will have a tough game on the road in KC, with Huard starting the O will not miss a beat but at home they will try to run first to control the tempo, LJ has been trying to prove he’s healthy, I believe week 2 of the fantasy football season is the week he does it.

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WR Santonio Holmes PIT @ CLE – 17pts 110/1TD: Holmes was somewhat silent in week 1 as Ward proved he’s healthy this season. Santonio will stretch the field and provide at least 1 big play this week as teams will try to shut down Parker and have Big Ben beat them. Against a CLE D that got scored on easily by DAL I think this a place w/ upside.

WR Dwayne Bowe KC vs. Oak – 15pts 90yds/1TD: Bowe started well and is the only legit WR on KC beyond Gonzo. He is also the only big play threat by air, I think he will be very consistent week in and week out, the question won’t be his catches and yds, but his TD’s, if KC puts up points he will be a major benefactor.

TE John Carlson SEA vs. SF – 12pts 60yds/1TD: Ok, my fantasy football sleeper last week Jordan Kent was recently cut in a relatively odd move. SEA has not healthy WR’s and has no real experience on the front line. Branch is expected back, but Matt H. will need to spread the wealth going home after and awful loss to BUF. Carlson got the start last week and put up decent #’s in a very sloppy game where his team didn’t score much. The lack of options alone is enough to take a chance on him this week.

K John Carney NYG @ STL – 11pts 3FG/2XP: The G-men will score against STL D, and will provide Carney w/ enough opportunities to make him a viable pickup this week, he’s not owned very widely across leagues.

D Kansas City vs. OAK – 15pts: This is a good play at home for KC against a division rival and a young QB making his 1st start in an unfriendly environment. This will be a long season in OAK, outside of a solid running game their O will continue to struggle for a while.

Other players who should go off: E. Graham TB 14pts, H. Ward PIT 13pts, D. Jackson PHI 13pts, A. Boldin ARI 16pts, M. Muhammad CAR, B. Johnson SF, V. Davis SF, J. Jones SEA

Sit-em

QB Jake Delhomme CAR vs. CHI – 12pts: Jake played lights out in SD, going home w/ out Smith for another week against a tough healthy Bears D will not be easy; we all watched how Manning looked Sunday night. I believe the run game will dominate the offensive game plan. One positive for Jake is Williams and Stewart catch the ball well out of the back field, overall I think his numbers will be similar to last week excluding the last play of the game which added an extra 5ts to his numbers.

QB Matt Ryan ATL @ TB – 8pts: Matt Ryan played a safe game and benefitted from a ridiculous running game. DET proved their D is awful and TB will look to shut down the run and make Matt Ryan beat them. If they are successful Matt Ryan will have a long fantasy football day and tough job proving he can survive against a tough D on the road.

RB Fred Taylor JAC vs. BUF – 9pts: I think this will be a low scoring game w/ the running games playing a big role in tempo, w/ that said I think Jones-Drew has the better game this week, I’m anticipating he will take a TD from Fred.

RB Kevin Smith DET vs. GB – 8pts: I think Smith will begin to lose carries this week to Rudi, DET needs to play well going home and they were embarrasses last week. I also believe Kitna will be forced to chuck a lot this year. GB does a nice job against the run and should keep Smith silent.

RB Michael Turner ATL @ TB – 12pts: Going on the road w/ a rookie QB against a tough D will keep Turner’s production down a bit. We can’t expect a repeat of last week; you have to expect teams will put 8 on the line and force Ryan to throw, and with Norwood’s productivity and expected carries Turner may have tough time this week.

WR Roddy White ATL @ TB – 8pts: Again I’m going w/ a Falcon, he is the #1 guy at WR in this O, but again too much to expect Ryan will put up big numbers this week.

WR Marvin Harrison IND @ MIN – 10pts: Indy struggled last week, but Harrison was productive fumble aside. I still won’t bet on him for another week based on the fact IND face another tough D now on the road. I think he will get his catches and yds, but may not see the end zone.

TE Owen Daniels HOU vs. BAL - 5pts: BAL D proved they are tough and healthy this year. I think BAL will give Schaub some trouble and if there is a productive receiver in this game for HOU it will Johnson. Daniels should get some balls, but may have a tough time against BAL fast LB’s and safeties.

K Ryan Lindell BUF vs. JAC – 5pts: This will be a tough game with a relatively low score.

D Patriots @ NYJ – 8pts: The Pats D is old and will have a lot to prove going on the road in a hostile environment. Jet fans will be amped to have Favre in town for his 1st game, and I think he thrive on the main stage. Overall I think the Jets will control the clock, and the stat sheet. The game may not be high scoring, but I think Favre will avoid the pressure behind a solid O-line

Others to consider sitting: J. Fargas OAK 8pts, C. Chambers SD 7pts, P. Crayton DAL 6pts, L. Evans BUF 6pts, R. Royal BUF 4pts

Mike Illebag: Mike is a sports guru of sorts with in depth business and analytical knowledge of the NFL, NBA, MLB, and not to mentions other mainstream sports. Mike has dominated ESPN fantasy leagues since 1997 winning the top prize across the 3 major sports almost year-over-year. In the past year he took victory in his first stints in Fantasy Football money leagues on Yahoo.com and CBS Sportsline. Mike is a BC grad, with a masters in sports business from NYU, and an MBA from Columbia University, he would say he’s a student of the game, a players type player. His daily job is finance based, with a focus on asset management; he will bring you his picks each week hoping to put some money in your pockets with the goal of growing your portfolios to outperform the competition. If you would like to bounce fantasy football roster moves or fantasy football strategy based questions off Mike please feel free to drop him a line at millebag@novafantasysports.com

Fantasy Sports guru and expert Mike Illebag has joined the ranks of NovaFantasySports and will be providing a weekly update on which fantasy football players you should be starting, and which you should be sitting. Below is Mike’s week 1 list of fantasy football players who are must starts this week, and those fantasy football players whom you should sit in week 1.

Week 1

Start ‘Em

QB Brett Favre NYJ @ MIA – 19 pts 275yds/2TD: Favre will be playing with something to prove to the people in GB, he will enjoy his new WR core and the heat in Miami, and I expect a hot start and a comfortable win.
QB Kurt Warner ARI @ SF – 20 pts Warner 300yds/2TD: goes on the road to protect his job, the passing is never a question mark for Ari balance and quick start is key, SF doesn’t have enough to keep Kurt from padding his pt total.
RB Ernest Graham TB @ NO – 15 pts 90yds/1TD: Gruden will stick to the running game and Graham will benefit on the turf getting close to 25 carries and pounding NO def for field position.
RB Marshawn Lynch BUF vs. SEA – 17pts 110yds/1TD: Buffalo will pound Lynch early and often against an aging SEA defense.
WR Anquan Boldin ARI @ SF – 17pts 10Rec/90yds/1TD: Boldin had an unhappy pre-season, but will be playing with a chip on his shoulder amidst trade demands, Warner’s favorite target will be his consistent self in week 1.
WR Jerricho Cotchery NYJ @ MIA – 18pts 120/1TD: Favre and Cotchery built some great cohesion in pre-season, Jerricho is a deep threat similar to Jennings in GB, he’s also coming off a career year and will only be better with Bret slinging the ball his way.
WR Calvin Johnson DET @ ATL – 15pts 90yds/1TD: CJ will be filling it up against the new corners in ATL his game is over the top and he will use his speed and size to get good separation.
WR Jordan Kent SEA @ BUF – 13pts 70yds/1TD: This is my sleeper pick for those of you who drafted all RB’s or need someone to fill in for a few weeks while the likes of Marshall and Smith serve suspension and get over injuries respectively. Kent is a relative unknown multi-sport star. This coach’s son has moved up on the depth charts and will get a good amount of looks this week at BUF. He combines good speed and size and will only benefit from the lack of depth SEA has to start the season
TE Todd Heap BAL vs. CIN – 12pts 60yds/1TD: Heap is finally healthy again and rookie Flacco will look to him often in check down situations, he’s a big target and it’s safe to assume Bal will be using a simplified offense.
D New Orleans vs. TB – 11pts: This is a good play at home for an amped up NO defense. This D has some new faces and will rely on the big play and their speed to keeps teams out of the end zone.

Other players who may go off: Bowe KC, K. Smith DET, A. Johnson HOU, Williams CAR, Royal DEN

Sit ‘Em

QB Matt Hasselbeck SEA @ BUF – 14pts: This will be a tough opponent for SEA on the road, traveling cross country. Matt has too many question marks at WR and a new running game behind him. His lack of play in the pre-season has mad want to watch and see in week 1. This could a difficult game for SEA to score points.
QB Philip Rivers SD vs. CAR – 11pts: Rivers will be handing the ball of a whole lot in week 1 and SD will struggle a little to get going early. Overall he will have a solid game, but will likely stick to short passes, controlling the tempo.
RB Ryan Grant GB vs. MIN – 8pts: Grant is struggling with his hammy and will have a difficult time again a stout MIN D. Week 1 will be rough on GB post Favre, I believe the offense will struggle a bit to its rhythm.
RB Darren McFadden OAK vs. DEN – 8pts: Though DEN has not looked great; the presence of Fargas will limit Run-DMC early on. The rookie will get his touches but may find it hard to get the ball in goal line situations early on.
RB Willis McGahee BAL vs. CIN – 7pts: Too many questions about his knee and with the performance of Rice in the pre-season he may lose some carries to be safe in week 1, not to mention the fact CIN will likely be stacking the line trying to see if Flacco can beat them.
RB LenDale White TEN vs. Jac – 7pts: With Young hurting and Johnson looming for touches White may struggle in week 1 against a tough Jags D. Though seems to be in good shape coming he may struggle to get going depending on how JAC controls the tempo of the game with their own running attack.
WR Marvin Harrison IND vs. CHI – 10pts: He is supposed to be healthy, so is Peyton, but I’m not convinced. I think week 1 will be a lot of Addai and a little more Wayne, Clark and Gonzo. I’m not going to doubt Marvin, but this week I would watch and see.
WR Chris Chambers SD vs. CAR - 6pts: Chambers is the 3rd option at best in SD, be it may be the best deep threat, again I think this will be slow week in the passing game, with LT seeing a lot of the ball.
TE Alge Crumpler TEN vs. JAC – 4pts: Crump will struggle especially in a new offense, against a tough D, and with his scrambling QB hurting; I’d sit him early on.
D Denver @ Oak – 3pts: I think this will be a sloppy game with neither D producing much in the pts department.

Others to consider sitting: L. Johnson KC, D. Anderson CLE, Rodgers GB, Holt STL

Mike Illebag is a proven fantasy sports guru and expert with in-depth business and analytical knowledge of the NFL, NBA, MLB, and other mainstream sports. Mike has dominated ESPN fantasy leagues since 1997 winning the top prize in the 3 major sports almost every year. In this past year he claimed victory in his first stints in Fantasy Football money leagues on Yahoo.com and CBS Sportsline. Mike is a Boston College grad, with a Masters in Sports Business from NYU, and an MBA from Columbia University, and as he would say, he is a “student” of the game, a players type player. His “real” job is finance based, with a focus on asset management. If you would like to bounce fantasy football roster moves or fantasy football strategy based questions off Mike please feel free to drop him a line at millebag@novafantasysports.com