Sports BLOG

Let 'Em Shine or Ride the Pine Week 2

7:36 PM Fri, Sep 18, 2009 |

Each week here on WHAS11.com we're going to help you set your fantasy football lineup. Fantasy football is a craze sweeping the country and WHAS11 has its own fantasy guru. His name is Todd Prinz and he knows more about the NFL than everyone except Bill Belichick. Ok just kidding but this dude knows his stuff. So each week his going to post the players you have to have in your lineup so they can shine, and the players who should ride the pine. And don't forget every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 throughout the season we'll host a live web chat on WHAS11.com. Prinz and the WHAS11 sports department will be answering all of your fantasy football questions. Without further ado here's fantasy guru Todd Prinz's look at week 2:

After week 1, I hope that you're confident that your team will have a bright, but relatively short four month future. Don't Panic at Andre Johnson's, Aaron Rodger's, and Steve Slaton's meager stats last week. Don't worry about dropping Delhomme as your backup or Earnest Graham for somebody on the waiver wire. Don't get nostalgic for when you picked up Larry Johnson in 2005, and he channeled Bo Jackson, Earl Campbell, and a dash of Jim Brown for 9 weeks. You have to stay in present and think towards the future. Specifically, you need to zero in on September 20th and 21st.

Hopefully, my observations for these days will help you dominate or squeak by your opponent. All I ask for in return is that you smack talk your defeated foe or blame my suggestions for blowing your crucial week 2 match-up. It is a win-win situation. Maybe not for me, but I'm alright with that. My mother was a scapegoat and my father was a fall guy, so I take others blame remarkably well.

Let'em Shine
Santonio Holmes: The former Buckeye has been solid wide receiver in his tenure with the Super Bowl champs. Holmes has averaged 860 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns, and 50 receptions in his first three years; but he is ready to explode this season. He had 9 catches for 131 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Titans. This week, he will face either Tillman or Vasher. Tillman is a good corner, but labors against speedy wideouts. Vasher has struggled all preseason and was burned by Jennings for the game winning touchdown against the Packers. Also factor in that Pittsburgh was 23rd in the league in rushing last year and couldn't get going last Thursday. Finally, the Steelers' OC is Bruce Arians. He was a quarterback for Virginia Tech, a quarterback coach with the Indianapolis Colts, and a wide receiver coach for the Steelers. His play calling will usually lean to throwing the rock. Projection: 90 receiving yards and touchdown.

Fred Jackson: The Bills backup running back is assuming the starting role for the next two games as Marshawn Lynch is still on suspension. On Monday, Jackson was Buffalo's best offensive weapon. He ran for 57 rushing yards, 83 receiving yards, and a touchdown. This type of stat line isn't an anomaly. Jackson averaged 124 yards in the last two weeks of 2008 and had over 1000 all purpose yards last year. Another element that helps Jackson is Trent Edwards. He checkdowns a lot and the Bills run a decent amount of screens. The running backs accounted for 28% of the completions last year. Jackson will face a Bucs defense this week that is switching from a Tampa Two to a more aggressive 4-3. Tampa gave up more than 118 rushing yards, 4.9 yards per carry, two runs of 19 yards or more, and a touchdown. Projection: 70 rushing yards, 40 receiving yards, and a touchdown.

Todd Heap: The Ravens tight end's stats have been lean the last two years, because of injuries or having to blocking more to help a mediocre tackle. With the addition of Michael Oher at right tackle, Heap is free to run routes and go back to hauling in 70 receptions, 800 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Heap is also playing for offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron. In his second year in the league, Antonio Gates exploded for 946 yards and 13 touchdowns. It was no coincidence that it was also Cameron's first year with the Chargers. Finally, the Chargers struggle against tight ends. Last year, the San Diego gave up 69.3 yards a game and 11 touchdowns to tight ends. Projection: 70 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Ride the Pine
Randy Moss: The Freak is one of the premiere wide receivers in the NFL. Since coming to the Patriots, Moss has averaged 1250 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. Those numbers would've been even better if Brady didn't miss most of last season. Moss struggled against the Jets last year though, as he averaged just 23.5 yards receiving and 0.5 touchdowns. Cassel really hurt his numbers last year, but some of the credit for that stat deficiency should go to Darrelle Revis. Last week, Revis held Andre Johnson to 35 yards. To amplify Moss's problems, Rex Ryan was the defensive coordinator for the Ravens in 2007. When they faced the Pats that year, Moss was held to 34 yards and 1 touchdown. I wouldn't pull Moss out of line-up, but I wouldn't expect him to carry your team this week. Projection: 60 receiving yards.

Julius Jones: Since being drafted in 2004, Thomas's little brother has been an underwhelming, but solid player. Last week, he gashed the Rams defense for 117 rushing yards, 19 receiving yards, 6.2 yards per carry, and a touchdown. It might seem that Jones has turned the corner, but realize that one of those runs was for 62 yards and a touchdown. Taking away that play, Jones rushed for 55 yards, 3 yards per carry, and no touchdowns. Those numbers are troubling, because the Rams' rushing defense has been 29th, 28th, 31st, 20th, and 29th the last five years. This week, Julius gets to face a 49ers' defense that gave up just 40 yards rushing and 2.4 yards per carry to the Cardinals. Projection: 52 yards rushing and 20 receiving.

Matt Forte: #22 was the Bears offense last year. He rushed for 1238 yards, caught 477 yards, and scored 12 touchdowns. Forte led the team in receptions with 63 and accounted for 38% of the Bears offense last year. In 2008, the only chink in his statistical armor was his 3.9 yards per carry. Chicago installing both Orlando Pace and Chris Williams as the bookends probably won't fix this problem. Both tackles are known for their ability to pass protect, but neither are going to be road graders opening up running lanes. This Sunday, Pittsburgh won't give them much relief. The Steelers' rushing defense has been ranked 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, and 2nd in the last five years. Also during this time span, the Steelers allowed on averaged only 8 rushing touchdowns a year. Like Moss, I know most teams have to start Forte. Just realize that he probably won't score too many points. Projection: 45 rushing yards and 15 receiving.




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