3:57 PM Sat, Oct 31, 2009 | Permalink
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Fantasy football guru Todd Prinz with another edition of Let 'em Shine or Ride the Pine:
Let'em Shine
Bears WR Devin Hester: The Windy City Flyer has really started to make the conversion to the wide receiver position. He is on pace to receive 994 yards and catch 8 touchdowns for the 2009 season. He faces a Browns defense that allows 62 receiving yards per game and a total of 4 touchdowns to opposing teams' #1 wide receivers. Cleveland is particularly weak against the deep ball which is where Devin is most dangerous. Projection: 90 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Lions RB Kevin Smith: 24 Karat Gold will probably never be the next Barry Sanders. To be fair though, Smith only fell 62 yards short of Sander's NCAA single season rushing record. Even though he will never escape the legend's shadow, it isn't all doom and gloom for Mr. Smith. He is averaging 82 total yards per game and isn't involved in a time share. The most recent good news for Kevin is that he faces a Rams' defense that is allowing a 135 rushing yards per game and a total of 9 rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs. He won't touch Barry's best game (220 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns against the Vikings in 1991), but Smith might be in contention again. Projection: 100 rushing yards, 20 receiving yards, and a touchdown.
Jags WR Mike Sims-Walker: The Jags are a franchise that resides under a dark cloud. They have to tarp off the upper decks for home games. Their games are blacked out in Jacksonville. Their name is the first to be brought up when teams are rumored to be moving to Los Angeles. In 2008, their best receiver at the time, Matt Jones, was suspended at the end of the last year for cocaine possession. The same year, their best receiver in franchise history, Jimmy Smith, tested positive for cocaine during a traffic stop. Mike Sims-Walker is Jacksonville's oasis in the desert. With Troy Williamson getting injured in week 2, Mike Sims-Walker came off the bench and dropped 106 yards and a touchdown on the Cardinals in garbage time. Since being inserted into the starting line-up, Sims-Walker is averaging 97 receiving per game. This week, he faces a Titans' pass defense that is allowing 106 receiving yards per game and a total of 9 touchdowns to opposing teams' #1 wide receivers. Just stay away from ex-Jags wide receivers, Mike. That includes Rodney Jay Soward. Projection: 110 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Some other shine notables: Cowboys WR Miles Austin, Bears RB Matt Forte, Jags QB David Garrard, Rams RB Steven Jackson, Saints TE Jeremy Shockey, Cowboys QB Tony Romo, and Bronco WR Brandon Marshall
Ride the Pine
Eagles QB Donovan McNabb: McNabb has been burdened with a lot of unfair criticism. In terms of active quarterbacks, he has the third highest winning percentage behind Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. He is the least intercepted quarterback per pass attempt of all-time. He owns pretty much every Eagles quarterback record. He has led Philadelphia to 5 NFC Championships. This year has been more physically rough on McNabb than verbally though. He missed two games with cracked ribs, Brian Westbrook is probably out with a concussion, and his offensive line has been ravaged with injuries. The Giants' defensive line will attack guys like Winston Justice and be in the backfield most the night. McNabb will have some shots at hitting DeSean Jackson deep, but he will be running for his life after almost every snap. He has been proving critics are wrong his whole career. I hope he adds me to the list, but I wouldn't count on it this week. Projection: 210 passing yards, 20 rushing yards, and a passing touchdown.
Packers RB Ryan Grant: He is coming off his best game this year. Against the Browns, he ran 148 rushing yards, averaged 5.5 rushing yards per carry, and scored a touchdown. He gets to square off with a stingy Vikings' run defense that is only allowing 92 rushing yards per game and has only allowed 3 rushing touchdowns by running backs. To make matters worse for Grant, the Packers will probably attack a porous Vikings' pass defense that is allowing 234 passing yards per game and a total of 10 passing touchdowns. In their first meeting, Grant had a solid game of 51 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards. With the addition of Ahman Green, I believe there is a good chance that Grant will be taken off the field for the majority of passing downs which will hurt Grant's overall value. Projection: 60 rushing yards and 10 receiving yards.
Falcons WR Roddy White: Rowdy Roddy has exploded in the last three games after an early season lull. In those three games, White averaged 105 receiving yards per game and a total of 4 receiving touchdowns. This week, his hot streak might be cooled by the Saints. New Orleans has only allowed 1 receiving touchdown and 53 receiving yards per game to opposing teams' #1 wide receiver. Also the Saints' offense will probably control the clock and limiting the Falcons' possessions and White's targets. Projection: 70 receiving yards.
Some other pine notables: Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams, Giants QB Eli Manning, Falcons RB Michael Turner, and Ravens WR Derrick Mason.
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