Bleacher Report - Articles by Joe Kleiber

Week 11 Point Spreads Predictions: Back The Bucs

Joe Kleiber — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:52:31 -0500

I decided to switch it up this week and go with my predictions with the point spreads. My pick of the week is the Bucs going up against the Saints. The Bucs are +10.5 dogs and the Saints have been in close games back to back weeks.

The Bucs are starting to play competitive football with Josh Freeman as their starting quarterback, and every team going up against the Saints will want to end their undefeated streak. The Saints are banged up on offense with Reggie Bush and Lance Moore out and on defense. I'd back the Bucs this week.

NO -10.5 @TB

Prediction: NO 31 TB 24

CLE +3 @DET

Prediction: CLE 7 DET 17

Both teams have been struggling and it's hard to back the Browns after getting shut out by the Ravens and struggling all year long on offense. The Lions have yet to have to have a break-out game against a weak defense, and this is the week we see Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith explode. Back the Lions.

BUF +8.5 @JAX

Prediction: BUF 14 JAX 17

The Bills will be playing under a new head coach and even though they have struggled all season long, they will be competitive today. The Jaguars defense is nothing special and they may have a letdown game against the Bills after their huge win in New York last week.

PIT -10.5 @KC

Prediction: PIT 27 KC 10

The Steelers are going to be angry after their loss at home last weekend. The Chiefs have struggled all season long, so expect the Steelers to control the game and pull away in the second half. The Chiefs offense won't get anything done and their defense has struggled all season. Back the Steelers.

IND -1.5 @BAL

Prediction: IND 21 BAL 24

This is my upset of the week. The Colts may have a letdown game after their emotional victory against the Pats last week. The Ravens are almost in a must-win situation, and even though they haven't played well lately they are due for a big game. Terrell Suggs is out, which will hurt their pass-rush, but I still like the Ravens here. Ray Rice is going to have a huge game and the Ravens will ride him to victory.

ATL +7 @NYG

Prediction: ATL 17 NYG 27

The Falcons have been struggling, and the Giants are coming off a bye week and in a must-win situation. The Falcons will be without Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood, and will struggle to run the football and move the chains. Back the Giants this week.

SF +7 @GB

Prediction: SF 14 GB 24

This is a tough game to predict since both teams have been unpredictable this year. I think the 49ers will be in the game for most of it, but my gut tells me Alex Smith has a crucial turnover and the Packers capitalize on it. This is tough, but I would back Green Bay.

SEA +10.5 @MIN

Prediction: SEA 17 MIN 24

The Seahawks were dominating the game at halftime last week, but Hasselbeck threw the game away with some crucial interceptions. I think he will play better this week and I think Justin Forsett will be much more effective than Julius Jones ever was. The match-up for Forsett isn't pretty, but he will get the job done. Back Seattle this week.

WAS +11 @DAL

Prediction: WAS 14 DAL 27

This is a tough game to predict, but the Cowboys are due for a big game after their awful loss in Green Bay last week. The Redskins are hurting on offense and defense, and Dallas will be angry after last week's loss. Back Dallas.

AZ +9 @STL

Prediction: AZ 24 STL 10

The Rams have played well lately, but they are due for another bad game. The Cardinals are playing as well as they were last year and Kurt Warner always steps up against the Rams. Back the Cards.

NYJ +10.5 @NE

Prediction: NYJ 14 NE 21

As bad as the Jets have played recently, they usually always play the Pats tough. Rex Ryan has always confused Tom Brady with his defense and even without Kris Jenkins, the Jets defense needs to play well here. It's tough considering the Pats are coming off the last minute loss to the Colts and that 4th-and-1 crucial mistake, but I'd back the Jets.

CIN -9.5 @OAK

Prediction: CIN 24 OAK 17

I think the Bengals will have a letdown game after beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh. As awful as the Raiders have been, they usually play well when they are big underdogs. This game reminds me of their victory against the Eagles a month ago. The Bengals also will be without Cedric Benson, which will hurt the running game. Back the Raiders.

SD -6 @DEN

Prediction: SD 24 DEN 14

The Chargers should roll here with Kyle Orton out for the Broncos. The Broncos are in a big time skid and the Chargers are on a roll. Back the Chargers this week.

PHI -3 @CHI

Prediction: PHI 21 CHI 20

The Bears always play better at home and the Eagles might be without Sheldon Brown. Jay Cutler needs to redeem himself after that meltdown last week and I think he will here. Back the Bears.

TEN -4 @HOU

Prediction: TEN 24 HOU 21

This is another one of my upset picks. The Titans have been on a major roll since Vince Young has been in the lineup. Chris Johnson is unstoppable and they should ride him to another victory this week. Back the Titans.

Fantasy Football Thursday Night Prediction: You Can Win With Davis

Joe Kleiber — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:13:22 -0500

Vernon Davis was listed as a bust before this season, because he never truly had his break-out season. But 2009 has been the year of the tight-end and Davis has been one of the best.

Tonight Davis gets the defenseless Chicago Bears defense that has everybody injured. I would start all my Niners and most of my Bears in fantasy football for what should be a high-scoring game.

If you are a Matt Schaub owner, then try out Alex Smith as a bye-week flyer. Smith has had a big bounce-back season and won't disappoint tonight. Michael Crabtree will get the injured Charles Tillman in single coverage so expect a big game from him as well.

Frank Gore should run wild and also have a huge game. On the Bears side, you can never sit Jay Cutler since the Bears defense is so bad that they are always forced to throw.

If you have been stuck with Matt Forte for this long then you can't sit him tonight, because he will be involved in the passing attack more than the rushing attack.

Prediction : SF 27 CHI 21

Studs : A. Smith, V. Davis, F. Gore, M. Crabtree, J. Cutler, M. Forte, D. Hester

Duds : Both defenses

Sleepers : J. Knox, J. Hill, E. Bennett

Week Five Review: Walk Miles To Get Austin

Joe Kleiber — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:31:43 -0400

I will start off this article by talking about the stud of the week, the play-maker the Cowboys have been looking for: Miles Austin.

Here's all you need to know about his game yesterday: 10 rec, 250 yds, and two tds. He set a Cowboys team record and has to be more involved in this offense. If he is still available in any of your leagues, grab him now before it's too late.

The Cowboys have already stated that he will be more involved in the offense, even if Roy Williams returns in week seven, after the bye week. More on this game later.

Let's get to the game reviews:

CLE 6 BUF 3

Yes, you did that read that score correctly. It was 6-3 FINAL.

These are two of the worst offenses I have ever seen. Derek Anderson completes two passes and wins! This game does not bode well for any players involved looking ahead because they will be inconsistent and cause headaches.

The only bright spots were Jamal Lewis and Marshawn Lynch.

Studs: J. Lewis (117 rushing yds ) M. Lynch (69 rushing yds, six rec, 56 yds)

Duds: All other Browns and Bills

PIT 28 DET 20

The Steelers took care of business even though the Lions made a late comeback.

Rashard Mendenhall built on his big game last week and came through with 77 rushing yards and a touchdown. Ben Roethlisberger continues to be reliable after throwing for 277 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

Hines Ward also had a big game. The big news here is that Calvin Johnson aggravated his injury and had to leave the game.

Check his status for this week's game against Green Bay.

Studs: Roethlisberger (277 passing yds, three tds, one int) Mendenhall (77 rushing yds, one td) H. Ward (seven rec, 85 yds, one td) K. Smith (53 rushing yds, three rec, 42 yds)

Duds: C. Johnson (left the game injured, one rec, two yds) S. Holmes (four rec, 50 yds)

DAL 26 KC 20

I've already mentioned Miles Austin, but Tony Romo finally broke out for another big game after week one. He finally looks comfortable and is on the same page with his receivers. Once they get Austin more involved, he will only get better. The Dallas defense also stepped up with a huge blocked field goal in the fourth quarter. Tashard Choice continues to impress as he went a long way for his lone touchdown of the day.

Dallas is finally seeing that Marion Barber can't handle a full workload and will give Choice more touches.

Studs: T. Romo (351 passing yds, two tds) M. Austin (10 rec, 250 yds, two tds) T. Choice (92 rushing yds, one td) D. Bowe (five rec, 74 yds, one td) M. Cassel (253 passing yds, two tds)

Duds: M. Barber (53 rushing yds) L. Johnson (time to give up on him, 37 rushing yds, one rec, nine yds)

MIN 38 STL 10

This game was a laugher as the Vikings' defense dominated, and Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson did the rest. Donnie Avery finally had a decent game, but really can't be trusted unless you are desperate.

Steven Jackson will suffer because the Rams are so awful, but he will at least get 100 total yards each week.

Studs: B. Favre (232 passing yds, one td, one int) A. Peterson (69 rushing yds, two tds) Vikings' defense (three fr, one int, one sack, one td, 10 PA) D. Avery (five rec, 87 yds, one td)

Duds: S. Jackson (84 rushing yds, one fumble loss, two rec, 25 yds)

OAK 7 NYG 44

Did the Giants have a bye week?

It sure felt like it as they blew away the pathetic Raiders. With the Giants having a big lead at half, Eli Manning got to rest his heel injury, and the defense and Ahmad Bradshaw did the rest. Hakeem Nicks caught his second touchdown in two weeks and looks to be a big reliable target for Manning.

Any of the Giants' starting receivers are worth starting each week and once Brandon Jacobs gets going, he will be reliable as well. I would also start Bradshaw as a RB 2 or a flex player every week. If you are starting a Raider each week your team is probably terrible because there are no points to come by here.

Studs: E. Manning (173 passing yds, two tds) A. Bradshaw (110 rushing yds, two tds, one rec, 55 yds) H. Nicks (four rec, 49 yds, one td) Giants' defense (three fumble recoveries, six sacks, seven PA)

M. Bush (37 rushing yds, one td)

Duds: All other Raiders

TB 14 PHI 33

Jeremy Maclin exploded for a huge game and looks like somebody to add in all leagues. Donovan McNabb came back with a bang (264 passing yds, three tds, 30 rushing yds) and the Eagles' defense dominated the Bucs.

Kellen Winslow was the lone bright spot for the Bucs (nine rec, 102 yds, two tds).

Studs D. McNabb (264 passing yds, three tds, 20 rushing yds) J. Maclin (six rec, 142 yds, two tds) K. Winslow (nine rec, 102 yds, two tds) Eagles' defense (three sacks, three ints, one safety)

Duds: D. Jackson (one rec, one yd) B. Westbrook (18 rushing yds, one td, two rec, 17 yds) All other Bucs

WAS 17 CAR 20

The Redskins continue to struggle, but Clinton Portis finally had a big game (57 rushing yds, one td, two rec, 17 yds, one td). It's hard to count on any Redskin right now, and I would sell high on Portis as soon as you can. Rough weeks are in store if this offense continues to struggle. The Panthers finally won a game, but it was ugly and nobody really stood out on offense.

The defense did reward owners for starting them this week, as they had some turnovers and a safety. Unless Jake Delhomme plays better, the Panthers will be hard to count on for fantasy.

Studs: C. Portis (57 rushing yds, one td, two rec, 17 yds, one td) Panthers' defense (five sacks, one fumble recovery, one safety) J. Stewart (39 rushing yds, one td, one rec, six yds)

Duds: All other Redskins and Panthers

CIN 17 BAL 14

The Bengals continue to impress as Carson Palmer had another late game comeback victory. He is still hard to rely on because he can be erratic, but better games are ahead if the offense starts clicking more. Cedric Benson is probably the steal of every draft and cannot be benched no matter what defense he faces. He was the first 100 yard rusher in the last 39 games for the Ravens. Thirty-nine!

Joe Flacco finally had a bad week, but is still QB1 material. The Ravens' defense blew this game with bonehead penalties late in the game, and the offense couldn't get anything going other than Ray Rice. Rice is clearly the feature back and should be started every week, even against tough defenses like the Vikings next week.

Studs: C. Palmer (271 passing yds, one td, one int) C. Benson (120 rushing yds, one td, two rec, 16 yds) R. Rice (69 rushing yds, seven rec, 74 yds, one td) Ravens' defense (one sack, one fumble recovery, one int, one td) Bengals' defense (two sacks, two ints)

Duds: J. Flacco (186 passing yds, one td, two ints) D. Mason (0 catches) W. McGahee (-2 rushing yds, one rec, four yds)

ATL 45 SF 10

The 49ers should be embarrassed after this blow-out loss. Dre Bly thought he wasDeion Sanders and was celebrating after an interception and Roddy White caught up to him and knocked the ball out. Players need to start learning not to celebrate until they actually have the touchdown.

The Falcons' offense destroyed the Niners' defense as Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and Roddy White all had huge games. Glenn Coffee was the only bright spot for the Niners, but didn't do much.

Studs: M. Ryan (329 passing yds, two tds, one int) M. Turner (97 rushing yds, three tds) R. White (210 receiving yds, two tds) G. Coffee (45 rushing yds, one td, four rec, 21 yds) Falcons' defense (three sacks, two fumble recoveries, one int)

Duds: All other 49ers

NE 17 DEN 20

This was the game of the week as Josh McDaniels defeated his teacher, Bill Belichick.

The Broncos' passing game finally looked dangerous as Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall and even Eddie Royal had big games. Royal made up for the first four weeks of his disappearing act, but will still be inconsistent because Orton will always look to Marshall first and even Jabar Gaffney sometimes. I would add Royal if he was dropped though, especially in PPR leagues.

The Broncos' defense continues to impress as they shut down Randy Moss and made some big stops at the end. Tom Brady and Randy Moss are clearly not on the same page right now, but once they are again this should still be a dangerous combination. Don't trade either player unless you get a great offer.

Studs: T. Brady (215 passing yds, two tds) W. Welker (eight rec, 86 yds, one td) K. Orton (330 passing yds, two tds, one int) E. Royal (10 rec, 90 yds) B. Marshall (eight rec, 64 yds, two tds)

Duds: R. Moss (one rec, 36 yds)

HOU 21 AZ 28

We knew this game would be high scoring, but the dramatic fourth quarter was what made this game interesting. The Texans were shut down most of the game until Matt Schaub connected with Andre Johnson twice in the fourth quarter. This is still a very dangerous combination.

I am worried about Steve Slaton. This is his fifth straight medioce game and Gary Kubiak is still looking to Chris Brown at the goal-line. I would try and trade Slaton if you can get a good return, because his role does not look as good as it did in the preseason.

The Cardinals' offense is back to looking dangerous as long as Kurt Warner can stay healthy.

Studs: M. Schaub (371 passing yds, two tds, one int) A. Johnson (101 receiving yds, two tds) O. Daniels (eight rec, 94 yds) K. Warner (302 passing yds, two tds) L. Fitzgerald (five rec, 79 yds, two tds)

Duds: S. Slaton (39 rushing yds, six rec, 59 yds) K. Walter (four rec, 37 yds)

JAX 0 SEA 41

This was yet another blow-out, as the Jags had no answer for the return of Matt Hasselbeck and the resurgence of T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Nate Burleson. The Seahawks finally had a healthy group of starters, and they looked good.

The Jags were awful as David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew both disappointed their owners. Garrard looked like a great QB2 before this game, but now cannot be relied on whatsoever. It is tough to get a read on Jones-Drew, because the defense has been so bad that they cannot run the ball; it will be tough to count on great stats every week.

Studs: M. Hasselbeck (241 passing yds, four tds) N. Burleson (six rec, 98 yds, two tds) T.J. Houshmandzadeh (five rec, 77 yds, two tds) T. Holt (seven rec, 95 yds) Seahawks defense (two sacks, two fumble, recoveries, 0 PA)

Duds: D. Garrard (188 passing yds, two fumble losses) M. Jones-Drew (34 rushing yds, five rec, 23 yds)

IND 31 TEN 9

How the mighty have fallen. The Titans had the best record in the league last year, but now join the Dark Side with the Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams as the only winless teams in the NFL. Peyton Manning continues to have an MVP year and Austin Collie is somebody you need to pick up after two straight big weeks.

Studs: P. Manning (309 passing yds, three tds, one int) A. Collie (eight rec, 97 yds, two tds) R. Wayne (eight rec, 60 yds, one td) D. Clark (nine rec, 77 yds) Colts' defense (one sack, one fumble recovery, one int, nine PA)

Tonight's Monday night game features the Jets and the Dolphins. Mark Sanchez and Chad Henne have their first starts on Monday Night Football and Sachez looks to rebound after a forgettable week four. Jerricho Cotchery is questionable and Braylon Edwards has his first start for the Jets. Look for the Jets to get he and Dustin Keller involved early and play smash-mouth football with Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.

NYJ 21 MIA 17

Studs: M. Sanchez, B. Edwards, D. Keller, Jets' defense, R. Brown

Duds: C. Henne, R. Williams

Week Four Predictions: Monday Night Favre?

Joe Kleiber — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:44:35 -0400

This Monday night is the game everybody has been waiting for. It's Brett Favre against his former team. It's Favre's Vikings against the rival Packers.

The question is will Favre exact revenge on the Packers, or will the Packers get revenge on Favre? Nobody thought this would ever happen a few years ago when Favre was jumping around like a teenager and having fun during the Packers' magical season.

This game will live up to the hype. You might as well call it "Monday Night Favre." Who shall prevail? On to the week four predictions:

DET@CHI

Prediction: DET 10 CHI 21

The Lions are still a laughing stock for going winless last year, but they got the monkey of their back after finally winning last week against the hapless Redskins.

They are due for a letdown since Kevin Smith is a game-time decision to play and their offense can't match that of the Bears. This will be Matt Forte's coming out party. Play all your Bears and only Calvin Johnson and maybe Bryant Johnson for the Lions.

Boom: All Bears, Calvin Johnson, Bryant Johnson

Bust: All other Lions

CIN@CLE

Prediction: CIN 27 CLE 17

The battle of Ohio doesn't look like much of a battle on paper since the Browns are winless. But they will show enough fight to compete this week. The switch to Derek Anderson will help the Browns and especially Braylon Edwards. Jerome Harrison is a sleeper because Jamal Lewis is out and James Davis is done for the year.

Boom: All Bengals, Braylon Edwards, Jerome Harrison

Bust: All other Browns

SEA@IND

Prediction: SEA 14 IND 31

The Seahawks will be without Matt Hasselbeck once again, and this limits their offense. The Colts look like a powerhouse once again, so expect them to roll. I'd play all Colts and only Nate Burleson and John Carlson for the Seahawks.

Boom: All Colts, Nate Burleson, John Carlson

Bust: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Julius Jones

NYG@KC

Prediction: NYG 31 KC 17

The Giants look even better than the team that won the Super Bowl two years ago. They finally found a receiving duo to replace Plaxico Burress.

Steve Smith and Mario Manningham both look like the real deal and their defense is top notch. They will roll against the punch-less Chiefs. Only play a Chief if you're desperate.

Boom: All Giants

Bust: All Chiefs

BAL@NE

Prediction: BAL 24 NE 21

The Ravens are starting to look like a top five team. They are certainly a Super Bowl contender. They have a huge task this week as they go into New England to face the Patriots.

This will be a close game, but the Ravens' defense is better than the Pats' and their offense has been on fire. The Pats have the offense to match them, but it won't be enough this week. Play all your Ravens and all your Pats, except for Fred Taylor. Watch Wes Welker's injury status before the game.

Boom: Joe Flacco, Derek Mason, Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Todd Heap, Ravens defense, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker (if he plays)

Bust: Fred Taylor

TB@WAS

Prediction: TB 10 WAS 14

These are two of the worst teams in the league and both teams are dealing with injuries. Clinton Portis is having a rough season and he is injured on top of that. I'd play most of the Redskins because the Bucs' defense is awful, and I'd only play Kellen Winslow and Antonio Bryant for the Bucs.

Boom: Clinton Portis (if he plays), Jason Campbell, Chris Cooley, Santana Moss, Kellen

Winslow, Antonio Bryant

Bust: All other Bucs

TEN@JAX

Prediction: TEN 24 JAX 17

The Titans need this game desperately to stay in contention. They have had some tough breaks like fumbles and late game scores go the other way. This week they are lucky to face the Jaguars' defense. Play all your Titans, and I'd play most Jaguars in this high scoring game.

Boom: Chris Johnson, LenDale White, Kenny Britt, Justin Gage, Nate Washington, Maurice Jones-Drew, David Garrard, Mike Sims-Walker, Torry Holt

Bust: Nobody

OAK@HOU

Prediction: OAK 14 HOU 31

The Raiders are going to try to expose the biggest weakness of the Texans and that is their run defense. They have given up huge games to Thomas Jones, Chris Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew so far.

If there's one guy you're starting on the Raiders this week it is Darren McFadden. He's a must-start, and if he doesn't get it going here, you can forget about him breaking out. I'd play all my Texans, but keep the passing game expectations in check since the Raiders have a decent pass defense. Expect Steve Slaton to run all over Oakland.

Boom: All Texans, Darren McFadden, Michael Bush

Bust: All other Raiders

BUF@MIA

Prediction: BUF 24 MIA 17

The Bills' offense has not really broken out yet, but the Dolphins' pass defense is not very good. Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning, and Philip Rivers have all torched this secondary, so expect Trent Edwards to have a big game.

Marshawn Lynch is coming back this week, but his touches will be limited as he gets back into action. Start Fred Jackson even in a tough matchup because he'll get most of the touches. The Dolphins have a solid run defense, but Jackson will be heavily involved in the passing game as well.

Boom: All Bills, Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Ted Ginn Jr.

Bust: All other Dolphins

NYJ@NO

Prediction: NYJ 21 NO 24

This will be a close game, but the Saints' offense and their improved defense look like they will be too much for the Jets. The Jets are due for a letdown after a 3-0 start and going on the road with a rookie quarterback in a tough environment is too much to ask.

I'd play most players in this matchup, but I'd keep expectations low for Marques Colston. He will be shadowed by the best cover corner in the league, Darrelle Revis.

Boom: Mark Sanchez, Leon Washington, Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey, Jets defense, Drew Brees, Devery Henderson, Jeremy Shockey

Bust: Thomas Jones, Marques Colston, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas

DAL@DEN

Prediction: DAL 24 DEN 20

The Broncos 3-0 start shows that they are a solid team, but overrated. The Cowboys' offense has too many weapons for the Broncos. Expect this to be a shoot out. Play all your Cowboys and most Broncos. Eddie Royal, whose been a disappointment so far, will have a breakout game against the Cowboys' shaky secondary.

Boom: All Cowboys, Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal

Bust: Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, both defenses

STL@SF

Prediction: STL 10 SF 24

The 49ers will be angry after losing that game in the last seconds to the Vikings last week, and they will take it out on the pathetic Rams. Glen Coffee will go off this week because Frank Gore is out for a few weeks. Play all your Niners and only Steven Jackson and maybe Donnie Avery for the Rams.

Boom: All 49ers, Steven Jackson, Donnie Avery

Bust: All other Rams

SD@PIT

Prediction: SD 17 PIT 20

This will be a close game and we'll see how the Steelers bounce back from back-to- back tough losses. The Chargers have been on a roll on offense and they may get LT back this week. I expect this to be a game that will come down the end with Ben Roethlisberger making a game-winning throw.

Boom: Ben Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Philip Rivers, Darren Sproles, Vincent Jackson, Steelers defense

Bust: any Steelers' running back (situation to avoid since Willie Parker is out), Chargers' defense

GB@MIN

Prediction: GB 21 MIN 24

This is going to be the game of the week. The hype will be insane leading up to it, but it will live up to it. I'd play most players from both teams because it should be a close game, but it could be a shootout. The Packers' biggest weakness will be exposed this week as Jared Allen gets to take on the weak left-tackle position of the Packers. Rodgers will be running for his life, but he will make plays. The matchup is brutal for Ryan Grant, but he has a nice history against the Vikings.

Boom: All Packers, All Vikings

Bust: Nobody

Week 3 Predictions: Chris Johnson Due for a Letdown

Joe Kleiber — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:46:26 -0400

Last week, Chris Johnson had a career day: 197 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 9 receptions for 87 yards and one more TD.

For anybody that was facing off against him in fantasy was almost assured of a loss. That not only showed us what Johnson could do with that many touches, but also gave us evidence that the Texans defense stinks.

This week, he won't be so lucky, as he faces a defense that has not let up an offensive touchdown in two games: the New York Jets.

If you own Johnson, you are obviously starting him, but keep your expectations low, because this Rex Ryan run defense is an elite defense.

Johnson should still have a productive day, especially in PPR leagues, but don't expect another big day. Who shall we expect to have a huge game?

Maurice Jones-Drew should have a monster game as he goes up against the Texans this week. Starting anybody in the Texans-Jaguars game should be gold for fantasy owners as both defenses have struggled. Lets get to the predictions:

CLE@BAL

Prediction: CLE 7 BAL 21

It is pretty clear that the Browns will compete as one of the worst teams in the league this year, and the Ravens are proving they are an elite team. I would sit any Brown not named Braylon Edwards, as the Ravens should roll.

Start all your Ravens, especially Ray Rice and Willis McGahee, because even though they share touches, they will still produce.

Boom: All Ravens, Braylon Edwards

Bust: All other Browns

WAS@DET

Prediction: WAS 14 DET 17

You want your upset of the week? This is it right here. The Redskins are ripe for an upset as they are dealing with injuries and bad coaching. They should have lost to the Rams last week if the Rams weren't so bad. Expect the Lions to get their first victory since 2007.

I'd start most of the Redskins, but Santana Moss is too risky right now to start even in a favorable match up.

Boom: Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis (if he plays), Chris Cooley, Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith

Bust: Santana Moss

JAX@HOU

Prediction: JAX 27 HOU 31

This will be the highest scoring game of the weekend as both defenses are awful. I would start everybody in this one and some sleepers such as Mike Sims-Walker.

MJD will go nuts and so will Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton and Owen Daniels.

Boom: All Texans and Jaguars

Bust: Nobody

SF@MIN

Prediction: SF 14 MIN 17

The Vikings are 2-0 but they have beaten two of the worst teams in the league in the Browns and the Lions so we will see what happens when they face a solid team in the 49ers.

I would start Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin, but everybody else on the offense is risky since they are not a passing team. This should be a close, defensive battle so I'd stay away from any other 49ers besides Frank Gore.

I would start both defenses in this one.

Boom: Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Frank Gore, both defenses

Bust: Brett Favre, Bernard Berrian, Shaun Hill, Vernon Davis

ATL@NE

Prediction: ATL 24 NE 27

This will be a close game that will come down to the end. Tom Brady faces another elite pass-rusher in John Abraham, but they have seen him before so expect the Pats to protect Brady better this week.

I'd start all healthy Pats besides the running backs and the Falcons should be able to move the ball frequently. Neither defense should be started here. Check for player updates until game time since the Pats never reveal anything before then.

Wes Welker and Randy Moss are listed as questionable, but I expect both to play.

Boom: Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Randy Moss, Ben Watson, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White

Bust: Both defenses, Fred Taylor and Lawrence Maroney

KC@PHI

Prediction: KC 10 PHI 24

Even though Donovan McNabb will miss the game and Brian Westbrook might too, I would start all other Eagles against a weak KC defense. DeSean Jackson should have a field day if he starts and LeSean McCoy would have a big day if Westbrook misses the game.

Brent Celek is having a huge year so far and it won't stop here. I'd stay away from most of the Chiefs other than Dwyane Bowe.

Boom: Kevin Kolb, DeSean Jackson, Brian Westbrook (if he plays), LeSean McCoy (if he starts), Brent Celek, Jason Avant, Eagles defense

Bust: Matt Cassel, Larry Johnson

GB@STL

Prediction: GB 27 STL 14

One week after having a huge win over the Bears, the Packers looked lifeless against the Bengals and the Bengals marched into Lambeau Field and got the upset. The biggest problem for the Pack has been pass protection as Aaron Rodgers is getting sacked and hit almost every play.

That shouldn't be a problem this week as the Rams defense is no where near as good as the Bears or the Bengals. Expect the Packers to bounce back nicely and start all of your regulars.

Jermichael Finley can be used as a sleeper this week as he had more targets last week and was more involved. Steven Jackson and Laurant Robinson are the only Rams that should be started this week.

Boom: All Packers, Steven Jackson, Laurant Robinson

Bust: All other Rams

NYG@TB

Prediction: NYG 34 TB 14

The Giants offense exploded last week against the Cowboys, especially Steve Smith and Mario Manningham. Both guys should be picked up off waivers and started this week.

I expect the Giants to run more this week as they had to play catch-up last week. They'll show more balance, but start any of your Giants against the hapless Bucs defense.

The Bucs will try to run the ball and control the clock since the Giants defense has struggled against the run thus far. Start your Bucs running backs, but don't start anybody else.

Boom: All Giants, Derrick Ward, Cadillac Williams

Bust: All other Bucs

TEN@NYJ

Prediction: TEN 17 NYJ 14

The Titans are the best 0-2 team right now and they are desperate for a win. That's not good for the Jets, who are 2-0 and have not given up an offensive TD yet. Since the Titans are a running team, unlike the Texans and the Patriots, Darrelle Revis can't be used as effectively.

Expect the Jets to do everything possible to slow down Chris Johnson, but I think he'll do enough for Kerry Collins to connect on some play-action passes. I'd start most of the Jets since the Titans defense has struggled thus far.

Dustin Keller should have a stellar day after seeing Heath Miller and Owen Daniels torch their secondary. This is a tough game to choose, but I'll go with the desperate team.

Boom: Chris Johnson, Dustin Kellar, Leon Washington, Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey, both defenses

Bust: Kerry Collins, Thomas Jones, Mark Sanchez

NO@BUF

Prediction: NO 31 BUF 34

This should be a high scoring affair since neither defense is scary. Expect huge numbers from most of the Saints and the Bills. This is the last week Fred Jackson gets all of the touches for the Bills, but expect him to hold the starting job even with Marshawn Lynch's return in week 4. Jackson should have another big day.

T.O. should score once again and I'd start Trent Edwards as a sleeper this week. The Saints' running backs are all nicked up so Reggie Bush might be the only safe play, even though Pierre Thomas is listed as probable. Start Thomas is you own him, but keep expectations low since it'll be his first game.

Boom: Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Jeremy Shockey, Reggie Bush, Trent Edwards, Fred Jackson, Lee Evans, Terrell Owens

Bust: Both defenses, Pierre Thomas

CHI@SEA

Prediction: CHI 24 SEA 14

The Bears should have an easy game this week since the Seahawks are injured once again and Matt Hasselbeck will miss the game. Start all your Bears with confidence, even though it's tough to predict which Bears receiver will have a big game.

Johnny Knox has proven to be a reliable option for Cutler so far. Matt Forte has struggled thus far, but he catches a break facing the Seahawks depleted defense. He might have a career game. Stay away from any Seahawk this week besides T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Boom: Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, Bears defense, T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Bust: All other Seahawks

PIT@CIN

Prediction: PIT 14 CIN 17

The Bengals franchise has come back from the dead and looks like a legitimate team once again with a healthy Carson Palmer, motivated Chad Ochocinco and a much-improved defense.

The Steelers could be 2-0 right now if it weren't for Jeff Reed, but this is not the same team without Troy Polamalu. Willie Parker looks washed up, so the team has not had any success running the ball.

Even though you have to start him, I'd keep expectations low for Santonio Holmes going against Leon Hall, who shut down Greg Jennings to zero catches last week. The Steelers are playing a second consecutive road game and look ripe for an upset.

Boom: Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Steelers defense, Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, Bengals defense

Bust: Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes, Cedric Benson

DEN@OAK

Prediction: DEN 21 OAK 17

The Broncos defense looks superb through two weeks and things will only get easier facing JaMarcus Russell, who has regressed. I'd play the Broncos defense with confidence this week.

The Raiders are dealing with injuries to the offensive line so that does not bode well for Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. I'd stay away from my Raiders this week unless I had no better options.

The Broncos offense finally showed some flashes last week, but are still unreliable until the passing game shows up. I'd start Knowshon Moreno with confidence, but that's about it. This won't be a pretty game for fantasy owners.

Boom: Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, Broncos defense

Bust: Eddie Royal, Darren McFadden, Michael Bush

MIA@SD

Prediction: MIA 14 SD 24

The Dolphins offense showed signs of life last week as Ronnie Brown exploded. This offense remains one-dimensional though as long as Chad Pennington is their starter. I'd start Ronnie Brown and Ted Ginn Jr., but that's it for Miami.

The Chargers offense looks like a juggernaut with Philip Rivers developing into a top quarterback. LT will miss another game (surprise, surprise) with an ankle injury so expect Darren Sproles to be heavily involved once again and produce.

Start all your Chargers after seeing the Colts have their way with the Miami defense last week.

Boom: Philip Rivers, Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, Darren Sproles, Ronnie Brown, Ted Ginn Jr.

Bust: All other Dolphins, Chargers defense

IND@AZ

Prediction: IND 27 AZ 30

The Cardinals offense finally woke up last week after showing nothing week 1. This will be a scoring fest as neither defense is elite.

Start all your Cardinals and your Colts, because they will produce. I expect the Cardinals to edge the Colts with a late score to win the game.

Boom: All Colts, All Cardinals

Bust: Both defenses

CAR@DAL

Prediction: CAR 21 DAL 24

What business do the Cowboys have being nine point favorites despite seeing their defense not have any sacks or producing turnovers? The Panthers defense might stink too, but their offense still has playmakers.

I expect them to give the 'Boys a heavy dose of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart and a few bomb passes to Steve Smith. The Cowboys will miss Marion Barber is he doesn't play, but Felix Jones will be a nice fill in.

Start Jones if you have him. I'd stay away from both defenses and Jake Delhomme, since he's prone to bad games and turnovers.

Boom: Tony Romo, Roy Williams, Felix Jones, Jason Witten, Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart

Bust: Both defenses

It should be another exciting week and I will be back next for more predictions. Enjoy the games and good luck to fantasy owners!

Week Two Predictions: Close Calls

Joe Kleiber — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:13:17 -0400

Week One of the NFL season was a wild one. We saw a last-second catch (Stokley), seven turnovers in one game (Panthers), season-ending injuries (Urlacher) and so many other things.

Week One rarely tells us anything about a team for the season, but we usually know the top teams and the bottom teams. Week Two has a lot of close matchups on paper, so we will see if they stay close.

I can see a lot of upsets happening this week, so if you're in a survivor pool you might not be able to sit down. Now, on to the predictions.

CAR @ ATL

The Panthers will struggle as long as Jake Delhomme is their starting QB. He simply looks lost out there, and the meltdown started last January against the Cardinals. The Falcons are a much more balanced team and should control the clock with their powerful running attack of Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood. I'm seeing a blowout.

Prediction: CAR 10, ATL 24

Studs: All Falcons, Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams

Duds: Jake Delhomme, Jonathan Stewart, John Kasey, Mushin Muhammad

MIN @ DET

Think the Lions are gonna get stomped on by the Vikes? Not so fast. Last year, the Lions kept it close all game but couldn't shut the door, and the Vikes escaped with a victory. I don't see the Lions pulling it off this year, either, but they will stand toe-to-toe with them. Start all your regulars in this one.

Prediction: MIN 27, DET 24

Studs: All Vikings, Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith

Duds: Matt Stafford (but you probably weren't starting him anyway)

CIN@GB

The Pack won on a huge 80-yard touchdown by Jennings last week to squeak by the Bears, but they won't need any late magic against the Bengals. I'd hesitate starting any Bengal this week outside of Chad Ochocinco, because the Packers defense looks much improved and ferocious. Use all your regular Packers and watch them roll.

Prediction: CIN 10, GB 21

Studs: All Packers, Chad Ochocinco

Duds: Carson Palmer, Laveranues Coles, Cedric Benson

AZ @ JAX

The Cardinals are coming off a tough loss to the 49ers, but they should win here. The Jaguars don't have the firepower to beat the Cardinals or the defense to stop them. I'd start all your regular Cardinals and Maurice Jones-Drew, but I'd stay away from any other Jaguar until they show more.

Prediction: AZ 27, JAX 21

Studs: All Cardinals, Maurice Jones-Drew

Duds: David Garrard, Torry Holt

OAK @ KC

This one should be a high-scoring affair, and the Raiders looked like a better team last week. The Chiefs got lucky on a few turnovers by the Ravens, but the Raiders stood toe-to-toe with the Chargers until the final seconds. If Larry Johnson can't get going this week, I'd give up on him. I'm going with the Raiders here.

Prediction: OAK 31, KC 27

Studs: Darren McFadden, Michael Bush, Louis Murphy, Zach Miller, Larry Johnson, Dwayne Bowe

Duds: Jermarcus Russell, Both defenses

NE @ NYJ

The Patriots are hurting on defense and it doesn't get any easier this week against an improved Jets team. I can see Rex Ryan throwing a lot of trickery against them, and Mark Sanchez looks like a legit starting quarterback.

Tom Brady looked rusty and rattled at times until the final touchdown drives. Wes Welker is also out for the game, which does not bode well for the Pats. If the Jets want to make a statement, they will win this game.

I can see Darrelle Revis shadowing Randy Moss and shutting him down like he did last week against Andre Johnson. You can't bench him, but don't expect a spectacular game out of Moss. I'm smelling an upset.

Prediction: NE 17, NYJ 20

Studs: Tom Brady, Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, Jets defense, Chansi Stuckey

Duds: Randy Moss (see above), Jerricho Cotchery (Shawn Springs is a solid cover corner), Patriots defense, Ben Watson, Fred Taylor, and Lawrence Maroney

NO @ PHI

The Eagles are without Donovan McNabb and I can't see them keeping up with the Saints. The Saints have too much offense and an improved defense, so I'd expect them to win. I'd still start all your usual starters in this one, because the defenses aren't elite.

Prediction: NO 27, PHI 21

Start: Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, DeSean Jackson, Brian Westbrook

Duds: Both defenses, Mike Bell, Reggie Bush

HOU @ TEN

The Texans looked awful against the Jets, and things don't get any easier here. I can see improvement across the board this week from the Texans, but don't expect great numbers from the starters. If you can find a better matchup QB this week—like Brett Favre—I would sit Schaub. I'd start all your regular Titans.

Prediction: HOU 14, TEN 21

Studs: Chris Johnson, Justin Gage, Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels

Duds: Matt Schaub, Steve Slaton

STL @ WAS

The Rams are going to be brutal as long as Marc Bulger is their starting QB. They also have a struggling offensive line, no defense and no elite wide receivers, so I'd expect the Redskins to coast here. Start all your Redskins and only start Steven Jackson for the Rams.

Prediction: STL 7, WAS 21

Studs: All Redskins, Steven Jackson

Duds: All other Rams

SEA @ SF

This should be a close game between two improved teams and defenses. I'd start most of your starters here, but I'd shy away from Julius Jones on the road. I'm expecting the Niners to continue their improvement with Mike Singletary.

Prediction: SEA 14, SF 17

Studs: Matt Hasselbeck, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Nate Burleson, Frank Gore, John Carlson

Duds: Julius Jones

TB @ BUF

The Bills are angry after letting the Pats escape with a victory last week, so I expect them to take it out on the hapless Bucs defense. I'd still start all your regulars here. Antonio Bryant is out for this one, so expect Michael Clayton to pick up the slack.

Prediction: TB 20, BUF 27

Studs: Trent Edwards, Fred Jackson, Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, Derrick Ward, Carnell Williams, Michael Clayton

Duds: Both defenses

PIT @ CHI

The Steelers are still a great defensive team without Troy Polamalu, so I expect the Bears offense to struggle again. I'd sit all my Bears and even think about sitting Matt Forte, because he won't have great game against this defense. I'd start all my regular Steelers.

Prediction: PIT 27, CHI 17

Studs: Ben Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Steelers defense

Duds: All Bears

CLE @ DEN

Even though they got lucky last week, that was still a big win for the Broncos in the post-Cutler era. Expect the Broncos to score at will against the awful Browns defense. I'd start all my regular Broncos and only Braylon Edwards for the Browns.

Prediction: CLE 17, DEN 24

Studs: All Broncos, Braylon Edwards

Duds: All other Browns

BAL @ SD

The Ravens suddenly look like an explosive offensive team with Joe Flacco and their three-headed monster of a running game. The Chargers are missing some offensive linemen and LT, so I think the Ravens will come away with a victory. I'd start all your regular Ravens and the stud Chargers.

Prediction: BAL 24 SD 21

Studs: Joe Flacco, Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Todd Heap, Ravens defense, Ray Rice, Philip Rivers, Darren Sproles, Vincent Jackson., Antonio Gates

Duds: Chargers defense, Chris Chambers

NYG @ DAL

The Giants don't have that standout wide receiver, but they still have the best defense in the NFL besides the Steelers right now. Dallas does not have an elite defense and their team has been inconsistent against the Giants.

I'd expect the Cowboys to throw, so expect solid numbers from Tony Romo, Jason Witten, and Roy Williams. I'd start Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, but anybody else is a wild card. I expect the Giants to ruin the Cowboys opener in their new stadium.

Prediction: NYG 24, DAL 21

Studs: Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Roy Williams, Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants defense

Duds: Patrick Crayton, Cowboys defense

IND @ MIA

Miami will run the wildcat offense at the Colts frequently, but it won't be enough to stop the elite offense of the Colts. The Colts will still be powerful even without Anthony Gonzalez, so I'd start all your regular Colts and only Ronnie Brown and Davone Bess for the Dolphins. Don't get cute and start a Chad Pennington or Ricky Williams here.

Prediction: IND 27, MIA 21

Studs: All Colts, Ronnie Brown, Davone Bess

Duds: Ted Ginn Jr., Chad Pennington, Ricky Williams

Watch these games and watch out for upsets! Until next week, this is the "Chibeman" signing off.

Week One Predictions: Ravens Will Roll

Joe Kleiber — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:50:08 -0400

It was a wild opening game as we saw the Steelers barely get by the Titans. Santonio Holmes stole the show as he proved he's ready for the next big step in his NFL career.

Now, on to my other predictions:

MIA@ATL

Prediction: MIA 17 ATL21

This should be a close game, but the Falcons running attack and improved passing attack will be too much for the Wildcat Dolphins.

Studs: Ronnie Brown, Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Fasano, Michael Turner, Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez

Duds: Chad Pennington, Ricky Williams, Both defenses

KC@BAL

Prediction: KC 3 BAL 27

This should be a blowout as the Ravens feast on a Chiefs offense that will be without Matt Cassel. Expect a huge game out of the Ravens' defense, especially Ray Rice and Derrick Mason.

Studs: Ray Rice, Derrick Mason, Ravens defense, Joe Flacco

Duds: Every KC player

PHI@CAR

Prediction: PHI 24 CAR 21

The Eagles will look to get off to a much better start than last year and we'll see Donovan McNabb play with a chip on his shoulder. Brian Westbrook looks healthy to start the season. The Panthers will look to keep up and both offenses will excel.

Studs: Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek, Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams

Duds: Jake Delhomme, Both defenses

DET@NO

Prediction: DET 14 NO 31

The Saints should start the season off with a bang as they lick their chops for this tasty matchup. The Saints will be without Pierre Thomas, so look for Mike Bell to have a solid game. Start all your Saints, and only start Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson for the Lions.

Studs: All Saints, Kevin Smith, Calvin Johnson

Duds: Any other Lions player

DEN@CIN

Prediction: DEN 14 CIN 24

This should be a high-scoring affair, as neither defense is scary. Look for the Bengals offense to take off this year once again with a healthy Carson Palmer and motivated Ochocinco.

Studs: Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, Cedric Benson, Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal

Duds: Knowshon Moreno

MIN@CLE

Prediction: MIN 24 CLE 10

Brett Favre will look to get his season off to a great start and should do so with this easy matchup. Expect the Vikings to coast here, so I'd only start Braylon Edwards for the Browns.

Studs: All Vikings, Braylon Edwards

Duds: All other Browns players

NYJ@HOU

Prediction: NYJ 17 HOU 21

This game should be high-scoring as the Jets defense will be missing some starters and the Texans defense isn't scary. Expect both offenses to put up points here. I'd worry a bit about Matt Schaub—because of his injuries and no Kevin Walter—but I'd still start him.

Studs: Leon Washington, Jerricho Cotchery, Dustin Keller, Thomas Jones, Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, Steve Slaton

Duds: Nobody

JAX@IND

Prediction: JAX 10 IND 21

Maurice Jones-Drew finally gets his time to shine, and he'll get off to a great start since the Colts will be without Bob Sanders. The Colts offense will be even better without Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez will excel in his absence. Expect both teams to score, but expect the Colts to roll.

Studs: Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, Dallas Clark, Maurice-Jones Drew, Torry Holt

Duds: Joseph Addai and Donald Brown (only because of the time share)

DAL@TB

Prediction: DAL 24 TB 10

Dallas should get off to a great start in the post-TO era. Dallas shouldn't have any problems scoring here, while Tampa Bay will be held in check. Expect Dallas to roll.

Studs: All Cowboys, Antonio Bryant, Derrick Ward

Duds: Any other Bucs player

SF@ARI

Prediction: SF 21 AZ 24

These two teams usually always play close games, and expect the Niners to throw everything they have at the defending NFC champs. I'd start all your stud Cardinal, and Frank Gore and Josh Morgan for the Niners.

Studs: All Cardinals, Josh Morgan, Frank Gore

Duds: Both defenses

WAS@NYG

Prediction: WAS 10 NYG 21

Expect the Giants to start the season off well and the Skins to have trouble scoring. I'd start Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, and the Giants defense. I'd stay away from most of the Redskins this week.

Studs: Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants defense, Chris Cooley

Duds: Clinton Portis, Jason Campbell, Eli Manning

STL@SEA

Prediction: STL 14 SEA 31

The Seahawks should get their new-look offense off to a great start against a weak Rams squad. The Rams historically struggle on the road, and I'd only start Steven Jackson for them. I'd start all my Seahawks.

Studs: All Seahawks, Steven Jackson

Duds: All other Rams

CHI@GB

Prediction: CHI 14 GB 21

This bitter rivalry just gets even better with the addition of Jay Cutler to the Bears and the 3-4 defense for the Packers. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top here, because both teams have some explosive offensive players and solid defenses. Expect the Pack to get off to a great start. I'd start most of my Packers, while only tapping Jay Cutler and Matt Forte for the Bears.

Studs: Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Packers defense, Matt Forte

Duds: Jay Cutler, Bears defense, Devin Hester

BUF@NE

Prediction: BUF 10 NE 31

I expect the Pats to show why Tom Brady is the best QB in the game and to go back to their 2007-style of offense: Throw, throw and throw some more. I'd start all my stud Pats players, and only Fred Jackson, Terrell Owens, and Lee Evans for Buffalo.

Studs: Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Pats defense, Lee Evans, Terrell Owens and Fred Jackson

Duds: Fred Taylor, Trent Edwards, Bill defense

SD@OAK

Prediction: SD 31 OAK 14

The Chargers will be a better team as long as Shawn Merriman can stay out of trouble on and off the field, and stay healthy. Look for the Chargers to run more this year with a healthy and motivated LT. I'd start all my Chargers and only Darren McFadden for the Raiders.

Studs: Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, LaDanian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles, Vincent Jackson, Chargers defense, Darren McFadden

Duds: All other Raiders

NFL Opening Kick-Off Predictions: Steelers Should Squeak By

Joe Kleiber — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:01:57 -0400

It's finally here after a long wait and tonight's game shouldn't disappoint. NFL's opening kickoff game features the Steelers and the Titans and it should be a tight game that will come down to the last moments.

If the Steelers want to start off strong they will have to contain the dynamic duo of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. They should contain the passing game, but will need to play top-notch defense to stop their two-headed rushing attack.

If the Titans are to win the game, they'll need to stop Ben Roethlisberger and the passing attack, while slowing down the running attack of Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall.

The Steelers offensive line should be improved and with the offseason loss of Albert Haynesworth, the Titans rush defense won't be as stout. Fantasy owners should expect a decent game out of Parker and the Steelers wideouts, who will find some room to run.

Prediction: Steelers 24 Titans 17

Studs:

Titans: Chris Johnson (RB) Rob Bironas (K) Titans Defense

Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger (QB) Willie Parker (RB) Santonio Holmes (WR) Hines Ward(WR) Steelers defense

Duds:

Titans: LenDale White (RB) Nate Washington (WR) Justin Gage (WR)

Steelers: Rashard Mendenhall (RB) Jeff Reed (K)

Adjust your lineups accordingly and I'll be back to make more predictions for the weekend. Enjoy the game and let the NFL season begin!

Fantasy Baseball Second-Half Buys and Sells

Joe Kleiber — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:09:24 -0400

The second half of the 2009 baseball season is under way and after an exciting first half there is plenty to be excited for in the final three months of the 2009 season. We saw guys like Ben Zobrist and Jason Bartlett come out of nowhere to produce some huge stats. These guys could be the waiver-wire pickups of the year, but will they keep it up? It is tough to make predictions on who will produce and who will struggle, but if you look at some of the stats from the past and current stats then it makes things much easier to decide who to buy and who to sell. For example, in the past we have seen guys like Dan Haren struggle after a great first half and we have seen guys like Johan Santana turn it on in the second half. Players that don't have a great track record of putting up all-star numbers may not keep it up and guys that typically put up all-star numbers may turn it on in the final three months. Here is a list of players to buy and sell in order to make a push for the playoffs and simply add to your team if you have a comfortable lead.

Begin Slideshow

Brewers Blog: Bye Bye Julio

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:42:31 -0400

After the way Jorge Julio stunk up Florida last night, his name should be changed to Jorge "Stinkio." Jorge Julio gave up four runs and could not even get an out in relief of Jeff Suppan. He has pitched himself off the team as the Brewers released him today and called up 30-year-old Mike Burns from Triple-A Nashville.

The Brewers got off to a quick start last night, but Suppan only lasted five innings and their bullpen arms have been worn out recently so they had to bring in Julio and he didn't get the job done. This wasn't surprising considering Julio's career and this is just another team he has let down. The Brewers are still in first place, but for how long?

The Brewers have to make a move if they want to stay in first place in the NL Central. The Cubs are struggling right now, but they can turn it around at any point once they get Aramis Ramirez back and their offense wakes up. The Cardinals are going to stay in the race all year unless Chris Carpenter goes down again. Their pitching staff is one of the best in the NL right now with a healthy Carpenter.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Brewers MUST pursue Jake Peavy. It is going to take a lot to bring Peavy to Milwaukee, but he has limited his options. If the Brewers stay in the race at the trade deadline, they should go for it again like they did last year. Peavy might waive the no-trade clause if he sees the Brewers are a contender and that they really want him.

Now, it's not the same since CC Sabathia was going to be a free agent, but they could hang on to Peavy long-term. The Brewers have the prospects to make a move and I think they should break the bank and do it, because they probably won't win the division with their current rotation. They can afford to trade Alcides Escobar, who is one of the top prospect shortstops in all of baseball, because they have JJ Hardy.

The Brewers are off to a hot start with 30 wins, but the Cardinals are right on their tail. You can never count out the Cubs, so they'll have to do something to stay in it. If they can't get Peavy, then they should pursue a Cliff Lee or Erik Bedard, should the Mariners keep falling in the standings. They have options and they need to pull the trigger at some point.

Down To The Wire: Go Get Blake

Joe Kleiber — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:00:37 -0400

It's almost the end of May and there are plenty of free agents available to grab in your fantasy leagues. These players have been hot and cold, but right now are hot and deserve to be added immediately.

Here is a list of some hot free agent pick ups:

Catchers:

Ivan Rodriguez (C HOU)- Sure he isn't his all-star self, but he's still producing at a weak position and in a solid lineup in Houston. He got off to a slow start, but is currently hitting .308 in May and his average is up to .267. He has five homers and 19 RBI so he is worth a pick up while he's hot.

Rod Barajas (C TOR)-Here's a name from the past and he is currently hitting .311 with three homers and 23 RBI in a dangerous Blue Jays lineup. Just because he's old doesn't mean he should be ignored. Why not take a shot on him while he's hot?

Kurt Suzuki (C OAK)-The A's lineup is awful, but not because of Suzuki. He's currently hitting .309 and while he's cooled off a bit after his hot start, he's still worth adding in all leagues if you have a weak catcher.

First Basemen:

Nick Johnson (1B WAS)- Johnson is having a solid season and the Nationals' lineup is dangerous, believe it or not. Johnson is currently hitting .333 with four homers and has driven in 25 runs. He's a good replacement if you are a Carlos Delgado owner or looking for a hot-hitting first baseman.

Todd Helton (1B COL)- Remember this former all-star? Helton is scorching hot and is hitting an amazing .354 in May. While is power is not all the way back, he's driving in runs (22 RBI) and getting on base (.385 OBP). Get him while he's still hitting in Coors Field and while he's healthy.

Kendry Morales (1B/OF LAA)-I wrote awhile ago that Morales was an expendable player, but now he's proving me wrong. He's been red-hot in May by hitting .292 5 hr and 12 RBI. He is currently filling a much needed void with Vlad Guerrero still out and can be very useful in all leagues.

Second Basemen:

Asdrubal Cabrera (2B/SS CLE)-Somehow Cabrera is still available in 30% of all leagues. He is hitting .312 1 hr 20 RBI 30 runs and 6 sbs. Caberera can be a solid replacement for an injured star like Rickie Weeks and needs to be owned in all leagues.

Alberto Collaspo (2B/SS KC)-Some of you probably haven't heard of him, but he's producing for the Royals. He doens't offer much for power, but he's batting .338 with two homers, 16 RBI and 20 runs scored.

Kelly Johnson (2B ATL)-Remember when people rated him as a top-10 second baseman? Well he started off very slow and is now available in more than 50% of leagues. He's started to turn it around by batting .292 in May and now that Atlanta lose Omar Infante, he's not going to be platooning anymore. Grab him before he takes off.

Third Basemen:

Casey Blake (1B/3B LAD)-Blake has been the Dodgers hottest hitter since Manny went down and somehow he's still available in 53% of all leagues. He's hitting a scorching .345 in May and has four homers and 11 RBI. Grab him now as he can be a solid fill in for an injured star like Aramis Ramirez or a slumping one like Garrett Atkins.

Mark Reynolds (3B AZ)-Reynolds started off slow, but has still hit more much power with 11 homers and 20 RBI. His average will drag you down, because he strikes out quite a bit, but he's worth grabbing for his power potential and RBI.

Russell Branyan (1B/3B SEA)-Despite being one of the hottest hitters in the league this year, he is still available in 40% of all leagues. We all know Branyan will cool off but why not ride the hot streak? He is hitting .305 with 10 homers and 20 RBI.

Shortstops:

Christian Guzman (SS WAS)-Guzman is off to a hot start, by hitting .377 1 hr and 10 RBI. Guzman will cool off, but he's on a tear right now and needs to be owned if you are a Jose Reyes owner or have a slumping star like Rafael Furcal.

Yunel Escobar (SS ATL)-Escobar has been red-hot since his return from his injuries. He is hitting .343 in May and is even displaying some power with four total homers and now has 21 RBI. Get him now before he cools off.

Ben Zobrist (2B/SS/OF)- Zobrist is a super-utility player that has power. He already has seven homers and has driven in 20. He can be very useful while he's hot.

Outfielders:

Shin-Soo Choo (OF CLE)-Choo has been one of the few consistent Indians players. He's been on a tear in May, batting .313 2 hrs and 14 RBI. Choo also has six stolen bases on the year and needs to be owned if you're hurting in the outfield.

Michael Bourne (OF HOU)-Looking for speed? Bourne is your man. He has already swiped 13 bases and should continue to steal as long as he's getting on base. He's improved so much this year and he's hitting .297 with 25 runs scored and is getting on base with a .370 OBP.

Coco Crisp (OF KC)-Here is another speedster and he's also getting on base quite a bit. He has a .360 OBP and already has 11 sbs. His average will only improve (currently .245) and he has some power (3 hrs).

Juan Pierre (OF LAD)-Going along with the speed theme, Pierre is another guy as a must own if you're in need for speed. He is the replacement while Manny is out and is red-hot right now by batting .405 with seven stolen bases and 19 runs scored. He's also getting on base (.479 OBP). He'll eventually cool off but ride the streak.

Starting Pitchers:

Edwin Jackson (SP DET)-Somehow Jackson is still available in 44% of all leagues. He is makign the Rays regret trading him right now. His current stats (before his Thursday start) are: 3-2 2.42 ERA 41 ks 11 bbs and a 1.04 WHIP. He is a must-own pitcher and if he's off the wire, try and trade for him, because he's a stud.

Zach Duke (SP PIT)-Duke is off to a great start after years of being called a bust. He may not keep it up, but you have to ride the streak. His current numbers are: 5-3 2.84 ERA 32 ks 13 bbs and a 1.09 WHIP. Grab him if he's available.

Randy Wolf (SP LAD)-Wolf is off to another great start and he's finally pitching on a contender in LA. Wolf should continue to have success in a weak division and having a great offense behind him. His current stats are: 2-1 2.72 ERA 46 ks 19 bbs and a 1.07 WHIP. Wolf is for real so get him.

Kevin Millwood (SP TEX)-Millwood is off to his best start in a long time. Not only that but the Rangers are in first place and can flat out rake and score plenty of runs. The Rangers finally have a solid bullpen and defense so it's not like Millwood is all of a sudden going to go into a nose dive. Millwood's current stats (before Thursday's start) are: 4-3 2.93 ERA 32 ks 13 bbs and a 1.13 WHIP. He may not keep it up, but take a chance on him.

Dave Bush (SP MIL)-Bush has teased up before, but it looks like he is back to being a reliable pitcher. The Brewers are scoring runs and finally have an improved defense and bullpen. Bush is worth scooping up right now, because his current stats are: 3-0 3.74 ERA 38 ks 11 bbs and a 1.08 WHIP.

Others worth mentioning: Ubaldo Jimenez (SP COL), Manny Parra (SP MIL), Scott Richmond (SP TOR)

Relievers:

Juan Cruz (RP KC)-Cruz is a great pick up right now with Soria still out and he's the man to get the saves. Cruz is still walking too many batters (10 walks) but he's still pitching well. His current numbers are solid: 3-0 1.45 ERA 13 ks 10 bbs 1 save and a 0.91 WHIP. Cruz is very valuable right now.

David Aardsma (RP SEA)-With Brandon Morrow out as the closer, Aardsma is doing a great job replacing him. His season stats say it all: 101 1.37 ERA 20 ks 13 bbs 5 saves and a 1.17 WHIP. Grab him even if you don't have Morrow.

Rafael Soriano (RP ATL)-Soriano is having a great season and is closing for Mike Gonzalez when he's not available. He already has three saves and has a stat line of: 1.50 ERA 24 ks 7 bbs and a 0.94 ERA. If anything happens to Gonzalez, he's the first one to get the closing job.

Andrew Bailey (RP OAK)-Bailey is grabbing the closing job in Oakland while Brad Ziegler is struggling and it looks like he just might take off with it. Bailey is a top prospect and his current stats look great: 3-0 1.42 ERA 31 ks 11 bbs 1 save and a 0.83 WHIP. Grab him if he's available.

If any of these guys are available I would take a shot on them. They can be very valuable right now and can fill the void for slumping or injured stars.

Fantasy Hitters Early Analysis

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:38:14 -0400

It's only April and there is already a ton of things to talk about for fantasy baseball. We have seen players hit for the cycle (Orlando Hudson, Ian Kinsler and Jason Kubel), hit milestone homeruns (Gary Sheffield) and rookies rising (Ricky Romero, Rick Porcello, Travis Snyder). Fantasy owners tend to pull the trigger early on guys that are slumping, but it's one thing to sell late-round draft picks and it's another to sell early-round draft picks. Each position has had its early birds, late bloomers and inconsistencies. Here is an analysis of each position and which players to buy low on, sell high and take a chance on.

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Early Fantasy Season Buys and Sells

Joe Kleiber — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:57:48 -0400

It's only three days into the 2009 MLB season and we've already seen fantasy owners panicking over early struggles and going crazy over the hot-start players.

Making early moves on your draft picks is not a good idea after just three games. You drafted these players for a reason, so a few bad games here and there should not influence early decisions.

But that doesn't mean you should avoid looking at early results.

The best players to target early are young players you know have some great potential and are off to good starts. If you're one of the lucky owners to see others dropping solid players early, then here is a list of players to add, drop and avoid.

First, players you should buy:

Ubaldo Jimenez

If he is still a free agent in your league, pounce on him quickly. His strikeout potential is through the roof and last night, he looked dominant against a solid Arizona lineup.

The best part of last night's start? Three walks compared to eight strikeouts. That kind of control can jump-start Jimenez into the upper tier. Don't even think about it, add him right away.

Josh Johnson

Somehow owners have forgotten about Johnson since he only pitched in 14 games last year and was coming off surgery.

Last night, Johnson showed us what he's capable of. Sure, it was against a weak Nationals lineup, but you still have to like the early results: eight strikeouts and no walks.

If he's somehow available, grab him now before it's too late. I'd even consider trading for him, because this Marlins team looks like it's going to contend in 2009.

Wandy Rodriguez

Rodriguez has been inconsistent so far in his career, but when he's on he looks like a rising stud.

Last night, against a dangerous Cubs lineup, he threw six solid innings, giving up just four hits,one earned run, and had four strikeouts with just three walks.

Those are the kind of numbers that show he can make the jump in the rankings. The one flaw about him is his struggles on the road.

Last year, he posted a 4.34 ERA on the road. If he can overcome last year's issues, look out. Grab him now.

Adam Jones

This rising star is off to a hot start already. He raked three hits, including a triple, along with two RBI and two walks against the vaunted Yankees pitchers.

Jones looked great in spring training and looks like he's carried it over to the regular season. If he's somehow available, get him.

Brandon Morrow

Morrow looked like he was going to be a dominant closer until last night, when he gave up three runs and three walks in 2/3 of an inning.

He may still have control problems, but if some owner panicked and dropped him after this brutal outing, don't hesitate to grab him. He is going to be a top 10 closer by the end of the year.

Rickie Weeks

Weeks has teased us before with his potential, but now he looks like a totally different player. He was very patient at the plate yesterday, with one walk, two hits including a double, and added a stolen base for good measure.

The Brewers lineup is going to rake and if Weeks stays at the lead-off spot all year and can stay patient at the plate, watch out.

If you're second baseman is not Ian Kinsler, Chase Utley, or Brandon Phillips, get Weeks and drop a player you don't need.

Chris Iannetta and Ian Stewart

Iannetta has already homered and is a rising star. He will finish as a top-five catcher by the end of the season.

Stewart got a surprising start Monday and will get much more playing time this year. He will be outfield-eligible once he plays enough games there, and has loads of potential.

Francisco Liriano

He had a rusty start Monday night against a weak Seattle lineup, but this is the time to buy low on him before he starts blowing people away.

Here are the players you should sell:

Chipper Jones

His stock is high right now after his fast start. but you know he won't stay healthy all year. See what you can get for him before he gets hurt.

Justin Verlander

I don't know what to think of this guy after he got shelled Monday night. Two years ago, he was a Cy Young candidate.

Now, he wouldn't even sniff that award. See what you can get for him if another owner thinks he'll turn it around.

Emilio Bonifacio

Bonifacio had a career day on Monday, but he won't keep it up all year.

Sure, he has speed and hits lead-off for an improved Marlins lineup, but it's doubtful he'll finish anywhere near the top 10 in second baseman.

Brandon Lyon

He had his chance to compete for the closer's job last night and got shelled for three runs and the loss for the Tigers. I wouldn't touch him right now.

The fact that he struggled so much last year also comes into play.

Jason Motte

It looked like he had nailed down the closer's job after having a great spring, then he gave up four runs in his first save opportunity on Monday.

Tony La Russa doesn't trust young closers, so expect Ryan Franklin to get the next save opportunity.

Kevin Millwood

Millwood looked like his old self on Monday shutting down the Indians, but do not expect that to continue. He's in a hitter's park and will give up his share of runs.

Troy Glaus

He won't even be back before the All-Star break, and unless you can stash him on your DL, he's not worth it.

Nick Swisher

He won't get enough at-bats in the Yankees lineup unless somebody gets injured. Leave him as a free agent.

Bronson Arroyo

He had a horrid spring and is battling carpal tunnel syndrome. Stay away from him, unless he starts to turn it around and gets healthy.

These are guys you want to hold onto:

Chris Ray

He didn't look good on Monday night, but he is still likely to take over for George Sherrill as Baltimore's closer.

Elijah Dukes

Just because he did not start Monday doesn't mean he's strictly on the bench. He is still likely to have a solid season, especially with a guy like Austin Kearns as his competition.

Manny Corpas

I think Huston Street will get traded at mid-season and Corpas has the stuff to take over again.

Players to keep an eye on:

Hank Blalock

There were rumors of him platooning with Andruw Jones at DH, but Blalock is in a contract year and already homered on Monday night.

He's eligible at first and third base, so I'd keep an eye on him or pick him up.

Clay Buchholz

If Brad Penny struggles or gets hurt, Buchholz is the first guy that will get a shot. He had a nice spring and has plenty of potential.

Philip Hughes

When—not if, but when—A.J. Burnett gets hurt, Hughes is the guy that will take over. Like Buchholz, he has great potential.

Adam Lind

Lind had a monster game on Monday when he drove in six runs. He also has potential and is a good post-hype candidate to have a solid year.

Updated AL Predictions For 2009

Joe Kleiber — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:41:51 -0400

The 2009 MLB season is almost upon us and I have some updated predictions.

My predictions will include division-winners, as well sa MPV, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year Award-winners.

These are bold predictions, but if last year was any indication, with the Rays going to the World Series, these seasons are virtually unpredictable and anything can happen.

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera

Cabrera is always a threat for the triple crown, and last year was considered a "down" year for him. All he did was bat .292 with 37 homeruns, 127 RBI, and scored 85 runs.

At 26, Cabrera has nowhere to go but up, and the Tigers' lineup should be improved.

I think he will come close to the triple crown in the AL, but probably won't lead the league in batting average with guys like Ichiro Suzuki and Joe Mauer around.

AL Cy Young: Francisco Liriano

His comeback from Tommy John surgery is just about complete and he dominated when he returned to the majors last year. His potential is through the roof and there's no reason he can't come back to his dominant form of 2007.

AL Rookie of the Year: Matt Wieters

This kid is the real deal and will help keep the Orioles out of the AL East cellar for once.

AL East: 1.Yankees 2. Rays 3. Red Sox 4. Orioles 5. Blue Jays

New York Yankees: Alex Rodriguez returns earlier than expected, but he does not perform like the usual A-Rod. His numbers come down and he cringe in pain every time he takes a swing.

Instead, it's Mark Teixeira and the pitching of C.C. Sabathia that help the Yanks win the division. Phil Hughes is there to help fill the void when A.J. Burnett takes his familiar place on the DL

Brett Gardner proves to be a scrappy, Joe Girardi-type player and helps the Yanks in the field and on the base paths with his speed.

Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays prove last year was no fluke and stay in the race until they get David Price back in the rotation. Price helps give the Rays a dominant pitching staff and they hold off the Red Sox for the AL Wild Card.

Evan Longoria has an up-and-down season, but carries the offense down the stretch. Carlos Pena looks more like the 2007 version and has a big season. Carl Crawford also has a comeback season.

The bullpen stays in tact and Dan Wheeler takes over for Troy Percival when he makes his annual DL stint.

Boston Red Sox: The Sox have a good season, but not good enough for the playoffs. "Big Papi" has a much better year in 2009, but it isn't enough.

Jason Bay also has a big year in a contract year and the lineup stays dangerous. Jed Lowrie keeps the shortstop job all season, but the Sox end up trading or releasing Julio Lugo.

Brad Penny proves to be a bad signing, struggling and going on the DL, but Clay Buchholz fills the void and keeps the rotation from falling apart.

John Smoltz has a nice comeback season, but he won't stay healthy the whole year.

Baltimore Orioles: The lineup is a stong point and they make big improvements. Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and Matt Wieters have breakout seasons.

Unfortunately, the emergence of catcher phenom Wieters can't make up for a mediocre rotation and the Orioles can't put a dent in third place.

Chris Ray takes over the closer's job from George Sherrill and they trade Sherrill at the deadline.

Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays can't make up for the loss of Burnett. Vernon Wells has an injury-plagued season and the Jays end up trading Roy Halladay at the deadline.

The only positives are the emergences of Travis Snider and David Purcey and a breakout season by Alex Rios.

B.J. Ryan also has an injury-plagued season and Scott Downs takes over as the closer.

AL Central: 1.Twins 2. Indians 3. White Sox 4. Royals 5. Tigers

Minnesota Twins: Pitcher Francisco Liriano comes back to form to lead a much-improved rotation. Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker have breakout seasons.

Joe Mauer comes back from his back injury with a bang and starts right where he left off in 2008.

Justin Morneau has another MVP-type season, and players like Denard Span, Delmon Young, and Carlos Gomez provide some more stability int he rotation and in the field.

Indians: Cliff Lee doesn't win 20 games, but still has a good season. Fausto Carmona and Victor Martinez have bounce-back seasons, with Martinez ibeing named the team MVP.

Grady Sizemore only builds on his stellar career, and almost has a 40-40 season.

Shin-Soo Choo has a breakout season and Kelly Shoppach catches almost every day, with Martinez playing more first base.

Kerry Wood has another good season in the bullpen and avoids an injury-plagued season.

White Sox: Alexei Ramirez and John Danks build on their breakout 2008 seasons and have even better years in 2009. The bullpen helps an improved rotation and the rotation proves to be very deep.

Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, and Jermaine Dye help keep the lineup as dangerous as ever, but it's not enough to win the division.

Royals: Everybody's sleeper team has a much-improved year, but can't finish better than fourth place.

Young stars Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, Mike Aviles, and Zack Greinke all have great years, and proven veterans Coco Crisp, Jose Guillen, and Gil Meche have solid seasons as well.

Mark Teahen has a comeback season at second base and provides the Royals with help as a super-utility player.

Tigers: Despite Cabrera's huge season, they can't stay out of the basement. Their bullpen is still an Achille's heel and their rotation still struggles.

AL West: 1.Angels 2. A's 3. Rangers 4.Mariners

Angels: Despite injuries to pitchers John Lackey and Ervin Santana, the Angels still stay atop the division with big seasons from Bobby Abreu, Howie Kendrick, and veterans Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter.

Jered Weaver has a breakout season on the mound, much like Santana had last year.

Brian Fuentes makes Angels fans forget about the loss of K-Rod.

A's: The rotation improves with the emergence of young rookies Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill. Brad Ziegler keeps the closer's job all year and provides them with a reliable closer—for once.

Jason Giambi has a comeback season hitting behind Matt Holliday, who also has a huge season in a contract year.

Rangers: The hitting gives them a real dangerous lineup, but their pitching is their downfall.

Chris Davis and Ian Kinsler build on their strong 2008 seasons. Josh Hamilton proves last year was no fluke and helps them stay in contention with one of the best lineups in the league.

Mariners: They have a decent future, with Brandon Morrow and Jeff Clement, but their youth makes them too inconsistent and they can't contend.

Erik Bedard has a nice bounce-back season and Felix Hernandez establishes himself as one of the league's best pitchers.

That's a wrap for my AL predictions, next will be NL predictions.

Why the Brewers Need Jake Peavy

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:48:31 -0400

Last year, the Brewers did the unthinkable at the trade deadline.

They traded their best prospect, Matt LaPorta, for the Indians' ace starting pitcher, CC Sabathia in a blockbuster trade that turned around the Brewers franchise forever, and made an incredible run to the playoffs.

The Brewers rode Sabathia and gave the fans hope. They packed Miller Park every single night. The Brewers ended up losing to the Phillies in four games in the playoffs, but it was a historic season.

Now what comes next?

The offseason did the Brewers no favors when they saw their all-star, starting pitchers, Sabathia and Ben Sheets, fall to free agency. Their starting staff is thin.

The Brewers' recently signed Braden Looper is already injured and will probably start the season on the DL.

Their staff right now projects to consist of Yovani Gallardo, Manny Parra, Dave Bush, Jeff Suppan, and Looper/Seth McClung. That staff is not going to win you any championships any time soon, and they need another guy that can bring the fire back to Milwaukee.

That guy is Jake Peavy.

Just think of what Peavy will do to a staff that is already thin and starving for a reliable ace to fill the huge void left by Sabathia and Sheets. Peavy makes too much sense for the Brewers. If they are in contention at the break, you can bet Doug Melvin will be making some calls to the Padres.

It is almost a guarantee Peavy will be traded at the deadline.

His contract is up soon, the Padres are in rebuilding mode and will not be able to afford him once his contract is up. This is the best time for them to get the best value for him so they will almost certainly be listening to offers.

Why not take a chance at Peavy?

If they get him this year, they will have him next year, and will have enough time to try and work on an extension for him. They will probably let Fielder go after his contract is up, making them able to put their money towards Peavy.

They have the farm system to trade for him also.

They still have top prospects shortstop Alcides Escobar, and third-baseman Matt Gamel for trading chips. They will also want to keep him from going to the rival Cubs. Their farm system is better than Chicago's.

If the Brewers are going to try to win within the next few years, they are going to have to get another ace starting pitcher to group with Gallardo. Peavy is the man for the job.

All the Brewers can do is hope he is available at the deadline and make a move.

Fantasy Baseball: First Base Sleepers and Busts

Joe Kleiber — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:27:48 -0400

First base is one of the deepest positions in fantasy baseball. If you miss out on a first baseman the first few rounds of a draft, don't panic and wait on some sleepers in the later rounds that nobody seems to want. In the last few drafts that I have participated in, these first baseman have fell in the drafts and have become bargains. On the other hand, there are first baseman that have gone way too early in drafts that are not proven or will hurt you in one category or another. Here's a list of my sleepers and busts for 2009.

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Fantasy Baseball: My Post-Draft Analysis

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:47:45 -0400

Last night, I participated in my first fantasy baseball draft of 2009 in the "League of Awesomeness." I have to say I am very satisfied with the results. I had the seventh overall pick in the draft and my strategies going into the draft were:

Wait until the fifth and sixth rounds to grab my starting pitchers, fill up my infield early so I don't have to worry about it later, wait until later in the draft to grab my starting catcher and closers, grab power bats early and try to get players that have power and speed, and grab strike-out pitchers that have the ability to strike out 200 batters. Here's my team in the order I picked them:

1. Ryan Braun OF (7) 11. Justin Upton OF (127)

2. Prince Fielder 1B (18) 12. Chris Young OF (138)

3. Aramis Ramirez 3B (31) 13. Randy Johnson SP (151)

4. Brandon Phillips 2B (42) 14. Chris Iannetta C (162)

5. Dan Haren SP (55) 15. Heath Bell RP (175)

6. Chad Billingsley SP (66) 16. Frank Francisco RP (186)

7. Bobby Abreu OF (79) 17. Cameron Maybin OF (199)

8. Troy Tulowitzki SS (90) 18. Fauston Carmona SP (210)

9. Matt Cain SP (103) 19. Rickie Weeks 2B (223)

10. Matt Garza SP (114) 20. Brandon Lyon RP (234)

21. Chris Perez RP (247)

That is a pretty solid team, although I might be lacking in stolen bases unless Maybin really breaks out. This is a roto league that has the stats categories of: R, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, OPS, W, SV, K, ERA, WHIP, QS. Some tidbits from the draft:

-While I was sitting at the No. 7 slot, Jose Reyes fell to me, which was very surprising. I still passed on him, which might have been a mistake, but I like to grab power bats for my first few rounds of the draft. He went eighth overall.

-Another guy I was surprised that fell was Grady Sizemore. He went ninth overall and that is too low for a guy who could go 30-30 easily.

-Alex Rodriguez fell to the fourth round. I had the chance to grab him in the first four rounds, but passed on him every time, because I grabbed Aramis Ramirez in the third, so didn't feel the need to get another third baseman. I think Ramirez has a better year anyway. If A-Rod only misses the first month then that's a bargain spot for him.

-Starting pitchers went early in the first two rounds, but fell after that. I didn't grab my starting pitchers until rounds five and six and still ended up with Dan Haren and Chad Billingsley.

-Another owner loves Yovani Gallardo as much as I do. I waited until round seven to grab him and it was too late. He went in the seventh and was the fifth pick of that round.

-Outfield and starting pitching is so deep this year that I waited until the seventh round to grab my second outfielder, Bobby Abreu, and the 11th round to grab Justin Upton as my third outfielder. There are so many breakout candidates in the starting pitching and outfield that you don't have to grab them too early, so that is why I filled up my infield early.

-The power and speed combination players tended to go earlier than I thought. Matt Kemp went in the third round, Curtis Granderson went in the fourth, and Alexei Ramirez went in the fifth, as did Corey Hart.

-Closers went early, which didn't surprise me. Jonathan Papelbon went in the fifth round and Mariano Rivera went in the sixth round, as did Joe Nathan, K-Rod, and Brad Lidge.

-Some of my breakout candidates went higher than I thought. Matt Kemp went in the third, Nick Markakis went in the fourth, Corey Hart and Chris Davis in the fifth, Gallardo in the seventh, etc.

The draft was very competitive and it was a solid first draft for me in 2009. My team is loaded with power and speed guys and I am banking on a major breakout for Maybin and Upton. The team is pretty balanced. Although I may have undervalued batting average and stolen bases, I am pleased with it.

Alex Rodriguez's Fantasy Value Plummets After Hip Surgery News

Joe Kleiber — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:00:55 -0500

Things were looking up for Alex Rodriguez after he hit his first home run in spring training, but now things can't get much worse for the controversial New York Yankees slugger.

Rodriguez will be out until May with news breaking that he will undergo hip surgery for a cyst on his hip. This is terrible news for Rodriguez, the Yankees, and fantasy owners. Not only does he have the steroids controversy swirling around his head, but now a cyst? This is bad karma for him and the Yankees.

If you have already completed your fantasy draft and took Rodriguez in the top three, then you must be kicking yourself after this news. His draft stock now plummets and who knows when exactly he will be back?

The question now is where do you draft him? Does he fall to the third or fourth round?

I'd certainly stay away from him in the first round and probably the second too. Why take an injured player when you can pick a healthy player with no risks? I'd even take Chase Utley over him, because at least you know he's going to be back and probably on opening day.

This kills the values of Mark Texeira, who now has Hideki Matsui as his lineup protection instead of Rodriguez if that's the direction the Yankees were leaning towards. It also hurts the values of Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter since they will not be scoring as many runs early in the season.

While it's true that fantasy championships are not won in April or May, you still have to be cautious about taking the top Yankees players with this news. One does not know when exactly Rodriguez will return and how he will perform after the surgery.

The Yankees lineup is still dangerous, but clearly takes a huge hit now. The question is who is going to replace his big bat in the lineup?

The problem the Yankees have is they have no candidates to replace him. Right now they'd be forced to use Angel Berroa and Cody Ransom. I doubt the Yankees will use either of them any they will probably sign a guy like Ray Durham or Mark Grudzielanek and move them to third.

Clearly David Wright becomes the top third baseman and I would think Evan Longoria moves ahead of him too, because at least you know these players are healthy and will be productive all season

Fantasy Team Preview: Roll With the Royals

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:48:46 -0500

Last year was the first year that the usual cellar-dweller Kansas City Royals did not finish last in the AL Central, and the Royals just might be the surprise team of 2009.

Before you laugh, just look at some of the numbers from the best of the 2008 team.

Mike Aviles (2B/SS): .325 10 HRs 51 RBI 68 runs 8 SBs in 419 at-bats

Zack Greinke (SP): 13-10 3.47 ERA 183 Ks 56 BBs 1.28 WHIP

David DeJesus (OF): .307 12 HRs 73 RBI 70 runs 11 SBs

Jose Guillen (OF): .264 20 RBI 97 RBI 66 runs

Joakim Soria (CP): 2-3 42 saves 1.60 ERA 66 Ks 19 BBs 0.86 WHIP

Gil Meche (SP): 14-11 3.98 ERA 183 Ks 73 BBs 1.32 WHIP

Those are some solid numbers, right? When you consider Aviles was a mid-season call-up and the young ages of Greinke and Soria, you have some fantasy stars in the making. Meche, Guillen, and DeJesus are the solid vets that are being undervalued in drafts.

Not only can you grab these guys at discounts, but guys like Greinke and Soria can even be stars for your team. Consider what young aces Tim Lincecum, Chad Billingsley, Ervin Santana, and Edinson Volquez did last year. Greinke can join that group this year, and Soria has already proved he's a consistent closer that may get more saves with an improved team.

When you're talking about the Royals, you're talking about their fountain of youth. This includes guys like Alex Gordon, their poster child who's yet to have his breakout, and Billy Butler, the team's primary DH that can flat-out rake.

Gordon can give you value across the board because he can hit for average, power, drive in runs, and steal bases. He has yet to show us his full potential, so see if you can grab him late and take a gamble on this 25-year-old stud.

Butler is another guy who has yet to show his full potential. He made some noise in his rookie year (.292 8 HRs 52 RBI in 329 at-bats) but slid a bit last year (.275 11 HRs in 443 at-bats). He is going to break out at some point, and you'll want to be on his bandwagon before it takes off.

Other guys to consider on the Royals include their new acquisitions. They acquired Coco Crisp, Mike Jacobs, and Juan Cruz. Crisp never got full-time at-bats in Boston, but he is set to be the team's primary center fielder and hit in the two-hole, and he is going to steal bases and score runs.

Jacobs had a power surge last year by hitting 32 homers, but had a .247 average and struggled against lefties. Take him with some caution.

Cruz is intriguing because he will probably set up and will get the occasional save or two. He is very valuable in leagues that count holds, and he is one of the best strikeout relievers in the game. He can give you some value late in the draft.

These Royals have yet to peak, and this might be the year that they do, because the AL Central is up for grabs and they have several ingredients to be successful. It remains to be seen if they do, but considering how low they are being taken in the draft, there's barely any risk to take the gamble.

Draft Strategies for the 2009 Fantasy Baseball Season

Joe Kleiber — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:15:48 -0500

Have a fantasy baseball draft coming up? Spring training is here and that means baseball season is almost here. I have some strategies and tips to drafting your teams. I have guys that I will reach for, guys that I will avoid and guys that I will steal at the bottom rounds. I have done quite a few mock drafts already so I have a sense of who is dropping in drafts and who is going too high. Here are my tips and strategies to drafting your fantasy baseball team.

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Praising Albert Pujols at First Base

Joe Kleiber — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:25:23 -0500

First-base is one of the deepest, if not the deepest, position in fantasy baseball. You can grab your starting first-baseman late in the draft and still be satisfied. There are so many options, but when you talk about the best of the best, you're talking about Albert Pujols. Pujols scared owners last year with his shoulder injury and what did he do? All he did was hit .357 37 hrs 116 RBI and even 7 sbs. He is the consensus number one pick and is in a tier all by himself. If you miss out on Pujols, there are plenty of options from the powerful Ryan Howard to the rising-star Adrian Gonzalez. Here are my rankings for first-base for 2009.

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Russell Martin Is the King of Catchers

Joe Kleiber — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:54:05 -0500

Here are my rankings for catchers for the upcoming season. When we look at catchers, we have to look at consistency, durability, power, average, etc. Catcher is one of the toughest positions in fantasy, because the rankings can change from year to year. Injuries have derailed the usual top catchers like Victor Martinez and Jorge Posada, but that doesn't mean that you can't draft them. You just won't draft them ahead of the likes of Russell Martin, Brian McCann and Joe Mauer, as well as new upper-tier catchers like Giovanni Soto and Ryan Doumit. Here are my rankings for 2009.

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Trade for the Suns!

Joe Kleiber — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:16:01 -0500

If last night was any indication on how the Suns will play with their new coach, Alvin Gentry, it's that they are back to playing their old style. They routed the Clippers by scoring 140 points. 140! If the Suns keep this up they are going to be fantasy gold for the rest of the year. If you missed your opportunity to acquire their studs, like Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash, then go ahead and try again. People were telling you to trade Steve Nash and Amare, because the Suns future was up in the air and Amare may get traded. Now it looks like Amare will be staying put and that will only help Nash get back to being the Nash we all know and love. Here are the key players to try and acquire if you can.

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Tracy McGrady and Fantasy Basketball: How Do You Mend Your Broken Heart?

Joe Kleiber — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:15:55 -0500

Tracy McGrady went down with yet another injury and is now having surgery that will make him miss the rest of the season. This isn't just a problem for the Rockets, it's a killer to fantasy owners who gambled on him once again, hoping he'd maybe stay healthy for once. McGrady is the Ken Griffey Jr. of the NBA. He was once a star and one of the top players in the NBA, but can't overcome constant injuries. If you were one of those owners who have been heart-broken by T-Mac once again, here's a list of waiver-wire pick-ups.

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MLB Season Predictions: Manny's Dodgers Return Equals Championship

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:03:48 -0500

It's almost baseball season and spring training is right around the corner. It's time to make predictions and talk about baseball, not about A-Rod's steroids controversy or about Joe Torre's book. We still have big free agents who haven't signed (Manny Ramirez, Orlando Hudson) and lots of questions. Where will Manny Ramirez sign and why? How will the Yankees and A-Rod handle this controversy? Who wins the World Series and why? I have the answers and some people may be surprised at the predictions.

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Fantasy Pitchers to Avoid in '09

Joe Kleiber — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:08:29 -0500

Every year we have busts when it comes to fantasy starting and relief pitchers. There are guys that disappoint year in and year out that you simply can't trust. These players usually are enormous injury risks or have an awful walk/strike-out ratio. Other factors that come into play are the teams they play for, ballparks they pitch in and workload concerns. Here is a list of pitchers to avoid in 2009.

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Five Questions for the Milwaukee Brewers' 2009 Season

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:07:17 -0500

The 2008 season for the Milwaukee Brewers was a special one. It marked the first time the Brewers made the post-season since reaching the World Series in 1982. With the help of CC Sabathia, the Brewers were able to ride him to the playoffs. Once they got there, however, they lost in four games to the World Series champions, the Philadelphia Phillies. The overall season though was a success. How will the Brewers respond after last year's success? How will the losses of their top two aces, CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets, affect them? Will Doug Melvin make another big name acquisition, like Jake Peavy, at mid-season? These are some of the questions the Brewers must answer during the 2009 season and here are the top five questions for this franchise heading into spring training.

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Super Bowl Prediction: 2009 Steel Curtain Too Much for the Cards

Joe Kleiber — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:58:24 -0500

It's that time of year again when friends and family come together to watch the most exciting event of the year. When the Pittsburgh Steelers face off against the Arizona Cardinals will you have Super Bowl fever? It should be an intriguing and interesting game that features the top defense in the NFL and one of the top offenses in the NFL. Who has the edge and who will win this extravaganza? The Steelers win with their defense with a heavy dosage of Willie Parker and the underrated Santonio Holmes, who's been their MVP in the playoffs so far. Oh and they have the 26-year old Ben Roethlisberger and the veteran Hines Ward. The Steelers defense is tops in the NFL and if they are going to win this game, they are going to have to stop the dangerous Cardinals offense. The Cardinals offense can be explosive and has been on fire lately. Led by Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, it's tough to stop any of these guys. The only question mark is Boldin, because he's been hampered by a hamstring injury in the playoffs. This would mean that the relatively unknown Steve Breaston would have to step up and make some plays. If Breaston was ever going to have his break-out party in the playoffs, this is his opportunity. As much as there is about the talk of the Cardinals passing game, their running-backs have been the key to keeping them from being one-dimensional. Led by Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower, the Cardinals running game has been rejuvenated and keeping defenses on their toes. The Cardinals need these guys to keep on doing that or else they'll have to block the Steelers fierce pass-rush. The Cardinals defense has also stepped up in a big way. By making key turnovers at crucial moments, they have helped this team get to where they are. If it weren't for the defense, they would not be in this position and will need them to come to play if they want to hoist the Lombardi trophy. Now it's time to look at the teams in depth and make a prediction.

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Mickey Rourke's Bout with Chris Jericho and the Impact of "The Wrestler"

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:22:20 -0500

When the new hit film "The Wrestler" premiered on Dec. 8, 2008, nobody knew what to expect. People asked: how will movie critics view this film? How will non-wrestling fans view it? How will it do at the box-office? Can this movie be actor Mickey Rourke's comeback film after being out of the movie picture for quite awhile?

If Rourke's Oscar nomination for "Best Actor" isn't proof enough how much impact this movie has made, then people have to start paying attention.

The film has made an explosion on the movie business and has turned millions of people's heads. When it was in limited release, people packed the theaters in New York City and Los Angeles to witness this new cult classic. Mickey Rourke plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a washed up pro wrestler that is trying to cope with retirement and his family after suffering a heart attack. The film is astounding and co-stars Marisa Tomei, who plays a stripper and a close friend to Randy and Evan Rachel Wood, who plays the daughter of Randy.

Tomei and Wood pull off incredible performances and Tomei even got nominated for an Oscar for "Best Supporting Actress." It is a moving film that has everybody from young wrestling fans to senior citizens seeing the film. It's not just a movie about wrestling, but about life itself. It tells us to take care of ourselves and to never burn bridges with family and friends.

Many people used to laugh at the idea of pro wrestling and called it "fake" and "phony." I guarantee after seeing this film those same people will not be saying that. I saw people cringe when they saw "The Ram" bleed during a hardcore match in the film. People covered their mouths and gasped when they saw the injuries to this beaten-up wrestler. The film has changed the movie industry forever.

Critics have claimed it's the "resurrection of Mickey Rourke" and that it "hits close to home." The film is a resurrection of Rourke, because of the obstacles in his life that he had to overcome. Obstacles such as a life-threatening motorcycle accident, wear and tear to his face and going from being a top Hollywood star years ago to barely getting any major roles have made Rourke an easy candidate for this role.

It has also changed pro wrestling, because it has received more recognition that anybody ever thought it would. The hype of the film is great for pro wrestling, because people can no longer laugh at it or balk at it.

The film has been so hyped that it has led Rourke to having a match with WWE star Chris Jericho at this year's "Wrestlemania." WWE has embraced the film and are looking to boost their ratings with Rourke appearing. Just think of the buy-rates this major pay-per-view will get after it's announced that Rourke will appear. Last night on WWE Monday Night Raw, Jericho provoked Rourke and this will lead to their storyline going into Wrestlemania.

If last year's 'Mania says anything it's that celebrities can put on a good show. Floyd Mayweather put on a solid match with the Big Show and Mayweather didn't even have any training for a match. Rourke at least knows how to work a match so it can work. It will be interesting to see how this storyline plays out and how they work their match for 'Mania. The media will probably say that Rourke is taking this too far, but it will be mutually beneficial for Rourke, the movie and the WWE.

The press the match will get will help the movie, because people will be curious to see him in the film before his match. For Rourke it can help him get more recognition and make history. The buy-rates will sky-rocket once the match is official and fans will be swarming to see it. It should be a very exciting storyline and hopefully the match won't disappoint.

It is one of the best films of the year and should have received an Oscar nomination for "Best Picture." It has separated itself from just being a wrestling film and into a heartfelt drama. Just for the mere fact that it has received this much recognition and hype explains for itself how much of an impact this film has made. Having two cast members up for Oscars and Bruce Springsteen receiving a Golden-Globe award for his song "The Wrestler" and his soundtrack work on the film has opened people's eyes.

If you're looking for a film to see soon then do yourself a favor and see this classic. It has now hit theaters everywhere and you won't regret seeing it. The impact it has made is incredible and hopefully it will stop people from bad-mouthing pro wrestling and realize just what these wrestlers have to go through in their lives.

Catcher and First Base Sleepers for 2009

Joe Kleiber — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:07:04 -0500

Fantasy baseball is almost here and it's time to talk about potential sleepers for the 2009 season. Last year we saw more injuries to some key players in a long time. Players like Victor Martinez, Jorge Posada, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano, Rafael Furcal and Hideki Matsui either lost their seasons due to injuries or poor performance. These players should be the type of players to target late in drafts. They can be bargains and can easily post numbers similar to what we are used to. There is always risk when taking players coming off injuries or poor seasons, but the same can be said for consistent players, because you never know when disaster will strike. When considering sleepers, one has to take into account their career numbers and current situations. Age can also be a factor, because if a player is getting old (Posada) and getting injured, you might want to stay away from them. Here is a list of catcher and first-base sleepers for the upcoming 2009 season.

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