Bleacher Report - Articles by Derrick Weathersby

40 Games in 40 Nights: Day 1 Wrap Up

Derrick Weathersby — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:20:51 -0400

How would the Celtics fare without KG?
Chicago 105, Boston 103 (OT)

Well, they didn't. Ray Allen looked like he was still in witness protection. Paul "The Self-Proclaimed Best Player in the World" Pierce missed that free throw above that would have won the game with two seconds left in regulation.

KG was so pissed at the first half effort that he decided to skip the second half and catch the The Lord of the Rings marathon. The Baby Bulls on the other hand were led by soon to be Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose.

If the ballots had yet to be tallied, this all but sealed his rookie campaign. Rose owned the Celtics from the opening alley-oop to Noah.

Rose finished with 36 points and 11 assists, accounting for 50 percent of Chicago's 105 points. With that being said, the Celtics have to realize they are the better team.

Allen and Pierce will have to show up and the Celtics have to hope that they are not digging themselves out of the hole in the second half of games.

The Bulls can't expect Rose to carry them for three more games, and there is no way Tyrus Thomas hits half of those shots again.

"They are who we thought they were."
Cleveland 102, Detroit 84

Too bad in this case, Detroit didn't let Cleveland off the hook. LeBron continued to own Detroit, and also own the MVP trophy.

The game was close enough not to relax, but Cleveland quietly dominated behind an easy 38 points from LeBron.

Mo Williams had some early silly fouls that kept him from finding a groove, but the Pistons didn't have anyone step up and become special.

I just kept finding myself wondering why Allen Iverson is sipping pina coladas in Virginia, instead of taking the keys to this dysfunctional vehicle.

The Old Man All Star Game
Dallas 105, San Antonio 97

I called this the Old Man All Star Game since their is conceivably no young talent in this game. Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tim Duncan are all great, but they are getting long in the tooth, and fast.

The Spurs need Tony Parker to do too much with Manu out and Dallas is finding fresh legs in Mighty Mouse JJ Barea.

This series might be heading towards a sweep unless San Antonio starts to spread the floor with their three-point specialists.

Blowout City
Houston 108, Portland 81

While Yao Ming couldn't miss, Portland couldn't hit. Yao was 9-of-9 from the field and 6-of-6 from the stripe, and didn't even have to lace up his shoes in the second half, only playing 24 minutes.

Portland was unable to shake the long arm of the law in Battier and Artest. Portland's wing players pride themselves on being athletic and aggressive, but they ran up against grown men playing playoff defense.

Look for Portland to re-adjust and come out smoking the next game. I see this series going back and forth with blowouts until game 5.

Round by Round Knockdown: NBA Playoff Prognostications

Derrick Weathersby — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:18:37 -0400

I guess my picture gives away my Finals prediction.

But who cares. I like to get the small things out of the way first.

Now, on to brass tacks.

This year has some intriguing playoff scenarios that took all 82 games to figure out the seeding, especially in the West.

Let's review the playoff matchups and some key things to watch out for and pay attention to.

THE (B)EAST

Cleveland (1) vs Detroit (8)

It is obvious that the Cavs definitely have their mojo, virtually unbeaten at home (39-1, last game doesn't count). It is equally obvious that the Pistons didn't care to play this year. But there are contracts expiring (Sheed, AI, Kwame Brown, McDyess) that gives players an added incentive to play beyond their talents or actually try.

This is virtually the same Detroit team that LeBron sliced for 26 straight points without shooters around him and little motivation. The real question is can the Cavs win fast enough to rest LeBron and get ready for ATL/MIA.

Boston (2) vs Chicago (7)

This is a bad draw for Boston. A young, athletic team that can catch fire on any night. Boston's bad news of KG out for the playoffs didn't help the morale, but may have given them some extra "Nobody Believes in Us Juice" to not blow this series.

Chicago's guard play will outduel Boston, with Rose, Gordon, Salmons, and Hinrich leading the way, but Boston will play good enough defense to close this out in six games.

Orlando (3) vs Philadelphia (6)

Orlando is just glad they didn't draw Detroit. Detroit owns Orlando, having swept them this season and knocking them out of the playoffs the last two years.

That being said, Philadephia is no easy test. If Philly could borrow one of Orlando's three-point specialists, this would be a great series. Since they can't, Orlando in five games.

Atlanta (4) vs Miami (5)

The only question in this series is whether Dwayne Wade can pull a LeBron of 2006 and carry this team further than they are supposed to go. Wade would need to average about 40 PPG and 10 assists for this to happen, or hope Atlanta's streak shooters of Murray, Bibby, and Johnson are off.

I am pulling for Miami, just to see Cleveland annihilate them in the second round. Miami in seven.

THE WEST

L.A. Lakers (1) vs Utah (8)

The Lakers are the cream of the Western crop, but let's hope that doesn't get in their head. I doubt that will be the case, with the Olympics MVP Kobe Bryant facing a Utah team that is terrible on the road.

If the Lakers can knock the Jazz out in five games, that would be a sign of the domination that is about to happen. Lakers in six.

Denver (2) vs New Orleans (7)

These are the "sexy" picks to make some noise. Two teams that have great PG play, as well as severe home court positions. Billups is trying to get Denver out of the first round, while Chris Paul will try to show that he should be in the top heavy MVP race.

Carmelo finally reaches the second round, due to New Orleans not having a viable second scorer. Denver in five games.

San Antonio (3) vs Dallas (6)

This may be Jason Kidd's last hurrah in Dallas. He has to prove he is still a sought after free agent with enough gas to push for the ring.

San Antonio is starting to run over the hill in injuries and games played. Tony Parker is getting better and is deadly in the clutch, while Tim Duncan is Tim Duncan.

Dallas is "gelling" right now, and I like how they are playing. Dallas in six games.

Portland (4) vs Houston (5)

Two improbable teams that have sneaky talent. Portland is the up-and-coming team (like the Bulls of 2005), loaded with young talent and solid role players. Houston is the aging team with Yao and Artest.

Flip a coin, I'll take Portland in six.

John Madden: A Class Act

Derrick Weathersby — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:35:15 -0400

I'm deeply saddened that John Madden has decided to retire. John Madden has reached the one word status of pop culture. He was on the same level as Madonna, Cher, Jordan, Tiger, OJ, well you get the picture. All you had to say was Madden.

Tuesday through Saturday, Madden simply meant a festive evening with a few of your closest male buddies, a lot of curse words, and sometimes hurt feelings and pockets. Madden has ended friendships and started new ones. Madden might be more responsible for bad grades and fist fights than rap music.

On Sunday, Madden was the preacher after church. He was the football gospel like never before. For that, Madden will truly be missed. Mostly, for the great words that he has added to our vocabulary.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4073253

Here's to the man that brought us the word "cankle," the phrase "No No Go Go", and excited us with "Boom!"

Top John Madden quotes:

"When your arm gets hit, the ball is not going to go where you want it to."

"I think perhaps it's a relationship that's not marked by a great need to interfere with each other all the time,"

"They got to Joey Harrington physically and they got to him mentally."

"If you see a defense team with dirt and mud on their backs they've had a bad day."

"The fewer rules a coach has, the fewer rules there are for players to break."

"Coaches have to watch for what they don't want to see and listen to what they don't want to hear."

Cankle Defined:

An ankle of a fat person in which the the ankle and the calf appear seamless.

No No Go Go Defined:

The term referring to when a football coach initially tells his playmaker player to not do anything stupid (the "no no" part) but when the player does not listen, and ends up making a huge play, the coaches new words are "go go!"

Defined as by John Madden, 11-12-06:

*player catches ball in the middle of the endzone on a kickoff, starts to run towards the other end of the field*
Coach: Jackson.. NO NO!
*player reaches the 50 yard mark running full speed with two opponents behind him*
Coach: GO! GO!
*player scores touchdown*
Coach: I knew he would do that all along, good play call, 'eh? The ol' No No Go Go trick.

If Sports were Movie Titles - 2008

Derrick Weathersby — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:18:07 -0500

Sports dictate life, well my life anyway. If I could build my own cable package, it would include every channel that plays sports in HD, with maybe one news channel, the weather channel, and A&E. Life is all about change, new beginnings, screw-ups and bad decisions. Art imitates life, and my favorite type of artistic expression is through film. New Heroes are created. New Stars are cast. Here are my top moments of 2008 based on the top movies of the year.

Begin Slideshow

2008 Fantasy Football HOF Inductees

Derrick Weathersby — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:06:02 -0500

If you were lucky enough to draft this team, you are probably reading this entry with the biggest Koolaid smile on your face right now. Like most fantasy owners, I was torn this week as my fate was split between wanting certain players to do good, all the while knowing they would kill me in another league.

The one player that I love and hate at the same time right now is DeAngelo Williams.

But I can't be too mad at DeAngelo. It was my fault. I dangled him out as trade bait early in the season. I tried to convince myself that the running back-by-committee thing in Carolina was good for competition. It was me who tried to sell high after Williams had back-to-back 100-yard games against Arizona and Oakland.

Then what happened...

He lost his mind. He took the Clear and the Cream. He went off like a spider monkey.

The most impressive thing about the Williams streak—he only had 20 or more carries three times, including tonight versus the Giants. Those three games garnered 10 TDs (and counting, we are in overtime), with two of those games yielding eight TDs. I can't say how much I love/hate him right now.

Here is my list of should-be honorees:

Phillip Rivers (QB): Rivers established himself as an elite QB on what will become a pass-happy team. His game was never pretty, but Rivers' numbers are great, especially given the development taking place at WR and a non-existent running game with Tomlinson.

Stats: 3515 yards, 28 TD, 11 INT, 64.6 % completion rate

HOF resume: Fantasy playoff numbers (Week 14-16)—840 yards, nine TDs, one INT, including two TDs in 1:15 to win the game in Week 15 versus the Chiefs.

DeAngelo Williams (RB): I have expressed my level of mancrush for Williams already.

Here's the numbers: 1337 yards rushing, 18 TDs; 121 yards receiving, two TDs, no fumbles.

HOF resume: Since Week 10, Williams has 815 rushing yards and 15 rushing TDs, despite splitting carries with Jonathan Stewart.

Michael Turner (RB): In his first year starting, Turner proved why he was a hot commodity in free agency. Turner is the second leading rusher on a team with a rookie QB, a rookie head coach, and aspirations for a world title.

Stats: 1491 rushing yards, 16 TDs, one fumble lost

HOF resume: Since Week 10, Turner has 697 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs, both of which are overshadowed only by DeAngelo Williams.

Calvin Johnson (WR): Ok, I know his team has yet to win a game (0-15), but does that have to show up on his resume like checking the box for "Have you ever committed a crime or felony" on a job application? I won't hold it against you, Calvin.

Stats: 1229 receiving yards, 10 TDs, two fumbles lost

HOF resume: The fact that he was double-teamed, always playing from behind, and grabbing quarterbacks off the street is enough for a nomination in my book.

Andre Johnson (WR): The second half of the Brothers Johnson is an upgrade of the first. Both possess freakish size and ability, but Andre is on a better team, and you would think teams actually get up to play them. Throw in a carousel at the QB position and Johnson's stats are even more impressive.

Stats: 1437 receiving yards, six TDs, one fumble lost

HOF resume: Johnson was able to single-handedly beat the Titans with 207 yards and a TD in Week 15. Johnson also endured a brutal stretch during which the Texans played 14 consecutive games following a Week 2 bye in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

Honorable Mention:

Chris Johnson (RB): If not for touchdown vulture Lendale White, Chris Johnson would have possibly been the offensive MVP of the league. Johnson has tallied over 1,200 rushing yards and 250 receiving yards so far, with a total of 10 TDs, despite having only one game with 20-plus carries.

Antonio Bryant (WR): If Bryant would have been included in the offense the entire season, he would be over 1,500 yards. Instead, Bryant has just over 1,100 yards and seven TDs. Over the pass three weeks, Bryant has totaled 437 yards and four TDs.

Pierre Thomas (RB): Despite playing in the newest version of the Run and Shoot offense, Thomas has emerged as the RB of the future for the Saints. Just like in 2007, Thomas has reeled off three straight impressive games to finish the season, scoring six TDs in that span.

My Fave Five for College Basketball's National Player of the Year

Derrick Weathersby — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:28:15 -0500

Every year, the rumor mill starts up on the best Male Collegiate Basketball Player of the Year. Of course, only your die-hard fans even notice due to the season start, which is buried in the heart of NFL, College Football, and the MLB Pennant chase.

Last year’s winner and golden boy, Tyler Hansbrough, heads the list of possible candidates. Don’t get me wrong, Hansbrough deserved the award last year (not) and is a great college player, but let’s examine my fave five for the award as of now.

Stephen Curry, Davidson

The Numbers: 31.9 PG, 6.8 assists, 2.9 steals, 48 percent FG

He needs a nickname. Kid Dynamo—naw. Curry Chicken—that’s a stretch. The Future. Yes. The Future it is.

I like The Future for a number of reasons. He is playing every minute of every tough game. He has the ball in his hand for about 90 percent of the game as their point guard/shooting guard. He is unselfish despite the true talent of the team around him. And to say the least, every time he launches that perfect release, you think it is going in.

The knock: He shoots a lot of threes—partly because he is the focus of the entire defense and that is the best shot he can get off without hogging, and probably because he settles for threes to save his energy.

The plus: He guards the best player on the other team. Since Davidson lacks size and talent, they switch on a screen, which leaves Curry fighting with 6'8" swingmen on the block, as shown in the West Virginia game.

One Shining Moment: With a somewhat unimpressive conference schedule, Curry takes the national spotlight at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Jan. 7. If Curry erupts for 40 and keeps Davidson close, pencil him in for the ceremony.

Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

The Numbers: 23.1 ppg, 15.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 67.5 percent FG

Griffin, aka The Second Coming (of Amare Stoudemire), is a freak of nature. He doesn’t have the offensive repertoire of a seasoned player, but who cares? He would dunk on your mom if she was in the lane, as shown by his 67.5 percent from the field.

The knock: Not consistent from the free throw line so far this year. He is decent and I don’t expect him to transfer to Memphis, so he should be all right.

The plus: Who is in the Big 12 this year that can stop him? Of course there is Kansas and Texas, but other than that, it is a crapshoot. Even those teams don’t have someone with the athletic talent to stick with Griffin or challenge him to play defense.

One Shining Moment: Coming down the stretch, the Sooners take on Texas Tech, at Texas, Kansas, at Texas Tech, and at Missouri. If Blake can stay healthy and impress down the stretch, he will more than likely be the No. 1 choice in the NBA Draft.

A.J. Abrams, Texas

The Numbers: 20.2 ppg, 1.4 steals, 47.1 percent three-point, 43 percent FG

Remember when a certain guard burst onto the scene for the Cavaliers against the Pistons by the name of Boobie Gibson? Well, Abrams is a prolific three-point specialist with a short memory. Abrams has not seen a shot that he didn’t like, no matter the game situation.

The knock: Streak shooters usually shoot you out of games.

The plus: When Abrams is on, get the fire extinguisher fast. During the J.J. Redick years at Duke, it was great to see a pure shooter. Abrams brings that same type of excitement, with less of the fanfare that comes with playing outside of the ACC. Besides, Abrams is generously listed at 5’11”.

One Shining Moment: Abrams won his first war with Villanova last week. With back-to-back games of Michigan State and Wisconsin before the Big 12 conference slate starts, Abrams has a chance to wow some people for a Christmas treat.

Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

The Numbers: 23 ppg, 12.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 51.2 percent FG

Harangody, aka Mr. Consistency, is probably going to experience his best year and not even be acknowledged as the best/most exciting player on his team (that would be Kyle McAlarney). All Harangody is going to do is average a double-double, drop 20 on his opponent, and keep the tempo with his smooth post-up game.

The knock: He suffers from San Antonio Spurs syndrome. He is good to the point where he is boring. He isn’t going to give you too many highlights, other than an occasional tough finish in the lane, a nice baseline jumper, and maybe some good ball movement to the open man.

The plus: The Big East is tough and loaded with good teams. They should be on television during prime time and probably will make a good tournament run. Learn from the great Terrell Owens—any exposure is good exposure.

One Shining Moment: Harangody lucked out on his biggest opportunity of the year, a chance to abuse Tyler Hansbrough, due to the flu. Although the exposure will be good, that was his shot at greatness.

Ty Lawson, North Carolina

The Numbers: 16.3 ppg, 6.9 assists, 2.8 steals, 54.2 percent three-point

Ty, aka The General, Lawson has been welcomed back with open arms after testing the draft waters. This team does not have the same identity without Lawson on the court.

The knock: He is not a halfcourt player. Is that really a knock unless you play a Syracuse type 2-3 zone walking the ball downcourt like Temple?

The plus: He is knocking down the three. He dictates the tempo as UNC has only had one close game so far this entire season, averaging a 24-point spread.

One Shining Moment: The ACC is becoming more guard-heavy, and Lawson has a chance to prove that he is the cream of the crop, not just Hansbrough’s sidekick.

Fight to the Bell: Round Two of the Fantasy Football Playoffs

Derrick Weathersby — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:39:48 -0500

I am a lucky guy. Not lucky enough to win the lottery, or find $20 on the ground, or even get more food than I ordered at McDonald’s. But boy did I luck up in fantasy football so far.

My running back core is Michael “The Burner” Turner, DeAngelo “The Savior” Williams, and Chris “Dash” Johnson. I know, I know. How in the hell did you land all of those studs?

We won’t get into any particulars but this was a pretty good auction draft. First off, I had the second-best record in the league, and secondly, my wide receivers were garbage. Plus, these guys were actually off the board as fast as your regulars, L.T., Peterson, and Barber, but wow have they produced.

Sensing that my luck was about to turn, the last few weeks I went into battle mode. I dove into heavy training with checking on stats, my matchups, playoffs week schedules, potential suspensions, past games performances, and all the fantasy articles available to read.

After three days, I was in Pacquiao mode. (Side note: Oscar, please retire. We love you. Stick to promotions. Pacquiao beat the brakes off you. That was the fight of the year, nothing even close, but for the wrong reason. Who doesn’t like to see a train wreck, even if it was the Little Engine that Could taking on Amtrak?)

I’m back. After my research, here are a list of key guys for Week 15 that probably are still available of the wire or on someone’s bench that may be bribed with a back room deal of Hooters wings.

Anthony Gonzalez – WR – Colts

The Colts play Detroit. Enough said. The only hope is that they don’t get up too fast too early. And if they do…

Dominic Rhodes – RB – Colts

Does anyone trust Addai to finish a game anymore? Rhodes was a great re-hire for the Colts and should be on your fantasy team also.

Le’Ron McClain – RB – Ravens

Sticking with the AFC, this mammoth of a man strikes the fear of Bettis into opposing defenders and rightfully so. McClain had 63 yards and a TD last time versus the Steelers and it is in the Ravens best interest to keep this game slow and ugly.

Maurice Morris – RB – Seahawks

The Seahawks have been terrible this year, but there is one team in there division that is worse—the St. Louis Rams. Morris didn’t play the first matchup against the Rams and expects to pad some numbers this week. Joining him will be...

Deion Branch – WR- Seahawks

Branch is finally started to mold into the form that Seattle hoped after getting him from the Patriots a few years ago. Branch caught his first two TDs of the year last week and it seems that he is on the same page as Seneca Wallace.

Reggie Williams/Dennis Northcutt – WR – Jaguars

Somebody has to catch the ball now that Matt Jones has finally been suspended. Other that Jones-Drew, Garrard has no other choice but to find one of these two on the field. The Packers gave up 400 yards last week to the Texans.

Shaun Hill – QB – 49ers

Hill has caught on with the Singletary Revolution in the Bay. With Miami next on the slate, and a banged up Frank Gore, look for the 49ers to go Mad Martz and spread the Dolphins out with four wide out sets all day.

Jeff Garcia – QB – Buccaneers

Garcia doesn’t have gaudy numbers, but he is consistent. With 10 tds and only 3 interceptions, Garcia won’t kill you, but he more than likely won’t blow you away either.

Vernon Davis – TE – 49ers

Now that Davis is back in good standing with the coaching staff and the team, look for them to get him more involved in the offense. Look for some bootleg rolls his way and maybe even a few isolation fade routes matched up against big mouth of the south, Joey Porter.

Sleepers

Malcolm Floyd –WR (SD), Cadillac Williams – RB (Tampa), Mark Clayton – WR (Baltimore), Darren Sproles – RB (SD), Davone Bess – WR (Miami)

The Best 11 Rookies in the NBA

Derrick Weathersby — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:55:22 -0500

A month into the NBA season, a few rookies have put a footprint on the season already.

Whether it is as a starter, or contributor off the bench, these guys have proved they are ready for the Rookie vs Sophomores game at All-Star Weekend as a consolation prize to the big show.

The Obvious Choices: Derrick Rose

That's it. That's the list.

Rose is in a class by himself. Not only is he a top-10 fantasy guard, he is the new face of the franchise. He is shouldering the load, facilitating the offense, and taking over late in games.

The knock: Questionable jump shot and turnovers.

The plus: He is a rookie with a rookie coach and a shuffling lineup. He is Deron Williams without the jumper, but with more explosion.

Before the Iverson deal, he was on his way to starting in the All-Star game.

The Next Best: Michael Beasley, OJ Mayo

Mayo has shown a consistent sweet stroke from the arc at 38 percent, but that should steadily improve. Besides, his team is usually playing from behind as their are a young team, so compare Mayo to Durant and see they are about the same.

Beasley on the other hand, he is the second or third option behind a superstar in Wade. Beasley is still adjusted to not being able to overpower people and at times seems a little too passive. As the season progresses, expect his percentages to go up as he gets more comfortable.

The Dark Horse: Rudy Fernandez

Does he have a nickname yet? He needs one bad.

He is Leandro Barbosa 2.0 in the sense that Fernandez could be a starter on a number of other teams, but you love him to come off the bench and light it up. Remember, this is the same guy that was going at Kobe this year in the Olympics and didn't back down.

The Solid Pickups: Mario Chalmers, Marc Gasol, Brook Lopez

If you have wholes in your lineup, plug these guys in and watch them fly...

Chalmers: Had a nine-steal game and is starting to find a consistent three-point stroke. Not going to average 12 PPG, but can bust out for a 25 point performance at any time.

Gasol: He simply needs more touches and stay out of foul trouble. He is averaging near a double-double with only 29 minutes per game.

Lopez: Now that Lopez has cracked the starting lineup, Lopez will average 15 PPG, 10 REB, 2.0 BLK for the remainder of the season. He is better than Oden and looks his age.

The Sleepers: DJ Augustin, Jason Thompson, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love

Augustin : He has turned on the scoring bulb with Richardson out of the lineup. Let's see how he adjusts to going back to coming off the bench. Dropped 7-11 threes on the Hawks a week ago and is still a pass first point guard.

Thompson: He had his best games with Kevin Martin in the lineup. With Martin set to come back, Thompson looks for the middle to open back up. Expect 10 PPG, 8 REB.

Westbrook: New coach has opened up the offense a little more which should help Westbrook get on the court more and play too his strength: Playing fast. Expect 11 PPG, 6 AST, 2.5 STL.

Top 10: Buy Now...It's a Fantasy Football Recession

Derrick Weathersby — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:05:22 -0400

Although the government doesn't want to say it, we are in a recession people. But the good thing (from a fantasy perspective) is that we are only in the early stages. Also, unlike in real life, these stocks are going to turn around a lot faster than the bailout. Here are your top trade-deadline grabs:

Terrell Owens - T.O. has stunk it up. You drafted him in the second or third round expecting...well T.O. type production. Don't get me wrong, T.O. still has 431 yards and five TDs, but November and December usually haven't been kind to the Cowboys, but they have been terrific for T.O. Over the past two years, T.O. has grabbed eight and 10 TDs, respectively after Week Eight, including four on Turkey day last year. With Romo due back soon and Roy E on the other side, T.O. is about as reliable as Cole Hamels down the stretch.
Steve Smith - After sitting in Time Out the first two weeks, Smith has come on hotter than Sarah Palin. With five straight games over 95 yards receiving, he has re-affirmed his status as best WR under 5'11". One thing to realize about Smith: He and his teammates are finally injury free this year. Keep this guy away from the Madden tour bus so the curse doesn't even breathe on him.
LaDainian Tomlinson - So you finally landed the No. 1 pick in the draft and tossed the idea around of Peterson or LT or Brady. Hopefully you didn't choose Brady. L.T. is starting to come into midseason form and, just like last year, had a good game going into the bye. The schedule softens and the Chargers are sure to be going all out trying to regain the crown out West.
Kurt Warner - I am convinced that this guy is doing a reverse DR. Meaning he lied about his age to make himself appear older and more battle tested in order to get into the NFL. Kurt has his full arsenal of weapons again along with a third WR emerging in Breaston. If you didn't realize, the last time Kurt Warner had three good targets he made it to the Super Bowl.
Peyton Manning - Let me first say that the Colts are aging too quickly for my liking. The talent is there but they can't play half of every season with their best defensive player on the sidelines. The sense of urgency has sunk in more than ever and expect Manning to respond. With only one "true test" in Pittsburgh, Manning should pay returns on your investment for the rest of the season.
Ryan Grant - Last year's fantasy HOF is built for this stretch. Actually, his body was probably not used to playing so early in the year. But if last year was any indication, Mr. Grant is about to lead the late-season charge on the frozen tundra. If Minnesota's and New Orlean's bigs in the middle are suspended, Grant will have smooth sailing the rest of the year. Which brings me to...
Adrian Peterson - Peterson has "under-performed" in some predicted good opportunities but what else can you do with Gus Frerotte behind center. That doesn't mean AP doesn't get his opportunities. Just like Barry Sanders before him, all he needs is one shot to turn your world around.
Wes Welker - I am not a big Welker fan, as are most defensive coordinators around the league. That being said, it appears Moss (Randy not to be confused with No. 1 in Fantasy WR Santana) has found his second wind. The beneficiary—Welker—should be getting more consistent dumps with an occasional TD.
Drew Brees - No one is going to throw the ball more than Brees and the Saints this year. With four more dome games, Brees is automatic, having thrown for over 320 yards in each dome game this year. Couple that with RB questions (Bush knee, Deuce suspension?) and a bad defense, Brees is heading for 4500 yards easy.
Titans Defense - They really are that good. This defense has Super Bowl contender all over it. I wonder which defense is more lethal: this one or the Baltimore Ravens circa 2000

Inflation casualties
Steven Jackson - Good player (not great) on a bad team, injury prone, overrated, and doesn't run with an attitude. Have you ever seen SJax mix it up in between the tackles?

Tony Romo - Good player with a knack for going 5150 in big games. Injury or not, he is too Brett Favrish with the ball too me.

Joseph Addai - Good player that just can't put a full season together. He was supposed to be the anti-James, but who has played more games over the past two years?

Larry Johnson - Soon to be the next Shaun Alexander.

Laurence Maroney - See Joseph Addai.

Chad Ocho Nueve Morales Johnson - Good player who talks a good game, walks a good game, and has no quarterback this year.

Fantasy Football: Your Final Push for the Playoffs

Derrick Weathersby — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:14:33 -0400

If you are anything like me, your fantasy football anxiety has peaked. Showing up late for meetings at work, working the waiver wire like a stripper for an extra $2 tip, and staying glued to all the injury/suspension updates, you are going to need all the help you can get to make the playoffs.

If you are .500 and need to finish strong down the stretch, here are some key guys to fetch off the waiver wire or make some key trades for.

Work a deal for:

Randy Moss - He hasn't gone through the motions with the loss of Brady. Besides dropping a sure TD last week, Moss has been quite the trooper. Check out these matchups for the rest of the fantasy season: Indianapolis, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Oakland, and Arizona. How does he not score/post 100 yards in more than two of those?
Any Cardinal WR (Breaston, Boldin, Fitzgerald) - They have only two remaining matchups in which Kurt Warner can find himself eating the turf: Giants and Eagles. Even with those games, he will find one of these studs for at least two TDs. Other matchups include St. Louis twice, San Francisco, Seattle, Minnesota, and New England. With the move to Hightower in the backfield, expect more shotgun sets, thus more aerial assaults. And with that thought...
Tim Hightower - He may sneak up Mewelde Moore style and fill in to this spread system just as well as (or better than) current starter Edgerrin James.
Chris Chambers/Vincent Jackson - Do you see a theme here? Teams are really distributing the looks and the days of the No. 1 WR are down to about five or six teams. With LT looking like LT again, it should be easier to get one-on-one coverage for these guys. Chambers has had some nagging injuries, but should be good to go after the bye. Meanwhile Jackson (and Floyd) has stepped up. Remaining games: Kansas City twice, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Oakland, and Tampa Bay (Fantasy Championship week).
Ronnie Brown - The Wildcat offense has turned into the catch phrase of the year so far. Teams are catching on (and adding it to their arsenal) much like the way the spread has taken over college football. Meanwhile, Ronnie Brown has played himself back into shape. With a potential playoff run in Miami's future, look at who Brown will be running over: Denver, Seattle, Oakland, New England, St. Louis, Buffalo, San Francisco, and Kansas City. I smell Comeback Player of the Year.

For Deeper Leagues

Leon Washington - With four out of five games against questionable defenses, look for Leon out of the backfield on screens and a few draws to rack up points against St. Louis, New England, Denver, and Buffalo. He might even catch Tennessee off guard in their quest for undefeated territory.
Ricky Williams - He is this year's Marion Barber Lite. He is quietly having a decent season and Brown is bound to have a bad half or two where Ricky can spell him and steal a few goal line TDs.
Lance Moore - Marques Colston is not himself yet. Meanwhile, Lance Moore has flourished and it seems Brees still likes him on the radar. With Bush still out, Deuce possibly suspended, and this atrocious defense letting every JV team score on them, the Saints are going to have to air it out to win. Matchups: Atlanta twice, Kansas City, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Detroit.
Matt Jones - Whether or not he gets suspended for three games, he is clearly the only WR in Jacksonville that Garrard trusts around the end zone. Upcoming games are against Cincinnati, Detroit, Tennessee, Minnesota, Houston, Chicago, Green Bay, and Indianapolis. If the suspension happens anytime soon, you can throw out the Tennessee game, which could be his worst performance anyway. Green Bay could cause you problems in the second week of playoffs in the worst case scenario.
Chad Pennington - If you are having inconsistent play at QB (anyone not named Brees or Warner in most cases), Chad is really starting to click in this offense. If Ginn can continue to emerge as a deep threat, look at these matchups where an efficient Chad doesn't overwhelm you, but he sure can be a steady force: Denver, Seattle, Oakland, New England, St. Louis, Buffalo, San Francisco, and Kansas City.

Honorable Mentions

Matt Ryan (Rookie of the Year), Reggie Williams (caught first TF), Cadillac Williams (off the PUP), Donnie Avery (lightning in a bottle), and DeAngelo Williams.