B/R Quick Pick Challenge: Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo, Other Top Plays in Week 3
The more I play it, the more I find that the Quick Pick Challenge here on B/R is a great way for fantasy players of all types to come together and prove their fantasy prowess.
It's free to enter, and the grand prize is two tickets to this year’s Super Bowl.
Miss a week? No problem—you’re still eligible to win the weekly prize, which is a jersey of your choice.
Sounds like a no-brainer to me.
But as I’ve recommended this contest to friends and some family members, I’ve heard quite a few people saying “I don’t understand the rules,” or “I don’t know enough about fantasy football.”
I’m here to help, friends. Maybe it'll cost me a jersey one week, but I like a challenge.
Let’s start with the rules. Each week, players will choose a lineup that includes one of each of the following:
- Quarterback
- Running Back
- Wide Receiver
- Tight End
- A Team That Will Win Its Game
The catch is that players only get to choose the player once throughout the season—so picking the right matchup for each player is of significant importance.
The NFL is a somewhat of a crapshoot from week-to-week, but understanding matchups and opportunities is an area that can be used to help make informed decisions throughout the Quick Picks contest here at Bleacher Report.
One major thing to keep in mind with this contest is that the perceived top players may not be the best players to put in your lineup early in the year.
Because we only get to use them once throughout the season, players should consider that there may be better opportunities for the top players as the season goes along.
Although strictly copying my picks will likely not lead you to win this contest, these picks may be a good guideline for visitors who might be wondering what to do at a position or two.
On to the picks!...
PLAY: Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys (at Houston Texans)
1 of 10
The Cowboys may be 0-2, but quarterback Tony Romo is passing the ball at a tremendous rate. Romo is currently second in the league in passing yardage, only behind Peyton Manning, with 656 yards.
Better yet, the Cowboys face a Houston Texans team which has allowed a 400-yard passer in both games this season, confirming suspicions that the team would miss veteran cornerback Dunta Robinson, who left in free agency.
The Cowboys are currently passing the ball more often than any team in the league, so Romo could very well be the next member of the 400 club.
Dallas desperately needs a win this week and they will surely look to Tony Romo to keep pace with Texan's quarterback Matt Schaub (who is also a good play this week).
Other Good Options
Donovan McNabb, QB, Washington Redskins (at St. Louis Rams)
Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers (at Seattle Seahawks)
Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
AVOID: Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants (vs. Tennessee Titans)
2 of 10
Eli Manning and the Giants are coming off a disappointing loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football where Manning couldn’t out-dual his brother in the passing game.
He threw for just 163 yards and two touchdowns while throwing an interception and fumbling three times in the performance.
The Giants will certainly try to get Eli Manning back on track this week, but the best way to do that may actually be to take some of the pressure off of him by running the ball with running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.
The Titans are currently ranked first in the NFL in passing yards-against, allowing just 85.5 yards per game through the first two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Titans’ run defense, currently ranked 21st in the league, seems to be the weak spot.
Look for Manning and the Giants to play ball-control offense this week, which could lead to lower-than-expected fantasy numbers for this passing game.
PLAY: Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco 49ers (at Kansas City Chiefs)
3 of 10
Frank Gore once again threw his name into the discussion of “best running back in the NFL” after his week two performance against the defending champion New Orleans Saints.
Though his 49ers eventually fell victim to last-minute heroics from Drew Brees, Frank Gore had a huge game with 168 total yards and two touchdowns.
It should go without saying, but the San Francisco offense revolves around getting the ball in No. 21’s hands. When defenses shut him down, it’s very rare that the rest of the offense get clicking.
With quarterback Alex Smith struggling and the Chiefs being very inconsistent in stopping the run, the 49ers will likely turn again to Gore early and often—and he should make his fantasy owners very happy again.
Other Good Options
Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Detroit Lions)
Pierre Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints (vs. Atlanta Falcons)
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
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AVOID: Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions (at Minnesota Vikings)
4 of 10
The rookie of the year award goes through—Detroit?
“Wow.”
That’s about all that can be said about Best’s week two performance against the Eagles. Best exploded for 242 yards of offense and three touchdowns in one of the biggest rookie fantasy performances we have ever seen.
But now it’s time to calm those expectations.
The Minnesota Vikings are a perennially excellent run defense and 2010 is no different. Even after facing the run-heavy Miami Dolphins, the Vikings remain in the top-10 in rushing yards allowed and have allowed just one touchdown on the ground in two games.
Best is becoming a fantasy juggernaut, but this simply is not the best time to use him.
PLAY: Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys (at Houston Texans)
5 of 10
Two Cowboys on the list? Absolutely.
As the NFL’s leading receiver, Miles Austin has to be considered one of the absolute best matchups this week in fantasy football. No matter the area of the field, no matter the situation, Austin is Tony Romo’s first look—and with the Cowboys passing as often as they do, that’s a beautiful thing to be.
Whether it’s the Texans’ offense scoring too quickly or their secondary just not being very good, Houston has been absolutely scorched by opposing receivers so far this season.
The NFL’s top receiver versus the worst-ranked pass defense? Yes, please.
Other Good Options
Andre Johnson, WR, Houston Texans (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
Randy Moss, WR, New England Patriots (vs. Buffalo Bills)
Anquan Boldin, WR, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Cleveland Browns)
AVOID: Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
6 of 10
Someone needs to start a charity for awesome, hard-working players like Steve Smith and Steven Jackson who are stuck in these awful fantasy situations.
It’s really not his fault, but this just isn’t a good situation for Smith at all.
The Panthers are starting a rookie at quarterback against a team that just held Joe Flacco and the star-studded Ravens offense to 10 points while forcing four interceptions.
Smith is the only legitimate threat that the Panthers have in the passing game and the Bengals know that—he’ll be blanketed by multiple players all day.
PLAY: Chris Cooley, TE, Washington Redskins (at St. Louis Rams)
7 of 10
This just in—Donovan McNabb loves throwing to tight ends. In an unrelated story, Brent Celek is crying himself to sleep while cursing the fantasy gods.
Currently sixth in the NFL in yards for a tight end, Chris Cooley has had a nice return to fantasy excellence with his new quarterback.
Cooley and McNabb have it all working right now and he is being targeted more than any Redskins receiver not named Santana Moss and has scored more fantasy points than all of them.
There’s no reason to believe that the Rams are going to be the first team to stop this lethal combination, so get him in your lineup while he and McNabb are both still healthy.
Other Good Options
Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego Chargers (at Seattle Seahawks)
Dustin Keller, TE, New York Jets (at Miami Dolphins)
Jermichael Finley, TE, Green Bay Packers (at Chicago Bears)
AVOID: Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys (at Houston Texans)
8 of 10
The Cowboys’ leading pass-catcher for three straight seasons, it seems as if that streak will be coming to an end in 2010.
Normally Tony Romo’s consistent safety valve, Witten has caught just eight of the 16 passes thrown his way this season for only 78 yards and he hasn’t hit the end zone yet.
Given the struggles that the Cowboys have had at offensive tackle this season with pass protection, Jason Witten is being relied on more as a blocker in 2010.
While Witten is an excellent all-around tight end and may be one of the best blockers at his position in the entire league, there aren’t many fantasy leagues out there that reward points-per-block—and the Bleacher Report Quick Pick Challenge certainly isn’t one of them.
Though the Texans have struggled to stop tight ends in this early season, both Chris Cooley and Dallas Clark are currently much higher up on the receiving food chain for their respective offenses than is Witten.
The Cowboys will eventually get their pass protection problems fixed, but with Mario Williams on the other side of the ball, Witten’s pass-protection skills will be needed on Sunday.
PLAY: New England Patriots (vs. Buffalo Bills)
9 of 10
You know that a team is in bad shape when they make the conscious decision that Ryan Fitzpatrick gives them their best chance to win a game.
That’s where Buffalo is at right now.
Having only scored 17 points in two games, the Bills take their anemic offense to New England where they will face the defending AFC East champion New England Patriots.
The Patriots are coming off a tough loss at the hands of their division rival New York Jets in Week 2, and they will certainly be looking to make an example out of the Bills.
New England has beaten Buffalo 13 consecutive times, and the Brady-led Patriots have won 21 consecutive home games.
This one has blowout written all over it.
Other Good Options
Minnesota Vikings (vs. Detroit Lions)
Baltimore Ravens (vs. Cleveland Browns)
Cincinnati Bengals (at Carolina Panthers)
AVOID: Arizona Cardinals (vs. Oakland Raiders)
10 of 10
At first glance, this game looks like an easy win for the Cardinals—but don’t be so quick to write off the Raiders.
Sure Oakland is a perennially bad team, but they actually seem to be turning over a new leaf this season.
After benching quarterback Jason Campbell in the middle of last Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams, head coach Tom Cable turned to veteran QB Bruce Gradkowski who turned the struggling offense around, leading the Raiders to their first victory of the season.
Though Gradkowski isn’t an exciting name for fantasy owners, the team seems to play significantly more inspired while he’s in the game.
On the other side, the Cardinals are coming off an embarrassing blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2—a game in which they only scored seven points on the day and quarterback Derek Anderson was eventually benched for backup Max Hall.
Though Anderson will start Sunday’s game, there is no doubt that this team is missing Kurt Warner and that the offense is struggling mightily without his leadership.
The Cardinals are currently 4½ point favorites, but this win may not be as easy as it looks.
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