Week Eight Fantasy Football Game of the Week

Week eight in Fantasy Football offers some great matchups.  This week, I will preview the Giants-Steelers matchup as my Fantasy Game of the Week.  I write the preview for my Fantasy Football League often, but this is my first article on Bleacher Report.  I will choose just one team this week, and if there are any questions pertaining to your individual teams, I will be happy to answer them.

As the 5-1 New York football Giants travel to Heinz Field to take on the 5-1 Pittsburgh Steelers, I ask myself if either team has an advantage in this game.

Besides the obvious home field advantage for the Steelers, I feel that these teams are very evenly matched.  The most interesting matchup is the Giants' second-ranked rushing offense against the Steelers' second-ranked rushing defense.

The Giants' backfield is averaging 169.7 yards per game with eight total touchdowns, while the Steelers' defense is allowing only 69.7 yards per game and a total of three touchdowns.  This is truly a strength versus strength matchup.  On paper, this matchup looks to be dead even, but the Steelers' defense has had only one true test at stopping the run, when they played the Jags in week five.

In week one, the Texans had not committed to Slaton yet.  In week two, the Browns tried to pass their way through the game.  In week three, Westbrook left the game with an ankle sprain in the first quarter.  In week four, the Ravens' RB was a fullback named McClain, and in week six they played the Bengals.

My point is that these Giants running backs are something the Steelers have not seen this year.  Until someone finds a way to stop the trio of Earth, Wind, and Fire, I have to give the advantage to Brandon Jacobs and the Giants' rushing offense over the Steelers' rushing defense.

The Giants bring the fifth-best rushing defense to Pittsburgh, which could present problems for the 18th ranked Steelers rushing offense.  The Giants have only allowed two rushing touchdowns and are allowing an average of 84.5 yards per game.  The Steelers have rushed for an average of 109.3 yards per game and five touchdowns (two against the Bengals in week seven).

This number is a reflection of Willie Parker having missed three games, plus a portion of the Philly game.  While his replacement, Mewelde Moore, has had two big games, you have to remember that they were against lesser defenses.  He had 17 carries for 99 yards and no touchdowns against the 13th-ranked Jaguars rush defense, and he had 20 carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns against the 31st ranked Bengals rush defense.

In his one game against a tough defense he had eight carries for 13 yards and no touchdowns against the sixth-ranked Ravens defense.   I think the amount of pressure the Giants can bring makes them the better start over the Steelers' running backs.  That point brings me to the Steelers' pass offense against the Giants' pass defense.

The Steelers' pass offense is ranked 21st in the league, at 189.5 yards per game.  The pressure that they allow will haunt them until they get it fixed; they have allowed their QB to get sacked 19 times already this year.

Stopping the Giants' defensive pressure would be a huge accomplishment in this game, as the Giants have sacked the opposing QB 21 times, which is second in the league behind the Steelers.  This will cause a lot of disruption in the backfield and will make it hard for the Steelers to sustain offensive production and keep their defense off the field.

The same, of course, could also be said for the Giants' pass offense going against the No. 1 ranked Steelers pass defense, which is allowing only 158.7 yards per game and five total touchdowns.  The Steelers have sacked their opposing QBs a league-leading 25 times this year.

Again, do not forget the lesser offenses they have faced this far. 

The Giants' passing offense is averaging 225.3 yards per game with nine touchdowns.  They have only allowed Eli Manning to be sacked six times on the season.  The offensive line's ability to pass block will limit the Steelers' defensive line a little bit and allow Eli to make crucial down-field plays that will keep the drives alive.  But the Steeler pressure could overwhelm the G-men long enough to allow their offense a chance.

In short:

Start

Jacobs against the Steelers' rush defense.

Eli Manning, with his offensive line on fire.

Plaxico Burress and Steve Smith.

Hines Ward, as Big Ben's No. 1 target.

Parker, if he starts.

Steelers and Giants defenses (this will be a low-scoring game).

Heath Miller; Roethlisberger may only have time for short yardage plays.

Sit

Roethlisberger, if you have a replacement QB.

Kevin Boss.

Mewelde Moore (things will be different if he starts against the Giants' defense).

Domenik Hixon.

Santonio Holmes (Ben won't have time to go through his progressions to find him).

Prediction

The Steelers' defense will put up a monster fight and will find out just how good their run defense is.  It will not be good enough, and the Giants will win the game, 17-10.