Baltimore vs. Carolina

This is as obvious a mismatch as you'll find in the NFL.  I love the Ravens and pity the Panthers.

The Ravens are one of the most complete teams in the NFL, but my concern this weekend is that they are too good for their own good.  In other words, expect the Ravens to play conservatively by rushing the ball and letting the defense keep the Panthers from scoring.  This hurts Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason, Todd Heap, and Joe Flacco, while Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are bound to prosper.  In fact, we see Rice as our top fantasy running back this weekend. 

John Fox deserves better than this, but this will have to be his swan song.  First he loses Matt Moore, then Jimmy Clausen, followed by DeAngelo Williams.  Against the Ravens, it doesn't matter who they start in the backfield, you do not want to mess with this defense. 

Good Start: Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin

Middle Of The Road: Joe Flacco, Willis McGahee, Derrick Mason, Steve Smith, Todd Heap

Bad Start:  Tony Pike, Mike Goodson, Jonathan Stewart

 

Buffalo vs Cincinnati

Two of the worst teams go at it this weekend, which means that the Bills have a shot at a winning streak.

The Buffalo Bills played it very conservatively last weekend in order to pull off a win, but against his former team, I expect Ryan Fitzpatrick to have a longer leash, particularly because the Bengals defense rarely puts much pressure on the opposing quarterback.  I also love Fred Jackson these days after his breakout performance last weekend combined with rookie CJ Spiller's injury.

The Bengals can put up some numbers, but they are pretty hit or miss.  Cedric Benson has really struggled recently, but he should return to form against a horrible Bills rush defense.  Carson Palmer should also enjoy some value this weekend hitting his top targets Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. 

Good Start: Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson, Terrell Owens, Steve Johnson

Middle Of The Road: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson, Chad Ochocinco, Lee Evans, Jermaine Gresham

Bad Start:  Jordan Shipley

 

Detroit vs Dallas

After weeks of taking strides, the Lions backpedaled last weekend, while the Cowboys showed an urgency we haven't seen since last season. 

The Lions passing game should be a strength this week against a weak Cowboys secondary.  Even without Matthew Stafford under center, the Lions have proven capable of posting big numbers under Shaun Hill.  The Cowboys defense also surrenders 122 rushing yards per game, so Jahvid Best should have some value.  When it comes to playmakers, Calvin Johnson is an obvious pick and the top ranked wide receiver this weekend, while veteran Nate Burleson has also come around to enjoy some fantasy relevance.  At tight end, Brandon Pettigrew has had some nice games with Hill.

The Cowboys have a ton of talent in the receiving corps including Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten, which makes Jon Kitna a great fantasy start this weekend.  The ground game should also move the ball with ease now that Felix Jones gained some confidence against the Giants. 

Good Start: Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson

Middle Of The Road: Jon Kitna, Shaun Hill, Jahvid Best, Felix Jones, Jason Witten, Brandon Pettigrew

Bad Start:  Kevin Smith, Marion Barber

 

Cleveland vs Jacksonville

The Browns just let one get away last weekend in a great contest against the Jets, while the Jaguars seem to have turned a corner behind David Garrard.

The Browns offer a very conservative offense, which is good news for running back Peyton Hillis.  However, the Jaguars defense is at its worst against the pass, which makes Colt McCoy and Benjamin Watson decent plays this weekend. 

The Jaguars can play like a complete team when David Garrard is at his best.  This means the top receivers Mike Thomas and Mike Sims-Walker will have to get the ball in their hands.  Of course, Maurice Jones-Drew remains the franchise player, and is listed as the tenth best running back this weekend.  Also pay attention to tight ends Mercedes Lewis and Zach Miller, these guys are targeted often by Garrard,

Good Start: Maurice Jones-Drew, Peyton Hillis, Mike Thomas, Mike Sims-Walker, Mercedes Lewis

Middle Of The Road: David Garrard, Mohamed Massaquoi, Benjamin Watson

Bad Start:  Colt McCoy

 

Oakland vs Pittsburgh

Shocking as it may be, the Raiders and Steelers are two defensive-minded franchises vying for a playoff spot.

The Raiders are becoming more balanced by the day on offense.  While Darren McFadden remains the team's top playmaker, Jason Campbell has been taking advantage of the talent that surrounds him including wide out Jacoby Ford, who should line up across from Louis Murphy.  Also, Zach Miller is expected to play this weekend after missing a game due to injury. 

The Steelers were a bit exposed by the Patriots last weekend, though the return of Hines Ward from a concussion is great news for Big Ben Roethlisberger.  Fantasy managers should also hope that the Steelers devote more of the offense to two safety valves: running back Rashard Mendenhall and tight end Heath Miller.  Mendenhall, who is enjoying a fine season, had just 13 touches last weekend.  Miller, on the other hand, has struggled to make an impact on the team's offense following his finest season. 

Good Start: Rashard Mendenhall, Mike Wallace, Hines Ward, Zach Miller

Middle Of The Road: Ben Roethlisberger, Darren McFadden, Louis Murphy, Jacoby Ford, Heath Miller

Bad Start:  Jason Campbell, Michael Bush

 

Seattle vs New Orleans

The Seahawks are clearly much better with Matt Hasselbeck, just as the Saints are banking on the return of Reggie Bush.

What's interesting about the Saints defense this season is that they do not force nearly as many turnovers as a season, ago, yet they allow the fewest passing yards in the NFL.  That's bad news for Matt Hasselbeck, and has us only playing Mike Williams in the receiving corps this weekend.  In the backfield, we still fear the split backfield and suggest avoiding both Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett. 

The Saints passing game should have some value once again and Marques Colston and Lance Moore are the beneficiaries.  We see Drew Brees as the second best quarterback this weekend in the NFL.  We would avoid the Saints backfield, since it is very much split and uncertain thanks to the return of Reggie Bush.

Good Start: Drew Brees, Marques Colston

Middle Of The Road: Marshawn Lynch, Reggie Bush, Lance Moore, Mike Williams, Robert Meachem

Bad Start:  Matt Hasselbeck, Justin Forsett, Ladell Betts, Julius Jones, Deon Butler, John Carlson, Jeremy Shockey

 

Tampa Bay vs San Francisco

Both teams are coming off wins, but the Buccaneers are serious playoff contenders while the Niners are still trying to gain credibility.

The Buccaneers have surprised ua by becoming one of the better young teams in the NFL this season.  Not only has rookie wide out Mike Williams achieved immediate stardom, but Josh Freeman has been very consistent and rookie running back LeGarrette Blount has evolved into a legitimate fantasy threat.  Kellen Winslow will still provide us with the occasional big performance, and Cadillac Williams is still good for one big play per game.  Williams did make some news this week for a DUI arrest, but he should still provide solid production on game day.

The Niners have shocked us as Troy Smith has enjoyed fantasy relevance in two straight game.  The former Heisman winner has grabbed the starting gig from the injured Alex Smith and may never give it back.  Of course, the key to Smith's success is that the defense is focusing on stopping his running back Frank Gore.  That should be the case once again this weekend as the Bucs surrender more than 140 rushing yards a game.  So while Gore should offer some lofty numbers, we rank him as the second best running back this weekend, look for Smith to sneak some passes to Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree. 

Good Start: Frank Gore, Mike Williams, Vernon Davis

Middle Of The Road: LeGarrette Blount, Michael Crabtree, Kellen Winslow

Bad Start:  Troy Smith, Josh Freeman, Josh Morgan, Arrelious Benn

 

Atlanta vs St. Louis

The Falcons and Rams should offer up something of a slugfest this weekend as both teams feature two of the better defenses in the NFL.

The Falcons have perhaps the best wide out in the NFL, and we see Roddy White enjoying the fourth best performance at his position this weekend.  Matt Ryan has also been solid, but the player with the most volatility has been Michael Turner.  We see the Falcons having an average performance this weekend. 

The Rams, meanwhile, have a formidable offense with Steven Jackson playing the lead role.  Sam Bradford has also been solid, but the surprise on this team has been wide out Danny Amendola, who has now scored touchdowns in three straight games.  

Good Start: Roddy White, Danny Amendola

Middle Of The Road: Matt Ryan, Sam Bradford, Steven Jackson, Michael Jenkins, Tony Gonzalez

Bad Start:  Laurant Robinson

 

Green Bay vs Minnesota

Not to get nostalgic here, after all this is only Fantasy Football…but how fitting would it be for the career of Brett Favre to finally come to an end once and for all, at the hands of his former team, the Green Bay Packers. There is a significant chance of that happening come Sunday. The Vikings are a team in distress and have a locker room that becomes more and more broken down with every loss. A lame duck head coach that could be one loss away from receiving his pink slip, and a Quarterback that looks lost, old, broken down, and above all hurt. In come the Green Bay Packers, who though are also hurting, are still managing to play some good football.

Aaron Rodgers has always played with a chip on his shoulder since being named Green Bay starter, but the matchups against the Vikings always mean a little more. Rodgers took this year's first meeting in Green Bay and now finds himself as the 5th  ranked quarterback in this weeks FFCPI. Greg Jennings had a decent game the last time these 2 teams met, and should be a key target for Rodgers during the rematch in the metro dome.

Adrian Peterson is in an unfamiliar spot in this weeks FFCPI. As the #8 back out of the top 5, Peterson finds himself in a matchup against a solid Green Bay defense. It is however a Green Bay defense that he went for over 100 yards against with a score in the last meeting. The Vikings are short at wide receiver so even though Percy Harvins ankle continues to be an issue, he should be ready to go come Sunday.  Tough to tell what to expect or get out of Favre, especially from his post game presser last week. We should know early on in this game what the future of the Vikings season should e, and also who will be under center for it.

Good Start: Adrian Peterson, Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings

Middle of the Road: Percy Harvin, Brandon Jackson,  Visanthe Shiancoe

Bad Start:  Jordy Nelson, Andrew Quarless

 

Giants at Philadelphia

We told you last week that Mike Vick was going to be one of the top quarterbacks performance wise in week 10. However I don't even think that the experts here at FFCHAMPS.com expected what Vick ended up doing on Monday Night. He singlehandedly won matchups for owners across the country, as he became the first player in NFL history to throw for over 300 yards, rush for over 50 yards, pass for 4 touchdowns, and run for 2. If you watched him on Monday, you saw without a shadow of a doubt, one of the greatest Fantasy performances of all time. This week the Eagles welcome the Giants to town, coming off of a weak home performance on the defensive end against the 1-7 Cowboys and their backup QB John Kitna.

The Matchup will also featurethe top rushing teams in the NFC, with Philadelphia ranking first at 151.1 yards per game and New York at 146, lead by Ahmad Bradshaw who is third in the league with 838 yards for the Giants. Steve Smith should also be out for a 2^nd week, and despite what some may say,his presence as a go to 3^rd down receiver was definitely missed last week against Dallas. Eli finds himself as the 7^th ranked Quarterback in our FFCPI as Vick stays in the top 5 at #4. Its always an interesting affair when these 2 teams meet, and because of the history of their quarterbacks, it should be no surprise that Desean Jackson and Hakeem Nicks are top 10 wide receivers to watch for come Sunday night.
Good Start: Mike Vick, Eli Manning, Hakeem Nicks, Desean Jackson, Ahmad Bradshaw, Lesean Mccoy

Middle of the Road: Mario Manningham, Jeremy Maclin

Bad Start: Brandon Jacobs

 

Washington vs Tennessee

What will the Mike Vick hangover have in store for the Washington Redskins. What will the Tyler Thigpen hangover have in store for the Tennessee Titans? Those answers and more to be shared this Sunday in Tennessee as the 7-point underdog (wow) Redskins come into town.

A Quarterback as mobile as Vince Young, should benefit from the weak Washington defense, which allowed Mike Vick to post some historic numbers last week. At the time same there is the question of Young staying healthy.  Chris Johnson of all people should also be benefiting from this matchup, as the stud running back finds himself as the #3 RB in this weeks FFCPI. Should be interesting to see if Randy Moss makes an impact this week after being held to only one reception in his Titans debut.

Last week was an anemic effort for the Skins, on both sides of the football. Donovan Mcnabb threw for 295 yards versus his former team but also was intercepted three times. Mcnabb could prove this week why the Skins decided to give him that lengthy deal by exploiting a Tennessee secondary that has allowed six TD passes of 20 yards or longer. When you think big play touchdowns on Washington, Anthony Armstrong is the first name that comes to mind. Though not a solid start, Armstrong is one of five players in the NFL averaging more than 20 yards per reception with a minimum of two catches per game, and his 22.6 average is the highest in team history since 1952.

Good Start: Chris Johnson, Randy Moss

Middle of the Road: Donovan Mcnabb, Vince Young, Nate Washington, Santana Moss, Keiland Williams

Bad Start: Anthony Armstrong, Chris Cooley, Bo Scaife

 

Houston vs Jets

Interesting to see how the odds makers look at this one. The Texans have certainly been the victims of some hard luck losses this season. All you have to do is look at last week's loss at Jacksonville. At the same time, the Jets have had some helpful instances against teams, which have allowed them to escape from the jaws of defeat with some lucky victories. Just look at overtime last week. So why would the Texans be 7-point dogs, with such a high-powered offense, going against a team like the Jets, that still have not dominated any teams.

Week in and week out, we always look at the Wide Receiver matchups that are going up against the Texans secondary. Week to week they do not disappoint. Look for Dustin Keller and Braylon Edwards to exploit the week secondary, as they will be the main targets of Mark Sanchez.

The Texans are last in the NFL with 409.7 yards allowed per game, and the NFL's leading rusher Arian Foster was held to 56 yards against the Jaguars. That doesn't mean good things for Houston when going up against a Jets defense that ranks 5^th in the league with an average of 89.6 rushing yards allowed. However the Jets secondary is not what it was last year, and that should be where Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson come into play. Though Schaub was hospitalized earlier in the week, the Texans expect him to start under center on Sunday. Johnson caught nine passes for 146 yards and a touchdown last week, giving him a TD catch in three straight contests. He has three 100-yard games in his last four.

Good Start: Dustin Keller, Braylon Edwards, Arian Foster, Andre Johnson

Middle of the Road: Ladanian Tomlinson, Mark Sanchez, Santonio Holmes, Matt Schaub

Bad Start: Shonne Greene, Owen Daniels, Jacoby Jones

 

Arizona vs Kansas City

The Chiefs defense got embarrassed last week at Denver, while giving up 49 points in the process. The Cardinals themselves have not exactly been playing their best football as of late either. Arizona are losers of four straight, are second-to-last in the league in total yards per game (289.1), offensive touchdowns (13) and passer rating (61.7).

The Kansas City running attack has been among the best in the NFL. Last week they were held in check against the Broncos, but that should have been just a bump in the road. Look for them to rebound this week against the weak Cardinals defense. Jamal Charles finds himself as the 4^th overall quarterback in this weeks FFCPI. Matt Cassel has also played very well as of late, throwing 12 touchdowns and only one interception in his last  five games.

The Cardinals have a running attack which is non existant.By failing to crack 55 yards in two straight games and four of six, the running attack (or lack there of) has made It even more hard on Derek Anderson and the passing game to establish any sort of consistency. Larry Fitzgerald still finds himself as the #3 wide receiver on our FFCPI, though it will not be as easy for him to become that guaranteed scoring option from now on, as he was with Kurt Warner in seasons passed.

Good Start: Matt Cassell, Jamal Charles, Larry Fitzgerald, Dwayne Bowe

Middle of the Road: Thomas Jones, Dexter Mccluster

Bad Start: Derek Anderson, Tony Moeaki, Chris Chambers

 

Indianapolis vs New England

Always a classic regular season matchup and even more so when these teams meet in January. This however is not your average Colts/Pats year. Though the wins translate onto paper for the Colts, the injuries to Mannings offense have certainly taken a toll on his Fantasy production. Tom Brady on the other hand has seen a second coming since Randy Moss left the team, and has taken charge once again as the on the field emotional leader for New England.

Defenses have changed their approach against the Colts. More attention then usual is paid to Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon, thus leaving some more room for tight end Jacob Tamme to get some looks. Though he has been somewhat of a reliable target for Manning, he is not what Dallas Clark was, or the slot receiver the likes of Austin Collie. Manning is still Manning, and finds himself as the top rated Quarterback in our FFCPI for the week, though it is still of some concern that his top 2 receivers may both see double teams from here on out.

Should be interesting to see what Tom Brady now looks like againstColts without Randy Moss. Brady has had an incredible last two weeks but the results came in games against awesome run defenses, thus forcing New England to utilize the passing game. This week when the Colts come to town, Benjarvus Green-Ellis should be getting plenty of looks against a Colts run defense that is giving up a good chunk of yards per carry. Wes Welker could also come of usage in the slot should the linebackers come in to attack the run, thus making him a vital cog this week in any PPR league

Good Start: Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Wes Welker, Jacob Tamme

Middle of the Road: Benjarvus Green-Ellis, Joseph Addai

Bad Start Aaron Hernandez, Danny Woodhead

 

Denver vs San Diego

This weeks Monday night game will see a battle of divisional rivals with two of the top passing quarterbacks in the league squaring off as Kyle Orton will travel to San Diego to duel off with Philip Rivers. Both of these quarterbacks can easily have 300 + yard passing games, and Monday night should turn into an aerial show.

Rivers finds himself as the 3^rd ranked quarterback on this weeks FFCPI. As impressive as Orton has been, San Diego's secondary is among the best in the league. There may be a fair mix of running and passing as an offensive attack for the Broncos against the Chargers, but it will be tougher then usual for Orton to be successful on his attempts. Brandon Lloyd  continues to be Orton's favorite target, and finds himself as the #11 WR on the FFCPI for Week 11. Though Antonio Gates is questionable, he should play, and remains the top tight end and #1 go to guy for Rivers.

Good Start: Philip Rivers, Kyle Orton, Brandon Lloyd, Antonio Gates

Middle of the Road: Malcolm Floyd, Knowshon Moreno

Bad Start: Ryan Matthews

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