This 5x5 Fantasy Focus weekly segment will highlight the top five fantasy options for the QB, RB, WR, TE, and DEF positions each week. The fifth spot will always be a potential wildcard player for the week. Utilize the information for one and done leagues, a tough fantasy match-up call, or maybe a side bet or two.
 
Here are the week 9 5x5 picks:
 
 
1.Michael Vick tops the list this week. He is averaging nearly 27 fantasy ppg the last five weeks and is going up against a defense that is allowing over 270 passing yards a game (5^thworst) and only has 15 sacks on the year (10^thworst). The last time the Bears played a QB that could run (Cam Newton), they allowed two rushing scores for the QB. Expect 330 passing yards, 60 rushing yards, and four total scores (43.2 pts).

2. There isn’t anything better to fire up a player than to get destroyed by the Rams. Drew Brees is coming off of one of the worst performances of his entire career. Fortunately for him, the Saints get to play the 7^thworst pass defense in the league and they get to do it in New Orleans, where the Saints are 3-0. I have a feeling that Brees will rebound nicely and remind people that he is on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s yardage record. Expect an amazing 420 passing yards and four scores (40.8 pts).
3. No team has allowed anywhere close to as many passing yards as the New England Patriots. Their 323 passing ypg allowed is a full 35 yards worse than the next team on the list. That means Eli Manning is going to have a heck of a day. Expect 360 passing yards and three scores (32.4 pts).

4. Tony Romo gets a chance to rebound from a shellacking in week eight against a Seattle team that has failed to impress this year. Romo is eighth in the league in passing ypg and only has two turnovers in his last three games after having six TOs in his first four. Expect around 300 passing yards and three scores for Romo (30 pts).

5. The final spot as usual is left for a wildcard player. This week that player is Matt Cassel. Cassel is 27^thin the league in passing ypg and has only nine TDs to his 11 turnovers. But the Chiefs are on a roll and are playing at home against a Dolphins team that is 27^thin pass defense and has a league low two picks on the year. Cassel should look early and often to Dwayne Bowe. Expect around 275 yards and three scores for Cassel (29 pts).
 
 
1. We already said how bad the Patriots pass defense is, and this week Hakeem Nicks is doubtful meaning that Mario Manningham will be a beneficiary of that defense and playing time. Manningham should be targeted upwards of 15 times this game. Expect Manningham to end the game with around 120 yards and a pair of scores (24 pts).

2. Dwayne Bowe is going to be a big part of Matt Cassel’s big day just like Nicks is for Manning. Expect him to see a double digit receiving day and finish with 115 yards and two TDs (23.5 pts).

3. You might spot a trend with this third pick; Jeremy Maclin will be targeted quite a few times by Michael Vick against the Bears. He is easily the favorite WR target for Vick….and he won’t be the last Eagle you see on this list. Expect 110 receiving yards and a score (17 pts).

4. Breaking away from the QB-WR trend, we turn to Vincent Jackson. The Packers still haven’t figured out their pass defense and Jackson should get free for at least a deep ball or two. Expect 80 yards and a score (14 pts).

5. The final spot is our wildcard spot. Brandon Lloyd finds himself as the top WR for the lowly Rams. But the Rams are playing the third worst pass defense in the league and are coming off a high with the win over the Saints. Expect Lloyd to be targeted quite often and finish the game with 100 yards and a score (16 pts).
 
1. In the five weeks since his return from injury, Arian Foster is looking like the machine he was last year. He is averaging over 160 yards from scrimmage per game and has not failed to reach at least 100 total yards in all five of those games. That is the definition of consistency. During that stretch Foster has played against four teams with top 16 rush defenses including the 3^rdranked Ravens and the 8^thranked Steelers. What do you think will happen when he plays the 26^thranked Browns defense in Houston? I’m going with an incredible 220 yards and three scores (40 pts).

2. LeSean McCoy makes our list this week. He has 23 receptions to go with his sick 5.6 yard per carry this season and is averaging nearly 130 yards from scrimmage per game. Expect McCoy to see the ball a lot in the 2^ndhalf against a tired defense and rack up around 170 total yards and a pair of scores (29 pts).

3. Believe it or not the New York Jets are allowing the 8^thmost rushing yards in the league. Buffalo is not stupid enough to throw against a corner like Revis so expect Fred Jackson to see the ball in the run game as well as the short pass game. He is averaging over 150 yards from scrimmage this year and that number jumps to 172 yards per game in the four home games for the Bills (all wins). Jackson should see a disgusting 200 total yards and a score (26 pts).

4. One thing we know about the St. Louis Rams is this: they can’t stop the run. This was well defined in their game against Dallas when they allowed a rookie to go for over 250 yards! This week Beanie Wells will be the beneficiary of that porous defense. With Kevin Kolb struggling, expect Beanie to see the rock quite a bit and finish the day with around 130 total yards and a score (19 pts).

5. The wildcard running back for the week is possibly the craziest pick of the week. Kevin Faulk hasn’t played since week two when he took the field last week for the Patriots. He ended the game with a decent yardage total (52 yards), but more importantly he had 11 touches in the game. Expect him to do a lot more with a similar number of touches against a poor rush defense. I think we will see 12-14 touches for 80 total yards and a score (14 pts).
 
 
1.If there is one thing that has any chance of working against the 49ers it is to throw the ball. Their run defense is only allowing 73.4 ypg (1^stin the league) but their pass defense is only 22^ndin the league. That gives Fred Davis a chance to add to his solid numbers. He is easily John Beck’s favorite target and their connection should continue to the tune of 100 yards and a score (16 pts).

2. Jason Witten is averaging nearly six receptions per game and has scored in three of his last four match-ups. He has a favorable match-up this week against a weak pass defense as Dallas plays host to the Seahawks. Expect around eight catches for 90 yards and a score (15 pts).

3.The Bills are 5-2 this season and deserve some respect…I think they will win this week, but one area of weakness is their defense against the pass. They rank 25^thin the NFL and Dustin  Keller should do a good job of taking advantage of that weakness. Expect four or five catches for 60 yards and a score (11pts).

4.Jake Ballard has had 12 catches for over 200 yards in the last three games for the Giants. The Patriots should provide plenty of opportunities for Manning to hook up with a number of receiving options and Ballard should continue to do well. He might not see the end-zone, but expect seven catches and 90 receiving yards (9 pts).

5. Brent Celek only has 20 receptions on the entire season; but over a third of those came last week. I think we could see another great week for Celek as he catches six passes for 70 yards and a score (13 pts).
 
1. I don’t like to pick the road team very often, but when the 49ers head to Washington they should expect good things. The Redskins have looked terrible and the move to John Beck was questionable at best. Expect the 49ers to hold Washington to single digits, get to Beck at least four times on the day, and cause a couple of turnovers (aprox 15 pts).

2. If there is one team that the Seahawks shouldn’t want to face right now, it is the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are great at getting after the quarterback and can really stack teams up at the line. Expect Dallas to hold Seattle to 13 points or less, sack the QB five times, and force a turnover (aprox 13 pts).

3. Cincinnati has proved they are for real on both sides of the ball, but especially on defense. They are facing a Titans team who has had no ground success what-so-ever and the Bengals will attack the QB early and often. Expect the Bengals to hold the Titans to around 12 points, force three turnovers, and sack Hasselbeck a couple of times (aprox 13 pts).

4. The Packers defense has allowed a lot of passing yards, but they have also forced a lot of turnovers. Philip Rivers has thrown for a lot of yards, but also has a ton of turnovers. The match-up should allow Rivers to find a couple of targets deep, but he should also expect to find Charles Woodson and company on numerous occasions. Expect the Packers to allow quite a few yards, around 20 points, but force three turnovers and sack the QB three times (aprox 10 pts).

5. The wildcard defense has to be the Eagles. The Eagles are on a roll, and Monday Night they are going to come out with a fire in their belly. This game will be a “who wants it more” match-up, and the Eagles want it, need it, and gotta have it! Expect the defense, which has been poor at times this season, to be flying all over the field and especially in the face of Jay Cutler. Expect them to allow about 16 points but force a couple of turnovers and get to the QB six times (aprox 10 pts).

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