11/2/09 - Dear Diary,

Just when you think JaMarcus Russell can’t get any funnier, he threw out another comedic gem after Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, uttering the words “I did a pretty good job” after throwing for 109 yards and completing two passes to wide receivers. I’m curious to know what he thinks a bad job looks like, but then again, Derek Anderson would kill for that stat line.

Expect Eli Manning’s struggles to continue this week. Photo Credit: Marianne O'Leary

Here are this week’s starts.

Quarterbacks

Matt Hasselbeck – Hasselbeck’s best games have come against pass defenses ranked 22nd or lower. Oh look diary, they play 27th-ranked Detroit this week.

Donovan McNabb – After a pair of erratic outings, McNabb got back to basics and looked sharp against the Giants with 240 yards and three scores. Another division rival awaits as the Eagles take on a Cowboys defense that has allowed two passing TDs in five of their last six contests.

Running Backs

Ronnie Brown/Ricky Williams – After being shut down against the Jets, this may seem like a stretch. However, the Patriots have allowed four running backs to tally at least 124 total yards, and they’ve allowed double-digit fantasy points to five. Outside of letting their opponents score and hoping Ted Ginn returns the kickoff, these guys are Miami’s best chance to score and keep Tom Brady off the field.

Jamaal Charles – With Larry Johnson suspended, Charles will draw the start versus a Jacksonville run defense that got embarrassed last week. While KC has struggled to run the ball, Charles is averaging 5.3 YPC in his two-year career and has proven to be an effective receiver as well.

Ryan Grant – After being bottled up by Minnesota’s run D, Grant will find Tampa Bay’s unit far more accommodating. Grant registered his best games against St. Louis, Detroit, and Cleveland, which all rank toward the bottom of the league against the run. Guess where Tampa Bay falls? Very good diary, they’re 30th.

Brandon Jacobs – He’s this week’s do or die play. Matt Forte and LaDainian Tomlinson responded in similar situations last week.

Julius Jones – There aren’t many opportunities to recommend a running back averaging 30 rushing yards in his last four games. Still, Jones continues to see the bulk of the carries, which makes him worth a shot against Detroit’s generous run defense.

Bye Week – Yes diary, this player isn’t a household name, but since he’s playing Cleveland this week, he’s a lock for 120 yards and two scores.

Wide Receivers

Dwayne Bowe – Two Chiefs in the same column? I know diary, I need to lay off the sauce. Still, Bowe has touchdowns in four of six contests and posted six catches and 109 yards in another. He had the bye week to rest and faces a Jacksonville defense yielding 247 receiving YPG.

Steve Breaston – Yes diary, I know he let me down a couple weeks ago, but Anquan Boldin’s ankle is severely limiting his game, which means more targets for Breaston. In PPR leagues, he’s posted double-digit fantasy points in all but one game, and even in standard leagues he’s a solid WR3.

Nate Burleson –Burleson has been alternating good and bad games, but against the Lions secondary, he should buck that trend. Overall, Burleson has at least four catches in six of seven games. There are also two key differences between Burleson and teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh. First, Burleson can get separation from opposing corners, and second, he’s not incessantly whining about getting the ball.

Michael Crabtree – I took a wait-and-see approach with Captain Holdout, but I like what I’ve seen so far. With limited practice and no game action, Crabtree has 11 catches and 137 yards in two games. More importantly, he and Alex Smith have some chemistry, which should net him a couple extra targets against Tennessee’s secondary.

Kevin Walter – With Owen Daniels out, opportunity is knocking for Walter. So far this season, though, he’s hasn’t answered, kind of like I do when kids selling overpriced wrapping paper and cheese logs ring my doorbell. He has a tough matchup against the Colts, but without Daniels, I like Walter to become the underneath-route security blanket for Matt Schaub.

Tight End

John Carlson – At this point the only Seahawks I am not recommending against Detroit are the mascot and the peanut guy in section 134. Carlson has been rough lately but the Lions have surrendered seven TDs to opposing tight ends in seven games.

Fred Davis – If you’re like me and lost Owen Daniels, your immediate reaction was to wreck your living room. Now you need TE help, and a new coffee table. Enter Davis, who will keep Chris Cooley’s spot warm as he recovers from ankle surgery. Davis had eight catches for 78 yards and a score against the Eagles, and he faces an Atlanta D allowing 11.3 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends over their last six.

Goodnight, diary…

11/3/09 - Dear Diary,

I could not be more excited for a Sunday where I won’t be subjected to watching the Browns, Raiders, Bills, or Rams. It will be like watching baseball without Tim McCarver. Here are this week’s sits.

Quarterbacks

Eli Manning – The Giants are reeling after another sub par outing against the Eagles, and Manning is now 53-for-107 with six picks in his last three games. Meanwhile, the Chargers pass rush comes in with plenty of confidence after registering 13 sacks in four games. This is a must-win for the Giants, and their best chance is to stick with the run.

Matt Ryan – It’s been a tale of two seasons for Matt Ryan. In the first four games, he completed 66.7 percent of his throws, posted eight total TDs compared to two turnovers, and averaged 7.94 yards per attempt. In the last three, he’s down to a 51.8 percent completion rate, has eight turnovers to five TDs, and boasts a weak 6.11 YPA. After not being sacked for four weeks, he’s taken seven the past two games. This week Ryan faces Washington’s second-ranked pass defense, so keep Matty on ice. Hooray for wordplay, diary!

Running Backs

Rashard Mendenhall – The Broncos have allowed just 3.4 yards per carry (second best in the league) and three rushing TDs to opposing running backs. Mendenhall has lost fumbles in each of the last two contests and hasn’t broken 80 rushing yards since his 165-yard outburst against the Chargers.

Ryan Moats – It’s easy to get caught up in his three-TD fourth quarter, but not so fast, diary. First, Gary Kubiak has been non-committal about his starter. Second, Moats had four career scores entering Sunday’s game. Third, Steve Slaton had 249 rushing yards and three TDs versus the Colts last year. Remember, last week’s trendy RB pickup Shonn Greene posted negative fantasy points.

Knowshon Moreno – Denver’s rookie runner has been slowed down over the past two weeks with 28 carries for 83 yards. He’s also managed to post negative receiving totals in consecutive weeks and has lost three fumbles in the last four games. Correll Buckhalter continues to get around 12 touches per game, and the Steelers have the top-ranked run defense.

Derrick Ward/Cadillac Williams – Apparently the Bucs have decided that practice does not make perfect, which seems like a good move with a rookie QB. Ward and Williams split carries against the Patriots, and the Bucs just aren’t good enough to sustain two fantasy RBs. Actually diary, I’m not sure they can handle one.

Wide Receivers

Antonio Bryant – You may see the four TDs allowed by Green Bay last week and be tempted to start Bryant. Don’t. The Packers have struggled against speedy receivers like Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, and Chad Ochocinco. Bryant, on the other hand, has battled knee injuries and is playing with a rookie QB.

Lance Moore – With four catches and 29 yards in the last two games, he is officially dead to me. That can only mean he’ll go off this week, but I’m sitting him anyway.

Steve Smith (NYG) – You could argue that neither Steve Smith is a great start this week, but the New York version is less likely to punch me in the face, diary. He hasn’t scored or gained over 70 yards in the last four games, and as I said above, the Giants need to focus on the run to win this one.

Roy Williams – He may or may not care if he outperforms Terrell Owens, but I once heard that “in a game of losers, there are no winners.” Williams managed a TD against Seattle, but he has as much chemistry with Tony Romo as I do with co-workers who don’t watch sports. Expect Williams to struggle against Philly’s corners.

Tight Ends

Spencer Havner – I’m not sure whose wife this guy slept with at Yahoo (OK, probably no one’s), but after three TDs in two weeks, he’s still not eligible at tight end in their leagues. It’s just as well because this week’s “Don’t be a sucker” TE will lose value once Jermichael Finley returns.

Greg Olsen – Who knows which Cardinal team will show up, but they haven’t allowed a TD to a tight end since Week Three, and TDs have been Olsen’s only source of value this year. He’s been held under 45 yards in every game but one and averages three receptions a game.

Nighty night, diary…

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