Category: FANTASY

I’ve been playing, and winning at Fantasy Sports since the very beginning.  Pay close attention to my analysis, and win big.

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FANTASY

2018 Fantasy Football Breakouts – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-43

My Potential Breakouts

It’s July and the Fantasy Football Season is finally upon us. The usual off season shenanigans have led to a few suspensions. A few Players have announced that they are retiring. There’s always the talk about whether Tom Brady can keep up his high level of play for another year. Well I’m not interested in any of that. During the off season I’m only interested in figuring out one thing. Who are going to be the breakout players next season? Well I have selected eight players that should have the opportunity to put up some serious Fantasy Football numbers this year. I’ll begin with the Quarterback.

QUARTERBACK

Deshaun Watson
– If it wasn’t for the injury he sustained to his ACL in the first week of November last Season there’s no way he would be on this list. Deshaun Watson looked so good in the 7 games he played that I made a pretty big trade for him after week 5. He was on pace to eclipse 4000 yards and 40 touchdowns. I’ll take those numbers any day. Had he been healthy he could have finished the season with more fantasy points then Tom Brady. That’s all it will take for Deshaun Watson to have a breakout season. He just has to stay healthy. I’ll definitely be targeting him in drafts. There’s a good chance that a lot of Fantasy Football managers will be worried about picking a player coming back off a torn ACL. Well I’m not. Modern medicine has made the career ending ACL injury a thing of the past.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Josh Gordon
– I really struggled with whether I should include Josh Gordon in this list or not. In 2013 he put up amazing numbers. He had 87 receptions for 1646 yards with 9 of those being for touchdowns, and got selected to the Pro Bowl. So can a player who has demonstrated that kind of ability be considered as a potential 2018 breakout? The answer is yes. Josh Gordon finds himself in a rather unique situation after missing almost three Seasons due to suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy multiple times. He finally returned to the field for the first time since 2014 at the end of last season. Although we didn’t get to see much of him. It was enough for me to recognize that although he’s been away from the game for awhile, his skills haven’t diminished. With an improved situation in Cleveland, and a much better Quarterback throwing him the ball. This could be the official return of Josh Gordon as a truly dominant Wide Receiver to the NFL. I would draft him as a high end number 2 with upside, or a low end number 1 if I went RB – RB to start the draft.

Will Fuller V
– You have already read how I feel about Deshaun Watson. Well I expect Will Fuller to be one of the major beneficiaries of that arm talent. Best of all there’s a very good chance that he will get overlooked by most people and fall in drafts. The main reason that might happen is because he isn’t the number 1 Wide Receiver on the Houston Texans. That honour belongs to what has to be considered one of the top 5 Wide Receivers in the league DeAndre Hopkins. Do I expect him to compete with DeAndre Hopkins for the top spot in Houston? Hell no! What I do expect to see him do is plenty of endzone celebrations. It took a few games for Will Fuller V and Deshaun Watson to get in sync last season but once they did they hooked up for 7 touchdowns in 4 games. SEVEN TOUCHDOWNS IN 4 GAMES! Sorry it just had to be said once more. That’s just ridiculous. Even if you count the first three games where their timing was off, that’s still an average of one touchdown per game. Across a full season that’s 16 touchdowns, or 96 fantasy points in standard leagues and 112 points in PPR before you calculate yardage. Sign me up for some of that. If I don’t draft Will Fuller V somewhere in the middle rounds of my draft I’ll hate myself a little. Trust me when I tell you that you had better be willing to do the same or suffer the consequences.

DeVante Parker
– Parker makes this list because for the first time in his career he should be the man in Miami. He has spent the last couple of seasons being overshadowed by one of my favourite PPR monsters Jarvis Landry. Although DeVante Parker is more of a true number 1 Wide Receiver, Landry was targeted so often in Miami that it didn’t leave much for anyone else to shine. Well Landry is in Cleveland now, and Miami appears to be ready to open up the offense a little more. The Player who should benefit the most is DeVante Parker. He could finish the season as a low end number 1, but you might be able to draft him as your number 2, or even number 3 he’s so under the radar.

Mike Williams
– I was a big Mike Williams fan in the 2017 draft, and when he got selected by the Chargers I figured he would have a good rookie season. Well a series of injuries prevented that from happening. I did see just enough to know that I was correct about his ability. Missing most of his rookie season could actually be a blessing in disguise. Wide Receiver is one of the most difficult positions to transition into the NFL with. They need to learn a whole new playbook. The catch windows are smaller. The Cornerbacks are smarter, faster, and bigger. They need to get in sync with a new quarterback. There are a lot of reasons why I generally don’t draft rookie Wide Receivers. Well Williams has had a full Season to study the playbook, and get a feel for the offense. I’m sure he’s spent a lot of time with Philip Rivers to get a sense of his timing. I just have a feeling that although Keenan Allen is Rivers’ number 1 target. It’s my belief that Williams will get a lot of targets in the endzone. Do yourself a favour and draft him.

JuJu Smith-Schuster
– This probably won’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. With a name like JuJu Smith-Schuster it’s hard to miss his highlight reel catches from last season. I’m not even sure the Pittsburgh Steelers knew what kind of a talent they had in JuJu until about midseason last year. That’s why I believe that although he had a great season last year, JuJu Smith-Schuster could have an even better one this year. His targets per game doubled in the second half of last season. Those kinds of target numbers should continue from Week 1 of this Season. I’m sure the Steelers have made some changes to their playbook to specifically target him more this season as well. It might require a bit of a reach in some drafts to get him but he might be worth it.

RUNNING BACKS

Dalvin Cook
– Dalvin Cook is another rookie who was on his way to having a great Fantasy Football Season when he got sidelined by injury. Like Deshaun Watson in suffered a torn ACL and only got to play in a few games. In those few games we got to see a Running Back that was strong through the line, elusive, and could catch out of the backfield. In the four games he played he went over 100 scrimmage yards twice while splitting time with Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray. Now McKinnon is gone, and although I do expect Latavius Murray to get some of the short yardage work. Dalvin Cook is sure to be the lead back in Minnesota. The addition of Kirk Cousins with his ability to throw the deep ball will only help create additional space at the line of scrimmage. I expect Dalvin Cook to have an exceptional season.

Derrick Henry
– I am a huge Derrick Henry fan. I have been since before he entered the league. He is an absolute monster of a Running Back. If you are a fan of Marshawn Lynch, then pay attention to Derrick Henry because he should be the next “beast mode” in the NFL. As a Tennessee Titan he was forced to take a back seat to DeMarco Murray. It’s only for that reason he hasn’t already established himself as a number I Running Back. This Season I expect the Tennessee Titans to finally utilize him as their lead back which will mean more touches, more opportunities, and more touchdowns. By midseason if he isn’t on your roster, you will be trying to figure out a way to trade for him. Don’t put yourself in that position. Just draft him when you have the chance.

Hopefully I’ve provided you with a little extra ammunition against the other Managers in your league.  Good luck this Season.

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NFL Rookie Minicamps – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-42

Don’t believe the hype!

It’s that time of year when interesting news about the NFL is at a minimum.  There’s no combine to get us speculating.  The draft is over so that means the 286 mock drafts you studied were all proved to be totally wrong.  Any of the Free Agents you were really interested in are already signed.  The only things happening at this particular moment are Rookie Minicamps.  As a result of this the NFL Insiders really have nothing better to do than exaggerate everything they see happen.  When you here someone speculate that Derrius Guice could be the next Marshall Faulk because he caught two passes during a drill in the Rookie Minicamp.  Do yourself a favour and don’t just take that statement with a grain of salt.  Take it with the whole damn salt shaker!  I came across an article that described Baker Mayfield as the second coming.  Not only did he complete three straight passes, but it was to two different Receivers!  I hope the Patriots had a spy close by to take notes so they can properly game plan for him.  What’s really disappointing about the information that industry Insiders choose to share with the masses, is that they only focus on the obvious stars!

What about the undrafted Free Agents?

If you are a true fan of NFL football, then you will know of at least a couple Undrafted Free Agents that went on to become Superstars.  I’m talking about the Tony Romo, Kurt Warner, or Antonio Gates type of Player.  Could there be a Player of that caliber picked up a few days after the draft?  Has anyone that we don’t already know about show some real promise in the Rookie Minicamp?  If there is I’d absolutely love to hear about it!  I’m going to go out on a metaphorical limb here, and say that we won’t hear about anyone.  You can be damn sure that by week 1 of the NFL Season there will be a few names of Players that you didn’t hear a peep about until they lit it up during the Preseason.  One day they seemingly don’t exist, then during the third game of the Preseason they make a highlight reel play, and every NFL Insider has full chapter and verse on them.  It happens in mere seconds.  Sure they have Player profiles in their database on every Player.  That’s not what this is.  They already saw the potential in the Rookie Minicamp, OTAs, and full team training camps.  They just never had the guts to go on the record, and make a real prediction.  Better to say absolutely nothing than to risk being wrong.

And that’s precisely why!

All you are going to hear about over the next couple of weeks are safe predictions about first or second Round draft selections.  You will get tidbits of information about Players that provide a suitable scandal, or human interest story.  What I can promise you is that anything you hear shouldn’t effect who you plan on keeping in your Keeper league, or selecting in your Fantasy draft.  Unless they get injured of course.  Well that’s just a part of football.  If you didn’t know that you probably shouldn’t be playing Fantasy.

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FANTASY

All Mocked out – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-41

I’ve had enough already!

One week left to the NFL draft and I’ve probably seen 30 mock drafts by now.  It’s actually more than 30 but eventually you just stop counting.  It’s bad enough that every online NFL News website has at least 3 mock drafts posted by now.  When you factor in that the NFL Network has a show that’s been running all month that’s dedicated to analyzing each and every analyst’s personal mock.  The subtle differences become lost, and essentially meaningless when you’ve heard so many reasons why Cleveland should take Josh Allen, or maybe Sam Darnold.  Maybe  Saquon Barkley is the right choice, or Josh Rosen looked really good at his pro day.  Definitely one of those guys should be the first player taken in the draft.  Unless you are in agreement with the analysts that believe Baker Mayfield is the sure thing.

Hopefully I wasn’t being too subtle

Who knows how many more mock drafts I will have the unfortunate opportunity to experience before the actual draft puts an end to it.  If you actually believe that any one of the mocks you’ve had the displeasure of seeing is right?  Well then I have a mint condition numbers matching frame off restoration 1952 Chevrolet Corvette for sale that you might be interested in.

Really!  No not really.

In case you aren’t an afficionado of classic American automobiles.  It might interest you to know that the first Chevrolet Corvette was unveiled in 1953.  There’s no such thing as a 1952 Chevrolet Corvette.  Just as there’s no such thing as a correct mock draft.  That’s why they are called MOCK drafts!

MOCK adjective : not authentic or real, but without the intention to deceive.

In layman’s terms it means some totally made up crap.  It’s purpose isn’t really to educate.  The primary purpose of a mock draft is to entertain.   If that truly is the case then I just have to say.  The majority of analysts are doing a pretty poor job.

Don’t focus on the Player.  Focus on the situation.

When you are making predictions that you admit aren’t authentic or real.   It wouldn’t hurt you to make predictions like Baker Mayfield third overall to the New York Jets.  Then extrapolate that his youthful exuberance, and competitive spirit will win him the starting job.  Teddy Bridgewater will be cut, but signed almost immediately when Sam Bradford gets injured in the preseason.  Bridgewater goes from being the third string Quarterback in New York to leading the Arizona Cardinals back to the playoffs.  Now that’s a mock draft pick that I would be interested in hearing about.  Unfortunately that’s not going to happen because the NFL analysts are afraid of making mock predictions that are too far from being possible.  The irony is that none of their mock drafts really are.

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Free Agent Fantasy Fallout – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-40

My how things have changed

Quite a few Players have found themselves in new surroundings.  Some will become Fantasy Football relevant, while others… Well I’ll let you decide.

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

Arizona Cardinals –  

Sam Bradford:  I see the addition of Sam Bradford as a good one.  Still this is first and foremost David Johnson’s team.  I wouldn’t draft Sam Bradford.

Baltimore Ravens – 

Michael Crabtree: he should establish himself as the true #1 Wide Receiver.  I would definitely draft him.

John Brown: should see an increase in targets, but still remain the third option in Baltimore. I wouldn’t draft him.

Buffalo Bills –

A.J. McCarron: totally unproven as a starter.  Minimal weapons available to him in Buffalo.  I wouldn’t draft him. Worth keeping an eye on if Buffalo picks up some targets in the draft.

Chris Ivory: just acquired to be McCoy’s backup.  Do not draft him.

Carolina Panthers – 

Torrey Smith: should be a more featured part of the offense in Carolina.  If Cam connects with him in the offseason I’d draft him.

Chicago Bears – 

Allen Robinson: could have a breakout Season as the new #1 Receiver in Chicago.  Underutilized in 2017 could have him fall in drafts.  I’d draft him if he falls to me after the 50th pick.

Taylor Gabriel: speedster that can keep defences honest.  Potential big play ability, but I see him as more of a decoy. I won’t be drafting him.

Trey Burton: sure to become Mitchell Trubisky’s safety net.  Potentially great in PPR formats.  I will take a late Round flyer on him.

Cleveland Browns – 

Tyrod Taylor: Cleveland is where many Quarterbacks have gone to die.  Not Tyrod Taylor though.  I think Tyrod can have his best Fantasy Season yet.  He could become a sneaky good Top 10 QB this Season.  I’m drafting him as a capable backup QB with upside.

Carlos Hyde: veteran leadership with 3 down ability.  Duke Johnson is still there so he won’t be asked to carry the load by himself.  Still Hyde will get plenty of opportunity to shine in Cleveland.  I expect him to have a decent Season but see him as a mid Round pick.

Jarvis Landry: if you play in a PPR league then you know what Landry is capable of.  His targets could actually increase in Cleveland. Draft him in PPR before someone else does.

Denver Broncos –

Case Keenum: the Broncos could have picked up any of the available QBs in free agency and upgraded at the position.  Case Keenum goes from one great situation to another one.  To me though Denver is still a Defence first team.  Keenum won’t be asked to put up huge numbers.  I won’t be drafting him.

Detroit Lions –

LeGarrette Blount: the move to Detroit isn’t an advantageous one.  The Running game hasn’t been anything to brag about since Barry Sanders retired.  Blount should end up being their short yardage back, and that’s about it.  I won’t draft him.

Green Bay – 

Jimmy Graham: I love Jimmy Graham’s ability.  I don’t like the move to Green Bay though.  Most QBs look for their Tight Ends or Running Backs when they are forced to scramble.  Aaron Rodgers actually prefers to look downfield for his Wide Receivers.  Jimmy Graham will still be a Top Tight End, but I wouldn’t draft him before Gronkowski, Kelce, Ertz, or Kyle Rudolph.

Jacksonville Jaguars –

Donte Moncrief: if Moncrief can adjust to the Jacksonville system quickly enough.  He should see an increased workload, and produce solid numbers.  Still there are many Wide Receivers in better situations.  I won’t be drafting him.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins: Seferian-Jenkins could be the surprise pick of your draft next Season.  Exactly the kind of target Blake Bortles needs to get back to the playoffs.  While other fantasy Managers burn early Round picks on Gronkowski, Ertz, and Graham.  You can wait and grab Seferian-Jenkins a couple Rounds later.  You can thank me after.

Kansas City Chiefs –

Sammy Watkins: everyone expects Watkins to be a Top tier talent year after year.  While the move to Kansas City has improved his situation.  He still shouldn’t be seen as a WR1.  I do see him as a solid WR2, and I’ll draft him as such.

Miami Dolphins – 

Danny Amendola: don’t expect him to repeat the Season he had last year.  Honestly I don’t expect him to play a full Season.  Somebody will draft him but it won’t be me.

Albert Wilson: looks like the Dolphins intend to copy their division rivals, and create a quick strike offence.  I just don’t see it happening right away.  As such I won’t be drafting any of them.

Minnesota Vikings – 

Kirk Cousins: the big offseason acquisition goes to Minnesota.  By all accounts his situation has improved with the move.  Cousins will have a better group of Wide Receivers to throw to.  An improvement at Running Back.  Plus the Vikings Defence should have him playing with a lead quite often.  I would be surprised if he didn’t finish the Season as a Top 5 QB.  I’ll definitely draft him.

New York Giants – 

Jonathon Stewart: Stewart is still a decent short yardage Running Back.  I see him as more of a complimentary Back to whomever the Giants draft this year.  I wouldn’t waste a draft pick on him.

New York Jets –

Teddy Bridgewater: Teddy will battle Josh for the starting job.  Until we know who will start I wouldn’t advise drafting either.

Isaiah Crowell: it seems like every year the Jets bring in another RB to replace Bilal Powell.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up in a timeshare.  I wouldn’t draft either of them.

Oakland Raiders – 

Doug Martin: with the addition of Doug Martin the Raiders could wear down defences by splitting carries with Beast mode.  I expect that will be the case.  Both backs should have Fantasy value as RB2s.  That’s where I will draft them.

Jordy Nelson: would you trade Aaron Rodgers for Derek Carr?  I wouldn’t.  If Jordy had a choice he probably wouldn’t either.  Nelson is no longer a WR1 in my books. I’d still draft him as a low end WR2 with upside though.

San Francisco 49ers –

Jerick McKinnon: for the first time in his career McKinnon should begin the Season as his team’s #1 Running Back.  He deserves the position, and touches that go along with it.  San Francisco is on the rise, and so is McKinnon.  I see him as a low end RB1. I would definitely draft him.

Seattle Seahawks –

Jaron Brown: overlooked in Arizona, Jaron Brown will have the opportunity to shine in Seattle.  A great route runner with impressive physical ability.  Brown should be a great replacement for Richardson.  I expect decent WR2 numbers.

Ed Dickson: I don’t see Dickson as a replacement for the departure of Jimmy Graham.  I believe that Seattle will use him as more of a blocking Tight End.  I wouldn’t even remotely consider drafting him.

Tennessee Titans – 

Dion Lewis: it’s hard not to expect an increase in touches as a Running Back leaving New England.  Lewis has the kind of game that makes PPR managers smile.  I know I am.  He has high end RB2, maybe even borderline RB1 potential. I will definitely draft him.

Washington Redskins –

Alex Smith: Alex won’t have the all star cast he got used to in Kansas City.  Still Alex is a veteran that knows how to win.  He will probably put up decent QB numbers in Washington.  Definitely worth drafting as a backup.

Paul Richardson: Paul had a handful of highlight reel plays in Seattle.  The move to Washington could provide him with the opportunity to become their #1 Wide Receiver.  If he wins the job it would be a mistake not to draft him.  Keep a close eye on him during the offseason.

can’t say I didn’t tell you

If your favourite team isn’t in my Recap.  It’s because they haven’t made a significant Fantasy relevant acquisition yet this offseason.  Now for those of you that like to draft a Defence before the last 3 Rounds of a draft.  Don’t be afraid to spend that mid Round pick on the L. A. Rams, or Jacksonville Jaguars.  Good luck in 2018.

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NFL Fantasy Free Agency – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-39

Serious fantasy implications

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

This is a huge year for Fantasy Free Agency.  Of course a lot of the attention will be on the group of Quarterbacks that are available.  I’ve already made my predictions for what might happen with them in my Quarterbacks Carousel blog entry.  In this article I’ll highlight a few of the more intriguing Free Agents that could seriously effect the Fantasy Football outlook for next Season.  There are some really intriguing possibilities that have the potential to transform franchises.

Wide Receivers

Allen Robinson & Marqise Lee – it wasn’t that long ago that the Jacksonville Jaguars duo was arguably one of the best Wide Receiver tandems in football.  Even though the Jaguars had a great Season, and even won a playoff game.  It wasn’t because of the play of their two Free Agent Wide Receivers.  Marqise Lee had a pedestrian Season of just over 700 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Allen Robinson spent the almost the entire Season on IR.  When healthy Allen Robinson is the better Wide Receiver.  He can be a true star in the NFL, and I expect the Jacksonville Jaguars to resign him.  Marqise Lee will probably find himself wearing a new jersey next Season.  Any team interested in adding a speedy Receiver with good hands could make an offer.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the New York Jets, New England Patriots, or Dallas Cowboys make a play.

Sammy Watkins – people were stunned when the Bills dealt Sammy Watkins to the L.A. Rams.  Word got out that Sammy wasn’t interested in remaining a Buffalo Bill, so only one Season away from Free Agency the Bills decided to deal him.  Sammy Watkins didn’t have the kind of Season we were used to seeing from him.  It took a while for Goff to get on the same page with the ridiculously quick Wide Receiver.  The one thing that wasn’t missing from Sammy Watkins repertoire was his big play potential as evidenced by his 8 touchdowns on only 39 receptions. That’s a touchdown every five times he catches the ball.  That’s absolutely insane!  I would expect a Season of catching balls from Goff, and an off season to get their timing on point will turn Watkins into a true number 1 Wide Receiver once again.  The L.A. Rams should sign him, and after a couple subpar Seasons they’ll get him for a deal.

Terrelle Pryor – will the real Terrelle Pryor please stand up.  After a break out Season in Cleveland in 2016.  Terrelle Pryor just couldn’t get it going in Washington.  A former quarterback Terrelle Pryor has the ability to adjust to new systems relatively quickly.  The Redskins are notorious for looking outside their own locker room when adding talent.  That makes it very unlikely that Terrelle Pryor will be a Redskin next Season.  There are industry insiders that have said the Panthers, Steelers, and Seahawks are all interested.  Between those three I see the Carolina Panthers as the best fit.

Danny Amendola – lets be honest here.  Amendola might have had his last quality Season.  He’s not getting any younger, and he has a reputation for being brittle.  In my opinion the only team that might have some genuine interest in Danny Amendola is the New England Patriots.  He will probably get a two year contract for very little money as a security blanket in case Edelman gets hurt again.  It doesn’t sound too appealing does it?  Well actually for Amendola it might be exactly what he wants.  Best case scenario he sees maybe 25% of the offensive snaps.  The Patriots win another Superbowl with him on the roster.  Due to his injury concerns, and veteran status he gets to take it easy at practice, and during training camps.  The alternative is to call it quits.  Hang up the cleats and retire.  After having one of his better Seasons i don’t think he’s ready.  I see him as a Patriot for at least one more Season.

Jordan Matthews – this one has me scratching my head.  We haven’t had much of a sample size to evaluate Jordan Matthews.  One thing is for sure.  The Revamped Bills head office was quick to clean house, and build their team.  Acquiring Jordan Matthews was one of their moves.  So it remains to be seen if they stick with their guy, or accept that he was a bust.  The good news is that if they decide to keep him.  He definitely won’t cost much.  The bad news is that there are quite a few teams looking for Wide Receiver help.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Matthews takes a few calls from some other teams.  There could be a lot of teams interested including the 49ers, Dolphins, Browns, Chiefs, and Redskins.  I believe that there’s a very good chance that he ends up in Miami.

Running Backs

Dion Lewis & Rex Burkhead – here’s the problem that everyone faces almost every Season.  Are the Patriots Running Backs any good, or are they just a product of a good system that forces defences to focus on containing Tom Brady?  Obviously last Season LeGarrette Blount proved that he was for real.  I’m willing to bet that Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead aren’t.  I’m not saying that they aren’t good Running Backs.  I’m just saying that neither one is more than a platoon or backup player.  Which suits the Patriots just fine.  Their platoon system prevents any one Running Back on their roster from standing out.  That in turn makes resigning them relatively easy on the cheap.  So in most cases that’s what happens.  Only this year things are a little different.  A number of Patriots coaches have left for greener pastures with other franchises.  One such franchise that could use a serviceable Running Back is the Detroit Lions.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a move to land one of these and offer them a larger role in the offence.  I see Dion Lewis as the more versatile of the two, and could be wearing the Lions Blue and White next Season.

Carlos Hyde – a lot of people have doubts about whether or not Carlos Hyde is a true number one Running Back in the NFL.  I will go on record as saying that I don’t have any doubt.  Carlos Hyde is definitely a number one Running Back.  What people have forgotten is that until recently the quarterback situation in San Francisco has been a mess.  Hopefully for Carlos Hyde, and the San Francisco 49ers signing Jimmy Garoppolo to a long term contract has fixed that.  With a quality signal caller taking the snaps, Carlos Hyde should find a little more running room.  I expect the 49ers to sign him because having a veteran Running Back that knows the system will only Jimmy Garoppolo progress smoothly.

Le’Veon Bell – look I wasn’t even going to talk about Le’Veon Bell because it’s pretty obvious what will happen in this case.  On second thought though I realized it actually isn’t completely obvious.  There are two scenarios that could play out.  Scenario 1 is that the Pittsburgh Steelers pay him what he wants and he continues to slice his way through defences.  Scenario 2 is that the Steelers and Bell fail to reach an agreement and he holds out.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he was willing to sit out the Season.  Bell has been the most consistent Running Back during his current contract.  Unless the Steelers are willing to make him the highest paid Running Back.  There could be a serious impact on Fantasy Football next Season.

Jerick McKinnon – after Dalvin Cook went down last Season.  Jerick McKinnon finally showed some of that explosiveness many of us expected to see right out of college.  Unfortunately for him he will be relegated to being a backup running back once the Season starts.  Minnesota will be interested in paying him as one, but there will be other teams that recognized his star potential.  Possible fits are with the Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  I would see the Houston Texans as a perfect fit.  The addition of McKinnon could really make for an explosive offence.

Tight Ends

Jimmy Graham – Jimmy Graham’s career plays out like a highlight reel and last Season was no exception.  10 touchdowns and it took a while for Jimmy to really get rolling. Jimmy Graham strikes me as a bit of a Mercenary.  He will go wherever the money takes him, but I don’t believe he’s interested in playing for a losing franchise.  The Seattle Seahawks just missed the playoffs last Season so that might just be the push Jimmy needed to look elsewhere.  Some may argue that him and Russell Wilson were really beginning to click last Season.  Well it wasn’t like he didn’t click with Drew Brees in New Orleans.  It will take a fair amount of money to keep him, and Seattle is limited with cap space.  The teams with the deepest pockets that Jimmy could be interested in are the L.A. Rams, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans.  The only one of those three with a truly veteran Quarterback is of course the Patriots so I see him there.

Tyler Eifert – I’ll go on record as saying that Tyler Eifert is a total bust.  The Bengals know it, and unfortunately for Eifert so does everyone else.  The bengals won’t keep him unless it’s for peanut money.  He’s most likely to land on a team looking to start a rookie quarterback, or first year starter.  That way he can serve as a big physical target across the middle as the rookie develops.  That limits his potential landing spots to Cleveland, Houston, San Francisco, or Cincinnati.  I believe Cincinnati re-signs him for a song.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins – it took a while but Austin Seferian-Jenkins showed some signs of brilliance last season.  The New York Jets have some of the deepest pockets right now.  Although you should expect a large portion of their cap space to go to signing a marquee quarterback.  Still i expect them to have enough money left over to keep Seferian-Jenkins.  I fully expect him to be wearing Jets Green next Season.

Keep close attention!

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Quarterback Carousel – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-38

Should I stay or Should I go?

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There are a lot of Free Agent QBs available this off season, and a couple interesting backups that could find themselves as trade bait during the draft.  Last Season was one of the greatest years in NFL history for backup Quarterbacks.  They performed so well that there are teams like the Minnesota Vikings that don’t rightly know who their starter actually is.  Then you have situations where you can argue that a team has two starting Quarterbacks.  The Superbowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles come to mind.  Even though Superbowl MVP Nick Foles has a year left on his contract.  Can you really keep him as a backup who will ride the bench all Season, and significantly reduce his value?  Then you have teams with starting Quarterbacks that just don’t seem to want them.  The Buffalo Bills benched Tyrod Taylor, and all he did was get them to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years.  The New York Giants benched Eli Manning ending his consecutive games started run.  I guess two Superbowl rings only buys you a little patience.  What i find especially amusing are the number of teams that will probably let their current starter leave in Free Agency, and potentially just sign another.

Top Targets

Drew Brees – Drew Brees has been the face of the New Orleans Saints franchise for what feels like forever now.  His current contract has come to an end.  The New Orleans Saints can’t simply franchise tag him because a clause in his last contract prevents it.  So if the Saints want to keep him they’ll probably have to offer him a great two or three year deal.  Even if another team offers him a huge money deal.  I don’t expect Brees to take it.  He has already said that he wants to end his career as a Saint.  I’m sure that’s what he’ll do.

Prediction : Signs with Saints

Kirk Cousins – the Kirk Cousins Washington Redskins fiasco is finally over.  The Redskins have already signed Alex Smith.  So Kirk Cousins will have begun packing his bags.  Over the last few Seasons his numbers have been excellent.  Although there are some who believe that performance without results is misleading.  I prefer to look at what he was able to achieve with so little.  Most people would be hard pressed to tell you who his number 1 Wide Receiver was last Season.  Anyone know who the number 1 Tight End is in Washington?  Whoever it is, they’re probably injured.  Kirk Cousins made the most out of what was available to him.  At times it felt like the Washington Redskins were doing everything in their power to make him fail so they might sign him at a discount.  Well Kirk Cousins didn’t fail, and there will be a huge amount of interest from a few teams to sign him.  The three teams i see making the greatest push are the Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets.  Who he eventually signs with will be about whether he’s after the money, or a Superbowl Championship.

Prediction : Signs with Broncos

Case Keenum – The first of the three Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks on this list, and definitely the most successful.  Case Keenum proved that he can be a starting Quarterback in the NFL.  His poor performance in the NFC Championship game will give some people pause.  There will be a lot of speculation about what he’s worth in the current Quarterback market.  I’m certain that many General Managers will decide that it’s too much.  Guaranteed that he will be the highest paid of the three Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks in 2018, but who will pay him?  Well if the Broncos aren’t able to sign Cousins, I can see them make a play for Keenum.  They already have a great Defence, and that’s one of the reasons Keenum had success in Minnesota.  Truth be told though I think helhe end up elsewhere.

Prediction : Signs with the Browns

Sam Bradford – If only he could stay healthy.  Sam Bradford could be getting the kind of attention Kirk Cousins is right now.  When healthy he’s one of the most accurate passers in the NFL.  There are more than a few fans that thought he should be starting in last Season’s playoffs.  He has had such an injury riddled career that any team interested in Sam Bradford needs to also have a quality backup.  It’s this requirement that seriously limits the amount of teams that will be interested.  Among them i see Arizona, Jacksonville, and Buffalo as the most likely to make an offer.  I just don’t expect them to offer very much.  A one year contract, that’s heavily performance incentivized for high end backup money sounds about right.  That’s why I don’t think he will accept any of those offers.

Prediction : Signs with the Vikings

Teddy Bridgewater – The charismatic signal caller that showed great promise before going down with a Season ending injury.  He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings to become their Quarterback of the future.  Now at the end of his rookie contract with only a small sample size of how his recovery effected his abilities.  I expect that he will remain as the Minnesota Vikings Quarterback of the future.  Between him and Bradford they will have two good Quarterbacks that are fully versed in their system.

Prediction : Signs with the Vikings

Josh McCown – Is it just me or does it seem like a lot of NFL Quarterbacks are getting better with age?  Josh McCown had arguably his best Season in the NFL with one of the most talent poor teams.  Throwing to a group of unwanted castoffs from other teams.  Guys you would have no problem picking up off your Fantasy Football League waiver wire.  Josh McCown had almost 3000 yards with 18 Touchdowns against only 9 interceptions, and a 67% completion rate.  Imagine what he might have accomplished with a roster that included a couple star players!  At this point in his career he won’t cost whichever team signs him a lot of cap space.  Given his age I would expect a team that believes that they can win right now to make a play for him.  That list includes Arizona, Buffalo, and Denver.  I’ve already picked Denver to sign Cousins.

Prediction : Signs with the Cardinals

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FANTASY

Superbowl 52 analysis – Cobe Life Predictions

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The numbers don’t lie, or do they?

New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles

If you were to strictly judge these two teams based on their total potential. The Philadelphia Eagles would win Superbowl 52 rather easily. The Patriots only surpass them in two categories, and one of them is debatable. Obviously Tom Brady is the superior Quarterback so the Pats have the edge there.

Advantage – Patriots

Rob Gronkowski would be considered a better Tight End than Zach Ertz by most. Although the actual numbers aren’t much different. They both caught 8 touchdowns during the regular season. Although Gronk has more receiving yards, Ertz has more receptions. I would argue that they are actually even when you evaluate them on paper. Still to keep things from falling into too much of a grey area. I will give the edge to the Patriots at Tight End.

Advantage – Patriots

Now here’s where things begin to get a little one sided. I’m going to begin at the line of attack and work outwards.
When comparing the two Offensive lines the average fan might assume that the group protecting Brady would be the stronger group. Well you would be wrong. One of the reasons why Nick Foles can step in and have immediate success is the strength of the Eagles offensive line. The Patriots have a very good offensive line as well, and are especially good at protecting their franchise Quarterback. They just aren’t as good at all aspects of the game.

Advantage – Eagles

When comparing the two Defensive lines it becomes far more obvious which team is better. Even the casual fan can see the dominance of the Eagles defensive line. They are numero uno against the run. In comparison the New England Patriots are ranked 31rst overall against the run. Sure they have shown an improvement in their last few games. The stats are a bit skewed though because they were playing from behind against teams that were content trying to run out the clock. When you really analyze the numbers though. There’s no team better than the Philadelphia Eagles at controlling the line of scrimmage.

Advantage – Eagles

When comparing the Linebacker units the official depth charts don’t really tell the full story. Injuries have reduced the overall strength of the Eagles group, and recent acquisition James Harrison has been utilized more than his third string ranking would suggest. If you look at which players are actually performing on the field. The unit that will be making more individual plays should be the New England Patriots. Sorry Steelers fans.

Advantage – Patriots

The Running Back comparison was a lot closer before the Eagles signed Jay Ajayi. Used correctly, and Ajayi could end up being the difference in this game. The Patriots are well aware of what LeGarrette Blount can do in short yardage or goal line situations. If it wasn’t for the amount of attention defences focus on Tom Brady. Their group of Running Backs wouldn’t have the space they require to get meaningful yards. There isn’t a top quality Running Back among them.

Advantage – Eagles

When comparing the cornerback units the first thing that stands out is the two former Bills Players that have made an immediate impact. Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby are a couple of ball hawks that can make plays. They both have capable corners opposite them. Based upon individual talent the edge would go to the Patriots. Although things aren’t so cut and dry when you analyze the schemes they usually employ. I’ll get to that later.

Advantage – Patriots

Testing those cornerbacks will be two of the more underrated Wide Receiver groups in football. Both of these teams place a premium on spreading the ball around, and utilize their Tight Ends, and Running Backs in the passing game more than most. As a result the actual reception, yards, and touchdown numbers for their Wide Receivers are relatively low. That’s not to say that they don’t play an important role though. Brandin Cooks might be the most talented Wide Receiver on the field on Sunday, but his fellow Patriots Wide Receivers leave a lot to be desired. The Eagles have a great group of Wide Receivers that would be a huge advantage in this category if Tom Brady didn’t make the Patriots WRs perform better than expected.

Advantage – Eagles

When comparing the Safety units it’s difficult to ignore scheme, but I will. If you are only looking at the statistics. Especially big play statistics both for, and against. The Eagles safeties led by Malcolm Jenkins is marginally better. I’m not saying that the New England Patriots are outclassed, because they aren’t. The stats are more a result of the complete Defence as a whole.

Advantage – Eagles

On paper vs on the field

So by my calculations the overall Advantage goes to the Eagles by a score of 5 to 4. That’s really that much of an advantage right? Especially when you could argue that Tom Brady should be worth an additional point. Thus making the two teams even. Well here’s why I believe that the Eagles should be seen as strong favourites to win Superbowl 52. The Eagles should control the line of scrimmage throughout the game. By doing so their superior Running Backs should be more productive than the Patriots group. This will force the Patriots to play a pass heavy offence. Having Tom Brady under center makes this an appealing option except when you factor in the Eagles Defensive scheme. The Eagles play a lot of Nickel defense allowing their Safeties to effectively become free Safeties. Brady makes a living off of reading defences, but when there are more zone defenders than receiving options it becomes a gamble. I expect the turnover advantage will be in the Philadelphia Eagles favour, and turnovers lead to Superbowl Championships.

I expect the Philadelphia Eagles to be leading at half-time like many of the Patriots opponents have. Unlike many of those opponents though, I expect the Philadelphia Eagles Offence to keep the pressure on so their Defence doesn’t have to try and win the game on their own.

Advantage – Philadelphia Eagles

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FANTASY FISHING GAMING GOLF

In case you didn’t know – Winter Sucks!!!

I’m Canadian so I know

For those of you that don’t really experience winter as the cold, dark, snow and ice filled hell that Canadians know it to be.  Well lucky you.  You really don’t have a winter Season.  What you experience is more of an extended fall, or if you are truly blessed, a cool summer.  The Winters that I’ve experienced in my lifetime range from mild (below zero with light snow) to severe (an entire city frozen in ice without power).  It’s during this abhorrent time that I go from an active sports enthusiast to an out of shape couch commando.  I’ve wondered what kind of shape I would be in if I could just keep doing the things I love (golfing, fishing, walking the city) year round.  Of course there are the many winter sports that so many find enjoyable.  Obviously something terrible has had to have happened to each of them at some point in their lives.  Why else would they subject themselves to such torturous endeavours. Strapping two thin planks to your feet and sliding down a snowy hill.  Fast enough to make the -10 degree temps feel like-20. If you prefer one wide plank that’s available.  Maybe you prefer strapping blades to your feet so you can slide across ice instead.  Desperately working on keeping your balance well enough to keep your ankles from breaking.  You could always head far enough up North to mount a tobaggan equipped with a high powered engine and really freeze your ass solid.  As appealing as some of those activities may sound to some of you.  They sure as shit aren’t for me.

Indoor Sport

So what’s an athletic guy to do?  I’ve considered joining the red and white GoodLife Fitness gym bag carrying crowd.  Unfortunately I can’t enjoy working out.  Especially when I know that playing a sport achieves similar results.  I have a collapsed arch in my left foot so simply joining an indoor soccer, or basketball team is out of the question.  I could take up swimming, but I’d trust the toxicity levels in Lake Ontario more than a public pool.  I’ve considered many potential activities, but not one fit the bill.  Winter has got me totally euchred.  I spend most of my days  in an area not much larger than a squash court.  I still Golf. Got a quick 18 holes in after Morning Drive yesterday.  Of course that’s 18 Rounds on my single hole putting mat in my living room.  There are times during the year that I look at my PS4 and think what a waste of money.  Well my opinion changes rather quickly as soon as the first snowfall hits.  Hardly a day passes without one of my PS4 controllers requiring a recharge.  I had the unfortunate situation where a label came off one of my blu-rays inside my PS4.  I played digital downloads for a couple days, but missed playing Tom Clancy’s The Division way too much.  So after about a week I broke down, and proceeded to take my PS4 apart to clear the drive.  It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I expected it to be.  Less than an hour later I was back to playing The Division.  Winter can do that.  It can motivate you to try things, or buy things you wouldn’t normally.  This is the weekend before the Superbowl so my favourite spectator sport isn’t available either.  I find myself watching movies galore.  Now I love film so that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  The problem is that I know I’m going to be spending so much time watching movies that I specifically select Trilogies or ongoing series.  I’ve watched the Bourne trilogy, the Millennium trilogy, the first six Star Wars films, the Hobbit trilogy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, all of the Die Hard films, and I’m four films in to the Harry Potter series.  Can you see how this might be a problem.  Some of those movies I’ve seen so many times that I can quote every key line.  Not a single moment in any of those films surprises me anymore.  I find myself watching what’s going on in the background more.  Hoping to see something I might have missed the first 30 times I watched the movie.  Did you know that Michelle Monaghan was in the Bourne Supremacy?  I didn’t either until I noticed her as an FBI analyst at one of the terminals in the background.  That was the highlight of the film for me.

I’m in the dark here

Yes that was a Scent of a Woman quote, but it’s very relevant during Canadian winters.  If you leave for work before 8:00am, and return home after 5:00pm.  Then there’s a very good chance that you never experienced the light of day.  It was dark when you left, and dark when you returned.  I found myself yawning at 6:48pm last Thursday.  By accident last week my wife and I had dinner twice.  It got dark so early that we mistakenly had dinner at a little before 4:00pm.  By the time 8:00pm came we were hungry again, and realized that sleep might be impossible unless we ate again.

A sudden reprieve

Suddenly without any warning the temperature has been rising the last two days.  It actually got up to +8 degrees today.  Opportunity is knocking, and provided the temperature holds for one more day.  I am going to grab my clubs and make my way out to the Range to do what winter denies me.  Get outside, get some enjoyable exercise, and see the light of day.  If it doesn’t hold, and the winter weather forces me back indoors.  Well I only have to wait a couple more months before the sun begins to shine again.  Until then I have every Marvel movie to watch in chronological order.

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FANTASY Uncategorized

Cobe Life 2018 NFL Playoff Predictions – AFC & NFC Championships

Do what we perceive is the actual truth?

There’s been much debate about the two Championship games on Sunday.  Are the favourites (according to Vegas odds) actually worthy of being favourites?  Is Nick Foles going to be the undoing of what might have been a truly dominant Season?  Does the Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive line have what it takes to rattle Tom Brady?  Are the Patriots as dominant as people think, or have they just made the most of an easy schedule?  Some of these questions will be answered, and some might still be on our minds come Superbowl.  For what it’s worth, I’ll do my best to answer them now.  Using the knowledge, understanding, and research I’ve done on the subject.  Of course a little bit of luck would also be welcome.  Well here goes!

David versus Goliath

The AFC Championship

You could have probably asked 100 football analysts at the beginning of this Season, who would be playing for the AFC Championship?  Not one of them would have predicted it would be the New England Patriots hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Most, myself included would have probably predicted that the New England Patriots would be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The safe pick to win would have been the New England Patriots.  Well they still are the safe pick.  As sexy a pick as the Jacksonville Jaguars are.  It would take some serious stones to pick them.  It’s not like they are completely outmatched.  They definitely have the better Defence.  I mean it isn’t even close.  Most of the Patriots Defenders wouldn’t get much playing time if they were with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The Jaguars star Running Back Leonard Fournette is by far the most talented RB that will be on the field in that game.  He’s a beast of a Runner, capable of tiring out a Defensive line with his bruising style.  If Jacksonville can limit New England’s effectiveness with a strong Defence, and time sapping Running game then they can win.  Seems like a smart strategy to me.  I remember that particular strategy working before actually.  There was something very different about the teams that employed that strategy before.  They weren’t led by the most unpredictable signal caller in the NFL, Blake Bortles.  Blake Bortles who barely beat the Buffalo Bills.  Blake Bortles who went the distance with two time Superbowl Champion Ben Roethlisberger, and came out on top.  Who is this guy?  Which version of Blake Bortles will show up on Sunday?  If you are considering betting on this game?  Just don’t!  Bortles could throw a wrench into whatever you think you know.  Unfortunately for me I have to make a prediction.  It comes with the territory I’m afraid.  I’d like to pick the Jacksonville Jaguars.  I find them to be a far more exciting team to watch actually.  I enjoy high scoring games, but I prefer hard hitting defensive wars.  The problem is that I can’t pick them because I expect the New England Patriots to have a plan in place to give Blake Bortles fits.  The Jaguars will keep this game within reach though.

New England Patriots by 6

Will the real NFC favourite please stand up?

The NFC Championship

I’m beginning to think that the Philadelphia Eagles are thoroughly enjoying being labeled as underdogs.  I have always believed that being perceived as an underdog was a bonus.  The team that is expected to win has seemingly more to lose.  So even though Philadelphia is playing at home.  Being labeled as the underdog has placed additional pressure on the visiting Minnesota Vikings to display early dominance.  Not an easy task considering how well the Eagles have played all Season long.  Even though there are a number of star Players on the Offensive side of the ball for both teams.  This game is actually about Defence.  There are a few specific Players to watch for though.  Pay close attention to Zach Ertz, Nelson Agholor, Adam Thielen, and Jerick McKinnon.  Both Quarterbacks will have to deal with constant pressure this game.  I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them misses a snap or two after taking a hard hit.  Emotions will be high in this one, and I do expect it to be a bit choppy.  Key penalties will play a role in who wins this one.  The Eagles playing in front of a home crowd looking to finally earn the respect they deserve, and the Vikings one win away from playing in a Superbowl in their home stadium.  Another game I just don’t want to make a prediction for, but I must.  I’m going with the more dominant Defence in this one.

Minnesota Vikings by 3

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Cobe Life 2018 NFL Playoff Predictions Divisional Round

 

Saturday’s Games

Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles

Are the Eagles flavoured in this one?  I haven’t actually checked the betting line.  Considering their Season they probably are, but in my opinion they shouldn’t be.  As much as I like Nick Foles, he doesn’t run this offence as effectively as Carson Wentz.  The Eagles have a tonne of weapons at their disposal, but they all suffer a slight decrease in value with Foles under center.  Their Running game is formidable.  The tandem of Jay Ajayi and LeGarrette Blount can pound the rock.  A heavy dose of those two might be the Eagles best path to victory.  The only problem is that the Atlanta Falcons have a lot of speed on Defence.  So don’t expect Blount or Ajayi to break for any long runs.  If the Eagles win this game I would expect the  MVP to be Zach Ertz.  The Atlanta Falcons Defence can at times be a little soft across the middle. If Philadelphia has some success running the ball early.  The Falcons may pull a linebacker up into the box, opening up enough space for a top Tight End like Ertz to exploit the space.  Ertz matches up well against any Linebacker or Safety in single coverage so he could have a huge game.

All that being said, the Atlanta Falcons should really be licking their chops heading into Philadelphia.  At no time last week did they look like they might lose to the Rams.  Matty Ice was definitely in playoff form, and Julio Jones finally found the end zone.  For those of you who are paying attention I predicted a big game from Jones last week.  Losing the way they did in the Superbowl last year.  A Superbowl in which Julio Jones wasn’t targeted nearly enough, and he still had one of the best catches in Superbowl history.  The Falcons have learned their lesson, and leaned on their stars last week.  Well I would expect more of the same in this game.  Ryan, Jones, and Freeman will be expected to earn their pay on Saturday, and I don’t see why they won’t.  The Eagles don’t have a total wrecking ball like Aaron Donald to give Matt Ryan fits.  Fletcher Cox is a handful but he doesn’t possess the every down dominance of Donald.  Matt Ryan should have even more time to go through his progressions, and find the open man.  I expect this to be a very up and down game, but I expect Matt Ryan to be the better clutch performer down the stretch.

Atlanta Falcons by 4

Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots

I have to give credit where credit is due.  The Tennessee Titans beat a Kansas City Chiefs team that was packed full of talent, in their house, and showed late season form.  I didn’t give them a chance to win.  I don’t think anyone except hardcore Titans fans did.  Well congratulations Tennessee!  Enjoy the victory because it was your last.  Lets be honest here.  They will be traveling to Foxborough heavily outmatched.  Once again the New England Patriots have parlayed winning the weakest division in football being the top seed in the AFC, and “earning” themselves the easiest path to the Superbowl.  The Patriots key to victory is simple.  Protect Tom Brady so that he can effectively deliver the ball.  That’s been their plan all Season long.  They have an amazing offensive line, and to make matters worse for opposing teams utilize their Running Backs as quick toss receivers better than any other team.  That means that you have very little time to get to Tom Brady before he becomes an ineligible target.  It’s so frustrating for opposing Defensive Ends, and Linebackers that Brady draws a lot of roughing the passer penalties for late hits.  Now given all that can the Tennessee Titans get to Brady?  Shit no!  If you actually think that they can you’re deluded, or from Tennessee.  This game could end up being so lopsided that I might tune out at half-time.  Although there could be some garbage time heroics.

New England Patriots by 13

Sunday’s Games

Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers

You can almost taste the anticipation.  The Jacksonville Jaguars scrambled their way to their first playoff win in what feels like forever last week.  That earned them a trip to Pittsburgh home of the terrible towel to face a team they embarrassed earlier this Season.  You don’t need to be a fan of either team to know that they intercepted Ben Roethlisberger five times (two for touchdowns) the last time they played.  People were questioning whether Roethlisberger should consider retirement after that beating.  Well he didn’t retire, and if not for another controversial call that went the Patriots way again.  The Steelers would be playing the lowly Titans this week instead.  Obviously the Steelers are favoured, and despite what happened earlier in the Season they should be.  For the Steelers to win this game they only need to limit their mistakes.  So I expect a heavy dose of Le’Veon Bell in this game.  Allowing Ben Roethlisberger to get the ball out of his hands quickly with minimal risk.  Don’t count Antonio Brown out of this game though.  I expect that he will be recovered enough to make a serious impact.  People forget that he isn’t just a deep threat. He gains a lot of his yards after the catch on short passes.  Juju Smith Schuster has the ability to gain chunks of yards after the catch as well.  It’s this combination of quick strike weapons that should keep the Jacksonville Jaguars Defence in check.  Don’t fool yourself though. Big Ben will get sacked. Pittsburgh will be forced into a turnover or two.  This game will be a war.  Jacksonville could have the right tools to get the upset.  Except they don’t!  Bortles threw for a grand total of 87 yards against the Buffalo Bills last week.  That kind of production just won’t do against the high powered Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers by 9

New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings

This could very well be the game of the week.  These two teams are pretty evenly  matched on paper.   Of course I’d give the nod to Drew Brees over Case Keenum.  I mean who wouldn’t?  Of course I’d give the advantage to the Vikings Defence over the Saints.  Nobody should think otherwise.  If you are a fan of the Running Back position you are in for a fantastic show.  Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, and Jerick McKinnon will all have opportunities to showcase their talents in this one.  If I had to pick just one as the Running Back to watch I’d go with Alvin Kamara.  The Vikings are so strong on the Defensive line that I expect Kamara to find the most success receiving passes out of the backfield.  Of all the games this weekend this game has the highest scoring potential because it’s being played in a dome.  The kickers will definitely play a role in deciding who wins, and expect a few deep passes to find their targets.  Of all the games I found this one to be the most difficult to predict.  In that case I have to give the advantage to the home team.

Minnesota Vikings by 3

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