MoFo Fantasy Football 2009: Week 11

Well now, that was a fun weekend wasn't it? Yeah buddy! Suddenly this entire league is wide open baby! Isn't this game fun? I know I'm having fun. Alas, poor team Spudly was The Odd Squad's latest victim and after the game, crack reporter PW McSlapperson was able to glean these comments from the opposing team...



Crown them indeed.

Man-O-Sakes alive I am still buzzing from all this excitement!!! Lets hurry up and get to Sunday so we can do it all over again shall we?

And need I mention that I've never been happier being so wrong? 3-4 again last week, but boy oh boy the ones I picked wrong were huge losses weren't they? This game will drive you to drink and smoke and late night binge eating and hair loss and blindness (well.. maybe not that last one) and most of all it can lead to insanity. But Insanity isn't really a bad thing yeah? In fact I encourage it. Now 41-29 on the year, lets find out who's going to win this week shall we?

The Odd Squad vs. Flash

Nothing PW could say will ever be able to sum up this game better than The Emperor Ming could. So I'd like to introduce this week's guest reporter. Take it away Ming!

"Pathetic earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void, without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the universe, anything at all, you would've hidden from it in terror."

"Every thousand years, I test each life system in the Universe. I visit it with mysteries, earthquakes, unpredicted eclipses, strange craters in the wilderness... If these are taken as natural, I judge that system ignorant and harmless - I spare it. But if the Hand of Ming is recognized in these events, I judge that system dangerous to us."

Oooookaaaaay! Thanks a bunch there Ming. Lighten up, will ya buddy? Sheesh.

My pick: Odd Squad, Brady's pissed = bad for the Jets

11 Angry Men vs. Slug's Sweeties

As much as I would love to point out that the Angry Men are in a free fall. have you taken a look at their matchups this week? Ridonkulous, I tell you. 3 Tampa's, 2 Washington's, A St' Louis and a Tennessee for good measure. And The Angry Men are angry, I'm not kidding ya. How Yahoo only has this team at 126 points for the week right now is laughable. Sure, this is the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, but still. Slug, you've got your hands full this week, so you better hope old Mr. Reeves can wrangle up some magic for you.

My pick: 11 Angry Men in a romp

Da Bears vs. Beantown Champs

Wow, close game doesn't really describe this one. A lot is riding on this game for both teams and both need their respective teams to put up some big point totals to add to the very important tie breaker of total points scored in the league. It appears that DeAngelo Williams will play and Mikey really needs him. But the real matchup this week may be between the 2 QB's Matt Ryan has been struggling mightily and Rivers goes to Denver on a roll. Tough call.

My pick: Da Bears, barely... heh.

Hired Goons vs. Wolverines

LT, must get a win now in order to stay in the hunt. She also needs to put up a nice big point total for the week. The Goons look to play spoiler and appear primed to do so. Rodgers and Jennings could have a pretty big day at home versus a team from the west coast that may not travel well. We'll see. For LT, does good Cutler or Bad Cutler show up? Will Moss put up another monster day as well? Certainly possible. I think Mendenhall is going to have a pretty good day against KC too.

My pick: Wolverines, "It was five to one. I got four."

Gadsden Flag vs. Team Darcy

Huge game again! Isn't this fun? If Turner can't go then I think Darcy is in serious trouble here. Her two best receivers have tough matchups and her backup RB's may not net her much when its all said and done. Gadsden has All Day going up against the hapless Seahawks at home. Nuff said.

My pick: Gadsden Flag, a real Amreican hero

The Tateraters vs. TONGO

Yeesh, if this game were on TV we'd be forced to listen to the announcers trying there best to convince us all of how exciting this dog of a game is. Probably saying things like; "These are the two best 1-9 teams in the league here folks!" I mean, no offense but, yeesh. Safe to say that neither team's season has worked out the way they planned at the beginning of the year. TONGO evidently plans to keep trading until Yahoo forces him to stop on Friday and Spudly looks primed to take advantage and pick up his second win of the year. I have a feeling Benson won't play this week, so what the hell...

My pick: The Tateraters, "I don't wanna sit at the kiddie table no more!"

The Replicants vs. I-L-M-F

Could be a tough game for the 'Bots after losing a great back like Brown. And of course, the universe being such as it is he's up against the team that will benefit the most from Brown's absence. Ricky Williams was already having a nice little year before the injury and with most of his childish problems seemingly behind him, looks primed to have a nice finish to the year. I hope Bobby remembers to check his team because he's dealing with a loss of his own, now that Bowe is out for 4 games. He's got a decent replacement on the bench in Brandon Jacobs. That being said though the 'Bots still have that MJD guy and he's uh, good and stuff. I think his Beanie Wells pickup was huge too as it appears the Cardinals (ugh, I hate the f*ckin' Cardinals) are trying to attain a little balance before their playoff run. So, he could have a pretty sweet day against those feckless Rams. Think I'd probably start Knowshon myself, but it may not even matter.

My pick: 'Bots, matchin' their meet

And so, on goes this thing of ours... Good luck kids!

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We are both the source of the problem and the solution, yet we do not see ourselves in this light...

Thanks for the nod, Chris. Alas, even if I win, I'll probably fall 4 more spots.

Decisions, decisions. Even with the crazy Saints backfield (Reggie Bush is in the mix now? Really?), I've gotta play Thomas based on both his talent and the matchup. But after that it gets...muddled.

I think there's an extremely good chance that Steve Slaton has a big game and regains the starting job easily, but the floor on him this week is just too low, so he's out. Can't risk it.


That leaves Hightower and L. McCoy for the second slot. Hightower's clearly splitting time with Wells, but he's still the goal line back and catching a lot of passes. If he doesn't get hurt he seems like a shoe-in for 8-10, and usually gets more.

On the other hand, McCoy's getting most of the touches now. Philly's a pass-first time for the most part, but McCoy's gotten three starts with Westbrook out this year, and in those three starts he's put up 16.3, 17.2, and 16.5 points, on touches of 21, 13, and 18. Last week he didn't do much, but the Eagles were down early and McNabb through for 450 yards. I can't imagine that happens every week, so I think I've got to play McCoy.


Oh, but wait, it gets harder! This doesn't settle things, because Austin had a "meh" game last week, and is up against a Redskins team that actually plays pretty well against the pass, so he's no longer a no-brainer start in the Flex. Alternatives are L. Maroney (hey, he's getting the goal line touches), J. Cotchery (dude's just solid), and the aforementioned Hightower.

Tough call, to say the least. Probably playing McCoy in the RB slot and Hightower in the Flex, but there are 3-4 guys I could make a case for.


Now that I've done all this analysis, I'll just go email my fiance and then ignore her sage advice again.

Naturally, second opinions from anyone other than Slug () are always appreciated, though I think I probably have to play McCoy/Hightower over Austin/Cotchery/Maroney.

If I had my way I'd cut Hightower. I admit, I may be biased somewhat. If it makes any difference I'm starting McCoy on all the rest of my teams that I have him on. I think the kid is dynamite.

Cotchery going to the Patriots sounds brutal. But Austin at home versus the Redskins? Have you seen the Redskins? Yeesh again...

But yeah, Hightower is for suck. Wells may get some carries but those receivers are going to have field days against that pitiful Rams D. The Slaton thing is brutal for you. He'd be the obvious choice for me in the swing spot if he were starting but as of now who knows how much time he's actually going to get. I think he gets his job back soon, but will it be this week?

Anyway, I picked you this week and I do think you'll win but It won't break my heart if you pick all the wrong guys and you fall down the ladder some more either. So, uh... yeah! Good luck, and I hope you both lose!

Your Cardinals hate is definitely overwhelming your better judgment, my friend. Hightower's numbers are awfully solid; I think he's averaging like 12-13 a game, and hasn't had less than, like 7, in a single game this season. He hasn't been great, but catching those 3-4 passes a game is just insane. He's on pace for like 80 receptions.

Redskins are bad, but it's mostly because of their offense. They're 8th-best in giving up fantasy points to WRs.

The Slaton thing is definitely brutal; that's exactly the right word for it. But honestly, I think there's a better-than-even chance that he has a solid game and regains the #1 spot. I just have to wait until after his first good game to trust him.

Heck, not even sure if I trust Thomas this week, but against the Bucs I've gotta do it. It's almost certainly Thomas and McCoy, which means it's probably Hightower in the swing.

Could make a case for Maroney, too. Eek. Fantasy footballing is hard.

Yoda polease drop Maroney too waivers before you hurt yourself with him. He is the biggest meh of the season by far. If Fred Taylor was 100% the Patriots running game would still suck, and Maroney sure aint Taylor.

Ah, but Fred Taylor being hurt (and Sammy Morris, too) is precisely the reason to hang onto him. His last four games: 22, 10, 14, 10. Scored a TD every game.

He's not much good, but with two of their backs out he gets at least a dozen touches, and he's the goal line back for an awfully good offense. That's all it takes, really.

Yeah, I'd definitely play Thomas and McCoy. To be honest both Hightower and Austin have sweet matchups so it may end up not really mattering which one you choose. I can't wait to hear which one your soon to be better half picks.

I think she chose Cotchery, actually. Moot point now, though; just traded Austin.

Wow!

I like my team.
I feel my team will represent itself well on the field this weekend, and it's true the odds are against us, but there is always a chance we might win.
Go Sweeties!

__________________
"If you can't be funny be interesting."
Harold Ross

Dear Rick Williams:

Wouldn't you like a nice big phatty right now? You know, since you smashed my teams face last night, I think it's time you celebrate...and get suspended for another year or something....meanie.

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Yeah, he roasted you last night. 'Course, you're still projected to win, because MJD gets to run all over Buffalo. That's gonna be interesting.

It's all about the BEAN!!!! I need some decent numbers from him to compete, methinks.

I think you're probably right. Just assuming MJD gets in the 20-25 range, a lot will hinge on whether Wells puts up 8 or 16.

Really could go either way; against the Rams, I think it's possible both of our guys put up double-digit points. Hightower's still the goal line back, but as Wells showed last week, he can punch it in from 10 yards out when he has to.

Man, what a week this is shaping up to be already! Crazy action at the deadline, even the stronger teams having to think on their feet. Awesome stuff.

Indeed!

Here is a pick of LT and I, just so folks can put the teams/names to faces!



Sorry about the pic quality - Cell phone!

That's Mike on the left, in case you're wondering.

Not that anyone will be looking at me

Yeah, I was pretty distracted by that chandelier.