Tom Brady

Leave a comment Posted on October 15, 2015 Fantasy Football

NFL Week 6 Fantasy Mailbag

The Arizona Cardinals are playing like a Madden team on Easy Mode right now. If you started a whole lineup of Cardinals players last weekend, I have a feeling you would have done pretty well…

QB – Carson Palmer: 11/14, 161 pass yards, 3 TD

RB – Chris Johnson: 103 yards

RB – Andre Ellington: 63 yards, 1 TD

WR – Larry Fitzgerald: 5 catches, 58 yards, 1 TD

WR – John Brown: 4 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD

TE – Darren Fells: 2 catches, 25 yards, 1 TD

Flex – David Johnson: 3 carries, 6 yards, 2 TD

DEF – 2 Forced Fumbles, 4 INT, 1 Sack

K – Chandler Catanzaro – 6/6 PAT

I don’t know if the Cardinals will sustain these video game numbers all season, but I don’t see it slowing down this weekend in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have the worst pass defense in the league at this point, so Carson Palmer owners should be pumped. St. Louis boasted the only viable defense Arizona faced and beat them at home, however…

Quick Hits

Tonight the Atlanta Falcons take their 5-0 record to the Super Dome, and hope to stay undefeated with the help of Devonta Freeman. In Freeman’s last 3 games, he’s averaging 179.6 yards from scrimmage per game (539 total). He’s also leading the league in touchdowns with 8, 7 over those last 3 games, all on the ground. Freeman faces a Saints defense that is allowing the 3rd most rush yards in the league.

In the last 3 weeks, Browns TE Gary Barnidge has recorded 20 receptions for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns. His pass catching total in that time is HALF of his entire career total, and he’s 30. Barnidge’s production has attributed to his quarterback’s incredible run as well. Josh McCown is averaging 384 yards and 2 touchdowns over his last 3 games, but now runs into a buzz saw with Denver coming to town. The Broncos pass defense is tops in the league with the kind of pass rushers that always seem to bring McCown back to Earth. Barnidge will be his best option to survive as the Broncos allowed 60+ receiving yards to Eric Ebron, Travis Kelce and Clive Walford.

The #TomBradyRevengeTour heads to where it all started this weekend. I imagine the Colts had this game circled on their calendar in the preseason, expected it to be Brady’s first game after a 4-game suspension, and would try to settle whatever score they had over a football they thought wasn’t inflated enough…In reality, the Colts are dealing with Wyatt Earp on his rampage in Tombstone. They’ve only won when their franchise quarterback has sat out and Brady is throwing 11 touchdowns and no interceptions coming in with fully inflated footballs. Brady is also throwing to two matchup nightmares in Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman. Edelman is averaging 99.75 yards per game, 8.5 catches, and has 3 touchdowns as well.

What happens when Tom Brady drops a perfect touch pass to a full-speed Julian Edelman?
59 yards. TD. See ya #NEvsDAL http://t.co/6pLwJ0F0hw

— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2015

Mail Time!

I start with Duke Johnson Jr, especially in PPR. Denver is very good against the run, yes, but they are susceptible to pass catching backs. Isaiah Crowell got his numbers last week against Baltimore, but Johnson had as many touches and was the feature back down the stretch. I expect Cleveland to be trailing and throwing. The Duke is their man in that scenario.

Next I lean toward Ronnie Hillman, partially because Ameer Abdullah is in the winless Jim Caldwell’s doghouse for fumble issues. Hillman goes against a horrendous Browns run-defense that is allowing 5 yards per carry. If neither Hillman or CJ Anderson can get it going against Cleveland, I would then recommend looking elsewhere.

When the Chargers are trailing, Danny Woodhead is getting a majority of the workload from Melvin Gordon. I know you’re fully aware of what the Packers are capable of scoring-wise, so you should expect Woodhead to get plenty of work. I don’t trust Abdullah’s usage at this point in the season like I do Theo Riddick’s.

As I pointed out earlier, the McCown thing has been fun but he’s in for a rude awakening this weekend. While the Falcons defense is improved, the only decent quarterback they’ve faced is Eli Manning (that was a struggle for me to type). Drew Brees has thrown 335+ yards in 3 of his 4 games and seems to have figured something out with Willie Snead and Ben Watson downfield. Go with the proven player in a better matchup this weekend, Breesus. If McCown can match his production from the past 3 weeks against Denver, then I’ll start to believe in his hype.

Really aren’t making this easy, are ya?

Hillman is your best option against a bad Cleveland run defense. Already said why I don’t like Abdullah. Golden Tate could burn the Bears secondary, which has improved in coverage recently, but I don’t like Stafford against their pass rush. And Pierre Garcon has a one-way ticket to Revis Island.

QB: Is Blake Bortles available? He’s probably better than all four in a spot start going up against Houston. Out of the 4 though, at least McCown done something worth writing home about in recent weeks. Tyrod looks doubtful this week, so I would prioritize McCown (1) then Mariota (2).

WR: Already mentioned why I don’t like Pierre this week, and really it’s now or never for Jordan Matthews. In their first meeting, Matthews had 8 catches, 105 yards and 1 TD against Philly. I don’t know if he’ll get the same numbers, but the gameplan is there…as opposed to Garcon vs. a stellar Jets pass D.

(1) – Breesus.

(2) – Sammy Watkins says he’s planning to return, and I believe him. I would also go with him over Martavis. Shaky quarterback situation, but at least he’s the #1 pass option. Both he and Bryant are taking on tough pass defenses, and Bryant has to work his way into a WR group with Antonio Brown and Michael Vick’s new favorite target, Darius Heyward-Bey.

Alshon Jeffery is FINALLY getting work in practice, which is encouraging to me. If he plays, he’s a must-start with the way Jay Cutler is playing as of late…If he doesn’t go, Rueben Randle (if healthy) is your next best option. Stevie Johnson becomes even less valuable with Antonio Gates back (and Philip Rivers’ obsession with Gates). And Torrey Smith is currently stuck in the worst offensive dumpster fire in the league.

Not a great passing matchup for either quarterback at all. I see both quarterbacks having to make more plays with their feet than their arms, but I also see Russell Wilson benefitting more from Marshawn Lynch returning for play-action. That, plus the defensive backs that Cam will be throwing against, gives Cam the slight edge.

There really isn’t a team in the league who doesn’t have viable fantasy options. I mentioned San Francisco being a dumpster fire, but they do have Carlos Hyde finding life again against a tough Giants defense.

Bad teams also always adjust their identity as the season continues, which allows the emergence of diamonds in the rough. As the Jaguars went on their slow death march a year ago, they committed to running the ball and Denard Robinson became a consistent 100 yard rusher for at least a month. And as team’s with bad defenses consistently have to play from behind, there’s always a wide receiver benefitting from the “catchup” mentality with garbage time targets and yardage.

Players individually are a different story. I gave up on Jonathan Stewart after 3 weeks of no production, and I don’t blame other owners for doing the same with CJ Anderson. When a top half draft pick doesn’t give you much return after the first quarter, you either try to flip him, or relegate him to your bench and wait for him to turn it around.

RB: Crowell’s game against Denver is way less effective than the Duke’s. That alone has me leaning toward Miller, and I like your thinking. New play-calling and a new attitude can’t hurt Lamar Miller’s usage.

WR/T: I am no longer a James Jones hater like I was for the first 3 weeks of the season. His 5 touchdowns with Rodgers tossing them makes him WR2 value for anyone. Then I go with Tyler Eifert against a Buffalo defense that his given up too much against tight ends this season…If your league gives points for returning yards, Jarvis Landry shoots the top of your group.

Have more lineup questions? Feel free to ask on both Facebook and Twitter! Also, don’t hesitate to post any questions for next week’s Mailbag. Good luck this weekend!

Leave a comment Posted on October 8, 2015 Fantasy Football

NFL Week 5 Fantasy Mailbag

We’re now a quarter of the way into the season but for most of you, we’re actually 30% of the way there as your Fantasy league’s regular season probably goes through Week 13.

In no way am I adding any pressure on you to turn things around or anything. Relax.

Here are your best performers so far at each position so far.

Quarterbacks

5. Tyrod Taylor (BUF) – 988 pass yards, 8 TD / 4 INT, 111 rush yards

4. Carson Palmer (AZ) – 1,155 pass yards, 10 TD / 3 INT

3. Andy Dalton (CIN) – 1,187 pass yards, 9 TD / 1 INT

2. Tom Brady (NE) – (Week 4 Bye) 1,112 pass yards, 9 TD / 0 INT

1. Aaron Rodgers (GB) – 995 pass yards, 11 TD / 0 INT, 107 rush yards

Running Backs

5. Matt Forte (CHI) – 367 rush yards, 1 TD, 133 rec. yards, 13 catches

4. Mark Ingram (NO) – 204 rush yards, 2 TD, 203 rec. yards, 22 catches

3. Adrian Peterson (MIN) – 372 rush yards, 3 TD, 92 rec. yards, 9 catches

2. Jamaal Charles (KC) – 306 rush yards, 4 TD, 151 rec. yards, 20 catches, 1 TD

1. Devonta Freeman (ATL) – 252 rush yards, 7 TD, 196 rec. yards, 17 catches

Wide Receivers

5. DeAndre Hopkins (HOU) – 31 catches, 409 rec. yards, 3 TD

4. Antonio Brown (PIT) – 34 catches, 478 rec. yards, 2 TD, 70 return yards

3. Travis Benjamin (CLE) – 16 catches, 328 rec. yards, 4 TD, 214 return yards, 1 TD

2. Larry Fitzgerald (AZ) – 30 catches, 432 rec. yards, 5 TD

1. Julio Jones (ATL) – 38 catches, 478 rec. yards, 4 TD

Tight Ends

5. Charles Clay (BUF) – 21 catches, 255 yards, 2 TD

4. Tyler Eifert (CIN) – 16 catches, 222 yards, 3 TD

3. Jason Witten (DAL) – 25 catches, 238 yards, 2 TD

2. Travis Kelce (KC) – 21 catches, 293 yards, 2 TD

1. Rob Gronkowski (NE) – 16 catches, 308 yards, 4 TD

Mail Time!

Starting with your WRs…

Sammy Watkins is still listed as Questionable and being considered day-to-day. I wouldn’t bank on him going this weekend, nor do I like Michael Crabtree against the Broncos defense. Denver’s pass defense is currently tops in the NFL…Eddie Royal, on the other hand, goes against the league’s worst pass defense when it comes to allowing WR touchdowns. The Bears also appear to be getting Alshon Jeffery back, which will only soften the coverage on Royal. So yeah, Royal.

While I don’t love starting anyone against the Seahawks defense, Andy Dalton (aka “ADalt” in my Fantasy world) has been too good to sit this season. Dalton is throwing 300+ yards and multiple touchdowns in all of his games so far, and Seattle has faced only 1 decent quarterback so far.

I know Bruce Arians is dubbing Chris Johnson as the #1 running back in Arizona, but I’m not sure how much weight that holds when he has Andre Ellington back. Detroit’s run defense has only given up more than 50 yards once, and that was to Adrian peterson…With Sean Lee and Orlando Scandrick out, I think the Cowboys are in big trouble going against New England. The #BradyRevengeTour is going call for a lot of scoring and a lot of red zone opportunities for the Patriots running backs again. If his usage in the 2nd half of Week 3 is any indication, LeGarrette Blount is going to get his.

If Andy Reid’s play calling wasn’t so conservative, I would lean toward Alex Smith. But Andy Dalton hasn’t done anything to warrant benching him yet, and I’m very eager to see what he can do against the Legion of Boom. The Bears have also somehow figured out how to get to quarterbacks after cutting ties with Jared Allen (weird).

RB: Ronnie Hillman – He’s basically a co-starter with CJ Anderson getting the same amount of touches and more production. And he’s actually reached the end zone…Tevin Coleman’s taking a backseat to Devonta Freeman and his Jim Brown-like numbers. And just no on Ryan Matthews. No.

WR: Emmanuel Sanders – If the Bears weren’t enough proof, that Raiders secondary is BAD. Sanders is also getting ALL the Peyton Manning passes, and you’re not going to get that kind of production with your other options. Then I go with Kendall Wright. The Bills have an incredible front 7 but are incredibly susceptible to the pass. Wright’s averaging 10.5 yards per target too.

I’m not an odds maker, but I would keep betting on Todd Gurley while he’s healthy.

Two reasons I like Pierre Garcon the most. (1) Even if Desean Jackson comes back this weekend, he’s not going to be 100% and only takes pressure off Garcon. (2) Kirk Cousins loves throwing to Garcon and you have to think Washington will be playing catchup against the high power Falcons offense.

I like Sproles in the flex if you get return yard points. If you have better running back options, play them…but you get the feeling he’s going to get as many chances as possible to make the team that let him go pay for it.

(1) Derek Carr is either going to show us all how good he can be, or he’s going to get his ass kicked by the best pass defense in the league. If Alex Smith is your best available option, you can try him…however, I like Jay Cutler even better in his game against the KC D that’s giving up the most passing TDs in the league.

(2) The upside is higher with Latavius Murray. He may have been put in timeout but if the Raiders want to have a chance against the Broncos D, I think he’s learned his lesson. Cardinals front 7 is too good for me to feel comfortable starting Abdullah ahead of him, despite the strong showing he had against the Seahawks.

(3). If I’m picking 3, I’m not playing Carlos Hyde. The Giants run defense is one of the best in the NFL and this is what the 49ers offense looks like:

I know Breesus, King of the Drews, just threw his 400th touchdown but Carson Palmer is far more trustworthy this season at this point.

TJ Yeldon finally eclipsed 100 yards and his next matchup should make Fantasy owners hungry. The Bucs are giving up the 3rd most rushing yards and a touchdown to running backs in 3 of their first 4 games. Given the matchups and Jack Del Rio’s benching trigger finger, I feel much better about Yeldon.

I would go with neither of the Kearses. Seattle WRs are more unpredictable than Belichick running backs and retired defensive players are retired defensive players…Snead got more snaps than any Saints WR last week and I say roll with the Waiver Flavor of the Week.

Have more lineup questions? Feel free to ask on both Facebook and Twitter! Also, don’t hesitate to post any questions for next week’s Mailbag. Good luck this weekend!

1 Comment Posted on September 24, 2015September 24, 2015 Fantasy Football

NFL Week 3 Fantasy Mailbag

My favorite ongoing social media sports joke may in fact be the Andrew Luck “Civil War Era” Letters when things go wrong…

“My Dearest Abigail,

It is with much regret I must report our efforts to protect the homefront against the Jet brigade of New York were for nought. General Pagano was displeased with my inability to conquer the Isle of Revis. We lost our position upon the field on at least three occasions and despite the valiance of Private Moncrief, our company was forced into retreat. We will regroup and look to return to prominence as we move toward Nashville, led by the youthful Colonel Mariota.

Your beloved,

Andrew”

Andrew Luck decided to check out Revis Island.
Bad idea. #NYJvsIND http://t.co/cIENH9QWgH

— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2015

Be better, Andrew.

Quick Hits

In better quarterback news, the Tom Brady Revenge Tour rolls after he completely destroyed what would probably be his toughest matchup all year. Brady dropped 3 touchdowns and 466 yards against Rex Ryan’s Bills defense in Buffalo. For the 15th time, an NFL record, the Patriots won after Brady throws 50+ passes. In perspective, Peyton Manning has 17 games throwing 50 or more passes and has a 4-13 record doing so. Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Warren Moon are tied for second in wins throwing that many passes…just 5 each.

If you drafted Le’Veon Bell and had him stashed until this week, it’s time to unleash the beast. In 15 of the 16 games he played in 2014, Bell recorded 100+ total yards and/or scored a touchdown. He also was the league’s 40th leading receiver in terms of yards, and had the most among all running backs. Ben Roethlisberger owners should really like that as well. Bell will lace’em up against a Rams defense that allowed 6.5 yards per carry to Washington rookie running back Matt Jones a week ago. Welcome back, Le’Veon.

If you were on the “Odell Beckham Jr’s overrated” bandwagon, get the hell off it. ODB (as I refer to him) came back in a hurry last week against the Falcons, catching 7 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown that looked like he ran threw a Super Mario star. This weekend, Beckham lines up opposite from a Washington defense that gave up the most touchdowns to wide receivers a year ago (23). In his only game against them, ODB caught 12 passes for 143 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Mail Time!

The universe is testing you Jason, and I know…It’s not fair. This coming from someone who started Peyton Manning in Week 1 and Tony Romo in Week 2. The WR1 epidemic is awful and hamstrings are a bitch, but I’m hoping you either drafted well or went hard on your waiver wire. There are a few adds I would recommend if you haven’t yet though:

Travis Benjamin helped Johnny Football out a lot last weekend, recording 115 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 3 catches. Won’t light it up PPR wise, but he has that “go-up-and-get-it” ability that got Josh McCown paid after his stint in Chicago. If you get return points in your league, Benjamin becomes all the more attractive against the Raiders.

Michael Crabtree is averaging 12 targets per game after his first two starts in Raider black and silver. Not a great matchup going against Cleveland, but you would think Amari Cooper will draw the Joe Haden coverage more. Cooper getting the majority of opposing secondary attention helps Crabtree’s production, as does a healthy Derek Carr that will be playing more catchup in ballgames than not.

Leonard Hankerson is doing what many Roddy White and Julio Jones owners in the past have become familiar with from Harry Douglas. When either of the Top 2 Falcons WRs were injured (or going ghost like White has a tendency to do), Douglas was a PPR machine. Hankerson had 6 catches and a touchdown on 11 targets last week. The Dallas defense may sober his admirers this weekend, but he has two great matchups afterwards against Houston and Washington.

Nate Washington is a notorious spot-start guy in Fantasy and that may be the case here whether DeAndre Hopkins goes against Tampa or doesn’t. Ryan Mallett threw 58 passes a week ago and Washington is averaging over 18 yards per reception. Probably a sleeper play, but it makes a lot of sense if you’re desperate.

There’s an interesting conundrum with Alfred Morris and Matt Jones in the backfield for Washington. The running attack appears to be their offense’s bread and butter and Jones became the flavor of the week out-carrying Morris last week 19-18. What’s worse for Morris is that Jones actually catches passes and was trusted more late in the game last week against the Rams…I would go with with Pierre Garcon based on the targets he gets on short yardage downs, Morris’s role being diminished, the Giants being competent against the run, and Duke Johnson still being the #2 man in Cleveland.

Glad you were able to walk threw #1…I know you’re probably frustrated with the guys who are likely your Top 2 drafted RBs, but this may be the week to reap the benefits of taking them. Latavius Murray has a plumb rushing matchup against a Browns defense that let Dexter F’ing McCluster run for nearly 100 against them and has allowed 300+ rush yards in 2 weeks. The Raiders should be feeding Murray until he pukes…Because the Lions have no clue how to use obviously their best back in Ameer Abdullah, I lean toward Justin Forsett in your flex. He’s the second most targeted receiver for the Ravens and 2nd on the team in catches too going up against a Bengals defense that has allowed the most running back touchdown receptions so far in this young season.

I would start Forsett exactly for reasons I listed above…and then I look to Dion Lewis. The Imitation Game that is Bill Belichick’s running back strategy may have been cracked. Even after a fumble (GASP), Lewis was still getting love in the Patriot’s offense. He has over 100 combo yards in each of his first two games, and at least 5 touches of 10 or more yards in both as well. Lamar Miller just isn’t getting enough usage for me to feel comfortable playing him yet, which is super unfortunate.

Among the two WRs, I lean toward Terrance Williams. After Romo went down last week, Williams looked like the Cowboys’ best offensive weapon. Brandon Weedon is pretty gross, but he will at least be held upright behind the Dallas OL. The Falcons secondary is also allowing the third highest passing percentage to quarterbacks so far this season…Now you can comfortably wait and see if Eddie Lacy can go Monday night against the Chiefs. If he does, you definitely start James Jones. If not, then there’s an argument to be had. The KC front 7 is better at rushing the quarterback than they are stopping the run, and James Starks would get plenty of work against them. Jones doesn’t get enough targets (just 7 in 2 games) for me to feel comfortable playing him over someone who is guaranteed touches. Go with Starks if he’s the #1 running back on Monday.

I am assuming you meant John Brown and if so, you should start him. I know Larry Fitzgerald had a resurrection game, but consider who it was against. The 49ers are ripe for the taking when it comes to #1 WRs and John Brown has taken most of his reps in the X spot. Expect Carson Palmer to keep tossing bombs and for Brown to be at the end of quite a few…Now for your flex. The reasons above are why I don’t trust James Jones as much as many. Todd Gurley is finally ready to go and appears nowhere on the injury report. Gurley is part of a committee but I believe he has the highest ceiling among any of your options. If return points count in your league, go with Benjamin. He has the same number of targets as Jones, but more big play ability. If not, take a chance on Gurley. It’s early enough in the season where taking chances is fun and not terrifying.

It’s #TyrodTime, my friend. We saw Drew Brees’s decline begin a year ago, and he overcompensated by throwing more than any quarterback in the league. Until he can do more than 1 TD and 1 INT in a game, can you trust him?…Let Taylor do his thing until the league figures him out.

I won’t argue against Crowell in this situation. In a standard league, which I assume doesn’t count return yard points, James Jones does have a leg up on Travis Benjamin given the quarterbacks throwing to them. However if Vontae Davis is out this weekend for Indy, start Kendall Wright. As we saw last Monday, that Colts secondary is horrendous and it doesn’t get any better with Davis out. Marcus Mariota could potentially be having a field day this weekend.

Have more lineup questions? Feel free to ask on both Facebook and Twitter! Also, don’t hesitate to post any questions for next week’s Mailbag. Good luck this weekend!

Leave a comment Posted on September 10, 2015September 10, 2015 Fantasy Football

NFL Week 1 Fantasy Mailbag

FOOOOOOTBALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

I know that’s exactly how you woke up this morning.

Your drafts are in. You’ve either comfortably sat on your lineup or you’ve been toying with who is best for your flex position every minute of the day….The latter is much more likely.

Quick Hits

While the NFL season kicks off tonight, so does the #BradyRevengeTour. That hashtag is meant to be tongue in cheek, but Tom Brady has an excellent matchup this week against a Steelers defense in transition to a new system and the same bad personnel as last season. 9 of the 10 quarterbacks they faced last season threw for multiple touchdowns and they were lit up by the BILLS QBs in Week 3 (gross).

Opposite Brady will be Ben Roethlisberger, who would benefit greatly from a shootout. No Le’Veon Bell means an iffy backfield, and more throws downfield to arguably the best offensive weapon in football…Antonio Brown. Roethlisberger averaged 2.6 touchdown passes last year and faces a Patriots defense that’s now without Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

Another game I’m incredibly interested in is the Broncos vs. Ravens, and not for Peyton Manning vs. Joe Flacco…Two of the league’s breakout running backs last season were CJ Anderson and Justin Forsett, and neither were starters in their opener a year ago. Forsett led all starting running backs with 5.4 yards per carry. Since taking over #1 duties week 9, Anderson averaged 132.1 yards from scrimmage per game. Now that Forsett’s OC a year ago is guiding Anderson, it will be fun to see how the two follow up their pro bowl seasons.

Giants vs. Cowboys could be quite the show as well. Tony Romo OWNED the Giants last year throwing 7 touchdowns in both games against them. In their first meeting, Dez Bryant caught 9 passes for 151 yards and then 2 touchdowns in the second. It was against the Cowboys though where Odell Beckham Jr. really came onto the scene. Beckham scored 2 touchdowns in the first game, then 10 catches, 146 yards and 2 touchdowns the second time around. Similar to tonight’s NE vs PIT game, this matchup has barn burner potential.

Mail Time!

I think the highest ceiling from this group will eventually be Ameer Abdullah, but Lions have a mirky RB situation with Joique Bell still listed as the starter and Theo Riddick #2 on the depth chart. My rule with Week 1 is to go with your proven players while watching how your bench guys develop. DeVante Parker has a great matchup against Washington, but there are only so many balls to go around with Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings. Wait and see on his usage…I lean toward Danny Woodhead over Charles Johnson. Woodhead is Philip Rivers’s guy on passing downs and will be relieving rookie Melvin Gordon plenty against the tough Lions run defense. I trust Woodhead getting more touches than Johnson, as the Vikings will be focused on riding Adrian Peterson against the Walking Dead 49ers.

Start with Jeremy Maclin. I really liked how he and Alex Smith looked working together in the preseason, and he’s the undisputed #1 guy for an offense that needs to use it’s receivers more in the red zone…Both Brandon Marshall and Andre Johnson have tough secondary matchups this week. Johnson is in a crowded WR group going against the Bills and Marshall will draw Joe Haden. I like Marshall as a red zone option more than Johnson though. Obviously Johnson has the better QB throwing to him, but how much will he be thrown to?

Appreciate ya, Matt…Despite my worry of Melvin Gordon going against Detroit, Alfred Blue may have an even tougher one against Kansas City. I also don’t get the impression that the Texans are all that in love with Blue, considering they were willing to try 3rd string cornerbacks at running back in the preseason. Let Gordon loose out there.

Although he is getting the call with Martavis Bryant out, I don’t trust Markus Wheaton yet like I do two starting running backs. Washington is a dumpster fire, but you can feel better about their running game with Alfred Morris way more than their quarterbacks and wide receivers. And take advantage of having Jonathan Stewart while he’s healthy. The key in Week 1 is starting guys that you know will be getting touches, and plenty of them. Only 5 times did Wheaton catch 5 or more passes last season.

Amari Cooper is going to be one of the best wide receivers in the league and he’ll show it sooner than later. Unfortunately, I don’t think that will be this weekend as his quarterback may be eaten alive by the Bengals front 7. Jordan Matthews should be strong play though as the new #1 WR in Philly and going against a Falcons pass defense that was putrid a year ago.

I don’t love Brandon Marshall at all and I don’t think his quarterbacks will be helping him much or vice versa. However…the Washington offensive line could easily get Kirk Cousins killed this weekend against Ndamukong Suh, and D-Jax simply won’t get great opportunities to make plays for you. Your chances are better with Marshall.

Have more lineup questions? Feel free to ask on both Facebook and Twitter! Also, don’t hesitate to post any questions for next week’s Mailbag. Good luck this weekend!

5 Comments Posted on August 24, 2015August 26, 2015 Fantasy Football, sports

Fantasy Cheat Sheet 2015: Quarterbacks

If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to start preparing for your upcoming Fantasy Football Draft.

Whether you’re playing in Yahoo!, ESPN, CBS, or some other website, you don’t necessarily want to base your picks off of their pre-draft rankings. That’s why I write up a CHEAT SHEET with players I prefer, based on their production last season, their team’s recent acquisitions, schemes/sytems, and injuries.

Here are my Top-20 quarterbacks and where I would prioritize drafting them round-by-round.

1. Andrew Luck, IND

2014: 40 TD/ 16 INT, 4,761 yards

Throws the ball A LOT. Just added Andre Johnson and a legit running back in Frank Gore to keep defensive backs honest. 5 Good WRs, 2 decent TEs…Yeah. The Beard’s ceiling has been raised.

Pick: Late 1^st, Early 2^nd round

2. Aaron Rodgers, GB

2014: 38 TD / 5 INT, 4,381 yards

Doesn’t turn it over often and plays better down the stretch. Rodgers is missing his #1 receiver, but could make someone else into a star very quickly. Also scary in the red zone on the ground.

Pick: Late 1^st, Early 2^nd

3. Drew Brees, NO

2014: 33 TD / 17 INT, 4,952 yards

Brees can be great or he can kill you. If Brandin Cooks stays healthy, he’ll bounce back and tear it up. May not throw as many TDs but he’ll pick up plenty of yardage and completions. Led the league in both last year.

Pick: 3^{rd or}4^th round

4. Tony Romo, DAL

2014: 34 TD / 9 INT, 3,705 yards

Expect Romo to throw it more with DeMarco Murray gone. Cowboys have the best offensive line in the league and give him plenty of time to find an open man, and has sure hands in Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.

Pick 4^th Round

5. Peyton Manning, DEN

2014: 39 TD / 15, 4,761 yards

I don’t believe Manning would have come back if he wasn’t healthy. He will still throw a ton. Plus Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are great after the catch.

Pick: 4^th Round

6. Russell Wilson, SEA

2014: 20 TD/7 INT, 3,475 yards

Doesn’t get a ton of passing points but makes up for it with rushing yards and TDs on the ground. Also just added Jimmy Graham, so passing points should go up.

Pick 4^th Round

7. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT

2014: 32 TD / 9 INT, 4,952 yards

Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell definitely help Ben get his points. He’ll throw 5 TDs one day, but none another.

Pick 5^th Round

8. Matt Ryan, ATL

2014: 28 TD / 14 INT, 4,694 yards

New coach and OC, super young RBs, and healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White…Matty Ice is going to let it fly.

Pick: 5^th Round

9. Eli Manning, NYG

2014: 30 TD / 14 INT, 4,410 yards

Eli doesn’t have an excuse not to produce big time in year two of Odell Beckham Jr and having a healthy Victror Cruz back. Rashad Jennings provides solid relief in the run game when he isn’t sidelined, and Tom Brady could tell Manning how good Shane Vereen is on passing downs.

Pick 6^th Round

10. Tom Brady, NE

2014: 33 TD / 9 INT, 4,109 yards

This obviously can change if his suspension goes away, but Brady can be your first pick after most of the Top 10 go. Next couple QBs can bridge you to after he returns and he’ll be a boss when he does.

Pick 6^th Round or a few after you pick your first QB

11. Phillip Rivers, SD

2014: 31 TD / 18 INT, 4,286 yards

First half of last year, was Top 3 among QBS. Rivers just got paid too, which should motivate him to earn his keep. He also gets Danny Woodhead back to throw to and Keenan Allen should be better as well.

Pick 7^th Round and beyond

12. Matthew Stafford, DET

2014: 22 TD / 12 INT, 4,247 yards

This really depends on how healthy Calvin Johnson is. Megatron at his best is devastating and would make Stafford an awesome backup or even starter. Golden Tate proved to help him out too in Johnson’s absence. Theo Riddick and Joique Bell are proven to be solid pass catchers out of the backfield too.

Pick 7^th Round

13. Jay Cutler, CHI

2014: 28 TD / 18 INT, 3,812 yards

Jay is poised for a bounce back year and not just because #CuttyDoesIt. Former Peyton Manning OC Adam Gase has emphasized utilizing Cutler’s strengths throwing on the run and play-action. He’ll be missing Kevin White for at least the first half of the season, but finally has a true slot receiver in Eddie Royal. Also expect Martellus Bennett to be big when spread out, like Julius Thomas in past years.

Pick 8^th Round and beyond

14. Ryan Tannehill, MIA

2014: 27 TD / 12 INT, 4,045 yards

Gets better every year. Added proven veteran receivers, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings, who can also play in uptempo offenses. Jarvis Landry will be Tannehill’s best weapon to stretch the field though.

Pick 8^th Round and beyond

15. Cam Newton, CAR

2014: 18 TD / 12 INT, 3,127 yards

Newton is sliding in most drafts after losing Kelvin Benjamin for the season to injury. Rookie Devin Funchess isn’t as depended on as advertised with veterans like Jericho Cotchery and Ted Gin Jr. in the mix, but can put up Benjamin-like production. Ability to run for TDs makes up for lack of passing points too.

Pick 8^th Round

16. Joe Flacco, BAL

2014: 27 TD / 12 INT, 3,986 yards

Lost Torrey Smith and his replacement, Breshad Perriman, is questionable. Flacco will be throwing a lot though with Marc Trestman as OC. Could be either really good or really meh.

Pick 9^th round and beyond

17. Teddy Bridgewater, MIN

2014: 14 TD / 12 INT 2,919 yards

The Vikings are a run heavy team, without question. Teddy has looked excellent in preseason though, and he has Mike Wallace and Charles Johnson to throw to. The training wheels are off in year two and you can expect Kyle Rudolph to provide a nice security blanket in the Norv Turner system

Pick 10^th Round and beyond

18. Andy Dalton, CIN

2014: 19 TD / 17 INT, 3,398 yards

Dalton’s last season was thrown off with AJ Green getting injured. The Bengals added Denarius Moore to go with Marvin Jones and Sanu. Don’t bank on him but he’s a nice backup with nice options.

Pick 11th Round and beyond

Colin Kaepernick, SF

2014: 19 TD / 10 INT, 2,369 yards

The 49ers could potentially be the worst team in the NFL, but Kaepernick can still take over a game in desperate times. He still has Anquan Boldin, plus Torrey Smith and Reggie Bush who are both helpful in the passing. Kaepernick does run better than anyone on the team too. The defense will be awful so he’ll have to score plenty to stay in games.

Pick 11^th Round and beyond

20. Derek Carr, OAK

2014: 21 TD / 12 INT, 3,270 yards

Carr showed flashes of the quarterback the Raiders need him to be last season. Drafting Amari Cooper helps along with a receiving group that also includes Michael Crabtree, Kenbrell Thompkins and Andre Holmes

Pick 12^th Round and beyond

Do your rankings look different? Let me know on Facebook and Twitter!

Also…

Running Backs Cheat Sheet

Wide Receivers Cheat Sheet

Tight Ends Cheat Sheet

Defenses & Kickers Cheat Sheet

Leave a comment Posted on August 11, 2015August 11, 2015 Football, NFL, sports

Hard Knocks 2015: Houston Texans Stars and Storylines

Cue the music…

Who else is pumped for the JJ Watt Show on HBO?

Since 2001, HBO has made the month of August significantly more interesting with impeccable footage and access from NFL camps all over the league. Each Tuesday evening, viewers are drawn by marquee players, foul-mouthed coaches, rookie hazing, and the annual heartbreak of roster cuts…or the relief of a fringe guy making the roster.

This (pre)season, the cameras will follow arguably the biggest star in the NFL today, JJ Watt, and a handful of players and coaches with ties to the biggest story looming over the league (regarding the New England Patriots). Let’s take a look at who will likely be getting air-time and the storylines that will keep you interested…

We already know about the scrimmage fight between the Texans and Washington.

But of course, there’s more.

1. JJ Watt

In his first 4 seasons, Watt is a 3-time Pro Bowler, 3-time All-Pro, twice defensive player of the year, and easily the best player in Texans blue. On top of his 57 career sacks he’s already recorded, Watt scored 4 touchdowns last year…3 on offense.

With the success on the field comes the fame off of it. The former Wisconsin Badger has quickly become a big celebrity. When he’s not playing security for the Zac Brown Band, he’s off meeting his boyhood crushes, Britney Spears and Jennifer Aniston, and becoming best buds with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Just to complete the night before heading back to Houston to work… @Schwarzenegger this was awesome!!! pic.twitter.com/658YgqfnRf

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) June 11, 2015

Yes, we all envy Watt’s life and it will be fun getting a closer look at it for the next 4 weeks. Apparently he gets caught offsides for the first time tomorrow night and he doesn’t take it well. Just shake, err, Nae Nae (?) it off, JJ.

2. Head Coach Bill O’Brien

There is a lot of intrigue around the Texans 2nd year head coach. Bill O’Brien joined the Texans after two seasons as the head coach that followed Joe Paterno and the Penn State scandal. Before then, he was Tom Brady’s offensive coordinator and a 5 year assistant for Bill Belicheck. He also has a bit of a red ass and doesn’t seem to be afraid to mix it up with his players, as footage from his Patriots days shows…

Viewers will learn quickly that O’Brien isn’t too shy to drop a barrage of F-bombs. His forceful and driven demeanor are credited for the Texans improving their win total by 7 games from 2013 to 2014. You also can imagine he may have a few stories from his tenures at Penn State and New England.

Might be worth noting that O’Brien’s playing experience only goes as far as playing defensive-end and linebacker at Brown University till 1992.

3. The Battle of Former Brady Backups

This is a familiar setting for Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett, as they both took snaps under center for the Patriots in 2011. This time the stakes are higher as they compete to become starting quarterback of the 2015 Texans. A week into camp, neither quarterback has a leg up on the other yet. Hoyer started camp getting reps with the first team, likely because he had more starting experience with Cleveland. Mallett is better acquainted with the offense having come over in a trade from New England a year ago.

A position battle that important should provide solid drama featuring two younger quarterbacks who have a history with each other, but also have a history backing up one of the league’s all-time greats in Tom Brady. The other angle, unfortunately, would be their insight on how they and Brady like their footballs prepared.

4. The Arian Foster Thing

Arian Foster has been a force for the Texans offense since taking over the starter spot in 2010. The 4-time pro bowler is also one of the more entertaining characters in football, as well as one of the most outspoken. Unfortunately having to to miss 4-6 weeks to a groin injury, it’s unclear how much air-time Foster will get compared to back up running back Alfred Blue. His recent proclamation as an atheist and want to spread that message could be talking point for him when the HBO mics are on. I always stick to the “Big Fish” rule, but whatever.

5. Filling Andre Johnson’s Shoes

It’s going to be weird not seeing Andre Johnson line up for the Texans this season. The 12-year vet and 7-time pro bowler ranks 2nd among all active receivers in catches with 1,012, all with Houston. Johnson took his talents to Indianapolis in the off-season, but that’s why they drafted DeAndre Hopkins…to prepare for life After-Andre.

The former Clemson star took a big leap to #1 receiver status in his second pro season, catching 76 passes for 1,210 yards and 6 touchdowns. He’ll be lining up on the opposite end of the field from former Jacksonville receiver and D-III college player Cecil Shorts III. Shorts may have a better story than Hopkins, but it will be interesting to see them in action.

6. Clowney Comeback

The #1 overall pick from a year ago only played four games for the Texans last year, and made just 5 tackles. After a second knee surgery in December, Jadeveon Clowney has been rehabbing and targeting an August 17th return date before the season starts. Can’t blame Texans fans for being frustrated, especially when Clowney sat out a chunk of his last season in college to avoid further injury before the draft. Other news surrounding Clowney has to do with his father being arrested and denied bond after an attempted murder recently…so there’s that.

Hopefully Clowney can get back to football on focus on blowing up running backs and quarterbacks like he did at South Carolina.

7. Another Former Patriot

There are a few more former Patriots who should make this season of Hard Knocks interesting. Super Bowl champion and 5-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork comes over to Houston after earning another ring, and turning 33. An old defensive teammate of Wilfork’s, Mike Vrabel, coaches linebackers with the Texans as well. …Oddly, I’m way more interested in what Vince does on the basketball court than the football field, thanks to this sneak peak.

Vince @wilfork75? More like Vinny Buckets! You have never seen a big-man hoop like THIS! #HardKnocks http://t.co/0OqpmznqJL

— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2015

“Modern Day Michael Jordan”…Wonder what Michael has to say about that.

‘Hard Knocks’ premieres at 10 PM ET/ 9 CT tonight, August 11th. Join me in Tweeting along to the episode LIVE or we can talk about it on Facebook.

4 Comments Posted on August 6, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 2010

“Half a decade ago” sounds like a while ago, right?

The tallest man-made structure to date, the Burj Khalifa, opened in Dubai.
The 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada.
WikiLeaks leaked over 90,000 internal United States documents to the public.
Dennis Hopper passed away at the age of 74.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjk7wzMsq2U

Hopper was nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Supporting Actor (Hoosiers) and Best Writing (Easy Rider)

And here’s what happened in Movies, Music and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Easy A, Date Night, Grown Ups, Due Date, Hot Tub Time Machine, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Get Him to the Greek, Life as We Know It, Dinner for Schmucks, Flipped, Valentine’s Day, She’s Out of My League, Morning Glory, The Backup Plan, Killers, The Bounty Hunter, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Greenberg, Love & Other Drugs, Death at a Funeral, Leap Year, The Switch, Going the Distance, Super, MacGruber, AND…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmQjVxd-pMs

The Other Guys

Action/Thriller

Shutter Island, The A-Team, The Expendables, Salt, Red, Predators, Takers, The Tourist, Machete, Green Zone, Devil, Unstoppable, The Next Three Days, Iron Man 2, Insidious, Edge of Darkness, The Losers, The American, Saw VII, 13, The Ghost Writer, Unthinkable, Buried, Piranha 3D, Repo Men, The Crazies, Monsters, The Book of Eli, Paranormal Activity 2, Knight and Day, From Paris With Love, Dylan Dog, AND…

Inception

Animated

How to Train Your Dragon, Despicable Me, Tangled, Shrek Forever After, MegaMind, Legend of the Guardians, The Illusionist, Arrietty, Alpha and Omega, Batman: Under the Red Hood, Yogi Bear, AND…

Toy Story 3

Dramas

Black Swan, The Social Network, The Fighter, Dear John, Remember Me, The Town, 127 Hours, Robin Hood, Submarine, Blue Valentine, The Kids Are All Right, All Good Things, Let Me In, True Grit, Cyrus, In A Better World, Winter’s Bone, Trust, Charlie St. Cloud, The Way Back, Animal Kingdom, Last Night, The Tempest, AND…

The King’s Speech

The 83rd Academy Awards

Best Actor

Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
James Franco, 127 Hours
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech – Winner

Colin Firth was nominated the year before for “A Single Man”

Best Supporting Actor

Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Christian Bale, The Fighter – Winner

Christian Bale was nominated again in 2014 for “American Hustle”.

Best Actress

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
Natalie Portman, Black Swan – Winner

Natalie Portman was nominated once previously for “Closer” in 2004.

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Melissa Leo, The Fighter – Winner

Melissa Leo was nominated once more in 2009 for “Frozen River”.

Best Picture

Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone
The King’s Speech – Winner

“The King’s Speech” won 4 of the 12 Awards it was nominated for, including Best Directing and Writing.

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Songs

01. “Tik Tok” – Ke$ha

02. “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum

03. “Hey, Soul Sister” – Train

04. “California Gurls” – Katy Perry

05. “OMG” – Usher

06. “Airplanes” – B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams

07. “Love the Way You Lie” – Eminem featuring Rihanna

08. “Bad Romance” – Lady Gaga

09. “Dynamite” – Taio Cruz

10. “Break Your Heart” – Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris

11. “Nothin’ On You” – B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars

12. “I Like It” – Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull

13. “Bedrock” – Young Money featuring Lloyd

14. “In My Head” – Jason Derulo

15. “Rude Boy” – Rihanna

16. “Telephone” Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce

17. “Teenage Dream” – Katy Perry

18. “Just The Way You Are” – Bruno Mars

19. “Cooler Than me” – Mike Posner

20. “Imma Be” – Black Eyed Peas

21. “Empire State of Mind” – Jay-Z + Alicia Keys

22. “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” – Usher featuring Pitbull

23. “Billionaire” – Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars

24. “Not Afraid” – Eminem

25. “Replay” – Iyaz

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders

Offensive

Average: Josh Hamilton (TEX) – .359

Hits: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) – 214

Home Runs: Jose Bautista (TOR) – 54

RBI: Miguel Cabrera (DET) – 126

OPS: Josh Hamilton (TEX) – 1.044

Stolen Bases: Juan Pierre (CHW) – 68

Pitching

Wins: CC Sabathia (NYY) & Roy Halladay (PHI) – 21

ERA: Felix Hernandez (SEA) – 2.27

Strikeouts: Jered Weaver (LAA) – 233

Complete Games: Roy Halladay (PHI) – 9

Shutouts: Roy Halladay (PHI) – 4

Saves: Brian Wilson (SF) – 48

MVP

AL – Josh Hamilton (TEX)

NL – Joey Votto (CIN)

CY Young

AL – Felix Hernandez (SEA)

NL – Roy Halladay (PHI)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Neftali Feliz (TEX)

NL – Buster Posey (SF)

World Series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpSlRUsjqhE

San Francisco Giants over Texas Rangers (4-1)

Basketball

NCAA

(1)Duke, (5)Michigan State, (2)West Virginia, (5)Butler

National Championship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0I3QSL7Gro

(1) Duke over (5) Butler 61-59

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Kevin Durants (OKC) – 30.1

Rebounds Per Game: Dwight Howard (ORL) – 13.2

Assists Per Game: Steve Nash (PHX) – 11.0

All-NBA Team

Kobe Bryant (LAL)

Kevin Durant (OKC)

Dwight Howard (ORL)

LeBron James (CLE)

Dwyane Wade (MIA)

MVP – LeBron James (CLE)

Rookie of the Year – Tyreke Evans (SAC)

NBA Finals

Los Angeles Lakers over Boston Celtics (4-3)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy – Cam Newton, Auburn

National Championship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kct-hvDWHY8

(1)Auburn over (2)Oregon 22-19 in BCS Championship

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Phillip Rivers (SD) – 4,710

Passing Touchdowns: Tom Brady (NE) – 36

Passer Rating: Tom Brady (NE) – 111.0

Rushing Yards: Arian Foster (HOU) – 1,616

Rushing Touchdowns: Arian Foster (HOU) – 16

Receiving Yards: Brandon Lloyd (DEN) – 1,448

Receiving Touchdowns: Dwayne Bowe (KC) – 15

Receptions: Roddy White (ATL) – 115

AP MVP: Tom Brady (NE)

Super Bowl XLV

Green Bay Packers over Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Sidney Crosby (PIT) & Steven Stamkos (TB) – 51

Assists: Henrik Sedin (VAN) – 83

Points: Henrik Sedin (VAN – 112

Hart Memorial Trophy: Henrik Sedin (VAN)

Stanley Cup

Chicago Blackhawks over Philadelphia Flyers 4-2

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2007

2006

2005

1999

1998

1992

1989

1988

1987

1 Comment Posted on August 3, 2015August 3, 2015 Movies, sports

Ranking Trainwreck’s Sports Moments

I didn’t know how sports-centric Amy Schumer’s sorta-RomCom feature would be prior to seeing it yesterday. Sure Bill Hader’s character is a sports physician/surgeon and his closest friend in the film is LeBron James, but Judd Apatow goes above and beyond in sports-ness throughout the film.

If you haven’t seen “Trainwreck” yet, I’ll warn you that there are spoilers ahead…but you should have assumed that before clicking. Let’s take a look at the numerous cameos and references that made a generally “okay” movie a little bit better.

10. Hader Sports Trivia

In an effort to distract Amy’s dad (Colin Quinn) while sewing up stitches for him following a fall in an assisted living home, Bill Hader asks him a Trivia question that many sports fans have been asking to kill time or break the ice with for years…

“Which 9 Pro Sports Team Names Don’t End With ‘S’…?”

Tampa Bay Lightning
Minnesota Wild
Colorado Avalanche
Miami Heat
Utah Jazz
Orlando Magic
Boston Red Sox
Chicago White Sox
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

You’re welcome…for future parties.

9. Amy’s Cheerleader Number

Anyone who tells me that Cheerleading isn’t a sport is dead wrong. This scene is certainly evidence of that. While it also puts the icing on the cake to define “Trainwreck” as a RomCom (like as How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days as it gets), it’s actually a super impressive scene. Schumer said herself that it took 2 and a half months to train for the scene…and at least 10 takes.

The reason I didn’t rank this higher, despite the admirable effort by Schumer, the scene and its conclusion made me walk away feeling like I just watched an Adam Sandler movie. Not a good thing.

8. “Dallas Sucks”, Tony Romo

Kind of a sleeper in this film is Amare Stoudamire and his handful of scenes, despite being a real focal point to the movie’s plot. It’s awkward and a little dated because Amare isn’t even in New York anymore, but how can you not appreciate a “Dallas Sucks” heckle when Tony Romo is trying to have a semi-heartfelt moment introducing Hader’s character for an award.

7. John Cena “Dirty Talk”

I’m going to have a hard time looking at John Cena the same way again…and wash cloths.

In an attempt to spice things up, Amy tells John Cena’s character, Steven, to try talking dirty. Cena warns her that he’s not very good at that but he gives it a shot anyway…It goes from talking about “protein” to his best attempt at a cheesy sports movie coach’s inspirational speech. The sad part is that it pretty much summed up all of the cliches Gene Hackman used in “The Replacements.”

6. Hader hitting a shot on LeBron

I’ll be more extensive in my appreciation for LeBron James later, but I have to give props to Hader first…He takes a beating for most of this scene while LeBron is trying to give him dating advice and blocking every attempt made. It ends with a Hader jumper from the elbow, a weak contest from LeBron, and the ball hitting nothing but net.

I too would give up playing basketball forever if I hit a shot over LeBron James.

5. Colin Quinn vs. Babe Ruth

Anyone else wonder where Colin Quinn had been for the last thousand years? The former SNL ‘Weekend Update’ Anchor opens the film explaining why monogamy is dumb to his kids and that kinda-but-not-really justifies Schumer’s “Trainwreck” behavior throughout the film.

He’s living in an assisted living home due to MS and goes on typical Colin Quinn rants whenever he’s on screen. The best of his rants comes toward the beginning when one of the residents brings up Babe Ruth. As a huge Mets fan, he ruins the old Yankee fan’s dreams by telling him that every latin pitcher today would destroy Babe Ruth…who never played against black ballplayers.

4. Amare really likes Tom Brady’s wife

As I mentioned earlier, Amare is a serious sleeper in this flick. There is (and isn’t) a lot riding on Hader being able to successfully operate on Amare’s knee to get him back playing for the Knicks.

Sidenote: If this is taking place during the NBA season, why is LeBron spending so much time in New York following Hader around?

Anywho, Amare asks Hader how the procedure went and he is told that it was “Tom Brady” good. That prompts a medically drug induced Amare to profess his love and admiration for Gisele Bundchen.

From “I need me one of those” to “I follow her on Instagram”, that single scene was the perfect contrast to the creepy and gross Tom Brady stalking in “Ted 2”.

3. Marv Albert in the Intervention

While the scene seemed wildly out of place, and even more Sandler’ish than the cheerleader number, Marv Albert calling play-by-play of an intervention curated by LeBron for Hader following his breakup was too good.

Matthew Broderick and Chris Evert were there as well (why?), but that randomness was subsided by Marv doing his Marv thing.

2. Any and All LeBron Scenes

I want LeBron to be my best friend after seeing this movie.

He makes the movie fun by trying to be a normal dude looking out for his “best friend.” You’re not totally sure if Hader feels the same way about the LeBron, but that makes the chemistry all the more entertaining.

And you giggle like a kid when he gets pumped about “Sexual Intercourse”.

1. Hader’s “Client” Namedropping

I laughed the loudest (and probably way more than the few people where in the theater with me) at this scene, warranting it’s #1 ranking.

While at a birthday party for Schumer’s nephew, Hader gets the “new boyfriend” treatment from the other guys there. Tim Meadows and Mike Birbiglia ask Hader specifically who he has worked on as a sports surgeon and it goes a little like this…

Bill: “Tom Brady…”

Them: “Wow!”

Bill: “Jay Cutler…”

Them: “Cool.”

Bill: “Alex Rodriguez…”

Tim Meadows: “FUCK THAT GUY!”

Yep. The “Ladies Man” gets the smallest part in the movie, but drops the best timed punchline over the course of 2 hours and too many more minutes.

Can you think of anything else from “Trainwreck” that sticks out to you? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

5 Comments Posted on July 30, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 2007

In the year that doesn’t feel like it was 8 years ago…

Steve Jobs announced the first generation iPhone.
J.K. Rowlings releases “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows”, the fastest selling book ever.
Track Star Marion Jones surrendered her 5 Olympic gold medals after admitting to doping.
Legendary 49ers head coach Bill Walsh passed away at the age of 75.
4-time Best Drama Series Emmy award winning Mad Men premiered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOUPSj9yzKs (Fingers crossed for Jon Hamm this year) And here’s the what happened in Movies, Music and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

Knocked Up, Superbad, Enchanted, Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Hot Fuzz, Juno, Evan Almighty, Balls of Fury, Good Luck Chuck, Hot Rod, Death at a Funeral, Lars and the Real Girl, Epic Movie, Wild Hogs, The Game Plan, The Heartbreak Kid, Who’s Your Caddy?, Dan in Real Life, Fred Clause, The Bucket List, Mr. Woodcock, License to Wed, AND… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovASq1-TfF0

The Simpsons Movie

Action

The Bourne Ultimatum, Grindhouse, Zodiac, Live Free or Die Hard, Transformers, I Am Legend, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, The Kingdom, Sweeney Todd, Hitman, Death Sentence, 28 Weeks Later, Disturbia, Spiderman 3, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Hannibal Rising, The Mist, Fracture, Ghost Rider, The Condemned, Vacancy, Rush Hour 3, War, Funny Games, Paranormal Activity, Mr. Brooks, The Hitcher, Resident Evil: Extinction AND…

Shooter

Drama

Into the Wild, Gone Baby Gone, Atonement, There Will Be Blood, American Gangster, Michael Clayton, Reign Over Me, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Visitor, The Girl Next Door, Premonition, We Own The Night, 3:10 To Yuma, In the Valley of Elah, PS. I Love You, The Lookout, Across the Universe, The Invisible, Breach, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Man From Earth, Control, Evening, Trade, Rendition, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Eastern Promises AND…

No Country For Old Men

The 80th Academy Awards

Best Actor

George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood – Winner

(This was the 2nd of Daniel Day-Lewis’s 3 Best Actor Oscar wins)

Best Supporting Actor

Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson’s War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men – Winner

(It was Javier Bardem’s first win out of 3 Oscar nominations)

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose – Winner

(Marion Cotillard has been nominated twice for Best Leading Actress. This was her first win)

Best Supporting Actress

Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton – Winner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E2z-1Mi6Zo (Swinton is batting 1.000 going one-for-one in Oscar nominations and awards, so far)

Best Picture

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
There Will Be Blood
No Country For Old Men – Winner

(Won 4 of the 8 Oscars it was nominated, including Best Writing and Directing)

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

01. “Irreplaceable” – Beyonce

02. “Umbrella” – Rihanna

03. “The Sweet Escape” – Gwen Stefani and Akon

04. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – Fergie

05. “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” – T-Pain featuring Young Joc

06. “Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood

07. “Hey There Delilah” – Plain White T’s

08. “I Wanna Love You” – Akon featuring Snoop Dogg

09. “Say It Right” – Nelly Furtado

10. “Glamorous” – Fergie featuring Ludacris

11. “Don’t Matter” – Akon

12. “Girlfriend” – Avril Lavigne

13. “Makes Me Wonder” – Maroon 5

14. “Party Like a Rockstar” – Shop Boyz

15. “Smack That” – Akon featuring Eminem

16. “This Is Why I’m Hot” – Mims

17. “It’s Not Over” – Daughtry

18. “The Way I Are” – Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson

19. “Fergalicious” – Fergie featuring will.i.am.

20. “Crank That (Soulja Boy) – Soulja Boy Tell’em

21. “Give It To Me” – Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake

22. “What Goes Around…Comes Around” – Justin Timberlake

23. “Cupid’s Chokehold” – Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump

24. “How To Save A Life” – The Fray

25. “Home” – Daughtry

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders

Offensive

Average: Magglio Ordonez (DET) – .363

Hits: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) – 238

Home Runs: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) – 54

RBI: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) – 156

OPS: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) – 1.067

Stolen Bases: Jose Reyes (NYM) – 78

Pitching

Wins: Josh Beckett (BOS) – 20

ERA: Jake Peavy (SD) – 2.54

Strikeouts: Jake Peavy (SD) – 240

Complete Games: Roy Halladay (TOR) – 7

Shutouts: Brandon Webb (AZ) – 3

Saves: Jose Valverde (AZ) – 47

MVP

AL – Alex Rodriguez (NYY)

NL – Jimmy Rollins (PHI)

CY Young

AL – CC Sabathia (CLE) NL – Jake Peavy (SD)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Dustin Pedroia (BOS)

NL – Ryan Braun (MIL)

World Series

Boston Red Sox sweep the Colorado Rockies (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four

(1) Florida, (1) Ohio State, (2) Georgetown, (2) UCLA

National Championship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKQFfeQ2Tpk

(1) Florida over (1) Ohio State 84-75

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 31.6

Rebounds Per Game: Kevin Garnett (MIN) – 12.8

Assists Per Game: Steve Nash (PHX) – 11.6

All-NBA Team

Kobe Bryant (LAL)

Tim Duncan (SA)

Steve Nash (PHX)

Dirk Nowitzki (DAL)

Amar’e Stoudamire (PHX)

MVP – Dirk Nowitzki (DAL)

Rookie of the Year – Brandon Roy (POR)

NBA Finals

San Antionio Spurs sweep Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy – Tim Tebow, Florida

BCS National Title

(2) LSU over (1) Ohio State 38-24 in the Sugar Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Tom Brady (NE) – 4,806

Passing Touchdowns: Tom Brady (NE) – 50

Passer Rating: Tom Brady (NE) – 117.2

Rushing Yards: LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) – 1,474

Rushing Touchdowns: LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) – 15

Receiving Yards: Reggie Wayne (IND) – 1,510

Receiving Touchdowns: Randy Moss (NE) – 23

Receptions: T.J. Houshmandzadeh (CIN) & Wes Welker (NE) – 112

AP MVP: Tom Brady (NE)

Super Bowl XLII

New York Giants over New England Patriots 17-14

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Vincent Lecavalier (TB) – 52

Assists: Joe Thornton (SJ) – 92

Points: Sidney Crosby (PIT) – 120

Hart Memorial Trophy: Sidney Crosby (PIT)

Stanley Cup

Anaheim Ducks over Ottawa Senators (4-1)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2006

2005

1999

1998

1992

1989

1988

1987

Leave a comment Posted on February 6, 2015February 6, 2015 Fantasy Football, sports

Fantasy Evaluations From Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots & Seahawks

By now, you know THE PLAY very well.

And the reactions that followed.

Patriots fans, Seahawks fans, and the rest of the world helped make Super Bowl 49 the highest rated television program in U.S. History. 114.5 million viewers watched the whole game and 118.5 million were tuned in for Katy Perry and her giant robot lion.

That thing was impressive and terrifying all at once.

In a blink of an eye though, football was over. The 2014-15 season was wrapped up with a championship game that represented it perfectly…INSANE. And one of the best Super Bowls in league history was made so by some of this past Fantasy season’s best.

If you’re like me, you already can’t wait to draft your next Fantasy team. So why not start looking ahead and beginning your draft board? Let’s take a look at the key contributors from last weekend’s game and others with Fantasy value.

Beginning with…

The New England Patriots

Tom Brady

In terms of Fantasy Football, Tom Brady had a bounce back year. While his yardage and record were consistent with last season, Brady threw more touchdowns (33) and less interceptions (9). He threw multiple touchdowns in 10 of his 16 starts in 2014, and at least one in every game other than Week 17 when he left early to rest for Jimmy Garoppolo. (But you shouldn’t be worried about Week 17, if you know what’s good for you.) After a difficult first 4 weeks, Brady tore it up by leading Fantasy owners to the playoffs with 24 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions over 8 weeks.

Where to draft him next season?

At the age of 37, Brady ranked 5th in touchdown passes, 5th in passer rating, and 10th in yardage. He slipped pretty far in drafts last season, but he should be available for you to grab in rounds 4-6 this year. Grab your key position players first and Brady will compliment them greatly.

Julian Edelman

If Tom Brady didn’t win the Super Bowl XLIX MVP, Julian Edelman could have. Was there a gutsier player in the game? Edelman made catch after catch, and was blown up doing so…

Edelman’s performance was a thing of football folklore, much like his career so far. The former Kent State quarterback has filled in nicely as Tom Brady’s favorite wide receiver target after the departure of Wes Welker. In the past two seasons, Edelman has caught 197 passes in 30 games played. PPR league players have to like the 6.5 catches a game, 2,028 yards receiving in that span, and Edelman’s return ability.

Where to draft him…

There are two concerns with Edelman. #1 is targets in the red zone. In between the 20’s, Edelman is a great possession option for Brady, and his catch totals are evident of that. In the end zone though, Brady likes to spread the wealth (or throw to Gronk). The 2nd concern is the wear and tear Edelman has compiled early in his career. The hit you see above wasn’t his first rodeo (over the middle with a hard hitting safety)…Edelman makes a solid WR2 option, target him in your 5th-7th rounds. He’d be a steal past that. Moves like this on top end defensive backs like the Seahawks have make you optimistic.

Rob Gronkowski

The AP “Comeback Player of The Year” was more than deserving of the honor. Like Tom Brady, Gronk’s production skyrocketed after Week 4. Correlation?…While Gronkowski had caught touchdowns in 3 of the first 4 games of the season, his usage increased from 6.5 targets per game to 9.5 (Weeks 5-16) and he finished with a Top 5 total of 12 touchdowns.

Where to draft him…

Gronkowski was a steal for me in two leagues, falling to the 4th round in both. No way he’ll be available there in your next draft. With the uncertainty of what’s next for Julius Thomas and the dip in Jimmy Graham’s production, Gronk becomes the #1 tight end on your draft board. I wouldn’t expect him to escape the 2nd round in anybody’s respectable draft.

Shane Vereen

Bill Belichick’s running backs should always come with a warning label: MAY CAUSE INCREASE IN BLOOD PRESSURE. I couldn’t help but appreciate Shane Vereen’s game during the Super Bowl though. He only had 4 rushes for 13 yards but he led the team in receptions with 11 for 64 yards on 12 targets. The rule with Patriots running backs is when they are trailing, Shane Vereen is their guy. He led all the RBs with 838 yards from scrimmage while Stevan Ridley, LeGarrette Blount, Jonas Gray and Brandon Bolden all combined for 1,175 yards.

Where to draft him…

You’ll likely see Vereen overrated on many draft boards and going way too early in mock drafts. Why? He only scored 5 touchdowns total last season, and that’s not production you want out of a depended RB. Draft Vereen late to have as a fill-in flex option. When the Patriots are leading, Tom Brady is throwing less and handing the ball off to anyone not named Vereen…Keep in mind that Vereen is a free agent this off-season. This advice may change depending if he signs somewhere other than New England.

The Others

Stevan Ridley – Late Round/FA pickup

LeGarrette Blount – FA Pickup

Brandon LaFell – Late Round

Danny Amendola – FA Pickup

Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson

Despite his final throw of the Super Bowl, Russell Wilson is a winner. Just 3 seasons in the NFL with a 36-12 record, one Super Bowl ring, and 2 trips are more than enough evidence of that. Fantasy wise the season total numbers weren’t eye-popping, but there were individual games that were.

Week 5 @ Washington – 201 pass yards, 2 TDs / 122 rush yards, 1 TD

Week 7 @ St. Louis – 313 pass yards, 2 TDs / 106 rush yards, 1 TD

Week 16 @ Arizona – 339 pass yards, 2 TD / 88 rush yards, 1 TD

Those were games you should have won if you had him. Something Wilson was missing, however, was a true #1 receiver to throw to…preferably a big body receiver who could win jump balls in the end zone. If the Seahawks are able to add one this offseason, “DangerRuss” would be more than deserving of the nickname.

Where to draft him…

Russell Wilson could have been found on the waiver wire for you last season, and rightfully so. The point production wasn’t altogether consistent enough for a dependable Fantasy starter but the floor with Wilson is that of a very good backup. If he gets a big receiver, as noted earlier, he becomes a mid round pick for you. Lowest he should go is in the 10th round. No way should Wilson go undrafted.

Marshawn Lynch

Marshawn Lynch was the best Fantasy football player featured in Super Bowl 49. Say what you want about his relationship with the media (this should help change your mind), the man can ball. Lynch led the league in total touchdowns (rush/receiving) with 17, led in rush TDs (13), ranked 4th in rush yards (1,306), and was Top 5 in touches, yards from scrimmage, and rushing yards per game. He turns 29 in April this year and has considerable pay bump awaiting him which suggests he’s capable of producing like that again.

Where to draft him…

The verdict is still out on whether or not Lynch wants to play next season but if he does, you take him in the first round. DeMarco Murray and Le’Veon Bell rank ahead of him, but Lynch is first round material without a doubt.

Chris Matthews

Had the Seahawks won the game, we’d be using the “folklore” verbiage with Chris Matthews a lot more than we have with Edelman. Matthews was a former junior college and Kentucky player, played in the CFL, worked at Foot Locker at one point, recovered the onside kick that beat the Packers…Then he caught 4 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

Where to draft him…

You don’t. Matthews is a cool story. A 6’5 receiver who can make plays, obviously, but hasn’t really done anything to warrant you rolling the dice on him in your Fantasy draft. He doesn’t have much of a Pro Football Reference page to reference to. The Seahawks offense will be one to watch after this past weekend though, Matthews included.