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First Day of December and MLB Is Already Winning Twitter

Professional sports have caught up with social media and any team not having fun is just doing it wrong.

Major League baseball just started an excellent Twitter thread that will brighten your day if you need it. It began with a happy greeting and an Anthony Rizzo grinning gif…

 

…then the Indians…

 

…and the Red Sox…

 

…and then…

 

…it took on a life of its own.

 

Braves

 

Phillies

 

Tigers

 

Diamondbacks

 

Padres

 

Rockies. They were late, apparently…

 

…but had a decent excuse.

 

The DBacks allowed it.

 

Hey Blue Jays…

 

…welcome to the party.

 

…and the Defending NL Champs

 

[UPDATED]

 

The Cubs had thoughts…

 

…to which MLB happily replied.

 

 

We’ll update this post as more teams jump in on the thread. For more, follow along on Facebook and Twitter. 

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NFL Week 12 Fantasy Mailbag

Due to Thanksgiving and 3 games tomorrow, we’ve moved the mailbag up a day to give you plenty of time to adjust. Speaking of adjusting, how many of you made the savvy move to pickup Thomas Rawls to plug-in after Marshawn Lynch was ruled out?

Marshawn and Rawls

Rawls may be 2 inches shorter than the man patting his head above, but he certainly plays a lot like him. He craves contact, never willingly runs out of bounds, and delivers punishment to defenders in all four quarters.

Rawls ran for 209 yards on Sunday against the 49ers, which were the 2nd most in franchise history, and added 46 more receiving with 2 touchdowns. In 3 of his 4 starts this season, Rawls has run for more than 100 yards and proved last Sunday he can be a factor in the pass game. Rawls is also leading the league with 6 yards per carry, and ranks 14th in total rush yards with 604 despite having fewer carries than anyone in the Top 25.

Quick Hits

  • While it may seem like Cam Newton gets a lot of love on here week-to-week, it’s because he’s always doing something deserving of it. After throwing 5 touchdown passes last weekend, Newton goes into his Thanksgiving matchup with the Dallas Cowboys tomorrow with the 2nd most total touchdowns in the league (26), just one behind Carson Palmer. Newton became the first player to record 100 TDs passing and 25 rushing in his first 5 seasons. The Cowboys have allowed the 3rd fewest pass yards and 4th fewest touchdowns through the air. If he can’t go through the air in “Jerry World” tomorrow, you can expect Newton to get his numbers on the ground…and some lucky fans will get memorable souvenirs.

 

  • DeAndre Hopkins is not only matchup-proof, after burning Darrelle Revis for a 61 yard touchdown last week, but apparently he’s also quarterback proof too. Even with his 3rd quarterback under center this season, TJ Yates, Hopkins was able to catch 5 passes for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hopkins is now the 3rd youngest receiver to record 3,000 yards and 200 catches. The 23-year-old better leave some room tomorrow to eat up the Saints horrid secondary on Sunday.

DeAndre vs Revis

 

  • CJ2K is now CJ2.0 and that’s very okay. The last time the Arizona Cardinals went to the Super Bowl, they rode the 2nd coming of Edgerrin James. The 2015 Cardinals look destined for the NFC Championship at least, with Carson Palmer almost eclipsing Kurt Warner’s numbers from that season and Chris Johnson as the league’s 3rd leading rusher. Johnson is nowhere near as fast as used to be, but he has evolved similarly to how James did and faces a Niners defense that just gave up 255 total yards to Thomas Rawls. Last time Johnson played against San Francisco, he racked up 150 yards and 2 touchdowns earlier this season.

CJ2K

 

Mail Time!

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Not that much of a dilemma for me at all. I take TJ Yeldon in a heart beat and that’s because I saw Spenser F’ing Ware pick up over 100 yards and 2 touchdowns in less than a half against the Chargers. Ameer Abdullah, James Starks, and Duke Johnson all picked up over 90 yards and a score against San Diego, and Yeldon is a better back than all of them. I don’t find the Seahawks to be as scary as they used to be, but I see the Steelers getting their points in the air more than on the ground.

 

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A nice segue here, but I’m leaning toward Philip Rivers this week against the Jaguars. 4 of the last 5 quarterbacks to face the Jags have thrown multiple TDs, and Rivers still has Stevie Johnson, Antonio Gates and Danny Woodhead to throw to. I mentioned that I’m not “as scared” of the Seahawks defense, but the Legion of Boom can still cause some problems for Big Ben. Go with Rivers simply for confidence in his matchup.

 

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I post these question in the order I get them, and the segue session continues…

TE: Rivers is going to chuck it this weekend against a much worse defense than the Chiefs and Gates is one of just 3 reliable options for him. Also consider how Delanie Walker broke 100 yards on 8 catches on the Jags defense last week.

Flex: Considering only Tyler Eifert and Rob Gronkowski have been successful against the Bills from the TE position, I would rather go with V-Jax. He came back last weekend and got a touchdown right away. If Mike Evans is drawing coverage from Vontae Davis, I anticipate Jameis Winston to keep things hot throwing to his #2 option in Jackson.

 

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3 Chargers questions in a row and I’m going to go 3/3 in Chargers answers. Andy Dalton is for the most part consistent, but the matchups favor Rivers this week. You’re also going to get a higher volume of throws from the King of the Bolo Ties.

 

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That’s a nice problem to have. 2 of the top 3 tight ends? While Greg (son of) Olsen is a much more consistent receiver, Tyler Eifert is leading all TEs in touchdowns and he’ll be Andy Dalton’s best chance to succeed against the Rams. Go with Eifert for the higher ceiling.

 

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QB: I may have taken Rivers over him earlier, but it wasn’t by a wide margin. I think there’s a lot to Ben Roethlisberger’s 379 yards and 3 touchdowns coming off the bench last we saw him. The fact that Blaine Gabbert had a decent game against the Seahawks last week makes me feel better about Big Ben than Derek Carr going against a Titans defense that hasn’t allowed more than 266 yards to anyone other than Drew Brees.

Flex: Just keep Rawls’n, baby.

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! 

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Chicago Brewery Challenge: The Beer List

In an effort to promote the amazing brews of the Chicagoland area, I’ve begun devising a plan to visit and try more than 77 breweries in 18 hours.

Homer Beer

A gentleman accomplished the feat in Portland, and the ultra-competitive midwesterner in me wants to top it.

(Reminder: The plan is try each brew with a one-ounce steins and just a few pints at milestone stops in order to drink responsibly.)

Thankfully, some fellow enthusiasts are game and so are some of my favorite breweries.

 

 

Now we’re identifying all potential breweries we can possibly visit before planning a route. Going off the Hop Review database, there are 67 breweries in Chicago and 87 in the areas around the season. While there are Illinois breweries listed as far north as Zion, I think Tighthead Brewing in Mundelein is where I’m willing to begin. There are a number of south suburb breweries as well but for time’s sake, going as far as the Northwest Indiana (notably 3 Floyds), sounds worth the finish. 

The next steps will include plotting a route with 80 or so brewers chosen, and then reaching out to each one to see what’s good. For now, here is a preliminary list of where the #ChiBrewChallenge adventure could go! 

In The City…

Alarmist Brewing 4055 W. Peterson Ave. – North Park 60646

Ale Syndicate 2601 W. Diversey Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Aleman (In Progress) 3304 N. Knox Ave. – Belmont Cragin 60641

All Rise Brewing Co 235 N. Ashland Ave. – West Loop 60607

Andersonville Brewing 5402 N. Clark St. – Andersonville 60640

Aquanaut Brewing 5435 N. Wolcott Ave. – Bowmanville 60640

Arcade Brewery 2601 W. Diversey Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Argus Brewery 11314 S. Front Ave. – Roseland 60628

Around the Bend Beer Co. 2601 W. Diversey Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Atlas Beer Company 2747 N. Lincoln Ave. – Lincoln Park 60614

Baderbräu (In Progress, Beer Available) 2515 S. Wabash – Bronzeville 60611

Band of Bohemia (In Progress) 4710 N. Ravenswood – Ravenswood 60640

Berghoff Brewery 17 W. Adams St. – Loop 60603

Begyle Brewing Company 1800 W. Cuyler St. – Northcenter 60613

Birreria Chicago 43 East Ohio St. – River North 60611

Bixi Brewery (In Progress) 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Bold Dog Brewing (In Planning) 1935 E Irving Park Rd. – Northcenter 60613

Breakroom Brewery 2925 W. Montrose Ave. – Irving Park 60618

Bucket List Brewing (In Planning) Chicago, IL 60641

Chicago Beer Company (Beer Available) 1140 W. Randolph St. – West Loop 60607

Corridor Brewery & Provisions 3446 N. Southport Ave – Lakeview 60657

Crooked Fork Brewing (In Planning) 4419 W. Montrose Ave – Mayfair 60641

Cruz Blanca (In Progress) 900 W. Randolph St. – West Loop 60607

Diversey Brewing Company (In Planning) – Logan Square 60647

DryHop Brewers 3155 N. Broadway Ave. – Lakeview 60657

Empirical Brewing 1801 W. Foster Ave. – Ravenswood 60640

Eris Brewery & Ciderhouse (In Planning) 4240 W. Irving Park Rd. – Old Irving 60641

Finch’s Beer Company 4565 N Elston Ave. – Avondale 60630

Forbidden Root 1746 W. Chicago Ave. – West Town 60622 

Gino’s East Brewing Company 500 N. LaSalle St. – River North 60654

Goose Island Beer Company 1800 W. Fulton St. – Near West Side 60612

Goose Island – Clybourn 1800 N. Clybourn St. – Lincoln Park 60614

Great Central Brewing (In Planning) 1745 W. Walnut St. – Near West Side 60612

Greenstar Brewing Co 3800 N. Clark St. – Lakeview 60613

Half Acre Beer Company Tap Room 4257 N. Lincoln Ave. – Northcenter 60618

Half Acre Beer Company (In Progress) 2050 W. Balmoral Ave. – Bowmanville 60640

Haymarket Pub & Brewery 737 W. Randolph St. – West Loop 60661

Hopewell Brewing (In Progress) 2760 N. Milwaukee Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Hopothesis Beer Company 730 W. Randolph St. – West Loop 60661

Horse Thief Hollow 10426 S. Western Ave. – Beverly 60643

Illuminated Brew Works 415 N. Sangamon Ave. – West Loop 60642

Lagunitas Brewing Company 1843 S. Washtenaw Ave. – Douglas Park 60608

Lake Effect Brewing Company 4727 W. Montrose Ave. – Irving Park 60641

Like Minds Brewing 1800 W. Walnut St. – Near West Side 60612

Lo Rez Brewing (In Planning) Chicago, IL

Mad Mouse Brewery 724 Maxwell St. – University Village/Little Italy 60607

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery 2717 N. Maplewood Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Marz Community Brewing 3315 S. Halsted St. – Bridgeport 60608

Metropolitan Brewing 5121 N Ravenswood Ave. – Ravenswood 60640

Mikerphone Brewing (Beer Available) 3223 S. Kolin Ave. – South Lawndale 60623

Moody Tongue 2136 S. Peoria St. – Pilsen 60608

Motor Row Brewing 2337 S. Michigan Ave. – South Loop 60616

Off Color Brewing 3925 W. Dickens Ave. – Hermosa 60639

Piece Brewery & Pizzeria 1927 W. North Ave. – Wicker Park 60622

Pipeworks Brewing Company 1675 N. Western Ave. – Bucktown 60647

Revolution Brewing 3340 N. Kedzie Ave. – Avondale 60618

Revolution Brewing Brewpub 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery 1 W. Grand Ave. – River North 60610

SlapShot Brewing 3223 S. Kolin Ave. – South Lawndale 60623

South Loop Brewing Company (Beer Available) Chicago, IL

Spiteful Brewing 1815 W. Berteau Ave. – Northcenter 60613

Transient Artisan Ales (In Planning, Gypsy Brewer) Chicago, IL

Une Année Brewery 1638 W. Hubbard St. – West Town 60622

Veteran Beer Company (In Planning) Chicago, IL

Vice District Brewing 1454 S. Michigan Ave. – South Loop 60605

Whiner Brewery (In Progress) 1400 W. 46th St. – Back of the Yards 60609

 

Around Chicago/Suburbs

3 Floyds Brewing Company 9750 Indiana Pkwy., Munster, IN 46321

5 Rabbit Cervecería 6399 W. 74th St., Bedford Park, IL 60638

18th Street Brewery 5725 Miller Ave., Gary, IN 46403

51st Ward Brewing (Contracting – Beer Available) Westmont, IL

350 Brewing Company 7144 W. 183rd St., Tinley Park, IL 60477

Arrowhead Ales Brewing Company (In Planning, Beer Available) New Lenox, IL

Ancient Owl Brewing (In Planning) Lombard, IL

Banging Gavel Brews (Beer Available) Palos Heights, IL

Big Hurt Brewing 6801 W. Cermak Rd., Berwyn, IL 60402

Black Belt Brewery (In Planning) Lake Zurich, IL

Blue Island Brewing Company 13357 Old Western Ave., Blue Island, IL 60406

Blue Nose Brewery 6119 East Ave., Hodgkins, IL 60525

Brickstone Brewery 557 William R. Latham Senior Dr., Bourbonnais, IL 60914

BuckleDown Brewing 8699 W 47th St., Lyons, IL 60534

Bulldog Brewing Company 1409 119th St., Whiting, IN 46394

Byway Brewing Company (In Planning) 2825 Carlson Dr., Hammond, IN 46323

Cademon Brewing Company 217 W. Main St., Genoa, IL 60135

Cahoots Brewing (In Planning) Downtown/Lake St. – Oak Park, IL

Chain O’Lakes Brewing Company 3425 Pearl St., McHenry, IL 60050

Church Street Brewing 1480 Industrial Dr. Unit C, Itasca, IL 60143

Crown Brewing 211 S. East St., Crown Point, IN 46307

Crystal Lake Brewing 150 N. Main St., Crystal Lake, IL 60014

The Devil’s Trumpet Brewing Co. 8250 Utah St., Merrillville, IN 46410

Dry City Brew Works 120B N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187

Emmett’s Brewing Company 110 N. Brockway St., Palatine, IL 60067

Evil Horse Brewing Company (In Progress) 1336 Main St., Crete, IL 60417

Exit Strategy Brewing Co. 7700 W Madison, Forest Park, IL 60130

Figure Eight Brewing 150 S. Washington St., Valparaiso, IN 46383

Flapjack Brewery (In Planning) Berwyn, IL

Flesk Brewing 844 N. Ridge Ave., Lombard, IL 60148

Flossmoor Station Brewing Company 1035 Sterling Ave., Flossmoor, IL 60422

Four Fathers Brewing 1555 W. Lincolnway Suite 105, Valparaiso, IN 46385

Gordon Biersch 639 E. Boughton Rd. #100, Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Granite City Brewery – Naperville 1828 Abriter Ct., Naperville, IL 60563

Granite City Brewery – Orland Park 14035 S. La Grange Rd., Orland Park, IL 60462

Granite City Brewery – Schaumburg 801 Plaza Dr., Schaumburg, IL 60173

Hailstorm Brewing Company 8060 186th St., Tinley Park, IL 60487

Hofbräuhuas Chicago 5500 Park Pl., Rosemont, IL 60018

Hopvine Brewing Company 4030 Fox Valley Center Dr., Aurora, IL 60504

Hunter’s Brewing 1535 S. Calumet Rd., Chesterton, IN 46304

Imperial Oak Brewing 501 Willow Blvd., Willow Springs, IL 60480

Ironwood Brewing Co. 6 Roosevelt Rd, Valparaiso, IN 46383

Lake Bluff Brewing Company  16 E. Scranton Ave., Lake Bluff, IL 60044

Light the Lamp Brewery 10 N. Lake St., Grayslake, IL 60030

The Lucky Monk 105 Hollywood Blvd., South Barrington, IL 60010

Lunar Brewing Company 54 E. St. Charles Rd. #11, Villa Park, IL 60181

Metal Monkey Brewing (In Progress) 515 Anderson Dr. #900, Romeoville, IL 60446

Mickey Finn’s Brewery 412 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL 60048

Middle Brow Beer Company 2701 Deborah Ave., Zion, IL 60099

Miskatonic Brewing Company 1000 N. Frontage Rd., Darien, IL 60561

Nevin’s Brewing Company 12337 S. Rte. 59 #155, Plainfield, IL 60585

New Oberpfalz Brewing 121 E. Main St., Griffith, IN 46319

Noon Whistle Brewing 800 E. Roosevelt Rd., Lombard, IL 60148

Oak Park Brewing Company (In Progress) 155 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

One Trick Pony Brewery 17933 Chappel Ave., Lansing, IL 60438

Only Child Brewing 1350 Tri State Pkwy, Ste 124, Gurnee, IL 60031

Peckish Pig 623 Howard St., Evanston, IL 60202

Penrose Brewing Company 509 Stevens St., Geneva, IL 60134

Pokro Brewing Company 311 North Broad Street, Griffith, IN  46319

Pollyanna Brewing Company 431 Talcott Ave., Lemont, IL 60439

Rock Bottom – Lombard 94 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148

Rock Bottom – Orland Park 16156 S. La Grange Rd., Orland Park, IL 60467

Rock Bottom – Warrenville 28256 Diehl Rd., Warrenville, IL 60555

Route 2 Brews 141 Harding Dr., Lowell, IN 46356

Rude Hippo Brewing Company 5725 Miller Ave., Gary, IN 46403

Saint John Malt Brothers Brewing 9607 Wicker Ave., St. John, IN 46373

Scorched Earth Brewing Company 203 Berg St., Algonquin, IL 60102

Sketchbook Brewing  825 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL 60202

Small Town Brewery 1000 Brown St. #212, Wauconda, IL 60084

Smylie Bros. Brewing  1615 Oak Ave., Evanston, IL 60201

Solemn Oath Brewery 1661 Quincy Ave. #179, Naperville, IL 60540

Stockholm’s Brewpub  306 W. State St., Geneva, IL 60134

Temperance Beer Company 2000 Dempster St., Evanston, IL 60202

Ten Ninety Brewing 2701 Deborah Ave., Zion, IL 60099

Three Angels Brewing 10482 Ashley Rd., Yorkville, IL 60560

Tighthead Brewing Company 161 N. Archer Ave., Mundelein, IL 60060

Transient Artisan Ales (Brewing at One Trick Pony) 17933 Chappel Ave., Lansing, IL 60438

Tribes Alehouse Brewery 11220 W. Lincoln Hwy., Mokena, IL 60448

Two Brothers Brewing 30W315 Calumet Ave. W., Warrenville, IL 60555

Two Brothers Roundhouse 205 N. Broadway, Aurora IL 60505

Urban Legend Brewing Company 1115 Zygmunt Cir., Westmont, IL 60559

Village Vitner Winery & Brewery 2380 Esplanade Dr., Algonquin, IL 60102

Werk Force 14903 S. Center St., Plainfield, IL 60544

Wild Onion Pub & Brewery 22221 N. Pepper Rd., Lake Barrington, IL 60010

Wildrose Brewing 1104 E. Main St., Griffith, IN 46319

Windmill Brewing 2121 Gettler St, Dyer, IN 46311

ZümBier 3232 E. Monroe St., Waukegan, IL 60085

 

There are 154 breweries total listed but if you know or recommend others, please let me know on either Facebook or Twitter! 

 

I can also be reached by email at piff.michael@gmail.com. Check back as the plan keeps coming together!

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Chicago Brewery Challenge: The Beginning

Perusing one of my favorite sites this morning, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks page, a certain story grabbed my attention…

Screen Shot 2015-11-20 at 11.15.35 AM

 

In the words of Barney Stinson,

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

John Lovegrove had his first beer at 7:00 AM and his 77th at 12:55 the next morning. Here’s the timeline of every brewery he stopped at and all the fun his crew of 7 had. Lovegrove had a pint at his first brewpub and another at the 50th, then drank from his one-ounce stein at the 75 others…which is very responsible.

The #SpiritOf77Breweries Challenge was an awesome project to promote the amazing breweries of Portland. I’d love to do the same for the Chicago area. By The Hop Review’s count, there are at least 66 in the city, 85 around it. Let’s see if we can hit more breweries in 18 hours than Lovegrove did.

The Chicago Pizza and Food Truck Challenges were fun (and still ongoing). Those projects took months to execute, but this will take just a day…and a lot of time to plan leading up. You have to start somewhere though and that’s what this is…the beginning.

The date and route are still TBD. Any Chicago beer enthusiasts and breweries interested in helping out are welcome! Let me know on Facebook and Twitter, or email me at piff.michael@gmail.com with serious inquiries.

Updates on the of the Chicago Brewery Challenge plan will be posted here and on social media with the hashtag

#ChiBrewChallenge

Cheers gif

Feel free to share this with anyone who wishes to partake. 

 

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NFL Week 11 Fantasy Mailbag

When you hear the phrase “down the stretch”, this is officially it. We’re all just a few weeks away from the Fantasy playoffs and every win really counts. Your lineup probably looks very different than it did to start the season, much like those of actual NFL rosters by Week 11. For instance, Peyton Manning…

It seems like yesterday when Peyton’s receivers were playing keep away with his record setting touchdown pass.

Peyton keepaway

Fast forward to last Sunday when Peyton threw more interceptions (4) than the number of yards he needed to break the all-time passing yards record (3). Next thing you know, he’s on the bench for Brock Osweiler, and Gary Kubiak says it only has to do with a plantar fascia issue and not based on merit. Politics and bad Broncos storylines aside, I’m glad I traded Peyton after Week 1 and picked up Cam Newton and Jay Cutler off waivers.

Cam Dance

 

Quick Hits

 

  • As one aforementioned AFC West quarterback seems to be riding off into the distance, a new one seems to have arrived in a big way. Derek Carr is coming off a streak of 3 straight 300+ yard performances and 10 touchdowns over that stretch. Not only is Carr a surefire Top 10 QB now, his Top 2 WRs become easy starts every week as well because of his maturation. Carr, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree get a plum matchup at Detroit against a defense that has given up big numbers against solid receiver duos like Keenan Allen/Stevie Johnson (21-248-1), Demaryius Thomas/Emmanuel Sanders (15-179-1), and Larry Fitzgerald/John Brown (9-131-2).

Carr to Crabtree

  • Helping Kirk Cousins achieve his perfect 158.3 passer rating last week against the Saints was his tight end, Jordan Reed. Reed’s health has always been a hinderance for his production, but he’s currently as hot as anyone in the end zone. Over his last 3 games, Reed has scored 5 touchdowns. He’s also the 2nd highest targeted tight end in the end zone and is getting plenty more opportunities than any of the other Washington WRs. Reed takes on a Panthers defense this weekend that has allowed 3 touchdowns in their last 3 games.

 

  • I’ve learned my lesson on Lamar Miller. No matter how juicy the matchup looks for other running backs on my team, I can’t leave Miller on my bench. Even if he’s being limited in the run game (only 103 yards rushing in his last 3 games), he’s racking up the points receiving with 7 touchdowns through the air over his last 5 games.

 

Mail Time!

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Danny Amendola should not be left available in any league at this point. Before his injury, Julian Edelman was getting 10 targets per game from Tom Brady. Amendola had 11 just on Sunday. He’s filling in the Edelman role and has returner duties as well for more potential points.

Between Danny Woodhead or John Brown to drop, I would feel better letting go of Brown for the time being. You’ve had at least 3 weeks of no production in a row out of the guy. Jaron Brown was confusing viewers the other night getting more looks than John actually. I’m sure he’ll get back on track with Michael Floyd dealing with a hamstring injury, but Woodhead is much more valuable to the Chargers’ depleted offense than Brown is to the Cardinals.

 

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I know the bad version of Andy Dalton showed up again Monday night, but the guy was and probably still is an MVP candidate this season. With that said, Russell Wilson’s matchup against the 49ers at home is too good to ignore. The Niners are allowing 327 pass yards per game on the road. If Wilson doesn’t show up for you this week, you can drop his ass. Quote me on that one.

 

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Flex: At this point, I can’t sit either Cooper or Crabtree with the way Carr is throwing. And he’s going to light up the Lions secondary this weekend too. While the running back hipster in me wants you go with Danny Woodhead, the upside for Michael Crabtree is too great this weekend to pass up. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Chargers start running Melvin Gordon more to see what they have while they are out of the playoff race.

WR: Simply because Kamar Aiken is Joe Flacco’s only pass option, I like his chances for production over Donte Moncrief. TY Hilton will be closer to 100% this weekend and will garner more attention from Matt Hasselbeck. Moncrief also falls behind the tight ends for targets as they are Rob Chudzinski’s bread and butter for play calling.

 

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At least you’re in first place with a few weeks left in the regular season. If there are guys on your roster who are out for the season, you should already be working the waiver wire for the best available pickups. Let me know on Facebook or Twitter who’s in Free Agency for your league and we’ll patch up your lineup.

 

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The Broncos wide receivers probably got an upgrade with Manning going down. I anticipate Emmanuel Sanders’s possession game will be more helpful to Osweiler, especially this week against the Bears. Quietly, Kyle Fuller has played like one of the best cornerbacks in football recently and he’ll likely draw Demaryius Thomas. Go with old reliable Sanders over Jeremy Maclin, who hasn’t done much since Week 5.

 

Screen Shot 2015-11-19 at 10.54.33 AM

Flex: For the same reason I listed earlier, go with Aiken. While the Broncos will run more this weekend, the Bears are stout against the run. They’ve only allowed 3 touchdowns to running backs all season as well.

TE: If one person is doing well for the Packers during their current 3 game slide, it’s Richard Rodgers. He has 3 touchdowns in his last 2 games, 14 targets, 10 catches, and likely all of Aaron Rodgers’s attention in the red zone against a Vikings D that keeps WRs and RBs in check regularly.

 

Screen Shot 2015-11-19 at 10.54.50 AMDude…Marshawn. And if Thomas Rawls is available, go handcuff him in case something absurd happens. But seriously…Marshawn.

Marshawn racoon

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! 

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5 Potential Bears OC Candidates To Replace Adam Gase

After winning 4 of their last 6 games, the hottest topic regarding the Chicago Bears this week seems to be “Can they keep Adam Gase?” It’s a fair conversation to have as Gase is presumed to be one of the top head coaching candidates to fill any of a number NFL openings for next season. In 9 games, Gase has the Bears offense looking as respectable as any with Jay Cutler playing his best football since coming to Chicago. He was also very close to being the 49ers head coach after last season, had San Francisco’s higher-ups not been so sold on this guy…

Daisy Tomsula

Vacancies across the league already include Tennessee and Miami, unless Dan Campbell continues to work wonders. Other teams that are expected or rumored to be looking for a new head coach include the Colts, Saints, Lions, Browns, Chargers, Rams, and the aforementioned 49ers. I wouldn’t anticipate this to be appealing to Gase, but there are several major conference openings in college football as well. The point is, there are plenty of options for Gase to move up in the football world and Bears fans shouldn’t be shocked to see Cutler working with yet another offensive coordinator next season.

Is it possible the Bears will do everything in their power to keep Gase? Sure. They could make Gase an offer similar to the Cowboys’ Jason Garrett deal, making him the highest paid coordinator in football with assurances he’ll be the next head coach after John Fox is done. In 2008, Garrett was making $3 million as an assistant waiting in the wings behind then Cowobys coach Wade Phillips. League rules prevented Jerry Jones to name Garrett as an heir to take over for Phillips, but it was the worst kept secret in football.

The likelihood of Gase staying in Chicago after this season isn’t particularly probable, but one could be confident Fox will have a strong candidate in place to fill the opening. After all, Fox did bring the best two available coordinators with him after taking the Bears job, Gase and Vic Fangio.

What do Fox’s OC options look like for the 2016 season?

 

Mike McCoy

Current Chargers Head Coach

Screen Shot 2015-11-17 at 11.46.06 AM

With the team’s likely move to Los Angeles and another underwhelming season, the Chargers organization could be looking for a fresh face and a new voice in the locker room. The Bears interviewed Mike McCoy in 2013 before he took the Chargers job. McCoy had just reshaped the Broncos offense from accommodating Tim Tebow in 2011 to Peyton Manning in 2012, with Fox as his boss and Gase as QB coach. Fox and McCoy are already very familiar with each other. Gase has also credited McCoy on multiple occasions for being one of the better influences on his coaching style.

 

Dowell Loggains

Current Bears Quarterbacks Coach

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The transition for Dowell Loggains to offensive coordinator, on paper, looks seamless. Loggains is already working closely with Cutler on a daily basis and would essential continue using Gase’s playbook. He isn’t inexperienced when it comes to play-calling either, as he served as Titans OC in 2012-2013 under Mike Munchak. The concern, however, is that Loggains could leave with Gase if he’s hired elsewhere.

 

Ken Whisenhunt

Former Titans Head Coach

Ken Whisenhunt

Ken Whisenhunt keeps getting head coaching jobs because he continuously gets it done as an offensive coordinator. Before his 1 and a half year Titans tenure, Whisenhunt called plays as McCoy’s OC in San Diego in 2013. The Chargers had improved from 31st in total offense to 5th with Whisenhunt on the sidelines. The Chargers also ranked 4th in touchdowns and 5th in passing yards that season as Ryan Matthews had his best year rushing with 1,255 yards.

 

Bill Lazor

Current Dolphins Offensive Coordinator

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This really depends on what the Miami Dolphins chooses to do about their head coaching situation. If Campbell drops the interim tag, I would expect Bill Lazor to either stay put or leave for a head coaching position (although unlikely). Lazor has said that he let down former Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin before his dismissal in October. Since then, the Dolphins have played like the high powered offensive team they were expected to be. Lazor runs a quick-hitting read offense works similarly to Gase’s current system. It operates best when the running backs are the central focus. Case in point, Lamar Miller: 124 total yards per game and and 9 touchdowns since Philbin’s firing with a 3-2 record.

 

Rob Chudzinski

Current Colts Offensive Coordinator

Rob Chudzinski

Chuck Pagano’s fate in Indianapolis has felt all but sealed as his Colts team has gone from predicted Super Bowl contenders to a playoff battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rob Chudzinski has run up and down the ranks of offensive coaching staffs since coming into the league in 2004. “Chud” is best known for innovating the original 2-TE system and helping Cam Newton breakout during his rookie season with the most passing yards of his career so far in 2011. Chudzinski has recently taken over as Colts OC following Pep Hamilton’s scapegoat dismissal in October. He’s a play-caller with head coaching chops but probably a little out-of-the-box in terms of schemes for the Bears and their current path. You can’t help but notice though, how good the Bears offense has looked when utilizing both Martellus Bennett and Zach Miller in recent weeks.

 

Have another potential Offensive Coordinator candidate in mind for the Bears? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter. 

 

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NFL Week 10 Fantasy Mailbag

Last week was quite the 4-touchdown party for quarterbacks and their fantasy owners. Marcus Mariota did his best “Breesus” impression with 4 touchdown passes against the awful New Orleans pass defense. Derek Carr went Air-Oakland, with the help of Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper, with 4 TDs and 301 yards in a losing effort to Pittsburgh. Then the tables were turned for Aaron Rodgers, as he had to throw 4 TDs to keep pace with Cam Newton and his 4 total touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing).

A week ago, Cam Newton was being compared to Colin Kaepernik by their stats and win loss record.

As we all know, the big difference between the two is the record. For fantasy owners, it’s also the touchdowns and rush yards. Before the season started, people avoided Newton in their drafts like the plague after his #1 receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, was ruled out for the year with an ACL injury. If you were like me (perhaps drafted Peyton Manning and traded him for Tony Romo after Week 1), you are so glad Newton was available on waivers even after Week 2.

Despite throwing interceptions in 6 of his 8 games, Newton has thrown multiple touchdowns in 5 of them and has added 5 rushing touchdowns as well. This week, Newton can keep things rolling against a Titans defense missing their top 2 corners.

Quick Hits

  • #BORTLEKOMBAT! (Blake Bortles) is currently rolling. He’s thrown multiple touchdowns in 6 of his last 7 games and goes up against the a Baltimore defense that has coincidentally given up multiple pass touchdowns in 6 of its last 7 games. After throwing 381 yards and 2 touchdowns against the vaunted Jets secondary, you should feel a lot better starting Bortles for the rest of his schedule.

BortleKombat

  • Every week we like to bring up how bad the Browns run defense is. Last week they seemed to hold the combo Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard in check, although it just set up a killer 3 touchdown performance from Tyler Eifert. Alas, they have still allowed 1,700+ yards rushing and DeAngelo Williams is next in line to eat. In 3 starts this season, Williams has at least 25 touches in each. There seems to have been an overreaction to an ache in his foot, because he appears set to go Sunday. That’ll happen when you go from 3 carries per game to 27 for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns. Williams is also dishing the pain too.

DeAngelo block

  • The biggest benefactor to the “Tom Brady Revenge Tour” (besides his fantasy owners) is probably Julian Edelman. Edelman has caught exactly 1/3 of his career touchdown total this season (7). He also leads the league in red zone targets. This week Edelman faces a Giants defense that has allowed 8 touchdowns to opposing receivers over the last 5 weeks.

Mail Time!

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I feel this deserves some public attention, since Craig has tried to pull this a few times now. What are your thoughts on someone asking their opponent for Fantasy advice the same week they play them?

Anywho…

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Nice save. TJ Yeldon is an easy pick for me. He has a touchdown or 100+ rushing yards in 4 straight games and Baltimore’s defense is a tire fire right now.

Patriots running backs not named “LeGarrette Blount” are too much of a gamble for me at this point. You’re left wondering who will get Dion Lewis’s touchdowns, especially in the red zone. James White had the opportunity in this situation before and squandered it. Brandon Bolden did get a receiving touchdown a week ago, and has more experience with Bill Belichick. Brandon LaFell finally had a nice game a week ago with 102 yards, but I still feel better about Edelman, Gronk and Danny Amendola before him.

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Sure, you’ve got back-to-back weeks of 300 yard games from Ryan Tannehill…but he hasn’t thrown a single touchdown pass in either of those games. Derek Carr is also coming off of back-to-back 300 yard games, but has 8 touchdowns to show for it. The Vikings are the best pass defense on the road, but matchups don’t really worry me after Carr lit up the Jets too weeks ago for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns.

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The return yards makes Ted Ginn Jr. a start for me in this group. Ameer Abdullah is swiftly fading away with the rest of the Lions backfield. Then I’m left with a choice between Martavis Bryant and Danny Amendola…Ben Roethlisberger or not, Bryant’s chances to score are a lot better than Amendola’s based on the receiving groups alone. If Antonio Brown isn’t getting the ball thrown up to him, Bryant is. Amendola has to share balls with Edelman, Gronk, LaFell, a second no-name tight end (probably, and whoever fills in for Lewis. Bryant is better bet.

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You’re right about Sammy Watkins, and I also don’t like him against Darrelle Revis in primetime.

If Allen Hurns is healthy, play him. #BORTLEKOMBAT is going to have flawless victories against the Baltimore secondary all day. Then you’re left with two Kansas City players against the best defense in football. In this situation, I go with the running back who is guaranteed touches. If the Chiefs offense has any chance at production against the Broncos, it’s going to be Charcandrick West trying to impersonate Jamaal Charles in Week 2 (125 rush yards, 1 TD).

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QB – Yeah…ouch. I feel for Marcus Mariota’s wellbeing against the Panthers. You will get plenty of volume out of Brian Hoyer though. Bill O’Brien still hates his run game without Arian Foster, which has turned into a chuck fest for the Texans offense that’s usually playing from behind. You also have to feel better about DeAndre Hopkins and Nate Washington catching passes over the whoever is doing it in Tennessee.

WR – Now that James Starks is officially the starting RB, you have to play him. The Lions have given up the most rushing touchdowns in the league.

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! 

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Who The Bears Are 8 Games Into 2015

Following their win on Monday Night Football against the San Diego Chargers, the Chicago Bears are a 3-5 team. Your team is what your record is, which has the Bears placed 3rd in the NFC North and 3 games back behind the 6-2 Packers and Vikings. Being 0-3 in the division doesn’t help and the playoffs are the last thing on anybody’s mind, but finding their identity is more encouraging than you would expect.

The Bears are a much better coached team than they were the last 2 seasons. A Matt Forte quote from Week 1 seems to have held true for most of the season.

The benefit of good coaching is most evident in Jay Cutler’s play so far. It’s amazing that it took 7 years for the Bears to hire an offensive coordinator who would scheme to Cutler’s strengths. OC Adam Gase’s offense allows Cutler to get the ball out faster on quick hitting pass plays, roll out and throw on the run, and to also check in and out of play-calls at will. A commitment to the running game sets him up very well in play-action and limits the opportunities to turn the ball over. As of now, Cutler is just 20th in interceptions through Week 9 with 5. That’s half as many as Blake Bortles and Sam Bradford, and 8 less than league-worst Peyton Manning with 13. Andrew Luck is one pick behind Peyton.

Cutler isn’t perfect, of course. He has 4 fumbles on the season, that have come as the result of both poor blocking and an inability to protect the ball. Cutler has also thrown interceptions at costly moments, notably on a comeback drive against the Packers and in the Lions’ end zone. The difference this season, as opposed to those with Marc Trestman, Mike Tice, and Mike Martz calling plays, Cutler and Gase shake off the bad turnovers with a more aggressive attack. Case in point, following a pick-6 by Jason Verett on what appeared to be a misstep with Alshon Jeffery on the outside, Cutler answered with a touchdown in 3 minutes on 7 plays. In the four games prior, we’ve seen very similar drives giving the Bears chances to win at the end of regulation.

Zach Miller touchdown

The Bears are a project, but one that is improving as the season goes on. After starting 0-3 against a murderers row of Green Bay, Arizona and Seattle, the Bears are 3-2 in their last 5 games. Just a handful of unfortunate plays have resulted in the Bears losing by field goals to Detroit and Minnesota. It’s probably sad to find optimism from that, but it beats the average margin of 15.3 points per loss a season ago. The coaches and GM Ryan Pace are accountable of their players, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Rather than allow Jared Allen to take up snaps and be unproductive as a 3-4 linebacker, Pace moved him to Carolina for a 6th round draft pick and opened a spot on the roster for Sam Acho. While the Bears are paying Alan Ball $3 million to play cornerback, DC Vic Fangio has plugged in 8-year veteran Tracy Porter instead, who has proven to have better coverage and ball instincts. Porter is making $850,000 on a 1-year deal.

The coaching staff’s trust in young players has also been a positive sign for the team’s growth. Rookie safety Adrian Amos has started all 8 games this season and has provided some stability to what’s been a glaring need for years at the position. Amos is always where he needs to be and tackles well. After injuries to Ego Ferguson and the eventual release of Jeremiah Ratliff, 2nd round pick Eddie Goldman looks as good as advertised. 2nd-year defensive lineman Will Sutton has transitioned well from 3-technique to end. Then the inside linebacker position has been manned better with Christian Jones and Jonathan Anderson in place of Shea McClellan. Both Anderson (rookie) and Jones (year 2) were undrafted and spent time on the Bears practice squad.

Jeremy Langford’s performance against the Chargers was another case for optimism as the Bears move forward, possibly without Forte after this season. Not knocking Forte at all, but Langford has a very similar skill set running, receiving and pass blocking. Langford also has fresher legs, less mileage and an exceptional 2nd gear once he breaks the line of scrimmage. It will be interesting to see what Forte’s prospects are after the season. Whether a team closer to contending is willing to pay big or if he’s just more comfortable in Chicago, the Bears appear to be fine at the running back position.

The Bears are not a team with much depth. This comes from years and years of bad drafting and poor offseason signings, but the Bears don’t have much after either of their offensive or defensive starters. You know things are bad when the drop off from Bryce Callahan to Sherrick McManis at the nickel results in a game-tying Stefon Diggs touchdown against the Vikings, before losing to a Blair Walsh field goal in Week 8. A pleasant surprise at tackle has been Charles Leno Jr. filling in for former pro bowler Jermon Bushrod, and apparently keeping his starting spot. But if the Bears lose another interior linemen, they may have to start converting defensive tackles to the position…(sorta kidding).

Outside of the quarterback position, the difference between Jeffery and the rest of the Bears’ healthy wide receivers is probably the vastest. It’s a shame we haven’t had a chance to see Jeffery paired with 1st round pick Kevin White yet, which would have allowed Eddie Royal to be the slot receiver he was intended to be this season. Having to throw to Cameron Meredith, Josh Bellamy, and Marc Mariana isn’t particularly ideal for Cutler on key passing downs and important drives, but he’s had to do it. Marquess Wilson has been a bright spot though as a downfield option with quality speed.

Despite low expectations the rest of the way, the Bears are likable. There’s something to be said about the team’s resiliency when having to deal with so many injuries and adversity. Besides their 48-23 loss in Week 2 to the Cardinals, they’ve always had a chance to win. After going to the pro bowl in each of his two seasons as a guard (the first to do so since 1970), Kyle Long is developing into an excellent right tackle. Also moving over from guard, Matt Slauson has taken on line calls and has had to start as the 3rd string center with injuries to Will Montgomery and Hroniss Grasu. Both Slauson and Long have provided the leadership, along with Cutler, that seemed to be missing from the offense since Olin Kreutz departed from the team 5 years ago.

Big free agent signee Pernell McPhee is doing the same with the defense. When McPhee is pressuring the quarterback, good things tend to happen and he sets the tone for his unit as well. He ranks 6th among DL/OLB pressures on the quarterback with 31 (JJ Watt, 1st with 45) this season. For a fan base that talks a lot about having pride in being all “blue collar”, there’s definitely a workman like personality that the McPhee and the front 7 bring.

The next 3 games for the Bears will be quite a test. They face the two best defenses in the league, St. Louis and Denver, back-to-back and then have the Packers on Thanksgiving night. Realistically, the second half of the season will be for evaluation going into 2016, but the Bears are competitive, entertaining, and a lot less painful to watch than they were a year ago. Stay tuned to see if that keeps up…

For more, follow along on Facebook and Twitter. 

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Movember Matchup of the Day: Petty vs Earnhardt

The Movember Matchups return this week with a trip to the race track. In case you you’ve missed it, we’ve helped in spreading awareness for Men’s health issues (including prostate and testicular cancer) by pitting famous mustaches against each other.

Today it’s “The King” vs. “The Intimidator”. Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt are tied for the all-time record in Winston Cup/NASCAR Championships with 7. Both were also inducted as part of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class in 2010.

And now, start your engines…!!!

Richard Petty

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vs.

Dale Earnhardt

Earnhardt bw

Follow along for more on Facebook and Twitter. Check out more Movember Matchups here.

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NFL Week 9 Fantasy Mailbag

The second half of the fantasy season starts tonight with an AFC North rivalry matchup between the Bengals and the Browns. It’s likely been a serious waiver wire week for you with bye weeks and injuries to Le’Veon Bell, Matt Forte, Keenan Allen, Steve Smith Sr., and the entire Niners backfield all included. Let’s take a look at the best top waiver wire picks from this season. Coincidentally, a few will be featured in tonight’s game on NFL Network.

Quarterback – Andy Dalton, CIN

15 TD / 4 INT, 1,992 pass yards, 2 rushing TDs

Dalton TD

Any reason to recount that A-Dalt touchdown, I’ll take it.

In the first handful of weeks, people waited for Andy Dalton to fall apart and he didn’t. There was also a stretch of 4 games with potentially tough passing matchups (Baltimore, Kansas City, Seattle and Buffalo), and Dalton averaged 319.5 yards and 2.25 touchdowns against them. Having AJ Green and Marvin Jones healthy and Tyler Eifert playing to his potential are huge factors for that and why his success should sustain.

RB – Dion Lewis, NE

229 rush yards, 2 TDs / 32 catches, 349 receiving yards, 2 TDs

Dion TD

When you’re a running back in Bill Belichick’s system and you get on his good side, your numbers are going to benefit greatly from it. Dion Lewis was expected to be Shane Vereen’s replacement, but he’s he’s Shane Vereening better than Shane Vereen could (if that makes sense). In the 6 games Lewis has played, he has had more with double-digit touches than Marshawn Lynch, has scored touchdowns than Adrian Peterson, and more 100+ total yard games than Frank Gore and Justin Forsett.

WR – Allen Robinson, JAX

34 catches, 586 yards, 6 TDs

A-Rob TD

As Blake Bortles’s stock has risen, so has A-Rob’s. You can’t really sit him when he’s averaged 5.5 catches, 93 yards and 1 TD over the last 6 games. Robinson also leads all receivers in receptions of 20+ yards with 14.

TE – Gary Barnidge, CLE

40 catches, 567 yards, 6 TDs

Barnidging

Oh you didn’t draft Gronk? No worries because Gary Barnidge was available for EVERYONE after the first 3 weeks of the season. 30 years old and playing better than the rest of the tight ends in the league, Barnidge has scored touchdowns or caught for over 100 yards in every game since Week 3.

Mail Time!

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QB – That’s a really nice problem to have. While Philip Rivers is going to continue throwing it more than anyone with crazy high volume, but Ben Roethlisberger has the better matchup with better weapons to throw to as well. The Raiders are allowing 312 pass yards per game, 2nd most in the league.

WR – I’m not as jealous as this group as I was your QBs. I feel the most comfortable about Eric Decker against the Jaguars. Ryan Fitzpatrick being a little banged up means he’ll go to his possession option more which is Decker, and he has scored in 5 of his last 6 games. Then I go with Stefon Diggs despite facing a tough Rams defense. Diggs has earned the starting spot as the Vikings downfield playmaker. Not only do I hate Hilton’s matchup and quarterback (at the moment), the MRI he had on his foot and missing some practice doesn’t give me much optimism.

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Time for the “Reverse Rivers”…which isn’t as suggestive as you think, ya sicko!

Philip Rivers is going to throw a ton on Monday Night Football with the San Diego run game being weak and the Bears only giving up 2 rushing touchdowns all weekend. He’ll be without Allen, but he has to chuck it out of necessity. In games that Rivers has thrown at least 37 passes, he averages 381 yards and 2.4 touchdowns. The gameplan for the Bengals tonight should be very run oriented anyway as the Browns are giving up more rush yards than anyone in the league.

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Does Los Angeles count since they’ll be receiving the Rams soon?

I really wanted to pull the Lee Corso “Not so fast, my friend!” but I can’t, in my heart of hearts. Tavon Austin is the one decent option if your league counts return yards and you need a spots start out of someone. Austin has 6 total touchdowns with 2 coming on the rush, and 141 yards running too.

But Todd Gurley is the only viable option out of St. Louis and in a big big way…

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WR – Neither option is great and they are both going against incredible pass defenses, but I lean toward James Jones simply for the Aaron Rodgers factor.

QB – Big Ben for the reasons I listed above.

…and Todd Gurley is the realness. He’s the best running back in the league right now and if he stays healthy, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

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!