Fantasy Football Preview - Week 7

So here we go, we've got an exciting slate of games on the schedule this week, as a new team ranks #1, a new team got a win, and a new team will try to pull off this week's big upset.

As for the games themselves:

The Breakfast Club (3-3) vs. LT Get Outta My Way (1-5)
The Breakfast Club looks to rebound after last week's defeat. While a loss is never a pleasant experience TBC did learn a valuable lesson. Always start Drew Brees. Sure, every once in a while he'll have a bad game (or this year back to back bad games). But more often then not he'll be one of the weeks highest scoring players, and you've just got to give him the shot. This week is a perfect chance to get above .500 while playing the absent cousin. And with no real major losses to the bye week, look for The Breakfast Club to start pulling themselves out of the ditch they're in and climbing back to the top.


Dogs and Guns (2-3-1) vs. Mr. Scott's F**kUps (1-5)
Dogs and Guns had a chance to win last week. They had a chance to lose. Instead they tied and look much less like contenders than they did at season's start. There's been a lot of turnover on this team as they look to find a roster they can run out there week in and week out, with some success. WR TJ Houshmandzadeh is on a bye this week, and that's probably a good thing. He's one of those guys with a big name and then he under performs on a weekly basis (except for a single 2TD week this year) and you're left kicking yourself. You can tell I have him in another league, huh? RB Chris Johnson is also on bye and while he plays for a team that is apparently absolute garbage, he continues to put up the stats you'd expect from your number 1 back, perhaps minus some of the TDs. D&G will need RB Ronnie Brown and WR Larry Fitzgerald to step up in their games if they want to get the taste of tie out of their mouths.
Last week the F**kUps pulled off an upset I'm fairly confident no one could or would have predicted. It was facilitated by a QB shift to Ben Roethisberger, who was playing the Browns, and more so, the fact that Randy Moss put down a game check and bought the Tennessee secondary. What makes it more amazing is that the other 2 WRs combined for 2 points, a stat which will lead to failure in most instances. But the stars were aligned and the Patriots defense held the Titans scoreless, and the F**kUps are out of the cellar. They look to go on one of those "winning streaks" they've heard of, with a slightly improved receiver corp, although worthless Terrible Owens is still there. But with the Pats playing another very bad team, perhaps lightening can strike twice.

NY DAs Office (2-4) vs Wide Right (3-3)
After getting 1.5 points from their running game last week, the DAs Office had to figure they were in for a loss. Brandon Jacobs gets another chance, and if the Giants can manage to keep the Cardinals offense from exploding on them like the Saints did, he should be able to get enough touches to be valuable. His running mate, Joseph Addai is facing the Rams and should have over 100 yards and a score by halftime, where he will then promptly be replaced for the rest of the game, so as not to risk injury. The WRs consist of the NEW Steve Smith (there can be only one!) and a bunch of wavier wire guys. I know they have put up numbers in a few weeks but I'm not ready to start telling people they need to watch out for Johnny Knox and Andre Caldwell. Although Johnny Knox does sound like a hell of a tag team partner. Anyway, the Giants defense will look to redeem itself in the eyes of the home crowd as the DAs Office looks to avoid a two week skid.
Wide Right is flying high thanks to the re-emergence of Tom Brady. This week he'll be showing off for the lords and ladies (and Werewolves) of London. (If you didn't get that song reference, click here, I'll wait). Brady is throwing the ball around secondaries at will and Steve Slaton has found ways to put up points without rushing for 100 yards per week. Combined they've turned this team around and it'll be interesting to see how Marshawn Lynch gets reacquainted with the offense in Buffalo, to see if he can contribute. The WRs remain questionable and with Steve Breaston on the bench, possibly due to injury they're even more of a weakness. However, it'll just take one big play from Percy Harvin or Lee Evans to help elevate this team for another week.

Beer Burgers & Blue (5-1) vs Giant Ten Pins (2-3-1)
Last week Triple B got an unexpected surprise from the F**kUps and found themselves in first place, following a 5 game win streak. However it seems as this will be short lived as super secret fantasy weapon, Ray Rice is on a bye week, exposing some of weak underbelly of the number one team. QB Matt Schaub has been playing phenomenal and will have to continue that this week if he hopes to keep his team at the top. RB Steven Jackson does everything possible except get into the endzone, the curse of being the only guy the other team needs to stop, and top WR Calvin Johnson is nursing an injury on his bye week. However, not one to ever concede a week, BBB went out and picked up WR Lance Moore to plug in with Bernard Berrian and the Great White Hope (Wes Welker) at wide receiver. Pierre Thomas posses a difficult question at running back and may find himself benched for Colts backup Donald Brown - if I truly believe my Joseph Addai scenario.
The Giant Ten Pins walked out of last week's tie feeling good it wasn't a loss, but that's about it. This week they'd love to go from that low feeling to king of the hill by knocking off the current top team. QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner will look to dominate the Cowboys in the air and on the ground, while the receivers who are better than you think look to again quietly kill their opponent. Recently acquired TE Vernon Davis looks to pay dividends quickly as the Houston defense may be slightly distracted by the sight of Michael Crabtree on the field. However, don't be surprised if the team's big scorer this week is the Colts defense, who will be slaughtering the helpless rams. Too biblical? Should they find themselves down though, RB Clinton Portis is the Ten Pins ace in the hole on Monday Night in a game that few people will actually watch. But if the scores are close following Sunday Night, you can bet that both teams will be following him yard for yard - mostly to make sure that the game doesn't end in a tie.

The New Good Ones (3-3) vs Any Given Sunday (5-1)
The Good Ones have hit a recent 2 game slide and they are desperate to get off (of it). QB Philip Rivers should be in for a big game facing the Chiefs this week and his fantasy receivers all have favorable matchups, provided they're healthy. Reggie Wayne, Anquan Boldin and DeSean Jackson could all put up 14 point this week to pair with 9-12 point games for Thomas Jones and Matt Forte. Not to be overlooked, is TE Visianthe Shiancoe, who even against the Steelers is capable of putting up quality points for a tight end. Let's pencil that in at 6 and say Rivers has 23, since I've decided to predict the scores of John's players. He'd have a total of approximately 83 points, not including IDPs, team defense or his kicker. That kind of scoring is just what The New Good Ones will need if they want to get back to where they were 3 weeks ago, as one of the most feared teams in the league.
The Purple Princess has licked her wounds from a humiliating loss two weeks ago (who was that masked man?) and is back on her unicorn, heading for the top. QB Aaron Rodgers faces a Cleveland team that really not much can be said for. 1st round pick Adrian Peterson faces a tough challenge this week against the Steelers, in Pittsburgh and word is that Troy "Nice Hair" Polomalu may be back. My friend Nate, Vikings fan and Minnesota native, has not only picked the Vikings to lose this game but offered the free fantasy advice to bench everyone of your Vikings. You get what you paid for. You don't bench Peterson. It won't be his best game ever, you know that in advance so you make concessions. AnyGivenSunday has inserted Leon Washington into the lineup as the Jets face the hapless Oakland Raiders across the bay. My only hope is that Washington isn't about to score on an 86 yard run or kick-off return when he is suddenly knocked to the ground by the lifeless, Jets jersey clad body of Jason Lazar, who was dumb enough to wear Gang Green in Oakland. The WRs are going to need some work in the upcoming weeks. Right now they feature a used to be, a never was much of anything, and a possibly someday. On the bench is a rookie who just signed and showed up to the team 2 weeks ago, so help isn't readily available. Still you go with what got you where you are I guess.

Which leaves us with the game of the week. Bigger, Longer, and More Offensive!

Vicks Vet Service (5-1) vs Wandering Jews (3-3)
After having a bite taken out of their record last week, McGruff the Crime Dog style, VVS is looking to slaughter their opponent this week like a pitbull who can't keep his guard up. Pretty Boy QB Tony Romo is facing the Falcons at home where fans love him for 3 quarters and then realize that if the game is on the line the should hit the restroom and start the car because this won't end well. Cold filtered MJD is on his bye this week so recently acquired TD vulture in the making Mike Bell will fill the RB spot with fellow 2nd fiddle, Ricky Williams. WRs Roddy White and Vincent Jackson are both eager to face secondaries that aren't known for their ability to cover people and Devin Hester may surprise you against Cincinnati. I mean, they gave up that play to Stokely in week 1, you figure they're due for another hilarious pass play. TE Dallas Clark is back from his bye, giving Vicks Vet Service the last key ingredient for a team you think you can beat on paper, until points start getting filled in on that paper. With the Raven's defense on a bye, VVS looks to the Bills to hold down the fort and hope that they can sustain an onslaught from DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Or else, they may not be the ones doing the slaughtering.
The Wandering Jews have come all the way back from 0-3 to reach the mediocrity mark and they're not satisfied yet. After some finagling they were able to get 3 wins for the price of 2. Now they'd like to take the winnings to Atlantic City and make it big time. With QB Joe Flacco on his bye this week, the Jews have no choice but to use Donovan McNabb, who couldn't have inspired any confidence last week as the Eagles lost to the Raiders. Previously mentioned RB, DeAngelo Williams will look to break through the Bills wagon train defense and deal double trouble damage (scoring for his team and reducing his opponents team defenses' points). LaDanian Tomlinson will try to show that I'm wrong and that he's not on his way to Larry Johnson land, as he faces the Chiefs and Larry Johnson. Not a tough challenge. With WR Brandon Marshall off this week the receivers rely heavily on the Cowboys with Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton. The best that can be said of these guys is that they may cancel out Romo points - that is if Romo wasn't so gay for TE Jason Witten.