Fantasy Football Preview - Week 11

With only 3 weeks left in the regular season the final push towards the playoffs is underway. Most teams find themselves battling opponents with similar records this week, knowing that a victory now is crucial to making it to the post-season. As with last week, the Thursday game has given some teams an early lead and left others wondering what was the name of that truck they just got hit with (the answer is Ricky Williams).

NY DAs Office (4-6) vs. LT Get Outta My Way (2-8)

Last week the DAs Office proved that with Peyton Manning as your QB, you stand a chance to win every game. This week the need for a 40 point game from Manning seems less necessary as the DAs Office faces the league's absentee owner. While currently on the bottom side of the rankings, a win for the DAs Office gives them a chance to make the playoffs thanks to favorable tie-breakers.

Mr. Scott's F**KUps (2-8) vs. Any Given Sunday (6-4)

The F**KUps are off to a solid start if they hope to tack on another loss to Any Given Sunday's current losing streak, getting 6.5 points from Gibril Wilson. QB Eli Manning is looking to bounce back against the Atlanta Falcons. The running game took a hit late in the week, with RB Reggie Bush being declared inactive for Sunday's game. The F**kUPs will need to make a last minute adjustment to provide Cadillac Williams with some backup. Top WR pick Randy Moss faces his toughest challenge in Jets CB Derel Reivis and may not be able to contribute his usual production. TE Brent Celek will need to step up, as the remaining WRs, Terrell Owens and Devry Henderson can't be counted on for much.
Any Given Sunday was able to get 14.5 points from WR Steve Smith on Thursday night. RB Adrian Peterson will be facing a Seahawks defense that can be run on and looks to expand the lead beyond eight and a half points. QB Aaron Rodgers will need to watch out for Nate Clements in the secondary, but still has enough weapons in his passing game to have a good game against the 49ers. Sunday finds herself in the enviable position of facing a lower-tier team this week while all of the other competitors play to their level or above, making a win this week crucial. Can WRs Mario Manningham and rookie Michael Crabtree provide enough support to help Sunday avoid a 3 game losing streak?

Wandering Jews (5-5) vs. Wide Right (5-5)

The streaking Jews have won their last 2 and are back in the playoff race. Thanks to DeAngelo Williams they currently have an 8.5 to 2 lead, but is it enough? Without a double digit performance the door has been cracked open for Wide Right to take advantage. Despite my previously declaring him finished, RB LaDanian Tomlinson has managed to keep himself fantasy relevant with a solid performance against the Eagles. This week he'll face Denver whose defense appears to be falling apart on itself. Perhaps LT could be the late season difference maker that the Jews needed. If that's not the case, the WRs of Marques Colston and Brandon Marshall are more than capable of picking up the slack. QB Donovan McNabb will get a chance against a Bears defense that no longer seems as fierce as it once did, and should put up a fair amount of points this week.
Wide Right just keeps hanging around. When you have a healthy Tom Brady at QB you can't reasonably be excepted to be out of the playoff hunt this early. RB Steve Slaton remains a question mark after the bye week. Is he the #1 back in Houston, a part-timer, or has he already lost the job and we don't know it yet? Unfortunately, Wide Right will find out when the rest of us do on Sunday. Bills RB Marshawn Lynch is the other running back on the roster and hopes to duplicate the success that Jets RB Thomas Jones had against Jacksonville last week. The WR corps is a bit thin with Steve Breaston being the biggest threat. He will, however, get some help from TE Kellen Winslow who faces the Saints this weekend, as Tampa Bay is likely to be down and throwing. The projections have this as a tight matchup which will come down to the Monday Night game before we know which team will make it to 6-5.

The New Good Ones (5-5) vs. Giant Ten Pins (5-4-1)

The New Good Ones are currently sitting in 3rd place, a spot coveted by their opponent this week. With the bye weeks passed, the New Good Ones feature an impressive roster. At running backs Matt Forte and Thomas Jones are a top notch one, two punch. At receiver Reggie Wayne, Anquan Boldin and DeSean Jackson are possibly the best group assembled in the league, making it hard for the other playoff teams to root NGO because no one wants to face that lineup. QB Philip Rivers is the only "weak" link in the roster, but he's a serviceable QB that puts up decent numbers on a consistent basis and TE Visanthe Shiancoe has emerged as one of the tops at his position. It seems as though if you plan to beat the New Good Ones, you'll have to outscore them on your own, because this lineup is to potent to slip far enough and beat themselves.
The Giant Ten Pins took a big one on the chin last week, and have fallen towards the middle of the pack, holding on for their playoff life. This week they have a tall order ahead of them, but if you're going to make it in the playoffs you have to be able to beat playoff caliber teams. QB Matt Ryan has been struggling of late, but the Giant Ten Pins are sticking with him as he faces that atrocious Giants secondary. With RB Michael Turner doubtful, replacement back LaDell Betts gets the call against Dallas and LeSean McCoy will face off against the Bears. While it's not ideal to face a tough opponent without your top runningback, the Ten Pins will have to make do and get help from WRs Hines Ward, Donald Driver and Miles Austin. TE Vernon Davis had a disappointing week and is looking to regain his prominence as a top tight end this season. His regularly scheduled contribution would be a major help to the Ten Pins as they try to avoid a second straight loss.

A special this week, 2 games of the week. First off, the family duel:

Dogs and Guns (5-4-1) vs. The Breakfast Club (5-5)

D&Gs is surging, with 3 straight wins and is now in command of a playoff spot, thanks in no small part to RB Chris Johnson. QB Jay Cutler has been benched (he was 2nd in the league in INTs last season, so what were you expecting when he went to a team with worse WRs?) for Carson Palmer. Is it a good time to make a move? Well, it's a moot point if Chris Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald continue their crazy scoring. The loss of RB Ronnie Brown slows down D&Gs run but Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall is primed to step in and take up the cause. T.J. Houshmandzadeh is coming off of one of his best games this season. Was it the start of something new or just an anomaly? Also of note is that this week Dogs and Guns will not be featuring an overstacked Seattle roster, as WR Nate Burleson has been replaced by Santonio Holmes, presumably after not catching a single pass last week.
Speaking of last week, The Breakfast Club re-announced it's contender-ship by toppling the #1 Vick's Vet Service. Now this week, TBC takes on the defending champion, and cousin in what's predicted to be a high scoring affair. QB Drew Brees should have a field day facing Tampa Bay and a 50 point game is not out of the question. WRs Chad Johnson and Andre Johnson could be key contributors, although Johnson will have to find a way to shake free from Nnamdi Asomaghau. Last week Sidney Rice amassed over 200 yards receiving, and if he does that again this week it could be over quickly for D&Gs, even though the Breakfast Club is relying on Ryan Grant and Kevin Smith at running back.

And the top 2 teams collide:

Beer Burgers and Blue (6-4) vs. Vick's Vet Service (8-2)

Despite losing last week, BBB is happy to have found a lineup they are comfortable with. Hey, it taking 60 points from Peyton Manning and Joseph Addai in order to lose is nothing to be ashamed of. This week QB Matt Schaub steps back under center to lead this potential playoff powerhouse against the league's top team. RBs Ray Rice and Steven Jackson are on hot streaks and WR Calvin Johnson seems to have finally healed up and gotten his legs underneath him. The Great White Hope, Wes Welker could have a big week as the Jets try to shut down Randy Moss and newly acquired Chris Chambers will submit his audition tape for the role of WR3. Beer Burgers & Blue got a solid 8 points on Thursday night from Jon Beason, but will need as much if not more from the rest of the defensive unit. And a defensive TD from the Packers defense wouldn't hurt either.
Vick's Vet Service suffered only their second loss of the season last week. This week they look to re-establish their dominance by crushing their next closest competitor. VVS already has a 24.5 point lead thanks to an incredible 3 touchdown performance from RB Ricky Williams, who is obviously benefiting from the injury to Ronnie Brown. The other back in that tandem is Maurice Jones-Drew, who easily could have had 3 TDs last week as well. This week the pair may combine for 6 total TDs, 50 points and another L for BBB. Regardless of if the RBs hit 50 the rest of VVS is nothing to sneeze at. WRs Roddy White and Vincent Jackson have favorable matchups and Devin Hester always has the potential to break out that one long scoring play. Just like any great match-up this one won't be decided until the final whistle of the final game. Why spoil the surprise of who is the top team early?