The Hive – Week 5 edition

Welcome back to The Hive! Well, a month into the season and the injuries are piling up on both sides of the ball. In the world of IDP, even some of the backups who took over for injured guys, like Jim Leonhard, are hurt now. Time to review the week 5 matchups, and hopefully uncover some gems that you can find on your wire.

How we rank `em!

Giddyup! – Stud player, stud matchup, or a combo of the two

SINS! – solid if not spectacular

Hellno! – even Chiefs fans can understand this one! Right Buford?

Miami @ Houston Sunday 10am PST

Miami

Giddyup! – Jason Taylor, Renaldo Hill, Zach Thomas

SINS! – Matt Roth, Donovan Darius

Hellno! – Channing Crowder

Houston

Giddyup! – DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams, Morlon Greenwood

SINS! – Von Hutchins, CC Brown, Dunta Robinson, Amobi Okoye

Hellno! – Danny Clark, Demarcus Faggins

Game notes: Thomas coming back is big for Miami , but losing Crowder is equally as bad. Lucky for the Fins, Houston has a bunch of scrubs on offense right now due to injury. Even Joey Porter can make the tackle on Ron Dayne! Go Joey go! For Houston you have to like Ryans and Greenwood vs Ronnie Brown. The Miami line hasn’t quite been a sieve, but it’s been close enough. I like Williams and Okoye this week to get to Trent Green.

Jacksonville @ Kansas City Sunday 10am PST

Jacksonville

Giddyup! – Mike Peterson, Rashean Mathis

SINS! – Daryl Smith, Reggie Nelson, John Henderson, Marcus Stroud

Hellno! – Clint Ingram

Kansas City 

Giddyup! – Donnie Edwards, Napoleon Harris, Jared Allen

SINS! – Jarrad Page, Bernard Pollard, Tamba Hali

Hellno! – Law/Surtain

Game notes: I think the Jags will dominate this one, and Mike Peterson vs LJ is a tasty matchup for Peterson owners. Henderson is back from a concussion, that will be large for this defense. Literally. For the Chiefs I like the usual suspects. Keep your eyes on Jarrad Page, who had a huge game last week. I don’t think he repeats last week, in fact I like Pollard a little more for this week vs a running team, but Page is definitely one to watch.

Cleveland @ New England Sunday 10am PST

Cleveland

Giddyup! – Sean Jones, Eric Wright

SINS! – Leigh Bodden, D’Qwell Jackson

Hellno! – Andra Davis , Leon Williams

New England

Giddyup! – Ty Warren, Asante Samuel, Adalius Thomas

SINS! – Jarvis Green, Ellis Hobbs, Rodney Harrison

Hellno! – Mike Vrabel, Tedi Bruschi, Junior Seau

Game notes: For Cleveland you have to feel for young Eric Wright. He is going to get burnt in ways that would even make former Raider Elvis “Toast” Patterson cringe on Sunday. Bodden wont fare much better. Andra Davis and Leon Williams are pretty much in a LBBC at this point. Stay away. For the Pats I like Thomas to create some havoc this week and the Asante Samuel vs Braylon Edwards matchup should be fun as well. Vrabel will not catch a TD this week, so if you had him on your bench last week leave him there and move on with your life. I had Osi Umenyiora on my bench last week, so I feel nothing for you.

Carolina @ New Orleans Sunday 10am PST

Carolina

Giddyup! – Jon Beason, Julius Peppers, Chris Gamble, Chris Harris

SINS! – Thomas Davis, Richard Marshall, Mike Rucker

Hellno! – Kris Jenkins

New Orleans 

Giddyup! – Scott Fujita, Mike McKenzie

SINS! – Roman Harper, Will Smith

Hellno! – Charles Grant

Game notes: Wow, this is suddenly a crap matchup isn’t it? For Carolina I do not advocate the mass abandonment of Julius Peppers occurring in fantasy leagues everywhere. He will blow up, it is just a matter of time. Chris Harris has been sick in IDP since the move over from Chicago . He is a top DB in all formats. For the Saints you have to like Mike McKenzie as a one week pickup. Even with Carr in the game, the corner on Steve Smith should be money. Smith and Grant have done nada thus far, but I like Smith to at least achieve mediocrity this week.

New York Jets @ New York Giants Sunday 10am PST

New York Jets 

Giddyup! – Kerry Rhodes, Eric Smith, Jonathan Vilma, David Barrett

SINS! – Andre Dyson

Hellno! – Eric Barton, Erik Coleman

New York Giants

Giddyup! – Gibril Wilson, Antonio Pierce, Osi Umenyiora

SINS! – Derrick Ross, Kawicka Mitchell, Justin Tuck

Hellno! – Michael Strahan

Game notes: Kerry Rhodes, why hast thou forsaken me?? Truth be told the Jets have pulled the same IDP screw job on Rhodes owners that Baltimore pulled on Ed Reed owners a few years back: they have turned him into a center fielder to emphasize making “big plays”. This translates into IDP oblivion. I’d give him one more week, especially with Eli and Burress coming to town, but if he doesn’t show signs of life I would look into at least benching the guy. Jonathan Vilma had a fine week last week, maybe he is coming around. Maybe. For the Giants don’t expect 6 sacks from Osi this week, or maybe ever again, but the knee seems ok. Strahan is an afterthought with only 14 tackles and 1 sack on the year. Tuck and Osi are the studs on that DL now.

Seattle @ Pittsburgh Sunday 10am PST

Seattle

Giddyup! – Lofa Tatupu, Julian Peterson, Deon Grant

SINS! – Pat Kerney, Leroy Hill, Darryl Tapp

Hellno! – Brian Russell

Pittsburgh

Giddyup! – James Farrior, Ike Taylor

SINS! – Troy Polamalu, James Harrison

Hellno! – Bryant McFadden

Game notes: For the Hawks Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson have certainly been hot lately. I like those two and Grant this week. Not so high on the DL’s vs a stout Pittsburgh line though. For the Steelers I would chalk up last week as an anomaly for James Farrior. The Cards were passing most of the 2^nd half which limited his tackle opportunities. Polamalu will supposedly play, but I wouldn’t want to have to rely on him with that abdominal injury. McFadden has a high ankle sprain, ungood for a DB. Play Ike Taylor this week. You are welcome.  

Arizona @ St. Louis Sunday 10am PST

Arizona

Giddyup! – Gerald Hayes, Adrian Wilson, Darnell Dockett

SINS! – Karlos Dansby

Hellno! – Antrel Rolle, Calvin Pace

St. Louis

Giddyup! – O.J. Atogwe, Will Witherspoon

SINS! – James Hall

Hellno! – Leonard Little

Game notes: Does anyone really care about this game? I don’t. Start the usual suspects, go read my DL article to find out why Dockett is neat-o, and let’s move on.

Atlanta @ Tennessee Sunday 10am PST

Atlanta

Giddyup! – Keith Brooking, John Abraham

SINS! – Lawyer Milloy

Hellno! – Demorrio Williams, Jamaal Anderson

Tennessee

Giddyup! – Keith Bulluck, Chris Hope, Kyle Vanden Bosch

SINS! – Cortland Finnegan, Nick Harper, Albert Haynesworth

Hellno! – Peter Sirmon, Antwan Odom

Game notes: Abraham is showing signs of life, I like him vs the Titans this week. Brooking will be solid, and Milloy should be decent as well. I wouldn’t touch Demorrio Williams in anything but a dynasty league right now. He will likely go elsewhere and be a player, but for now he is worthless. For the Titans I am not too excited about anyone but Bulluck, but this is a great opportunity for Vanden Bosch and Hope to get off the skids.

Detroit @ Washington Sunday 10am PST

Detroit

Giddyup! – Ernie Sims, Paris Lenon

SINS! – Gerald Alexander, Dewayne White, Shaun Rogers

Hellno! – Kenoy Kennedy

Washington

Giddyup! – London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh, Laron Landry, Sean Taylor

SINS! – Carlos Rogers, Shawn Springs

Hellno! – Andre Carter

Game notes: Paris Lenon has been one of the bigger surprises in IDP this season. He should be owned in all leagues at this point, and starting him and Sims vs Portis and Betts will be quite tasty for your team. For the Skins you have to love their DB’s vs Mad Martz and the Lions. Fletcher and McIntosh should continue their reign of terror as well.

Tampa Bay @ Indianapolis Sunday 1:05pm PST

Tampa Bay 

Giddyup! – Barrett Ruud, Jermaine Phillips, Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber

SINS! – Cato June, Tanard Jackson

Hellno! – Gaines Adams

Indy

Giddyup! – Gary Brackett, Freddy Keiaho (check the injury reports), Bob Sanders (ditto), Marlin Jackson

SINS! – Robert Mathis, Dwight Freeney

Hellno! – Rob Morris, Rocky Boiman

Game notes: For Tampa , you have to like their DB’s vs Manning, and you know now to start Ruud every week. Brooks is playing like its 1999, but you have to wonder if he can keep it up. For the Colts Keiaho is looking like he is the LB version of Bob Sanders. Stud when he plays, but you will have to do the injury report/game time decision dance every week if you own them. Marlin Jackson is healthy and studly, he should have another good game. Boiman takes over for the injured Morris, but Boiman is a scrub so don’t rush to your wire.

San Diego @ Denver Sunday 1:15pm PST

San Diego

Giddyup!- Stephen Cooper, Marlon McCree

SINS! – Clinton Hart, Shawne Merriman, Luis Castillo

Hellno! – Jamal Williams

Denver

Giddyup! – D.J. Williams, Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil

SINS! – Ian Gold

Hellno! – Dre Bly

Game notes: The only thing anyone will want to talk about in regards to this game will be Travis Henry and his love of the Colorado Chronic. As far as the IDP matchups go the only Charger that I am overly excited about is Stephen Cooper, though I think McCree will have a solid week too. For Denver , play Williams and Bailey, and in a DL required league I’d play Dumervil too. Gold could be a nice bye week filler seeing as he is facing Tomlinson.

Baltimore @ San Francisco Sunday 1:15pm PST

Baltimore

Giddyup! – Bart Scott, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs

SINS! – Ed Reed, Dawan Landry

Hellno! – Chris McCallister

San Francisco 

Giddyup! – Pat Willis, Marques Douglas

SINS! – Michael Lewis, Nate Clements, Walt Harris

Hellno! – Bryant Young

Game notes: Bart Scott finally started the 2007 season, I look for more of the same vs Frank Gore. Reed should pick off Dilfer, but I still don’t trust him enough to recommend the start wholeheartedly. For the Niners Marques Douglas has been on fire, and you know he wants a piece of his old team.

Chicago @ Green Bay Sunday 5:15pm PST

Chicago

Giddyup! – Brian Urlacher, Mark Anderson

SINS! – Adam Archuleta

Hellno! – Tillman/Vasher/Briggs

Green Bay

Giddyup! – Nick Barnett, Atari Bigby, Aaron Kampman

SINS! – Charles Woodson, A.J. Hawk

Hellno! – Nick Collins

Game notes: The Bears are a mess right now, though they do get Archuleta back, so that is a plus. On the Green Bay side I love their DB’s vs a Bears team that will be playing from behind in my opinion.

Dallas @ Buffalo Monday 5:30pm PST

Dallas

Giddyup! – Demarcus Ware, Roy Williams

SINS! – Jacques Reeves, Bradie James, Ken Hamlin

Hellno! – Anthony Henry

Buffalo

Giddyup! – Kiwaukee Thomas, Angelo Crowell, Aaron Schobel

SINS! – Donte Whitner, Chris Kelsay

Hellno! – Jim Leonhard, Bryan Scott

Game notes: This should be a slaughter. I am trying to find reasons to watch this game, and all I can find thus far is that I might start Lee Evans in my work league. Hardly compelling. For the Cowboys I like Ware to get in Edwards’ grill and Roy Williams should be in the mix. For the Bills Leonhard is out, and I am not fond of his replacement, Bryan Scott. Thomas has been putting up points at CB and I expect that to happen this week vs Romo and the gang. For those that don’t know, Keith Ellison is almost back as well. If you are hurting at LB and he is on your wire I suggest you nab him. He was one of my favorite sleeper LB’s this preseason until he got hurt, and he will make an impact upon his return.

Well that about wraps it up for week 5 of The Hive. Don’t forget to check back next Wednesday to peep the special article on surprises and disappointments at the DB position, and good luck in your IDP matchups this week!