The Top 5 Most likely to "Go Off" - Week 5 Daymon Johnson, Fantasy Football Guest Writer Oct 8, 2009 | More

The Top 5 Most likely to “Go Off” for Week 5

By: Sports Uncut

This season has been filled with surprises, and more twists and turns than a 50’s dance reunion. Steve Smith….no not that one….the other one, has looked absolutely amazing in Plaxico’s place in New York. Cedric Benson has looked every bit the breakout candidate I thought he was, and to think they laughed at me when I took him in the 10th round! LaDanian Tomlinson has become as average of a running back as there is, whilst Philip Rivers has solidified his place in the NFL’s elite. Terrell Owens is as Denny Green would say, “NOT who we though he was” and Ronnie Brown is in fact the master of the “Wildcat” or as old timers call it, the “Southern Wing” offense!

However, this list is a list of the guys that will not be surprises, and the only twist or turn they’ll make is a twist or turn on their way into the end zone this week! If any of these guys are on your waiver wire….go get em! If another owner has them, do whatever you can to make a trade and get these guys on your roster! All of these players, I think can reach 15 points or better in standard scoring leagues.

#1 – David Garrard vs. Seattle Seahawks

Last week, David Garrard torched the Titans defense to the tune of 323 yards, 3 TD’s, 0 INT’s and added 38 yards rushing. He sliced, diced and virtually obliterated a defense that most thought, coming into this season, was pretty good. Garrard seems to have found some solid chemistry with big play threat Mike Sims-Walker, and is looking to continue building on that this week against Seattle. Through 4 games, Garrard has amassed 941 yards, 5TD’s and only 1 INT, as well as 108 yards rushing, which is on pace to be a career high. He’s looking much more like the guy we saw in 2007, than the one we saw last year, and that’s a good thing for the Jags, especially with contributions now steadily coming from the running game.

Seattle’s defense is certainly beatable, and right now rank 16th against the pass, and allow on average, 220 yards, and 21 points per game to opposing gunslingers. The real key here is this, they rank in the bottom third of the league against the run. That means MJD is going to run mightily on them and they’ll be forced to defend him, and that then opens things up downfield for Garrard, and I’d expect Torry Holt and Sims-Walker to make some big plays this week!

Ballsy Projection: 285 yards, 2 TD’s, 25 yards rushing

Total Points in standard formats: 25

#2 – Clinton Portis vs Carolina Panthers

Carolina is the worst team in the league at defending the run. They’re currently ranked 32, allowing 183 yards and 29 points per game to opposing offenses via the run. Meaning they get regularly smashed worse than Ozzy Osbourne did in his heyday. This week they’re facing a guy who’s been an extreme disappointment to fantasy owners thus far, in Clinton Portis. Portis still has all the game in the world, but the play calling in DC has been…well….lacking.

This week that changes. Portis WILL get going, and he’ll get going in a big way against that Pillsbury Dough Boy soft defense. Obviously, Jason Campbell’s poor play hasn’t helped matter much, but, with the run intact this week, that too should open up.

Ballsy Projection: 135 yards, 1TD, 30 yards receiving

Total Points in standard formats: 22

#3 – Terrell Owens vs Cleveland Browns

Terrell Owens, as I mentioned above, has not been the dynamic playmaker that we’re accustomed to seeing. This season he only has 158 yards and 1TD to his name…..or basically one good game with Dallas. But, that’s not really his fault. Trent Edwards isn’t helping anything with his mediocre play. That said, I think this week could be a different story for Owens, especially considering who he’s facing.

The Browns defense is really not as good as the stats might suggest….trust me, as a Browns fan, I know this. The stats say they’re 21^st against the pass, allowing only 227 yards per game. That information however, is a bit misleading as their run D is horrid, giving up over 180 yards per game. So really, teams just run, and run and run some more on them.

This week will be different though, as the Bills have a RB conundrum and have to choose between Jackson (who I think fits their system better) or Lynch. They’ll give the ball to the both of them, which will likely lead to the inability to get anything real consistent going on the ground, and will need to pass.

This game will be close, and T.O. needs to be involved more in they want to start winning…..ol’ Dickey Jauron knows this, and this week he’ll make sure it happens.

Ballsy Projection: 6 rec. 125 yards, 1TD

Total points in standard formats: 19 

#4 – Kevin Walter vs Arizona Cardinals

Arizona is coming off the bye week, and there’s no doubt that they probably worked hard on trying to improve the passing defense, which is currently ranked 30^th in the league. That said, they’ll do whatever they can to minimize the damage coming from one Andre Johnson and most likely double team him. Guess what that means friends? That means the Ed McCaffrey clone himself, Kevin Walter, is likely going to be running in one on one coverage and exploiting the weaknesses over the middle, and any soft zone defense they try to play against him.

Matt Schaub has looked pretty good so far this season, and when Kevin Walter came back off the injury in Week 3, the Jags doubled Andre Johnson all day, and Walter ended up with 96 yards, 1TD and 11 yards rushing as Schaub found him early and often. I expect a repeat of Week 3, especially against that porous Cardinal D that allows on average 280 yards and 2 scores per game!

Ballsy Projection: 7 rec. 110 yards, 1 TD, 5 yards rushing

Total points in standard formats: 17

#5 – Mario Manningham vs Oakland Raiders

Nnamdi Asomugha, the Raiders cornerback extraordinaire, and Top 3 CB in the NFL, will be locked tightly on Steve Smith for the bulk of the game. That makes Manningham a legitimate option this week. With Asomugha locked on Steve Smith, Manningham should be able to exploit the Raiders pass D on both deep and short routes, that currently ranks 26th in the league. The Raiders are very weak on the short ins and outs from what I’ve seen, and Manningham has proven his ability to run both of those types of routes.

Not to mention, the Giants have one of the best O-Lines in the league, and will keep the younger Manning upright for the majority, if not the entirety of this game. Allowing Manning to pick apart that D with relative ease. Brandon Jacobs will take care of any blitzers, and open the passing game as well as he has a big day too!

Expect a nice game from Manningham this week!

Ballsy Projection: 5 rec. 105 yards, 1TD

Total points in standard formats: 16

So, there’s the “5 Most Likely to Go Off” for Week 5. Thanks for reading, and good luck in your matchups!