The Hive – Week 16 – Championship Week Edition
Welcome to The Hive!! It’s title week, so if you are bothering to read this you must be playing for the big prize this week. Whether you win cash, a trophy, pride, or some combo of the 3, this is what you’ve been waiting for. I am up for one championship out of my 4 leagues this season, should be a great game. Let’s take a look at the week 16 action!
How we rank `em!
Giddyup! – YEEEHAW!!
SINS! – solid if not spectacular
Hellno! – Get it? Got it? Good.
Indianapolis
@ Jacksonville Thursday 5:15pm PT
IND
Giddyup! – Freddy Keiaho, Robert Mathis
SINS! – Marlin Jackson, Antoine Bethea, Dwight Freeney, Buster Davis
Hellno! – Gary Brackett, Bob Sanders
JAX
Giddyup! – Justin Durant, Brian Williams
SINS! – Gerald Sensabaugh, Mike Peterson
Hellno! – Daryl Smith
Game notes: For the red-hot Colts Bob Sanders might play, or he might not. I’d think you can find a healthier alternative playing later on in the weekend. Buster Davis has had one awful game and one good game, not enough of a resume to insert him in my championship lineup. For the Jags Daryl Smith is OUT so Jack Del Rio’s least favorite Jaguar, Mike Peterson, gets to start again. Peterson is likely auditioning for a new employer, so he could be useful these last 2 weeks.
Baltimore
@ Dallas Saturday 5:15pm PT
BAL
Giddyup! – Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs
SINS! – Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata
Hellno! – Bart Scott
DAL
Giddyup! – Demarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff
SINS! – Bradie James, Zach Thomas
Hellno! – Dallas DB’s
Game notes: Baltimore got jobbed last week and will look to take it out on the Cowboys in Dallas. Ray Ray has been solid, and Suggs is a must start in any league where he is DE eligible. Demarcus Ware is en fuego, and should be in your lineup this week.
Cincinnati
@ Cleveland Sunday 10am PT
CIN
Giddyup! – none
SINS! – Dhani Jones, Bengals DB’s
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
CLE
Giddyup! – Sean Jones, D’Qwell Jackson
SINS! – Browns CB’s, Andra Davis
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
Game notes: The battle for Beanie ensues in Ohio this weekend. I expect both teams to attempt to throw the game in an effort to improve their draft position. Anyone notice Dhani Jones has been about as useful as tits on a boar since Keith Rivers got hurt? I did. And anyone want to give D’Qwell Jackson some love?? Guy is tied with Pat Willis in total LB points in my IDP dyno league, and I think the gay kid from Who’s The Boss gets more media coverage than Jackson does.
New Orleans
@ Detroit Sunday 10am PT
NO
Giddyup! – Jonathan Vilma
SINS! – Shanle/Fujita, Harper/Kaesviharn
Hellno! – Saints DL’s
DET
Giddyup! – Ernie Sims, Daniel Bullucks
SINS! – Paris Lenon
Hellno! – Lions DL’s
Game notes: Both of these teams are playing for you, the fantasy football owner this week, and no one else. Enjoy.
Arizona
@ New England Sunday 10am PT
AZ
Giddyup! – Karlos Dansby, Darnell Dockett (if he has DT eligibility in your league, he’s a fringe starter at DE), Adrian Wilson
SINS! – DRC, Gerald Hayes, Antrel Rolle
Hellno! –
NE
Giddyup! – Brandon Merriweather, Jarod Mayo
SINS! – Richard Seymour
Hellno! – any and all old people on the Pats roster
Game notes: The high flying Cards will have to visit the east coast this week, which has not been good for them in the past. To top things off there could be a nasty storm in New England this weekend, so the Cards might not be able to muster much of an aerial attack. IDP-wise this shouldn’t affect what you do very much, I would probably downgrade all Cards DB’s except Wilson if the weather is bad, as the Pats are more likely to grind it out in bad weather.
Pittsburgh
@ Tennessee Sunday 10am PT
PIT
Giddyup! – James Harrison, James Farrior
SINS! – Troy Polamalu, Lamar Woodley
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
TEN
Giddyup! – Stephen Tulloch, Keith Bulluck, Cortland Finnegan
SINS! – Griffin/Hope, Nick Harper
Hellno! – Albert Haynesworth
Game notes: This should be a good ol’ fashioned slobberknocker. Special LB play this week, I love Stephen Tulloch. I think with Haynesworth out the Steelers will try to pound it up the middle, which should benefit Tulloch. I expect at least 6-10 solos.
San Francisco
@ St Louis Sunday 10am PT
SF
Giddyup! – Pat Willis, Justin Smith
SINS! – 49’ers DB’s
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
STL
Giddyup! – OJ Atogwe
SINS! – Rams LB’s
Hellno! – Rams DL’s
Game notes: Yawn. Next.
Miami
@ Kansas City Sunday 10am PT
MIA
Giddyup! – Yeremiah Bell
SINS! – Channing Crowder, Joey Porter
Hellno! – Dolphins DL’s
KC
Giddyup! – Derrick Johnson, Bernard Pollard
SINS! – Chiefs CB’s
Hellno! – Chiefs DL’s
Game notes: Another excruciating game. Dolphins fans will give a damn since their team is in the hunt, which means it’s just the rest of planet earth that would rather watch live snow plow races than this game. I’m currently contemplating suicide as a result of spending more than 5 minutes thinking about it, so I hope you all understand that I now have to move on with my life.
San Diego
@ Tampa Sunday 10am PT
SD
Giddyup! – Eric Weddle, Antonio Cromartie, Stephen Cooper
SINS! – Quentin Jammer
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
TB
Giddyup! – Barrett Ruud
SINS! – Sabby Piscatelli, Gaines Adams, Ronde Barber
Hellno! – Jermaine Phillips, Derrick Brooks
Game notes: This should actually be a good game. Injury issues for Tampa, Jermaine Phillips re-fractured his forearm and is done for the year. This is good news for Sabby Piscatelli, who will audition for the starting job in 2009. Phillips is a UFA after the 2008 season, and Piscatelli has to prove to Gruden and co. that he is worthy of a starting gig.
Buffalo @ Denver Sunday 1:05pm PT
BUF
Giddyup! – Poz, Terrance McGee
SINS! – Kawicka Mitchell
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
DEN
Giddyup! – none
SINS! – Broncos DB’s & LB’s
Hellno! – Broncos DL’s
Game notes: Well looks like Mike Shanahan heard about IDP’s and wants to ruin those too. Wesley Woodyard is now getting reps at safety, while Nate Webster is in a time share with a special teamer. Wow. Stay far, far away from this game unless you own Poz or McGee.
New York
Jets @ Seattle Sunday 1:05pm PT
NYJ
Giddyup! – Jet’s LB’s, Kerry Rhodes
SINS! – Shaun Ellis
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
SEA
Giddyup! – Lofa Tatupu, Josh Wilson
SINS! – Julian Peterson
Hellno! – Leroy Hill
Game notes: Another snore-fest. Favre will throw 4 picks, then Monday morning Regis will talk about a Giants/Jets Super Bowl some more. He’s like my delusional grandpa who still talks about swimming under burning oil in WWII. On the Seattle side of things this will probably be a fine week to own Lofa Tatupu. Most of his owners didn’t make the playoffs because of his relative suckitude for the 1st half of the 2008 season, but I digress.
Houston
@ Oakland Sunday 1:05pm PT
HOU
Giddyup! – DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams
SINS! – Texans DB’s, Kevin Bentley
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
OAK
Giddyup! – Kirk Morrison, Gibril Wilson
SINS! – Chris Johnson, Thomas Howard
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
Game notes: My poor pathetic team will likely be taking another home loss this week. At least I have Andre Johnson in my dyno league. *sad face* I cant talk about this anymore, I’m going to go sit alone and cry with my autographed Tim Brown rookie.
Atlanta
@ Minnesota Sunday 1:15pm PT
ATL
Giddyup! – Erik Coleman, John Abraham
SINS! – Falcons LB’s
Hellno! – Falcons CB’s
MIN
Giddyup! – Chad Greenway, Antoine Winfield, Jared Allen
SINS! – Madieu Williams, Cedric Griffin
Hellno! –
no one you would normally start
Game notes: Both teams here have a lot to play for, so it should be a good one. For the Falcons Curtis Lofton might make a sneaky start this week, as MLB’s have scored well against the Vikings run game. I get a lot of emails questioning the viability of an injured Jared Allen in IDP land. I say if he is on the field, you start him. Most DE’s at 100% don’t have the upside Allen provides at 50-60%.
Philadelphia
@ Washington Sunday 1:15pm PT
PHI
Giddyup! – Stew Bradley, Trent Cole
SINS! – Mikell/Dawkins, Akeem Jordan
Hellno! – Omar Gaither
WAS
Giddyup! – London Fletcher
SINS! – Redskins DB’s
Hellno! – Rocky McIntosh (Hurt? Benched?)
Game notes: Washington is falling apart while Philly is putting it together at the right time. This game will tell us a lot about both teams, as I think a lot of folks are questioning the heart of the Redskins, as am I. It will be interesting to see if the team shows up for this divisional rivalry game even though they don’t have much on the line, or if they will quit on Zorn and let the Eagles steamroll them. I’m betting on the latter, but it will be fun to see how it plays out.
Carolina
@ New York Giants Sunday 5:15pm PT
CAR
Giddyup! – Chris Gamble, Jon Beason, Thomas Davis
SINS! – Julius Peppers, Chris Harris, Richard Marshall
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
NYG
Giddyup! – Antonio Pierce, Justin Tuck
SINS! – Matthias Kiwanuka
Hellno! – Giants DB’s
Game notes: The flex schedule gives us a real beauty. HEAR THAT MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL??? HEAR HOW BAD YOU SUCK??? Ok sorry about that…..I lost control. Panthers Giants for the #1 seed in the NFC. Can’t wait. For those of you who give me a hard time for not swinging from Julius Peppers nether regions like many of you do, I point to last week as more evidence he is no longer a must start. Zero’s across the board against Denver last week. Ugly.
Green Bay
@ Chicago Monday 5:30pm PT
GB
Giddyup! – Nick Collins, Aaron Kampman, Charles Woodson
SINS! – Packers LB’s
Hellno! – Al Harris
CHI
Giddyup! – Charles Tillman, Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher
SINS! – Bears DE’s, Kevin Payne
Hellno! – no one you would normally start
Game notes: Nothing like a NFC Norris mutual beatdown to finish off the 2008 fantasy football championship. Most IDP owners will be either starting or facing players in this game, so it could come down to the wire!
That about wraps it up for week 16! Good luck in your title game!
We will be back next week to re-evaluate what I had to say in the preseason! Does The Hive get an “A” or an “F”?? Tune in next week to find out!