The Hive – Week 16 Championship Edition

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 1^st 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!