WEEK 4 PREDICTIONS

NY JETS at BUFFALO BILLS:  JETS: The Jets have taken the training wheels off Sanchez and he has delivered the last two weeks. I still cringe when I see some of the balls he throws into coverage but Edwards and Keller prove that all you need is to give your receiver a chance to make a play and it will pay off. The run game at this point belongs to L.T. as Greene has been relegated to number two status. LT scored the lone rushing TD last week and is the one you have to start. This week, both guys should be a safe play. Buffalo has been horrible stopping the run, ranking 27th in run D and allowing 29 PPG for the 31st spot. If ever there was a week yet that Greene could prove some value it's this one. If he doesn't give you at least 9 points then it is time to look for options.
BUFFALO: The Bills sent their QB of the future packing this week and have given Fitzpatrick the keys to the kingdom for now. Word is they are back to selling Lynch for the right deal so they could wind up with a solid number two at some point. A guy like Leinart, Shaun Hill, Matt Moore or Quinn could be making his way to Buffalo soon. Buffalo is dead last in Total YPG and 31st in passing yards per game. Obviously their strength is the rush and it will be tested against the leagues 4th ranked run D who is giving up 61 RYPG. Add to that the fact that week to week it's anyone's guess who is going to have the good game and it will do you well to look for other options if you have them.

Buffalo did give the Pats a run for their money on the road so there is a chance for an upset here since they play above potential within their divisional games. However, there is too much chaos and uncertainty on this team to believe it will happen. If Gailey has any shot at winning this game he will have to throw early and often. JETS 28 BILLS 17

FANTASY STARTS: JETS: Edwards (6 for 80 1 TD) Keller (5 for 60 1 TD) L.T. ( 14 for 70 1 TD/ 4 for 48yds) Greene ( 11 for 70 1 TD)
BUFFALO: Parrish ( 8 for 70 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Steve Johnson BUF......He is second on the team with 137 passing yards and should be the best option to break one deep, especially in garbage time. The Jets will be able to run the clock with their run game, forcing Fitzpatrick to throw often in the second half.

BALTIMORE RAVENS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS: RAVENS: Ray Rice has a "significant" knee contusion and could be questionable for this game. Believe it or not, it doesn't really affect the Ravens as they are 17 in Passing YPG and 23rd in Rushing YPG with only 89 YPG. Not really what you would expect, but the addition of Boldin and Houshmenzadeh have allowed Flacco to throw more and not depend on Rice so heavily. Flacco finally burst out of his two week funk last Sunday but will face the league leading Defense in points allowed. Since they weren't really going to get much on the ground against the Steelers to begin with, this is a game where Houshmenzadeh proves his value to the team. While the Steelers are 17th against the pass, they will not be able to handle all three of the Baltimore receivers at once and guard Rice or Mcgahee flaring out of the backfield.
STEELERS: Ben who? Charlie Batch showed why the Steelers keep him around every year, torching the Bucs last week through the air. However, it was one of those games where the score doesn't tell the whole story. Two TD passes were interceptions that bounced off defenders hands and another drive came off a fumble that was returned for a TD. Facing the NFL's top Pass Defense will prove much more of a test and Pittsburgh should run the ball often since Baltimore is 23rd against the rush allowing 127 YPG on the ground. Mendenhall will carry the load in a game that is a toss up depending on what Baltimore team shows up.

The Ravens have too many options for even this Defense to handle and Flacco seems to be hitting his stride now. The key will be the effectiveness of Mcgahee on the ground but more importantly in pass blocking and catching. Batch won't be able to make mistakes against the Baltimore Defense and he is bound to face pressure all game behind a suspect O-Line. The Ravens win this one on the road. RAVENS 20-STEELERS 13.

FANTASY STARTS: RAVENS: Boldin (6 for 70 yds. 1 TD) Heap ( 4 for 40 1 TD) Rice/Mcgahee (14 for 43 yds. 7 for 50 yds 1 TD)
STEELERS: Ward (8 for 70 1 TD) Mendenhall ( 18 for 110 yds. 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Houshmenzadeh and Mcgahee....they should have a few good match up's in the game as the Steelers focus on Boldin and Mason and probably run a cover 2 against them.

CINCINNATI BENGALS at CLEVELAND BROWNS: BENGALS: Last year the run game was the source of the Bengals road to the playoffs and controlling the game. This year, the Bengals have shown a commitment to running the ball again, with Benson getting 65 carries thru three games. Problem is he has only gained 202 yds. with those touches for a 3.1 Per Carry Avg. and two scores. His longest is a 13 yard run, while Bernard Scott has a 12 yard run on only 13 carries and is averaging over 5 yards per carry. While Benson had a great game last week, keep in mind it was against the Panthers whom have proven they are far from the team they were last year. With Cleveland coming up you can expect a similar performance, though on the road against a state rival it could be tempered. Palmer has not looked as sharp as everyone hoped so far, with 3 TD's and 3 INT's. I expect this group to get better as the season goes on, but the Bengals are just barely getting it done so far, always doing just a bit more than the opposition. This game should be easily won by the Bengals as long as they don't play down to the competition.
BROWNS: This Defense is surprisingly top twelve everywhere but rushing. After what Boldin did to them last week though, look for these numbers to start rising as teams with better weapons come to town. Seneca Wallace has well outperformed Delhomme and should be the starter for the year if Mangini has a brain left in his skull. The big surprise here is Peyton Hillis, his 3 TD's and 5.6 per carry average. Hillis, like Wallace should keep his starting gig until he proves otherwise over the course of several games. Mangini at least has recognized who the better back is at this point and has given him the start. While the run game has produced results, the pass game has been abysmal ranking 22nd.  Massaquoi and Robiskie are nowhere to be found after having high expectations. The Browns are not going to win games until one of these two can get some respect and allow the field to open up for Cribbs and Hillis.

This game has the potential to be closer than expected if the Browns can play on emotion against a rival. But emotion will wear off once the points start racking up. Did anyone see what Boldin did to them last week? The Bengals are a team just starting to get on a track and that doesn't bode well for Cleveland. Cincinnati should cruise in this one. BENGALS 24-BROWNS 13.

FANTASY STARTS: BENGALS: Ochocinco (8 for 110 yds. 1 TD) T.O. (6 for 80 1 TD) Benson (17 for 80 1 TD) Palmer ( 275 yds 2 TD)   BROWNS: Hillis (18 for 90 yds./ 3 for 25 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Massaquoi CLE....with Adam Jones nursing the shoulder injury, there could be room for him to finally post a decent game as the attention is focused on Hillis and Cribbs.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: WASHINGTON: Portis' slip and fall in order to "protect the ball" while he was in the middle of the field has taken the headlines this week. Shanny obviously wasn't happy, benching him afterwards. Ryan Torain came in instead of Keiland Williams which was a bit of a surprise but given he was with Shanny in Denver, it's no huge news. The question is who gets the start after Torain performed well and is not afraid to take a hit. In a way this helps the team, taking a bit of attention off Mcnabb's return to Philly. Washington is coming off a loss to the Rams and given their in house issues with diva's, this team is not one that can afford drama that detracts from their play. The Skins are very one dimensional with nobody being a true threat outside of Santana Moss and Cooley. They are 28th in Rushing YPG and the Defense is dead last in Total Yards Allowed PG and 31st against the pass. Guess what the Eagles do well? Washington will step up for this game, but the key will be if they can run the ball and keep Vick off the field. Look for Torain to get the start if he has a good week of practice and to possibly take the job if he produces come game time. If you remember the grudge Shanny carried with Haynesworth during pre-season, then benching Portis shouldn't be that wild an idea. The Redskins chances will hinge on Haynesworth getting penetration and putting up his best game in the last two seasons as well as the run game controlling the clock.
PHILADELPHIA: The Eagles are 14th in Passing YPG and 7th in Rushing YPG which makes all sorts of trouble for a Defense like Washington's. Vick has energized the city with his play and is out to prove he is a passer first and foremost. After D. Jackson's big game last week and the continued red zone prowess of Maclin, the Eagles will look to take advantage of Washington's weak pass Defense. I expect Washington to really use all their effort on stopping the pass, so this could become a game where the Eagles adapt and are forced to use the running lanes Washington leaves open for them. They will still have great success through the air, but don't be surprised if it turns into a balanced attack and McCoy has his first big game of the year.

The Redskins have been media darlings this year, but not in a good way. All the distraction and diva attitude on this team are the exact opposite of what this coach wants or looks for. Unless they control the clock with the run game, I don't see Washington having the mental fortitude to bounce back after a deflating loss to St. Louis and they lose big here. EAGLES 30- REDSKINS 20.

FANTASY STARTS: EAGLES: McCoy ( 16 for 98yds 1 TD/ 4 for 30 yds) Maclin (5 for 60 yds 1 TD) Jackson ( 8 for 115 yds 1 TD) Vick ( 240 yds. 2 TD/ 6 for 48 yds 1 TD)   REDSKINS: Moss (8 for 110 yds. 1 TD) Cooley (6 for 70 yds. 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Ryan Torain.....Shanny will look to control the clock and keep Vick from touching the ball. If that happens and Torain gets the call, he could touch the ball 20 times.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT ST.LOUIS RAMS: SEATTLE: Coming off a game where Leon Washington single handedly beat the Chargers, there really wasn't a great deal that the team could feel good about other than the win and the Special Teams play. Granted they were playing the Chargers, but the Defense allowed Rivers to pass for over four hundred yards. This is a team that ranks 30th against the pass and 28th in total YPG allowed. With Steven Jackson possibly missing time this week, the Rams are going to attack their weakness and won't be able to expect Washington to bail them out again. Offensively, the Seahawks are 21st in Passing YPG and 24th in Rushing YPG. John Carlson is the teams leading pass catcher which isn't a good thing. The Seahawks are a team nearly unbeatable at home but very questionable on the road. The good news is that in their division all they need to do is win the home games and they could win it.
ST. LOUIS: The Rams are riding high after the big upset against Washington and will see a very similar team in Seattle. If Steven Jackson is unable to go, it may not hurt the Rams as much as thought since Seattle is vulnerable to the pass. The play of Clayton and Amendola has given this team a boost behind a QB who has proven to be worth the money they spent on him. The Rams are staying in games because of their play on 3rd downs, allowing only 13 conversions on 40 attempts and keeping opponents to an average of 16 PPG. Given their lower tier Defense, it's been a bit of teams stalling once they get to the red zone against them. Given last week the Seahawks stalled on two drives before the half, St. Louis could have another upset on their hands. The key will be Bradford's ability to make plays and not turn the ball over.

The Seahawks have always had split personality when it comes to their play at home versus the road and although they are riding high after a great win, I didn't see enough to encourage they are for real. I would feel a lot better if it were Sunday morning and Jackson was getting the start, but so far an MRI revealed only a groin strain which means he should be available. St. Louis builds off last week and beats a Seattle team who may be over confident after beating the Chargers. ST. LOUIS 24- SEATTLE 21.

FANTASY STARTS: SEATTLE: Forsett (11 for 60 yds./ 2 for 30 yds.) Branch ( 5 for 70 yds. 1 TD) Washington (10 for 60 yds. 4 for 40 yds. 1 TD)
ST. LOUIS: Bradford (340 yds. 3 TD) Jackson ( 17 for 80 yds. 3 for 25 yds. 1 TD) Clayton (7 for 90 yds. 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Danny Amendola....with attention focused on Clayton and the possible loss of Jackson or the Rams using him cautiously, Amendola should receive plenty of target and break for one.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers at ATLANTA FALCONS: 49ERS: Singletary shook things up firing the OC Jimmy Raye on Monday and this actually might be what the team needs. Usually firing an OC three games into the season is a very bad sign, but with a team that has the talent to score yet ranks 31st, can it get any worse? Ironically it hasn't been the play of Alex Smith killing them, but the lack of WR help and a Defense that is exhausted being on the field too much because of it. Crabtree did show some minor progress last week, but is far from living up to expectations. Singletary is also shaking up the defensive rotation, allowing some new blood starting which may help energize a defense that was torched by KC. If Frank Gore is going to make it through the season, someone has to step up soon. SF is killing itself on 3rd downs, converting only 10 on 41 tries. Atlanta ranks 22nd against the pass but it stout against the run ranking 12th. Smith will need to connect with his WR corps if he is to have a chance at winning. Singletary will make them focus this week and most likely be extremely involved on both sides of the ball this week during practices.
ATLANTA: The number 2 ranked run game will face a stiff test against an angry 49ers team whom before KC was ranked 7th against the run. Matt Ryan has yet to really be effective due to a lack of production outside of White. The Falcons will no doubt face a stacked box by SF in an effort to shut Turner down and force Ryan to pass to a receiver not named White. Turner will have to be more involved in the pass game if Atlanta is going to hold off SF and send them to 0-4. Once Jenkins returns, it will be a different story, but given what SF has to lose, this will be a test of what he can do with limited options.

The 49ers season rides on this game since there is a huge difference between 1-3 or 0-4. Singletary should have them focused and disciplined for this one ready to come out and live up to their potential. While the firing of Jimmy Raye be some cause for concern, they kept the promotion of OC in house to ease the transition. Given how desperately SF needs this game, they pull it out behind Frank Gore and a Defense with a chip on it's shoulder. SF 17- ATLANTA 14

FANTASY STARTS: ATLANTA: Turner (18 for 80 1 TD) White ( 7 for 80 1 TD)  SAN FRANCISCO: Gore (15 for 60 yds./ 7 for 65 yds. 1 TD) Davis (7 for 60 yds.1 TD)
SLEEPER: Mike Crabtree....He has the ability, and look for Singletary to simplify things for him a bit to get the production he needs to win this game.

DETROIT LIONS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS: DETROIT: The good news is Stafford should start throwing this week. The bad news is that Best has a strained or maybe partially torn ligament in his toe. The Lions are 31st in Rushing YPG averaging only 66 YPG and they give up a league worst 148 YPG. Nate Burleson should be back, adding some help and relief to Megatron who has been largely held in check because of no other threat on passing downs. The possible loss of Best only makes things worse since he was also a factor in the pass game. Shaun Hill has been serviceable in relief of Stafford and getting Burleson back could help somewhat, but not against a Packer team steaming after beating themselves on Monday night. The Lions will not have much to work with and on the road in a hostile environment is the worst situation they could have walked into this week.
GREEN BAY: After shooting themselves in the foot with questionable play calling by Mcarthy and an obscene amount of penalties, the Packers should be in top form and angry. The Defense is 3rd against the pass, facing a team which will not have any other option but to do so. Just how out of hand this game could get is scary, but the Packers will have other issues to acknowledge this week as well. The run game is 22nd with Brandon Jackson and the Pack need to address the situation via trade soon. Their schedule has them facing tough run defenses in the next five weeks and waiting at this point is not an option.

Green Bay is a team expected to make a Super Bowl run and you don't get those expectations without being able to handle the teams you should beat. Green Bay easily walks over the Lions. PACKERS 34- LIONS 17.

FANTASY STARTS: LIONS: Calvin Johnson (9 for 80 yds. 1 TD)  PACKERS: All of them, even Jackson who should find plenty of room. Defense ( 3 turnovers, 3 sacks, 17 pts allowed)
SLEEPER: Shaun Hill....He should wind up throwing close to forty times and while he will allow many turnovers, his overall production could provide points if your starting QB happens to be on a bye this week. But ONLY if you have no better options.

DENVER BRONCOS AT TENNESSEE TITANS: BRONCOS: I think the time to consider Orton a legitimate QB has arrived for any doubters. The Broncos lead the NFL in passing, averaging 350 Passing Yards PG. With a host of weapons to throw to thanks to the emergence of Brandon Lloyd, Orton has thrown four TD to four different players. The problem comes in the red zone, which kept them from beating Indianapolis last week.The run game has gotten off to a horrible start, but Maroney seems to have infused a bit of energy in what the Broncos hope will be enough of a run game to just keep defenses on their toes instead of sitting back against the pass. They will need it big time as they face the 5th ranked Pass Defense. This should be tempered by the fact that the Titans have faced Offenses of Oakland, Pittsburgh, and the Giants whom have all shown they are not close to the caliber of Denver. The key here then becomes the fact that Tennessee will focus on stopping the pass and will force the Broncos to turn to their 30th run offense. There shouldn't be much of a change in Offensive philosophy for the Broncos since they know the Titans have yet to be truly tested in the air and will test it early to see where they stand.
TENNESSEE: The Titans are 30th in Passing Offense but great in the run behind Chris Johnson. However, they face Denver's 10th ranked run Defense giving up only 95 YPG. Denver did face MJD albeit not the one we are used to seeing. Denver can be passed on, ranking 23rd so look for Young to get more involved here through the air. He had a mediocre performance after getting benched the game before and will be the key if Tennesse hopes to win.

This is a match up where each teams Offensive strength plays into the Defenses strength. The Broncos lost a game they had in their control last week but couldn't capitalize on short fields. Given that the Titans have yet to face a passing team of this caliber, I think the Broncos continue to spread the ball around and Maroney is able to contribute keeping the Titans Defense on the field longer than they are used to, forcing Vince Young to pass more than Fisher wants him to. BRONCOS 24-TITANS 20

FANTASY STARTS: BRONCOS: Orton (320 yds. 2 TD)  Gaffney (7 for 80 yds. 1 TD) Lloyd (8 for 90 yds 1 TD) TITANS: CJ (18 for 110 yds. 1 TD) Washington ( 6 for 70 yds. 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Maroney...given the attention to the pass game and the battle that will go on there throughout the game, Maroney breaks some decent runs and sneaks one in the endzone.

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: CAROLINA: Turning the ball over 12 times in three games doesn't help your effort to win games. Especially when you are starting a rookie QB and have under performing RB's. Regardless, Fox made the right decision in starting Clausen and giving him the go this week as well. Deangelo William had somewhat of a breakout game rushing for 65 yards but Steve Smith was limited to little production behind Clausens pressure and fumble issues. This is a team that could become competitive later in the year, but facing the defending champs will pose problems for a Defense that ranks middle of the road against the Pass and Run.
NEW ORLEANS: With Atlanta and Tampa Bay surprisingly tied with the Saints in record up to this point, the Saints will look to beat a divisional opponent and put some distance between them at the top. The Saints seem to have picked up Offensively where they left off last year, and after a sluggish start, the Defense has started playing with the speed we saw as well. Lance Moore made his impact last week with the absence of Reggie Bush and should continue to produce as long as Bush is gone, essentially taking on his role as short pass routes in the middle of the field. Meachem has yet to make an impact this year, with Henderson getting more of the targets. This is a team that likes to use all it's weapons and spread the ball around so guessing who will be the benefactor week to week will be a headache. The position to watch is at RB to see who takes on the lead role s substitute to Pierre Thomas when he's not in the game.

Carolina has too much inexperience at QB and no real number two WR to be a threat to New Orleans. While it is a divisional game at home, the talent is not up to par with the Saints and they will be left with another loss. SAINTS 28-CAROLINA 13.

FANTASY STARTS: NEW ORLEANS: Brees (320 yds. 3 TD) Colston (6 for 90 yds. 1 TD) Moore (7 for 55 yds. 1 TD) Henderson (7 for 80 yds 1 TD) Thomas (15 for 70 yds. 1 TD)
CAROLINA: Smith (8 for 110 yds. 1 TD) Williams (13 for 60 yds)
SLEEPER: Goodson....Steve Smith will get the targets, but NO will make sure they surround him come red zone time. If he doesn't get the score as I predict or if the Panthers are able to get in the red zone more than anticipated, Goodson is a good bet to sneak one while the Defense is focused on the other side of the field.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: JAGS: David Gerrard has been put on notice after the Jags were awarded Trent Edwards off waivers yesterday. Given Gerrard's numerous chances to prove himself, he has proven ineffective. The lack of normal production we all expect from MJD has me believing he either had some minor clean up surgery this off-season or is playing hurt, which makes the need for Gerrard to produce all that more important. Gerrard is surrounded by capable weapons but his slow decision making is hurting him. I guess watching Leftwich all those years paid off in a bad way. Gerrard is most likely on borrowed time until Edwards picks up the offense and will need to have a great game to buy himself a little more time and create doubt. Jacksonville always gives Indianapolis a run for their money, but the Jags 29th ranked pass Defense is bad omen of things to come this week.
COLTS: Peyton is Peyton and the fall of Garcon has opened the door to Austin Collie whom is putting up the Reggie Wayne numbers in a flip flop of production thus far. Collie looks like the energetic, crisp route runner Peyton feeds on and that they have. The Colts run game and Defense are struggling this year which has them fighting harder than normal to win games. While it's still early, there isn't much to make you think this is something that will get significantly better. It could be age slowly creeping up on the Colts, but like Collie, they are a team with talent in the wings.

This should be another close game for the Colts with the balance depending on the play of Jones-Drew. If MJD can return to his dominating ways, Jacksonville has a chance to keep the ball out of Peyton's hands and pull off an upset. Given what we've seen so far though, this seems like only an outside shot. Mercedes Lewis is a wild card here who could affect the game if Gerrard can find him. Colts win 28-21.

FANTASY STARTS: Manning (340 yds. 3 TD) Wayne (6 for 90 yds. 1 TD) Collie (9 for 100 yds. 1 TD) Clark (8 for 80 yds. 1 TD) Addai (15 for 55 yds. 1 TD)  JAGS: Simms-Walker (7 for 80 yds. 1 TD) MJD (16 for 80 yds. 1 TD/ 4 for 30 yds.) Lewis (5 for 60 yds. 1 TD)
SLEEPER: M. Thomas....The Colts have the 20th ranked pass Defense and should have trouble watching Thomas if they are forced to bring help up front to stop MJD.

HOUSTON TEXANS AT OAKLAND RAIDERS: HOUSTON: The Texans had a wake-up call against the Cowboys last week as well as a reminder how average they can become when Andre Johnson is not at 100 percent. While they own the 8th and 5th Offenses in Passing and Rushing respectively, they also own the league worst pass defense, giving up an astonishing 369 yards Passing PG. Their Rush Defense is 2nd allowing only 54 YPG but teams will test them through the air, hoping to hold them just one drive more than they can hold the opponent. Andre Johnson has not stated any set backs after the game and should be available after a light week of practice. Regardless, they face Oakland's 2nd ranked pass defense and Asomugh should blanket Johnson regardless of health, leaving it on Arian Foster's shoulders to beat up on the Raiders weak run defense.
OAKLAND: The Raiders have found new life behind Gradkowski but are coming off a loss where normally dependable Janikowski missed three field goals. Both Louis Murphy and even Heyward-Bey have been effective with Gradkowski at the helm and McFadden has made his return to expectations when he was a top draft pick. The Raiders are coming off a tough loss in Arizona and return home to face a high scoring team who's strength is their Defensive strength. While Oakland has had success running the ball, they will be tested with Mario Williams providing penetration against a weak O-Line.

While the Raiders line offers questions, Gradkowski loves to move and throw on the run. Both Heyward-Bey and Murphy seem to be in sync with him, always coming back to the ball. Since Houston can't defend the pass at all, they will be unable to try and focus on limiting the damage thru the air and stopping McFadden. The Raiders win this game by a field goal as Janikowski redeems himself. RAIDERS 24-TEXANS 21.

FANTASY STARTS: OAKLAND: McFadden (17 for 80 yds. 1 TD) Murphy ( 8 for 110 yds. 1 TD) Miller ( 6 for 70 yds. 1 TD)   HOUSTON: Schaub (280 yds. 2 TD) Foster ( 17 for 100 yds. 1 TD) Johnson (6 for 80 yds. 1 TD) Walter ( 6 for 50 yds. 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Owen Daniels HOU...Daniels may be the key to the Texans chances and was targeted six times last week. With Johnson and Walter facing tough coverage, Daniels will have the middle of the field open as the LB's focus on stopping McFadden.

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: SAN DIEGO: No doubt most of practice this week will focus on the Special Teams play after being torched twice by Leon Washington last week. The Chargers still almost overcame the deficit, having a chance to tie at the end. The Bolts also lost Merriman, although it shouldn't serve as a huge loss given his fall in production. The Chargers are ranked no lower than 13 in all categories Offensively and Defensively except for....yeah, special teams. Thankfully, the Chargers face a team ranked 25th in Passing YPG, Total YPG, and PPG.Add to that the 31st Run Defense and 19th Pass Defense and you have just the match up the Chargers needed after a tough loss. The Chargers rank 1st in Total YPG, 2nd in Passing and 13th in the Run game. Getting the Special Teams play up to par is their lone problem, and one that should be fixed within the next few weeks. Mathews went though individual drills on Monday without incident and could be back in the line up Sunday.
ARIZONA: Beanie Wells made his return last week and immediately was given starters carries. The Cards are hoping he can take some of the pressure off Anderson but no amount of run game is going to help a passing offense averaging just 175 YPG. Fitzgerald's stock is falling to number two status daily and the loss of Breaston and Doucet will only allow teams to add extra focus on him. Arizona has officially begun rebuilding mode as so many teams do after a Super Bowl appearance. Though their process should be a much quicker one since they have the base to build off of already in place.

The Chargers take advantage of the loss of Breaston and are able to bring extra men up to protect against Wells while picking the Defense apart with their choice of run or pass. SD 31-ARI 17.

FANTASY STARTS: SD: Mathews or Tolbert ( 16 for 80 yds. 1 TD) Floyd (6 for 100 yds. 1 TD) Gates (8 for 90 yds. 1 TD) Naanee (5 for 70 yds. 1 TD) Rivers (300yds. 3 TD)
ARIZONA: Wells (14 for 70 yds. 1 TD) Fitzgerald (7 for 80 yds. 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Steve Williams...Breaston averaged 6 targets a game and Williams has the speed to make those targets work for him if he gets the start.

CHICAGO BEARS AT NY GIANTS: BEARS: The Bears have silenced all the critics with their big win over Super Bowl pick Green Bay. The Bears Defense was especially relentless and Peppers played out of his mind. The question is if the Bears can continue the intensity here on out. Coming off a win like that there is no reason not to think so. A win like that can carry a team for a while given what it does to a team's confidence. Cutler seems to have settled in to Mike Martz system and the Bears have realized Greg Olsen's potential within the system. With some better growth from their WR group, the Bears have the potential to improve their already 5th ranked Pass Offense Per Game. Their problem lies in Rush offense, sitting at 29th. While a run game is not called for in a Martz offense, the Bears will need to fall back on it in games and will need to be effective. The pass defense sits at 28th and will be the Giants focus as they are 9th in the NFL in Passing YPG.
NY GIANTS: The Giants will air it out against the Bears given the match up and are ranked 4th against the pass which will give the Bears a bit of a challenge. Then again, the Packers were a top ten pass defense and gave up their share to Cutler. The Giants are coming off a beating at home against the Titans and the calls for Coughlin's job are starting to be heard again. The Giants will hope to use ball control but should wind up ineffective as the Bears own the top rushing defense. Steve Smith finally became involved in the Giants pass game last week and they will need him as this turns into an air show.

The Bears momentum and confidence coming off a short week and playing on National TV should propel them to another hard fought win as these two teams seem to be going in opposite directions. BEARS 21-GIANTS 17.

FANTASY STARTS: BEARS: Forte (12 for 40 yds./ 5 for 65 yds. 1 TD) Olsen ( 5 for 60 yds. 1 TD) Knox (6 for 70 yds. 1 TD)   GIANTS: Nicks ( 5 for 80 yds. 1 TD) Manningham (6 for 70 yds. 1 TD)
SLEEPER: Devin Hester....The Giants know who to focus on in the Martz attack and they won't be able to safely hold down the left side along the the Bears strong right. Hester could take a short slant to the house on any play here.

MONDAY NIGHT.....will be posted up Monday morning,