Top Targets for 2011 Week 7

Lloyd to the Rams, Palmer to the Raiders, Brown to the Lions. Lots of movement around the league but not a lot that will affect fantasy.
Quarterbacks

Hail Mary:

Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings – The Ponder era has officially begun in the twin cities. He will start his career in a situation that could be a lot worse. Christian will have all pro Arian Peterson behind him in the backfield, the tutelage of a vet who has been very successful and a defense that has the personnel to be a lot better than it is. This is a long shot, but aren’t all hail marys?

Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders – This is the definition of long shot! Palmer has not touched a football this season and is going to a team who has not had a consistent fantasy quarterback since Rick Gannon! Palmer was badly in need of a change of scenery and there is not bigger change in the world than Ohio to California. Maybe………just maybe.

Running Backs

Head Smacker

DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys –If you are a Felix Jones owner, this is an absolute headsmacker. Romo has been taking a lot of shots this year but it terms of fantasy production the cowboys have always been able to put up numbers, this goes for their running backs too. One of the few things you can count on from Felix Jones is that he will not play the whole season so DeMarco Murray should have value all season.

Not So Obvious

Montario Hardesty, Cleveland Browns –Looks like the Madden curse is alive and well in Cleveland. Hillis tweaked his injured hammy this past weekend making Hardesty in play once again. Although Montario is not the downhill runner that Hillis is, he is much better out of the backfield and has been effect when given a shot. The Browns have a couple of tough match ups in the upcoming weeks, but if Hillis continues to have legs problems, Hardesty could be good down the stretch.

Maurice Morris, Detroit Lions – Mo Morris is not very good but he plays for a very good team. If Javid Best does not respond well during his concussion eval this week, Maurice will be the go to guy for now.

Hail Mary

Ronnie Brown, Detroit Lions – The Lions traded Jerome Harrison and a pick to the Eagles for Ronnie Brown. Brown will not be a factor immediately but if Best misses substantial with his concussion Brown could end up as the featured back on a good offense.

Wide Receivers:

No So Obvious:

Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks – Baldwin has become the first look in Seattle. He continues to get open, continues to produce and continues shine. He is going into a bye week so he might not get a look this week from a lot of people, but if you can spare a week Baldwin is a good stash.

James Jones, Green Bay Packers – Jones has found the end zone in 3 consecutive weeks. Although Jones is never going to be the first look with Jennings and Jermichael Finley on the team, he is on one of the best offenses in the league and never faces doubles. In addition, the packers only face 2 pass defenses inside the top 16 the rest of the season. Great offense, soft schedule, good pick up.

Pretzel’s Picks Week 6

Oakland Raiders by 6.5 at home over the Cleveland Browns
The #2 rushing offense meets the #25 rushing defence.  Neither team has much of an passing game.
Oakland will ride the momentum from their emotional win last week on this one.  Raiders by 10
New Orleans Saints by 4.5 at the Tamps Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs just can’t seem to get it together this year.  Their big play guys need to step up.  This will not be the week for that.
Saint will beat up on the Blountless Bucs.  Saints by 2 touchdowns.
New York Jets by 7 at home over the Miami Dolphins
There is a lot of drama in the Jets locker room right now.  That being said ground and pound should have no issue this week.
The Dolphins starting QB is out and  the running game isn’t running, that is not a good combination.  Jets by 10
Philadelphia Eagles by 1.5 at the Washington Redskins
The Eagles brass seem to have taken a few pages out of Dan Snyder’s book this year, make a huge splash in
free agency and field garbage.  Snyder apparently believes in Shanahan’s decision making because they did
very little in free agency and are somehow leading the division with Rex Grossman at the helm.
For my upset of the week I will take the Redskins at home over the “Dream Team.”
Eliminator
For my eliminator pick I will take the Ravens over the Texans.

Top Targets for 2011 Weeks 6

See the dust cloud? It is everyone screaming to pick up Tim Tebow! His athleticism and ability to run for yards and touchdowns make him a intriguing thought, but if I have not caved on Cam Newton, how can I tell you to pick up Tebow??

Quarterbacks

Head Smacker

Not So Obvious:

Curtis Painter, Indianapolis Colts – With everyone clambering to scoop up Tim Tebow after the announcement that he will be the starter, Painter’s great improvement over the last couple of weeks has gone largely unnoticed. Although Painter is no Peyton Manning, he is still surrounded by Manning’s talented support staff and if the Colts continue to spend the season trailing he could put up respectable numbers. Curtis appears to have sent Collins back where he belongs, the training table!

Hail Mary:

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts – The Colts owner said that he gives 50/50 odds that Manning will be back before the year is over. 50% of Peyton Manning is better than most QBs…metaphorically speaking. But is all seriousness if you are in a league that gives you tons of bench space, he might be worth a gamble if he has even a chance of making it back down the stretch.

Running Backs

Not So Obvious

Jonathon Dwyer, Pittsburgh Steelers –Remember everything I said about Redman last week…apparently it applies to Dwyer instead. After averaging over 9 yards per carry, you can’t help but be enticed by him. The reason I have him down graded from Redman’s rating last week is that Mendenhall will be back at some point and it looks like the Steelers are going to continue to share the load between Redman and Dwyer. Jonathon won’t be a surprise to the Jags next week.

Jackie Battle, Kansas City Chiefs – Battle should be a head smacker because he looks like the heir apparent to the injured Jamaal Charles. But a bye week next weeks makes him moderately less valuable. Plus, the Chiefs have been able to move the ball on the ground in exactly one game all season, so Battle might not be what he seems.

Wide Receivers:

Head Smacker

Darrius, Heyward-Bey, Oakland Raiders– I know, I know I said that Raiders were not good fantasy options, but I can change my mind right? Heyward-Bey was the quintessential Al Davis draft day muddle, ignore the needs of the team and draft speed! Al is gone and will be missed by many but Darrius is still here and he is still fast and has developed some real chemistry with Jason Campbell. Raiders might actually be for real.

No So Obvious:

Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks – Robinson was a player that was mentioned a few times last season in this column. He has good skills and given an opportunity he could become a very consistent WR2. With Miles Austin and Dez Bryant trading stints on the trainer’s table, Robinson might be getting that opportunity.

Pretzel’s Picks Week 5

UPSET WEEKEND

Minnesota Vikings by 3 at home over the Arizona Cardinals
The Vikings cannot close.  Period.  Until they show me something different I will continue to pick against them.  Cardinals by 7.
Philadelphia Eagles by 3 at the Buffalo Bills
The Bills had a misstep last week when they lost to the Bengals, but who is the #1 defence in the league???  The Bengals (its true, look it up).  Fred Jackson is a beast and the Eagles are 30th against the run.  Eagles will have to stack the box to stop him, leaving one on ones for Fitzpatrick to use his Ivey League brain to pick apart.  Bills by 3.
Houston Texans by 6 at home over the Oakland Raiders
Andre Johnson is out which pretty much makes the Texans one dimensional.  I know, I know Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter are there but come on, the drop off from Johnson to those guys is a cliff not a step.  As long as Oakland can contain Foster they should be able to pound the rock and take this one home.  Oakland by 6.
Jacksonville Jaguars by 2 at home over the Cincinnati Bengals
If this was any other year the talk of the NFL would be about the 2 star rookies in Cincinnati (Cam Newton blowing up like no one before is kind of stealing their thunder).  That being said that tandem looks good and plays well together and if you have read this far you now know that Cincinnati is the number one defence in the league.  Benson will also want to make a statement before he goes on hiatus of why he is the guy at running back.  The only thing that Jacksonville has going for them really is MJD.  He will get his spots but it will not be enough.  Bengals By 10.
Eliminator
For my eliminator pick I will take the New York Giants at home over the Seattle Seahawks.