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Snap, Crackle & Pop: Fantasy Football Notes for Week 8
Snap, Crackle & Pop: Fantasy Football Notes for Week 8
By John Rakowski | Published  10/24/2007 | Snap, Crackle & Pop
John Rakowski
A life-long baseball and football fan, John has been a contributor to Sports  Grumblings since 1997.  John also has experience in brodacst radio, going back to his days as a newscaster at Fordham University's famous WFUV station, as well as guest sports at various sports talk radio stations around the country. John currently is the co-host of Gridiron Grumblings Live!.

In 2007, John was the recipient of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) award for Best Fantasy Football Series, for his outstanding column Snap, Crackle and Pop. 

View all articles by John Rakowski
Fantasy Football Notes for Week 8
 Ted Ginn Jr. - Fantasy Football
Rookie Ted Ginn Jr. will get the chance to show his wares now that Chris Chambers has been traded tot he Chargers.

Snap

The NFL’s first regular season game in Europe will be this Sunday in London.  It works out pretty well for Miami Dolphins’ fans.  They have one fewer home game to suffer through.  The winless Dolphins lost RB Ronnie Brown for the season with a torn ACL.  Until the injury, Brown had a streak of four consecutive games with over 100 yards rushing.    Veteran backup Jesse Chatman takes over for Brown against the Giants. The Dolphins started the season with Brown at RB, Trent Green at QB and Chris Chambers as their #1 receiver.  All are gone now.  Rookie WR Ted Ginn could develop into something eventually, but the rest of the team is such a mess right now.  Ginn has value only in keeper leagues. Could the Dolphins go 0-16?  That’s much more likely than the Patriots or Colts going undefeated.

Marc Bulger finally returned to action last week and mercifully ended the tenure of Gus Frerotte as the Rams’ quarterback.  Too bad Bulger did his best Frerotte imitation with three interceptions.  It’s not entirely Bulger’s fault, with all the injuries that St. Louis has suffered.   The latest blow was the loss of guard Claude Terrell, who was released after being arrested.   Terrell started three games for the Rams this season.  The offensive line was already depleted by the loss of guard Mark Setterstrom and tackle Orlando Pace, both of whom are on injured reserve.  The Rams are a mess.  They might get Steven Jackson back this Sunday against the Browns, which would help.  Jackson missed the last four games with a groin injury.   He still will have to find holes behind that bad line, so Jackson carries some risk, even against a bad Browns defense. Who is worse, Miami or St. Louis? My vote is for Miami since the Rams have at least a few fantasy league options.

The Jets defense made RB Kenny Watson look like, well, Rudi Johnson last week.  Johnson was inactive, nursing a sore hamstring and cursing his lost opportunity to face the Jets.  Check the status of Johnson’s injury before setting your lineups.  Watson, even if he starts, would not be a good fantasy choice against the Steelers on Sunday.

The Packers figure to run a lot on the Broncos.  Denver has the worst run defense in the league. If he plays, DeShawn Wynn could get his first 100-yard rushing game against the Broncos.  However, Wynn injured his neck lifting weights so check his status later in the week.  If he can’t go, then Ryan Grant or Vernand Morency would carry the rock. 

The Travis Henry countdown is down to two.  The Broncos running back has two more games before his appeal of a failed drug test.  He faces a potential suspension after Denver’s week 9 game.   Henry bruised his ribs last Sunday against Pittsburgh, but you have to figure that he will drag himself out onto the field against Green Bay since he could have so little time left in his season.  You have at least another couple of weeks before the Selvin Young era begins in Denver.

Jacksonville QB David Garrard will miss the next two games with a high ankle sprain.  Garrard was having a very good season in the ultra-conservative Jaguars offense. Quinn Gray gets the start against Tampa Bay.  Gray was terrible in relief of Garard last week, posting a QB Rating of 11.1.  Garard’s rating is 102.9 for the season--- that’s quite a drop-off to Gray.

Minnesota QB Tarvaris Jackson suffered a broken finger on his throwing hand last week against Dallas.  Tendons and ligaments were pulled off the bone in the injury.  Yuck.   The Vikings are overly optimistic about Jackson playing against Philadelphia given this type of injury.  Kelly Holcomb gets the start if Jackson can’t grip or throw the ball.

Titans QB Vince Young’s injured quadriceps is improving and he expects to play this Sunday against Oakland.  Young was in uniform last week, but only as an emergency backup. Kerry Collins took the start against Houston.

It’s unclear which quarterback will get the start for the Raiders at Tennessee this week. Josh McCown is close to returning from his toe injury, though Daunte Culpepper could get one more start. Culpepper has been serviceable in McCown’s absence. 

Houston QB Matt Schaub is hurting all over from last week’s loss to Tennessee. He has a bruised right hip and left ankle and a lingering thigh bruise.  Nevertheless, he figures to play Sunday.  Expect Schaub to have a tough day – WR Andre Johnson is still out and the Chargers defense is capable of knocking around the wounded Schaub.

Crackle

Houston RB Ahman Green has had a tough go since returning from a knee injury.  He has rushed for only 83 yards in his last two games, for only a three yard average. It won’t get any easier against a strong Chargers run defense.

Washington RB Clinton Portis is still looking for that first 100-yard game of the season.  He won’t get it against the Patriots defense.  Everyone on the Redskins will be overmatched against New England.  That includes QB Jason Campbell, TE Chris Cooley and wide receivers Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El.

Oakland’s Dominic Rhodes got his first action of the season last week with nine rushes for 21 yards. Rhodes is useless in fantasy play, but this development is very bad news for LaMont Jordan owners.  Jordan had only two more carries than Rhodes, so the potential is there for a RBBC.  Stay away from all Oakland running backs for now and especially this Sunday against the Titans.  Tennessee has the top-ranked run defense in the NFL.

Pop

Titans RB LenDale White will carry the load this Sunday since backup Chris Brown is still hurt and Young will be less than 100%.  White has a great match up against the Raiders’ 29th ranked run defense.

The Giants team defense is an excellent play against the depleted Miami offense.  Several Giants are also good IDP choices, including Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan, Aaron Ross, Gibril Wilson, Antonio Pierce, Mathias Kimanuka... Oh heck, pick anyone on the starting eleven.   The Giants figure to build an early lead on Miami and then keep the ball on the ground.  Brandon Jacobs is the obvious beneficiary.  A big Giants lead will mean more carries than usual for Derrick Ward, so even he figures to be usable as a bye-week filler.

The Jets’ Chad Pennington moved the ball well and rang up 31 points last Sunday in a losing effort in Cincinnati.  He faces another soft pass defense this week, Buffalo’s, and his receivers are healthy again.  Wide receivers Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles were a combined 14 for 193 with three TD against the Bengals. Of course, this applies only if Eric Mangini sticks with Pennington over Kellen Clemens.

Bears QB Brian Griese has topped 300 yards passing the last two weeks.  This Sunday he faces the dreadful Detroit defense.  Griese and his receivers, Bernard Berrian and Muhsin Muhammad, are strong plays against the Lions.  Even the tight-end-by-committee of Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen is fantasy startable.

San Diego QB Philip Rivers gets to play with his new deep threat, Chambers, against the Texans this Sunday.  The presence of Chambers will help Rivers, WR Vincent Jackson and TE Antonio Gates. LaDainian Tomlinson doesn’t need any help.





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