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That's good news Blades. I'm basically in the same place I was last week. Very likely to be playoff bound in two leagues, and fading fast in the other one.

 

Owing to some luck, I'm still alive in all three leagues for a post season spot as it turns out. I thought I was going to be on the outside looking in for one of them, but it turns out that both my team and the two other 5-5 teams all lost, so there is still a three-way tie for the last playoff spot with three weeks to play (except now we're all 5-6 instead of 5-5).

In another league I'm 6-5, but I'm in good shape there. There are only two games left in that league, and with an edge in points for the tie-breaker, so long as I win one of those games, I should be OK.

Finally, in the last league, I'm 8-2-1, and my team thanks to some last minute trades has become the ultimate power in the universe. Here's the team:

QB: Matt Ryan
RBs: Chris Johnson and Cedric Benson (I also own Bernard Scott)
WRs: Randy Moss and Vincent Jackson
FLEX: Ryan Grant and DeSean Jackson
Bench/Matchup Plays: Justin Forsett, Jamaal Charles, Steve Breaston
TE: Brent Celek
K: Lawrence Tynes
DST: Ravens and Patriots (I play the matchup)

I actually had Forsett and Charles stashed away on my bench before the starters got injured. While I wouldn't start any of them over any of my three starters normally, if one of my starters has a very unfavorable matchup I would consider substituting in one of them if they had a favorable matchup. For example, Forsett gets the Rams this week, and I'm seriously considering starting him over DeSean Jackson as my second flex. Steve Breaston is window dressing at this point - I only have to start two receivers, and while he has started a game or two for me during bye weeks, I cannot see him seeing the field for the rest of the season.

 

I hear ya about Braeston. With Warner taking a shot like he did, I have no confidence in the Arizona offense producing TDs with Leinart at QB. Personally, I think he can't throw. Wounded ducks all over the field when he's in. Though Boldin is coming back to form, I will probably have to start Ocho, Driver and my 3rd spot is Boldin, S.Moss or D. Henderson. Tough choice. I might go with Henderson, not sure yet, but the Saints' Offense is always up for a few TDs, no matter who the opposing Defense is. I hate not using Boldin though, he's awesome when healthy, but so is Fitzgerald. Is there enough balls to go around if Leinart has to play?

 

Well, we can eliminate S Moss as a third receiver immediately. He's definitely the worst of your three options. Ochocinco is a must start against Cleveland, and Driver is a must start against Detroit. Early word is that Warner will play this weekend, and if he does, I definitely like Boldin as a 3rd receiver. Arizona also has a pretty favorable matchup against the Titans, so if Warner is a go, so is Boldin, IMO. If he does not play, then I'd have to go with Henderson - he's against New England on Monday night. The only reservation I have with Henderson is that if he isn't scoring TDs, he doesn't get enough catches to use. The thing is, he HAS been scoring TDs, but those streaks can dry up without notice. Still, I think he's a better bet than Moss, and if Leinhart is throwing it in Arizona, it's a risk you have to take.

 

5 TDs from Brees. I only needed 2 for the win. Sure wish he would save em for next week! One more win and I lock up my playoff spot. Rosters are locked in our league as of today. For some stupid reason, the owner of Benson dropped him after LJ ran for 107 yards. So I scooped him up! Sucker! Now it gives me another viable starter at RB. I dropped Olsen of Chi to get him since he was riding the bench behind TG. The lineup for the playoff run is as follows...

QB - Brees, Big Ben
RB - LT, Benson, Stewart, R.Grant, Mendenhall
WR - Chad, Driver, Boldin, Moss, D.Henderson, S.Rice
TE - TG
K - Crosby, GB
Def - Dallas

 

Getting Benson is HUGE. He was a top 10 running back when he got injured. (I'm not sure if he still is as he's been out the last two weeks.) And there's no problem dropping Olsen to get him - you were never going to start him with Chicago's anemic passing game anyway. Your most obvious weakness was finding three good RBs to start every week, and with Benson, you've got that without having to start a RB who may have a tough matchup.

I won two of my three leagues this week, and I'm going to the playoffs in the two I won. In the third league I had a nearly 40 point lead going into last night's game, but my opponent started Brees.

 

Brees is having a great year, but fantasy-wise, he has had a few monster weeks, the rest have been average. I wish he would spread it out a little more, I would have a vastly improved record if he did!

 

Yeah, but Benson can literally save your season. Sure, now that they have signed LJ, he's going to take away some carries, but anyone who thinks Benson isn't getting 20 carries a game once he is healthy is crazy. Benson does have a very tough matchup at Minnestota in two weeks, but the rest of his schedule is super soft, including Detroit, Kansas City, and San Diego (weak against the run).

 

Benson worked out well for you if you played him. Barring anything wildly unexpected tonight, I should clinch two playoff berths and be eliminated in the 3rd league. It looks like I'll have a #1 and a #4 seed in the playoffs.

 

No, I didn't play Benson, I wanted to be sure he was fully healthy. Now I know. But Stewart, Mendenhall and LT all did well. Plus Chad Boldin and Henderson had nice games, with Brees kicking some but for me. Dallas's def was terrible though. I already won my matchup this week, though I still have Driver and Crosby going tonight. My opponent actually played Freeman at QB this week, playing him over Eli. I need to thank him! He was my nephew and historically gets killed every year, usually by making stupid moves like that one. I will have to breaks his stones a little more than usual.

 

I had Grant going last night, and I was down by 5. He scored 4. Granted I didn't "need" that game to make the playoffs, but I still hate losing by 1. The final was 105-104.

 

OK, I'm finalizing my lineup decisions for the week. In one league I'm eliminated, in the another league I'm in the playoffs which start next week regardless of whether I win or lose, but in the third league the playoffs start THIS WEEK.

My QB is Schaub. Everyone is singing the praises of Alex Smith, but you dance with the one that brung you, especially if the one that brung is playing the Seahawks.

RBs: I have both D. Williams and Stewart, and while I don't have an injury update on this yet, which ever one is the starter in real life will be one of my two starters in fantasy. I nabbed Chris Brown on the waiver wire when Steve Slaton got injured so he's my second back.

WRs: No real arguement here - I'm starting Brandon Marshall, Marques Colston, and Donald Driver.

FLEX options: Sidney Rice, Justin Fargas, Jonathan Stewart (assuming DeAngelo is the starter)

I'm leaning Rice here, but starting both Carolina backs is something I'm considering.

My TE/DST/K are Vernon Davis, Eagles, and Akers, and since I only carry one of each, they all start.

 

I like Rice over a 2nd Carolina RB. Minnesota puts up points, increasing Rice's potential. Carolina is very inconsistent, Delhomme's Ints are killing them this year. The odds of both of them putting up big numbers is pretty low. When in doubt, trust in Favre's arm. He takes the shots and Rice is his big receiver.

I will be starting the following this week.

QB - Brees - no brainer
RB - Mendenhall, they get Cleveland, another no brainer. LT.
WR - Chad, Driver and Boldin.
Flex - Rice, though I also have Grant, Stewart and D. Henderson. I like Rice.
TE - TG
K and Def as usual.

 

I have to win this week or I'm out. My record is 7-6 with a two game losing streak, due mainly to not having Turner available. The odd thing is my divisional record is 1-4, which is awful, but I've beat the good teams from outside mine.

Matchup should be a good one, with:

QB's McNabb vs. Favre (my player first) which should work out to a push.
RB's Forsett & Snelling vs. Peterson & Maroney... this is where I'm toast. If Peterson preforms like he does when healthy, I lose.
WR's Boldin, Burleson, and Wayne vs. Austin, Driver, and Rice
TE's Kellen Winslow vs. Heath Miller... my advantage
K's Bironas vs. Carney... this will probably change since Carney is to be benched.
DST's Tennessee vs. San Francisco... Tenn. is playing St. Louis

The big matchup will be the WRs (outside of if my RBs can preform). I think odds are about 2/3 of the time mine will score more points, but if his receivers have good nights, they usually have BIG ones.

Another point of interest is the Bengals defense. They have the top scoring defense in the league and my opponent has three Viking players. Go Bungles!

An interesting note is cbssports predictor has me losing 98-97.

 

Hindsight is always 20/20, but that doesn't look good in retrospect Chicken... Did you win?

Blades - Benching Grant might have hurt - a lot.

I won my playoff game, although I am most displeased with Chris Brown. Not only didn't he lead the Texans in rushing, he wasn't even second. Still, I advanced. It looks like there will be a Justin Fargas sighting on my team next week - I'm running low on options.

 

Yep, I should of used Grant, though I thought the Steelers would run all over Cleveland. What a let down. My opponent, my brother, kicked my @$$ as it was, even without Grant in my lineup. Driver had 1 fantasy point. I still have Boldin tonight, but I since I have 79.5 points and my opponent has 142.0, I doubt I'll have a shot. My opponent's lineup was as follows, talk about bad luck.... I swore going into this week I would blow him out.

QB - Mr. Peyton
RB - R.Rice and Ganther, both had monster games.
WR - D.Jackson, D. Mason, A.Johnson, all had great games
Flex - M.Jenkins - 82 yds and a TD
TE - D.Clark - I'm still crying
K - Akers - Nice Game
D - Eagles - 2 TDs, though alot of points allowed helped.

 

Oh come on - show some confidence. You only need a 63 point game from Boldin tonight. So that's what - about 400 yards and 3 TDs? No problem

 

He's needs a better game than what Marshall pulled of yesterday and that was a record setter. We do use .5 pts per catch! In the past, I have pulled off some pretty big ones against this particular brother, so it would be ironic if Boldin had the game of the century.

 

19 from my K, and 27 from my DST saved me. Throw in McNabb out playing Favre and those were the only real advantages I had all night. Though my opponents defense has 26 right now and if they pick-six Warner here I'm screwed (104-97)... Well they just intercepted him, but no TD return (thank God) and I'm going to go out with a 103-99 victory. Say hello to a 2-4 in division champion (of the division, playoffs next).

 

OK - now the playoffs are really on. In two leagues, I'm still alive.

I'm the 4th seed in one league, and I'm pitted against the top team. My lineup doesn't looks so good for the week, and I fear I may be eliminated in this one:

QB: Schaub (@STL - well, at least I have one starter)
RBs: DeAngelo Williams (MIN), Ganther (NYG) - I'm hurting at RB - it's Ganther or Justin Fargas - that's all I got
WRs: Colston (DAL), Marshall (OAK), Rice (@CAR) - I need a big performance out of at least two of these guys
FLEX: Driver (@PIT)
TE: Vernon Davis (@PHI)
K: Akers (SF)
Defense: Philly (SF)

In the other league, except for the QB, I think I'm in really good shape, but I've got to this point with piss-poor QB play all year, and I'm the #1 seed, so maybe not too much to be concerned about.

QB: Either Vince Young (MIA) or Matt Ryan (@NYJ) - Assuming here that at least one of them plays on Sunday, and that will be the basis of my decision as to who to start. If both are active, I'll probably go with Young, but this is a decision that may be made for me, based on who's healthy.
RBs: Chris Johnson (MIA) and Cedric Benson (@SD) - nothing wrong with that
WRs: Randy Moss (@BUF) - hoping he doesn't mail it in again, and DeSean Jackson (SF)
FLEX: This is where I'd like some advice. I need to pick two from: Jamaal Charles (CLE), Ryan Grant (@PIT), and Vincent Jackson (CIN). The problem here is I like all three. Charles has scored a TD in five striaght games, with a couple of 100-yard games thrown in to boot, and... he's playing Cleveland. Grant has been largely average most of the season, but has played very well in recent weeks. Jackson has been good most of the season, but has played below average recently (5 or fewer points in 3 of the last 4 games). Based on all of this, I'm inclined to start Charles and Grant, but that means I'm sitting Jackson. The thing that clinches the case is that Cincinnati has two very good cornerbacks, but not so great safeties. I have a feeling that the guy who is in store for a good game this weekend is Antonio Gates.
TE: Brent Celek (SF) - has been good all season
K: Lawrence Tynes (WAS) - whatever
D/ST: Ravens (CHI) - although I also have the Pats on my bench. I've been using both throughout the season, based on the matchup, and I have to concede that I'm not entirely sold on the Ravens, because the Pats also have a good matchup (BUF).