“2 Minute Warning”
Will the “Real” Chris Johnson please stand up?
If you had the #1 pick in this year’s draft, odds are you took C.J. Projected to be a fantasy king. He hasn’t put up numbers nearly as ballin’ as last year. This time last season, he already had 1242 yards rushing and over 200 yards receiving. This time around, after Week 11, “Every Coach’s Dream” has only 968 yards on the ground and 103 yards in the air. Everyone was expecting an encore performance and most of us are pretty disappointed. I had such hope that I even traded away Matt Forte and Ray Rice for C.J. #28, however my R.O.I. has been pretty mediocre. The question everyone is asking is obvious: why isn’t he the fantasy king this season? To put it more bluntly, why is Arian Foster, who wasn’t even drafted, outperforming this first round pick? The answer is simple: opposing teams have adjusted during the off-season and have come up with effective schemes in defending #28. It seems to me that every time he touches the ball, he has nowhere to run; even the cornerbacks are putting on the pressure. This clearly opens up the Tennesse Titan’s passing game, which is why during the first few weeks, wide receivers such as Kenny Britt were racking up insane numbers. This has died down as of late due to the Vince Young’s ineptitude and immaturity. So what should the Titans do? Simple; throw the ball deep to Randy Moss. Jeff Fisher, the Titan’s head coach, has so far been reluctant to use Moss as a deep threat. During the past two games as a Titan, Randy has an absurd 1 reception for a total of 26 yards. This is the same receiver who holds the record for the most touchdown receptions in a single season, even beating out hall of famer Jerry Rice. Yet the Titans fail to get him the ball, and instead target unproven receivers. The Chris Johnson + Randy Moss combination could be lethal; opposing defenses simply couldn’t cover the both of them. The coaching staff needs to step up and adopt a “pick your poison” mentality; throw the deep ball and open up the run. It’s a win-win situation: the Titans will win games and us fantasy players will finally start smiling again.
Game Winning Field Goal:
(Since the Iron Warrior is a bi-weekly print, tips will be provided for the upcoming week only.)
Top 3 Additions:
1) Jacoby Ford (WR, Oakland) 12% owned in Yahoo! Leagues: After helping the Raiders win in Week 10, Jacoby Ford exploded in Week 12 by returning the opening kickoff for a TD and catching 4 passes for 108 yards plus a score.
2) Ben Obomanu (WR, Seattle) 4% owned in Yahoo! Leagues: In Week 12, Ben Obomanu caught 5 passes for 159 yards and a TD. Load it up!
3) Mike Goodson (RB, Carolina) 43% owned in Yahoo! Leagues: After having a breakout game in Week 11, Goodson was at it again in Week 12 with 136 total yards and a touchdown, even though Jonathan Stewart returned for the Panthers. Expect Goodson to contribute more, therefore pick him up if you need an extra RB.
Top 3 Starts:
1) Philadelphia QB Michael Vick: He only threw 1 interception so far this season. Playing against the 31st ranked pass defense, Vick will rip the Texans apart.
2) NY Jets QB Mark Sanchez: It’s going to be a high scoring game against the Pats. New England’s ranked last in pass defense, and with Mark Sanchez’s continuing growth as a starting QB, he’ll definitely have a big game on Monday night.
3) Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson / Toby Gerhart: Depending on Adrian Peterson’s ankles, start either him or Gerhart. The Bills are ranked dead last in run defense. Money in the bank.
Top 3 players to bench:
1) Baltimore RB Ray Rice: Playing against the #1 ranked run defense in the Steelers, Ray Rice probably won’t be doing much. Consider sitting him and starting someone else. The Steelers’ are simply too good against the run.
2) Oakland RB Darren McFadden: McFadden didn’t do much in Week 12, and that streak will continue in Week 13 against the #3 ranked run defense in San Diego. The Chargers will dominate both offensively and defensively, especially against the run.
3) Washington QB Donovan McNabb: Donovan will have a hard time against the NY Giants and their #1 ranked pass defense. McNabb has been very inconsistent this season, and expect the trend to continue in Week 13. Bottom line: bench him and smile.
Post Game Press Conference:
(Current prediction success rate: 82%)
The 3 Lockdown Picks:
Atlanta over Tampa Bay: Roddy White is going to light it up.
St.Louis over Arizona: Sam Bradford is starting to understand what it takes to be a dangerous QB in the NFL. Arizona will be his next victim.
Detroit over Chicago: Although Jay Cutler threw 4 TDs against the Eagles in Week 12, he will struggle against the revamped Lions defense and Detroit will take this one in a hard-fought battle.
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