Well we’ve made it through three weeks and now we have byes to deal with on top of injuries. There’s a lot of top tier running backs bye this week so who should you plug in and play?
1 Adrian Peterson vs. GB
2 Matt Forte vs. DET
3 Chris Johnson @ JAX
4 Steve Slaton vs. OAK
5 Maurice Jones-Drew vs. TEN
6 Cedric Benson @ CLE
7 Brandon Jacobs @ KC
8 Thomas Jones @ NO
9 Darren McFadden @ HOU
10 Ryan Grant @ MIN
11 Glen Coffee vs. STL
12 Pierre Thomas vs. NYJ
13 Ronnie Brown vs. BUF
14 Steven Jackson @ SF
15 Willis McGhee @ NE
16 Fred Jackson @ MIA
17 Clinton Portis vs. TB
18 Willie Parker vs. SD
19 Darren Sproles @ PIT
20 Tashard Choice @ DEN
21 Julius Jones @ IND
22 Knowshon Moreno vs. DAL
23 Ray Rice @ NE
24 Ahmad Bradshaw @ KC
25 Leon Washington @ NO
26 Donald Brown vs. SEA
27 Correll Buckhalter vs. DAL
28 Joseph Addai vs. SEA
29 LenDale White @ JAX
30 Cadillac Williams @ WAS
31 Fred Taylor vs. BAL
32 Reggie Bush vs. NYJ
33 Michael Bush @ HOU
34 Jerome Harrison vs. CIN
35 Ricky Williams vs. BUF
36 Larry Johnson vs. NYG
37 Marshawn Lynch @ MIA
38 Derrick Ward @ WASH
39 Le'Ron McClain @ NE
40 Aaron Brown @ CHI
On Bye Week:
Tim Hightower, Chris Wells, DeAngelo Williams, Michael Turner, LeSean McCoy, Brian Westbrook, Jonathan Stewart
Three Up:
Cedric Benson: Rank # 6- Cedric the Entertainer has been the most pleasant surprise of the fantasy season so far. He ranks in the top 10 of running backs for the season and gets a tremendous match up this week against the awful Browns. The Browns rank 30th in the league against the run, letting opponents run to a tune of 184.3 yards per game on the ground. I like the Bengals to be up in this game early which means they’ll pound the ball with Benson from then on. Except big things this week and start him with confidence.
Glen Coffee: Rank #11- The Rams rank 27th against the run giving up 148 yards per game on the ground. Coffee will be taking the espresso line to the end zone in this one with Frank Gore sidelined for two weeks. Although he didn’t run well against the Vikings last week I was encouraged with the 25 carries that he was given. Michael Robinson is always a threat to pilfer some carries but it looks like Coffee will be the feature back. The former Alabama standout is durable and should continue to be a option for Shaun Hill in the flats should the Rams figure out how to get past the 49ers O-line.
Darren McFadden : Rank #9- In what should be the best running back match up for the week look for RUN DMC to light up the sieve Texans’ defense. The Texans rank dead last against the run this year and have produced huge games for Thomas Jones, 2TDs, Chris Johnson, 3TDs, and MJD, 3TDs through the first three weeks. The problem is every time I’m high on McFadden he just kills me but I don’t think you can deny that this is the optimal match up for one of the fastest back in the league.
Three Down:
Larry Johnson: Rank # 36- Although the Giants are a middle of the pack through three weeks against the run, Larry Johnson is just brutal. Jammal Charles will likely siphon away enough carries to make Johnson obsolete.
Fred Jackson: Rank # 16- I still have him as a decent start this week but Jackson has been 5th among running backs so far this year so this is a drop off. Two things concern me this week: despite being quite terrible, the Miami defense does rank 3rd against the run ceding only 66 yards per game. Also, this week marks the return of BEAST MODE. Marshawn Lynch will be fresh off his three game suspension and looking to get involved. While I don’t think Lynch will be a feature back in his first game; I do believe he will get enough work to limit Jackson's ceiling. Upgrade Jackson if Lynch sees, “those little green dudes” at the game he may be too star struck to play.
Fred Taylor: Rank # 31- While it seems that Taylor has emerged from the convoluted Patriots back field as "the guy", this match up just reeks of a bad game. The Ravens’ new lethal offense may have the Pats behind early and it doesn’t take much for the Pats to give up on the run. If that wasn’t enough, the Ravens rank 1st in the NFL against the run, giving up a paltry 51 yards per game. I think you should go pick him up but don’t use him this week unless you’re desperate.
Last Week’s RB 3up/3down:
4-2
A bit too up on Hightower who did nothing and a tad too high on Slaton, who should have had a great game if it weren’t for poor Texans’ coaching. Outcome of putting Chris Brown in on the one yard line: Fumble and a lost game. That’s quality coaching they have there in Houston.
Sleeper of the week:
Michael Bush: Rank #33- It’s hard to tell how big of a role Bush plays from week to week but the Texans defense is so prone to big plays that I can see Bush breaking one loose this week.
Injuries:
Felix Jones - Out at least a week with a knee sprain.
Marian Barber- Missed last week with a strained quad and is still questionable this week. If he doesn’t play, go add Tashard Choice immediately as he will move up the ranks
Lawrence Maroney - He’s not really worth owning anyways but if you have him note that he has a thigh problem.
Kevin Smith - Has been listed week to week with a knee injury. He says that he’s going to play this weekend but I really don’t see that happening.
Frank Gore- Is out three weeks with an ankle injury. If I haven’t said it enough, GO ADD GLEN COFFEE!
Jamal Lewis- Has a sore hammy, which isn’t shocking, when you weight 4000 pounds something’s gotta give. He’s listed as questionable for this week and hopefully doesn’t play so we can get a first hand look at what Jerome Harrison can do against a team that’s not the Ravens.
LaDainian Tomlinson- is listed as questionable again this week but early reports say that his limp is gone, he finally made the switch from Viagra to Cialis. Even if he does play I don’t like him against the Steelers anyways; put him on the bench for another week.
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