Fantasy Football Friday: Bears vs. Giants Preview

by cjmulrain on Oct 1, 2010 1:00 PM EDT in Fantasy Football

After telling you to sit Mario Manningham last week, hopefully I can bounce back with some better advice this time around.

Start

Giants Receivers: That's right, I'm suggesting starting all 3 of them. The Bears are 28th in the league in passing defense, and the Giants have shown that they're willing to abandon the run early so far this season. All three of the Giants receivers (Nicks, Smith, and Manningham) have been putting up pretty good fantasy numbers so far this year, and against a weak Bears secondary, this week should be no exception. Now watch Manningham reward me with this suggestion by not getting a single pass thrown his way...

Jay Cutler, QB, Bears: Cutler has thrown for 220+ yards and at least a TD in each game this year, and has 6 TD's overall to go along with only 2 picks. The Giants pass defense has respectable numbers so far this year (4th in the league against the pass), but part of that is because the only true passing threat they've played didn't have to pass against them because their run defense played so poorly. Cutler makes bad decisions, but he's got a big arm and if the Giants don't get a lot of pressure on him, he should have a big day.

Matt Forte, RB, Bears: Despite doing a respectable job against Chris Johnson, the Giants still ended up surrendering nearly 150 yards and 2 TD's on the ground last weekend. Forte is one of the better receiving threats out of the backfield, 14 catches for 202 yards and 3 TD's so far this season receiving. He's only averaging 2.9 yards per carry and hasn't been good running the ball, but do you really trust the Giants defense to shut him down? He's a good option if you're weak at running back or for a flex spot.

Eli Manning, QB, Giants: Expect his name to appear here pretty much every week. He's a legit fantasy QB, completing more than 65% of his passes and throwing for decent yardage. All but one of his 6 interceptions this year have bounced off a receivers hands first, so one of these weeks he's gonna hopefully cut them out completely and start piling up the TD's.

Sit

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Giants: The Bears run defense has been the best in the league so far, giving up only 39.7 YPG. Bradshaw has looked good so far this season, but he hasn't gone over 100 yards yet in any game, and has topped out with 20 carries in week one. He did catch 5 passes last week, but only 2 combined in the first two games, so he's not yet a reliable dual threat running back. Against a run defense this good, I'd probably bench him (unless, like me, you have no other options b/c your other running back has a bye this weekend and there's no good free agents...d'oh!).

Giants Defense: Cutler's interception prone, but then so is Vince Young, and the Giants didn't force a single turnover last week. Despite looking better against the run, they still gave up decent yardage and 29 points. Until TC gets this unit turned around on a consistent basis, they're just not a fantasy defense.

Bears WR's: The Bears don't have a true #1 receiver. In Mike Martz's offense, that works. For fantasy, it doesn't. Stay away.

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ahmad or...

a hurt ray rice against the steelers?

by Plaxico Burress on Oct 1, 2010 1:28 PM EDT reply actions

Bradshaw

Ray Rice has been stinking up the place this year, now he’s hurt and playing the steelers. I would take Bradshaw because at least he makes something out of nothing with a terrible o-line.

by Squali21 on Oct 1, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Terrible?

That’s a little harsh. I’d give em average right now.

by Last year in Sec 127 on Oct 1, 2010 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions

I am thinking of trading Thomas Jones and Mohammed Massaquoi for either Steve Smith (NY) or Caddy and Massaquoi for Sidney Rice and Shonn Greene. What do you guys think?

Mathew Barnaby to Lyle Odelein: "Cornelius, as we like to call him, gets under your skin. Planet of the Apes. Look at him. Seriously. He looks like Cornelious."

Odelein to Barnaby: "He should take a look at his wife. She's God-awful to look at."

by RolliePollieKovy on Oct 1, 2010 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I think you should pick up Ham.

Winning cures all...even stupid

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 1, 2010 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

good answer

im from baltimore
but im a bears fan
and unfortunately i think baltimore as a whole is stinking it up right now
a good game against cleveland offensively doesnt change my mind especially when your top ranked run defense gives up 144 and 2 td’s to peyton hillis….
even terrell suggs said WHO?

by Tommy Ohyeah Mcduffie on Oct 2, 2010 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

people won't be saying 'who' for long

I don’t know if you watched the game. Guy looks like Emmet Smith. And Cleveland’s investment in their OL is really starting to pay off. On top of the 144 yards and 2 TD’s on the ground, he also got 7 catches for 36 yards, but he was open out of the backfield on every play and it could have been 15 catches. Great hands, great power, great vision, and empty lanes to run in. Jerome Harrison AVERAGED 187 yards behind that line the last 3 games of last season. Two recent first rounders on the line, and with Thomas, Mack, Pashos, Steinback, they could be perhaps two thirds of the OL in the ProBowl this year. Baltimore is not what they were in run stopping, but I have a feeling by the end of the season, holding Cleveland to 173 yards on the ground will end up looking like a successful defense against these guys. Peyton Hillis, remember the name Mr Suggs. Got a feeling we will be talking a lot more about him than you.

by Spider Lockhart on Oct 2, 2010 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions

hmmm

i wouldnt say that just yet, if peyton hillis can produce in back to back games id be sold
sooner or later teams will respect clevelands rushing attack because of the lackluster passing game and average receivers.

baltimore’s defense is on the decline

by Tommy Ohyeah Mcduffie on Oct 3, 2010 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions

back to back?

try back to back to back to back… 4 weeks in a row now hes produced

by Plaxico Burress on Oct 4, 2010 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

good call

ahamd – 17
rice – 4

by Plaxico Burress on Oct 4, 2010 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions

CJ – I’m in your shoes this week. Can’t sit Bradshaw because my bench RBs are on a bye-week or just plain suck. I do have Addai, but he’s questionable right now, so that could turn into a game day decision.

Steve hasn’t given me enough points yet this year, but I’m running out of viable options with free agents and those who are on waivers.

I just can’t catch a break. I sat Roy Williams of the the Cowboys last week, thinking that the Texans would light them up. No such luck, and I gave up a lot of points on that mistake. I also sat Dexter McCluster after a lackluster week with .05 points, only to find out if I hadn’t benched him I would’ve picked up 19.5 points.

All I have to say is thank God I have Peyton as my starting QB. He’s the main thing keeping me in the running at this point.

by OleMissGal on Oct 1, 2010 6:44 PM EDT reply actions

I never ever ever ever ever ever ever

Have Cowboys on my roster. I would rather lose.

by Spider Lockhart on Oct 1, 2010 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

That wasn’t who I drafted! :) It was only after 2 of my players that went out with injuries that I was forced to pick up new guys – and he was at the top of the projected points list, so I grabbed him. Trust me, I have the same dislike for the Cowboys that you do, but I’m the only girl in my league – so I have something to prove to the guys.

by OleMissGal on Oct 2, 2010 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

After 23 years of playing fantasy football, it looks strange

To have my three first place teams all loaded up with Giants. Only Tiki was a real stud over this entire 23 year period, and just as an emotional precaution, I have tried to never pick Giants. I feel bad enough when the Giants lose, but if they take my fantasy team down with them it is double depresssion.
But what looks so far like a winning formula this year was to take Eli in the 8th round as the number 11 QB on the board. Nicks going in the 6th or 7th with number 1 WR all over him. Steve Smith went to high in PPR leagues, because people didn’t realize that Nicks, Ham, Boss, etc would be taking catches away from him. Ham an excellent WR3, undrafted and still in may leagues on the waiver wire. Bradshaw is only breaking even on his draft position, got a lot of hype in preseason.
Totally confident that Eli will take me to the playoffs three times.
Did I mention that it is not especially good pick to take the Giants Special Teams?

by Spider Lockhart on Oct 1, 2010 10:07 PM EDT reply actions

Yea

I’m the same way. In the past I’ve tried to avoid Giants, but last year I just had a feeling about Steve Smith so I picked him up late in the draft, and he (along with Wes Welker) was my MVP and the reason I scored the most points in my league (we do PPR, obviously).

This year we switched to auction, and I got a good bargain on him again, along with Nicks and Bradshaw. We got down to Eli and Rivers being the last two legit QBs left, and I decided I didn’t want my entire roster to be Giants, but I seriously considered going for Eli.

One other thing: I actually generally LIKE to have Eagles and Cowboys, for the same reason I don’t like having Giants: if my real world football experience is sucking, I might as well do well in fantasy…

2009 Did Not Happen

by cjmulrain on Oct 2, 2010 8:01 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Matt Forte in PPR leagues

Forte: 50 yards on the ground, 30 yards through the air, 5 catches, 1 TD: Pretty much a starter every week, as if they are winning he will run it, if they are losing he will catch it. He is being used by Martz as a Marshall Faulk light.
Giants have a long history of giving guys like Brian Westbrook big fantasy points. Think of Matt Forte as Brian Westbrook 2 years ago. We have not been good in the last 10 years covering running backs catching out of the backfield. I think this year we look like we may be better at controlling yards after the catch, but the receptions will be there.
You have to have two top 10 RB’s not to start Matt Forte. And pretty much every week the same.

by Spider Lockhart on Oct 1, 2010 10:23 PM EDT reply actions

lol

call me biased when it comes to fantasy football
my starting offense… CHICAGO BEARS

by Tommy Ohyeah Mcduffie on Oct 3, 2010 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions

any fantasy advice guys?

I have 5 spots open for a number of players… 2 RBs, 2 WRS, 1 Flex RB/WR
These are my choices:
RBs:
M Jones-Drew
LeSean McCoy
Shoon Greene
Willis McGahee
WRs:
Lance Moore
Mike Sims-Walker
Steve Smith (NYG of course)
Donald Driver

HELP!!!!!!!

Superman is back!

by The Always Well Dressed... on Oct 2, 2010 11:35 PM EDT reply actions

Lance Moore I believe is a must start

I could be wrong, but I picked him up before last week and scored big with him. Lance Moore is a stud only on condition that Reggie Bush is out. In 2008 he was on fire when Reggie was out, and went back to nothing when Reggie returned.
Last week was Reggie’s first week out and Lance, who has been invisible since 2008 got 6 catches 149 yards and two TD’s. This week even Pierre Thomas will not play much so Lance becomes even more important, as they will not throw to Ladell Betts a lot out of the backfield (but some)
Lance should be a stud for two or three more weeks, but the week Reggie returns, bench him. Immediately. Shonne Greene should do okay against Buffalo, McCoy, MJC and Donald Driver are must starts.
I think I will quit there, as this is a Giants blog rather than a fantasy blog. And there are a million fantasy blogs out there. Don’t want to mix fantasy and reality.
So MJD, McCoy, Driver, Moore and you pick between Greene and Smith.
Just because you are well dressed

by Spider Lockhart on Oct 3, 2010 1:51 AM EDT up reply actions

thanks for the help Spider

You reinforced a lot of what I was thinkinG. Figured in a Fantasy Preview post would be the best time to ask these questions. But your right, as great as fantasy talk is… Big Blue is the priority here. Thanks again

Superman is back!

by The Always Well Dressed... on Oct 3, 2010 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't blame me when reality is just the opposite

Easier to predict the past than the future. I think Yogi Bera said that, or he should have. Getting advice takes some of the anxiety out of picking though. But picking yourself is the real fun.

by Spider Lockhart on Oct 3, 2010 2:02 AM EDT reply actions