NFL Playoffs 2011-NFC Divisional Match-ups
By Brian McGee
Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears:
The Earth shaking Seahawks are trying to prove the World wrong again. They will be on the road in this game in a very cold environment. The forecast — to be in the mid to high 20′s, with a chance of snow shower — should prove an advantage for the Chicago Bears. Matt Hasselback decided to play like a Hall of Fame QB and beat the defending champs last week in their wild card match-up. During the season he threw 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, but against the Saints last week he threw 4 touchdowns to only 1 interception. He had a passer rating of 113, a touch better than his average rating for the season of 73. After the phenomenal run of Marshawn Lynch that almost brought the town of Seattle to rubble, the Seahawks must be taken more seriously. If the Bears think they will be able to control them with their defense and have Cutler get the ball in the end zone, they could be in for a shock. With that being said, this is the best match-up that Bears could have asked for. They have earned their home field advantage, although it was through a lesser schedule than most teams. They will need the accuracy of Cutler to return and to use the versatility of Matt Forte early and often to move the chains. The Bears “D” will not allow 41 points to be posted up on them; they are rested and ready to get their run into the playoffs. Look for a controlled run/pass attack and a fierce defense from the Bears to end the Seahawks hopes for another shocking win.
Bears win 24-17
Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan does not lose at the Georgia Dome. Aaron Rodgers loves to win in hostile settings. It’s a battle of phenomenal young QB’s, one a little more seasoned than the other. The Falcons and Ryan have been proving people wrong every week of the season; they have proven how dominant their defense can be and how poised their young quarterback is. This is the game that I would watch if their was only one game that I could. I want to see how Rodgers finds throwing room against the Falcons and how well Jennings can respond with a mediocre performance last week. The Packers dropped a couple crucial balls last week, especially at the end of the half when James Jones used his frying pan hands and missed a scoring opportunity. With a lot of offensive possibilities in this game, the key to whomever wins will once again be a defensive stop in the final 2 minutes. Whatever team will come through and muster up that little extra on defense will win the game. I am very excited for this game, and I hope it lives up to the hype I am giving it. Two great duos with Rodgers and Jennings and Ryan and White. Fantastic defenses playing at the highest level, not many things can top playoff football.
Packers win 27-24
NFL Playoffs 2011
By Brian McGee
The season is over and the post-season is upon us. I hope your Fantasy leagues went as well as you hoped they would. I, unfortunately, had a rough year with some injuries (Antonio Gates=upsetting), but I will not dwell on it. I will only make up for it with a post-season victory. My F.P.I.C. (Fantasy Partner In Crime), Josh, had a very nice year with, I believe, two league championships out of three, so kudos to you, Joshua.
Now to the playoffs.
NFC Division
New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks:
The Seahawks are the first team with a losing record to get into the playoffs. Go Charlie Whitehurst. The Seahawks should reward Whitehurst with a playoff start and leave Matt Hasselback on the bench. What do they have to lose? Not only are they in the playoffs, but they are hosting the game. Seattle has always been a very tough place for opposing teams to come in and win big games, but, that said, the Seahawks don’t stand a chance with the defending champions coming to town. The last line in Vegas has the Saints as a 10 point favorite. That means the odds makers are giving Seattle little to no chance. The Saints are the 3rd best passing team in the league, led by Sportsman of the Year, Drew Brees. Both teams are bottom dwellers in the run game, the Saints more than ever with the injury to rookie Chris ivory. I am happy for Seattle and I don’t believe the playoff rules should be changed; this has been the only time a team with a losing record has ever gotten in. The people who should be mad are the other NFC west teams, St. Louis especially. Drew Brees will guide his team to a wild card victory.
Final Score: Saints win 27-10 (that even rhymes)
Green Bay Packers @ Philadelphia Eagles:
Aaron Rodgers vs. Michael Vick; everything else is irrelevant. Which 2010 outstanding QB will shine in the biggest spotlight of the New Year? Will Rodgers show the NFL that he does indeed deserve to be in the Pro Bowl? Or will Michael Vick confirm his status as an elite QB? The Eagles hold two distinct advantages in this game: home field and LeSean McCoy. The Packers have no running game, and thus their offense rests on the chiseled shoulders of their young and talented quarterback, Rodgers. The Eagles ground attack features the skilled McCoy, Vick and even DeSean Jackson, if the Eagles can use him at the right moments on some end-a-rounds. If Vick can scramble as well as he has all year, A.J. Hawk, Clay Matthews and the rest of the Packer defense will have a very long day. The Packers’ defense ranks 18th against the run and 5th against the pass. For the Eagles to be successful they will need to lean on the running game and pass the ball efficiently. These two teams met in the first week of the season with the Packers prevailing 27-20, but Vick was only in for half the game. I expect this to be another close battle, the winner to be determined because of a big defensive play. Aaron Rodgers has carried this team offensively all year, so expect nothing less from him in this game. He will have more to prove because of the Pro Bowl snub. Rodgers should take it personally and use that on the field.
Final Score: Packers win 24-20
2009 Season Wrap-Up
Posted: January 16, 2010
The 2009 fantasy football season kicked off with only one certainty: Adrian Peterson would be the top pick in most drafts. However, looking back on the year that was, were we all to journey back to the summer and redraft our teams, some things would have gone differently.
As I mentioned in the Bruno Boys’ season recap edition of Fasulo’s Forecaster, Chris Johnson, the consensus hypothetical redraft number one pick, ran away, literally, with fantasy MVP honors (2,006 rushing yards, 503 receiving yards, 16 touchdowns). Ray Rice, in this writer’s opinion, was a solid second (2,041 yards from scrimmage, 8 touchdowns), and Aaron Rodgers was third. Rodgers’ 4,434 yards, 30 touchdowns (to only 7 interceptions), 316 rushing yards and 5 rushing scores were nothing to scoff at, but Johnson outscored Rodgers in standard scoring leagues, and Rice’s draft value was superior to that of the All-Pro QB — chances are, Rice was a mid-round pick in your league.
All-in-all, 2009 was one hell of a season. A couple old dogs (30+ year-old running backs) proved age to be just a number, as Ricky Williams ran for over 1,100 yards at age 32 and Thomas Jones topped 1,400 at 31. Both had double digit touchdowns, 11 and 14, respectively. A couple more old dogs proved the adage that once a running back hits 30, the end comes quickly. Despite 12 rushing touchdowns, 30 year-old LaDainian Tomlinson managed only 730 yards on the ground, with a career low average of 3.3 yard-per-carry. 30 year-old Brian Westbrook lost most of the season to concussions, but in eight games, totaled just 455 yards and 2 scores. The Philadelphia Eagles have a 2010 in-house replacement for Westbrook in rookie running back LeSean McCoy (637 rushing yards, 308 receiving yards, 4 TD), but chances are, the San Diego Chargers will look elsewhere for tailback help, as Darren Sproles, though he totaled more than 800 yards and scored 8 touchdowns in 2009, is likely not an every-down back.
Aside from Rice, Williams and Jones, there were a few more running back surprises in 2009… for the worse. Matt Forte, a top ten draft pick, finished the season with 929 rushing yards, 471 receiving yards and 4 scores, a respectable line for a mid-round draft pick, a horrific line for a RB1 who is supposed to carry your fantasy team. Steve Slaton, a first/second round pick, caused even more fantasy damage, as his fumble-itus found him on the real world bench, and though he got back into the mix toward the end of the year before suffering an injury, his final stat-line left much to be desired: 437 rushing yards, 417 receiving yards, 7 TD.
While some players were disappointing this year, others were exceptional. Dallas Cowboys‘ wide receiver Miles Austin broke out in Week 6 to the tune of 250 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he never looked back, finishing the season with 1,320 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. His fantasy total was third best among receivers, behind only Houston Texans‘ star Andre Johnson (1,569 yards, 9 TD) and New England Patriots‘ All-Pro Randy Moss (1.264 yards, 13 TD). In San Francisco, tight end Vernon Davis catapulted his career to new levels, leading all NFL tight ends in touchdowns (13) and leading his team in receiving yards (965). Across the country in New York, the Steve Smith who began the season known as “the other Steve Smith” made a name for himself by setting the Giants‘ single-season record for receptions (107) and amassing 1,220 receiving yards and 7 scores. (Side note: Though they both finished with 7 touchdowns, the Giants’ Steve Smith out-gained Carolina Panthers’ Steve Smith by 238 receiving yards.) In Minnesota, Brett Favre revitalized his career again, and the career of third-year wideout Sidney Rice took off. Rice, left undrafted in some leagues, finished the season with 1,312 receiving yards and 8 scores.
All across the board, 2009 was another great season in fantasy football land. Here is a look at the Fantasy Sports Shack accolades (lists) for the 2009 fantasy football season, and the top 30 Keepers for 2010:
MVP
| Player | Position | Team | Stats | |
| 1 | Chris Johnson | RB | Titans | 2,006 rush yds, 503 rec yds, 16 TD, 3 fum |
| 2 | Ray Rice | RB | Ravens | 1,339 rush yds, 702 rec yds, 8 TD, 3 fum |
| 3 | Aaron Rodgers | QB | Packers | 4,434 pass yds, 30 TD, 7 INT, 316 rush yds, 5 rush TD, 4 fum |
| 4 | Drew Brees | QB | Saints | 4,388 pass yds, 34 TD, 11 INT, 33 rush yds, 2 rush TD, 6 fum |
| 5 | Peyton Manning | QB | Colts | 4,500 pass yds, 33 TD, 16 INT |
| 6 | Maurice Jones-Drew | RB | Jaguars | 1,391 rush yds, 374 rec yds, 16 TD, 1 fum |
| 7 | Adrian Peterson | RB | Vikings | 1,383 rush yds, 436 rec yds, 18 TD, 6 fum |
| 8 | Thomas Jones | RB | Jets | 1,402 rush yds, 58 rec yds, 14 TD |
| 9 | Andre Johnson | WR | Texans | 1,569 rec yds, 9 TD, 10 rush yds |
| 10 | Miles Austin | WR | Cowboys | 1,320 rec yds, 11 TD |
TOP ROOKIE
| Player | Position | Team | Stats | |
| 1 | Knowshon Moreno | RB | Broncos | 947 rush yds, 213 rec yds, 9 TD, 4 fum |
| 2 | Percy Harvin | WR | Vikings | 790 rec yds, 135 rush yds, 8 TD |
| 3 | Beanie Wells | RB | Cardinals | 793 rush yds, 143 rec yds, 7 TD, 2 fum |
| 4 | Hakeem Nicks | WR | Giants | 790 rec yds, 8 rush yds, 6 TD |
| 5 | LeSean McCoy | RB | Eagles | 637 rush yds, 308 rec yds, 4 TD, 1 fum |
| 6 | Mike Wallace | WR | Steelers | 756 rec yds, 48 rush yds, 6 TD, 1 fum |
| 7 | Austin Collie | WR | Colts | 676 rec yds, 7 TD |
| 8 | Jeremy Maclin | WR | Eagles | 762 rec yds, 4 TD |
| 9 | Kenny Britt | WR | Titans | 701 rec yds, 3 TD, 1 fum |
| 10 | Michael Crabtree | WR | 49ers | 625 rec yds, 2 TD, 1 fum |
TOP KEEPERS FOR 2010
| Player | Position | Team | Reason | |
| 1 | Chris Johnson | RB | Titans | As if 2,500 yards and 16 TD wasn’t enough, he’s only 24. |
| 2 | Adrian Peterson | RB | Vikings | He’ll only be 25 in 2010, and has lots of miles left on those tires. |
| 3 | Maurice Jones-Drew | RB | Jaguars | First year as full-time RB1 a success, look for him to do more of the same in 2010 and beyond. |
| 4 | Ray Rice | RB | Ravens | 2009′s FSS MVP runner-up has proven he’s for real. |
| 5 | Aaron Rodgers | QB | Packers | 2009′s top fantasy QB just turned 26 years-old. |
| 6 | Andre Johnson | WR | Texans | The 28 year-old All-Pro is at the top of his game for a team on the rise. |
| 7 | Drew Brees | QB | Saints | The leader of the league’s most prolific offense has a few good sesaons left in his arm. |
| 8 | Frank Gore | RB | 49ers | This may seem like a high ranking, but he’s the centerpiece of a blossoming offense. |
| 9 | Larry Fitzgerald | WR | Cardinals | 13 touchdowns in 2009 for arguably the best receiver in football. |
| 10 | DeSean Jackson | WR | Eagles | The guy just makes huge plays, and he’s still getting better. |
| 11 | Steven Jackson | RB | Rams | At 26, he is the best player on one of the worst teams in football, and he still managed 1,416 rush yards. |
| 12 | Jamaal Charles | RB | Chiefs | A stretch? Maybe. But in the second half of ’09, the only RB better was Chris Johnson. |
| 13 | Peyton Manning | QB | Colts | He’ll be 34 next season, but his style of play dictates success for years to come. |
| 14 | Beanie Wells | RB | Cardinals | Likely locked in a timeshare again in 2010, but this time, he’s the man. |
| 15 | Jonathan Stewart | RB | Panthers | Like Wells, Stewart shares time, but coming into his third year, he’s set to take on a bigger load. |
| 16 | Vernon Davis | TE | 49ers | Apologies to Clark, Gates and Gonzalez, but Davis is just entering his prime and could potentially put up WR1 numbers. |
| 17 | Philip Rivers | QB | Chargers | Uncertainty at RB, Rivers may have to throw more in 2010. |
| 18 | Miles Austin | WR | Cowboys | Can he do it again in 2010? It’s worth a gamble. |
| 19 | Knowshon Moreno | RB | Broncos | Likely to take on a bigger workload from here on. |
| 20 | Percy Harvin | WR | Vikings | Again, might seem like a stretch, but this guy is lightning in a bottle. |
| 21 | Vincent Jackson | WR | Chargers | Disappeared for a bit down the stretch, but still one of the top young receivers in the game. |
| 22 | Rashard Mendenhall | RB | Steelers | He’s taken over as the RB1, and year three should prove fruitful. |
| 23 | Matt Forte | RB | Bears | A sophomore slump can be blamed on his team’s lack of receivers. Look for a rebound in 2010. |
| 24 | Brandon Marshall | WR | Broncos | His talent is undeniable, but his attitude sometimes holds him back. |
| 25 | Roddy White | WR | Falcons | Matt Ryan will be ready to go in 2010, and White will reap the benefits. |
| 26 | Greg Jennings | WR | Packers | Donald Driver isn’t getting any younger, and despite a “down” 2009, Jennings is just hitting his stride. |
| 27 | Matt Schaub | QB | Texans | It feels like his fantasy owners dodged a bullet with an injury-free ’09, but his potential is worth the risk. |
| 28 | Reggie Wayne | WR | Colts | Next year, Pierre Garcon’s name could be here instead, but for now, Wayne is still the man in Indy. |
| 29 | Calvin Johnson | WR | Lions | As he builds a rapport with Stafford, the numbers are sure to go way up. |
| 30 | Shonn Greene | RB | Jets | Greene has shown flashes, and will be ready to step in when Jones’ tires inevitably go flat. |
Thank you, my faithful followers, for a great 2009. Keep your eyes out for the Fantasy Sports Shack’s baseball coverage, which will start in the near future, and come back next August for more Fantasy Sports Shack football coverage! (Though, I’m sure there will be a few topics for discussion between now and then.)
Just the Stats: 2009 Quarterback Projections
Posted: September 5, 2009
All stats are based on player trends, offensive systems and current situations. The “Overall” Quarterback fantasy score is determined for leagues using the following scoring system: 25 passing yards = 1 point, TD pass = 4 points, 10 rushing yards = 1 point, TD run = 6 points, 300+ yard passing game = 6 points, INT = -1 point, Fumble = -2 points, Sack = .25 points.
| PLAYER | Age | O-Ln | Bye | Week 14-15-16 | Yards |
TD | 300+ | Int | Fm | Sak | Ru Yds | Ru TD | OVERALL |
| Drew Brees | 30 | Plus | 5 | @Atl, Dal, TB | 4,500 | 30 | 7 | 16 | 3 | 15 | 27 | 0 | 319 |
| Tom Brady | 32 | Plus | 8 | Car, @Buf, Jac | 4,100 | 33 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 30 | 90 | 1 | 315 |
| Peyton Manning | 33 | Plus | 6 | Den, @Jac, NYJ | 4,000 | 29 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 16 | 17 | 1 | 290 |
| Aaron Rodgers | 25 | Minus | 5 | @Chi, @Pit, Sea | 3,800 | 25 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 36 | 175 | 2 | 275 |
| Tony Romo | 29 | Plus | 6 | SD, @NO, @Was | 3,600 | 27 | 4 | 16 | 5 | 22 | 90 | 1 | 261 |
| Kurt Warner | 38 | Even | 4 | @SF, @Det, StL | 3,900 | 27 | 5 | 16 | 6 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 260 |
| Jay Cutler | 26 | Plus | 5 | GB, @Bal, Min | 3,800 | 22 | 4 | 16 | 3 | 23 | 150 | 1 | 255 |
| Matt Schaub | 28 | Plus | 10 | Sea, @StL, @Mia | 3,800 | 22 | 5 | 12 | 5 | 31 | 70 | 1 | 253 |
| Philip Rivers | 27 | Even | 5 | @Dal, Cin, @Ten | 3,700 | 26 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 25 | 50 | 0 | 249 |
| Donovan McNabb | 32 | Plus | 4 | @NYG, SF, Den | 3,500 | 20 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 25 | 150 | 1 | 236 |
| Matt Ryan | 24 | Plus | 4 | NO, @NYJ, Buf | 3,600 | 19 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 19 | 75 | 1 | 231 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | 27 | Minus | 8 | @Cle, GB, Bal | 3,300 | 21 | 2 | 16 | 4 | 46 | 125 | 1 | 211 |
| Carson Palmer | 29 | Minus | 8 | @Min, @SD, KC | 3,200 | 22 | 3 | 16 | 3 | 36 | 65 | 0 | 209 |
| David Garrard | 31 | Minus | 7 | Mia, Ind, @NE | 3,200 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 32 | 250 | 1 | 207 |
| Eli Manning | 28 | Plus | 10 | Phi, @Was, Car | 3,250 | 22 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 27 | 33 | 1 | 204 |
| Brett Favre | 39 | Plus | 9 | Cin, @Car, @Chi | 3,200 | 21 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 30 | 40 | 0 | 203 |
| Matt Hasselbeck | 33 | Minus | 7 | SF, @Hou, TB | 3,200 | 18 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 35 | 75 | 0 | 191 |
| Chad Pennington | 33 | Plus | 6 | @Jac,@Ten,Hou | 3,200 | 17 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 25 | 50 | 0 | 190 |
| Jason Campbell | 27 | Minus | 8 | @Oak, NYG, Dal | 3,000 | 14 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 35 | 200 | 1 | 190 |
| Matt Cassel | 27 | Minus | 8 | Buf, Cle, @Cin | 3,100 | 17 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 36 | 150 | 1 | 189 |
| Kyle Orton | 26 | Plus | 7 | @Ind, Oak, @Phi | 2,900 | 18 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 50 | 1 | 186 |
| Joe Flacco | 24 | Plus | 7 | Det, Chi, @Pit | 3,000 | 16 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 32 | 150 | 1 | 183 |
| Brady Quinn | 24 | Even | 9 | Pit, @KC, Oak | 2,900 | 16 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 32 | 75 | 0 | 173 |
| Jake Delhomme | 34 | Plus | 4 | @NE, Min, @NYG | 2,850 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 20 | 25 | 1 | 169 |
| Shaun Hill | 29 | Minus | 6 | Ari, @Phi, Det | 2,600 | 18 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 35 | 75 | 1 | 166 |
| JaMarcus Russell | 24 | Minus | 9 | Was,@Den,@Cle | 2,700 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 30 | 125 | 1 | 165 |
| Trent Edwards | 25 | Minus | 9 | @KC, NE, @Atl | 2,900 | 14 | 1 | 14 | 5 | 25 | 100 | 1 | 164 |
| Mark Sanchez | 22 | Plus | 9 | @TB, Atl, @Ind | 2,900 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 26 | 75 | 0 | 161 |
| Kerry Collins | 36 | Plus | 7 | StL, Mia, SD | 2,500 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 30 | 0 | 145 |
| Byron Leftwich | 29 | Plus | 8 | NYJ, @Sea, @NO | 2,200 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 19 | 60 | 0 | 139 |
| Marc Bulger | 32 | Even | 9 | @Ten, Hou, @Ari | 2,600 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 38 | 25 | 0 | 123 |
| Matthew Stafford | 21 | Minus | 7 | @Bal, Ari, @SF | 2,100 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 19 | 50 | 0 | 106 |
| Daunte Culpepper | 32 | Minus | 7 | @Bal, Ari, @SF | 1,100 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 30 | 0 | 52 |
| Matt Leinart | 26 | Even | 4 | @SF, @Det, StL | 800 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 51 |
| Derek Anderson | 26 | Even | 9 | Pit, @KC, Oak |
Welcome to the Shack!
Fantasy Sports Shack is a place for stats, opinions, information and links to the important stuff that will help you win a fantasy title, with a focus on football and baseball.
We want to know what a player has done for the last few years, their trends and projections for this year. We want to know sleepers who are going to make a difference, rookies who will shine and veterans who will bounce back. We want to know about the impact of the latest injuries, retirements and… well, legal issues. We want to know it before the next guy (or girl – the Shack doesn’t discriminate!), and we want to share it with you!
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