By Charles Budd & Steve Maluk, Fantasy Football Cafe Regulars
This is a computerized ranking system created by Charles Budd and Steve Maluk (known in the forums as Buckychudd and Wesley Walker). Factors considered include 2003 performance of players and opposing defenses as well as the Vegas over/under and point spreads (to predict scoring). Players on byes are obviously not included, nor are players listed as “out” or “doubtful.”
Point projections are based on the following scoring system: 1 point for 25 yards passing or 10 yards rushing/receiving; 6 points per TD; -1 per sack or fumble; -2 per interception thrown.
Defense wins championships, right? Expect some defensive battles this week, with the exception being Indy at Kansas City. Vegas has set the over/under for that game at 51; that bodes well for Peyton Manning and Trent Green. Tom Brady keeps proving he belongs playing football in January - as does Brett Favre, but we all knew that already.
QB
Opp
Pass Yds
Int
Sack
Rush Yds
Fum
TDs
Pts
Peyton Manning IND
KC
279.6
0.93
1.19
2.0
0.38
1.56
17.79
Trent Green KC
IND
221.1
0.67
1.14
5.4
0.31
1.44
15.50
Tom Brady NE
TEN
254.4
0.94
2.23
2.7
0.81
1.43
14.22
Brett Favre* GB
PHI
212.0
1.01
1.32
1.0
0.31
1.33
14.14
*Probable (thumb)
Marc Bulger STL
CAR
240.0
1.40
2.89
4.6
0.53
1.62
13.51
Steve McNair* TEN
NE
231.4
0.86
1.63
7.5
0.86
1.09
13.13
*Questionable (ankle/calf)
Donovan McNabb PHI
GB
213.1
0.86
2.68
20.0
0.56
1.21
12.39
Jake Delhomme CAR
STL
192.7
1.43
1.85
2.8
0.94
1.16
9.88
RB:
Priest Holmes is simply the best fantasy player this season, and that’s not about to change this week. Ahman Green, Edgerrin James, Stephen Davis, and Marshall Faulk all look poised for solid games as well.
RB
Opp
Rush Yds
Rec Yds
Fum
TDs
Pts
Priest Holmes KC
IND
93.2
38.2
0.06
1.86
24.23
Ahman Green GB
PHI
129.3
23.4
0.44
1.01
20.89
Edgerrin James IND
KC
120.4
23.7
0.38
0.90
19.41
Stephen Davis CAR
STL
108.3
11.2
0.21
0.48
14.62
Marshall Faulk STL
CAR
67.9
24.8
0.00
0.41
11.74
Kevin Faulk NE
TEN
29.2
32.8
0.27
0.48
8.80
Duce Staley PHI
GB
26.1
25.1
0.13
0.41
7.44
Correll Buckhalter PHI
GB
32.6
9.3
0.20
0.55
7.31
Eddie George* TEN
NE
49.0
10.4
0.06
0.21
7.15
*Questionable (shoulder/ankle)
Antowain Smith NE
TEN
33.9
7.9
0.08
0.20
5.33
DeShaun Foster CAR
STL
32.2
14.5
0.21
0.14
5.32
Ricky Williams IND
KC
14.8
12.8
0.15
0.23
4.00
Tony Fisher GB
PHI
14.6
14.0
0.00
0.16
3.81
Najeh Davenport GB
PHI
30.8
2.6
0.27
0.11
3.72
Lamar Gordon STL
CAR
27.2
5.5
0.10
0.09
3.70
WR:
You shouldn’t need us to tell you to start Holt, Harrison, or Mason. Javon Walker and Justin McCareins, on the other hand, have quietly been racking up yards and scores - start either this week and wait for their big-game quarterbacks to get them the ball.
WR
Opp
Rec Yds
Fum
TDs
Pts
Torry Holt STL
CAR
99.6
0.06
0.71
14.15
Marvin Harrison IND
KC
89.6
0.13
0.63
12.63
Derrick Mason TEN
NE
83.0
0.00
0.39
10.64
Steve Smith CAR
STL
68.2
0.13
0.42
9.21
Isaac Bruce STL
CAR
61.5
0.00
0.31
8.03
Reggie Wayne IND
KC
55.3
0.00
0.42
8.03
Javon Walker* GB
PHI
45.6
0.06
0.47
7.33
*Probable (shoulder)
Justin McCareins TEN
NE
51.8
0.00
0.34
7.22
David Givens NE
TEN
43.9
0.00
0.47
7.22
Deion Branch NE
TEN
59.9
0.00
0.20
7.22
Brandon Stokley* IND
KC
37.2
0.00
0.48
6.57
*Probable (ankle)
Troy Brown NE
TEN
44.0
0.00
0.34
6.45
Muhsin Muhammad CAR
STL
54.9
0.20
0.19
6.44
Eddie Kennison KC
IND
47.3
0.06
0.28
6.35
Drew Bennett TEN
NE
42.8
0.00
0.26
5.84
Johnnie Morton KC
IND
41.0
0.00
0.22
5.45
Donald Driver GB
PHI
42.2
0.00
0.11
4.89
Robert Ferguson GB
PHI
35.3
0.00
0.22
4.87
Dedric Ward NE
TEN
29.7
0.00
0.26
4.50
Todd Pinkston PHI
GB
37.8
0.06
0.13
4.49
Troy Walters IND
KC
32.1
0.00
0.19
4.35
James Thrash PHI
GB
36.7
0.00
0.06
4.06
Freddie Mitchell PHI
GB
32.8
0.00
0.13
4.05
Dane Looker STL
CAR
29.1
0.06
0.18
3.91
Ricky Proehl CAR
STL
23.9
0.00
0.24
3.83
Tyrone Calico TEN
NE
21.6
0.00
0.22
3.50
Dante Hall KC
IND
23.4
0.06
0.06
2.62
David Patten NE
TEN
26.1
0.00
0.00
2.61
Bethel Johnson NE
TEN
15.6
0.00
0.14
2.38
TE:
There remains but one elite tight end, and that man is Tony Gonzalez. Marcus Pollard could find the endzone too, as could Daniel Graham for the Pats. But in terms of a tight end’s likelihood of scoring a TD, nobody even comes close to Gonzo this week.