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.
Peyton Manning is simply aflame; start him if you’ve got him. The other three are pretty even, but it’s worth mentioning that Las Vegas expects a higher scoring AFC championship than its NFC counterpart - this makes Brady a better play than either McNabb or Delhomme.
QB
Opp
Pass Yds
Int
Sack
Rush Yds
Fum
TDs
Pts
Peyton Manning IND
NE
276.7
0.93
1.28
1.1
0.39
1.47
16.15
Tom Brady NE
IND
199.0
0.63
1.62
4.4
0.76
1.56
13.47
Donovan McNabb PHI
CAR
194.8
0.68
3.52
23.8
0.65
1.07
11.07
Jake Delhomme CAR
PHI
209.9
0.74
1.68
2.2
0.89
0.97
10.82
RB:
Stephen Davis is listed as questionable even though he was back on the practice field by Friday. Still, the consensus is that we’ll see more DeShaun than Stephen on Sunday. Adjust these numbers accordingly; in other words, subtract a few points from Stephen’s projected output and add a few to DeShaun’s. This makes Edge the best play of the week at running back, with the New England and Philly running back committees not very close behind.
RB
Opp
Rush Yds
Rec Yds
Fum
TDs
Pts
Stephen Davis* CAR
PHI
116.1
10.1
0.19
0.49
15.36
*Questionable (quadriceps)
Edgerrin James IND
NE
73.7
23.4
0.40
0.67
13.34
Duce Staley PHI
CAR
41.1
23.1
0.18
0.41
8.68
Antowain Smith NE
IND
55.5
5.9
0.07
0.34
8.09
Kevin Faulk NE
IND
45.1
26.2
0.25
0.00
6.88
DeShaun Foster CAR
PHI
37.1
14.3
0.19
0.11
5.59
Correll Buckhalter* PHI
CAR
20.5
4.8
0.00
0.24
4.00
*Probable (knee)
Ricky Williams IND
NE
9.0
12.3
0.15
0.17
3.01
Larry Centers NE
IND
10.0
10.5
0.00
0.11
2.70
Dominic Rhodes IND
NE
10.7
4.8
0.00
0.05
1.87
Nick Goings CAR
PHI
6.1
6.5
0.00
0.05
1.56
Jon Ritchie PHI
CAR
0.1
5.2
0.00
0.16
1.50
Brad Hoover CAR
PHI
2.0
5.7
0.00
0.10
1.33
WR:
Marvin Harrison and Steve Smith are playing MVP-like football this postseason, and we give each our highest recommendation. And Brandon Stokley? There’s more than enough to go around with Peyton throwing the ball like this, and Stokley has been a postseason revelation.
WR
Opp
Rec Yds
Fum
TDs
Pts
Marvin Harrison* IND
NE
89.8
0.12
0.61
12.53
*Probable (chest)
Steve Smith CAR
PHI
78.8
0.11
0.45
10.47
Brandon Stokley IND
NE
52.3
0.00
0.65
9.12
Reggie Wayne IND
NE
54.4
0.00
0.43
8.03
Muhsin Muhammad CAR
PHI
59.9
0.24
0.16
6.71
David Givens NE
IND
34.1
0.00
0.42
5.95
Deion Branch NE
IND
45.2
0.00
0.19
5.63
Troy Brown NE
IND
33.1
0.00
0.30
5.13
Todd Pinkston PHI
CAR
37.9
0.06
0.16
4.70
Troy Walters IND
NE
29.0
0.00
0.16
3.87
Freddie Mitchell PHI
CAR
30.3
0.00
0.11
3.67
James Thrash PHI
CAR
32.1
0.00
0.05
3.53
Dedric Ward NE
IND
22.8
0.00
0.20
3.46
Ricky Proehl CAR
PHI
22.2
0.00
0.20
3.42
Bethel Johnson NE
IND
14.7
0.00
0.19
2.58
JJ Stokes NE
IND
19.6
0.00
0.00
1.96
TE:
It’s slim pickings here, with Marcus Pollard and Daniel Graham your best bets. Pollard should get the yards; Graham seems slightly more likely to find the endzone.
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