()=Last Week's Ranking
1. (1) Denver Broncos (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. (3) New England Patriots (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Buffalo Bills
3. (6) Minnesota Vikings (3-0) Week 4 opponent: New York Giants
4. (8) Seattle Seahawks (2-1) Week 4 opponent: New York Jets
5. (7) Green Bay Packers (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Bye Week
6. (15) Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Bye Week
7. (13) Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
8. (2) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
9. (14) Baltimore Ravens (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Oakland Raiders
10. (4) Carolina Panthers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
11. (5) Arizona Cardinals (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Los Angeles Rams
12. (16) Oakland Raiders (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
13. (9) Houston Texans (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Tennessee Titans
14. (10) Cincinnati Bengals (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Miami Dolphins
15. (12) New York Giants (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
16. (19) Atlanta Falcons (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Carolina Panthers
17. (11) New York Jets (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
18. (21) Indianapolis Colts (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
19. (23) Dallas Cowboys (2-1) Week 4 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
20. (18) Detroit Lions (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Chicago Bears
21. (24) Los Angeles Rams (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
22. (29) Buffalo Bills (1-2) Week 4 opponent: New England Patriots
23. (27) Washington Redskins (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Cleveland Browns
24. (20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Denver Broncos
25. (22) San Diego Chargers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: New Orleans Saints
26. (26) Miami Dolphins (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
27. (25) Tennessee Titans (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Houston Texans
28. (17) New Orleans Saints (0-3) Week 4 opponent: San Diego Chargers
29. (28) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
30. (30) San Francisco 49ers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
31. (31) Chicago Bears (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Detroit Lions
32. (32) Cleveland Browns (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Washington Redskins
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Week 3 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions
Facing a massive 31-10 deficit at halftime, the Lions were forced to rely on a pass-heavy offense, and those early struggles ended up deeply rewarding Matthew Stafford's fantasy owners. Stafford's strong second half led to an excellent 385 YD/3 TD/1 INT statline as the Lions narrowly lost 34-27 to the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon. Stafford has been one of the strongest fantasy options in 2016 thus far and his hot start has a great shot of continuing in Week 4 as the Lions take on the Bears weak, injury-riddled defense.
Honorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
LVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ryan Fitzpatrick's disastrous 6 INT performance against the Chiefs was clearly the worst quarterback performance of the week, but his ineptness didn't effect nearly as many as fantasy players as Ben Roethlisberger's did. The Eagles aggressive front applied constant pressure and forced Big Ben to have an uncharacteristically sloppy performance (257 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT, lost fumble) in a game that was universally disastrous for the Black and Yellow. Ironically, Roethlisberger's Week 4 matchup comes against the Chiefs defense that forced the Jets to turn the ball over 8 times this week, which makes a bounceback performance far from probable.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets), Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Marcus Mariota (Titans)
Running Back
MVP: Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
After a relatively quiet start to the season, Devonta Freeman woke up in a big way this week. The Falcons running back torched the Saints lowly defense for 207 YDS (152 rushing, 55 receiving) and a TD on 19 touches. Freeman is currently locked in a timeshare with 2nd-year back Tevin Coleman and isn't likely to put up eye-popping numbers like this on a regular basis, but he's still worth starting every week in 2016's messy RB climate.
Honorable Mentions: Tevin Coleman (Falcons), Carlos Hyde (49ers), LeSean McCoy (Bills)
LVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
DeAngelo Williams has finally come back down to earth. A combination of the Steelers being forced to strictly pass after going down by multiple scores very early in the game and the Eagles honing in on him forced Williams to put up a lackluster 44 yards (21 rushing, 23 receiving) on just 12 touches. With Le'Veon Bell officially being reinstated from his suspension this week, Williams' fantasy value is bound to rapidly diminish.
Dishonorable Mentions: C.J. Anderson (Broncos), Matt Forte (Jets), Jerick McKinnon (Vikings)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Marvin Jones Jr. (Lions)
Marvin Jones Jr. made the most of his targets against the Packers on Sunday afternoon. On just 6 receptions, Jones Jr. racked up an absurd 205 yards and a touchdown. With Golden Tate struggling out of the gate, Jones Jr. has established him as the Lions go-to receiver and subsequently earned a spot as a high-end WR2 with a WR1 ceiling.
Honorable Mentions: Terrelle Pryor Sr. (Browns), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos) T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
LVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Where the hell was Julio Jones last night? Despite getting targeted a team-high 7 times, Jones was almost completely left out of the Falcons torching of the Saints defense, finishing with just a single catch for 16 yards. While Jones is currently dealing with ankle and calf ailments, it's still shocking that he made so little noise against the league's worst defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Brandin Cooks (Saints), Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs)
Tight End
MVP: Zach Miller (Bears)
Zach Miller was a popular fill-in option for owners of currently dinged-up TE1's Delanie Walker and Antonio Gates and he ended up nicely rewarding the people that inserted him into their lineups this week. Miller was Brian Hoyer's favorite target in the Bears ugly primetime loss against the Cowboys, picking up 78 yards and 2 TD on 8 receptions. Despite his success in Week 3, I still wouldn't recommend starting Miller outside of emergency situations.
Honorable Mentions: Coby Fleener (Saints), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Rob Gronkowski's 2016 debut didn't exactly go as planned. The perennial top fantasy tight end was basically a ghost against the Texans, only seeing the field for 14 plays and failing to catch his only target of the game. Gronkowski was still visibly hobbled by the hamstring that held him out of the first 2 games of the season and despite all of the upside he brings to the table every time he steps on the field, he'll be a very risky play until he's at 100%.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Jaguars), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Dwayne Allen (Colts)
Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense put up the type of performance in Week 3 that doesn't seem possible outside of a video game. The Chiefs defense/special teams put on a takeaway clinic against the Jets, picking up 6 INT's, 2 fumble recoveries and scoring a pair of TD's that catapulted them to an easy 24-3 victory. The Chiefs face a much tougher task against the Steelers in Week 4, but any owner has to feel good about their chances to be a top 3-5 fantasy defense this year after this unreal performance.
Honorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots
LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks defense put up a solid real-life performance in Week 3, but that success wasn't reflected in their fantasy numbers. The Seahawks allowed 18 points, failed to register a sack and only managed a single INT in their blowout win over the embattled 49ers. The Seahawks D get a more-than-ideal opportunity to redeem themselves against the turnover-happy Jets offense in Week 4.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers
MVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions
Facing a massive 31-10 deficit at halftime, the Lions were forced to rely on a pass-heavy offense, and those early struggles ended up deeply rewarding Matthew Stafford's fantasy owners. Stafford's strong second half led to an excellent 385 YD/3 TD/1 INT statline as the Lions narrowly lost 34-27 to the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon. Stafford has been one of the strongest fantasy options in 2016 thus far and his hot start has a great shot of continuing in Week 4 as the Lions take on the Bears weak, injury-riddled defense.
Honorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
LVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ryan Fitzpatrick's disastrous 6 INT performance against the Chiefs was clearly the worst quarterback performance of the week, but his ineptness didn't effect nearly as many as fantasy players as Ben Roethlisberger's did. The Eagles aggressive front applied constant pressure and forced Big Ben to have an uncharacteristically sloppy performance (257 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT, lost fumble) in a game that was universally disastrous for the Black and Yellow. Ironically, Roethlisberger's Week 4 matchup comes against the Chiefs defense that forced the Jets to turn the ball over 8 times this week, which makes a bounceback performance far from probable.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets), Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Marcus Mariota (Titans)
Running Back
MVP: Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
After a relatively quiet start to the season, Devonta Freeman woke up in a big way this week. The Falcons running back torched the Saints lowly defense for 207 YDS (152 rushing, 55 receiving) and a TD on 19 touches. Freeman is currently locked in a timeshare with 2nd-year back Tevin Coleman and isn't likely to put up eye-popping numbers like this on a regular basis, but he's still worth starting every week in 2016's messy RB climate.
Honorable Mentions: Tevin Coleman (Falcons), Carlos Hyde (49ers), LeSean McCoy (Bills)
LVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
DeAngelo Williams has finally come back down to earth. A combination of the Steelers being forced to strictly pass after going down by multiple scores very early in the game and the Eagles honing in on him forced Williams to put up a lackluster 44 yards (21 rushing, 23 receiving) on just 12 touches. With Le'Veon Bell officially being reinstated from his suspension this week, Williams' fantasy value is bound to rapidly diminish.
Dishonorable Mentions: C.J. Anderson (Broncos), Matt Forte (Jets), Jerick McKinnon (Vikings)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Marvin Jones Jr. (Lions)
Marvin Jones Jr. made the most of his targets against the Packers on Sunday afternoon. On just 6 receptions, Jones Jr. racked up an absurd 205 yards and a touchdown. With Golden Tate struggling out of the gate, Jones Jr. has established him as the Lions go-to receiver and subsequently earned a spot as a high-end WR2 with a WR1 ceiling.
Honorable Mentions: Terrelle Pryor Sr. (Browns), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos) T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
LVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Where the hell was Julio Jones last night? Despite getting targeted a team-high 7 times, Jones was almost completely left out of the Falcons torching of the Saints defense, finishing with just a single catch for 16 yards. While Jones is currently dealing with ankle and calf ailments, it's still shocking that he made so little noise against the league's worst defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Brandin Cooks (Saints), Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs)
Tight End
MVP: Zach Miller (Bears)
Zach Miller was a popular fill-in option for owners of currently dinged-up TE1's Delanie Walker and Antonio Gates and he ended up nicely rewarding the people that inserted him into their lineups this week. Miller was Brian Hoyer's favorite target in the Bears ugly primetime loss against the Cowboys, picking up 78 yards and 2 TD on 8 receptions. Despite his success in Week 3, I still wouldn't recommend starting Miller outside of emergency situations.
Honorable Mentions: Coby Fleener (Saints), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Rob Gronkowski's 2016 debut didn't exactly go as planned. The perennial top fantasy tight end was basically a ghost against the Texans, only seeing the field for 14 plays and failing to catch his only target of the game. Gronkowski was still visibly hobbled by the hamstring that held him out of the first 2 games of the season and despite all of the upside he brings to the table every time he steps on the field, he'll be a very risky play until he's at 100%.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Jaguars), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Dwayne Allen (Colts)
Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense put up the type of performance in Week 3 that doesn't seem possible outside of a video game. The Chiefs defense/special teams put on a takeaway clinic against the Jets, picking up 6 INT's, 2 fumble recoveries and scoring a pair of TD's that catapulted them to an easy 24-3 victory. The Chiefs face a much tougher task against the Steelers in Week 4, but any owner has to feel good about their chances to be a top 3-5 fantasy defense this year after this unreal performance.
Honorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots
LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks defense put up a solid real-life performance in Week 3, but that success wasn't reflected in their fantasy numbers. The Seahawks allowed 18 points, failed to register a sack and only managed a single INT in their blowout win over the embattled 49ers. The Seahawks D get a more-than-ideal opportunity to redeem themselves against the turnover-happy Jets offense in Week 4.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers
Monday, September 26, 2016
Movie Review: The Magnificent Seven
The Magnificent Seven's setup is about as familiar as it gets: vengeance-seeking widow Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) hires famed bounty hunter Sam Chisholm (Denzel Washington) to bring down Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the greedy industrialist who killed her husband (Matt Bomer) and aims to take over the small mining town of Rose Creek in which she resides. Chisholm soon hires six fearless, skilled outlaws (Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Byung Hun-Lee, Vincent D'Onofrio, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier) from all over the surrounding territories to help him fight off Bogue's men and restore order to Rose Creek.
Fuqua deserves a ton of credit for making a film that applies modern visual effects/stunt magic and characterizations (the films portrays people of color and women in a positive light) to the western genre without disregarding the rollicking tone and palatable grit that the defined the genre's classic films. The massive gunfights are beautifully-shot and cleanly-edited, the pacing is brisk without being frantic and each member of the ensemble cast is note-perfect for their respective role (the reliably excellent Washington and legitimately menacing Sarsgaard are the standouts). It may not be as deep or inventive as the True Grit or 3:10 Yuma remakes, but it's still an elite entry in the criminally thin field of modern westerns. The Magnificent Seven is easily the best action blockbuster of 2016 so far and it's going to take one hell of an effort for another fall film to match or exceed its entertainment value.
4/5 Stars
Friday, September 23, 2016
Album Review: Mac Miller-The Divine Feminine
Since releasing his third LP GO:OD AM last September, Miller has entered a relationship with pop singer Ariana Grande and the headspace that their budding romance has put him in results in The Divine Feminine being the most joyful album of his career. Hearing a clear-minded, lovestruck Miller is kind of odd given the themes of drug use, depression and self-loathing that have ruled his past few releases, but I admire Miller for once again making an album that encapsulates his mental state at a given period of his life.
Unsurprisingly, Miller's newfound love translates to a record full of romantic ballads. Given how long Miller has been down a rabbit hole of darkness and self-medication, this shift to more jovial subject matter is far from a seamless transition. Miller's process of trying to re-adjust his voice to convey messages of love and commitment leads to an album that features sincere triumphs ("Planet God Damn"), noble failures (the bloated 8-minute epic "Cinderella") and a whole lotta mixed bags ("God is Fair, Sexy Nasty", "Congratulations", a few other tracks). The smooth, low-key production handled by a number of excellent veteran producers including Frank Dukes, Vinylz and DJ Dahi and Miller's introspective lyrics that paint a vivid picture of his relationship with Grande prevent the record from completely crashing and burning, but The Divine Feminine largely lacks the focus and confidence that has made his last few projects so impressive.
The only time on The Divine Feminine where Miller flat-out nails his new sound comes on the beautiful funk/soul-inspired "Dang!", which was released as the album's lead single back in July. With the aid of a killer horn grove and flawless guest spot from rising R&B star Anderson.Paak, Miller drops a wildly infectious, upbeat song that perfectly illustrates the joy his new relationship is bringing him. If The Divine Feminine featured more songs that matched "Dang!'s" level of positive energy and poignancy, Miller's latest reinvention would've far been more successful.
While the surprising lack of cohesion and confidence certainly does its fair share of damage to the overall quality of the product, The Divine Feminine's biggest crutch is Miller's singing voice. Miller has the type of voice that is passable in small doses, but is far too weak to carry a song on its own. For reasons I'll never be able to comprehend, there are four songs ("Skin", "Soulmate", "My Favorite Part", the aforementioned "Cinderella") on The Divine Feminine where Miller either exclusively or almost exclusively sings for the duration of the track. "My Favorite Part", which is a duet featuring Grande, is able to skate by on the happy couple's terrific chemistry, but the other three songs quickly becoming grating due to Miller's erratic, often tone-deaf singing. I understand that crooning is a huge part of making love songs, but Miller does not have the vocal chops to try and channel Marvin Gaye or Luther Vandross for any sustained period of time.
There are just enough positives to put The Divine Feminine on the right side of average, but the huge step-down down in quality after his career-best LP GO:OD AM is undeniably disheartening. He seemed to be just scratching the surface of his potential as an artist on that record and the comparatively tentative nature and admirable yet misguided vision of The Divine Feminine has temporarily derailed him from reaching it. That being said, it takes some time to adjust to such a rapid, dramatic change in state of mind after spending so much time in a dark place, so it's completely understandable that Miller's first foray into the world of tender love ballads wasn't hugely successful. If Miller is still madly in love with Grande when his next record comes out, I have no doubt that it will be much more cohesive and emotionally-resonant album than The Divine Feminine.
3/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Dang! (feat. Anderson. Paak)
2.Planet God Damn (feat. Njomza)
3.We (feat. Cee Lo Green)
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
The Best and Worst of Denzel Washington
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "The Magnificent Seven" star Denzel Washington.
Films starring Denzel Washington that I've seen:
Cry Freedom
Philadelphia
Remember the Titans
Training Day
John Q
Man on Fire
Inside Man
Deja Vu
American Gangster
The Taking of Pelham 123
The Book of Eli
Unstoppable
Safe House
Flight
2 Guns
The Equalizer
Best Performance: Training Day (2001)
I firmly believe that Washington's Academy Award-winning performance as Detective Alonzo Harris in Training Day is the greatest piece of acting in the history of cinema. Washington turned what could've been easily a by-the-numbers part into arguably the most menacing, deranged and straight-up despicable character to ever grace the silver screen. A lot of great actors have played corrupt cops over the years, but no one has ever come close to matching the suffocating intensity and sinister aura that Washington displayed as Harris.
Worst Performance: N/A
Washington is someone that every actor in Hollywood should strive to be like. This is a man that shows up and gives 110% every time he steps on a film set, regardless of genre or the quality of the material he's working with. He might not be the single most acclaimed or respected figure in Hollywood right now, but no other actor in my lifetime is able to rival Washington's 30+ year track record of consistency in this industry.
Best Film: Training Day (2001)
In the 80's and 90's, police films were largely sanitized and portrayed cops as nothing but honest, moral human beings. Training Day flipped that long-standing genre trope around, offering an unflinching look at crime in the inner city and how police corruption plays a part in allowing illegal activity to thrive in poverty-stricken areas. The atmosphere is alarmingly realistic, the story is gripping and Washington's performance as the corrupt cop who takes a rookie narcotics officer (an excellent Ethan Hawke) around his beat to show him the ropes is beyond perfect. In my eyes, Training Day is a game-changing masterpiece that doesn't get nearly as much love as it deserves from the moviegoing public.
Worst Film: The Equalizer (2014)
It's a testament to Washington's ability to pick quality roles that an above-average action film like The Equalizer is the worst project he's ever starred in. While the action sequences themselves are appropriately brutal and well-executed, the overly serious tone and bizarrely large focus on the generic, dull plot prevented this from being a top-notch B-grade vigilante film.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Deepwater Horizon" star John Malkovich.
Films starring Denzel Washington that I've seen:
Cry Freedom
Philadelphia
Remember the Titans
Training Day
John Q
Man on Fire
Inside Man
Deja Vu
American Gangster
The Taking of Pelham 123
The Book of Eli
Unstoppable
Safe House
Flight
2 Guns
The Equalizer
Best Performance: Training Day (2001)
I firmly believe that Washington's Academy Award-winning performance as Detective Alonzo Harris in Training Day is the greatest piece of acting in the history of cinema. Washington turned what could've been easily a by-the-numbers part into arguably the most menacing, deranged and straight-up despicable character to ever grace the silver screen. A lot of great actors have played corrupt cops over the years, but no one has ever come close to matching the suffocating intensity and sinister aura that Washington displayed as Harris.
Worst Performance: N/A
Washington is someone that every actor in Hollywood should strive to be like. This is a man that shows up and gives 110% every time he steps on a film set, regardless of genre or the quality of the material he's working with. He might not be the single most acclaimed or respected figure in Hollywood right now, but no other actor in my lifetime is able to rival Washington's 30+ year track record of consistency in this industry.
Best Film: Training Day (2001)
In the 80's and 90's, police films were largely sanitized and portrayed cops as nothing but honest, moral human beings. Training Day flipped that long-standing genre trope around, offering an unflinching look at crime in the inner city and how police corruption plays a part in allowing illegal activity to thrive in poverty-stricken areas. The atmosphere is alarmingly realistic, the story is gripping and Washington's performance as the corrupt cop who takes a rookie narcotics officer (an excellent Ethan Hawke) around his beat to show him the ropes is beyond perfect. In my eyes, Training Day is a game-changing masterpiece that doesn't get nearly as much love as it deserves from the moviegoing public.
Worst Film: The Equalizer (2014)
It's a testament to Washington's ability to pick quality roles that an above-average action film like The Equalizer is the worst project he's ever starred in. While the action sequences themselves are appropriately brutal and well-executed, the overly serious tone and bizarrely large focus on the generic, dull plot prevented this from being a top-notch B-grade vigilante film.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Deepwater Horizon" star John Malkovich.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Week 3 NFL Power Rankings
()=Last week's ranking
1. (1) Denver Broncos (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
2. (2) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
3. (3) New England Patriots (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Houston Texans
4. (6) Carolina Panthers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
5. (7) Arizona Cardinals (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Buffalo Bills
6. (9) Minnesota Vikings (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Carolina Panthers
7. (5) Green Bay Packers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Detroit Lions
8. (4) Seattle Seahawks (1-1) Week 3 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
9. (11) Houston Texans (2-0) Week 3 opponent: New England Patriots
10. (8) Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Denver Broncos
11. (12) New York Jets (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
12. (15) New York Giants (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Washington Redskins
13. (10) Kansas City Chiefs (1-1) Week 3 opponent: New York Jets
14. (14) Baltimore Ravens (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
15. (21) Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
16. (13) Oakland Raiders (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Tennessee Titans
17. (17) New Orleans Saints (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
18. (18) Detroit Lions (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Green Bay Packers
19. (24) Atlanta Falcons (1-1) Week 3 opponent: New Orleans Saints
20. (16) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Los Angeles Rams
21. (19) Indianapolis Colts (0-2) Week 3 opponent: San Diego Chargers
22. (31) San Diego Chargers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
23. (26) Dallas Cowboys (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Chicago Bears
24. (30) Los Angeles Rams (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
25. (29) Tennessee Titans (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Oakland Raiders
26. (23) Miami Dolphins (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Cleveland Browns
27. (20) Washington Redskins (0-2) Week 3 opponent: New York Giants
28. (22) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
29. (27) Buffalo Bills (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
30. (25) San Francisco 49ers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
31. (28) Chicago Bears (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
32. (32) Cleveland Browns (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Miami Dolphins
1. (1) Denver Broncos (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
2. (2) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
3. (3) New England Patriots (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Houston Texans
4. (6) Carolina Panthers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
5. (7) Arizona Cardinals (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Buffalo Bills
6. (9) Minnesota Vikings (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Carolina Panthers
7. (5) Green Bay Packers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Detroit Lions
8. (4) Seattle Seahawks (1-1) Week 3 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
9. (11) Houston Texans (2-0) Week 3 opponent: New England Patriots
10. (8) Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Denver Broncos
11. (12) New York Jets (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
12. (15) New York Giants (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Washington Redskins
13. (10) Kansas City Chiefs (1-1) Week 3 opponent: New York Jets
14. (14) Baltimore Ravens (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
15. (21) Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) Week 3 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
16. (13) Oakland Raiders (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Tennessee Titans
17. (17) New Orleans Saints (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
18. (18) Detroit Lions (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Green Bay Packers
19. (24) Atlanta Falcons (1-1) Week 3 opponent: New Orleans Saints
20. (16) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Los Angeles Rams
21. (19) Indianapolis Colts (0-2) Week 3 opponent: San Diego Chargers
22. (31) San Diego Chargers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
23. (26) Dallas Cowboys (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Chicago Bears
24. (30) Los Angeles Rams (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
25. (29) Tennessee Titans (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Oakland Raiders
26. (23) Miami Dolphins (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Cleveland Browns
27. (20) Washington Redskins (0-2) Week 3 opponent: New York Giants
28. (22) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
29. (27) Buffalo Bills (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
30. (25) San Francisco 49ers (1-1) Week 3 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
31. (28) Chicago Bears (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
32. (32) Cleveland Browns (0-2) Week 3 opponent: Miami Dolphins
Week 2 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback:
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
After a so-so game against the Broncos in the season opener, Cam Newton came out and proved why he was the top-drafted quarterback in most leagues this year with a tremendous performance against the 49ers. Newton recovered from a pair of ugly 1st quarter turnovers (an INT and a lost fumble) and went onto torch the 49ers physically-drained defense for 390 total yards (353 passing, 37 rushing) and 4 TD. Newton faces a much stiffer challenge in Week 3 when the Vikings and their criminally underrated defense come to Bank of America Stadium, but is still worth playing of because dual-threat abilities and excellent career track record at home.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Derek Carr (Raiders)
LVP: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
Jameis Winston threw up one of his trademark massive stinkers against the Cardinals. A huge early deficit forced Winston to conjure up the bad habits (rushed throws, forcing passes into double/triple coverage, etc.) he had during his days at Florida State and the Cardinals defense made him pay for it, picking up 4 INT's and a lost fumble on the afternoon. Fearless quarterbacks with a gunslinger mentality are going to have games like this every once in a while, but Winston's tremendous upside and vital importance to the functionality of the Bucs offense makes him worth keeping as a low-end QB1/top-flight QB2.
Dishonorable Mentions: Andrew Luck (Colts), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Eli Manning (Giants)
Running Back:
MVP: Matt Forte (Jets)
Matt Forte isn't a human being. The 30-year old running back once again looked like a fresh-legged 20-something as he ripped off a 109-yard (100 rushing, 9 receiving), 3 TD performance against the Bills last Thursday night. In a 2-week span that has been nothing short of catastrophic for the running back position, Forte has been one of only a handful of guys that have yielded impressive results for their owners.
Honorable Mentions: Isaiah Crowell (Browns), DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), LeGarrette Blount (Patriots)
LVP: Mark Ingram (Saints)
What the hell is going on with Mark Ingram? The Saints workhorse back mustered 47 total yards (30 rushing, 17 receiving) on just 13 touches in the Saints surprisingly low-scoring duel with the Giants this week. Ingram has been a bizarrely small part of the Saints offense through the first 2 weeks of the season and if this trend continues in Week 3 against the Falcons, it may be time to start getting very concerned about his status as a viable fantasy starter.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carlos Hyde (49ers) , Eddie Lacy (Packers), T.J. Yeldon (Jaguars)
Wide Receiver:
MVP: Stefon Diggs (Vikings)
Don't look now, but Stefon Diggs might be a legit fantasy stud in the making. The Vikings 2nd-year wideout was once again the focal point of the offense, picking up 182 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions, in the Purple Norseman's upset victory over the Packers on Sunday night. With a league-high 285 receiving yards through 2 weeks, Diggs appears to be a legit breakout candidate for 2016.
Honorable Mentions: Travis Benjamin (Chargers), Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Corey Coleman (Browns)
LVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
The most consistently productive player in all of fantasy football proved his mortality this week. Despite being targeted a team-high 11 times, Brown finished Sunday's contest versus the Bengals with just 39 yards on 4 receptions. Brown's return to dominant form in Week 3 is all but assured as he is set to square off against an Eagles secondary that is currently dealing with a rash of injuries.
Dishonorable Mentions: Golden Tate (Lions), A.J. Green (Bengals), Allen Robinson (Jaguars)
Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
A week after the league's healthy star tight end's all put up middling numbers, Greg Olsen and his counterparts ensured things returned to normal in Week 2. Olsen narrowly won the position MVP award over Martellus Bennett and Delanie Walker with his terrific, team-anchoring 5 REC/122 YD/1 TD performance against the 49ers. Olsen remains the clear number 2 target in the Panthers passing game behind Kelvin Benjamin and should continue to be one of the best options at TE just about every week.
Honorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Patriots), Delanie Walker (Titans), Vance McDonald (49ers)
LVP: Coby Fleener (Saints)
Another week, another letdown for Coby Fleener. Facing a Giants defense that got straight-up torched by Jason Witten in Week 1, Fleener managed to get just 2 receptions for 29 yards on 8 targets-which was tied with Willie Snead for 2nd-most on the team. Fleener has been a huge dud so far, but given the Saints status as the NFL's most pass-happy offense, he's still worth hanging onto for the time being.
Dishonorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Dwayne Allen (Colts), Gary Barnidge (Browns)
Defense
MVP: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals followed up a lackluster showing against the Patriots with one of the most dominant defensive performances in recent memory against the Buccaneers this week. The Cardinals made life a living hell for Jameis Winston and co., picking up 4 INT, 3 sacks, a fumble recovery and a TD while only allowing 7 points. The Cardinals have yet another excellent matchup in Week 3 as they take on the dysfunctional offense of the Buffalo Bills, so repeating this absurd level of production isn't completely out of the question.
Honorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers
LVP: Oakland Raiders
The optimism that I had for the Raiders defense going into 2016 has gone up in flames. The Silver and Black's defense once again couldn't stop a nosebleed, as they got torched for 35 points by the Falcons on Sunday while only mustering a single sack and interception to try and offset their inability to stop opposing offenses from scoring at will. I'd say it's safe to go ahead and drop this underwhelming group immediately.
Dishonorable Mentions: New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
After a so-so game against the Broncos in the season opener, Cam Newton came out and proved why he was the top-drafted quarterback in most leagues this year with a tremendous performance against the 49ers. Newton recovered from a pair of ugly 1st quarter turnovers (an INT and a lost fumble) and went onto torch the 49ers physically-drained defense for 390 total yards (353 passing, 37 rushing) and 4 TD. Newton faces a much stiffer challenge in Week 3 when the Vikings and their criminally underrated defense come to Bank of America Stadium, but is still worth playing of because dual-threat abilities and excellent career track record at home.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Derek Carr (Raiders)
LVP: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
Jameis Winston threw up one of his trademark massive stinkers against the Cardinals. A huge early deficit forced Winston to conjure up the bad habits (rushed throws, forcing passes into double/triple coverage, etc.) he had during his days at Florida State and the Cardinals defense made him pay for it, picking up 4 INT's and a lost fumble on the afternoon. Fearless quarterbacks with a gunslinger mentality are going to have games like this every once in a while, but Winston's tremendous upside and vital importance to the functionality of the Bucs offense makes him worth keeping as a low-end QB1/top-flight QB2.
Dishonorable Mentions: Andrew Luck (Colts), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Eli Manning (Giants)
Running Back:
MVP: Matt Forte (Jets)
Matt Forte isn't a human being. The 30-year old running back once again looked like a fresh-legged 20-something as he ripped off a 109-yard (100 rushing, 9 receiving), 3 TD performance against the Bills last Thursday night. In a 2-week span that has been nothing short of catastrophic for the running back position, Forte has been one of only a handful of guys that have yielded impressive results for their owners.
Honorable Mentions: Isaiah Crowell (Browns), DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), LeGarrette Blount (Patriots)
LVP: Mark Ingram (Saints)
What the hell is going on with Mark Ingram? The Saints workhorse back mustered 47 total yards (30 rushing, 17 receiving) on just 13 touches in the Saints surprisingly low-scoring duel with the Giants this week. Ingram has been a bizarrely small part of the Saints offense through the first 2 weeks of the season and if this trend continues in Week 3 against the Falcons, it may be time to start getting very concerned about his status as a viable fantasy starter.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carlos Hyde (49ers) , Eddie Lacy (Packers), T.J. Yeldon (Jaguars)
Wide Receiver:
MVP: Stefon Diggs (Vikings)
Don't look now, but Stefon Diggs might be a legit fantasy stud in the making. The Vikings 2nd-year wideout was once again the focal point of the offense, picking up 182 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions, in the Purple Norseman's upset victory over the Packers on Sunday night. With a league-high 285 receiving yards through 2 weeks, Diggs appears to be a legit breakout candidate for 2016.
Honorable Mentions: Travis Benjamin (Chargers), Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Corey Coleman (Browns)
LVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
The most consistently productive player in all of fantasy football proved his mortality this week. Despite being targeted a team-high 11 times, Brown finished Sunday's contest versus the Bengals with just 39 yards on 4 receptions. Brown's return to dominant form in Week 3 is all but assured as he is set to square off against an Eagles secondary that is currently dealing with a rash of injuries.
Dishonorable Mentions: Golden Tate (Lions), A.J. Green (Bengals), Allen Robinson (Jaguars)
Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
A week after the league's healthy star tight end's all put up middling numbers, Greg Olsen and his counterparts ensured things returned to normal in Week 2. Olsen narrowly won the position MVP award over Martellus Bennett and Delanie Walker with his terrific, team-anchoring 5 REC/122 YD/1 TD performance against the 49ers. Olsen remains the clear number 2 target in the Panthers passing game behind Kelvin Benjamin and should continue to be one of the best options at TE just about every week.
Honorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Patriots), Delanie Walker (Titans), Vance McDonald (49ers)
LVP: Coby Fleener (Saints)
Another week, another letdown for Coby Fleener. Facing a Giants defense that got straight-up torched by Jason Witten in Week 1, Fleener managed to get just 2 receptions for 29 yards on 8 targets-which was tied with Willie Snead for 2nd-most on the team. Fleener has been a huge dud so far, but given the Saints status as the NFL's most pass-happy offense, he's still worth hanging onto for the time being.
Dishonorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Dwayne Allen (Colts), Gary Barnidge (Browns)
Defense
MVP: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals followed up a lackluster showing against the Patriots with one of the most dominant defensive performances in recent memory against the Buccaneers this week. The Cardinals made life a living hell for Jameis Winston and co., picking up 4 INT, 3 sacks, a fumble recovery and a TD while only allowing 7 points. The Cardinals have yet another excellent matchup in Week 3 as they take on the dysfunctional offense of the Buffalo Bills, so repeating this absurd level of production isn't completely out of the question.
Honorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers
LVP: Oakland Raiders
The optimism that I had for the Raiders defense going into 2016 has gone up in flames. The Silver and Black's defense once again couldn't stop a nosebleed, as they got torched for 35 points by the Falcons on Sunday while only mustering a single sack and interception to try and offset their inability to stop opposing offenses from scoring at will. I'd say it's safe to go ahead and drop this underwhelming group immediately.
Dishonorable Mentions: New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)