Crystal Ballin’ Week Ten IDP

The Saints and Giants are off the charts this week, thank god bye weeks are almost done. Just on a side-note, I wish we didn’t have byes. I know that’s a selfish deal with us fantasy players, but even from a fans perspective I hate them. I know teams need to rest up and this gives them a break, but it does give some teams an advantage going into a tough matchup. Even if that’s not the case, not having a bye would put all the teams on an even keel.
I just think the bye week is a way for the NFL to stretch 16 weeks into 17 and get some extra TV revenues.

So what are we missing this week?
For starters, how about Carolina’s Thomas Davis, one of the real truly honest over-performers this year? Davis’ fantasy MVP IDP season is at an end, as he just hit the IR. Filling his spot is Journeyman Landon Johnson, who is unlikely to have the same fantasy or NFL impact. One thing’s for sure, an already iffy Panthers defense just took a big hit.

If that didn’t rock your world, then how about Eric Barton of the Brownies? First D’Qwell all-pro Jackson is gone for the year, then down goes Barton. OLB David Bowens has slid to the middle, and Jason Trusnik and Kaluka Maiava are going to share some time. Wow, both starting insides gone, and this is a team that has allowed a gaudy 170+ yards per game on the ground. Damn, wish I owned a Ravens RB for this week..the buffet table just opened.

And no, I’m not done with the good news. Redskin SS Chris Horton is now gone, making Reed Doughtry the latest waiver wire non-factor to be gobbled up in free agency this week. Nice, that Redskins team needed one more log on the fire.

Of course, Indy’s Bob Sanders is gone, but if you really expected him to make it through the year, well, your bad.

And we have the gone but not forgotten, meaning the players out of commission this week.

Detroit’s Ernie Sims is due to now miss the next four games at a minimum, and you wonder if the Lions will decide to just shut his butt down in the next couple of weeks. Rookie DeAndre Levy is playing well, and mark my words, will not relinquish the job to Sims this year or next. It’s done, so you Sims owners’ better get over it. For those Levy owners high-fiving in the background, I’m right there with you guys, let’s just keep it down.

Da’ Bills are missing three key cogs in their defense. DT Kyle Williams will leave a gaping hole in the middle of the defense, and seeing that Williams missed last game and the Bills allowed 181 rushing yards and 3 TDs, it ain’t pretty. Luckily, Spencer Johnson is not a bad filler, but he’s certainly not Williams. And to add to their misery, WLB Keith Ellison is out, and the Ashlee Palmer experiment went badly. With Williams gone, SS Bryan Scott will move into the SLB spot. Is that all they have? Wow, what a disaster. Then all-decade CB Terrence McGee is MIA as well, making for a three-some of troubles for the Bills, and a mouth-watering matchup for Chris Johnson and Vince Young with George Wilson (how generic is that?) filling in at SS if Donte Whitner can’t go. Let the blood-letting begin.

The rolling Saints are going to miss CB Jabrari Greer this week, even against the awfully-pathetic Rams. Coming off a bye week and time to relish their lone victory, the Rams have got nada to lose, and will definitely be in the gambling mode, attacking Greer’s less than steller Randal Gay. But it won’t matter much, lamp chops will be a staple with Cajun cooking this weekend.

Speaking of legendary CBs, the Vikes Antonie Winfield will also be MIA this week. Replacing him will be Karl Paymah, who was a big part of the 290 yards and 3 TDs allowed to the Packs Aaron Rogers in their last game. He could be a nice fantasy play however.

Jets Dwight Lowery (a fantasy favorite of mine) has displaced Lito Shepherd at CB this week. Lowery has always produced from a fantasy outlook when given the chance, so in deeper leagues he should be nabbed.

Not only do the Packers get to face off against the hated Cowboys and a revived Tony Romo and Dallas passing game, but they do so without OLB Aaron Kampman and reserve ILB Brady Poppinga. Kampman will sorely be missed, as the Packers will be forced to insert untested Brad Jones (zero tackles on the year). So instead of the Pack losing the sack battle 6-1 this weekend, it will likely be a shutout. Without Kampman, the only way the packers will get to Romo is to blitz corners, and if they do that Romo will h-u-r-t them. Should be ugly. Don’t be a fool and take the spread, the Boys are going to mess up the Packers.

Greg “Stylez” White of the Bucs is out this weekend, and Tampa will turn to…to…hell, I don’t know to replace him. The incredibly depth-less Bucs just took a hit at the one spot they couldn’t. So much for the one-game winning streak. Miami QB Chad Henne probably won’t get his uniform dirty this week.

The Bungles put Roy Williams on IR this week, elevating SS Chidenum Ndukwe to the starting grid full time. News from a source close to the Bengals say DB coach Kevin Coyle was the one who actually broke William’s arm to avoid the criticism of his signing. Good move. In other news, WLB Keith Rivers isn’t going to suit up, putting Brandon Johnson into the starting eleven. Johnson filled in for Rivers after he got dinged last week, and hung up 3-2-1.5. Nice; now if he can just repeat that performance. But he’s facing the Steelers, who are only averaging 20 rushing plays a week the last three, not too enticing if you are looking for a LB.

The LB shuffle is upon us in Phily. Just when fantasy owners of MLB Will Witherspoon we getting comfortable and slapping their own backs in congrats, the Iggles will shuffle the deck. With WLB Akeem Jordan out, Spoon will move to WLB, Chris Gogong will man the middle and Moise Fokou will be the strong. What an uncomfortable name Fokou has..unfortunate.

Dolphins waived LB JD Folsom. Oh wait, this is a news section. Carry on. p.s. For Channing Crowder owners, this is likely good news. Or is it? If you need three solos and six fantasy points, I guess so.

The Cardinals Chike Okeafor is out, Bert Berry is in. Not much to tout here, although Berry is generally a decent bet for a sack if you are in a big play league, and the SeaChickens allow more than two a game.

Cowboys DeMarcus Ware practiced fully on Friday and is ready to go vs. the Packers. I think he may get 12-14 sacks in this game alone, and QB Aaron Rogers needs to put pads on his a**.
Raiders SLB Ricky Brown is out, Jon Alston is in. Ho-hum.

Titan SLB David Thornton is starting…for now. Gerald McRath is breathing down his neck, and Thornton won’t be starting past week 12.

Panther FS Charles Godfrey is probably out, with Sherrod Martin filling in. I completely missed this news until today. Dang, I have Godfrey starting in my already depleted DB core in a league.

You own Curtis Lofton? Lucky bastad. He is averaging 10 ½ tackles a week, and the Panthers have allowed 11 a week to MLBs the last three games. Can you say monster week?

How about Paul Posluszny? He faces the Titans, who have averaged 40 rushing plays a week the last three, and the Bills have faced over 40 rushing attempts every week but one the last six weeks.