Joe Namath Rehab Center 2013 Playoffs: First Round

Joe Namath Rehab Center 2013 Playoffs: First Round

#6 Catchin bids not tds (7-6) – Shawn McFarland

@ #3 Mayweather/Peterson 2 (9-4) – Josh Tannenbaum

PROBABLE STARTERS

Pos.	McFarland	Tannenbaum	Advantage
QB	Matt Stafford (@Phi)	Cam Newton (@NO)	McFarland
WR1	Andre Johnson (@Jax)	Larry Fitzgerald (StL)	McFarland
WR2	Roddy White (@GB)	TY Hilton (@Cin)	PUSH
RB1	Jamaal Charles (@Wash)	LeSean McCoy (Det)	PUSH
RB2	Reggie Bush (@Phi)	Shane Vareen (Cle)	McFarland
TE	Julius Thomas (Tenn)	Delanie Walker (@Den)	McFarland
K	Nick Novak (NYG)	Matt Prater (Tenn)	Tannenbaum
D	Houston (@Jax)	Cincinnati (Ind)	Tannenbaum

WHY MCFARLAND COULD WIN:

            Touchdowns are key in the Joe Namath Rehab Center and every single player in McFarland’s starting lineup could score two touchdowns in any given game.  Obviously Roddy White stands out as the exception to that, but he is looking much more promising after his ten-catch performance last week.

            All six of McFarland’s skill players have plus match-ups.  Stafford is a top-three QB play this week, while Johnson, Charles, Bush and Thomas are all arguably top-five at their respective positions as well.  The Rehab Center rewards .5 points-per-reception, potentially making all four of those guys very deadly.  On top of that, all are top target/touch monsters in the red zone.  However, if Thomas is inactive once again, McFarland’s advantage at tight end will quickly be erased.  Jacob Tamme played well two weeks ago, but caught just one ball last week.

            Novak and Houston’s defense have good match-ups as well.  San Diego should move the ball at will on the Giants at home.  Fortunately for McFarland, unlike the case with Matt Prater last week, the Charges aren’t good enough to score a touchdown every trip down the field.  McFarland has no other Chargers on his team and would like to see San Diego with 15 points rather than 14 or 21.

            Houston has the potential to do well, but can’t really be trusted after some of its recent performances.  Still, the Texans held the Jags to just 13 points two weeks ago.  The fact that the game is being played on a Thursday should help as well.

WHY TANNENBAUM COULD WIN:

            If Newton were to have a big day in New Orleans and run for two touchdowns that would quickly offset a great day by Stafford.  Newton certainly has been running less this year as compared to his last two, but you never know against a defense who likes to blitz and play man coverage across the board.

            Fitzgerald and McCoy must have good days as well.  Like a few of McFarland’s starters, Tannenbaum has two two-TD guys in Fitz and Shady.  McCoy will likely see a bunch of targets and could very easily negate any decent day from Charles or Bush.  The Lions have been hard to run against though, which may mean that McCoy will see a lot of balls out of the backfield.  Vareen had a good day last week too, but counting on him for a touchdown may be a stretch.  Still, Vareen has hauled in 7, 8, 8 and 5 catches in his four games so he should provide a couple of points on receptions alone.

            Hilton was a push with White because they are both so inconsistent.  Hilton hasn’t scored a touchdown since his three-TD game a month ago.  Walker, who has replaced Jermichael Finley for Tannenbaum, is a stretch as well.  Walker does have five touchdowns on the year, but was concussed last week and his availability is up in the air.

            Prater is arguably the best kicker in fantasy due to his offense’s ability to get in field goal range literally every time they have the ball.  However, as mentioned before, they also have the ability to score multiple touchdowns and leave him with measly extra points (five points last week.)

            Cinci’s defense should be a good play at home against a struggling Colts team.  They are currently calling for freezing rain in Cinci on Sunday.  Unfortunately for Tannenbaum, something will have to give as he has Hilton going against his defense.  The points will offset if Hilton scores, otherwise Tannenbaum won’t be able to get max points from both positions.

WHO WINS:

            I can’t help but feel as if I am going to jinx myself hardcore, but based on the match-ups I have to pick Catchin bids not tds to win.  I feel as if my lineup is capable of producing as well as any left in our playoffs and, coupled with the plus match-ups across the board, expect my team to advance to the semi-finals to face Mr. Egan.

#5 DalesBasementVacancy (7-6) – Ross Williams

@ #4 Hangin wit Mr Cooper (8-5) – Louis Peon

PROBABLE STARTERS

Pos.	Williams	Peon	Advantage
QB	Philip Rivers (NYG)	Russell Wilson (@SF)	Williams
WR1	Antonio Brown (Mia)	Demaryius Thomas (Ten)	Peon
WR2	Alshon Jeffery (Dal)	Harry Douglas (@GB)	Williams
RB1	Alfred Morris (KC)	Adrian Peterson (@Balt)	Peon
RB2	Giovani Bernard (Ind)	Bobby Rainey (Buf)	PUSH
TE	Martellus Bennett (Dal)	Rob Gronkowski (Cle)	Peon
K	Stephen Gostkowski (Cle)	Steve Hauschka (@SF)	PUSH
D	San Francisco (Sea)	Kansas City (@Wash)	Peon

WHY WILLIAMS COULD WIN:

            Fantasy football has become a quarterback-driven game and Williams’ signal caller has a much better match-up than Peon’s.  Rivers could throw for 300-plus yards and a couple of scores and help out a ton.  At the same time he could throw one touchdown with two or three picks.  Rivers’ performance will go a long way in determining whether Williams wins or not.

            His receivers have been reception-monsters as of late.  Brown is practically a lock for six catches, while Jeffery has shown what he is capable of the last two weeks.  Jeffery gets another favorable match-up this week against Dallas.  The weather may play a factor, but could Jeffery go for 200 yards three wins in a row?  If he does, and posts a 30-point line like last week, he could cancel out Thomas and Peterson alone.

            Morris and Bernard aren’t the best running backs to have come playoff time.  The Redskins’ offense is dreadful and the match-up is not very good.  At first glace one might think Bernard has the advantage over Rainey.  However, Bernard hasn’t offered much the weeks he hasn’t scored.  Bad weeks from these two could doom Williams.

            Bennett could catch a touchdown, or he could catch two balls for 14 yards like last week.  Which will it be?  Oh, the luck of fantasy.

            Gostkowski is as good as they come, but do you ever really know what to expect from a kicker?  San Fran’s D is always tough.  They are at home, but Williams can’t be too thrilled after watching the Seahawks dismantle the Saints last week.

WHY PEON COULD WIN:

            Peon has three guys, Thomas, Peterson and Gronkowski, who probably have at least a 70 percent chance of scoring a touchdown.  Those are very, very good odds.  Williams’ best would be Brown or Jeffery, and I would put their chances around 50-50.

            If those three guys get in the end zone, and Jeffery doesn’t go wild for Williams, I think Peon will be looking good.  Douglas and Rainer are wild cards and anything more than six points should be viewed as gravy.  The Falcons should be throwing a ton at Green Bay, while Buffalo is allowing over a hundred yards on the ground.

            Where the game will be won or lost will be in the quarterback vs. defense match-up.  If Wilson does well and limits his turnovers, that means Williams didn’t get a game-changing performance out of his defense.  If Wilson throws a few picks and only musters 14-21 points, maybe he throws a touchdown (or a pick-six), then Williams’ defense will probably have outscored Wilson.  That alone could offset a lot of points.

            Peon will like his defensive match-up, however the Chiefs have given up a ton of points as of late.  Plus they will be on the road.  RGIII is turnover prone, but scoring 14 points to negate any scoring other than sacks and turnovers is definitely do-able.

WHO WINS:

            I am going to go with Peon.  Williams has a few guys that can go off in Rivers and Jeffery, but Peon has more in Thomas, AP and Gronk.  Wilson at San Fran might have been scary a few weeks ago, but not now.  He seems to have the game completely under control.  I think Peon winning the QB vs. D match-up, along with getting at least two touchdowns from his big three, will lead him to victory.