1. Arian Foster vs.  JAX – He’s coming off a monster Week 7 (40+ fantasy football points) and will be the featured horse again Week 8.

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2. Adrian Peterson vs. Car – The Packers knew he was getting the ball and still couldn’t stop him. Look for 125 yards and a TD.

3. LeSean McCoy vs. Dal – McCoy will be the featured offensive player for the Eagles on Sunday Night.

4. Frank Gore vs. Cle – The Niners power football game will overpower the Browns.

Next

Ahmad Bradshaw vs. Mia – The Dolphins have checked out mentally in ’11. Bradshaw will top 100 yards for the 2nd consecutive game on Sunday.

Ray Rice vs. Arz -  The Ravens will get back to pounding the rock this week.

Steven Jackson vs. NO – The Saints run D has holes in it.

The Rest

Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Hou – MJD will see the ball 25+ times and top the century mark with a score.

DeMarco Murray vs. Phi – Murray has a chance for a big night right back against a suspect Eagles run D.

Bernard Scott vs. Sea – The Bengals will commit to the run in the Pacific Northwest.

Fred Jackson vs.  Was – Jackson’s year is off to a monster start and he’ll continue that success against the Skins.

Darren Sproles vs. Stl – If Mark Ingram is forced to sit it’ll mean more touches for Sproles.

DeAngelo Williams vs. Min – The Panthers will enjoy success on the ground against the Vikes. Jonathan Stewart is a good start as well as he’s the receiving threat out of the backfield on this team.

BenJarvus Green Ellis – The Patriots schematically confused even the great Steelers’ defenses. This unit is not elite.

Ryan Matthews vs. KC – He’ll top 75 rushing yards and 50 receiving vs. the Chiefs Monday Night.

Jackie Battle vs. SD – He’s not a speedster but will pound the Chargers interior to the tune of 80 yards and a TD.

Rashard Mendenhall vs. NE – His numbers are way down playing behind a suspect line in ’11. More of a short yardage TD threat this week.

Fantasy Sleeper

Ryan Torain vs. Buf – Now that Hightower is lost for the year Torain will see his carries increase. He’s a solid

against the Bills run D and could top 100 yards with a score.

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Must Start

1. Darren McFadden vs. KC – McFadden will top 125 yards with at least 1 TD.

2. Ray Rice vs. JAX – The Jags just got torched by Rashard Mendenhall and now get Rice, who will top 100 yards and find the end zone.

3. Chris Johnson vs. Hou – He’s had huge games in the past vs. the Texans.

4. Arian Foster vs. Ten – With Andre Johnson still out expect the Texans to run the ball plenty on Sunday.

Next

Ryan Matthews vs. NYJ – Mathews is coming into own and the Jets don’t stop the run well.

Arian Foster vs. Ten – With Andre Johnson still out expect the Texans to run the ball plenty on Sunday.

Matt Forte vs. TB – The dynamic Bears back will be prominent vs. the Bucs.

The Rest

Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Bal – MJD will receive the ball 25+ times on MNF.

Michael Turner vs. Det – Turner Burner found his wheels against the Panthers and Gore just torched the Lions.

Steven Jackson vs. Dal – He’ll be relied upon even more with Sam Bradford likely sidelined.

Willis McGahee vs. Mia – The Dolphins are bad. Nothing more needs to be said.

Peyton Hillis vs. Sea – Provided his hamstring is healthy, he’ll find the end zone against Seattle.

Mark Ingram vs. Ind – His yardage has been low but he’s finding the end zone. Against the Colts he’ll find yardage too.

James Starks vs. Min – The Packers should be playing this one with a large lead… which will mean more rushing attempts for Starks.

Daniel Thomas vs. Den – The Broncos defensively aren’t that stout themselves.

DeAngelo Williams vs. Was – The Panthers will feed the ball to Williams to take pressure off Newton.

Ryan Torain vs. Car – Look for Shanahan’s crew to get back to the running game against the Panthers.

Beanie Wells vs. Pit – The Steelers have surprisingly allowed a lot of yards on the ground in 2011.

Rashard Mendenall vs. Arz – He found his wheels against the Jags and will touch the ball plenty vs. the Cards.

Fantasy Sleeper

DeMarco Murray vs. Stl – Everyone runs on the depleted Rams D. Murray should be in line for the majority of carries this week and is a solid fantasy sleeper.

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Must Start

1. Adrian Peterson vs. Chi – All Day dominates at Soldier Field. He’s the top ranked fantasy football RB once again.

2. Darren McFadden vs. Cle – Look for McFadden to easily top 100 yards with a long TD vs. the Browns.

3. Ray Rice vs. Hou – The loss of LB Mario Williams is a big blow to the Texans’ D.

4. LeSean McCoy vs. Was – He might be more of a factor as a receiver on Sunday but a significant factor none the less.

Next

Arian Foster vs. Bal – Expect Foster to touch the ball 25 + times gainst the Ravens.

Fred Jackson vs. NYG – The Giants D allows one long run each week it seems.

Peyton Hillis vs. Oak – The Browns will look to neutralize the hostile crowd by feeding Hillis the ball early on.

The Rest

LeGarrette Blount vs. NO – He’ll look to get untracked against a Saints team vulnerable to the long run.

Ryan Torain vs. Phi – The Birds are horrific stopping the run. If Hightower is back, he’s a good start. Otherwise, expect Torain to pound the rock all Sunday.

DeAngelo Williams vs. Atl – Williams is beginning to regain his form from a few years ago. Newton’s passing ability is taking pressure off the running game.

Matt Forte vs. Min – Forte is a dual threat who will find more success through the air against the Vikings.

BenJarus Green Ellis – The Pats relied on him heavily against the Jets and he delivered. He should find similar success against the Cowboys run D.

Ahmad Bradshaw vs. Buf – The Giants O-Line is a mess, but Bradshaw could be a big factor in this week’s passing game too.

Cedric Benson vs. Indy – The Colts can’t stop ANYONE on the ground. The Chiefs 4^th string RB topped 100 yards on Sunday.

Michael Turner vs. Car – The Falcons will make a concerted effort to re-establish the run vs. the Panthers.

Steven Jackson vs. GB – He should see the ball 25+ times in Lambeau.

Frank Gore vs. Det – He’s running well but this is a tough test. Expect between 60-70 yards with a TD.

Felix Jones vs. NE – This Pats D is one of the worst under Belichick.

Fantasy Sleeper

Darren Sproles vs. TB – The Bucs were just annihilated in San Francisco and run all over by a good – not great – 49ers team. The Saints are using Sproles heavily and he’s a strong fantasy sleeper in Week 6.

Must Start

1. Adrian Peterson vs. ARZ – The Cards are pretty good against the run, but few backs run like Peterson.

2. Darren McFadden vs. Hou – McFadden could be in for a big day if the Raiders keep things close.

3. Arian Foster vs. Oak – Foster looked 100% running all over the Steelers. Expect another 100 yard game with a TD vs. the Raiders.

4. LeSean McCoy vs. Buf – He’ll play a huge role in this week’s game. The Eagles are desperate and keep their best player involved early and often.

Next

Fred Jackson vs. Phi – EVERYONE runs on the Eagles.

Ahmad Bradshaw vs. Sea – The Giants should be playing with a lead and will look to re-establish the ground game.

Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Cin – It’s at home and against a less than formidable D.

The Rest

Frank Gore vs. TB – Look for Gore to build off of his Week 4 effort with a strong game vs. the Bucs.

Chris Johnson vs. Pit – This isn’t the Steelers defense of old.

Thomas Jones vs. Ind – The Colts having gaping holes in the middle of their defense.

DeAngelo Williams vs. NO – He’s been tough on the Saints throughout his career.

LeGarrette Blount vs. SF – The Niners run D is solid, but Blount runs tough and downhill. He also has some speed.

Ryan Matthews vs. Den – The 2^nd year back is becoming a steady performer in fantasy football.

Willis McGahee vs. SD – Has taken over as the starter and is putting up solid yards on the ground.

Cedric Benson vs. JAX – The Jags D can be run on.

Matt Forte vs. Det – Expect Forte to make noise as a receiver out of the backfield. The Lions front 7 is pretty stout.

Mark Ingram vs. Car – It’s taking him time to adapt to the NFL but the Saints are slowly upping his workload. The Panthers are weak against the run.

Jahvid Best vs. Chi – Running on the Bears hasn’t been too difficult in 2011.

Fantasy Sleeper

Steven Ridley vs. NYJ – The Jets run D has been less than stellar in 2011. This week they have to deal with Tom Brady and the explosive passing attack which should take attention away from the rookie and running game. Look for him to be an excellent fantasy sleeper in Week 5.

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Must Start

1. Adrian Peterson vs. Det – All Day runs on everyone. The top fantasy football RB in Week 3.

2. Ray Rice vs. Stl – Rice will top 100 yards with 2 TD’s vs. the Rams.

3. Rashard Mendenhall vs. Indy – Everyone runs on the Colts. Mendenhall will have a field day.

4. LeSean McCoy vs. NYG – Shady McCoy’s been a Giants killer throughout his career.

Next

Chris Johnson vs. Den – Something’s got to give. We think it’ll be the Broncos D.

Maurice Jones Drew vs. Car – The Panthers have holes in their running game and are down multiple players.

LeGarrette Blount vs. Atl – Blount got going in Week 2 with 2 TDs. He’ll find the end zone again in Atlanta.

The Rest

Ben Tate vs. NO – HC Gary Kubiak will try and shorten the game by running the ball. Tate is the No. 1 guy for now.

Beanie Wells vs Sea – The Seahawks haven’t stopped anyone on the ground.

Jahvid Best vs. Min – He’ll be a threat receiving and running. DT Kevin Williams is back so running lanes won’t be as plentiful.

Mike Tolbert vs. KC – The Chiefs have thrown in the towel. Expect Tolbert to find the end zone twice.

Michael Turner vs. TB – Expect the Falcons to feed Turner the ball 20+ times.

DeAngelo Williams vs. JAX – This is the week Williams gets untracked. The Jags D is soft.

Peyton Hillis vs. Mia – The Dolphins D lacks confidence and is vulnerable to the run.

Darren McFadden vs. NYJ – McFadden is developing into a star. The Jets can be run on.

Benjarvus Green Ellis vs. Buf – He’ll find the end zone in what should be a high scoring affair.

Fred Jackson vs. NE – Expect plenty of running room against a Pats D still coming together.

Willis McGahee vs. Ten – The Broncos will run the ball in Tennessee.

Frank Gore vs. Cin – The Bengals just allowed McGahee to break the century mark. Gore will get going this week.

Ahmad Bradshaw vs. Phi – The Eagles run D is suspect. Bradshaw will be a factor running and receiving in Philly.

Fantasy Sleeper

Daniel Thomas vs. Cle – He topped 100 yards vs. the Texans and looks good right back as a fantasy sleeper against a middle of the road Browns D.

1. San Diego Chargers – The Broncos caught everyone off guard with their big win over Kansas City a week ago. It won’t happen again this week. They’re playing on the road, against a well rested Chargers team coming off its bye, and don’t have the firepower or talent to stick with San Diego… this is also the time of year that the Chargers usually begin to roll. Look for Phillip Rivers and Co. to roll to an easy win on Monday Night.

2. Baltimore Ravens - The Panthers could be down to their No. 4 QB if rookie Jimmy Clausen is unable to go. It’s really a mess down in Carolina and this week they placed RB DeAngelo Williams on IR. Baltimore will steamroll easily in this contest.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steelers have many issues of their own right now, namely the loss of both starting Offensive tackles plus a few key starters on the defensive side of the ball, but they’ll bounce back against the Raiders and Jason Campbell. Look for a closer game, but expect the Steelers to right their ship this week against Oakland.

Teams that are no sure thing in your suicide pool.

Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles could see a different Giants team this week than the one which showed up vs. the Cowboys a week ago.

New England Patriots - Peyton Manning has given Bill Belichick fits for the past five years.

San Francisco 49ers - Tampa Bay is a tough customer and Josh Freeman gives this team a chance to win on most Sundays… especially this one.

1. Adrian Peterson - The Vikings are a mess; AD is not. Look for him to run wild on the Cardinals as they come to Minnesota this Sunday. Peterson is the top ranked fantasy football RB in Week 9.

2. Jamaal Charles - He racked up over 238  total yards vs. the Bills a week ago. The Raiders are horrible vs. the run and Charles will pick up yards in droves in Week 9.

3. Arian Foster - Houston will try and keep Rivers on the sidelines by feeding the ball to Foster who’ll top 100 yards and a score.

4. Michael Turner - The Bucs are soft in its interior and we expect the Falcons to ride Turner heavily in this one. He’ll find the end zone twice.

Next In Line

Ahmad Bradshaw – The Giants No. 1 back is well rested coming off the bye and will easily top 100 yards vs. the Seahawks.

LeSean McCoy - The Colts run D can be exploited. The Eagles will give McCoy every chance to do so.

LaDainian Tomlinson - The Jets will have no issues running the ball on the Lions and Tomlinson will top 100 yards and find the end zone at least once.

Rounding Out the List

Rashard Mendenall – These games are always hotly contested. Mendenhall will top 100 yards with a score.

Darren McFadden – He’s playing with a ton of confidence and is one of the hottest backs in fantasy football. He’ll gash the Chiefs for 100 yards this week.

Ray Rice – The Ravens will look to get Rice more involved and this will lead to more catches, yards and TDs.

Benjarvus Green-Ellis - The Patriots main RB will receive 20 carries and find the end zone at least once in Cleveland.

Jonathan Stewart - The Panthers will run the ball 25 times on Sunday. Provided DeAngelo Williams is out, expect Stewart to post solid numbers against a Saints D that’s poised for a drop off after Sunday Night.

Ryan Mathews – The Texans run D can be gashed by speedy backs. Mathews is beginning to figure out what it means to play RB in the NFL.

Thomas Jones – He’ll receive 50% of the carries and should top 70 yards with a TD.

Ricky Williams - Being used as a change of pace, Williams should find the end zone in Baltimore.

Fantasy Sleeper of the Week

LeGarrette Blount - His impressive Week 8 earns him this week’s fantasy sleeper spot. His running style will suit him well against the Falcons and we like for him to top 100 yards with one, maybe two, scores.

1. Thomas Jones

Jones had a monster game vs. the Bills with over 210 yards and a long TD in Week Six. He now gets the Raiders, who have a (black) hole in the middle of their defense. After the awful showing by Sanchez, look for Ryan to put the ball back into the hands of Jones and for the RB to eclipse 125 yards and at least one score. He’s out top fantasy football back in Week Seven.

2. DeAngelo Williams vs. Buffalo Bills

Williams found his stride on Sunday and finished with 152 yards and two TDs, including the game winner. As seen by Jones totals above, the Bills don’t possess much of a run defense, so expect a huge effort from Williams with over 100 yards and two scores.

3. Joseph Addai vs. St. Louis Rams

Addai’s been up and down this year and more of a receiving threat than running, but this is an excellent opportunity to get his rushing yardage total up against a very bad Rams defense. Maurice Jones-Drew just lit them up for 130 yards and three TDs. Now Addai isn’t Jones-Drew, but he’s certainly capable of delivering a solid fantasy effort, especially if Manning and the passing game get off to a hot start.

4. Ronnie Brown vs. New Orleans Saints

Although the Saints are one of the best in the business at stopping the run, Brown will prove a difficult match-up. Lining up in the Wild Cat is a formation most teams aren’t used to and Brown executes this style better than anyone. Look for another 100 yard effort and at least one TD.

Sleepers

1. Larry Johnson vs. San Diego Chargers

Johnson produced a solid game vs. the Skins and finished with 83 rushing yards on Sunday. He now faces the DT Jamal Williams-less Chargers defense and will have a gaping hole in the middle to run through. This is why he’s an excellent fantasy sleeper in Week Seven and might reach 100 yards for the first time this season.

2. Laurence Maroney vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sammy Morris’s injury might have opened up a last opportunity for the former No. 1 draft pick. In his absence, Maroney rushed for 127 yards and a TD vs. the beleaguered Titans, and has another excellent match-up vs. the Bucs.

Others We Like

Marion Barber vs. Atlanta Falcons

The bye week came at a great time as it allowed Barber to rest his injured leg. He now faces a beaten up Falcons defense which is lacking big men in the interior (of its defense). Dallas will come out pounding the rock on Sunday and we think Barber will end up in the end zone at least once.

Ahmad Bradshaw vs. Arizona Cardinals

Bradshaw’s scored three TDs in the past two games and his yards per carry is around six. The Giants will want to keep things a little more balanced offensively this week and that bodes well for No. 44, who could hit his third 100 yard game of the season.

LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Tomlinson will have an excellent opportunity to show he’s not finished when the Chargers head to Kansas City in Week Seven. The Chiefs are one of the worst teams against the run and Tomlinson should also be able to notch his first TD of the season.

A Few More

Pierre Thomas vs. Miami Dolphins

Ryan Grant vs. Cleveland Browns

MarShawn Lynch vs. Carolina Panthers

Jonathan Stewart vs. Buffalo Bills

1. DeAngelo Williams

There can be no denying that a star was born in 2008. Williams came on like a rocket and not only amassed the yards towards the end—993 over the last eight games, but also put 20 TDs on the board. The Panthers line is once again intact and Williams should be a top tier fantasy choice once again.

2. Michael Turner

Turner went gangbusters for the Falcons in ’08 running for 1,699 yards and 17 TDs. In 2009, things won’t come so easy. The Falcons get the NFC and AFC East and both conferences features teams with strong defenses. Still, the Falcons offense is very talented and Turner should once again put up double digit TDs and 1,200-1,300 yards.

3. Jonathan Stewart

The other runner in the Panthers’ backfield could be poised to take a huge step forward after a solid rookie season. At 235 pounds, he possesses a rare combination of size and speed and should eclipse the 1,000 yard mark and as the goal line specialist, double digit TDs.

4. Reggie Bush

If Bush can stay healthy, he should be a fantasy force this season. His attempts running the ball will be split with Pierre Thomas, but he should average five to eight receptions per game and at least 50 plus yards. With so much attention being paid to the other offensive threats on the Saints, and Brees’ pinpoint accuracy, look for Bush to be a solid dual fantasy threat.

5. Pierre Thomas

Thomas, an undrafted free agent, actually held off Steelers’ Rashad Mendenhall at Illinois for a few years, and he quickly stepped in as the guy when Deuce went down last year and Bush was out with an injury. A tough, inside runner, who also possesses good speed, Thomas should see 65 percent of the carries in 2009 and post solid numbers.

6. Derrick Ward

The Bucs signed Ward to a solid contract, but his success was the result of a solid Giants’ offensive line and Brandon Jacobs wearing down defenses. In his three opportunities to be the MAN when Jacobs was out, he was only able to hit 70 yards in one of the games and failed to impress. His value will come as a receiver out of the backfield as Ernest Graham should carry most of the load.

Before we can answer this question, let’s look back to 2008, and the events that led up to the season, to see if Williams was just a one-hit wonder or if we can expect him to remain among the elite in 2009 and beyond.

Coming into the season, no one could have predicted that Williams would rattle off more than 1,500 rushing yards and 20 total TDs.

In fact, his own team used the No. 13 pick of the 2008 NFL Draft on Jonathan Stewart, a stout, speedy back out of Oregon, and he was projected to vie for at least half of the team’s carries—if not the starter’s job outright.

Williams, a first-round pick from the class of 2006, hadn’t really shown enough to be thought of as a full-time back, and after watching the Giants’ two-headed attack (Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw) lead them to the Super Bowl in ’07, the Panthers decided to follow suit and replace DeShaun Foster with Stewart.

And early on, the carries were virtually split in half. Williams was the starter, but head coach John Fox wasted no time in getting Stewart into the game. Stewart quickly became the team’s primary goal-line back as his 235-pound body was tough to bring down near the end zone.

But Williams began to distance himself as the No. 1 runner in Week Five. For whatever reason, he went off for more than 123 yards rushing and scored three total TDs against the Chiefs.

He followed it up with another stellar performance three weeks later against the Cardinals.

About this time, Stewart experienced a foot injury and began to hit what is known as the rookie wall.

So his carries diminished.

But it wasn’t to be a problem; Williams was on a roll. In fact, over the last eight games of the season, he ran for 993 yards and scored 15 TDs.

To top it off, and put the dagger in my fantasy season, he rolled all over the Giants in Week 16 by putting up more than 100 yards and four TDs.

All this, just two weeks after he put up 186 yards and two TDs against the Bucs on Monday night.

So after a few mediocre seasons, in which he was unable to distance himself from fellow starter DeShaun Foster, was 2008 just an aberration for Williams?

Nope.

In fact, I fully expect Williams to pick up where he left off for a number of reasons.

First, he was a very talented runner in college and that’s why he was selected in the first round of the draft.

Second, it usually takes until year three for a player to really hit his stride and become a solid NFL pro. The learning curve can be steep.

Third, the Panthers went out in 2008 and significantly upgraded their offensive line, trading back into the first round to draft offensive tackle Jeff Otah, and brought back wide receiver Muhsin Muhammed to provide another threat opposite Steve Smith.

This addition helped keep the safeties busy in the secondary and allowed the big offensive line to get its push and control the front seven.

And the result of all this re-tooling was a monster season by the ground game, especially Williams, who firmly emerged as a superstar in ’08.

And look for more of that in 2009, as he possesses the size, speed, and skill to remain right behind Adrian Peterson in the “best backs” conversation. ]]> https://profootball101.com/2009/05/18/was-deangelo-williams-2008-fantasy-season-a-fluke/feed/ 1