Fantasy football strategy, rankings, and podcasts

In what seems like a blink of an eye we are already at the quarter post of the NFL season.

Once again last week provided an exciting weekend of, apparently, unpredictable football. This seems like a good time to remind you that a lot of season-long pools will throw out your lowest score of the year.

Let’s just throw week 4 into that category and move on …

Week 5 – HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN ALL CAPS)

14 – PITTSBURGH over New York Jets – The Steelers were looking scary and now they have Le’Veon Bell back. Going to be tough to top them this year.

13 – MINNESOTA over Houston – A defense without JJ Watt is one to not really be feared.

12 – New England over CLEVELAND – New England lost at home last week…Tom Brady is back…Tom Brady is mad…this could be ugly.

11 – INDIANAPOLIS over Chicago – The Colts need a pick-me-up and they need it soon. A home game against the Bears should do the trick.

10 – GREEN BAY over New York Giants – OBJ is off, which means the Giants’ offense is out of options.

9 – OAKLAND over San Diego – The Chargers’ offense seems to be clicking, but their defense won’t be able to contain Derek Carr.

8 – LOS ANGELES over Buffalo – The Rams are 3-1, we’ll call this a deserved gift to be this high on the board.

7 – MIAMI over Tennessee – Someone has to win this one, right?

6 – DENVER over Atlanta – That now makes four weeks without a correct pick for the Falcons. So, again, take this pick for what it’s worth.

5 – BALTIMORE over Washington – The Ravens made a move this week to prove they are going younger. So look for another big game from Steve Smith Sr. … wait a minute …

4 – CAROLINA over Tampa Bay – This pick is based on Cam Newton not playing. IF he is, bump the Panthers up a few lines. But not too far, they have been confusing this season.

3 – DALLAS over Cincinnati – I have no good reason to explain this pick other than the game is played in Dallas.

2 – Philadelphia over DETROIT – The Eagles had an extra week for this one. This week’s BOLD PREDICTION is that CARSON WENTZ WILL HAVE HIS FIRST 4 TOUCHDOWN GAME THIS WEEK.

1 – SAN FRANCISCO over Arizona – The Cardinals were shaky before losing Carson Palmer this week. The 9ers may just be able to pull this one out.

We picked things up nicely last week with most of the top line picks coming in correct. Sure, there were a fair share of wrong picks, but they were on lower lines, so they don’t matter.

We’re here for the points. Now let’s go get some more!

Week 6 – HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN ALL CAPS)

15 – NEW ENGLAND over Cincinnati – Pretty safe to say that we will probably see the Patriots this high for most of the remaining games this season.

14 – BUFFALO over San Francisco – Are the Bills legit? We may not be able to tell just how legit yet, but a game against a Kap-run 49ers team will at least get them another win.

13 – Pittsburgh over MIAMI – I feel like some sort of a “storm heading to Miami” metaphor may be a little too soon … but, well, that.

12 – DETROIT over Los Angeles – After their home embarrassment last week, it looks like the Rams are on their way back to the Jeff Fischer 8-8 special.

11 – OAKLAND over Kansas City – The Raiders are 4-1 with only a +5 point differential. What does this mean? They know how to win games!

10 – SEATTLE over Atlanta – It’s not week 6 and I’m still waiting for my first correct pick for the Falcons – again, take this one for what it’s worth!

9 – GREEN BAY over Dallas – On the flip side, I am yet to miss on a Packers game. Again, take this for what it’s worth!

8 – NEW YORK GIANTS over Baltimore – Is O’Dell Beckham back? Doesn’t matter, the Ravens aren’t as good as their winning record suggests anyway.

7 – TENNESSEE over Cleveland – The two worst teams from a year ago collide in this…um…game I guess you could still call it. A game that is in Nashville so they win.

6 – HOUSTON over Indianapolis – A game of two division powerhouses has turned into a game of two division question marks. Even with the loss of the best defensive player in the game, my BOLD PREDICTION for this week is THE HOUSTON TEXANS WILL WIN THE AFC SOUTH.

5 – Denver over SAN DIEGO – Denver showed signs of mortality this week. But since there will be a fourth quarter played in this game, the Chargers will lose.

4 – WASHINGTON over Philadelphia – Carson Wentz got his first taste of NFL defeat last week. It will be hard to get that taste out of his mouth in this divisional road game.

3 – Carolina over NEW ORLEANS – The…the Panthers did go to the Super Bowl last year, right?

2 – ARIZONA over New York Jets – Equally as confusing, why are the Cardinals this low for a home game?

1 – CHICAGO over Jacksonville – Who knew that Brian Hoyer would be one of the most significant free agent signings this past off-season.

Our confidence pool is now on par with the rest of the league. There are no more teams that I have correctly picked every game and no team that I have not picked a game right on. This is a game of parity, and the confidence pool represents that quite well.

Let’s keep it moving!

Week 7 – HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN ALL CAPS)

15 – CINCINNATI over Cleveland – I feel that any team that plays in Foxboro should be able to play the Browns at home the following week…only seems fair.

14 – GREEN BAY over Chicago – The Packers are down three cornerbacks and two running backs in this short week…luckily they’re hosting the Bears.

13 – ATLANTA over San Diego – Got a Falcons game right! The Chargers will make two in a row pretty easy to obtain.

12 – KANSAS CITY over New Orleans – If Jamaal Charles stays healthy the rest of the year, it will be hard to stop the Chiefs running game.

11 – DENVER over Houston – Brock Osweiler returns to the city that spurned him. Unfortunately the Broncos will show him that they have more than just moved on.

10 – LOS ANGELES over New York Giants – I love that the league returns to LA…and then takes one of the Rams’ home games and makes it a London game.

9 – DETROIT over Washington – A battle of two mediocre teams battling it out…a matchup that will be…meh.

8 – ARIZONA over Seattle – The Cardinals seem to realize they need to ride David Johnson to another divisional championship.

7 – Indianapolis over TENNESSEE – I really expect to see the Colts turn a corner. My BOLD PREDICTION this week is THE COLTS WILL WIN THE AFC SOUTH.

6 – Buffalo over MIAMI – The only reason the Bills aren’t higher on the list is because of the Dolphins beating the Steelers last week … somehow.

5 – New England over PITTSBURGH – Speaking of the Steelers, they’re going up against Brady and the Boys without Big Ben under center.

4 – NEW YORK JETS over Baltimore – So Geno Smith will be starting for the Jets and Joe Flacco missed practice on Wednesday. This could be the worst quarterback matchup of the year/decade.

3 – Oakland over JACKSONVILLE – We found out last week that if you somewhat contain the Raiders’ offense, they are pretty easy to beat. I don’t think the Jaguars have the defense to do that though.

2 – Tampa Bay over SAN FRANCISCO – Colin Kaepernick makes his first start back in the bay. Faithful 49er fans will be reminded quickly that the team has a horrendous quarterback situation right now.

1 – PHILADELPHIA over Minnesota – Two of the league’s surprises meet in what could be the game of the week. I don’t think this Vikings team can handle a game in Philly right now.

Thank you to the Seahawks and Cardinals for teaching us another valuable confidence pool lesson last week! While neither of the team lost, everyone else does! With the tie, since no team won, nobody gets any points for that game.

Sure we had to sit through 75 minutes of two field goals apiece to receive this lesson – but a lesson nonetheless!

Week 8 – HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN ALL CAPS)

13 – DENVER over San Diego – Denver got back to their winning ways last week against Houston. It will be pretty easy to see more of the same this week.

12 – CINCINNATI over Washington – The Bengals seem to be clicking on all cylinders now. On the flip side, after winning the division last season, my BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that THE REDSKINS WILL FINISH LAST IN THE NFC EAST.

11 – DALLAS over Philadelphia – Just like I thought, the league seems to be figuring Carson Wentz out. Dallas even got an extra week to do just that.

10 – TENNESSEE over Jacksonville – It seems like this is a Thursday night game every year. Easy way to get two mediocre at best teams their league required primetime game – one that goes to the home team.

9 – Oakland over TAMPA BAY – Before this year, the Raiders would never be able to win a game on the east coast. Now, it seems like the Raiders would want to move the start time of home games to 10:00 AM.

8 – INDIANAPOLIS over Kansas City – The Colts need this win to show the league that they can compete again.

7 – BUFFALO over New England – It really seems like the Bills have the Pats number. Now they get the division rival at home.

6 – CAROLINA over Arizona – This game was the NFC Championship game last season…just let that sink in for a bit.

5 – HOUSTON over Detroit – The Lions needed a last minute Matthew Stafford touchdown for a home win against the Redskins. This is just what the Texans need right now.

4 – NEW ORLEANS over Seattle – For no other reason the Saints win this won because they are in the Dome…though I obviously don’t have that much confidence in it.

3 – Minnesota over CHICAGO – The lakefront will be rocking for this Monday Night divisional battle … then the game will start … eesh.

2 – Green Bay over ATLANTA – Points…sooooooooo many points in this game! With that being the case, I’ll take Aaron Rodgers over Matt Ryan anyday.

1 – CLEVELAND over New York Jets – This really has seemed to be Cleveland’s week. I can see the Browns borrowing some of the momentum of the Cavs and Indians.