Week 8 offers up some really sweet match ups. Also, please join me tonight for the Fantasy Frenzy blog where we'll answer all of your questions and go into these lineup locks more in depth.
Lock In QB:
Brett Favre @ Green Bay - Favre returns to Lambeau Field, but in a different uniform. His first match up versus the Packers saw him throw 3 TDs, so no reason to think he won't rack up a lot of stats and scores again.
Tony Romo vs. Seattle - Romo is coming off a week where he threw 3 TDs and gets a favorable match up against the Seahawks. Expect Romo to put up big numbers again this week.
David Garrard @ Tennessee - This is the pick of the week for me. Garrard is normally a borderline QB1, but this week he gets the 31st ranked passing defense in the winless Titans. Coming off a bye, he's rested and healthy and in case you have forgotten the last time he played the Titans he had 323 yards and 3 TDs.
Lock Out QB:
Donovan McNabb vs. New York Giants - McNabb has been too inconsistent to be a top 10 QB. He's still a QB1, but on the low end. This week, he has a tough match up against the Giants and is facing the possibility of not having Brian Westbrook.
Kyle Orton @ Baltimore - Orton makes for a nice bye week/QB2 play, but this week he gets a rested and desperate Ravens team who always plays well at home. Despite being undefeated, I am not sold on the Broncos offense or their team in general.
Joe Flacco vs. Denver - Quietly, the Broncos are one of the elite defenses in the NFL and in fantasy football. They are ranked in the top 10 against the run and pass. For this reason, I expect the Ravens to have minimal scoring and thus, Flacco's numbers will be down this week.
Lock In RB:
Kevin Smith vs. St. Louis - This game might set the NFL back a decade in ineptness. But, Smith is hungry and has vowed to step up his performance. The Rams woeful defense is just what the doctor ordered.
Matt Forte vs. Cleveland - Few first round picks have disappointed more than Forte, but here come the Browns to face an angry and embarrassed Bears team. Forte will get back on track with 100+ yards, a couple catches and a TD.
Joseph Addai vs. San Francisco - Addai has been in a time share with rookie Donald Brown, but Brown has a painful shoulder injury is likely to not play. This means the touches are mostly Addai's and he might look to take advantage of it with a solid performance.
Lock Out RB:
Ryan Grant vs. Minnesota - Grant has been a disappointment and can't be considered anything more than a RB2 at this point. This week playing a tough Vikings defense, he's not worth a start at all.
Tim Hightower vs. Carolina - The Cardinals are not a good running team and rookie Chris Wells has emerged as the much better option in their backfield. Hightower's stock continues to drop and he belongs on your bench at this point.
Knowshon Moreno @ Baltimore - A rookie running back versus one of the better and hardest hitting defenses in the NFl and you get an unfavorable match up. Leave the Broncos rookie on your bench this week.
Lock In WR:
Miles Austin vs. Seattle - I have to say that in one of my keeper leagues, I drafted Austin and stashed him. I was a fan of Austin this year and am not surprised by his rise. So, if you have him on your team, you have to make room for him since he's amassed more than 400 yards and 4 TDs in his last two games and seems to be the number one target in Big D.
Mike Sims-Walker @ Tennessee - As mentioned, the Titans secondary is terrible. Sims-Walker presents a great target for Garrard and should get 100 yards and a TD this week.
Calvin Johnson vs. St. Louis - Johnson is such a great talent but has been hampered by playing for a woeful offense. However, the Rams have nobody who can cover Johnson and this should mean a solid performance from Calvin this week.
Lock Out WR:
Eddie Royal @ Baltimore - In his last game, Royal was a scoring machine. Unfortunately, unless your league rewards individual special team scoring, you got nothing to show for Royal's two special teams touchdowns. The reason Royal is listed here is because he had no catches in that game and has a bad match up this week.
Ted Ginn Jr. @ New York Jets - Ginn may have been #1 on the Dolphins depth chart at WR, but that has since changed. Ginn has done nothing to impress his coaches and will see decreased touches and thus belongs on your bench.
Roy Williams vs. Seattle - Miles Austin seems to be the #1 WR target for Tony Romo and then of course there's still Jason Witten. Compile that with a solid running game and there's not enough touches to make Williams viable.
Lock In TE:
Visanthe Shiancoe @ Green Bay - Favre throwing TDs to a tight end in Lambeau Field is a familiar scene. This time he'll be doing it as a Viking, but still makes Shiancoe a nice option this week.
Owen Daniels @ Buffalo - Daniels is the #1 TE this week and is well on his way to being the starting tight end in the Pro Bowl. The match up this week is just too sweet to even think of putting anyone else in your starting lineup.
Vernon Davis @ Indianapolis - I called this one last week and he went off for three TDs. Not sure he'll match that, but he'll be good for at least one score and 75+ yards again this week as newly appointed quarterback Alex Smith will look for a safety valve.
Lock Out TE:
Todd Heap vs. Denver - Heap is a borderline starter most weeks, but this week, versus a top defense, he should remain on your bench.
John Carlson @ Dallas - I think the Seahawks will score some points against the Cowboys, but I don't think it will be Carlson who finds the end zone.
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NFL
lineup locks