Every week I’ll address some topics that have my head spinning after Sunday’s action:

Jamaal Charles
I was very surprised to field as many questions I did about using the Chiefs’ RB in a fantastic matchup like playing the Saints. I could see the dilemma for owners that were stacked with a pair of top 10 running backs, but others were too quick to give up on him. He erased all doubts by carrying the ball 33 times for 233 yards and a touchdown and added six catches for 55 yards. Both the workload (39 touches) and production should silence critics. Let’s not forget though that he won’t face New Orleans every week.

Demarco Murray
The Cowboys’ offense turned in a huge dud at home to a Bucs’ defense that was lit like a Christmas tree a week earlier vs. the Giants. Murray was a big part of the problem as he tallied only 38 yards on 18 carries. Thankfully for owners he did find the end zone and caught a trio of Tony Romo passes so it wasn’t a complete dud. Still, the fact he has now rushed for a grand total of 82 yards on 30 carries (2.7 ypc) over his last two outings raises reason for concern. He gets the Bears, a bye and then Baltimore over his next three games, so relief is likely to come any time soon.

Mikel Leshoure
I stashed Leshoure long ago, hoping that he could emerge as the Lions’ primary running back upon his return. One week in he delivered. Leshoure not only started, but he carried the load for the Lions Sunday at Tennessee, rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and catching four balls for 34 yards.  The biggest surprise was that Kevin Smith, who led the team in rushing the first two weeks, did not receive a single carry in the game.  While it would be smart to hold onto Smith, he isn’t a lineup option until further notice.

Brandon Lloyd
The Patriots dropped their second straight game in Sunday night’s loss to the Ravens and the offense seems out of whack. One thing that is looking like a lock though is Lloyd has emerged as Tom Brady’s top target. Lloyd had his first 100-yard outing of the season pulling nine of his team-high 12 targets for 108 yards. He hasn’t found the end zone yet, but that will come soon enough. He is a must-start option in nearly any lineup, especially in PPR formats.

Phillip Rivers
Rivers failed to throw a TD pass in Sunday’s loss against Atlanta posting a dismal 45.3 QB rating. The veteran managed just 173 yards, 0 TD’s and 2 INT’s on 21-of-38 passing. It’s clear that Rivers has little chemistry with newcomer Robert Meachem and the receiving corps lacks a true No. 1. With starting running back Ryan Mathews returning from injury to make the start, I was anticipating good things for the Chargers’ offense, but that was not the case. Rivers is hard to view as weekly lineup lock and is now more of a matchup play.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
--Michael Vick, Chris Johnson, Mark Ingram, Demaryius Thomas, Vincent Jackson

BIGGEST SURPRISES
--Christian Ponder, Jake Locker, Jacquiz Rodgers, Santonio Holmes, TY Hilton, Heath Miller

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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Tight end Jason Witten has registered 940 yards or more receiving in five straight seasons and six of the last eight years. In 2011, he turned out a career-best 11.9 yards per catch and had 15 receptions of 20 or more yards. His numbers last season were diminished by the ailing wide receiving corps, but Witten still managed 79 receptions. It marked the fifth straight season he’s caught at least 75 balls. Touchdowns continue to be his biggest problem though as he’s scored five or less times in five of the past six seasons and has only eclipsed six TD’s once in his career.

SCHEDULE
They open up against the defending champs, the New York Giants, in the first of five nationally televised games. The bye week comes early (Week 5) so owners of Cowboys’ players will need to plan accordingly. The schedule’s most brutal stretch comes following the break with four of five games on the road at Baltimore, Carolina, Atlanta, and Philadelphia on tap and rematch at home with the Giants sandwiched in between.  Tough defenses loom in Weeks 14-15 with games at Cincinnati and at home vs. Pittsburgh followed by a Week 16 showdown with the Saints.

STUD
While he’s not a Tier 1 option as a fantasy QB Tony Romo is more than capable of carrying fantasy teams. After missing significant time in 2010 due to a broken collarbone Romo returned to start 16 games for the Cowboys in 2011 and broke the 4000-yard passing mark for the third time in his career and surpassed 30 TD passes for the second time as a pro. He finished particularly strong, throwing 24 touchdowns over the team’s final 11 games and only five interceptions. Romo is a great grab in Round 5 or Round 6 for owners that opt to not take a QB in the first few rounds.

DUD
After missing 16 games through his first four seasons, Felix Jones gave way to DeMarco Murray in 2011. Jones managed just one touchdown in 12 games last season and has made just nine trips to the end zone since breaking into the league in 2008. A season removed for having 233 touches for 1,250 total yards, Jones experienced a decline in both areas last year, finishing with 160 touches for 796 total yards. He’s still worth a look in the mid-to-late rounds as bench fodder and a great handcuff option for Murray owners.

SLEEPER
DeMarco Murray emerged from third on the depth chart to the starting running back for the Cowboys and was well on pace for 1,000 yards before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. He turned in an eye-popping performance against the lowly Rams’ defense, rushing 25 times for 253 yards and a touchdown and produced double-digit fantasy points in four of five outings during his run as the starter last year. Murray is a capable receiver out of the backfield which makes him even more valuable in PPR formats. Durability concerns keep from being a stellar fantasy RB1 option, but the upside is there for him to be a top producer that could slip into Round 3 or later on draft day.

NEW ADDITIONS
Jerry Jones had no problems shelling out the cash and taking some chances to improve a weak secondary this offseason. The Cowboys followed up the free agent signing free agent Brandon Carr by moving up in a trade with the Rams to draft Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick in April’s draft. Carr, a fifth round pick by Kansas City in 2008, is a diamond in the rough and a major upgrade. He’s a physical player that has the size to keep up in the NFC East. Claiborne promises to make an immediate impact as a rookie. Both players are viable IDP options and make the Cowboys ST/Defense a better fantasy commodity as well.

POSITION BATTLE
Though both Miles Austin and Dez Bryant are capable of putting up big numbers this season, the battle is one to see which players emerges as the Cowboys’ top wide receiver. Austin missed six games last year due to nagging hamstring issues which resulted into him yielding the worst numbers of his career. Bryant also battled the injury bug during his sophomore campaign of 2011, but he did prove to be a bit more consistent throughout the year. Entering his third season, Bryant figures to be on the rise and is poised for his first 1000-yard and double-digit TD season. Neither player is a great WR1 option, but both make great No. 2 fantasy wideout selections.

BENCH BUILDER
After scoring 11 touchdowns for Dallas last year Laurent Robinson fled for Jacksonville and a big payday via free agency. That leaves a big hole as the team’s WR3 spot is up for grabs. Entering training camp Andre Holmes is slated in the spot. He will need to hold off Kevin Ogletree, but if Holmes emerges he will see plenty of snaps in Dallas’ high-octane passing attack. He spent his rookie season on 2011 on the practice squad. Holmes will need to prove something during the preseason before he’ll warrant a late-round pick, but he could quickly become a hot commodity on the waiver wire if things continue to develop.

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All right it’s Tuesday and that means it time to hit the waiver wire. Here’s guys you should look at listed in the order I like them position-by-position.

PICKUP OF THE WEEK
QB Carson Palmer (OAK) - Temper you expectations a bit, but owners desperate at quarterback should make a claim for the former Bengal, who has the potential to be a high-end QB2 down the stretch.

QB
Christian Ponder (MIN) - The Ponder Era officially begins as McNabb is benched
John Beck (WAS) - After Grossman's four INT's the door is opening for Beck in WAS
Matt Cassel (KC) - Not crazy about him, but he's not a bad bye-week filler

RB
DeMarco Murray (DAL) - In line to carry load with Felix Jones out 2-4 weeks
Ronnie Brown (DET) - Trade to Detroit and Best concussion makes his value go up
Montario Hardesty (CLE) - If Hillis continue to fall out of favor his carries will increase
Donald Brown (IND) - Worth a stash in deep leagues after showing signs of life vs CIN
C.J. Spiller (BUF) - New role as receiver makes him worth look in PPR formats

WR
Greg Little (CLE) - Has emerged as top option in Browns' passing attack as expected
Danario Alexander (STL) - Revamped Rams' WR corps has him as team's WR2
Arrelious Benn (TB) - Making more plays than Mike Williams to this point of season
Doug Baldwin (SEA) - A sleeper who's lost in Seattle offense; has some value
Demaryius Thomas (DEN) - Not expecting much, but he's finally healthy and ready to play

TE
Fred Davis (WAS) - Chris Cooley out for a while. Davis is a top 10 fantasy TE
Jake Ballard (NYG) - Role continues to expand in Giants passing game.

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As we continue our series previewing the college football conferences here on GetSportsInfo, it's time to take a look at the star-studded Big 12. 

Favorite: Oklahoma

A lot of people are ready to write Oklahoma off after losing five bowl games in six years, including three National Championships, but if you look at the Sooners there's no reason to dismiss them so quickly. Sam Bradford deciding to come back and compete for a National Championship instead of cashing his check from the Jets makes the Sooners one of the top teams in the nation instantly. Bradford is a special player and the offense shouldn't lose anything coming off a year in which they averaged 51 points per contest. They have a backfield that could be the best in the nation with a 1-2 rushing punch of DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown and the coaches are high on the offensive line despite having to replace four of the five positions.  

On defense is where Oklahoma could really see improvements however. Last year the offense came up short in some offensive shootouts because the defense couldn't stop anybody, but this year the Sooners could actually hold teams in check. The defensive line boasts quite possibly the most dominant front seven in college football. They could quite possibly have six legitimate draft picks on the front line alone. Couple that with Ryan Reynolds, Keenan Clayton and Travis Lewis at the linebacker positions and no one is going to have succcess running the football. The secondary will not be near as talented as the front seven, but they should be better than last year and not near as much of a weakness especially with the pressure being provided up front. 

Sleeper: Missouri

Everyone is expecting Missouri to slip back into mediocrity, and with good reason after losing players such as Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman, Jeff Wolfert, Jeremy Maclin, Stryker Sulak, Ziggy Hood, William Moore, Brock Christopher, and Tommy Saunders. However, the future is not as grim as many believe. Head Coach Gary Pinkel and his staff have done an unbelievable job when it comes to recruiting. They haven't let a single big recruit slip out of Missouri and have even been able to steal some top talents out of places like Texas and other locations with big name programs to actually upgrade the talent of the team. They will be young and will have a lot of potential that has to be realized before success will come, but this team has maybe as much talent as any in the conference.  New starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert will have to replace legend Chase Daniel, but he will actually allow the offense to do things that they couldn't with Daniel. He has more upside than Daniel did and with that flexibility he provides them it's not out of the question to say he could have Tigers fans forgetting about their beloved Daniel. 

Overrated: Texas

Now before everyone gets all pissed off about that, know that I'm not saying Texas won't be good and win a lot of games... Because they are and they will. However, when anything less than winning a Big 12 title and ending up in Pasadena in early January is acceptable there is a big chance that this team is overrated and won't achieve those standards. Oklahoma is better, Oklahoma State has the potential and maturity to pull an upset, unlike last year, and going to Missouri could be a letdown game for the Longhorns if the Red River rivalry doesn't go in their favor. 

Final Take: 

The Big 12 is not as good as the SEC is top to bottom, but it is a heck of a lot more fun to watch. With stars on every roster in this conference, Saturdays should consist of bigtime offensive shootouts on a regular basis. The Big 12 could boast seven of the top ten draft choices in next year's NFL draft.

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The bowl games finally start this weekend. Fellow GetSportsInfo.com writer, Jeremy Fischer, and myself have put together our picks including how confident we are in them. In case you've never done a pick 'em game like this before, here's how it works. In addition to picking who you think will win the game, you assign a number to that pick as to how confident you think that pick is going to be right. There are 34 bowl games this year (way too many in most people's opinion, but that's beside the point), so the max number of confidence points you can give to one game is, yep, you guessed it, 34. The game you are least confident in you assign one point too, and fill in everything in between.

A lot of office pools are done like this and make it much more challenging than simply picking a winner for each game. As J-Fish states when it comes to doing a pick 'em game like this, "I have seen many strategies and I prefer the one that calls for using the higher confidence points on the bigger BCS games." He goes on to give his reasons as to why.

"Right or wrong, the larger conference teams get more coverage. The more information that is out there, the better informed pick you can make. The more informed you are, the more confident you'll be about a particular selection." Makes sense right? So picking the BCS bowl games really isn't as difficult as picking some of the more obscure games like the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl between Southern Mississippi and Troy that provide more difficulty in not only picking who will win, but deciding how confident you are in that pick.

J-Fish goes on to say, "Unless you fancy yourself as the next Jimmy the Greek, don't over analyze. The amount of games will definitely lead to paralysis-by-analysis." In my opinion, when it comes to picking some of the lower level bowl games, its almost more of a gut feeling when making that selection than anything else.

With all that said, let's get to the picks. What you'll find below is the bowl schedule starting with the first game on the docket all the way to the National Championship game on January 8th. With each pick you'll see both J-Fish's pick as well as my own with a little bit of analysis and how many confidence points (#) we have assigned to the pick we've made. Let's get to it with a look at the BCS games.

January 1st
ROSE - Penn State vs. USC
JFISH: USC (34) - Too much defense.
DICO: USC (32) - Too much USC! PSU hasn't seen anything like the Trojans this year. Ask OSU how things worked out for them. Plus this is a "home game" for the Trojans.

FEDEX ORANGE - Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
JFISH: Cincinnati (22) - 1st BCS bowl berth will drive the Bearcats.
DICO: Cincinnati (10) - Special teams could be the difference in this game. Mardy Gilyard for the Bearcats is one of the best in the country in the return game. A chance to finish the season in the Top 10 will push the Bearcats to a win.

January 2nd
ALLSTATE SUGAR - Utah vs. Alabama
JFISH: Alabama (32) - Utah hasn't faced a defense like this.
DICO: Alabama (33) - See JFISH's comments...the Utes will have a hard time stopping the 'Bama offense as well.

January 5th
TOSTITOS FIESTA - Ohio State vs. Texas
JFISH: Texas (33) - Too much speed on defense, and the Horns will be playing angry because of the whole BIG XII, BCS screw job.
DICO: Texas (31) - QB Colt McCoy will be too much even for a good Buckeyes' defense. Terrelle Pryor will see what team speed on defense is all about against the Longhorns.

January 8th
FEDEX BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - Florida vs. Oklahoma
JFISH: Florida (26) - Tebow/Harvin will find a way.
DICO: Oklahoma (22) - Bradford leads the most potent offense in the country. Even with the loss of DeMarco Murray at RB, the Sooners won't miss a beat. Expect a high scoring affair.

COMPLETE PICKS (ALL 34 GAMES) 

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