Week 4 Three G's

Detroit will have the league’s best record at the midpoint of the regular season. Yep, that comes from a Packers fan. They can win on the road (@TB Week 1, @MIN Week 2). They can score points (27, 48, 26). They are not the Lions of old (broke 13-year losing streak in Minnesota). Their schedule shapes up nicely as well, with an injured Cowboys team next week followed by three home games before traveling to Denver. Could it be possible that they will be 8-0 headed into their bye week? I actually think they go 7-1, but either way, look out for those Lions!

QB

1.       Gimme: Tom Brady—He may be on his way to an NFL MVP. Oakland is not the same without Nnamdi in the secondary. Oh, and the Patriots won’t mind taking last week’s loss out on the up-and-coming Raiders.

2.       Game-Changer: Eli Manning—He looked really, really bad in the preseason and in week one, but he has picked up his game the last two weeks. That includes a matchup last week against the stud cornerbacks in Philly. Arizona is ranked 26^th in fantasy points given up to opposing quarterbacks.

3.       Gamble: Jason Campbell—New England might be up big in this game by halftime, so Oakland is going to be forced to throw the ball, though they’d much rather run it. Campbell has actually looked like a starting NFL quarterback this season, and the Patriots give up a ton of passing yards.

RB

1.       Gimme: Adrian Peterson—He was highly underused as the Vikings managed to blow a 20-point halftime lead last week. Against Kansas City, it’s going to be All Day.

2.       Game-Changer: James Starks—From a fantasy perspective, I’m not a big fan of the Green Bay running game. The carries are split between Starks and Ryan Grant, and John Kuhn even sneaks in there to steal goal-line carries. Call this a gut feeling, but I think Starks is the hot hand this week at home versus Denver, which lands him in the endzone. I predict a 12-point fantasy day, perfect for the flex position in your lineup.

3.       Gamble: Dexter McCluster—The Chiefs are pretty terrible, but McCluster is definitely their most dynamic player. It’s a good matchup at home against the Vikings, and McCluster has the added bonus of fitting in the RB or WR slots on your fantasy roster.

WR

1.       Gimme: Roddy White—Julio Jones actually caught a larger share of the passes last week, but White still had a 140-yard receiving day. If you saw Larry Fitzgerald’s touchdown catch last week, you understand that Seattle’s secondary isn’t the best in the land.

2.       Game-Changer: Santana Moss—St. Louis was poised to run away with a division title in the worst division in football, but they have not looked good. Moss seems to lead the Redskins in targets every week, and you can look for more of the same here.

3.       Gamble: Eric Decker—He is getting more and more involved in the pass offense (what little there is) in Denver. I wouldn’t expect a touchdown from Decker this week because Green Bay has a good red-zone defense, but Decker could easily eclipse the 100-yard mark in receiving. 

TE

1.       Gimme: Vernon Davis—Owners may have had early concerns about his productivity, but he was much more involved in the offense last week. The Eagles have great corners, but they will give up points to tight ends.

2.       Game-Changer: Dustin Keller—This guy is for real this season. I have to say, he slipped under my radar, but he is quickly turning into a must-start if he hasn’t already.

3.       Gamble: Greg Olsen—Olsen can play as that tight end-receiver hybrid, much like Jermichael Finley, who scored three times against Chicago last week. Now, he’s no Finley, but he should be more than serviceable in this week’s matchup.

D/ST

1.       Gimme: Packers D/ST—At home, versus Denver. They may give up a ton of passing yards, but Denver will have trouble scoring and will likely commit at least two turnovers.

2.       Game-Changer: 49ers D/ST—This may actually be a respectable defense. They will be tested this week against a potent offense, but Philly has turned the ball over consistently.

3.       Gamble: Vikings D/ST—If only the first half counted, they would be a stellar defense. Prediction: McCluster (see above) scores on them, but they allow 17 or less points with a turnover and at least two sacks.

Kicker Pickup of the Week: Olindo Mare—The Bears run a Tampa Two defense, which is a bend-but-don’t-break style. This results in a higher potential for field goals from kickers rather than extra points. Carolina’s offense is just good enough to move the ball, but not good enough to score consistently. This all adds up to a good day for Mare.