Fantasy Studs and Duds for Week Four

After a compelling Week 3 in the NFL that saw the continued descent of last year’s darlings, the New Orleans Saints, and the rise of this year’s underdogs, the Green Bay Packers, it looks to be an entertaining season so far.

To begin the roll call of Fantasy studs and duds for this week, I’m going to begin with my constant contributors of the week. At QB, Tom Brady is going up against a soft and porous Cincinnati defense which allowed Derek Anderson of all people to throw five touchdowns a few weeks ago. As a result, I anticipate seeing Brady throw for over 300 yards and four scores on Sunday. At RB, I still favor LaDanian Tomlinson, who despite not posting a 100-yard rushing game yet is due for a big day against a mediocre Kansas City defense. I foresee him having 135 all-purpose yards and two TDs. For the same reasons that I chose Tom Brady at QB, I will choose Randy Moss as my WR, who will nab at least 80 yards and a receiving touchdown. Rounding off the offense, I take Antonio Gates at TE (50 yards, 1 TD), David Akers at K (3 field goals, 2 XP), and the Ravens’ defense against Cleveland.

Since most of you are not in a one-person league, I will suggest some players who were not first-round caliber picks. At backup QB, I’ll take Matt Schuab against his former employer, the Atlanta Falcons. At RB, I’ll take Marion Barber of the Cowboys who should roll for two rushing touchdowns against a terrible St Louis run defense. At WR, I favor Wes Welker of New England, who will take advantage of his slot position in Moss’s shadows to total nine catches for 125 yards. At TE, I suggest having Bubba Franks because he could be in line for a multi-touchdown game against Minnesota. Lastly, you should look at Mike Nugent, kicker for the New York Jets and my hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, who have seemingly recreated the glory days of the feared Tampa 2 style.

To stay competitive, stay away from these pretenders: Atlanta QB Joey Harrington, Cincinnati RB Rudi Johnson, Miami’s WR Chris Chambers, San Francisco TE Vernon Davis and the Cincinnati Defense. Follow my advice and Week 4 should be a good one. Good Luck