Clement’s Weekly Picks and Prognostications…Week 9

After taking a week off to “pout” about fantasy, I saw two very different performances:
1) In one of my leagues, I upset a loaded top-dog team behind super efforts from Kurt Warner, Donnie Avery, and Andre Johnson. 5-3 and a game out of first in a middle-of-the-pack type of competitive league.
2) In another, I overcame a piss-poor draft (hello LJ!) and an injury to Reggie Bush to still put up solid numbers behind Lav Coles, the aforementioned AJ, and even Joe Flacco. However, I lost by a point thanks to a fumble from Edge and no depth at the RB position (see above).

With that in mind, I’m going to make some quick picks – a few quicker fantasy hits – and hope that I can get things rolling on the positive side.

NFL Picks: 18-14 [I’m giving myself a “W” for the push. Why? Because I can.]
Upset Specials: 6-7 [I’m also being very liberal by affording myself calling the Titan game. Which way too many experts foolishly wouldn’t. Take that!]
…BETUS.com gets the honors this week…

Baltimore @ Cleveland (-1 ½)
Simply put, Baltimore has confidence in a rookie QB and Cleveland is no better at home than they are away.

Green Bay @ Tennessee (-5)
If this game were in Lambeau, the spread may be under a FG. 8-0 Titans. How bout that?

Miami @ Denver (-3 ½)
If it was 3, I’d scream push. With Denver’s D, I’m screaming a potential Phins upset…even on the road.

Dallas @ NY Giants (-8 ½)
I don’t know how Dallas escaped Texas Stadium against a good Bucs team. They will NOT leave the Meadowlands victors. However, the Giants play teams close. I’m wondering whose gonna lay double-digits down on this one.

Atlanta @ Oakland (+3)
Atlanta isn’t a “buy” team yet. However, outside of the Jets, you gotta love a team traveling to Oakland and getting this low a number to cover.

New England @ Indianapolis (-5 ½)
I won’t bury the Patriots yet. Not close. As for the Colts. I might. I just might.

Top Ten Fantasy Insights of the Week…You Didn’t Expect
1) If you picked up Donnie Avery, start him. You don’t know how long this type of thing lasts…so go down swinging.
2) Trade Ocho Cinco and Housamazilli for anything you can get. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a wideout’s worst nightmare.
3) If you drafted LJ, you’re up a creek without a paddle. You know what type of creek I mean.
4) Santonio Holmes is an enigma. Can you figure this guy out? I can’t.
5) Marion Barber III’s durability is an ever-looming issue. Go get Felix Jones while he’s injured and CHEAP.
6) Brandon Jacobs will be just fine with Derrick Ward having his back. By the way, Ward is an incredibly sneaky flex-play this week.
7) Owen Daniels is a weekly start at TE. Yes, it’s come to that for the position.
8) Vincent Jackson is as hot/cold any fantasy wideout you’ll see.
9) Kurt Warner has made a lot of mid-round draft selections feel very good these days.
10)Anybody seen Matt Leinart this season? Me neither.

That’s all I got.

See ya next week!

Clement's Weekly Picks and Prognostications...Week 8

I'm taking the week off from "upset specials". Make it the month. (Sure thing Clement, there's one week left in the month).

Nevertheless, I proceed...

NFL Picks: 15-12 (This number is never seeing a double-digit lead. Or is it???)
Upset Specials: 5-7 (Stupid West Coast teams traveling cross country to play at 1pm on the East Coast.)
..courtesy of the Sportsbook...

Atlanta @ Philadelphia (-8 1/2)
I do not like this matchup for the Falcons. Philly is rested up - especially Brian Westbrook - off of the bye and Matt Ryan is gonna feel the Philly blitz big time. Interestingly enough, he's the only NFL QB not to be sacked on the blitz. Wow.

St. Louis @ New England (-7)
Sammy Morris is out and now the Patriot backfield has its ugliest platoon in years. Who cares? Stephen Jackson has groin problems and the Rams won't beat their third straight postseason team from 2007. Not even close.

Buffalo @ Miami (+1 1/2)
Pennington never played the Bills too well; however, he was always much more solid away from Orchard Park. Until the Phins find a wideout (or injure Trent Edwards), I'm actually predicting the Bills to get 6-1. Geez.

Tampa Bay @ Dallas (-2)
Does Vegas know something we don't? Tampa will make the Boys one-dimensional by suffocating Barber III (who needs Felix quite a bit). Nevertheless, I'm calling for a Dallas victory. Not sure how they'll do it though.

Indianapolis @ Tennessee (-4)
I'm sticking with my improbable Titans. Yes, I am.

Taking the week off fantasy-wise. Anything I say turns into cancer for my teams and others as of late.

Lucky you!!!

Until next week...

Clement's Weekly Picks and Prognostications...Week 3

Back again with your weekly check-up!!!
Now bend over and cough...

NFL Picks: 4-5 [The horrid call in the Chargers/Broncos game pushes me under .500.]
Upset Specials: 1-1 [Of course it was easy to pick against the Bungles, but I told you to double-up and cash in. Boo ya!]

...all spreads are courtesy of Yahoo! Sports…

Dallas @ Green Bay (+3)
Starting off with a road dog? You know it! Dallas needed to pull out that victory last weekend to hold serve at home. While Rodgers has looked better than Romo, Barber III will be begging for the ball and the injury to Charles Woodson could be a problem. Dallas wins, even if it’s by a push.

Carolina @ Minnesota (-3 ½)
Note: Here is my rough draft on Tuesday of this pick. I stand by it more than ever. Especially since I’ve been saying it for MONTHS. Yes, months.
Another road dog? Nope. Minnesota can’t face 3-0, even though Detroit would always be worse in the NFC North. Tarvaris Jackson might lose this job if he starts off too poorly (yes, even to Frerotte). A Pete should run wild in the dome again and even though Steve Smith is back, the Panthers will struggle mightily to run the ball against the Vikes front 7. Vikes win, barely.

New Orleans @ Denver (-5.5)
New Orleans has a terrible secondary. Enter Brandon Marshall, Jay Cutler, and the NFL (and fantasy’s) highest-profile offense to date. Things won’t stop in Mile High. Broncos roll as the Saints start to creep back into ‘Aint form.

Cleveland @ Baltimore (-2)
Cleveland needs it too much; despite how rested B-More is. Joe Flacco can manage a game, but the aging Raven D and a still hobbled-McGahee won’t be enough to overcome the stench of road desperation from the Browns.

Upset Special #1
Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia (+3)
Sorry Pay, I’m picking the Stillers. Gut shot: Pay is too, I bet. Both teams went primetime, yet looked quite different. The Steelers are now my AFC frontrunners, largely because I think this team is built to perform on the road. Yes, even in it’s home state.

Upset Special #2
NY Jets @ San Diego (-9)
I’m not supposed to pick Jet games. Screw it. San Diego will win; however, 9 points is just too many to leave out there. Even with the vanilla offense the Jets are mired in through 2 weeks.


3 Must Starts and Must Sits

START

…Last Week…
LJ sucks, Alge Crumpler was useless beyond belief, and Patrick Crayton was invisible despite his team scoring 41 points. I reached and I SUCKED.

…This Week…
Justin Gage loves Kerry Collins and vice-versa, Darren Sproles is gonna put up a Kevin Faulk-type performance on Monday Night (with better fantasy points too!), and Issac Bruce is a fun spot-start here. ***Bonus Pick*** Tennessee’s D is gonna vault them to 3-0 with a defensive TD (or two!).

SIT

…Last Week…
Devrey Henderson wasn’t a factor at any point, LJ Smith remains an enigma, and Pierre Thomas had a TD and nothing else. He was mediocre in TD-only leagues at best as a start. 3 for 3 redeems a horrific begin to fantasy advice this week (aka “Start").

…This Week…
DeSean Jackson won’t go 3 straight weeks for 100 yards (he won’t even break 50), Larry Johnson is done, baby, done, and Mark Clayton is never a sleeper wideout. No Raven ever is.

Think you can do better?
You’re probably right.

Until next week…