Harold Riddle

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Fantasy Football Week 13 Match-up: Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings

Week 13 Match-up: Buffalo Bills (2-9) @ Minnesota Vikings (4-7)

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Rankings based on top 16 QBs, 32 RBs, 48 WRs and 16 TEs

(brought to you by pyromaniac.com)

Buffalo Bills (Bills Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Minnesota Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 14th- TDs Allowed T-18th

Minnesota Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 5th – TDs Allowed T-8th

Buffalo Offensive Cast

Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB Week 13 Ranking: No. 12)

2010 Season: 192/330 – for 2,226 yards & 19 TDs

Fitz continues to put together some nice fantasy games, and if Stevie J had caught that overtime bomb in the end zone against the Steelers, last week’s line would have looked even better. Playing in a dome against a middling Vikings defense should give Ryan an opportunity to continue the trend this Sunday.

Fred Jackson (RB Week 13 Ranking: No. 17)

2010 Season: 141 carries for 621 yards & 5 TDs || 26 receptions for 182 yards & 2 TDs

Jackson proved to be a pretty decent player last year but this season, he’s starting to turn some heads. I’m not expecting the world out of him against this stout Vikings front-seven, but around 100 total yards with the chance of a TD gets him right within starter-status for me this week.

C.J. Spiller (RB Week 13 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 41 carries for 164 yards & 0 TDs || 18 receptions for 81 yards & 1 TD

Even if Spiller does return this weekend, with the way FJax is playing, you shouldn’t even think about using him outside of return-yardage leagues.

Steve Johnson (WR Week 13 Ranking: No. 8)

2010 Season: 59 receptions for 796 yards & 9 TDs

Stevie J probably embarrassed himself more than he’s ever done so in his life last week against Pittsburgh. The great ones tend to use stuff like this as motivation, and I believe Johnson will step up to the plate against a beatable Vikings secondary because of it.

Lee Evans (WR Week 13 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 34 receptions for 506 yards & 4 TDs

Evans has taken a deep back seat to Stevie this year and has always been too inconsistent to use regardless.

Jonathan Stupar (TE Week 13 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 7 receptions for 59 yards & 0 TDs

I’m convinced this man does not exist. If anyone has proof, please send me a picture.

Minnesota Vikings (Vikings Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Buffalo Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 11th- TDs Allowed T-23rd

Buffalo Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 32nd – TDs Allowed T-24th

Minnesota Offensive Cast

Brett Favre (QB Week 13 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 212/350 – for 2,446 yards & 10 TDs

It’s getting harder and harder to predict which Sundays Old Man Favre will go off on, and against probably the worst rush defense in the league, you’d have to think the Vikings will simply run the ball all day long.

Adrian Peterson (RB Week 13 Ranking: No. 2)

2010 Season: 217 carries for 1,016 yards & 8 TDs || 32 receptions for 331 yards & 1 TD

If Purple Jesus is healthy enough to go this weekend, don’t be surprised to see him whip up his best fantasy day of the year. He went nuts earlier in the season against a bad Detroit rush D (160 yards, two TDs) and was all set to do so (before injuring his ankle) against an equally poor defense in Washington last week. Buffalo’s D is worse than both of them.

Toby Gerhart (RB Week 13 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 46 carries for 162 yards & 1 TD || 15 receptions for 144 yards & 0 TDs

Make sure you keep an eye on the news coming out of the Vikings camp this week at www.pyromaniac.com or www.ffpharmacy.com because if AP28 can’t make a go of it this Sunday, Gerhart is in line for the game of his life.

Sidney Rice (WR Week 13 Ranking: No. 29)

2010 Season: 4 receptions for 76 yards & 0 TDs

Rice and Favre are taking a bit of time to sync up, but I could definitely see it happening against this Buffalo team. The Bills may not let up a ton of yardage in the passing game (because teams just run on them all day long), but they still surrender a boatload of receiving TDs. Sidney could easily grab one of them this game.

Percy Harvin (WR Week 13 Ranking: No. 22)

2010 Season: 51 receptions for 627 yards & 4 TDs

The Vikings will have to pass the ball a little bit in this game to keep the Bills honest, so I can see quite a few play-action slants to Harvin being the course they take in order to accomplish that. Watch Harvin break a long one because of it.

Bernard Berrian (WR Week 13 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 18 receptions for 176 yards & 0 TDs

Not only is Berrian gimpy, but he also kind of sucks.

Greg Camarillo (WR Week 13 Ranking: Not ranked)

2010 Season: 15 receptions for 179 yards & 1 TD

Camarillo has basically taken Berrian’s place as the third receiver in this offense… not that it will make a bit of difference this weekend.

Visanthe Shiancoe (TE Week 13 Ranking: No. 10)

2010 Season: 33 receptions for 420 yards & 2 TDs

With Childress gone, Shiancoe put up the second-most yards he’s had in the last nine games against the Redskins (three catches, 54 yards) and it looks like Favre is trying to get him going again as Shank garnered the most targets of any Vikings receiver last week (six).

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MLS Commissioner Promises Changes in Competition Format

Filed under: MLS

TORONTO -- A convoluted playoff format that produced a farcical Eastern Conference championship game featuring two Western Conference teams was the final straw for MLS commissioner Don Garber, who said Saturday afternoon that there will be slight modifications to the league's competition format next year and "revolutionary" changes after Montreal joins as the 19th club in 2012.

Garber was speaking at a media roundtable in Toronto on the eve of the MLS Cup Final, and was responding to a question from FanHouse regarding the playoff structure that has been in place, with a few tweaks, since 2003.

There has been growing discontent in recent years with that format, which requires an individual club to play only four games to win the championship and doesn't offer any reward for regular season excellence in the first round. Consequently, the results seem almost random.

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Will this NBA season be a coronation for Miami Heat's three kings?

The arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to a team already boasting Dwyane Wade has raised their championship hopes

The Miami Heat became the most talked-about franchise in basketball in the lead-up to the new NBA season. They tempted "King" LeBron James (frequently regarded as the greatest basketball player in the world) and Chris Bosh (one of the best in the world in his position) from the bleak climbs of Cleveland and Toronto respectively to the scorching warmth of Miami, where they have joined fans favourite Dwyane Wade, who signed a six-year contract extension and is equally regarded as one of the best players in the NBA. These deals are the equivalent of having Pel�, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff in the same side at their peak. The three were introduced to Heat fans in a typically giant American spectacle, one that seemed more suited to the last night of Glastonbury.

Unsurprisingly, great success is expected of the new-look Heat, with James and Bosh having the added incentive to triumph as they are yet to win a championship, with Wade having won only one, back in 2006. But as hope rises in Miami, expectations tumble in Cleveland where following the departure James, the home team are not expected to even reach the play-offs. The Cavaliers had been trying to build a championship-winning team around LeBron since they drafted him into the side as the No1 pick in 2003, but now there will have to be a major re-think regarding tactics and strategy. However, it is hard not to feel a degree of sympathy for James, who was understandably frustrated being regarded as the best player in the NBA but with only one play-off finals appearance to his name ? a 4-0 defeat against the San Antonio Spurs in 2007. Surely he had the right to search for glory after so many disappointing seasons in Ohio?

James's move has upset not only the people of Cleveland, but fans of teams across the league. That was evident on Tuesday night as the Heat kicked-off their season at a sold-out TD Garden in Boston, where the Celtic crowd proceeded to boo the 25-year-old every time he touched the ball. The Heat went on to lose the game 88-80.

As James said himself during pre-season, it may take until January before the team fully gels which is perhaps understandable. Therefore, the fact James and co were less than convincing in Boston is no major shock. Also, it is easy to forget the Heat were up against last season's play-off runners-up, who were only beaten by the LA Lakers in the final game of the finals.

The Celtics are in some ways the opposite to the Heat: they have experience of winning championships and a team in which each player knows his role, and it was this which proved the difference on Tuesday. Miami were particularly poor in the first half, with their "Three Kings" looking more like three peasants, managing between them just 10 turnovers in the entire game.

However, for all the mistakes and disappointments of the three men most people were watching, it is easy to forget how good the Celtics were. Their defence was solid and in Rajon Rondo the hosts had the man who created the third highest number of assists on the opening day of any NBA season.

James, though, still shone and almost brought the Heat back into the game single-handedly in the third quarter as what was a 19-point lead for the Celtics was eventually reduced to three as he went on to finish with 31 points.

The Celtics followed victory over Miami with a surprise 95-87 loss against the Cavaliers 24 hours later. But despite the defeat, Doc Rivers's men are likely to remain a force to be reckoned with throughout this season. Last season's runners-up have added to their already impressive squad with one of the biggest names in sport; the larger-than-life centre Shaquille O'Neal, who also decided to leave Cleveland. Shaq may be reaching the end of his career ? or as he calculated in his first press conference, his "final 730 days" ? but he remains a force to be reckoned with.

With the high expectations surrounding Miami and Boston it is easy to overlook other contenders in the Eastern Conference, such as the Orlando Magic, last season's conference runners-up who boast probably the best centre in the league in Dwight Howard, who, like James and Bosh, has found a championship ring elusive. Also, New York will be hoping for a big season after signing offensive powerhouse Amar'e Stoudemire, a player Knicks fans will hope can push their team into the play-offs for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Kobe Bryant's LA Lakers, meanwhile, have returned from their excursion to London for the European tour earlier this month and as usual will be expected to lead the running in the Western Conference. They have made few acquisitions over the summer, although having won back-to-back championships they may see no need to tinker with a winning formula. Bryant's play-off success has been somewhat overshadowed by James and his summer move, although with yet another championship ring under his belt, the 32-year-old has further cemented his legacy.

There will be much interest in how Oklahoma City Thunder begin the season as much is expected of the explosive young forward Kevin Durant, whom many pundits consider to be a strong challenger for James's MVP title in the coming years. Little was expected of the Thunder at the beginning of last season yet surprisingly they flourished under the direction of Coach of the Year Scott Brooks off the court and Durant, the NBA's Scoring Champion, on it.

Interest will follow the Washington Wizards as observers caste an eye over how the No1 draft pick John Wall performs under the NBA spotlight, especially after performing well during pre-season. Gilbert Arenas also returns to the side on 27 January after serving his ban for firearms offences. Whether he is still a fan favourite is yet to be seen, but either way Wizards fans will expect a great deal from him this year.

Interest in the new NBA season is, then, enormous. Miami remain favourites to lift the play-off trophy next summer but any of the teams that reach the play-offs are likely to pose a serious threat to the Heat.

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Blake Griffin Wowing Opponents, Producing at an Historic Rookie Rate

Filed under: Celtics, Nuggets

DENVER -- As Clippers forward Blake Griffin was talking about his rookie hot streak after Friday morning's shootaround, a team public-relations official jumped in and said he would take just one more question.

Griffin was asked if a sign he's arrived as an NBA star is that his interviews are being carefully controlled.

Uh, not exactly.

"Well, the bus left me the last time,'' Griffin said as the Clippers concluded their shootaround in preparation for Friday night's 109-104 loss to Denver at the Pepsi Center.

Turns out there was a misunderstanding when the Clippers were in Denver for a Nov. 5 game. But Griffin said it was no big deal, and the bus came back to get him. So the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year did not have to fish around in his warm-up bag for cab fare.

Griffin might be missing buses and free throws this season (he's a 58.2 percent marksman from the line). But just about everything else has been going right for the 2009 No. 1 pick, who has returned after being unable to play last season due to a knee injury.

"He's rolling right now,'' said Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony.

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Gilbert Arenas' Double-Edged Comeback

Filed under: Trail Blazers, Wizards

Either William James or Henry James wrote something once about how man must get spiritually sick (lost, unsure) in order to find God and "get well." I don't know if Gilbert Arenas is a true believer, but this certainly works as an analogy for what's going on with him and the Washington Wizards.

At the beginning of this season, Washington couldn't have given away Arenas to another team. He had pretty much everything imaginable working against him, from his massive contract and chronic injuries to his legal woes, unorthodox game and questionable locker room presence. Last season, there were rumors that Arenas might simply be cut by the Wizards. He was seen as beyond worthless.

Beyond worthless, though, means that Gil was, in effect, so hard to trade he might as well have not existed. No team had to seriously weigh the pros and cons of the former All-Star because no sane team would make a deal for him. Arenas' value was a moot point; the more pressing question was what exactly the Wizards would do with the eccentric millionaire they were stuck with.

But if things went their way, one day, there would come a time when Arenas was not only a commodity, but an honest-to-god liability. And here's where the Williams James (I looked it up) comes in: Arenas will always be damaged goods. However, for the Wizards to do anything with him -- Thursday's hot rumor had the Magic making inquiries -- he has to play well enough, and act normal enough, to become somewhat desirable again. When he reaches that point, then the franchise can focus on the business of trying to sell low so they can get on with their future.

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Shawn Marion Using Super Bowl Lure to Sell His Home

Filed under: Heat, Mavericks

Shawn Marion is no real estate agent -- he's a forward for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA -- but he might have uncovered an innovative approach to selling luxury real estate.

What better way than through the Super Bowl, America's premier sporting event?

Marion is offering four club-level Super Bowl tickets -- along with private jet service to and from the game -- to whomever buys his beautiful, 7,300-square foot home in Miami.

The Super Bowl will be played in Arlington, Texas, Feb. 6, at the grandiose Cowboys Stadium, not far from Marion's latest home court.

His home, located in an exclusive South Florida waterfront community, went on the market Thursday. The price tag is $2,000,000.

"We just sat down and were brainstorming ways to maximize the exposure that the home would get, and the light bulb went on,'' Marion told FanHouse Thursday night. "We said, 'Let's run with this (Super Bowl idea) and see what happens.'''

Marion is working with Darren Weiner, the former sports and entertainment agent who left the business to start Antigen Realty, which offers a variety of services to sports stars.

Marion had started building the home when he played with the Miami Heat from 2008 to 2009. He was traded to Toronto before the home was even finished. Toronto traded him to Dallas a few months later.

He knew it wouldn't be easy selling a luxury home -- or any home -- during these times of economic uncertainty. So instead of going to the Super Bowl the day before a Mavericks home game, he will be giving away the tickets.

"I've seen athletes trying to sell their home by offering autographed baseballs,'' Weiner said. "But in this day and age, a home buyer wants a deal, and here he can get a once-in-a-lifetime deal. The home is beautiful. It could sell itself, but maybe this will create a buzz, and attract some eyes that might not have seen it otherwise.''