Hope you're ready for the NFL slate (and trick or treaters), because both are upon us. The People's Pigskin is ready, thanks to you, the Internet. You picked our lineup for our People's League matchup against the nuckin' futs. Here are the results.
Quarterback. Another week, another start for Peyton Manning. He gets the Houston Texans on Monday night.
Running back. The two top vote-getters in this poll were Darren McFadden and Justin Forsett. You won't need to wear out your remote control following them: McFadden's Oakland Raiders take on Forsett's Seattle Seahawks.
Wide receiver. Two players dominated this poll: Calvin Johnson (who faces the Washington Redskins) and Dwayne Bowe (who faces the Buffalo Bills).
Flex. In a mild upset, Knowshon Moreno got more votes than Kenny Britt, so Moreno gets the start against the San Francisco 49ers in London.
No changes at either tight end (Antonio Gates vs. the Tennessee Titans) or defense/special teams (the aforementioned Titans vs. Gates' San Diego Chargers). And earlier in the week, you voted to pick up Jason Hanson to be our kicker. He faces the Redskins today.
Thanks again for voting in the lineup polls, as well as our poll about the National Football League's best team. The results appear below. A quick Halloween-related poll is now open for voting.
We'll be back with some results.
[polldaddy poll=3984005] [polldaddy poll=3984022] [polldaddy poll=3984032] [polldaddy poll=3984042] [polldaddy poll=3984047] [polldaddy poll=3978036]
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Fearless Football Predictions - Week 8
Now that you've had a few hours to digest our NASCAR predictions, it's time to take a look at each of the fantasy football matchups in the People's League. Last week's forecasts went 4-1, raising the season record to 20-15.
People's Pigskin vs. nuckin' futs. This could be the matchup of the week. Fortunately, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team has the ultimate trump card: Peyton Manning playing at home on Monday night against a Houston Texans team that's vulnerable against the pass. Who cares if Manning may be throwing to his father by the fourth quarter? He can deliver a win for the Pigskin.
Fighting Amish vs. Feely Her Up ... Frank Gore may be salivating at the chance to face a Denver Broncos defense that just turned Darren McFadden into a fantasy football legend, but the Amish still have Matt Schaub throwing to Andre Johnson and company on Monday night. Schaub will prove the difference in a close Amish win.
Chicago VinSethBears vs. NFL2K10 RedZone. The only thing Philip Rivers is not piling up this season is wins. He's second among quarterbacks with an average of 18.1 points a game, and he should continue his high-scoring ways this week. Look for the RedZone to end its losing streak this week.
t-bay cuervonatersXXL vs. Team z. Yes, Sam Bradford makes mistakes. Rookie quarterbacks always do. (OK, almost always.) But he also has double-digit fantasy scores in 5 of his 7 games this season, and he's been held without a touchdown only once. He'll get enough points for the Cuervonaters to pull off the upset.
Hudson Valley Hawks vs. cowboys romero. Who may be the only person (other than Bill Belichick) happy to hear all the Brett Favre injury talk? Adrian Peterson, who is slowly taking over the Minnesota Vikings offense again. Look for Peterson to carry the load for his team and for the victorious Hawks.
Disagree with these picks? Feel free to leave a comment below. But whether you agree with them or not, please cast your votes in the lineup polls before they close Sunday morning.
We'll be back with the results.
People's Pigskin vs. nuckin' futs. This could be the matchup of the week. Fortunately, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team has the ultimate trump card: Peyton Manning playing at home on Monday night against a Houston Texans team that's vulnerable against the pass. Who cares if Manning may be throwing to his father by the fourth quarter? He can deliver a win for the Pigskin.
Fighting Amish vs. Feely Her Up ... Frank Gore may be salivating at the chance to face a Denver Broncos defense that just turned Darren McFadden into a fantasy football legend, but the Amish still have Matt Schaub throwing to Andre Johnson and company on Monday night. Schaub will prove the difference in a close Amish win.
Chicago VinSethBears vs. NFL2K10 RedZone. The only thing Philip Rivers is not piling up this season is wins. He's second among quarterbacks with an average of 18.1 points a game, and he should continue his high-scoring ways this week. Look for the RedZone to end its losing streak this week.
t-bay cuervonatersXXL vs. Team z. Yes, Sam Bradford makes mistakes. Rookie quarterbacks always do. (OK, almost always.) But he also has double-digit fantasy scores in 5 of his 7 games this season, and he's been held without a touchdown only once. He'll get enough points for the Cuervonaters to pull off the upset.
Hudson Valley Hawks vs. cowboys romero. Who may be the only person (other than Bill Belichick) happy to hear all the Brett Favre injury talk? Adrian Peterson, who is slowly taking over the Minnesota Vikings offense again. Look for Peterson to carry the load for his team and for the victorious Hawks.
Disagree with these picks? Feel free to leave a comment below. But whether you agree with them or not, please cast your votes in the lineup polls before they close Sunday morning.
We'll be back with the results.
Fearless NASCAR Predictions - Talladega
It's time to let you know which NASCAR drivers will finish in the top 10 in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. Last week's predictions went 4-6, lowering the season record to 147-163.
1 and 2. Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. Whichever driver finishes in front of the other on Sunday will be in the driver's seat for the rest of the Chase.
3. Kurt Busch. Among drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Busch has the best average finish on this track (11.8).
4. Jamie McMurray. Hard to go wrong picking the driver who won on this track last fall. (Especially when he's planning to use this paint pattern.)
5. Kevin Harvick. Not only did Harvick win here in April, but he also had the foresight to bury the hatchet with Jeff Burton before this race.
6. Jeff Burton. If it takes two to fight, it also takes two to make up.
7. Juan Pablo Montoya. One way to escape the "Big One" is to be in front of it when it happens. Montoya got a head start on that strategy by winning the pole.
8. Clint Bowyer. This driver also did himself a favor by qualifying second. (He did the People's Pitstop a favor by earning us a 5-point bonus.)
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. These numbers come courtesy of Yahoo Sports: Mister Marketing has had 11 top 10 finishes in 21 races at Talladega.
10. Robby Gordon. Why is a driver who's going nowhere getting our medium to long shot this week? Well, at least he still knows how to get people to talk about him.
We'll be back later today with predictions for the People's League. In the meantime, be sure to vote on the People's Pigskin lineup for its matchup against the award-winning nuckin' futs.
1 and 2. Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. Whichever driver finishes in front of the other on Sunday will be in the driver's seat for the rest of the Chase.
3. Kurt Busch. Among drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Busch has the best average finish on this track (11.8).
4. Jamie McMurray. Hard to go wrong picking the driver who won on this track last fall. (Especially when he's planning to use this paint pattern.)
5. Kevin Harvick. Not only did Harvick win here in April, but he also had the foresight to bury the hatchet with Jeff Burton before this race.
6. Jeff Burton. If it takes two to fight, it also takes two to make up.
7. Juan Pablo Montoya. One way to escape the "Big One" is to be in front of it when it happens. Montoya got a head start on that strategy by winning the pole.
8. Clint Bowyer. This driver also did himself a favor by qualifying second. (He did the People's Pitstop a favor by earning us a 5-point bonus.)
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. These numbers come courtesy of Yahoo Sports: Mister Marketing has had 11 top 10 finishes in 21 races at Talladega.
10. Robby Gordon. Why is a driver who's going nowhere getting our medium to long shot this week? Well, at least he still knows how to get people to talk about him.
We'll be back later today with predictions for the People's League. In the meantime, be sure to vote on the People's Pigskin lineup for its matchup against the award-winning nuckin' futs.
Friday, October 29, 2010
The People's Choice - Talladega
Given an extra day to vote, you, the Internet, came through and picked a fine set of drivers to represent the People's Pitstop at Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race Talladega Superspeedway.
Unusually enough, there are no ties to be broken with a qualifying session. Every starting spot is already settled. Here are your selections.
A List. It's now or never for Tony Stewart, both in the Chase for the Sprint Cup and in fantasy racing. In addition to painting the new start/finish line at Daytona, Stewart earned his final start of the season for the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team. Former teammate Denny Hamlin earned a spot on the bench.
B List. In this poll, you liked the still-reasonably-hot hand of Jamie McMurray and the "at least he still knows how to handle a restrictor plate track and get good press, right?" hand of Dale Earnhardt Jr. They will start. Our bench warmers are Kasey Kahne and Clint Bowyer.
C List. Sam Hornish Jr. may still be wondering about next season, but he can rest assured that he's starting for the People's Pitstop on Sunday. Scott Speed is on the bench.
Again, thanks for voting. The results appear below. And if you haven't done so already, be sure to vote in the football polls, which close Sunday morning. We'll be back with the weekly predictions.
[polldaddy poll=3983971] [polldaddy poll=3983982] [polldaddy poll=3983994]
Unusually enough, there are no ties to be broken with a qualifying session. Every starting spot is already settled. Here are your selections.
A List. It's now or never for Tony Stewart, both in the Chase for the Sprint Cup and in fantasy racing. In addition to painting the new start/finish line at Daytona, Stewart earned his final start of the season for the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team. Former teammate Denny Hamlin earned a spot on the bench.
B List. In this poll, you liked the still-reasonably-hot hand of Jamie McMurray and the "at least he still knows how to handle a restrictor plate track and get good press, right?" hand of Dale Earnhardt Jr. They will start. Our bench warmers are Kasey Kahne and Clint Bowyer.
C List. Sam Hornish Jr. may still be wondering about next season, but he can rest assured that he's starting for the People's Pitstop on Sunday. Scott Speed is on the bench.
Again, thanks for voting. The results appear below. And if you haven't done so already, be sure to vote in the football polls, which close Sunday morning. We'll be back with the weekly predictions.
[polldaddy poll=3983971] [polldaddy poll=3983982] [polldaddy poll=3983994]
A People's League Halftime Report
While the National Football League waits to see a puff of white smoke from Minnesota, this is as good a time as ever to look at what has happened in the People's League so far this season.
(Yes, I realize this isn't quite the halfway point for the fantasy season. Work with me here.)
Most valuable fantasy players: Right now, only one player in this league is averaging over 20 points per game: Peyton Manning of the People's Pigskin (20.2). Excuse us while we congratulate ourselves. If you want to go by total points, Aaron Rodgers of Feely Her Up ... is leading the way with 129.
Surprise of the year: Here's what ESPN predicted for Arian Foster in its season preview: 456 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns. So far he has 6 touchdowns and leads all running backs by averaging 19.3 fantasy points a game. The nuckin' futs must be proud.
Disappointing player, non-injury category: The futs probably also thought Larry Fitzgerald was a steal in the third round, even with Kurt Warner working on his foxtrot. So far he's found the end zone twice and is averaging 7.2 fantasy points a game, ranking him 40th among wide receivers.
Disappointing player, injury category: Plenty of potential picks here, but this has to go to Ryan Grant, whom the Hudson Valley Hawks picked in the second round (right before the futs picked Foster) and lost to injury in the very first game, after he scored 4 points.
Best late round pick: Yes, the futs are getting this award, too. They got Kyle Orton in the 14th round, after 6 kickers came off the board. So far, Orton has scored 11 touchdowns and is averaging 17.6 fantasy points a game, good enough for 3rd place among quarterbacks.
Most curious stat: Home must be paradise for the Fighting Amish. They're 5-0 so far in "home" games and 0-2 in "away" games.
Quick reminders -- The People's Pigskin needs a lineup for its matchup against the aforementioned nuckin' futs. We've already picked up Jason Hanson to be this week's kicker. The rest of the starters will be determined by the polls, which will close Sunday morning.
Also, the People's Pitstop needs to pick drivers for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. Those polls will close tonight. Please vote now.
We'll be back with the NASCAR poll results.
(Yes, I realize this isn't quite the halfway point for the fantasy season. Work with me here.)
Most valuable fantasy players: Right now, only one player in this league is averaging over 20 points per game: Peyton Manning of the People's Pigskin (20.2). Excuse us while we congratulate ourselves. If you want to go by total points, Aaron Rodgers of Feely Her Up ... is leading the way with 129.
Surprise of the year: Here's what ESPN predicted for Arian Foster in its season preview: 456 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns. So far he has 6 touchdowns and leads all running backs by averaging 19.3 fantasy points a game. The nuckin' futs must be proud.
Disappointing player, non-injury category: The futs probably also thought Larry Fitzgerald was a steal in the third round, even with Kurt Warner working on his foxtrot. So far he's found the end zone twice and is averaging 7.2 fantasy points a game, ranking him 40th among wide receivers.
Disappointing player, injury category: Plenty of potential picks here, but this has to go to Ryan Grant, whom the Hudson Valley Hawks picked in the second round (right before the futs picked Foster) and lost to injury in the very first game, after he scored 4 points.
Best late round pick: Yes, the futs are getting this award, too. They got Kyle Orton in the 14th round, after 6 kickers came off the board. So far, Orton has scored 11 touchdowns and is averaging 17.6 fantasy points a game, good enough for 3rd place among quarterbacks.
Most curious stat: Home must be paradise for the Fighting Amish. They're 5-0 so far in "home" games and 0-2 in "away" games.
Quick reminders -- The People's Pigskin needs a lineup for its matchup against the aforementioned nuckin' futs. We've already picked up Jason Hanson to be this week's kicker. The rest of the starters will be determined by the polls, which will close Sunday morning.
Also, the People's Pitstop needs to pick drivers for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. Those polls will close tonight. Please vote now.
We'll be back with the NASCAR poll results.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Our New Kicker (and London Calling)
First of all, thanks to those of you who voted on which kicker the People's Pigskin would claim off the waiver wire for this week's People's League matchup against the nuckin' futs. The winner of this poll was Jason Hanson, who has been added to the lineup in place of the unneeded Randy McMichael. (We hardly knew ye, Randy.) The results appear at the bottom of this post.
Now, it's time to turn our attention to the renewal of an annual NFL tradition. By "annual," of course, we mean "in the last few years." The National Football League, in its never-ending quest for more money fans, has instituted an International Series of games. This year's version has the Denver Broncos playing the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in London's Wembley Stadium.
The 49ers will make the journey without Alex Smith. (I'll leave it those players who have Smith on his roster to say whether that's a good thing.) The Broncos may be making the journey without their pride after the shelling they suffered at the hands of the Oakland Raiders last week.
There has been some debate about whether flying to and from London puts too much strain on an NFL team, even one that gets its bye week immediately after the game. But the New England Patriots probably would beg to differ. They hammered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year in London by a score of 35-7. Tom Brady threw three touchdowns, and the Patriots defense/special teams benefitted from an interception that Brandon Meriweather (yes, that Brandon Meriweather) returned for a touchdown.
The lesson: Just because a game is being played in an unusual time zone doesn't make the players any less relevant in fantasy football.
Remember to vote in our polls. The NASCAR polls will close Friday night, while the football polls will close Sunday morning.
[polldaddy poll=3984062]
Now, it's time to turn our attention to the renewal of an annual NFL tradition. By "annual," of course, we mean "in the last few years." The National Football League, in its never-ending quest for more money fans, has instituted an International Series of games. This year's version has the Denver Broncos playing the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in London's Wembley Stadium.
The 49ers will make the journey without Alex Smith. (I'll leave it those players who have Smith on his roster to say whether that's a good thing.) The Broncos may be making the journey without their pride after the shelling they suffered at the hands of the Oakland Raiders last week.
There has been some debate about whether flying to and from London puts too much strain on an NFL team, even one that gets its bye week immediately after the game. But the New England Patriots probably would beg to differ. They hammered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year in London by a score of 35-7. Tom Brady threw three touchdowns, and the Patriots defense/special teams benefitted from an interception that Brandon Meriweather (yes, that Brandon Meriweather) returned for a touchdown.
The lesson: Just because a game is being played in an unusual time zone doesn't make the players any less relevant in fantasy football.
Remember to vote in our polls. The NASCAR polls will close Friday night, while the football polls will close Sunday morning.
[polldaddy poll=3984062]
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The People's Facts - Amp Energy Juice 500
It's going to be a busy week for the People's Pigskin. First, we have to get a new kicker off the waiver wire for this week's matchup against the nuckin' futs. That poll will close tonight, so please vote now. Then we have to worry about which drivers will represent the People's Pitstop in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Speaking of that race, here is some information about this week's race site.
Track basics: Talladega Superspeedway is the biggest of the big. It's 2 and 2/3 miles long, and its status as a restrictor plate track ensures drivers get together in big packs, leading to many incidents known as the "Big One." (And you thought James Harrison could hit you hard.)
Last time we were here: Back in late April, Kevin Harvick had a great day. He edged his way past Jamie McMurray at the end of the third green-white-checkered sequence to win for the first time in 116 races. The People's Pitstop had a terrible day, scoring only 232 fantasy points and leaving 7th-place Clint Bowyer on the bench.
Other recent winners: McMurray (fall 2009), Tony Stewart (2008), Jeff Gordon (2007).
Who wins here a lot: It's a familiar refrain -- Gordon leads active NASCAR drivers with 6 victories at Talladega, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 5. No other NASCAR driver has more than 2 wins here.
Who's still contending: With four races to go, the Chase for the Sprint Cup is far from over. Here are the points standings. Jimmie Johnson remains your overall leader, but Denny Hamlin pulled himself within 6 points of the defending champion with his win at Martinsville. Harvick is still in contention, too; he's only 62 points out. The other drivers need a miracle -- or a Big One that breaks just the right way.
Once again, the good folks at Yahoo Sports have assembled a handy fantasy guide for this race. You can download your copy by clicking here. The NASCAR lineup polls will actually close Friday night, since the qualifying session will be held Saturday. But you should feel free to vote on them now.
Track basics: Talladega Superspeedway is the biggest of the big. It's 2 and 2/3 miles long, and its status as a restrictor plate track ensures drivers get together in big packs, leading to many incidents known as the "Big One." (And you thought James Harrison could hit you hard.)
Last time we were here: Back in late April, Kevin Harvick had a great day. He edged his way past Jamie McMurray at the end of the third green-white-checkered sequence to win for the first time in 116 races. The People's Pitstop had a terrible day, scoring only 232 fantasy points and leaving 7th-place Clint Bowyer on the bench.
Other recent winners: McMurray (fall 2009), Tony Stewart (2008), Jeff Gordon (2007).
Who wins here a lot: It's a familiar refrain -- Gordon leads active NASCAR drivers with 6 victories at Talladega, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 5. No other NASCAR driver has more than 2 wins here.
Who's still contending: With four races to go, the Chase for the Sprint Cup is far from over. Here are the points standings. Jimmie Johnson remains your overall leader, but Denny Hamlin pulled himself within 6 points of the defending champion with his win at Martinsville. Harvick is still in contention, too; he's only 62 points out. The other drivers need a miracle -- or a Big One that breaks just the right way.
Once again, the good folks at Yahoo Sports have assembled a handy fantasy guide for this race. You can download your copy by clicking here. The NASCAR lineup polls will actually close Friday night, since the qualifying session will be held Saturday. But you should feel free to vote on them now.
Monday, October 25, 2010
No, This Isn't a Typo
157-56.
That's right. The People's Pigskin, a fantasy football team guided by you, the Internet, outscored Team z of the People's League by 101 points. We are now 6-1 for the season. Please take a bow before you read how we did it.
Chad Henne, QB: 23 of 36 passing, 257 yards, 1 touchdown and 14 fantasy points. On a day when our primary quarterback had a bye week and one of our backups had an injury, Henne brought his Miami Dolphins within one point (one call, actually) of beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Michael Turner, RB: 23 rushes for 121 yards, 2 receptions for 23 yards, 2 touchdowns and 26 fantasy points. There's the Turner who earned a first-round draft pick from the Internet's favorite fantasy football team.
Justin Forsett, RB: 9 rushes for 41 yards, 2 receptions for 31 yards and 7 fantasy points. As we'll see later, Forsett was the closest thing the People's Pigskin had to a misfire this week.
Chad Ochocinco, WR: 10 receptions, 108 yards, 1 touchdown and 16 fantasy points. Ochocinco broke the Cincinnati Bengals career touchdown catch record, but I'm sure he'd trade that mark for a few more victories.
Dwayne Bowe, WR: 3 receptions, 81 yards, 2 touchdowns and 20 fantasy points. Most weeks, being one of the primary scoring weapons in a 42-20 win would make you the highlight of your fantasy team. But not this week.
Kenny Britt, Flex: 7 receptions, 225 yards, 3 touchdowns and 40 fantasy points. This performance is even more amazing when you consider that Britt was benched for a quarter for his alleged role in a fight. We won't be trite enough to suggest that Britt get into a fight every week, but he should continue doing anything else he did in the past week.
Antonio Gates, TE: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 1 touchdown and 11 fantasy points. Yes, he did most of his fantasy scoring on a single play, but he did have a decent day for someone who was a game-time decision.
Tennessee Titans, D/ST: 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 sack, 19 points allowed and 15 fantasy points. It's too bad you don't get fantasy points for encouraging the opposing coach to go back to his other quarterback once he's healthy.
Matt Bryant, K: 1 for 1 on field goals, 4 for 4 on extra points and 8 fantasy points. Bryant did everything his coaches asked him to do, unlike Kris Brown.
Bench: Believe it or not, Britt was not even the top scorer on the Pigskin roster. Darren McFadden, who was scratched from his previous 2 games with a hamstring injury, scored 43 points in a 4-touchdown effort. Knowshon Moreno scored 20 of his own in a losing effort, and Robert Meachem scored 3.
Instead of basking in our own glow, we need to get ready for next week's People's League game against the nuckin' futs. We also need to get the People's Pitstop ready for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. The polls for both lineups are now open.
Since Bryant has a bye week, we need to get a kicker off the waiver poll, so that poll appears first and will close Tuesday night. NASCAR polls will close Thursday night, while the rest of the football polls will close Sunday morning. Please vote, and enjoy Hank Williams and the rest of the Monday night crew.
That's right. The People's Pigskin, a fantasy football team guided by you, the Internet, outscored Team z of the People's League by 101 points. We are now 6-1 for the season. Please take a bow before you read how we did it.
Chad Henne, QB: 23 of 36 passing, 257 yards, 1 touchdown and 14 fantasy points. On a day when our primary quarterback had a bye week and one of our backups had an injury, Henne brought his Miami Dolphins within one point (one call, actually) of beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Michael Turner, RB: 23 rushes for 121 yards, 2 receptions for 23 yards, 2 touchdowns and 26 fantasy points. There's the Turner who earned a first-round draft pick from the Internet's favorite fantasy football team.
Justin Forsett, RB: 9 rushes for 41 yards, 2 receptions for 31 yards and 7 fantasy points. As we'll see later, Forsett was the closest thing the People's Pigskin had to a misfire this week.
Chad Ochocinco, WR: 10 receptions, 108 yards, 1 touchdown and 16 fantasy points. Ochocinco broke the Cincinnati Bengals career touchdown catch record, but I'm sure he'd trade that mark for a few more victories.
Dwayne Bowe, WR: 3 receptions, 81 yards, 2 touchdowns and 20 fantasy points. Most weeks, being one of the primary scoring weapons in a 42-20 win would make you the highlight of your fantasy team. But not this week.
Kenny Britt, Flex: 7 receptions, 225 yards, 3 touchdowns and 40 fantasy points. This performance is even more amazing when you consider that Britt was benched for a quarter for his alleged role in a fight. We won't be trite enough to suggest that Britt get into a fight every week, but he should continue doing anything else he did in the past week.
Antonio Gates, TE: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 1 touchdown and 11 fantasy points. Yes, he did most of his fantasy scoring on a single play, but he did have a decent day for someone who was a game-time decision.
Tennessee Titans, D/ST: 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 sack, 19 points allowed and 15 fantasy points. It's too bad you don't get fantasy points for encouraging the opposing coach to go back to his other quarterback once he's healthy.
Matt Bryant, K: 1 for 1 on field goals, 4 for 4 on extra points and 8 fantasy points. Bryant did everything his coaches asked him to do, unlike Kris Brown.
Bench: Believe it or not, Britt was not even the top scorer on the Pigskin roster. Darren McFadden, who was scratched from his previous 2 games with a hamstring injury, scored 43 points in a 4-touchdown effort. Knowshon Moreno scored 20 of his own in a losing effort, and Robert Meachem scored 3.
Instead of basking in our own glow, we need to get ready for next week's People's League game against the nuckin' futs. We also need to get the People's Pitstop ready for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. The polls for both lineups are now open.
Since Bryant has a bye week, we need to get a kicker off the waiver poll, so that poll appears first and will close Tuesday night. NASCAR polls will close Thursday night, while the rest of the football polls will close Sunday morning. Please vote, and enjoy Hank Williams and the rest of the Monday night crew.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
A Merry Time in Martinsville
We'll update the football happenings in a post Monday. But for now, it's time to celebrate a great rebound for the People's Pitstop. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team piled up 326 points at Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway. Our season total is 8,506, good enough for 61,199th overall on Yahoo Sports and lifting us 13 spots, to 83rd, in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Amazingly, at a track where you can go a lap down by sneezing, all four of our drivers finished on the lead lap.
Here's how we got where we are.
Denny Hamlin: Started 1st, finished 1st, 40 laps led and 110 fantasy points. Days don't get much better than Hamlin's. He's now within 6 points of Jimmie Johnson in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Joey Logano: Started 22nd, finished 6th and 80 fantasy points. All that was missing from Logano's day was the chance to lead a lap.
Jamie McMurray: Started 9th, finished 11th and 70 fantasy points. No word as of yet about whether McMurray gets to keep the title of NASCAR's most exciting driver.
Paul Menard: Started 12th, finished 13th and 66 fantasy points. Menard finishes his season for us with a surprisingly strong record for a C List driver. If he can avoid being swallowed whole by the mess at Richard Petty Motorspots, he should find himself on a different fantasy racing list next year.
The polls for next week's race will go up Monday. In the meantime, enjoy the Sunday night game. You, the Internet, have earned it.
Here's how we got where we are.
Denny Hamlin: Started 1st, finished 1st, 40 laps led and 110 fantasy points. Days don't get much better than Hamlin's. He's now within 6 points of Jimmie Johnson in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Joey Logano: Started 22nd, finished 6th and 80 fantasy points. All that was missing from Logano's day was the chance to lead a lap.
Jamie McMurray: Started 9th, finished 11th and 70 fantasy points. No word as of yet about whether McMurray gets to keep the title of NASCAR's most exciting driver.
Paul Menard: Started 12th, finished 13th and 66 fantasy points. Menard finishes his season for us with a surprisingly strong record for a C List driver. If he can avoid being swallowed whole by the mess at Richard Petty Motorspots, he should find himself on a different fantasy racing list next year.
The polls for next week's race will go up Monday. In the meantime, enjoy the Sunday night game. You, the Internet, have earned it.
The People's Results - Week 7
Another Sunday of NFL action is upon us, and once again, the People's Pigskin has you to thank for its lineup. Here are your selections for the Internet's favorite fantasy football in its People's League contest against Team z.
Quarterback. With Peyton Manning getting a week off thanks to the NFL schedulers, you split right down the middle between Vince Young and Chad Henne. Since Young has been essentially inactivated for this game, we'll go with Henne, who faces the Pittsburgh Steelers this week.
Running back. Two players took all the votes in this poll and get the starting spot. Perhaps it makes sense that these are two players without any health issues: Michael Turner (who gets the Cincinnati Bengals) and Justin Forsett (who gets the Arizona Cardinals).
Wide receiver. This poll produced a three-way dead heat between Chad Ochocinco (facing Turner's Atlanta Falcons), Dwayne Bowe (facing the Jacksonville Jaguars) and Kenny Britt (facing the Philadelphia Eagles). Ochocinco and Bowe get the receiver slots, while Britt gets the flex spot.
Tight end. Just like every other week, Antonio Gates (facing the New England Patriots in a late afternoon game) dominated this poll. Unlike every other week, Gates is a game-day decision, so just in case he's benched, we've got his backup, Randy McMichael, on the bench ready to go in. We'll update this when we know one way or the other about Gates.
No changes at defense/special teams (the Tennessee Titans) or kicker (Matt Bryant against the Bengals). Thanks for voting, everybody. A new NFL poll is now available. The results of our lineup polls appear below.
UPDATED 3:05 P.M. Gates is active and will start for the Pigskin.
[polldaddy poll=3951519] [polldaddy poll=3951530] [polldaddy poll=3951544] [polldaddy poll=3951553] [polldaddy poll=3951557] [polldaddy poll=3951563]
Quarterback. With Peyton Manning getting a week off thanks to the NFL schedulers, you split right down the middle between Vince Young and Chad Henne. Since Young has been essentially inactivated for this game, we'll go with Henne, who faces the Pittsburgh Steelers this week.
Running back. Two players took all the votes in this poll and get the starting spot. Perhaps it makes sense that these are two players without any health issues: Michael Turner (who gets the Cincinnati Bengals) and Justin Forsett (who gets the Arizona Cardinals).
Wide receiver. This poll produced a three-way dead heat between Chad Ochocinco (facing Turner's Atlanta Falcons), Dwayne Bowe (facing the Jacksonville Jaguars) and Kenny Britt (facing the Philadelphia Eagles). Ochocinco and Bowe get the receiver slots, while Britt gets the flex spot.
Tight end. Just like every other week, Antonio Gates (facing the New England Patriots in a late afternoon game) dominated this poll. Unlike every other week, Gates is a game-day decision, so just in case he's benched, we've got his backup, Randy McMichael, on the bench ready to go in. We'll update this when we know one way or the other about Gates.
No changes at defense/special teams (the Tennessee Titans) or kicker (Matt Bryant against the Bengals). Thanks for voting, everybody. A new NFL poll is now available. The results of our lineup polls appear below.
UPDATED 3:05 P.M. Gates is active and will start for the Pigskin.
[polldaddy poll=3951519] [polldaddy poll=3951530] [polldaddy poll=3951544] [polldaddy poll=3951553] [polldaddy poll=3951557] [polldaddy poll=3951563]
Fearless Football Predictions - Week 7
You still have a couple of hours to vote on the People's Pigskin lineup for this week, but in the meantime, it's time to offer you a much-delayed set of predictions for the People's League. Last week's fantasy football forecasts went a disappointing 2-3, leaving us with a season record of 16-14.
People's Pigskin vs. Team z. Yes, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team has some questions this week, particularly with Peyton Manning having a bye week. But we also have plenty of options at other positions, including Knowshon Moreno facing an Oakland Raiders defense that gives up rushing yards in bunches. The Pigskin will keep rolling along with another win.
Feely Her Up ... vs. Hudson Valley Hawks. This game really could go either way. The edge goes to Adrian Peterson, who gets to face a Green Bay Packers defense that is redefining the term "banged up." He'll get the points, and the Hawks will squeak out a victory.
NFL2K10 RedZone vs. Fighting Amish. Ray Rice just has to be salivating at the thought of bouncing back from last week's heart-breaker by humilating the winless Buffalo Bills. His points should prove to be the winning margin for the Amish.
nuckin' futs vs. Chicago VinSethBears. Drew Brees, say hello to the Cleveland Browns, who are missing two of their best weapons (thanks to James Harrison) and will probably be handing you the ball more often than they would like. Futs, say hello to a winning record.
cowboys romero vs. t-bay cuervonatersXXL. The Monday night game is crucial not only for the Dallas Cowboys, but also for these two fantasy squads. If Tony Romo wants to be known for something other than screwing up that playoff kick, he needs to kick it into high gear against the Giants. That should be enough for the Cuervonaters to pull out a victory.
Remember, you can still vote on the Pigskin lineup, but please hurry. The results from the "worst NFL team" poll appear below. We'll be back shortly with the lineup results.
[polldaddy poll=3938286]
People's Pigskin vs. Team z. Yes, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team has some questions this week, particularly with Peyton Manning having a bye week. But we also have plenty of options at other positions, including Knowshon Moreno facing an Oakland Raiders defense that gives up rushing yards in bunches. The Pigskin will keep rolling along with another win.
Feely Her Up ... vs. Hudson Valley Hawks. This game really could go either way. The edge goes to Adrian Peterson, who gets to face a Green Bay Packers defense that is redefining the term "banged up." He'll get the points, and the Hawks will squeak out a victory.
NFL2K10 RedZone vs. Fighting Amish. Ray Rice just has to be salivating at the thought of bouncing back from last week's heart-breaker by humilating the winless Buffalo Bills. His points should prove to be the winning margin for the Amish.
nuckin' futs vs. Chicago VinSethBears. Drew Brees, say hello to the Cleveland Browns, who are missing two of their best weapons (thanks to James Harrison) and will probably be handing you the ball more often than they would like. Futs, say hello to a winning record.
cowboys romero vs. t-bay cuervonatersXXL. The Monday night game is crucial not only for the Dallas Cowboys, but also for these two fantasy squads. If Tony Romo wants to be known for something other than screwing up that playoff kick, he needs to kick it into high gear against the Giants. That should be enough for the Cuervonaters to pull out a victory.
Remember, you can still vote on the Pigskin lineup, but please hurry. The results from the "worst NFL team" poll appear below. We'll be back shortly with the lineup results.
[polldaddy poll=3938286]
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Fearless NASCAR Predictions - Martinsville
We are less than 24 hours from kickoff and the green flag, so it's time to start offering predictions. We'll start with our picks for the drivers who will finish in the top 10 at the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. Last week's picks went 3-7, lowering our season record to 143-157.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Yes, we are precisely that stubborn here at this Web site.
2. Denny Hamlin. If he wanted a way to catch Johnson, winning the pole for this race certainly helped.
3. Jamie McMurray. Because Hamlin needs some company from the People's Pitstop starting lineup here. (Oh, and there's that whole "winning last week" thing.)
4. Brad Keselowski. Not sure how much momentum you can carry from a Gateway win to a Martinsville race, but Keselowski has it.
5. Ryan Newman. We've given you plenty of stats on Newman, but here's one more: He's finished in the top 7 in his last three Martinsville races.
6. Tony Stewart. And Newman's car owner has 13 top 10 finishes of his own here.
7. Jeff Gordon. This stat comes courtesy of the good folks at Yahoo Sports' invaluable From the Marbles blog: "Gordon has been in the top 10 in the last 15 Martinsville races, or every race since 2002."
8. David Reutimann. Top 10 finishes the last 2 weeks plus a top 10 start this week add up to something good.
9. Kevin Harvick. Someone at Richard Childress Racing must think Harvick has a chance to catch Johnson. Mr. Happy is getting Clint Bowyer's pit crew this week.
10. Marcos Ambrose. The Tasmanian devil is stepping into the #9 car vacated by Kasey Kahne's early move to Red Bull Racing. Ambrose says he's staying with the troubled Richard Petty Motorsports "as long as the boat is floating." That type of loyalty earns you a pick as the medium to long shot.
We'll be back early Sunday with fantasy football picks. Speaking of which, please vote for the People's Pigskin lineup. We need you.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Yes, we are precisely that stubborn here at this Web site.
2. Denny Hamlin. If he wanted a way to catch Johnson, winning the pole for this race certainly helped.
3. Jamie McMurray. Because Hamlin needs some company from the People's Pitstop starting lineup here. (Oh, and there's that whole "winning last week" thing.)
4. Brad Keselowski. Not sure how much momentum you can carry from a Gateway win to a Martinsville race, but Keselowski has it.
5. Ryan Newman. We've given you plenty of stats on Newman, but here's one more: He's finished in the top 7 in his last three Martinsville races.
6. Tony Stewart. And Newman's car owner has 13 top 10 finishes of his own here.
7. Jeff Gordon. This stat comes courtesy of the good folks at Yahoo Sports' invaluable From the Marbles blog: "Gordon has been in the top 10 in the last 15 Martinsville races, or every race since 2002."
8. David Reutimann. Top 10 finishes the last 2 weeks plus a top 10 start this week add up to something good.
9. Kevin Harvick. Someone at Richard Childress Racing must think Harvick has a chance to catch Johnson. Mr. Happy is getting Clint Bowyer's pit crew this week.
10. Marcos Ambrose. The Tasmanian devil is stepping into the #9 car vacated by Kasey Kahne's early move to Red Bull Racing. Ambrose says he's staying with the troubled Richard Petty Motorsports "as long as the boat is floating." That type of loyalty earns you a pick as the medium to long shot.
We'll be back early Sunday with fantasy football picks. Speaking of which, please vote for the People's Pigskin lineup. We need you.
Friday, October 22, 2010
The People's Choice - Martinsville
Yet another week has come and gone, and it's time once again to thank you, the Internet, for selecting the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. Here are your selections.
A List. It really wouldn't be the People's Pitstop if we didn't have at least one tie. This one was between two teammates: Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. Once again, we will use the qualifying session to break this tie, so stay tuned.
B List. This poll produced some more clear-cut results. Our winner is Jamie McMurray, and our runner-up is Joey Logano. Both drivers will start, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne will watch the proceedings from the bench.
C List. This week, we will say farewell to yet another driver. Paul Menard will start his last race of the season. Try to contain your tears. Our old friend Sam Hornish Jr. will sit on the bench.
Thanks again for voting on this lineup, and if you haven't done so already, please cast your votes for the People's Pigskin lineup for its fantasy football matchup against Team Z. Those polls will close Sunday morning, while the poll on the worst NFL team will close Saturday. The results of the NASCAR polls appear below. We'll update this post after the qualifying session.
UPDATED 4:30 P.M. Qualifying just wrapped up, and Hamlin just wrapped up a 10-point bonus by winning the pole. He earned a starting spot alongside McMurray (who qualified 9th), Menard (12th) and Logano (22nd).
[polldaddy poll=3937453] [polldaddy poll=3937459] [polldaddy poll=3937462]
A List. It really wouldn't be the People's Pitstop if we didn't have at least one tie. This one was between two teammates: Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. Once again, we will use the qualifying session to break this tie, so stay tuned.
B List. This poll produced some more clear-cut results. Our winner is Jamie McMurray, and our runner-up is Joey Logano. Both drivers will start, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne will watch the proceedings from the bench.
C List. This week, we will say farewell to yet another driver. Paul Menard will start his last race of the season. Try to contain your tears. Our old friend Sam Hornish Jr. will sit on the bench.
Thanks again for voting on this lineup, and if you haven't done so already, please cast your votes for the People's Pigskin lineup for its fantasy football matchup against Team Z. Those polls will close Sunday morning, while the poll on the worst NFL team will close Saturday. The results of the NASCAR polls appear below. We'll update this post after the qualifying session.
UPDATED 4:30 P.M. Qualifying just wrapped up, and Hamlin just wrapped up a 10-point bonus by winning the pole. He earned a starting spot alongside McMurray (who qualified 9th), Menard (12th) and Logano (22nd).
[polldaddy poll=3937453] [polldaddy poll=3937459] [polldaddy poll=3937462]
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Playing Doctor ... with Your Team
The lineup polls for the People's Pitstop will close in a couple of hours. (Here's a hint: Kasey Kahne may not be a strong candidate for this week's Sprint Cup race.) In the meantime, it's time to discuss a painful subject for every fantasy football player.
Injuries.
Anyone who has played fantasy football is already familiar with the concept of monitoring the health of their own players. If you have Antonio Gates on your roster (as the People's Pigskin does), you probably already know that he's looking like the dreaded "game time decision."
Most fantasy football players also know to watch the health of their players' teammates. For example, you probably have heard about the injury woes of Dallas Clark and Austin Collie. These injuries may hurt you if you're starting Peyton Manning (as the Pigskin does most weeks), but they might actually help you if you have one of the other 4,579 receivers on the Indianapolis Colts roster, whether it's the veteran Reggie Wayne or the up-and-comer Pierre Garcon or the where-the-heck-did-he-come-from Blair White.
But the National Football League took this concept to a whole new level this week by forcing fantasy players to monitor something new: the health and safety of their players' opponents.
If you have the Pittsburgh Steelers defense/special teams, and James Harrison delivers another hit like the ones he dished out last week to the Cleveland Browns, you better make sure the recipient of that hit gets up quickly. If he doesn't, the NFL won't hesitate to suspend Harrison, and the Steelers defense will pay the price.
And fantasy football players already have enough reasons to do this.
Speaking of fantasy football, the polls for the People's Pigskin are still open. Please vote.
We'll be back with the NASCAR poll results.
Injuries.
Anyone who has played fantasy football is already familiar with the concept of monitoring the health of their own players. If you have Antonio Gates on your roster (as the People's Pigskin does), you probably already know that he's looking like the dreaded "game time decision."
Most fantasy football players also know to watch the health of their players' teammates. For example, you probably have heard about the injury woes of Dallas Clark and Austin Collie. These injuries may hurt you if you're starting Peyton Manning (as the Pigskin does most weeks), but they might actually help you if you have one of the other 4,579 receivers on the Indianapolis Colts roster, whether it's the veteran Reggie Wayne or the up-and-comer Pierre Garcon or the where-the-heck-did-he-come-from Blair White.
But the National Football League took this concept to a whole new level this week by forcing fantasy players to monitor something new: the health and safety of their players' opponents.
If you have the Pittsburgh Steelers defense/special teams, and James Harrison delivers another hit like the ones he dished out last week to the Cleveland Browns, you better make sure the recipient of that hit gets up quickly. If he doesn't, the NFL won't hesitate to suspend Harrison, and the Steelers defense will pay the price.
And fantasy football players already have enough reasons to do this.
Speaking of fantasy football, the polls for the People's Pigskin are still open. Please vote.
We'll be back with the NASCAR poll results.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The People's Facts - Tums Fast Relief 500
Fantasy NASCAR fans have until Thursday night to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for this week's Sprint Cup race. To help you make your decisions about the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team, here is some information about this week's track.
Track basics: NASCAR returns to one of its most historic tracks, Martinsville Speedway. The half-mile Virginia track has been called a lot of things, including "the Paperclip." One thing it's never been called is easy, especially on the brakes.
Last time we were here: The March race at Martinsville was postponed until Monday because of rain. In that race, Denny Hamlin made a late surge to win for the second straight week. The People's Pitstop scored only 226 points, one of the worst totals of the season (until last week, anyway). Our best performer was Jimmie Johnson, who finished 9th.
Other recent winners: Hamlin (fall 2009), Johnson (2008), Johnson again (2007).
Who wins here a lot: Jeff Gordon leads active NASCAR drivers with 7 victories on this track, followed by Johnson (6) and Hamlin (3).
This malaise brought to you by: Some weeks, NASCAR seems to pick the race sponsor by sticking their hand in a hat. And then there are the Martinsville races. The March race was sponsored by a headache remedy. This week's race is sponsored by an antacid. Coincidence?
If you'd like to learn more about this race, click here to download the Yahoo Sports guide. And then vote on the polls on the right side of this page.
We'll be back with some fantasy football thoughts.
Track basics: NASCAR returns to one of its most historic tracks, Martinsville Speedway. The half-mile Virginia track has been called a lot of things, including "the Paperclip." One thing it's never been called is easy, especially on the brakes.
Last time we were here: The March race at Martinsville was postponed until Monday because of rain. In that race, Denny Hamlin made a late surge to win for the second straight week. The People's Pitstop scored only 226 points, one of the worst totals of the season (until last week, anyway). Our best performer was Jimmie Johnson, who finished 9th.
Other recent winners: Hamlin (fall 2009), Johnson (2008), Johnson again (2007).
Who wins here a lot: Jeff Gordon leads active NASCAR drivers with 7 victories on this track, followed by Johnson (6) and Hamlin (3).
This malaise brought to you by: Some weeks, NASCAR seems to pick the race sponsor by sticking their hand in a hat. And then there are the Martinsville races. The March race was sponsored by a headache remedy. This week's race is sponsored by an antacid. Coincidence?
If you'd like to learn more about this race, click here to download the Yahoo Sports guide. And then vote on the polls on the right side of this page.
We'll be back with some fantasy football thoughts.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Another Week, Another Win (and More Polls)
If you're a fantasy football fan, give yourself a pat on the back. You helped steer the People's Pigskin to another victory.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team beat cowboys romero by a score of 97-70. This lifts the Pigskin to a season record of 5-1, the best in the People's League.
Let's break down this victory.
Peyton Manning, QB: 25 of 38 passing, 307 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 rush for minus-1 yard, 1 fumble lost and 18 fantasy points. That total could have been better (the ESPN "experts" had projected 27 points for Manning), but it also could have been far worse, since the Washington Redskins dropped three would-be interceptions. Now, Manning faces a foe he can't defeat with film study: a bye week.
Michael Turner, RB: 15 rushes for 45 yards, 1 reception for 4 yards and 4 fantasy points. It was a day to forget for Turner and most of his fellow Atlanta Falcons, who made Kevin Kolb look like the next Peyton Manning.
Knowshon Moreno, RB: 12 rushes for 48 yards, 1 fumble lost and 2 fantasy points. Moreno was a last-minute replacement for the injured Darren McFadden, so any points he produced felt like a bonus.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 5 receptions, 146 yards, 1 touchdown and 20 fantasy points. That's more like it, even if Johnson did most of his damage on an 87-yard catch-and-run. Unfortunately, he will take that momentum straight into a bye week.
Kenny Britt, WR: 2 receptions, 33 yards, 1 touchdown and 9 fantasy points. It's a good thing Britt scored when he did, because he seemed to disappear when Vince Young left Monday night's game.
Dwayne Bowe, Flex: 6 receptions, 108 yards, 2 touchdowns and 22 fantasy points. Bowe was one of the brightest stars in all of fantasy football this week.
Antonio Gates, TE: 2 receptions, 12 yards and 1 fantasy point. Gates left the game early with a toe injury. The San Diego Chargers are saying they are optimistic Gates will play this week. However, his health obviously should be monitored.
Tennessee Titans, D/ST: 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks, 3 points allowed and 17 fantasy points. The Titans had about a strong a night as a defense/special team can ever expect. They were the reason the Monday night game against the Jacksonville Jaguars was never really a contest.
Matt Bryant, K: 1 for 2 on field goals, 2 for 2 on extra points and 4 fantasy points. He didn't save us, but he didn't kill us, either.
Bench. The Pigskin got double-digit performances from Chad Henne (15 points), Robert Meachem (13) and Justin Forsett (12). Young scored 6 before leaving the game, and Kevin Smith scored 1.
Now, it's time to prepare for this week's People's League matchup against the mysterious Team Z. The polls are open (below the fantasy NASCAR ones) and will close Sunday morning. Remember that both Manning and Johnson have bye weeks, so your votes will play a critical role in setting our lineup. If you have any thoughts about any other changes we can make, hit the "Leave a Comment" button at the bottom of this post and let use know what you think.
We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR track.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team beat cowboys romero by a score of 97-70. This lifts the Pigskin to a season record of 5-1, the best in the People's League.
Let's break down this victory.
Peyton Manning, QB: 25 of 38 passing, 307 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 rush for minus-1 yard, 1 fumble lost and 18 fantasy points. That total could have been better (the ESPN "experts" had projected 27 points for Manning), but it also could have been far worse, since the Washington Redskins dropped three would-be interceptions. Now, Manning faces a foe he can't defeat with film study: a bye week.
Michael Turner, RB: 15 rushes for 45 yards, 1 reception for 4 yards and 4 fantasy points. It was a day to forget for Turner and most of his fellow Atlanta Falcons, who made Kevin Kolb look like the next Peyton Manning.
Knowshon Moreno, RB: 12 rushes for 48 yards, 1 fumble lost and 2 fantasy points. Moreno was a last-minute replacement for the injured Darren McFadden, so any points he produced felt like a bonus.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 5 receptions, 146 yards, 1 touchdown and 20 fantasy points. That's more like it, even if Johnson did most of his damage on an 87-yard catch-and-run. Unfortunately, he will take that momentum straight into a bye week.
Kenny Britt, WR: 2 receptions, 33 yards, 1 touchdown and 9 fantasy points. It's a good thing Britt scored when he did, because he seemed to disappear when Vince Young left Monday night's game.
Dwayne Bowe, Flex: 6 receptions, 108 yards, 2 touchdowns and 22 fantasy points. Bowe was one of the brightest stars in all of fantasy football this week.
Antonio Gates, TE: 2 receptions, 12 yards and 1 fantasy point. Gates left the game early with a toe injury. The San Diego Chargers are saying they are optimistic Gates will play this week. However, his health obviously should be monitored.
Tennessee Titans, D/ST: 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks, 3 points allowed and 17 fantasy points. The Titans had about a strong a night as a defense/special team can ever expect. They were the reason the Monday night game against the Jacksonville Jaguars was never really a contest.
Matt Bryant, K: 1 for 2 on field goals, 2 for 2 on extra points and 4 fantasy points. He didn't save us, but he didn't kill us, either.
Bench. The Pigskin got double-digit performances from Chad Henne (15 points), Robert Meachem (13) and Justin Forsett (12). Young scored 6 before leaving the game, and Kevin Smith scored 1.
Now, it's time to prepare for this week's People's League matchup against the mysterious Team Z. The polls are open (below the fantasy NASCAR ones) and will close Sunday morning. Remember that both Manning and Johnson have bye weeks, so your votes will play a critical role in setting our lineup. If you have any thoughts about any other changes we can make, hit the "Leave a Comment" button at the bottom of this post and let use know what you think.
We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR track.
Monday, October 18, 2010
A Quick Monday Afternoon Update (and Link)
The People's Pigskin is off to a good start this week. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team currenly enjoys a 71-65 lead over cowboys romero. Our contest is far from over, though. The Pigskin has Kenny Britt and the Tennessee Titans defense/special teams in the Monday night game, while the Cowboys have Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Jones-Drew doesn't outscore Britt and the Titans by at least 6 points, the Pigskin will improve to 5-1.
While we wait on that game, I'd be remiss not to share with you a regular feature of one of our fellow bloggers, The Fantasy Geek. Every week, one of the Geek's resident experts, "themajorgray," offers a Sizing Up post in which he analyzes each NFL game and tells you which players should or should not be starting on your fantasy team. For example, here's the list for the Monday night game. (And no, this isn't "stealing." It's paying tribute.)
"Certainly Start: Chris Johnson, Marcedes Lewis, Maurice Jones-Drew. Consider: TEN Defense, Josh Scobee, Nate Washington, Kenny Britt, Mike Sims-Walker. Hold back: JAX Defense, David Garrard, Justin Gage (injury), Javon Ringer, Bo Scaife. Sleepers: Vince Young, Deji Karim."
If you need fantasy advice from someone who doesn't try to call himself "Talented" without demonstrating it, consider the Fantasy Geek.
We'll be back with the football results and a fresh set of polls.
While we wait on that game, I'd be remiss not to share with you a regular feature of one of our fellow bloggers, The Fantasy Geek. Every week, one of the Geek's resident experts, "themajorgray," offers a Sizing Up post in which he analyzes each NFL game and tells you which players should or should not be starting on your fantasy team. For example, here's the list for the Monday night game. (And no, this isn't "stealing." It's paying tribute.)
"Certainly Start: Chris Johnson, Marcedes Lewis, Maurice Jones-Drew. Consider: TEN Defense, Josh Scobee, Nate Washington, Kenny Britt, Mike Sims-Walker. Hold back: JAX Defense, David Garrard, Justin Gage (injury), Javon Ringer, Bo Scaife. Sleepers: Vince Young, Deji Karim."
If you need fantasy advice from someone who doesn't try to call himself "Talented" without demonstrating it, consider the Fantasy Geek.
We'll be back with the football results and a fresh set of polls.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The People's Choice - Week 6
We're less than an hour from kickoff, but there's plenty of time to thank you, my fellow fantasy football fans, for voting on the People's Pigskin lineup for this week's People's League matchup against cowboys romero. The results are in, and here they are.
Quarterback. Stop me if you've heard this before: Peyton Manning is starting for us this week. He plays the Washington Redskins on Sunday night.
Running back. Michael Turner locked up one starting spot by winning this poll. He faces the Philadelphia Eagles. Darren McFadden holds the second spot at the moment. If he's inactive for the late afternoon game against the San Francisco 49ers, we will get someone else to take his spot, and we'll update this post if necessary.
Wide reciever. Kenny Britt is a surprise winner of this poll. He starts against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night. Two other receivers tied for second place: Calvin Johnson (who plays the New York Giants and gets the second receiver spot) and Dwayne Bowe (who faces the Houston Texans and gets the flex spot).
The rest of the lineup is the same as it was last week. We have Antonio Gates (facing the St. Louis Rams) at tight end, the Tennessee Titans (on Monday night against the Jaguars) on defense/special teams and Matt Bryant (facing the Eagles) at kicker.
Again, thanks for voting. The poll results appear below, and a fresh football poll is now available for your voting pleasure. Good luck.
UPDATED 3:10 P.M. McFadden is inactive for this game. However, Knowshon Moreno has been upgraded to probable and is active for the Denver Broncos today, so he gets promoted to the starting lineup. He faces the New York Jets.
[polldaddy poll=3907798] [polldaddy poll=3907806] [polldaddy poll=3907813] [polldaddy poll=3907819] [polldaddy poll=3907826] [polldaddy poll=3907832]
Quarterback. Stop me if you've heard this before: Peyton Manning is starting for us this week. He plays the Washington Redskins on Sunday night.
Running back. Michael Turner locked up one starting spot by winning this poll. He faces the Philadelphia Eagles. Darren McFadden holds the second spot at the moment. If he's inactive for the late afternoon game against the San Francisco 49ers, we will get someone else to take his spot, and we'll update this post if necessary.
Wide reciever. Kenny Britt is a surprise winner of this poll. He starts against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night. Two other receivers tied for second place: Calvin Johnson (who plays the New York Giants and gets the second receiver spot) and Dwayne Bowe (who faces the Houston Texans and gets the flex spot).
The rest of the lineup is the same as it was last week. We have Antonio Gates (facing the St. Louis Rams) at tight end, the Tennessee Titans (on Monday night against the Jaguars) on defense/special teams and Matt Bryant (facing the Eagles) at kicker.
Again, thanks for voting. The poll results appear below, and a fresh football poll is now available for your voting pleasure. Good luck.
UPDATED 3:10 P.M. McFadden is inactive for this game. However, Knowshon Moreno has been upgraded to probable and is active for the Denver Broncos today, so he gets promoted to the starting lineup. He faces the New York Jets.
[polldaddy poll=3907798] [polldaddy poll=3907806] [polldaddy poll=3907813] [polldaddy poll=3907819] [polldaddy poll=3907826] [polldaddy poll=3907832]
Not-So-Good Charlotte
Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Charlotte can be described for the People's Pitstop in one word: ugly.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored only 114 points on Saturday night. The season total is 8,180, good enought for 74,900th overall on Yahoo Sports and dropping us 37 spots, to 99th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
We could give you extensive links to detail our team's Charlotte woes. Instead, we'll steer you to NASCAR.com's Lap-by-Lap summary of the race. It has all the information we need to give you on all our drivers.
Jeff Gordon: Started 1st, finished 23rd (1 lap behind the leaders), 7 laps led and 66 fantasy points. From the Lap-by-Lap report: "Lap 296 -- Jeff Gordon serves a penalty for entering too fast on pit road."
Ryan Newman: Started 11th, finished 36th (62 laps behind the leaders) and 20 fantasy points. "Lap 2 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Ryan Newman gets loose in Turn 3 and finds the wall." That's right ... on the SECOND FREAKIN LAP!!!!
Kasey Kahne: Started 25th, finished 38th (120 laps behind the leaders) and 16 fantasy points. "Lap 123 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Kasey Kahne gets loose and hits the wall..."
Sam Hornish Jr.: Started 19th, finished 40th (212 laps behind the leaders) and 12 fantasy points. "...Sam Hornish Jr. was at the wrong place at the wrong time and has sustained plenty of damage to the No. 77." One accident essentially took two of our drivers out of contention.
Newman is done for the season, but the People's Pitstop is not. A new set of NASCAR polls will go up shortly. Also, the football polls will close soon, so please get your last votes in. We'll be back with the results.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored only 114 points on Saturday night. The season total is 8,180, good enought for 74,900th overall on Yahoo Sports and dropping us 37 spots, to 99th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
We could give you extensive links to detail our team's Charlotte woes. Instead, we'll steer you to NASCAR.com's Lap-by-Lap summary of the race. It has all the information we need to give you on all our drivers.
Jeff Gordon: Started 1st, finished 23rd (1 lap behind the leaders), 7 laps led and 66 fantasy points. From the Lap-by-Lap report: "Lap 296 -- Jeff Gordon serves a penalty for entering too fast on pit road."
Ryan Newman: Started 11th, finished 36th (62 laps behind the leaders) and 20 fantasy points. "Lap 2 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Ryan Newman gets loose in Turn 3 and finds the wall." That's right ... on the SECOND FREAKIN LAP!!!!
Kasey Kahne: Started 25th, finished 38th (120 laps behind the leaders) and 16 fantasy points. "Lap 123 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Kasey Kahne gets loose and hits the wall..."
Sam Hornish Jr.: Started 19th, finished 40th (212 laps behind the leaders) and 12 fantasy points. "...Sam Hornish Jr. was at the wrong place at the wrong time and has sustained plenty of damage to the No. 77." One accident essentially took two of our drivers out of contention.
Newman is done for the season, but the People's Pitstop is not. A new set of NASCAR polls will go up shortly. Also, the football polls will close soon, so please get your last votes in. We'll be back with the results.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Fearless Football Predictions - Week 6
Now that you've had a chance to grab a cup of coffee and peruse the NASCAR predictions, it's time to tell you who will do what in the People's League this week. Last week's fantasy football forecasts went a miserable 1-4, lowering the season record to 14-11. You have been warned.
People's Pigskin vs. cowboys romero. Yes, both sides are plagued with injury questions, but I'll take a questionable running back over a recovering-from-surgery tight end any day of the week. Look for the Pigskin to bounce back here.
t-bay cuervonatersXXL vs. Feely Her Up ... The one person who will benefit the most from Ben Roethlisberger's return (especially this week against the Cleveland Browns) is Rashard Mendenhall. After all, the Browns won't be able to put nine defenders in the box and dare the Steelers quarterback to win the game. Mendenhall will rack up the points, and so will the Cuervonaters.
Hudson Valley Hawks vs. NFL2K10 RedZone. The strategy for the Hawks is to build up a huge lead Sunday and hope it holds up as the RedZone gets points Monday night from Chris Johnson and Nate Washington. Johnson in particular will have the Hawks sweating buckets, but Eli Manning and Adrian Peterson should score enough points to ensure a Hawks win.
Fighting Amish vs. nuckin' futs. This one is a coin flip, but LaDainian Tomlinson figures to have an easier time against the Denver Broncos defense than Kyle Orton against the New York Jets defense, with or without Darrelle Revis. Look for the Amish to prevail in a squeaker.
Chicago VinSethBears vs. team z. By catching Brett Favre's 500th touchdown pass, Randy Moss offered us a sneak preview of things to come. He'll catch more passes as he learns the Minnesota Vikings offense, and the Zs will reap the benefits, starting with a victory this week.
If you haven't done so already, please vote on the People's Pigskin lineup. If you have already voted, borrow someone else's computer and vote again. The polls will close Sunday morning. We'll be back with the results.
People's Pigskin vs. cowboys romero. Yes, both sides are plagued with injury questions, but I'll take a questionable running back over a recovering-from-surgery tight end any day of the week. Look for the Pigskin to bounce back here.
t-bay cuervonatersXXL vs. Feely Her Up ... The one person who will benefit the most from Ben Roethlisberger's return (especially this week against the Cleveland Browns) is Rashard Mendenhall. After all, the Browns won't be able to put nine defenders in the box and dare the Steelers quarterback to win the game. Mendenhall will rack up the points, and so will the Cuervonaters.
Hudson Valley Hawks vs. NFL2K10 RedZone. The strategy for the Hawks is to build up a huge lead Sunday and hope it holds up as the RedZone gets points Monday night from Chris Johnson and Nate Washington. Johnson in particular will have the Hawks sweating buckets, but Eli Manning and Adrian Peterson should score enough points to ensure a Hawks win.
Fighting Amish vs. nuckin' futs. This one is a coin flip, but LaDainian Tomlinson figures to have an easier time against the Denver Broncos defense than Kyle Orton against the New York Jets defense, with or without Darrelle Revis. Look for the Amish to prevail in a squeaker.
Chicago VinSethBears vs. team z. By catching Brett Favre's 500th touchdown pass, Randy Moss offered us a sneak preview of things to come. He'll catch more passes as he learns the Minnesota Vikings offense, and the Zs will reap the benefits, starting with a victory this week.
If you haven't done so already, please vote on the People's Pigskin lineup. If you have already voted, borrow someone else's computer and vote again. The polls will close Sunday morning. We'll be back with the results.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Fearless NASCAR Predictions - Charlotte
If NASCAR can move its Sprint Cup race from Sunday afternoon to Saturday night, then we can move our predictions for the top 10 finishers up a day, too. Last week's forecasts went 6-4, leaving us with a season record of 140-150. That's right; the only thing separating us from a .500 record is a perfect 10-0 week. Shouldn't be that hard, right?
1. Jimmie Johnson. Lather, rinse, repeat.
2. Jeff Gordon. Does winning the pole mean he's finally ready to win a race again?
3. Kyle Busch. Among the drivers in this year's Chase, he has the best recent record at Charlotte.
4. Tony Stewart. His Charlotte record isn't quite as strong, but he does have the hot hand by virtue of last week's win.
5. Ryan Newman. Speaking of hot hands, Newman has finished in the top 10 in 6 of his last 7 races. And that race where he didn't finish in the top 10? He finished 11th.
6. Denny Hamlin. If Johnson falters in any way, shape or form, Hamlin will be in the best position to benefit.
7. Mark Martin. Longtime readers of this blog know that Martin has won here 4 times. Coincidentally, 4 also is his starting spot this week.
8. A.J. Allmendinger. With three top 10 finishes in his last five races and a 3rd-place starting position this week, Allmendinger is no longer eligible for the term "long shot." (He's also no longer eligible for our lineup, but still ...)
9. Carl Edwards. He helped his slim Sprint Cup hopes by qualifying on the front row with Gordon.
10. Dave Blaney. Anyone brave enough to sport this paint pattern has to be our medium to long shot. If nothing else, we know he won't be a "start and parker" with that paint on his hood.
Make sure you vote in the football polls on the right side of this page. We need you, the Internet, to help us pick the players that the People's Pigskin will start this week against cowboys romero. We'll be back with the fantasy football predictions.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Lather, rinse, repeat.
2. Jeff Gordon. Does winning the pole mean he's finally ready to win a race again?
3. Kyle Busch. Among the drivers in this year's Chase, he has the best recent record at Charlotte.
4. Tony Stewart. His Charlotte record isn't quite as strong, but he does have the hot hand by virtue of last week's win.
5. Ryan Newman. Speaking of hot hands, Newman has finished in the top 10 in 6 of his last 7 races. And that race where he didn't finish in the top 10? He finished 11th.
6. Denny Hamlin. If Johnson falters in any way, shape or form, Hamlin will be in the best position to benefit.
7. Mark Martin. Longtime readers of this blog know that Martin has won here 4 times. Coincidentally, 4 also is his starting spot this week.
8. A.J. Allmendinger. With three top 10 finishes in his last five races and a 3rd-place starting position this week, Allmendinger is no longer eligible for the term "long shot." (He's also no longer eligible for our lineup, but still ...)
9. Carl Edwards. He helped his slim Sprint Cup hopes by qualifying on the front row with Gordon.
10. Dave Blaney. Anyone brave enough to sport this paint pattern has to be our medium to long shot. If nothing else, we know he won't be a "start and parker" with that paint on his hood.
Make sure you vote in the football polls on the right side of this page. We need you, the Internet, to help us pick the players that the People's Pigskin will start this week against cowboys romero. We'll be back with the fantasy football predictions.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The People's Choice - Charlotte
In a shorter than usual week, you, the Internet, came through again.
We asked you to select the People's Pitstop lineup for Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Here is the lineup you produced.
A List. With Jimmie Johnson now ineligible for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team, you were all over the place on this poll. Four drivers tied for first place. We used the current point standings to select two: Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin. Thursday evening's qualifying session will determine which one will start.
B List. This poll was a little clearer, but not by much. Three drivers tied for the top spot. Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray and Kasey Kahne will compete for the two available starting spots. The one who qualifies the worst will join Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the bench. (If Newman starts, it will be his final start of the season for us.)
C List. This was the only poll that produced an honest-to-goodness winner. Our old friend Sam Hornish Jr. will make his 7th start for the People's Pitstop. Paul Menard will watch the festivities from the bench.
Thanks again for voting. The results appear below. We will update this post after the qualifying session. In the meantime, if you haven't done so already, please vote in the football polls. The People's Pigskin needs your help to bounce back from its first loss of the season.
UPDATED 9:20 P.M. The results are in, and Gordon earned the A List spot (and a 10-point bonus) for taking the pole for Saturday's race. And Newman will be driving his swan song with the People's Pitstop. He qualified 11th, while Kasey Kahne qualified 25th, beating out McMurray by 2 spots. Hornish, who qualified 19th, had already locked in a starting spot.
[polldaddy poll=3907760] [polldaddy poll=3907774] [polldaddy poll=3907785]
We asked you to select the People's Pitstop lineup for Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Here is the lineup you produced.
A List. With Jimmie Johnson now ineligible for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team, you were all over the place on this poll. Four drivers tied for first place. We used the current point standings to select two: Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin. Thursday evening's qualifying session will determine which one will start.
B List. This poll was a little clearer, but not by much. Three drivers tied for the top spot. Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray and Kasey Kahne will compete for the two available starting spots. The one who qualifies the worst will join Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the bench. (If Newman starts, it will be his final start of the season for us.)
C List. This was the only poll that produced an honest-to-goodness winner. Our old friend Sam Hornish Jr. will make his 7th start for the People's Pitstop. Paul Menard will watch the festivities from the bench.
Thanks again for voting. The results appear below. We will update this post after the qualifying session. In the meantime, if you haven't done so already, please vote in the football polls. The People's Pigskin needs your help to bounce back from its first loss of the season.
UPDATED 9:20 P.M. The results are in, and Gordon earned the A List spot (and a 10-point bonus) for taking the pole for Saturday's race. And Newman will be driving his swan song with the People's Pitstop. He qualified 11th, while Kasey Kahne qualified 25th, beating out McMurray by 2 spots. Hornish, who qualified 19th, had already locked in a starting spot.
[polldaddy poll=3907760] [polldaddy poll=3907774] [polldaddy poll=3907785]
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The People's Facts - Bank of America 500
First, an update on the NASCAR polls: They have to close TONIGHT because the qualifying session for Saturday's Sprint Cup race will take place on Thursday. So we need you to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup tonight. In the meantime, here's some basic information about the site of this week's race.
Track basics: NASCAR comes home to the 1.5-mile Lowe's Motor Speedway in the Charlotte suburb of Concord, North Carolina. (Click here for the Yahoo Sports preview.)
Last time we were here: In the longest race of the NASCAR season, Kurt Busch won the Coca-Cola 600 for owner Roger Penske, who also won the Indianapolis 500 that day with Dario Franchitti. The People's Pitstop did not have quite as memorable a day. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 300 points but left Kyle Busch (who finished 3rd) on the bench.
Other recent winners: Jimmie Johnson (fall 2009), Jeff Burton (2008), Jeff Gordon (2007).
Who wins here a lot: Surprise, surprise ... Johnson leads active NASCAR drivers with six wins here, followed by Gordon (five) and Mark Martin (four).
Who needs new gear: At this point, you have to hope Tony Stewart fans aren't going bankrupt. They've gone from wearing his Home Depot orange to wearing his Old Spice/Office Depot red to now wearing the red, white, blue and whatever else of Mobil 1. If nothing else, the sponsor switches by Stewart and others are sure to stimulate one part of the economy: yard sales.
Once again, the polls close tonight, so please vote now. We'll be back with the results.
Track basics: NASCAR comes home to the 1.5-mile Lowe's Motor Speedway in the Charlotte suburb of Concord, North Carolina. (Click here for the Yahoo Sports preview.)
Last time we were here: In the longest race of the NASCAR season, Kurt Busch won the Coca-Cola 600 for owner Roger Penske, who also won the Indianapolis 500 that day with Dario Franchitti. The People's Pitstop did not have quite as memorable a day. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 300 points but left Kyle Busch (who finished 3rd) on the bench.
Other recent winners: Jimmie Johnson (fall 2009), Jeff Burton (2008), Jeff Gordon (2007).
Who wins here a lot: Surprise, surprise ... Johnson leads active NASCAR drivers with six wins here, followed by Gordon (five) and Mark Martin (four).
Who needs new gear: At this point, you have to hope Tony Stewart fans aren't going bankrupt. They've gone from wearing his Home Depot orange to wearing his Old Spice/Office Depot red to now wearing the red, white, blue and whatever else of Mobil 1. If nothing else, the sponsor switches by Stewart and others are sure to stimulate one part of the economy: yard sales.
Once again, the polls close tonight, so please vote now. We'll be back with the results.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Now, the Football Results
It's sad to say, but the People's Pigskin, like the Kansas City Chiefs, is no longer perfect.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team finally had a bad day, losing to the Fighting Amish by a score of 89-72. Our season record is 4-1, tying us with the Amish for the division lead in the People's League.
You already know about the injuries that sidelined Knowshon Moreno and Darren McFadden. Here are the rest of the gory details.
Peyton Manning, QB: 26 of 44 passing, 244 yards, 1 interception, 3 rushes for minus-3 yards and 7 fantasy points. Yes, his Indianapolis Colts won, but Manning was far less than his usual self.
Michael Turner, RB: 19 rushes, 140 yards and 14 fantasy points. The yardage is a season high, and the stats would look a lot better if they included a touchdown.
Kevin Smith, RB: 3 rushes for 16 yards, 1 reception for 17 yards and 2 fantasy points. Smith did not play a major role in Detroit's whipping of the St. Louis Rams.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 4 receptions, 54 yards, 1 touchdown and 11 fantasy points. It's a good thing Johnson found the end zone when he did. He left the game with a shoulder injury that still has his coach concerned.
Chad Ochocinco, WR: 3 receptions, 20 yards and 2 fantasy points. He was the target when Palmer threw the late interception that allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat the Cincinnati Bengals.
Dwayne Bowe, Flex: 2 receptions, 33 yards and 3 fantasy points. No bonus points for dropping a pair of passes that get you featured on ESPN's "Come On, Man."
Antonio Gates, TE: 5 receptions, 92 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. If only Gates could protect the punter.
Tennessee Titans, D/ST: 3 interceptions, 6 sacks, 27 points allowed and 11 fantasy points. Only the points allowed kept this from being an epic performance.
Matt Bryant, K: 2 for 3 on field goals, 2 for 2 on extra points and 7 fantasy points. Bryant finds himself second in the NFL in scoring. Not bad for what's normally a throwaway position.
As for the Pigskin, there's no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have a matchup against cowboys romero this week. That means you need to vote on our lineup polls, which can be found right under the NASCAR ones. Speaking of NASCAR, we'll be back with a look at this week's track.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team finally had a bad day, losing to the Fighting Amish by a score of 89-72. Our season record is 4-1, tying us with the Amish for the division lead in the People's League.
You already know about the injuries that sidelined Knowshon Moreno and Darren McFadden. Here are the rest of the gory details.
Peyton Manning, QB: 26 of 44 passing, 244 yards, 1 interception, 3 rushes for minus-3 yards and 7 fantasy points. Yes, his Indianapolis Colts won, but Manning was far less than his usual self.
Michael Turner, RB: 19 rushes, 140 yards and 14 fantasy points. The yardage is a season high, and the stats would look a lot better if they included a touchdown.
Kevin Smith, RB: 3 rushes for 16 yards, 1 reception for 17 yards and 2 fantasy points. Smith did not play a major role in Detroit's whipping of the St. Louis Rams.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 4 receptions, 54 yards, 1 touchdown and 11 fantasy points. It's a good thing Johnson found the end zone when he did. He left the game with a shoulder injury that still has his coach concerned.
Chad Ochocinco, WR: 3 receptions, 20 yards and 2 fantasy points. He was the target when Palmer threw the late interception that allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat the Cincinnati Bengals.
Dwayne Bowe, Flex: 2 receptions, 33 yards and 3 fantasy points. No bonus points for dropping a pair of passes that get you featured on ESPN's "Come On, Man."
Antonio Gates, TE: 5 receptions, 92 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. If only Gates could protect the punter.
Tennessee Titans, D/ST: 3 interceptions, 6 sacks, 27 points allowed and 11 fantasy points. Only the points allowed kept this from being an epic performance.
Matt Bryant, K: 2 for 3 on field goals, 2 for 2 on extra points and 7 fantasy points. Bryant finds himself second in the NFL in scoring. Not bad for what's normally a throwaway position.
As for the Pigskin, there's no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have a matchup against cowboys romero this week. That means you need to vote on our lineup polls, which can be found right under the NASCAR ones. Speaking of NASCAR, we'll be back with a look at this week's track.
Monday, October 11, 2010
First, the Racing Results
We'll detail the results of our fantasy football weekend on Tuesday morning, but while America waits for Mother Nature to deem Monday Night Football ready to start, let's take a look at something sunny: the weekend results for the People's Pitstop.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 326 points, one of the highest totals of the season, during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway. The season total is now 8,066, good enough for 49,853rd overall on Yahoo Sports and lifting us 9 spots, to 65th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
This week's total includes 10 points for pole-qualifying Jamie McMurray and 3 for 3rd-qualifying Paul Menard. Here's how we got the rest.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 8th, finished 3rd, 22 laps led and 96 fantasy points, including 10 for leading a lap. Johnson, who now seems to be cruising to a fifth straight Sprint Cup, ran his last race for us this season. Surprisingly, he won only two races for us as a starter (in Las Vegas and Dover).
Ryan Newman: Started 14th, finished 5th and 82 fantasy points. Don't look now, but Newman has six top 10 finishes in his last seven races.
Kasey Kahne: Started 5th, finished 4th and 84 fantasy points. As this chart shows, Kahne ran in the top 10 the majority of the race, but he never found the extra speed that would have allowed him to lead a lap.
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 30th, finished 19th and 54 fantasy points. Allmendinger also drove his last race for the People's Pitstop this season. Somehow, you have to think fewer people will miss him in the polls.
Speaking of polls, the new polls are up. The NASCAR polls will close Thursday night, while the fantasy football polls (located below the NASCAR ones) will close Sunday morning. Please vote now. We'll be back with the football results.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 326 points, one of the highest totals of the season, during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway. The season total is now 8,066, good enough for 49,853rd overall on Yahoo Sports and lifting us 9 spots, to 65th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
This week's total includes 10 points for pole-qualifying Jamie McMurray and 3 for 3rd-qualifying Paul Menard. Here's how we got the rest.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 8th, finished 3rd, 22 laps led and 96 fantasy points, including 10 for leading a lap. Johnson, who now seems to be cruising to a fifth straight Sprint Cup, ran his last race for us this season. Surprisingly, he won only two races for us as a starter (in Las Vegas and Dover).
Ryan Newman: Started 14th, finished 5th and 82 fantasy points. Don't look now, but Newman has six top 10 finishes in his last seven races.
Kasey Kahne: Started 5th, finished 4th and 84 fantasy points. As this chart shows, Kahne ran in the top 10 the majority of the race, but he never found the extra speed that would have allowed him to lead a lap.
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 30th, finished 19th and 54 fantasy points. Allmendinger also drove his last race for the People's Pitstop this season. Somehow, you have to think fewer people will miss him in the polls.
Speaking of polls, the new polls are up. The NASCAR polls will close Thursday night, while the fantasy football polls (located below the NASCAR ones) will close Sunday morning. Please vote now. We'll be back with the football results.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The People's Choice - Week 5
As Sunday morning (and all the pregame shows it brings) dawns, the People's Pigskin has a lineup thanks to you, the Internet. Here are the players who will represent us in our People's League fantasy football matchup against the Fighting Amish.
Quarterback. No surprise here: Peyton Manning was your unanimous choice again. He plays the Kansas City Chiefs this week.
Running back. If we went strictly by your votes, we would be starting Michael Turner and Darren McFadden this week. Unfortunately, McFadden and Knowshon Moreno have been ruled out because of injuries, so Kevin Smith leapfrogs past them into the starting lineup. He faces the St. Louis Rams, while Turner faces the Cleveland Browns.
Wide receiver. The picture is much simpler here. Calvin Johnson (playing the Rams) and Chad Ochocinco (playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) will fill the starting receiver slots again. And we'll use a three-receiver lineup by giving the flex spot to Dwayne Bowe (facing the Indianapolis Colts).
There are no changes at tight end (Antonio Gates, who faces the Oakland Raiders) or defense/special teams (the Tennessee Titans, who play the Dallas Cowboys). Earlier in the week, you voted to pick up Matt Bryant for our kicker spot. He gets the Browns today.
The results of our polls appear below. A new poll about setting fantasy lineups is now open. Enjoy your Sunday. We'll be back with results.
[polldaddy poll=3875576] [polldaddy poll=3875595] [polldaddy poll=3875611] [polldaddy poll=3875617] [polldaddy poll=3875626]
Quarterback. No surprise here: Peyton Manning was your unanimous choice again. He plays the Kansas City Chiefs this week.
Running back. If we went strictly by your votes, we would be starting Michael Turner and Darren McFadden this week. Unfortunately, McFadden and Knowshon Moreno have been ruled out because of injuries, so Kevin Smith leapfrogs past them into the starting lineup. He faces the St. Louis Rams, while Turner faces the Cleveland Browns.
Wide receiver. The picture is much simpler here. Calvin Johnson (playing the Rams) and Chad Ochocinco (playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) will fill the starting receiver slots again. And we'll use a three-receiver lineup by giving the flex spot to Dwayne Bowe (facing the Indianapolis Colts).
There are no changes at tight end (Antonio Gates, who faces the Oakland Raiders) or defense/special teams (the Tennessee Titans, who play the Dallas Cowboys). Earlier in the week, you voted to pick up Matt Bryant for our kicker spot. He gets the Browns today.
The results of our polls appear below. A new poll about setting fantasy lineups is now open. Enjoy your Sunday. We'll be back with results.
[polldaddy poll=3875576] [polldaddy poll=3875595] [polldaddy poll=3875611] [polldaddy poll=3875617] [polldaddy poll=3875626]
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Fearless NASCAR Predictions - Fontana
Now that you've had a morning (and, for most of the country, an early afternoon) to ponder our fantasy football predictions, it's time to challenge your mind with some forecasts for which NASCAR drivers will finish in the top 10 at Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. Last week's predictions treaded water again by going 5-5, leaving the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team with a season record of 134-146.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Just stay out of his way.
2. Kasey Kahne. The last driver other than Johnson to win the fall race on this track.
3. Denny Hamlin. The driver who sits only 8 points behind Johnson.
4. Jeff Gordon. At least he's talking about breaking into the win column. That's an important first step, right?
5. Matt Kenseth. In the last five Fontana races, Kenseth has an average finish of 6.2. Among Chase drivers, only Johnson has a better average.
6. Greg Biffle. His victory last week in Kansas keeps his slim Cup hopes alive.
7. Kyle Busch. Sometimes you can find some interesting facts on NASCAR.com. Here's one: Busch has never failed to finish in 12 Fontana races.
8. Kevin Harvick. Check this out: Harvick has finished in the top 10 in 3 of the last 4 races, even though his best start during that span is 20th.
9. Carl Edwards. Of course, Edwards can do Harvick one better. He has 4 top 10 finishes in the last 5 races.
10. David Reutimann. He may not be proud of what he did to Busch, but Reutimann did demonstrate that he won't roll over and play dead just because he's not in the Chase. That's more than enough to earn designation as our medium to long shot.
Once again, make sure you vote on the lineup for the People's Pigskin. We have a tough matchup against the Fighting Amish, and we can use all the input we can get. The polls close Sunday morning. We'll be back with the results.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Just stay out of his way.
2. Kasey Kahne. The last driver other than Johnson to win the fall race on this track.
3. Denny Hamlin. The driver who sits only 8 points behind Johnson.
4. Jeff Gordon. At least he's talking about breaking into the win column. That's an important first step, right?
5. Matt Kenseth. In the last five Fontana races, Kenseth has an average finish of 6.2. Among Chase drivers, only Johnson has a better average.
6. Greg Biffle. His victory last week in Kansas keeps his slim Cup hopes alive.
7. Kyle Busch. Sometimes you can find some interesting facts on NASCAR.com. Here's one: Busch has never failed to finish in 12 Fontana races.
8. Kevin Harvick. Check this out: Harvick has finished in the top 10 in 3 of the last 4 races, even though his best start during that span is 20th.
9. Carl Edwards. Of course, Edwards can do Harvick one better. He has 4 top 10 finishes in the last 5 races.
10. David Reutimann. He may not be proud of what he did to Busch, but Reutimann did demonstrate that he won't roll over and play dead just because he's not in the Chase. That's more than enough to earn designation as our medium to long shot.
Once again, make sure you vote on the lineup for the People's Pigskin. We have a tough matchup against the Fighting Amish, and we can use all the input we can get. The polls close Sunday morning. We'll be back with the results.
Fearless Football Predictions - Week 5
As another football Saturday begins, it's time to grab your favorite breakfast meat and enjoy another round of fantasy football predictions for the People's League. These targets have earned an extra hit of syrup by going 4-1 last week, raising our season record to 13-7.
People's Pigskin vs. Fighting Amish. Yes, Knowshon Moreno's lingering injury is a cause for concern, but both Peyton Manning and Antonio Gates should give the Pigskin another reason to celebrate.
cowboys romero vs. Chicago VinSethBears. The Cowboys cracked the 100-point barrier for the first time last week. The VinSethBears have yet to do that this season, and they have Tom Brady going on his bye week. The Cowboys should have just enough to pull off the win.
Feely Her Up ... vs. Team z. This one should be close. The Zs better hope Randy Moss gels quickly with his new quarterback. The prediction here is for Mr. Straight Cash Homey to get just enough Monday night points to lead the Zs to a victory.
t-bay cuervonatersXXL vs. Hudson Valley Hawks. Yo, Adrian. Both the Minnesota Vikings and the Hawks will need you to come through this week. He should make the difference between a win and a loss for the Hawks.
NFL2K10 RedZone vs. nuckin' futs. This week, it's going to be Drew Brees' world, and the rest of us will simply be living in it. That includes the futs, who will ride his coattails to victory.
Don't forget to vote on our lineup polls, which will close Sunday morning. We'll be back with the NASCAR predictions.
People's Pigskin vs. Fighting Amish. Yes, Knowshon Moreno's lingering injury is a cause for concern, but both Peyton Manning and Antonio Gates should give the Pigskin another reason to celebrate.
cowboys romero vs. Chicago VinSethBears. The Cowboys cracked the 100-point barrier for the first time last week. The VinSethBears have yet to do that this season, and they have Tom Brady going on his bye week. The Cowboys should have just enough to pull off the win.
Feely Her Up ... vs. Team z. This one should be close. The Zs better hope Randy Moss gels quickly with his new quarterback. The prediction here is for Mr. Straight Cash Homey to get just enough Monday night points to lead the Zs to a victory.
t-bay cuervonatersXXL vs. Hudson Valley Hawks. Yo, Adrian. Both the Minnesota Vikings and the Hawks will need you to come through this week. He should make the difference between a win and a loss for the Hawks.
NFL2K10 RedZone vs. nuckin' futs. This week, it's going to be Drew Brees' world, and the rest of us will simply be living in it. That includes the futs, who will ride his coattails to victory.
Don't forget to vote on our lineup polls, which will close Sunday morning. We'll be back with the NASCAR predictions.
Friday, October 8, 2010
The People's Choice - Fontana
Once again, we owe you, the Internet, a debt of gratitude. You came out to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Fontana. Here are the results.
A List. A great run will come to an end as Jimmie Johnson takes the starting spot for the final time this season. Jeff Gordon will watch this one from the bench.
B List. One of the starting spots is settled. It will go to this week's poll winner, Ryan Newman. The other spot will come down to qualifying results and will go to either Kasey Kahne or Joey Logano. Meanwhile, one bench spot goes to Jamie McMurray.
C List. Another clear winner, and another driver appearing for the last time in the starting lineup: A.J. Allmendinger. As you can see below, he ran away with this poll. Paul Menard, one of the many drivers tied for second, will get the bench spot.
This post will be updated as soon as possible after Friday's qualifying session. In the meantime, don't forget to vote on the football polls. We'll be back with some predictions.
UPDATED 9:15 P.M. By qualifying 5th, Kahne earned the starting spot over Logano, who qualified 10th. And even though he won't start for us, McMurray will contribute to our bottom line by earning the pole and giving us a 10-point bonus.
[polldaddy poll=3869475] [polldaddy poll=3869503] [polldaddy poll=3869525]
A List. A great run will come to an end as Jimmie Johnson takes the starting spot for the final time this season. Jeff Gordon will watch this one from the bench.
B List. One of the starting spots is settled. It will go to this week's poll winner, Ryan Newman. The other spot will come down to qualifying results and will go to either Kasey Kahne or Joey Logano. Meanwhile, one bench spot goes to Jamie McMurray.
C List. Another clear winner, and another driver appearing for the last time in the starting lineup: A.J. Allmendinger. As you can see below, he ran away with this poll. Paul Menard, one of the many drivers tied for second, will get the bench spot.
This post will be updated as soon as possible after Friday's qualifying session. In the meantime, don't forget to vote on the football polls. We'll be back with some predictions.
UPDATED 9:15 P.M. By qualifying 5th, Kahne earned the starting spot over Logano, who qualified 10th. And even though he won't start for us, McMurray will contribute to our bottom line by earning the pole and giving us a 10-point bonus.
[polldaddy poll=3869475] [polldaddy poll=3869503] [polldaddy poll=3869525]
Thursday, October 7, 2010
An Angel Gets Its 6 Points
One of the best lessons that fantasy football can teach is how, as Clarence Oddbody, AS2, said in "It's a Wonderful Life," each man's life touches so many others, and if he isn't there, it leaves an awful hole.
Football players can leave that hole by finagling a mid-season trade, as Randy Moss did this week. In fantasy terms, the trade should be good news for Brett Favre, who now has a wide receiver without a bum hip, a history of migraines or a reality TV wife. It may be bad news for Tom Brady, who can't throw deep passes to the draft pick his team received in exchange for Moss. And it may be horrible news for Wes Welker, who was able to catch so many balls over the past few years in part because his teammate was the one drawing all the attention from "shutdown corners."
Another way a football player can leave a hole is by refusing to show up for games or practices, as Vincent Jackson has been doing for months. In this case, the only hole being generated so far is in Jackson's wallet. Antonio Gates certainly isn't missing Jackson. Neither is Philip Rivers. In fact, Legedu Naanee might want to send Jackson a basket of fruit.
Sometimes, you don't have control over when you leave a hole on your team. For example, you can be sacked 9 times in a half because your offensive coordinator has decided that the words "blocking" and "tight end" don't belong in the same paragraph. In fact, you can get concussed so badly that your team has to rule you out for the following week's game. Though it's not fair to call this Jay Cutler's "fault," it's true nevertheless that his absence will hurt every other offensive player wearing a Chicago Bears helmet.
And sometimes, you leave a hole on your team by performing as if your football had a hole in it. That's what Derek Anderson has done so far with the Arizona Cardinals. His loss (and Arizona's losses) may prove to be Max Hall's gain. It may even benefit Larry Fitzgerald (remember him?), but it will definitely be a blessing for Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower, at least in the short term. After all, if Ken Whisenhunt wants to keep Hall upright, he'll call plenty of handoffs and screens until the quarterback gets his feet wet.
Hear that bell ringing? No, it's not you getting your wings. It's a reminder to vote in our polls. The NASCAR polls will close tonight. We'll be back with the results.
Football players can leave that hole by finagling a mid-season trade, as Randy Moss did this week. In fantasy terms, the trade should be good news for Brett Favre, who now has a wide receiver without a bum hip, a history of migraines or a reality TV wife. It may be bad news for Tom Brady, who can't throw deep passes to the draft pick his team received in exchange for Moss. And it may be horrible news for Wes Welker, who was able to catch so many balls over the past few years in part because his teammate was the one drawing all the attention from "shutdown corners."
Another way a football player can leave a hole is by refusing to show up for games or practices, as Vincent Jackson has been doing for months. In this case, the only hole being generated so far is in Jackson's wallet. Antonio Gates certainly isn't missing Jackson. Neither is Philip Rivers. In fact, Legedu Naanee might want to send Jackson a basket of fruit.
Sometimes, you don't have control over when you leave a hole on your team. For example, you can be sacked 9 times in a half because your offensive coordinator has decided that the words "blocking" and "tight end" don't belong in the same paragraph. In fact, you can get concussed so badly that your team has to rule you out for the following week's game. Though it's not fair to call this Jay Cutler's "fault," it's true nevertheless that his absence will hurt every other offensive player wearing a Chicago Bears helmet.
And sometimes, you leave a hole on your team by performing as if your football had a hole in it. That's what Derek Anderson has done so far with the Arizona Cardinals. His loss (and Arizona's losses) may prove to be Max Hall's gain. It may even benefit Larry Fitzgerald (remember him?), but it will definitely be a blessing for Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower, at least in the short term. After all, if Ken Whisenhunt wants to keep Hall upright, he'll call plenty of handoffs and screens until the quarterback gets his feet wet.
Hear that bell ringing? No, it's not you getting your wings. It's a reminder to vote in our polls. The NASCAR polls will close tonight. We'll be back with the results.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The People's Facts - Pepsi Max 400
First, a quick football update. You, the Internet, decided to claim Matt Bryant off waivers to fill the kicker spot in the People's Pigskin roster. He's ready to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and the Pigskin is that much closer to being ready to play the Fighting Amish. But we still need your help (and your votes) to determine the rest of our lineup.
We also need your help picking the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Here is some information that may or may not help you make your selections.
Track basics: Auto Club Speedway, a 2-mile oval in Fontana, California, is the second-longest track currently used in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. (Only Talladega is longer.)
Last time we were here: In Feburary, a week after the Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson found Victory Lane for the first time this season. The People's Pitstop left him on the bench and suffered the consequences. The team picked up only 217 points, one of the worst results of the season.
Other recent winners: Insert your favorite conspiracy theory here, but Johnson has won three straight fall races at Fontana. The last driver other than Johnson to win a fall race here was Kasey Kahne in 2006.
Who wins here a lot: Take a wild guess who leads active NASCAR drivers with 5 victories on this track. Here's a hint: His co-owner (along with Matt Kenseth) are runners-up with 3 wins apiece.
Why are we here again? It's not because of history; Fontana has only been hosting NASCAR races since 1997. And it's certainly not because this track is terribly popular with racing fans. Furthermore, it's not because the races are guaranteed sellouts. Here's one possibility. Take a look at this list of NASCAR drivers. Quite a few of them would consider Fontana their "home track," including Johnson and Kevin Harvick. Maybe Delanna has even more pull than we all thought.
Want to know more about this race? Click here to download a Yahoo Sports preview. But only after you've voted in our polls. Thanks.
[polldaddy poll=3869458]
We also need your help picking the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Here is some information that may or may not help you make your selections.
Track basics: Auto Club Speedway, a 2-mile oval in Fontana, California, is the second-longest track currently used in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. (Only Talladega is longer.)
Last time we were here: In Feburary, a week after the Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson found Victory Lane for the first time this season. The People's Pitstop left him on the bench and suffered the consequences. The team picked up only 217 points, one of the worst results of the season.
Other recent winners: Insert your favorite conspiracy theory here, but Johnson has won three straight fall races at Fontana. The last driver other than Johnson to win a fall race here was Kasey Kahne in 2006.
Who wins here a lot: Take a wild guess who leads active NASCAR drivers with 5 victories on this track. Here's a hint: His co-owner (along with Matt Kenseth) are runners-up with 3 wins apiece.
Why are we here again? It's not because of history; Fontana has only been hosting NASCAR races since 1997. And it's certainly not because this track is terribly popular with racing fans. Furthermore, it's not because the races are guaranteed sellouts. Here's one possibility. Take a look at this list of NASCAR drivers. Quite a few of them would consider Fontana their "home track," including Johnson and Kevin Harvick. Maybe Delanna has even more pull than we all thought.
Want to know more about this race? Click here to download a Yahoo Sports preview. But only after you've voted in our polls. Thanks.
[polldaddy poll=3869458]
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
A Sigh of Relief
Whew ... that was a close shave.
Peyton Manning, QB: 33 for 46 passing for 352 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 1 rush for minus-1 yards and 20 fantasy points. Manning won't be happy with his team's last-second loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but fantasy players will be happy if it means he's still playing when the fantasy playoffs come around.
Michael Turner, RB: 16 rushes for 50 yards, 3 receptions for 28 yards and 7 fantasy points. Obviously, the rushing numbers were not very good, but it would be good news if Turner is being used as a safety valve on passing plays.
Darren McFadden, RB: 12 rushes for 47 yards, 6 receptions for 82 yards and 12 fantasy points. The big story here is the hamstring injury McFadden suffered against the Houston Texans. Early reports indicate the injury is not serious, but it will warrant monitoring throughout the week.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 6 receptions for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns, 1 rush for 2 yards and 20 fantasy points. It's always a good sign when sports writers are advising NFL teams to keep calling your player's number.
Chad Ochocinco, WR: 3 receptions, 59 yards and 5 fantasy points. On the other hand, it's not such a good sign when your player lines up across the field from someone having an epic fantasy day.
Justin Forsett, Flex: 19 rushes for 65 yards, 2 receptions for 10 yards and 7 fantasy points. Forsett's situation changed dramatically Tuesday when the Seattle Seahawks traded for Marshawn Lynch. How dramatically it changed remains to be seen.
Antonio Gates, TE: 7 receptions, 144 yards, 2 touchdowns and 26 fantasy points. As far as the People's Pigskin is concerned, Vincent Jackson can just go ahead and take the season off. The San Diego Chargers clearly did not miss him Sunday.
Tennessee Titans, D/ST: 1 interception, 6 sacks, 1 kickoff returned for a touchdown, 26 points allowed and 13 fantasy points. Their opponents called them dirty, and their top draft pick was lost for the season, but the Titans defense did its job, at least for fantasy players, unlike ...
Jeff Reed, K: 0 for 2 on field goals, 2 for 2 on extra points and 0 fantasy points. The Cuervonaters started an inactive kicker, and the Pigskin might as well have done the same. Reed has a bye week, and it's safe to say he won't be missed around here.
Bench. It was a decent week to be a backup Pigskin quarterback. Chad Henne scored 14 points, while Vince Young scored 11. Kenny Britt scored 8, and Kevin Smith scored 3.
This week, the People's Pigskin will face the 3-1 Fighting Amish, and we need a new lineup. The polls are now open. The kicker poll will close Tuesday night, so we can make a waiver wire request. The other football polls (located below the NASCAR ones) will close Sunday morning. You know what to do.
We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR track.
The People's Pigskin survived a Monday night charge by t-bay cuervonatersXXL and won by a score of 110-107. That puts your favorite fantasy football team at the top of the People's League with a record of 4-0. And we couldn't have done it without you. Here's the scoring breakdown.
Peyton Manning, QB: 33 for 46 passing for 352 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 1 rush for minus-1 yards and 20 fantasy points. Manning won't be happy with his team's last-second loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but fantasy players will be happy if it means he's still playing when the fantasy playoffs come around.
Michael Turner, RB: 16 rushes for 50 yards, 3 receptions for 28 yards and 7 fantasy points. Obviously, the rushing numbers were not very good, but it would be good news if Turner is being used as a safety valve on passing plays.
Darren McFadden, RB: 12 rushes for 47 yards, 6 receptions for 82 yards and 12 fantasy points. The big story here is the hamstring injury McFadden suffered against the Houston Texans. Early reports indicate the injury is not serious, but it will warrant monitoring throughout the week.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 6 receptions for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns, 1 rush for 2 yards and 20 fantasy points. It's always a good sign when sports writers are advising NFL teams to keep calling your player's number.
Chad Ochocinco, WR: 3 receptions, 59 yards and 5 fantasy points. On the other hand, it's not such a good sign when your player lines up across the field from someone having an epic fantasy day.
Justin Forsett, Flex: 19 rushes for 65 yards, 2 receptions for 10 yards and 7 fantasy points. Forsett's situation changed dramatically Tuesday when the Seattle Seahawks traded for Marshawn Lynch. How dramatically it changed remains to be seen.
Antonio Gates, TE: 7 receptions, 144 yards, 2 touchdowns and 26 fantasy points. As far as the People's Pigskin is concerned, Vincent Jackson can just go ahead and take the season off. The San Diego Chargers clearly did not miss him Sunday.
Tennessee Titans, D/ST: 1 interception, 6 sacks, 1 kickoff returned for a touchdown, 26 points allowed and 13 fantasy points. Their opponents called them dirty, and their top draft pick was lost for the season, but the Titans defense did its job, at least for fantasy players, unlike ...
Jeff Reed, K: 0 for 2 on field goals, 2 for 2 on extra points and 0 fantasy points. The Cuervonaters started an inactive kicker, and the Pigskin might as well have done the same. Reed has a bye week, and it's safe to say he won't be missed around here.
Bench. It was a decent week to be a backup Pigskin quarterback. Chad Henne scored 14 points, while Vince Young scored 11. Kenny Britt scored 8, and Kevin Smith scored 3.
This week, the People's Pigskin will face the 3-1 Fighting Amish, and we need a new lineup. The polls are now open. The kicker poll will close Tuesday night, so we can make a waiver wire request. The other football polls (located below the NASCAR ones) will close Sunday morning. You know what to do.
We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR track.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Monday's Racing Summary
Before we get to the auto racing, here's a quick update on the People's Pigskin. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team currently leads t-bay cuervonatersXXL by a score of 110-97. That lead might not get us through the night, however. The Cuervonaters have Ronnie Brown and Anthony Fasano playing in the Monday night game between the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots. The Pigskin will need them to have a night like Jay Cutler had Sunday night (without the concussion part, of course).
As for the People's Pitstop, your favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 261 points during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway. The season total is 7,740, leaving us 59,524th overall on Yahoo Sports and dropping us one spot, to 75th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
Here's how we got here.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 21st, finished 2nd and 88 fantasy points. Fantasy NASCAR players will be disappointed that Johnson did not lead a lap, but since Johnson moved into the points lead, it's a safe bet that he'll get over it.
Jeff Burton: Started 23rd, finished 18th, 2 laps led and 66 fantasy points, including 10 for leading a lap. This was Burton's last race for the People's Pitstop this season. From a fantasy perspective, it can be described the same way as his season: OK but nothing to write home about. Yes, he's one of the drivers who made the Chase, but he did not win a race, and he has to be considered a long shot to get a checkered flag, much less the Sprint Cup.
Ryan Newman: Started 6th, finished 9th and 74 fantasy points. Here's a very interesting chart of Newman's day. It shows that even though he spent a good portion of the day near the front of the pack, he never found a way to get to the front of the pack.
Sam Hornish Jr.: Started 18th, finished 36th and 20 fantasy points. To the growing list of words and phrases you never want to hear associated with your driver's performance, add the phrase "drive shaft."
And don't forget the 10 points we got from Kasey Kahne for taking the pole and the 3 points we got from Jeff Gordon for qualifying 3rd. Without their contributions, our performance would look a lot worse.
Now, NASCAR takes its act to California (Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, to be specific), and the People's Pitstop needs another lineup. The polls are now open and will stay open until Thursday night.
Also, for you fantasy football fans, we have a poll that asks which kicker should get Jeff Reed's spot in our lineup. That poll will close Tuesday night, so we can put in the waiver request before the Wednesday morning deadline. Please vote now.
We'll be back with a summary of our football team's performance.
As for the People's Pitstop, your favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 261 points during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway. The season total is 7,740, leaving us 59,524th overall on Yahoo Sports and dropping us one spot, to 75th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
Here's how we got here.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 21st, finished 2nd and 88 fantasy points. Fantasy NASCAR players will be disappointed that Johnson did not lead a lap, but since Johnson moved into the points lead, it's a safe bet that he'll get over it.
Jeff Burton: Started 23rd, finished 18th, 2 laps led and 66 fantasy points, including 10 for leading a lap. This was Burton's last race for the People's Pitstop this season. From a fantasy perspective, it can be described the same way as his season: OK but nothing to write home about. Yes, he's one of the drivers who made the Chase, but he did not win a race, and he has to be considered a long shot to get a checkered flag, much less the Sprint Cup.
Ryan Newman: Started 6th, finished 9th and 74 fantasy points. Here's a very interesting chart of Newman's day. It shows that even though he spent a good portion of the day near the front of the pack, he never found a way to get to the front of the pack.
Sam Hornish Jr.: Started 18th, finished 36th and 20 fantasy points. To the growing list of words and phrases you never want to hear associated with your driver's performance, add the phrase "drive shaft."
And don't forget the 10 points we got from Kasey Kahne for taking the pole and the 3 points we got from Jeff Gordon for qualifying 3rd. Without their contributions, our performance would look a lot worse.
Now, NASCAR takes its act to California (Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, to be specific), and the People's Pitstop needs another lineup. The polls are now open and will stay open until Thursday night.
Also, for you fantasy football fans, we have a poll that asks which kicker should get Jeff Reed's spot in our lineup. That poll will close Tuesday night, so we can put in the waiver request before the Wednesday morning deadline. Please vote now.
We'll be back with a summary of our football team's performance.
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