Calling our Shots: Week Nine

Fantasy football can at times be a very funny place to seek help when you need it most. One week, a so called “expert” will tell you to start “Player A” because “Player A” is a “can’t miss” starter who will blow up that week. A week later, that expert will deny giving that advice to their readers or followers but will be more than happy to tell you to start “Player B” this week. It would be almost comical in some instances if it wasn’t so tragic for the people who take the advice of these charlatans.

As a staff member of DLF, I can tell you that everyone affiliated with this site both loathes and detests this behavior. Every staff member on the DLF team constantly tries to learn and better ourselves so we may be of better help to you. Part of that process is being accountable for our successes, as well as our failures. We’re doing that each and every week as we’re offering personalized lineup advice as part of our premium content. We’re answering every question posted in a timely manner and helping out as best we can – those answers are public knowledge and we’ll stand by them every week.

We’ve also decided to roll out this series entitled, “Calling Our Shots.” The premise of this series is to get some predictions for the upcoming week. Some writer’s predictions are bold, some are solid, while others, well, we wouldn’t place too much money on them in Las Vegas!

When we’re right, we’ll share our successes. When we’re wrong, it should present a great way for our loyal readers to give us a good (and hopefully friendly) ribbing. The point is we don’t hide from the advice we give or the predictions we make.

We also want to give you the same chance.

Our community is an essential part of the success of DLF. This weekly series also asks YOU, the readers, to post your own shots in the comments below. We all have that coach in our league who says, “Yeah, I could have told you not to start that guy” and perhaps that’s even you who thinks that! Well, here’s your chance to make those bold predictions when they count - before the games are played. We invite everyone to blow up the comments section again today and make any player predictions you want for the week – this will give you a perfect opportunity to officially say, “I told you so,” or offer a brutally embarrassing piece of ammunition for your opponent to use against you next week. Either way, this is a great way for the community and the writers to have some good old fashioned fun each and every week!

Every person who is featured in subsequent weeks will be put into a drawing after week 17 for a free yearly membership or their renewal to our premium content and a free DLF T-shirt!

Welcome to the halfway point of the NFL season, if nothing else the ride has been wild! We’ve seen replacement referees, an ending to Monday night game between the Packers and Seahawks that will live in infamy, a 35-point comeback by the Broncos against the Chargers and Drew Brees breaking Johnny Unitas’ record of consecutive games passing for a touchdown. All of this has occurred in only half of a season, and we still have another half to go, as well as the playoffs. This season may be one of the most memorable in recent memory.

Last week, we saw Tony Romo pass for an incredible 437 yards! Granted, he only threw for one touchdown while accumulating an equally incredible (for totally different reason) four interceptions. We also saw week eight start off with a bang when Doug Martin rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown to become the week’s rushing leader. Finally, the biggest beneficiary to Romo’s passing performance was Jason Witten who collected a staggering 18 receptions for 167 yards to lead all receivers for the week.

The DLF staff had a performance similar to Tony Romo in Week 8, just minus all the good parts. There is no two ways to put this, we stunk. How bad were we? The DLF staff as a group was able to muster the same amount of correct shots called as the New York Jets scored points, nine. As far as a leader in who called the most shots we couldn’t even figure that out either as four separate DLF staff members called two shots correctly. All in all it’s been an embarrassing week for us but as we state week in and week out, we stand by our called shots for better or worse. We do this to show you we take the good with the bad. So which shots did we get right? Here they are:

Eric Hardter – Brady leads the Patriots to 40+ points.

Chris Rohrer – Tom Brady gets 300+ yards and three touchdowns.

Eric Dickens – Jon Dwyer goes for 75+ all purpose yards.

TheFFGhost – Big Ben has more total yards than RGIII.

Eric Dickens – This game is ugly.

Chris Rohrer – McFadden finally has above a 3.0 YPC.

TheFFGhost – This is a shootout with both teams combining for over 600 yards.

Eric Olinger – Willis McGahee tops 80 rushing yards and a score

Eric Hardter – Lance Moore comes back down to earth with under 65 receiving yards.

The DLF staff just missed on another nine shots called which are as follows:

Andy Miley – BMarsh has 100 yards and 7 receptions.

Eric Olinger – Ryan Mathews over 100 total yards and a TD.

Chris Rohrer – Stafford redeems himself after last week with over 125 yards and a touchdown.

Jaron Foster – Wilson with 250+ yards and 2+ TDs.

Eric Olinger – Welker & Gronk record 5+ catches and 50+ yards receiving.

Eric Hardter – Heath Miller throws up another TE1 stat line of 4+ catches, 50+ yards and a TD.

TheFFGhost – Chris Johnson builds on his performance last week and goes over 100 rushing yards again.

Eric Olinger – Romo throws for over 300 yards and 2 TDs.

Eric Hardter – Felix Jones gets hurt at some point during the game, and is held to under 60 total yards.

How about our readers, did they fare any better than the DLF staff did? It appears so; we decide to award our reader Jeremy Nusbaum with the week eight Shot Caller of the Week honor. Jeremy called eight shots correctly, one short of the whole DLF team. A hearty congratulation is extended from all of us at DLF! Here are Jeremy Nusbaum’s correctly called shots:

-CAR @ CHI – Chicago’s defense proves to be kryptonite for Superman, making Newton look as foolish has he did in his wookie sweater. Cam ends up with 2 TD’s or less (passing/rushing combined).
-SEA @ DET – Jahvid Best does not suit up. In other news, the rest of Detroit’s RBs struggle as well and are held to under 100 yards rushing.
-NEP @ STL – Despite the away game, tough defense, struggling run game, and no Aaron Hernandez, Brady manages 250+ yards and 2+ TDs.
-MIA @ JETS – Neither QB exceeds 300 yards this week.
-JAX @ GBP – Rodgers’ top 3 targets all struggle, with Jennings out and Nelson + Finley combining for under 140 yards & no more than 1 TD, despite the weak Jacksonville defense.
-IND @ TEN – Ballard is outperformed by CJ2K both in total yards and YPC.
-OAK @ KCC – DMC and Jamaal Charles have more total yards from scrimmage than Quinn has passing.

-SFO @ ARI – Opposite of the above – defenses rule the day, limiting offensive production to at least 1 point under the Vegas over/under line (38.5).

At this rate the DLF staff will be pointing negative numbers by the end of the season. We are looking at each other, gassed, waiting for one of us to step forward and lead the way with some steam to get us back on track. Early in the season we had some writers almost scoring nine correct shots called by themselves. Now we are having a hard time even getting to nine as a team, it shouldn’t be this way, it should be better, it MUST be better! Let’s do it guys!

Here we go:

Denver @ Cincinnati

Eric Dickens – Demaryius Thomas goes over 100 yards.

TheFFGhost – AJ Green will go over 100 receivng yards but Thomas won’t.

Jacob Feldman – Champ Bailey shows why his first name is Champ. He holds AJ Green to less than 5 catches and 60 yards, without a score.

Andy Miley – AJ Green is held under 80 yards and scoreless.

Eric Hardter – Peyton Manning’s hot streak continues with over 300 yards and 2+ TD’s.

Jaron Foster – Thomas, Tamme, and Decker combine for 3 TDs.

Baltimore @ Cleveland

Eric Dickens – Dennis Pitta finds the end zone.

TheFFGhost – Flacco will throw for over 250 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Eric Olinger – Rice goes over 125 total yards.

Jacob Feldman – Both running backs go over 100 yards rushing while neither QB goes over 300 yards passing.

Andy Miley – Rice and TRich both get over 130 yards and a score.

Eric Hardter – Ray Rice will excel as a receiver, exceeding 70 receiving yards.

Arizona @ Green Bay

TheFFGhost – Each side will have a player that racks up multiple sacks in the game.

Jacob Feldman – Andre Roberts has more yards than Fitzgerald once again due to defenses keying on Fitz.

Andy Miley – Pretty boy Clay Matthews gets two sacks and Randall Cobb scores again!

Eric Hardter – After 2+ INT’s and 5+ sacks, John Skelton ponders just lying on the turf and not getting back up…

Chris Rohrer – Lindley is shown warming up on the sidelines.

Jaron Foster – Rodgers with 3+ TDs heading into the bye.

Chicago @ Tennessee

Eric Dickens – Chris Johnson is held to under 40 yards rushing.

TheFFGhost – The Bears defense will allow at the maximum one touchdown.

Jacob Feldman – Cook has 5 or fewer targets once again even though they are talking about getting him more involved.

Andy Miley – Forte has 120+ combo yards and scores.

Eric Hardter – Matt Hasselbeck’s arm strength is exposed against the best D in the league, and he accounts for 3+ turnovers.

Miami @ Indianapolis

TheFFGhost – Wayne catches more passes than Hartline.

Eric Olinger – No Indy RB breaks 50 yards rushing. Wayne 80+ yards.

Jacob Feldman – Hartline teases everyone yet again with a 6+ catch and 100+ yards to go with a TD.

Andy Miley – Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas each get 60 yards of offense and a score.

Eric Hardter – Brian Hartline gets off the schneid against a weak pass D, accounting for 80+ yards and a score.

Chris Rohrer – Dwayne Allen has career highs in receptions and yards.  At least 6 receptions for 60 yards.

Jaron Foster – Luck with 250+ yards and 2+ TDs.

Carolina @ Washington

TheFFGhost – RGIII outrushes Cam but Cam out passes RGIII.

Eric Olinger – Steve Smith goes over 100 yards receiving.

Jacob Feldman – Morris and Stewart both have 100 yard games.

Andy Miley – Morris runs for 100+ and scores.

Eric Hardter – J-Stew officially puts his stamp on the Carolina backfield, accounting for 100+ total yards.

Chris Rohrer – Newton gets the rushing touchdown for the Panthers.

Detroit @ Jacksonville

TheFFGhost – Stafford does what Rodgers should have last week and throws for over 300 yards against the Jacksonville defense.

Eric Olinger – Titus Young continues the hot streak. 80+ yards and a score.

Jacob Feldman – The Stafford-Johnson connection finally wakes up and Megatron has 100+ yards and a score.

Andy Miley – Bell and Jennings have 90+ combo yards and a touchdown each.

Eric Hardter – It’s sad that this is now a bold prediction, but Calvin Johnson will (gasp!) score a touchdown!

Chris Rohrer – Stafford throws for over 300 yards and two touchdowns.

Buffalo @ Houston

TheFFGhost – Both teams tight ends will catch a touchdown.

Eric Olinger – Arian Foster goes over 100 yards rushing and a TD.

Jacob Feldman – Foster scores multiple touchdowns in the first 3 quarters and sits out the fourth quarter.

Andy Miley – Andre Johnson has 90+ yards and a score.

Eric Hardter – JJ (S)Watt outplays Buffalo’s $100 million dollar man and former Texan Mario Williams, recording more tackles, sacks, and pass breakups.

Minnesota @ Seattle

TheFFGhost – Neither RB goes over 100 yards rushing.

Jacob Feldman – Percy Harvin gets double digit targets, but all of them are within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.

Andy Miley – A combined seven field goals will be made in this game.

Eric Hardter – Seattle’s big cornerbacks are no match for Percy Harvin, who records 7+ receptions and a score.

Chris Rohrer – Marshawn Lynch rushes for over 100 yards.

Jaron Foster – Rudolph starts to get more involved with 5+ receptions.

Tampa Bay @ Oakland

TheFFGhost – Both QBs pass for over 300 yards as they try to 1-up each other against the horrible secondary’s they are facing.

Jacob Feldman – McFadden continues to struggle as defenses key on him. Under 100 combined yards.

Andy Miley – At least 725 combined passing yards and both team will give up a 50+ yard score.

Eric Hardter – Doug Martin has a nice follow-up game, recording 130+ total yards and at least one score.

Pittsburgh @ NY Giants

TheFFGhost – The total rushing yards in the game will be less than either QBs passing yards.

Jacob Feldman – Mike Wallace breaks out with at least one TD over 25 yards and a total line that exceeds 6/100/1.

Andy Miley – Miller and Bennett will each have 70+ yards and score.

Eric Hardter – Hakeem Nicks re-asserts himself as Eli’s favorite target, catching more passes than Victor “Salsa Time” Cruz.

Chris Rohrer – Eli throws for over 300 yards and multiple touchdowns.

Dallas @ Atlanta

TheFFGhost – At least 3 or more receivers will go over 80 yards receiving in this game.

Jacob Feldman – Matt Ryan torches the Cowboys top 2 passing defense with 300+ yards and mutliple touchdowns.

Andy Miley – The only rushing touchdowns scored in this game will be one from Romo and one from Ryan.

Eric Hardter – Dallas’ leading rusher will be Phillip Tanner.

Philadelphia @ New Orleans

Eric Dickens – Michael Vick rushes for 50+ yards.

TheFFGhost – Brees isn’t messing around, 350+ passing yards against the Eagles.

Eric Olinger – Mike Vick throws for 300+ yards.

Jacob Feldman – McCoy gets over 150 combined yards and a score. Vick throws for 250+ and at least 1 passing TD while running in another score.

Andy Miley – Maclin, D-Jax, Colston, and Jimmy Graham all score and have 75+ receiving yards.

Eric Hardter – In the shootout of the week (wait, isn’t that every Saints game?), Brees and Vick will combine for over 625 passing yards.

By now some of you are preparing for the playoffs, others are preparing for next year, others still are on the bubble, fighting for their lives. Whatever situation you find yourself in take a few minutes and post some of your best predictions. You never know, you might find yourself with something additional to cheer for, a chance to win a free year of DLF Premium and a DLF t-shirt. The free year of DLF Premium should help any franchise in their quest for that elusive championship and you can look cool beating your league-mates while wearing the DLF t-shirt. Good luck to everyone!

 Don’t forget, if we select your entry we’ll enter you into a drawing for a full year of DLF premium content and a free DLF t-shirt!