The following teams are off this week with a bye: Bills, Chiefs, Steelers, and Titans. If you play fantasy football, make sure you make the proper adjustments. You don’t want any zeros in your starting lineup.
Let’s get to this week’s key injuries:
Brian Westbrook: The Eagles star running back has missed practice all week with two fractured ribs. This looks to be a game time decision, but we are guessing Westbrook will miss this week against the 49ers. The Eagles are five-point road favorites with a total of 42 ½.
Kellen Winslow and Dontae Stallworth: The Browns tight end has missed practice all week with an undisclosed illness. Dontae Stallworth finally hit the practice field for the first team all season. Stallworth has been battling a quad injury and has yet to play this season. Were expecting them both to play on Monday, in a must win home game against the Giants. The Browns are 7 ½ point home dogs with a total of 43.
Willis McGahee: The Ravens star running back returned to practice this week, McGahee has been battling eye, chest, and knee problems. He looks to be as healthy as he has been all season. Look for Mcgahee’s return to the lineup to light a spark under the struggling Raven offense. The Ravens are four-point road underdogs against the Colts this week.
Jon Kitna: The Lions quarterback has missed practice all week with back spasms. Backups Dan Orlovsky and Drew Stanton have split all the practice reps this week. Kitna will be a game time decision, and Orlovsky will get the start if Kitna can’t go. The winless Lions are 13 point road dogs against the Vikings this week.
Brian Griese: The Buccaneers quarterback left last week’s game with an elbow injury. Griese has missed practice all week and is listed as questionable on the injury report. Jeff Garcia filled in last week, and completed 13 of 17 for 93 yards and a touchdown. Look for Garcia to get the start this week in a must win home game against a tough Panther team. The Buccaneers are a 1 ½ point favorite with a total of 36 ½.
San Diego Chargers wide receivers: The Chargers top wide receiver Chris Chamber's has missed practice all week with an ankle injury. Vincent Jackson the Chargers #2 wide out hurt his knee on Wednesday and sat out practice on Thursday. Both will be game time decision this week. Look for speedster Craig Davis to get the start if either Chambers or Jackson can’t go this week. The Chargers are 4 ½ point favorites with a total of 44 ½ against the 3-1 Patriots.
Denver Broncos: Tight End Tony Scheffler and running back Selvin Young will both miss this week due to groin injuries. This is a big blow to the first place Broncos as Young and Scheffler play major roles in the offense. On a positive note, rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal has been upgraded and will start this week.
News and Notes:
Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh has announced that rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has been named the starter for the rest of the season. Flacco has shown a big arm, nice leadership skills and plenty of poise in the pocket. Flacco has won over the locker room and most importantly team leaders Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.
The New York Giants are on an eight game winning streak and have won an impressive 11 road games in a row.
Can it get any weirder in Raider land? Quarterback Jamarcus Russell told reporters that he and fired Head Coach Lane Kiffin have continued to prepare for this weeks game against the Saints. It seems Kiffin has been breaking down the Saints defense for Russell, via text and voice messages. You got to believe that the man in the “Black Tower” wearing the black jumpsuit and the granny glasses” blew a gasket” when he read about that.
Selections:
Last week we finished 2-2-1 and are now 8-5-1 for the season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers -1 ½ 2 units
Houston Texans -3 1 unit
Jacksonville Jaguars +3 ½ 1 unit
Bears/ Falcons Over 43 ½ 1 unit
Cleveland Browns +7 ½ 1 unit
