Opponent Analysis, Week 3

This week I'm playing the commissioner who's an old high school buddy. He's also in my division and we play again in week 12.

QB: Drew Brees, NO at Den and Jon Kitna, Det at SF. They both have pretty good matchups and could be in shootouts. I'm planning to go with two QBs myself, certainly O'Sullivan on the other side of the one shootout. I'm leaning towards Hasselbeck right now because he's got a pretty good match up too. With either Hasselbeck or Edwards, though, I think I lose this battle. His only backup is Brady Quinn, Cle, so not an option yet.

RB: Ryan Grant, GB vs Dal and Selvin Young, Den vs No. I'm not sure Grant is healthy and I don't particularly like Young this season. I'd feel really excellent about this except that Adrian Peterson is still limited in practice by his hamstring but wants to play. If he would definitely not play, I'd feel pretty good about Chester Taylor. As it is, I think I might need to go with Kevin Smith who at least has a good match up. He has Laurence Maroney, NE vs Mia (he has an injury), Rudi Johnson, Det at SF, Warrick Dunn, TB at Chi, and Sammie Morris, NE vs Mia as backups. I'd probably play Morris over Young, especially with the injuries other guys in NE are suffering. I might even play Dunn over Grant, except that Dunn has a tough match up. Anyway, I should win this position, but we'll have to see what the margin is.

WR: Reggie Wayne, Ind vs Jax and Torry Holt, StL at Sea. They are obviously bigger names than my guys and should wipe the floor with me. Still, Holt hasn't done so much this season. Maybe the Colts will be able to run the ball this week and won't need to rely on Wayne so much. He also has Wes Welker, NE vs Mia, Mark Clayton, Bal vs Cle, and Chancey Stuckey, NYJ at SD. Welker would be my #1, I don't see why anyone would want three such high WRs especially when it means you're playing Selvin Young.

TE: Alge Crumpler, Ten vs Hou. It's rare that I like my chances at TE, but this week I do. He also has (the always injured) Todd Heap, Bal vs Cle and Anthony Fasano, Mia at NE. Fasano had a big first week and then did nothing last week. I can't see carrying three TEs. In fact, I think if he waived Crumpler, no one would pick him up. I guess someone might claim Fasano because of the Florida connection of the league, but I can see wanting to hope that it was week 2 that was the anomaly. Heap is a big name but it isn't clear to me that he would be picked up if he was let go.

PK: Nate Keading, SD vs NYJ. We both have good kickers with decent match ups, I'll have to call this a toss up. He doesn't have a backup on the roster.

TM: Baltimore Ravens vs Cle. A good D with a good match up. I'm going to have to hope that the Brownies O can show some life this week. His backup is the Pittsburgh Steelers at Phi. That's two pretty good Ds. I shied away from the Cowboys against Philly last week and that was smart. Still, Pit is probably a better defense.

Well, I'm sorry to say that this looks like a loss to me. It would have to be a bad week for Wayne and Holt for me to have a chance and that seems like a lot to ask. I guess that means I probably will play Peterson and roll the dice.