This isn’t about the Orioles, so calm down already. I have admitted in the past that I am just not the biggest fan of watching baseball in general; and I was reminded that in about the 2nd inning of today’s game. I have always loved the Orioles; and I will be there Thursday afternoon (and probably Friday night) rooting them on, but I have always been one to seek out other options for my entertainment dollar or remote control direction.

So every week between now and the start of football season; I’m going to offer 10 alternatives for you for the week if you’re not overly obsessed with the “grand ol’ game.” This list will be for April 7-13….

Honorable mention: LeBron and the Cavs get a shot for revenge against the Wizards, the NASCAR guys go driving again, The WWE holds a talent “Draft”, and even more local college lacrosse

10-Spring Football: Pitt, Georgia, and Oklahoma (Georgia’s Game Saturday 1pm ESPN)

You might have to be a College Football degenerate like me to love the idea of Spring Football on TV; but I’m going crazy just thinking about this. Of the 3 biggest teams to play their Spring Games this week, clearly Oklahoma has the best chance of playing for a national title, as the Sooners return Heisman winner Sam Bradford. But Brad Nessler and Kirk Herbstreit will bring us the action of Georgia’s Spring Game, and I might well just turn it on from the Press Box at M&T Bank Stadium. God I love College Football.

9-Weekend Fights: Paul Williams/Winky Wright (Saturday 10pm HBO) Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Shamrock (Saturday 10pm Showtime)

The last time Frank Shamrock stepped into a ring, he walked out looking like this…..

While I cannot say I’m exactly overly excited about the chance to see him return to the cage; the card has the chance to be entertaining, and at least you don’t have to pay Pay-Per-View dollars for it. Winky Wright hasn’t faught in nearly 2 years and is returning to face a guy 10 years his junior. Hopefully this one will keep him from fighting again in a while.

8-U.S. Clay Court Championships (Singles Final Sunday 5pm Tennis Channel)

Look, Tennis wasn’t supposed to be played on clay. Clay was supposed to be used in pottery class, and as a tasty treat before the age of 6. If a tennis tournament really had guts; they’d schedule an event to be played on Play-Doh anyway. And frankly, the event in Houston has a TERRIBLE group of players. James Blake is the number 1 seed-and if you haven’t heard, James Blake has never won anything. But you know what I like about this Tournament? Americans can win the damn thing. All the good players are somewhere else; so Mardy Fish gets a chance. Does it dilute a Championship when the Draw is bad? Sure. But if the event ends with someone carrying an American flag; I just don’t care.

7-NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: UConn vs. Louisville (Tuesday 8:30pm ESPN)

Do I REALLY care who wins the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship? Frankly, no. BUT, I will be rooting for Louisville for a couple reasons: 1-They are lead by former St. Frances Star Angel McCoughtry. 2-They are coached by former Maryland assistant Jeff Walz. 3-Geno Auriemma looks like he might be as much of a “Richard” as UConn’s men’s coach. Plus, there’s almost no way this game can be worse than the men’s championship, right?

6-Caps’ Road Trip to End Regular Season (Tuesday 7pm @ Thrashers, Thursday 7:30pm @ Lightning, Saturday 7pm @ Panthers; All games Comcast SportsNet)

The best way this could go down is if the Capitals don’t even bother to wear their sweaters for the games; and instead skate out wearing nothing but these…..

Nothing like scheduling a victory lap after a tough season to get ready for the playoffs. In fact, if I were Sergei Federov, I wouldn’t even bother sobering up for the games. If another team gets excited about a goal; just start belting out your karaoke version of “We Are The Champions” right in their face.

5-UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals Leg 1 (Tuesday 2:45pm ESPN2, Wednesday 2:45 ESPN2)

Tuesday’s ESPN2 game is Manchester United/FC Porto. You’ll watch this match because this dreamboat is involved….

(Editor’s note: reportedly not everyone is as excited about Christiano Ronaldo as I am. Oh well). Wednesday’s ESPN2 game is Liverpool/Chelsea; and Chelsea has a player whose name is legitimately just “Alex.” Which of course means that everyone else in the world whose name is Alex kinda sucks in comparison. My favorite thing about the Champions League quarters is that they play a 2 game series; which is absolutely the best way to determine a champion. You’d hate to come up with a scenario where two squads could end up tied or something…..

4-NISL Championship: Baltimore Blast vs. Rockford Rampage (Saturday 7:35pm, 1st Mariner Arena)

If you’re like me, you’ll enjoy be spending all of Saturday downtown; taking in the lacrosse games, then heading to the Arena to see the Blast try to claim their 5th Championship since 2003. Tickets start at something like $16; and I believe I heard somewhere that the Blast are trying to have a “Red Out” at the game. If you hear a drunk guy in a red sweater screaming “We Want More” even when no one has scored a goal; it’s definitely not me. In fact, don’t even bother checking to make sure. Just trust me.

3-The Masters (Thursday & Friday 7pm ESPN; Saturday & Sunday 3:30pm CBS)

Look, if Tiger Woods is involved in this thing on Sunday, it vaults to Number 1. But if he’s not; you’re more likely to catch me watching NASCAR. Is it wrong that I’m more interested in hearing Jim Nantz say “Hello Friends” than I am seeing anyone in the field (Tiger included) hit a golf ball Thursday or Friday? Can you imagine what a disaster this would be if Tiger hadn’t returned by now? Would anyone besides Drew watch? But again, if Tiger is in it; I’m all in. In fact, my cousins should be rooting for Tiger; because the lengths I go to hide their little plastic eggs Sunday will be based solely on whether or not I have to run in and see what’s happening on Amen Corner. If Sunday is a Jim Furyk-Nick Watney showdown; my cousins might still be looking for their eggs on Memorial Day.

2-Frozen Four (Thursday 5:30 and 8pm, Verizon Center or ESPN2; Saturday 7pm, Verizon Center or ESPN)

I got three words for you…..

If the Beavers win this whole thing, I’m walking into the first room I find that houses a net; I’m cutting the thing down, and I’m running naked through the streets in celebration. I don’t know any of the players, I don’t know where the school is located, and I’ve never watched an entire College Hockey game in my life. But I don’t care. Bemidji State RULES!!!!!!!!!

1-Inside Lacrosse Day of Rivals (Saturday 11:30am and 2pm, M&T Bank Stadium or ESPNU)

If you don’t understand why Army/Navy is the best rivalry in all of sports; you can just go ahead and move to France or something.

Taken from Funlok.com….

A Navy man and an Army man are driving opposite directions on a curvy mountain road. The army man hits a patch of sand, swerves, and nails the Navy man’s truck. They both exit their cars with no injuries, but their vehicles are ruined.

Now, the rivalry between Army and Navy is well known, so needless to say a heated argument followed. Then suddenly the Navy man changed heart and said, “Hold on, this is dumb. It was an accident. Let’s put this rivalry behind us.”

The Army man agreed this was a good idea. So the Navy man offered, “Why don’t we celebrate our new friendship over a fifth of vodka? I have a bottle in the truck.”

The Army man thought this was an excellent idea. So the Navy man, being a gentleman, offered the Army man the first drink, and told the Army man to drink as much as he wanted. Soon half the bottle was gone and he offered the bottle back to the Navy man who said, “Thanks, but I’ll wait till after the cops get here!”

Did I mention Maryland and Hopkins play Saturday too? In the immortal words of Danny and The Juniors, “Let’s go kick the Hop’s ass”

That wasn’t what they said?

(Did I miss something? Let me know.)

-G

It’s almost laughable now, this charade featuring Alex Rodriguez.

Mind  you, if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool baseball fan, you’re probably shedding a few private tears but they’re not from laughter.  Your great game is blowing up in front of you and there’s little, as a fan, you can do about it. I, on the other hand, having been disenfranchised in my own city by the team I grew up adoring, think it’s comedy on top of comedy — and I’m laughing so hard I’m blinking away tears.

Here’s the clip from today’s press conference where A-Rod talks about his three years of steroid use.

Remember the search that O.J. Simpson promised to launch in search for the “real” killers of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman?

We have a near national search in place today.  We’re trying to find A-Rod’s “cousin”, the guy who supposedly helped him buff up by supplying and/or otherwise turning him on to steroids.

We all have a cousin like that, I suppose.  He’s the guy (or gal) we blame something on when there’s enough evidence in place to find us guilty but there’s a sliver of doubt that we can cling to and use in our defense.  In law terms, it’s called “The Alford Plea”…enough evidence in place to convict but not an admission of guilt.

Except, in A-Rod’s case, he’s admitted guilt.  He’s just half-blaming it on his long-lost cousin.

Now, on to the real issue.

I think A-Rod is being too forthcoming, frankly.

If I were representing him, I’d tell him to clam up until the other 103 names of the positive-testers are announced.

Then, and only then, should A-Rod provide more details on his steroid use.

Why should he face the media, the fans and the strong arm of the law right now when 103 others cheated like him and they’re hanging out on a golf course right now thrilled to death it’s not THEM having the press conference?

It continues to be what’s wrong with baseball.

Stop protecting these miscreants and let’s get it all out in the open.

Let’s find out who the 1100 “clean” guys were as well.  That’s important information, don’tcha think?

No, we’re so obsessed with the tanned quarter-billionaire that we’d rather just focus on him.

It’s laughable.

The poster boy for the league has, ironically, become the poster boy for the league.

At least he didn’t lie to the government like the rattest of all rat-finks, Barry Bonds.

Say what you will about A-Rod, and more of you don’t like him than do, but I didn’t see any other juiced-up clowns facing the media today.  He’s done it twice in the last 8 days.  When’s the last time Barry Bonds sat in front of folks with a computer or a pen and paper and allowed them to go one-on-one with him?  Sammy Sosa?  Miguel Tejada?  Oh, that’s right, they’re English is bad.

I’m not Pro-Alex Rodriguez, but I’m getting there. 

There’s a part of me – this is true – that wants to see him hit 2 HR’s on opening day in Baltimore and go on to hit 48 more during the regular season. 

Everyone is laughing it up, talking about how much they can’t stand him and how he got what was coming to him and all that stuff.

Yeah, maybe he did get what was coming to him.  He cheated.

But, he’s front and center now, having been caught, of course, and he’s facing the music.

The other 103…where are they?  They’ve become baseball’s version of Bin Laden, hiding in a cave somewhere scared to see another human being in the event he or she works for SI.Com.

Leave it to baseball to screw up the biggest scandal since we found out Pete Rose bet on the game while managing.

They get even “out” the crooks the right way.

Of course, someone will say, “but Major League Baseball doesn’t really know the identity of the other 103 cheaters…”

Riiiiiiiiiiigggghhhhhttttt.

Or, simply, are they figuring if they feed the biggest fish to the media that we’ll all go away once we’ve cleaned, gutted and fried A-Rod?

You can bet your rump they know who the 103 other bums are…and they know who the 1100 non-cheaters were too.

They’d love to just pass along the massive list of the guys who tested negative but they can’t.  Or, at least, not until they also pass along the names of those who failed the test along with A-Rod.

I’m telling you, A-Rod would have been well within his rights today to say, “I’ll be happy to have a press conference with you folks when the complete list of those who failed the test in 2003 is published.”

I would have applauded him for that, frankly.

As it stands now, I just feel sorry for him, on a variety of levels.

I hope he finds his cousin.

That guy has some ‘splainin’ to do.

As for Rodriguez, he’s explained enough for now.

Let’s hear from the other 103 scallywags.

Now, evidently, the witch hunt for baseball’s biggest villain has focused on Alex Rodriguez.

A-Rod, in case you missed it, flunked a couple of steroid tests back in 2003. In a method only baseball could conjure up, Rodriguez and 103 other players failed a test that really wasn’t a test. It was a wacky “pre-test” – done to determine if testing, in fact, was needed.

I know, it’s silly. Baseball has perfected the art of silly over the last dozen years or so.

Even more silly than pre-testing is the spotlight currently shining on A-Rod.

Why are we only hearing about Rodriguez and HIS failed test? What about the other 103 players and THEIR names and pictures? Why is the scrutiny just on him?

Breaking news: Baseball players used steroids. (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)

It’s such a boring, tiresome subject there’s actually dust build-up on it.

Effective immediately, I’m no longer concerned about who used steroids because we never get the complete truth on who passed the test and who failed the test.

But, I do care about something else as it relates to steroids.

And, to me, it’s actually the story we should all be chasing right now.

I want to know this: “Who knew?”

Along the way, since ‘roids became the rage, where’s the secret list of the league executives, team owners, staffers and player personnel folks who have known the identity of the users?

Where is THAT list?

Everyone is quick to scoff at the players who have been caught. A-Rod is the new goat because he supposedly tested positive and it’s easy to ridicule him because of his abundant wealth, good looks and general snobby demeanor — funny enough, those three “charming traits” probably apply to about 75% of the players in the game today. If Chris Gomez flunked a test in ’03 and his name was revealed in 2009, would anyone care? Chris who…?

But, it’s A-Rod, and since jealousy is one of the best tasting items on the human menu, everyone wants to sink their teeth into #13.

I couldn’t care less about A-Rod and his failed tests.

At this point, what’s another player-name anyway?

I would love to see the who’s-who of names that knew about A-Rod and Barry and Roger and Jose and Mark and Sammy and the rest and the rest and the rest of them.

Who, in Baltimore, for example, knew about Gibbons and Segui and Bigbie and Roberts? Who knew? I guarantee you SOMEONE knew. Did the owner know? Did the GM know? Did the trainer know? Did the manager know?

Who, in St. Louis, knew McGwire was on the juice? What about Chicago? I’m sure folks in Cubbie-land were in the know when Sosa was pounding balls out of Wrigley Field in 1998.

Because the players get paid and the fans pay money to watch them play, people only seem to care about the guys in uniform.

The players are sheep.

If there’s a baseball stadium with lights on and a paycheck waiting, they’ll play anywhere, anytime.

The guys in suits and ties – they’re the shepherds. They’re the ones responsible for gathering the sheep together and helping them graze on the needles, the statistics and the glory.

The “suits” sign the players, set the ticket prices, sell the TV ads and rent the players so we all have a team to call our own.

The players only get away with what they can – because they can.

I want to see the list of the people who have checked-off on letting the players get away with using steroids.

Let’s put some scrutiny on those guys and gals.

Personally, I’m going to start placing the blame on the shepherds.

I’d love to see the list of the folks in baseball who contributed to this lost-decade by acting like they didn’t know anything when, in fact, they knew everything.

That’s the only list that matters now.

SI.com is reporting that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two types of steroids in 2003 as part of a voluntary, sealed agreement between the MLBPA and the Commissioner’s Office to help determine the extent of performance enhancing drug use in the sport.  These tests were discovered by Federal Agents as part of the ongoing investigation into the BALCO case in 2004.  1,198 players were tested randomly in 2003, and 104 tested positive.  Including ARod.

This raises a few questions in my mind, most of which are troubling or have no answer, which could be even more troubling.  Such as:

Alex Rodriguez used steroids?  Why this doesn’t come as a surprise to me is troubling.

104 players total tested positive in ’03?  I would very much like to know the rest of the names.  But clearly, Rodriguez is the big fish here.  Something tells me there are plenty of journeymen included, as previous testing results have shown.

Why does all of this produce more of a yawn from me than shock or outrage?

That is clearly the issue at play here.  Years and years of watching records get smashed, players get bigger and 40 yard dash times get lower has produced a very jaundiced eye, both individually and collectively, to the lifelong sports fan.  We can question it all we want, but the hard truth is that what we pay to see is not clean, not genuine, not within the capabilities of “pure” human performance, and not going to change anytime in the forseeable future.

Ever heard of Human Growth Hormone?  And yes, there is no test available without drawing blood.  Which violates privacy laws for every professional leagues’ bargaining agreements.

So I am preparing to hear plenty of stories regarding HGH in, oh, sometime around 2020.  And honestly, not one of them will surprise me in the least.

Have we reached the point of oversaturation when it comes to reports like this?  When a “bombshell” such as ARod using steroids arrives, what does it say about me as a sports fan that I shrug my shoulders instead of being genuinely shocked?  I suppose it says, more than anything, that I accept the fact that cheaters have long prospered in sports as well as life.  And that everything I watch, every game I attend, is populated by people who will do anything in an effort to gain a competetive edge in order to gain financially when that next contract is negotiated.

The truth is that there is no moral to the story.  Because morality is absent in the conversation of cheating.  And that is what this is, cheating.  Nothing more, nothing less.

So Arod is a cheater?  AFraud?  Wow.  I would never have suspected.

Quite frankly, I’m worn out and that makes me a bit indifferent to stories such as this.  Call me a crank, call me a cynic, and you’d be justified in doing so, but take a moment and scroll back through your mind to McGwire/Sosa in ’98, Bonds from ’99 on, football linemen who weigh 340 pounds and run 4.9 second 40 yard dashes, and you’ll get a bit exhausted by it as well. 

There is no end in sight to these matters.  That is the ultimate, and saddest, truth of the whole story.  And if you can honestly answer these questions, then perhaps you accept that what you see isn’t genuine and earnestly gained:

Does it matter to you as a sports fan at all?

AND

Why do we continue to watch?

Having been surrounded by Pittsburgh Steelers football all week on radio row, you’d think I would be the first guy to scream, “PLEASE, ARIZONA…PLEASE BEAT THOSE BLACK AND GOLD RAT FINKS!”

But, I don’t feel that way.

I really don’t care one way or the other who wins today in Tampa, but I can give you a good reason why – in Baltimore – we should be OK with it all if Pittsburgh does come out on top: it reduces their chances of winning the Super Bowl next year.

Think about it.  How hard is it to win back to back Super Bowls?  Since 1990, it’s only been done 3 times.

I’ll take those odds.

So, if Pittsburgh wins today, they won’t win the whole thing again next season.  I’d make that bet in a heartbeat.

And, that means one less team we have to worry about being in the way of the Ravens in 2009.

For the record, by the way, I’m calling it Pittsburgh 27-Arizona 24.

I’d say “I hope I’m wrong…” – but maybe I’d rather not be.  

> The Australian Open Final between Nadal and Federer was tremendous…but it was a little sad to see Federer throw in the towel like that in the 5th set.  Even when Nadal lost the 4th set, 6-3, he made Federer battle for every point.  Once Rafa broke Federer’s serve in the 5th set, Roger packed it in.  One thing for sure right now:  Nadal has Federer’s number.  And don’t look now, but they both have major title wins on three different surfaces.  Federer lacks only a win at Roland Garros (French) to complete the career Grand Slam, while Nadal needs to triumph at Flushing Meadows (U.S. Open) to wrap up his Grand Slam.  I wonder how important it is to Federer to win the French before Rafa wins in New York?  We’ll see in May.

> Start saving your money now for NHL playoff tickets in Washington.  How many highlight-reel game-winning goals has Ovechkin scored this year?  I can think of four off the top of my head.  Most players would give their right leg to have four game-winners in a season…let alone the kind of goals The Great 8 has scored to win games for Washington this year.  Have you seen the goal he scored yesterday in their win over Detroit?  Here it is.  What can you say?  The guys is…well…he’s…GREAT.  

> A nice win for Maryland last night over Miami and they fulfilled my early-week prediction that the Terps would win one and lose one in that brief two-game homestand.  At 3-4 in ACC play, Maryland still needs to somehow get to that 9 win regular season total in conference play to finish with 20 wins and a shot at the NCAA Tournament.  Looking at their remaining schedule, I don’t see how Maryland gets six more wins unless they win two of the five remaining games against the league’s best four teams: North Carolina (2), Duke, Wake Forest and Clemson.  They could go 0-5 in those, unfortunately…but they won’t.  Can they get to 20 wins?  Probably not.  

> Towson continues to struggle at home in CAA play, as the Tigers dropped a 60-53 decision to a surprisingly good Drexel team yesterday before 2,900 at the Towson Center.  The Tigers (3-8/CAA) are just 1-5 at home in conference play and are in danger of finishing 10th or 11th in the CAA if they don’t string together some wins down the stretch.  Towson’s problems are similar to that of Maryland: no big guy, no one under the basket to fight for the ball on either end of the court, and, ultimately, no one the other team has to work hard to take out of the game.  

> I’ll be at the RAC Arena on Monday night for the annual visit from Boston University and their animated Head Coach, Dennis Wolff.  B.U. is one of the America East’s best programs and UMBC will have their hands full on Monday night.  The Retrievers are coming off of a 1-point loss at Stony Brook on Saturday night.  If you’re coming out on Monday night, e-mail me (drew@wnst.net) and we’ll have a soft drink together before the game. 

> I don’t ever get excited about early-season golf on the PGA Tour, but I see that Kenny Perry is leading the tournament in Arizona by one shot going into the final round.  I doubt I’ll watch it today.  But Kenny Perry is a helluva player.  There’s your golf coverage.

> Is the third time the charm?  Twice in the last month, I’ve contacted the Orioles to see if they’ll make room for me in Ft. Lauderdale and allow me to broadcast my morning show from their spring training site in late February.  I still haven’t heard from them (maybe they’re evaluating the hordes of media folks who are applying for spring training credentials?) so I’ll reach out to them ONE more time this week and see if we can make it happen.  

Have a great Sunday…

Just a reminder that for our Baltimore puck heads that the WNST Baltimore Puck Buses for 2009 are now ON SALE! We’re doing three trips down to D.C. to see the Capitals:

Jan. 6 vs. Philadelphia
Feb. 18 vs. Montreal
March 6 vs. Carolina
All trips are $60 each and a “three pack” is $150. It includes game ticket, bus ride, limited beer, sodas and snacks plus Caps trivia and stupid movies like “Slapshot” and “Youngblood” as well as some Canadian classics.

Our buses leave from White Marsh and pick up in Catonsville en route to the Verizon Center.

It makes a pretty cool holiday gift for someone in your life who loves hockey and won’t say “What The Puck?” if this makes its way under the holiday tree. All of the details are here and you can paypal your order now and you’re all signed up!

Hope we get to see you on our trips. Click here if you want to check out a video of the fun from last time when the Caps won a thriller:

Greetings fellow puck lovers:

WNST is proud to offer three more “Puck Bus” opportunities during 2009 to go to Washington Capitals games with a group of spirited Baltimore hockey fans.

Here are the three dates:

Tuesday, Jan. 6 vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Wednesday, Feb. 18 vs. Montreal Canadiens

Tuesday, March 3 vs. Carolina Hurricanes

All of the trips will have the same 2-stop itinerary: We’ll leave White Marsh Park and Ride at 4:30 and pick up at the UMBC Park and Ride at 5 p.m.

Each trip will include an upper deck group reserved seat, limited cold beer and soda on the bus, snacks provided by WNST sponsors and fun hockey-themed videos and trivia to win Caps giveaways. To see some wnsTV of what our first “Puck Bus” looked like, click here. And, yes, we’ll play the Baltimore Clippers fight song as well. Or was it the Skipjacks fight song? Or the Bandits fight song?

Tickets are $60 per person and $150 for a three-game “WNST Three-Pack”.

Click here to buy individual games or the WNST Puck Bus Three Pack:

Here are the week 13 fantasy tight end power rankings and weekly start rankings too. There are 3 games on the slate for today, so don’t forget to get your lineup changes in before you get locked out of the early games.

 

Keep in mind that the power rankings, listed here, are based on year to date performance and not a reflection of your best options for week 13. Just below the power rankings are match up previews advising who should be better or worse than usual this week, based on their opponents. At the bottom, are the week 13 start rankings, that’s where you should look for help with your week 13 lineup decisions.

 

Week 13 Fantasy Tight End Power Rankings

 

TE Power Rankings Archive – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12

 

(last week’s rankings in parentheses)

 

1. Tony Gonzalez (1) – KC – 696 yds 6 TD

 

2. Antonio Gates (2) – SD – 507 yds 6 TD

 

3. Kevin Boss (8) – NYG – 265 yds 5 TD

 

4. Tony Scheffler (3) – DEN – 363 yds 2 TD

 

5. Dallas Clark (6) – IND – 489 yds 3 TD

 

6. Jason Witten (5) – DAL – 594 yds 2 TD

 

7. Owen Daniels (7) – HOU – 583 yds 2 TD

 

8. Anthony Fasano (9) – MIA – 305 yds 3 TD

 

9. Kellen Winslow Jr. (4) – CLE – 413 yds 3 TD

 

10. Chris Cooley (10) – WAS – 630 yds 1 TD

 

11. Billy Miller (13) – NO – 424 yds 1 TD

 

12. Dustin Keller (12) – NYJ – 383 yds 3 TD

 

13. Bo Scaife (11) – TEN – 490 yds 2 TD

 

14. Jerramy Stevens (16) – TB – 267 yds 2 TD

 

15. Visanthe Schiancoe (15) – MIN – 353 yds 4 TD

 

16. Heath Miller (NR) – PIT – 284 yds 2 TD

 

17. John Carlson (17) – SEA – 351 yds 3 TD

 

18. Zach Miller (14) – OAK – 471 yds 1 TD

 

19. Martellus Bennett (20) – DAL – 207 yds 3 TD

 

20. Greg Olsen (18) – CHI – 391 yds 2 TD

 

Dropped From Rankings: Daniel Graham – DEN

 

TEs Who Should Be Better Than Usual In Week 13: Tony Scheffler @ NYJ; Dustin Keller vs. DEN; Bo Scaife @ DET; Antonio Gates vs. ATL; Greg Olsen @ MIN; Mercedes Lewis @ HOU; Visanthe Schiancoe vs. CHI

 

TEs Who Could Be Sleepers Based On Week 13 Match Ups: Justin Peele @ SD; Daniel Graham @ NYJ; Leonard Pope @ PHI; Dante Rosario @ GB

 

TEs With Tough Week 13 Match Ups: Chris Cooley vs. NYG; Billy Miller & Jeremy Shockey @ TB; John Carlson @ DAL; Kevin Boss @ WAS; Vernon Davis @ BUF; Kellen Winslow Jr. vs. IND

 

TEs You Might Want To Avoid In Week 13: Daniel Fells vs. MIA; Martellus Bennett vs. SEA; Reggie Kelly vs. BAL

 

And here are the week 13 Fantasy TE start rankings; it’s the top 35 tight ends in the order that you should consider them this week. They were gotten using the Fantasy Flavor secret formula, and have their formulary numbers in parentheses, the lower the better.

 

1. Antonio Gates (10)

2. Tony Scheffler (10)

3. Tony Gonzalez (21)

4. Owen Daniels (26)

5. Dallas Clark (28)

6. Bo Scaife (29)

7. Dustin Keller (30)

8. Anthony Fasano (30)

9. Kevin Boss (33)

10. Jason Witten (36)

11. Visanthe Schaincoe (40)

12. Kellen Winslow Jr. (43)

13. Heath Miller (43)

14. Daniel Graham (46)

15. Jerramy Stevens (48)

16. Greg Olsen (48)

17. Chris Cooley (51)

18. Billy Miller (51)

19. Mercedes Lewis (51)

20. Jerrame Tuman (55)

21. Zach Miller (57)

22. John Carlson (62)

23. Martellus Bennett (62)

24. LJ Smith (63)

25. Alex Smith (66)

26. David Martin (70)

27. Brent Celek (73)

28. Justin Peele (73)

29. Dante Rosario (76)

30. Vernon Davis (76)

31. Todd Heap (79)

32. Donald Lee (82)

33. Alge Crumpler (85)

34. Desmond Clark (86)

35. Benjamin Watson (90)

 

You can use the links at the bottom of the page to check out the rest of this week’s positional rankings. Have a great holiday, and good luck this week.

 

Peace,

T

(thyrl@wnst.net)

 

Week 13 QB Rankings & Previews

 

Week 13 RB Rankings & Previews

 

Week 13 WR Rankings & Previews

 

Week 13 K Rankings & Previews

 

Week 13 D/ST Rankings & Previews

 

 

Just for the sake of making everything easier, I’ve decided to post the week 12 Fantasy Start Rankings for all 6 positions in one place. It’s the same start rankings that you can find on the bottoms of each of the Positional Power Rankings for week 12. You can locate those power rankings by using the links at the bottom of this page too.

 

Listed below are the formulary start rankings for each of the 6 positions, with their formulary number listed in parentheses next to them. The formulary rankings are gotten using the “secret fantasy flavor formula”, it’s basically 2 parts player performance, 1 part defensive expectations against them this week, with a few variables thrown in for injuries and anomalies.

 

As news becomes available over the course of the weekend, I’ll make notes here too, so keep checking back. And at the end of the day, trust your gut, and have fun. That’s why we play the games after all anyway. And good luck to you this week as the playoffs approach.

 

QUARTERBACKS

 

1. Peyton Manning (15) @SD

2. Aaron Rodgers (21) @ NO

3. Jay Cutler (22) vs. OAK

4. Tony Romo (22) vs. SF

5. Kurt Warner (29) vs. NYG

6. Shaun Hill (31) @ DAL

7. Brady Quinn (31) vs. HOU

8. Drew Brees (35) vs. GB

9. Eli Manning (36) @ AZ

10. Phillip Rivers (40) vs. IND

11. Matt Cassel (40) @ MIA

12. Kyle Orton (42) @ ST.L

13. Tyler Thigpen (43) vs. BUF

14. Gus Frerotte (43) @ JAX

15. Jeff Garcia (44) @ DET

16. Donavan McNabb (45) @ BAL

17. Jason Campbell (48) @ SEA

18. David Garrard (52) vs. MIN

19. Brett Favre (53) @ TEN

20. Chad Pennington (57) vs. NE

21. Sage Rosenfels (61) @ CLE

22. Kerry Collins (61) vs. NYJ

23. Matt Ryan (62) vs. CAR

24. Joe Flacco (64) vs. PHI

25. Jake Delhomme (68) @ ATL

26. Ben Roethlisberger (69) vs. CIN

27. JaMarcus Russell (70) @ DEN*about the same if it’s Walter or Tuisasopo

28. Trent Edwards (78) @ KC

29. Marc Bulger (78) vs. CHI

30. Ryan Fitzpatrick (81) @ PIT

31. Daunte Culpepper (86) vs. TB

32. Matt Hasselbeck (87) vs. WAS

 

 

RUNNINGBACKS

 

1. Clinton Portis (19) @ SEA

2. Adrian Peterson (22) @ JAX

3. Matt Forte (22) @ ST.L

4. Frank Gore (23) @ DAL

5. Marion Barber (27) vs. SF

6. Thomas Jones (28) @ TEN

7. Reggie Bush (32) vs. GB

8. Brian Westbrook (33) @ BAL

9. Willie Parker (34) vs. CIN

10. Brandon Jacobs (35) @ AZ *watch his injury status

11. Marshawn Lynch (37) @ KC

12. LaDanian Tomlinson (38) vs. IND

13. Michael Turner (43) vs. CAR

14. DeAngelo Williams (43) @ ATL

15. Steve Slaton (45) @ CLE

16. Maurice Jones-Drew (46) vs. MIN

17. Ronnie Brown (48) vs. NE

18. Jamal Lewis (51) vs. HOU

19. Chris Johnson (56) vs. NYJ

20. Larry Johnson (56) vs. BUF

21. Steven Jackson (60) vs. CHI *keep an eye on his status

22. Joseph Addai (65)@ SD

23. LenDale White (66) vs. NYJ

24. Ryan Grant (69) @ NO

25. Darren McFadden (71) @ DEN

26. Jonathan Stewart (73) @ ATL

27. Warrick Dunn (74) @ DET

28. Sammy Morris (76) @ MIA

29. Mewelde Moore (77) vs. CIN

30. Tim Hightower (78) vs. NYG

31. Kevin Smith (79) vs. TB

32. Willis McGahee (83) vs. PHI *keep an eye on his status

33. Deuce McAllister (84) vs. GB

34. Derrick Ward (85) @ AZ

35. Ahman Green (85) @ CLE

36. LeRon McClain (87) vs. PHI *bump 2 or 3 spots if McGahee can’t go

37. Jerome Harrison (87) vs. HOU

38. Peyton Hillis (89) vs. OAK

39. Justin Fargas (95)vs. DEN *bump 15 spots if McFadden can’t go

40. Ray Rice (97) vs. PHI *keep him here regardless of McGahee’s status

41. Dominic Rhodes (97) @ SD

42. Jerious Norwood (99) vs. CAR

43. Julius Jones (99) vs. WAS

44. Leon Washington (100) @ TEN

45. Antonio Pittman (102) vs. CHI *bump 8 to 10 spots if Steven Jackson can’t go

46. BenJarvis Green-Ellis (104) @ MIA

47. Ricky Williams (106) vs. NE

48. Chester Taylor (112) @ JAX

49. Kevin Faulk (114) @ MIA

50. Kenneth Darby (114) vs. CHI *bump 3 or 4 spots if Jackson can’t go

 

 

 

WIDE RECEIVERS

 

1. Santana Moss (11) @ SEA

2. Anquan Boldin (15) vs. NYG

3. Larry Fitzgerald (17) vs. NYG

4. Greg Jennings (20) @ NO

5. Andre Johnson (25) @ CLE

6. Bernard Berrian (27) @ JAX

7. Steve Smith (29) *CAR @ ATL

8. Calvin Johnson (32) vs. TB

9. Roddy White (34) vs. CAR

10. Reggie Wayne (34) @ SD

11. Hines Ward (38) vs. CIN

12. Kevin Walter (41) @ CLE

13. Brandon Marshall (45) vs. OAK

14. Justin Gage (45) vs. NYJ

15. Terrell Owens (48) vs. SF

16. Eddie Royal (49) vs. OAK

17. DeWayne Bowe (49) vs. BUF

18. Randy Moss (50) @ MIA

19. Lee Evans (56) @ KC

20. Antonio Bryant (59) @ DET

21. TJ Houshmandzadeh (60) @ PIT

22. Donnie Avery (63) vs. CHI

23. Lance Moore (67) vs. GB

24. Vincent Jackson (68) vs. IND

25. Wes Welker (68) @ MIA

26. DeSean Jackson (69) @ BAL

27. Plaxico Burress (74) @ AZ

28. Donald Driver (76) @ NO

29. Braylon Edwards (77) vs. HOU

30. Chris Chambers (80) vs. IND

31. Laverneus Coles (81) @ TEN

32. Jehrrico Cotchery (83) @ TEN

33. Matt Jones (84) vs. MIN

34. Mushin Muhammad (91) @ ATL

35. Derrick Mason (92) vs. PHI *watch his injury status

36. DeVery Henderson (95) vs. GB

37. Steve Breaston (95) vs. NYG

38. Issac Bruce (98) @ DAL

39. Brandon Lloyd (98) @ ATL

40. Mark Bradley (101) vs. BUF

41. Nate Washington (104) vs. CIN

42. Kevin Curtis (105) @ BAL

43. Ted Ginn Jr. (109) vs. NE

44. Sinorice Moss (110) @ AZ

45. Michael Jenkins (116) vs. CAR

46. Santonio Holmes (117) vs. CIN

47. Marvin Harrison (118) @ SD

48. Greg Camarillo (121) vs. NE

49. Malcolm Floyd (124) vs. IND

50. Ricky Williams (124) vs. NE

51. Antoine Randle-El (127) @ SEA

52. Anthony Gonzalez (128) @ SD

53. Rasheid Davis (132) @ ST.L

54. Tory Holt (133) vs. CHI

55. Bryant Johnson (134) @ DAL

56. Jabar Gafney (134) @ MIA

57. Hank Baskett (135) vs. BAL

58. Amani Toomer (136) @ AZ

59. Marques Colston (137) vs. GB

60. Chad Johnson (140) @ PIT *out insert Chris Henry here

61. Patrick Crayton (140) vs. SF

62. Devin Hester (144) @ ST.L

63. Koren Robinson (149) vs. WAS

64. Bobby Wade (151) @ JAX

65. Myles Austin (152) vs. SF  out

66. Sidney Rice (153) @ JAX

67. Marty Booker (156) @ ST.L

68. Deion Branch (157) vs. WAS

69. Ike Hilliard (161) @ DET

70. Reggie Brown (163) @ BAL

71. Chansi Stuckey (165) @ TEN

72. John Standeford (170) vs. TB

73. Brandon Stokley (171) vs. OAK

74. Mike Walker (174) @ DET

75. Steve Smith (174)*NYG @ AZ

 

 

TIGHT ENDS

 

1. Dallas Clark (13) @ SD

2. Kellen Winslow Jr. (15) vs. HOU

3. Tony Scheffler (20) vs. OAK

4. Bo Scaife (24) vs. NYJ

5. Antonio Gates (28) vs. IND

6. Owen Daniels (29) @ CLE

7. Tony Gonzalez (33) vs. BUF

8. Kevin Boss (34) @ AZ

9. Anthony Fasano (34) vs. NE

10. Dustin Keller (34) @ TEN

11. Zach Miller (34) @ DEN

12. Billy Miller (38) vs. GB

13. Jerramy Stevens (39) @ DET

14. Jason Witten (42) vs. SF

15. Visanthe Schiancoe (43) @ JAX

16. Chris Cooley (45) @ SEA

17. Greg Olsen (53) @ ST.L

18. Alex Smith (53) @ DET

19. Mercedes Lewis (55) vs. MIN

20. Todd Heap (55) vs. PHI

21. Tom Santi (61) @ SD

22. John Carlson (63) vs. WAS

23. Daniel Graham (64) @ CLE

24. LJ Smith (66) @ BAL

25. Derek Fine (69) @ KC

26. Steve Heiden (73) vs. HOU

27. Vernon Davis (76) @ DAL

28. Dante Rosario (78) @ ATL

29. Donald Lee (79) @ NO

30. Heath Miller (80) vs. CIN

31. Martellus Bennett (80) vs. SF

32. Brent Celek (80) @ BAL

33. David Martin (80) vs. NE

34. Alge Crumpler (80) vs. NYJ

35. Jeremy Shockey (82) vs. GB

 

 

KICKERS

 

1. Mason Crosby (16) @ NO

2. Garrett Hartley (16) vs. GB

3. Stephen Gostkowski (24) @ MIA

4. Matt Bryant (26) @ DET

5. Phil Dawson (29) vs. HOU

6. David Akers (30) @ BAL

7. Lawrence Tynes (32) @ AZ *no difference if it’s Carney

8. Rian Lindell (33) @ KC

9. Jason Elam (36) vs. CAR

10. Shaun Suisham (36) @ SEA

11. Nate Kaeding (39) vs. IND

12. Joe Nedney (41) @ DAL

13. Matt Prater (44) vs. CAR

14. Jay Feeley (46) @ TEN

15. Ryan Longwell (46) @ JAX

16. Robbie Gould (46) @ ST.L

17. Rob Bironas (47) vs. NYJ

18. Sebastian Janikowski (48) @ DEN

19. Josh Brown (50) vs. CHI

20. Neil Rackers (54) vs. NYG

21. Josh Scobee (58) vs. MIN

22. John Kasay (61) @ ATL

23. Jeff Reed (61) vs. CIN

24. Nick Folk (65) vs. SF

25. Jason Hanson (69) vs. TB

26. Connor Barth (69) vs. BUF

27. Matt Stover (71) vs. PHI

28. Olindo Mare (75) vs. WAS

29. Kris Brown (77) @ CLE

30. Adam Vinatieri (77) @ SD

31. Shayne Graham (79) @ PIT

32. Dan Carpenter (83) vs. NE

 

 

DEFENSE / SPECIAL TEAMS

 

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7) @ DET

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (16) vs. CIN

3. Chicago Bears (21) @ ST.L

4. Green Bay Packers (27) @ NO

5. Philadelphia Eagles (27) @ BAL

6. Tennessee Titans (30) vs. NYJ

7. New York Jets (36) @ TEN

8. New York Giants (37) @ AZ

9. Baltimore Ravens (42) vs. PHI

10. Miami Dolphins (42) vs. NE

11. Seattle Seahawks (42) vs. WAS

12. San Francisco 49ers (43) @ DAL

13. Dallas Cowboys (43) vs. SF

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (44) vs. MIN

15. Cleveland Browns (46) vs. HOU

16. Minnesota Vikings (48) @ JAX

17. Oakland Raiders (49) @ DEN

18. Atlanta Falcons (50) vs. CAR

19. Buffalo Bills (50) @ KC

20. Arizona Cardinals (51) vs. NYG

21. Carolina Panthers (52) @ ATL

22. Washington Redskins (58) @ SEA

23. Kansas City Chiefs (63) vs. BUF

24. New England Patriots (65) @ MIA

25. Cincinnati Bengals (67) @ PIT

26. Denver Broncos (67) vs. OAK

27. San Diego Chargers (68) vs. IND

28. New Orleans Saints (72) vs. GB

29. Indianapolis Colts (73) @ SD

30. Houston Texans (80) @ CLE

31. St. Louis Rams (81) vs. CHI

32. Detroit Lions (87) vs. TB

 

 

Week 12 Fantasy QB Rankings and Previews

 

Week 12 Fantasy RB Rankings and Previews

 

Week 12 Fantasy WR Rankings and Previews

 

Week 12 Fantasy TE Rankings and Previews

 

Week 12 Fantasy K Rankings and Previews

 

Week 12 Fantasy D/ST Rankings and Previews

 

Peace,

T

(thyrl@wnst.net)