Ahoy, Raider fans! It is I, RaiderDamus, the count of clairvoyance, the potentate of projection, the foremost amongst foreseers, and the World's Freshest Man. It's time once again for my weekly fantasy football rundown of this week's Raiders vs. Texans game! Check after the jump to see what you should do with the real-life players on your make-believe team.
The big story this week is that Mr. Everything, the World's Greatest Wide Receiver, Andre Johnson will not play. This implies a few things. First, that Matt Schaub is not going to be worth starting. Secondly, that Arian Foster may be tops in RB rankings for the week. The Texans have other receivers, but none of them are very good, so they'll try to play like the Raiders do and grind it out on the ground. Let's go through this player by player.
Matt Schaub- Bench if you have a better option. Schaub was drafted as a QB1 in most leagues and he's earned that, but without Johnson he is a mere mortal. I predict 215 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.
Arian Foster- Start. Foster is the reigning rushing champion and is finally healthy. He is the best rushing option in all of football this week. 180 yards, 2 TD, 30 rec yds.
Jacoby Jones- Johnson's backup. You don't own him and nobody else does either. 80 rec yds.
Kevin Walter- If you have him, you have made a grave error. He's a good player but Johnson hogs all the passes. 70 rec yds.
Owen Daniels- Start him. He's a good play this week. 60 rec yds, 1 TD.
Texans defense- You can probably start them. They have given up VERY few points in the first half this season. Mario Williams is a beast and their linebackers are really good.
On to the Raiders!
Jason Campbell- A good play this week. Last week showed that if Jason has to air it out, he can be successful shredding a defense with his mobility and accuracy. He may take a couple sacks this week because Mario Williams and J.J. Watt are very good, but all in all he and the line have done a masterful job keeping his jersey clean this year. The Texans are 10th in the NFL against the pass, giving up over 214 yards per game through the air. Campbell will do better than that. I predict 270 yards, two TDs, one pick.
Darren McFadden- A good play every week, but let's go back to the Saints game for a minute. The Saints only rushed the ball 22 times and gained exactly 100 yards, some of that a 17-yard TD scamper by Mark Ingram. Darren McFadden is the best runningback they have faced or will face this year. The Texans have played NOBODY who can run this year- Jacksonville is awful, the Colts are awful, the Saints never run because they don't have to, and the Steelers run game is trending downward. The Texans are eighteenth against the run at just over 100 yards given up per game on the ground and I GUARANTEE you this team can be run against and they will be run against with success on Sunday. McFadden gets 210 yards, 2 TDs, 1 rec TD. McFadden will prove that he should have been selected higher than Foster in your draft.
Michael Bush- You know the drill. 40 yards and a cloud of dust, maybe one short-yardage TD. It's hard to predict those.
Darrius Heyward-Bey- This game will be a good one for DHB, even though he isn't and shouldn't be owned in virtually any leagues at all. 120 rec yds, 1 TD.
Jacoby Ford- Will have a quiet game, trying to get worked back into the offensive scheme. 60 rec yds.
Kevin Boss- You probably have someone better than him, but if not, you could do worse. He and Campbell are developing a good chemistry and the more time that passes, the better a play Boss will be. 50 rec yds.
Raiders defense- Don't start them. Foster is an animal and we are not great against the run. This game may be another shootout. The only way this squad gets points is if we score a TD on a kickoff or punt return.
So, Raider Nation- how is your fantasy team doing? Who have been your best picks and who have been your worst duds? Share your fantasy war stories here!
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