Fantasy Matchups for Week 8
by The Stat Guy, Scott Lange
Howdy, folks, and welcome to my League Preview. Each week
I will give my analysis and predictions on how the games will play out, highlighting which teams and players will shine.
So without further delay, this is how things will shape up this week in the AFL.
Last Week's Record: 6-3
UTAH AT GRAND RAPIDS
What a year for the first year Blaze. The team is 2-1 away and 1-3 at home. Apparently for the Blaze, home cooking is not all it’s cracked up to be. The Blaze are currently tied for first place in the Wacky Western Division sporting a 3-4 record. They play well on the road and know how to light up the scoreboard. The Rampage are currently on a three game losing streak and will have trouble containing the hot Utah offense. The Rampage are giving up 60 points a game during this losing streak, and are only scoring a whopping 42 points per game. Utah OS Siaha Burley is my fantasy play for this game, and the Blaze continue their road winning ways.
Prediction: Blaze 62 GRR 45
CHICAGO AT NASHVILLE
Both of these teams are reeling right now with two game losing streaks, but will look to get back on track this week. The Kats are 3-0 at home this year and have allowed the fewest points in the league. And now, QB Leon Murray steps in for the injured Clint Stoerner to lead the Kats. The Rush have one of the hottest QB’s in the league as Matt D’Orazio is quickly making a name himself in the AFL. The return of WR/LB Etu Molden last week will make the Rush even tougher to beat. The Kats should be bolstered by the return of WR/LB Corey Fleming. My fantasy play for this game is Nashville WR/DB TT Tolliver. This will be a close game, but the Kats D will be too much for the Rush.
Prediction: Kats 54 Rush 50
ARIZONA AT LAS VEGAS
The Glads are clicking on all cylinders offensively with QB Jason Fife at the helm. Fife is 2-1 as a starter and has the offence averaging 60 points a game. The Rattlers have played well at home, but are winless on the road. Shedrick Bonner has played well the past two week, posting 12 TD’s, but has also thrown 5 Int’s. The Glads offense is a well-oiled scoring machine right now lighting up the scoreboard. This game could get ugly, and I would be shocked if the Gladiators don’t win this by at least two TD’s. My fantasy play for the week is, of course, QB Jason Fife. Expect in the range of 5 passing TDs and 2 rushing scores for the Glads QB.
Prediction: LV 62 Zona 45
GEORGIA AT SAN JOSE
This could be the game of the week, chock full of solid fantasy players. Start players like Nagy, Jackson, and Lee for GA, and Grieb, Roe, and Nelson from San Jose. To the surprise of many, San Jose is winless at home. The Sabercats defense let the team down last week, giving up 75 points to the lowly LA Avengers, while verdana behind OS Chris Jackson got a win on the road at Columbus. San Jose has come to life lately, posting over 60 points a game over the past two weeks. This will be a high scoring game with barrels of points, but Grieb and company are now healthy and will be hungry for their first victory in front of the home crowd. My fantasy play this week will be SJ QB Mark Grieb.
Prediction: SJ 68 GA 60
PHILADELPHIA AT COLUMBUS
This game is hard to call. Columbus could play well enough at home to win this one. Despite the loss last week, QB John Kaleo has played well the past two weeks. The very stingy Philly defense could create some problems though, as last week they picked off KC QB Andy Kelly four times. But let's face it: QB Tony Graziani just has too many weapons to lose this game. This game goes down to the wire and I think Philly’s defense makes enough plays to win. My fantasy play this week will be Philly OS JJ McKelvey.
Prediction: Philly 50 Columbus 45
NEW YORK AT TAMPA BAY
Wow, what a performance last week by NY QB Nick Browder. Filling in for the injured Jason Wood, he stepped up and delivered the upset of the week. The Wranglers had been playing well, but Browder and the Dragons were able to come up with their third road win of the season. Tampa Bay meanwhile decided not to show up last week at home against Dallas, as the TB secondary was picked clean to the tune of 338 yards passing and 8 TD’s. TB QB Shane Stafford played the majority of the game with bruised ribs, looking tentative and not putting up his typical numbers. I see TB bouncing back this week and Sugar Shane posting GIGANTIC numbers against the Dragons pathetic pass defense. I see the Dragons with a lot of fight this week, but there is no way Storm’s coach Tim Marcum lets his team lose two home games in a row. My fantasy play this week will be TB QB Shane Stafford who should post ridiculous numbers.
Prediction: TB 65 NY 57
KANSAS CITY AT AUSTIN
Talk about a let down for the Wranglers at home. Losing at home to a back-up QB and the NY Dragons. Austin QB John Fitzgerald did his part though throwing for six TD’s and running for another. Kansas City stunk up the joint last week at home against Philadelphia. KC QB Andy Kelly played miserably passing for only two TD’s and being intercepted four times. This game on paper seems to be a mismatch as Austin should dominate with their fierce defense. However, I think the KC combination of QB Kelly and OS Steve Smith will give the Wranglers all they want and more. This is a division game and the Brigade were embarrassed last week. After watching how the Dragons upset Austin last week at home, I see the Wranglers struggling to beat the Brigade. In the end, the Wranglers defense makes enough plays. My fantasy player in this game will be WR/LB Kevin Nickerson, who is playing out of his mind right now!
Prediction: Austin 45 KC 40
DALLAS AT ORLANDO
I’m officially on the Dallas Desperado band wagon. Anybody else want to hop aboard? This team is smoking hot. Anyone care to ask TB how hot they are? Clint Dolezel made last week’s game at TB look like a practice session. It was supposed to be a battle of the two best QBs in the AFL. Are there any questions now? Orlando lost a heartbreaker last week on the road against the Rattlers. Joey Hamilton put up descent stats for the game, but in the end, it was not enough. Now the Preds have the joy of playing the DesperHOTOS! The Preds have been decimated with injuries this year, but continue to put up a good fight. Orlando is undefeated at home this year at 3-0. Until a team in the AFL can show me they can slow down the DesperHOTOS, they will continue to rack up Ws. Dallas won’t disappoint this week and will feast on the Preds. My fantasy player for this game is QB Clint Dolezel.
Prediction: Dallas 68 Orlando 58
COLORADO AT LOS ANGELES
What a performance last week by the LA Avengers. QB Sonny Cumbie made the Avengers look like All-World Beaters last week in San Jose passing for 348 yards, and six TD’s. The team together erupted for 75 points. This coming from a team averaging 48 points a game for the season. The memory of this performance will be short lived, as the Colorado Crush come into LA this week on a roll. You wanna talk about All-World Beaters? Let me introduce everyone to Colorado OS Damien Harrell. This guy is a BAD BAD man. He makes people look silly on a weekly basis. Some of the catches this guy makes should be considered illegal in the AFL. You just can’t defend him. The Avengers better prepare themselves for a Colorado beat down, courtesy of the defending champs! My fantasy player for this game will be Colorado’s OS Damien Harrell.
Prediction: Crush 62 Avengers 40
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