Fantasy Nascar Sleepers & Busts

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This week mark race number 30 of 36. You're either a contender or pretender in your respected leagues. Weather you're hanging at the bottom trying to gain experience for 2015. Or trying to conquer championship glory. You will have a role nevertheless. The time is now to decide your fate. Lets dive in!

Sleeper -

Matt Kenseth: If there a guy under radar after 29 races its have to be Kenseth. His consistency doesn't quite get enough credit. Kansas been a very good track to him as well. Like having fun? Perfect. Over the past 4 races held on 1.5 mile layouts. Who have racked up the most points? If have guessed Matt Kenseth you're right. In fact he has a 4.8 average finish with 3 Top 5s. Even over the past two races on 1.5 milers , Matt have scored the 4th most points (6.0 avg. finish.) Point being , Matt is very underrated.

Bust -

Kyle Busch: Not really a bust , because just about everyone knows how bad he been here recently. Only 1 Top 20 in past 4 races at Kansas. Should be noted that top 20 was earlier this season. In Rowdy career , he only have 2 Top 10s (0 Top 5s). Yeah an 15th place finish would probably make him pretty darn happy.

Sleeper -

Martin Truex Jr: Somehow MTjr 11.0 average finish over the past 3 races have gone seemingly unnoticed. Over his 5 races , his average finish is still roughly 16th place. Yet nobody is even mentioning it inside the fantasy nascar community. As a fantasy nascar sleeper/bust expert , I find that intriguing. Earlier this season he finished around 20th. Martin could be a very sneaky sleeper for the dare devils out there.

Bust -

Carl Edwards: Seems like every time I list him as a bust , Edwards goes out and proves me wrong. But still RFR have left us fantasy players out to dry. So pinpointting were they will run strong is like trying to calculate where lightning will strikes. Despite an 5.5 average finish over his previous two Kansas races , I doubt Edwards  back that up. Intermediate tracks seems to be RFR biggest weakness. Expect a finish from 13th to 20th.

Sleeper -

Paul Menard: Surprise surprise Menard lands on the sleeper list. I considered listing him as a potential bust. But his success on this type track is unbelievable. Add in low % selected in different formats and a track record. We get a recipe for a driver with awesome value. Wasn't pleased with Menard 21th at Chicago. But been solid in his previous two chase races (15.5 average finish.) An top 15 or better would be considered a quality start in my book.

Bust -

Denny Hamlin: Hamlin I think will be a nice choice this week. But consider this: Kansas is one of his worst track record wise. Also consider we have Martinsville , Phoenix , Texas , and Charlotte still on the schedule. All are considered great tracks for him. Use him if you want , but just know there better places to use him. So Hamlin isn't really a bust , but more of a temper your expectations warning.

* Stats from http://www.racing-reference.info/

Also check out : Nascar Behind The Wall .

Link to my Twitter account

Fantasy Nascar Early Rankings

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Early Rankings -

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Brad Keselowski
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Joey Logano
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr
7. Matt Kenseth
8. Denny Hamlin
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Ryan Newman
11. Jamie Mac
12. Kyle Busch
13. Carl Edwards
14. Clint Bowyer
15. Brain Vickers
16. Kyle Larson
17. Paul Menard
18. Kurt Busch
19. Greg Biffle
20. Martin Truex Jr
21. AJ Dinger
22. Tony Stewart
23. Austin Dillon
24. Danica Patrick
25. Marcos Ambrose
26. Aric Almirola
27. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
28. Justin Alliager
29. Casey Mears
30. Landon Cassill

Twitter - @MichelleRizzo5

Fantasy Nascar Preview (Kansas)

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We are headed to Kansas this weekend. The drivers to beat will be the guys with the fastest cars. Earlier this season Kevin Harvick dominated , but couldn't catch Gordon in the closing laps. In that race , a lot of drivers had misleading finishes. So looking solely at the finishing order is not a wise idea. To set a solid lineup , we should use 2014 data on 1.5 mile racetracks. Also past data from here is just as important. Let get rolling!

1-Jamie Mac: JMac was looking good until he lost a lap at Dover. He was much better then 22nd. Kansas isn't a great track Jamie. Over the past 5 races , JMac have compiled 18.2 average finish , 1 Top 10 , 4 Top 20s , 0 laps led , 1 DNF and 79.1 driver rating. He been a top 15 machine on the 1.5 milers in 2014.

2-Brad Keselowski: Keselowski is like the king of consistency when it comes to running  inside the top 5 at this type track. He won at Vegas , Kentucky and Chicago. Texas , Kansas , Charlotte and Atlanta he should have finished inside the top 5 , but some sort issue prevented it. Over the past 5 races here , BK have compiled 11.0 average finish , 2 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 67 laps led and 88.0 driver rating. BK was running inside the top 5 , before an issue occurred and settled for a top 15.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon was at best average the first time around and finished 19th and posted an 68.8 driver rating. I expect him to finish around the same position this weekend. Maybe a little better.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick so many times have dominated this season , but come up short. Dovr he led over 220 laps before blowing a LF tire. Last time at Kansas he led the most laps and finished 2nd. Over the past 5 races here , KH have compiled 6.4 average finish , 1 win , 2 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 257 laps led , 2 poles and 113.7 driver rating. Harvick have had a car capable of winning multiple times on this type track in 2014.

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne seems to be significantly slower then Gordon. Something which doesn't make sense. Especially since they're in the same garage. Anyhow Kansas is probably Kasey best track outside of Charlotte left on the schedule. There are better choices though.

10-Danica Patrick: Last time she was at Kansas , Patrick took the nation by storm with her most respectable performance to date. I do not think she can repeat that. But a top 15 is reasonable to me. As I said before , Danica have performed better on faster racetracks.

11-Denny Hamlin:  Hamlin started off Dover strong , but eventually faded to finished 12th and advanced to Round 2. Kansas is by far not Denny best racetrack. Actually this is probably one his worst tracks left on the schedule. Over the past 4 races here , DH have compiled 13.7 average finish , 1 win , 1 Top 5 , 1 Top 10 , 3 Top 20s , 32 laps led , and 92.9 driver rating. In 12 career starts at Kansas , Hamlin have 3 Top 10s (all were actually top 5s).

16-Greg Biffle: Biffle was eliminated from championship contention after Dover. So here my advice: Just avoid him. He is useless to us. Actually been useless all season outside of a few tracks. There are better choices. In my opinion he is only useable at Talladega in a few weeks. Maybe Texas as well.

18-KyleBusch: Busch scoring a top 5 at Kansas is like the Cleveland Browns winning the Super Bowl. In other words , it seems impossible. Busch career numbers speaks for itself. In 14 career races , KB holds 22.7 average finish , 2 Top 10s , 6 Top 10s(!) and 4 DNFs. Avoid him like the plague , kids.

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth haven't been great in 2014 , but he is all about consistency. His 5th place finish last week was good , but it will only take him so far in the chase. Dover been a good track though. Over the past 5 races here , MK have compiled 5.4 average finish , 2 wins , 3 Top 5s , 5 Top 10s , 5 Top 10s , 265 laps led , and 116.9 driver rating. Haven't been quite as good after the repave though.

22-Joey Logano: Logano have been impressive on this type racetrack. Fast week in and week out. I have said all year , Penske have a significant edge on the 1.5 milers. So far Team Penske have scored 4 wins. Probably could have sweep the top 5 if issues haven't occurred. Over the past 5 races here , JoLo have compiled 16.2 average finish , 2 Top 5s , 2 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 96 laps led , 1 DNF and 88.9 driver rating. On a side note , I think there better tracks to use Logano.

24-Jeff Gordon: Man does Gordon keep on impressing me. I mean 4 wins and counting. It reminds of that magical 2001 season with Stevie L as his crew chief. Gordon comes to Kansas with a lot of momentum on his side. Since the 2012 repave , he been smoking here. Including finishes of 1st and 3rd recently respectively. Over the past 5 races here , JG have compiled 9.6 average finish , 1 win , 2 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 11 laps led and 94.6 driver rating.

27-Paul Menard: Menard been good on the Intermediate tracks all season long. Unfortunately it looks like Menard has hit a brick wall recently. Haven't shown much muscle in the chase at all. More importantly looked lost at Chicago and Dover for the most part. It might be a good idea to play wait and see game with P-daddy Menard.

31-Ryan Newman: I was quite surprised how much Newman have struggled recently at Kansas. Over the past 5 races here , RN have compiled 22.0 average finish , 3 Top 20s , 3 laps led , 1 DNF , 78.5 driver rating. In 17 career races , Ryan holds 18.7 average finish , 1 win,  3 Top 5s , 4 Top 10s , and 10 Top 20s. On the positive side , Newman have consistently finished inside the top 15 on this type track in 2014.

42-Kyle Larson: Larson finished 12th and posted a 89.4 driver rating earlier this season. That isn't easy to do as a rookie. Larson I believe can finish up front anywhere. I do believe his best shot to win will be at Texas. The worn out tracks suit him better. But this kid can finish inside the top 5 anywhere. The question is when.

48-Jimmie Johnson: I hinted last week after practice , Johnson wouldn't dominate like we all thought. And that exactly what happened at Dover. Johnson been off all season and the big reason is the packages in the racecars. The 48 haven't quite figured it out yet. Last time at Kansas , Double J struggled somewhat. Over the past 5 races here , Johnson have compiled 6.0 average , 2 Top 5s , 5 Top 10s , 85 laps led and 112.4 driver rating.

88-Dale Jr: Dale Jr finished 17th at Dover. I was puzzled frankly. They aren't that bad. Kansas been a good place for Dale jr lately. Since the repave he been a top 10 machine. Over the past 4 races here , Dale Jr have compiled 9.0 average , 1 Top 5 , 3 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 20 laps led and 107.4 driver rating. Dale Jr have been one of the most consistent drivers at this type track in 2014. He won't lead the most lap or qualify up front. But he is a safe pick.

99-Carl Edwards: I wrote the 99 off , after he said something about not being able to pass other cars. Boy did RFR cars look terrible at halfway at Dover. But Cousin Carl found a way to finish 11th. Now on to Kansas. Kansas been a good track to RFR. But 2014 data suggests otherwise. Over the past 5 races here , Edwards have compiled 10.2 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 3 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 26 kaps led and 96.9 driver rating. Expect a top 15 out of the 99 at best.

*** All stats from www.driveraverages.com/

Also remember to check out: Nascar Behind The Wall . Great blog for all your Nascar needs.

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Nascar Update (Dover)

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Notes -

1-Jamie Mac: I liked him last week and I like him again. The 1 car been fast all season. Only now there absolutely no pressure on Jamie. He unloaded very fast on Friday and qualified 5th. Came back Saturday and looked just as good. He is a lock for a top 10 based off practice.

2-Brad Keselowski: Brad K qualified 3rd. Looked a little off in the morning practice. But got dailed in by end of final practice. He was in my opinion an top 5 car at end of final practice.

3-Austin Dillon:  Dillon looked pretty good which suggests he could easily challenge for a top 15 on Sunday. Dillon value isn't worth it in formats which rewards drivers for bettering their starting position though.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick had the best car all weekend. Qualified on the pole and posted the best single lap and best 10-lap average in final practice. He was bad to the bone fast on the long run. He is my pick to win.

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne was better then I expected. He looked good as his teammates (if not better then a few of them.) As always the big question is can he deliver the product?

10-Danica Patrick: Patrick wasn't bad , but not anything to get overexcited about. At best she an top 20 option with very little upside. She is most useful in limited useage formats.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin been stout all weekend. I thought he was very good on the long run. The Gibbs cars have shown a lot of speed lately. Hamlin needs least a top 5 + some help to advance to RD 2. He had the 4th best car overall on Saturday.

16-Greg Biffle: RFR was just terrible. There isn't a chance I would start any of them. They were pretty good for a lap or two to start a run and then their lap times fall off into the 20s on the speed charts. That is not what I want in a fantasy pick. Not one bit.
18-Kyle Busch: Busch really under the radar this week. But don't be shocked to see him finish inside the top 5 or wrecked out. Those are two likely outcomes for Rowdy. He starts 2nd and have a great car for Sunday.

20-Matt Kenseth: MK wasn't quite good as his teammates , but MK needs a good top 10 to advance. Exactly what I thought he was on Saturday. He was better in the morning session then the afternoon though. Need long run speed.

22-joey Logano: Logano wasn't bad , but not a top 5 car in my opinion. Didn't even look top 10 based off practice speeds. But this is his best racetrack , so I doubt he finishes worse then 10th. I say anything beyond that is a bonus. I was quite surprise he wasn't better.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon was fantastic on the long run. Real shocker , right? He didn't have a winning car ,but definitely a top 5 guy overall. Thought he had the 3rd or 4th best car. There are much worse choices this week.

27-Paul Menard: The opportunity to get a quality start out of Menard is definitely over. The window of opportunity was much larger then seasons past. But nevertheless it has ended. He struggled overall and should be avoided if possible.

31-Ryan Newman: Newman haven't been very good this weekend. At best an top 15 option which is likely isn't something that I would feel comfortable with. Dover isn't a great track for Newman either.

42-Kyle Larson: To or to not to start Kyle Larson seems to be the question. Usually it comes down to qualifying efforts which ultimately determines his value. Especially in formats which rewards improve starting position. He wasn't bad overall , but I think there better places to use him.

48-Jimmie Johnson: The talk been all week on how dominating Johnson been here. But I get the feeling Jimmie isn't gonna dominate like everyone was thinking. He was off in practice one (on Saturday). Much improved in final practice. Thought he was around 5th best end of final practice. 

88-Dale Jr: Dale Jr 2014 is largely overshadowed by Jeff Gordon so far this season. Doesn't mean the 88 haven't been great season. He actually been under the radar most weeks. He looked really good this weekend and should be an top 10 guy for Sunday race.

99-Carl Edwards: Edwards = Fool gold. I wasn't impressed overall. Edwards said he was good in race trim , but there are better choices  Edwards and RFR have been losted during the race since Richmond. Avoid them at all cost.

Remember to check out : Nascar Behind The Wall !

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Nascar Final Rankings

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Final Rankings -

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Kyle Busch
7. Joey Logano
8. Dale Jr
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Jamie Mac
11. Matt Kenseth
12. Kyle Larson
13. Aric Amirola
14. Brain Vickers
15. Carl Edwards
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Greg Biffle
18. Austin Dillon
19. Ryan Newman
20. Aj Dinger
21. Kurt Busch
22. Paul Menard
23. Danica Patrick
24. Marcos Ambrose
25. Tony Stewart
26. Justin Alliager
27. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
28. Casey Mears
29. Landon Cassill
30. Reed Sorenson

Twitter - @MichelleRizzo5

Fantasy Nascar Raceday Thoughts

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Happy Raceday. Setting your fantasy team can be difficult , especially with everything being factored in. Below our group of experts give their thoughts on today race (Including their final picks).

Michelle Rizzo (@MichelleRizzo5):

-Harvick is the clear cut favorite for Sunday race.

- Don't overlook the Gibbs cars. They are capable of running up front at Dover.

- Jeff Gordon may be the most under the radar driver this week. He have a very fast car.

- Jamie McMurray will be a contender all race long.

Garry Briggs (@Gbriggs12):

- Kyle Busch will surprise people.

- Expect a lot of wrecks today. Actually that should be your mindset when setting your lineup.

- Put together a lineup that could score bonus points (according to your league scoring system). You may need it.

- JMac is my sleeper pick to win.

Matt Aleza (@MattAleza):

-Joey Logano is a nice value deal with a poor starting position (16th). He a nice play in fantasy live. I expect him to race well.

- Clint Bowyer was someone who caught my eye. He was close to top 5 speed wise.

- RFR will disappoint again.

- The race winner will come from the top 10 starters. Possibly the front row.

Yahoo Lineups -

Michelle: Harvick , Keselowski , JMac and Danica

Garry: Gordon , Keselowski , JMac and Larson

Matt: Johnson , Logano , Hamlin and Dillon

Race Winner -

Michelle: Gordon

Garry: Keselowski

Matt: Johnson

Fantasy Football Starts/Sits

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Week 3 had everything! Including unknowns studs and well-knowns studs looking like duds. As the suspending of players finally stopped , the injuries keep piling up. Now the byes are upon us , we cannot catch a break huh? Last week I went 16 for 21! Only missing Stevan Ridley ( ended up a bust) , Victor Cruz , Andre Johnson ,Big Ben and Andy Dalton. Taking my overall % up to 66% (41/62) on correct starts/sits. Let get to the week 4!

Starts -

Quarterbacks:

Phillip Rivers: Rivers been very good to start the season. In week 4 , he get a very nice matchup vs Jacksonville. Jacksonville been very bad against Quarterbacks in 2014. Last week Jacksonville was murdered by Andrew Luck. Expect similar results in week 4.  Jags ranks near the top with fantasy points allows against Quarterbacks.

Kirk Cousins: Give Cousins 3 Quarters (week 2)  ,he post up solid numbers. Give Cousins an full week of practice and full game , he an fantasy monster. I was impressed by him. In week 4 , the Gmen are coming (Thursday night). In 2014 , the giants defense allowed some big time numbers overall. In fact they have allowed close to 20 fantasy points per game to Quarterbacks. Cousins could be a great play on TNF.

Jay Cutler: Cutler has started off the season pretty well. He didn't quite go KABOOM vs the Jets. But the Packers are next on the schedule. The packers have an improved secondary ,but not enough to stop those big and fast Bears Receivers. Despite Stafford being stuffed for single digits fantasy points last week  , that whole game was whacky. So I will disregard that individual game. Smith and Wilson both were able to take advantage of this average Packers defense.

Running Backs:

Alfred Morris: Morris have been very good at home lately. The Giants defense makes it even easier to start him. Morris have averaged an TD per game over his past 10 games at home. Thats great news for Morris owners. Also the Giants allowed 78 yards last week to Alfred Blue. Alfred Morris is much better then Alfred Blue. Expect around 100 yards and 1 TD on Thursday from Morris.

Matt Asiata: In week 4 , Asista get an very favorable matchup. Atlanta have allowed the most fantasy points (in just about every format) to running backs. Asista haven't been impressive so far , but you cannot pass up to this matchup. Its have golden opportunity written all over it. Especially in PPR.

Eddie Lacy: Folks if you've already dealt Lacy off ,I cannot blame you. But luckily for loyal Lacy owners , the Bears have been horrible against the run. Actually they been terrible against the run dating back to middle of the 2013 season. So it isn't an fluke they struggled against the run in 2014. Lacy haven't impressed , but all three games the Packers had to pass a lot. Mainly because they had been  down early in every game. I expect the Packers to run a lot against Chicago early and often.

Wide Receivers:

Julian Edelman: Edelman is easily the most consistent WR in the league today. No player have produced least 6 catches in 9 straight games. Well okay Edelman have. Not Calvin Johnson , not Brandon Marshall ,not Dez Bryant. That impressive. Especially since he isn't even the top target in New England. Julian is PPR gold. In week 4 , Kansas City brings an favorable matchup for Edelman. Kansas City Defense have allowed over 20 fantasy points per game against WRs (in the first three games.)

Jeremy Maclin: Maclin have clearly took over the top spot in the WR core. Even though it wasn't very close to begin with. Maclin have scored least once in his past two games. In week 4 , he get an very good matchup against  49ers. Most people don't realize how weak the 49ers secondary been so far (allowing over 30 points per game so far.) Maclin should have another great day.

Michael Crabtree: Crabtree is the No.1 option within the 49ers offense. Crabtree is a solid No.2 wideout in week 4 against the Eagles. The Eagles defense have allowed over 30 fantasy points per game against WRs. Crabtree should make a great option this weekend. His value could go up with no TE Davis this week.

Tight End:

Greg Olsen: Olsen have started the season off very well. Including 19 catches , 224 yards and 2 TDs. As I said last week , Greg is better on the road then at home. He is even better in PPR. As Olsen have recorded least 5 catches in his past 3 road games.

Martellus Bennett: Bennett isn't a elite option , but he is worth a start nevertheless. His September success been well known. In his last 11 games in September , he have almost  averaged one TD per game. Along with 58 yards per game. The Packers defense is questionable at times ,so why not start him?

Sit:

Quarterbacks:

Eli Manning: Eli didn't throw an interception in week 3 , but history says that is unlikely to continue on Thursday night. In 2013 , he average almost 2 interceptions per game. So far in 2014 , he is once again on pace to repeat that feat. Washington doesn't brings a super difficult matchup , but there are better choices out there. Eli doesn't offer much upside outside of mult-QB leagues. Mainly because his TD production / Interception rate significantly drags down his value.

Alex Smith: Smith have drawn a tough matchup vs New England. New England ranks inside the top 5 in points allowed against Quarterbacks. Smith inabilities aren't what make him a bad play this week. But how the KC offense is setup is what makes him a bad play against tough foe.

Matthew Stafford: I know most will be forced to start Stafford , but other then week 1 he have failed to impress. In week 3 , he proved why he is a liability. The Jets doesn't represents a overall tough matchup , but can he be trusted after back to back average stat line performances?

Running Backs:

Stevan Ridley: Ridley value depends on how he used or more importantly how the Pats decide to split the carries among the backs. Here an interesting stat line: When the Pats are ahead , Stevan Ridley have 128 yards (4.1 ypc on 33 carries.) While only having 28 yards with a 2.0 ypc on 14 carries when trailing. Something to consider right there with Ridley.

Reggie Bush: Bush had a breakout game against Green Bay. But it may be short lived against a very stout Jets defense against the run.  As he is sharing field time with Bell. Realistically Bush is safer PPR play then standard. I just don't see him being a smart play in either format other then a low flex option. Forte was contained on Monday easily. Expect the Detroit backfield have a similar outcome.

Steven Jackson: Jackson supports an solid average per run , but doesn't have # of carries to considered a weekly starter. Vikings represents a good matchup , unfortunately I doubt he can take advantage. Last week he did , but the game was pretty much over after the first series. It really depends on your options with Jackson. I prefer to bench Jackson in favor of someone who brings more upside.

Wide Receivers:

Ty Hilton: I was big on Hilton in the offseason , but boy has he struggled in 3 games. Not given up hope , but his fantasy value is pretty bleak. Not shocking though. There a lot of talent in Indy and everyone want a piece of the cake. Titans are ranked inside the top 10 with fantasy points allowed after 3 games. 

Vincent Jackson: Jackson haven't faired well in the first three games. Actually many considered him a buy low candidate. I disagree though. I want no part of an WR with a bad QB situation such as in Tampa. I know most wouldn't  bench him , but sooner or later owners may have no choice.

Tight Ends:

Heath Miller: Miller was a popular sleeper during the offseason , but after 3 weeks that thought is laughable. Miller struggled to do much this season. Ultimately as I said last week the blame should be on the QB. Miller productive isn't high mainly because lack of targets. At best Miller an bench warmer until further notice.

Coby Fleener: Fleener isn't the Tight End to own in Indy. He might score a TD from time to time , but he shouldn't be started unless there a very favorable matchup. Titans brings a difficult matchup on Sunday. I would recommend avoiding any Colts TE this week.

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Football Rankings (WK4)

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Fantasy Football Rankings -

Quarterbacks:

1. Drew Brees
2. Aaron Rodgers
3. Andrew Luck
4. Tony Romo
5. Matt Ryan
6. Colin Kaepernick
7. Matthew Stafford
8. Nick Foles
9. Jay Cutler
10. Big Ben
11. Cam Newton
12. Phillip Rivers
13. Tom Brady
14. Joe Flacco
15. Jake Locker

Running Backs:

1. Demarco Murray
2. Eddie Lacy
3. Arian Foster*
4. LeSean McCoy
5. Alfred Morris
6. Matt Forte
7. LeVeon Bell
8. Knaile Davis**
9. Rashad Jennings
10. CJ Spiller
11. Lamar Miller
12. Stevan Ridley
13. Joique Bell
14. Matt Astista
15. Ahmad Bradshaw

Wide Receivers:

1. Calvin Johnson
2. Dez Bryant
3. Brandon Marshall
4. Julio Jones
5. Jordy Nelson
6. Antonio Brown
7. Randall Cobb
8. Julian Edelman
9. Alshon Jeffery
10. Jeremy Maclin
11. Pierre Garcon
12. Cordarrelle Patterson
13. Roddy White
14. Andre Johnson
15. Mike Wallace

Tight Ends:

1. Jimmy Graham
2. Rob Gronkowski
3. Greg Olsen
4. Zach Ertz
5. Martellus Bennett
6. Jason Witten
7. Niles Paul
8. Delanie Walker
9. Antonio Gates
10. Owen Daniels

Twitter - @WilliamFrang

Fantasy Nascar Picks

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New Hampshire Recap: Not sure why the short tracks been so good to me in 2014 , but despite an crazy race my teams escaped New Hampshire. Yahoo headlined with 351 points. As Harvick (3rd) , Keselowski (7th) , JMac (4th) and Danica (19th) were all quality starts. Fantasy Live didn't quite do as well. Harvick and Keselowski led half the race combined which was huge since Gordon finished 26th. Overall a solid weekend.

Look ahead to Dover: Last time we visited Dover , my lineups were KO'd by halfway. So definitely hoping for different results. Dover isn't a track I like to gamble at. Dover have a personality to it. A dark personality really. Make her mad and she will turn your weekend upside down. Use your studs because it no time to save your drivers for later in season. Because we are in later in season. Use 'em if ya got 'em.

Overall Rankings -

Yahoo: 1224th overall (99 Percentile)

Fantasy Live: 206th overall (99 Percentile)

Yahoo:

A:

Start: Jimmie Johnson (3)

Bench: Kevin Harvick (2)

Reason: Easy choice. Johnson selected by over 50% of Yahoo. Johnson was happy overall at end of practice. Harvick holds more value at 1.5 milers tracks and Phoenix.

B:

Start: Joey Logano (5) , Denny Hamlin (4)

Bench: Brad Keselowski (3) , Jamie Mac (6)

Reason: This is more about starts then anything. I need to start unloading my Penskes starts. Yeah I know most people ranked inside the top 1500 worldwide would love to have my problem.

C:

Bench: Austin Dillon (4)

Start:  Kyle Larson (2)

Reason: Who holds more value in the reminding races? Larson. So going with Dillon is easy. Especially since I don't believe Larson finishes significantly better.

Fantasy Live - Logano , Keselowski , Harvick , Mears and Sorenson

Dark Horse - Kyle Busch

Race Winner - Jimmie Johnson

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Nascar Preview (Dover)

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We are at Dover this weekend! Fantasy Nascar in my opinion is the toughest fantasy sport game to be successful at. No other game do you have read and sort out practice data , know who will qualify well , figure out what driver will produce most points , etc. Dover will be no different. The monster mile is known to be hard on us fantasy players. Can you survive the "monster mile"? Let get rolling!

1-Jamie Mac: Nobody not in the chase is hotter then Jamie-O-Mac! I said that last week and knock off another impressive run. Since Bristol dominating performance , He have 3 Top 10s (4 races) and 2 of those were 4th place finishes. Over the past 5 races here , JMac have compiled 20.0 average finish , 3 Top 20s , 0 laps led and 77.7 driver rating. He finished inside the top 15 back in June.

2-Brad Keselowski: When he hot , he is hot! Brad K rebounded nicely at New Hampshire , even though he wrecked earlier in the race. Dover isn't a bad track to use him , but I don't think he wins though. Expect Brad K to show up with a fast racecar. Over the past 5 races here , BK have compiled 11.4 average finish , 1 win , 3 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s, 17 laps led and 99.1 driver rating.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon isn't my first choice for an option , but he bring two things to the table I like. Doesn't drive aggressively towards other and typically completes most of the laps. I think Dillon could be a top 15 , given he avoid trouble on Sunday.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick came so close last week , but that been the story of his season. Back in June ,Harvick had a car capable of winning. But had a issue and went a lap down. Rebounded to 17th , but very disappointing he was much better. Over the past 5 here ,KH have compiled 9.2 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 3 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 25 laps led and 98.9 driver rating.

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne will likely need a win to advance to Round 3. So he is likely eliminated from championship contention after Sunday. Over the past 5 races , KK have compiled 15.8 average finish , 1 Top 10, 4 Top 20s , 2 laps led and 89.7 driver rating. In 21 career races , KK holds an 20.9 average finish (32nd best all-time out of 75) , 1 Top 5 , 5 Top 10s , 11 Top 20s and 90 laps led. His best finish ever here was 4th.

10-Danica Patrick: Patrick actually been solid lately. Dover been a trouble track for her though. In 4 career races , She have an 26.0 average finish. Her best finish was 23rd. There better choices out there in salary cap leagues. She might be worth it in Yahoo and other limited useage leagues.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin have developed a trend over the past 5 races. That trends seems to be 1 Top 10 , followed by a finish outside top 20. Last week he finished 37th. So logically he should finish well this week. This isn't Denny best track , but Hamlin have to win or hope for contenders to have issues on Sunday. Over the past 5 races here , DH have compiled 17.0 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 2 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 82 laps led , 2 poles , 1 DNF and 94.5 driver rating.

14-Tony Stewart: Smoke done. Plain and simple. I was hoping to get a few more starts out of him , but I think that opportunity have slipped away. He is nothing more then test crash dummy for Harvick during practice. Should be avoided at all costs.

18-Kyle Busch: If an month ago , you told me Kyle Busch would be sitting 5th in points. I would have laughed. Well here we are. Dover been a solid track for him. Outside of Johnson , no one been better then Rowdy. Over the past 5 races , Rowdy have compiled 17.4 average finish , 2 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 3 Top 20s , 563 laps led , 2 DNFs and 112.9 driver rating. His average finish ranks 17th best. But his driver rating is actually what you should look at when analysing past race data. As driver average are misleading. Driver rating gives a more accurate count on a driver's performance. Only Johnson rating is better.

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was looking good until Paul Menard came along at New Hampshire. Kenseth should advance to Round two , but it closer then I would want. Dover have been a good track for him over the years. Over the past 5 races , MK have compiled 17.6 average finish , 2 Top 5 , 3 Top 10s , 3 Top 20s , 84 laps led and 103.6 driver rating.

22-Joey Logano: My championship pick in January keeps on proving the haters wrong. Dover is considered Joey best track. Back in June , he really never contended. Came home with an top 10 though. Over the past 5 races here , JoLo have compiled 7.2 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 5 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 0 laps led and 94.5 driver rating. In 11career races at Dover , JoLo holds an 14.73 average finish , 0 wins , 3 Top 5s , 7 Top 10s and 8 Top 20s.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon was stout earlier this season at Dover. Had the car to beat on the long run , but didn't have anything for Johnson. Gordon overall been good at Dover in his career. Over the past 5 races here , Gordon have compiled 7.4 average finish , 3 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 64 laps led and 109.5 driver rating. His driver rating ranks 3rd best only behind Johnson and Ky. Busch. His average finish  ranks 5th. In 43 career races , Gordon holds 11.6 average finish , 4 wins , 17 Top 5s , 24 Top 10s , 35 Top 20s, 2,295 laps led and 4 poles.

27-Paul Menard: The window of opportunity has closed and it probably been closed since the regular season ended. He is nothing more then a fill in driver at this point. Maybe not even that. Dover been a shaky place for him as well.

31-Ryan Newman: Newman was Mr. Consistency in the final 6 or 8 races of the regular season. Now its seems to a distanced memory. One of the downsides to trust an average option like Newman. You will never know how long the consistent results. Dover been up and down for Newman. Was running top 10 before an mechanical issue just before pitting the problem surfaced.

42-Kyle Larson: Larson been impressive. Came so close at Chicago (3rd) and New Hampshire (2nd). He finished 11th earlier this season. Wasn't a true contender ever. He may score another top 10 this weekend. This kid is the real deal.

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson is my early pick. Folks he just been dominated here over the years. Over the past 5 races here , JJ have compiled 4.8 average finish , 3 wins , 4 Top 5s , 4 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 990 laps led , and 133.5 driver rating. In 25 career races , JJ holds 8.3 average finish , 9 wins , 13 Top 5s , 18 Top 10s , 23 Top 20s , 2,976 , and 4 poles.

88-Dale Jr: Dale Jr doesn't have the records of his teammates , but it shouldn't stop him from being an productive option in most format. Over the past 5 races , Dale jr have compiled 7.2 average finish , 2 Top 5s , 4 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 81 laps led and 102.0 driver rating.

99-Carl Edwards:  RFR at one time was an top tier organization , and there was a time when RFR was good at Dover. The only problem is that is in the past. RFR looked losted last season and continued to look the same this season. They aren't the studs of yesterday. Avoid Edwards and his teammates.

Also check out: Nascar Behind The Wall . Great blog. Great content. Always got to give them a shout out.

*** All stats from http://www.driveraverages.com/

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Nascar Early Ranking (Dover)

Welcome TimersSports

Early Ranking -

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Brad Keselowski
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Joey Logano
6. Kyle Busch
7. Denny Hamlin
8. Dale Jr
9. Jamie Mac
10. Matt Kenseth
11. Carl Edwards
12. Kasey Kahne
13. Kyle Larson
14. Clint Bowyer
15. Ryan Newman
16. Austin Dillon
17. Kurt Busch
18. Brain Vickers
19. Aric Almirola
20. Aj Dinger
21. Tony Stewart
22. Danica Patrick
23. Greg Biffle
24. Paul Menard
25. Marcos Ambrose
26. Justin Alliager
27. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
28. Martin Truex Jr
29. Casey Mears
30. Reed Sorenson

Fantasy Nascar Sleepers & Busts

Welcome to TimersSports

We are headed to Dover this weekend for race 29 of 36! For good part of a decade , I have struggled to produce good points at Dover. No surprise same goes for New Hampshire. New Hampshire and Dover are relatively  similar in length. Dover just have more banking. Hopefully Dover will be kinder this around. The key to success here is selecting an well balance lineup. Stacking your lineup with studs could end badly. Dover will have similar outcome as New Hampshire , but craziness times 3. So add in a few upsided drivers. Let get rolling!

Sleeper -

Jamie Mac: I like JMac this weekend. He is one of the hottest drivers since Bristol. Averaging around 7th place finish in his previous 5 races. Dover isn't Jamie best track , but this cat is hot. My rule always is ride 'em while they hot. The key is to jump off before the train comes to a halt. Jamie should be a popular sleeper pick this week.

Bust -

Ryan Newman: Newman was very consistent during the 2014 season. Well during the regular season. Okay the final 12 races of the regular season he was an top 12 machine. So far in two chase races he been at best average. With 15th and 18th. There better options to consider. At best he is an top 15 option. Maybe not even that at a track like Dover.

Sleeper -

Kyle Busch: Rowdy have done well lately. After looking lost for 5 straight races , he looked like solid so far in the chase. Heck he even took a piece of crap looking car and finish 8th last week. His Dover record is misleading. Very few times have Kyle performed poorly at Dover. Only problem he is all or nothing. Have nothing to play for? Go all out and test your gambling skills with Mr. Rowdy.

Bust -

Carl Edwards: RFR cars = Junk. Edwards isn't worth a spot on any roster really. He may knock off a few more top 10s this season. But that it. Edwards skills aren't in question , but more that RFR aren't an top performing team anymore. Edwards also supports an bit rocky record here lately. Edwards is overvalued in most formats. Not worth the price in my opinion.

Sleeper -

Aric Almirola: Not a name most are familiar with when selecting their lineups. Typically players don't even consider him. Dover is a rare case. His record here is actually good enough to be considered fantasy relevant. Not many realize that Dover is Aric best track. He finished 12th last time. He is a nice choice in any format with addition value then normally.

Bust -

Justin Allgaier: Allgaier have attributes of both sleepers and busts. So usually the ultimate determination is by looking at his potential value. Allgaier is overvalued in Yahoo Fantasy Racing. 30% as of Tuesday morning. His realistic % should be around 23%. There are better choices to choose this week , unless you are in a tight spot and have no choice.

Twitter - @Gbriggs12

Fantasy Nascar Update (

Welcome to TimersSports

Notes -

1-Jamie Mac: JMac looked solid all weekend. He have shown speed in every session (including nice long run speed at times) and starts 2nd. What stood out was his starting position though.

2-Brad Keselowski: Brad K unloaded a bullet folks. And the last thing you want to give a driver with momentum + an fast car is the pole. Unfortunately for the field he does start on the pole. He dominated earlier this season and started 13th. Keselowski is my pick to win.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon never shows his full hand in practice. In Saturday sessions , he wasn't bad. Posted lap times which floated with Top 20. Expect him to finish just outside the top 15 realistically.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick been pretty good this weekend. Funny we aren't talking about Harvick being the car to beat. He was about the 2nd best overall. Its pretty close between him , Gordon and  Johnson. Displayed awesome long run speed and should be top 5 heading in.

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne at times looked good , but overall faded. He at best should be an top 15 option. There are better choices with more potential this weekend.

10-Danica Patrick: I really like Danica as a sneaky dark horse for an top 15. She posted strong lap times inside the top 20 all weekend. With a little luck she could pull it off. Realistically expect a finish from 17th - 24th.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin and JGR cars just seemed off just a bit. None of them really stood out from the pack. They should be fine , as usually the Gibbs cars don't show what they have until raceday. Top 10 is likely.

14-Smoke: Folks time to give up. He basically being used as a test crash dummy as Smoke have the same setup as Harvick. In other words , Smoke is testing during practice.

16-Greg Biffle: The Biff have been very unhappy with the car all weekend long. It really been a struggle for a few weeks for the 16 car. Avoid him at all costs.

18-Kyle Busch: Rowdy wasn't bad. He was top 10 in my opinion. Top 5 is reachable , but unlikely. Depends how Dave and 18 crew keep up with the track. He posted the 5th best 10 lap average. His lap times were also solid on an 15 lap average run. He is a nice dark horse.

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth wasn't happy with his car initially , but his team continued to work on car and got Kenseth pretty good late in practice. He almost an top 10 lock in my opinion.

22-Joey Logano: Logano wasn't great , but he was still top 10. I think he will finish closer to the top 5 in the race. Logano showed nice long run speed late in a run. He is an good option with solid upside.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon was my early pick to win , but after practice he not anymore. Still Gordon looked very strong. He wasn't the car to beat. He posted top 5 lap times mostly. Late in final practice ,Gordon knocked off Keselowski from the top of the leaderboard. Note Keselowski was on old tires.

27-Paul Menard: Menard troublesome type track been the flats. He only recorded one top 10 (Martinsville). On Saturday , Menard struggled overall. Never was happy with the car. There are better options.

31-Ryan Newman: Newman was very strong overall. He posted some fast laps in both sessions on Saturday. I thought he was top 10 overall , but a top 5 is very doable for Newman.

42-Kyle Larson: Larson was pretty good I guess. His teammate Jamie Mac stood out to me more. Not because of their qualifying positions. But because JMac been a little better overall. Don't expect that to stop Larson  though.

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was strong all weekend. He posted some fast laps. He seems to fall off too much though. Still an top 10 option. Johnson is a good option.

88-Dale Jr: Dale been better this weekend then the first time around at New Hampshire. He starts 11th and like his teammates seems to be strong on the long run. He is easily top 10 material.

99-Carl Edwards: Last week , Edwards was fool gold (as I advised) and this week it the same deal. Edwards seems to good for a few laps , but then drops like a rock. He really a bad value for a lot of formats.

Also check out : Nascar Behind The Wall an great blog with awesome articles Nascar related.

Well that's it! Only 7 more weeks folks. Remember if you need help with your lineup..just send me a tweet

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Nascar Final Rankings

Welcome to Timerssports

Final Rankings -

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Ryan Newman
6. Joey Logano
7. Denny Hamlin
8. Jamie Mac
9. Kyle Busch
10. Dale Jr
11. Matt Kenseth
12. Kasey Kahne
13. Clint Bowyer
14. Brain Vickers
15. Kyle Larson
16. Kurt Busch
17. Carl Edwards
18. Austin Dillon
19. Danica Patrick
20. Paul Menard
21. Aj Dinger
22. Aric Almirola
23. Tony Stewart
24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
25. Marcos Ambrose
26. Justin Alliager
27. Martin Truex Jr
28. Casey Mears
29. Landon Cassill
30. Reed Sorenson

Twitter - @MichelleRizzo5

Fantasy Nascar Raceday Thoughts

Welcome to TimersSports

Happy Raceday. Setting your fantasy team can be difficult , especially with everything being factored in. Below our group of experts give their thoughts on today race (Including their final picks).

Michelle Rizzo (@MichelleRizzo5):

-Brad Keselowski is the man to beat. He was impressive all weekend long.

- Watch out for Jamie McMurray! The 1 car have sleeper potential written all over him.

- Kyle Busch can win this weekend race. Busch have a very good car. His strength was the long run speed.

- In 1998 , Gordon started 13th and won. Gordon starts 13th for Sunday race. Keselowski won from the 13th starting position earlier this season. See a trend?

Garry Briggs (@Gbriggs12):

- Harvick was someone who I personally thought was bad fast overall. He wasn't quite Brad Keselowski zip code. But still somebody people aren't considering.

- Brad Keselowski have a rocket ship. My money is on Keselowski to dominate.

- My Local hometown driver Ryan Newman looks really solid. I think he will surprise people with a top 5.

- Avoid RFR. Not liking them much this weekend. Nor going forward.

Matt Aleza (@MattAleza):

- Track position will be huge this weekend. Expect everyone to have their own strategy to play out.

- Fuel mileage may be the determining factor. I expect it will be too.

- Wrecks could be the headliner on Monday. I really do. Especially on a late restart. Things could get crazy.

- Least 3 chase drivers will have issues. I think there a good possibility of it. Especially after factoring in everything.

Yahoo Lineup:

Michelle Rizzo - Gordon , Newman , Hamlin and Dillon. Out of Logano , Keselowski , and Larson.

Garry Briggs Jr - Gordon , Newman , Logano and Larson.

Matt Aleza - Harvick, Keselowski , JMac and Danica. Larson wasn't good enough to be startable. Especially with other good options.
Fantasy Live -

Michelle Rizzo: Keselowski , Gordon , Johnson , Cassill and Sorenson

Garry Briggs Jr: Kes , Gordon , Harvick ,Sorenson and Cassill

Matt Aleza: Kes , Logano , Harvick , Sorenson and Mears

Race Winners -

Michelle Rizzo: Brad Keselowski

Garry Briggs: Jeff Gordon

Matt Aleza: Brad Keselowski

Fantasy Football Starts/Sits (WK3)

Welcome to TimersSports

Fantasy football is truly hell for us fantasy sports experts. More specifically , it a huge struggle. The number of highly stouted players in an early season slump is just outstanding to me. 3 of the top 6 overall picks are busts (so far). In fact 33 of the top 100 ( based on ADP) players have failed to meet our standards. That 33% folks. Insame. This makes predicting starts and sits much more challenging. Through two weeks , I am 25 of 41 (Roughly 62% correct) on my picks. Lets get rolling on week 3.

Start -

Quarterbacks:

Andrew Luck - Luck is becoming more elite relevant each game. His abilities can be ranked among the league top Quarterbacks. In week 3 , he get an juicy matchup vs Jacksonville. The Jags made Washington offense look dominate. I wonder what the Colts gonna look like.

Russell Wilson - Wilson can be one the best players at home. It really unbelievable how good Wilson been at home against AFC teams. Denver represents a slightly tougher matchup then two weeks ago (against Green Bay) , but expect similar results from Wilson.

Jay Cutler - Cutler isn't the most prized Quarterback to step on the field , but he been very strong in his 2014 campaign. In two games in 2014 , his stats look like: 57/83 (68.7%) , 6 Touchdowns (3 TDs/ Avg. Per Game) , 2 Ints (1/ Avg. Per game), and 525 yards (262.5 yards/ Avg. Per Game). Solid stats and good enough to be a weekly starter. I expect him to top those stats vs the Jets. The same secondary which was slaughtered by Rodgers in week 2.

Running Backs -

Knaile Davis: Andy Reid offensive schemes and play calls seems to benefit his running backs. They did in Philly and that same trait have follow in Kansas City. Davis last week tear it up after Charles exited early on. Charles is expected to miss some time , so plug in Davis. The latest Dolphins trends against runners are in Davis favor.

Ahmad Bradshaw: Move over Trent Richardson , this is a man job! Richardson looked solid on Monday night (despite 2 fumbles). But Bradshaw looked that much better. Including 2 TDs. I don't think Bradshaw get the entire backfield , but TRich will lose more touches. Jacksonville represents an nice matchup. Start him as your 3rd RB (or Flex).

Stevan Ridley: I would also start Shane Vereen , but Ridley was also in week 2. Had 25 carries for 100+ yards , and 1 TD. Is Ridley an lock for 25 carries? Heck no , but Ridley worth least a flex. Oakland is a favorable matchup and one many wouldn't pass up. 

Wide Receivers:

Alshon Jeffery - With an extra day of rest (Monday night game) , Jeffery should eat up the at best average Jets secondary. Jeffery stumbled in week 1 & 2 , but week 3 looks pretty favorable in every type of format. No defensive  team in fantasy football have allowed more points to Wide Receivers. Then of course the Jets.

Jeremy Maclin - The Redskins defense been inconsistent at best , so playing Maclin sounds like a fantastic idea. Just wait its get even better! 3 of the past 4 matchups against Washington , Maclin have topped 100 yards receiving. Play him and enjoy JMaclin show.

Andre Johnson - Johnson isn't having the best season , but neither are the Giants. The Giants defensively have struggled to contain Wide Receivers. Actually ranked among the top 10 in points allowed. Johnson is the primary pass target. Expect Johnson to have a stellar afternoon against the Gmen.

Tight Ends:

Greg Olsen - Olsen been one the best options to have early in the season so far. Keep him in you lineup this weekend as Pittsburgh have allowed a sizable amount of points against Tight Ends in 2014. Olsen is an top 10 option at this position.

Dwayne Allen - DAllen isn't widely owned in shallow leagues , but he still should make a nice option. The Jags rank inside the top 5 with points allowed to Tight Ends. Weather he an top 10 option could depend on him scoring a TD. As I expect the Colts to turn heavy run after gaining an large lead.

Sits -

Quarterbacks:

Big Ben - Big ben failed to score in week 2 against an tough Ravens defense. Things get worse against an Carolina defense. This defensive unit rarely allow Touchdowns on their home turf. There are better options with more favorable matchups.

Andy Dalton - Dalton been much better at home then on the road. Most weeks that would stand out ,but this week however it doesn't. The possibility of AJ Green being inactive makes Dalton an risky plan against an Titans Defense. An defense which can causes problems for any Quarterback.

Running Backs -

Montee Ball: Ball who was super hyped in the offseason have yet to impress his owners in the first two weeks. In week 3 , Ball get his toughest matchup vs Seattle. Very few running back fair well in Seattle. Two weeks ago , Lacy looked like a inexperienced freshman in college against an all-american defense. He really did. Seattle is almost unbeatable at home.  I know most will start Ball anyways , but consider benching him (given you have nice depth.)

Frank Gore - Gore have drawn an tough matchup this week. The Arizona Cardinals. Similar to Seattle , Arizona rarely allows teams to successful run the ball. Gore value goes down even more with Hyde taking carries away from him. At best Gore an flex. Even though there probably better options with more favorable matchups.

Doug Martin - Martin and the Bucs backfield can be described as a Christmas present. You're gonna like what inside or you're gonna hate it. In this week situation , I am guessing us Martin owners will hate it. As the word was Thursday morning , Rainey and Martin to share carries. Anytime your starter get downgraded to "share carries" , its time to worry. I wouldn't start either until the backfield is more clear.

Wide Receivers -

Victor Cruz: I have a feeling Cruz will end up on this list a lot this season. Cruz bring unbelievable potential to the table. Sadly the Giants don't know to use him correctly in an offense led by Eli Manning. Cruz have been just horrible at home lately. 0 Touchdowns in previous 8 home games. I don't think it will change this week either.

Torrey Smith: There two Smith(s) in Baltimore , and Torrey isn't the one getting the ball. Joe Flacco in week 2 barely looked Torrey way. The Browns are next up for Torrey. Harden will all over Torrey on Sunday.. I have a bad feeling about  Torrey Smith. Bench him until we have a better view of this situation.

Roddy White: White remains a question mark to me. Despite reports he will play , I am not convinced he will be 100%. Especially on a short week. Is he really worth it? Add in he haven't faired well against the Bucs lately.

Tight Ends -

Dennis Pitta: Pitta have been better at home then on the road! It been a contestant struggle to produce solid numbers for him in his career. Its doesn't help Joe Flacco have a new favorite target in Steve Smith Sr. Will most start anyhow? I expect so , especially in deeper leagues.

Heath Miller: Miller did nothing last week and similar results this week. Miller lack of productive is placed on Big Ben shoulders. As he is a Wide Receiver first type guy this season. In the first two weeks , Big ben haven't targeted Tight Ends much. Carolina should only make matters worse.

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Football Rankings (WK3)

Welcome to TimersSports

Quarterbacks -

1. Drew Brees
2. Aaron Rodgers
3. Matthew Stafford
4. Peyton Manning
5. Jay Cutler
6. Nick Foles
7. Andrew Luck
8. Matt Ryan
9. Cam Newton
10. Colin Kaepernick
11. Russell Wilson
12. Tom Brady
13. Kirk Cousins
14. Philip Rivers
15. Tony Romo
16. Andy Dalton
17. Joe Flacco
18. Geno Smith
19. Ryan Tannehill
20. Alex Smith

Running Backs -

1. Demarco Murray
2. LeSean McCoy
3. Arian Foster
4. Eddie Lacy
5. Gio Bernard
6. Marshawn Lynch
7. Alfred Morris
8. Knaile Davis
9. Matt Forte
10. Le'Veon Bell
11. Montee Ball
12. Rashad Jennings
13. Stevan Ridley
14. Zac Stacy
15. C.J Spiller
16. Joique Bell
17. Reggie Bush
18. Darren Sproles
19. Andre Ellington
20. Lamar Miller

Wide Receivers -

1. Calvin Johnson
2. Brandon Marshall
3. Jordy Nelson
4. Dez Bryant
5. Demaryius Thomas
6. Julio Jones
7. Antonio Brown
8. Randall Cobb
9. Vincent Jackson
10. Andre Johnson
11. Julian Edelman
12. Alshon Jeffery
13. Percy Harvin
14. Cordarrelle Patterson
15. Roddy White
16. Mike Wallace
17. Jeremy Maclin
18. Pierre Garcon
19. Emmanuel Sanders
20. Reggie Wayne

Tight Ends -

1. Jimmy Graham
2. Rob Gronkowski
3. Julius Thomas
4. Martellus Bennett
5. Greg Olsen
6. Antonio Gates
7. Niles Paul
8. Dennis Pitta
9. Zach Ertz
10. Jordan Cameron
11. Delanie Walker
12. Kyle Rudolph

Defense -

1. Houston
2. Cincy
3. Carolina
4. Indy
5. New England
6. Arizona
7. San Fran
8. Baltimore
9. Seattle
10. New Orleans

Twitter - @WilliamFrang

Fantasy Nascar Picks

Welcome to TimersSports

Season Overall Rankings:

Yahoo - 2463th (98 Percentile)

Fantasy Live - 236th (99 Percentile)

Yahoo:

A-list:

Start: Kevin Harvick (3)

Bench: Jimmie Johnson (3)

Reason: This really came down to tracks left on the schedule. Johnson have been outstanding at Dover , Charlotte and Martinsville. He finished 1st , 1st and 2nd at those races in 2014. For Harvick there aren't really any clear cut tracks (outside of Phoenix). Plus Harvick is probably the better option this weekend anyhow.

B:

Start: Brad Keselowski (4) , Jamie Mac (7)

Bench: Joey Logano (5) , Denny Hamlin (4)

Reason: Brad the man to beat. Gonna start him. First time I started him since Kentucky (first time I will start an Penske car since then.) Jamie Mac looked good to be a startable option. Hamlin and Logano will be better choices at the ovals.

C:

Start: Danica (4)

Bench: Larson (2)

Reason: Hopefully Danica good enough to be a start save. I liked what I saw in practice. Larson just didn't show me enough to convince me he would finish least in the top 10.

Fantasy Live - Gordon , Harvick , Keselowski , Sorenson and Mears

Dark Horse - Kyle Busch

Race Winner - Brad Keselowski

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Nascar Sleepers & Busts

Welcome to TimersSports

We have already had one trip to the "magic mile". It was so much fun , we coming back another round. New Hampshire is one of my "dreaded tracks" on the schedule. The big reason  is fuel mileage and pit strategy. We saw in July how critical gambling can be. Anyone who started Gordon or Harvick learned the hard way. Sleepers typically don't surprise us. The busts are the ones which caught us off guard.

Sleeper -

Kyle Busch: Rowdy will be Rowdy..and this is the weekend to take advantage of his significantly low % across multiple formats. Rowdy have 3 straight 2nd place finishes. Along with the 3rd best driver rating since July 2012 at NHMS. What I love most about Rowdy is he coming off a respectable 7th place finish. The Candyman is capable big things here.

Bust -

Greg Biffle: The RFR guys are looking like garbage lately. I don't want any part of them. Least not until they look half way decent. Select Biff if you want , but that like playing with fire. Biff have shown consistency on short track , but he have absolutely no mojo. There better options.

Sleeper -

Clint Bowyer: Not many realize how good Bowyer been at NHMS. Actually been legit since joining MWR. His average finish since 2012 doesn't tells the whole story. In 2012 ,Bowyer was very strong both times here. Then 2013 he went downhill. Earlier this season he regained his elite status at NHMS. What to expect this time? I expect similar results from earlier this season. Given the pattern stays it course.

Bust -

Brain Vickers: Vickers = Overrated on shorts tracks. Its amaze me how much credit Vickers get for his short track success. Its was more to do with Rodney Childress mastermind on setups then anything. Unfortunately he no longer there. I said the same thing at Bristol few races ago and got criticism for it. Now hopefully this time more people listen to me. His performance earlier this season backed that up. He looked losted and confused quite honestly.

Sleeper -

Kasey Kahne: Kahne isn't as bad as people think at NHMS. Actually he been pretty successful here in the past. Including a win. Is he an safe option? No not at all. But if you are considering him , then you aren't likely in championship contention. So why not go with Kahne? He been trending upwards with his performance at flat tracks lately. Kahne is high risk/ high reward.

Bust -

Jamie Mac: JMac been a trendy option lately. Which is bad news to me. Most options hit their peak value and stuffer minor consequences (example like an 18th place or something.) JMac on the other hand when he hit his value peak , the results are fatal. Usually ending in an DNF. I got a feeling JMac may have hit value peak and could be due for a bad finish. Could I be wrong? Only time will time.

Remember if ever need help with your Fantasy Nascar Lineup..just send me a tweet on Twitter (@Gbriggs12) or just shoot me an email at briggs_garry48@yahoo.com

Twitter - @Gbriggs12

Fantasy Nascar Preview (NHMS)

Welcome to TimersSports

We are at New Hampshire (Yes I will be at the race and Dover next weekend as well.) New Hampshire is fairly short with only 300 miles. Not only this is a short race , but track position is huge. The cars who are fast on the long run will be the cars to beat. Keselowski put a serious whipping on the field the first time around. This an flat -short track , which is typically a good place to plug in underrated options (keep that in mind).

1-Jamie Mac: There isn't a non-chaser hotter then Jamie-O-Mac! Got some nice points last week out of JMac. He been very consistent. He been a top 15 machine. Ever since the first New Hampshire. He still underrated. Over the past 5 races , JMac have compiled 15.8 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 2 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 0 laps led and 80.2 driver rating.

2-Brad Keselowski: Keselowski dominated last time around at New Hampshire. The thing that stood out was how dominate he was in practice. Everyone knew he was gonna win (Despite a slightly poor starting position.) Do I think he gonna win again? No. Mainly because he already locked into Round 2. If anything he gonna toy with his competitors. Over the past 5 races here , BK have compiled 5.4 average finish , 1 win , 3 Top 5 , 4 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 161 laps led and 113.8 driver rating.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon finished 14th the first time around. Which is very respectable finish from a rookie. Does he repeat such finish? No I don't think so. Its becoming more clear he perform better on larger tracks. He should be an top 20 option though.

4-Kevin Harvick: Folks even with a championship pit crew , Issues continues to plague Kevin Harvick. It really just insane. New Hampshire been a bit rocky lately. Over the past 5 here , KH have compiled 15.2 average finish , 2 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 0 laps led and 89.0 driver rating. Over the past two races here , KH have an 25.0 average finish though. Including an 30th earlier this season (after running out of gas.)

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne stumbled at Chicago which means he pretty gonna be knocked out Round 1 (unless few other competitors struggle on Sunday and at Dover.) I am not very high on him though. Over the past 5 races here , KK have compiled 13.0 average finish , 1 win, 2 Top 5 , 2 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 98 laps led , and 107.2 driver rating.

10-Danica Patrick: Danica isn't the sexiest option..that didn't sound right. Anyhow New Hampshire haven't been very kind to Danica. She have only 3 career starts with an 28.6 average finish. With the best off 22nd. She did test here , so maybe she could be a useable option.

11-Denny Hamlin: DH have one of the best records at NHMS. Hamlin was really good here earlier this season. He was running top 5 , before going into saving fuel mode. Eventually finished 8th. He was running around 3rd before the final caution. Over the past 5 races here , DH have compiled 8.9 average finish , 1 win , 2 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 363 laps led and 116.3 driver rating. In 17 Career , DH holds 8.9 average finish , 2 wins (11%) , 7 Top 5s (41%) , 11 Top 10s (65%) , 15 Top 20s (88%) , and 437 laps led.

14-Tony Stewart: I said weeks ago , Smoke should be avoided with all costs. With no surprise he been a liability all year. Smoke haven't been right all season. Even before that tragic accident. NHMS have been a good track in the past , but I wouldn't recommend him this week or reminder of the season.

16-Greg Biffle: The Biff and RFR sucked it up at RIR and then did the same at Chicago. Is there any hope for them? Doubtful. I am just done messing with the Biff and RFR. They're just unpredictable and inconsistent. Over the past 5 races here , The Biff have compiled 12.0 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 2 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 0 laps led and 83.5 driver rating.

18-Kyle Busch: The biggest shocker of Chicago may have been Kyle Busch finishing 7th. This I didn't see coming. Now he goes to New Hampshire. Not many people realize how going he been here. Only Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin have recorded better driver rating. He have three straight 2nd place finishes here. No other driver have recorded even 3 Top 3. Let alone 3 straight top 2s. Over the past 5 races here , KB have compiled 10.0 average finish , 3 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 4 Top 10s , 235 laps led and 111.9 driver rating. Along with 2 poles (including earlier this season.)

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth actually been very good at New Hampshire. He been even better since joining JGR. In 29 career races , he holds an 13.03 average finish , 1 win , 7 Top 5s , 15 Top 10s , 24 Top 20s , and 240 laps led. Over the past 5 races here (3 starts with JGR) , MK have compiled 8.2 average finish , 1 win , 2 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 152 laps led and 108.3 driver rating.

22-Joey Logano: Not many realize how average Joey been lately at NHMS since his rain shortened win (2009). Fortunately he been strong with Penske. His overall record will overshadowed that though. Over the past 5 races here , JoLo have compiled 23.2 average finish , 1 Top 10 , 3 Top 20s , 4 laps led and 77.7 driver rating. I expect Penske to try to get Joey locked in this week.

24-Jeff Gordon: There only a few drivers who have such record as Gordon at New Hampshire. He finish 26th earlier this season. But he was much better. In fact , he was on pace to finish around 5th before a late caution. Unfortunately he then ran out of gas. Lightning rarely strikes twice in the same spot. So it unlikely for Gordon to finish outside top 10 again. Over the past 5 races here , JG have compiled 12.0 average , 1 Top 5 , 3 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 67 laps led and 103.9 driver rating. In 39 career starts , Gordon holds 10.37 average finish , 3 wins (.07%) , 16 Top 5s (41%) , 22 Top 10s (56%) , 32 Top 20s (82%) , and 1371laps (35 laps led per race). Also have 4 poles.

27-Paul Menard: Menard was a primary example of a non-chaser being a dangerous pick. He started 9th and finished 21th. Short tracks have been a big weakness for him in 2014 overall. Only 1 Top 10 (Martinsville). Also over the past 5 races here , Paul have compiled 17.4 average finish with 4 Top 20s. There are better options.

31-Ryan Newman: Things were going great at Chicago , until a tire went down. Ended up finishing 15th. New Hampshire is a pretty good track for Newman. Earlier this season , Newman finished 5th. But he wasn't that good. He struggled in the teens for majority of the game. Gain track position late. Over the past 5 races here , RN have compiled 16.0 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 3 Top 10s , 4 Top 20s , 2 laps led and 84.6 driver rating.

42-Kyle Larson: Larson finished 3rd earlier this season. Led 14 laps and had a fantastic 99.1 driver rating. A lot of people wonder why he excells at certain tracks. Like last week at Chicago. The only logic answer is he seems to performance better at older surfaces. Even though I believe there isn't a track out there he cannot master. I think his odds of winning are at old surfaces. My money on Texas.

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was looking good at Chicago , but then dropped like a rock. Not sure what happened. As I missed the final 10 laps. Nevertheless from a career standpoint , Johnson been very good here. Only Hamlin have better average finish (Including all drivers with least 10 starts.) He struggled earlier this season with tire issues. But was running 2nd before the initial tire blew out. Over the past 5 races here , JJ have compiled 12.2 average finish , 2 Top 5s , 4 Top 10s , 5 laps led and 95.1 driver rating.

55-Brain Vickers: Vickers just been too inconsistent this season. Not only at his worst tracks , but his best tracks as well. Vickers cannot be trusted if you're running for a fantasy championship. His last top 10 seems to be in forever (actually was in late July.) Which just strengthen my point of Vickers being inconsistent.

88-Dale Jr: Like I said last week , Dale Jr may stumbled to start the chase (before regaining mojo) and I was correct. I think here on out he will slowly gain stream. New Hampshire isn't a bad place for him. Over the past 5 races here , Dale Jr have compiled 9.4 average finish ,1 Top 5, 3 Top 10s , 5 Top 20s , 17 laps led and 99.1 driver rating.

99-Carl Edwards: Edwards looked lost at Chicago. He started 3rd and then you didn't hear about him until he blew a tire late in the race. RFR may escape Round 1 ,but after that its looks very bleak. Over the past 5 races here , Edwards have compiled 13.4 average finish , 2 Top 10s , 5 Top 10s , 0 laps led and 80.9 driver rating.

Also check out: NascarBTW . Fantastic blog for all of your Nascar needs! Easy access and useful information at click of a button.

***All stats from http://www.driveraverages.com/

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Nascar Early Rankings

Welcome to TimersSports

Final Rankings -

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Joey Logano
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Kyle Busch
8. Dale Jr
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Ryan Newman
11. Kasey Kahne
12. Clint Bowyer
13. Kurt Busch
14. Jamie Mac
15. Kyle Larson
16. Greg Biffle
17. Carl Edwards
18. Tony Stewart
19. Aric Almirola
20. Paul Menard
21. Aj Dinger
22. Brain Vickers
23. Austin Dillon
24. Danica Patrick
25. Marcos Ambrose
26. Martin Truex Jr
27. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
28. Justin Alliager
29. Michael Annett
30. Casey Mears

Twitter - @MichelleRizzo5

Fantasy Nascar Update (CHI)

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Notes -

1-Jamie Mac: JMac starts just outside the top 10. Typically he an top 15 option and that remains to be the case at Chicago. He have nice mid range speed. Expect him to solid overall.

2-Brad Keselowski: Penske been a little off this weekend. But both cars should be contenders. Beware as Keselowski starts 25th. Luckily there usually plenty of long green flag runs. In Happy Hour , Keselowski ranked 3rd in term of best 10 lap average. He been excellent in that category all season.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon been solid all weekend long. Usually races better then he practices. Which should makes Dillon a fantastic option in Yahoo Fantasy Racing. I think Dillon finish inside the top 20 , but has top 15 upside.

4-Kevin Harvick: KH been strong since unloading. Has one of the fastest cars on the long run. How fast? In Happy hour he posted his best ten lap average  from lap 21-30. Which was good enough for 7th best. The top 6 guys posted their within the first 10 laps.

5-Kasey Kahne: Us fantasy nascar geeks like to refer Kahne as an "liability". He is unpredictable and that makes him useless in majority formats. He shown promise , but then again we seen that movie before. At best Kahne an top 12 value with top 10 upside.

10-Danica Patrick: Patrick is usually a nice play on Intermediate racetracks. So far this weekend , Patrick have pretty solid. No red flags have popped up either (always a positive thing.) Start Danica at your own risk as she at best top 20 value.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin starts deeper in the field then usually , but it shouldn't hold him back from a respectable finish. Personally I don't think he has a top 5 car. Maybe not even a top 10 car. I have anywhere from 9th -14th range guy for Sunday. Posted a nice 10 lap average in Final practice.

14-Smoke: Smoke been considerably off all weekend. Not shocked at all. I figured he would struggle (as he has all season.) Smoke at best an top 20 option , folks I think it time to shut down "Project Smoke" for reminder of 2014. Least I am.

16-Greg Biffle: The Biff been up and down this weekend. He starts 20th , while never showing any long run speed though. I don't like him very much this week. At best an top 20 option. I would pass.

18-Kyle Busch: Rowdy starts 1st. He should be able to finish in the top 10 , but his anger will probably get the best of him. So he realistically an top 15 option with top 10 upside potential.

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth have a really good car. I thought he was top 5 in happy hour. Which I wasn't initially expecting from him. Not sure how he feared on the long run. Didn't track Kenseth lap times closely.

22-Joey Logano: JoLo have a top 10 car , but that about it. The Penske cars as a whole seems off a little. Just not quite as good as normally. I expect the 22 team to get Joey tuned up for Sunday afternoon. He starts 28th on Sunday.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon fast , but in my opinion wasn't the man to beat. Thought he was a little better in the morning session (the colder session). Gordon an top 5 guy , but I don't think he as good as his teammate. I am sure Alan will fix him up and make the 24 extremely fast come Sunday.

27-Paul Menard: Menard was very strong on Saturday. He posted a sick fast lap in the morning session. Posted the 10th fastest lap in the afternoon (similar to race conditions) and had the 8th best ten lap average.  Menard bring a lot of upside , but plenty of risk (especially with an low pick %). Weigh your options and then decide if he worth it.

31-Ryan Newman: I like Newman a lot this week. He been fast since unloading. He starts 2nd , but he won't stay there for long. I expect Newman to hang around 7th -15th most of the day. He's a great option for most forms.

42-Kyle Larson: Larson been impressive , but he would be mote impressive if he didn't start the race dead last after wrecking his primary car in the opening moments of the morning session. Never fear he have a good  car for Sunday race.

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson been fast all weekend. Team 48 just flipped the switch and they are about to get serious. Johnson was the 2nd best on Saturday overall. Don't be shocked to see him in VL on Sunday. Johnson was excellent on the long run.

55-Brain Vickers: Vickers looked good overall. He been consistent all weekend. He has put down some fast laps in both sessions on Saturday. I like him as an top 15 value , I won't rule out an top 10.

88-Dale Jr: Dale like usually refuses to show his full hand in practice. Dale doesn't start up front , but doesn't haven't stop him in the past. I have Dale finishing just inside the top 10 on Sunday.

99-Carl Edwards: Edwards starts 3rd and posted some fast laps in practice (topped Final Practice) , great right? Oh but there always a catch with Edwards. He wasn't fast on the long run. In simpler terms , he may post a few fast laps but he will fade outside top 10 when it said and done.

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Nascar Final Rankings

Welcome to TimersSports

Final Rankings -

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Brad Keselowski
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Joey Logano
7. Dale Jr
8. Ryan Newman
9. Paul Menard
10. Kasey Kahne
11. Kurt Busch
12. Clint Bowyer
13. Carl Edwards
14. Denny Hamlin
15. Kyle Busch
16. Greg Biffle
17. Brain Vickers
18. Austin Dillon
19. Jamie Mac
20. Kyle Larson
21. Tony Stewart
22. Marcos Ambrose
23. Aric Almirola
24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
25. Martin Truex Jr
26. Danica Patrick
27. Justin Alliager
28. Casey Mears
29. Michael Annett
30. Landon Cassill

Twitter - @MichelleRizzo5

Fantasy Nascar Picks

Welcome to TimersSports

Richmond Recap: Okay folks..I got my butt kicked at Richmond and snapping an 6-race 270+ points streak (in Yahoo). And fantasy live I snapped my 16 race 200+ points streak. Not what I wanted at all. Things could have gone differently if I decided against Matt Kenseth. But I didn't. On to the chase.

Look ahead to Chicago:  Chicago is one of my least favorite tracks on the Sprint Cup Series schedule. Chicago typically rewards the studs (aka favorites). Big reason I would prefer avoiding drivers low on ponies under the hood. Also remember to consider all possibilities. Including past track history , current mojo and season sucess on specific track type. Stack your lineup with chase drivers. Its Chicago let get rolling!

A:

Start: Jimmie Johnson

Bench: Kevin Harvick

Reason: Its basically a coin toss here , so I will lean towards Johnson. For the main reason I don't trust him (Harvick) to deliver (especially with a new crew). Also I have more Johnson starts left.

B:

Start: Paul Menard  , Greg Biffle

Bench: Joey Logano , Brad Keselowski

Reason: I have two firm fantasy nascar rules: 1) Don't start an sleeper from deep in pack. 2) Don't start your studs from outside top 20. Brad and Joey starts 25th and 28th. I see no reason to risk that. While I still need to start 4 drivers in Grouping B not named Hamlin , Keselowski , and Logano. Menard and Biff are good enough for me.

C:

Start: Danica Patrick

Bench: Kyle Larson

Reason: My intentions been all week to start Patrick. Larson was just a pawn for Qualification points.

Fantasy Live - Logano , Keselowski , Harvick , Cassill and Annett

Dark Horse - Brian Vickers

Race Winner - Jimmie Johnson

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Football Sits/Starts

Welcome to TimersSports

We started the 2014 season off pretty good with landing 13 of 20 (65%) of our starts/sits. It not a great percentage , but still a fairly respectable number. Now onto week 2. With a little data under our belts , we will have a better idea what to expect. Also don't panic if your stud had a poor performance in week 1. Its a long season. Let get rolling!

Starts -

Quarterbacks:

Jake Locker - I was a big fan of Locker in the offseason. I thought he had great potential (given he stays healthy.) He mashup the Kansas City Defense. Week 2 Locker Owners get an absolute gift in the Cowboys Defense. CK7 and the 49ers were able to expose this defensive unit. Expect Locker to do the same.

Matthew Stafford - I know he's have a tough matchup ,but can you really sit him? I say no ,unless your other Quarterback have a unbelievable favorable matchup. Stafford won't put up 40+ fantasy points (like he did week 1) , but he is capable of having a nice week. Even if it against an unfavorable foe.

Andrew Luck - Luck is a pretty easy call on Monday night. The Eagles don't have a defense which can shut you down. Henne proved it in week 1. Their questionable secondary will be eaten alive by Luck. He also adds value with his legs (look back at week 1 for examples). I have Luck as an top 10 Quarterback (Top 5 upside in Standard scoring).

Running Backs -

Knowshon Moreno: Even with splitting carries w/ Miller , Knowshon brings ton of potential to be a nice option. This week he gets another terrific matchup (vs Buffalo). For the time being , Moreno is an Flex/RB3 option. If he have another 100 yard game on Sunday , the backfield situation could significantly change.

Gio Bernard: I was little disappointed in Gio in week 1. Luckily week 2 looks much better against Atlanta. Atlanta surrendered the most points to Runners in week 1. What stands out more is Gio is much more talented then any of the Saints running backs. Gio value get a nice boost in PPR with opportunities catching ball out of the backfield.

Alfred Morris: Hard to pass this matchup up. The Jags can and will give up valuable points to running backs (consistently). Morris didn't set the world on fire in week 1. Fortunately his luck could change in week 2 against an fairly weak defense. Morris is an RB2 in most formats.

Wide Receivers -

Randall Cobb: RC was one of the few brighter spots for the Packers on Thursday night. He is actually overlooked in my opinion. Very few individuals can be such a dynamic threat like Cobb. The Jets could be without their top CB on Sunday. These Packers WRs will go wild on Sunday afternoon. Start him with confidents.

Jarrett Boykin: Not many are big on Boykin after week 1. But remember Sherman was covering him all night long. The Jets unfortunately don't have a Sherman or anything really close. Boykin won't lead the team in catches or targets , but I expect him to get his share fair. With Rodgers throwing the football , its not hard to have productive day.

Brandin Cooks - I was impresed by this young man. He isn't the  number 1 guy on the team though. Which should be an advantage for him. Long as Haden isn't covering him , Brandin should be able to have a field day. The Browns allowed a lot of points to Wide Receivers in week 1. I say no reason for Week 2 to be different.

Tight Ends -

Delanie Walker: Walker isn't an elite option , but seems like the Cowboys can make anyone an elite option (least temporary). Last week Davis slaughtered them for 2 TDs. Walker is unlikely to score twice. But 50-75 yards and possibly a Touchdown is in his range.

Zach Ertz - Ertz may not be the popular option , but he will get top 10 results in a shootout on Monday night. In week 1 ,Indy allowed Thomas to run wild for multiple TDs. I don't expect Ertz to match Thomas totals , but 70 yards and a score is reasonable.

Sits -

Quarterbacks:

Cam Newton - Newton missed week 1 and now faces the Lions. He doesn't face a tough matchup , but ribs injuries just don't disappear over night. Its can linger for a few weeks. So I would recommend keeping Newton on the bench until least week 3. Again this isn't about the matchup.

Tony Romo - Romo looked garbage in week 1. He was just terrible. Bench him and let him throw Interceptions from your bench. The Titans actually have a pretty underrated Defense. Romo needs to prove himself to owners. Plus when have Romo ever started the season off great? Probably not often.

Jay Cutler - I was pretty big on Cutler in the offseason. Despite some critical mistakes in week 1 , I standby my statement. Unfortunately Cutler got a bad matchup in week 2 against 49ers. The Niners took apart Romo in week 1. Don't expect four force turnovers , but not like Cutler a legit fantasy starter either.

Running Backs:

Trent Richardson - Richardson been overrated his entire NFL career. He never had a legitimate yard per carry average (usually firts with 4.0 - 4.2 ypc.) Does that make him as a bad player? No. Its just his value depends on Touchdowns (like the 12 he had his rookie season.) When your value depends on TDs to have great point totals, you cannot be losing touches. As we saw last week , Bradshaw was eating away at his touches.

Steven Jackson - The Steven Jackson party been over for awhile , and now he is in running back committee in Atlanta. In week 1 , Jackson had 12 carries for 52 yards. That's a 4.3 yards per carry. Solid average , but too low of a nunber of carries to be nothing more then a flex.

Joique Bell - Bell scored a Touchdown last week. That great and all , but Carolina represents an tough matchup. Remember Bell isn't the top back either. That remains with Reggie Bush (who should be considered nothing more then a flex.) Bell could have a nice day , but I don't see it happening. Least not in Standard scoring. PPR you may be able to sneak Bell in as a flex play.

Wide Receivers -

Victor Cruz: Cruz haven't scored an TD at since 2012 (at home). Cruz is a very talented player. Unfortunately his value get dragged down with Eli Manning poor quarterback play and abilities. Cruz is best stood on the bench for a few weeks and see how things unfolds.

Golden Tate - Like it been for years now , Calvin is a one-man show. Tate is a talented young man out of Notre Dame, but until he get more looks he nothing more then an flex play. Keep him on the bench.

Tight Ends :

Coby Fleener - Fleener is the odd man out in Indy. Allen is the more talented and preferred Tight End in the Andrew Luck offense. If you gonna own a Tight End , then it probably Allen. Fleener will get some targets , but not enough to be legit starter.

Heath Miller - Miller would be more useful if Big Ben looked towards his Tight Ends more. Unfortunately Big Ben prefers Wide Receivers first. Which makes Miller at best an nice back up for most squads.

I know most of you are wondering why Defenses and Kickers aren't listed. The reason behind that is , you can take any Defense and Kicker with an favorable matchup. And have a nice points day. Not too hard to determine who have a good matchup.

As always you can send me a tweet @MattAleza with your question. Also I will be answering your questions on @TimersSports on Sunday.

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Football Rankings (WK2)

Welcome to TimerSports

Fantasy Football Rankings -

Quarterbacks:

1. Peyton Manning
2. Drew Brees
3. Aaron Rodgers
4. Andrew Luck
5. Nick Foles
6. Matt Ryan
7. Tom Brady
8. Colin Kaepernick
9. Tony Romo
10. Matthew Stafford
11. Matt Ryan
12. Jake Locker
13. Andy Dalton
14. Russell Wilson
15. Carson Palmer
16. Cam Newton
17. Phillip Rivers
18. Jay Cutler
19. Ryan Tannehill
20. Big Ben

Running Backs -

1. LeSean McCoy
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Jamaal Charles
4. Matt Forte
5. DeMarco Murray
6. Eddie Lacy
7. Marshawn Lynch
8. Montee Ball
9. Gio Bernard
10. Arian Foster
11. Frank Gore
12. LeVeon Bell
13. Doug Martin
14. Shane Vereen
15. Andre Ellington
16. Alfred Morris
17. Toby Gerhart
18. Knowshon Moreno
19. Joique Bell
20. Shonn Grenne

Wide Receivers -

1. Calvin Johnson
2. AJ Green
3. Demaryius Thomas
4. Dez Bryant
5. Julio Jones
6. Brandon Marshall
7. Antinio Brown
8. Alshon Jeffery
9. Vincent Jackson
10. Jordy Nelson
11. Emmanuel Sanders
12. Roddy White
13. Randall Cobb
14. Cordarrelle Patterson
15. Pierre Garcon
16. Larry Fitzgerald
17. Julian Edelman
18. DeSean Jackson
19. Kendall Wright
20. Andre Johnson

Tight End -

1. Jimmy Graham
2. Rob Gronkowski
3. Julius Thomas
4. Dennis Pitta
5. Vernon Davis
6. Kyle Rudolph
7. Greg Olsen
8. Zach Ertz
9. Jason Witten
10. Heath Miller
11. Delanie Walker
12. Martellus Bennett
13. Antonio Gates
14. Travis Kelce
15. Larry Donnell

Twitter - @WilliamFrang

Fantasy Nascar Sleepers & Busts

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We are at Chicago this weekend! The track is roughly 38.5 miles away from where I grew up (25.4 miles from where I live now). So I know this track pretty well I would say. In recent years , Chicago have been a championship killer. Joey Logano and Jeff Gordon have been victims of poor finishes over the past two seasons. Which have costs them hugely. So who will be the 2014 victim? And more importantly who will steal a solid finish from a chase eligible driver as a sleeper? Let get started!

Sleeper -

Paul Menard: Surprised? Since his 3rd place finish at Vegas , he have impressed me on Intermediate racetracks. Only twice he failed to score a Top 10. So in other words , he have 75% Top 10 success  rate on this type track. Chicago haven't stood out as a good track , but that should only improve his value significantly. As of Wednesday morning (in Yahoo) , PM only selected by 16%. Real nice value there folks.

Bust -

Tony Stewart: Smoke was already probably gonna be a mid-range driver with lesser equipment then his chase teammates. The addition of changing pit crew could make matter worse. Not like crew/drivers can automatically get on the same page from day one. Especially considering it during middle of the season. Its will be interesting to see how Smoke does.

Sleeper -

Kasey Kahne: Kahne been under the radar all season long. Rightfully so. This week isn't a bad idea to take a chance with Kasey though. He been strong at Chicago recently. He actually been better then most think. His 109.9 driver rating is impressive overall. Also Kahne have made strides on this type lately. Including a win at Atlanta few weeks ago.

Bust -

Ricky Stenhouse Jr- Don't buy into his 8.0 average finish at Chicago. He only have one start in his Cup Career (came in 2013). RFR just isn't what it was a year ago. RFR have significantly took a step backwards. At best he an top 20 option. Don't be fooled , he don't back it up.

Sleeper -

Jamie Mac: I thought about listing Danica instead , but her % was higher on Yahoo. So I decided to go with my boy JMac. JMac typically get selected by under 30% on a weekly basis. He an top 15 option on any given weekend , with the potential of an top 10 with a fast car. Also JMac tested here recently with teammate Kyle Larson. That a huge plus for him.

Bust -

Denny Hamlin: I am not really high on Hamlin. Actually not high on anyone within JGR. DH have struggled here in recent seasons at Chicago. Their 1.5 mile program  is strong , but JGR have been stronger during night races. So there a lot of unknowns heading into the weekend. It may be best to wait and see with Hamlin.

Twitter - @Gbriggs12

Fantasy Nascar Early Rankings

Welcome to Timerssports

Early Rankings -

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Brad Keselowski
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Joey Logano
6. Kyle Busch
7. Ryan Newman
8. Matt Kenseth
9. Dale Jr
10. Carl Edwards
11. Denny Hamlin
12. Kasey Kahne
13. Paul Menard
14. Kyle Larson
15. Kurt Busch
16. Greg Biffle
17. Tony Stewart
18. Jamie Mac
19. Clint Bowyer
20. Brian Vickers
21. Aj Dinger
22. Danica Patrick
23. Austin Dillon
24. Aric Almirola
25. Justin Alliager
26. Casey Mears
27. Martin Truex Jr
28. Marcos Ambrose
29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
30. David Ragan

Twitter - @MichelleRizzo5

Fantasy Football Review (WK1)

Welcome to TimersSports

The first week of fantasy football is in the books (or just about). Each week I try to delicate least one article to "week in review". Week 1 had a little bit of everything. From JCharles 19 yards rushing to Matt Ryan huge day against Saints. Let get rolling.

Positives :

- Brandon Crooks going off against an inconsistent Atlanta Defense. Crooks was impressive in debut.

- LeVeon Bell rewarded his owners with an giant day against the Cleveland Browns.

- Matt Ryan slaughtered the Saints for over 400 yards and multiple Touchdowns. While Drew Brees did the same to Atlanta Defense.

- Roddy White opened the season with an TD for Atlanta.

- Julius Thomas put on a show against the Colts. In a winning effort against Indy.

- Matthew Stafford took it to New York on Monday night with 300+ yards. While scoring 4 TDs in all.

- Mashawn Lynch went off against an soft Packers Defense for 110 yards and 2 TDs.

- New team , same Moreno. Moreno blasted the Pats for 124 yards. Last season he ran wild for 230+ yards against the Pats.

- Vikings looked good in opener. Including an improved Defense and Quarterback play.

- Rob Gronkowski scores TD in his return from injury.

- Vernon Davis rumbles for 2 TD against Cowboys.

-Foster tops 100 yards on the ground vs Washington in his return.

- Chris Johnson looked nice in debut with Jets.

Negatives:

- Peterson , McCoy and Charles combined to score 0 Tds.

- Rodgers and the Pack struggled to do much of anything on Thursday.

- Richardson stumbles as Colts fails to win on Sunday night.

- Tony Romo Owners frustrated after week 1 epic Interception show by Romo.

- Zac Stacy struggles in season opener , leaves owners in slight panic mode

- Vincent Jackson looks horrible against Carolina.

- Bears Defense cannot contain Bills in a losing effort on Sunday.

- New Season , Same Interception-happy Eli Manning.

- Larry Fitz held to limited catches on Monday night.

- Jimmy Graham limited in yardage and No TDs vs Atlanta.

Wanted to put a longer article together with a Waiver Wire Report. But ran out of time.

Twitter - @MattAleza

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The final 10 races are upon. There no holding back now. This weekend we are at Chicagoland. 1 of 5 1.5 mile racetrack layouts. Chicago is pretty worn out and typically the same drivers who were fast at Atlanta , Kentucky , Texas , etc will be fast again. Looking at drivers performance from those races should be good references. This type track is fairly predictable and fantasy friendly. Unless something crazy happens , we already know who will (or could)  contend for a top 10 on Sunday without any practice.

1-Jamie Mac: JMac is on a roll lately 2 Top 10s in the past 3 races. Including an top 5 at Richmond. Chicago been a good track for him lately , but still an questionable option. His stats on the 1.5 mile layouts been consistent in the teens. Since 2012 , JMac have recorded an 20.0 average finish (2 races), 1 Top 20 , 3 laps led and 65.4 driver rating.

2-Brad Keselowski: Bad Brad made the field look silly at Richmond. He gonna try to repeat that at Chicago. If you have any Penske left , the time is now. Over the past two races here , BK have compiled 4.0 average finish , 1win , 1 Top 5 , 2 Top 10s , 78 laps led and 120.4 driver rating.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon finished 20th at Richmond. Honestly I feel like the faster tracks , Dillon will excel on (sooner or later). Chicago fits into that category. I have Dillon with top 25 potential and top 20 upside.

4-Kevin Harvick: KH best remaining track outside of Phoenix , may be Chicago. I definitely would say so. Chicago been a great place for him. Over the past 2 races , KH have compiled 7.5 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 1 Top 10, 2 Top 20s , 2 laps led and 89.2 driver rating.

5-Kasey Kahne: KK makes the chase , but he is not a viable option in my eyes. His inconsistent , unpredictable and inability to finish up front on the big stage drops his value significantly. Its should be noted , Chicago been a great track for Kahne. Over the past two races here , KK does have an 7.5 average finish and 109.9 driver rating. His above average driver rating suggests he have ran close to the front and didn't luck into good finishes.

10-Danica Patrick: Chicago been a good track for Danica. Actually really good. In two career starts , she have recorded an 20.5 average finish. Including an best of 20th and worst of 25th. Kansas and Atlanta are the same type track as Chicago. Maybe she is in for another impressive run for Sunday.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin and JGR struggled (as I predicted in the Fantasy nascar update) at Richmond. The Intermediate racetracks have been a bright spot though. Unfortunately Chicago recently have not. Over the past 2 races here , DH have compiled 24.5 average finish , 1 Top 20, 1 lap led and 79.5 driver rating. Not sure what expect from Hamlin.

14-Tony Stewart: There isn't a driver out there with better stats at Chicago then Smoke recently. 2 of his past 3 races here have ended in a Top 5. Sadly I don't think Smoke will be getting the best equipment for here on out. Top 15 sounds realistic.

16-Greg Biffle: RFR went from looking really good at Atlanta to looking like the RFR team we saw all year at Richmond. Unfortunately RIR left more questions then answers. Can the RFR cars be trusted? I don't know. I thought they were turning the corner and bang hit a brick wall. Over the past 2 races here , The Biff have compiled 14.5 average finish ,  2 Top 20s , 2 laps led and 84.7 driver rating.

18-Kyle Busch: Rowdy at his best track once again disappointed. Hard to justify where to use him. Chicago been one of his best tracks over the past few years. Over the past 2 races , Rowdy have compiled 3.0 average , 2 Top 5s , 2 Top 10s , 67 laps led and 119.9 driver rating.

20-Matt Kenseth: MK have been up and down lately. Hard to say where to use him. He the defending winner of this race. Over the past 2 races here , MK have compiled 9.5 average finish , 1 win, 1 Top 5 , 2 Top 20s , 91 laps led and 110.2 driver rating. MK been better at night races then day races on similarity 1.5 mile racetracks.

22-Joey Logano: JoLo been one of the most consistent drivers on 1.5 mile layouts. Penske strength really have shown on this type track in 2014. Especially in laps led , average speed , average finish , wins and laps completed in Top 15. Both Penske drivers ranked near the top every category. Logano started on the pole a year ago , but had a mechanical problem after a rain delay. He led the first 32 laps from the pole.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon will likely be the pre race favorite heading in. It not surprising either. Outside of Las Vegas , Gordon have had a car capable winning on 1.5 mile layouts. Which speaks volumes on how great Gordon actually have been. Chicago been a good track for Gordon. His lone win came in 2006. Despite 2 of the last 3 races have resulted outside the top 20. Gordon holds an 11.62 average finish (13 career races). Which is 6th best all-time ( 4th best with drivers who have least 10 starts).

27-Paul Menard: Menard is quietly have a nice season. PM isn't known for awesome driving abilities or top 10 finishes. But at Intermediate racetracks , he been better then most think. In fact , outside of Atlanta he scored all top 15s. Including 2 Top 5s and 5 Top 10s. He been pretty good at Chicago lately too. Including 18.5 average finish and 72.3 driver rating.

31-Ryan Newman: Newman is having a fantastic season. I believe the best yet to come. Team 31 are starting to hit on cylinders. Like teammate Paul Menard , this type track been their strength in 2014. Newman actually been very good at Chicago recently. Over the past two races here , RN have compiled 7.5 average finish (T-5th best) , 1 Top 5 , 2 Top 10s , 1 lap led and 92.0 driver rating. In 12 career races , Newman have an 14.5 average finish and 1 win. Which includes 3 Top 5s (40%) and 8 Top 10s (66%).

42-Kyle Larson: Larson missed out on the chase , but him missing the playoff cut would only benefit him in the long run. Chicago is a worn out racetrack. He have done great at the other worn out racetracks. He should be an top 15 car with top 10 upside.

48-Jimmie Johnson: This may be the first time Johnson ever been this much under the radar. People are worrying about what happened to Jimmie after Richmond. I am already hearing fantasy players say , "Johnson just isn't gonna flip a switch". Remember he had worse finishes during the final races of the regular season in 2012 and 2013. I am just not buying Johnson looking sluggish in the chase. I could be wrong. Also Johnson Chicago stats are pretty impressive. Over the past two races here , JJ have compiled 3.5 average finish ,2 Top 5 , 2 Top 10s , 212 laps led and 134.0 driver rating. In 12 career races , Johnson holds 8.9 average finish and surprising 0 wins. Including 7 Top 5s (58%) and 10 Top 10s (83%).

55-Brian Vickers: Once again not that high on Vickers. I mean , he consistency overrated. Personally I think he get more credit then he deserves. His last top 10 came in July. Not exactly something I would feel comfortable about my fantasy pick. Also should be noted , Vickers haven't raced at Chicago in awhile.

88-Dale Jr: Dale have cooled considerably since his win at Pocono. I expect a awesome chase run , but realistically it could take 2 or 3 before the mojo kicks in. This been a good track to Dale Jr. In 13 career starts , He holds an 15.85 average finish. 9 of his 13 starts have ended with a finish of 20th or better.

99-Carl Edwards: Edwards and RFR was a nice streak of finishes in top 10s before hitting a cold brick wall at Richmond. Now they are faced with Chicago. Not exactly a good track either. Edwards been consistent at best (in the past). Over the past 2 races , Edwards have compiled 15.0 average finish , 2 Top 20s , 1 laps led and 80.6 driver rating. In 9 career races , Edwards holds 16.0 average finish , 0 wins , 3 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 7 Top 20s and 57 laps led.

Also check out:  NascarBTW . Great blog. Give it a check out. I always check there for schedules , entry lists , newst paints schemes,etc. Very useful information.

Twitter - @JeffNathans