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Updated: 1/2/03
Week 17
Picks By: FF Today Board & Geek Club

No-Brainers
Rich Gannon vs KC
Drew Bledsoe vs Cin
Daunte Culpepper @ Det
Peyton Manning vs Jax
Aaron Brooks vs Car

Prime Matchup (Walter34)

Mike McMahon vs Minnesota
First of all a few general comments. Thanks to Mike and torridjoe for the opportunity to add my take on picks this week. Hopefully my picks won't steer you wrong in an always unpredictable week 17. The final week of the regular season is tough because you have to be wary of games that are meaningless for playoff teams. Often stars are rested and FF dreams are shattered with that stud that carried you all season resting and laughing it up on the sidelines. The only team that I would strongly advise avoiding this week is the SF 49ers. Come Monday night, it is very likely that their playoff position will be set and they will have nothing to gain from a victory over the Rams. A Chicago upset over TB will give them an opportunity for the #3 seed, but otherwise they are locked in at #4 heading into the post season. Avoid starting any 49ers if possible. As a final note, the Bears defense is the sleeper of the week playing in the cold weather against Rob "go ahead and sack me" Johnson.

Mike McMahon took over for Harrington a couple of weeks ago and faces the porous Minnesota defense this week at home. The Vike's defense has yielded an average of 253 yards passing and 2 TD passes to opposing quarterbacks while performing relatively well against the run. This game has all the makings of a shootout and could mean a big day for McMahon. The Lions are at home and have some inter-divisional pride to play for and focused largely on the passing game in their last meeting with Minn. McMahon may even be available on waivers this week. If you are stuck without a stud at QB this week, he could be an unlikely hero to finish off your FF season.

McMahon Recap: (19-44, 293 yds, 3 TDs, 3 INTs; 3 rush, 43 yds)
I'll admit, tossing 3 interception and a dismal 43% completion rate doesn't usually get the "grade A" stamp of approval, but the total yardage, 3 TDs and degree of difficulty associated with this pick overwhelms the negatives. It was nice to see the Lions open up the offense and let McMahon take some chances downfield. Too bad the two-point conversion failed at the end of this game, as the entertainment value was high... plus, I wanted to see if Mornhinweg would make the right call had he won the toss in overtime.

Grade: A

Prime Matchup (whoisjgalt)

Matt Hasselbeck at San Diego
Like Walter34, I'd like to say thanks to Mike and Mark for allowing the forums the opportunity to add our take on picks this week. For most of us, fantasy football is now in the offseason. But for a few, there remains a week seventeen fantasy super bowl. I hope to provide you with some insight to guide you to victory.

Hasselbeck has performed well since taking over the Seahawks' offense. While much of that success has come in garbage time, fantasy football scoring doesn't care about that. The completions to Darrell Jackson, Koren Robinson, and Jerramy Stevens are looking easy for Hasselbeck. This is why Holmgren got him from Green Bay. Meanwhile, San Diego's passing defense is 31st in yards allowed.

Hasselbeck Recap:
(36-53, 449 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT; 7 rush, 42 yd, 1 TD)

I think we can all safely agree this was an 'A' pick. After looking like a Grade A Schmuck for the better part of his career, this is the second time in a month that Hasselbeck has put up a 400 yard game with three TDs. A bonus is that this time he actually won the game! I saw this team get humiliated at home by the Redskins--or at least the ticket said it was the Seahawks, because now I'm not so sure it was the same team. Too bad for Seattle that they finally started to get it together only after it was too late, but that's usually the way for a lot of teams. One team it didn't go that way for was the Chargers. For the second year in a row, the second half of the season was Bombsville. Their pass D was their undoing, and Hasselbeck exposed them quite nicely in an effort that was meaningless for the team, but probably handed him the starting job in 2003.

Grade: A

Prime Matchup (Bill Swerski)

Patrick Ramsey vs Dallas
Unlike the other two guys, I don't wish to thank Mike for finally giving me an outlet to dispense my obvious Fantasy Football genius. I demand a full time column next season in which I will prove once and for all that I know more than Bunster and The Soloist combined.

As the season comes to a merciful close for the Cowboys and the illustrious perm of Dave "L'il Bunster" Campo, Steve Spurrier has the opportunity to FINALLY deliver some joy to Redskins nation. With the notable exception of Emmitt Smith, the Cowboys have mailed it in the past two weeks and I don't see a reversal of that trend in the cards. This team has nothing to play for and Spurrier has everything to play for. A ten game losing streak, pride, glory, and redemption of his mediocre debut season are all on the line for Spurrier and his ego. I expect the Redskins to deliver a belated Christmas gift to Dan Scrooge Snyder and take the Cowboys down, Fun 'n Gun style. The Cowboys give up 227 yards per game through the air and I see Ramsey throwing for 270 yards and 2 TD's.

Ramsey Recap: (17-31, 209 yds, 0 TDs, 2 INT; 3 rush, -5 yds)
While Ramsey did reach 200 yards, he also threw 2 INTs and did not find the endzone unless you count his own on Roy Williams Interception return. The game did not play out in favour of big numbers for the rookie qb. Washington was able to run the ball effectively and jumped out to a lead. This enabled the skins to run out the clock for much of the 4th quarter.

Grade: C-

 


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