Deep Big Blue Thoughts Week 8

Not a bad fantasy week last week and I went 4-2 with my picks against the spread…but before we get to the fun stuff, lets talk Big Blue business.

So because I am a crazy person, before the Giants play their games,  instead of watching the pregame show on TV, I like to listen to the Giants pregame show on WFAN radio.  It’s more Giants focused than the national shows are and I want as much information about our boys in blue as I can get before kick-off.  I heard something before the Vikings game on Monday night that made me the Big Blue wheels in my head start to spin.

Johnathan Hankins is a healthy scratch and will be inactive…

Now that may not seem as a life or death roster decision, but in the coming weeks this type of decisions can cost us in the long run.

How James?

Here’s how.  Let’s say the Giants lose against the Eagles on Sunday, I believe Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin have some decisions to make in reference to the roster and who should be playing on Sundays.  At 1-7 the Giants would need to take the bye week and seriously consider looking at the players who are going to be here for a lot longer than just the rest of this season.

At 1-7 you could pretty much write off any chance of the play-offs, hell even at 2-6 it’s far fetched.  Until there is a winning streak to discuss, lets take the worst case scenario.  Let’s say we are out of it.  It is better that the Giants are playing Mike Patterson and Shaun Rogers as opposed to Johnathan Hankins?

I think the Giants have to look at the younger players on this roster to know what they have and what they need going into next season.

If the Giants aren’t going to be players in the NFC LEast come November and December it makes perfect sense for the Jerry Reese to tell Tom Coughlin it’s time to play the New Kids in the Big Blue Hall.  Here are the players I look for the Giants to get some valuable playing time to in the 2nd half of the season, assuming of course they are healthy.

1. Johnathan Hankins – DT —   The rookie 2nd round pick was active a couple a weeks ago against the Eagles and performed very well.  5 tackles with one of them being for a loss in limited playing.  He seemed to be in the backfield getting penetration all day long.  Hankins has looked promising in limited time and has a lot more potential with the Giants long term then say Shaun Rogers, Mike Patterson and Cullen Jenkins.  Seeing if he has the ability to step into a starting role next season is a must.

 2. Adrien Robinson TE —  The promising 2nd year TE has been slowed by injuries this season.  It’s time for him to get healthy fast.  The Brandon Myers experiment has not been a success at all through 7 games and this is a position that has been key for Eli in the past.  It would be nice to know before next year what we have in the 6’4 264 lb freak who runs a 4.4 40-yard dash.  If Robinson can get healthy and show some flashes in the 2nd half of the year, we may not have to draft another TE or spend big on a free agent next season.

 3. Damontre Moore – DE — I love Justin Tuck and Kiwi as much as the next guy, but the athletic ability Moore has shines through whenever he steps on the field.  He has shown the ability to be a play maker on special teams and in his limited time at defensive end.  He has been slowed by a shoulder injury this season so far, but he’s been active a couple a weeks in a row now.  The Giants need to know if they found Tucks replacement next season in the 3rd round pick with 1st round talent, and making the tough decision to limit Tick and Kiwi for Da”Monster” might be a necessary evil.

4. Cooper Taylor – S — Trumaine McBride – CB — Jayron Hosley – CB — I’m going to throw all three of these guys in together.  The Giants need help in the secondary after this season and these 3 players are going to provide some answers to how Jerry Reese adds to this roster next year.  With Stevie Brown coming back and Corey Webster and Aaron Ross sure to be gone, this secondary is due for a make over.  At the corner position there is something about Trumaine McBride that I like, he seems like he isn’t intimidated on the field and has a fighters mentality.  Same for Hosley, the undersized yet feisty 2nd year corner from Virginia Tech shows flashes when he plays and looks like he can be a viable option for the slot corner role if he can stay on the field.  Cooper Taylor is another young guy who can not stay on the field.  The gifted 6’4 228 lb Safety who runs a 4.4 forty needs to show us something down the stretch this year.  The 23 year old started his college career at Georgia Tech before transferring and graduating from Richmond, so he has the smarts to pick up the playbook, and once healthy should contribute.  The opportunity for all three of these players are there to be taken advantage of. The Giants have to get them on the field and keep them there so we can get a enough of a look to see if we can  feel comfortable with them going in to next year.

5. Ryan Nassib – QB —  ***I AM NOT SAYING ELI SHOULD BE BENCHED AT ALL***  Far from it. I am saying this and only this.  The Giants have a lot of wholes to fill going into next season and QB is the one position they know they do not have to worry about.  If the Giants are losing big in any game during the 2nd half of the year, or God forbid, if the Giants are up big for once, the Giants should get Nassib in the game.  If Nassib can put some good things on tape against a 1st team defense in the regular season, even if it is garbage time, it might be enough for some team to offer you something in return for Nassib next season.  I don’t think this will happen at all, but it is food for thought.  Look at the trades around the leagues for quarterbacks over the last couple of seasons.  Teams have traded for Kevin Kolb, Matt Flynn and even Tim Tebow, if the Giants can get Nassib up to speed and get him on the field in good or bad mop up duty maybe some team takes the bait.  It never hurts to listen because when you are rebuilding, draft picks are gold.

FANTASY PLAYS FOR WEEK 8 – DIG IT –

QB – RGKNEE – Redskins — He has piled up 161 yards rushing on 20 rushing attempts over the last 2 weeks after averaging 18 yards on 4.5 attempts per game over the first 4.  That plus the Washington defense can not stop anyone.  With RGKnee constantly playing from behind he should rack up enough passing yards to make him a killer option to use this week with a shootout looming in Denver.

 RB – Le’veon Bell – Steelers — The kid runs hard and downhill.  If you take the fact the Steelers have no one else to run the ball and couple that with the match up against the Raiders and Bell becomes attractive option this week.   Gotta figure he runs for at least 80 yards and a score this week.

 RB—Knowshon Moreno – Broncos – Moreno continues to shine this season pounding ou yardage and consistently finding the end zone this year.  Ronnie Hillman is on the verge of becoming a non-factor due to his fumbling woes, and Montee Ball has done nothing to make himself stand out to the Broncos coaching staff.  The fruits of this juicy matchup against the Redskins are all Morenos.

 WR – Terrence Williams – Cowboys – He is coming off a monster game of 151 yards receiving and a TD.  All the talk this week has been about Dez vs. Megatron, but with the scoreboard sure to be lit up in Detroit, the rookie big play threat from Baylor should get targeted plenty.  This is total bullshit because I am playing him this weekend.  DAMN YOU DEAR BROTHER FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS WAIVER WIRE PICK UP!!!

 WR – ALL SAINTS WRs – Saints – Buffalo is giving up the 2^nd most fantasy points to opposing wide-outs.  If you have Colston, Kenny Stills or even if you can pick up Lance Moore who is available in a lot of leagues, with a lot of fantasy owners in bye week hell you can do a lot worse than these 3.  Oh, and Jimmy Graham is a game time decision and Drew Brees is averaging 370 yards thru the air at home this year.

 TE – Jordan Reed – Redskins – His targets and production keep going up.  Reed is now locked into the old Shannon Sharpe role in the Shanahan offense. He will be the 2^nd option in the passing game behind Pierre Garcon the rest of the way.  Denver gives up a ton of points to opposing fantasy TE’s….just saying.

PICKS OF THE WEEK – Redeemed myself following my worst week of picks in WK 6, going 4-2 in week 7. Let’s see if I can stay hot….

“Who are the five greatest rappers of all time? Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan and Dylan…CAUSE I SPIT HOT FIRE!”  Chappelle’s Show

RECORD FOR THE SEASON – 17-15-2 – Going with the less is more theme again this week.  Didn’t like a lot of the spreads and if you don’t like it you don’t bet it.

LIONS -3 over the Cowboys — Okay, this is the game I love this week.  No logic or trends to support my madness. Lions are physical in the trenches and I think they will beat up the Cowboys during the course of 4 quarters.  Cowboys D should have fits with Bush more then Megatron as the Cowboys give up the 2^nd most receiving yards to opposing running backs.

 Lions 34 Cowboys 23

 SAINTS -10.5 over the Bills – Saints area a juggernaut at home and are coming off a loss and a bye week.  Expect the Saints to move the ball at will through the air and for Rob Ryan’s defense to give fits to a Thad Lewis and the Bills offense.

Saints 38 Bills 13

 UPSET OF THE WEEK:

REDSKINS +14 over the Broncos — I do not think the Redskins win this game at all. However, when you take into account the improved play from RGKnee, the emergence of Jordan Reed, the Broncos defense and what should be an emotional return home for Mike Shanahan. I’m going take the 14 points and figure this one comes down who has the ball last.

Broncos 45 Redskins 38

GIANTS @ EAGLES — (not picking against the spread)

As for our Giants, I have no clue what to expect this Sunday.  What I am hoping is that we see some old school Giants pride this weekend in Philly.  I know one thing, if the GMen fall to 1-7 and 0-3 in the division we may not want them to come back from the bye week.

Cruz goes off for 150+ and 2 TDs…

 GIANTS 24 Eagles 23

 Enjoy the weekend and the games…and as always keep BLEEDING BIG BLUE.