Kansas City Chiefs @ Miami Dolphins

The early game this Sunday sees the Kansas City Chiefs try to continue their march towards successfully defending their SuperBowl crown. The next stop on that journey is South Beach and a date with the emerging Miami Dolphins. You will be hard pushed to find a team that has improved as much as the Dolphins since the beginning of last season, and they have gone from a team who were widely viewed to be clearly tanking to one of the most promising teams in the NFL under the leadership of Brian Flores. This game should give us a good idea of just how far along in the process the Fins are and the Chiefs can expect a lively encounter.

PP Betting:

Money line: ​​Chiefs​​2/7​​Dolphins​​27/10
Points Spread: ​Chiefs​ ​-7​
Over/Under:​​50.5

It’s strange, I’m looking at these odds and somehow I end up feeling that the Dolphins are being undervalued and overvalued at the same time. The defense definitely has the capability to make it difficult for the Chiefs to tee off on them and the offense has more than enough playmakers to keep them in it. But if one, or both, aren’t quite up to it, we all know how quickly things can get manky ugly against the Chiefs.

If you are feeling brave, the Miami Defense/Special Teams are 30/1 to get the first TD.

Fantasy Football Outlook:

Kansas City Chiefs:
If you aren’t aware of just how explosive and deadly this Chiefs offense is by now, I’d like to welcome you to Planet Earth. They have amassed one of, if not, the most talented group of playmakers the NFL has seen in many a year. As I said for their game last week, every single one of their starters have the capability to tear a team to shreds on any given day. The only potential pitfall here is that the Dolphins have quietly assembled a legit defense which boasts the NFL’s interception leader in 2020, Xavien Howard. The Chiefs didn’t look like their usual merciless selves last week in a narrow win over the Broncos so they will be out to make a statement this week. As per usual, the leading candidates for big fantasy output are Tyreek Hil, Travis Kelce and, of course, Patrick Mahomes.


Miami Dolphins:

Normally my fantasy advice for the Dolphins would start with the Defense. However, that same defense have the unenviable task of trying to slow down the Kansas offensive juggernaught. That’s no easy feat and starting this defense is very high risk this week, but if anyone matches up well with the Chiefs offense, it may be this defense. They don’t give up a lot of splash plays and inside the Red Zone they are down right ruthless. And coincidentally, the Red Zone is where the Chiefs offense has shown signs of frailty lately.

Offensively, the Dolphins are hard to predict. They have been playing it understandably cautious with rookie Tua Tagovailoasince handing him the job from vet Ryan Fitpatrick, and the likes of Mike Gesicki and DeVante Parker have both taken a hit in fantasy value after opening the season in blistering form. But they may not be able to play it as safe this week if they want to keep themselves in this game. This might be the game where they have to loosen the reigns on the former Alabama man especially with the problems they are having at running back. Miles Gaskin, Matt Breida and Salvon Ahmed are all out for this game leaving Patrick Laird and DeAndre Washington to hold the run game down with Elijah McGuire who was only picked up mid-week and elevated off the practise squad yesterday.

My Prediction:

There is no doubt that the Chiefs are at least 1 or 2 levels above the Miami Dolphins as we stand. And my philosophy in any sport is that if the team who is a level above plays even close to their potential, there is pretty much nothing the opposition can do to avoid getting beaten. I hate to predict my own team to lose (although in an strange way, I also hate predicting them to win too) but all logic points to a Chiefs win

Chiefs by 4

The post Miami Dolphins v Kansas City Chiefs – Preview, Fantasy Advice & Prediction appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Los Angeles Rams take their 7-4 record on the road to Glendale, Arizona to take on the Cardinals. Just 3 games separate all 4 teams in this division and every win is vital. Kliff Kingsbury needs to rejuvenate his usually high-powered offense which has stuttered as of late, resulting in the Cards dropping 3 of their last 4 games. That would have been all 4 had it not been for that last gasp Hail Mary against Buffalo. The Rams form has also been patchy and they’re coming off a heartbreaking loss to NFC West rivals San Francisco. So it’s all to play for and this one might just come down to who has the mental toughness to keep themselves alive in the Playoffs race.

Betpat Betting:
Money line: Rams 4/6 Cardinals 6/5
Points Spread: Rams -3
Over/Under: 48.5

Robert Woods is 5/1 for 100 Yds receiving and 1+ TD. Not too shabby. If you want something more adventurous, you can get 22/1 on Darrell Henderson to score a TD in each half!

Fantasy Football Outlook:
Los Angeles Rams:
The Rams strength is usually their defense. They’re 2nd in the league in yards allowed per game and 4th in Points allowed per game. Aaron Donald is a one-man wrecking crew and Jalen Ramsey will tell you he’s the best corner in football. And it’s hard to argue with him.
Offensively, it’s a mixed bag and very hard to predict. I feel this team is littered with “could do’s” and no real “will do’s”. The committee style RB approach leaves no front runner.
On the outside, Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Tyler Higbee can all make plays but you don’t want to be hanging your hat on any of them on any given week. Woods, to his credit, may be the best WR in the league that nobody ever mentions.
Jared Goff sums this offense up in a nutshell. Ranked 17th. Bang slap in the middle of the road. Some days really good, some really bad. You never know what you will get out of them.


Arizona Cardinals:
The Cardinals offense has talent to burn. At this stage, there shouldn’t be anyone who isn’t familiar with Kyler Murray and De’Andre Hopkins. Kenyan Drake looks like he has now fully recovered from the injury problems he was having so this is still a very potent offense. Andy Isabella continues in the absence of Larry Fitzgerald, but he will have to start adding to his 2 TD’s on the season before he could be considered a reliable option. I think Christian Kirk could be the guy to pick up for this game, if you’re lucky enough to be in one of the 17% of leagues he’s still available. With Hopkins going to be shadowed by Ramsey all day, Kirk may get his time to really shine.

My Prediction:
Where do you start in predicting this game. You have the (usually) explosive offense of the Cardinals vs the (usually) miserly LA defense. You have D-Hop vs Ramsey renewing their old rivalry from their AFC South days which, as far as games within a game go, is a mouth-watering prospect. You have the dominant Aaron Donald looking to make life Hell for the lightning rod that is Kyler Murray. Put all that in a bowl, sprinkle in some Kenyan Drake, Cooper Kupp, Christian Kirk, Robert Woods, and we got ourselves a humdinger. This is a toss up for me, and my coin came up Arizona.

Arizona by 3

The post Los Angeles Rams @ Arizona Cardinals – Preview, Fantasy advice & Prediction appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The titans have managed to squeeze themselves in ahead of the Indianapolis Colts at the summit of the AFC South and won’t be in any mood to give up the advantage they worked to hard to fashion out for themselves. Meanwhile, the Browns have been quietly going about their business (remarkable in itself considering the level of outspokenness amongst their roster), and while they are struggling to keep pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the have a 2-game lead over the highly fancied Baltimore Ravens in 2nd and are very much in the thick of the Playoffs race. A win over the Titans in this game would really signal the arrival of the Browns as a team to be taken seriously.

Betpat Betting:
Money line: Browns 9/5 Titans 9/20
Points Spread: Titans -5
Over/Under: 53.5

All fairly standard but Austin Hooper is 13/5 to score a TD at any time. Book it Dano!!


Fantasy Football Outlook:
Cleveland Browns:
Along with the Minnesota Vikings, these are probably 2 of the 3 most Running Back-orientated teams in the NFL. The Browns have a duo of Running Backs that would make any defense nervous, particularly the uber-talented Nick Chubb. Surprisingly, Chubbs return from injury hasn’t had a catastrophic effect on Kareem Hunt’s workload either, although he has blown hot and cold as the season has progressed. He has only lodged 1 TD on the ground since week 4, although he has also added 2 receiving td’s in that time. I expect Chubb to be the workhorse for this game with Hunt seeing a limited opportunity to contribute. 

The Browns have a very pedestrian passing game that needs to add killer instinct. That’s not to say they don’t have solid options, Jarvis Landry has one of the best pair of hands in the NFL, although he hasn’t been able to translate that into red zone production. His TD last week against Jacksonville was his 1st of the 2020 campaign so taper your expectations.
Another guy who scored in that win was Tight End Austin Hooper and if the Browns look to pass the ball anywhere near the goalline, he would be the obvious threat. I’d be known as the stubborn type, and flat out refuse to believe ‘The Hoop’ won’t put a couple of teams to the sword before this season is over. But him and Mayfield need to push it into next gear soon.
Someone interesting to keep an eye on for Dynasty owners is Donovan Peoples-Jones. A lot of people felt he fell way too far in the draft and was one of the steals of the whole thing. So far, he hasn’t lived up to that hype, but a suspect Titans pass defense could be the opportunity he has been waiting for to make an impact.


Tennessee Titans:
The Titans have been regulars on Sky Sports this season so my thoughts on them aren’t much of a secret at this stage. We all know Derrick Henry is an absolute beast, AJ Brown can light anyone up on his day and Ryan Tannehill provides the steady, if unspectacular, glue that holds it all together. An interesting piece of trivia: Corey Davis has only caught 2 Touchdowns in 2020, but both of them have been against AFC North opposition. So, you’re saying there’s a chance?!
The big injury news is that Tight End Jonnu Smith misses out with a knee problem. Bad news for fantasy owners of Smith, who has been a top tier fantasy Tight End this year. How the Titans will replace him is uncertain. Anthony Firkser is the next one on the depth chart. Firkser is another one of the ex-basketball breed of Tight Ends that is all the trend right now but, at 6’2”, he doesn’t have the size you would typically want. MyCole Pruitt and Geoff Swaim are the other 2 options and there could be a pretty even share amongst the 3. If I were to take a gamble on any of these, I’d pick Pruitt.

My Prediction:
Nothing says it’s 2020 more than the Cleveland Browns having an 8-3 record. If they don’t go 9-3, that division is as good as over, if it isn’t already. And I reckon the Steelers can think about popping the first corks in their AFC North Title celebrations because I’m taking Mike Vrabel’s men to get the job done here. It won’t be easy and both offensive lines will be under massive stress to provide clean pockets and clear running lanes. But these Titans are battle hardened at this stage and look to be getting over a mid-season slump of sorts and are back on track.

Tennessee by 6

The post Cleveland Browns @ Tennessee Titans – Preview, Fantasy advice and Prediction appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Preview

This is, of course, the reverse fixture of the game 2 weeks ago between these team in which Indianapolis came away with an impressive 34-17 win in Nashville. With both sides sitting on 7-3 records this is what is known as a ‘6-pointer’ in soccer terms and will be a major factor in determining the winner of this division. The Colts will have the psychological advantage from winning 2 weeks ago and will surely be confident of wrapping up the series sweep but Tennessee will feel they didn’t do themselves justice in that game and be out to prove a point. This one could be fireworks!

Betpat Betting:
Money line: Tennessee 11/8 Indianapolis 6/10
Points Spread: Indianapolis -3
Over/Under: 51.5

I wouldn’t go near 6/10 on Indy especially if I don’t know for definite if Quenton Nelson is playing. If he gets ruled out, expect those odds to change significantly, so I’d take that gamble on Tennessee at 11/8 while I can get them. Even if Nelson does play, they still have a really good shot to win this game.

Fantasy Football Outlook:

Tennessee Titans:
As per usual, the Tennessee game-plan offensively will revolve largely around Derrick Henry. Their formula of establishing Henry’s ultra-physical brand of running and slicing in play-action off it has proven to be very difficult for teams to handle. Expect Henry to deliver his usual high performance, even against an extremely stingy Colts defense.

Ryan Tannehill will be one of those players who will feel his performance needs to improve on the last game if Tennessee are to reverse their fortunes this time out.  He was held to 15/27 for a pedestrian 147 yards and a TD in that game, and while they’re not terrible stats (The Titans have won playoff games with him doing much less) he wasn’t able to make big plays when needed to keep the Titans in real contention to win that game. But Tannehill has more ability than he is generally given credit for so don’t count him out of this one.

Their game breakers in the passing game are WR AJ Brown and Tight End Jonnu Smith. Smith in particular has put his name in the conversation of elite fantasy TE’s this year and is actually still available to be picked up in over 10% of NFL.com fantasy leagues. I find that staggering.

Looking further down their roster, it’s tough to see anyone I would be confident of having a good day against the Colts. They run a lot of 2 Tight End stuff so Anthony Firkser could be one. He has shown he can be a factor, especially in the red zone, so if you are stuck at TE, he could be a shout. But that would be a brave call. And I was a big believer in D’onta Foreman coming out of college. His career hasn’t panned out thus far, but he has enough ability to get the job done. Just don’t expect his carry count to be high while Derrick Henry is healthy.


Indianapolis Colts:
The Colts offense had a really good day against Tennessee the last time and Philip Rivers looked very comfortable in that game. Rivers is listed as questionable for this game but is expected to play. He has been inconsistent throughout his career so it will be interesting to see if he can have another solid outing here.

The Colts run game has been dealt a blow with impressive Rookie RB Jonathan Taylor has being ruled out so the combination of Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins will carry that load. Hines recent form has been quite good, and he gashed the Titans for 115 total yards and 2 TD’s last time out. Expect him to see the field often, but the tough running will be left to Wilkins.

Outside, we may be starting to see the emergence of rookie Michael Pittman as a legit go-to receiver. With Tennessee’s defense being fairly meagre at defending receivers, Pittman and veteran TY Hilton are both solid options at wide receiver. Trey Burton, Mo-Allie Cox and Jack Doyle make up the TE trio but none of these stand out to me as a quality option in this game to be honest.

One thing with noting is the injury report on their offensive line. Centre Ryan Kelly is out and star Guard Quenton Nelson is questionable. Both would be huge losses and could severely affect their offensive output with a strong Titans defensive front waiting in the wings.

My Prediction:

I genuinely think this game could be decided by whether Quenton Nelson plays or not. With Centre Ryan Kelly already out, if Nelson doesn’t play, I can’t see anything other than a Titans victory. If he does, they still have a tough task on their hands but it’s not impossible. Their defense is rock solid and can keep them in the game for as long as needs be. But if they can’t get any rhythm on offense, and with DT DeForest Bucker missing for the Colts, Derrick Henry will take this game over without needing to be asked twice. It’s a much closer game if the Colts offense can mount a threat but Tennessee are my favourites for this game.

Tennessee by 4 (much more if Q is out)

The post Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts – Preview, Fantasy Advice & Prediction appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

It has been well documented just how bad this division has been. The 4 teams have all gotten 3 wins, with The Eagles tie with Cincinnati being the only thing separating the entire division. So, somehow, 2 3-7 teams are playing to go to top spot in the division before the weekend’s slate of games. 

Betpat Betting:
Money line: Washington 5/4 Dallas 13/20
Points Spread: Dallas -2.5
Over/Under: 46

I’m not surprised to see the Cowboys listed as favourites given the amount of quality in the team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. As good as the Washington defense has been, I would have to favour the overs at 46 points. There are just too many playmakers offensively on the field for me to be comfortable with backing less than 50 points.

Fantasy Football Outlook:

Washington Football Team:
The Football Teams’ offense sees one of the feel-good stories of the season, the returning Alex Smith, at Quarterback. Unfortunately, he is unlikely to have much effect at the top of the fantasy landscape, but his steady presence is, at least, good news for owners of receiver Terry McLaurin. 

Rookie Antonio Gibson leads the stable of Running Backs while JD McKissic provided the change of pace option. Gibson has had an excellent rookie season so far, especially the last 4 games where he has averaged nearly 17 points. McKissic is the pass catching back out of the group and while he won’t score big points on a regular basis, he’s capable of big days.

Their receiving options revolve around the afore mentioned ‘Scary’ Terry McLaurin, although he is listed as questionable with an ankle problem and, even if he plays, his production may suffer. Isaiah Wright and Cam Sims are the supporting cast along with former QB now playing Tight End Logan Thomas. None are household names and the only legit reason for playing either of them is the dire quality of the Cowboys secondary. Worth noting Thomas racked up 60 yards and a TD in the week 7 game between these 2.

Washington have a surprisingly good defense for a 3-7 team and only conceded 3 points against the Cowboys last time out, although Dallas finished that game with Ben DiNucci at QB.


Dallas Cowboys:
The Red Rifle had an impressive return last week after missing 2 games out due to the injury he suffered at the hands of the Football Team, throwing 3 TD’s in the win at Minnesota.

A big factor in that win was the performance of RB Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott has been underperforming since getting the big contract the Cowboys handed him in the 2019 off-season and the Cowboys have struggled to separate themselves from the rest of a brutal division as a result. We all know what he is capable of if he is on song and they feed him the ball.

Much like the Alex Smith effect, the Cowboys receiver corps gets a massive boost from Andy Dalton returning. They’ll need him too as the Washington defense is statistically the best in the league against WR’s in fantasy.

My Prediction:
How can anyone predict what will happen in this train-wreck of a division at this stage. On one hand, Andy Dalton’s return gives Dallas a shot and if they can get Elliott rolling again, you’d have to put them as favourites. On the other hand, Washington’s defense are really good and Ron Rivera is beginning to stamp his mark on the team. If Alex Smith can manage the game effectively, which he has made his career doing, this is a big ask for Dallas. I’m leaning towards the team with the better defense, but this is anyone’s game.

Washington by 1

The post Washington @ Dallas Cowboys 9:30pm – Fantasy, Betting and Prediction appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Houston Texans @ Detroit Lions

The festivities begin at 5:30 with Houston Texans heading North to take on the Detroit Lions. Since going a respectable 3-3 to open the season, the Lions have lost 3 of their last 4 and suffered the ignominy of a shut out last week at the Carolina Panthers. By contrast, the Texans have won 2 of their last 3 after an ugly 1-6 opening which included the removal of GM and Head Coach Bill O’Brien. Romeo Crennel took over on an interim basis, making him the oldest HC in the league, and will be eager to earn himself the job full time. To do that, the will have to beat fellow ex-New England Defensive Co-ordinator Matt Patricia and mount even more pressure on the 3rd year Detroit Head Coach.

Betpat Betting:
Money line: Texans 8/15 Lions 6/4
Points Spread: Texans  -3
Over/Under: 51.5

I reckon the Texans being odds on and 3 point favourites is generous, especially if the Lions have Swift in the line-up. While Golladay is a big loss, Stafford can still win this game with Jones and Hall. TJ Hockenson is good value for 1st TD at 10/1.

Fantasy Football Outlook:

Houston Texans:
Luckily for Houston, their offense is led by QB Deshaun Watson which provides the receiving corps a good chance to make plays. His recent form has improved and had his 2nd best fantasy performance of the season last week against New England.

Of course, that group of receivers no longer includes DeAndre Hopkins, but Will Fuller has done a respectable job of stepping into his spot. Kenny Stills misses out with injury so Fuller is joined by Brandin Cooks and Keke Coutee. The Lions secondary have been far from impressive, so Houston’s receivers have potential for big days.

One of the biggest disappointments this season for the Texans is the lack of a run game. The combination of David and Duke Johnson have only 5 total TD’s between them, and 4 of those were by David who is in a position he has found himself in all too often in his career, IR. I’ve always been a believer that Duke Johnson has enough talent to be a good NFL RB but it’s clear Houston have been unable to get the best out of him.

Jordan Akins and Darren Fells have been battling it out for the no.1 Tight End spot in the Texans ranks and it’s still hard to know which one, if either, can provide a decent fantasy option.


Detroit Lions:
As per usual, ex Georgia Bulldog, Matthew Stafford is under Center for the Lions. He has generally been a really good fantasy qb throughout his career, but this hasn’t exactly been a vintage year for Stafford. And last week’s game at Carolina marked the first time this season he failed to register over 200 passing yards or a TD. Stafford is not one you should write off too easily though.

Stafford will be without the services of his primary weapon Kenny Golladay and veteran slot receiver Danny Amendola. So, the 2 Marvin’s, Jones and Hall have to carry the threat in the air alongside 2nd year Tight End TJ Hockenson. Hockenson was a 1st round pick last year and definitely has everything a Tight End needs to succeed. His production has been OK this year and if he can start adding more TD’s he has high end TE potential.  

Rookie RB is in a race against time to get cleared for this game as he is still currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol. He has shown himself to be a good fantasy RB so far this year and if he plays, he is worth starting if you have him in your squad. Should he be out, expect Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson to split carries. If you’re stuck for a Running Back, you can check in before kick-off to see if Swift is playing. If he isn’t, I’d highly consider picking up Peterson.

My Prediction:

At full strength, I’d expect the Lions to win this one with reasonable comfort but the absences of Golladay and Amendola, and the questions surrounding D’Andre Swift, make this much closer than it should be. However I’m sticking with the Lions to squeeze out a Thanksgiving win. 

Lions by 4.

The post Houston Texans @ Detroit Lions 5:30pm – Fantasy, Betting and Prediction appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

A Colts loss would open the door for Tennessee to regain control of the division should they beat Baltimore with the 2 going head to head next week. The Packers come into the game with 2 wins more than the Chicago Bears at the top of the NFC North despite having played a game less. A win here leaves them 3 full games clear which would seem an insurmountable gap given how both teams have been playing. So, this game has the lot, motivation for both sides to win, both have plenty of talent but also weakness there to be got at. This is a very intriguing match-up.

Betpat Betting:
Money line: Packers 11/10 Colts 3/4
Points Spread: Colts  -1.5
Over/Under: 51.5

I reckon this is a swing for the fences type game if you’re looking to put money on it. TY Hilton to score a TD in each half is 35/1. I know he hasn’t had a good season so far, but we know he has the talent. And Aaron Jones is 40/1 to score the 1st and last TD.

Fantasy Football Outlook:
Green Bay Packers:
Packers offense has been on fire this season and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who is at the heart of that. Aaron Rodgers is one of the greatest to ever strap on a pair of pads and when he is playing with a chip on his shoulder like he has been this season, he usually leads a path of destruction in his wake. But this Colts defense have given up the least amount of fantasy points to Quarterbacks in the league so it’s a clash of the unstoppable force and the immovable object. It would be a big call to not start Rodgers in ant game though.

Rodgers isn’t alone in driving the Packers forward either. Aaron Jones provides the Packers with a very solid run game and the Packers will need him performing at a high level to keep this Colts defense honest.

The holy trinity is rounded out by Devante Adams at WR, legitimately one of the leagues’ elite. Backing them up are Receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Tight End Robert Tonyan. While neither name would strike fear into too many defences by themselves, Rodgers ability to turn players of seemingly modest ability into serious receiving threats makes them viable fantasy options.

The big worry for GB is their defense though who are there to be got at. Stopping the run game has consistently been their Achilles’ heel and given the Colts solid list of Running Backs to choose from, I don’t recommend using the Packers D.   


Indianapolis Colts:
The Colts offense is led by veteran Philip Rivers who has been having an up and down type season. He may have to be content with letting the run game carry the heavier load in this game as the Packers are much better defending the passing game than a ground attack.

Indy are another team with a stable of decent Running Backs and which one provides the bulk of the production on any given day is tough to predict. Rookie Jonathan Taylor is the most talented of the three,  but Hines and Wilkins get their share of carries too and a lot depends on who shows the hot hand early.

At receiver, the Colts have generally struggled to make any impact on the fantasy landscape but there is hope. Rookie Michael Pittman had been frustrated with injury and limited opportunity up until last week, but he finally got to give everyone a glimpse of the potential he has against the Titans. If he can establish himself as a good accomplice for TY Hilton, they could be a very dangerous partnership.

As mentioned already, the Colts defense is outstanding, although they do have a big test on their hands against Rodgers and co. But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed that they can be stifled. The slight worry is that they don’t have the pass rush ability to really make Rodgers uncomfortable and if they have to bring extra bodies to apply that pressure, Rodgers is very adept at taking advantage. So that battle will be very interesting to watch.

My Prediction:
I have no idea where to start. There are so many questions to be answered to decide this game. On one hand, I usually favour the teams with the solid defense. On the other hand, the Packers have been overcoming the lack of a defense for donkey’s years. And I just feel that if the Colts afford to fall behind at any stage, they’ll struggle to claw their way back. I’m taking the Packers by 6 but with zero conviction in that prediction

Packers by 6.

The post Green Bay Packers @ Indianapolis Colts – Betting, Predication and Fantasy Advice appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Ravens were most people’s favourites to win the AFC North and be well in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy. But they find themselves at 6-3, neck and neck with the Cleveland Browns in the race for 2nd in the division. The Titans themselves are tied with the Indianapolis Colts, also at 6-3 but that tussle is for outright winners in the South. Both sides have a lot on the line here and will need to improve on their recent form to claim that all important ‘W’.


Betpat Betting:
Money line: Titans 2/1 Ravens 2/5
Points Spread: Ravens -6.5
Over/Under: 50.5

My gut says these odds either have Baltimore highly overrated or Tennessee highly underrated in this one. I don’t see where a 6.5 point spread in favour of the Ravens comes from in all honesty.

Fantasy Football:
Titans:
The Titans offensive arsenal boasts the like of the rejuvenated Ryan Tannehill at QB, the electric AJ Brown at receiver, Jonnu Smith at Tight End and of course ‘King’ Derrick Henry at RB. The only issue is they are right in the middle of a 5-game run where they face a killers’ row of defences. In the last 2 weeks they went up against the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts. And after this game they face the Colts again and the Cleveland Browns. But this may be the toughest of the lot, and even the toughest in the entire league.

Tannehill has been a steady hand at QB since he took the mantle from Marcus Mariota last season and is usually a solid fantasy option. But his production did take a bit of a dip against the Bears and Colts which is not a good sign for a guy whose ability to carry the heavy load is regularly called into question. He seems to have tightened up his turnover count which raises his floor for fantasy.

The previously mentioned combination of Receiver AJ Brown and Tight End Jonnu Smith are his biggest weapons in the passing game. Given the quality of the Ravens corners, Brown is a bit of a risk, but I expect Smith to play a big part. With some issues on the offensive line, expect a lot of 2 Tight End sets so if you are stuck for a Tight End off waivers this week, you could do worse than Anthony Firkser.

As always, the run game is the Derrick Henry show and, barring injury, that won’t change. The Ravens bring a nasty front 7, although both Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams look set to miss out. If anyone can take advantage of those 2 hammer blows, it’s Derrick Henry. 

Ravens:
For Baltimore, Lamar Jackson entered the season expected to be in the race to be the top fantasy QB in the NFL. He hasn’t quite lived up to that, as teams have been more successful at containing him in the pocket and forcing him to win with his arm this year. One of the first examples of how to shut down the Ravens read option game was provided by the Titans themselves in last years’ playoffs and Mike Vrabel will have his defense set up for a repeat performance

The ripple effect of Jacksons’ struggles has also seen Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews failing to live up to the high standards expected from them. While Andrews sits at 4th in TE fantasy rankings, 2 huge days vs Cleveland and Washington paper over the cracks of a largely mediocre season so far.

The Ravens RB corps is another one that favours more of a committee approach which hurts the fantasy stock of each of their backs. It’s very rare to see any of the 3 get over 15 carries in a game so while Dobbins, Ingram and Edwards have plenty of talent, there is a low ceiling on all of them in terms of fantasy production.

The most reliable fantasy asset Baltimore have is their defense. The presumed absence of both Campbell and Williams on that defensive line is a big blow though especially when Derrick henry is the one in line to test out what’s left. Big test on their hands but they won’t be in any mood to be ran over.


My Prediction:
Very even game here. I think the most important battle of the day is Baltimore trying to shut down Henry without having to overcommit. The Titans are as good as anyone in the league at utilising play action and I think they can keep the very aggressive Ravens defense off balance and pull off a narrow win 

Titans by 4

The post Tennessee Titans @ Baltimore Ravens – Fantasy, Betting & Prediction appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to rebound from the humiliating loss to the Saints last week against another in division rival in the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are on a 4-game losing streak but that isn’t a fair reflection on how they’ve been playing recently, and they won’t be in any mood to give the Buccs an easy win. Can Tampa get themselves back on track or will their playoff hopes suffer another set-back at the hands of Matt Rhule’s side?

PP Betting:
Money line: Buccaneers 2/5 Panthers 2/1
Points Spread: Buccaneers -5.5
Over/Under: 49.5

I don’t see this as a 5 point game to be honest. The Panthers have been playing better than their record has shown and I don’t think big wins are too far away. This could be the start. 2/1 is a really good return for them in my opinion, even with C-Mc out.

Fantasy Football:
Buccaneers:
Tom Brady is the 8th ranked Fantasy QB averaging over 20 points per game. However, before last week, when he finished with minus points, his lowest scoring game on the season was in week 2 versus, you guessed it, the Carolina Panthers.

One of the stand out stats in that loss last week was the number of times Tampa Bay ran the ball. 4 times. In the whole game. For a total of 9 yards. They will have to have a much more balanced game plan this week to avoid a 2nd straight beating. But don’t expect either Ronald Jones or Leonard Fournette to rack up a big carry count. I would consider both risky but if in need of an RB2 both are capable of making plays.

The weapons Tom Brady has at his disposal on the outside have been well documented. Evans and Godwin may be the best WR tandem in the NFL and Scotty Miller has earned the trust of the former Patriots leader. Of course, his old sidekick from Foxboro Rob Gronkowski has joined him in Florida. And if that wasn’t enough, the enigmatic, but highly talented, Antonio Brown is now part of the mix too. Evans most likely to pick up points for owners but any one of these guys are a threat if given the opportunity. Gronkowski in particular has seen an upward trend in output, putting up double figures in 3 consecutive weeks before the Saints game.

Despite the defense being taken apart by Drew Brees and the Saints offense, the Tampa Bay defense still ranks in the top 5 in the league in fantasy. They hauled in 30 points in week 2 against Carolina, their 3rd best performance of the season and will likely come into this game having a point to prove.

Panthers:
Carolina recruited Teddy Bridgewater to take over at QB in the off-season and he has been a fairly reliable hand under center. Unfortunately, one of the teams he wasn’t at his best against was the Buccaneers, who and recorded 5 sacks and 2 interceptions in the game earlier in the season. With a few more weeks getting to know Matt Rhule’s offense, don’t expect a similar stat line but Bridgewater faces a tough task to get much out of one of the NFL’s better defences. 

The big news this week for Carolina is that star Running Back Christian McCaffrey’s much anticipated return from injury only lasted a week as he is again side-lined. Like last time, Mike Davis will step into his role, which he did to a very respectable level thus far. Tampa come armed with a nasty defensive front and he has his work cut out for him this week.

Like Tampa Bay, the Panthers have an excellent receiving corps, led by DJ Moore. While he has only 1 100-yard game this year, it was in the week 2 clash between these teams. He is joined by Curtis Samuel and Robbie Anderson leaving Carolina with 3 of the top 30 fantasy receivers.


My Prediction:
I don’t expect Tampa Bay to be anywhere near as bad as they were in the New Orleans game. On the road against a rival in the division again isn’t ideal when you are looking for redemption and, no doubt, Carolina will come at them all guns blazing. I think this could be an excellent game and could come down to the wire. I’m edging it to the home side. 

Panthers by 3

The post NFL Week 10 Buccaneers @ Panthers Preview, Fantasy and Betting appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

BetPat Betting:

Money line: Browns 9/5 Cowboys 9/20
Points Spread: Cowboys -4.5
Over/Under: 56.5

Nothing sticks out to me in the betting. CeeDee Lamb for first TD scorer at 11/1 is probably the best value I have seen in for this game and even that’s not great.

Fantasy Football:

QB’s
Expect Dak to have another strong outing. His protection might get more solid this week too with Tyron Smith in contention come back and with the prospect of facing Myles Garrett, that would be a welcome return. The receiver corps has a clean bill of health so no reason Dak can’t continue his excellent fantasy form.
Hard to know how to call it with Baker Mayfield though. On one hand his fantasy output hasn’t been great but on the other hand that Cowboys defense is there to be thrown on. And with weapons like Landry, OBJ and Hooper at his disposal, don’t count him out from being a top 10 fantasy QB this week.

RB’s
2 of the top RB’s in the league in this one. But both are up against good defensive lines. The small worry for Zeke is that if Cleveland start quickly and open up a lead, Dallas have a tendency to abandon the run game too quickly. I think Chubb will get a healthy workload either way, so I’d slightly favour him here, but you’re fairly solid if you have either.  

WR’s
This game also sees 2 of the stronger receiving corps in the league go at it. The biggest difficulty is narrowing down where the volume of targets will go. Dallas have the 3 headed monster in Cooper, Lamb and Gallup all vying for a piece of the pie. And Cleveland’s receivers could be held back by a run centric game plan and erratic QB play.

TE’s
Neither tight End has produced much so far this season, but Austin Hooper has much higher potential, especially short term. If you are really stuck for a TE this week, he’s worth taking a chance on.

My Prediction:

As I said last week, the pattern with the Cowboys is that they walk all over the weak teams but don’t hold up against the stronger ones. A big question in this game is whether Cleveland are ready to show they’re a good team or are they still in that ‘wannabe’ phase? I was one of those who bought in to what they were doing before the season started and while I’m not ready to completely give up on them yet, they haven’t quite shown enough for me to pick them over the Cowboys

Cowboys by 5

The post NFL Cleveland Browns @ Dallas Cowboys – Preview, Predictions, and Fantasy Advice appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.