Can Donovan McNabb overcome the loss of left tackle Trent Williams? Will the Bills take advantage of the Revis-less Jets defense? How will the Saints do without Pierre Thomas or Reggie Bush?
Oct 3, 2010 - With kickoff for the first NFL games of Week 4 approaching here's a quick look around the league as we share some last-minute fantasy football news and advice.
Mr. McNabb, This Is Mr. Turf
The story of the week has been about Donovan McNabb playing his long time employer, the Philadelphia Eagles. Nationally the media has spent a lot of time and effort trying to gauge how much booing or how little cheering Philadelphia fans will direct towards McNabb. Whatever the outcome of the situation rom the Lincoln Finacial Field bound Eagles faithful, the fact remains that McNabb will undoubtedly have more on his mind for today's game. McNabb will be playing behind an already iffy line that now is missing rookie left tackle Trent Williams. With the Eagles pass rush find a high level of success in its second season under Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott, McNabb looks to have a long day of being chased by the likes of Trent Cole, Brandon Graham and Juqua Parker if his line does not step up its game. The loss of Williams is even more important to the success of McNabb and the Redskins considering how poorly the Redskins running game has been so far into the season.
Revis Island Missing Again
Last week Brandon Marshall took advantage of the Jets missing Darrell Revis and scorched the Jets secondary for 10 receptions, 166 yards and 1 touchdown. This week the Jets don't face as threatening a wide receiver but Lee Evans needs to take this opportunity to have a big game. Evans was at one point the Bills number one wide receiver but still has yet to live up to his potential as the 13th overall draft pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. This season both Roscoe Parish and Steve Johnson have far out gained Evans in receiving yards and look to further push Evans down the depth chart. All three of the Bills receivers are not the receiving threat that Marshall is but the Dolphins passing game was unusually efficient versus a typically staunch Jets pass defense, signaling that maybe a Revis-less Jets defense is a susceptible one.
Two Running Backs Down, But Do The Saints Care?
When Reggie Bush went down with a fractured leg, the Saints just gave the ball a little bit more to Pierre Thomas. The Saints have never run the ball as the primary source of their offense but it has always taken some pressure off of the passing game and have given the Saints the ability to use play action. Thomas has been the best option for the Saints when running the ball but even when fully healthy and given his average amount of rushing attempts, Thomas has never been a world crusher. The real loss for the Saints is the threat of Bush and Thomas out of the back field. Drew Brees has always used one or the other as fantastic safety nets and secondary receiving threats from out of the back field. Without either of his trusted running backs, Brees' numbers could take a hit. The Saints offense is already averaging 12 points less a game than it did last season.
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