As the weather starts to turn more dreary outside and the temperatures begin to drop further and further, the attitudes of people can turn south with the elements.
Psychologists call this increase in depression when there is a lack of sunshine “seasonal depression.” I have to admit, I usually have my own form of seasonal depression about this time every year, but it has nothing to do with the lack of sunshine.
I develop this condition when I look at the football schedules and realize that the season is half over. Half over? Didn’t football just start? Am I really that close to losing the joy of pigskins flying on my television? It’s enough to make me pull the covers back over my head in the morning and keep me in bed all day.
If you suffer from this type of seasonal depression as well, fear not, because I can help guide you through it. There is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s called NFL games on Thursday nights.
Yep, if you can just make it through this week then you are rewarded with an increase in sunshine in the form of another day in which to watch the NFL. It’s almost as if the powers-that-be felt the pain of its fans and devised a way to help pull us out of our funk when we realize we are heading into the final lap of the season.
From a fantasy football standpoint, Thursday night games can create an extra burden of getting line-ups set early and having to roll the dice with some players fighting through injuries. But, let’s face it, it also helps get us geared up earlier in the week for these ultra-important contests which will decide fantasy football playoff races.
So, if you’re a fantasy football player and you’ve been contemplating going to see a doctor about seasonal depression, give yourself an extra week and see if a dose of an extra night of NFL football doesn’t shake you out of the funk.
Here are my picks for the week:
Kournikovas: Matt Schaub, QB, Houston; Marion Barber, RB, Dallas; Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh.
Schaub has been outstanding so far this year and is on pace to throw for 32 touchdowns and more than 4,500 yards. He is going to run into trouble this week, though, going against a Indianapolis defense which has allowed only three passing touchdowns all season.
Barber is a personal favorite of mine. I love his warrior-like running, but with Dallas’ passing game coming around and the Cowboys facing a Philadelphia defense which has allowed only four rushing touchdowns this season, Barber isn’t a good play this week.
Ward could be in for some tough sledding as well this week. While I always love having players going on Monday nights, you might want to think twice about starting Ward against Denver as the Broncos have given up just four touchdowns in the air this season.
Longley of the Week: Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City.
Only once in his career has Charles gotten more than 10 carries in a game. That came in week nine last season when he went for 106 yards on 18 carries. Week nine looks to be good for Charles again this year as he takes over for Larry Johnson against Jacksonville, which ranks 25th in the NFL against the run.
Bus Brigade: Carson Palmer, QB, Cincinnati; Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants; DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia.
There was a time not long ago that you would have never expected a big day out of your quarterback if he was playing against Baltimore. But, Palmer has been outstanding this season and the Ravens are allowing more than 300 passing yards a game on the road this year.
To put it mildly, Jacobs is due for a breakout game. Given the struggles Eli Manning is having right now, look for him to have that breakout game against the Chargers this week.
At 5-10, 175-pounds, Jackson is smaller than a lot of high school receivers, but nobody has been making more big plays this season than him. With four touchdown catches of more than 50 yards this season, Jackson is poised to have a huge game against a Dallas secondary which ranks 22nd against the pass.
Best Husker Available: Correll Buckhalter, RB, Denver.
How can you not root for a guy like Buckhalter? He might not have a huge day against Pittsburgh, but he is on pace to have the best season of his career.
The Fantasy Geek is a native Fremonter and freelance writer in Omaha.
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