Week 14 Waiver Wire
Fantasy playoff time! The Waiver Wire becomes especially important this week – there is a need to replace some injured stats and there is a need to bolster your lineups for the most important time of the year.
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Week 13 Studs and Duds
Week 13 Studs and Duds
Each week, the CappersPicks.com fantasy football guru Dave B brings you players you need to be paying attention to – Remember – fantasy football championships are often won by those who live eat and breath fantasy football.
After all of the weekly games are finished be sure to check our waiver wire column, cheatsheets, a who’s hot, and who’s not report plus more in our fantasy football guide.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Tigers vs Hurricanes
Memphis had a disappointing regular season last year, but they finished strong and nearly knocked off Arizona in the NCAA Tournament.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Patriots vs Cavaliers
Virginia and George Mason are both off to a nice start this year. The Patriots are now under the leadership of Paul Hewitt.
Huskies (4-2) vs #11 Golden Eagles (7-0)
The Washington Huskies are expected to compete for supremacy in the PAC 12 but they haven’t shown us much yet. They lost some significant contributors from last year, especially in the backcourt, but coach Lorenzo Romar has developed an underappreciated program in the Pacific Northwest.
#10 Tigers (7-0) vs Wildcats (5-2)
The Missouri Tigers are off to a hot start and haven’t been beat yet. In fact, they haven’t even been challenged, with each victory by at least 15 points. This team may have a new coach but they are still one of the most aggressive and athletic teams out there.
MNF – Chargers vs. Jaguars Week 13 Gambling Preview
The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. If you don’t believe that, then just ask Norv Turner and the San Diego Chargers.
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Rams vs. 49ers Week 13 NFL Betting Preview
NFL Week 13 – Rams vs 49ers
The Have-Nots of the NFC West take on the Haves of the NFC West in San Francisco this Sunday in what is the mismatch of the weekend.
NFL Week 13 – Panthers vs Buccaneers
An intriguing AFC South battle comes our way on Sunday – intriguing not because the two teams are grappling for top spot but intriguing because both teams are far from where most thought they would be at this point of the season.
SNF – Steelers vs Chiefs Week 12 Gambling Preview
The Detroit Lions have lost four of their last six and are at risk of falling back of the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Wild Card race.
NCAA Basketball Betting – Panthers vs Volunteers
No. 17 Pittsburgh Panthers improved to 6-1 on the season with their win over Duquesne, while the Tennessee Volunteers continue to struggle, and followed up their Chaminade win with a loss on Monday to the Golden Grizzlies, 89-81.
Fresno State Bulldogs (4-8, 3-4 WAC) vs. San Diego State Aztecs (7-4, 4-3 WAC)
NFL legend Marshall Faulk’s alma mater, San Diego State, gets a punch-drunk Fresno State team at home to close out its 2011 regular season in the Western Athletic Conference.
Denver Broncos vs Minnesota Vikings Betting Preview
Fueled by another second-half comeback from Tim Tebow, the Denver Broncos find themselves right back into the thick of the hunt in the AFC West, and will set their sights on winning their fifth straight when they hit the road to take on the Minnesota Vikings who continue to struggle to find wins this season.
Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) NFL Betting Preview
Everyone expected the Steelers to be right in the thick of the AFC playoff race, but no one expected the Bengals to be there. Cincinnati just continues to defy the odds and stay in the race.
Pittsburgh won a hard fought contest in Cincinnati a couple weeks ago. Can Cincinnati pick up a huge win on the road, or will the Steelers hold serve at home?
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Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3)
Time/Date: 1:00 PM EST, December 4, 2011
Venue: Heinz Field
Broadcast: CBS
Bengals vs. Steelers Gambling Odds from Bookmaker
Spread: Steelers -6.5
Moneyline: Steelers (-275) Bengals (+235)
Over/Under: 42.5
Andy Dalton deserves some serious consideration for rookie of the year this year. Dalton come into a very difficult situation and he has performed as well as anyone could have possibly expected and more. Dalton has already thrown for 2,509 yards and 16 touchdowns this season.
A.J. Green is his top target on the outside, and Jermaine Gresham has become a favorite target over the middle. Green still isn’t 100% from a recent knee injury, but he is expected to play Sunday. The Bengals offense is at its best when Cedric Benson is running the ball well. Cincinnati averages 23.5 points per game.
The Bengals defense is the primary reason this team sits at 7-4 right now. Through the first few games of the season, the Bengals were the top ranked defense in the NFL. The defense has taken a hit due to major injuries over the last few weeks. Leon Hall, the team’s best cover corner, is out for the season.
Keith Rivers, a starting outside linebacker, is now also out for the season. The pass rush must get after Big Ben this week to take some pressure off the inexperienced secondary. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Ben Roethlisberger isn’t having his best season statistically, but he has been getting the job done for this Steelers offense.
Mike Wallace has emerged as one of the top deep threats in the league. Wallace averages 17.1 yards per reception so far this season. The offensive line started the season out very poorly, but they have improved over the last few games. Rashard Mendenhall is a workhorse in the backfield for Pittsburgh. The Steelers rank tenth in the NFL in total offense, but they are 19th in points per game.
This is an offense that has turned the ball over too many times this year, and that is something they must work on as the regular season winds down.
The Steelers defense got a big scare when Troy Polamalu went down with a concussion last weekend in Kansas City. Polamalu is feeling better, and he is listed as probable for this game. As has been the case for the last few years, this unit is one of the best in the NFL. It’s tough for opponents to matchup with the front seven that Pittsburgh puts on the field.
James Harrison, Lamarr Woodley, James Farrior, and Lawrence Timmons are the best group of linebackers in football. This defense ranks in the top six of the NFL in every major defensive category.
The Bengals are no slouch this year, but the recent defensive injuries will make it difficult for them to keep up with the Steelers in this one. Look for the Steelers to cover the spread here.
Free NFL Pick: Steelers -6.5
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NCAA Basketball Betting – Bulldogs vs Fighting Illini
The No. 18 Gonzaga Bulldogs remain undefeated with their blowout win over Notre Dame on Wednesday, and will now set their sights on Illinois who is rolling after beating Maryland on the road their last time out.
Baltimore Ravens (8-3) vs Cleveland Browns (4-7) NFL Betting Preview
It has been quite a while since Art Modell took the Browns to Baltimore, but Cleveland still hates the Baltimore Ravens. This was a rivalry from the day Cleveland got a pro football team once again.
The Ravens are 8-3 this year, but all three of their losses have come as at least 5.5 point favorites. Can they avoid a letdown against the Browns this weekend?
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Ravens vs. Browns
Time/Date: 4:05 PM EST, December 4, 2011
Venue: Cleveland Browns Stadium
Broadcast: CBS
Ravens vs. Browns Gambling Odds from Bookmaker
Spread: Ravens -6.5
Moneyline: Ravens (-275) Browns (+235)
Over/Under: 38.5
Baltimore has an impressive list of teams they have beaten so far this year. The Ravens have taken down the Steelers twice, the 49ers, the Jets, the Texans, and the Bengals. It has been the Jaguars, Titans, and Seahawks who have beaten the Ravens. Baltimore has showed up for all of their big games, but they have consistently played down to their level of competition this year and it has caught up with them a few times.
Joe Flacco has had some great moments this year, but he has been pretty inconsistent at the quarterback spot. Ray Rice leads the team in both rushing yards and receptions. Rice is one of the most versatile players in the league, and the Ravens need to get him the ball more often. The Ravens offense averages 24.7 points per game.
Baltimore’s defense has been stellar this season. Ray Lewis has missed the last couple games with a toe injury, and he is listed as questionable for this one. Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs have been excellent for this unit. Ed Reed may have lost a step, but he is still a great safety. Baltimore’s defense has flourished at forcing turnovers this year. Opponents are scoring just 16.5 points per game on this defense. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Cleveland has struggled in a big way on offense this year. This team is simply lacking play makers on this side of the ball. Colt McCoy has improved in his second season under center for the team, but he doesn’t have enough play makers around him. Peyton Hillis is healthy again, and it should certainly help to have him back in the lineup.
The Browns lack a consistent wide receiver, and this unit has had far too many drops this year. The team has tried to work Josh Cribbs into the offense a little bit, but that has largely been unsuccessful. The Browns are averaging only 15 points per contest.
As bad as the Cleveland offense has been, the defense has done a lot of good things this year. This is a terrific young secondary. In fact, the Browns rank first in the NFL in pass defense. Joe Haden is already a star in only his second year in the league. Phil Taylor has provided a nice boost on the defensive line. Injuries have really slowed the linebacker group, and that has allowed opponents to run the ball quite well against this defense. Cleveland ranks sixth in the NFL in total defense.
Baltimore realizes that they can’t afford another letdown, and I don’t think it will happen against a rival like the Browns. Baltimore is better on both sides of the ball. Look for Ray Rice to have a big game here.
Free NFL Pick: Ravens -6.5
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