Week 5 Matchups and Predictions

Kiss of Death time! Here's this week's matchups and predictions

Bay Area Tanners (1-3) vs
Light's Broken Bots (1-3)

All Time Record
I lead series 8-4

Key Players

Bay Area Tanners: Eli Manning (Packers) Mike Evans (Panthers) Jordan Matthews (Lions) LeSean McCoy (Rams) Jerrick McKennon (Texans)

Light's Broken Bots: Tom Brady (Browns) Jordy Nelson (Giants) Kelvin Benjamin (Bucs) Rob Gronkowski (Browns)

Wild Cards

Bay Area Tanners: Pure lotto plays in Coates, Brate and Powell. Tough Matchup for Mike Evans. Will Eli FINALLY get it together? Jerrick McKennon legit? Will my Hopkins trade suck?

Light's Broken Bots: Brady's return and Gronk's involvement. Crowell tough matchup. Asiata/Hill production. 

Predictions
Yahoo Says: Matt wins 100-89
I Say: Matt wins. Don't worry Matt, my matchups are the only matchups I predict with 100% accuracy, no jinx here. So the big news here is I panicked and traded away my underachieving keepers. I have a gut feeling after making the trade...it's not going to work and I probably did what I did last year and really made a stupid trade (last year's gem was trading away Michael Floyd AND Brandin Cooks for Randall Cobb). I made the trade because I don't have the luxury of waiting around for Hopkins or Parker to turn it around (which I believe Hopkins will, it's just his schedule the next 2 of 3 weeks is brutal...I seriously would've benched him anyways against Minnesota just because of how Minnesota's D has shut down better QB's and offenses than Houston, then in two weeks, they play Denver). My team is so fucked up and I drafted so horribly, that basically if Hopkins does what he's done the past two weeks...I'm just dead in the water. It's not Hopkins that sucks..it's his situation. I'm taking a gamble that Jordan Matthews and Carson Wentz will still have the chemistry they've had early in the season and the Jeremy Maclin will be a solid WR3 with a solid floor an upside for blowup games (something I DON'T have as both Michael Floyd and Devante Parker have been complete busts). If I waited another week and Hopkins sucks again, his value plummets even more. Eugene was in the perfect spot to do this trade. He's 4-0..he's got a winnable matchup against Drew, that even if Hopkins does suck, he can survive with the guys he has around him, and if he somehow doesn't win next week, he's still 4-1. Hopkins schedule gets much easier after his bye week...but at 1-3..what good is that if I'm already 1-7 or 2-6? My rationale makes sense to me, but this is trade I can definitely see blowing up in my face..because it's me. Anyways, I'm still going to probably lose this week (would've picked me to lose regardless of trading Hopkins or not) because I can't trust my team. Eli's been awful, and I'm hoping for a bounce back, and I've got guys like Sammie Coates and Bilal Powell, and Cameron Brate who could literally go for 2-3 points. That, combined with Matt getting Tom Brady back (against the BROWNS) and pairing him up with Gronk (who's just READY to explode), I'm just not feeling confident about this matchup at all and it's really a must win because I'm not Drew and there's no way I beat Leland next week. 

Hoosier Daddy (4-0) vs
BigBadBob (0-4)

All Time Record
Dad Leads Series 4-2

Key Players

Hoosier Daddy: Ben Roethlisberger (Jets) Michael Crabtree (Chargers) Ezekiel Elliott (Bengals) Steve Smith (Redskins) Devonta Freeman (Broncos) 

BigBadBob: Cam Newton* (Bucs) Emmanuel Sanders (Falcons) Brandon Marshall (Steelers) Greg Olsen (Bucs) Frank Gore (Bears)  

Wild Cards

Hoosier Daddy: Tough Matchups for Elliott and Atlanta Backfield. If Palmer doesn't play, how does that affect John Brown? 

BigBadBob: Is Cam going to play? Running back production. 

Predictions
Yahoo Says: Dad wins 104-91
I Say: Ryan wins. First of all, Hunter Henry's projection is bullshit unless Gates is playing which I hadn't heard that he was.  2nd, Dad is a favorite based on Cam Newton's playing status. If he doesn't play, it'll be a huge blow and Dad's almost in my situation where's he's relying on lotto tickets like Darren Sproles, Fozzy Whitaker, and Adam Humphries to lead him to victory. It's hard to win when half your team is a question mark and those guys could sink or swim your week. The other thing that gives Dad a chance is Ryan's guys don't exactly have stellar matchups. Ryan is forced to play Freeman/Coleman with Ingram out but they play the Broncos so that has a chance to be a bust. Plus, Carson Palmer not playing might significantly hinder John Brown's performance. This matchup can go so many ways, that I'm just going with a hunch that Ryan pulls this off and stays undefeated. (which means the way things have been going with my picks, Congrats Dad on Win #1!)

Channel 4 News Team (3-1) vs
Bigger Balls (3-1)

All Time Record
Mayra Leads Series 4-2

Key Players

Channel 4 News Team: Andrew Luck (Bears) A.J. Green (Cowboys) T.Y. Hilton (Bears) Will Fuller (Vikings) 

Bigger Balls: Antonio Brown (Jets) Amari Cooper (Chargers) DeSean Jackson (Ravens) Lamar Miller (Vikings) Matt Forte (Steelers) 

Wild Cards

Channel 4 News Team: Tough Matchup for Fuller. Blount's usage with Brady back? Gates Healthy?

Bigger Balls: Matt Ryan or Dak? Tough Matchups for Miller/Forte. Who's going to be the flex play?

Predictions
Yahoo Says: Albert wins 109-96
I Say: Albert wins. Albert's had back to back impressive wins after his 68 point dud in Week 2. He's catching Mayra at a pretty good time as her best players (even Antonio Brown, though he can overcome anyone) have very difficult matchups. Albert won't have Doug Baldwin this week, but I think overall his team will have an easier time getting points than Mayra's (though admittedly Gates availability, Fuller's tough matchup himself and Blount's role now that Brady's back could be obstacles for Albert).  

No Soup For You (2-2) vs
SCLSU MudDogs (1-3)

All Time Record
Leland Leads Series 2-1 (Beat Alex in Week 13 of the 2015 Season to knock him out of the playoffs)

Key Players

No Soup For You: Matthew Stafford (Eagles) Demaryius Thomas (Falcons) Marvin Jones (Eagles) Randall Cobb (Giants) Todd Gurley (Bills) David Johnson (49ers)

SCLSU MudDogs: Julian Edelman (Browns) Larry Fitzgerald (49ers) Carlos Hyde (Cardinals) Le'Veon Bell (Jets) Delanie Walker (Dolphins)

Wild Cards

No Soup For You: Cobb and Gurley step up? 

SCLSU MudDogs: No Brees. Tough Matchups for Bell and Hyde. No Carson Palmer for Fitzgerald

Predictions
Yahoo Says: Leland wins 114-101
I Say: Leland wins. No 100% guarantees anymore. Leland's "path of destruction" hasn't exactly panned out like I thought it would as evidenced by his 2-2 record, but I still think he has the best roster in the league and I think his team will turn it around sooner than later. He takes on Alex, who he beat by half a point last year in Week 13 to knock him out of the playoffs. Again, roster wise Leland's blows Alex's out of the water this week (due to no Brees and Larry Fitzgerald's downgrade at QB tonight). I gotta go with Leland here.

Rocket Man (4-0) vs
THE SPOILER (2-2)

All Time Record
Eugene Leads Series 4-0

Key Players

Rocket Man: Aaron Rodgers (Giants) Julio Jones (Broncos) DeAndre Hopkins (Vikings) Melvin Gordon (Raiders)

THE SPOILER: Eddie Lacy (Giants) Ryan Matthews (Lions) Terrence West (Redskins)

Wild Cards

Rocket Man: Tough Matchups for Eugene's top two receivers. 

THE SPOILER: Drew's entire team is a wild card

Predictions
Yahoo Says: Eugene wins 99-83
I Say: Eugene wins. After last week's shock...I'll give Drew's matchup the proper respect and do a write up on it. It still boggles my mind that Drew was able to win with the roster he has. Last week he did it without Eddie Lacy and Ryan Mathews, this week it'll be without Allen Robinson. Drew's only chance to win is for Eugene's team to underachieve dramatically. Drew can't win a shootout, but if Eugene's guys don't perform (which admittedly Julio and Hopkins have bad matchups on paper so it is a possibility) Drew might have a slight chance. I still think though Eugene should win this and keep his undefeated record.

Woe Is You (2-2) vs
Shock The Monkey (1-3)

All Time Record
Series is Tied 1-1 (Mike beat Mark in Round 1 of the 2013 Wane McGarity Bowl)

Key Players

Woe Is You: Derek Carr (Chargers) Odell Beckham Jr. (Packers) Stefon Diggs (Texans) C.J. Anderson (Falcons) Jordan Reed (Ravens)

Shock The Monkey: Jarvis Landry (Titans) Alshon Jeffrey (Colts) DeMarco Murray (Dolphins) 

Wild Cards

Woe Is You: Beckham finally get it together? Diggs rebound?

Shock The Monkey: QB Play. Will DeAndre Washington dominate the work in Oakland?

Predictions
Yahoo Says: Mike wins 109-101
I Say: Mike wins. Again the question marks on Mark's team (Flacco and DeAndre Washington) could make or break him this week. Washington could break out and end up taking over the lead back position in Oakland or fall on his face and bust. Add that to taking a chance with Joe Flacco (the ULTIMATE hit or miss QB..one week he'll get ya 4 TD's...the next 0 with 2 picks) and Alshon Jeffrey's ineffectiveness so far and it's hard to pick Mark to win against a more stable well rounded team. Going with Posey here.