Charles Returns, Wins POW

IFFDA Player of the Week
Bengals RB Jamaal Charles

The Cincinnati Bengals gave Jamaal Charles the biggest 5 year contract the IFFDA has ever seen, and their world came crashing down when he injured his ankle two weeks ago. After missing just one game, Charles returned... and in a big way. Jamaal broke off 92 yards rushing along with 16 yards receiving with 3 touchdowns totaling 28 fantasy points leading the Bengals to a 15 point victory over the Colts. The Bengals running back will take home the IFFDA and AFC Player of the Week Awards for Week 4.

The Atlanta Falcons are on a 3 game winning streak and they owe a lot of the credit to WR Antonio Brown. Brown has been fantastic for the Falcons as he has scored 20+ fantasy points in 3 of their 4 games. In Week 4 he caught 7 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns for 29 fantasy points. He also completed a pass for 17 yards. Antonio has thrust himself into MVP conversations and has now caught at least 5 passes in 20 straight games earning him the NFC Player of the Week Award.

Bridgewater Rookie of the Week

Patriots Rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater

Not many rookies are cracking IFFDA lineups these days, but the future of the league appears bright. Patriots QB and 2nd round draft choice Teddy Bridgewater scored a cool 22 fantasy points in his debut this past week. Teddy threw for 317 yards and added 27 rushing yards with a touchdown and a two point conversion. Bridgewater joins his Pats teammate Kelvin Benjamin as a recipient of the AFC and IFFDA Rookie of the Week Award.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans finally showed the flash we have all anticipated since the rookie draft when he caught 4 passes for 65 yards and a touchdown totaling 12 fantasy points earning him the NFC Rookie of the Week Award. Evans ended the week on a low note, however, as he suffered a groin injury that is expected to sideline him for 2-3 weeks.

3 Way Tie In AFC East

The AFC East has been up and down this year in the IFFDA. The Cleveland Browns (who own the tie breaker), Cincinnati Bengals, and Miami Dolphins are all currently tied with a record of 2-2. Cleveland has alternated wins and losses to start the season losing to both the Bengals and the Dolphins, while beating two of the league's tougher teams in the Bears and the Patriots. The Browns will play host to the 3-1 Redskins in Week 5.

The Cincinnati Bengals began the season 0-2 and appeared on pace for a top pick in the 2015 IFFDA Draft. Cincy has won their previous two games bringing the team to .500 on the season. They defeated the Browns in Week 3, but lost in Week 1 to division rival Buffalo. The Bengals will take on a solid 2-2 Chicago Bears team this week.

As for the Miami Dolphins, they have also alternated wins and losses this season. They are 2-0 in the division after defeating both Buffalo and Cleveland. Miami will be at home in Week 5 hosting a red hot Atlanta Falcons team before traveling to Cincinnati in Week 6.

The Buffalo Bills have dropped 3 straight games after beating the Cincinnati Bengals to begin the 2014 season. Buffalo has been torn down by injuries and off the field issues this season, but they will face another team in Week 5 who has had to deal with the same things. There are still plenty of games to be played within the division this season, but for now, things remain gridlocked atop the AFC Eastern Division.

Cardinals Trade for Gerhart

The Arizona Cardinals have been trying to piece together their backfield week to week in the wake of the Adrian Peterson fiasco. Just before noon today they agreed to a trade to acquire RB Toby Gerhart from the Oakland Raiders for Rookie WR Marqise Lee. It is unclear at this time if Gerhart will take the field Sunday for Arizona.

Browns Stay Busy, Add Smith

About 12 hours after the Doug Martin trade was finalized with Denver, the Browns have traded for WR Torrey Smith (via Adam Schefter ). The details of the trade include the Browns sending Rookie WR Donte Moncrief and a 2015 2nd Round Pick to the Atlanta Falcons. Falcons GM Cody Dudley released this statement via the Falcons Twitter account:

"Torrey will be a great addition to the Browns. I just felt we had plenty of depth and potential at the WR position. We are excited to add Donte to our team and look to build with the draft pick."

The Browns have surprisingly made a flurry of moves in the past couple of days positioning their team to make a splash in the AFC.

Doug Martin Traded to Browns

Late last night the Cleveland Browns trade with the Denver Broncos for RB Doug Martin was finalized. Cleveland sent WR Wes Welker and RB Pierre Thomas to the Broncos for Martin and WR Andre Caldwell. The following statement was released by Browns GM Brad Russell.

"Doug Martin is somebody we really liked going into the season and we have faith that he will return to form now that he's back healthy. We were without Wes to start the season, so to us it's just like upgrading at the running back position without losing anything. I would like to wish Wes and Pierre the best of luck in Denver."

Martin was injured in Week 1 and is slated to see his first action since the injury this week against the Patriots. For the Broncos, Welker will be out with a bye week this week, but Thomas will start his first game against the Bills.

Julio/Luck Players of the Week

WR Julio Jones is a big reason why the Detroit Lions are undefeated at 3-0. Jones has been named the IFFDA and NFC Player of the Week of week 3. Jones snagged 9 catches on 11 targets with 161 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns for a total of 32 fantasy points. Julio makes it a clean sweep for WR's as they have been named IFFDA Player of the Week for a 3rd week in a row, but he is the first player from the NFC to win the award.

Things weren't spectacular for the Browns this past weekend, but there was a bright spot. QB Andrew Luck shined as he threw for 370 yards on 31/39 passing with 4 TD's and 0 INT's in Week 3. Luck added 3 rushes for 15 yards totaling 31 fantasy points earning him the IFFDA AFC Player of the Week Award. The Browns QB is currently ranked No. 1 Overall at his position in 2014.

Falcons & Bears in Prime Time

This much anticipated NFC matchup will draw a big television audience on Monday Night as the Atlanta Falcons (2-1) will travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears (2-1). Both teams will be missing their number one options out of the backfield as the Falcons have Montee Ball on bye and the Bears will be without Zac Stacy. The Falcons will start RB tandem Frank Gore and Rookie Carlos Hyde. For Atlanta to be successful they will need more production than the 2 total points they received from their backfield in Week 3. The Bears will plug in RB's Justin Forsett and Lamar Miller for a more traditional backfield look. WR Pierre Garcon has Chicago off to a sluggish start with only 2 total fantasy points early on. Young talented WR's TY Hilton and Randall Cobb will look to pick up the slack for Chicago.

We caught up with Falcons Owner/GM Cody Dudley and asked him about fielding their roster and covering bye weeks in Week 4. "We look forward to seeing what the future of our franchise looks like as Carlos will take the field for us for the first time. He's excited to be out there, and we're excited with what he brings to the table." said Dudley. "We are still undecided at the wide receiver position for this week. As you know Torrey is off to a slow start and with Royal producing and grabbing extra targets he could see some surprise playing time for us. It will truly be a game time decision." added Dudley.

This should be a good one and will shake up the standings in the NFC. Our panel of experts predicted Chicago to defeat Atlanta 93-80. One thing is for sure & that is after Week 4, one of these two teams will be on the heels of the Conference leading Detroit Lions.

Tough Calls for TB/WAS

Opening night of Week 4 in the IFFDA was not kind to the Buccaneers or their opponent the Washington Redskins. Bucs GM Ryan Cowan made the call to sit QB Cam Newton in favor of buzzing Kirk Cousins. Cousins was forced into committing 5 turnovers Thursday totaling just five fantasy points. Luckily for Tampa Bay, their counterpart made a few calls as well that, although early in the week, don't appear to be going their way. The Redskins WR DeSean Jackson posted a doughnut in Week 4 after scoring 21 points last week. Although not may would bench Gronk, backup TE Larry Donnell tallied 3 TD's and 25 fantasy points that were left on Washington's bench. RB Andre Williams was also benched in favor of Branden Oliver to fill in on the bye week for Marshawn Lynch. Williams posted a solid 12 points of his own and time will tell if this call will ultimately hurt the Redskins at the end of the week. Tough start for these two teams.

Eli Saving Denver?

Two weeks ago the Denver Broncos lost their Franchise Quarterback Robert Griffin III to a dislocated ankle. Week 4 begins and Eli Manning has Broncos fans singing a different tune. Not only did he rush for his first TD in three years, but he also threw for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns (and a fluke interception that wasn't his fault) for 32 fantasy points helping the Broncos to a 52-0 lead over the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. Denver is currently 1-2 and on a two game losing skid.

Power Rankings After 3

Benjamin Wins Rookie of the Week

The New England Patriots have a special young talent at wide receiver named Kelvin Benjamin. In Week 3, the No. 8 Overall pick in the 2014 IFFDA Rookie Draft willed his team to a victory over the Denver Broncos with a spectacular 8 receptions for 115 yards adding a touchdown catch late in the game for 21 fantasy points. Benjamin currently leads all Rookies in fantasy scoring and is 9th among wide receivers.

Patriots Rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin

While our Rookie of the Week for the NFC didn't make an impact on his team's final score, he's making a push to be used very soon. Washington Redskins WR John Brown had 4 receptions, 2 of which went for touchdowns, along with 52 receiving yards for 17 total fantasy points in Week 3. Brown has now caught a pass for a touchdown in 2 of the first 3 weeks.

FJax To The Dolphins

GM Jeramiah Taylor and the Miami Dolphins have worked out a deal for a running back to replace Ryan Mathews while he recovers from a sprained MCL sustained in Week 2. Miami has agreed to trade WR Rueben Randle to the Chicago Bears for RB Fred Jackson. Chicago will own the rights to Randle for 3 years.

AP Deactivated... Again

The Arizona Cardinals have reversed course on Adrian Peterson's reinstatement to the team and have placed him on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list, which will require Peterson to remain away from all team activities until the resolution of his legal proceedings.

The Cardinals released a statement early Wednesday morning that announced their decision regarding Peterson. The pressure was building on the organization after their decision to reinstate Peterson on Monday. Sponsors were beginning to speak up and politicians called for Peterson to remain suspended.

Owners Chad Kircher finally elected to alter his decision and found a mechanism to keep Peterson away from the team indefinitely while his legal matters are addressed.

Seattle's Dwyer Arrested

Seahawks running back Jonathan Dwyer who was arrested today in a domestic violence incident, has been deactivated by the team.

Seahawks RB Jonathan Dwyer's Mugshot

“We became aware of these allegations this afternoon when notified by Seattle police and are cooperating fully,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “Given the serious nature of the allegations we have taken the immediate step to deactivate Jonathan from all team activities. We will continue to closely monitor this as it develops and evaluate additional information as it becomes available.”

 Although Dwyer’s arrest came today, it reportedly stems from an incident with his wife in July.

Week 2 Power Rankings

Week 3 Preview

Cleveland Browns (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)
Paul Brown Stadium, Sunday CBS 1:00 PM

The Cleveland Browns will head into the Jungle this weekend to take on division rival Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns fresh off of their first win of the season appear set to see WR Wes Welker return to the lineup as the new drug policy goes into effect, essentially overturning his 4 game suspension. Rookie WR and 2nd Overall pick in the IFFDA Draft Sammy Watkins had his breakout game last week and will look to repeat the 100+ yard performance. Arian Foster also looked to be back to form from his days where he was atop fantasy rankings. On the other side of the ball, the Bengals will be without their star player RB Jamaal Charles. Backup RB Knile Davis had 2 touchdowns and 20+ points after taking over for Charles in Week 2. A bright spot for the Bengals this year has been the resurgence of WR Mike Wallace. Wallace has had a TD and 10+ points in both games this season.

Difference Makers:Cleveland Browns: WR AJ Green
Cincinnati Bengals: RB Knile Davis 

Buffalo Bills (1-1) at Miami Dolphins (1-1)
Sun Life Stadium, Sunday CBS 1:00 PM

Miami Dolphins will play host Sunday to Calvin Johnson and the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are coming off of a down week and their first loss of the season in which they tallied only 58 points. It appears as though the Bills will bench veteran RB Steven Jackson in favor of Stevan Ridley and Bernard Pierce. WR Larry Fitzgerald saw more targets in Week 2 than in Week 1 and will need to see a high volume of targets in future weeks for the Bills to have success. As for the Dolphins, it couldn't have been any worse than the result of Week 2. Miami lost by 105 points, totaling just 42 points as a team. RB Ryan Mathews will miss several weeks due to a sprained MCL leaving a huge hole in the Dolphins lineup at running back. It appears as though Roy Helu would be in line to start for Miami, but we'll see what Owner Jeramiah Taylor decides to do come game time.

Difference Makers:
Buffalo Bills: QB Tony Romo
Miami Dolphins: RB2 Position

 Denver Broncos (1-1) at New England Patriots (2-0)
Gillette Stadium, Sunday CBS 1:00 PM

The Denver Broncos have fallen on some bad luck over the past two weeks. In Week 1 RB Doug Martin exited the game early with a knee injury and never returned. In Week 2 Martin was ruled out just hours before game time and QB Robert Griffin III dislocated his ankle. The Broncos, who had a lot of depth at TE, traded Martellus Bennett for Rookie QB Derek Carr who will serve as Denver's starter while RG3 remains out of the lineup. The Patriots first two weeks? Just the opposite. They're off to a 2-0 start and RB DeMarco Murray leads all backs in scoring at just over 20 ppg. WR Michael Crabtree also returned to full health and scored double digits for the Pats who look to stay undefeated heading into Week 4.

Difference Makers:
Denver Broncos: QB Derek Carr
New England Patriots: WR Vincent Jackson

Seattle Seahawks (1-1) at Atlanta Falcons (1-1)
Georgia Dome, Sunday FOX 4:15 PM

If the Atlanta Falcons could put it all together for one week they'd be pretty hard to beat, but they haven't. After a stellar Week 1, WR Marques Colston didn't have a single reception in Week 2. WR Brian Quick may be playing himself into a starting role with the team as he has put up respectable numbers through two weeks. QB Aaron Rodgers was back to his old ways and, as always, will play a key role for the Dirty Birds. The Seahawks have posted 100 points two weeks in a row and are a tie breaker away from being 2-0. WR Eric Decker has a hamstring injury coming out of Week 2, and RB Knowshon Moreno has a dislocated elbow and will miss time after playing his way into a starting role with the offense. Shonn Greene is in line to start at running back for the Seahawks, while Jimmy Graham looks to continue to dominate the tight end position.

Difference Makers:
Seattle Seahawks: RB Matt Forte
Atlanta Falcons: RB Montee Ball

Indianapolis Colts (1-1) at Oakland Raiders (1-1)
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Sunday FOX 4:15 PM

The Colts travel to the west coast to take on the Raiders as both teams look to build on wins last week and move above .500 on the season. Indianapolis exploded for more than 120 points in Week 2 behind 20+ points each from Darren Sproles, Dez Bryant, Antonio Gates, and Patriots D/ST. Although the Colts made RB Andre Ellington a top 10 paid player at his position, his starting job may be in jeopardy. The Oakland Raiders most likely will also make a lineup change and bench RB Toby Gerhart in favor of either Donald Brown or Jeremy Hill. WR Jordy Nelson won the IFFDA Player of the Week award in Week 2 and they'll need a similar performance to beat Indy in this divisional matchup.

Difference Makers:
Indianapolis Colts: QB Tom Brady
Oakland Raiders: WR Justin Hunter

Washington Redskins (1-1) at Carolina Panthers (0-2)
Bank of America Stadium, Sunday FOX 4:30 PM

Panthers GM Doug Auman really likes what the team has in place in terms of building for the future, but the present hasn't been so pretty as the team is still searching for it's first victory. Rookie RB Terrance West has been a bright spot for Carolina and has taken over the starting running back gig while scoring 13 ppg through the first two weeks. Young TE Zach Ertz has also been an early standout for the Panthers but they'll need more from the WR3 position to reel in a win. The Washington Redskins went from being ranked #1 in the IFFDA Power Rankings after Week 1 to 10th. An injury to WR DeSean Jackson knocked him out early of the Week 2 contest, and a below average performance from star TE Rob Gronkowski made the Redskins look pedestrian. They'll need more from both players if they're going to avoid giving the Panthers their first win.

Difference Makers:
Washington Redskins: TE Rob Gronkowski
Carolina Panthers: QB Colin Kaepernick

Chicago Bears (1-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-1)
University of Phoenix Stadium, Sunday NBC 8:30 PM

In our Sunday Night Football matchup we will see division rivals the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals square off. The Cardinals will have RB Adrian Peterson return to the lineup after missing last week surrounding the controversy regarding his alleged abuse of his four year old son. The wide receiver position outside of Demaryius Thomas is a big question mark for Arizona especially due to the slow start of Riley Cooper. RB Danny Woodhead will look to possibly see more touches with the injury to Ryan Mathews and help solidify the gap in the backfield next to AP. The Bears are no slouch, however, and look to take down the Cardinals in prime time. WR Randall Cobb has scored a TD in each of the Bears first two game this season and is a big part of what they do on offense. TE Greg Olsen has also been playing a huge role in the Bears offense and will likely keep that trend going through Week 3.

Difference Makers:
Chicago Bears: RB Lamar Miller
Arizona Cardinals: RB Danny Woodhead

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) at Detroit Lions (2-0)
Ford Field, Monday ESPN 8:20 PM

Number 1 and number 3 in the IFFDA Power Rankings square off on Monday Night Football. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head up north to Ford Field to take on the Detroit Lions. There were some grumblings among other GM's that the Bucs overpaid for RB Gio Bernard at the initial auction in August. Now there's grumblings that they didn't shell out the money to get him. Bernard has been the primary focus of the offense so far and is averaging 18 fantasy points per game. Running mate LeSean McCoy has been pretty solid himself averaging 14 fantasy points per game and with QB Cam Newton getting healthier every week, they look to challenge the first place Lions for the division crown. Last week Detroit defeated the Miami Dolphins by 105 points (that's not a misprint). The Lions would have beaten any team in the IFFDA last week by at least 22 points. In a brutal opening schedule (#2 Seahawks in Week 1), Detroit is looking to make another statement on the league and shoot down another contenders hopes that anyone will be able to slay the Lions in '14.


Difference Makers:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Keenan Allen
Detroit Lions: RB Ahmad Bradshaw

          

Cardinals Peterson To Play Week 3

Arizona Cardinals RB Adrian Peterson sat out Week 2 in what turned out to be a victory for the Cards due to charges brought against him after reports surfaced about possible child abuse towards his four year old son. Although the IFFDA as well as the Arizona Cardinals are catching a lot of heat on the subject, it appears Adrian Peterson will suit up in Week 3 as the Cardinals play host to the Chicago Bears.

Week 2 Injury Bug

The IFFDA has seen it's share of bad press over the past couple of weeks including Ray Rice being suspended indefinitely, Adrian Peterson being deactivated, as well as previous stories involving Josh Gordon and Wes Welker coming to light as the league's new drug policy is in the works. A few more star players hit the shelf this weekend, but this time due to injuries. Browns WR AJ Green sat out majority of Week 2 with a toe injury. Bengals RB Jamaal Charles left early and is expected to miss a few weeks due to a high ankle sprain. Dolphins RB Ryan Mathews sprained his ACL in a blow out loss to the Lions and is expected to miss close to a month of action. Falcons backup RB Mark Ingram broke his hand and will miss upwards of a month after having what appeared to be the start of a career year. Seahawks RB Knowshon Moreno dislocated his elbow after securing the RB2 job after a 21 point Week 1 performance. Redskins WR DeSean Jackson left his game after spraining his shoulder. Colts Week 1 breakout Rookie WR Allen Hurns left the stadium on crutches. TE Vernon Davis and WR Eric Decker also came up gimpy after Week 2. Oh yeah, did we mention the Broncos franchise QB Robert Griffin III dislocated his ankle and will be out for an undetermined amount of time. Needless to say, there will be a lot of lineup shuffling for Week 3 in the IFFDA.

Falcons Strike Deal For TE

The Atlanta Falcons have been without their feature Tight End Jordan Reed since his first reception this year in Week 1. Reed pulled up with a hamstring injury and sat out in Week 2 while the Falcons started veteran Anthony Fasano after they were unable to trade for another TE. Today they added depth by trading Rookie QB Derek Carr to the Denver Broncos for TE Martellus Bennett. The Broncos were searching the QB market after Robert Griffin III dislocated his ankle this past weekend.

Nelson/Graham Players Of The Week

Raiders WR Jordy Nelson

In Week 2 WR Jordy Nelson exploded for 209 receiving yards on 9 receptions with a touchdown for 31 total fantasy points. The 200+ yards was a career high for the Raiders receiver and helped Oakland earn their first win of the season as well as the AFC and IFFDA Player of the Week Awards. Seattle Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham didn't do too bad himself with 10 receptions for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns totaling 29 fantasy points on his way to becoming the NFC Player of the Week.

TE Julius Thomas On The Move

No. 1 TE in Fantasy Scoring Through Week 1

Sunday afternoon just hours before kickoff the Arizona Cardinals have struck a deal with the Denver Broncos. In the wake of the Adrian Peterson news, the Cardinals were hurting for some running back help. Arizona gave a call to Denver GM Ryan Branagin and the two agreed to send TE Julius Thomas, RB Brandon Bolden, and WR Andre Caldwell to the Broncos in exchange for TE Vernon Davis, Rookie WR Marqise Lee, and RB Matt Asiata who will start in place of Peterson.

Week 1 Power Rankings

BREAKING: Cardinals RB Peterson Indicted

Arizona Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson has reportedly been indicted in Houston.
Fox 26 in Houston reports that Peterson was indicted in Montgomery County for reckless or negligent injury to a child. The incident in question reportedly stems from "disciplining his child with a switch."


The Cardinals issued the following statement Friday afternoon: “The Cardinals are in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation involving Adrian Peterson. At this time, we will defer further questions to Adrian’s attorney Rusty Hardin.”

Peterson missed practice on Thursday and the Cardinals did not explain why, although they did say he was not injured. Peterson was back at practice today, and Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic  reports that Peterson gave no indication anything was wrong and was laughing and joking at the team facility.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that Peterson will now have to turn himself in to Texas authorities, which makes his status for Sunday’s game against the Patriots unclear.

Week 2 Preview

Cleveland Browns (0-1) @ Chicago Bears (1-0) 
Sunday, September 14th, 1:00 PM, FOX
 
CHICAGO - After an impressive Week 1 victory, Matthew Stafford leads the Chicago Bears into a inter-conference battle against the Cleveland Browns. Last week, the All-Pro QB was in mid-season form as he shredded the Carolina Panthers, proving to be one of the best statistical players of the first week.  For the Bears to continue their strong start, they will need to receive a better effort from their RB position as second year back Zac Stacy was unable to in rhythm.  The Bears have opted to bench Week 1 starter Fred Jackson, giving Justin Forsett an opportunity.  For the Cleveland Browns, they will look for more parody, as Andrew Luck & AJ Green produced over half their offensive points.  The Browns have a lot of work to do after finishing Week 1 as the worst defense.

Difference Makers:
Cleveland Browns – WR Tavon Austin
Chicago Bears – RB Justin Forsett


Carolina Panthers (0-1) @ Oakland Raiders (0-1)
Sunday, September 14th, 1:00 PM, CBS

OAKLAND - Week 1 provided a heart-breaking defeat for the Oakland Raiders, losing in a last second effort to division rival Denver Broncos.  QB Russell Wilson stated that the offense was unacceptable, but seemed optimistic after a strong week of practice.  "We came out flat to open the season" said Wilson.  "We had an amazing effort from our defense, and if our unit can match that intensity, we are primed for great things this season."  While the effort wasn't lacking for the Panthers, the results seemed to mirror that of their Week 2 opponent.  Colin Kaepernick, a long time rival of Russell Wilson, knows that this is a big week.  "It's not a must win, but being 1-1 is much more appealing than being 0-2.  I'm happy with the way we moved the ball as a team."

Difference Makers:
Oakland Raiders - QB Russell Wilson
Carolina Panthers - RB Terrence West

 
Buffalo Bills (1-0) @ Atlanta Falcons (0-1) 
Sunday, September 14th, 1:00 PM, FOX

ATLANTA - While the Falcons lost to their division rival Tampa Bay Sunday, it was the kind of loss you can take pride in.  In one of the worst statistical games of his career, veteran QB Aaron Rodgers was unable to figure out the Bucs D, scoring single digit points.  Despite the tough game, the Falcons were able to put 80 points on the board and see strong performances out of WR Antonio Brown and RB Montee Ball.  The task this week, however, is to improve their defense.  All-World WR Calvin Johnson posted another Megatron like outing against the Bengals last week, and will look to continue his success against the Falcons secondary.  The Bills, despite picking up the W last week, have made headlines by seemingly benching Tony Romo in lieu of veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger, and handing starting RB duties to Bernard Pierce.

Difference Makers:
Atlanta Falcons - WR Torrey Smith
Buffalo Bills - QB Ben Roethlisberger

 
Indianapolis Colts (0-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)

Sunday, September 14th, 4:30 PM, FOX

TAMPA BAY - "Everything went right" stated Buccaneers QB Carson Palmer.  In backup duty for the injured Cam Newton, Palmer played an outstanding game against the Atlanta Falcons - giving the Bucs an early 1-0 start to their season.  This week the Bucs will look for continued production from LeSean McCoy and Giovani Bernard.  They will host the Indianapolis Colts who, besides for veteran Chris Johnson and Reggie Wayne, were porous offensively in the opening week.  QB Tom Brady was unable to penetrate the Patriots defense, especially after losing WR Alshon Jeffery to injury.  The Colts will need a quick turnaround offensively to compete against a true contender this season in Tampa.

Difference Makers:
Indianapolis Colts – WR Dez Bryant
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – QB Cam Newton

 
Miami Dolphins (1-0) @ Detroit Lions (1-0)

Sunday, September 14th, 1:00 PM, FOX

DETROIT - After 1 week of play in the IFFDA, the Miami Dolphins appear to be an unstoppable offensive force.  An explosive start from Matt Ryan, as well as a great contribution from rookie WR Brandin Cooks, set the tone for their 111 point output against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.  "We did great things - Having WRs like Roddy (White), Golden (Tate), and Brandin make it a little easier" said Ryan following the victory.  To secure a victory this week, however, the Dolphins must stop the momentum of the upstart Lions.  After a prime-time shocker over the heavily favored Seahawks, Jay Cutler and LeVeon Bell will look to pace Detroit to a giant statement win over another strong favorite.

Difference Makers:
Miami Dolphins - RB Eddie Lacy
Detroit Lions - WR Emmanuel Sanders

 
Seattle Seahawks (1-0) @ Denver Broncos (1-0)
Sunday, September 14th, 4:30 PM, CBS

DENVER - Defense wins championships.  The Denver Broncos stated this motto last week, and it rang very true as the Broncos came out of Week 1 with the number 1 ranked defense; holding the Raiders to just 71 total points.  The offense, however, was far from beautiful.  QB Robert Griffin III was largely unproductive against the Raiders, while star RB Doug Martin came away with an undisclosed injury.  "It hurt, but I'll do what I have to do to be on the field Sunday" offered Martin.  In front of him is a Seattle defense that was scorched by the Lions RB LeVeon Bell.  Hoping to rebound from a nail-biting loss on Monday Night, the Seahawks turn to Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham to stifle the Broncos.

Difference Makers:
Seattle Seahawks - WR Victor Cruz
Denver Broncos - QB Robert Griffin III

 
Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (0-1)  
Sunday, September 14th, 8:30 PM, NBC Sunday Night Football

ARIZONA - The Cardinals have pushed all-in for the 2014 IFFDA season.  Hoping for a repeat season from QB Peyton Manning and RB Adrian Peterson, no team spent quite like the Cardinals this offseason.  Week 1, however, proved to provide quite a mental blow for a fanbase full of hope.  The Cards were defeated by the largest margin of Week 1, being downed by 23 points in Washington.  This week, they host the Cincinnati Bengals who were equally as unimpressive.  Newly signed RB Jamaal Charles looked stiff behind bad offensive line play, while TE Jason Witten never got going against the Bills.  For both teams, Week 2 provides a platform to prove this week's practices had purpose.

Difference Makers:
Cincinnati Bengals - RB Jamaal Charles
Arizona Cardinals - RB Danny Woodhead

New England Patriots (1-0) @ Washington Redskins (1-0) 
Monday, September 15th, 8:30 PM, ESPN Monday Night Football

WASHINGTON, DC - Football is back in the nation's capital.  The Redskins newly signed RB Marshawn Lynch, partnered with TE Rob Gronkowski and WR Julian Edelman provided offensive fireworks against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1.  After the game, QB Philip Rivers praised an all around team effort.  "Good, solid football.  Offense, Defense, and Special Teams all clicking.  It's a beautiful thing" said Rivers.  The strong showing by the Redskins was impressive, but equally impressive was their Week 2 opponent.  New England Patriots had 6 double digit performers, with rookie Kelvin Benjamin as one of their top offensive leaders.  Both teams are in the top 5 in overall offense, while being in the top 5 in overall defense.  One thing is certain - Monday Night will define an early season favorite.

Difference Makers:
New England Patriots - QB Nick Foles
Washington Redskins - TE Rob Gronkowski

Week 2 Injury Report

Arizona CardinalsWR Jerome Simpson (Suspended)

Atlanta FalconsTE Jordan Reed (Questionable)
WR Josh Gordon (Suspended)
WR Josh Huff (Questionable)
WR Marquess Wilson (Out)

Buffalo BillsRB Ray Rice (Suspended)
RB Storm Johnson (Questionable)
WR Lance Moore (Out)

Carolina PanthersWR Marvin Jones (Out)

Chicago BearsTE Mercedes Lewis (Questionable)
RB Dri Archer (Out)

Cincinnati BengalsWR Mike Wallace (Questionable)
WR Odell Beckham Jr (Questionable)
TE Tyler Eifert (Out)

Cleveland BrownsWR AJ Green (Questionable)
RB Christine Michael (Questionable)
WR Wes Welker (Suspended)
WR Stedman Bailey (Suspended)
RB Chris Polk (Questionable)

Denver BroncosK Matt Prater (Suspended)
WR Marqise Lee (Questionable)

Detroit LionsRB Maurice Jones-Drew (Questionable)

Indianapolis ColtsRB Andre Ellington (Questionable)
WR Alshon Jeffery (Questionable)

Miami DolphinsRB Eddie Lacy (Questionable)
WR Roddy White (Questionable)
TE Jordan Cameron (Questionable)
RB Charles Sims (Out)

New England PatriotsWR Kenny Stills (Questionable)

Oakland RaidersRB Toby Gerhart (Questionable)
WR Justin Hunter (Questionable)
WR Cecil Shorts (Questionable)
TE Charles Clay (Questionable)

Seattle SeahawksRB Knowshon Moreno (Questionable)

Tampa Bay BuccaneersWR Brandon Marshall (Questionable)
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Questionable)
TE Brandon Bostick (Questionable)
RB Kenjon Barner (Questionable)
WR Ace Sanders (Suspended)
RB De'Anthony Thomas (Questionable)
RB Marcus Lattimore (Out)
RB Vick Ballard (Out)

Washington RedskinsRB Reggie Bush (Questionable)
TE Rob Gronkowski (Questionable)
RB Ben Tate (Out)
RB Andre Brown (Suspended)
TE Garrett Graham (Questionable)

*Injury Status subject to change before scheduled game times

Players of the Week

Detroit Lions RB Le'Veon Bell (left) finished with 28 fantasy points.
Buffalo Bills WR Calvin Johnson (right) finished with 32 fantasy points.

RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Calvin Johnson both had big performances in Week 1 helping their respective teams to victory. Bell's 28 points earns him NFC Player of the Week honors. Megatron wins the AFC and the IFFDA Player of the Week awards this week, which is the first award given in the short history of the league.

Buffalo RB Suspended Indefinitely

Buffalo Bills running back Ray Rice had been serving a 2 game suspension after being arrested for domestic violence in the offseason. TMZ Sports released a video of Rice punching then girlfriend Janay Palmer in the face knocking her unconscious on Tuesday morning. Backlash from the public after the video has caused IFFDA Co-Commissioner Brad Russell to suspend the Bills RB indefinitely. Buffalo signed Ray Rice to a 2 Year/$7M contract in August. We reached out to Bill's owner and GM but he responded with "no comment."

Broncos Squeak By Oakland

It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win and Denver Broncos GM Ryan Branagin will take it any way he can get it. Zak Zurwell and the Raiders were well on their way with a 100+ yard rushing game by Chris Ivory and a solid performance earlier in the week by QB Russell Wilson, but the Broncos made a late push to steal the win in this Week 1 divisional matchup. All hope for Denver seemed lost when RB Doug Martin exited the game with an apparent knee injury and didn't return, but a two touchdown performance by TE Vernon Davis and a solid performance from the D/ST led to a 72-71 victory for Denver. Oakland (0-1) will travel to Carolina in Week 2 to take on the Panthers (0-1) while the Broncos (1-0) will head to CenturyLink Field to face the 12th Man and the Seahawks (0-1).

Bills WR Megatron At It Again

Buffalo Bills WR Calvin Johnson

There's really not much to say here if you have ever seen Buffalo Bills WR Calvin Johnson play then you know exactly where this column is headed. The man we all know as Megatron actually had more receiving yards and touchdowns than the entire other team... and he did it with 11 less receptions. Calvin finished his mediocre (by his standards) Week 1 with 7 receptions for 164 yards and 2 TD's scoring 32 fantasy points.

Rookies Make Big Impact

Most GM's could tell you that the way to build a successful franchise is through the draft. They would tell you that you build through your draft selections and fill the rest of your needs with stop-gap players in free agency. Well, there are a few GM's in the IFFDA feeling really good about their team's future after Week 1.

WR Brandin Cooks - Miami Dolphins
There were rumors coming out of camp this summer that Cooks was going to assume a lot of the role left behind by former running back Darren Sproles in Sean Payton's offense. Oh boy did he ever. Cooks was a go to target out of the slot Sunday totaling 7 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown helping the Miami Dolphins to a 1-0 start. The rookie wide receiver showed his 'Sproles-like' versatility by also adding one rushing attempt for 18 yards finishing the game with 16 total fantasy points.

WR Kelvin Benjamin - New England PatriotsThis size/speed freak of nature from Florida State made his debut this past weekend for Zach Fennig and the New England Patriots. Several teams have inquired about the rookie receiver in the short season but GM Fennig has held true to his beliefs that Benjamin is a solid building block for the future of the Patriots. Kelvin made him look good on that thought after Week 1. The Pats WR had 6 catches for 92 yards and a ridiculous touchdown catch tallying 17 fantasy points in his debut. Benjamin was drafted 8th Overall in the 2014 IFFDA Rookie Draft.

WR Allen Hurns - Indianapolis ColtsVery few GM's had Hurns on their big boards on draft day, but the Indianapolis Colts were thrilled to stash the WR prospect. The rookie started paying a return on their investment a lot sooner than Owner Grandon Winningham had anticipated. Although Hurns didn't break into the lineup Week 1 for the wide receiver heavy Colts, we feel that may change in the near future. Hurns became the first player to EVER score 2 touchdown receptions in the first quarter of his pro debut. He finished the game with 4 receptions for 110 yards and 2 TD's totaling 25 fantasy points.

Lions Stun Seahawks On MNF

21 Carries 109 Yards 1 TD
6 Rec 88 Yards

The Week 1 IFFDA Game of the Week was set, and both teams were ready to go on Monday night. The Lions and 'Hawks went back and forth in a very tightly contested matchup. So tightly contested, in fact, that it ended in a tie! A tie?! Yes, Donovan, a tie. Of course in the IFFDA there is a tie breaker, and the win was awarded to the Detroit Lions taking them to 1-0 to begin the season. The Lions were lead by running back Le'Veon Bell who posted a team best 28 fantasy points capped by a ridiculous touchdown run. They also received a deep touchdown catch from WR Jeremy Maclin in route to a victory. The Seahawks came away with a loss, but were very pleased with a surprising performance from '13 breakout RB Knowshon Moreno as he posted a cool 21 points of his own. Up next, both teams will travel outside of the conference. The Detroit Lions (1-0) will play host to Jeramiah Taylor and the Miami Dolphins (1-0). Seattle (0-1) will have the 12th man rockin' once again as the Denver Broncos (1-0) come to town.

IFFDA Week 1 Preview

The first week is possibly the most exciting week of the season. If nothing else, it’s definitely the one most filled with hope, confidence. Everyone has a shot to win the title in week one, or at least they think so. No more previews, no holding back on the usage of players. For us, it’s the first look into the next several years of our league. This week will set the tone on how you value your franchise moving forward. Enough with the delays, and on with the first IFFDA weekly matchup preview including my Difference Makers, where I will highlight one player for each team who could make or break their team’s path to victory.

Carolina Panthers (0-0) @ Chicago Bears (0-0) Sunday 1:00 PM, FOX

The Panthers will open the season by heading to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. Pretty evenly matched going into the matchup, the Bears are now heavily favored thanks to a dud from WR Jarrett Boykin for the Panthers. WR’s Percy Harvin and Randall Cobb had respectable games for their teams both totaling double digits. This Panthers team is full of flash and upside as Cordarrelle Patterson looks to build on his strong end to the 2013 season. Running back could be a big question mark for Carolina heading into the season, but these questions should be answered fairly soon as we will see the roles of Trent Richardson and Khiry Robinson defined early on. As for the Bears, they are pretty solid across the board. 2013 breakout RB Zac Stacy looks to make his debut for the Bears on Sunday. Chicago paid Stacy like a top back and they will need him to produce like one to have success in the NFC North. QB Matthew Stafford will look to wrap things up for the Bears on Monday Night Football in his first appearance.

Difference Makers:
Carolina Panthers – RB Trent Richardson
Chicago Bears – RB Fred Jackson

Cincinnati Bengals (0-0) @ Buffalo Bills (0-0) Sunday 1:00 PM, CBS

Owner/GM Bart Thompson and the Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park to take on Owner/GM Bill Smith and the Buffalo Bills. The Bengals are prohibited favorites to win in week one according to Vegas. In August the Bengals gave RB Jamaal Charles the biggest contract in IFFDA history at 5 Years/$21.5M. As you can imagine, Cincinnati is all in on Charles and they will go as he goes. The Bengals will also feature young up and coming WR Michael Floyd. They will need Floyd to produce like a WR1 for them to succeed. The Buffalo Bills will be without RB Ray Rice for Sunday's matchup as he is suspended for the first two games of the 2014 season for a domestic violence charge. It is unclear whether Stevan Ridley or Bernard Pierce will take the field Sunday for the Bills in his place. Veteran future Hall of Fame WR's Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson will be suited up and appear ready to lead this Bills team in their first divisional game of the season.

Difference Makers:
Cincinnati Bengals - QB Andy Dalton
Buffalo Bills - RB Stevan Ridley or Bernard Pierce

Cleveland Browns (0-0) @ Miami Dolphins (0-0) Sunday 1:00 PM, CBS

No. 2 Overall pick in the 2014 IFFDA Rookie Draft Sammy Watkins will make his debut on Sunday as the Cleveland Browns head down to South Beach to take on the Miami Dolphins. Watkins makes his debut in the wake of the suspension of WR Wes Welker and the Browns will lean heavily on the youngsters Watkins and Tavon Austin at wide receiver until Welker returns. Franchise QB Andrew Luck will control the huddle and looks to make a big impact on Sunday as he tries to lead the Browns to a victory in Week 1 along with WR AJ Green leading the young guys. Dolphins QB Matt Ryan and veteran WR Roddy White will have something to say about that though as they try to do the same for Miami. RB Eddie Lacy looked good in the early going but left his game with another concussion in his young career. RB Ryan Mathews will look to pick up the slack and carry the Dolphins backfield this weekend. Third Overall pick in the IFFDA Rookie Draft WR Brandin Cooks will also make his debut.

Difference Makers:
Cleveland Browns - WR Sammy Watkins
Miami Dolphins - RB Ryan Mathews

Arizona Cardinals (0-0) @ Washington Redskins (0-0) Sunday 4:15 PM, FOX

The big spending Cardinals travel to the Nation’s Capital to take on the ‘Skins. Arizona is favored in Vegas by 2 points after RB Marshawn Lynch went Beast Mode to open the season Thursday Night. There was a lot of concern about the aging running back heading into the season but he put that all to rest with a 110 yard 2 TD performance. While the Cardinals appear top heavy, the Redskins will use a balanced attack. TE Rob Gronkowski appears set to play for the first time since he suffered a serious knee injury last season and he will be a huge factor in the decision for the Redskins along with WR DeSean Jackson. The visiting Cardinals will be relying heavily on the arm of QB Peyton Manning as they also roster WR’s Demaryius Thomas and Andre Caldwell along with TE Julius Thomas. Arizona RB Adrian Peterson has made a bold statement already claiming he will take his first carry in 2014 to the house. We will find out which NFC North team will start their season off right.

Difference Makers:
Arizona Cardinals – WR Riley Cooper
Washington Redskins – TE Rob Gronkowski

Oakland Raiders (0-0) @ Denver Broncos (0-0) Sunday 4:15 PM, CBS

The Raiders (Chris Berman voice) take on the Denver Broncos in this AFC Rivalry at Mile High Stadium. The home team went running back heavy in the draft and will feature backs Doug Martin and Alfred Morris. A main concern of owner Ryan Branagin heading into this season is the health of QB Robert Griffin III. If he stays healthy and plays close to what he did his rookie season and the Broncos get any production from their WR's they will be tough to beat. The Oakland Raiders took a different approach in August by constructing a balanced but deep roster all while saving cap space. QB Russell Wilson is already back to his usual ways and was very effecient while throwing for two scores. Raiders WR Jordy Nelson also had a solid performance hauling in 9 receptions for 10 fantasy points. It will be an interesting Sunday in the Mile High City.

Difference Makers:
Oakland Raiders - RB Toby Gerhart
Denver Broncos - All 3 WR's

Atlanta Falcons (0-0) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0) Sunday 8:30 PM, NBC

The Falcons travel down the road to Raymond James Stadium and look to silence the cannons on Sunday Night Football. The Bucs are favorites in Vegas especially after a dud from Falcons QB Aaron Rodgers to open the season with just 9 points. RB Montee Ball and WR Antonio Brown look to make a statement in this rivalry game and make up for a bad game from the Franchise QB. Young TE Jordan Reed is questionable but has practiced all week. Falcons WR Josh Gordon will not be in attendance Sunday night as he has been suspended by the IFFDA for the entire 2014 season. The home team will be keeping an eye on the health of their newly acquired QB Cam Newton who had ankle surgery this offseason. Newton has taken every step to play, but is still considered questionable for the opener. Tampa Bay is deep across the board but appear to be set to start two rookies, Mike Evans and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. This prime time matchup will set the tone for years to come.

Difference Makers:
Atlanta Falcons - RB Frank Gore
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Cam Newton

Indianapolis Colts (0-0) @ New England Patriots (0-0) Monday 7:10 PM, ESPN

The IFFDA Monday Night opener will feature the Colts and Patriots. Two buddies who are set against eachother in a divisional matchup on the biggest stage in Week 1. The Colts and Owner/GM Grandon Winningham head to Foxboro with their WR heavy team and look to make a statement early in the AFC West division. Indianapolis features two cornerstone wide receivers in Dez Bryant and Alshon Jeffery followed up at WR3 with proven veteran Reggie Wayne. Tom Brady will man the huddle for the Colts in hopes of starting early on their road to Super Bowl One. Big Blue has two running backs who's roles are undefined as they find themselves in new offenses this season. The New England Patriots and Owner/GM look to put an abrupt stop to the Colts "Super Bowl talk" and take an early lead on the division. The Pats run a balanced attack and feature a lot of players with high upside. Rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin will be in the starting lineup in this prime time game along with RB's DeMarco Murray and CJ Spiller. The health of Murray is always a concern, but he showed last year what he's capable of when relatively healthy all season. New England is favored by 10 points at home.

Difference Makers:
Indianapolis Colts - RB Chris Johnson
New England Patriots - RB CJ Spiller

Detroit Lions (0-0) @ Seattle Seahawks (0-0) Monday (Game of the Week)  10:30 PM, ESPN

The 12th Man will be pumped up and loud for this one as the Lions head to Century Link Field in Seattle on IFFDA's Monday Night Football stage. The Seahawks are the prohibited favorites to take home the IFFDA Super Bowl in 2014, but it all starts this week. The Lions will be no small task for the 'Hawks. RB Le'Veon Bell gave a scare to Lions fans when he was arrested on marijuana related charges, but he was not suspended and will begin the 2014 season in uniform. Detroit signed WR Julio Jones to a lucrative 5 year deal making him the face of their franchise and look to him for answers in this nationally televised game. Jay Cutler will take on signal calling duties for Detroit in Week 1 as well. As for the Seahawks, they are built to win now. Brees, Forte, and Andre are some names you may recognize from this roster. How about Cruz, Graham, or Decker? Anything can happen in fantasy football, but the 12th man will be rocking and Seattle looks to make a statement to the IFFDA early on.

Difference Makers:
Detroit Lions - QB Jay Cutler
Seattle Seahawks - RB Knowshon Moreno