My Chad Ochocinco Blog

Chad Ochocinco jerseys have officially been released. It's the real deal now, and they are being authentically produced by Reebok for the NFL. When he lines up during Bengals games, he'll be wearing his own Chad Ochocinco jersey. Some people never thought it would happen but it has, so if you're a Bengals fan you should be acting quickly to hop on this train.

In the 2008 season there was some talk in the media and other rumors that there would be an Ocho Cinco Bengals jersey released. This is because Chad Johnson has long since been referring to himself as "ocho cinco" for his 85 jersey number.

However, he couldn't get the jerseys changed last year because the manufacturer already had produced all of the Chad Johnson jerseys for the year. If he wanted to change the jersey at that time, he would have had to literally buy out all of those jerseys so that they could be replaced at no cost. In light of that huge cost, Johnson let the season pass and then prepared for the 2009 NFL season to be the official release of his new Chad Ochocinco jerseys.

He officially had his last name changed, so it's not a gimmick. His legal last name is now "Ochocinco", and thusly his jersey has that name on the back of it. It's all kosher now with the league and with Reebok, and so the Chad Ochocinco jersey is being sold and distributed throughout the country.

The receiver has always kept himself in the limelight with his antics. Some of them people find entertaining and funny. Other people might be fed up with him. But either way, he ends up being talked about around the water cooler and he appears on all of the sports and entertainment shows, so he gets exactly what he wants.

Now, a mediocre player couldn't pull off a stunt like this, but he is not an average wide receiver. Don't let all the havoc around him get you off track, he's still one of the best play making wide receivers in the league. Combined with his personality, the Ocho Cinco Bengals jersey is sure to be a best seller, and in fact is already moving very quickly.

If you're a Cincinnati Bengals fan, then it's time to catch up with the crowd and experience the excitement about Chad Ochocinco jerseys. Pick up your own Chad Ochocinco jersey today to join the fun.

The time is now to pick up Chad Johnson Ochocinco jerseys for yourself and your family. In addition to new Ocho Cinco Bengals jerseys, you can visit Discount Football Merchandise for all of the authentic NFL jerseys that you need.

One of the two NFL wild card playoff matchups to be played this weekend will be the New York Jets visiting the Cincinnati Bengals. This will be an interesting game on many levels, and odds makers have a tight spread pegged, as the Bengals are projected to win by a mere 2 1/2 points.

Why is the spread so tight when the Bengals clearly looked like the better team through the course of the season. Are we to believe that the Jets, who many believe shouldn't have even made the playoffs, can cruise through this matchup to beat Cincinnati on their own turf?

Well, one factor that needs to be acknowledged is the health of star wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. The revival of Ochocinco (formerly known as Chad Johnson) is believed by many to be a key factor in the bounce back year that Cincy enjoyed.

After a disappointing 2008, Chad was back in full effect in 2009, posting 1,047 receiving yards and 9 touchdown catches. He was the team's best receiver by far.

Unfortunately, he hurt his knee during last Sunday's matchup at New York against the Jets while the teams were warming up. The injury has been called a bruise, and it clearly affected him on Sunday. In fact, he wasn't even able to play.

The good news is that he practiced fully this week and appears to be ready to play. The chemistry between Ochocinco and quarterback Carson Palmer could very well be a major factor in the team's success against the Jets on Saturday.

With a 6-2 home record, Cincinnati is just about as strong as any football team in the league at home. This bodes well for the franchise. They've also had a rough last few seasons, so you can be sure that the fans will be full of energy and fully behind their team on Saturday.

The key to the team's success will be the ability to penetrate the dangerous Jets defense. If Carson Palmer is on top of his game, anything is possible.

Visit Nathan Gero's new blog about sconce lighting at http://sconcelighting.org.

Season 10 of "Dancing with the Stars" began on March 22, 2010, but without co-hostess Samantha Harris. She was replaced by Brooke Burke who joined co-host Tom Bergeron and judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli.

The season featured fewer contestants (11) than the previous season:

Buzz Aldrin - astronaut (partnered with Ashly Costa)
Pamela Anderson - actress and model (partnered with Damian Whitewood)
Erin Andrews - ESPN sportscaster (partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy)
Shannen Doherty - actress (partnered with Mark Ballas)
Kate Gosselin - reality television star (partnered with Tony Dovolani)
Evan Lysacek - Olympic gold medal figure skater (partnered with Anna Trebunskaya)
Niecy Nash - actress and reality show host (partnered with Louis van Amstel)
Chad Ochocinco - NFL wide receiver (partnered with Cheryl Burke)
Jake Pavelka - star of "The Bachelor" (partnered with Chelsie Hightower)
Nicole Scherzinger - Pussycat Dolls singer (partnered with Derek Hough)
Aiden Turner - soap opera star and model (partnered with Edyta Sliwinska)

This season was also the first one to have more female contestants than male.

In Week 1, Nicole became the fifth celebrity to score at least one 9 on her first dance. She and Derek got two 9's to get the highest score with a 25. Evan and Anna trailed closely behind with a score of 23 while Buzz and Ashly scored lowest with 14 while Aiden and Edyta only fared a bit better with a 15.

No one was eliminated in the first week and the scores were added to those of the second week. Nicole and Derek scored two 10's, making them only the third couple to do so in Week 2. Evan and Anna continued to do well with a 24 while Buzz and Ashly finished on the bottom with a 12, the lowest score ever in Week 2. Pamela and Damian were in the bottom two, but it was Shannen and Mark who were eliminated first.

In Week 3, the dances told a story and for the first week, Nicole and Derek were not on top. They scored a 23 while Evan and Anna got the top score with 26. Once again Buzz and Ashly was the lowest scoring couple with 13 and they were eliminated.

The couples were judged on technique and performance for each dance in Week 4. Evan and Anna were again on top of the leader board with 52 while Kate and Tony were on the bottom with 32. But, it was Aiden and Edyta that were eliminated.

Week 5 saw the couples dancing to songs from movies. Once again, Nicole and Derek were in the lead with 29. Kat and Tony found themselves on the bottom with a score of 15 and were eliminated. Despite scoring fairly well, Pamela and Damian were in the bottom two.

Len gave every performance a 7 in Week 6 except for Chad and Cheryl's Argentine Tango, which he gave an 8. Nicole and Derek were on top again with 26. Jake and Chelsie were on the bottom with 21 and were eliminated.

Although Nicole and Derek had lead most of the season, it was Evan and Anna in Week 7 that got the first perfect score of 30. However, the two couples were tied after the Team Gaga and Team Madonna performance. Pamela and Damian were eliminated even though Niecy and Louis had the lowest score.

Week 8 saw Nicole and Derek get their first perfect score for a '50s Paso Doble. Niecy and Louis were in the bottom two with Chad and Cheryl and were eliminated.

Nicole and Derek and Evan and Anna were tied again in Week 9 with a score of 59. Chad and Cheryl had the low score with 52 and were eliminated.

The final three couples - Evan and Anna, Erin and Maksim, and Nicole and Derek - performed the Judges' redemption dance and a freestyle performance on the first night of the finale. On the second night of the finale, Erin and Maks finished in third place. Nicole and Derek did a jive for which they got a perfect score and they were crowned the winners while Evan and Anna finished in second place. Derek joins Cheryl Burke, Julianne Hough, and Mark Ballas as two time dance pro winners.

Kathy is a guest writer for Reality-TV-Online. Visit Season 10 of DWTS to learn more about this great season.

Here are the fantasy football busts for the upcoming 2010 NFL season.

Beanie Wells-
With Matt Leinart at the helm, there will be very few goal line opportunities and rushing lanes will be virtually non-existent with defenses focusing solely on the run. Wells is stuck in a platoon situation with Tim Hightower and still being drafted in the 3rd round of some leagues.

Miles Austin-
Maybe it's just me, but what Miles Austin did last year was a complete fluke. Can't believe he's being drafted before studs like Brandon Marshall, Greg Jennings, and Roddy White (guys who have produced year in and year out and are the top talent on their respective teams). Dez Bryant will emerge as the go to guy. Talent always prevails when it comes to wideouts and Dez has obviously a better skill set. IE... when Calvin Johnson overtook Roy Williams, and when Kevin Curtis and Hank Basket weren't worthy to carry Desean Jackson's jock strap in 08.

Chad Ochocinco-
Chad Ochocinco? More like Chad Ocho-STINKo this year. A heavy rushing attack and the addition of TO will severely limit Ochocinco's production this year. Owens, bigger and more physical receiver will get more looks in the endzone than his puny (in comparison) sidekick. You can get Owens a few rounds after Ocho, and still get similar fantasy production if not better.

Jonathan Stewart-
He's getting drafted really early for someone playing second fiddle. I guess people are banking on Deangelo getting hurt again this year. You can get similar production at a much cheaper rate if you wait a round or two and get either Brandon Jacobs or Marion Barber. Heck, you might even get similar value if you wait a few rounds and draft Thomas Jones.

Larry Fitzgerald-
I really hate to put him on this list because he's such a huge talent, maybe the best receiver in the game today. But Matt Leinart is going to kill Fitzgerald's production this year. I predict 900 yards and 6 TDs... not worthy of someone taken in the 2nd round of most drafts. ***If Derek Anderson emerges as starter, Fitz becomes a top 5 fantasy receiver. He made Braylon Edwards a fantasy beast a few years ago.

Sebastian Cruz is co-founder and is on the "Expert" panel on http://elitefantasyinfo.com/. Check out the latest fantasy football rankings and analysis and feel free to post your fantasy sports related questions in the forum.

In 2009, the Cincinnati Bengals shocked the football world by winning the AFC North. Much of their success was due to an aggressive and complex style of defense that made it difficult for opposing offenses to play comfortably. On the other side of the ball, the Bengals finished with the top ranked rushing offense in the NFL. Surprisingly, the Bengals' biggest weakness in 2009 was something that had been their only strength for several years - the passing game.

The Bengals' aerial attack struggled on all fronts a year ago. Chad Ochocinco was their only receiver who could win one-on-one matchups consistently. However, he could be taken away by a top-ranked corner or the use of a second defender. This often left no other options for Carson Palmer. To make things worse, defenses continually attacked a Bengals offensive line that was great at run blocking but flat out bad in pass protection. With little time to throw, and no one to throw to, Palmer had to force a lot of passes, take a lot of sacks, and ultimately his game suffered.

How did the Bengals approach their 2010 offseason? They addressed their two biggest weaknesses (receiving depth and pass protection) by getting more pass-catching threats. They acquired free agent Antonio Bryant, an under-the-radar receiver who can win one-on-one matchups consistently with his athleticism if healthy. They drafted Jermaine Gresham, a very good pass catching tight end and a huge target in the middle of the field - the type of player the Bengals haven't had at the tight end position in several years. Additionally, they drafted a slot receiver in Jordan Shipley who has the ability to give NFL defenses major headaches on horizontal pass routes. Finally, the Bengals signed Terrell Owens, another dangerous and explosive play-making receiver. So what do we know about the Bengals now? We know that they have five receivers who all bring something different to the table. They now have five receivers who can each win one-on-one matchups. Most importantly, they now have multiple options in the passing game.

As a result, the Bengals didn't need to make any major improvements to their O-line this offseason. They did so indirectly. Think about it, with five receivers who can win one-on-one matchups consistently, defenses will be less inclined to blitz as much. They'll be less inclined to bring as many defenders and leave their corners and safeties alone in one-on-one coverage. This will take a tremendous amount of pressure off of the Bengals' offensive line. And make no mistake about Carson Palmer - if he is finally given time to throw, he will put the ball in the right place. Palmer is as good at reading coverage and throwing with anticipation as any quarterback in the league. He'll take advantage of his revamped receiving corps. If blitzed, he'll find the right one-on-one matchup to exploit - and there should almost always be one with all of the new options he has now.

The Bengals' success is not a foregone conclusion. Several questions linger. How soon can the new players familiarize themselves with a new offensive system? How quickly can they get on the same page as Carson Palmer in terms of rhythm and timing? Can they avoid injuries? And will T.O. be on his best behavior? We'll know the answer to all of these questions in about six months. But as of right now, the Bengals look like a team capable of playing deep into January - and potentially early February.

For more sports news visit http://www.BigSportsBalls.com

Fresh off his NFL fine for excessive celebration for putting on a sombrero on the sideline after scoring a touchdown the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco is at it again. After working with a Japanese film crew for a couple of weeks, Ochocinco was told about how fans over there would love for him to change his name to "Hachi Go" which translates to eighty five in Japanese.

Ever since Ochocinco became a break out star in the league he has always been one of the top offenders of the "no excessive celebrating" rule that comes with a fine every time you violate it. But given the fact that Ochocinco does not seem to care about the money he loses in fines as long as he gets all the media attention he can. He is one of the many sports Divas that only seem to care about the spotlight.

Since being told by his head coach recently that he needed to stop with his antics and warned by the league officials. Ochocinco decided instead of coming up with another celebration dance or whatever crazy idea that runs through his head he will go ahead and officially change his last name again, this time to Hachi Go to show his fans in Japan that he cares. Chad original birth last name was Johnson, which he changed to Ochocinco in 2008 and now it will be Hachi Go.

It would be one thing if he changed his name for a meaningful reason like maybe it was one of his biggest fans last wish or something important. Eventually down the road all of his antics and showboating will comeback and hurt not only him but his team also. Football is a team sport and Johnson just seems to be more about himself than the rest of his team. The only time he actually seemed to care about his team lately is when he stepped in for the injured Shane Graham at place kicking duties during the pre season. Even though he is not known for his kicking abilities he ended up kicking the ball off and making the decisive extra point kick to give the Bengals a 7-6 win over the New England Patriots. Other then that he seems to be all about himself just like Terrell Owens of the Buffalo Bills.

I know we are in a time were people especially celebrities are always trying to keep the media attention directly on them at all times just so they do not become an after thought in the public's mind. Athletes like Ochocinco do not need to always seek out extraordinary ways for the public to always follow them; they should just stick to their god given abilities and let their play making skills on the field do all the talking for him.

Do you want to be the average fantasy football player, stuck in the middle of your division? Or do you want to be the one who everyone is scared to death to face? If you want to be the average guy, you can just leave now. But if you want to be the most indestructable, most powerful, and the BEST, You may want to read this.

Most people will say, "No, I can't draft that QB, I don't have any of his WR's." That's okay to say that, but just because you have a QB-WR tandom, DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE FANTASY POINTS. The only two exceptions to that is P. Manning to R. Wayne and M. Schaub to A. Johnson. Here are a couple of scenarios:

1st scenario: Let's say you want a QB-WR duo. You draft Chad Ochocinco in the first round, and Carson Palmer in the second. In the next two rounds you pick Marques Colston and Chris (Beanie) Wells. Great picks...right? Let's rewind the clock. You are back in the 1st round. You select Maurice Jones-Drew, and in the second round you select Reggie Wayne. Then in the third round you pick Chad Ochocinco, and in the fourth Carson Palmer. That's the difference between around 15 points each week! And if you have played fantasy football before, you should now that every point is critical. Don't pick players when they shouldn't be drafted that high!

2nd scenario: You have the 8th pick in the draft. A. Peterson, C. Johnson, R. Rice, M. Jones-Drew, A. Johnson, R. Moss, and R. Wayne were all taken for the first 7 picks. You pick Aaron Rodgers for your first pick, knowing that no one would pick Greg Jennings...Your next turn up, Jennings is still there, waiting to be picked, along with Matt Schaub, Jonathon Stewart, Shonn Greene, and Wes Welker. There are mainly two possibilities here:
-draft Greg Jennings
or
-draft one of the others and someone else in the later rounds to trade up for a better WR
Personally, I would take Matt Schaub, and use Aaron Rodgers as bate to get Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, or Randy Moss.

Many people have different strategies to draft:
-separating the strong sides out
-strong in WR
-strong in RB
-strong in QB(s)
One of my favorite strategies, which I have not tried, is to pick five good QB's in the first five rounds, and after the draft you have time to think over who you really want, and then once you've decided what you are going to do. Start trading to get the best possible options out of your picks!

Remember, never go into the draft without looking at the players and see how they have been doing throughout Spring Training. Make sure you draft who YOU want and not who they say who's better. And the most important rule, make the most of your picks!

Hello, my name is Patrick Parker. I run a business called Fantasy Resort. There you can find weekly highlights, buy NFL gear, receive newsletters at the end of every week, and collect tips on how to build a better team. http://fantasyresort.weebly.com/

The wide receiver situation in 2009 has been more interesting than any position. Some unexpected names have achieved great levels of success through the first six weeks of the football season, while other big names continue to struggle week in and week out. Will this trend reverse itself in due time, or have some newer names ushered themselves in as the next big names in pro football? Let's take a look at the top 5 wide receivers thus far.

5. Chad Ochocinco. Call him Ochocinco or call him Johnson, the choice is yours. Whatever it is, 2009 has been a revival year for him, as many people thought he lost his touch after a dismal 2008.

4. Steve Smith (New York Giants). While he leads the NFL in receiving yards, Smith is still a newer name on the scene and doesn't win the respect that some of the bigger names to follow will. This, of course, could change after a few more weeks of great football.

3. Andre Johnson. Last year's leader in receptions and receiving yards is having another tremendous year with the Texans. He could easily win the #2 or #1 spot on this list, as they're all really close in talent and numbers.

2. Reggie Wayne. Peyton Manning has been huge in 2009, and Wayne has been the biggest beneficiary here.

1. Larry Fitzgerald. Last year's playoffs hero is picking up right where he left off - with another exceptional year of football for the Arizona Cardinals.

Rachel Morgans is a football lover who also happens to write about the Little Tikes kitchen at http://littletikeskitchens.com.

The 2000 Oregon State University Beavers wide receiving duo of TJ Houshmandzadeh and Chad Ochocinco Johnson would eventually become the star pass catching core of the NFL franchise the Cincinnati Bengals. Exactly how these two young men from opposite ends of the country (California and Florida) would find themselves playing on the same football teams at the college and professional levels is a completely random coincidence.

Oregon State, located in Carvallis, OR, has a respectable football program that from time to time places players onto NFL teams. In the case of Pro Bowl wide receivers Johnson and Houshmandzadeh who played together on the Oregon State Beavers squad in the fall of 2000 having two NFL all-star wide receivers in the same huddle on a college team is exceptionally rare for any school - even the most well established powerhouses. The shear unlikelihood of having so much talent on one offense is especially rare for a mid-tier level organization like the Oregon State Beavers.

While playing together for the Beavers in 2000 it was largely Chad Johnson who dominated the spotlight during a prolific season in which the two future NFL stars led their team to a very impressive 11-1 finish that included a victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl held in Phoenix. After successfully catching the attention of NFL scouts while playing alongside each other in Carvallis for a season the duo of wide receiver greats very randomly landed on the same professional team at the conclusion of the April 2001 NFL Draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals chose Chad Johnson (who would later change his name to Chad Ochocinco in 2008) with the 36th overall pick in the second round and TJ Houshmandzadeh with the 204th overall pick in the seventh round. Despite a significant amount of offensive success over the next eight seasons with quarterback Carson Palmer the wide receiving duo of Ochocinco (Johnson) and Houshmandzadeh was broken up on March 2, 2009 when TJ signed a contract to leave Cincinnati to play for the Seattle Seahawks. The March, 2009 signing marked the first time in nearly a decade that Chad (from Miami, FL) and TJ (from Barstow, CA)were not on the same team.

To give readers who are not very familiar with college or professional football proper perspective as to just how unusual the situation with Chad Ochocico Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh was it should be noted that a repeat occurrence of similar circumstances has not occurred anywhere else in professional football since Chad and TJ were united from opposites sides of the country (Florida and California) on the Oregon State campus in 2000. The two standout players are arguably the best combination of wide receivers to take their collective play making ability from college to the pros together.

Sam was sorry to see the wide receiving duo of Chad and TJ break up before the 2009-2010 football season. Fans of the receiving duo can reflect back on their humble college beginnings with Oregon State University wallpaper pictures for their desktop backgrounds which Sam has aggregated on a website he created.

Sam asks that all fans of college football take a look right now at his Oregon State University desktop wallpaper web page where visitors who search the site are guaranteed to find something they're interested in.

Can Chad Ochocinco teach us anything about branding? Your first instinct might be to answer that question with a resounding, no! But that would be too hasty. I suspect that even if you are not a football fan, you are familiar with the name Chad Ochocino. It probably sounds slightly familiar, but you are not sure why. He is a professional football player who made headlines when he changed his name from Chad Johnson to Ochocinco in honor of the number he wears on his Jersey--85. Now I know Ochocinco is not a literal translation of eighty-five, but that hardly matters. Instead let's focus on what we can learn from a quick study of his branding/marketing activities.

Recently Chad has parlayed his popular appeal into an appearance on Dancing with the Stars (he lasted until the final four pairs) and his own reality TV show where he is looking for love. He is not the first football player to appear on either Dancing with the Stars or to get his own TV show. But Chad is unique in that he seems to make all his public moves with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek, fully aware that what he is doing is deliberately creating a brand that will be larger than his athletic career.

One thing Chad has done to distinguish himself from others striving to secure their post-football futures is jump with both feet into the use of social media to engage with others and build his brand. Which tools did he select? Internet TV, Facebook and Twitter! Chad has over 995,000 followers as of this date and is a frequent and entertaining tweeter about things political, social and of course sports.

I don't know how you measure the value of a personal brand (I bet that Mashable guy or somebody like him will be looking into that shortly, Godspeed!) but I know that Chad is now far beyond the typical athletic brand. What does that mean? It means he has become the kind of leader with the sort of influence that legends are made of. He uses social media in the way all of us who are working to build personal brands should. He works to build relationships off-line as well as offline, he diversifies his marketing efforts, is personal and very real and he adds value (entertainment and sometimes thought-provoking commentary) before he seeks anything in return.

And other athletes are certainly taking notice! Did you catch the Espy Awards last night? In addition to the number of athletes who were personally tweeting about the event, many of them mentioned social media, specifically Twitter, in interviews. Chris Johnson even thanked 'Twitter, most of all' in his acceptance speech for Best Breakthrough Player. Who woulda thunk?

Now is Chad effervescent, impish and delightful yes? Do you have to be those things to realize the same business success? Must you have your own iPhone app as Chad does? No! You do need to be yourself, get to know and use YOUR unique assets and gifts and remember to have fun. If you are enjoying yourself and having fun, the people you are seeking to build relationships with will also.

I hope you are planning a POWERFUL day!

I invite you to comment or share this with others using the links below.

Allegra Sinclair
Online and Network Marketing Coach
http://www.allegramsinclair.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AllegrasTweets

It seems the trendy statistic in the NFL is the number of targets a player receives. Quite simply, it's the number of times the ball is thrown to a player. Obviously it's important that a player gets thrown to in order to put up numbers, but is it being over-hyped?

Here are the top 12 targeted WRs (Statistics as of 10/16/09):
Andre Johnson - 52
Nate Burleson - 49
Steve Smith (NYG) - 49
Randy Moss - 48
Reggie Wayne - 48
Chad Ochocinco - 46
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 45
Steve Smith (CAR) - 43
Santonio Holmes - 41
Calvin Johnson - 41
Wes Welker - 41
Hines Ward - 40

Now here are the top 12 fantasy WRs (non-PPR leagues):
Steve Smith (NYG) - 72.1
Reggie Wayne - 69.9
Andre Johnson - 67.7
Brandon Marshall - 54.8
Chad Ochocinco - 53.0
Nate Burleson - 53.0
Mario Manningham - 52.2
Miles Austin - 51.1
Roddy White - 50.9
Larry Fitzgerald - 50.0
Vincent Jackson - 49.3
Hines Ward - 49.0

Notice that five of the top targeted WRs don't show up.

The next four highest scoring WRs are DeSean Jackson, Mike Sims-Walker, Santana Moss, and Percy Harvin, which makes them the 13th-16th ranked fantasy WRs.

Jackson, Sims-Walker, and Harvin don't rank among the top 30 targeted WRs. Santana Moss is 22nd.

Steve Smith (CAR), Wes Welker, Torry Holt, Anquan Boldin, Justin Gage, Eddie Royal, Mark Clayton, Mushin Muhammad, Bryant Johnson, Bernard Berrian, Louis Murphy, and Patrick Crayton are among the top 30 targeted WRs yet they aren't among the top 30 fantasy scoring WRs. That's a staggering 40%.

While it is a useful statistic, do not put too much stock in it. The most important statistic for a WR is TDs. It is no coincidence that the top ten scoring WRs all have 3 or 4 TDs so far. Obviously a close second is yardage. That's where the scoring comes from.

PPR leagues add a point per reception, but I am vehemently opposed to PPR leagues. It overvalues possession receivers and short-changes deep threats. For the life of me I can not figure out why someone would agree that 3 catches for 15 yards should be more valuable than 1 30 yard catch. That's a different discussion for a different day.

The bottom line is use targets as a guide, but don't ignore the age old indicators of fantasy production.

Ryan Lester
http://lesterslegends.com

Helping you win your fantasy football, baseball, basketball, and hockey leagues.

The Bears travel to Cincinnati in hope of getting their first quality road win of the season. The Bengals and the Bears both had their winning streaks come to an end, but only one team will redeem itself from last week.

Bears on Offense
Chicago needs to set the tone early in Cincy, and by Chicago, I mean Jay Cutler. Cutler has carried the offense on his back, and for a QB with few playmakers to work with, he's clearly playing well enough for a contract extension. The Bears average only 89.8 rushing yards a game no thanks to Matt Forte, who, with just 1 touchdown on 3.4 yards a carry, has made fumbling his "forte", coughing up the ball 3 times in 5 games. The Bears need Forte to step up against a much-improved Cincy run D. If he can make the Bengals account for him, it will take pressure off Cutler and free up lanes for the Bears' passing attack. Cutler and co. need to be aggressive and go after the Bengals' secondary, who gave up nearly 400 passing yards last week and made Texan QB Matt Schaub look like Dan Marino. The Bears' receiving corps (which lacks a dominant threat) has to find ways to get open and Cutler should deliver. Cincy's top pass rusher- DE Antwan Odom- went down last week with a torn Achilles. Odom's absence may limit the Bengals' ability to rattle Cutler, who has had 7 picks in 3 away games this season. 
 
Bengals on Offense 
Despite getting manhandled at home by the Texans last week, the Bengals are looking good these days. Carson Palmer is taking charge of an offense full of weapons, starring future H.O.F.er Chad Ochocinco. Ocho is having a solid year; somehow, he's been able to incorporate his shenanigans into a routine and still be an impact player. This week, Ocho called out Chicago CB Charles Tillman on Twitter, suggesting that Tillman can't guard him. Well you know what, Ocho's probably right about that. Palmer needs to feed his bigheaded receiver the ball and look for Andre Caldwell, who has become a good 2nd option. Cedric Benson is putting up career numbers- he's 3rd in rushing with 531 yards. Cincy needs to give Benson at least 25 touches to get maximum mileage out of him. And I'd be careless not to mention the added fuel driving Benson this week- he's facing the team that released him just last year, a team he claims spread dirt about him after his release. Even though Benson maintains that Sunday's game is not about revenge, his play on the field might tell you otherwise. One group that will definitely feel Benson's wrath is Chicago's Urlacher-less LBs, who just lost Pisa Tinoisamoa for the season. 
 
Cutler and the Bears will put up a fight despite injuries and lack of road success. But Chicago doesn't have an answer for the Bengal playmakers, who will be the difference in the game. Look for Cincy to patch up their D and Palmer and the boys to get back to playing winning football.
 
Prediction
Cincinnati 27
Chicago 20

I am currently a senior at Fordham University and studying Economics. I am helping to work on a new sports prediction website called http://superpredictors.com I write articles and provide analysis for the site. I live in New York City.

The NFL's regular season is over, but the fantasy football season continues. Hopefully your fantasy football team was successful this season, but if not, one more chance for redemption awaits you. And even if you tasted success, and won your league, the playoffs allow you one more opportunity for fantasy football glory. And to help you achieve that exaltation, here are our player rankings.

Player 1
1) Peyton Manning: Despite playing less than a full game in each of his final two contests, Manning was second in the NFL in completions, completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns (tied with Brett Favre). All that and his team was working on an undefeated season before essentially forfeiting their final two games.

2) Drew Brees: Brees set the NFL record for single-season completion percentage and led the NFL with 34 touchdown passes despite sitting out Week 17. If you believe the Saints' late-season struggles were just a blip on the radar, Brees is an excellent option.

3) Philip Rivers: Rivers never seems to get mentioned when the top quarterbacks in the league are mentioned, but fantasy football enthusiasts know plenty about him. His 104.4 quarterback rating for the season was third in the league, and he was in the top-10 in both passing yards and touchdown throws.

4) Tony Romo: Romo had a great season, coming in third in the NFL in passing yards, and he happens to be playing his best football right now. Dallas is the No. 3 seed in the NFC, and many pundits like them to make a run at the Super Bowl.

5) Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers was fourth in passing yards, passing scores and quarterback rating for this season, so there's no doubt he is one of the best in the game. Green Bay is the fifth seed as well, which means it's unlikely they'd be playing any home games. He's the ultimate boom-or-bust candidate in this group.

6) Brett Favre: Favre had a remarkable year in every way, and he ended the regular season with a flourish. You have to wonder, however, if the Vikings will gear up the running game more in the playoffs than they did towards the end of the regular season.

Player 2
1) Kurt Warner: We all saw what Warner could do last season if he got hot in the playoffs, and despite the Cards getting waxed by the Packers last week, it didn't seem like they gave their full effort, did it?

2) Donovan McNabb: McNabb was worse than his pedestrian numbers (20-of-36, no touchdowns, no interceptions) indicated last week against the Cowboys, as he missed a number of open receivers. That and the fact that Philly is the No. 6 seed in the NFC will lead some to be pessimistic about him for a postseason fantasy football run, but remember that Philly had won six in a row, and McNabb has led his team on a number of deep playoff runs.

3) Tom Brady: While we certainly believe the Patriots can make an extended playoff run, Brady is dealing with a plethora of problems. First and foremost are his busted bones - he reportedly has three cracked ribs and a broken index finger on his right (throwing) hand. Not to mention the fact that Brady has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three of his last four games, and his leading pass-catcher, Wes Welker, tore up his knee and will miss the playoffs.

4) Joe Flacco: If you're looking for a sleeper candidate, Flacco may be your man. He doesn't put up huge numbers, but the Ravens have the running game and defense necessary to allow them to make an extended push in the playoffs, with Flacco doing enough to give you decent fantasy points along the way.

5) Carson Palmer: Really, Palmer and Mark Sanchez should be 6A and 6B, as neither is much of an option. Palmer was horrendous against the Jets last week, completing one of his 11 throws, for zero yards. New York is No. 1 in the NFL against the pass, but even if Cincy does beat them, Palmer won't give you much.

6) Mark Sanchez: Sanchez is the poorest passer among quarterbacks whose teams made it to the playoffs, and he should be treated as such here. Even a Super Bowl run for him may not produce equal numbers equal to two games from other quarterbacks in the playoffs.

Player 3
1) Adrian Peterson: Peterson led the NFL in rushing scores, and despite the fact he didn't have a 100-yard rushing game in the playoffs, his fantasy football value is beyond doubt, and there's reason to think that if the Vikings advance to the Super Bowl, he'll have a lot to do with it.

2) Ray Rice: Rice has huge value in this scoring format due to his pass-catching acumen, and if you believe that the Ravens can win at least one game, he may be worth choosing.

3) Joseph Addai: Addai doesn't rack up huge yards, but he was tied for ninth in the league with 10 rushing scores, catches the ball quite a bit, and also is on a team many think is the favorite to win the Super Bowl.

4) Thomas Jones: Jones has a tough go of it in the first round, against the Bengals' seventh-ranked run defense, and though he ran for two scores against them last week, he gained just 78 yards on 27 carries.

5) Ryan Grant: Grant is an excellent runner, and the Packers blew away the Cardinals last week, but his lack of receptions really hurts his value.

6) Cedric Benson: Benson will have to be most of the offense if Cincinnati is to advance in the postseason, but the Jets are a tough defense and there is no frame of reference for how he'll do against them because he sat out last week in their contest.

Player 4
1) LaDainian Tomlinson: Tomlinson has the advantage of being the lead back on a team that very well could wind up in the Super Bowl. Still, he had just one game with at least 75 rushing yards this season and two games with more than two receptions.

2) Pierre Thomas: Thomas had a bruised rib which was part of the reason he didn't suit up last week, but it's not a serious injury. He's a do-it-all back whose only question mark is how many carries he'll get.

3) Marion Barber: Barber had a solid season, though he carried the ball 20 times just once, and not more than 17 in any of his last six games. On a positive note, he did manage 91 yards last week against the Eagles.

4) Reggie Bush: Bush is more of a slot receiver than a running back, but the Saints clearly have the ability to make the Super Bowl, and he could catch enough passes to make him a worthwhile option.

5) Beanie Wells: Wells is now the lead back on a Cardinals team that we all know is dangerous considering what they did last season, and that was without a running game that Wells now provides them.

6) Brian Westbrook: Westbrook is a real wild card, and though we're not high on him due to what could be limited usage, if the Eagles wind up making a solid postseason run, Westbrook could be a big part of that, especially catching the ball.

Player 5
1) Felix Jones: Jones' explosiveness is what makes him an attractive option in this group. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry this season, tying Jamaal Charles for the highest average of any back with at least 100 carries. He also catches a decent amount of passes and received at least 10 carries in each of his last four games.

2) Darren Sproles: Speaking of explosive, Sproles fits right into that category, and he's also a very good receiver out of the backfield, but he doesn't receive the amount of carries Jones gets.

3) Chester Taylor: Taylor is a solid player who totes the rock between 5-10 times per game with 2-4 catches per. He could have good value if you think the Vikings are Super Bowl-bound.

4) Willis McGahee: We all saw what McGahee could do in Baltimore's last game of the season, and it may surprise you to know that he tied for fifth in the NFL with 12 touchdown runs.

5) Donald Brown: If the Colts weren't as good as they were, Brown would be last on this list, but he can pick up points based simply on the fact he may play more games. But he's clearly second fiddle to Joseph Addai, and has battled injuries all year.

6) Tim Hightower: Hightower received double-digit carries just once in his final five games, and he isn't explosive with the ball in his hands. What he does bring is potential fantasy points due to his ability to catch the ball.

Player 6
1) Dallas Clark: Clark was fifth in the NFL in receptions this season, tying teammate Reggie Wayne with 100 passes caught. He also tied Wayne for seventh in the league in touchdown grabs with 10, and is the most reliable pass-catching tight end in football.

2) Reggie Wayne: Wayne's numbers nearly mirrored Clark's in every way but receiving yards, where he picked up 158 more. Yet he's behind Clark due to his slow end to the year. He had fewer than 50 receiving yards in five of his final six games.

3) Sidney Rice: Rice broke out this season to place fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,312 on 83 receptions for a robust average of 15.8 yards per catch. But with receptions so valuable in this fantasy football scoring format, he ranks behind both Indy players.

4) Antonio Gates: Gates is one of the best pass-catching tight end in the game, and arguably number one. He ended the season on a great note, catching a touchdown in each of his final four contests.

5) Vincent Jackson: Jackson started hot, slowed down, then got hot again, racking up 100 yards in two of his final three games. His inconsistency is a concern, especially with so few games in the postseason to make his mark.

6) Marques Colston: There's nothing wrong with selecting Colston, it's just that the Saints have so many weapons, you never can tell who will be the player Drew Brees goes to in any specific game.

Player 7
1) Randy Moss: Moss tied for the league lead in touchdown catches with 13, and without Wes Welker, the onus to do big things in the New England passing game falls squarely on him.

2) Miles Austin: No receiver is currently playing better than Austin right now, who is physically dominating his opponents. He gained 90 or more receiving yards in five of his last six games, and wound up third in the league in that statistic.

3) Larry Fitzgerald: One of the players tied with Moss for the most touchdown catches in the NFL was Fitzgerald, though all things considered, he had a bit of a disappointing season, especially where receiving yards are concerned - he ranked 17th in the NFL with 1,092.

4) DeSean Jackson: Jackson is capable of pretty much anything, but he ended the season with two games of fewer than 50 receiving yards, and plays a Cowboys team that held him in check in Week 17.

5) Greg Jennings: Jennings' four touchdowns on the season was a huge disappointment to fantasy football owners across the land, though he still gained over 1,100 yards. But it's hard to ignore his lack of trips to the end zone and the fact that he caught fewer than 70 passes on the year.

6) Chad Ochocinco: Ochocinco will have to go up against Darrelle Revis in the Bengals' opening playoff game, and Revis, combined with a knee bruise, held Ochocinco to zero catches and zero yards in Week 17.

Player 8
1) Jason Witten: Witten's 94 catches this season were ninth in the NFL, though he only scored twice - once in Week 2, and again in Week 17 - against the very same Eagles team he'll be facing this week.

2) Brent Celek: Celek has become a trusted option for Donovan McNabb, and has proven that all season, but especially in the final weeks. He's the only one that didn't seem to have the dropsies in Week 17 against the Cowboys, a game in which he had seven receptions for 97 yards.

3) Percy Harvin: Harvin is a home run hitter who can find the end zone any time he touches the ball. He'll also run the ball at least once per game, giving him further value. By no means is he a bad option, it's just that he may not get as many looks as some other players in this group. Unless you think the Vikings are headed to the Super Bowl; then, by all means, insert him in your lineup.

4) Anquan Boldin: Boldin is suffering from injuries to both his knee and ankle, and may not suit up for Arizona's initial playoff game, so check his status before employing him in your fantasy football lineup.

5) Donald Driver: Driver had six receptions for 65 yards in Week 17 against Arizona, but he hasn't had a big game since Thanksgiving, and ended the season with fewer than 80 receiving yards in nine of his last 10 games

6) Derrick Mason: Mason is as reliable as they come, but Baltimore will win by running the ball, and their prospects for going deep into the playoffs seem remote.

Player 9
1) Julian Edelman: Edelman takes over the Wes Welker role in the New England offense, and that means big things in this scoring format. For example, in Week 17 he was targeted a whopping 15 times and came up with 10 catches for 103 yards.

2) Jermichael Finley: Finley is on his way to becoming one of the league's elite tight ends, and he finished the season with a bang, gaining 80 receiving yards or scoring a touchdown (or both) in each of his final five games.

3) Pierre Garcon: Garcon battled a hand injury late in the year that stunted what was seemingly excellent growth throughout the season. He was really playing well in the middle of the year before this injury caught up to him, and he can be effective on a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.

4) Robert Meachem: Meachem was extremely hot in the middle of the year, catching a touchdown in five straight games from Weeks 9-13. He's only scored once since then, however, and gained at least 70 yards just once in his final seven contests.

5) Jeremy Maclin: Maclin, Philly's first-round pick this year, has had a very good rookie season, but he's behind both Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson on the depth chart, and had fewer than 50 yards in both of his meetings with Dallas this season, the team the Eagles will face in the first round of the playoffs.

6) Jerricho Cotchery: The Jets pound the rock on the ground to win their games, and despite the fact that Cotchery and Mark Sanchez clearly have a solid chemistry, he's really not worth using.

Player 10
1) Devery Henderson: It's a gamble placing Henderson here, but one that could really pay off. He gained 804 yards this season on 51 receptions, and is always a threat to make one or two huge plays per game.

2) Bernard Berrian: Berrian had a highly disappointing season for his fantasy football owners, but he's on a Vikings team that isn't afraid to use all of their options, and one that could make a significant postseason run.

3) Jeremy Shockey: Shockey has been battling an injury, and hasn't caught a pass since Week 14. Still, it's possible he comes up with a solid postseason effort, because everyone on the Saints is capable of doing so considering how much they spread the ball around.

4) Braylon Edwards: Edwards gained less than 50 receiving yards in six of his final seven games, but he has the capability to deliver. Still, it's difficult to believe in him, especially considering the Jets are the lowest seed in the AFC, and win by running the ball and defense.

5) Roy Williams: If Williams gets the opportunity, he's shown he can make some things happen, but whether he does or not is anyone's guess. He's extremely frustrating to fantasy football owners, and can't be trusted, even if his talent says he can.

6) Steve Breaston: Breaston has ceded catches and yards to Early Doucet, so unless it's found out that Anquan Boldin's injury is a serious one, you should leave him be.

Player 11
1) Austin Collie: With Pierre Garcon out, Collie flourished, catching a touchdown in three consecutive games from Weeks 13-15. He also had nearly 100 yards in Week 16 and is a promising threat to, at the minimum, give you fantasy points with receptions, if not huge yards.

2) Malcolm Floyd: Floyd actually picked up 776 receiving yards on the season, which was more than players like Pierre Garcon, Jeremy Maclin and Robert Meachem. The problem was he did it on just 45 catches, which hurts in this scoring format, and he found the end zone only one time.

3) Patrick Crayton: Crayton is option three or four on the Dallas depth chart, depending on if Roy Williams actually shows up. But he had a big game against the Eagles in Week 17, and shouldn't be completely discounted because of his low spot on the pecking order.

4) James Jones: Jones did more than you might think by the Packers this season. He caught just 32 passes, but gained 440 yards, and more importantly, caught five touchdowns, which was one more than teammate Greg Jennings.

5) Todd Heap: Heap caught two touchdowns in each of his game during Week 15 and 16, and while that meant gold if you had the cajones to use him during your fantasy football playoffs, it was a rare feat for him, and he's just as likely to pick up 30 yards on two catches.

6) Dustin Keller: Keller is a middling option who didn't catch more than three passes or gain even 35 yards in any of his final five games.

Player 12
1) Nate Kaeding: Kaeding tied David Akers for the league lead in field goals, and was one of just two players who made 25 or more kicks to make at least 90 percent of his tries. He's the best kicker on a team with realistic Super Bowl expectations.

2) Ryan Longwell: Longwell has the benefit of kicking indoors until/if he reaches the Super Bowl, which is a nice bonus. He also plays on a high-scoring team and led the NFL in extra points made.

3) Garrett Hartley: Hartley only played five games this season, and though he was 9-for-11 in field goals, he only attempted one kick from 40 yards and beyond, and missed that kick. Still, he's on a team with a potent offense, and could be kicking in three games, which means plenty of points.

4) David Akers: As mentioned, Akers was tied for the league lead in field goals made. But he's on the sixth-seeded team in the NFC, and it may be difficult for the Eagles to advance deep into the postseason. Still, they very well could win a game or two, possibly making Akers a worthwhile selection.

5) Stephen Gostkowski: Gostkowski is on a team that can put up a lot of points, and has at least one home game, but his problem is long-distance kicking - he made only seven of his 11 kicks from 40 yards or beyond.

6) Jay Feely: Feely wasn't always accurate, making just over 83 percent of his field goal tries, but he was tied for third in the league in kicks made. Still, there are other options in this group that are better simply because they are on better teams.

7) Mason Crosby: Crosby made only 75 percent of his kicks this season, which is the worst percentage in this group. And he was only 6-of-13 from 40 yards or beyond.

8) Shaun Suisham: Suisham is a solid kicker, but he and Hartley are the only ones in this group not to have made a 50 yarder, and Suisham played nine more games than Hartley.

Player 13
1) Colts: The defensive group is the most subjective, and essentially boils down to which team you believe will go the furthest, thereby offering you the most opportunity to rack up points. For that reason, we've simply ranked the teams by their playoff seed.

2) Chargers:

3) Patriots:

4) Bengals:

5) Jets:

6) Ravens:

Player 14
1) Saints: The defensive group is the most subjective, and essentially boils down to which team you believe will go the furthest, thereby offering you the most opportunity to rack up points. For that reason, we've simply ranked the teams by their playoff seed.

2) Vikings:

3) Cowboys:

4) Cardinals:

5) Packers:

6) Eagles: