StatsGuru is back in the chair after his journey to Las Vegas to participate in the World Championship Of Fantasy Football. It was an absolutely amazing weekend. If you are a Fantasy Fanatic like StatsGuru, check out the WCOFF website and plan to get in the Draft for the 2009 season!

StatsGuru wants to thank everyone in the WCOFF organization who helped make the 2008 Draft such a success and such an AMAZING weekend for everyone! Your organization is a CLASS ACT all the way!

Beasts & Busts will be a weekly column that will help you when you are making your roster line-up decisions. We will look at some players that may be flying under the radar and some players who may be flying too high. We apologize that we didn’t have it up for Week One but we were just too busy having a kick-ass time in Vegas and concentrating on our own WCOFF Draft.

Let’s have a closer look at Week Two in the world of Fantasy Football.

Bears @ Panthers

The Bears surprised and then trashed the Colts in their own backyard on the night that the Colts opened Lucas Oil Stadium and the Panthers shocked the Chargers with a last second TD in Week One

Matt Forte was a Beast in Week One with 123 RYD and a TD against a notoriously soft Colts run D. Temper your expectations on Forte VRS the Panthers who held LT to under 100 RYD in Week One. The Bears DFST looked good in Week One and should be started in all leagues. Everyone else on the Bears should be considered busts and avoided at all costs.

The Panthers opened the season with a last second win in San Diego and look to keep it rolling in their home opener. With WR Steve Smith sitting the second game of his two game suspension, the Panthers will look to control the game on the ground. The RB by committee situation in Carolina makes both Stewart and Williams risky options. Be advised that Week One hero, TE Rosario has been very limited in practice all week with a foot injury and is listed as questionable.

Stats Sleeper: You have to know that Panthers’ WR Muhammad will be out for revenge against his former team and the Bears have issues at the corners.

Stats Slant: Look for this to be a low scoring game as neither team has anyone that could be considered a Beast in Week Two.

Colts @ Vikings

The Vikings lost to the Packers and the Colts were shocked by the Bears in Week One.

The Vikings and Packers played a penalty filled Monday Night game in Week One. If the Vikings remain as undisciplined in Week Two look for the Colts to light them up. QB Manning is always considered a Beast but some owners may not have liked what they saw in Week One. Don’t worry, the Vikings have done very little to improve their pass D and Manning will have a field day in his second start after off season surgery. Make WR Wayne and TE Clark (if healthy, check game day injury reports) Beasts as well. The Vikes should have no problem containing RB Addia so look elsewhere if you can when starting your RB’s.

The Vikings failed to mount any sustained offensive flow in the Monday Night opener. Some of that is attributed to the rash of penalties but most of it stems from QB Jackson. The guy has a cannon for an arm but couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. If he is your starting QB, you should be surfing the waiver wire. After RB Forte carved up the Colts last week, look for RB AP to do the same against them this weekend. Consider AP as a strong #1 RB prospect in Week Two. No one else should be considered as a Beast in Week Two for the Vikings.

Stats Sleeper: Colts’ WR Gonzalez will face single coverage out of the slot and should also be in line for a big day along with the rest of the Colts stars.

Stats Slant: Apart from a great run D for the Vikings, there is very little else in the way of D in this game. Look for the game to be a high scoring affair. Start your Colts but we advise you to sit any Viking who doesn’t have the initials AP.

Eagles @ Cowboys

The Eagles destroyed the Rams and the Cowboys did the same to the Browns in Week One.

This has got to be the most anticipated game of the week and we have to wait until Monday Night to see how it all shakes out. The Eagles looked like world beaters in Week One even with a depleted WR core but remember, they did it against the Rams who are one of the worst teams in the NFL. Look for the Eagles to come back to earth in Week Two. We aren’t saying you shouldn’t start McNabb and Westbrook, just temper your expectations as both of them will struggle versus the Cowboys D on the road.

The Cowboys were very impressive in Week One and should continue to roll in Week Two. If you have any Cowboys on your roster make sure you get them into your lineup!

Stats Sleeper: In case you didn’t notice, WR Crayton had a rather quiet 6 catch 82 PYD day in Week One. Consider him a sleeper candidate in Week Two as the Eagles will concentrate on trying to contain Barber III, T.O. and Witten.

Stats Slant: This is a statement game for both teams. We say the Cowboys make the bigger statement here.

Steelers @ Browns

The Steelers blew out the Texans and the Browns got buried by the Cowboys in Week One

The Steelers were very impressive in their new spread offense in Week One albeit against a Texans team that is still trying to find their way. The Steelers get another weak D in Week Two and you should expect more of the same out of QB Big Ben and RB Parker. WR Hines Ward was a Beast in Week One and WR Santonio Holmes was not. Expect a role reversal in Week Two.

The Browns couldn’t get anything going against the Cowboys in Week One and it doesn’t get any easier for them in Week Two. QB Anderson, RB Jamal Lewis and WR Edwards looked very ordinary and that has to be a concern to their Fantasy Owners everywhere. All of them are probably starters if you own them but don’t expect big numbers against the Steelers . TE Winslow was the lone bright spot for the Browns in Week One and is deserving of Beast status in Week Two.

Stats Sleeper: TE Miller was largely ignored in Week One. Look for Big Ben to get him more involved in Week Two.

Stats Slant: Expect the Steelers to put up a ton of points again this week. Expect another lackluster performance from the Browns skilled players with TE Winslow being the lone exception.

Giants @ Rams

The G-Men squeaked out a win over the Redskins and the Rams were crushed by the Eagles in Week one.

Yikes….where to begin? The Giants, apart from a handful of big plays, looked ordinary in beating the Redskins on opening night and the Rams looked simply awful versus the Eagles. Start your NYG skilled players including QB Manning, RB Jacobs and WR Burress. Jacobs could be the #2 RB behind AP come weeks end.

The Rams are a whole different story and we are reluctant to recommend any of them in Week Two. Redskins RB Portis needed 23 carries to net 84 RYD and we expect Rams’ RB Jackson to produce a similar stat line. The only reason we won’t make Jackson a bust this weekend is his pass catching abilities. Other than that, you should sit any other Ram this weekend.

Stats Sleeper: TE Kevin Boss is a legitimate sleeper candidate in Week Two as the Giants want to get him integrated into their offense.

Stats Slant: This game should be over by halftime, if not sooner.

Titans @ Bengals

The Titans opened at home and beat the Jaguars and the Bengals were dominated by the Ravens in Baltimore in Week One.

The Titans used strong defensive play to defeat the Jaguars in Week One. They lost QB Young to a knee sprain and then Young kind of lost his mind. Tough break for this kid who considered leaving football all together in the off season. Hopefully, for his sake, he can pull it together during his four week rehab and move forward. The Titans will start veteran QB Kerry Colins this week and that’s an actual upgrade for their passing attack. Look for rookie RB Chris Johnson to be a huge factor in the Titans offense again this week. TE Bo Scaife had a breakout game versus the Jags but we will reserve overall judgement on him until we see him piece together a string of good games.

The Bengals recorded just 154 yards of offense while dropping their opener against the Ravens. It was a horrible day across the board for the Bengals. QB Palmer will face constant pressure in Week Two as the Titans recorded 7 sacks in Week One versus the Jags. The Bengals appear to be out of sorts and need a quick fix. A repeat of Week 12 from ‘07 would go a long way to help right the ship. In that game Palmer and Ocho Cinco combined for 3 TD’s against the Titans. All things considered, we can’t honestly suggest any Bengal as a #1 starter this weekend.

Stats Sleeper: With Collins behind center the passing attack will be featured more then it has been in the past. WR Justin Gage was very quiet in Week One and even dropped some balls but look for him to rebound in Week Two

Stats Slant: The Titans were the only AFC South team to win on opening day and should leave Cincinnati with a 2-0 record.

Let’s Start A Rumor: If the Bengals running game falters again in Week Two, which it will, they may look to bring in a free agent RB and former MVP Shawn Alexander could be that guy.

Packers @ Lions

The Packers hung on to beat the Vikings on MNF and the Lions got thrashed by the Falcons in Atlanta in Week One.

QB Aaron Rodgers started his first NFL game Monday night against the Vikings and completed 18 of 22 passes for 178 PYD and a TD while adding a second TD on the ground. Now he starts his first road game of his career against the Lions who got run over by the Falcons in Week One. Look for a big game out of Rodgers, WR Jennings and TE Lee. Check the status of RB Grant as he is battling a slight hamstring injury. If he is good to go, get him in your lineup!

After an embarrassing Week One, the Lions look to rebound at home. The Packers held Vikings RB AP in check for most of the Monday night game so temper your expectations of Lions RB Smith. Look for the Lions to air it out early and often. QB Kitna and WR’s Johnson and Williams should all be in line for a big day. The Packers should roll double coverage towards Williams so Johnson should be the Lions top WR.

Stats Slant: The Lions need a big game in front of their home faithful to keep from dropping two games back in the NFC North. This should be one of the highest scoring games of the week.

Raiders @ Chiefs

The Chiefs hung with the Patriots in Week One but ended up on the losing end and the Raiders were soundly embarrassed by Denver.

The Chiefs V Raiders is always a huge game regardless of how good either team is and this week will be no different. Look for a huge game out of former Fantasy stud RB Larry Johnson as the Chiefs try to protect QB Huard in his first start and let him manage the game rather than force him to win it. Huard is actually an upgrade from Week One starter QB Croyle. That means WR Bowe and TE Gonzalez should also have decent stat lines for the Chiefs.

The Raiders were horrible in Week One and showed very little that suggests that they can turn it around. RB Justin Fargas was the lone bright spot for the Raiders on MNF. With rookie RB McFadden battling a sore hamstring Fargas will make a good #2 RB against the Chiefs. QB Russell was decent in Week One but lacks the receiving weapons he needs. WR Curry has failed to step up and WR Walker is hurt, as he usually is. TE Zach Miller is the real deal and is a low end #1 TE in Week Two.

Stats Slant: Hard to say which way this game is going to go. It could be a game of possession changes or it could be a shootout. Either way, if you have KC or Oakland players as starters, you may want to get busy on the waiver wire.

Saints @ Redskins

The Saints survived their game versus Tampa and the Redskins hung with the Giants but ended up on the losing end in Week One.

The Saints lost stud WR Colston for four to six weeks (six is more probable) after he had thumb surgery on Monday. Apart from the injury to Brady this is the next most serious on the long list of Week One injuries. Colston was set to have a monster year and he was a top five WR in most drafts. The Saints will now look to WR’s Patten, Henderson, Meachem and Moore to step up. Patten is the veteran and will move to the #1 role. Meacham should get the #2 role and Henderson will get his last chance to prove that he is an NFL talent and that he can actually catch the ball. Expect RB Bush and TE Shockey to get more looks from QB Brees as none of the aforementioned WR’s are very reliable. It’s safe to start Brees, Bush and Shockey as #1’s in all formats.

The play of QB Jason Campbell in the opener was erratic at best and brought down all the Skins offensive stars. He looked very uncomfortable in the new West Coast offense but Coach Zorn is confident he will get a handle on it. Look for the Skins to run early and often on the Saints making RB Portis a must start this weekend. Pro Bowl TE Cooley was largely ignored in the opener but look for that to change this week. He is just too good to be ignored and he is also a must start option against the Saints suspect D. With Campbell struggling to grasp the WCO tempter your expectations of WR’s Moss and Randle El.

Stats Sleeper: With RB Bush being counted on as a WR more than a RB, Pierre Thomas should see extensive playing time in the the backfield this weekend. Thomas has moved ahead of RB McAllister on the Saints depth chart. He came out of the Tampa game with some nicks and bruises but will be good to go for Week Two. He is not a #1 RB by any means but should be a serviceable #2.

Stats Slant: Look for a high scoring affair in the Nations Capitol. High Scoring is always good for Fantasy Fanatics!

Bills @ Jaguars

The Bills pounded on the Seahawks and the Jags were surprised by the Titans in Week One.

Everyone knows that teams struggle when they travel from the west coast to the east coast and play in a morning game. That was certainly the case this past weekend as the Bills owned the Seahawks. QB Edwards has been asked to manage the game he did just that with an offensive scheme that mixed the run and pass very effectively. He may not put up superstar numbers but will be a serviceable high end #2 QB all season. If you don’t have a marque QB, we have no problem recommending Edwards in Week Two. We don’t have to tell you that RB Lynch is a stud so get him started! WR Evans had a good game in Week One but beware as he tends to follow up big games with a disappearing act. Another TE to bust out this past weekend was Bills TE Robert Royal. If you missed out on one of the elite TE’s go get this guy if he is still available. With the Jags missing three starting O-Linemen expect another huge week from the Bills DFST.

As mentioned, the Jags are a hurting team on the O-Line and that has a ripple affect on all their starters. With no one on a bye and all players active, we can’t find any Jaguar worth staring this weekend.

Stats Sleeper: After a decent Week One Bills PK Rian Lindell, who went undrafted in most leagues, should post an even better stat line in Week Two. If you have space on your roster, grab him and use him until the snow flies in Buffalo.

Stats Slant: Look for the Bills to get to 2-0 on the young season and be tied with the Patriots for the division lead. The Jags better get to “chopping wood” before their season slips away.

Patriots @ Jets

The Patriots barely hung on but won their home opener versus KC while the Jets looked average in their game versus the Dolphins.

You have all heard of the Brady injury, to the point that it’s become nauseous, so we won’t spend very much time on it. Suffice to say that all the stars of the Patriots took a hit when Brady went down except maybe the RB’s who should benefit from the injury. That being said, we have always believed that Brady is more of a product of the system rather than the system being a product of Brady. Let’s move on! QB Matt Cassel steps in behind center and will be another in a long list of QB’s that will be asked to manage, rather than win games. He will be asked to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers (they still have playmakers) and let them make plays. If Brady was your starter and you backed him up with Cassel or you fished him out of the waiver pool, feel comfortable starting him if you don’t have other options. We should find out rather quickly whether RB Maroney is a Beast or a Bust. He was very mediocre in Week One and ended up losing touches to RB Morris. They both finished with similar stat lines but Morris got the TD. This has to be very disturbing for Fantasy Owners who spent a high pick on Maroney. Morris was the Pats #2 RB in Week One because RB Faulk likes to smoke pot and got busted with some and had to serve a one game suspension. With Faulk back in the mix and the unpredictable Belichick on the sidelines, you may want to take a week and see how the NE RB situation shakes out. You should start Maroney, just temper your expectations. We have no problem recommending Moss but we would be hesitant to start any other NE WR.

The Jets began the Favre era with a decent, though not spectacular, win over the Dolphins and are a surprising favorite this weekend versus the Pats. We don’t really understand that but whatever. Expect some New Yorkers to give Las Vegas some Super Bowl money back this weekend. The Jets Week One win needs to be taken with a grain of salt when you consider it was against the Fish. The Patriots will be a much tougher challenge for the Jets this weekend. Expect a pedestrian effort, across the board, from all the Jets players. We recommend using them as #2 starters at best.

Stats Sleeper: TE Ben Watson practiced Friday and appears to be ready to go after being out with a knee injury in Week One. He is listed as questionable so check the active list Sunday morning. If he is good to go he will provide Cassel with a much needed security blanket and could be in line for a big day.

Stats Slant: The Patriots lost Brady but they didn’t lose the rest of the team that finished 18-1 last season. Way too many people are writing off this team but we aren’t prepared to bury them just yet. Look for the D to make a statement and the O to be good, just not great.

49ers @ Seahawks

SF opened the season with a dismal performance versus the Cardinals but Seattle was even worse versus the Bills as both lost in Week One.

SF lost four fumbles and QB O’Sullivan threw a pick in Week One but have some play makers. If they can cut down on the turnovers you will see improved play out of them this season. That being said don’t expect to see it this weekend as they travel to the very hostile Qwest Field and face an angry Seattle team. We’re comfortable recommending RB Gore but we don’t expect a monster game out of him. He should be a serviceable 10-14 point player. Ignore the rest of the Niners this weekend.

The Seahawks were thoroughly embarrassed by the Bills on the road and look to rebound at home this weekend. You have to feel for QB Hasselbeck as he is down to virtually no receiving options after WR Burleson was lost for the season in Week One. WR Engram is still out and WR Branch is listed as doubtful. The most promising option in the receiving game appears to be rookie TE John Carlson who is a recommended pick up in all formats. The Seahawks also lost RB M. Morris to a knee injury in Week One. That opens the door for RB J. Jones to get majority of carries and makes him and excellent staring option. In his last game against the Niners (as a Cowboy in 2005) Jones rushed for 85 YDS and 2 TD. Morris is expected to be out at least two weeks so this is an opportunity for Jones to shine and prove that he is indeed a viable starting RB. TJ Duckett will be the backup and while he won’t have a tandem role, TJ could vulture a TD or two away from Jones.

Stats Sleeper: It’s kinda impossible to know which of the no-name wideouts will produce for the Seahawks. Check your league rules for the eligibility of QB Seneca Wallace who may start as a split end on Sunday. It’s definitely a bit of a stretch but if you are desperate at WR, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Stats Slant: Expect the Seahawks DFST to come back with a much better effort this week and they should lead all of the Seahawks Fantasy scorers in Week Two.

Falcons @ Buccaneers

The Falcons ran rough shot over the Lions while the Bucs fell just short to the Saints when Garcia was intercepted inside the 20 in the final minute of the game in Week One.

The Bucs made a QB change mid week and Griese will start in place of Garcia who has at least three nagging injuries. This doesn’t bode well for any of the Bucs WR’s and we recommend staying away from all of them as well as Griese if you can. Expect RB Graham to have a big day as the Bucs try to grind it out on the ground. TE Smith continues to be a bust in Tampa.

Rookie QB Ryan saw his first NFL pass attempt go for 62 yards and a TD to WR Jenkins. He looked very comfortable leading the Falcons. We aren’t going to recommend starting him this weekend but he will be a serviceable QB once the bye weeks begin. RB Turner came out of LT’s shadow and had a monster game against the Lions. The Bucs D is way better than the Lions but Turner should still be a starter in all formats in Week Two. It should be noted that the Bucs may be without LB Derrek Brooks this weekend as he is battling a hamstring injury. If Brooks is out things get slightly easier for Turner against a stout Bucs D. We still don’t trust anyone in the Falcons receiving core but WR White should be a decent #2 WR in Week Two. The Bucs did give up three TDs of over 39 yards in Week One versus the Saints.

Stats Sleeper: RB Dunn faces his old team and will be motivated. The Falcons held the Lions to just 62 net rushing yards but that was due to the Lions abandoning the run after falling behind 21-0 early.

Stats Slant: After what turned out to be a cupcake home opener for the Falcons, they get a real test this weekend versus the Bucs. We don’t see this as being a very high scoring game so temper your expectations of all players participating.

Dolphins @ Cardinals

The Cards won by dominating the 49ers while the Dolphins lost after QB Pennington threw an interception in the last minute against the Jets in Week One.

The Dolphins put up a respectable effort versus the Jets and one could argue they deserved a better fate. They had three more first downs than the Jets and only 16 net yards less. They are still a work in progress but if there’s such a thing as a good loss, this was it. QB Pennington looked comfortable with his new team and put up decent numbers. The INT in the last minute was the only blemish on an overall good day. The Dolphins OC put together a good game plan that saw both of the TE’s very active. Look for Miami to try to run the ball more in Week Two and ease back on Pennington after he had 43 attempts versus the Jets. Both RB’s Williams and Brown were also very active in a tandem role. That being said, we can’t seriously recommend any Dolphin out in the dessert this weekend.

The Cards used a surprisingly strong D to swarm the Niners in Week One and won with ease. They also brought a very balanced attack on the offense and, after a slow start, really started to roll in the second half. The Dolphins game this week is another good spot for the Cards offensive players. If you have them, start them!

Stats Sleeper: With the temperatures soaring over the 100 degree mark in the dessert this weekend look for rookie RB Hightower to spell Edge even more than he did last weekend (8 carries). He will also be a vulture at the goal line all season long.

Stats Slant: We don’t see this game as being close at all. If it was being played in Miami we might give the Fish a fighting chance but we just don’t see them surviving in the dessert. Start your Cards and enjoy!

Chargers @ Broncos

The Chargers lost on the last play of the game to underdog Carolina and the Bronco’s dismantled the Raiders on MNF in Week One.

The Chargers must still be shell shocked after the improbable finish versus the Panthers. They roll into Denver and they should be as mad as hell. Offensively they put up stellar numbers as all their skilled players contributed. Owners of LT need to be a little concerned after his pedestrian effort in Week One and the fact that he was limited in practice all week with a bad toe. What’s with the Chargers and toe injuries? LT said after practice Friday that he was good to go and he always feasts on the Broncos. Start any Chargers that are on your roster as they will take their frustrations out on the Broncos who are coming off a short week.

The Broncos look like they could have scored from the bus in the parking lot against the Raiders in what was one of the worst MNF games ever. QB Cutler looked strong and was very impressive in his first start since getting his diabetes under control in the off season. He will face a much tougher D in Week Two but he does get WR Marshall back after a one game suspension. WR Eddie Royal shinned in Marshall’s absent and did a little (or a lot) of everything for the Broncos on Monday night. He caught passes, had a couple of rushes, threw a pass and returned kicks. That’s certainly a full nights work for the rookie out of Virginia Tech. Don’t expect anything close to a repeat in Week Two though out of any of the Broncos. RB by committee was expected and used by the Broncos in Week One as six different players recorded rushing stats. Hall, Young and Pittman all had at least seven carries. Pittman had a horrible YPR average but was a vulture at the goal line scoring twice on three and one yard carries. Look for more of the same in the coming weeks and good luck if you own Denver RB’s.

Stats Sleeper: Even though LT has proclaimed that he is good to go, toe injuries are not good for players in the NFL. If you have RB Sproles stashed on your bench and you are desperate for a RB or flex player, Sproles could be worth a flier at this early point in the Fantasy season. Even if he doesn’t start, expect him to get his fair share of touches in this game especially once it gets out of hand.

Stats Slant: Many are calling for a close game at Invest Field at Mile High, we are calling for a blowout by the Chargers.

Ravens @ Texans-POSTPONED UNTIL NOVEMBER 9th

The Ravens smothered the Bengals and the Texans got destroyed by the Steelers in Week One. This game as been moved to Monday night because of Hurricane Ike. Believe in the warnings Gulf Coast residents and stay safe…our thoughts are with you!!

QB Joe Flacco was impressive in his debut for the Ravens. His numbers weren’t eye popping but he did a tremendous job managing the game and his 38 yard TD scamper down the sideline sealed the deal. His most impressive stat may have been zero turnovers. The absence of RB McGahee, made the Ravens lean heavy on second year RB McClain and rookie RB Rice. They had 21 and 25 touches respectively. McGahee is scheduled to start in Week Two so it’s anyones guess how the backfield rotation will shake out. The Ravens WR’s and TE Heap had a total of ten touches between four guys. Heap continues to be a bust for Fantasy Owners. Despite their dominant win in Week One and their Week Two matchup against a reeling Texans team, we can’t recommend any Ravens in Week Two.

The Texans got white washed by the Steelers and looked horrible as Pittsburgh jumped out to 21-3 halftime lead and never looked back. The score was much worse than it appears as the Texans scored 2 TDs in the forth quarter against the Steeler subs. That being said the Texans head home and get an extra day to game plan for the Ravens. They do have talent but we can only recommend QB Schaub, WR Johnson and TE Daniels as possible #2’s at their respective positions.

Stats Sleeper: Texans’ RB Green is hurt (again) and that opens the door for rookie RB Slaton. We expect a better effort out of the Texans and they should be able to stretch the field with the passing game. That should pave the way for the rookie to have a decent first start.

Stats Slant: We expect the Texans will bounce back in their home opener and give the residents of Texas something to feel good about in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. That being said, expect average to decent numbers from everyone involved in this match up.

Enjoy the games everybody and we’ll see you next week!

Cheers!

StatsGuru