WEEK 4 PREVIEW

Two unbeatens remain in the BCFFL: The Spoiler and Predators are 3-0. Seven of the ten teams in our league are under .500 after three games. Clearly it's too early to tell how things are going to shake out, but this sets up for an interesting week of action in the BCFFL as many teams hope to right their ships. But to make things interesting, bye weeks have arrived, and so now seven different owners may have to scramble to find suitable replacements on the bench to make up for potentially big losses in their line-ups. That's right. Those 8 to 10 other players who are riding the pine may help some of these 1-2 teams get back on the saddle. Finding a GAME of the WEEK has been rather challenging for your commissioner as I've pored over the schedule and winced at the standings. So instead of a GAME of the WEEK in Week 4, I've decided to dub this round's featured match-up as the GAME of the W-E-A-K. Enjoy!

GAME of the W-E-A-K

BACKDOOR BANDITS

ORIGINAL DIVISION (1-2)

vs

GAUCHOS

ORIGINAL DIVISION (1-2)

MICHAEL TURNER

231 rushing yards, 1 TD

The Backdoor Bandits are coming off of a 200+ point week and a victory over The Megatons. This week the Bandits can bring their record even at 2-2 with a win over the Gauchos. To do so, the Bandits turn to Michael Turner who will get to showcase his skills at home against the 0-3 S.F. 49ers. A big week from Turner, who has only arrived in the end zone 1 time rushing the ball in three games, will make a big difference in Week 4. The Niner D is coming off a rough start to their road trip last weekend in Arrowhead where they delivered -1 fantasy points. That may not bode well against the Falcons who went on the road and beat New Orleans; the same Saints team that came into S.F. and defeated the Niners on Monday night in Week 2, 25-22.

Michael Vick has a premiere match-up against Donovan McNabb and the Redskins. The Eagles newly-appointed but controversial pick over Kevin Kolb as the new starter  makes sense after what he's done early in the season. Will he have more gas in the tank this week for Philadelphia? Having DeSean Jackson catching his passes certainly helps his chances, but more importantly, the fantasy points the Bandits are hoping to rack up against the Gauchos.

MATT HASSELBECK

Seahawks, 2-1

The Seattle Seahawks, under the direction of head coach Pete Carroll, are off to a 2-1 start on the season. The NFL is taking notice of the Seattle comeback in the NFC West and Matt Hasselbeck, who certainly isn't reminding anybody of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, has a team with just as good of a record as theirs. So the Gauchos hope for some production on the road from their QB as the Seahawks take their show on the road with a key divisional match-up against the St. Louis Rams.

Anquan Boldin's three TD receptions were key to the Gauchos success in Week 3. This weekend he finds himself in the middle of a bitter feud in the AFC North between his Ravens and the 3-0 Steelers. And Austin Collie, who has 359 receiving yards in three games, looks to have another outstanding week as the Colts travel to Jacksonville to battle their AFC South rivals, the Jaguars.

Will the Bandits capitalize on their $10, 200+ point week? Can the Gauchos continue to find success after a year off? Are we going to have an epic GAME of the WEEK or merely a GAME of the W-E-A-K?

THE SPOILER

ORIGINAL DIVISION (3-0)

vs

PARKING THUGS

EXTRA CRISPY DIVISION (1-2)

KYLE ORTON

1,009 passing yards

You might think that the team with Aaron Rodgers at QB would simply have to have a serviceable back-up at QB. How do you like 1,009 passing yards in three games with a 4:2 TD-to-interception ratio? That's what Kyle Orton is bringing to the table. And it's quite possibly why The Spoiler are 3-0 on the season. Last weekend Orton went toe-to-toe with Peyton Manning in a tough loss to the Colts. But he threw for 476 yards on 37 completions and a TD. Not bad!

This week The Spoiler face an Extra Crispy Division foe and the Originals are 7-4 against the opposition. Rodgers gets the Lions at home. Rashard Mendenhall has been very strong on the season, and Hakeem Nicks gets the Sunday nighter on NBC against the Bears.

NATE WASHINGTON

14.6 avg ppg

Titans receiver Nate Washington leads the Parking Thugs into battle in Week 4 as the Tennessee Titans host the Denver Broncos. Kyle Orton, The Spoiler QB, will be on the other side of the ball. Nate Washington hopes to equal the score for the Titans and come up with his third or fourth TD catch on the season.

The Thugs will have to come up with a plan to offset the loss of their QBs Josh Freeman and, more importantly, Tony Romo, as they will be out of action due to the bye week. Philip Rivers and LeSean McCoy have been major contributors early in the season for the Thugs. This is a week where they'll be counted on more than ever as the Thugs, shorthanded, are facing the 3-0 Spoiler.

COUGARS

EXTRA CRISPY DIVISION (2-1)

vs

THE MEGATONS

EXTRA CRISPY DIVISION (1-2)

Chad Ochocinco's cereal, Ochocinco's, made the news this week because a phone number on the box to donate to Feed the Children turned out to be a phone sex hotline. I'd say that this week is all about damage control for the high-profile Bengals wideout. He will square off against the Browns defense on Sunday in an AFC North battle.

The NYQBs (Manning and Sanchez) will hope to help the Cougars improve to 3-1 and with a victory, get into the driver's seat in the Extra Crispy Division. Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson bring some major punch to the line-up.

MATT RYAN

105 QB Rating

The Megatons are in the unusual position of being below .500 for probably the first time in a long time. They were soundly beaten against the Bandits in Week 3 and now face the 2-1 division-leading Cougars in Week 4. We shall see how The Megatons deals with adversity and they are going to pin their hopes on the arm of highly-rated QB, Matt Ryan, as he has a home date with the 49ers.

Drew Brees and Pierre Thomas will be counted on for big production at home against the Panthers in a divisional battle for New Orleans. This will definitely be a tough test for The Megatons, but a win will open up the Extra Crispy Division in a major way.

HOUSTON FUZZ

EXTRA CRISPY DIVISION (1-2)

vs

DELTA MARAUDERS

EXTRA CRISPY DIVISION (1-2)

BRAYLON EDWARDS

67-yard TD reception & DUI in Week 3

Which Braylon Edwards shows up in Week 3 against the Bills? This diva of NFL wideouts has managed to make Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Chad Ochocinco look like "The Golden Girls" by comparison. On draft day in the BCFFL, it was the Butterfingers pick heard around the world. And yet, despite all the press surrounding this guy, he shows up to play and has been a playmaker for the Jets.

The Fuzz are counting on another big weekend from Edwards. Carson Palmer and Matt Schaub have a couple of pattcakes in the Browns and Raiders this week. Both games are roadies, but this could fare well for the Houston Fuzz.

C.J. SPILLER

Special teams star in Week 3:

29-points on kick return

On the other side of the ball this Sunday, facing Braylon Edwards and the Jets, will be C.J. Spiller of the Buffalo Bills. Last Sunday, despite unremarkable numbers and a slow start, Spiller returned a kick for a TD and proved just exactly what a threat he can be for a fantasy team to find points in unexpected places.

Tom Brady will bring the star power on Monday night to help push the Marauders over the top in this important game between two 1-2 teams. And "Rowdy" Roddy White has been lighting it up for the Falcons and the Marauders early in the season, averaging 18 points per game. Johnny Knox also seems to have a knack for making the big play lately. So look for the DMs to fight hard for a win this weekend.

ALLIE-GATORS

ORIGINAL DIVISION (1-2)

vs

PREDATORS

ORIGINAL DIVISION (3-0)

REGGIE WAYNE

Dancing in the Pittsburgh end-zone!

This probably should have been our GAME of the WEEK because you have two of the BCFFL's shrewdest, most football-saavy owners bringing it in Week 4. Two former champions of the BCFFL square off and just to spice things up a bit, I had to go and find a picture of Reggie Wayne dancing all over the Pittsburgh end-zone. Now, Reggie Wayne has been getting touched up a bit in the stat sheets lately due to teammate Austin Collie's numbers. Some of those 4 TDs and 359 receiving yards should be the veteran Wayne's, undoubtedly. So will Wayne demand the pigskin or continue to let his QB ride the hot hand in Collie as the Colts head to Jacksonville?

The Gators look to be the first team to beat the Predators since they won their second BCFFL title last year. Jay Cutler, Greg Jennings, and MJD will look to help the AGs notch an important divisional victory in Week 4 over the champs.

PEYTON MANNING

Don't throw it to Wayne!

Throwing the football to Reggie Wayne in Week 4 is exactly what the Predators DON'T want! That's because RW is on the opposition. So if anything, Austin Collie should be high on the list of people the Predators want to watch for in Week 4, because Wayne's production could offset the hottest hand in the land if he has a big day.

Having said that, the Predators have a few other weapons to choose from. Just a few. Lance Moore, Larry Fitzgerald, and Brandon Marshall. Arian Foster, Peyton Hillis, and Ahmad Bradshaw. You get the picture. The 3-0 Predators are not going to settle for 3-1 without a major fight. And the Gators are in store for a nasty one this weekend. Good luck to both!

And good luck to everyone as we hope to all get the wins we're looking for in Week 4. And somewhere, the erstwhile 3-time BCFFL Champion, John, will be soaking up the champagne bubbles - for better or for worse - as the S.F. Giants attempt to clinch the division this weekend over the Padres. Good luck with that!