FANTASY FOOTBALL IN-SEASON FEATURES

Prediction: NYJ 27, DEN 20

The Jets are 4-1 and at some point we are going to have to admit that they are pretty good. They came one point from being 5-0 and are on a four game winning streak in a season where most teams cannot do the same thing twice in a row. The Broncos are 2-3 and mostly exist to please the Kyle Orton owners out there. Actually the Broncos are victims of a very rough schedule and oh look, it is the Jets this week.

Pregame Notes: The Jets are rolling with a top defense that can still get better once Darrelle Revis has a healthy hamstring and an offense that has hit a new gear in the passing game. Couple that up with a great rushing attack and the Jets are contenders for the crown. They not only have won their last four games. but each one had a winning margin of at least eight points. And now that Santonio Holmes is on board, they could be even better.

QUARTERBACK: Mark Sanchez only threw for 191 yards on Monday but it was mostly driving rain, the Jets had the lead and the rushing game was working well enough. Sanchez passed for multiple scores in the previous three games and perhaps most importantly - he has not lost a fumble or thrown an interception in any game this year. Error-free is hard to beat these days.

The Broncos have been softer than most against the pass and given up eight touchdowns so far but Sanchez is not going to throw any more than needed. I like those two scores this week but yardage will be moderate as always with Sanchez.

RUNNING BACKS: LaDainian Tomlinson failed to score against the Vikings but he was instrumental in keeping the chains moving and ended with 94 yards on 20 carries and had five receptions for 13 yards in the driving rain. Shonn Greene mixed in with 57 yards on ten carries and scored once. Tomlinson is running with renewed vigor and looks very much like the LT of old. His three scores all came in road games as well.

The Broncos are about average against the run and only because the Ravens blew up on them last week with 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns between Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. But Chris Johnson was held to only 53 yards the previous week and no other runner has scored on the Broncos. But this Jets team is similar to the Ravens that just crushed these Broncos. Expect a decent game on the ground but the Denver venue prevents a really big showing.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Braylon Edwards has been more than serviceable this year with three scores and never less than 70 yards for the last three weeks. Jerricho Cotchery has not been more than a glorified tight end and now Santonio Holmes has finished his suspension. Holmes caught three passes for 41 yards in his first game back and already flashed some deep ball problems he presents for opposing defenses. This unit was already good, Holmes should make it very good once he has established chemistry with Sanchez.

The Broncos have been solid against wideouts but mostly because they faced opponents who do not throw much. The Colts wideouts saw Austin Collie with 171 yards and two scores and the main matchup issue is who Champ Bailey will take on. For this week, that's likely Edwards though he would naturally match on Cotchery. I like one passing score here and that is more likely Holmes or Cotchery as the secondary guy.

TIGHT ENDS: Dustin Keller only had two catches for 14 yards in the rain and he was only targeted five times against the Vikings but he had five scores in the previous three weeks. With the secondary worried now about Holmes as well, I like Keller to sneak in another touchdown.

Pregame Notes: The Broncos continue their pace of losing every other game and what has consistently been a problem is a lack of any credible rushing and the defense that has allowed 25 points per game. That all spells delightful passing numbers but not great for winning games. This week is yet another bad matchup but it settles down from here on out.

QUARTERBACK: The passing stats continue to amaze with Kyle Orton posting no less than 295 yards in any game this year and throwing for eight touchdowns against only three interceptions. That's 1733 yards in only five games and a pace that would result in 5545 yards or about 500 yards more than anyone else ever has. It's a weekly shootout and it is wonderful.

The Jets normally have a stout pass defense but Darrelle Revis is nursing a hamstring problem and his island is closed for now. The Jets have allowed multiple passing scores in each of the last four games with healthy yardage. It is the Jets but the Broncos cannot run or stop the Jets from passing. So expect Orton to continue to throw hot and heavy to the wideouts.

RUNNING BACKS: The only reason this unit is not ranked #32 is because of a couple of Moreno touchdowns to start the season. Moreno has been out since week two and Laurence Maroney and Correll Buckhalter have literally combined for 28 carries for 48 yards over the last two weeks combined. This is currently the worst rushing unit in the league.

No reason to start either runner against the Jets. Or anyone for that matter.

WIDE RECEIVERS: The biggest surprise this year may be Brandon Lloyd who is on his fourth team in eight years and has gone from the journeyman wideout who never touched his potential to suddenly a stud receiver at the top of the list. Lloyd has three touchdowns and finished with 115+ yards in four of his five games. He is on a pace for 96 catches for 1884 yards and ten scores. Eddie Royal has been less effective but still has two scores and a couple big yardage efforts. Jabbar Gaffney is the possession guy with just one touchdown but solid yardage nearly every week. All combined, this is the most productive unit in the NFL right now and largely because of Brandon Lloyd.

The Jets vaunted secondary has taken a hit with Revis' injury and the Broncos are going to be passing the entire game. No need to shy away from starting any of these wideouts.

TIGHT ENDS: No fantasy relevance.