FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEKLY FEATURES

BUF (5-6) vs MIA (2-9)

Game Prediction: BUF 24, MIA 10

This is a rematch of week six when the Bills beat the Dolphins 20-13 and ended the four game losing streak that began their year.

Pre-Game Notes - BUF

The Bills are 5-2 since that horrible 0-4 start and have won four of their last five games. The only losses recently have been on the road against the Ravens and Patriots. They have scored 38+ points in each of the last two games and with a running game that is once again formidable, Bledsoe no longer is relied on to lose games.

Running Backs: Willis McGahee had a career best last week when he scored four rushing touchdowns and ran for 116 yards against the Seahawks. That makes four 100+ rushing efforts in the last five weeks and his very first 100 yard game came in week six against the Dolphins when he ran 26 times for 111 yards.

Travis Henry broke his leg last week and will be gone for the balance of the season. With the tremendous success of McGahee, the broken leg is about all the press he was going to be getting anyway.

Wide Receivers: Lee Evans continues to improve and comes off a six catch, 70 yard effort against Seattle last week with his third touchdown of the year. Eric Moulds has been relatively quiet since week three but had managed eight catches for 93 yards for his best effort in the last month and he had 99 yards in the last meeting against the Dolphins.

Josh Reed was a scratch last week and Sam Aiken filled in. I am assuming that Reed's knee will continue to keep him out.

Tight Ends: While Mark Campbell had a career best game in week 11 when he scored three times, he returned to being a pumpkin against the Seahawks when he only had three catches for 31 yards. Campbell had 36 yards and one score in the last game against the Dolphins.

Match Against the Defense: Buffalo managed to just beat Miami last time but the offense has greatly improved since week six, most notably the running of McGahee and how that in turn has softened up the secondary for Bledsoe. The Miami defense has been noticeably softer against the run this year and therein lies the strength of the Bills. Expect that McGahee gets heavy use and likely tops 100 yards and scores this week as well.

Bledsoe has always had problems with the Miami corners and likes to play it safe but should have a better time this go around now that the defense has to be concerned with McGahee and cannot tee off on the pass rush every play. Bledsoe will have a moderate game much like last time.

Pre-Game Notes - MIA

A win. No matter against whom, no matter how it happened, it was a win last week. They are now clearly only the second worst team in the NFL.

Running Backs: Sammy Morris missed last week due to bruised ribs and Travis Minor ran 22 times for only 47 yards against the 49ers. Morris has been the only runner of note for the Fins this year and has two of the only three rushing scores all year by Miami. I am assuming that Morris misses another game since he was doubtful last week.

Morris gained 91 yards on 18 carries in the previous game against the Bills. His return is badly needed.

Wide Receivers: Chris Chambers has seen new life with Feeley at the helm and he has scored in each of the last two games. Chambers has five touchdowns on the year and three 100 yards games in the last five weeks. He only managed 23 yards on two catches in Buffalo this year though he scored in both matchups in 2003 against the Bills.

No other Miami wideout has mattered lately and Marty Booker continues to play though he is not 100% healthy thanks to a lingering ankle injury.

Tight Ends: Randy McMichael scored last week but he still is not a common target for Feeley in part because he is needed to block more. McMichael is as good as it gets for Miami receivers after Chambers but it never gets very good. He only had 34 yards and no score in the first matchup with the Bills.

Match Against the Defense: The Dolphins should be feeling good after scratching out a win over the worst team in the NFL, and while they played a decent enough game in week six against the Bills, this team is not as healthy as then (which then was not as healthy as 2003). Feeley is limping around and Morris has busted up ribs and may not play. The ground game for the Bills is much improved which should provide a definite time of possession advantage to the Bills which will only drive the luxury of rushing even farther down for Miami. Expect very little from Minor if he starts and if Morris is able to play, he still will not likely meet his previous production.

Feeley goes against a solid secondary that has held all but Brady and Bulger to no more than one touchdown and most teams remain at under 200 yards passing. That fits into the mold for the Dolphins.