The Bears travel to Green Bay to take on the Packers in what could be a one sided matchup. The Bears are still without quarterback Jay Cutler. They are also coming off a 45-41 loss to the Washington Redskins.

Rodgers and Lacy will get to go against the same Bears defense allowed 298 passing yards to Robert Griffin III and 209 yards rushing yards. Alfred Morris rushed for 95 yards, Roy Helu added 41 yards with three touchdowns and RGIII added 84 on eleven carries.

Top Fantasy Quarterbacks For Week 9

Tony Romo gets his shot at a Minnesota Vikings defense that allowed 285 yards passing and two touchdowns to Aaron Rodgers in week 8. The Vikings have allowed 15 passing touchdowns and 2,080 passing yards in 2013.

Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins take on the San Diego Chargers in week 9. These two clubs like to throw the ball and it should set up to be a high scoring contest. The Chargers defense is allowing the second most fantasy points to the quarterback position. Their defense also has only three interceptions in seven games this season.

Top Fantasy Wide Receivers For Week 9

Denarius Moore is emerging as the main threat for Terrelle Pryor in Oakland. Moore has 27 catches for 431 yards and four touchdowns in the team’s seven games. This week the Raiders take on a Philadelphia Eagles team that has allowed 14 touchdowns to the wide receiver position.

Dez Bryant who was seen yelling at his teammates last week is still one of the top wide receivers in football. Bryant showed that with his one handed touchdown grab in the end zone. Look for Romo to get him the ball more as he continues to make big plays for the team.

Top Running Backs For Week 9

Ryan Mathews and the Chargers rushing attack get to go up against a Redskins team that has allowed the most points to the running back position in the NFL. They have also allowed the second most rushing touchdowns to running backs with nine.

Eddie Lacy will get the bulk of the carries again in week 9 against the Chicago Bears. Lacy has helped the passing game open up and the Packers go on a four game winning streak. The Bears are allowing a little over 100 yards rushing and one touchdown per game this season.

Top Tight Ends For Week 9

Jimmy Graham is still battling with his foot injury but was able to pull in two touchdown passes in the win over the Buffalo Bills in week 8. Graham is a must start each week and should continue to put up big numbers.

Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert both have a great play when the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. The Dolphins have allowed six touchdowns to the tight end position this season.

Breakout Player For Week 9

Brandon LaFell is a player to watch going up against the Atlanta Falcons in week 9. Last week we saw both Kenny Stills and Marvin Austin break out for their teams. LaFell has 278 yards and three touchdowns in 2013. 

The Golden State Warriors are a team with lots of potential this season. After a breakaway in 2012-2013, when the team made its presence felt, the Warriors are looking to make the next step this season and contend for a championship. They do have a roster that will allow them to be very competitive. Let’s break down their most significant players and how well they can perform this season.

The team’s starting point guard, Stephen Curry, will be a player to watch this season. After breaking the NBA record for most three-pointers made during the previous season, the 25-year old point guard filled the stats sheet last season almost every night. He averaged 22.3 PPG, 6.9 APG and 4.0 RPG. He also shot 45.1% from the field and 45.3% from downtown. If he continues to perform like this in 2013-2014 he will be a valuable member of any fantasy team. There are some injury concerns, however, he will still be one of the best long-rang shooters in the NBA and will make fantasy owners happy.

His fellow guard and fellow sharpshooter, Klay Thompson, finished the previous season with 16.4 points, shooting 42.2% from the floor and 40.1% from long range. He also added 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He is just entering his third season in the NBA, which means that lots of great things are yet to come. Look for Thompson to become even better and improve his numbers next season.

The newcomer star, Andre Iguodala is projected to be the icing on the cake for this Golden State Warriors team. He will improve the team’s offensive firepower but he will also upgrade the perimeter defense. Iggy has always been a reliable fantasy option. With so many weapons around him, he will most probably not have the chance to dominate the ball.

The starting power forward, David Lee, (image above) will again be a very good option for the fantasy owners. He is solid, reliable and consistent. His 17.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game from last season may go slightly up or down, but as long as he stays healthy, there is no reason for him to not record similar performances.

Andrew Bogut is one big question mark for the Warriors this season. The team chose to risk and sign him for the next three seasons, despite his long injury history. He seems to be ok now, but can he stay that way? If he manages to play without issues this season, he can be a 10-12 PPG and 10 RPG type of player.

Harrison Barnes is the most significant reserve for the Warriors. He finished the previous season with 9.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG on a 43.9% shooting from the field. Marreese Speights is quality backup for the team. He and Barnes will most probably be the top two players coming off the bench for the Warriors. Last season, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he averaged 10.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG and 45.7% shooting from the floor.

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Right now is the time in every NHL fantasy league where you want to start to make some changes in your lineup. Depending on how deep your league is there may not be a whole lot left to pick from. Or so it may seem.

Here are five players that can do well for your team and are probably available in your league right now.

Cam Atkinson, F, Columbus Blue Jackets – Atkinson has a lot of talent in his 5’7” frame. He has scored 4 goals in the last four games he has played alongside Marian Gabonik on the top line. Gabonik has been out a few games with an illness but as long as those two are in the lineup together expect Atkinson to continue to score. He was the 2010-11 division scoring leader when he played for Boston College so he has a history of scoring.

Derek Roy, C, St. Louis Blues – The last two seasons have not been kind to Roy, scoring only 72 points in 122 games, and he has been overlooked in many leagues this season. So far Roy has scored 6 points in seven games this season. His playmaking has been excellent and you can expect him to continue to rack up points this season.

Teemu Selanne, RW, Anaheim Ducks – The “Finnish Flash” may be old and not too flashy but he still scores points. He has a goal in three straight games and scored his first power play goal of the season Sunday against the Dallas Stars. He still has a lot in the tank and could contribute solid points to you team.

Martin Hanzal, F, Phoenix Coyotes – The Coyotes have been switching up their lineup but Martin Hanzal has been the one constant in their offense.  He is tied for the team lead in points – six in seven games- with Radim Vrbata. This tag team could provide a lot of points for fantasy owners.

Jason Demers, D, San Jose Sharks – With Dan Boyle being placed on the IR and no date set for his return Demers is worth a pick up. His playing time has already increased by three minutes since Boyle’s absence and he now becomes the team leader in minutes played during power plays.

Picking up any of these five players can improve your fantasy squad. Now is the time to make a move.

With the 2013-2014 season less than a week ahead, the fan anticipation is heating up. Along with the enthusiasm about the start of the regular season, there is also much enthusiasm about the fantasy leagues from lots of fantasy owners and fans. After all the major changes in the balances around the league, fantasy owners will be challenged to predict how each player and each team will perform this season. Apart from the some of the top fantasy sleepers, which we examined in our previous articles, there are also some fantasy busts, which will have to be examined very carefully by fantasy owners, before they are picked up.

Dwyane Wade

There is no doubt that Dwyane Wade is a superstar and one of the best shooting guards in the league. As a member of Miami Heat’s Big Three, he has been a major factor in the Heat’s two consecutive championships. Nevertheless, during the previous season, he showed signs of struggle and due to his health issues the future is questionable for him. Wade is currently 31, and the only certain fact is that his body will not get healthier and fresher. After his knee injury during the 2012-2013 season, Wade seemed to lose some of his explosiveness and as a result some of his ability to acrobatically finish in traffic. His game heavily relies on the close-range shots and layups. Although he has now rehabbed from his knee injury, he should be treated with skepticism by fantasy owners. He will definitely be productive for the Heat this season. However, he is well past his best days and instead of arguably the most dominant shooting guard in the league, he is gradually losing his star shine. Of course, he can still be a 20.0-point, 5.0-rebound and 5.0-assits type of player.

J.R. Smith

Smith is yet another star player with injury issues. The knee surgery he had during the offseason leaves several questions about his ability to perform next season as he did during the 2012-2013 campaign. New York took the risk and re-signed him, but fantasy owners should think twice before doing the same.  Hopefully, the Sixth Man of the Year 2013 will get back at his 100 percent soon and starts to be productive. But if he doesn’t, then the loss will be big.

Amar’e Stoudemire

Smith’s teammate, Amar’e Stoudemire is another start player that raises questions about his performance next season. The dominant forward/center has been battling through injuries during the last few seasons. Although he seems to be in a better shape now, he might never be able to return to the level that made him the superstar player we all knew. Last season he played in just 29 games and going one season back he played 47 games. How many games and minutes will he be able to play this season?

Ryan Anderson

Ryan Anderson is for sure a superb shooter. He is also a solid rebounder. But can fit to his new role in the New Orleans Pelicans’ rotation? The revamped Pelicans roster consists of several weapons offensively. Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis will dominate the possessions, which might impact Anderson’s numbers big time. In 2012-2013, Anderson averaged 16.2 points per contest and 6.4 rebounds. It will be a surprise to see him retaining such numbers in 2013-2014.

The Dallas Cowboys head to Detroit to take on the Lions in what should be a great offensive game. This matchup features two teams that like to pass the ball with Matt Stafford and Tony Romo.

The other big fantasy game to watch in week 8 features the Washington Redskins traveling to Denver to take on the Broncos. If the Redskins secondary doesn’t slow down Peyton Manning we could see a game similar to week one when he passed for seven touchdowns.

Top Fantasy Quarterbacks For Week 8:

Matthew Stafford and the Lions are going against a Cowboys team that has allowed the second most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Stafford is also benefitting from the return of Calvin Johnson as he starts to get healthy.

Peyton Manning plays against the same Redskins team that allowed over 400 yards passing to Aaron Rodgers early in the season. Manning is a sure lock each week to throw for over 300 yards and at least one touchdown.

Top Fantasy Wide Receivers For Week 8:

Marques Colston has been quiet through the Saints first six games this season but his name should be called in week eight. Jimmy Graham, the team’s leading receiver is still recovering from a foot injury and it should open up for Colston. The Bills have allowed the second most fantasy points to receivers and 12 touchdown receptions in 2013.

Pierre Garcon and the Washington Redskins should have an opportunity to pass against the Denver Broncos in week eight. The Broncos stop the run well and if they get a big lead they will allow the opposing team short underneath routes which should open up for Garcon.

Top Running Backs For Week 8:

Eddie Lacy and the Green Bay Packers head to Minnesota to take on the Vikings in week eight. The Vikings are allowing over 21 points a game to the running back position and Lacy has continued to improve as the season moves along. The Vikings have allowed opposing running games to rush for over 100 yards four times and three games with two rushing touchdowns.

Frank Gore gets his shot at a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that has allowed a league high eight touchdowns to running backs through the team’s first seven games. Gore should be a safe pick in week eight as the 49ers defense should create a lot of opportunities for the offense.

Top Tight Ends For Week 8:

Tony Gonzalez is a great play in week eight going up against an Arizona Cardinals defense that has allowed the eight touchdown passes to tight ends in 2013.

Breakout Player For Week 8:

Jarrett Boykin could be emerging as a key player in Green Bay and the injuries should allow him to see a significant role in the passing attack. Boykin pulled in eight catches for 103 yards and a touchdown in week seven.