Each week around the nation fantasy football managers work hard to predict each week which players will have the best games for their NFL teams.
Sometimes it's easier to figure out than others. More often than not, Tom Brady will put up good numbers, but every once in a while he will meet a team that matches up perfectly against him. The key for most fantasy football players is to find those perfect matchups between teams that could result in big games.
For example, last week Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 200 yards against Cleveland. Big surprise? Yes, because the Giants have had trouble running the ball this year. But in reality, no it was not a surprise due to the fact that the Browns give up the 27th most rushing yards in the league.
Finding the best matchups for players each week can be the key to winning and losing. Here are some players with perfect matchups who should expect big numbers in Week 6.
Quarterback
Andrew Luck - Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Jets
One week after having his best game as a pro against the Green Bay Packers, rookie Andrew Luck should have another excellent game against a weak and injured New York Jets secondary.
The Jets have lost cornerback Darrelle Revis for the season, leaving a big falloff in talent for their cornerbacks. Antonio Cromartie is a solid defensive back, but on the other side, starter Kyle Wilson is unproven and has only been in the league for three years.
Luck had 362 passing yards and two touchdowns against the Packers and used the no-huddle offense to perfection during the game. The Colts could do the same against the Jets on Sunday, forcing the team to leave tired defenders on the field.
The rookie quarterback has grown more comfortable with his receivers each week, and guys like Donnie Avery and Reggie Wayne could bust out in a big way against the Jets. Luck is trending in the right direction, throwing for at least two touchdowns in the past three games.
Although the team is ranked in the top 10 in passing yards allowed, the Jets lack depth at cornerback and could be tested throughout the game. Wayne had a huge game last week as well, catching 13 balls for 212 yards and a touchdown.
Luck became the second quarterback in league history to throw for 300 yards or more in three of his first four starts and could have another great passing day against the Jets, who are coming off a tough 23-17 loss to the Houston Texans on Monday night football.
Matt Ryan - Atlanta Falcons vs. Oakland Raiders
Maybe this is an obvious choice after the Atlanta Falcons have started 5-0, but either way quarterback Matt Ryan should expect to have a big day when the team hosts the Oakland Raiders.
Ryan is stellar while playing at home and tis season he has thrown for 1,507 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has two dynamic receivers in Roddy White and Julio Jones, each of whom can break of an 80-yard touchdown every time they touch the ball.
Tipping the scales in his favor even more, the Oakland defense is rated 28th in rushing yards allowed, meaning Ryan can use running back Michael Turner to help keep the chains moving.
At home this season Ryan has completed 65 percent of his passes for nearly 600 yards and five touchdowns with only one interception. He was always a skilled quarterback, but this season he has elevated his game. In the last two minutes of the half, Ryan has completed 83 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no turnovers.
Oakland is well rested coming off of a bye, but the last game the team played was a blowout loss to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 37-6. In that game Manning passed for 338 yards and three touchdowns.
Expect the same type of performance from Ryan on Sunday.
Running Back
Trent Richardson - Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Richardson has been one of the most impressive offensive rookies this season, rushing for 303 yards in five games with four touchdowns.
He has also proven to be a threat coming out of the backfield, catching 20 passes for 169 yards. Richardson has caught 15 passes in just the past three games. He is a valuable starter in all Points-Per-Reception leagues.
Although he was overshadowed by Ahmad Bradshaw's 200-yard rushing day last week, Richardson gained 81 yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown.
The Bengals are ranked only 19th and are giving up 118 rushing yards per game, a pretty favorable matchup for Richardson. It also helps that he is running behind Joe Thomas, who is one of the best offensive lineman in the entire league. Just for proof: Thomas has started every single game for the Browns since he was drafted in 2007 and has been named to the Pro Bowl the past five years.
This week his coach Pat Shurmur said at his press conference that the team plans to use Richardson even more, including on third downs, meaning that fantasy owners should expect even more production in Week 6.
Wide Receiver
Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona Cardinals vs. Buffalo Bills
Larry Fitzgerald is one of the top receivers in the NFL and he is expected to have a huge game this week against the Buffalo Bills.
Yes, the Arizona offense is limited after losing running back Ryan Williams to a season-ending injury in last week's game, but this week the team gets a gift in matching up with the Bills defense. Even though Buffalo signed defensive end Mario Williams in the offseason, the team has not been able to rush the quarterback and the team is ranked 24th in the league, giving up 277 passing yards per game.
This is all welcome news to quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was sacked nine times last week in the 17-3 loss against the Rams. Kolb should expect to have more time in the pocket this week and Fitzgerald will look to get into the end zone after being shut out of it against the Rams.
Although Fitzgerald didn't score, he still caught eight passes for 92 yards on 14 targets from Kolb. The Bills are also fairly weak at cornerback, with Aaron Williams and rookie Stephon Gilmore as the starters.
Other smart plays this week:
-Arian Foster, running back, Houston Texans vs. Green Bay Packers
-Peyton Manning, quarterback, Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers
-Jamaal Charles, running back, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
