NFL Week 2 Picks 2023 (September 14-18)

The opening week of the NFL season is much anticipated by the fans of all thirty-two teams and it is a time to dream.

However, the approach into Week 2 feels a lot different.

Now fans will higher be floating on clouds after a win, or will feel the world is caving in after a loss and there is very little in-between.

Some teams have proven that an opening loss is nothing to worry about and you would expect the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals all to recover and get back on track very quickly. In saying that, two of those three teams have tough looking games to negotiate in Week 2 and even their fans might begin to worry if falling into a 0-2 hole.

Others like the Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams will do well not to get too carried away, but over-reactions are not only seen in the stands and from talking heads on television, but will also be reflected in the spreads released by Vegas.

One team that may be concerned even at 1-0 has to be the New York Jets.

I have long said that it is virtually impossible to pick a Super Bowl winner in September without having some luck behind your pick and those who have Jets tickets in their pockets will know all about that.

Four Offensive snaps is all it took for the excitement and confidence to be deflated as Aaron Rodgers suffered an achilles injury that will keep him out for the season.

Zach Wilson did lead the Jets to the upset over the Buffalo Bills, but this is not a Quarter Back you would trust on a week to week basis and some are already suggesting that New York need to see if they can make another trade and bring in someone on a rental, eg Kirk Cousins from Minnesota.

You have to feel for Aaron Rodgers, and you do hope this is not how his career will end.

He does not seem the kind of person who would want to end his career on anything other than his own terms so the expectation he will try and return, but at 39 years old, Aaron Rodgers has some road back to get onto a NFL field again.

It was a decent Week 1, but the Thursday Night Football game will get the Week 2 Picks underway and it is a very long season.

Underdogs had a very strong week, but there are some very big favourites in Week 2 and a number of teams looking to bounce back from underwhelming openings.

Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles Pick: You are not going to win the Super Bowl after Week 1 of the NFL has been played, but fans will be looking at performance levels and results and then make sweeping statements about what they have seen.

Neither one of these teams impressed in Week 1, but the reigning NFC Champions, the Philadelphia Eagles (1-0), won on the road, while the Minnesota Vikings (0-1) were upset at home by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They meet in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football almost exactly twelve months to the day from when the Philadelphia Eagles comfortably got the better of the Vikings at home.

Once again it is a prime time spot for two teams that will have PlayOff aspirations at the very least this season and for two teams who are adjusting to what is demanded from them out of new Co-Ordinators.

It may have been a part of the reason the Eagles Offensive unit struggled through the second half of their win over the New England Patriots in Week 1. However, winning on the road against a Bill Belichick team that has had time to devise a game plan is never easy and so there are bigger expectations on the shoulders of Jalen Hurts and the Eagles on Thursday.

Brian Flores has to be largely pleased by what he saw from his Minnesota Defensive unit on the opening week, but facing Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a significant drop from the level that will be expected from Philadelphia. This time the Vikings Defensive Line will have to have a genuine concern in the ability of Jalen Hurts to make plays with his legs, while Minnesota have to generate a stronger pass rush if they are going to disrupt the home team in the passing game.

Stopping the Eagles moving the chains was problematic for Minnesota in the meeting last year and Philadelphia will certainly feel they have all of the tools to have success in this Thursday Night Football offering. The early numbers are encouraging for the Vikings after the Defensive performance last year, but one game against the Buccaneers in their current situation is not going to convince that a lot has changed.

The Eagles should be able to move the ball with more consistency at home than they did in New England and that is going to mean pressure on Kirk Cousins and the Vikings Offensive unit to bounce back from the opening loss. Kirk Cousins is effectively playing for a contract, whether here or somewhere else, but he had an Interception in the loss to Tampa Bay and the entire Offensive mistake made some key mistakes in being limited to 17 points.

Justin Jefferson will always get his catches and numbers, and the Vikings will likely target the hole left by James Bradberry who is expected to sit out in the concussion protocol in a short week. We have seen Kirk Cousins put up some decent numbers and he will feel he can do that here, although much is going to depend on the health of the Offensive Line.

Right now that does not sound as good as the Quarter Back would hope and the power of the Eagles Defensive Line is likely to make the difference in this game. The Eagles might be without Fletcher Cox, but they have talent on the Defensive Line and a banged up Vikings Offensive Line may struggle to give Kirk Cousins the time to try and attack this Eagles Secondary.

It does not help that the Vikings are not expected to have a lot of success running the ball, which means Kirk Cousins is operating behind an Offensive Line that will struggle to protect for enough time to make plays in third and long situations. As we have seen throughout his career, this could lead to Cousins turnovers and the Philadelphia Eagles look like they could pull clear for another solid win over Minnesota.

Home favourites did struggle in Week 1, but the Philadelphia Eagles look to have a serious edge in the trenches on both sides of the ball in this Thursday Night Football game. The feeling is that they can win the turnover battle and that should see them eventually pull clear and beat the Vikings by double digits in this one before heading into a mini-break with the next game slated for Monday Night Football in Week 3.

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons Pick: Two teams who have produced Week 1 wins meet one another in Georgia and the oddsmakers are finding it tough to separate the two teams.

The Atlanta Falcons (1-0) beat the Carolina Panthers at home behind a strong Defensive performance, while the Green Bay Packers (1-0) were set as a narrow underdog on the road in Chicago in Week 1, but the Jordan Love era began with a big win over the Bears.

While there are question marks around the Falcons and Packers, those opening wins will have given the fans plenty of encouragement. The situation is not ideal for Green Bay having to begin the season with back to back road games, but the team have to be feeling good about the start to a new era with Aaron Rodgers moved on.

Jordan Love threw 3 Touchdown passes and for 245 yards in the win over the Chicago Bears, but it might be tougher this week with Aaron Jones potentially missing out. The Running Back was a very strong safety blanket for Jordan Love and AJ Dillon may not have the same pass-catching ability to offer the Quarter Back that same blanket on Sunday.

You do have to like the way Dillon has played for the Green Bay Packers, but this is a season when Aaron Jones is going to be very important and so his absence will hurt. It will also put more pressure on the banged up Receiving corps to make plays for Jordan Love and this revamped Atlanta Defensive unit will feel they can give a relatively inexperienced Quarter Back something to think about.

The Packers did not run the ball efficiently in the win over the Chicago Bears, but AJ Dillon may have a bit more room to operate in this one. It was something the Panthers were able to do against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, but the general feeling is that the Packers may not have the same room to operate Offensively as they did against the Bears.

Strong defensive play is going to be important for Atlanta all season and they will know that their own Offensive game plan will depend on being competitive in games. The Falcons do not want to put a lot of pressure on Desmond Ridder to have to make plays through the air, even if he does have some big targets in Kyle Pitts and Drake London operating in the Receiving corps.

Last week the Falcons struggled in pass protection and the Packers have a team that can generate a strong rush, while the Green Bay Secondary is capable of making big plays.

However, the Atlanta Offensive Line looks like it will be much more comfortable when it comes to grading the road and they did open up some decent lanes for Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. The Falcons were a top three rushing team last season and have opened this season with strong numbers on the ground, which should be seen in this Week 2 game as well.

Those two Running Backs look like they are going to form a special partnership and both could be important as safety blankets for Desmond Ridder too. Last week the Packers allowed the Chicago Bears to pick up 122 yards on the ground at 4.2 yards per carry, but Green Bay's Defensive Line could have more issues with the traditional running game the Falcons will use rather than focusing on slowing down Justin Fields.

It is the ability to grind out those yards on the ground that look to give the Falcons an edge in this game against a team playing a second consecutive road game.

There is a trend that shows the Falcons have not been able to back up home wins when playing back at home, but they did cover in that situation in Week 18 with Desmond Ridder at Quarter Back last season. They can do the same in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers thanks to some big Defensive plays as Atlanta move to 2-0 for the season.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Buffalo Bills Pick: There are a number of teams playing back to back road games to begin this season and it should be noted that this is far from an ideal situation for any of those. The Las Vegas Raiders (1-0) secured a narrow win on the road against Divisional rivals the Denver Broncos in Week 1 and that will be a boost for Josh McDaniels and his team, but playing in the altitude of Mile High and having another road game to come is a tough scheduling spot.

Add in the fact they should be playing an angry Buffalo Bills (0-1) team that dropped a Divisional game on Monday Night Football and this really looks a tough challenge for the Raiders.

Josh Allen and company have to be frustrated about the loss at the New York Jets- in normal circumstances it might not have been a big surprise with the Jets having Aaron Rodgers playing for the first time at Quarter Back, but the future Hall of Fame player was out of the game after just four Offensive snaps and Zach Wilson helped lead the Jets to the victory.

The Bills have struggled to deal with the New York Jets over the last twelve months, but there will have been some concern with what was seen from Josh Allen. Poor decisions had overshadowed his 2022 season and there were more poor mistakes that ultimately cost Buffalo the opening game of the 2023 season and it will be something the Quarter Back will want to eradicate in the weeks and months ahead if he is going to take the Bills to a Super Bowl.

Buffalo's Offensive Line will have something to prove this week having been rattled far too often by the Jets pass rush, while Allen and company will want to show off a much stronger passing game. As well as the Raiders played last week, the feeling is that the Bills will be much more comfortable with this match up against a Secondary that does have some holes to exploit.

More will be expected from Dalton Kincaid to aid the passing options at Josh Allen's disposal, while the Bills should be able to establish the run through their Quarter Back and James Cook. The Jets have a Defensive unit that will likely be ranked inside the top five again, but the Las Vegas Raiders are not expected to be nearly as strong as what we saw last week and Buffalo should be able to pile up the points.

You also have to believe that Josh Allen will not throw 3 Interceptions again in Week 2 and that means it will be up to Jimmy Garoppolo to try and make sure the Raiders remain competitive. The former Patriot and 49ers Quarter Back is someone who has produced winning Football without always looking as strong as the record would suggest and that was seen again in Week 1 as he led the Raiders to a win in Denver despite finishing with just 200 passing yards.

Those passing numbers may take a dent if Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers are both missing for the Raiders in Week 2- both have missed practice and Meyers is almost certainly going to be absent as he moves through the concussion protocol. Jimmy Garoppolo may struggle to get much going through the air in this one if both of those Receivers are out and the Raiders will need to lean on Josh Jacobs to try and keep the ball out of the hands of the powerful Buffalo Offensive unit.

In something of a surprise, the Bills Defensive Line could not clamp down on the run last week once Aaron Rodgers was out of the game. They allowed the Jets to rack up some big yards on the ground, but Buffalo are much better against the run and there should be a reaction from them as they try and force Jimmy G to win this one through the air.

The Bills were surprisingly beaten at home by the Minnesota Vikings the week after losing at the New York Jets in 2022, but Josh Allen has usually bounced back to lead his team to not only a win, but a cover following a defeat. The Quarter Back would have heard some of the negative opinions about his performance on Monday Night Football, but this looks a very good spot for Buffalo to bounce back and especially with the Raiders on the second half of consecutive road games after a tough Divisional win at the Broncos in Week 1.

Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions Pick: There has been so much hype around the Detroit Lions (1-0) and what they could potentially achieve this season. The departure of Aaron Rodgers from the NFC North meant the Lions were the trendy pick to win the Division, especially after the way they finished the 2022 season, but proving that on the field is all that matters.

Beating the defending World Champions on the road in Week 1 will only have intensified the expectations of this Detroit Lions team.

Despite the words of Mike Tirico on the broadcast at the end of the Lions in in Kansas City, most will have to accept it is a big win for a team that been improving in leaps and bounds under Head Coach Dan Campbell. This is one Coach that will demand a lot more from his team and the extra time between the Week 1 and Week 2 games should only have given Dan Campbell more of an opportunity to remind his players that they have achieved absolutely nothing by winning just one game.

Motivation should not be an issue for the Detroit Lions when hosting the Seattle Seahawks (0-1) as it was the Week 4 loss here to the Seahawks that ultimately was the difference between PlayOff Football and an extended break. That loss dropped the Lions to 1-3 on their way to a 1-6 start, but the team looks much more well-positioned in 2023.

They are hosting a Seattle team that looked really poor in the Week 1 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams as they put up just 180 total yards and saw Geno Smith struggle to just 112 yards through the air. The Seahawks did move the ball on the ground with some efficiency at 4.7 yards per carry, but they were chasing the game and had to move away from that side of their game.

Running the ball against the Detroit Lions will not be easy and especially not if the Offensive Line is as banged up as it sounds. Both Tackles on the Offensive Line could be missing and that is going to leave Geno Smith and the Seattle team vulnerable to this Lions pass rush that will be expecting a much bigger impact than they produced in the win over Kansas City.

They were not able to get to Patrick Mahomes and Geno Smith can scramble around, but the Lions will feel their pass rush pressure will win out if they are having to deal with a makeshift Offensive Line.

It should also mean the Lions Secondary can back up what was a strong opening performance with the Seattle Quarter Back throwing out of pressurised spots. While you have to believe the Seahawks cannot be as poor as last week, this looks a very tough game on the road against a rested, motivated Detroit team and Geno Smith and company may not be able to have the consistency on this side of the ball to keep up with the Lions.

While Seattle and Smith could be playing with pressure all around him, the Detroit Lions and Jared Goff should be playing with a much cleaner pocket. The Quarter Back should be able to find his Receivers in spaces against this Seattle Secondary and Jared Goff is also expected to have more support from the run game, which was largely ineffective last week.

The Seahawks did play the run well against the Los Angeles Rams last week, but they struggled last season and are not expected to have improved significantly on that issue. Add in the power of this Detroit Offensive Line and the feeling is that David Montgomery will have a stronger outing for the Lions, which should only ease the game for Jared Goff.

He was given time against the Kansas City Chiefs and Jared Goff has really taken care of the ball in his time with the Detroit Lions with just 15 Interceptions thrown in his time with the team. As long as he can continue to do that, Goff should have a big game and put the Seahawks under the pump as he looks to take the Lions to a 2-0 record.

This will be the fourth time in a row that the Detroit Lions will be favoured to win a game at home and they are 3-0 against the spread in the previous three. At the same time, the Seattle Seahawks have struggled to remain competitive when set as the road underdog in recent games and with the motivation of losing last season on their side, the Detroit Lions can win and cover.

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers Pick: It is going to take a bit of time for the Carolina Panthers (0-1) to turn things around with a new Head Coach and Quarter Back combination beginning with a Divisional loss to the Atlanta Falcons. That was on the road though and the Panthers are a part of a double-header on Monday Night Football as they face another rival from the NFC South.

This time they are hosting the New Orleans Saints (1-0) who also have a new look with Derek Carr at Quarter Back, but who managed to do just enough to beat the Tennessee Titans at home in Week 1. A losing record was enough for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the Division in 2022 and the retirement of Tom Brady means there is a void to be filled, one that the Saints will feel they should be favourites to do so.

Having Carr at Quarter Back and with the experience throughout this roster is certainly reason to have the Saints as the favourite in the Division, but they were beaten twice by the Carolina Panthers in 2022.

And with that in mind, it is quite surprising to see the Saints set as a pretty strong road favourite in this Week 2 game on Monday Night Football.

Derek Carr will need a bit of time to get on the same page as the Receivers, while the suspension being served by Alvin Kamara means a key player is out of the Offensive line up. That absence also affected the ability of the Saints to run the ball as they would like and Derek Carr has already made it clear that New Orleans need to do better in that regard to make things easier for the entire Offensive unit.

There is a talent drop from Kamara to Jamaal Williams, but the Panthers Defensive Line were not able to contain the Falcons threat on the ground last week. This should be good news for the Saints, and perhaps give Derek Carr a bit more time when he does drop back to throw.

Time was a problem in Week 1 as Carr absorbed a number of Sacks and he was also fortunate not to lose a Fumble- if the Saints have issues establishing the run, Carolina can certainly get to the veteran behind Center and that will disrupt the Offensive rhythm, much like the Tennessee Titans were able to do in their narrow road loss in New Orleans in Week 1.

New Orleans will still believe they are going to show more Offensively as Derek Carr becomes more comfortable in the system, and they may be able to lean on the Defensive unit while waiting for the Offense to get in sync with one another. For the ninth game in a row, the Saints have held teams to fewer than 21 points and that will always give the Saints a chance to win any game of Football.

Bryce Young had some early rookie struggles in Week 1 and so this is going to be another test for the Quarter Back, although being back at home should only aid him.

The ability to scramble out of the Quarter Back position did help the Panthers and they may feel they can get something going on the ground in this game too. Last week the Saints struggled to deal with the Titans rushing game, although it should be noted it is powered by Derrick Henry, and the Panthers might feel they can keep their young Quarter Back in positive down and distance.

He will have to be careful about the ability the Saints showed to turn the ball over by Intercepting Ryan Tannehill multiple times, but Young may be asked to make short passes and use his legs if the downs remain manageable. That will be important for Carolina as they look for the home upset, which they are capable of achieving if the Saints continue to have Offensive struggles.

Bryce Young did make some mistakes on the road, but that is not a major surprise out of a rookie Quarter Back. However, the expectation is that he will be a little more careful at home all around and the Panthers may be able to keep this one close.

You have to respect the fact that the Saints won road games at Cleveland and Philadelphia at the back end of the 2022 season, but taking the points with the home team looks to be the right approach to this early season Divisional game.

MY PICKS: Philadelphia Eagles - 6 Points @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Atlanta Falcons - 1.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 8 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Detroit Lions - 4.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

New York Giants - 4 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Denver Broncos - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

Miami Dolphins - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Carolina Panthers + 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Pittsburgh Steelers + 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.51 Units (7 Units Staked, + 35.86% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2022- Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin III (September 17th)

There has been another mini-gap between major Boxing fights around the world, but on Saturday we will likely see the end of a trilogy between two fighters considered amongst the best of their generation at 160 pounds.

These days Canelo Alvarez operates at the Super-Middleweight and Light-Heavyweight limits and that has meant Gennady Golovkin has had to accept this third fight at 168 pounds.

Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin III

There has been controversy attached to the first two fights between these Middleweight Champions.

My personal scorecards had Gennady Golovkin winning the first fight (which was eventually ruled a Draw), but I did have Canelo Alvarez sneaking the second fight (which he was awarded in a Majority Decision), although I can understand those who believe the Kazakhstani legend won both.

It is the Adelaide Byrd card that has led to the spin of Canelo Alvarez not deserving either win, and I do think it was an awful piece of judging that should have had her fired on the spot and never to interfere in another fighter's career again. However, all five other cards have been either 114/114 (twice), 115/113 (twice) or 113/115 and those do indicate how closely these two have been matched.

It is incredibly unfortunate that Gennady Golovkin is likely going to have live with never earning a win over Canelo Alvarez even if he deserved to have one on his resume. At 40 years old and moving up in weight for the first time, I truly do not see how Golovkin can turn back the hands of time and win this one.

The heaviest he has ever weighed going into a fight is 163 pounds, but this is five pounds higher and Canelo Alvarez has grown into the Super-Middleweight limit effectively. His experience of being strong at this weight is going to give him a further edge, even more than simply being the 'A Fighter' and the younger legs, and I think there will be very little controversy.

Some people are built to fight others and I do think Gennady Golovkin will be willing to give his everything to turn this in his favour, but he looked like a man on the permanent decline when last season him beat Ryoto Murata back in April. He was touched up far too many times by an opponent who is not nearly as skilled or competent as Canelo Alvarez and I think the bigger question is whether the latter can find a way to get to the Stoppage.

Breaking down Gennady Golovkin will be far from easy, but there have been times in recent fights where it has felt like opponents have gotten to him. A strong puncher like Canelo Alvarez who is looking to bounce back from an upset loss to Dmitry Bivol is going to test the Golovkin gas tank more than most and I do think he can put his punches together and force the referee to step in.

I love Gennady Golovkin and I think it is a real shame he did not get the fights he deserved at his peak, but I am also very realistic in saying that he is no longer at that level. Like Joe Frazier against Muhammad Ali in Manila. I think we will see Gennady Golovkin potentially have to be told the fight is over by the corner, even in an era where we no longer see the Fifteen Rounds for the biggest bouts rather than the Twelve Rounds we now get.

Even if the corner keep him out there, Canelo Alvarez has shown he can punch hard enough at this weight to break down an opponent. I expect the Mexican to make a fast start and hurt Gennady Golovkin early before beginning to pace things out for a very strong finish as he puts an exclamation point on the end of the rivalry.

The odds against quotes for a Decision win for Canelo are pretty appealing, but I will have a smaller interest in the 168 Undisputed Champion to find the finish in the second half of the fight.

We have a pretty stacked undercard from the 'PPV is dead, but here's a PPV you can pay extra for' crew at DAZN.

Austin Williams and Diego Pacheco should both be able to win and both inside the distance.

Ali Akhmedov is another who can win on the undercard as he continues to rebuild his career, although Gabe Rosado is an able veteran who should be good enough to escape becoming the latest Stoppage defeat the Kazakhstan fighter has produced. With veteran fit, Rosado can stay out of danger in the latter Rounds, even in a losing effort.

It won't ever be easy to do that against a big hitter, but Gabe Rosado has shown he knows his way around the ring and can keep Akhmedov honest enough to reach the cards.

The main undercard bout features Jesse Rodriguez who has really sparked his career over the last nine months with big wins as he has moved up to the Super Flyweight Division. I think he is being positioned for a big time crack at the winner of the Juan Francisco Estrada-Roman Gonzalez bout to take place later this year and I think he will showcase more punching power in his bout with Israel Gonzalez.

The latter cannot be underestimated having gone the distance with Chocolatito, but I think this will be a fun fight and he will not be hard to find.

After watching the continued improvement of Jesse Rodriguez, I do think he will break down Israel Gonzalez and can find a second half Stoppage.

MY PICKS: Canelo Alvarez to Win Between 7-12 @ 4.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Ali Akhmedov to Win Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.62 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jesse Rodriguez to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2022: 28-47, + 13.67 Units (135 Units Staked, + 10.13% Yield)

College Football Week 3 Picks 2022 (September 17th)

Another College Football Week has come in under the radar.

It was a mixed start for the Picks and I expect to have a fuller thread in Week 4 when Conference play gets underway.

Oklahoma Sooners @ Nebraska Cornhuskers Pick: There was a time that a matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-2) would have had National Championship repercussions, but those look a long time ago now. Back then, the Sooners and Cornhuskers were big time rivals meeting in the same Conference, but they are only meeting for the second time in twelve years having agreed to a home and home series.

Last season the Sooners won narrowly at home in Week 3 as a 22 point favourite, while their Offensive streak of scoring at least 27 points per game was also snapped on the day. However, they did come away with the win and Oklahoma are pretty strong road favourites in Lincoln in Week 3 of the 2022 season.

Some of that may be down to the continued ways that Nebraska can lose close games, while it may also have something to do with the fact that the Cornhuskers fired Head Coach Scott Frost following the latest loss. They were 23 point favourites last week, but Nebraska were beaten outright by the Georgia Southern Eagles who are under a first year Head Coach following a 3-9 2021 season finish.

To say it is disappointing is an understatement and Scott Frost leaves Nebraska having produced a losing record in a little over four seasons as Head Coach. There was a real hope that Scott Frost would turn around what has been a tough few seasons for Nebraska, but this is a school that has become used to losing and changing that culture will be a challenge for any Head Coach coming in.

For now Mickey Joseph will be tasked with guiding Nebraska going forward as they prepare for this game before heading into a Bye Week. Any new Head Coach is likely to be appointed at the end of the season so Joseph could stake his claim by helping the Cornhuskers turn around their 2022 season and have a strong run as they look to at least become Bowl eligible for the first time since 2016.

Nebraska have been competitive under Scott Frost and you have to believe that will be the case- pride alone should mean they play as hard as possible in front of the home fans, while having a National Championship contender like Oklahoma in town can only help. This is a Cornhuskers team that is experienced, although they only scored 16 points in the loss in Norman last season and are have to deal with a pretty good looking Oklahoma Defensive unit.

We don't really know how good the Sooners are on that side of the ball from wins over UTEP and Kent State, but Brent Venables is a strong Defensive mind and the Head Coach is pleased with the players that have been left over. They have generated a strong pass rush early and Venables will feel his Defensive Line can at least get to Casey Thompson, the Quarter Back who will be known to the Sooners fans from his time with the Texas Longhorns.

For all of the negatives around Nebraska, they have feel able to move the ball Offensively and I do think they can have some success doing that here, although ultimately that Oklahoma pass rush could prove significant. Establishing the run will be the key for the Cornhuskers, and even limited success on the ground could open up some passing lanes for Casey Thompson.

I do think the Cornhuskers will have some joy, but I also think the Oklahoma Sooners are looking very comfortable Offensively and have to be very keen on attacking the Nebraska Defensive unit which has struggled to make stops. Dillon Gabriel is leading the way at Quarter Back for the Sooners, but he has been well supported by the Offensive Line which has been able to open up strong running lanes.

I expect the Sooners to have more consistent success on the ground compared with the Cornhuskers and that should make things that much more comfortable for Dillon Gabriel. He is not likely to be dealing with nearly the same kind of pass rush pressure as his opposite number and I believe that will be the key to the outcome of the game.

There is no doubting that the Sooners are being asked to cover a big spread, but I think their Offensive power gives them a chance to do that and for Brent Venables to produce a statement win before Big 12 action gets underway.

Last season will have reminded the Sooners to not take this game lightly, while Nebraska have not been the best home underdog in recent years as they are continued to be rated like they are still a team looking to achieve former glories. Under Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma were a very poor road favourite to back, but I think Brent Venables can help turn the page on that era by helping the team shut things down Defensively and make the plays to cover.

Ohio Bobcats @ Iowa State Cyclones Pick: Matt Campbell has done a very fine job as Head Coach of the Iowa State Cyclones (2-0), but a win over rivals Iowa was missing from the CV... Until Week 2 of the 2022 season.

In a season where many believe the Cyclones are going to have a step back having lost so many key players from the recent, successful seasons, Matt Campbell has already shown that he can get the new crop to buy into his methods. Even in a 10-7 upset win over the Hawkeyes, Iowa State completely dominated the yardage produced on the day and that should stand them in good stead going forward as they look to make it six winning seasons in a row.

Going through the Big 12 schedule is always going to be a challenge, and it does make games like this one plenty important for the Cyclones if they want to reach the six wins needed to play in another Bowl Game. That is not being disrespectful to the Ohio Bobcats (1-1), but the defeat in Week 2 in one-sided fashion to the Penn State Nittany Lions underlines the gap that needs to be bridged to those teams from the Power 5 Conferences.

I did say the Bobcats are experienced last week and they are in the second year with a Head Coach so should be more comfortable with the methods that Tim Albin wants to employ, but ultimately there is going to be a talent gap that is harder to manage. The Ohio Head Coach believes his team are in for a tougher test than last week when losing to Penn State as he considers the Iowa State Cyclones better Defensively and on the Offensive Line, but Iowa State have to be careful of not reading too many positive headlines and make sure they are focused.

In reality the spot is far from ideal for the Cyclones with this 'easy' game being played between the rivalry game against the Iowa Hawkeyes and the start of Big 12 play, but Matt Campbell will be looking for his players to post a win that will put them halfway to being Bowl eligible.

As long as there isn't the distraction of the spot situation, the Cyclones should have plenty of success with the ball in hands and they can move the chains both on the ground and through the air. Establishing the run just takes the pressure away from Hunter Dekkers at Quarter Back and I do think the young player can then show off some of the talent that earned him the starting role to take over from Brock Purdy.

The Cyclones Offensive Line has been strong when it comes to pass protection early in the season and I do think they can have plenty of success moving the ball.

It will then give the Defensive unit an opportunity to take over the game and just show that the new faces are able to take on the standards set by the Iowa State Defenses of the last two seasons. They have already shown that is possible early in the 2022 season, and the feeling is that the Iowa State Defensive Line can make the Bobcats one-dimensional by clamping down on the run.

If they build the lead, it will give the Cyclones a chance to try and ramp up the pass rush, which has been lacking early in the season, especially with the Secondary holding up as they have been. The Bobcats will make some plays as they did against Penn State, but it could be a long day if the Cyclones are performing Offensively and I do think the home team can cover this number.

Iowa State have not been at their best in non-Conference games, while backing up wins has proven to be a difficulty for them. As mentioned a couple of times, the spot is not ideal, but they are facing an Ohio team who are 1-7 against the spread in their last eight non-Conference games and who are 4-10 against the spread in their last fourteen following a loss.

Last season they were blown out at Louisiana and Northwestern and a 36 point defeat at the Penn State Nittany Lions suggest things have yet to really change for the Bobcats. While I expect this game to be closer, the Cyclones are good enough to record a win by at least 20 points with some late Defensive plays helping them cover this line.

MY PICKS: Oklahoma Sooners - 10.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Iowa State Cyclones - 18.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

BYU Cougars + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Washington State Cougars - 16.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Maryland Terrapins - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Michigan State Spartans + 3.5 Points @ 1.92 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Miami Hurricanes + 6 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 11.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Week 2: 3-5, - 2.33 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.13% Yield)

Weekend Football and Fantasy Football GameWeek 5 Picks 2021 (September 17-19)

The hype had been building over two weeks and Old Trafford was rocking heading to the pubs and bars around town before heading into the Stadium.

Most players might not have been able to deal with everything that surrounded the move back 'home', but Cristiano Ronaldo is not most players.

Two goals, a 4-1 Manchester United win and the team are top of the table after four games have been played in the Premier League.

Excitement was going to be hard to contain, but the club were brought back down to earth with the latest setback in the Champions League as Manchester United faltered in their 2-1 defeat at Young Boys. 7 losses in 11 Champions League games is a massive disappointment for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Manchester United and the pressure is on to make sure they are not dumped out of a weak looking Group.

For now the attention will turn back to the Premier League with the fixtures being played from Friday through to Sunday this weekend. I will have a few thoughts about GW5 of the FPL game below after putting down my thoughts for the fixtures to be played.

Newcastle United v Leeds United Pick: The opening Premier League match of the weekend will be played on Friday night and both Newcastle United and Leeds United will be desperately searching for the first win of the season.

Both had to face 'Big Six' clubs last weekend and they were both beaten by three goal margins.

Newcastle United were in a difficult situation as they travelled to Old Trafford to face Cristiano Ronaldo in his 'homecoming' and the Portuguese superstar scored twice as Steve Bruce's men were brushed aside. A tetchy press conference after the match showed the growing tension between Steve Bruce and the fans and local media and it could be a toxic atmosphere to play in for the home team if the game is not going the way the fans will be expecting.

A long injury list is not helping the cause and Steve Bruce could be without key players in attacking areas. Callum Wilson's absence will be a huge hurdle to overcome, even though Newcastle United are facing a Leeds United team who have not found the balance Marcelo Bielsa would have been hoping for this season.

Defensively Leeds United have been struggling massively, but they are not creating the same kind of chances as they were last season. The struggle in the final third may be down to the fact that Leeds United have faced three of the current top four and they were better when facing Burnley, the weakest team they have faced so far this season.

It will be encouraging for a Leeds United team who are potentially missing two or three important defenders for this game. They will have seen the amount of chances that Newcastle United have been allowing opponents to create against them and Leeds United did the Premier League double over this club last season.

That will help with the mental side of things and I do think Leeds United are the better of the two teams and especially in their current state. The injuries in the home squad leaves them vulnerable and I do think Leeds United can take advantage with their attacking threat at Turf Moor most likely to be replicated than efforts at Manchester United or against Liverpool.

Things are never easy at St James' Park, but Leeds United will feel they have the edge even through the defensive problems they are dealing with. No Callum Wilson will help overcome those, while Marcelo Bielsa's team should be able to create enough chances to secure the full three points for the first time this season.

Wolves v Brentford Pick: There will be plenty for these two clubs to look at from the early season fixtures and they will largely be happy with what the players have produced.

Bruno Lage's Wolves were finally rewarded for a very positive start to the season with a first win of the campaign. They have deserved so much more than they have gotten from the early fixtures, but Lage will be still be demanding his players work on their finishing which has been letting them down.

Last Saturday they finally took a couple of chances in the 0-2 win at Watford, while Wolves continue to play well defensively. They are not giving up a lot of chances and Wolves fans will head to Molineux expecting to see a first win of the season.

Brentford are a team that has to be respected, but Thomas Frank has to be a little concerned with the attacking side of their game. The side have scored a single goal in 3 Premier League games and Brentford are not exactly creating a lot of chances in their recent games either.

Defensively they can be stubborn and hard to break down and only an injury time goal prevented Brentford from making it 4 unbeaten in the Premier League. While there are questions about them in the final third, Brentford have produced encouraging displays defensively, although the fixture list looks much more difficult in the coming weeks than in the opening month.

It will be a challenge for Thomas Frank to pick his players up after the setback of last Saturday and Brentford are going to have to weather a storm that Wolves have brought against every opponent they have faced this season. Containing the home team will not be easy considering how effective they have been at creating chances and much is going to depend on how efficient Wolves are in front of goal.

Wolves are not easy to trust when you think of some of the glaring misses and they needed an own goal to get going at Vicarage Road. Brentford will not give anything away easily, but I think Wolves have the momentum of the win at Watford behind them and I do think they can back that victory up with another this weekend.

Goals may be hard to come by, but the feeling is that Wolves are going to create the better chances and it feels like the win last weekend will be important to them going forward.

Burnley v Arsenal Pick: The defeat at Brentford was a pretty dreadful result for Arsenal, but the others to Chelsea and Manchester City may be more forgivable.

The manner of those losses would have hurt the fans, but Mikel Arteta will know his rebuilding process is still in transition and Arsenal are short of those top teams. Last weekend they looked much better as injuries have cleared up and they fully deserved the win over Norwich City.

1-0 could easily have been a much wider victory and Arsenal will head to Turf Moor with some confidence after the first three points of the season were secured. They are facing a Burnley team who capitulated at Everton on Monday Night Football having taken the lead and the defensive problems are surprising early in the season.

While I do think the manager will rectify those, Burnley may be vulnerable to an Arsenal team that can create chances and who have attacking players capable of finishing off their moves. Mikel Arteta will be demanding a little more composure in the final third, but he has to feel Arsenal can hurt a Burnley team that has conceded in every Premier League game this season and two or more goals in 3 of their 4 League games.

Add in the fact that Burnley have not won any of their last 12 at Turf Moor in the Premier League and have had one clean sheet in 14 home League games and Arsenal have to be full of belief.

However, Burnley have been pretty good going forward and they have a team that can be dangerous from set pieces. Better finishing may have seen them clear of Everton on Monday and also in both home games against Brighton and Leeds United this season, but in all of those fixtures Burnley have blown a lead.

Burnley are creating chances though, which will be encouraging for Sean Dyche and his team, and they have scored in 8 of their last 12 Premier League games at Turf Moor despite failing to win any of those. They will appreciate that Arsenal can be organised under Mikel Arteta, but also vulnerable from set pieces and that is where Burnley may find some joy.

The 1-1 scoreline can't be ruled out, but the early form of both of these teams suggest there will be at least one more goal produced with the attacking play Burnley and Arsenal have produced.

Only 1 of the last 10 between these clubs at Turf Moor have produced at least three goals shared out, but I am going against that trend this weekend. Both Burnley and Arsenal have shown they can be effective going forward with the chances created, while both have also conceded plenty of big opportunities.

An early goal could spark the game and there were plenty of opportunities for both clubs when they met in a 1-1 draw here last season. On another day, better composure would have led to at least one more goal when they last met and I think the two teams will combine for at least three goals in this one as they should both believe the three points are very much attainable against this opponent.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace Pick: The strong end to last season earned Liverpool their spot in the Champions League and they have opened up with a 3-2 win over AC Milan.

The victory is a big one for Liverpool who have made a positive start to the Premier League campaign too. It looks like a potential title race that could involve up to four or five teams and that means Liverpool cannot afford to drop points at Anfield against an opponent they should be beating.

Crystal Palace would fit that bill, but Patrick Vieira has won his first game as manager of the club and would have enjoyed the 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. The game changed on a sending off for the visitors, but Crystal Palace took full advantage and they played really well in a 2-2 draw at West Ham United before the September international break too.

Those results will have to be respected, but Crystal Palace have lost their last 4 visits to Anfield and can only really hope that Liverpool are a little fatigued from their Champions League exploits during the week. It can have an impact on teams, but Liverpool have been able to rest some key players in the win over Milan and they have looked good at both ends of the field for much of this season.

Liverpool have won 8 in a row against Crystal Palace and they have kept clean sheets in the last 3 against them. The Crystal Palace defeat at Chelsea on the opening weekend suggests they are still a team in transition under a new manager and I do think Liverpool will control the tempo of this fixture.

Jurgen Klopp's team have kept clean sheets in 3 of their 4 Premier League games played this season and I do think they will earn another one here. Crystal Palace likely will pose a threat on the break and from set pieces, but the main focus may be trying to contain their hosts and I feel it will lead to a Liverpool victory in which they also keep a clean sheet.

Manchester City v Southampton Pick: The overwhelming feeling for many is that Manchester City would struggle without buying a new striker, but Pep Guardiola's team are making a mockery of those predictions.

They may have lost 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur, but Manchester City have won all 4 games played since then and they have been particularly intimidating at their own Stadium.

Add in the 5-0 win over Everton on the final day of last season and Manchester City have scored 21 goals in 4 home wins in a row. The last 3 Premier League games at the Etihad Stadium have all ended 5-0 in favour of Manchester City and during the week they secured a 6-3 victory over Leipzig in the Champions League.

That has to be a concern for winless Southampton, although they have played well in their last couple of Premier League games. However, they are a team that have largely struggled defensively over the last couple of seasons and Manchester City scored five goals in a home win over Southampton back in March too.

Ralph Hasenhuttl wants his Southampton team to play with a certain swagger, but it has left them open at the back and they have conceded at least twice in 7 away Premier League games in succession. Everton saw Southampton off comfortably on the opening weekend, and 5 of their last 12 away Premier League games have ended in defeats by three or more goals.

Against this Manchester City team in the form they are producing it feels like a big task for Southampton to be competitive. They will likely pose problems for the home team if Aymeric Laporte and John Stones are both absent, but Manchester City should dominate the attacking numbers again and I think they can be backed to produce a big win on the day.

In 2 of the last 3 Premier League games at the Etihad Stadium between these teams, Manchester City have scored at least five goals and on current form you would not be feeling that comfortable backing against them doing the same this weekend.

Norwich City v Watford Pick: Some of the Norwich City performances have to be encouraging for Daniel Farke and the fans, but there is still this sense of naivety about the team at this level. That was especially the case in the 5-0 loss at Manchester City, but Norwich City have played much better in both home Premier League games without reward.

The 0-3 loss to Liverpool and 1-2 defeat to Leicester City are games where any points would have been seen as a bonus, but Norwich City played well enough in both. They could have secured something from each of those fixtures, but defensively there is a massive vulnerability about them.

The manager will point to the very difficult opening four games Norwich City have had to play, but there will be no excuses if they haven't found a way to pick up significant points before the next international break. First up is this massive home game against Watford and Norwich City will be looking for revenge over their relegation rivals as well as hoping to snap a 14 game losing run in the top flight.

Norwich City have been creating chances and will feel they can hurt a Watford team who have lost 3 in a row since upsetting Aston Villa at Vicarage Road on the opening weekend. They have lost both away games and that means Watford have been beaten in their last 8 away Premier League games, but they also struggled for consistency on their travels in the Championship last season.

Watford have struggled in the final third in recent away games and they have lost 4 of their last 5 on their travels going back to last season. They have failed to score in any of those 4 defeats and Watford have created little in their defeats at Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur over the last month.

However, Xisco Munoz will know both of those teams are likely to finish much higher up the League table than Norwich City when all is said and done next May.

The Hornets hold the mental edge having completed the League double over Norwich City in each of the last two seasons. Last season they earned 1-0 wins over Norwich City at home and away and I do think the first goal is going to be massive in this one.

Watford have won 6 of their last 9 visits to Carrow Road, but I do think Norwich City have shown enough this season to try and snap their poor record against this opponent. A defeat is likely going to knock all confidence out of the Norwich City team and this feels like a massive game for both clubs, but I do think the two home performances are encouraging for The Canaries.

You can't underestimate Watford simply because of how they have matched up against Norwich City in recent seasons, but they are a team who have struggled to find their best on their travels. The lack of goals has to be a concern, but Watford can be tough to break down when they are at their best and that is where they will try and frustrate Norwich City here.

However, Norwich City have been creating plenty of chances in their two home games against top teams and they can produce a first win of the season here. The first goal is going to be massive and Norwich City are likely going to come out with an intense attitude that may see them break down a Watford team who are still getting to grips at this level too.

Aston Villa v Everton Pick: Last season both Aston Villa and Everton will have some regrets that they were not able to find the consistency down the stretch that may have seen them playing in Europe this season.

It might not be a bad thing for the clubs overall as they look to develop to challenge the big clubs in the Premier League, but the fans are desperate to see that development this season.

Aston Villa have not been as consistent as they would have liked, but Dean Smith may feel it is partly down to the injuries that his squad have been dealing with. This weekend they look to have their key players all available for the first time at the same time, while Aston Villa produced a big performance at Stamford Bridge last Saturday.

Replicating that level on a regular basis is not going to be easy, but Dean Smith will believe his team are capable more often than not. Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings give Aston Villa a real goal threat, while the returning Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia will be a boost for the squad.

Aston Villa have key players back, but Everton are going to have to make do without Dominic Calvert-Lewin again this weekend. Last Monday they beat Burnley 3-1 without their leading striker, but Everton struggled at times to play without Dominic Calvert-Lewin and I do think Aston Villa have the defenders that will feel they can contain the threat.

Rafael Benitez does have Everton playing with confidence and this is a team that have been creating chances, while largely looking pretty secure defensively. They have won at Brighton and deserved to win at Leeds United so a trip to Villa Park will not be intimidating, but both of those came with Calvert-Lewin leading the line and his absence will hurt their efforts.

They are also facing an Aston Villa team who have been strong at home, while getting the better of Everton last season. I think Rafael Benitez will improve Everton this time around, but Aston Villa have the threats in the final third to get the better of them in this live game and I think the home team are worthy of backing on the Asian Handicap which returns the stake in the event of a draw.

Brighton v Leicester City Pick: Playing in the Europa League on Thursday and having Premier League commitments on the weekend is a big challenge for the clubs who have to do that.

Leicester City should have plenty of experience having negotiated the Group Stage of the Europa League last season, but the early season form is perhaps more of a concern. They are still picking up points, but Leicester City have just struggled for the balance at both ends of the field and now they have to face a rested and confident Brighton team.

Graham Potter has never lost faith in his system and his style of play and Brighton are being rewarded early in this season. They were underachievers last season when you compare the results to the overall performances, but over the last month Brighton have been rewarded for their efforts.

The late goal at Brentford has already seen Brighton earn close to a quarter of the points they would have been targeting before the season began. Defensively there has been plenty to be excited about and they will feel that will give them the foundation to be successful, while Brighton have shown enough in the final third to believe they can hurt this Leicester City team.

Playing The Foxes days after the Europa League began is a bonus, but Leicester City have a good record here and I am anticipating a battle between two good football teams. Both managers will want to see their team get on the front foot, but it may be a day when one of the sides are unable to break down the other.

Brighton have not been as strong going forward as they were for much of last season, but defensively they have looked good. On the other side, Leicester City have struggled for consistent attacking threat and last season 2 of the 3 games between these teams ended with one failing to find the back of the net.

The last fixture here ended 1-2 to Leicester City, but the previous 4 between these clubs had seen one of the teams fail to score.

Since Brighton returned to the top flight, half of their 4 home games against Leicester City have ended with at least one of the teams failing to score. Considering the challenges both have had in the final third so far this season, I do think we could see at least one clean sheet produced on the day.

West Ham United v Manchester United Pick: Both of these teams had contrasting fortunes away from home in European competition this week, but West Ham United and Manchester United have both made unbeaten starts to the Premier League campaign.

It is Manchester United who lead the way with 10 points on the board, but West Ham United have picked up 8 points of their own and they will be plenty confident of upsetting their visitors.

The Hammers won 0-2 at Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday and this is a team who have been creating chances and scoring plenty of goals all season. They were held to a goalless draw at Southampton last Saturday though and West Ham United will be without talisman Michail Antonio this week which should give Manchester United the edge.

Backing Manchester United at odds on is not that appealing though even if they have won 5 of their last 7 away Premier League games. The 2-1 defeat at Young Boys in the Champions League will have dented some of the confidence, but the likes of Raphael Varane and Mason Greenwood did not start that game.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka made a big mistake in the first half and the relatively early sending off was costly for Manchester United who had been leading 0-1 at that point. Poor decisions by the manager didn't help, but I can't ignore the fact that Manchester United would have likely avoided a defeat if not for that sending off.

They were fortunate to win at Wolves at the end of August with the home team creating the best chances on the day, but West Ham United might not pose the same threat without Michail Antonio. That might contribute to a low-scoring game when you think that Manchester United have scored more than one goal in only 5 of their last 14 away Premier League games and yet they are now unbeaten in 28 on their travels in the top flight.

4 of the last 5 between West Ham United and Manchester United have ended with fewer than three goals shared out, while 3 of the 5 fixtures these teams have competed in at the London Stadium have done the same.

The inexperience of the West Ham United squad having played in the Europa League on Thursday in Croatia and now having an early kick off on Sunday might also go against David Moyes' men. They are likely going to look to make life difficult for Manchester United, but the feeling is that the visitors will secure a narrow away win as they erase the memory of the poor defeat in the Champions League.

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea Pick: Both teams will be happy with the points on the board after the first four Premier League games of the season, but there is no doubt that Chelsea have been much more convincing than Tottenham Hotspur.

The latter had a tough Europa League game at Rennes on Thursday too and I do think Tottenham Hotspur and Nuno Espirito Santo have learned how tough this season could be over the last week. The 3-0 hammering at Crystal Palace would have really hurt and Tottenham Hotspur are struggling for the balance between attack and defence.

That is not the case for Chelsea who have looked strong at the back and comfortable playing against the other top teams in England. They have drawn at Liverpool and Chelsea have already made the relatively short trip to North East London to win this season.

Chelsea will potentially be facing a short-handed Tottenham Hotspur in this one too which gives them a further edge in this Premier League fixture, while winning back to back visits to Spurs will only encourage the squad further.

Spurs have beaten Manchester City here in the Premier League, but they were fortunate that day and I think they will need considerable luck to win this one. Nuno Espirito Santo will look to make his team hard to beat, but Chelsea have the quality to break them down and won here under Thomas Tuchel last season.

With Romelu Lukaku in the form he is in, I think Chelsea can do enough to win this final game of the Premier League weekend behind their own solid foundation at the back.

MY PICKS: Leeds United - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Wolves

Burnley-Arsenal Over 2.5 Goals

Liverpool Win to Nil

Manchester City - 2.25 Asian Handicap

Norwich City - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Aston Villa 0 Asian Handicap

Brighton-Leicester City Both Teams to Score- NO

West Ham United-Manchester United Under 2.5 Goals

Chelsea

Fantasy Football GameWeek 5

I decided to use my Wild Card in GW4 with some of the early decisions and real life transfers looking like they were leaving my team a little short.

Let's also face facts- there was almost no way I would be putting together a Fantasy team without Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line and that meant having to make a few changes.

Like many others, Chelsea players are going to be high on the radar with a turn in their fixture list in the coming weeks, but I felt I would have enough to use my transfers through to GameWeek 7 which would be enough to bring in the players I want.

Romelu Lukaku has to be the main target and I have a couple of different paths towards bringing him into my squad, although my Wild Card in GW4 was used knowing I would get through GW5 without using another transfer.

The suspension of Michail Antonio has hurt, but not too badly and I am comfortable with the eleven I will be starting in this game and knowing my back up players are capable of coming up and filling up any gaps.

I know some out there will want to move Antonio on, even though he has some good looking games to come and is only out for this GameWeek- I've had him from GW1 so it makes no sense for me to remove him and bring him back, but if I was looking for a replacement, these are the players I would potentially target.

Richarlison- leading the line for Everton in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and will also likely be on Penalties. The team have some decent games to come, especially Norwich City at home next week.

Raul Jimenez- Wolves are creating chances for fun and I do think it is a matter of time before the Mexican striker gets on a run.

Patrick Bamford- I am not as high on Bamford as some, mainly because Leeds United have not been completely at the races so far this season. Also has been talk about a potential knock so his minutes may be limited, although the fixtures are a positive and if he is going to get scoring, it may begin this week.

Personally I think keeping Michail Antonio makes the most sense and having another week of data to get behind, but I also would not be surprised if those three strikers all have an impact in GameWeek 5.

With the players I have in the squad, I feel playing five at the back may be the best approach, while I have decided to have Said Benrahma as my first sub and Moussa Sissoko as my second. My feeling is that my starting eleven will all play so the bench may not be a big factor, and my risks this week have to be the Norwich City starters with their fixture list looking much better than their first four games.

This is a key time for Norwich City in real life rather than Fantasy and the players have to start producing points if they are going to have a realistic go at avoiding the drop.

Hopefully Brandon Williams and Teemu Puuki can produce the points for my team.

I am quite content with the rest of my eleven and I will then have another week to think about any transfers I would like to make with the focus beginning to turn to GW7 and what I may like to do.

The Captain choice came down to Mohamed Salah at home against Crystal Palace or leaving it with Cristiano Ronaldo who will be leading the line for Manchester United at the London Stadium. I do think CR7 can make a difference for United at West Ham United, but Mo Salah looks the more appealing choice this week with a home game and with an 'easier' fixture on paper.

Crystal Palace have conceded five times in their two away Premier League games, while West Ham United have conceded three times in their two home games. Add in Crystal Palace's struggles against Liverpool in recent seasons and with a more expressive system being used and I do think they may struggle at Anfield.

There is always a concern about rotation, but Mo Salah did not have the full 90 minutes against AC Milan on Wednesday and I would be surprised if he is rested considering he will be having a week off between fixtures after this one. Cristiano Ronaldo is more than capable of matching his output this week, but Salah is a midfielder in the game and that extra point for a goal is worth the Captain armband with the fixtures to come.

These two players do look the stand out options in GW5- I will post my team on Twitter on Friday afternoon just after the deadline is locked in around 6:30pm.

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2020 (September 17th)

The tournament in Rome will be continuing on Wednesday and the general goings on in my personal life does mean it has been very difficult to write out any analysis for the Tennis Picks I have been making this week.

I think that is going to be the case throughout the remainder of the only really big tournament scheduled before the French Open begins later this month, but suffice to say that I am putting in the same type of depth of research as I usually do for these selections.

Wednesday was a better day after a miserable Tuesday, but there is still work to do to turn this week in my favour. On Thursday the selections from the Second Round matches that have yet to be completed are mainly coming from the WTA Tour matches rather than the ATP Masters matches that are set to be played.

Yesterday it was the poor returns from the Women's matches that prevented a much stronger day, but a bit of bad luck went against those selections and I am looking for much better on Thursday.

MY PICKS: Diego Sebastian Schwartzman - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Milos Raonic - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Darya Kasatkina - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Petra Martic - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Marketa Vondrousova @ 1.83 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)

Johanna Konta @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Kiki Bertens - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Sofia Kenin + 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

NFL Week 2 Picks 2018 (September 13-17)

I didn't make a play from Thursday Night Football as I was not able to pick a winner in a game that saw both the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals in a pick 'em contest after both won their opening game of the season.

Week 2 has some big games where teams are trying to avoid falling into a 0-2 hole which is usually a bad place to be for those chasing Play Off spots. Divisional Games also take place in Week 2 as the NFL continues and I have my Picks below.


Week 1 was a positive one for the NFL Picks, but it is only Week 1 and there is much work to do over the course of what is always a tough season.


Los Angeles Chargers @ Buffalo Bills Pick: The NFL season is a long one but it has proven to be very difficult to recover from a 0-2 start if you have serious ambitions of making the Play Offs. Both the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills were beaten in Week 1 which puts additional pressure on the two teams, although more could be felt by the Chargers who were a trendy pick to have a deep Play Off run this time around.

Losing to a Divisional rival at home is not the way the Los Angeles Chargers would have expected to start the season, but they could be feeling a little disappointed with the way things panned out against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers actually won the yardage battle as well as dominated the First Downs, but Special Teams turned the game in favour of the Chiefs and Los Angeles need to bounce back immediately.

At least the Chargers were much more competitive than the Buffalo Bills who were blown out by the Baltimore Ravens as Nathan Peterman proved he is not a NFL starting Quarter Back. The decision to bench him was not made immediately after Week 1, but Sean McDermott eventually announced that rookie Quarter Back and First Round Pick Josh Allen will be given the keys to the Buffalo Offense much earlier than was imagined.

Allen did come in for some action against the Ravens when things got out of hand in Week 1, but it is still a big ask of the Quarter Back who was expected to get more time to learn the pro game. The move to Allen is perhaps not a big surprise when you think of how the Chargers dominated Peterman in his start against them last season as Los Angeles blew out the Bills at home, but at least Allen is not going to be faced with Joey Bosa coming at him from one side of his Offensive Line.

Last week the Offensive Line struggled in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens so I do think the Chargers will have some success pressuring Allen as the rookie adjusts to the faster speed of the NFL. One of the problems for the Bills was the inability to run the ball as they would have liked and that means more pressure on their inexperienced Quarter Back to step back and make plays under siege from the Defensive Lines they are facing.

I don't think it will be as difficult moving the chains for the Los Angeles Chargers if Philip Rivers and the Offense play as they did last week. The Buffalo Bills don't have the same Defensive power as they did a couple of years ago and Rivers should have a strong day passing the ball especially if the Chargers continue to run the ball as they did last week.

It will be more difficult against this Buffalo Defensive Line, but I do think there are holes in the Secondary that Rivers can exploit and the Chargers may produce another dominant win over the Bills. This won't end in the 30 point blow out when these teams met in Los Angeles last year, but I do think the Chargers are good enough to win by double digits and cover this number.

The Chargers are on the road where things can be much more difficult for any team, but Buffalo are just 2-4 against the spread as the home underdog since 2016.


Remaining Picks will be in the MY PICKS section this week and I will have fuller threads from Week 3.

MY PICKS: Los Angeles Chargers - 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Atlanta Falcons - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Indianapolis Colts + 6 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Miami Dolphins + 3 Points @ 1.91 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
New England Patriots - 1.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Dallas Cowboys - 3 Points @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Chicago Bears - 3.5 Points @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Week 1: 6-2, + 7.34 Units (16 Units Staked, + 45.88% Yield)