Moving on now to the AFC West. We know from previous installments that the AFC West plays the AFC East this year. We also know how weak the AFC East is defensively. This should point to a good fantasy year for West teams because their own division isn't too tough either. Or is it?

Division : AFC West
Yards Allowed Per Game
Chiefs : 319 (13th)
Chargers : 320 (14th)
Broncos : 336 (19th)
Raiders : 342 (22nd)

Points Allowed Per Game
Chargers : 18 (5th)
Chiefs : 21 (14th)
Raiders : 25 (27th)
Broncos : 26 (28th)

Although these numbers aren't great, their not as awful as previously advertised. The Chargers and Chiefs are in the upper half while the Broncos and Raiders are in the lower half. Let's see how the rest of the schedule shapes up for LT, Gates, and company.Below you will find the opponents and their defensive ranking based on a combination of points allowed and yards allowed from the 2007 season. These are the 2 stats that typically can indicate how well fantasy players will score against any given defense.


Week 1 : Panthers (16th)
Week 2 : Broncos (23rd)
Week 3 : Jets (18th)
Week 4 : Raiders (25th)
Week 5 : Dolphins (30th)
Week 6 : Patriots (4th)
Week 7 : Bills (24th)
Week 8 : Saints (26th)
Bye
Week 10 : Chiefs (14th)
Week 11 : Steelers (1st)
Week 12 : Colts (2nd)
Week 13 : Falcons (31st)
Week 14 : Raiders (25th)
Week 15 : Chiefs (14th)
Week 16 : Bucs (3rd )
Week 17 : Broncos (23rd)

Strength Of Schedule Index : 17.83

Raiders (25th) Chiefs (14th) Bucs (3rd)

San Diego has a player rated #1 at 2 of the 4 key positions in fantasy football. LT and Gates are both beasts in nearly any scoring format. This schedule scares me a bit though. They have the toughest road of any team examined so far and of any team in their division. It's the later portion of the season that is rough. Having to go back to back with Pitt and Indy is scary. The fantasy playoffs don't get much better either. They have 2 games against division rivals and then face the best defense out of the NFC in the Bucs. This could be the year LT falls from that coveted #1 spot. It could also be the turning point in the TE position. The gap could continue to narrow again this year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miller_time One thing that jumps out at me is the ease of the early schedule. That should be noted as if gives you the opportunity to pick up guys like Rivers and Chambers in the draft and let them get off to a good start, then deal them if the schedule is shaping up to be rough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miller_time With some players, schedule can be ignored, and LT and Gates are two of those players.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExperiencedRookie I don't think it can be completely ignored. I think great deals could be made using both of these players around the week 10 mark. It wouldn't surprise me 1 bit to find out that Gates and LT's numbers were down in the 2nd half of the season. They have one of the most difficult weeks 11-16. This is fantasy crunch time. I feel that there could be great deals that could win fantasy championships made in week 10 involving both of these players.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coachnorm Nice Work on player and schedule analysis, ER. You have become my main man as far as looking for values and these schedule crunchers have some great insight as far as trading and values throughout the year. You have punched up strength of schedule into a valuable commodity for us here at Sports Outlaw this year.