With Scott Tolzien at QB Frank Gore could
see 20-plus carries for just the third time this season.
Grab a Helmet
Frank
Gore v. PIT (Thu): Our Thanksgiving football dessert
course should have featured two of the game’s brightest QB stars,
but the luckless Colts will now head into battle against Big Ben’s
Steelers with journeyman Scott Tolzien under center. Think that’s
led to some serious hand-wringing at 30 Rockefeller Plaza? Viewership
may be down, but Luck-less doesn’t necessarily mean hopeless,
especially against a Steelers team that’s tallied one victory
in its last five games and is yielding over 23 fantasy points/game
to opposing RBs. The Colts have Frank Gore at that spot and all
he’s done in his 12th season is post 126.3 fantasy points, more
than all of the following backs: Devonta Freeman, Lamar Miller,
Spencer Ware, Mark Ingram, and Todd Gurley. Backup QBs don’t typically
drive the football downfield and that could make the venerable
Gore a real asset in PPR leagues. Keep riding this Colt to victory.
Carlos
Hyde @ MIA: I’m betting Chip Kelly and his Niners will
be giving thanks for the Browns on Thursday, as in “thank you,
Cleveland, for being even worse at professional football than
we are.” Since an opening week offing of the Rams, not much has
gone right for San Fran and its new head man. The quarterbacking
has been abysmal, the defense has been repeatedly abused, and
the losses have, unsurprisingly, begun piling up. The lone bright
spot? You’re looking at him. When healthy, the former Buckeye
has been fairly useful, posting double-digit points in five of
his eight starts. Moreover, Coach Kelly affirmed this week that
Hyde is, indeed, the “main focus” of the offense. He dang well
should be against a 30th-ranked Miami run defense. Expect something
in the neighborhood of 20-25 touches and maybe a score as the
49ers keep pace with a happy-to-grind Dolphins squad.
Chris
Ivory @ BUF: Jacksonville’s RB situation, like most
everything else in Jacksonville this year (and last year…and the
year before that) is a muddled mess. What looked like a solid
tandem back in August – the bruising veteran Ivory paired with
the promising youngster, T.J. Yeldon – has produced even paltrier
numbers than the latter, paired with converted QB Denard Robinson,
produced in 2015. So much for that offseason upgrade, huh? Ivory
hasn’t been overly healthy, which is part of the problem, but
he also hasn’t taken care of the football (four fumbles in eight
games) and even coughed one up at the goal line several weeks
back. Regardless, it appears he’ll get the stage mostly to himself
on Sunday, as Yeldon hasn’t practiced and may not be ready in
time. When Chris Ivory gets the ball 20 times, he does pretty
good work (see 2015). I suspect he will Sunday.
Grab a Gatorade
Jerick
McKinnon or Matt
Asiata @ DET (Thu): The war of attrition gets pretty
gruesome by Week 12 most seasons, especially at the RB position,
and 2016 has proven no exception. Vikings fans know that better
than anyone since Adrian Peterson’s been MIA for a couple months
now. News out of Minneapolis this week was that he’s eyeing a
December return, possibly in time to salvage a once-promising
campaign. Alas, it’ll be too late for most of us and, frankly,
maybe even for them since what passes for a Vikings O-line these
days is also pretty gruesome. McKinnon and Asiata combined for
35 rushing yards in the Week 9 loss to Detroit and were actually
both outgained by Ronnie Hillman. You gotta do what you gotta
do, but neither of these guys inspire confidence and if you’re
banking on a hallelujah six-pointer… the Lions have allowed just
one all year.
Isaiah
Crowell v. NYG: Crowell has somehow managed to achieve
fantasy relevance despite playing for one of the worst teams in
NFL history. He’s currently the 15th-ranked RB and could be much
higher if his production hadn’t declined the last several weeks.
Did I say “declined?” I meant “plummeted.” In the three games
since he posted a serviceable 12.3 points against the Jets in
Week 8, the Alabama State product has carried the ball 23 times
for just 37 yards and no scores. If he weren’t contributing in
the passing game, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation
because you wouldn’t even be considering starting him. I still
don’t recommend it based on recent returns. The most likely scenario?
Cleveland’s porous defense digs a huge early hole that only Josh
McCown and his receivers can attempt to climb out of. Avoid Crowell
until the Brownies’ offense shows signs of life.
Latavius
Murray v. CAR: I was late getting home for football
this past Monday night and ended up listening to the early stages
of Raiders v. Texans on the radio. I should have just stayed in
the car. Westwood One announcers Armando Quintero and Benny Ricardo
made every play in that Azteca Stadium clash sound like the football
equivalent of a fùtbol goal. I never knew 4-yard rushes
could be so exciting! They sure are when they result in six points,
something the TD-dependent Murray specializes in. It’s a
good thing, too, because he’s only topped 60 yards rushing
a single time this year (against Denver in Week 9). I don’t
like his chances of scoring against a Panthers squad that hasn’t
surrendered a single rushing score since Week 4 and has only allowed
three all season. Sit Murray down if you can afford to as he’s
likely to disappoint.
