Notes:
- ITM for all games will be available on Friday.
- Green highllight indicates plus matchup (top eight)
- Red highlight indicates negative matchup (bottom eight)
Passing
Game Thoughts: Eli Manning had his most efficient game
of the season in last week’s win over the Lions that essentially
secured the Giants a playoff spot. Manning tied his season low
in pass attempts with 28, but completed 20 of those throws for
201 yards and two touchdowns without turning the ball over. Despite
his quality real life performance, Manning remains useless in
fantasy. He is averaging under 200 yards passing over his last
four games as the Giants continue to take small leads and then
attempt to burn the clock with running and defense. Once again,
Odell Beckham thrived in spite of his offense. He only saw eight
targets, but caught six of them for 64 yards and an impressive
one handed snag for the score that put the game out of reach.
Beckham will likely fall short of the fifteen receptions he needs
over the final two weeks to reach 100, but the scary part about
his 2016 is I really think he’s showcasing his floor. At
some point in his career, with a better QB and better offense,
he could potentially set even more records. This week, Beckham
gets an Eagles team that has checked out on the 2016 season. The
Giants don’t necessarily need the game, but a win mathematically
clinches a playoff spot. The Eagles have nothing to play for.
Expect Beckham to light it up.
PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.31
Running Game Thoughts: Can I just refer you to every previous
“Giants Running Game Thoughts” I’ve written
this season? They’re all the same. The Giants love to run
the ball regardless of how ineffective their ground game is. Paul
Perkins turned his 11 carries into 56 yards, but the Giants still
think Rashad Jennings belongs in the NFL as they gave him 18 carries,
which he predictably turned into 38 measly yards. Neither Perkins
nor Jennings caught a pass. Shane Vereen was used sparingly and
would’ve scored had he not fumbled it away. Then he re-tore
his triceps. These backs belong nowhere near your roster, let
alone your lineup.
Value Meter:
WR1: Odell Beckham Jr. (high end)
Bench: All other Giants
Passing
Game Thoughts: Credit to Zach Ertz for putting together
his third consecutive useful game with Carson Wentz as his quarterback.
Ertz now has 25 catches over his last three games. He had just
under half of Wentz’s pathetic 170 yards passing last week.
I’m not sure what’s more impressive: Wentz throwing
42 times and only amassing 170 yards or Jordan Matthews seeing
eleven targets, catching six of them, but only totaling 27 yards.
Matthews has been reliable in PPR, but has been nowhere near the
WR2 I expected him to be this season. With just three touchdowns
on the season and none since October 30, he will be hard to trust
even as a WR3 against the surging Giants pass defense, even if
Janoris Jenkins is unable to go (which is looking likely). Beyond
Ertz and Matthews, there’s no one on this receiving corps
that’s even worth a look.
NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.24
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.25
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14
Running Game Thoughts: Ryan Mathews
handled his highest touch count since Week 1 with 20 carries and
1 reception. Mathews cracked 100 yards rushing for the second
time this season, putting together one of his best performances
of the year. With only Byron Marshall and Kenjon Barner behind
him, Mathews was asked to do all he could. That should continue
this week, but the Giants have been an elite run stopping unit
as of late. They’ve only allowed two players to rush for
over 100 yards against them: Le’Veon Bell and Ezekiel Elliott.
Basically, if you’re not one of the three best backs in
football, you’re not going to do well against the Giants.
Mathews is a fine player, but he is nowhere near that elite level.
Barner is out, but Darren Sproles is back. It’s anyone’s
guess as to what the split will be, making Mathews hard to trust.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Remember last week when I told you to avoid
your Dolphins? Yeah, sorry about that. I was admittedly unaware
Matt Moore was going to morph into Tom Brady for a week. With
that being said, this was a large fluke. Moore only attempted
18 throws and completed just 12 of them. It just so happened that
one third of his completions were in the end zone. If you started
Kenny Stills, Dion Sims, or Jarvis Landry, you were pleased, but
that does not mean you should start them again. Stills saw just
three targets and caught only one of them for a 52-yard score.
Landry caught three of his four targets, but the bulk of his production
came on one short throw he took for 66 yards. Sims saw four targets,
caught them all, half of which were in the end zone. None of these
things are likely to happen again. I am not going to praise the
Bills for last week’s shutdown of Robert Griffin III, but
I will mention that they’ve allowed 15 touchdown passes
in 15 weeks (14 games). I caution you to not chase last week’s
points.
BUF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.24
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23
Running Game Thoughts: In a game the Dolphins led significantly
for the entire second half, how exactly did Jay Ajayi only manage
51 yards? Ajayi didn’t catch a single pass (because he didn’t
have to), but did see a very strong 19 carries, which he did nothing
with. The duds keep piling up and I can’t imagine things
get any better. The Bills know that Moore’s performance
was a fluke as well. They will stack the box against Ajayi and
the Dolphins suddenly crumbling offensive line and dare Moore
to beat them. Once considered a rock solid RB1, you have to seriously
think about benching Ajayi in your championship game if you managed
to get there in spite of him. Only the 49ers have allowed more
rushing touchdowns (22) than the Bills’ 19, so there’s
some reason for optimism with Ajayi. Regardless, I’d be
very reluctant to start him if I had a better alternative.
Passing
Game Thoughts: I trusted Tyrod Taylor last week and he
did not let me down. High quality QB production has been hard
to come by recently and the hate on Taylor had both gone too far
and been mostly undeserved. Taylor only threw for 174 yards, but
he added a touchdown and 49 rushing yards. He did enough. Charles
Clay was his leading receiver, having his best game of the season
catching all seven of his targets for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Unfortunately, someone I believed in did, in fact, let me down.
And that man is Sammy Watkins. While 24 pass attempts is by no
means a lot, the fact that Watkins only caught one of them is
extremely disappointing. 2016 is a lost season for Watkins and
you cannot count on him in Week 16. The Dolphins only allow 234.4
passing yards per game. I would not expect Taylor to top 200,
but his rushing numbers always boost his floor. He’s a fine
option this week, but with a lower ceiling than last week, one
which he did not get to.
MIA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.9
MIA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.22
MIA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
MIA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.11
Running Game Thoughts: On the list of people who did exactly
what I expected, LeSean McCoy would be right at the top. He saw
a hapless Browns defense and smoked them for 153 yards and two
touchdowns. Mike Gillislee even saw nine carries and had a short
touchdown run of his own. The Dolphins allow 4.8 yards per carry.
Shady is ready to carry you to a championship.
Passing
Game Thoughts: It looks like Bryce Petty is going to be
okay after taking a vicious hit that knocked him out of last Saturday’s
game against Miami. Petty is not a good quarterback, but he is
good for the only viable receiver on the Jets, Robby Anderson.
Anderson has 99 yards or a touchdown over his last three games,
which is when Petty took over. He certainly deserves lineup consideration.
Now for my weekly “why are we still talking about Brandon
Marshall” tirade. It’s truly shocking when I peruse
other sources and see them describing Marshall as a WR3. Marshall
hasn’t been a WR3 since Week 5. He’s been a WR4 at
best. By Week 10, he should’ve been almost universally on
the waiver wire. Ignore him. He’s done. Remember when Quincy
Enunwa was a thing? He’s certainly boomed more than Marshall,
but he’s also irrelevant. The Patriots defense has tormented
below average QBs like Trevor Siemian and Jared Goff recently.
This unit is really coming on strong. The Jets are not going to
enjoy this game.
NE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21
Running Game Thoughts: I have no idea why Matt Forte insisted
on playing last week. He was already starting to seriously slow
down even before he aggravated his knee injury two weeks ago.
Forte touched the ball five times and did nothing. It was the
Bilal Powell show and he put on a performance. Powell handled
16 carries and caught 11 of 12 targets for a total of 162 yards.
He didn’t score, but who needs touchdowns when you’re
getting yards and receptions like that? I can’t imagine
the Jets push Forte to do much this week. Now he has a shoulder
ailment to go along with the knee. He needs to shut it down. Healthy
or not, Forte is nowhere near Powell’s level at this point
in his career. Powell will handle the majority of the work again
this week and comes with a very high floor. He is capable of carrying
you to a title.
Passing
Game Thoughts: I would imagine many Tom Brady owners did
not make it to the championship after his worst performance of
the season (and probably in years) in Denver last week. Brady
completed half of his throws for just 188 scoreless yards. You
legitimately would’ve been better off with Tom Savage and
he didn’t even play half the game. With that being said,
if you survived Brady, he is going to reward you this week. The
last time he faced the Jets, he threw it up 50 times, completing
30 of this throws for 286 yards and two touchdowns. Julian Edelman
continues to see double digit targets and has returned to a high
end PPR WR2. Malcolm Mitchell was erased by Denver last week,
but this is a great spot for him to bounce back. Don’t forget
how good he was the previous four weeks. He was on the field almost
every snap last week. That kind of usage this week should yield
much more favorable results. The Jets just served up four passing
touchdowns to Matt Moore. I think we’re going to see Brady
get four of his own this week.
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.16
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.11
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8
Running Game Thoughts: The Patriots backfield is a beautiful
mess. I say beautiful because it’s fantastic for the New
England Patriots, but terrible for you and me. In what was clearly
part of the game plan, Dion Lewis led the team in carries last
week with 18 to LeGarrette Blount’s 17. The difference between
the two is Lewis managed to rack up 95 yards while Blount could
only muster 31. Lewis also scored on a short goal line carry,
but the referees, not understanding the rules of football, completely
ignored the fact that the ball crossed the plane and ruled Lewis
down at the 1 yard line. Belichick, not caring enough to challenge,
just let Blount bulldozer his way in on the next play, literally
stealing Lewis’ touchdown. It is also interesting to note
that James White saw eight targets last week. One of these three
backs will be useful this week. Maybe two. The Jets once great
defense has rolled over and they are going to get obliterated
by the Patriots. Even so, any Patriots running back is a gamble.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The Lions offense predictably did a whole
lot of nothing last week against the Giants. Matt Stafford has
not been the same since injuring his finger and don’t expect
it to improve much this week. The Cowboys struggle against the
pass, but both of these teams rank in the bottom three of slowest
offensive pace. Scoring opportunities may be at a premium here
and Stafford has thrown just one touchdown his last two games
against three interceptions. Golden Tate has apparently established
a rather high floor. He has been usable every week since Week
6 except for a flop against Jacksonville Week 11. Marvin Jones
and Anquan Boldin carry no fantasy value. Eric Ebron has a nice
floor, but is nothing more than a low end TE option, but that’s
the case for almost every tight end.
DAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7
Running Game Thoughts: Dwayne Washington is the clear lead back
in Detroit. Theo Riddick still is not practicing with his mysterious
wrist injury so it looks like the Washington show yet again. The
problem is that despite the opportunity, Washington is not producing.
He’s getting RB1 volume and returning RB3 production. The
Cowboys have been an elite run stopping unit, similar to the Giants.
They allow the fewest rushing yards per game at 80.9 and no team
has allowed fewer than their five rushing touchdowns against.
Washington only managed 31 yards on 14 carries against the Giants
last week. In a game that will likely involve a little more throwing
despite an even slower pace, I am not optimistic about Washington’s
chances, even if the volume remains.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Remember all that talk about the Cowboys
needing to turn back to Tony Romo? Dak Prescott put that to bed
real quick. He completed 32 of 36 throws for 279 yards last week.
It was the second highest single game completion percentage in
NFL history. Prescott did not throw a touchdown, but he did rush
for one and did not turn the ball over. It was a remarkable performance
and one that saw him re-involve Dez Bryant. On ten targets, Bryant
caught eight of them for 82 yards. Even more efficient was Jason
Witten, who caught all ten of his targets. Both Bryant and Witten
will be strong options this week. The Lions struggled to contain
Odell Beckham last week so Bryant is setup nicely to help you
get a championship. Prescott, however, remains a weaker option
as he is far better in real life than fantasy with the running
game dominating all of the scoring.
DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.27
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.4
Running Game Thoughts: Speaking of the running game, Ezekiel
Elliott had one of the better touchdown celebrations last week,
hopping into the Salvation Army bin. That was after his thirteenth
rushing touchdown of the season. He is going to win rookie of
the year even though it clearly should go to Dak. Zeke also had
his season high in rushing yardage last week with 159. He has
had over 100 yards from scrimmage or a touchdown in every game
this season. The only thing separating him from the likes of David
Johnson and Le’Veon Bell is the lack of receptions. Elliott
is still ceding passing down work to Lance Dunbar. The Lions have
also been strong against the run, but Elliott is still a member
of the elite triumvirate of matchup proof RBs.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Matt Ryan hung four touchdown passes on
the Panthers back in October. The Falcons will need another big
day from Ryan this week to stay ahead of the Bucs atop the division.
That shouldn’t be too difficult against a defense that has
struggled against the pass the entire season. The Falcons have
been fine without Julio Jones but I’m sure anyone plugging
Ryan into their lineup this week would prefer to have the big
guy on the field. The good news for fantasy owners is that Jones
has practiced this week and the team’s playoff chances take
a serious hit with a loss this week (combined with a Tampa win).
Julio is must start material and I think he’ll be ready
to go but check back for the official word on Friday. Taylor Gabriel
keeps on scoring touchdowns to make him a worthy fantasy play
again in Week 16. There isn’t a ton of volume so he carries
some touchdown dependent risk but at this point he’s proven
himself to be a decent flex option in most formats. Mohamed Sanu
has not been a factor in the fantasy game with or without Julio
Jones on the field so keep him benched. Don’t put too much
stock into Aldrick Robinson’s nice game last week. He’s
still the fifth or sixth best option in the passing game.
CAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.28
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2
Running Game Thoughts: Atlanta’s solid running game is
evidenced by the second best running back being ranked 21st in
fantasy points (among RBs) heading into Week 16. Tevin Coleman
is having a great season despite being on the shorter end of the
timeshare. Still, games like last week (66 total yards, no touchdowns)
are bound to happen on limited touches and this week may be a
good week to bench him. The Panthers linebackers are great against
opposing running backs. Coleman has failed to move past 33 total
yards in either of his past two outings versus this defense and
I suspect the Falcons will have better luck challenging the secondary.
The same rationale applies to Devonta Freeman, though his higher
workload gives him a better shot at producing RB2/Flex numbers
for Week 16. Both running backs are capable of finding the end
zone multiple times which gives them a little more upside when
comparing flex options this week.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Cam Newton is coming off just his third
300-yard passing game of the year but failed to register a single
rushing yard in Week 15 against the Redskins. This would qualify
as a solid fantasy performance but the supporting numbers are
still discouraging. Though he was able to complete more than 50
percent of his passes for the first time since Week 10, a 56.8
completion percentage isn’t anything to brag about. He hasn’t
attempted more than 30 passes against the Falcons since 2014 and
HC Ron Rivera isn’t going to abandon the run against an
offense capable of putting a lot of points on the scoreboard.
It’s been a down year for the Panthers entire passing attack
and I wouldn’t want to be counting on them to deliver in
Week 16. Greg Olsen is typically the most consistent fantasy option
on the team and even he has fell short of his usual expectations.
Carolina’s tight end remains the leader at the position
(standard scoring) but he has been the 15th rated TE over the
past five weeks. I’d feel better about using him in PPR
leagues but he remains a borderline starter for Week 15 with a
decent match up. Kelvin Benjamin has completely fallen off the
fantasy map, failing to catch more than three passes in five straight
weeks. Devin Funchess hasn’t caught more than three passes
in a single game this season. Instead, it has been Ted Ginn Jr.
leading the way for the Panthers. He has touchdown catches in
four of the past games to be the most credible of Carolina’s
risky fantasy bets this week. He’s usually dependent on
one big play a game to make up most of his (modest) scoring.
ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5
Running Game Thoughts: With 55 carries, 198 rushing yards and
one lost facemask over the last two weeks, Jonathan Stewart is
doing his best to help fantasy owners finish strong this season.
The Falcons have improved against the run as the season has progressed
and the Panthers are on a short week of rest. The good news is
simply that Carolina is one of the few teams not using a RBBC
at this juncture of the year, including quarterback Cam Newton.
As I noted above, the Panthers definitely have employed a ball
control strategy against Atlanta in the past so there is a real
good chance that Stewart hovers around the 20 carry mark for the
third straight game. The lack of competition for carries gives
Stewart’s owners a higher floor than other options at the
running back position and makes him a decent RB2 versus the Falcons.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Marcus Mariota may have helped a lot of
teams make the fantasy playoffs this season but he isn’t
winning any fantasy titles. Matchups play a huge role in deciding
fantasy titles and the Titans face another less than ideal opponent
this week. The Jags’ defense didn’t get Gus Bradley
fired after last week’s loss to the Colts. They have been
one of the top five hardest defenses for opposing fantasy quarterbacks,
wide receivers and tight ends this year and the Titans have struggled
against top rated defenses in recent weeks. I’d recommend
looking hard for other options before settling on any of Tennessee
pass catchers this week. If you were to start anyone it would
be Delanie Walker. Mariota’s safety valve is still getting
plenty of targets and has a higher floor than your average tight
end. Rishard Matthews fantasy value has taken a hit once the touchdowns
stopped rolling in (only one over the past four games). He’s
been outside the top 50 players at his position over the past
three weeks and I wouldn’t take a chance on him turning
it around with the way the running game has chugged along. After
Walker, Matthews and the running backs, there shouldn’t
be too many targets left for anyone else.
JAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
JAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
JAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.27
JAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22
Running Game Thoughts: The heart of “Smashmouth”
football in Nashville has been effective enough to keep the Titans
playoff hopes alive. DeMarco Murray has ceded carries to rookie
Derrick Henry in a way that seems almost by design. I don’t
think Murray is dealing with any sort of injury; it just looks
like Henry’s role has been elevated in the weeks following
the bye. The strategy is looking good for the Titans win column
but it’s taken the wind out of the sails of Murray. The
timeshare situation has resulted in both backs being useful RB2/Flex
options but each rank outside the top 20 at the position over
the past three weeks. That’s a stark contrast to Murray
being a weekly fixture in the top 10 fantasy rushers for much
of the regular season. The supporting numbers suggest that Murray
is just as good as he was earlier in the year so I wouldn’t
abandon ship. The tougher choice facing fantasy managers this
week is whether or not to use Henry. The answer should be yes
based on the standpoint that he has been productive with the increase
in workload. Tennessee’s coaching staff knows what they
have in their rookie and I don’t expect his role to change
as they look to wear down the Jacksonville defense.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Where’s Mark Brunell when you need
him? Blake Bortles sealed the fate of now former HC Gus Bradley
after setting career lows in pass completions and yards last week.
This offense needs more than a new coach to change its fortunes
so fantasy owners should steer clear of everyone for Week 16.
Interim coach Doug Marone hasn’t exactly wowed anyone with
his high scoring offenses since coming to the NFL via Syracuse.
Blake Bortles will still be under center. That means Allen Robinson
will only catch about a third of the balls thrown to him and Marqise
Lee has a 50 percent chance of producing quality stats as a flex
option. Unless you like torturing yourself or play in a super
deep league, there really isn’t a bankable fantasy starter
in the passing game.
TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.6
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.13
Running Game Thoughts: Chris Ivory rushed ten times for 44 yards
in his return from a hamstring injury last week. Although he is
likely to get the bulk of the carries against the Titans this
week he still plays on a team that struggles to pick up first
downs and score touchdowns. Oh and the Titans are one of the best
rushing defenses in the league. Starting Ivory this week translates
to crossing your fingers that he ends up with a touchdown. At
least T.J. Yeldon moonlights as a flex option for PPR leaguers
to salvage some fantasy value on this team. He’s averaging
five catches a game over the past three weeks to make him a top
25 running back in full point PPR leagues. The lack of a useful
tight end should continue to allow Yeldon just enough work in
the passing game against Tennessee to be an effective fantasy
option for deeper leagues.
Value Meter:
Flex: T.J. Yeldon (only in PPR)
Bench: Everyone else
Passing
Game Thoughts: A.J. Green is doing what he can to get back
on the field to help fantasy owners win a title. He practiced
on Wednesday and appears to be in line to play but his owners
will want to check in on Friday to get the latest updates on his
status for Saturday’s tilt against the Texans. Green’s
return would provide Andy Dalton a much needed lift. Cincinnati’s
quarterback has been held under 200 yards over his past two games
and went without a touchdown pass for only the second time of
the year during last week’s loss to the Steelers. Another
guy hoping Green gets back on the field is tight end Tyler Eifert.
Opposing defenses have been keying in the team’s best red
zone target and his stats have suffered as a result. The matchup
isn’t great but he’s always a threat to score and
should be a low end starter for Week 16. An increase in playing
time hasn’t really helped Tyler Boyd emerge as a legit fantasy
option and he only stands to lose time if Green makes it back
onto the field. Brandon LaFell hasn’t been overly consistent
with his results but he has averaged eight targets a game over
the past five weeks. If the team doesn’t get their top receiver
back, then LaFell would be a player of interest to fill a flex
slot.
HOU FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
HOU FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.13
HOU FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.30
HOU FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30
Running Game Thoughts: Jeremy Hill did individual drills in practice
Wednesday and is questionable to play this week. He was able to
return from an injury in Week 15 but he is clearly banged up.
Hill has been taking advantage of injuries to the team’s
play makers (A.J. Green, Giovani Bernard) to get him more volume
and opportunities in the red zone. He’s clinging to RB2
status but the Bengals may also opt to use Rex Burkhead more over
the last week or two as they look towards next season. Burkhead’s
playing time is worth monitoring because he has been averaging
over five yards a carry on the year. A few more touches are all
he needs to become a RB3/Flex option for RB needy playoff teams.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Welcome to the Tom Savage era! Not many
first place squads are changing quarterbacks in Week 16 without
an injury involved but that’s exactly what is happening
in the “topsy turvy” AFC South. The Brock Osweiler
experiment lasted way too long but finally ended midway through
last week’s game against the Jaguars. Based on a small sample
size of about three quarters of play, Savage should be a breath
of fresh air to this entire offense. By offense, I really mean
DeAndre Hopkins. The stud receiver led all wide receivers in Week
15 with 17 targets. Savage has little to lose by chucking the
ball to #10 whenever possible. I’d be cautious with using
Hopkins in shallow leagues but he is firmly in the WR3 mix in
12-plus team leagues. He still has an unproven quarterback throwing
him the ball and the Bengals have been on the hardest defenses
for opposing fantasy receivers to score on this year. A tough
opponent and fewer targets for everyone else make it extremely
difficult to trust anyone else in the passing game this week.
CIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
CIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.16
CIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
CIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3
Running Game Thoughts: Ever watch “Press Your Luck?”
Lamar Miller owners will be hoping for “No Whammies”
when the Texans take on the Bengals this weekend. Miller hasn’t
exactly been a trustworthy fantasy back this year, but he has
been a steady RB2 over the past two weeks. Unfortunately, he is
going up against the first team in over a month to prevent Le’Veon
Bell from rushing for 100 yards last week. A new starting quarterback
isn’t always a good thing for a veteran running back going
against a quality defense either so I’d prefer not pressing
my luck with Miller despite the favorable workload. The Alfred
Blue buzz is tough to get a handle on as well. Houston rolled
him out 16 times in Week 14 only to give him one carry last week.
He is best viewed as lotto ticket for Week 17.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The last time Jamies Winston entered the
Superdome (September of 2015) the Bucs signal caller was an inexperienced
rookie. Now he has almost two years under his belt and is chasing
his first division title. I don’t think he will struggle
nearly as much this weekend but there is a lot of pressure on
the youngster in this pivotal road game. I’ve said this
before, but I’ll stress it one more time…the Saints
have been good at holding down opposing team’s top wideouts.
Yet Mike Evans is having a Pro Bowl caliber season and the Bucs
will continue to throw to him so it’s tough to keep him
benched. Still, he hasn’t scored in three games, nor has
he topped 60 yards receiving. At least search for alternatives
before stubbornly locking him into your WR slot in Week 16. Choosing
someone other than Mike Evans in this passing attack is like playing
roulette. Somebody is going to be useful but the chances of you
picking the right guy are more luck than skill with the other
players receiving minimal targets. TE Cameron Brate has tallied
10 receptions, 159 yards and two touchdowns in Tampa’s last
two road games so don’t overlook him if you are mining for
a tight end this week.
NO FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.3
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17
Running Game Thoughts: Doug Martin keeps doing his thing as a
RB2 and more often than not he gets the job done. His 16 carries
against the Cowboys a week ago matched his lowest of the year
from Week 10 (excluding the Week 2 game when he left early due
to injury). Expect a stronger outing this week. Martin is averaging
double digit fantasy points against the Saints and has touchdowns
in each of his last two meetings. Charles Sims has 9 targets in
two games since returning from the IR. He’s slid right back
into the role he was filling before going down with an injury.
He’s also the type of player that could excel on the turf
as a high efficiency target to take the pressure off of Winston.
He figures to be busy in a close game but would see even more
work if the Bucs are playing from behind making him a solid flex
option in PPR leagues.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The real Drew Brees stood up last week against
the Cardinals to win a shootout and that’s what fantasy
owners will be hoping for against this week. That scenario might
be tough considering the Bucs have scored more than 20 points
only once in the past five weeks. That shouldn’t stop Brees
from hooking up with Brandin Cooks. The Saints’ top man
on the outside has moved back into the top ten fantasy receivers
with his huge Week 15 performance. This week won’t be that
good but Brees is looking his way again (27 targets in three games
since his Week 12 goose egg) and the results have been solid.
Cooks and Michael Thomas (coming off his fourth game with at least
ten targets) may become the first teammates to get to ten touchdowns
this weekend. Cooks presence on the outside will allow Thomas
and Willie Snead to have a field day working the short and intermediate
zones. Tight end Coby Fleener is probably going to be requisitioned
to help in the blocking game so he’ll need to cash in on
his limited targets in the red zone to have a shot at a moderate
fantasy output. Expect solid, but not spectacular, performances
from the Saints leading passing game in Week 16.
TB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
TB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
TB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
TB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19
Running Game Thoughts: The Bucs bottled up Mark Ingram extremely
well in their last meeting by limiting him to 23 total yards so
expect HC Sean Peyton to alter his strategy this time around.
Tim Hightower wasn’t much better with 39 total yards in
Week 14. Tampa’s front seven is good so there is a good
chance that New Orleans chooses to abandon the run and opt for
more passing to move the ball down the field against the Bucs.
Ingram is getting more touches and is the better choice if you
are picking from the pair to be a flex option this week. Hightower,
despite rushing for two scores last week, has only averaged 8
touches a game over the past three weeks. If either one of these
running backs is able to have success it will need to come via
the pass. That would also favor Ingram who has four receiving
touchdowns this year (tied for 2nd in the NFL).
Passing
Game Thoughts: Snubbed from the Pro Bowl in the eyes of
many fans and analysts, Andrew Luck continues to enjoy what has
been a bounceback season in 2016. He’s thrown multiple touchdown
passes in four straight starts despite some inconsistencies from
his top targets, wide receivers T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief.
A hamstring injury limited Moncrief in practice early in the week
but he made a full return to practice on Thursday and is currently
expected to play this weekend against the Jets. Still, there is
plenty of risk with Moncrief who has been surprisingly touchdown-dependent
since returning from injury back in Week 8. He hasn’t had
more than 55 receiving yards in a game over that stretch. Hilton
is closing in on 1,300 yards for the season which has made him
one of the best receivers in fantasy football. Hilton remains
a solid WR1 while Moncrief is only a borderline Flex option who
has a respectable ceiling but also a floor of zero. Luck, of course,
should remain an elite fantasy option even on the road against
an Oakland defense that hasn’t given up more than two passing
scores in a game since Week 5. The Colts will likely need to pass
the ball quite often to stay in this game and they’re playing
for their playoff lives so letting their franchise quarterback
throw the ball as many as 50 times in this contest seems like
a realistic possibility.
OAK FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
OAK FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.7
OAK FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
OAK FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.9
Running Game Thoughts: Frank Gore
continues to shock us with his ability to produce quality fantasy
numbers in his elder years and he was a big part of what ended
up being the gameplan for the Colts in Week 15 as the team surprisingly
blew out the Vikings. Gore took 26 carries for 101 yards while
also catching four passes in that game – his highest workload
of the season. It’s worth noting, however, that the gameflow
from this past week is highly unlikely to play out the same in
Week 16. The Raiders are certainly not great against the run and
there is a good chance that Gore gets a few goal line carries,
but this looks like a pass-heavy game in the making with two MVP-caliber
quarterbacks slugging it out to secure a division title. Gore
is a better option in standard scoring options where he’s
more of a high-end RB2, but he should still be a reliable middle-to-low
end RB2 option even in PPR formats. Robert Turbin’s recent
goal line touches are a bit of a concern, but the Colts didn’t
need to risk Gore this past week, which is a big reason why Turbin
had as many “money” touches as he did.
Passing
Game Thoughts: We’ve seen a recent slowdown in the
production of Oakland quarterback and NFL MVP candidate Derek
Carr, but a home matchup against a mediocre Indianapolis pass
defense could be just what he needs to start putting up huge fantasy
numbers again. Wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree
are both listed as questionable for this weekend which is a bit
of a concern, but both are expected to play. Crabtree, who is
dealing with a finger injury, has been quite productive as of
late while Cooper has been dealing with a bit of a late-season
slump, just as he did in 2015. The biggest worry is that Cooper
was only targeted three times this past week against the Chargers.
While some of that had to do with the coverage he was seeing,
there could also be something more to the shoulder injury he’s
dealing with. There is risk here, particularly with Cooper, but
the upside in this matchup is so great that both he and Crabtree
should be in most fantasy lineups as long as they suit up for
the Raiders.
IND FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.23
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.10
Running Game Thoughts: The Oakland
passing game hasn’t been quite as dominant as of late, which
has led to some nice opportunities for Latavius Murray and the
running game to prove their worth. Murray has produced 85 or more
total yards in four straight contests, but his biggest fantasy
asset has been his ability to get into the end zone while playing
behind one of the best offensive lines. Murray has scored 12 rushing
touchdowns in 12 games played this season. He’ll have the
opportunity to improve upon those numbers on Saturday against
an Indianapolis defense that has been gashed by good running games
as of late. If the Raiders get out to a lead, which is quite possible,
look for them to lean heavily on Murray in this contest as he
continues to out-touch DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard by
a wide margin.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The toilet bowl of the NFC West will take
place on Saturday as the 49ers head to Los Angeles to face the
Rams. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be back at the helm against
a Los Angeles defense that has really struggled recently against
opposing quarterbacks. The team has given up 11 total passing
touchdowns over their past four games, including some huge fantasy
numbers during that span. Of course, they haven’t had it
easy as of late, playing against some of the league’s best
quarterbacks including Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Russell
Wilson. Kaepernick is certainly not anywhere near that level as
a passer, but as a fantasy producer, he’s not all that far
off. Partially due to his own wild inconsistencies, but also due
to a lack of real options, Kaepernick is the only player who should
even be considered for fantasy purposes in this passing game.
His rushing numbers have been a little weak as of late, but he’s
still giving fantasy owners at least a few points per week on
the ground while passing for somewhat respectable numbers and
somehow avoiding turnovers.
LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.6
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.25
Running Game Thoughts: Carlos Hyde
has been a tough player to own throughout his fantasy career,
often due to injury concerns, but also because he’s been
stuck on a terrible team that often falls behind in games and
does not give him the opportunity to get those late-game “closer”
carries that so many other backs thrive on. That was the case
this past week as he failed to produce big numbers against a bad
Atlanta run defense. He wasn’t terrible, but the gameflow
just didn’t allow him to touch the ball late in the game
as the 49ers fell further and further behind. This weekend he’ll
face a Los Angeles defense that is statistically better against
running backs than the Falcons were, but their own lack of offensive
explosiveness should allow the 49ers to stick in the game much
longer than they did against the Falcons, which should lead to
more touches for Hyde. There’s always risk to starting any
49er, but Hyde is probably the safest of the bunch and he has
a good chance of producing RB1 numbers this week.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Rookie quarterback Jared Goff cleared the
NFL’s concussion protocol and will start this Saturday,
but that isn’t exactly great news for the Los Angeles passing
game which continues to be among the worst in the league no matter
who is behind center. Goff has now thrown just one total touchdown
pass over his past three contests, effectively rendering he and
the entire Rams passing attack obsolete for fantasy purposes.
Kenny Britt could be slid into lineups in daily formats if you’re
looking for a cheap option who could potentially score a touchdown,
but the 49ers have actually been decent against opposing passing
games in recent weeks, so look for the Rams to control the clock
with the run versus put the game on the shoulders of their young
QB who has, frankly, looked terrible.
SF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.1
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20
Running Game Thoughts: It’s
been a long and awful season for second-year Rams running back
Todd Gurley. He went from arguably the top fantasy running back
the league heading into the season into a player who owners are
asking about for Flex purposes despite him getting a full workload
and being healthy. The touches have been there in most games,
but the production just isn’t. His Week 1 performance against
the 49ers is a long time ago, but the San Francisco run defense
has proven to be perhaps the worst in the league, so his lack
of performance (47 rushing yards, 0 TD) in that contest looks
even worse now. Still, despite all of the bad that we’ve
seen, there’s still real upside in this matchup. With the
49ers unlikely to run away with the lead, Gurley should have a
great opportunity to approach 20 touches. Against a defense that
ranks dead last in the league against opposing running backs,
there’s plenty to like about that opportunity. If you’re
not starting Todd Gurley this week, what was the point of you
keeping him rostered? Plug him in, cross your fingers and hope
for the best.
Passing
Game Thoughts: They fell short this past week against the
Saints, but Carson Palmer proved that he is still capable of producing
QB1 numbers if the matchup allows for it. Unfortunately, in Week
16, he’ll head to Seattle to face one of the NFL’s
best defenses in perhaps the most hostile territory in the league.
The Seahawks have been dominant against opposing quarterbacks
once again this season, having allowed just 14 passing touchdowns
against them in 14 games, while forcing 11 interceptions. Earlier
this season, they held Palmer himself out of the end zone despite
him throwing for 300-plus yards in what ended up being a 6-6 tie
game. That was when the Cardinals still had hopes for the playoffs,
though. Now that they’re out of the race, look for Seattle
to lean on this aging, crumbling quarterback until he eventually
breaks and makes the mistakes that will put them out of the game.
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is the only player in this passing
game who should be used in fantasy and even he is just a WR2 in
this difficult matchup. Yes, Fitzgerald did catch nine passes
against the Seahawks when these teams played earlier this season,
but he has scored just one touchdown in his past eight contests
against the Seahawks. As such, he’s a low-upside WR2.
SEA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
SEA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
SEA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
SEA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28
Running Game Thoughts: If a team’s
record wasn’t so heavily impactful to the NFL MVP award,
a case could be made for Arizona’s David Johnson walking
away with the hardware in his second season. Johnson has been
nothing short of superb this season, including producing the best
fantasy numbers in the NFL at the running back position. Johnson
has been over 100 total yards in every game this season. That
type of run is almost unprecedented for a running back in today’s
NFL – especially on a team with a losing record. Yes, the
matchup against Seattle here in Week 16 is a tough one –
they haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 10.
But there’s not a more consistent, productive player in
all of fantasy football this season than Johnson. He had 161 total
yards when these teams played earlier this season, so look for
another productive day from him, especially in PPR formats.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Russell Wilson was coming off of one of
the worst games of his professional career, but he should be back
in the good graces of fantasy owners after a nice day against
the Rams in Week 15, including his first multiple-touchdown performance
since Week 10. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin continues to be the
team’s most consistent and best fantasy producer, having
caught at least four passes in every game since Week 2, but he’s
been held out of the end zone in all but four games this season
which has kept his production at just a WR2 level for most of
the season. Another player who has really stepped up as of late
is wide receiver Tyler Lockett. Lockett has been used in a variety
of ways, but his seven catch, 130-yard performance against the
Rams this past week is a reminder that he still has potential
to produce good fantasy numbers. Unfortunately, while Lockett
has stepped up, one player who has not been great as of late is
tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham has just two catches over his past
two games and now he’ll be against an Arizona defense that
has held opposing tight ends to the fewest points in the league
this season.
ARI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
ARI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
ARI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
ARI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32
Running Game Thoughts: After a horrendous
performance of 21 carries for just 34 yards this past week against
the Rams, fantasy owners have every reason to doubt Thomas Rawls
in this, the fantasy championship weekend for most leagues. Aside
from one game where he exploded for over 100 rushing yards and
a pair of touchdowns against the Panthers, Rawls has been held
under 10 total fantasy points (standard scoring) in every other
game this season. The Cardinals have given up the sixth-fewest
rushing yards per carry in the league this season and they held
the Seahawks backfield to just 54 rushing yards earlier this season.
Of course, that was when Rawls was out with injury, but the point
remains that the Arizona defense is still very capable of performing
well and Rawls is a risky play – and very touchdown dependent
– in this contest.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Coming off of one of his biggest games of
the season, Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders laid an egg
in Week 15, catching just three passes for 48 yards against the
Patriots. Demaryius Thomas caught seven passes for 91 yards, however,
and has now caught at least five passes in every game since Week
1 this season despite some serious question marks at the quarterback
position. Trevor Siemian, obviously, has had his ups and downs,
but he does not look like a good option this week as he’s
coming off of a bad game and will now be on the road against a
Kansas City defense that has held Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota
out of the end zone over their past two games. Yes, Siemian lit
this defense up to the tune of 368 yards and three touchdowns
no interceptions, but that was when the Broncos still had a great
shot at making the playoffs. Now that they’re likely on
the outside looking in and with Kansas City needing a win to lock
up their own playoff chances, there’s a good possibility
that this is a classic late-season letdown for the Broncos and
thus a potentially tough day for Siemian. Still, Thomas and Sanders
are still worthy options given the high percentage of targets
that they see in this offense.
KC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
KC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
KC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.5
KC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29
Running Game Thoughts: The Devontae
Booker experiment appears to be all but over at this point as
the young running back has now been out-touched by the recently
signed veteran Justin Forsett in back-to-back weeks. Neither player
has been doing anything that should make fantasy owners excited
whatsoever, but Forsett has at least shown that he has the trust
of the coaching staff to some extent. Booker is still getting
enough touches to limit any real upside, though, so do your best
to avoid this situation if at all possible. Kansas City is not
great against opposing running games, but Denver is not a team
that appears equipped to exploit that fact at this point.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Alex Smith has not thrown for multiple touchdown
passes in a game since Week 7. If that doesn’t tell you
what his fantasy potential is in this matchup, let’s make
it even worse – he’ll face the NFL’s best fantasy
defenses against opposing quarterbacks in Week 16. Denver hasn’t
given up a single touchdown pass in three straight contests heading
into this game and they’ve only given up two multi-touchdown
passing days to opposing QB’s this season. Jeremy Maclin
showed some potential this past week, but he’ll be blanketed
by the league’s best secondary, as will Tyreek Hill. Hill,
at least has the potential to make something happen on a trick
play or on special teams, but he should probably be on most benches
in this contest. The only strong fantasy play in this Kansas City
passing game is tight end Travis Kelce who disappointed a bit
this past week but is still among the top options at the position
on a week to week basis. He beat the Broncos for eight receptions
and 101 yards when these teams played back in Week 12.
DEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.32
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.26
Running Game Thoughts: The opportunity
continues to be there for Spencer Ware, but the production just
hasn’t followed in the second half of the season. Ware has
scored just one touchdown since Week 6 of the season and he hasn’t
eclipsed 80 rushing yards in any game over that span. What’s
perhaps been most disappointing, though, is Ware’s lack
of usage in the passing game. He’s not completely forgotten
as a receiver, but Ware hasn’t caught more than three passes
in a game since Week 1 of the season. The way to attack the Broncos,
however, is definitely with the running game. If the Chiefs hope
to win this one, Ware will likely need to do more than the 17
carries for 64 yards that he had against the Broncos when these
teams played in Week 12, but his lack of performance as of late
doesn’t give much hope for a huge day.
Passing
Game Thoughts: It’s a testament to how good a fantasy
quarterback Cousins has become that even on a bad night he managed
to crack the 20-point mark against Carolina. It also says that
the Washington offense isn’t as balanced as it was a month
ago. DeSean Jackson has become the top option again, off his second
consecutive 100-yard receiving night, with Pierre Garcon a viable
option as well. Jamison Crowder hasn’t produced in a month
and is borderline WR3 at best. Tight end Jordan Reed (shoulder)
isn’t healthy and can’t be counted on and if he plays,
he’ll likely split snaps with Vernon Davis.
CHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
CHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.19
CHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
CHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.24
Running Game Thoughts: The offensive
line can’t open holes for Robert Kelley and only a short
touchdown run saved his night from complete disaster in Week 15.
Third-down back Chris Thompson is only viable in PPR leagues,
and then, only if you expect the Redskins to fall behind on the
scoreboard. The Bears are middle of the road in fantasy points
allowed to running backs.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Matt Barkley’s second 300-yard passing
performance in four starts should give fantasy owners a bit of
confidence in this one. Sure, he still throws too many interceptions,
but he’s producing points. The additional work Alshon Jeffery
and Barkley put in last week during practice paid dividends and
should continue going forward. However, he’s likely to see
a lot of Josh Norman this weekend. That should open it up for
Cameron Meredith or Deonte Thompson. I prefer Meredith, who works
out of the slot, a position that gives the Washington secondary
problems.
WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.4
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.6
Running Game Thoughts: It’s a one-man show in Chicago. Jordan
Howard continues to produce solid numbers – four consecutive
double-digit fantasy totals. He’ll face a subpar Washington
run defense that was just run over by Jonathan Stewart and won’t
have a lot of time to recover (ranked 29th in RB fantasy points
allowed).
Passing
Game Thoughts: Philip Rivers probably had the easiest playoff
schedule of any quarterback, but hasn’t produced as well
as expected. That’s not to say he was horrible, throwing
a pair of touchdowns in each game, but he couldn’t crack
240 yards. He’ll get one last shot to produce in a favorable
matchup against the 31st-ranked defense versus opposing quarterbacks.
Dontrelle Inman has actually been the most consistent Chargers
receiver over the past month. The return of deep threat Travis
Benjamin seems to have taken something out of Tyrell Williams’
game and both rate as flex options. It will be cold this weekend,
but fantasy owners should only be concerned if forecasts predict
15-20 mph winds, and as of this writing, that isn’t the
case.
CLE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.1
Running Game Thoughts: It doesn’t
appear as if elite running back Melvin Gordon (hip) will return
for Week 16, once again leaving the majority of the workload for
Kenneth Farrow. Unfortunately, he was a backup for a reason and
hasn’t shown much explosiveness making him difficult to
trust even in a plus matchup against the Browns. He will also
likely give up 6-8 carries to Ronnie Hillman.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The Browns offense is about as inept as
they come, averaging 10.3 points over their last six games. And
the passing game will need to improve just to get to inept. They
have managed just 247 yards the past two games with Robert Griffin
III under center. The Chargers defense has totaled a league-high
17 interceptions and rank No. 4 (15.8 FPts/G) against fantasy
receivers. Stay away. Stay far away.
SD FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
SD FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.8
SD FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
SD FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.16
Running Game Thoughts: Browns coach Hue Jackson said he “wants
to give (Isaiah) Crowell 20 carries" every game, but they
fall behind in almost every game making that virtually impossible.
In fact, he hasn’t rushed the ball more than 18 times in
any game this season. When the inevitable happens and Cleveland
falls behind on the scoreboard, Duke Johnson gets his shot and
last week he combined for 93 yards on 10 touches. He’s had
at least 75 combined yards in five games this season, but only
scored one time, so has limited upside.
Passing
Game Thoughts: If you want about 250 yards and one touchdown
pass, then Sam Bradford is your guy. For most fantasy owners that
just isn’t enough. Stefon Diggs clearly isn’t healthy
and his game has suffered and downgraded. Adam Thielen should
be ready to go and is team’s best wideout option in this
one, but tight end Kyle Rudolph is likely to see the most targets.
GB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
GB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
GB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
GB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.12
Running Game Thoughts: Adrian Peterson
returned, but didn’t show much and now is dealing with groin
and knee issues. It’s hard to start a less-than 100-percent
“AP” and we have already seen that Jerick McKinnon
and Matt Asiata weren’t the answers even without the big
man on the field because of this offensive line’s struggles.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Aaron Rodgers had his streak of eight consecutive
multiple passing touchdown games snapped in the cold of Chicago
last weekend, but he’s healthier than he’s been in
a long time and should be ready to help you this week. He’s
averaging 24.9 FPts/G at home. Jordy Nelson is a constant while
Davante Adams has been up and down. Adams dropped two touchdown
passes last weekend, but I am confident he’ll rebound. Randall
Cobb continues to freefall and has become a non-factor while Jared
Cook is too inconsistent to trust during championship week. Weather
should not be a factor.
MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.31
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18
Running Game Thoughts: The Packers first 100-yard rushing game
since Eddie Lacy in Week 3 came from converted wideout Ty Montgomery.
I don’t expect he’ll repeat last week’s 162-yard
output, put given the threat of Rodgers right arm, Montgomery
has the talent to crack triple digits again. James Starks is still
in concussion protocol, Christine Michael is only good for about
4-6 carries and fullback Aaron Ripkowski only a sometimes red
zone touchdown vulture.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Joe Flacco has thrown eight touchdowns over
the past three weeks and cracked the 300-yard mark twice as he
tries to keep his Ravens, and fantasy owners, in the championship
hunt. But the Steelers defense has been improved over the past
five games, ranking sixth-best against fantasy quarterbacks over
that span (16.7 FPts/G). The result will leave the Baltimore quarterback
as a QB2 this weekend. Most of the heavy lifting at wideout has
been coming from Steve Smith and Mike Wallace, but neither is
an elite option. Smith is more consistent and has a higher floor,
but if you need the really big number, Wallace’s deep-threat
ability is the choice.
PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.29
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15
Running Game Thoughts: The Ravens’
backfield is the dreaded evenly shared situation between Terrance
West and Kenneth Dixon. West usually gets more carries while Dixon
has better hands, but Dixon missed a key block last Sunday against
Philadelphia and the Ravens used fullback Kyle Juszczyk on passing
downs. For that reason Dixon has been downgraded to a flex.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t cracked
300-yards since the Week 10 shootout with Dallas. It’s not
a coincidence that Le’Veon Bell exploded in Week 11 and
hasn’t been slowed down since that day. Big Ben isn’t
the only casualty, Antonio Brown hasn’t broken 100 yards
in those same five games. He also was held under 100 yards by
the Ravens in Week 9 this season and twice in 2015. He’s
listed as a low-end WR1, but if Ravens CB Jimmy Smith (ankle)
isn’t available, then Brown’s projection could jump
much higher. Eli Rogers saw six targets last week, but that’s
the first time since Week 11 that he saw more than three passes.
Still, without injured Ladarius Green (concussion) and Darrius
Heyward-Bey (foot) and Sammie Coates unproductive, someone other
than Ball and Brown needs to step up.
BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.10
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.27
Running Game Thoughts: It’s says a lot when your running
back posts 131 yards from scrimmage and fantasy owners feel unsatisfied.
After Bell’s previous four performances (26.1 FPts, 20.2,
18.2, 47.8), that’s how I felt about his 13.1 points versus
Cincinnati. The Ravens are No. 2 against opposing running backs
(14.7 FPts/G), so he’ll have to work hard to get his points.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he fully expects DeAngelo Williams
(knee) to return, but that shouldn’t effect Bell at all.
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Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
Passing
Game Thoughts:
