The end is near. It’s been obvious for a while that Manning’s days as a starting fantasy QB were over.

Peyton’s Plummet

Just two weeks ago, we were heralding Peyton Manning as a reborn following the Broncos convincing win over the Packers. But, after Sunday, we may have seen the last of Manning’s career. It’s been obvious for a while that Manning’s days as a starting fantasy QB were over, so Sunday’s performance (35 yards passing, 0 TDs, 4 INTs) didn’t do anything to alter that perception. Many owners who spent high draft picks on Denver skill position players and are now wondering if they can be used down the stretch. Brock Osweiler was able to connect with Demaryius Thomas a number of times in the fourth quarter vs. Kansas City, but would he be able to do so with something similar against something other than a prevent defense? Conventional wisdom would suggest that Denver will try to run the ball more in the weeks to come, but they haven’t been able to open many running lanes for Ronnie Hillman and/or C.J. Anderson, so is that even possible? It feels strange to say, but I’m afraid I must: Avoid all Broncos when you set your weekly lineup until further notice. Thomas is worth starting as a low-end WR2 , but no one else is worth the risk. It’s a sad state of affairs on the offensive side of the ball and Manning may not play again for a while.

If A Tree Falls in the Forest, But Nobody Hears it…

On Sunday morning, it was announced that Ben Roethlisberger would be active on Sunday, but that he would be an emergency QB only. That report kept him out of starting lineups, meaning that his incredible performance vs. Cleveland had almost no impact from a fantasy perspective, at least in terms of his own individual value. Where it did have an impact was at wide receiver where Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant combined for 317 yards receiving, 3 TDs, and a 2-point conversion. On a quiet week for offensive production, Brown and Bryant’s numbers stuck out like a sore thumb and likely lifting many a fantasy owner to a victory based on unforeseen circumstances. The Steelers are off in Week 11, but having a piece of their offensive machine down the stretch is going to pay big dividends. When everyone is healthy…even semi-healthy, they are the closest thing to unstoppable in the league.

Nearly Extinct

The days of the great fantasy running back continue to fade. Or, at least the great running back who gets most of his yards on the ground. Only two running backs this past weekend topped the 100-yard rushing mark. Adrian Peterson was something of a lone wolf with 200-plus yards and LeSean McCoy ran for nearly 120 against the Jets on Thursday night. Peterson, thus, represents something that’s almost gone for good- the running back whose ground production is just as good as the RBs of the previous generation. What we got on Sunday instead was three running backs who topped 90 yards or more RECEIVING including three long touchdowns. Matt Jones, Jeremy Langford, and Charcandrick West combined for 332 yards through the air and were the top producing RBs for the week with the exception of Peterson. The three had only 198 yards rushing with two TDs. What this means is that RB is becoming just another position for the QB to utilize in the ever-expanding passing game. As for what to do with Jones, Langford, and West moving forward, remember these truths. Jones does not play the Saints every week. Matt Forte will return soon to carve into Langford’s workload or eclipse it. And finally, the Chiefs are going to continue to give West as much touches as any other player in the league. West is best. Peterson is epic. Running back as a position of dominance in fantasy football is gone.

Raising Arizona

Was it just me marveling Sunday night at how easily the Cardinals carved up Seattle’s big reputation defense? Sure, the third quarter was dicey with the ‘Hawks getting to Palmer twice for two forced fumbles, but Palmer was a force otherwise and his receivers made it easier on him with some fantastic catches. I thought Larry Fitzgerald might start slowing down as the season wore on, but his 130-yard masterpiece vs. Richard Sherman and company signaled he is going to remain a force until the end of the year. And, Michael Floyd (assuming his hamstring injury isn’t serious) is actually emerging as the 1B to Fitzgerald with five touchdowns and nearly 350 yards receiving in his last four games. If this offense can post this performance in Seattle, they (like Pittsburgh) are an offense to load up on as we approach December. Many left Carson Palmer on the bench on Sunday. If so, you chose…poorly.

The Bizarre Case of the Invisible Bears

Jay Cutler threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns. If you were an owner of Alshon Jeffery or Martellus Bennett and could have gotten that stat line in advance of Sunday’s action, you would no doubt feel pretty good about starting both. But, Zach Miller came along. And with him, 107 of those yards and two of those touchdowns disappeared. Huh? In the end, Jeffery and Bennett combined for a meager 41 yards and no trips to the end zone on Sunday, leaving their owners feeling blue. When you also consider that the Bears scored a whopping 37 points, the outcomes for their top two targets in the passing game seem even more bizarre. It just goes to show that sometimes fantasy football leaves you scratching your head and wondering how players like Miller and Brent Celek get 75-plus-yard TD receptions in the same week. Throw in Gronk, and three tight ends accomplished that on Sunday. Again….huh?

Just How Good Are Brady, Belichick and Josh McDaniels?

We’re about to find out. Last week, the trio lost Dion Lewis from their arsenal and now, Julian Edelman will be out for the remainder of the regular season. We told you Brady’s numbers would take a dip without Lewis and they would have if not for Gronkowski’s insanely long touchdown in which two Giant defenders knocked each other out. Now with Edelman gone, Danny Amendola and Brandon LaFell will carry the load, but in reality, it is once again LeGarrette Blount who will take on the role of grinder and end up benefitting fantasy owners most. For those expecting James White and Brandon Bolden to fill the shoes of Dion Lewis, all I can say is that I hope you didn’t start one of them on Sunday. Until either proves to be a viable option, please don’t do it again.

Risers and Fallers

Based on recent weeks and including Week 10, who has heated up and conversely, who is cooling off? I'll give you a few of each. First, the risers. Derek Carr has now thrown for 300 or more yards in each of his last three games. He also has 10 touchdown passes over that span. Carr is currently the best of an underrated group of sophomore quarterbacks. At running back, LeSean McCoy appears to be on his way to a big second half of the season after back-to-back 112 yard rushing days. Definitely a player you should be able to count on down the stretch. As far as receivers go, I'll give you two guys who are starting to meet preseason expectations. One is Brandin Cooks, whose rapport with Brees has grown stronger every week. Two is Mike Evans with 125-plus yards receiving in three of his last four games. Honorable mention to Eric Decker, with TDs in three straight games and four of his last five. Turning to “fallers”, Ryan Tannehill has only two touchdowns in his last three games. He should be a backup only at this point with Miami re-emphasizing the running game. Justin Forsett, meanwhile, hasn't broken out of single digit fantasy points scored in each of the last five weeks. He's still a RB2 at a position void of dynamic performers, but shouldn't be counted on for anything more. Finally, after a great start to the season, James Jones has fallen off a cliff. Maybe the Raiders weren't completely crazy after all.

Bungling Bengals

Before we sign off for this week, some sympathy for those who started Andy Dalton, Jeremy Hill, A.J. Green, and Tyler Eifert on Monday night. Cincinnati failed to score a touchdown and that quartet probably prevented many an owner from closing out the week with a win. The Bengals continue to ignore the running game, so Hill's prospects don't look great moving forward. But, I do think Dalton, Green, and Eifert will rebound. The Texans defense is improving rapidly and they deserve some credit for what took place in Cincy.

That'll do it for the Buzz this week. Can running backs rebound in Week 11? We'll answer that question and look forward to the beginning of the Brock Osweiler era next week.