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Bye Weeks: Dallas, St. Louis
Grab a Helmet
Riley
Cooper v. WAS: If anyone can be said to have benefited from
the Richie Incognito scandal, it’s gotta be Cooper, doesn’t it?
The former Gator started the year under the black cloud of some
racially insensitive remarks, remarks that appear almost tame
when compared to the venom that spewed forth from Incognito’s
mouth recently. I guess that’s one thing about the NFL: there’s
ALWAYS a bigger idiot ready to steal that white-hot spotlight
away from you. Cooper hasn’t hurt his image-refurbishing effort,
of course, by also becoming a legit threat in Chip Kelly’s rejuvenated
Philly attack. The past five weeks – and on the heels of a goose
egg he posted in the Week 5 game against the Giants – he’s averaged
16.8 points/game, meaning only one player has outscored him at
the receiver position (guess) in that span. That’s quite an astonishing
turnaround for a guy who only managed 15.1 TOTAL points his first
five games.
Brandon Marshall is putting together a
top-five fantasy season.
Brandon
Marshall v. BAL: Speaking of idiots…. Marshall fired off an
angry rant of his own after the Bears came up short against Detroit
last Sunday, bad-mouthing the “borderline illegal” play of the Lions’
D-line and then trashing the city they represent for good measure.
You stay classy, Brandon Marshall. As with Cooper, however, Marshall’s
words will soon be forgotten because he keeps producing big numbers.
Despite uncertainty at the QB position in Chicago, the Bears’ star
wideout has managed to top 15 points in three of his last four outings
and continues to be the closest thing to Calvin Johnson anyone in
the league could hope to be. He’s too big for defensive backs, too
fast for linebackers, and possesses very sticky hands. Moreover,
now that Alshon Jeffery has emerged on the other side, opponents
can’t give him their undivided attention. That’s too bad for them
because he always managed to produce even when they did.
Kenny
Stills v. SF: If you’re in the market for a T.Y. Hilton knock-off,
maybe go see if Stills is available on your league’s waiver wire
(doubtful if you’re in a deeper league). While the rook from Oklahoma
doesn’t necessarily bring Hilton’s skill set to the table (elite
speed), he fills a similar role for Drew Brees, acting as the de
facto deep threat in the Saints’ explosive offense. Though he’s
only been targeted 33 times all season and has only caught 19 of
those targets, Stills is currently the 32nd ranked receiver in the
league. Here’s you how pull off that trick: You turn four of those
catches into touchdowns and you lead the league in yards-per-catch
(23.0). There’s inherent danger using guys who rely on explosion
plays (they can always lay an egg), but the New Orleans offense
is one of the league’s most stable and Brees one of its most consistent
offensive engineers. Don’t hesitate if you own Stills.
Grab Some Wood
Eddie
Royal @ MIA: It’s been a very strange year for Royal, to say
the least. He kicked off the 2013 campaign by scoring over 41
points in Weeks 1 and 2, more than he’d scored in three of his
first five complete seasons. Then, just when we were warming up
to him, he disappeared for about a month. Lest we completely forget
about him, the former Hokie returned in Weeks 7 and 8 to post
double-digit points against Jacksonville and Washington, respectively.
Then, last week, he disappeared again. Not exactly a model of
consistency, is he? In many ways, Royal duplicates what the more
versatile Danny Woodhead already brings to the table for the Bolts
and it’s hard to see him mattering that often when the San Diego
offense is humming along. He draws an opponent in Week 11, Miami,
that’s allowed the fourth fewest points to wide receivers, so
steer clear.
Percy
Harvin @ MIN: You’ve waited all season to plug that draft-and-stash
treasure, the explosive Harvin, into your lineup. It only seems
fitting to do so against the team that traded him away, right?
Wellllll…. Harvin hasn’t played football in almost a year and
isn’t exactly coming off some garden variety injury. The speedster
had his hip surgically repaired earlier this season, a critical
joint for a guy whose game is all about pinpoint cuts and sudden
changes of direction. I’m no doctor, granted, but I certainly
play one on fantasy websites and I’d advise you exercise caution
when placing your team’s playoff hopes in Harvin’s seemingly capable
hands. The Hawks have a bye after the game in Minny and any potential
setback would probably force Coach Carroll to sit him down for
another couple weeks of recuperation. Besides, we haven’t seen
Harvin in this offense yet and the Hawks haven’t necessarily missed
him while he’s been out. Lotta unknowns here, people.
Denarius
Moore @ HOU: The Raiders’ best receiver and premiere
deep threat has been pretty solid this season, encouraging when
you consider he’s been paired with a very inexperienced
QB who’s often more inclined to run than air things out.
Moore tallied four double-digit games in his first six to start
the season, scoring a TD in every one of those contests. In the
three games since, however, he’s only tallied about 16 total
points and hasn’t returned to the end zone. Terrelle Pryor’s
inexperience, in other words, might be starting to show a bit.
Pryor also isn’t a sure thing to start on Sunday at Reliant
Stadium, meaning Moore could be shagging passes from the virtually
unknown Matt McGloin against the Texans. I wouldn’t be crazy
about trotting him out there unless I had no other viable options
at the position. Go find someone better/hotter on your league’s
waiver wire.
Good luck, folks!
Quarterbacks 
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