|
Bye Weeks: N/A
Grab a Helmet
The QB change can only help Jordy.
Jordy
Nelson @ DET: Prior to the 2013 season, only three men had started
at quarterback for the Pack the previous two DECADES, an astonishing
run of stability no other franchise can match. One of them will
soon be enshrined in Canton and another is well on his way. The
third is Matt Flynn, who will be making his third start for Green
Bay on Thanksgiving Day after the failed Seneca Wallace and Scott
Tolzien experiments. That thought might further dampen holiday spirits
in Titletown if not for the heart-warming memory many have of Flynn’s
last start as a Packer, a Week 17 matchup with the Lions back in
2011 wherein he threw for an absurd 480 yards and six TDs. Nelson
landed 9 of Flynn’s 31 completions for 162 yards and three scores
that day and his owners would be thankful for anything even approximating
a repeat performance this Thursday. Who knows, right?
Harry
Douglas @ BUF: If Packer fans think they have it bad, consider
the fate of the Falcons’ faithful. Coming into the season, Atlanta
looked like a legit Super Bowl contender. Eleven games later, they’re
looking more like a legit contender for the #1 pick in the 2014
draft. This despite the fact Matt Ryan, unlike Aaron Rodgers, hasn’t
missed a snap. A decimated receiving corps is the most obvious explanation
for the train wreck, of course, but don’t blame the plucky Douglas,
who has seized an opportunity to fill that void and run with it.
Since becoming a fixture in the starting lineup about six weeks
ago, Douglas has notched triple-digit receiving yardage three times
and scored twice. He’s also averaged about 10 targets per contest.
If you snatched him off the waiver wire following Julio Jones’ season-ending
injury, pat yourself on the back…and don’t forget to keep starting
him.
Michael
Floyd @ PHI: I was pretty skeptical of Floyd heading into the
2013 campaign, mostly because I’m always skeptical of Notre Dame
products (overrated) but also because he’d shown little in his rookie
season to get overly excited about (45 receptions, 562 yards, and
two scores). Consider me a convert. Despite earning 14 fewer targets
than Larry Fitzgerald through 12 games, the former Golden Domer
has notched the same number of receptions (50) as the future HOF’er
and tallied nearly 200 more yards. If Fitz weren’t hogging all the
TD receptions, in fact, Floyd could very easily be Arizona’s most
attractive fantasy option at the position. Bruce Arians deserves
Coach of the Year consideration for the job he’s done in the desert
and a win in Philly makes him the front-runner. Start Floyd against
the Eagles’ league-worst fantasy pass defense (29.7 points/game
yielded to opposing WRs).
Grab Some Wood
Santonio
Holmes v. MIA: Rex Ryan has opted to stick with Geno Smith
for the Week 13 matchup with Miami, a decision that can mean only
one of two things: 1) Matt Simms is even worse than Smith (a chilling
thought); or 2) Ryan is tired of being a big fish in a bigger
pond and is actually hoping to get canned come season’s end. Smith,
the first-year signal caller from West Virginia, has basically
imploded this past month. He hasn’t thrown a TD pass since Week
7 (against seven interceptions) and has only tallied 34.6 total
fantasy points in that same span, or one fewer than Drew Brees
and Ben Roethlisberger scored in Weeks 10 and 11, respectively.
Unsurprisingly, no Jets receiver has topped even eight points
since Jeremy Kerley tallied 15.7 in the Week 7 win over New England.
If you’re desperate for receiver help this weekend, in other words,
look everywhere else first.
Vincent
Brown v. CIN: OK, maybe not here. Brown was one of those super-sleeper
types heading into 2012 until an ankle injury caused him to miss
the entire season. His name resurfaced this year when both Danario
Alexander and Malcom Floyd were shelved early on, leaving the
Chargers’ cupboard at the position essentially bare. Since notching
his first career 100-yard effort back in Week 5 against the Raiders,
however, Brown has all but vanished. He’s commanded only 23 targets
in San Diego’s last six games and hasn’t tallied more than 35
yards (or a six-pointer) in any of them. He bottomed out in the
Week 12 win over KC, failing to record even a single reception.
This despite the fact Philip Rivers completed 27 passes for almost
400 yards. You’re probably already ignoring the once-promising
Brown, but if you’re thinking of getting cute down the stretch,
don’t.
T.Y.
Hilton v. TEN: I’m a huge fan of Eugene “T.Y.”
Hilton and won’t hesitate to plug him into my lineup this
weekend, but only because I don’t have a lot of healthy
options at the WR position and because, quite frankly, it doesn’t
matter (I’m in the consolation bracket in my most important
league). Don’t be too quick to follow suit if you’ve
still got something to play for, though. Tennessee has allowed
precisely ONE receiver to post double-digit fantasy points in
2013 and it happened way back in Week 2 (DeAndre Hopkins with
17.7, aided by an overtime period). Since then, only two players
have even come close. Hilton himself wasn’t much of a factor
in the Colts’ Week 11 win over the Titans just two weeks
ago, turning nine targets into five receptions for a ho-hum 44
yards. Put another way, do as I say, people, and not as I do.
Good luck, folks, and happy Thanksgiving!
Quarterbacks 
|
